Humane Shuts Down AI Pin, Uber for Armed Guards Climbs App Store, and Human Speech Gene Identified

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In this episode of 'Discover Daily', we begin with the unexpected shutdown of Humane's AI Pin. The much-discussed wearable device's discontinuation and subsequent $116 million acquisition by HP marks a significant shift in the wearable AI landscape, highlighting the challenges of introducing new device categories in today's competitive market.

We also delve into the launch of Protector, an innovative app revolutionizing personal security in major US cities. This "Uber for armed guards" service offers on-demand access to professional security details and motorcades, bringing high-end protection services to a broader audience through a user-friendly platform in Los Angeles and New York City.

The episode's main focus examines a fascinating breakthrough in human evolution research: the NOVA1 gene's role in speech development. Scientists at Rockefeller University have identified this crucial protein variant, present in virtually all modern humans, as a potential key to understanding how we developed our unique capacity for complex speech. Through groundbreaking experiments with genetically modified mice, researchers have demonstrated NOVA1's significant impact on vocalization patterns, opening new possibilities for treating communication disorders and understanding human evolution.

From Perplexity's Discover Feed: 

https://www.perplexity.ai/page/humane-shuts-down-ai-pin-QYaGHA_mRQaNJYpvrVc3.w

https://www.perplexity.ai/page/uber-for-armed-guards-climbs-a-3vMrFSDqQ5ududobBxbgzA

https://www.perplexity.ai/page/human-speech-gene-identified-lk71mFheSMqALlOPuwVOgQ

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to Discover Daily, by Perplexity, your
AI-curated digest ofbreakthroughs in tech, science
and culture.
I'm Alex.
Today we're uncovering apotential genetic key to human
speech.
But first let's navigatetoday's tech headlines.
The wearable tech market isfacing shockwaves, as Humane

(00:29):
officially announces theshutdown of its AI pin,
effective February 28th 2025.
This abrupt collapse comes justnine months after the device's
launch.
The nearly $700 wearable, whichprojected information onto
users' palms through a laserdisplay, ultimately failed to
transition from intriguingprototype to daily essential.
Early adopters complained aboutunreliable gesture controls,

(00:53):
overheating issues duringprolonged use and limited
third-party app integration.
Hp's $116 million acquisitionof Humane's assets reveals
strategic priorities in the AIhardware space.
Insiders confirm HP willintegrate Humane's patented
laser projection system andvoice interaction models into

(01:17):
upcoming enterprise-focuseddevices.
While approximately 40% ofHumane's workforce will
transition to HP, the remaining60 employees face layoffs.
A harsh reality check for astartup that raised over $230
million from investors,including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

(01:39):
Tech analyst Maria Chen fromFutureSource Consulting notes
quote.
Tech analyst Maria Chen fromFutureSource Consulting notes
quote.
This isn't just a productfailure.
It's a cautionary tale aboutthe challenges of creating
ambient computing devices thattruly augment rather than
complicate human activity.

(01:59):
Shifting gears.
A new app called Protector, isredefining private security in
America's cities.
Available now in Los Angeles,new York and San Francisco, the
platform allows users to summonarmed guards and armored
motorcades with Uber-likeconvenience, for a minimum
five-hour booking at $100 anhour, plus an annual $129

(02:23):
membership fee.
Clients can create customizedsecurity details.
Options include choosingbetween blacked-out SUVs or
luxury sedans, selecting guardsbased on military special forces
backgrounds and even requestingspecific uniform styles, from
tactical gear to business suits.

(02:43):
The service's early adoptionreveals a few trends.
The company reports that over70% of bookings come from women
aged 25 to 45 schedulinglate-night transportation, while
corporate clients account for22% of revenue.
Protector CEO Amanda Zhou, aformer Secret Service agent,

(03:07):
emphasizes their rigorousvetting, saying quote every
operative completes 300 plushours of training, including
de-escalation tactics andemergency medical response.
But critics like ACLU seniorpolicy analyst Jalen Carter,
warn that normalizing privatizedarmed escorts could exacerbate

(03:29):
social stratification and reducepressure to improve public
safety infrastructure.
Now let's dive into today's leadstory, a scientific
breakthrough that could rewriteour understanding of human
evolution.
Researchers at RockefellerUniversity have identified a

(03:54):
single protein variant calledNOVA, one that may hold the key
to humanity's unique capacityfor speech, to humanity's unique
capacity for speech.
This discovery culminates threedecades of research dating back
to 1993, when Dr Robert Darnellfirst isolated NOVA-1 while
studying perineoplasticdisorders.
The recent study analyzed thegenetic data of more than

(04:18):
650,000 people and discoveredthat nearly every one of them,
except for just six individuals,carried a specific version of a
protein called I-197V.
This extraordinary consistencyacross so many people suggests
that this protein variant playeda critical role in human

(04:39):
evolution.
The team then conductedexperiments transplanting human
nova one into mice.
These modified rodentsdeveloped distinctive vocal
patterns.
Their ultrasonic calls showed28% more acoustic complexity
compared to control groups.
Brain autopsies revealedrestructured neural pathways in

(05:01):
the ventral pallidum andinferior colliculus regions
homologous to human speechcenters.
Lead geneticist Dr Elisa Cortezexplains quote the human
variant acts like a molecularsculptor.
It doesn't create new brainstructures, but reshapes how
existing circuits process andproduce sound.

(05:26):
This research bridges multiplescientific disciplines.
Paleoanthropologists note thatNOVA1's evolutionary emergence
aligns with fossil evidence ofmodern vocal tracts appearing
100,000 years ago.
Neurologists are particularlyexcited about clinical
implications.
The same gene shows strongassociations with autism

(05:49):
spectrum disorder and childhoodapraxia of speech.
A 2023 Lancet study foundchildren with NOVA1 mutations
were 4.3 times more likely todevelop non-verbal autism
spectrum disorder.
Dr Cortez's team is nowcollaborating with MIT to
explore gene therapyapplications that could

(06:11):
potentially modulate NOVA1expression in patients with
severe communication disorders.
While NOVA1-modified mice can'tspeak, their altered
vocalizations provide the firstexperimental model of how
genetic changes might haveenabled prehistoric humans to
develop complex language.

(06:32):
That's it for today.
Before we go, a quick updatefrom our team.
Perplexity's new deep researchfeature can now analyze hundreds
of sources to build detailedreports in minutes.

(06:54):
It's free to try, withunlimited access for pro users.
And don't forget, you can tapinto our AI knowledge base via
mobile apps or the new Macdesktop version.
Until next time, this is Alexreminding you.
Every discovery starts withasking why Stay curious, thank

(07:30):
you.