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In my suburban Boston Ulta, I’m sitting with my hand in a little box. I’ve been promised that in roughly 30 minutes I’ll have nails that are shaped, buffed, and paintednot by a human, but by an AI-powered robot. It feels like an episode of The Jetsons come to life, but the truth is that the AI boom has officially entered the physical world. Most of us interact with artificial intelligence through screensGemini drafts our emails, ChatGPT summarizes our docsbut behind the scenes, engineers are racing to give AI hands and feet. Robots already pack boxes in warehouses and make guacamole in fast-food kitchens. Soon, they will be washing dishes, taking care of pets, and performing your manicure. Here at Ulta, the robot holding my hand was built by Boston-based startup 10Beauty. After six years of R&D and $50 million in venture funding, the company has created a machine meant to replicate the entire manicure process: polish removal, shaping, buffing, and painting. The company plans to roll the robots out to Ulta, Nordstrom, and high-end salons later this year. The manicures will be priced at $30no tipping required. [Photo: 10Beauty] But first comes the beta test. Ulta has agreed to pilot the machines in select stores, where customers can get free manicures while 10Beauty gathers real-world data. Human nail techs stand by to fix mistakes, ensuring customers still leave with salon-worthy nails. Weve done more than a thousand manicures on real people already, says Justin Effron, 10Beautys cofounder. Thats how we’ll figure out exactly what works and what doesnt. Were cocreating this with customers. The Benefits of Being an Early Adopter Kecia Steelman, Ultas CEO, says the retailer is now on a mission to weave AI into nearly every corner of the businessfrom experimenting with agents like ChatGPT to fine-tuning its inventory management. “None of us have figured it out,” she says. “But youve got to start moving in that direction and pivot as things continue to change. Thats whats going to separate strong retailers in the future.” The robot manicures are an example of one such pivot. The 10Beauty team reached out to Ulta, whose leadership team was intrigued by the way the technology fuses AI with a service that customers are asking for. The nail salon industry is expected to hit $14 billion by the end of this year. Ulta already differentiates itself from rivals like Sephora by offering in-store beauty services, often in suburban strip malls. But rising labor costs and finding skilled nail technicians can make it challenging to meet the demand. [Photo: 10Beauty] Ulta has agreed to buy hundreds of 10Beauty’s machines when they officially launch this summer. But it has also taken the bold move of allowing 10Beauty to test the service with customers. “This pilot allows us to learn alongside [10Beauty], gathering real guest feedback, understanding how the technology performs in a retail environment, says Amiee Bayer-Thomas, Ulta’s chief retail officer. “We can shape what the future of tech-enabled beauty services could look like.” The Robot Manicurist I’m among the group of early testers. The robot works on one hand at a timeintentionally. In focus groups, 10Beauty found that users wanted to be able to continue using their phone with their other hand. I slide my left hand into the machine and try not to move as seven cameras scan my fingers, creating a precise 3D map of each nail. Then a robotic arm gets to work, tackling one finger at a time using tools far smaller and more precise than what a human would use. [Photo: 10Beauty] Instead of cotton pads, 10Beauty designed a star-shaped sponge that glides over the nail to remove polish. Instead of clippers, it uses a crystal file to shape the nail safely. And rather than cutting cuticles, it applies a softening serum and gently pushes them back with a brush. That part, Ill admit, didnt quite work. The brush barely touched my cuticles at all. Then came the moment of truth: painting. A thin brush applied delicate layers of polish to each nail. This is where things went sideways. Some nails had bare gaps along the edges; others overshot the mark, leaving polish on my skin. Effron wasnt surprised. Were working on a software update that should fix this, he says. And even after launch, well keep improving it based on how customers use it. A human nail tech quickly stepped in, cleaned up the polish, and applied a top coat. From start to finishincluding dryingthe whole process took under 40 minutes. Eventually, Effron says, the goal is to do both hands in about 20 minutes. The Future of AI Is Physical Walking out, it was clear the robot still isnt as good as a human manicuristyet. But the appeal was obvious. The machines dont depend on skilled labor, which means manicures could become cheaper, faster, and available 24/7. You could imagine them popping up in airports, hotels, coffee shopsor, one day, even your own bathroom. Ulta believes that by being an early adopter, it might be able to influence how these manicure robots evolve. “We saw this as an opportunity to bring something entirely new into the store experience,” says Bayer-Thomas. “Piloting early allows us to help shape the experience, ensure it meets our guests expectations, and continue delivering newness and excitement.” Effron argues that the beauty industry is full of tasksblow-drying hair, dyeing roots, plucking browsthat could be easier with machines. The challenge, of course, is proximity to the human body. Beauty requires precision and gentleness. My manicure made that tension obvious: The robot was so careful with my cuticles that it barely touched them at all. Still, 10Beauty is betting that rapid improvements in software, sensors, and robotics will soon close that gap. If my slightly imperfect robot manicure is any indication, the future of beauty isnt flawless yetbut its already here, humming quietly inside a little white box at Ulta.
