Where? : All around the world

Who? : Noopur Tiwari

What? Smahboard : A global feminist social media network to fight gender inequality and violence. Smashboard publishes articles, podcasts and magazines on its website and members are active on social networks. A map allows members to be viewed anywhere in the world.

Why? : The network and the app are digital allies to fight patriarchy !

Innovation repérée par Yasmine Oussedik de HEC Montréal, sous la direction du professeur Pierre Balloffet.

Where?: France

Who? Launched by Eva Sadoun and Léo Garnier

What? Rift: Application launched by the responsible investment platform Lita. It informs its user about the way money is used by banks. Depending on the user's priorities (climate change, respect for human rights...), Rift indicates compatible financial products, such as a financial Yuka.

Why?: Rift's objective is to democratize sustainable finance and enable individuals to reduce their carbon footprint through responsible investments.

Innovation spotted by Marion Fantoli  from the IHECS school of Belgium, supervised by Professor Damien Van Achter.

Where?: San Francisco, USA

Who?: OpenAI Laboratory, a project directed by Aditya Ramesh, with Mikhail Pavlov, Gabriel Goh and Scott Gray.

What? An artificial intelligence capable of generating quality images from a simple descriptive sentence. Dall-E is based on a 12 billion-parameter version of GPT-3. Trained with visual-text pairs, the solution is capable of generating new images from a brief descriptive sentence. Sometimes the images are generated from scratch, sometimes they are transformations of existing images. Dall-e can be creative in adding missing elements to the description.

Why?: There are several possible applications for this AI, especially for fashion or interior design.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where: United Kingdom

Who? John Jumper, Senior Research Scientist at DeepMind and leader of the research on AlphaFold

What? Alphafold: A large network of advanced (second generation) computers that allow 3D modelling and understanding of protein production processes using artificial intelligence. Scientists have long been interested in understanding the structures of proteins, as the shape of a protein is thought to dictate its function.  

Why?: Once the shape of a protein is determined, its role within the cell can be estimated and scientists can develop drugs that work with the unique shape of the protein. 

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where? : Togo

Who? Partnership between the Togolese Government and the NGO GiveDirectly, a project supervised by Caroline Teti.

What? GiveDirectly: an NGO that organises direct transfers to individuals using an algorithm developed by the University of Berkeley. This programme will enable 57,000 vulnerable people, spread over the poorest cantons in Togo, to receive monthly aid for five (5) months. The first deployment was carried out in Togo, through the "Novissi" mobile transfer platform.  The algorithm is based on data provided by telecom operators following an automatic analysis of the correlation between socio-economic situation and telephone consumption.

Why? : These concrete operations make it possible to provide financial support to the most deprived populations facing Covid by defining priorities thanks to a powerful algorithm.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where ?: Mountain View, California, USA

Who? : Jiaming Luo and Regina Barzilay from MIT and Yuan Cao from Google's AI lab

What? Deciphering Non Segmented Languages: Dozens of ancient languages remain without deciphering because we don't know what other language they are related to and the scriptures do not separate words. Thanks to AI based on the principles of linguistic evolution, researchers can decipher a lost language even without knowing its origins. The algorithm can also confirm relationships with other known languages.

Why ?: The team hopes to enable the translation of extinct languages from just a few thousand words of text.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Argentina

Who? Founded by Martin Furst

What? Abakus Farming Blockchain:  Argentina produces 40% of the world's soybeans, but farmers are suffering from rampant inflation. Abakus, an Argentinian startup and Coreledger, a Swiss specialist in blockchain architecture, are launching a digital barter platform to help farmers overcome this situation. The system is based on a cryptomoney indexed on physical assets (e.g. soybeans) that could be more stable than a fluctuating national currency. Tokens can be exchanged for goods or pesos.

Why?: The Coreledger system has also enabled the Bolivian beef industry to become more profitable by eliminating intermediaries thanks to direct investment tokens. This is an anti-poverty and anti-uncertainty solution because the tokens should be more stable than the national currency.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where: China

Who?: Chinese research team led by Jian-Wei Pan

What? Jiuzhang: China's leading quantum research group that developed a new photonic technology called Jiuzhang that finished a calculation that would have taken the most powerful supercomputers 2 billion years. In this way, the Chinese centre achieved quantum supremacy like Google, but using a different technology.

Why: The quantum computer could revolutionise many fields. Among other things, it could enable faster and more precise medical diagnoses, the development of therapeutic molecules or the creation of new drugs.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where: Austria, Europe

Who?: Created by researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), MIT and the Technische Universität Wien (TU Wien)

What? Brain-inspired AI driver: An autonomous car trained using a new frugal artificial intelligence system based on the brains of tiny animals, such as nematodes (roundworms). They achieved this with only a few neurons capable of controlling the autonomous car, compared to the millions of neurons needed for the most widely used networks. Their network was able to completely control a car using only 75,000 parameters, consisting of 19 control neurons.

Why: One of the main challenges of autonomous car driving is the ability to learn end-to-end control. In order to alleviate the various problems, the team of researchers launched an AI system with two components: the cameras and the intelligent agent inspired by the brain.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where : Germany

Who? : Collective of researchers EleutherAI

What? GPT-Neo: Project to create a replica of GPT-3, an Artificial Intelligence model with 175 parameters. This would make the source code public, usable and modifiable by everyone. GPT-Neo is based on the Mesh TensorFlow programming language.

Why ?: The GPT-3 Artificial Intelligence model, known for its performance in text analysis and writing, is today under exclusive Microsoft licence. It is open to use for $400 per month, but the source code is now private. The research collective therefore wants to make the internal workings of GPT-3 public.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where ? : Shenzhen, Chine

Who ?: Fondé par Liu Ruopeng, Ji Chunlin, Luan Lin, Zhang Yangyang, Zhao Zhiya

What ? : Kuangchi SmartHelmet : Casques intelligents équipés de caméras infrarouges alimentées par l'IA pour détecter les piétons souffrant de fièvre. Les casques sont portés par les policiers lorsqu'ils patrouillent dans les rues.

Why ? Nous pensons qu'il est possible de développer ce produit pour éviter de futures pandémies ou d'affiner la technologie pour prévenir les attaques terroristes.

Innovation repérée par Aradhana Sharma  de HEC Paris, sous la direction du professeur Julien Levy.

