oh wow so cool, edition six

The sixth oh wow so cool.

Hey everybody,

Happy first Sunday of December– only four more until 2024.

Thanks for being here! As a reminder, I’ll be sending you a handful of startups/research articles every other Sunday, each with an “oh wow” (description of the startup/research) and a “so cool” (what it could lead to in the future).

Let’s get started.

[Startups] Pika, Wonder Dynamics, Runway

oh wow: AI for making movies– everything from generating/editing a video from a text description to replacing human actors with CGI characters.

so cool: Startups like these seem to set the stage for Hollywood-quality movies being made with just a laptop and phone camera. Just like how some of music’s top hits are made by bedroom producers now, I can see this happening with film in the future.

[Startup] Danti

oh wow: A search engine for earth observation data. Ask questions like “what are the latest tank movements in Eastern Ukraine?” or “how old is the roof at 123 Main St?”

so cool: This could make it incredibly easy for a novice to provide intelligence for any organization ranging from the military to realtors– using only text to search.

[Startup] Afference

oh wow: A neural interface in the form of a glove that allows the wearer to physically interact with digital objects by creating artificial touch sensations.

so cool: Touch is a key component missing from being fully immersed in the digital world– having the ability to physically interact with objects that only exist digitally could lead to a future where games, like the ones described in The Three-Body Problem and Ready Player One, are viewed as a preferred alternate reality.

[Research] Scientists 3D print a robotic hand with human-like bones and tendons 

oh wow: Scientists figured out how to make a robotic hand similar to a human hand– complete with touch pads, pressure sensors, and tendon-like structures.

so cool: This could lead to humanoid robots that can actually move like humans do (something robots can’t do now because of the materials they’re made from), allowing them to take on even more of our work. Synthetic people, coming to you soon.

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That’s a wrap for edition six!

Thanks for reading, any/all feedback is appreciated and let me know if there are specific details you want included next time.

And if you have startups or research that you’re excited about, send them my way. Either respond to this email or ping me at tarek@ohwowsocool.com and let’s chat.

See you around,

Tarek