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Self-Assembled,
Deterministic Carbon Nanotube Wiring Networks
Diehl,
Michael R., et al, "Self-Assembled, Deterministic Carbon
Nanotube Wiring Networks." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.,
2002.
Web
Site
A room-temperature, minimal-lithography technique for
chemically assembling small deterministic crossbars of
SWNT ropes. |
Spintronics
Awschalom,David
D., Flatté, Michael E. and Samarth, Nitin. 2002. "Spintronics",
Scientific American. June. pp 67-73.
Web
Site
From Scientific American, "Microelectronic devices that
function by using the spin of the electron are a nascent
multibillion dollar industy - and may lead to quantum
microchips." |
The
Lives and Death of Moore's Law
Tuomi,
Ilkka, "The Lives and Death of Moore's Law." First
Monday, November 2002.
Web
Site
Reviews the various interpretations of Moore's Law and
empirical evidence that could support them, and concludes
that as semiconductors are becoming important in economy
and society, Moore's Law is now becoming an increasingly
misleading predictor of future developments. |
Moore's
Law
Silicon:
Moore's Law. Intel Corp. 2003.
Web
Site
Chart showing number of transistors for Intel processors,
demonstrating Moore's Law |
Fate
of Moore's Law tops ISSCC agenda
Ohr,
Stephan, "Fate of Moore's Law tops ISSCC agenda." EE
Times, February 9, 2003.
Web
Site
Moore surveys the history and future of his eponymous
1967 rule of thumb for the 50th convocation of the International
Solid-State Circuits Conference. |
No
Exponential is Forever … but We Can Delay ‘Forever’
Moore,
Gordon, No Exponential is Forever…but We Can
Delay ‘Forever,' , slideshow presentation
Web
Site
Graphics and charts demonstrating Moore's Law.
|
What
Happens When Technology Zooms Off the Charts: Singularity
and its Meanings
Steffen,
Alex, "What Happens When Technology Zooms Off the Charts:
Singularity and its Meanings," Whole Earth, Spring
2003.
Web
Site
Overview of the issues surrounding the approaching Singularity.
|
What
Happens When Technology Zooms Off the Charts: Singularity
and its Meanings (Part 2)
Steffen,
Alex, "What Happens When Technology Zooms Off the Charts:
Singularity and its Meanings," Whole Earth, Spring
2003.
Web
Site
Overview of the issues relevant to the approaching Singularity.
|
Molecular
Compasses and Gyroscopes with Polar Rotors: Synthesis
and Characterization of Crystalline Forms
Dominguez,
Zaira, et al, "Molecular Compasses and Gyroscopes with
Polar Rotors: Synthesis and Characterization of Crystalline
Forms." J. AM. CHEM. SOC., March 21, 2003.
Highly convergent synthesis and solid-state characterization
of six crystalline "molecular compasses." |
Cramming
more components onto integrated circuits
Moore,
Gordon, "Cramming more components onto integrated circuits."
Electronics, April 19, 1965.
Web
Site
Moore peers into the future and predicts that integrated
circuits will lead to such wonders as home computers.
|
Long-Term
Productivity Mechanisms of the Semiconductor Industry
Goodall,
Randal, "Long-Term Productivity Mechanisms of the Semiconductor
Industry." American Electrochemical Society Semiconductor
Silicon 2002 Proceedings, May 2002.
In addition to the well-known productivity measure, $/transistor,
other functional cost metrics are described that play
a role in the semiconductor industry’s continued
success. |
Long-Term
Productivity Mechanisms of the Semiconductor Industry
Goodall,
Randal, "Long-Term Productivity Mechanisms of the Semiconductor
Industry," American Electrochemical Society Semiconductor
Silicon 2002 Proceedings, May 2002.
Two charts: "Speed history of microprocessors" and "Bit
changes per second trend." |
Computing's
Big Shift: Flexibility in the Chips
Markoff,
John, "Computing's Big Shift: Flexibility in the Chips."
New York Times, June 16, 2003.
Web
Site
The new adaptive paradigm will allow for faster/lower
power/lighter/smaller/cheaper multipurpose chips and faster
design cycles. |
Construction
bugs find tiny work
Pearson,
Helen. "Construction bugs find tiny work." Nature,
July 11, 2003.
Web
Site
Severed bacterial arms do nanoscale building. |
International
Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors, 2002 Update
"International
Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors, 2002 Update," ITRS
Web
Site
Predicts the main trends in the semiconductor industry
spanning across 15 years in the future. |
Darpa
head expresses skepticism about quantum computing
Wilson,
Ron, "Darpa head expresses skepticism about quantum computing."
EE Times, August 20, 2003.
Web
Site
Following the Moore's Law curve toward an eventual physics-induced
train wreck somewhere near 25 nm, Leheny forecast that
the computing power on a single die would approach that
of the largest "gymnasium-sized machines" available today.