Where: United Kingdom

Who?: Launched by Matthew Mayes and Claudio Piovesana through Adaptive-Media

What? Focus Pocus : An animated owl driven by artificial intelligence and integrated into a pedagogical platform that interacts with the children and measures their level of concentration to ensure that they don't drop out of class during a lockdown. Focus Pocus measures their attention in real time, alerts them if they lose interest, rewards them for their work and provides a progress report to parents, while respecting their privacy.

Why: This platform helps children concentrate during homework assignments from a distance, especially during extended periods of distance learning.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: California, United States

Who?: Mark Fischer-Colbrie, CEO of Strateos

What?  Strateos' mission is to bring scientific research laboratories to the cloud. Their "workcells" contain modern scientific instrumentation, where robotic systems carry out biological and chemical experiments specified by researchers. Researchers simply need to plan and code their experiments via a web platform, and the workcells will execute them remotely.

Why?: Eliminate the need for physical equipment and provide simple and customisable access to laboratories, even when working from home.

Innovation spotted by Yen Ren Zuo (Brian) from NUS in Singapore, under the supervision of professor Ben Leong.

Where?: United Kingdom

Who? Ben Saunders and colleagues at the University of Surrey

What? SignGAN : AI capable of producing photo-realistic videos of sign language interpreters from speech using a neural network. The system maps gestures on a 3D model of the human skeleton. The team also trained the AI on videos of real sign language interpreters, teaching them how to create a photorealistic video of any person signing based on an image of them.

Why?: By combining this video with the 3D skeleton, AI is able to convert spoken words into sign language. This innovation could improve ease of access by eliminating the need for human intervention.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory. 

Where?: Europe

Who?: European consortium

What? Odeuropa: European consortium dedicated to research in the olfactory field. The project brings together specialists from various disciplines: art, science, history etc.  The team is developing new methods of exploiting the olfactory sense from collections of texts and digital images. Historical data on smells are stored and published in an online encyclopaedia, tracing the characteristics and meanings of smells and explaining the history of the main smells, scented places and olfactory practices.

Why?: This database will record Europe's olfactory heritage, allowing future generations to access and learn more about Europe's olfactory past.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory. 

Where?: Linz, Austria

Who?: Researchers from the University of Linz

What? A system of drones with the ability to interpret the environment with greater certainty than drones equipped with infrared cameras thanks to machine learning.

Why?: These UAVs improve the effectiveness of rescue missions, particularly in forests where infrared cameras are often misled by heat from trees. Drones equipped with this innovation find people at risk with more than 90% accuracy, compared to 25% for infrared cameras. 

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Israel

Who?: Noveto Systems.

What? SoundBeamer: A new generation loudspeaker using ultrasonic "sound beam" technology. This technique consists of a 3D detection module that locates and tracks the position of the ear to send the sound to it. This allows the user to be the only one to hear the audio from the speaker, as with headphones, while perceiving the surrounding noise.

Why?: The sound produced gives the impression of complete immersion while the speaker is completely silent for other users.

Innovation spotted by Jules de San from the IHECS school of Belgium, supervised by Professor Damien Van Achter.

Where?: Billund, Denmark

Who?: Lego Group

What? Lego vidiyo : New social network service in augmented reality. It lets users create and share their own video clips featuring mini Lego figures to be scanned, while applying the effects and styles of their choice.

Why?: The principle is close to TikTok but Vidiyo is aimed at young children with strict built-in moderation and a Lego touch that means that most of the user interface is built from physical bricks.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Benin

Who?: Gilles Kounou, CEO and Doria Rey, Web/Mobile Functional Project Manager

What?: Tonti +: A mobile savings group that allows informal workers such as motorbike taxi drivers ("zemidjans") to pool their savings through daily contributions.

Why?: This digital solution replaces the traditional tontine for informal workers and promotes their participation in social security programmes.

Innovation spotted by Johanne Bruffaerts

Where?: Japan

Who?: Researchers from the University of Gifu

What? Osampo Kanojo : A robotic hand produced with a synthetic gel that mimics the texture of a human hand. It is intended for single men and women to fight against loneliness. When shaken, the hand responds. It can also be taken for a walk.

Why?: In Japan, where the median age is rising each year, almost half of 18-34 year olds have never had an intimate relationships This situation has been made worse by successive lockdowns.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.  

Where?: United States

Who? Cornell University - Stanislas Polu, Ilya Sutskever

What? Generated Language Modelling for Automated Theorem Proving: Mathematical software for solving theorems, based on deep learning using language generator models. After demonstrating theorems that have already been solved, the software began to solve previously unsolvable theorems.

Why?: This is the first time that software has succeeded in demonstrating theorems. The algorithm could enable considerable progress in mathematics.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory. 

Where?: United States

Who? The Markup, an NGO fighting misinformation

What?: The Citizen Browser Project: A web browser designed by The Markup to check the algorithms that social media platforms use and determine which information is being used by their users, which information is being amplified or deleted, and which online communities these users are encouraged to join. Initially, the browser will track anonymous data from Facebook and YouTube.

Why?: The software analyses the algorithms present on social networks to understand how cognitive bubbles form. In particular, it seeks to study the consumption patterns and thought processes that emerge online. 

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: California, USA

Who?: Project of Alphabet's research and development subsidiary X, led by Neil Davé

Wha?t: Tidal: Tidal uses a system of underwater cameras and other perception tools to "detect and interpret" the behaviour of fish, imperceptible to human observers. The system recognises and tracks fish to observe their feeding habits, while collecting environmental data.

Why?: Initially designed for fish farming, Tidal should then enable new solutions to be found to protect the oceans and maintain sustainable fishing.

Innovation spotted by Sam Walckiers from the IHECS school of Belgium, supervised by Professor Damien Van Achter.

Where?: United States

Who?: MIT research team in partnership with IBM

What? Artificial intelligence that is able to analyse patients' coughs to detect pathologies such as pneumonia and cancer. The algorithm was recently adapted to find potential carriers of COVID-19. When the AI detected a potential case COVID, 100% of patients were positive. The application should obtain FDA approval for use by doctors.

Why?: AI could detect near-asymptomatic carriers, especially in public and corporate settings. Detection is also cheaper than PCR testing, although it is not a substitute for it. 

Innovation spotted by Li Zhiyi from HEC Paris, supervised by Professor Julien Levy.

Where?: Israel

Who? Launched by two IronMan winning twin sisters, Michal and Merav.

What? Lumen breathalyzer : A device for analysing the metabolism through respiration by capturing the percentage of C02. Previously, the only way was to do an RER test at the hospital. The device allows you to follow the evolution of your metabolism on a mobile application. The latter offers advice on diet or physical exercise to improve one's condition.

