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Friday, April 29, 2016

The Library Vs. The Internet: What The Numbers Say

Why the Internet Hasn’t Killed the Library (Yet)

David A. Barclay | April 28, 2016 



US institutions of higher education and US local governments are under extraordinary pressure to cut costs and eliminate from institutional or governmental ledgers any expenses whose absence would cause little or no pain.
In this political climate, academic and public libraries may be in danger. The existence of vast amounts of information—a lot of it free—on the internet might suggest that the library has outlived its usefulness.
But has it? The numbers tell a very different story.

For several generations, academic librarians were primarily preoccupied with the role of their library buildings as portals to information, print and later digital. In recent years, we have reawakened to the fact that libraries are fundamentally about people – how they learn, how they use information and how they participate in the life of a learning community. As a result, we are beginning to design libraries that seek to restore parts of the library’s historic role as an institution of learning, culture and intellectual community.
Source: http://qz.com/672706/why-the-internet-hasnt-killed-the-library-yet/ (quoting Sam Demas, college librarian emeritus of Carleton College [See: http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub129/pub129.pdf/view])

Library-of-Alexandria-764
Source: http://www.futuristspeaker.com/future-scenarios/the-future-of-libraries/

<more at http://qz.com/672706/why-the-internet-hasnt-killed-the-library-yet/; related articles and links: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2014/2014038.pdf (Academic Libraries: 2012. First Look. NCES 2014-038. U.S. Department of Education. 2014) and https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2015/02/26/forecasting-the-future-of-libraries-2015/ (Forecasting the Future of Libraries 2015. Trends in culture, community, and education point to increased potential for expanding the role of libraries of all types. February 26, 2015)>

Innovation In A Social News Startup: The Odyssey

A Startup That Just Raised $25 Million Is Like a College Newspaper on Steroids — and It’s Racking Up 30 Million Uniques a Month

Nathan McAlone | April 27, 2016



There is a graveyard full of startups that have said they want to “democratize” the media business, Odyssey CEO Evan Burns says.
The winning model seems so tantalizingly within reach: Build a big platform that allows a lot of fresh voices to contribute. No more gatekeepers, anyone who wants to write can.
[...] Even so, Odyssey seems to have hit upon one formula for distributed growth in media, and the startup has come out of nowhere to top 30 million monthly uniques using a business model that sits somewhere between a conglomerate of college newspapers and a social network. [...]


Source: http://theodysseyonline.com/

<more at http://www.businessinsider.com/this-startup-is-like-a-college-newspaper-on-steroids-and-its-racking-up-30-million-uniques-a-month-2016-4; related articles and links: http://theodysseyonline.com/ (Odyssey website) and http://www.prweek.com/article/1361353/online-content-hub-odyssey-posts-2000-articles-week-its-growing (Online content hub The Odyssey posts over 2,000 articles a week. And it's still growing. The Odyssey started as a student-run newspaper, but has tapped into the Millennial zeitgeist to rapidly expand. Kathleen Treganowan talks to managing editor Kate Waxler about what lies ahead. August 26, 2015)>

Library Book Weeding

Weeding the Worst Library Books

Daniel A. Gross | April 26, 2016



Last summer, in Berkeley, California, librarians pulled roughly forty thousand books off the shelves of the public library and carted them away. The library’s director, Jeff Scott, announced that his staff had “deaccessioned” texts that weren’t regularly checked out. But the protesters who gathered on the library’s front steps to decry what became known as “Librarygate” preferred a different term: “purged.” “Put a tourniquet on the hemorrhage,” one of the protesters’ signs declared. “Don’t pulp our fiction,” another read.

Source: http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2015/09/managing-libraries/berkeley-pl-director-resigns-amid-controversy/

<more at http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/weeding-the-worst-library-books; related articles and links: http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2015-08-14/article/43593?headline=LIBRARYGATE-Protest-of-Berkeley-library-book-disposal--Lydia-Gans (LIBRARYGATE: Protest of Berkeley library book disposal. August 15, 2015) and http://savethebplbooks.org/event/librarygate/ (LIBRARYGATE. Community coalition exposes Fraud, Waste, and Abuse by Berkeley Library Director. August 12, 2015)>

Is It Possible To Stop 3D-Printed Counterfeit Products?

How Do You Stop 3D Printed Counterfeits?