Noting that IBM's most recent supercomputer had defeated
chess masters, he suggested that before the end of scaling
single chips would emerge that would be capable of something
approaching human thought. |
Expanding
Moore's Law, The Exponential Opportunity
Moore,
Gordon, Expanding Moore's Law, The Exponential Opportunity,
Intel, Fall 2002 update.
Web
Site
Good graphics and charts demonstrating Moore's Law.
|
50
Years of Army Computing: From ENIAC to MSRC
Bergin,
Thomas, ed., "50 Years of Army Computing: From ENIAC to
MSRC,"Army Research Laboratory and the U.S. Army Ordnance
Center & School, September 2000.
Web
Site
Historical overview of Army computing efforts beginning
with ENIAC. |
IT
Markets: Success to Succession
Wright,
Chris, and Dawood, Issam, "IT Markets: Success to Succession,"
Pulp and Paper Technical Association of Canada, September
24, 2003.
The first 50 years of the Information Age are separated
into the Hardware and Software Micro-ages. It is suggested
that the dawning Wetware Micro-age (i.e. user training
oriented) will profoundly affect information markets and
practises. |
Towards
the National Virtual Observatory
"Towards
the National Virtual Observatory," National Virtual Observatory
Science Definition Team Report, April, 2002
The Virtual Observatory concept represents an organized,
coherent approach to the transition to a new, information-rich
astronomy for the 21st century. |
Exponential
or asymptotic?
Hutchinson,
Martin, "Exponential or asymptotic?," Bear's Lair,
July 8, 2002.
Web
Site
The author asserts that the United States is today primarily
an asymptotically growing economy. |
Internet
Data Traffic
Internet
traffic growth: Sources and implications, A. M. Odlyzko.
Bradbury, Robert, "Optical Transmission Systems and Equipment
for WDM Networking II," B. B. Dingel, W. Weiershausen,
A. K. Dutta, and K.-I. Sato, eds., Proc. SPIE,,
vol. 5247, 2003,
Traffic on Internet backbones in U.S.. For each year,
shows estimated traffic in terabytes during December of
that year. |
Moore’s
Law Technology and Economics
Chen,
Mung. Moore’s Law Technology and Economics. PowerPoint
presentation. Intel Corp. 2003.
PowerPoint presentation by Mung Chen, Manager, New Tech
Planning, Technology Manufacturing Group, Intel 6/29/03
|
Transcending
Moore's Law with Molecular Electronics and Nanotech
Jurvetson,
Steve, "Transcending Moore's Law with Molecular Electronics
and Nanotech" Nanotechnology Law & Business,
March 2004
Web
Site
Nanotechnology is the next great technology wave and the
next phase of Moore’s Law, and a great time to invest
in startups. |
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Matrioshka
Brain Home Page
Bradbury,
R. J., "Matrioshka Brain Home Page" (1998).
Web
Site
Bradbury references a number of papers authored by himself
and others related to the limits on solar system sized
computers and some ultimate computing limits. |
The
Physics of Information Procssing Superobjects: Daily Life
Among the Jupiter Brains
Sandberg,
A., "The Physics of Information Procssing Superobjects:
Daily Life Among the Jupiter Brains", Journal of Evolution
and Technology, Vol. 5, December 22, 1999
Web
Site
Dr. Sandberg discusses some of the most powerful computing
structures that can be imagined and some of the limits
that the laws of physics place on their computational
capabilities. |
Blue
Gene Project Update
Blue
Gene Project Team, "Blue Gene Project Update", IBM, January
2002
Web
Site
PDF document that briefly describes IBM's Blue Gene architectures
and there importance to various aspects of scientific
work. |
IBM
details Blue Gene supercomputer
Shankland,
S. "IBM details Blue Gene supercomputer", CNET news.com,
May 2003
Web
Site
Details of the plans IBM has for building a computer (Blue
Gene/L) to attain 180 to 360 teraflops by the end of 2004.
Briefly mentions Blue Gene/P - a petaflop computer.
|
Irreversibility
and Heat Generation in the Computing Process
Landauer,
R. "Irreversibility and Heat Generation in the Computing
Process, "IBM Journal", pp 183-191 (July, 1961).
Discussion about the fundamental limits that irreversible
computing and heat generation it causes (by erasing bits)
place on speed and random access times. |
The
Fundamental Physical Limits of Computation
Bennet,
C. H., Landauer, R., "The Fundamental Physical Limits
of Computation", Scientific American Vol. 253 pp
48-56 (July 1985).
Web
Site
Discusses some of the fundamental limits on computational
capacity. |
Of
Chemistry, Love, and Nanobots
Smalley,
Richard, "Of Chemistry, Love, and Nanobots," Scientific
American, September, 2001
How soon will we see the nanometer-scale robots envisaged
by K. Eric Drexler and other molecular nanotechologists?
The simple answer is never. |
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Sustainable
Energy - Uranium, Electricity and Greenhouse
Uranium
Information Center, Ltd, "Sustainable Energy - Uranium,
Electricity and Greenhouse", (June 2001).