Why?: The device is very useful for sportsmen or fragile people to measure their health on a daily basis. Big data processing improves the accuracy of the results as you use it.

Innovation spotted by students from HEC Montréal, supervised by Professor Pierre Balloffet.

Where?: Silicon Valley, USA

Who?: Emma R, CEO and Co-founder

What? Koda Robot dog : A robotic dog based on Koa technology, a multi-processor and sensor fusion AI device that lives on an autonomous secure network. The AI is based on blockchain technology. The dog can sense when its owner is sad, happy or excited so that, over time, it can respond appropriately to human emotions. 

Why?: Koda can be used as a guard, companion or guide dog for the blind. 

Innovation spotted by Félycia Beauchamp from HEC Montréal, supervised by Professor Pierre Balloffet.

Where?: Israel

Who?: AI21 Lab led by Amnon Shashua

What? Wordtune : A module that can be added to most software (Chrome, Mail, Slack, Facebook, WhatsApp etc.) that corrects and refines the sentences written by the user. The module analyses the text to understand the context and the level of language and adapts its proposals.

Why?: The software improves written communication as it learns by avoiding redundancies, lengthening or shortening sentences or changing words for more precise synonyms.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: San Francisco, United States

Who?: Alphabet X lab project, led by Elliott Grant

What? Mineral Plant : A modular solar-powered robot, for an optimised and sustainable agriculture thanks to the use of Artificial Intelligence. Cameras and other sensors collect data on each plant as well as on the state of the soil. Machine learning algorithms combine and analyse the data collected in the field with environmental factors such as soil and weather conditions.

Why?: This technology enables trends to be identified and gives farmers better control over their crops.

Innovation spotted by Sam Walckiers from the IHECS school of Belgium, supervised by Professor Damien Van Achter.

Where? : Marseille, France 

Who? : Created by researchers from the CNRS and Aix-Marseille University, at the Institute of Motion Sciences

What?  AntBot is a legged robot that moves without GPS or maps. With navigation capabilities inspired by the desert ant, it is equipped with an optical compass allowing it to move thanks to polarized light. The robot’s legs let it move through any environment.

Why? : In the future, this technology could be integrated into everyday life to improve navigation for autonomous vehicles or drones.

Innovation spotted by Jennifer Antoine from HEC Montréal, supervised by Professor Pierre Balloffet.

Where?: Nepal

Who?: Sonika Manandhar and Tiffany Tong

What? ReGrow: Aeloi is a microcredit initiative for emerging markets based on blockchain tokens. It allows borrowers with no collateral to obtain funding. In exchange, investors are guaranteed that their money is used to develop a micro-enterprise. 

Why?: The startup aims to boost the green economy in emerging countries, particularly in the field of agriculture,through asset-based tokens. In the long term, ReGrow will result in a network of farmers who can share innovations with each other. 

Innovation spotted by Caroline Thivierge from HEC Montréal, supervised by Professor Pierre Balloffet.

Where?: Great Britain

Who?: Ceryx Medical biotech research team

What?: Artificial Neuron : A microprocessor imitating the functioning of neurons. The first use is to deliver electrical discharges to coordinate the heartbeat in patients with heart problems. The processor has proven to be much more efficient than the pacemakers currently in use. The artificial neuron also helps to regulate blood pressure.

Why?: The artificial neuron developed by Ceryx has many possible uses, particularly in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Innovation spotted by students from the IE University in Madrid, supervised by Professor Enrique Dans.

Where?: Vermont and Massachusetts, USA

Who? Research team that published a technical report: Joseph G. Makin, David A. Moses and Edward F. Chang.

What? Scientists have developed an artificial intelligence capable of transforming brain activity into text. The system currently works on neural patterns detected while someone is talking aloud, with an encoding-decoding system.

Why?: Experts believe that the technology may one day make communication easier for patients who are unable to speak or type, such as those with locked-in syndrome.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory. 

Where? : Montréal, Canada

Who? : Managed by Alexandre Dumais at the Institut Philippe-Pinel de Montréal

What? : Projet Avatar : this innovation creates avatars representing the demons that inhabit the minds of schizophrenic patients. By confronting them, patients learn to control their episodes of psychosis and paranoia.

Why? This technology could improve the quality of life of patients suffering from schizophrenia

Innovation repérée par Jade Cassandra Laporte de HEC Montréal, sous la direction du professeur Pierre Balloffet.

Where?: United Kingdom

Who? Initiative led by Swansea University

What? War Crime Evidence AI: With the proliferation of digital documentation of war scenes, the time required for its analysis has exploded. Disturbing images can also traumatise investigators. An initiative that will soon be tested in a British trial is an alternative based on machine learning.

Why?: This innovation could make crowdsourced evidence more accessible. The initiative, led by Swansea University, is part of efforts to monitor alleged war crimes in Yemen. Users want to use AI to prove war crimes.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Moscow, Russia

Who?: Researchers from the Russian Academy of Sciences, including Tatiana Mitiushkina and Alexander S. Mishin

What?  Glowing Plants : Researchers have managed to create plants from the DNA of a fungus that generates light throughout its cycle. Bioluminescent plants are not new, but these are almost ten times brighter, and could be used to light rooms or even streets.

Why?: Botanists could use this technique to study the internal workings of plants, but it also introduces the environmentally-friendly possibility of using ornamental plants to light up our homes.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Japan

Who?: Daniel Maggs & Wojciech Bula

What? A device that analyses urine to measure its user’s health through factors like pH, acidity and hydration. The device is linked to a smartphone app that gives nutrition advice. The application adapts its recommendations to each user. The device can also measure fertility, tell whether a woman is pregnant or detect diseases.

Why?: It is aimed at a variety of users, e.g. pro athletes, chronically ill people or any users who want to track their health.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: United States

Who?: Collaboration between the USC Shoah Foundation and the USC Institute for Creative Technologies

What? New Dimensions in Testimony: This initiative aims to record the testimonies of Holocaust survivors in order to continue the dialogue in the distant future. It consists of recording the interviews with seven cameras for high-fidelity 3D playback. The technology allows interlocutors to engage in a conversation with the holograms: relevant answers are selected according to the questions.

Why?: After the death of the last survivor, the project will allow young people to listen to testimonies and ask their own questions directly in order to reflect on the causes consequences of the Holocaust.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory. 

Where?: Chile

Who? Book Green Co, co-founded by Priyanka Srinivas and Sasikanth Chemalamudi from the Indian city of Hyderabad.