Yu Yuan | April 28, 2016



With 3D printing technologies emerging rapidly and a wide variety of industries looking to adopt 3D printing to streamline production and save on material costs, there is a lot of potential for market expansion. In fact, the research firm Canalys has forecast the 3D printing market, which includes 3D printer sales, materials, and associated services, will continue to experience rapid growth and reach US $16.2 billion by 2018. 
[...] Specific concerns exist around preventing counterfeiting, and those are further complicated by a requirement to make 3D print jobs uniform and replicated with 100 percent accuracy no matter what particular printer is utilized. [...]

Pictured is a counterfeit £2 coin (left) compared to a genuine coin (right). The comparison reveals most fake coins lack detail and the coloring of the originals. Source: http://www.smartprinting.co/3d-printing-news/3d-printed-counterfeit-coins-a-real-and-present-danger-to-the-world-economy/

<more at http://www.ecnmag.com/article/2016/04/how-do-you-stop-3d-printed-counterfeits; related articles and links: http://www.wired.com/insights/2015/02/illegal-immoral-and-here-to-stay-counterfeiting-and-the-3d-printing-revolution/ (Illegal, Immoral, and Here to Stay: Counterfeiting and the 3D Printing Revolution. February 2015) and https://3dprint.com/117613/combat-counterfeiting-am/ (How exactly will 3D printing combat counterfeiting additive manufactured products. February 5, 2016)>

'Holy Grail' Of Computing

Scientists Hail Latest Quantum Computer As 'Holy Grail' of Computing (+Podcast, ~14 min.)

Elizabeth Hockman | March 29, 2016



Engineers and computer scientists are continually updating computers, making them faster, more powerful.
But a group of researchers have come up with new type of a quantum computer. It’s a device that harnesses the strange laws of physics to solve problems more complex than any our current computers are capable of tackling.
This quantum computer, according to a paper just published in the journal Science, is composed of just five atoms. And particularly exciting for researchers: they believe it is easily scalable to larger versions. 

Quantum computers, MIT,Algorithms,Computer science and technology,Data,Quantum computing,Mathematics,Physics,Research,Electrical Engineering & Computer Science,
MIT Scientist Developed A Scalable Quantum Computer. Source: http://www.albanydailystar.com/science/mit-scientist-developed-a-scalable-quantum-computers-anaheim-daily-science-17294.html

<more at http://www.pri.org/stories/2016-03-29/scientists-just-created-holy-grail-computing-first-quantum-computer; related articles and links: http://news.mit.edu/2016/quantum-computer-end-encryption-schemes-0303 (The beginning of the end for encryption schemes? New quantum computer, based on five atoms, factors numbers in a scalable way. March 3, 2016) and http://www.sciencealert.com/researchers-just-developed-the-most-complex-quantum-computer-chip-so-far-out-of-light (Researchers have built the most complex light-based quantum computer chip ever. Bring on quantum computers that process data at the speed of light. March 14, 2016)>

BBC Giveaway: 1 Million Computer Hacking Kits to School Kids (UK)

The BBC Gives Computer Hacking Kits To 1 Million U.K. School Kids

"We are trying to show kids that hacking and coding can be as much fun as picking up a paint brush."

Charlie Sorrel | March 30, 2016



The BBC Microbit, a hacking device for kids, finally made it into U.K. schools last week. The BBC is giving away 1 million kits to school kids, free, one for every 11- and 12-year-old in the land.
The basic Microbit is a pocket-sized computer circuit board, with USB, Bluetooth, accelerometer, temperature and moisture sensors. 

"BBC starts sending free Micro:bit computers to a million UK students." March 21, 2016. Source: http://arstechnica.co.uk/gadgets/2016/03/bbc-micro-bit-now-available-million-students/

<more at http://www.fastcoexist.com/3058369/the-bbc-gives-computer-hacking-kits-to-one-million-uk-school-kids; related articles and links: https://www.techwillsaveus.com/microbit/ (What is the BBC Micro:Bit? Technology will save us website) and https://www.microbit.co.uk/ (micro:ibt Beta. Get Creative, Get Connected, Get coding)>

As The Maker Movement Evolves

Small, Inexpensive Computers Are Changing the Maker Movement

Joseph Neighbor | April 15, 2016



The cost and size of microprocessors and hardware prototyping boards have fallen dramatically in recent years making it possible to buy fully functioning computers with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity for under $10. This trend has supported a surging global “Maker Movement” consisting of DIY software designers, artists, musicians, designers tinkerers, and entrepreneurs who are using these devices as a means to wildly imaginative ends. The resulting innovation has enormous implications for the emerging Internet of Things, which promises to make everything from shoes to traffic grids “intelligent” and connected.