Web
Site
A brief summary of greenhouse gases, world energy usage
and why switching to uranium as a greater source for our
energy needs would be useful |
Nanotechnology,
S&T Workforce, Energy & Prosperity
Smalley,
Richard E., Ph.D., Nanotechnology, S&T Workforce,
Energy & Prosperity, Nanotechnology Roundtable and
Work Plan Discussion, President's Council of Advisors
on Science and Technology, March 3, 2003
Web
Site
Slides cover population growth, GDP, and energy supply
and demand forecasts. |
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How
Long Before Superintelligence?
Web
Site
This
paper outlines the case for believing that we will have
superhuman artificial intelligence within this century.
It looks at different estimates of the processing power
of the human brain; how long it will take until computer
hardware achieve a similar performance; ways of creating
the software through bottom-up approaches like the one
used by biological brains; how difficult it will be neuroscience
figure out enough about how brains work to make this approach
work; and how fast we can expect superintelligence to
be developed once there is human-level artificial intelligence.
|
When
Machines Outsmart Humans
Web
Site
Artificial
intelligence is a possibility that should not be ignored
in any serious thinking about the world in 2050. This
article outlines the case for thinking that human-level
machine intelligence might well be appear in that time
frame. It then explains four immediate consequences of
such a development, and argues that machine intelligence
would have a revolutionary impact on a wide range of the
social, political, economic, commercial, technological,
scientific and environmental issues that humanity will
face in the next century. |
Existential
Risks: Analyzing Human Extinction Scenarios and Related
Hazards
Web
Site
Nick
Bostrom defines a new category of risks that could threaten
humanity and intelligent life with extinction: existential
risks. The future could be a dangerous place indeed.
|
AI
and Sci-Fi: My, Oh, My!
Web
Site
A
lot of science fiction has been exploring lately the concept
of uploading consciousness as the next, and final, step
in our evolution, says SF writer Robert Sawyer, who reveals
the real meaning of the film 2001: the ultimate fate of
biological life forms is to be replaced by their AIs.
Paging Bill Joy… |
Human
Beings as Chaotic Systems
Ives,
Crystal. "Humans Beings as Chaotic Systems." Physics.orst.edu,
NO DATE.
Web
Site
One of the most commonly used metaphors in our society
is the human body as a machine. At lunch we "fill our
tanks" to "keep our motors running." Our hearts beat like
"clockwork." A complex problem sets our "gears turning."
Is the body simply a machine, as our reductionist tradition
and modern language implies? Can we view ourselves as
a conglomeration of replaceable "parts"? Discoveries in
chaos theory are leading scientists to believe that this
is not the case. The intricacies of the human body have
amazed scientists for generations. Innumerable, entwined
feedback loops regulate our internal processes, keeping
us within the narrow bounds needed for survival. Despite
this regulation, our systems are aperiodic and unpredictable
in the long term. We are incredibly ordered on several
scales of magnitude, but irregularly so. Our bodies conform
to a set of non-linear, dynamic rules. The human body
is not a simple machine, but an amazingly complex chaotic
system. |
Genetic
Algorithms
Holland,
John H. "Genetic Algorithms." Columbia University, Graduate
School of Architecture, Undated.
Web
Site
The creator of Genetic Algorithms, John Holland, explains
how they work and the unexpected behaviors and results
that can emerge. |
Minds,
Machines and Godel
Lucas,
J.R. “Minds, Machines and Godel”, Philosophy,
Vol. 36, 1961 (Essay quoted in the 20th anniversary edition
of GEB, p. 388-389. The last three pages of the chapter
entitled, “Minds and Thoughts.”)
Web
Site
The central point among all of the many points this essay
makes relates to something Turing said about machine intelligence:
Self awareness may be a matter of complexity. Current
machines may not be able to "close the loop" and reflect
upon their own "thinking" because that would require adding
another part to the machine to do the reflection and then
another part to reflect on the reflection and so on. This
isn't the case with us. We reflect upon our own reflections
without, apparently, adding any additional hardware. We
close the loop. But we may be able to close the loop because
of the intense complexity of the brain that results in
an emergent behavior that we don't yet understand. The
essay also touches upon the question at the heart of Strong
AI: Can a machine attain the same capability. Lucas doesn't
conclusively prove anything in this passage, but he rasises
intriguing questions. |
Pigs
In Cyberspace
Moravec,
Hans. "Pigs in Cyberspace." Dutch Transhumanist Society,
May 1992.
Web
Site
A far-flung look into the distant future, how it might
unfold and the place artificial intelligence will play
in it. |
Will
Robots Inherit the Earth?
Minsky,
Marvin. "Will Robots Inherit the Earth?." Scientific
American, October 1994.