What? Live Green Charaka : Plant-based foods created through a specific recommendation engine, Charaka. It applies machine learning to a database of 15,000 plants, but above all to ancestral recipes from India and elsewhere.

Why?: The aim of this innovation is to make new "360° green" products available to everyone. The innovation combines the ancestral sciences of plant nutrition with biotechnology and machine learning to prescribe 100% natural plant alternatives for animal, synthetic and highly processed food ingredients.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory. 

Where?: Toronto, Canada

Who?: Alyssa Atkins, CEO and founder

What? Lilia: Your “eggs freezing concierge”, for people with ovaries who might want kids later. The first platform dedicated to helping women learn about freezing their eggs. For 485$ per year, you can chat with counselors and get personalized pieces of advice as well as a comparison of different doctors and medical facilities, with a large discount in egg-freezing clinics for members of Lilia.

Why?: Allow women to make life plans more easily by teaching them about their options. The goal is to be proactive about fertility instead of reacting to infertility.

Innovation spotted by Daniel Altschuler from HEC Paris, supervised by Professor Julien Levy.

Where? : Tokyo, Japan

Who? : Homei Miyashita, researcher at Meiji University

What? Norimaki synthesizer : A portable, lickable screen in the shape of a maki wrapped in seaweed (hence the name) that can recreate any flavour. It works by using five different gels, each offering one of the five basic tastes: salt, sour, bitter, sweet and umami. When an electric current is applied to the device, it can weaken or strengthen certain combinations to create the desired taste.

Why? : Combined with a television or smartphone, this technology could transmit not only the image of a dish but also its taste!

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory. 

Where?: Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, Israel, Switzerland.

Who?: Project managed by Dr. Francesca Anichini, along with Professor Letizia Gualandi, PI of ArchAIDE and Dr. Gabriele Gattiglia, project coordinator. The project is an H2020 funded project lead by the University of Pisa and a consortium of universities, private companies, and the Italian CNR.

What? A digital tool that will allow archaeologists to photograph a piece of pottery in the field and have it identified by convolutional neural networks. A first network learned to recognise different types of vessels. A second network was trained to recognise the profiles of shards. The capacities of ArchAIDE will increase with its use by researchers.

Why?: This AI will save archaeologists time on long, repetitive and time-consuming tasks so they can focus on their mission.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Hong Kong

Who? Dr. Shen Yajing, City University of Hong Kong, and his colleagues

What? M-spray: A magnetic spray can turn objects into mini-robots that can be controlled by magnets and navigate through the body. The sprayed objects can be made to roll, flip and crawl using a magnetic field. The object to be robotised can be flat or three-dimensional and only a thin layer of spray is required.

Why?: Because the magnetic coating is biocompatible and can be disintegrated into a powder if necessary, this technology has potential for biomedical applications such as catheter navigation and drug delivery.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory. 

Where?: Nyon, Switzerland

Who?: UNI Global Union’s Young Workers’ Lab — The Guardian Project — Okthanks

What? WeClock : A tracking app offered to workers and freelancers. Using WeClock within a group provides a quick, low- impact overview of work conditions. It’s ideal for organisers, shop stewards, and unions to build solidarity amongst workers. It collects data on the working conditions of users, with a strict privacy policy, and provides workers with the information to start campaigning.

Why?: This innovation offers a privacy-preserving way to empower workers and unions in their battle for decent work.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Los Angeles, California, USA

Who? David Nussbaum, Founder and CEO of PORTL Inc.

What? Epic Portl : An individual hologram machine that creates ultra-realistic, real-time, high definition images on a human scale. The innovation, developed in partnership with the StoryFile storytelling platform, allows users to talk in real time with a realistic, AI-powered human.

Why?: The potential applications of such a device are very varied, particularly in the field of education during the coronavirus pandemic, when school and university courses are often online.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Plymouth, United Kingdom

Who? A team from Plymouth Marine Laboratory, led by Dr. Lauren Biermann

What?  AI Plastic pollution spotting: Artificial intelligence that enables the detection of marine plastic patches from satellite data. The algorithm can distinguish floating macroplastics from other materials such as sea foam and algae with an accuracy of 86%. 

Why?: This technique could help to monitor and manage plastic waste in the ocean more effectively.
Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: United States

Who?: Application developed by Pieter Levels

What? An Open AI application fuelled by proven business ideas that works with GPT-3. The app then generates a constant flow of startup projects. Users can vote for or against each idea or, if they want exclusivity, pay $99 to have it removed from the site.

Why?: This resource provides verified business ideas to entrepreneurs who can then develop them. This stimulates creativity and allows start-ups to emerge.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: United States

Who?: Chris Lu and Paul Yacoubian

What? Copy.ai: CopyAI is an AI assistant for writing and brainstorming marketing texts. Copy.ai is based on OpenAI's Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3 (GPT-3) artificial intelligence model to help marketers create more unique advertisements.

Why?: The startup wants to support the digital marketing managers of the companies, to stimulate their creativity and enable them to work more efficiently so that they can free up time for other essential business activities.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: South Korea

Who?: Created by a group of engineers from the KU-IST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation of Korea.

What? These smart, 3D-printed glasses are fitted with a range of sensors. They are capable of monitoring brain and eye activity, but can also be transformed into tinted sunglasses or used as a game controller.

Why?: This innovation could provide valuable data for the health sector. It could also offer solutions for people with severe disabilities, such as tetraplegia, by allowing them to control connected devices with their eyes.

 Innovation repérée par Marcus Goddard de l’Observatoire Netexplo. 

Where?: United States

Who?: Team of researchers from Stanford University

What? Scientists have created a bionic jellyfish that can swim three times faster. They designed a device consisting of a microchip and a battery that stimulates the muscle of the aquatic animal. They are now looking to control the jellyfish remotely. As the jellyfish does not feel pain, no side effects have been observed. 

Why?: The project should make it possible to explore the seabed at a lower cost by taking samples, measurements and even photographs using a micro-camera. 

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Australia

Who?: Managed by Katrina Albert and Vincent Lachance

What? : Lux Aerobot : Lux Aerobot is a space robotics company specialized in the design, manufacturing and operation of high-altitude platforms for Earth observation. It plans to deploy a fleet of atmospheric satellites 30 km above Australia to capture data for mining, precision agriculture and defence

Why? Lux technology could be used to predict and better control forest fires for the benefit of residents and the preservation of flora and fauna.