Intel Edison Kit For Arduino Single Components EDI1ARDUIN.AL.K by Intel. Source: http://www.amazon.com/Intel-Edison-Arduino-Components-EDI1ARDUIN-AL-K/dp/B00ND1KH42

<more at http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/inexpensive-small-computers-are-changing-the-maker-movement; related articles and links: http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/do-it-yourself/maker-products-overview.html?gclid=CK7A582SqssCFQseHwodPvoLLg (Intel Maker Products Overview: What Will You Make?) and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x_GXft0F3Q (+Video) (Intel® Edison Kit for Arduino. Published on March 18, 2015)>

Thursday, April 28, 2016

The Future Of Virtual Reality

We Explore the Future of Virtual Reality Filmmaking on Today's 'Daily VICE' (+Video)

Daily VICE [www.vice.com] | April 27, 2016



On today's episode of Daily VICE, we head to the Tribeca Film Festival to explore the new virtual reality technology being used to create story-driven films. Then Motherboard tells us how eSports is contributing to the revival of mechanical computer keyboards, and VICE magazine explains how a rare breed of cattle survived for 2,000 years eating only foraged greens.

"Tribeca Film Festival includes VR experiences in gaming and fictional storytelling." Source: https://www.yahoo.com/tech/tribeca-film-festival-embracing-virtual-141017981.html

<more at http://www.vice.com/video/we-experience-the-future-of-virtual-reality-films-on-todays-daily-vice; related articles and links: http://www.theverge.com/2016/4/22/11488852/tribeca-film-festival-2016-best-vr (The best virtual reality from the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival. It's all about the music videos. April 22, 2016) and https://www.yahoo.com/tech/tribeca-film-festival-embracing-virtual-141017981.html (2016's Tribeca Film Festival includes VR experiences in gaming and fictional storytelling. February 11, 2016)>


Unsending Your Text Message

You Can Now 'Unsend' a Text Message before Someone Reads It

Bethan McKernan | April 17, 2016



Everyone has sent a drunk or angry text you regretted later. And even if you haven't, you've definitely sent a message to the wrong person by accident.
Now a new app called Privates (eww, we know) is claiming it can recall messages if you've already pressed send.
It only works before the recipient opens the message, so you have to act pretty quickly.
There are three levels - Mild, Wild and Insane - which will delete messages after 24, 12 or three hours.

Source: http://protectyourprivates.net/

<more at http://indy100.independent.co.uk/article/you-can-now-unsend-a-text-message-before-someone-reads-it--bJ7_IL5TnWb; related articles and links: http://protectyourprivates.net/ (Privates website for app) and http://www.techtimes.com/articles/154522/20160428/privates-app-allows-users-unsend-messages-encrypted-network.htm (Privates App Allows Users to “Unsend” Messages on Its Encrypted Network. April 28, 2016)>

How Easy Is It To Hack Mobile Phones?

Phone Hacking Fears and Facts

The lack of security built into phone networks leaves callers vulnerable to snooping, but the growth of encrypted communications will help protect privacy

Larry Greenemeier | April 20, 2016



Apple’s ongoing standoff with the government over passcode-protected iPhones is still raising unprecedented alarms over smartphone security and privacy. For example, a 60 Minutes segment this week outlined several ways hackers can hijack phones from anywhere in the world to listen in on private conversations, read e-mails and even use phone cameras to spy on their owners. That hacking method exploited an unsecured, decades-old telecom protocol called Signaling System 7 (SS7) to tap into U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu’s (D–Calif.) mobile phone and listen to his conversations. Lieu gave his permission for the demonstration and now wants the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to investigate the problem.


