Computing Update

This chip is very close to a Star Trek "medical tricorder" in that it can detect even a single virus in a biological sample within five minutes:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090528093004.htm

Robotics Update

A number of scientists, engineers, writers, etc. give their responses to the question, "Is a serminator scenario possible?"

http://www.hplusmagazine.com/articles/ai/poll-terminator-scenario-possible

Of course, the question is a bit vague, since Terminator includes robots, time travel and rogue AI, but the answers are interesting.

Singularity Update

A brief overview of the coming Singularity:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/weekinreview/24markoff.html?_r=1

Transportation Update

A rotating space elevator could propel its own car up into space:

http://www.physorg.com/news162112945.html

Transportation Update

A rotating space elevator could propel its own car up into space:

http://www.physorg.com/news162112945.html

Artificial Intelligence Update

Dutch supercomputer establishes a new world record by defeating two human Go professionals in an official match:

http://www.hpcwire.com/offthewire/Dutch-Supercomputer-Establishes-New-Record-in-Go-45094962.html?viewAll=y

Computing Update

Nanotechnology may very soon enable the creation of "five dimensional" discs with a storage capacity 2,000 times that of current DVDs:

http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=10754.php

Computing Update

Nanotechnology may very soon enable the creation of "five dimensional" discs with a storage capacity 2,000 times that of current DVDs:

http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=10754.php

Computing Update

New memory material may keep data safe for a billion years:

http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=10742.php

Robotics Update

A new program allows a robot to use stealth to sneak up on an opponent unseen:

http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/editors/23554/

Robotics Update

An "ethical governor" is being developed to tell military robots how to react in a combat situation:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30810070/

"Fear might influence human decision-making, but math rules for robots. Simplified, various actions can be classified as ethical or unethical, and assigned a certain value. Starting with a lethal action and subtracting the various ethical responses to the situation equals an unethical response. Other similar equations govern the various possible actions."

Alternative Energies Update

Prototype "breathing" battery currently stores 8x the energy of lithium-ion batteries, and could go higher:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17159-breathing-batteries-could-store-10-times-the-energy.html

Alternative Energies Update

A new technology promises to store and deliver triple the amount of energy of conventional lithium-ion batteries:

http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=10689.php

Artificial Intelligence Update

Nine games computers are ruining for humanity:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17145-nine-games-computers-are-ruining-for-humanity.html?full=true

Step by step computers are beating humans at their own games.

Nanotechnology Update

This isn't just a nanotech update; DARPA'S list of upcoming advanced research projects include robotics, computer and AI goals as well:

http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/41935

Robotics Update

This is an odd one:

A sensing, solar-powered micro-machine uses electromagnetic pulses to control 3,000 magnetically-sensitive bacteria and make them carry it around like tiny zombie porters:

http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/editors/23533/

Virtual Reality Update

Project LifeLike attempts to make avatars as realistic as possible as vehicles for the most effective human and AI communication in a virtual world:

http://www.physorg.com/news161630099.html

Computing Update

Moore's Law continues, as Fujitsu creates a computer processor 2.5 times faster than the previous record holder:

http://www.physorg.com/news161600187.html

Cybernetics Update

A recent neuroscience meeting discussed the future of brain augmentation:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227083.700-will-designer-brains-divide-humanity.html?full=true&print=true

Robotics Update

This article describes a number of different advances in robotics technology, including a robot that can climb telephone poles and another that can detect human pedestrians as it moves along city streets:

http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/22635/

Some of the videos are worth watching.

Artificial Intelligence Update

DARPA is now attempting to prove that "the human mind is nothing more than parts and energy. In other words, all brain activities — reasoning, emoting, processing sights and smells — derive from physical mechanisms at work, acting according to the principles of “thermodynamics in open systems.”"

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/05/darpa-heat-energy-brains-now-make-us-some/

I disagree that it's "spooky," but perhaps it is to some.

Nanotechnology Update

New LED displays based on carbon nanotubes allow the display to be folded and crumpled without damaging the display:

http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/22632/

Alternative Energies Update

Using ink-jet printing to cut the use of expensive silicon in solar cells in half:

http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/22599/

Robotics Update

An autonomous robot submarine will explore the deepest oceans:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8035499.stm

Transportation Update

It turns out that "warp" drives to travel faster than the speed of light may indeed be possible:

http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/090506-tw-warp-drive.html

Robotics Update

Not too many years ago, climbing stairs was a difficult task for robots. Now they're able to do so in a variety of ways:

http://singularityhub.com/2009/05/05/robots-take-to-the-stairs-this-is-just-the-beginning-videos/

Singularity Update

An interview with Ray Kurzweil, the "father" of the singularity:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227076.200

My favorite point, referring to the Law of Accelerating Returns:

"When the human genome project was announced in 1990, sceptics said: "No way you're going to do this in 15 years." Halfway through the project the sceptics were still going strong, saying you've only finished 1 per cent of the project. But that's actually right on schedule: by the time you get to 1 per cent you're only seven doublings away."

Alternative Energies Update

A simple "wind energizer" modification to existing wind turbines can increase energy output by 20-150%:

http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/2719/86/

Alternative Energies Update

"Jet fuel made from camelina reduces carbon emissions 84% compared to regular petro-based jet fuels":

http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/2714/70/

Artificial Intelligence Update

IBM's new DeepQA project, intended to create a program that can beat humans at the game of Jeopardy, could put us on the path to developing true general AI...or it could reveal that there is no intellectual feat that can't be performed by specialized programs:

http://hplusmagazine.com/articles/ai/rise-answerbots

Nanotechnology Update

Graphene--sheets of carbon one molecule thick--is turning out to have many potential uses:

http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=10425.php

Genetic Engineering Update

Using magnetism to guide super-fast bacteria to deliver medicine to exact locations within the body:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17071-bacteria-take-fantastic-voyage-through-bloodstream.html

Artificial Intelligence Update

How the Net could become self-aware...and perhaps already is (to some degree):

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227062.100-could-the-net-become-selfaware.html

Alternative Energies Update

Inexpensive plastic solar cells are gaining in efficiency relative to silicon solar cells...though they still have a way to go:

http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/22563/

Singularity Update

An interview with Vernor Vinge, the writer who came up with the Singularity concept for super machine intelligence far surpassing human intelligence:

http://hplusmagazine.com/articles/ai/singularity-101-vernor-vinge

He believes the Singularity will arrive by 2030. Ray Kurzweil puts the date at 2045.

Computing Update

GE develops the ability to fit 100 DVD's worth of information on a single DVD disc:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/technology/business-computing/27disk.html

Artificial Intelligence Update

A Blue Gene supercomputer is being prepped to beat humans at the game of Jeopardy:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/technology/27jeopardy.html?_r=1

Artificial Intelligence Update

A Blue Gene supercomputer is being prepped to challenge humans at the game of Jeopardy.