The Download: inside the first CRISPR treatment, and smarter robots

The information: A brand new robotic coaching mannequin, dubbed “KnowNo,” goals to show robots to ask for our assist when orders are unclear. On the identical time, it ensures they search clarification solely when essential, minimizing pointless back-and-forth. The consequence is a brilliant assistant that tries to ensure it understands what you need with out bothering you an excessive amount of.

Why it issues: Whereas robots may be highly effective in lots of particular situations, they’re typically unhealthy at generalized duties that require frequent sense. That’s one thing massive language fashions might assist to repair, as a result of they’ve plenty of commonsense data baked in. Read the full story.

—June Kim

Medical microrobots that journey contained in the physique are (nonetheless) on their manner

The human physique is a labyrinth of vessels and tubing, filled with limitations which can be tough to interrupt by. That poses a critical hurdle for medical doctors. Sickness is commonly brought on by issues which can be laborious to visualise and tough to entry. However think about if we might deploy armies of tiny robots into the physique to do the job for us. They may break up hard-to-reach clots, ship medicine to even essentially the most inaccessible tumors, and even assist information embryos towards implantation.

We’ve been listening to about the usage of tiny robots in medication for years, perhaps even a long time. They usually’re nonetheless not right here. However consultants are adamant that medical microbots are lastly coming, and that they could possibly be a recreation changer for a lot of critical illnesses. Read the full story.

—Cassandra Willyard