Source: https://lieu.house.gov/sites/lieu.house.gov/files/documents/2016.04.18%20Letter%20to%20OGR%20Investigation%20227%20Vulnerability.pdf


<more at http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/phone-hacking-fears-and-facts/?WT.mc_id=SA_TECH_20160426; related articles and links: https://lieu.house.gov/sites/lieu.house.gov/files/documents/2016.04.18%20Letter%20to%20OGR%20Investigation%20227%20Vulnerability.pdf (Letter dated April 18, 2016, from U.S. Representative Ted W. Lieu to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee) and http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-hacking-your-phone/ (Hacking Your Phone. Sharyn Alfonsi reports on how cellphones and mobile phone networks are vulnerable to hacking. April 17, 2016)>

Makerbot Outsourcing Production Of Its 3D Printers

MakerBot Is Done Making Its Own 3D Printers

Ryan Whitwam | April 27, 2016



Just a few years ago, MakerBot was a hot new startup that seemed like it was about ride a wave of consumer interest in 3D printing to the top of the technology world. Things have not exactly gone to plan in that respect. MakerBot has announced that it plans to halt production of its own in-house 3D printers going forward. This isn’t the end, but it’s definitely a recalculation for the company.
There will still be “MakerBot” 3D printers, but the company has contracted with a Florida-based electronics manufacturing company called Jabil to manufacture the hardware. 

Jabil Circuit Corporate Headquarters, St. Petersburg, FL. Source: https://clawback.org/2008/09/17/a-short-circuit-in-florida/

<more at http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/227339-makerbot-is-done-making-its-own-3d-printers; related articles and links: http://mashable.com/2016/04/25/makerbot-done-making-printers/ (Makerbot stops making its own 3D printers. April 26, 2016) and http://www.jabil.com/blog/revolutionizing-manufacturing-through-3d-printing-motion-graphic/ (+Video) (Revolutionizing Manufacturing Through 3D Printing [Motion Graphic]. March 24, 2016)>

Mind Control?

Think Mind Control Is Science Fiction? Think Again (+Video)

Scientists have figured out how to use our brainwaves for everything from racing drones to restoring the function of paralyzed limbs.

Evan Thomas | April 26, 2016



Researchers are getting better at harnessing brain signals. These days, you can strap on a headset and control a drone with nothing but your thoughts.
"We have a computer program that you look at. We tell you, 'Think forward. Think about pushing a chair forward.' So we learn to navigate the drone based on your brain patterns for specific things you're thinking about," said University of Florida's Juan Gilbert.
And as mind-reading gets easier, there are more and more things that can be mind-controlled.

An example of how the brain to brain interface demonstration would look.
"In this photo, UW students Darby Losey, left, and Jose Ceballos are positioned in two different buildings on campus as they would be during a brain-to-brain interface demonstration. The sender, left, thinks about firing a cannon at various points throughout a computer game. That signal is sent over the Web directly to the brain of the receiver, right, whose hand hits a touchpad to fire the cannon." Source: http://www.washington.edu/news/2014/11/05/uw-study-shows-direct-brain-interface-between-humans/

<more at: http://www.newsy.com/videos/we-re-getting-better-and-better-at-controlling-stuff-with-our-minds/; related articles and links: http://www.washington.edu/news/2014/11/05/uw-study-shows-direct-brain-interface-between-humans/ (UW study shows direct brain interface between humans. November 5, 2014) and http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0111332 (A Direct Brain-to-Brain Interface in Humans. Rajesh P. N. Rao, Andrea Stocco, Matthew Bryan, Devapratim Sarma, Tiffany M. Youngquist, Joseph Wu, and Chantel S. Prat. PLOS ONE. Published: November 5, 2014. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0111332. [Abstract: We describe the first direct brain-to-brain interface in humans and present results from experiments involving six different subjects. Our non-invasive interface, demonstrated originally in August 2013, combines electroencephalography (EEG) for recording brain signals with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for delivering information to the brain. We illustrate our method using a visuomotor task in which two humans must cooperate through direct brain-to-brain communication to achieve a desired goal in a computer game. The brain-to-brain interface detects motor imagery in EEG signals recorded from one subject (the “sender”) and transmits this information over the internet to the motor cortex region of a second subject (the “receiver”). This allows the sender to cause a desired motor response in the receiver (a press on a touchpad) via TMS. We quantify the performance of the brain-to-brain interface in terms of the amount of information transmitted as well as the accuracies attained in (1) decoding the sender’s signals, (2) generating a motor response from the receiver upon stimulation, and (3) achieving the overall goal in the cooperative visuomotor task. Our results provide evidence for a rudimentary form of direct information transmission from one human brain to another using non-invasive means.])

