It’s weekend time, and I think it’s appropriate to start this weekly review with two lighter stories of my own, which, if they’re not strictly smartmobbing stories, are still related to our environment.
Another Look at Computer-Generated Scientific Papers
Like many of you, I had a good laugh a month ago when I read that some students at the MIT submitted a computer-generated ’scientific’ paper to a computer conference which accepted it, at least in a first step. (Read the stories from ‘Prank research paper makes the grade‘ for example.) But now, I’m not laughing anymore. Imagine that 100,000 people around the world use this Automatic CS Paper Generator to generate a fake paper and keep it online.
Source: Roland Piquepaille, with various websites, May 18, 2005
It’s So ‘Ginormous’ that I’m ‘Confuzzled’
Merriam-Webster, the dictionary publisher, recently asked its readers on its web site to submit their favorite words which didn’t exist yet in the dictionary. After receiving about 3,000 submissions, the company published a top ten list of non-existing words. This list is dominated by ‘ginormous’ (bigger than gigantic and bigger than enormous) and by ‘confuzzled’ (confused and puzzled at the same time). However, a search on Google reveals a different story.
Source: Roland Piquepaille, with various websites, May 19, 2005
And now, here is my selection of articles that were not commented here — except if I missed them.
Scientists developing ‘nurturing’ computers
Imagine a day when your computer will be able to let you know if you need a break, alert you to take medication or even go to the doctor. In some computer science labs at the University of Houston, such human-computer interaction is becoming a reality.
Source: myDNA News, May 12, 2005
3-D images help police
A police forensics laboratory in Rome is using a powerful supercomputer developed by Silicon Graphics to create a three-dimensional replica of a crime scene, to help solve murder cases.
Source: Therese Poletti, Mercury News, May 16, 2005
Hey Google, Map This!
Inventive web developers are taking Google’s online map service to a new level, layering in house sales and apartment rentals, real-time traffic stats and Flickr photo tags.
Source: Daniel Terdiman, Wired News, May 16, 2005
Eggheads Invent Tele-Petting
Researchers in Singapore have developed a cybernetic system to allow physical interaction over the internet. The system allows touching and feeling of animals or other humans in real time, but it’s first being tried out on — chickens.
Source: Lakshmi Sandhana, Wired News, May 17, 2005
Gadgets go underwater for scuba attempt
Richard Henry will attempt to break a scuba endurance record this summer–and along with his regulator and mask, he’s taking some video games. He plans to bring a waterproof MP3 player from H2O Audio, a push-to-talk phone, and a Palm handheld in an underwater enclosure that he will use to read books.
Source: Michael Kanellos, CNET News.com, May 17, 2005
Virtual reality therapy may ease fear of public speaking
For many people, the mere thought of public speaking makes their palms sweat, heart race and stomach reel. But help may be on the way in the form of virtual reality exposure therapy — computer-generated images and sound delivered through a helmet-like headset.
Source: Georgia State University news release, via EurekAlert!, May 18, 2005
2050 - and immortality is within our grasp
Britain’s leading thinker on the future offers an extraordinary vision of life in the next 45 years. Aeroplanes will be too afraid to crash, yoghurts will wish you good morning before being eaten and human consciousness will be stored on supercomputers, promising immortality for all — though it will help to be rich.
Source: David Smith, The Observer, May 22, 2005
Mobile blogs give citizen journalism legs
Cranking out a column after a presidential debate or publishing a prize-worthy photo of the next catastrophe just got a whole lot easier — no matter where or who you are. Google, Yahoo, Microsoft and others have started to offer simple-to-use tools that let anybody with a digital camera or personal computer create blogs and produce homemade news.
Source: Reuters, via CNET News.com, May 22, 2005
See you next week…
It’s weekend time, and I think it’s appropriate to start this weekly review with two lighter stories of my own, which, if they’re not strictly smartmobbing stories, are still related to our environment.
Another Look at Computer-Generated Scientific Papers
Like many of you, I had a good laugh a month ago when I read that some students [...]