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E-Commerce
Its been more than half a century since astronauts last stepped onto the moon. Now, NASAs Artemis II will return four humans to its vicinity in a 10-day lunar loop that lifts off from NASAs Kennedy Space Center as early as February 8. An Orion spacecraft will carry NASAs Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, as well as Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, some 230,000 miles to the far side of the moonfarther from Earth than anyone has traveled. Using a free-return trajectory enabled by lunar gravity, they will slingshot back to Earth for a splashdown off the coast of San Diego.[Photo: NASA]NASAs Artemis program, along with private and international partners, aims to return people to the moon for scientific exploration, establish a lunar economy, and ultimately pave the way for crewed missions to Mars. An initial uncrewed lunar flyby, Artemis I, provided a proof of concept in 2002. This mission adopts a more human-centric approach, evaluating Orions life support systems in situ and gathering additional data on how spaceflight affects the human body. It may also offer views of the moon never before seen.I was around for Artemis I, and this one feels a lot different, putting the crew on the rocket and taking the crew around the moon, said John Honeycutt, Artemis II mission management team chair, during a NASA press conference last month in advance of the rocket rollout to the launch pad. This will be our first step toward sustained lunar presence on the moon.Life in deep spaceTesting will begin almost immediately after NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket launches Orion into orbit with 8.8 million pounds of thrust, 15% more than that of Apollos Saturn V. Once in orbit, Orion will deploy solar arrays. Meanwhile, astronauts will conduct system checkouts and docking maneuvers in anticipation of future dockings, which could include lunar landers or the proposed lunar-orbiting Gateway Space Station. During the six-day mission, the astronauts will evaluate radiation shielding and operational, communications, and emergency systemsWe want to put Orion through its paces, said Jeff Radigan, mission flight director, flight operations directorate.The missions science goals include space weather measurements using four deployed international CubeSats (more easily deployable building brick satellites), lunar observation, and biometric responses. Astronauts will monitor their health and performance using immune system biomarkers and wearable devices that track sleep, stress, movement, and radiation exposure. Their findings may help future missions better optimize astronaut time.The star science payload, however, is AVATAR (A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response), which uses tissue chips mimicking astronaut organs and bone marrow to gauge how spaceflight affects blood cells and other systems. The mission will mark AVATARs first use outside the Van Allen belts, bands of high-energy radiation particles surrounding Earth. The space agency hopes to measure human responses to deep-space stress by comparing its data with International Space Station findings and Artemis crew samples collected before and after flight.The AVATAR (A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response) organ chip [Photo: Emulate]For NASA, AVATAR could lead to personalized medical kits for each astronaut or, for folks back on Earth, individualized treatments for diseases such as cancer, said Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration scientist, exploration systems development mission directorate.The mission also plans to attract public interest by dedicating a day to observing the moons hidden dark side. From Orions farthest vantage point4,700 miles beyond Earths satellite, the moon will seem the size of a basketball held at arms length, with our planet appearing in the distance. Pending the crews launch time and flight path, Bleacher added, its possible theyll see parts of the moon that have never been viewed by human eyes. The spacecrafts return home will occur naturally, using Earths and the Moons gravity to enter Earth orbit without propulsion or complex course corrections. Reentry from the moon into Earths atmosphere will be faster than from low-Earth orbit, requiring more parachutes. However, following a finding that parts of the Artemis I heat shield degraded more than expected upon reentry, Artemis II will engage a shorter entry range. While this approach is safer, it reduces the number of potential launch days. Yet even with this adjustment, retired astronaut Charles Carmarda and former NASA engineer Daniel Rasky have raised grave concerns about the heat shields efficacy. If I had to rate it an A, B, C, D, or E, Id rate it an F, Rasky told ABC News last week.