Copyright As A Form Of Censorship

Copyright Maximalists And Lobbyists Celebrate Vancouver Aquarium Censoring Critical Documentary With Copyright

Mike Masnick | April 26, 2016



We've written many times about how copyright is frequently used for censorship, and just recently we wrote about law professor John Tehranian's excellent article detailing how copyright has a free speech problem, in that people using copyright to censor has become more common and more brazen. Whenever we write this kind of thing, however, I get pushback from copyright maximalist lobbyists and lawyers, who insist that no one really wants to use copyright for censorship purposes, but merely to "protect" their works. 
I'm finding those claims difficult to square with the following story, which I only found out about because the Copyright Alliance -- a front group for the big legacy entertainment companies, and put together by some well known lobbyists -- tweeted out a link to a story on a blog by Hugh Stephens, entitled A Whale of a (Copyright) Tale.

Local filmmaker Gary Charbonneau delivers a controversial documentary on the Vancouver Aquarium's rescue and captivity program.  Source: http://www.vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca/vancouver-aquarium-uncovered-documentary/

<more at https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160423/23345034257/copyright-maximalists-lobbyists-celebrate-vancouver-aquarium-censoring-critical-documentary-with-copyright.shtml; related articles and links: http://vancouversun.com/opinion/aquagag-how-the-vancouver-aquarium-abuses-copyright-law-to-silence-criticism (Opinion: Aqua-gag — How the Vancouver Aquarium abuses copyright law to silence criticism. April 27, 2016) and http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/filmmaker-responds-to-vancouver-aquarium-in-documentary-lawsuit-1.3488265 (Filmmaker responds to Vancouver Aquarium in documentary lawsuit. Vancouver Aquarium Uncovered director claims use of aquarium footage not copyright infringement. March 11, 2016)>

The Vanishing Pay Phone

Pay Phones Are Relics, But There's Still Demand for Them

Daniel Wheaton | April 26, 2016



Pay phones, those relics of a not-so-distant past, remain hidden among us, and many of them still work just fine.
They are quickly becoming a rare sight: Statewide, the number of pay phones has decreased by more than 70% since 2007. But there are still thousands left.


There are somewhat less than 500,000 pay phones in the United States. [See http://www.apcc.net/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=40]. New York City Pay Phones To Become WiFi Hotspots: Source: http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/new-york-city-pay-phones-to-become-wifi-hotspots/


<more at http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-pay-phone-survive-20160426-story.html; related articles and links: https://consumerist.com/2016/04/26/5-things-we-learned-about-pay-phones-why-they-continue-to-exist/ (5 Things We Learned About Pay Phones & Why They Continue To Exist. April 26, 2016) and http://www.apcc.net/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=40 (FAQs about the Payphone Industry. 2016)>

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

DNA Study Of Tens Of Thousands With Autism

Study to Gather DNA of Tens of Thousands with Autism

[The Washington Post, in: www.abqjournal.com] | April 25, 2016



Scientists funded by the Simons Foundation Research Initiative on Thursday announced the launch of an online research initiative that aims to gather DNA and other information from 50,000 people with autism and their family members.
Although the cause of the social communication disorder is unknown and believed to be a mix of environmental and genetic factors, scientists have identified some 50 to 70 genes that may play a role in the condition. Some estimate that a total of 350 or more could be involved.

"Results regarding the genetic architecture of autism spectrum disorder." Source: http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/v46/n8/full/ng.3039.html

<more at : http://www.abqjournal.com/762801/news/study-to-gather-dna-of-tens-of-thousands-with-autism.html; related articles and links: https://sparkforautism.org/ (You hold the power to shape the future of autism research. The mission of SPARK — an online research partnership involving 50,000 individuals with autism and their families — is simple. We want to speed up research and advance understanding of autism. Help us spark better futures for all individuals and families affected by autism.) and http://news.emory.edu/stories/2016/04/eac_joins_spark_study/campus.html (Emory joins launch of SPARK, the nation's largest autism research study. April 24, 2016)>

Opinion: "Russia Is Winning The Internet"

George Friedman: Russia Is Winning the Internet

George Friedman | April 21, 2016



Two Russian SU-24 fighter planes recently buzzed a US Navy destroyer over the Baltic Sea. One of the planes flew within 30 feet of the ship, according to US officials. John Kerry protested, saying that the Russians were endangering the destroyer.
The media in the West concluded that the Russians were simulating an attack on the destroyer. The claim of an attack simulation, however, is not credible for two reasons. [...]

