Cody Wilson develops software that would allow anyone with the funding to easily build a gun from the comfort of their own home.
There used to be an order to the world and a structure to things. You couldn’t print a gun like a term paper. It was impossible to wreck a nuclear production plant with a few lines of code. Flying robots didn’t descend on you in the dead of night and kill you in your home.
Continue reading… “Top 15 most dangerous people in the world”
The Legged Squad Support System, or AlphaDog.
The robotic “pack mule” from DARPA and Boston Dynamics, the AlphaDog, has markedly improved capabilities since the prototype was introduced in October 2011. Then, the machine—intended to carry up to 400 pounds over rough terrain, while also serving as a power source for troops—was stuck on an inside track, connected to heavy cables. In this latest video from DARPA, filmed recently in central Virginia, it marches through the forest, responds to about 10 verbal commands, and follows its leader closely. Rough terrain like ditches isn’t a problem for the hearty man-made beast, and when it rolls down a hill, it recovers smoothly. On flat land, its trot is impressive, too. (video)
[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/53588182[/vimeo]
There are currently over 1.5 billion people in the World who have no reliable access to mains electricity. These people rely, instead, on biomass fuels (mostly kerosene) for lighting once the sun goes down. GravityLight is a sustainable lighting solution powered by gravity. (Pics)
Continue reading… “The $5 lamp that is powered solely by gravity”
Gangnam Style
The list of the ten most popular videos posted on YouTube in 2012 has been released.
Each time YouTube releases this list, we get a little insight into our culture. The list also helps us better understand YouTube’s place in the world, as a place for sharing videos from professional creators and people off the street. (Videos)
Continue reading… “Top 10 most popular YouTube videos of 2012”
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=wXkfrBJqVcQ[/youtube]
What if a computer could let us “feel” the texture of a fabric before we buy clothes online? Or gives us a whiff or taste of a meal we’re thinking of preparing? it’s all within the realm of possibility in the next 5 years, according to IBM’s list of technologies it thinks are on the cusp of adoption.
Continue reading… “Five technologies IBM predicts will be possible in the next 5 years”
Futurist Thomas Frey: When is the last time you heard a statement that caused you to stop dead in your tracks?
It doesn’t happen very often, but for each of us, there are a few unusual sound bites that will permeate our senses and sway our thinking.
Continue reading… “Eight Shocking Quotes from 2012 that will Redefine Our Future”
Facebook became involved in the fight after botnets also targeted the social network.
According to an announcement this week, the FBI arrested 10 people associated with the a crime ring pushing the malware Yahos. The malware has affected over 11 million people. Facebook’s security team helped the FBI by identifying both the criminals and the victims.
Continue reading… “Facebook helps FBI bust botnet crime ring”
Helium is a very low-density gas.
Jimi Hendrix once said, “I have this one little saying, when things get too heavy just call me helium, the lightest known gas to man.” He was almost right. We know of helium, conventionally, as the lighter-than-air gas that we fill balloons, blimps and zeppelins with in order to quickly and easily “defy gravity” here on Earth. (Video)
Continue reading… “The world is running out of helium”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbuMOTJihaw&hd=1[/youtube]
There are horrific photos of subdued rhinos with their horns amputated by poachers that have become a viral phenomenon. Google is now giving $5 million to a conservation group for lightweight drones that will patrol the African bush, exposing ivory hunters along the way.
Vint Cerf, inventor of the Internet Protocol [IP] and Transmission Control Protocol [TCP].
One of the two or three people who can rightly claim to have invented the internet is Vint Cerf. He is now worried about its survival.
Cerf is specifically concerned about the World Conference on International Telecommunications, happening now through December 14 in Dubai. At this meeting, for the first time since 1988, the countries of the world will gather to try and update international agreements on how to handle data, voice, and other communications technologies. (Video)
Continue reading… “Internet inventor, Vint Cerf, worried about its survival”
Companies that had collected unstructured data (texts, emails, reports, and so on), but had no idea about what to do once it was stored.
Even though Big Data is all the rage it’s rare that you’ll hear real case-studies from companies that are storing, processing and analyzing vast stores of data.
Continue reading… “Companies store data but have no idea what to do with it once it’s stored”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlLSzIuulmI[/youtube]
ABC’s Weekend Breakfast with Andrew Geoghegan
Futurist Thomas Frey: On Nov 26-28th, I will be speaking at the Creative Innovations 2012 event in Melbourne, Australia. The theme of the conference will be “Wicked Problems, Great Opportunities! Leadership and courage for volatile times.”
Continue reading… “The Future of the Visual Arts”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
Learn More about this exciting program.