AIST

Google's AI Studio team has announced Nano Banana 2.1, the latest version of its image generation model. The announcement is drawing attention among developers and tech watchers, with discussion on Hacker News and other forums about what improvements the new version brings over previous releases.

A fitness routine built around just two mat exercises, done outdoors in a park in the morning, is drawing large audiences with claims it can burn belly fat and slim the waist. The appeal lies in its simplicity: no equipment beyond a mat, and a short morning commitment. Viewers are sharing and trying the workout, though spot reduction of belly fat remains scientifically debated.

Design Bohemian is offering black rayon wide leg trousers with a blue floral print and an elastic waist through its online store. The listing is part of the brand's fashion catalogue of pants, with no reports, reviews or wider discussion attached to the product so far.

October 4 marks the birthday of Japanese writer Jun Tsuji, born in 1884. Remembered as a Dadaist, nihilist, Epicurean and shakuhachi musician, Tsuji was shaped early in life by Tolstoy, the socialist anarchism of Kōtoku Shūsui, and the literature of Oscar Wilde. The anniversary is being noted in labor history circles as a chance to revisit his bohemian life and anti-authoritarian ideas.

A German-language post showcases a work from a series called 'Objet Trouvé', numbered 106, described as AI-generated Dadaist photography under the heading 'AIdada Meister Jeder, Dadaist und Wahrnehmer'. It mixes found-object art traditions with artificial intelligence, and is tagged with dada, ObjetTrouvé, photography and AI labels.

Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) is presenting new technologies at CEATEC, including deformation measurement using moire images, a fall-risk assessment that works while seated, and VR that produces odors. Researchers explained the projects in interviews as part of efforts to move the technologies into real-world social implementation, with hands-on demonstrations available for visitors.

Swedish public broadcaster SVT reports that almost 300 Nordic citizens are serving in the Israel Defense Forces, including 62 Finns. A new SVT documentary interviews one Nordic citizen who took part in the Gaza war, prompting coverage across the region, including by Finland's Yle. The findings are drawing attention to the extent of Nordic involvement in the conflict and the questions it raises for the citizens' home countries.

A new instalment in the series 'Objet Trouvé' (no. 104), labelled as AI-assisted Dadaist photography under the title 'AIdada Meister Jeder, Dadaist und Wahrnehmer', is being shared on the fediverse. The work, presented as an unsolicited original submission, blends found-object art traditions with AI image generation, tagging dada and photography communities.