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Thursday, June 13, 2024

'NYPD probes if vandalism of museum director’s home tied to similar acts as footage of suspects released'

 Investigators are looking to see if several disturbing acts of vandalism in New York City, including at the home of the Brooklyn Museum’s Jewish director, are connected — as police released footage of some of the suspects.

Five hateful vandals targeted museum director Anne Pasternak’s home on Hicks Street in Brooklyn Heights around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, tossing red paint on the door and displaying a banner in the outdoor vestibule that read, “Anne Pasternak Brooklyn Museum White-Supremacist Zionist.”

An inverted red triangle was also sprayed on her door — a symbol used in the past by Hamas to identify Israeli military targets.

Four vandals targeted Germany’s consulate Wednesday morning, police said.AP

The shocking conduct, which was widely condemned by elected officials, is being probed as a hate crime, police said.

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The NYPD released surveillance footage of five masked suspects wanted in the destruction of Pasternak’s building.

Authorities also blasted out images and video of three of the four vandals who threw red paint on the German consulate at United Nations Plaza in Manhattan around 3:30 a.m.

The group fled from the consulate in a dark-colored vehicle, cops said.

The building was still dripping with red paint Wednesday afternoon akin to something out of a horror film.

Images of three suspects from the German consulate paint attack were blasted out by police.NYPD

Law enforcement sources said investigators are looking into whether the two cases, along with similar vandalism across the city, are connected.

Hours before the NYPD released the footage, the department said there were “several incidents” where a red liquid substance was used to destroy property at different spots in the city.

A building on Douglass Street in Brooklyn was also targeted and a witness told The Post she saw two men wearing all black spray paint the building around 11 a.m.

Paint was still seen on the German consulate Wednesday afternoon.Christopher Sadowski
Board members of the Brooklyn Museum were also singled out by vandals Wednesday. Christopher Sadowski

“They spray painted all that with red,” said the 25-year-old woman who did not want to give her name. 

“And I was like, really confused, nothing like that ever happens in this neighborhood. It’s so quiet. It’s quiet, it’s calm and everyone pretty much knows each other.”

An Upper East Side apartment building and the Permanent Observer Mission of the State of Palestine to the United Nations were also vandalized, and two American flags were lit on fire in front of the Consulate General of Israel in Manhattan Wednesday, police said.

One of the five masked suspects wanted in the destruction of the building.DCPI
The group fled from the consulate in a dark-colored vehicle, cops said.DCPI
Board members of the Brooklyn Museum were also singled out by vandals Wednesday. 

https://nypost.com/2024/06/13/us-news/nypd-probes-if-vandalism-of-brooklyn-museums-jewish-directors-home-tied-to-similar-acts-as-footage-of-suspects-released/

China firm develops human-like robots that display complex facial expressions, emotions

 On the floor of the Ex-Robots factory in China’s northeastern coastal city of Dalian, engineers develop humanoid robots with a focus on enhancing facial expressions and emotions.

Neck-length silicone masks lie sprawled on a table alongside silicone arms and feet, while disembodied heads sit on display and humanoid robots in various stages of construction stand nearby. Drawings of robot designs adorn a wall.

“We have our own software and algorithm teams,” said Ex-Robots Chief Executive Li Boyang, adding that humanoid robots are the most complex class of robotic products.

Neck-length silicone masks are used for the robots.REUTERS
Ex-Robot engineers are creating humanoid robots with a focus on enhancing facial expressions and emotions.REUTERS
Ex-Robots Chief Executive Li Boyang says that humanoid robots are the most complex class of robotic products.REUTERS
“There are many basic models and algorithms that are commonly open source, which everyone uses. However, we concentrate more on how to enable the AI to recognize and express expressions and emotions.”

As an Ex-Robots worker moves her head, smiles and sticks out her tongue, a humanoid robot mimics her movement thanks to tiny motors installed in several spaces in its head.

“We are also working on the foundation model. The model we’re making is multi-modal and capable of emotional expression. It can perceive the surrounding environment and produce appropriate facial feedback,” Li said.

Ex-Robots said it takes from two weeks to a month to produce a humanoid robot, with prices ranging from 1.5 million yuan ($207,000) to 2 million yuan.

The model we’re making is multi-modal and capable of emotional expression. It can perceive the surrounding environment and produce appropriate facial feedback,” Li said.REUTERS
“We concentrate more on how to enable the AI to recognize and express expressions and emotions,” Li says.REUTERS
Ex-Robots said it takes from two weeks to a month to produce a humanoid robot, with prices ranging from 1.5 million yuan ($207,000) to 2 million yuan.REUTERS

The main purpose of the company’s robots so far is for display in museums, one of which Ex-Robots has housed in the same building as its factory.

Looking ahead, Li believes humanoid robots will have a bigger role to play in the healthcare and education industries.

“Psychological counselling and health are certainly future application scenarios. We are currently conducting related research, such as auxiliary treatment and preliminary screening for emotional and psychological disorders,” he said.

The company’s robots are on display in museums, one of which Ex-Robots has in the same building as its factory.REUTERS
Li believes the robots will have a bigger role in the healthcare and education industries.REUTERS
The company is “currently conducting related research, such as auxiliary treatment and preliminary screening for emotional and psychological disorders,” for the robots.REUTERS


Moreover, I believe that emotional interaction has broader applications in service fields, such as those aimed at children.”

https://nypost.com/2024/06/13/tech/chinese-company-develops-human-like-robots-that-can-display-complex-facial-expressions-emotions/