Lists

Geminoid Top 5: the Good, the Bad, the Ugly, the Scary and the Beautiful

by Socrates

Geminoid is a robot-twin — i.e. an (almost) identical mechanical copy, of an actual human being. For the past several years I have been totally fascinated by the incredible progress in life-like geminoid technology and decided to compile a short list with the top 5 most impressive robots. Geminoid DK was constructed to look exactly like Associate Professor Henrik Scharfe of Aalborg University in Denmark. The robot is going to be used for researching “emotional affordances” in human-robot interaction, the novel notion of “blended presence,” as well as cultural differences (from different continents) in the perception of robots. All of the movements and expressions of Geminoid DK are remote controlled by an operator with a computer, who uses a motion-capture system that tracks facial expressions and head movements. Though it is still pretty far from the final version this geminoid [...]

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Don’t Accept Me to Singularity University: My Top 10 Reasons Why I Should Not Be Accepted

by Socrates
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I am just about ready to submit my application to Singularity University. Without any doubt, this phenomenal institution offers a totally unique and absolutely bleeding edge, intensive learning program about the exponential growth in a whole spectrum of pioneering technologies and fields such as: AI & Robotics; Nanotechnology; Networks & Computing Systems; Biotechnology & Bioinformatics; Medicine & Neuroscience; Futures Studies & Forecasting; Policy, Law & Ethics; Finance & Entrepreneurship; Energy & Ecological Systems; Space & Physical Sciences. (For more download this brochure). It is no surprise that thousands of people are applying for it. Here are 2 minutes of video highlights from the 2010 Graduate Studies opening ceremony: As part of the application process, one has to submit a short video explaining why one wants to be accepted. However, being a Socrates, I decided to submit a video presenting My [...]

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Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ Five Stages of the Singularity

by Socrates

After the release of a major documentary such as Transcendent Man, our very public and well publicized defeat at Jeopardy by IBM’s Watson, and a growing mainstream coverage of the technological singularity, I started wondering about the potential stages of humanity’s collective emotional and other reaction towards the concept of the singularity. Arthur Schopenhauer claims that “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” So does this relate well to the singularity? Let’s see. Firstly, is the singularity often ridiculed? It seems to me that so far it has been predominantly ignored, though that observation is increasingly inaccurate as we get more and more coverage in the media. Secondly, has it been violently opposed? Well, we did have the Unabomber, even though Richard Clarke’s Breakpoint-type of [...]

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3 Free Singularity Books

by Socrates
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Here are the links to 3 interesting free singularity/sci fi books: Cory Doctorow‘s 2003 novel Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom Roger Williams‘ The Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect Eliezer Yudkowsky‘s Three Worlds Collide Enjoy but do let me know which one was your favorite! Will technology replace biology? // Related articles by Zemanta Singularity Podcast: Vernor Vinge and Cory Doctorow on NPR (singularityblog.singularitysymposium.com) Debating the Singularity: Eliezer Yudkowsky vs Massimo Pigliucci (singularityblog.singularitysymposium.com) James Harvey’s Singularity Podcast: We are Singularia (singularityblog.singularitysymposium.com) The Singularity Survey Contest: Socrates’ 7 Questions For You (singularityblog.singularitysymposium.com) Amazon.com offers up free comic book for Singularity pre-orders (news.bigdownload.com)

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Top 10 Robot Videos

by Socrates

Here are the top 10 robot videos that I have seen since the beginning of this year. As you will see the robots in those videos are all very different from each other and range from industrial and mech-warfare robots to androids. Thus they are very hard to compare and for this reason I will not actually rank the videos but simply list them one after another. Fast Speed Robo-Hand This video shows off a stunningly fast robotic hand. Some of the video footage has been slowed so that it is easier to observe the motion. Still, don’t blink or you may miss the action. Robo-Waiter A Japanese restaurant in Thailand called Hajime is served by 4 robo-waiters. After customers place their orders on touchscreens a humanoid samurai robot dressed in full armor delivers the dishes. While samurais were not [...]

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Vintage Robots

by Socrates

Popular Science just published a fantastic vintage robot photo gallery called 137 Years of Robotic Fascination. I am reposing a couple of their images below but I recommend you check out the original article here. As I watch the progression of chronological photographs I can’t help but ask myself: Isn’t it ironic that Karel Čapek, who coined the term robot in his 1920s play R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots), finished his masterpiece with robots exterminating the human race and taking over the world? Will technology replace biology? //

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Top 4 Singularity Timepieces

by Socrates

What would a singularity watch look like? Not really sure. But the following 4 timepieces (that’s how you call a watch that costs more than a car or a house) seem to be nothing that any self-respecting singularitarian will be ashamed to put on their wrist. Top 4 Singularity Timepieces: 4. Devon Works Thread 1 Our honorable mention is the all-American Devon Works Thread 1. This engineering masterpiece, the debut watch from the new line of timepieces from Devon, is a big, bold, sexy declaration of independence from the status quo. The Tread 1ʼs unique functionality reinvents the watch, extending far beyond the boundaries of traditional watchmaking. The movement of the Tread 1 is a mesmerizing display of Devonʼs patented interwoven system of time belts. This series of belts expresses hours and minutes in exacting motion, while the seconds indicator [...]

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Top 10 Singularitarians of All Time

by Socrates

The technological singularity is the event or sequence thereof likely to occur at or after the birth of AI, especially when Artificial Intelligence surpasses biological i.e. human intelligence. Since it is human intelligence which, in one way or another, is still the primary cause and ultimate mover behind AI, there are a number of people who either had or continue to have enormous impact on the singularity. Some of those are scientists who work diligently in fields as varied as Genetics, Robotics, Nanotechnology or Artificial Intelligence. Others are theorists and science fiction writers who have been the inspiration behind both the concept and the science, and have shaped the popular perception about what the singularity will, could or should be. Still others have been vehement critics who have either argued powerfully against or have taken direct action to prevent the [...]

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