Web
Site
Everyone wants wisdom and wealth. Nevertheless, our health
often gives out before we achieve them. To lengthen our
lives, and improve our minds, in the future we will need
to change our our bodies and brains. To that end, we first
must consider how normal Darwinian evolution brought us
to where we are. Then we must imagine ways in which future
replacements for worn body parts might solve most problems
of failing health. We must then invent strategies to augment
our brains and gain greater wisdom. Eventually we will
entirely replace our brains -- using nanotechnology. Once
delivered from the limitations of biology, we will be
able to decide the length of our lives--with the option
of immortality-- and choose among other, unimagined capabilities
as well. -- Marvin Minsky |
When
Will Computer Hardware Match the Human Brain
Moravec,
Hans. "When Will Computer Hardware Match the Human Brain."
Journal of Evolution and Technology, Vol.1. 1998.
Web
Site
Hans Moravec explains what he feels it takes for a machine
to be as intelligent as we are, and why. |
Artifical
Voice System Says Hello
Graham-Rowe,
D. "Artificial Voice System Says Hello." NewScientist.com,
May 2, 2001.
Web
Site
Researcher Hideyuki Sawada at Japan's Kagawa University
is attempting to recreate the physical mechanisms for
the way humans talk so that machines will sound and speak
more naturally. His system mimics a human lung using an
air tank which forces air into a plastic voice-box chamber,
where it makes rubber "vocal cords" vibrate (see article's
diagram). The basic sounds generated in the voice box
are then fed to a flexible tube that imitates a human
vocal tract. From the article: "The sound this produces
depends on the speed of the airflow, the tension of the
rubber vocal cord and the shape of the vocal tract's cross-section.
The tract is made from a flexible silicone tube, so that
motor- powered rams positioned along it can alter its
shape. Our throats and mouths work in a similar way to
damp out certain frequencies generated by the vocal cords."
|
Ethics
for Intelligent Machines: A Proposal
Bostrom,
Nick. "Ethics for Intelligent Machines: A Proposal." NickBostrom.com,
October 2001.
Web
Site
This is an ethical and philosophical look at Artificial
Intelligence and society in the future. Four scenarios
are proposed. |
Autonomic
Computing Manifesto: IBM's Perspective on the State of
Information Technology
Horn,
Paul. "Autonomic Computing Manifesto: IBM's Perspective
on the State of Information Technology." IBM, 10/01/2001
Web
Site
The information technology boom can only explode for so
long before it collapses on itself in a jumble of wires,
buttons and knobs. IBM knows that increasing processor
might, storage capacity and network connectivity must
report to some kind of systemic authority if we expect
to take advantage of its potential. The human body's self-regulating
nervous system presents an excellent model for creating
the next generation of computing, autonomic computing
-- computing systems that regulate themselves and remove
complexity from the lives of administrators and users.
--Excerpted from IBM's summary |
Evolutionary
Emergence: The Struggle for Existence in Artificial Biota
Channon,
Alastair. "Evolutionary Emergence: The Struggle for Existence
in Artificial Biota." Channon.net, November 2001.
Web
Site
Computational natural selection, in which the phenotype
to fitness mapping is an emergent property of the evolving
environment and competition is biotic rather than abiotic,
is a paradigm that aims towards the creation of open-ended
evolutionary systems. Within such an environment, increasingly
complex behaviours can emerge. -- Alastair Channon
|
Computer
Crack[s] Funnier Than Many Human Jokes
Knight,
Will. "Computer crack[s] funnier than many human jokes."
NewScientist.com, December 20, 2001.
Web
Site
An experiment to uncover the world's funniest jokes has
found that some computer-generated gags can be more amusing
than those thought up by humans. The Laugh Lab survey
is is trying to search out the world's funniest jokes.
Researchers at Edinburgh University's computer science
laboratory contributed five computer-generated gags. These
are characterized by simple word play and most were voted
to be very poor, such as "What kind of line has sixteen
balls? A pool cue!" However one computer gag: "What kind
of murderer has moral fiber? A cereal killer," did surprisingly
well, ranking higher than a third of all other jokes.
Jason Rutter, a research fellow at Manchester University,
says: "Humor is a very interesting way to look at artificial
intelligence because at some point something has to have
two meanings, which is not easy to do with a computer."
Laugh Lab organizer Richard Wiseman, points out that the
computers used to create the entries are programmed to
play with the meaning of words but are not able to judge
funniness themselves. Were a computer able to do this,
it could perhaps be considered intelligent." It might
be the ultimate Turing test. |
Computerizing
Common Sense
"Computer
boffins pop AI's $60m question." IOL.co.za, June
9, 2002 OR "Computerizing Common Sense." Computerworld
, April 8, 2002.
Web
Site
Both pieces: The Cyc project, now 18 years old, has been
attempting to build an enormous database of commonsense
knowledge into a AI system that can begin to approach
the kind of commons sense knowldege we take for granted.
It codiefies the knowledge contained in a sentence like,
"People stop buying things after they die," into formal
computer logic. |
Architecture
for Intelligent Systems
Sowa,
J. F. "Architecture for Intelligent Systems." IBM Systems
Journal, April 15, 2002.