[Illustration: NASA]Postflight, the crew will attempt an obstacle course and a simulated spacewalk with tasks while wearing pressurized spacesuits. The exercises, which will gauge how quickly astronauts can function after a gravity transition, should help preparations for future lunar and Mars landings.Expecting the unexpectedThe Artemis infrastructure is a work in progress. Over time, launching missions like this, were going to learn a lot and the vehicle architecture will change, noted NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman during a follow-up media event with the astronauts. And as it changes, we should be able to take repeatable, affordable missions to and from the moon. Reusability is whats going to enable missions like Artemis 100.[Photo: NASA/Mark Sowa]As the crew engages in final preparations, including hard talks with their families about the inherent risks of spaceflight, theyve learned to balance focus with the unexpected.This is the first time weve put humans on this rocket, said Hansen, who will become the first non-American astronaut to travel beyond low Earth orbit on a NASA mission. Weve done a lot of testing of these systems, but when we get to space, well probably see signatures that look a little bit different from testing.The trajectory for NASAs Artemis II test flight [Animation: NASA]The sheer distance creates its own set of demands, even for a veteran like Koch, who set the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman at 328 days.I really have to make sure my husband knows that its not like the International Space Station, where we can just make a phone call, she said with a grin. So, hes not going to be able to call me and ask where something is in the house. Hes going to have to find it.
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E-Commerce
For business partners Victoria Jackson and Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, their lives are intermingled with work. As cofounders of 15-month-old bookstore Godmothers in Summerland, California, the pair have built a space that they both longed for: a bookstore perched on a magical slice of Santa Barbara County, outfitted with cozy nooks to read and gather, a cafe, and an events space for author events and workshops. Since its September 2024 opening the space has become a beacon of community, creativity and conversationwhat Walsh calls a beautiful creative cathedral for everyone from that mom in carpool to Oprah Winfrey. Godmothers is a great representation of coming up with an idea and seeing the building I pictured, says Jackson, an entrepreneur best known for founding cosmetic company Victoria Jackson Cosmetics. Its creative visualization. I see it in pictures, and I work to create it. [Photo: Riley Reed/courtesy Godmothers] Walsh, who built her career as a literary agent, says that for her the store is exactly what its website proclaims: a local shop with a global dream, the product of a partnership born of big ideas, hard work, and the circuitous process of following gut instincts. In these conversations, we talked about framing creativity in business and personal endeavors, cultivating the ability to slow down to accelerate ideas, and the value of a little fresh air. Jennifer Rudolph Walsh: I view myself as a creative person, but not in an artistic sense. I dont paint. I dont do morning pages. I love brainstorming sessions with people. I love hearing their ideas and adding my ideas. I love taking those ideas that come out of nowhere and imagining how they can manifest themselves in different ways. RW: Im a morning person. I wake up at 5 a.m. with a tremendous amount of energy. I first meditate and then I read everything. I send articles to people that I think would be helpful to them. That gets the creativity going. I am full of ideas and inspiration in the morning. RW: My life post-NYC is very free form. I really resist structure in my day and thats one of the great things about being my own person here [in California]. Im not answering to clients. So I love the freedom of that and the creative spirit can just take me anywhere. It might be on a hike or going through the store and talking with a customer about a book they loved. But its very freeform and go-with-the-flow. [Photo: Riley Reed/courtesy Godmothers] RW: We opened the store as a bookstore and a gathering space because its something we ourselves craved. Its a place to go to dive into