Internet Connectivity in Russia. Soiurce: http://graphs.net/internet-connectivity-in-russia.html

<more at http://www.businessinsider.com/george-friedman-russia-is-winning-the-internet-2016-4; related articles and links: http://news.discovery.com/tech/gear-and-gadgets/russia-wants-out-of-internet-151019.htm (Russia Wants Out of Internet. October 19, 2015) and http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/28/opinions/rushkoff-internet-cables-russia/ (+Video) (Russia, the Internet and a new way to wage war? October 28, 2015)>

Raspberry Pi: Camera Module Now Has Sony Image Sensor

Raspberry Pi Camera Module Upgraded, Now Packs Sony Image Sensor

Shawn Knight | April 25, 2016



The Raspberry Pi Foundation on Monday announced a pair of new camera accessories for its popular single-board computers.
The foundation launched its 5-megapixel visible-light camera board as its first official accessory back in 2013. It was followed shortly after by an infrared-sensitive version, both of which were based on an OmniVision OV5647 sensor.
In a blog post, founder Eben Upton recounts how his partners purchased a large stockpile of cameras (likely in order to drive costs down). Those sensors reached end-of-life status in late 2014 but are just now selling out, spurring Upton to find a replacement. [...]

"Official Raspberry Pi Camera Gets Upgraded 8MP Sony Sensor. (April 25, 2016)" Source: http://www.techweekeurope.co.uk/workspace/pc/raspberry-pi-camera-v2-sony-190671

<more at http://www.techspot.com/news/64569-raspberry-pi-camera-module-upgraded-now-packs-sony.html; related articles and links: http://www.techweekeurope.co.uk/workspace/pc/raspberry-pi-camera-v2-sony-190671 (Official Raspberry Pi Camera Gets Upgraded 8MP Sony Sensor. April 25, 2016) and http://www.dpreview.com/news/2487602384/raspberry-pi-updates-camera-board-with-8mp-sony-imx219-sensor (Raspberry Pi updates camera board with 8MP Sony IMX219 sensor. April 25, 2016); further: https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=72863 (Sony CMOS Sensor: SonyIMX179. [RaspberryPi Org Forum on the new Sony CMOS Sensor])>

"The New Majority" Of American Students

Bill Gates’ 3-Pronged Approach to Serving ‘The New Majority’ of American Students (+Video)

Tony Wan | April 20, 2016



Keynote speeches tend to be more inspirational than informational. But when you’re Bill Gates, and your foundation has poured billions of dollars in American education, these talks can offer a glimpse into the current and future priorities where his money may be headed.
In a packed ballroom of more than 1,000 people, Gates anchored his keynote on the closing day of the ASU+GSV Summit around the questions: Who are “the new majority” of students in American education? How do we best serve them?

"See what @BillGates had to say about his #asugsvsummit experience in his lastest post: http://buff.ly/1NG687e ". Source: https://twitter.com/asugsvsummit

<more at https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-04-20-bill-gates-3-pronged-approach-to-serving-the-new-majority-of-american-students; related articles and links: http://asugsvsummit.com/ (ASU GSV Summit 2016 website) and http://www.theverge.com/2016/4/25/11492102/bill-gates-interview-education-software-artificial-intelligence (Can AI fix education? We asked Bill Gates
How personalized learning is changing schools. April 25, 2016)>

"Robotic Army" Of Model Workers (China)

China Is Building a Robot Army of Model Workers (+Video)

Can China reboot its manufacturing industry—and the global economy—by replacing millions of workers with machines?

Will Knight | April 26, 2016



Inside a large, windowless room in an electronics factory in south Shanghai, about 15 workers are eyeing a small robot arm with frustration. Near the end of the production line where optical networking equipment is being packed into boxes for shipping, the robot sits motionless.
“The system is down,” explains Nie Juan, a woman in her early 20s who is responsible for quality control. Her team has been testing the robot for the past week. The machine is meant to place stickers on the boxes containing new routers, and it seemed to have mastered the task quite nicely.