Web
Site
This paper proposes a framework for intelligent systems
that consist of specialized components together with logic-based
languages that can express propositions then dynamically
change the architecture of the system to react to those
propositions in three ways: 1: a human knowledge engineer
who specifies a script of speech acts that determine how
the components interact; 2: a planning component that
generates the speech acts to redirect the other components;
or 3: by a committee of components, which might include
human assistants, whose speech acts serve to redirect
one another. The components communicate by sending messages
to a blackboard, in which components accept messages that
are either directed to them or that they consider themselves
competent to handle. |
Software
Gambler Takes on the Tipsters
Marks,
Paul. "Software gambler takes on the tipsters." NewScientist.com,
December 11, 2002.
Web
Site
Using a neural network, Alan McCabe, an IT researcher
at James Cook University in northern Queensland, has developed
a software-based results tipster for Australian Rugby
League - although it could just as easily be adapted for
soccer, baseball or cricket. The program outperforms the
best human tipsters. |
Evolving
Inventions
Koza,
John R.,Keane, Martin A., Streeter, Matthew J. "Evolving
Inventions." Scientific American, February 2, 2003.
Web
Site
John Koza's team has created genetic programs (which are
different from genetic algorithms) that have duplicated
15 previously patented inventions, including several that
were hailed as seminal in their respective fields when
they were first announced. Six of the 15 were patented
after January 2000 by major research institutions, an
indication that they represent cutting edge technology.
Some represent new inventions by duplicating the functionality
of the earlier device in a novel way. One is a clear improvement
over its predecessor. Says the article: "Genetic programming
has also classified protein sequences and produced human-competitive
results in a variety of areas, such as the design of antennas,
mathematical algorithms and general-purpose controllers.
We have recently filed for a patent for a genetically
evolved general-purpose controller that is superior to
mathematically derived controllers commonly used in industry."
|
Models
of Intelligent Systems. Lecture 4: The Artificial Intelligence
Debate. Lecture Notes.
Bird,
Dick. "Models of Intelligent Systems. Lecture 4: The Artifical
Intelligence Debate: Lecture Notes." Psychology.unn.ac.uk,
Feburary 27, 2003.
Web
Site
Objective: To give an appreciation of the main issues
in the debate about artificial intelligence. |
Staring
into the Singularity
Yudkowsky,
Eliezer S. "Staring into the Singularity." Sysopmind.com,
May 27, 2001.
Web
Site
Yudkowsky's own words sum up the substance of this essay:
"If computing speeds double every two years, what happens
when computer-based AIs are doing the research? Computing
speed doubles every two years. Computing speed doubles
every two years of work. Computing speed doubles every
two subjective years of work. Two years after Artificial
Intelligences reach human equivalence, their speed doubles.
One year later, their speed doubles again. Six months
- three months - 1.5 months ... Singularity. Plug in the
numbers for current computing speeds, the current doubling
time, and an estimate for the raw processing power of
the human brain, and the numbers match in: 2021."
|
Computer
Heal Thyself
Fox,
Armando; Patterson, David. "Computer Heal Thyself." Scientific
American, June 2003
Web
Site
Digital computing performance has improved 10,000-fold
in the past two decades. That means that what took a year
of number crunching in 1983 takes less than an hour nowadays,
and a desktop computer from that era can't match the processing
power of one of today's pdas. But the article says that
increased complexity comes with a price. It means systems
tend to break down more often as well as run more sophisticated
programs faster. A group of scientists at Stanford University
and the University of California at Berkeley is designing
systems that recover rapidly when they break down. They
call the approach recovery-oriented computing (ROC).
|
Nano-optics:
Changing the Rules for Optical System Design
Kostal,
Hubert. "Nano-optics: Changing the Rules for Optical System
Design." Nanopto.com, June 2003.
Web
Site
Unlike conventional bulk optics, which operate on a physical
scale many times larger than the wavelengths of light
used in optical communications, NanoOpto's modular nano-optics
feature nano-scale structures much smaller than the wavelengths
of light. These tiny structures interact "locally" with
light to produce a wide range of optically useful effects,
some familiar, others novel and unique to NanoOpto's technology.
The revolutionarily small dimensions of nano-optics allow
multi-layer integration, yielding complex optical components
- on a chip - with a broad range of applications, and
create fundamentally new approaches to optical system
design. |
MadSim
- a tool for simulating biological neuronal networks
Mader,
W., Ausborn, J., Straub, O., Stein, W., Universität Ulm,
Abteilung Neurobiolog, "MadSim - a tool for simulating
biological neuronal networks," Göttingen Neurobiology
Conference, June 15, 2003
Web
Site
A tool for simulating biological, neuronal networks. German
researchers have created MadSim, which can pass depolarizing
and hyperpolarizing currents through electrical synapses.
From the site: "Further features include the selective
export of simulation results in ASCII, easy comparison
of simulation results, downward compatibility with BIOSIM
and export and import of single neurons and selected parts
of a network. Furthermore, graphical parameters like color,
size and name of a neuron or the appearance of a result
window can be modified." An interesting tool for simulating
operating neurons in the brain. |
Wheelchair
Moves at the Speed of Thought
Graham-Rowe,
Duncan. "Wheelchair Moves at the Speed of Thought." NewScientist,
July 3, 2003.
