New AI Tool Can Help Develop Energy-Efficient Apps

Category: Technology/Innovations

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. drain / dreɪn / (v) – to consume something
    Example:

    Endless phone calls drained my phone’s battery.


  2. conceive / kənˈsiːv / (v) – to come up with an idea
    Example:

    The writer was able to conceive his latest writing project while traveling.


  3. trial run / ˈtrajəl rʌn / (n) – the testing of a new product or service to know its effectiveness
    Example:

    They did several trial runs to ensure that the app works properly.


  4. tweak / twiːk / (v) – to adjust something
    Example:

    The designer tweaked the new product’s logo by adding more color.


  5. utilize / ˈjuːtəˌlaɪz / (v) – to maximize the use of something
    Example:

    You need to consult the manual to effectively utilize the device.


Article

Read the text below.

Scientists from Purdue University developed an artificial intelligence (AI) tool to aid developers in designing smartphone apps that drain less battery.


Called DiffProf, the tool automatically determines whether an app feature should be improved in terms of energy efficiency. DiffProf was conceived in line with Purdue University’s Giant Leaps celebration, which recognizes the university’s international achievements in innovation. This celebration is part of the university’s upcoming 150th anniversary.


Trial runs on DiffProf have only been done using Android devices. The researchers tested the tool by grouping apps according to function. After running the apps, the researchers then identified the features that caused an app to consume more battery than apps that have a similar function.


For instance, the researchers ran several music streaming apps and found that SoundCloud drained battery faster than Spotify. They also found that messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp were more energy-efficient than Google Hangouts.


After identifying the source of battery drain, DiffProf also teaches developers how to tweak an app’s program to improve energy efficiency. This feature allows the developers to effectively utilize the information on battery drain source. Initially, DiffProf only identified the reasons why an app uses up a device’s battery. This limitation hindered app developers from coming up with solutions to improve an app’s energy efficiency.


Abhilash Jindal, one of DiffProf’s creators, pointed out that DiffProf would only make a significant impact on devices if all developers would make an effort to improve their apps’ energy efficiency.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• If you were an app developer, would you invest in DiffProf? Why or why not?
• Aside from music streaming and messaging apps, what other apps should be tested using DiffProf (e.g. social media apps, delivery apps)? Explain.

Discussion B

• Why is it important to regularly improve an innovation?
• If you were to develop a tool like DiffProf, what issue would it address (e.g. speed of an app)? Discuss.