Innovation spotted by Pamela Champagne from HEC Montréal, supervised by Professor Pierre Balloffet.

Where?: China

Who?: 东泽 EuryChen 

What? An AI allowing that restores dialogue in the Chinese series "The Bad Kids / 隐秘的角落" broadcast by IQYI. To comply with Chinese television rules which recommend that crimes are always solved and that criminals never get away with it, some scenes were altered with, in particular, the deletion of lines needed to understand the plot. An AI expert fan created an algorithm to retrieve the original dialogue from the characters' facial expressions and lip-reading, which is a real technical feat as Mandarin is difficult to lip-read. 

Why?: This project proves that it is possible to use artificial intelligence to circumvent censorship and convey artists’ intentions.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Israel

Who?: Research team from Ben Gurion University of the Negev

What? Lamphone : A spy technique that listens in on anyone from a distance as long as the room they are in lit; the wavelengths emitted during a conversation produce tiny vibrations that in turn cause tiny variations in brightness. By measuring these tiny changes in brightness, researchers show that it is possible to pick up sounds clearly enough to discern the content of conversations or even recognize a piece of music. This technology requires only a computer, a telescope and an electro-optical sensor.

Why?: This technique could make it possible to carry out ultra-discreet listening in real time. Researchers also want to raise awareness of this possible risk.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory. 

Where: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Who? Ritika Dutt, CEO, in partnership with the Canadian Government

What? Botler for citizens : A free AI-powered app that helps victims of sexual harassment. The chatbot tactfully asks the victim about the incident of which he or she has been a victim and gives them guidance and legal options.

Why: This tool supports the fight against sexual harassment and enables victims to take action.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Japan

Who? Shonosuke Ishiwatari, CEO

What? Mantra Engine : A manga translation platform based on machine learning. It specialises in translation into a manga format and has three functions: character recognition, machine translation, and text replacement directly in speech bubbles. The technology is combined with professional proofreading.

Why?: This technology makes it possible to produce foreign language versions in almost half of the traditional working time.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory. 

Where?: England, United Kingdom

Who?: Researchers from the University of Warwick and the Alan Turing Institute

What? Ai Exoplanet Discovery: A learning algorithm designed and trained to validate candidate objects from thousands of observational images and determine whether or not they are exoplanets.  

Why?: This algorithm has already led to the discovery and confirmation of more than 50 new exoplanets. We now know about 4000 of them, and this algorithm could considerably increase our knowledge by automating a large part of the spotting and tracking process.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: France

Who? ABEYE, a start-up company that designs electronic medical eyewear, in partnership with the University of Rennes.

What? Lexilens : Smart glasses specially designed for dyslexic children. Scientists from Rennes have discovered that in a person with dyslexia, the eyes appear to be perfectly symmetrical creating 'mirror images' that overlap and become a source of confusion for the child or adult. Electronic lenses filter these mirror images to restore vision to dyslexic children. The glasses can be set up on a smartphone to adapt perfectly to the vision.

Why?: There are about 8 million dyslexic people in France. Lexilens could be a revolutionary discovery. 

Innovation spotted by Céleste Ancel from the Netexplo Observatory and student at Sciences Po Paris

Where?: United States

Who? Mr. Zhao and Ms. Zheng, researchers at the University of Chicago.

What? Bracelet capable of blocking the microphones of connected objects. The system sends ultrasounds that jam the frequencies received by the microphones. It is constantly active and triggered by arm movements.

Why?: The bracelet guarantees its users‘ privacy by stopping always-on smart objects from snooping. 

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: China

Who?: Project developed jointly by the Xinhua journalism agency and the Sogou search engine.

What? Xin Xiaowei : A 3D avatar based on the model of journalist Zhao Wanwei. The company claims that this allows it to imitate human voices, facial expressions, lip movements and mannerisms using only text input.

Why?: This high-performance avatar can broadcast news in a refreshing and dynamic way, even using different scenarios.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Philippines

Who? Carvey Ehren Maigue, student at the University of Mapua

What? An eco-friendly building material made from plant waste. AuREUS is designed to capture luminescent particles, allowing walls and windows to absorb UV rays and transform them into renewable energy. 

Why?: Unlike solar panels and wind turbines, this process is effective regardless of weather conditions.

Innovation spotted by Laura Aroyo from HEC Montréal, supervised by Professor Pierre Balloffet.

Where?: United States

Who?: A team of researchers from the University of Vermont and Tufts: Joshua Bongard, Sam Kriegman, Douglas Blackiston and Michael Levin

What? Xenobot: Perhaps the first organic robot or programmable organism, the Xenobot is created from frog cells and the evolutionary algorithms that perfect them. A few millimetres in size, they can live for a few weeks, repair themselves but not reproduce. A Xenobot can follow a route by carrying a microscopic charge

Why?: According to scientists at the University of Vermont, possible uses include searching for harmful compounds or radioactive contamination, collecting microplastics from the oceans and cleaning arteries.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Montréal, Canada

Who?: Created by students from Montréal: Alexander Shevchenko with Jay Abi-Saad, Nicolas MacBeth, and Ajay Patel.

What? A mobile app that uses a state of the art artificial intelligence to detect inebriation from marijuana or other substances. A percentage of confidence of sobriety is given after a simple 3-step process.

Why?: Driving under the influence of substances is a recurring problem in our society; Sober.AI has the potential to save lives.

Innovation spotted by Caroline Thivierge from HEC Montréal, supervised by Professor Pierre Balloffet.

Where?: Japan

Who?: Founded by Shinpei Kato at Nagoya University.

What? Autoware : A non-profit foundation that promotes and finances open-source projects related to autonomous mobility. The foundation has launched three projects. Autoware.AI is a research and development platform on autonomous mobility. Autoware.IO is an interface that can be adapted to various vehicles. Autoware.Auto is specifically dedicated to engineering research for self-driving cars. It currently has more than 2,300 members. It is used in around 30 vehicles. Since 2017, the technology has been authorised to equip cars circulating in Japan. It should be used for the 2020 Olympic Games. 

Why?: The project aims to democratize autonomous vehicle technology worldwide. 

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: United States

Who?: Developed by Google

What? Google Duo Auto-Complete: During an online call, the conversation is recorded in packets that are assembled by the caller's software. If the connection drops, the packets get mixed up, creating lags. WaveNetEQ is able to learn the characteristics of a speaker's voice to generate audio clips that match the style and content on Google Duo calls. When a packet is corrupted, the voice generated by the AI is inserted in its place.

