tech
Curious tech and technology from the realm of science and science fiction.
Can Better Data Head Off Environmental Disasters?
Do you live within 200 yards of an oil or gas pipe? More than 60% of Americans do, but no one—not public agencies, not commercial customers, and not even the energy companies that own the pipes—could tell you exactly where defects in those pipes are. As that infrastructure ages far beyond its intended lifespan, the costs of maintaining and servicing pipelines pose a $68 billion headache for the industry and a ticking time bomb for the public.
By Rob Salkowitz9 years ago in Futurism
Alex The Inventor-Chapter 16
Read Chapters 1 - 15 at: Deep Sky Stories Chapter 16 - Luss Power and Big Ben's Last Rumble Big Ben rumbled up to the scene of the battle just in time as Dart and Jade were forced to fly lower, with wings unfolded, and battle on as best they could. They flitted and dodged about, firing madly as their Bubble-Shields glowed dangerously from multiple hits. A swarm of the cat-sized Flies soon surrounded Ben but he continued on despite taking several stinging hits from their Shock-Bolt Guns.Within seconds, the huge, lumbering robot became the target for a hail of tiny missiles and jolting high-voltage assaults. Huddled inside the tiny driver's compartment, Alex and Rainah cringed as each projectile clanged and rattled off old Ben's shuddering iron body.
By G.F. Brynn9 years ago in Futurism
The Wickedness of A.I.
Like with most things in life “There's no rose without a thorn”, in other words, there are going to be some negative points to this tale, and they don't exactly sound very reassuring, quite the contrary. Some of these have even been the target of works of fiction, TV series, games, podcasts, you name it, it has been done; movies like The Matrix, The Terminator, AI, 2001 space odyssey, and the movie adaptation of Marvel's Avengers (where the main villain is a being of "evil" artificial intelligence). Almost every apocalyptic scenario, every "machine turn on the humans that created them" scenario has been covered one way or another. These works of fiction can to some extent be seen as cautionary tales to what may come if ethics and caution are put aside.
By Tomás Brandão9 years ago in Futurism
Artificial Intelligence Programs For Startups
Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is a growing field where technology and machines are created to obtain knowledge and learn from it, just like humans. Algorithms are created that allow machines to comprehend information, and these days there are programs that use lifelike problem solving and reasoning skills. Many artificial intelligence apps exist that simplify traditionally tedious or time-consuming tasks, and are used in a variety of fields, including medicine, and politics.
By Madeline Basirico9 years ago in Futurism
Top Bezel-less Technology Smartphones
Nowadays, smartphones are manufactured using technologies such as enhanced fast processor, slim design, metal unibody, fingerprint scanner and iris scanner. The latest to the party is the integration of a bezel-less display, which helps you to view the content without bezels on the sides. Moreover, handsets designed using bezel-less display will be on a lighter side when it comes to the weight.
By Anand Narayanaswamy9 years ago in Futurism
Screen Reader Usage: Part 2
Welcome to another article here on Vocal. I'm Jared Rimer. This is the second installment of a multipart series that delves into how blind and visually impaired people go about using the computer. In the first article, I talked about screen readers, mentioned some specific programs that came out around the time I started using a computer in the early 90s, and provided a basic understanding on how it all works. Part 2 will focus on using screen readers specifically on Windows.
By Jared Rimer9 years ago in Futurism
Do You Want Your Bacon CRISPR?
In the 1980s, pig farmers started seeing their herds come down with a viral infection causing severe breathing problems, a disorder that became known as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, or PRRS. The disease is particularly rough on young pigs, and in sows it can cause early pregnancy terminations or stillbirths of entire litters. PRRS today results in annual losses among pork producers in the U.S. of $650 million and €1.5 billion in Europe.
By Alan Kotok9 years ago in Futurism
Interview with Trina Phillips, Chief Futurist at SciFutures
Trina Phillips is a writer, editor and one of the chief futurists at SciFutures, a company dedicated to helping companies bridge the gap between science fiction and reality, via ideation, prototyping and storytelling. Trina has been published in numerous science fiction publications, including Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, AE and Daily Science Fiction. I had the opportunity to sit with her to discuss her career, and the myriad of ways her company is helping to shape forthcoming technology.
By Joshua Sky9 years ago in Futurism
Screen Reader Usage: Part 1
Welcome to another article here on Vocal. I'm Jared Rimer, I am here to talk today about how us blind people go about using a computer. This will be a multipart series. The first part will talk about screen readers, the different names of the ones that came out around the time I started using a computer, and provide a basic understanding on how it all works. Subsequent installments will discuss how we use Windows machines, and how we learn computer commands and other capabilities.
By Jared Rimer9 years ago in Futurism
Visual Content Needs a Social Life
Series note: As technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, Big Data and mixed reality start to blur the line between science and science fiction, some of the most exciting developments are coming from startup companies operating at the frontiers of innovation. Over the next few weeks, I'll be profiling a few of the companies chipping away at problems big and small, helping to make the future real for consumers and businesses.
By Rob Salkowitz9 years ago in Futurism
