February 2010

Voyage to Pandora video

by Socrates
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After reviewing AVATAR, I happened to discover this documentary called Voyage to Pandora. The video is from the Cosmic Journeys series and examines the cosmic neighborhood of Alpha Centauri in which James Cameron‘s fictional planet Pandora is situated. It does a great job at describing the actual science and technological challenges of locating and traveling to any of the planets in the Alpha Centauri quadrant. The video may be played in High Definition and has some spectacular images of actual space telescopes and the movie AVATAR. If you enjoy documentaries about space exploration or the universe you will probably love this one. Related articles by Zemanta Moons like those in Avatar film ‘could become real’ (telegraph.co.uk) Avatar’s Moon Pandora Could Be Real (spacefellowship.com) The Real Science of ‘Avatar’ (space.com) Avatar’s moon Pandora could be real (scienceblog.com)

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Living with Robots documentary

by Socrates
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With their android ASIMO Honda has been a pioneer in robotic technology for almost three decades. This short documentary, part of Honda’s the Power of Dreams series, titled Living with Robots interviews some of the key people in ASIMO’s project development and documents the technological challenges that they had to overcome. (For example, it took almost 10 years to teach ASIMO to walk.) In just under 10 min the movie manages to combine some clever company branding together with raising some profound questions about who we are and how technology in general and robotics in particular are a reflection of what we aspire to be. Well worth 10 minutes of your time. Related articles by Zemanta Honda Premieres “Living with Robots” Short-Film Documentary at Sundance Film Festival (eon.businesswire.com) Honda Technology Connects Brain with Robotics (amog.com)

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Thought Controlled Mouse Cursor: Direct Brain-Computer Interface

by Socrates
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The computer user interface has been one of the slowest to evolve and typewriter-style of keyboard and mouse devices are still the norm. It has been only in the last 5 years or so that we have seen the introduction and growing success of touch-screen and voice-controlled devices becoming widely available to the public. In the lab  researchers have been working steadily on the ultimate UI — direct brain-computer interface. This video demonstrates two-dimensional cursor control using a direct brain-computer interface in humans who have electrodes implanted on the surface of their brain. Some potential applications include but are not limited to assisting people with severe disabilities in prosthetic limb or wheelchair control, or specific brain-tissue rehabilitation of particular parts of the brain. Related articles by Zemanta Is the ‘Avatar’ concept really possible? (cnn.com) Brain-Computer Interface Allows Person-to-person Communication Through [...]

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Web 3.0 Video: The Future Internet

by Socrates
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The following future internet video presentation is based on the The Future Internet Public Private Partnership as defined in a white paper released by the European Future Internet Initiative (EFII). It provides an outline of what could be achieved within the next 5 years and is produced by STI International which is a global network carrying out research, education, innovation and commercialization activities on semantic technologies and their deployment within industry and society at large.

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Does Technology Make Us Smart or Stupid?

by Socrates
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Technology often divides us into techno-optimists and techno-skeptics. The optimists, as exemplified by a recent Reuters news article, believe for example that the Internet will make us smarter and that technology has an overwhelmingly positive effect on the human species. After all, ever since our Cro-Magnon fore-fathers left the caves it has been technology which has provided not only our food and shelter but almost everything else above and beyond — from the iPod in your pocket to the International Space Station (ISS) in orbit. It allows us to travel vast distances in short periods of time, to communicate instantaneously across continents and to live on average 3 times longer than the ancient Greeks. It is hard to deny that technology makes our lives easier, more comfortable and more pleasant. But does technology make us smart or stupid? Is it, [...]

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Bill Gates at TED: Nuclear Energy is the way to Zero Carbon Footprint

by Socrates
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This is a video of Bill Gate’s recent presentation at TED where he argues that the most promising way of reaching zero carbon footprint by 2050 will be through terra nuclear energy. Gates claims that, because terra nuclear plants will be burning U238 (in contrast to the current U235), they will have not only little to no waste, but will actually be fueled by the depleted uranium stockpiles from our current and past generation of nuclear power plants.  Thus the terran nuclear power-plants will be not only extremely efficient and economical, thereby bringing down the average price of energy, but will also be guaranteed uninterrupted supply of nuclear fuel in the form of our present day copious amounts of depleted uranium stockpiles.  This in turn, says Gates, will provide us with nuclear fuel for hundreds of years to come and [...]

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Charlie Kam: the Very Model of a Singularitarian

by Socrates
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This is by far one of the most hilarious, smartest and most melodic singularity videos that I have seen. If you need a little cheer up to brighten your day just check out Charlie Kam’s Singularitarian version of Gilbert & Sullivan’s “I Am The Very Model of a Modern Major General,” from the Gilbert & Sullivan opera, “The Pirates of Penzance.” Charlie Kam’s I am the very model of a Singularitarian If you want to compare it to Gilbert & Sullivan’s original I Am The Very Model of a Modern Major General check out these 2 hilarious interpretations of it.

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Blue Brain Project (the Documentary)

by Socrates
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The Blue Brain Project is the first comprehensive attempt to reverse-engineer the mammalian brain, in order to understand brain function and dysfunction through detailed simulations. Henry Markram is attempting to reverse engineer an entire human brain, one neuron at a time. This piece is an introduction to director Noah Hutton’s 10-year film-in-the-making that will chronicle the development of The Blue Brain Project, a landmark endeavor in modern neuroscience.

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