Dire wolves, made famous by HBO's Game of Thrones, have been extinct for around 12,500 years. But thanks to genetic engineers at biotech company Colossal Biosciences, these majestic predators are back.

Hey guys, gals and other pals! I've been 3d modeling for a couple of years now and I think I'm fairly decent at it. However the thig that I suck at the absolute most is rigging and animation. So I decided to have a go at making my first ever custom rig and walk cycle! Oddish is a cute and easy character so I thought I'd try my hand with him. I modeled, rigged and animated everything from scratch following various tutorials as needed. The shader I built on top of Kai's watercolor shader he posted in here a while back. Shutout you my friend! The music and sfx are from pixabay. Oddish's voice is me! Please let me know what you guys think! Any feedback is welcome. submitted by /u/dannydevitosbaby [link] [comments]

NASA's Parker Solar Probe has made its second close flyby of the sun. The spacecraft travelled at a speed of 692000 kilometres per hour. It moved within 6.1 million kilometres of the sun. This event took place on March 22. A signal confirming its good health was received on March 25. The signal confirmed that all systems on board were working as planned. The probe was designed to study solar winds and collect data from the sun's outer atmosphere. The mission is being used to help scientists understand solar activity that affects Earth.More About The MissionAccording to NASA's announcement, the probe's instruments were activated during the pass. They were used to study the corona. This is the outer layer of the sun's atmosphere. The spacecraft was operated on its own during the flyby. It had been programmed in advance. Scientists believe this data may help them understand why the corona is hotter than the sun's surface. The data is also being used to study changes in space weather. This information is considered important for protecting satellites and communication systems on Earth.Quote from NASAIn a press release issued by NASA, acting Administrator Janet Petro said that the mission has entered a zone no spacecraft has visited before. Petro said this while addressing the media at the agency's Washington headquarters. She said that the research is expected to change how solar science is studied in the future.Award given to the teamAs per a statement released by the National Aeronautic Association, the mission team was given the 2024 Robert J. Collier Trophy. The team includes experts from NASA and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. Ralph Semmel, Director at Johns Hopkins APL, said that the mission was once believed to be impossible. He shared this in an interview with NASA's press team. The next close flyby is expected to take place on June 19.

A Simple Introduction to Ultra-Wideband Indoor Positioning Via Artificial Intelligence: Multi-Layer Perceptron Decomposition Architecture7 min readJust now--Indoor positioning (IP) for mobile Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the significant problems that must be solved to enable various applications such as navigation, proximity marketing, asset tracking, collision avoidance, and social distancing. While significant advances have been made in this area over the past decade, IP systems still suffer from low positioning accuracy due to non-line-of-sight (NLoS) scenarios. Ultra-wideband (UWB) technology has emerged as one of the key methods in achieving high positioning accuracy; however, its performance can significantly degrade due to multipath components in the wireless environment. Therefore, novel signal and information processing techniques are required to achieve robust positioning accuracy in indoor environments with multiple obstacles.In this article, I have introduced my conference paper, which presents UWB Indoor Positioning via novel Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) Decomposition Architecture. This article's technical content has been published as a conference paper (Cakan, E., ahin, A., Nakip, M., & Rodoplu, V. (2021, June). Multi-layer perceptron decomposition architecture for mobile IoT indoor positioning. In 2021 IEEE 7th World Forum on Internet of Things (WF-IoT) (pp. 253257). IEEE.)Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques hold much promise for processing information in IP systems. In this article, I have introduced a novel AI-based architecture for mobile IoT indoor positioning, which is called Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) Decomposition. In our architecture, in the first stage, a bank of MLPs processes the position and distance information from each anchor. In the second stage, the outputs of the MLP bank are fed into a main MLP block. While the decomposition of MLPs into multiple stages has been used in the Machine Learning (ML) literature, to the best of the authors knowledge, this is the first work that uses a design based on MLP decomposition for indoor positioning.We demonstrated the performance of our architecture on actual data collected in an indoor environment with multiple obstacles. We proved that our architecture outperforms the benchmark processing techniques optimized on the same data: MLP, Linear Regression, Ridge Regression, Support Vector Regression, and the Least Squares Method for indoor positioning. These results show that our architecture can significantly