Why?: AI fills in the blanks for smoother conversations.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: USA

Who? Yeshimabeit Milner and a network of 4,000 tech activists

What? Data for Black Lives: a group of technologists and activists led by Yeshimabeit Milner who are using data science to empower black communities in the U.S. In 2020 the group mainly compiled state-level data on the impact of Covid-19 on Black people, and is in the process of building a national database of technologies used by law enforcement, with evidence of how these technologies disproportionately harm Black people.

Why: Algorithms may be hidden from most of us, but they shape many aspects of our lives. Who creates them, and what backgrounds and biases do they bring?

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where? : Johannes Kepler University Linz in Austria

Who? : A team of researchers from the university, led by Martin Kaltenbrunner

What? Edible robots : The team used the gel to make a robot that mimics an elephant’s trunk and found that it could withstand over 330,000 cycles of non-stop movements without drying out or cracking. Robots with edible parts could lead the way towards body-save systems that can deliver medicine and perform more natural robotic movements.

Why? : Since gelatine is edible, the gel might be useful for administering drugs to animals, by creating a robot disguised as prey or food !

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Japan

Who? The First Ascent company, of which Tomoyuki Hattori is CEO.

What? A smart bedside lamp designed to help parents put their babies to sleep. the device tracks a child's crying and sleep patterns to inform and adjust a range of sleep-related features, from white noise generation to wake-up time recommendations and soft wake-up lighting. The device is also linked to a smartphone app.

Why?: This tool helps to improve the comfort of parents and children by teaching them how to get a good night's sleep.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Israel

Who? Team led by Shai Gordin at Ariel University in the West Bank

What? Restoration of fragmented babylonian texts using recurrent neural networks: a historian has shown that artificial intelligence, based on recurrent neural networks, can complement cuneiform texts by proposing the most probable terms.

Why: It is hoped that this will enable us to decipher writings dating from the Achaemenid Empire (550 BC-330 BC) established by Cyrus the Great, which had a profound influence on the development of civilisations in the Middle East.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory. 

Where? : Europe

Who?: Créé par Márton Elődi, Kristóf Nagy, Péter Lakatos, Miklós Knébel, Péter Dános, Levente Mitnyik

What? TeamDiscover : Le dispositif de surveillance à distance imprimé en 3D de Team Discover permet aux patients du COVID-19 de faire surveiller leurs signes vitaux à distance. Cette technologie est le lauréat du domaine Santé & Vie de EUvsVirus. 

Why ? : Avec cette solution, une infirmière pourrait surveiller environ 100 patients en même temps.

Innovation repérée par Pablo Zavala de HEC Paris, sous la direction du professeur Julien Levy.

Where?: London, United Kingdom

Who?: Sam Amrani, founder of Olvin

What? Artificial intelligence that predicts consumer behaviour by processing billions of data points every day. The use of artificial intelligence enables businesses to exploit a multitude of data, including geospatial, meteorological, news, demographics, mobility or even property prices.

Why?: This predictive platform helps small retailers to adapt to their customers. It provides detailed forecasts of consumer trends that managers can use to make proactive decisions about how to run their business.

Innovation spotted by Amandine Van Dessel  from the IHECS school of Belgium, supervised by Professor Damien Van Achter.

Where?: London, UK

Who?: Start-up Notpla, co-founded by Pierre-Yves Paslier

What? Notpla : An edible alternative to biodegradable plastics, made from from algae. Notpla offers machines for the decentralised production of packaging on a small scale.

Why?: The start-up hopes to put an end to plastic pollution: the membrane they produce hardens and then becomes a material similar to plastic but is biodegradable in a few weeks, compared to the several hundred years it takes for synthetic plastics. Their slogan: "We make packaging disappear".

Innovation spotted by students from the IE University in Madrid, supervised by Professor Enrique Dans.

Where? : Israel

Who? HourOne, video processing company, founded by Oren Aharon who is now the CEO

What? HourOne: Artificial intelligence that allows users to create a clone of themselves and shoot in videos. This digital twin is completely autonomous and allows users to shoot videos of themselves without appearing in front of the camera.

Why? : This innovation could be used to improve customer service for companies, for the education sector to enable easier language learning or simply to create content.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: London, United Kingdom

Who? A DeepMind project, led by David Silver

What? MuZero : This is the most advanced innovation in terms of the use of artificial intelligence in strategy games. It follows AlphaGo (2016) and AlphaZero (2017). MuZero teaches itself to design winning strategies in unknown situations, mastering chess, go and Atari games without knowing the rules in advance.

Why?: This innovation is a big step towards autonomous generalist AI. The next application could be video compression to optimise streaming.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory. 

Where?: Massachusetts, USA

Who? MIT Researchers, including Darsh Shah, a PhD student at the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL).

What? AI Wikipedia Update: Regularly updating the millions of Wikipedia articles is a time-consuming task. Artificial intelligence created by researchers locates the Wikipedia page and sentence to be updated, and adds new information entered by a contributor. Simply provide key information, even if the sentences are unstructured, and the AI will complete the article with sentences in the same style as the rest of the page.

Why?: This artificial intelligence system could be used to train other models specialized in detecting false information on social networks, and could also become fully automated and update wikipedia pages by analyzing the Web, without the need for human intervention.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: France

Who?: Matthieu Vaxelaire (CEO), Justine Renaudet, Coline Guénel, David Jeusette, Alexandre Gosset

What? A platform that connects people under 30 looking for accommodation with senior citizens who have a spare room in their house or flat.

Why?: The startup tackles two major problems: access to housing for young people and the isolation of senior citizens, a major factor in mortality.

Innovation spotted by Mégane Van Huffelen from the IHECS school of Belgium, supervised by Professor Damien Van Achter.

Where?: San Francisco, United States

Who? Paul Davison and Rohan Seth, two entrepreneurs

What?: Club House: Clubhouse is an application available on iOS that offers ephemeral audio conversations, often with experts and celebrities, that all users can listen to. Admission to the app is by invitation only, and the user is invited to choose topics they like.

Why?: This system recreates the dynamics of real-life discussions across a wide range of topics.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Denmark

Who? Founded by Mads Tvillinggaard Bonde

What? Labster : Innovative company that improves the way science is taught to students around the world: biochemistry, anatomy, biology, physics etc. The platform offers a virtual laboratory to allow students to carry out experiments, represent micro or macroscopic elements, visualise human body organs or molecules, test prototypes, etc. The immersive 3D universe highlights the link between science and real-world problems.