Web
Site
Severely disabled people who cannot operate a motorised
wheelchair may one day get their independence, thanks
to a system that lets them steer a wheelchair using only
their thoughts. |
Software
Can Investigate Suspicious Deaths
Graham-Rowe,
Duncan. "Software can investigate suspicious deaths."
NewScientist.com, July 7, 2003.
Web
Site
Researchers at the Joseph Bell Centre for Forensic Statistics
and Legal Reasoning in Edinburgh, UK have programmed a
computer to investigate suspicious deaths. It can help
detectives distinguish between deaths caused by murder,
suicide, accident or natural causes. The idea is to help
investigators undertake the difficult task of mentally
juggling different crime scenarios. Right now detectives
tend to try to confirm a single hypothesis that strikes
them as most likely. This can lead to them asking witnesses
leading questions rather than looking at all possible
scenarios. |
Computer
Language Translation System Romances the Rosetta Stone
Och,
Franz Joseph, "Computer Language Translation System Romances
the Rosetta Stone," Information Sciences Institute, USC
School of Engineering, July 24, 2003.
Web
Site
USC computer scientist Franz Josef Och has developed a
single system that can translate between any two languages.
|
Microcosmos
- Four Billion Years of Microbial Evolution
Margulis,
Lynn and Sagan, Dorian. 1986. Microcosmos - Four Billion
Years of Microbial Evolution. Touchstone Books.
Web
Site
A fascinating look at the evolution of the microbes that
made us possible, how they have shaped all of life and
even the rapidly evolving technologies all around us.
Some truly startling insights about the future, especially
in the books final chapters. To borrow a phrase from Lweis
Thomas: it'll leave you "permanently startled" because
it turns so much of our human centric points of view about
evolution on theier head. |
The
Unseen Genome: Beyond DNA
Gibbs,
Wayt. W., "The Unseen Genome: Beyond DNA." Scientific
American, December 2003.
Web
Site
Most organic traits are transmitted by genes in the DNA,
but scientists have found a separate code in the genome
written in chemical marks outside the DNA sequence that
can have a dramatic effect on the health and appearance
of oganisms. This epigentic code may explain why some
disease skip generations or effect only one in pair of
identical twins. This could have an effect on human intelligence
and, very likely, the evolution of the brain. |
| REVERSE
ENGINEERING: SCANNING AND REVERSE ENGINEERING |
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Artifical
Voice System Says Hello
Graham-Rowe,
D. "Artificial Voice System Says Hello." NewScientist.com,
May 2, 2001.
Web
Site
Researcher Hideyuki Sawada at Japan's Kagawa University
is attempting to recreate the physical mechanisms for
the way humans talk so that machines will sound and speak
more naturally. His system mimics a human lung using an
air tank which forces air into a plastic voice-box chamber,
where it makes rubber "vocal cords" vibrate (see article's
diagram). The basic sounds generated in the voice box
are then fed to a flexible tube that imitates a human
vocal tract. From the article: "The sound this produces
depends on the speed of the airflow, the tension of the
rubber vocal cord and the shape of the vocal tract's cross-section.
The tract is made from a flexible silicone tube, so that
motor- powered rams positioned along it can alter its
shape. Our throats and mouths work in a similar way to
damp out certain frequencies generated by the vocal cords."
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Ambitious
plan to give sight to the blind
"Ambitious
plan to give sight to the blind," press release from Sandia
Laboratories, www.sandia.gov, September 5, 2002
Web
Site
The idea is to create 1,000 points of light through 1,000
tiny MEMs [microelectromechanical systems] electrodes.
The electrodes will be positioned on the retinas of those
blinded by diseases such as age-related macular degeneration
and retinitis pigmentosa. |
Controlling
Robots with the Mind
Nicolelis,
Miguel A. L. and Chapin, John K., "Controlling Robots
with the Mind," Scientific American, September
17, 2002
Web
Site
People with nerve or limb injuries may one day be able
to command wheelchairs, prosthetics and even paralyzed
arms and legs by "thinking them through" the motions.
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Cascade
Back-Propagation Learning in Neural Networks
Cascade
Back-Propagation Learning in Neural Networks, NASA
Tech Brief Vol. 27, No. 5, May 1, 2003.
Web
Site
Neural networks implemented in VLSI chips - major speed
breakthrough. |
Our
Mind Electric?
Tipper,
Liezel, "Our Mind Electric?," University of Surrey Press
Release, May 17, 2002.
Web
Site
Description of McFadden's theory that the mind is an electromagnetic
field. |
Our
minds are radios
Anonymous,
"Our minds are radios," HERO, Summer 2003
Web
Site
Discussion of Professor Johnjoe McFadden's theory equating
the conscious mind with the brain’s electromagnetic
(em) field. |
Wheelchair
Moves at the Speed of Thought
Graham-Rowe,
Duncan. "Wheelchair Moves at the Speed of Thought." NewScientist,
July 3, 2003.