advance the positioning accuracy of existing indoor positioning systems and enable mobile IoT indoor applications that require high positioning performance.Demonstration area for data collecitonThe Quest for Precise Indoor LocationAccurate indoor positioning is fundamental for numerous emerging applications. Imagine navigating a complex hospital building with turn-by-turn directions on your phone, efficiently locating a specific tool in a vast warehouse, or receiving location-based promotions in a shopping mall. These scenarios, and many others, rely on knowing the precise location of devices and individuals within indoor spaces.While various technologies have been explored, achieving high accuracy consistently remains a hurdle. Traditional methods often struggle with Non-Line of Sight (NLoS) conditions, where obstacles block the direct signal path, leading to inaccurate distance measurements. Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology has emerged as a leading contender for high-precision IP due to its wide bandwidth. But even UWB systems can be affected by multipath signals bouncing off surfaces.Illustration of LoS and NLoS signal (left), Signal Strength x Time of Multipath (right) (Source: Ubisense)Introducing MLP Decomposition: A Two-Stage AI ApproachTo address these challenges, we have developed a novel processing architecture based on the principles of Machine Learning. The core idea is to employ a Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) Decomposition strategy, breaking down the problem into two distinct stages of processing.The architecture is designed for an indoor positioning system with multiple anchors (fixed reference points with known coordinates) and a mobile tag (the device whose position needs to be determined). The system relies on measuring the distance between the tag and each anchor.Stage 1-Individual Anchor Processing. In the first stage, for each anchor in the system, a dedicated MLP block processes the distance measurement to that specific anchor along with the known x and y coordinates of that anchor. This individual processing allows the system to learn the specific characteristics and potential biases associated with each anchors signal propagation. The output of each of these individual MLP blocks is a set of learned features.Stage 2-Data Fusion with a Main MLP. The second stage involves a central Main MLP Block that takes the features generated by each of the individual anchor MLP blocks as its input. This main block then fuses this information to produce the final estimated x and y coordinates of the mobile tag.This two-stage decomposition allows for a more nuanced and effective way of learning the complex relationships between the raw measurements and the actual location compared to using a single, monolithic MLP. Importantly, the entire architecture is designed to be end-to-end trainable, meaning all the individual MLP blocks and the main MLP block are trained together to optimize the overall positioning accuracy.How Does the MLP Decomposition Architecture Work?In the figure below, the MLP Decomposition architecture is displayed.First Stage: Each MLP Block fuses the di distance between T (the tagged mobile device) and Ai (the i-th anchor) with the xAi and yAi coordinates of Ai (which are inputs to this MLP block) to produce a set of features {{fi,q}q{1,,Q}}. Here, fi,q is the q-th output of MLP Block i.Second Stage: The Main MLP Block fuses these sets of features (received as the outputs of the MLP blocks in the first stage) to produce (xT, yT), which is the estimate of the current position of tag T.MLP Decomposition Architecture for Indoor PositioningEach MLP Block i consists of L hidden layers and an output layer (the L+1st layer). The Main MLP Block consists of Lmain hidden layers and an output layer with two neurons (corresponding to xT and yT). The entire architecture is end-to-end trainable, meaning that each MLP block in the first stage and the Main MLP block in the second stage are not trained separately.Experimental Setup and ResultsWe demonstrated the empirical results of our architecture based on a setup of a UWB system. We compared the results with alternative techniques that process the same set of positioning data. Our results indicate that our architecture outperforms all the alternative techniques studied.In our experiment, the deployment area for the anchors and the tag was a furnished living room of 3 m 2.1 m. It is emphasized that this environment has a rich multipath profile. In the experiment, n = 4 anchors were used and located near the four corners of the room. The room was divided into a 15 cm 15 cm two-dimensional grid, and the tag visited these grid points. At each visit point, 5 distance measurements were taken from all anchors at 4-second intervals.Application AreaThe table below presents the performance comparison of all techniques using 10-fold cross-validation. Performance was measured in terms of three metrics: (1) Mean positioning error; (2) Standard deviation (STD) of positioning errors; (3) Coefficient of determination R, which takes values in the range.MLP-based techniques significantly outperform Linear Regression, Ridge Regression, SVR, and the Least Squares Method. Most importantly, the MLP Decomposition architecture outperformed all other examined techniques, including MLP, in terms of mean positioning error. Compared to MLP, MLP Decomposition reduced