Why?: The technology has been adopted by Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Exeter University and ETH Zurich.

Innovation spotted by Pillmont Muktari from NUS in Singapore, under the supervision of professor Ben Leong.

Where?: Massachusetts, USA

Who? Bonnie Berger, a computational biologist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and her team of researchers

What? NLP Virus evolution prediction : Natural Language Processing (NLP) algorithms are capable of generating protein sequences and predicting viral mutations. The study is based on an "old generation" neural network (LSTM), demonstrating the possibilities of applying advances in linguistic AI (GPT-3 etc.) to medical and scientific challenges.

Why?: This technology would make it possible to predict virus mutations, including those that help the coronavirus escape the immune system.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory. 

Where?: San Francisco, California, USA

Who?: Founded by Conor White-Sullivan

What?: Roam Research : Roam Research presents itself as "a note-taking tool for networked thinking". This tool, based on the 16th century Zettelkasten method, it allows simple and efficient note-taking, but above all it makes connections  between thoughts, like a neural network.

Why? Roam Research makes it easy for users to connect their ideas as a tool for metacognition.

Innovation spotted by Georgia Leei from NUS in Singapore, under the supervision of professor Ben Leong.

Where?: China

Who?: Cultural Heritage Research Institute of Zhejiang University

What? Yungang Grottoes Replica: A 3D-printed reconstruction of the Yungang Caves, a Buddhist masterpiece built in the 5th century AD.

Why?: To preserve the caves for visitors and allow everyone to access the works in a touring exhibition.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Mumbai, India

Who?: The Communication Agency FCB Interface

What? Punishing Signal : The countdown to a traffic light resets itself when the noise of people honking reaches a level of 85dB. It has already been installed on some lights in Mumbai, India

Why?: To raise awareness among drivers, and to reduce the noise pollution in Mumbai, one of the noisiest cities in the world. Mumbaikars sometimes even honk for no reason at traffic lights!

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory

Where?: France

Who?: Founded by Sid Kouider

What? Nextmind devkit : A non-invasive, portable brain detection kit that translates brain activity into real actions, allowing you to control a wide range of digital objects with your mind in real time.

Why?: This accessible and easy-to-use technology can be used to build a first generation of brain-controlled experiments. This project is open, so users can take it up and develop it to meet their own needs.

Innovation spotted by Dong Siji from NUS in Singapore, under the supervision of professor Ben Leong.

Where?: Ivory Coast

Who?: Joseph-Olivier Biley, founder of Jool Africa and WeFly Agri

What?: Tork : Tork is a robot whose mission is to fight Covid-19. It is capable of developing and conveying an awareness message in local languages.

Why?: This robot both disinfects the streets and makes people aware of the risks of the pandemic.
Innovation spotted by Sylvain Louradour from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Montreal, Canada

Who? Start-up founded by Charles LeSieur.

What? IAgree : A Chrome extension that uses AI to alert Internet users to important or incongruous points each time they are asked to accept terms & conditions. The algorithm focuses on three main topics: financial concepts and possible fees, data collection and intellectual property.

Why?: This avoids "consent without consent", so that users can protect themselves online, avoid fraud and make more informed and considered decisions.

Innovation spotted by Myriam Tai from HEC Montréal, supervised by Professor Pierre Balloffet.

Where?: London, United Kingdom

Who?: Project led by Richard Cave, speech therapist recruited by Google.

What?: Look to speak : With Look to Speak, Google allows Internet users to choose from pre-selected phrases on their smartphone screen with their eyes, without the need for specialised equipment. Once selected, the sentence is read aloud. Thanks to AI, the system adapts to the person's habits and predicts probable language sequences.

Why?: This experimental application aims to make communication easier for people with speech and motor disorders.

Innovation spotted by Alice Honorez from the IHECS school of Belgium, supervised by Professor Damien Van Achter.

Where?: South Korea

Who?: H.S. Kim, President of the Consumer Products Division

What? Ballie : A robotic companion in the form of a mobile ball that uses an interface exploiting artificial intelligence to perform several tasks. With voice activation and an integrated camera, the intelligent ball is capable of recognising and responding to the requests of its users, but also to help with household tasks, to be used as an alarm clock or fitness coach or to record memorable moments.

Why?: This intelligent assistant offers both a pet-like presence and assistance in many everyday tasks. It acts as a multi-purpose, anti-solitude robot.

Innovation spotted by Amandine Van Dessel  from the IHECS school of Belgium, supervised by Professor Damien Van Achter.

Where?: California, United States

What? Jarvisen Translator : A two-way ultra-quick translator device that covers 60 languages worldwide. It works in about 200 countries worldwide with an internet connection and offers a 2-year global data coverage. Offline translation is already possible for some languages.

Why?: This tech breaks down barriers wherever you go for business, pleasure or education.

Innovation spotted by Orlando Cuculiza from HEC Paris, supervised by Professor Julien Levy.

Where: India/Pakistan

Who?: Sparsh Ahuja

Whate?: Project Dastaan: The partition of India in 1947 resulted in the largest forced migration in history. Conceiving virtual reality as an "empathy machine" Sparsh Ahuja conceived the Dastaan project which makes 360° videos of the places where the elderly participants grew up to preserve their memories and offers a virtual reality documentary where the historical drama is seen through the eyes of a migrant.

Why: The idea is to reconnect families with their places of origin and promote mutual understanding between India and Pakistan.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory. 

Where?: Los Angeles, Califonia, USA

Who?: Umur Aybars Ciftci and Lijun Yin, researchers from Binghamton University, Ilke Demir, from Intel.

What?: Fake Catcher : A tool to spot manipulated videos that spread disinformation by exploiting physiological changes invisible to the naked eye. In particular, the video of a face contains subtle changes of colour resulting from pulsations in the blood circulation; This technology can spot whether videos are fake because pulsations do not follow a normal rhythm.

Why?: This tool could spot manipulated videos quickly and reliably detect to prevent the spread of misinformation.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory. 

Where? : Suède, Serveur Minecraft

Who? : ONG Reporters Sans Frontières

What? The Uncensored Library : Bibliothèque virtuelle créée sur un serveur du jeu Minecraft. Le bâtiment est composé de plus de de 12 millions de block. La bibliothèque comprend des milliers d’articles ayant été censurés en Russie, Egypte, Mexique, Arabie Saoudite et Vietnam. Chacun de ses pays possède une aile dédiée où les articles sont traduits dans la langue et en anglais. Pour accéder à la bibliothèque, il suffit de lancer le jeu et de rejoindre le serveur.

