Iraq to Assist with Robot Testing
March 10, 2003
Iraq seems to be on the verge of becoming one of the biggest testing grounds for military robotics in history.
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Making Faces
March 10, 2003
A London surgeon’s plan to transplant a human face has caused some alarm about the nature of identity.
Foresight Vision conference announced
March 11, 2003
The Foresight Vision Conference, the annual Senior Associates Gathering, “Molecular Myth, Manufacturing, Money and Mania: will the real nanotechnology please self-assemble,” is being held May 2-4, 2003 in Palo Alto.
Universe as Doughnut: New Data, New Debate
March 11, 2003
Rather than being infinite in all directions, the universe could be radically smaller in one direction; it may be even be shaped like a doughnut. The idea is based on new data produced by NASA’s Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe satellite.
Simulating Surgery
March 11, 2003
An experimental software system lets surgeons “sketch” several possibilities for bypass operations (based on nuclear magnetic resonance data) and preview the likely results before making a single incision.
To give emergency workers the heads-up on bioterrorism attacks, researchers are monitoring the air for bioagents as well as hospitals for signs of outbreaks of nonspecific illnesses or symptoms.
SETI to target most tantalising radio transmissions
March 12, 2003
Astronomers searching for signs of extraterrestrial intelligence are about to zoom in on 150 of the more tantalizing radio transmissions that have reached Earth.
Search for the next big thing
March 12, 2003
Candidates for the next big thing include content management or data mining, AI, data storage, security and monitoring software, gaming and entertainment technology, biopharmaceuticals, and biotechnology.
Scientists develop ‘brain chip’
March 12, 2003
USC researchers are developing the first brain prothesis, an artificial hippocampus to replace damaged brain tissue.
Scientists will initially test the “brain chip” on rat brains. The silicon-chip programming was developed by stimulating slices of rat hippocampus with electrical signals millions of times to determine which input produced a corresponding output. The chip would translate activity coming from the rest of the brain and send the necessary output instructions… read more
TEDMED3 to focus on new health tech
March 12, 2003
Richard Saul Wurman is hosting TEDMED3, focused on “the collection of media and technologies that enable individuals to seek and obtain a healthier life through the understanding of information.” It will be held June 11-14, 2003 in Philadelphia.
The conference will cover topics such as:
How Hydrogen Can Save America
March 13, 2003
For $100 billion in today’s dollars, the US could shift the balance of power from foreign oil producers to US energy consumers within a decade. By 2013, a third of all new cars sold could be hydrogen-powered, 15 percent of the nation’s gas stations could pump hydrogen, and the US could get more than half its energy from domestic sources.
Face-Recognition Technology Improves
March 14, 2003
Facial recognition technology has improved substantially since 2000, according to a federal government report. The best facial recognition systems can now correctly verify that a person in a photograph or video image is the same person whose picture is stored in a database 90 percent of the time, with one percent false positives. Performance has also been enhanced by improving technology to rotate images taken at an angle.
Bone marrow cells can become heart cells
March 14, 2003
Researchers have detected the first evidence that cells originating in the bone marrow can form new heart tissue in human adults and this suggests the technique could prove useful for mending and regenerating damaged heart tissue.
Future Fetish
March 17, 2003
Wired has published a wish list of cool gadgets for 2013, including a combination PDA, wireless Internet, a mini iPod, and phoneu and roll-up television screen made of light-emitting-polymer.
Alternate Reality Games Grab Mindshare
March 17, 2003
ARGs or Alternate Reality Games are immersive experiences that mix real world clues, phone calls, voicemail, email chatterbots, real people playing roles in real life and bogus and legit websites. The objective: a fully rounded gaming experience that bleeds over into everyday life. They could also have real-world applications like group dynamics and problem solving.