the mean positioning error from 8.98 cm to 7.68 cm. This represents a significant improvement of 14.5% over MLP. Furthermore, the standard deviation of the positioning error for the MLP Decomposition architecture is comparable to that of MLP and is among the two lowest values across all techniques. Finally, the R coefficient of the MLP Decomposition architecture achieved the highest value among all techniques.Performance Results via 10-Fold Cross ValidaitonThe figure below shows the Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) of the positioning error under the MLP Decomposition model. The results show that 48.03% of the positioning errors are within 5 cm, 84.94% are within 10 cm, and 98.03% are within 30 cm.The CDF of positioning error for MLP Decomposition modelConclusionIn this study, we developed a novel Artificial Intelligence-based processing architecture called the Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) Decomposition architecture for the indoor positioning of mobile IoT devices. Our architecture takes the positions of the anchors and the measured distance between each anchor and the mobile IoT device as inputs and produces the estimated position of the tag.We measured the performance of our architecture in a demonstration using ultra-wideband (UWB) as the underlying technology for distance measurement to each anchor. We found that our MLP Decomposition architecture outperforms all the following techniques in mean positioning error: MLP, Linear Regression, Ridge Regression, Support Vector Regression, and the Least Squares Method for indoor positioning. In particular, our cross-validated results showed that our architecture reduces the positioning error by 14.5% compared to MLP, which exhibited the second-best performance. This improvement is significant, considering the current competitive landscape of indoor positioning techniques.Although we have only presented our results for UWB in this paper, the processing architecture we have developed for indoor positioning is general and can be applied to any positioning technology that provides a measurement of the distance from the mobile IoT device to each anchor. Our MLP Decomposition architecture shows promise for ultra-high-precision next-generation indoor positioning of mobile IoT devices to enable applications such as navigation, proximity marketing, asset tracking, collision avoidance, and social distancing.

While the Super Mario Bros. Movie was incredibly successful, having made $146 million in the domestic market on its theatrical release, A Minecraft Movie has now overtaken it, becoming the highest-grossing box office debut for a game adaptation. According to IGN, A Minecraft Movie made $157 million in its opening weekend. A Minecraft Movie has also been doing quite well in international market, making an extra $144 million. This puts the combined box office debut for A Minecraft Movie at around $301 million. For context, the cost to produce A Minecraft Movie reportedly came in at around $150 million, not counting its global marketing costs. While this is by no means confirmation on the matter, the fact that A Minecraft Movie has made so much money in just its opening weekend would indicate that Warner Bros. might have sequels planned. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer would likely support endeavours for a sequel, since back in March, he spoke about wanting more video games to be adapted into movies and TV shows. In an interview, Spencer spoke about how Microsoft had learned from the mistakes it had made with its Halo adaptation, and would like to go ahead with adapting more of its properties for the big and little screen. Were learning and growing through this process, which is giving us more confidence that we should do more, said Spencer. We learned from doing Halo. We learned from doing Fallout. So all of these build on themselves. And obviously well have a couple that miss. But what Id say to the Xbox community that likes this work is, Youre going to see more, because were gaining confidence and were learning through this. In the same interview, Legendarys chairman of worldwide production, Mary Parent, spoke about why A Minecraft Movie has that title, rather than just Minecraft like the game it is based on. According to Parent, the movies title was chosen because the Minecraft games dont have a singular story. Rather, stories in Minecraft are different depending on players, owing to the games sandbox nature. Were calling it A Minecraft Movie because were respecting the fact that theres no one story that drives the game, said Parent. The last major adaptation of a Microsoft property was the Paramount+ Halo series. The show was ultimately cancelled after two seasons, owing to the heavy criticism it faced. Other video game adaptations, however, have been doing quite well. Segas and Paramounts Sonic the Hedgehog movies, for instance, have made more than $1 billion at the global box office with three movies having been released. When it comes to TV, shows like Amazon Primes Fallout, as well as HBOs adaptation of The Last of Us have both been well-received both in terms of critics as well as in terms of getting viewers. Fallout 76 creative director Jon Rush also spoke about the Fallout show bringing in a new audience to the game, as well as older titles in the franchise. The Last of Us will be premiering its second season on April 13.