Web
Site
Severely disabled people who cannot operate a motorised
wheelchair may one day get their independence, thanks
to a system that lets them steer a wheelchair using only
their thoughts. |
Consciousness
- the hardest problem in science
Tipper,
Liezel, "Consciousness - the hardest problem in science."
University of Surrey Press Release, September 5, 2002.
Web
Site
Review of McFadden's 2002 paper “The Conscious Electromagnetic
Information (Cemi) Field Theory: The Hard Problem Made
Easy?”, in which McFadden proposes an answer to
the hard problem, claiming that awareness is electromagnetic
field information, viewed from the inside. |
Optical
biopsies on horizon using noninvasive biomedical imaging
technique developed by Cornell-Harvard group
"Optical
biopsies on horizon using noninvasive biomedical imaging
technique developed by Cornell-Harvard group" Cornell
News, June 11, 2003
Web
Site
An advance in biomedical imaging enables noninvasive microscopy
scans through the surface of intact organs or body systems,
producing images of diseased tissue at the cellular level
with unprecedented detail. |
"The Unseen Gene: Gems Among the Junk"
Gibbs,
W.Wayt. "The Unseen Gene: Gems Among the Junk" Scientific
American. November 2003. Pp. 47 – 53
Web
Site
Scientists thought they had nearly fathomed DNA by focusing
on the small part that contains blueprints for proteins.The
remainder – 98 percent in humans – has often
been dismissed as junk. But now rsearchers are discoverting
two vast, but largely hidden, layers of information that
affect inheritance, development and disease.. These hidden
genes work work through RNA , rather than protein. These
genes tend to be short and difficult to identify. But
some of them play major roles in the health and developments
of plants and animals. Active forms of RNA also help to
regulate a separate “epigenetic” layer of
heritable information that resides in the chromosomes
but outside the dna sequence |
"Noise
boosts nanotube antennas"
Smalley,
Eric, "Noise boosts nanotube antennas," Technology
Research News, February 11/18, 2004
Web
Site
Researchers at USC have shown that the right amount of
noise can enable carbon nanotube transistors to detect
weak electrical signals. This is the same effect -- stochastic
resonance -- that neurons use to communicate in biological
brains. |
"New
optical recording technique can see millisecond nerve
impulses in healthy and diseased brains"
Segelken,
Roger, "New optical recording technique can see millisecond
nerve impulses in healthy and diseased brains," Cornell
University press release, February 13, 2004.
Web
Site
Combining multiphoton microscopy with specially developed
dyes and a phenomenon called second-harmonic generation,
biophysicists at Cornell University and Université de
Rennes, France, have made high-resolution images of millisecond-by-millisecond
signaling through nerve cells. |
"C.U.
Develops New Neuroscience Tools"
Hoffman,
Vanessa, "C.U. Develops New Neuroscience Tools," Cornell
Daily Sun, February 24, 2004
Web
Site
Second harmonic imaging of membrane potential offers a
new opportunity to watch neural circuits functioning in
real time. |
| BUILDING
MODELS: BRAIN REVERSE ENGINEERING |
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Rapture
of the Geeks: Funny Hats, Transcendent Wisdom, and the
Singularity
Doctorow,
Cory, "Rapture of the Geeks: Funny Hats, Transcendent
Wisdom, and the Singularity," Whole Earth, Spring
2003.
Web
Site
Doctorow compares the Singularity to classic mystical
belief systems. |
Giving
Robots the Gift of Sight
Kahney,
Leander, "Giving Robots the Gift of Sight." Wired News,
May 15, 2003.
Web
Site
Patrick Andrews, managing director of Break-Step Productions,
a Cambridge-based consultancy, says he has developed a
shape-recognition system called Foveola that closely mimics
the human visual system. |
Brain
Power
Shadbolt,
Nigel, "Brain Power," IEEE Intelligent Systems,
May/June 2003.
Web
Site
Highlights some current key research areas and points
out the variability in estimates of total neural connections.
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Uniform
polarity microtubule assemblies imaged in native brain
tissue...
Dombeck,
Daniel A., et al, "Uniform polarity microtubule assemblies
imaged in native brain tissue...," PNAS Online,
June 10, 2003.
Web
Site
Second-harmonic generation (SHG) imaging provides a tool
to investigate the kinetics and function of Microtubule
(MT) ensemble polarity in dynamic native brain tissue
structures and other subcellular motility structures based
on polarized MTs. |
Advanced
Neural Implants and Control
Kipke,
Daryl R., "Advanced Neural Implants and Control," www.darpa.mil,
November 1, 2000
Web
Site
Describes the efforts to develop new neural implant technologies
to establish reliable, high-capacity, and long-term information
channels between the brain and external world.