Why? : La bibliothèque virtuelle permet de contourner la censure en offrant la possibilité aux joueurs de lire des articles directement dans le jeu. Une nouvelle aile est également destinée aux articles en lien avec la pandémie de COVID-19.

Innovation repérée par Céleste Ancel de l’Observatoire Netexplo et de Sciences Po Paris.

Where?: Helsinki, Finland

Who?: Researchers from the University of Helsinki, including Michiel Spape

What?: Neuroadapted generative modelling : A new brain-computer interface that can decipher what a person is thinking and generate an image based on what they have in mind. By interpreting brain signals, the new artificial intelligence system was able to generate general images of faces corresponding to the characteristics that the study participants were thinking about.

Why?: This technology could allow people to spell words or move a cursor on a screen using only their thoughts, and future advances in this area could radically improve the quality of life for people with certain disabilities.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory. 

Where: Guinea

Who?: Moussa Doumbouya, Founder and President

What?  GNCode : African cultures have an oral tradition but Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant do not speak any African language. The languages spoken by populations who are often illiterate are often not very present on the Internet, hence a lack of data to train software. GNcode has worked around this problem by exploiting local radio archives. This very "noisy" resource allowed them to create tools like powerful language coding software and a digital assistant prototype for people without formal education speaking Maninka, Pular or Susu.

Why: GNCode shows how AI can serve populations that are often ignored by the tech giants.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: California, United States

Who? University of Southern California Researchers led by Emilio Ferrara

What?  The researchers were able to differentiate authentic accounts from fakes based on the evolution of behaviour between humans and robots. The researchers found that human users responded four to five times more often to other tweets than robots. Real users become progressively more interactive, with the fraction of responses increasing over a one-hour Twitter session before tiring, unlike a bot. 

Why?: This AI will help detect bots, often a source of disinformation and division, on Twitter.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: Ecole supérieure polytechnique de Dakar, Senegal.

Who?: Created by a group of students including Lamine Mouhamed Kébé and Pape Mamadou Gueye

What? Docteur Car : Docteur Car is a medical robot equipped with anti-COVID innovations. It moves around the isolation rooms to deliver medicines, food and thermometers, and speaks several languages.

Why?: It reduces contact between medical staff and patients with the virus.

Innovation spotted by Céleste Ancel from the Netexplo Observatory and student at Sciences Po Paris.

Where?: Tokyo, Japan

Who?: Shirabe Ogino, CEO of DeepScore

What? Deepscore : Android and IOS application that claims to determine how trustworthy a person is in just one minute. While a user answers questions, the app analyzes their facial movements and voice with AI to determine a trust score.

Why?: This technology could be useful for loan applications, claims assessments, or authentication processes. It is already used in some emerging markets in Asia.

Innovation spotted by Thierry Happe from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where?: England

Who?: Mathematicians from the University of Cambridge

What? A cyber defence platform against viruses using artificial intelligence. It is intended for companies suffering from increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. Based on machine learning, AI records the signature of viruses to stop attacks before the first damage is done. 

Why?: 4000 organisations worldwide have subscribed to anti-virus software to protect themselves from attacks. The AI software learns the whole identity of a company to detect an intrusion very quickly and indicate the steps to be taken. It offers an automatic response similar to the action of an antigen, as the name suggests.

Innovation spotted by Chow Yi Wai from NUS in Singapore, under the supervision of professor Ben Leong.

Where?: London, UK

Who?: Start-up Notpla, co-founded by Pierre-Yves Paslier

What? Notpla : An edible alternative to biodegradable plastics, made from from algae. Notpla offers machines for the decentralised production of packaging on a small scale.

Why?: The start-up hopes to put an end to plastic pollution: the membrane they produce hardens and then becomes a material similar to plastic but is biodegradable in a few weeks, compared to the several hundred years it takes for synthetic plastics. Their slogan: "We make packaging disappear".

Innovation spotted by students from the IE University in Madrid, supervised by Professor Enrique Dans.

Where?: Norway

Who?: Start-up Nofence

What? Nofence Grazing Technology: Virtual fencing for farm animals. The animals are equipped with a collar including GPS and recharged by movement. The farmer draws on his smartphone a virtual area that he wants to fence off. When the animal crosses the fence, it receives an electric shock and the farmer is warned on his phone. 

Why?: Before the shock is delivered, the collar plays music. In this way, the animal learns to respect the boundaries of the fence, based on the model of Pavlov's reflex.  The breeder can know the position of his animals in real time. Nofence thus offers a modern solution, at the service of the breeders but also respectful of the animals to allow them to graze more freely.

Innovation spotted by  Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory. 

Where?: Japan

Who?: Fronteo, with the support of Keio University School of Medicine and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development

What? Ai Alzheimer's screening: A system that analyses 5 to 10 minute conversations between a doctor and his patient and performs a precise analysis of vocabulary and sentence structure to provide a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in patients that is 85% accurate, a success rate similar to that of doctors.

Why?: The startup aims to improve diagnosis and make the tests less anxiety-provoking for patients and doctors. This technology would also allow earlier diagnosis.

Innovation spotted by Marcus Goddard from the Netexplo Observatory.

Where? : Université de Carleton, Ottawa, Canada

Who? : Shawn Graham, professeur en sciences humaines numériques à l’Université de Carleton

What? Ai Bone Trade Tracking : Un réseau neuronal convolutif qui s’appuie sur le modèle Inception-V3 de Google pour détecter, à partir d’image sur internet, des preuves de l’achat et la vente d’ossements humains, une pratique illégale et choquante.

Why? :Cette innovation permet de mettre un frein au commerce illégal d’os et offre même d’autres perspectives. Shawn Graham travaille maintenant avec Countering Crime Online, un groupe qui utilise l'IA pour traquer le commerce illégal de l'ivoire et le trafic sexuel.

Innovation repérée par Marcus Goddard de l’Observatoire Netexplo. 

Where?: Tanzania

Who?: AI21 Lab led by Amnon Shashua

What? Kisomo smartlearn : Online learning platform. It is intended for African students and includes many subjects: geography, physics, mathematics, languages, computer science etc. The innovation comes from the numerous 2D and 3D animations and filmed lessons to make learning easy and fun from a smartphone.

Why?: The application is mainly aimed at children in East Africa who cannot go to school but have easy access to a phone and internet connection.

Innovation spotted by Matheus de Souza from HEC Paris, supervised by Professor Julien Levy.