Banners designed by @bananas Rumor Info Also Sourced from Reddit user /u/Crusader3456Thread Title by Mr Evil 37Current ProjectsGame NamePlatformsRelease DateTrailerGears of War: E-DayTBDAnnounce TrailerRumorsGears 6Source: Xbox Era summary via GameRantGears of War Collection?Source: Xbox Era, summary by DexertoCurrent ProjectsGame NamePlatform(s)Release DateTrailerSouth of MidnightX|S, PCApril 8, 2025Gameplay RevealRumorsCurrent ProjectsGame NamePlatformsRelease DateTrailerN/ATBDRumorsMultiple Games in DevelopmentSource: GamerantCurrent ProjectsGame NamePlatformsRelease DateTrailerN/ATBDRumorsProject TatankaSource: Windows CentralMove to Unreal Engine 5, No Story DLCSource: GamespotHalo: Combat Evolved Remaster in early developmentSource: Notepad by Tom WarrenCurrent ProjectsGame NamePlatformsRelease DateTrailerPerfect DarkX|S, PCTBDGameplay RevealRumorsPerfect Dark Is Years AwaySource: Rebekah Valentine, IGNCurrent ProjectsGame NamePlatformsRelease DateTrailerClockwork RevolutionX|S, PCIn Due TimeAnnounce TrailerRumorsTitle Based on Existing IP?Source: Reddit, GamingLeaksandRumoursCurrent ProjectsGame NamePlatformsRelease DateTrailerN/ATBDRumorsThird Minecraft Spin-off GameSource: Jez Corden, Summary via ScreenrantCurrent ProjectsGame NamePlatformsRelease DateTrailerProject MaraX|S, PCTBDTeaser TrailerCurrent ProjectsGame NamePlatformsRelease DateTrailerAvowedX|S, PCFebruary 18, 2025The Outer Worlds 2X|S, PCFall 2025Announce TrailerRumorObsidian Want to Release 7 Games in 7 YearsSource: Jez CordenCurrent ProjectsGame NamePlatformsRelease DateTrailerFableX|S, PC2025RumorsForza Horizon 6Current ProjectsGame NamePlatformsRelease DateTrailerEverwildX|S, PCTBDEternals TrailerRumorsEverwild Rebooted, More Like Viva PinataSource: Andy RobinsonCurrent ProjectsGame NamePlatformsRelease DateTrailerCurrent ProjectsGame NamePlatformsRelease DateTrailerState of Decay 3X|S, PCTBDAnnounce TrailerCurrent ProjectsGame NamePlatformsRelease DateTrailerAge of Mythology RetoldX|S, PCSeptember 4, 2024Announce TrailerCurrent ProjectsGame NamePlatformsRelease DateTrailerNinja Gaiden 4(Team Ninja & Platinum Games)X|S, PC, PS5Fall 2025Announce TrailerContraband(Avalanche Studios)X|S, PCTBDAnnounce TrailerTowerborne(Stoic Studio)X|S, PCSeptember 10, 2024 (Steam Early Access)2025 (1.0 Release)Announce TrailerOD(Kojima Productions)X|S, PC, CloudTBDOfficial Teaser -- The Game AwardsRumored PartnershipsGame NamePlatformsSourceProject Dragon(IO Interactive)X|S, PCWindows CentralProject Maverick(People Can Fly)X|S, PCShackNewsProject Shaolin(Brass Lion Entertainment)X|S, PCWindows CentralProject Suerte(Certain Affinity)X|S, PCWindows CentralKiller Instinct(Bandai Namco?)X|S, PCWindows CentralProject Vonnegut(Shadowrun?)X|S, PCReddit Summary of GrubbsnaxBanjo-KazooieX|S, PCNateDrake, ResetEraOver a dozen projects in developmentIdleSloth GDC VideoHundred Stars ProjectTBDeXtas1s -- Exputer

We cover a lot of things at Polygon, but nothing gets us more excited lately than the Nintendo Switch 2. And now you have a chance to win your very own Switch 2!All you need to do is take a few seconds to submit an entry. If selected, youll win a new Switch 2. Nintendos upcoming console boasts a 7.9-inch screen and 256 GB of storage, plus plenty of new features. These include Joy-Con 2 controllers that attach magnetically and can be used like mice, and GameChat, a Discord-like video chat feature that allows you to stream your gameplay and talk with friends. The Switch 2 will be backward-compatible with the original Switch, but also has several exclusive games already lined up, including Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and The Duskbloods.To enter, simply subscribe to Polygons Switchboard newsletter using the widget below. Once youve signed up, you can submit additional entries by visiting Polygon on Instagram (@polygondotcom) or subscribing to Polygon on YouTube. The sweepstakes begins at 10 a.m. EDT on March 26, and ends at 5 p.m. on April 23.On April 2, Nintendo announced the Switch 2 would cost $449.99 and be released on June 5, with pre-orders originally scheduled to begin on April 9. However, on April 4, Nintendo delayed U.S. pre-orders indefinitely in response to the new tariffs announced by the Trump administration, though the June 5 release date remains unchanged. If there are supply issues with the Switch 2 and Polygon is not able to obtain one by Dec. 31, 2025, the winner will instead receive a gift card of approximate equal value.NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.Sweepstakes begins at 10:00am ET on 03/26/2025 and ends at 5:00pm ET on 4/23/2025. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. states and Washington D.C., of legal age of majority and have access to the internet, and a valid email address. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Subject to Official Rules, additional eligibility restrictions apply. Official Rules, which govern, can be found here: Official Rules. SponsorPrivacy Policy.

Most Nintendo franchises are very carefully curated, slowly introducing new characters and elements, while maintaining nostalgic ties to the past. Oddly, the exception to this rule is Nintendos very first big franchise, Donkey Kong, which the company seems happy to reboot whenever it suits their fancy. The original Donkey Kong games gave way to Rares Donkey Kong Country in the 90s, we got another soft reboot when Retro Studios took over the series and replaced the Kremlings with tiki masks, and now, Nintendos reinventing the whole shebang again. Donkey Kong Bananza gives Nintendos big ape a major makeover, turning DK into a terrain-smashing brute who can literally shape the world around him with his fists.Donkey Kong Bananza is a bold new take, but it's one Nintendo clearly has quite a bit of confidence in, given the game is essentially standing in for a new Mario platformer during the Nintendo Switch 2 launch window. Will DK's latest reinvention be a success or leave fans pounding the ground in disappointment? I recently had the chance to go paws-on with Donkey Kong Bananza at a Switch 2 preview event (here are my general thoughts on the new hardware) and you can jump on down for my early impressionsAfter many years of mostly chilling in his treehouse, Donkey Kong has seemingly decided to make something of himself, becoming a miner who uses his fists to dig up Golden Bananas and a glittering ore named Banandium (naturally). Unfortunately, a villainous crew of apes, known as VoidCo, crash a meteor into DKs mine on Ingot Island sinking all its precious treasure further underground. This sets DK off on a quest through multiple descending levels to crack some heads and retrieve as many Golden Bananas as he can.The first thing youll likely note upon jumping into Donkey Kong Bananza are the changes to DK himself, who has been redesigned to look a lot like he did in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (minus the Seth Rogen voice, thankfully). While there have been some kneejerk negative reactions to the new look, only a few minutes with the game will likely dispel any misgivings you might have. Frankly, the old Rare DK design was showing its age and this new look allows for a much wider range of expressions, which the developers of DK Bananza (likely the EPD Tokyo team behind Super Mario Odyssey) take full advantage of. This Donkey Kong feels like a more fleshed-out character with a full range of emotions, rather than just a dumb animal. You even get to play dress-up, as fossils you collect can be traded for new looks at a not-yet-glimpsed cosmetics store.Some of the changes to Donkey Kongs world feel a bit odd at first, like all the apes that look kind of like Diddy Kong, but arent Diddy Kong, running around, and the strange assortment of enemies. But odd isnt necessarily bad, and much like with DKs makeover, that feeling of this is weird wore off quickly. Also, during a second playthrough of the Donkey Kong Bananza demo, in which I focused on finding as many secrets as I could, I managed to locate good old Cranky Kong. This, combined with an accidental leak