...really good teaching is about not seeing the world the way that everyone else does...

"Good teachers perceive the world in alternative terms, and they push their students to test out these new, potentially enriching perspectives. Sometimes they do so in ways that are, to say the least, peculiar."
Mark Edmundson, "Geek Lessons" NYT, 2008

Wednesday, 11 May 2011

MIT Mobile Experience Lab

The MIT Mobile Experience Lab seeks to radically reinvent and creatively design connections between people, information and physical places. Using cutting-edge information and mobile technology the lab seeks to improve peopleʻs lives through the careful design of meaningful experiences.

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Alberto Frigo: Progress report

Since 2004, different methods have been continuosly performed to create a total documentation throughout 36 years of the life of an individual, namely from his 24th to his 60th year of age. Using a commonly available medium, each method depicts a unique aspect of his life and surrounding. The resulting records are like the languages of a Rosetta stone that have to be actively interpreted and compare. This website is only meant to show-case a selection of the monthly production based on the different continents and sub-continents visited by the documenting individual. Furthermore this website showcase the parallel activities conducted along the actual archive.

Visit.

Wednesday, 4 May 2011

Sometimes to look forwards we have to look backwards

A whole website of the future that never was, ranging from the bizarre to the quite extraordinarily accurate - for instance the tablet forerunner to the ipad - amazingly accurate and detailed description of how this device could transform the print industry and the social setting for accessing information.
 


Tuesday, 3 May 2011

The Ultimate Turing Test

by David Barberi, 1992.

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The Turing Test

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Peter Diamandis – The best way to predict the future

Peter Diamandis, Chairman and Co-Founder of Singularity University, discusses the best way to predict the future, and shares his personal philosophies on innovation and the commercial space industry. Flimed at Singularity University’s Executive Program, March 2010.

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Singularity University

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FutureMed at Singularity University: How Will Technology Impact the Future of Healthcare and Medicine?

Exploring and driving the future of medicine through exponential, game changing technologies.

How will rapidly developing technologies such as the low cost genomic sequencing, artificial intelligence, telemedicine, robotics, 24/7 body wearable monitors, smart pills, stem cells, synthetic biology, gene therapy, mobile phone Apps and crowd sourced health data affect the future of healthcare and medicine?

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Augmented reality goes beyond gimmicks

...."The smartphone is the catalyst for all of this: holding your phone up to an object and getting rich digital information from the internet that is tightly registered to that object. We say that is a paradigm shift."

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Can robots know the difference between right and wrong?

Robots can walk on the surface of Mars, and, more importantly still, they can even carry a plate of drinks from the kitchen to the living room. But they are hopeless at negotiating the moral maze of ethical decisions that confront humans everyday.
So will this eventually be the robot's undoing? David Reid reports.

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How Happy Are You? A Census Wants to Know

SOMERVILLE, Mass. — When they filled out the city’s census forms this spring, the people of Somerville got a new question. On a scale of 1 to 10, they were asked, “How happy do you feel right now?” Surveys are asking residents like Lee Simonds about their city, as well as questions that seem plucked from a personality test. Officials here want this Boston suburb to become the first city in the United States to systematically track people’s happiness.

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RULES OF NINJA

Ninja is a theatrical, turn-based combat game!
Goal: Be the only remaining Ninja! Eliminate opponents by striking their hands with your own on your turn.

How to Play:
1) Players form a circle, each standing arm's width away from each other.
2) On the count of "3..2..1.. NINJA", all players jump into Ninja poses.
3) Winner of the last round begins. Turn order proceeds clockwise.
4) On your turn, you are allowed to make one swift Ninja-like movement. This can involve your whole body. Eliminate others by striking their hand - the wrist is not included. You must stiffly hold the position you end your move in.
5) You are allowed to move once the player before you has finished his/her attack. If the previous player is not attacking, you may take your turn as soon as they move.
6) If you are attacked by another player, you may dodge using only your arms.
7) When only two players remain, they begin the final duel. The remaining Ninjas stop fighting, bow, and stand back-to-back. On the count of "3..2..1.. NINJA" they jump into poses. The boldest goes first and play resumes normally. The game ends when one player remains.

Notes:
a) Be Ridiculous! Winners are not necessarily the most celebrated players; playing with style is more important.
b) No pullbacks! You must remain in the position you finished your move in... again: ONE SWIFT FLUID MOTION
c) All players must have open palms at all moments in the game. Hands cannot be pressed directly to your body.
d) Be truthful! If your hand was struck, you're out.
e) The only referee is the crowd. Impress the crowd, and you might be able to get away with a bit here and there.
f) Have fun! Remember, there will always be another game of Ninja.

Source.