the deep end of the ocean. We wanted to create a sense of community around that container; I think there needs to be more of that. People long to be there in person. Our shop is in a beautiful setting, which adds to the experience. Its a place where people can be open-hearted and open-minded. [Photo: Sara Prince/courtesy Godmothers] Victoria Jackson: Jennifer is a critical piece in the telling of Godmothers. We are trying to align and manifest something together. She is also a big believer and a manifester in her own right. Godmothers: how the community has, in such a short time, embraced it. How we have in all the best ways put ourselves on the map, with the trust and respectreally the big warm hug weve gotten from the community. I was going to be focused more on the beauty of the space, making it a cozy and welcoming physical space. She is working on the actual storytelling. She does most of the hosting and interviewing. I think we both respect each others opinions a lot; its a very easy collaboration. VJ: I think there are certainly aspects where you can learn to open your mind. I think there is a certain amount of it thats learned, but I think a bigger part of it is innate in how you see the world. Even early days in schoolthere are kids that are looking at the teacher and there are kids that are looking out the window. Im a looking out the window person and Ive been looking out the window ever since. VJ: I have the ability to build bridges and communicate whatever that thing is that Im working on. The fact that I can sell cosmetics on TV and have my authentic passion around it, while building community and connection. Everything Ive done in the world of medicineIve needed to build a bridge. In cosmetics, its connecting with women and consumers based on a product and an idea I had. I think the throughline is how I tell the story. JRW: I love storytelling in all forms. I watch a ton of TV and movies. I read books. I read newspapers and magazines. Longform stories. JRW: I see entrepreneurship as intricately tied to creativity. Creativity to me is business. I dont see them as two separate things. I never understood a personal life and a professional life I dont really separate it from business. You cant grow without change, and you cant have change without creativity. [Photo: Sara Prince/courtesy Godmothers] JRW: My motto is try easier. If something isnt working or when nothing is working, I do nothing. Im not someone who is trying to force a solution. If I cant think of three options, I’m going to keep thinking. I don’t move until Im ready, and Im not ready until I have at least three possibilities. I am at ease and I trust the universe. I see it through the eyes of wonder and miracle. JRW: Im not someone who will ask 10 people what they think of my shoes. There are people like that. I dont really have a big appetite for what other people think about what I think is cool. If I have a big idea, I move on quickly. I dont hold tightly to anything. JRW: Everything about my life is a learned thing. No one used to try harder than me. I had to learn how to hold things lightly and go with the flow so things were always going my way. There is a magic place between making it happen and letting it happen. Thats a creative calibration. But I live there now. [Photo: Sara Prince/courtesy Godmothers] JRW: I spend some time in nature every single day. All of those things are both spiritual and creative practices for me. In every conversation, I try to plant a seed or receive a seed. Its about trying to say, What do you think of this idea? Or, Oh, thats an amazing idea. You brainstorm and add on. JRW: I live two miles up a mountain on a farm. Im not on Twitter or Facebook. I live an intentional, slow life. I read and consume and carefully curate an intentional series of things. Im not someone who is reacting to the world. Im cocreating my own reality, with all of the choices I make. VJ: I can lack patience. I set very high standards for myself, and at times, for others. When theyre falling short or very short, I have a hard time being patient, especially as Im older and have accomplished a lot. I want people to be the best version of themselves. I get a little frustrated when theyre not willing to do that. VJ: When I get stuck, Ill go for a walk. Ill put myself in nature. I will take a break. I will do that in meditation. You picture yourself going under the water and everything above you is stormy and waves and everything around you is quiet. Usually then, Ill find some way.
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E-Commerce
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