from Nintendo themselves, hints DK Bananza may not be quite as hard a reboot as it appears at first.In terms of visuals, Donkey Kong Bananza goes for a unique, stylized look. For instance, the fuzzy fur shading thats adorned DK for years has been replaced with almost scale-like layers of fur. Similarly, the world of DK Bananza features a lot of intentionally off-kilter, sharp angles and brash colors. This isnt the most cohesive visual style Nintendo has ever come up with, but everything has a nice, sharp, bold look that makes this world stand out on the new Switch 2 hardware. Meanwhile, the game runs at a nice mostly-smooth 60fps, with only a few brief hiccups detected.As for how Donkey Kong Bananza plays, the games central gimmick becomes apparent very quickly this time around, DK doesnt just smash baddies with his fists, he can now use them to plow into the terrain, with a surprising amount of the environment being destructible. DK can punch forward, downward, and up, as well as slam down from above after a jump. Additionally, he can grab chunks of rock and dirt to throw and clamber up pretty much any vertical surface.It's a simple, yet versatile, set of tools for traversing and shaping the world, which makes Donkey Kong Bananza almost feel like a mixture of Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The Mario Odyssey roots are clear, with the stage I explored having both explicitly-stated missions to achieve and extra Golden Bananas hidden all over for those who choose to (literally) dig a bit deeper. While the actual platforming in the level I played was very rudimentary, there are bonus stages to uncover that provide more traditional run, jump, and fight challenges. The demo even culminated in a basic boss battle of sorts.And yet, as mentioned, Donkey Kong Bananza also seems to embody some of that Zelda: Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom go crazy, do things your way ethos. Do you want to stick to the golden path? Search carefully for secrets? Or just lay waste to everything around you? Its up to each individual player. There were also some simple puzzle elements found in the demo, in the form of small concrete sections of the environment that could be destroyed by throwing explosive materials at them.Much like Tears of the Kingdom, there were also moments when the amount of freedom Donkey Kong Bananza allows made the game feel a bit messy. At times I'd find myself digging into the ground when I simply wanted to attack an enemy, and once burrowed in there, the camera sometimes made it tough to keep track of where I was. There was also an odd issue where turning the camera would sometimes make most of the world disappear into a purple void for a second, which I assume will be fixed before launch.While the issues I just mentioned caused some momentary frustration, I spent most of my time with Donkey Kong Bananza thinking about the possibilities presented by its mechanics. The tools are certainly there for puzzles that would require you to, say, mould the terrain in specific ways using your fists, explosives, and other tools to reach a goal. Theres a lot of potential here, and it seems likely the demo I played only showed a portion of DKs full bunch of abilities.Current Thoughts on Donkey Kong BananzaDonkey Kong Bananza swings the franchise in a bold direction, giving the ape himself a personality-packed makeover and offering up gameplay that combines the sandbox platforming formula of Super Mario Odyssey with the open-ended, play-as-you-will ethos of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. While the demo I played was a bit rough around the edges in some respects, DK Bananza promises to potentially be an amalgamation of some of Nintendos most acclaimed games of recent years. We dont know for sure if that will be the case yet, but Im eager to unpeel the full package and find out.Donkey Kong Bananza launches exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2 on July 17. Look for more Wccftech coverage of the game closer to launch.Deal of the Day