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Unmaking
Memories: Interview with James McGaugh
"Unmaking
Memories: Interview with James McGaugh," Scientific
American, December 22, 2003
In the sci-fi thriller Paycheck, an engineer has his memory
erased after completing a sensitive job. Scientific American.com
spoke with a leading neurobiologist to find out just how
close scientists are to controlling recall. |
| UPLOADING:
UPLOADING |
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Notes
Concepts on Uploading - Chip Walter
NO
CITATION. ORIGINAL IDEAS BY CHIP WALTER.
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Will
Robots Inherit the Earth?
Minsky,
Marvin. "Will Robots Inherit the Earth?." Scientific
American, October 1994.
Web
Site
Everyone wants wisdom and wealth. Nevertheless, our health
often gives out before we achieve them. To lengthen our
lives, and improve our minds, in the future we will need
to change our our bodies and brains. To that end, we first
must consider how normal Darwinian evolution brought us
to where we are. Then we must imagine ways in which future
replacements for worn body parts might solve most problems
of failing health. We must then invent strategies to augment
our brains and gain greater wisdom. Eventually we will
entirely replace our brains -- using nanotechnology. Once
delivered from the limitations of biology, we will be
able to decide the length of our lives--with the option
of immortality-- and choose among other, unimagined capabilities
as well. -- Marvin Minsky |
The
Philosophy and Technology of Brain Uploading
Strout,
Joseph. "The Philosophy and Technology of Brain Uploading."
scifi-az.com, August 1, 1997.
Web
Site
An exploration of the concept of mind uploading.
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When
Will Computer Hardware Match the Human Brain
Moravec,
Hans. "When Will Computer Hardware Match the Human Brain."
Journal of Evolution and Technology, Vol.1. 1998.
Web
Site
Hans Moravec explains what he feels it takes for a machine
to be as intelligent as we are, and why. |
Levels
and Loops: The Future of Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience
Bell,
Anthony. "Levels and Loops: The Future of Artificial Intelligence
and Neuroscience." The Royal Society, Interval
Research Corporation. 1999.
Web
Site
Bell focuses on two things. One: You can't separate the
physical from the information, at least in the brain.
The two are so intertwined and interfere with one another
so fundamentally that they work differently than a computer
which uses separate hardware to run the software (information).
Two: The brain (unlike a computer) does not work in a
"feed-forward" sort of way. Cause does not always lead
to effect, at least not in simple ways. Looking closely
at the "interferences" within the brain may make it clearer
that there are feed-forward effects within loops. We just
haven't been able to to look this closely. |
Uploading
our Virtual Brain, the Possibilities of Simulating the
Human Brain on Computers
Scheib,
Vincent. "Uploading our Virtual Brain, the Possibilities
of Simulating the Human Brain on Computers." scheib.net,
February 17, 2000.
Web
Site
Charles has always had difficulty remembering things.
People's names, their birthdays, the spellings of words,
proper grammar, important dates, history facts, et cetera
- all are difficult for Charles. Recently, he started
using an electronic device to assist him. It also, conveniently,
does simple math much faster than Charles does. He cannot
help wondering, however, how much better it would be if
his mind could interface with a computer directly. What
if he was simply aware of a computer, or maybe, what if
he lived in a computer as a program? Technology is increasing
in power faster than ever, how long could it be before
Charles could upload himself into a computer? Would that
be possible at all? --Vincent Scheib |
Upload
Your Mind
Kaufman,
Ben. "Upload Your Mind." 2002.
Web
Site
A computer can flawlessly recapitulate/capture brain processes.
Kaufmann writes that a personal computer routinely performs
ten billion operations in a second while a typical cell
releases its electrical pulse only ten times in a second.
But neurons are many and they operate in parallel. 100
billion brain cells splitting the pulse of each neuron
among thousands of different axons. A further factor of
100 might be included to allow any information stored
in the shape or amplitude of the pulses to be included.
So you have 100 billion neurons, 10 pulses per neuron
per second, 1000 signals per pulse, 100 bits of information
per signal -- that means the human brain processes roughly
one hundred million billion (10^17) operations per second
-- 10,000 teraflops. This is a lot. Fast current supercomputers
can perform 36 teraflops a second. However, Moore's Law
(and the Law of Accelerating Returns) indicates that by
2020 computers will emerge with roughly the same processing
speed as the human brain (see figure 1 on web page). Kaufman
concludes that "there is no fundamental reason why a neuron
couldn't be flawlessly mimicked by a solid-state, transistor-based
device... nothing in the laws of physics forbids us from
designing a microchip that performs the exact function
of a specific neuron (to within, say, the level of thermal
noise.)" Kaufman imagines (though he cautions uploading
probably won't actually happen this way) that each neuron
in an individual brain could someday be replaced by a
microchip that perfectly mimics that neuron, all in Less
than 1/100 second without any nasty effect on neighboring
neurons. Do this 100 billion times, and you have a reverse-engineered
digital version of yourself. You don't have to understand
how the brain does what it does, you've just copied all
of the information and the ways in which that information
flows. |
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