"China Building A Robot Army Of Model Workers, Millions Will Be Jobless." Source: http://endtimeheadlines.org/2016/04/china-building-a-robot-army-of-model-workers-millions-will-be-jobless/

<more at https://www.technologyreview.com/s/601215/china-is-building-a-robot-army-of-model-workers/; related articles and links: http://endtimeheadlines.org/2016/04/china-building-a-robot-army-of-model-workers-millions-will-be-jobless/ (China Building A Robot Army Of Model Workers, Millions Will Be Jobless. April 26, 2016) and https://punditfromanotherplanet.com/2016/04/26/china-is-building-a-robot-army-of-model-workers/ (China Is Building a Robot Army of Model Workers. April 26, 2017)>

Harper's Lee's Unsigned Magazine Piece For 'Grapevine' That Inspired 'In Cold Blood' By Truman Capote

Harper Lee's Article for FBI Magazine on Infamous Killings Found (+Video)

Biographer of To Kill a Mockingbird author finds unsigned piece on quadruple murder at centre of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood

Dalya Alberge | April 25, 2016



The discovery of an earlier manuscript from the US novelist Harper Lee was the publishing sensation of last year but now her biographer, Charles J Shields, believes he has found another previously unknown Lee text – a feature article about a notorious real-life quadruple murder.
The piece was written for the March 1960 issue of the Grapevine, a magazine for FBI professionals, just months before she was to publish her classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. It was unsigned, but Shields’s detective work uncovered evidence which appears to confirm its true authorship.


Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/harper-lee-article-on-in-cold-blood-murderers-allegedly-by-the-to-kill-a-mocking-bird-author-a7000426.html


"This is the newspaper article that appeared the day the Clutters were discovered." Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/331718328779379870/

<more at http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/apr/25/harper-lees-article-for-fbi-magazine-on-infamous-killings-found; related articles and links: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/harper-lee-article-on-in-cold-blood-murderers-allegedly-by-the-to-kill-a-mocking-bird-author-a7000426.html (Harper Lee: Article on In Cold Blood murders allegedly by To Kill A Mockingbird author surfaces online. Lee's biographer links author to an article in The Grapevine. April 25, 2016) and https://www.finebooksmagazine.com/fine_books_blog/2016/04/found-harper-lee-article-for-fbi-magazine-on-kansas-murders.phtml (Found: Harper Lee Article for FBI Magazine on Kansas Murders. April 26, 2016)>

Plant Intelligence Is Powering This Artificial 'Life'

This Cybernetic Lifeform Is Powered by Plant Intelligence (+Video)

emiko.jozuka@vice.com | April 25, 2016



Cities like London can often feel like urban jungles with scarce amounts of green spaces.
But researchers from the Interactive Architecture Lab at University College London are exploring a future scenario where “cybernetic lifeforms” that are “half garden and half machine” roam our urban cityscapes, co-existing alongside us.
Hortum machina B is a robotic geodesic sphere covered in plants. 

The robotic “brain” consists of an array of electrodes that allow it to monitor the physiological responses of the plants to their environment, such as to reactions to stimuli including light, humidity, and temperature. Linear actuators then move the sphere by shifting its centre of gravity.

hortum machina B: a kinetic urban cyber-gardener that senses its surroundings
Source: http://www.designboom.com/design/hortum-machina-b-interactive-architecture-lab-04-22-2016/

<more at http://motherboard.vice.com/read/this-cybernetic-lifeform-is-powered-by-plant-intelligence; related articles and links: http://www.designboom.com/design/hortum-machina-b-interactive-architecture-lab-04-22-2016/ (+Video) (Hortum machina B: a kinetic urban cyber-gardener that senses its surroundings. April 22, 2016) and http://www.interactivearchitecture.org/lab-projects/reearth (reEarth: Hortum machina, B. April 17, 2016)>

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Are We Evolving Into A Hive?

Is Humanity Evolving into a Hive? (+Video)

Researcher Sugata Mitra argues that the human race is transforming in ways we do not realise – in this video from our World Changing Ideas series, he explains how.

BBC Future | April 15, 2016



In the past decade or so, the human race has experienced a profound change, and the interesting thing is that we’ve barely noticed. So says Sugata Mitra, educational researcher at the University of Newcastle in the UK, who is known for his experiments to get children in the developing world online.
So what is that change, and what does it mean for us?


Source: http://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_shows_how_kids_teach_themselves?language=en

Source; http://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_shows_how_kids_teach_themselves?language=en#t-285007

<more at http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160414-is-humanity-evolving-into-a-hive; related articles and links: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/you-have-a-hive-mind/ (You Have a Hive Mind. There is a deep connection between the way your brain and a swarm of bees arrives at a decision. March 1, 2012) and http://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_shows_how_kids_teach_themselves?language=en (+Video) (Kids can teach themselves. Filmed February 2007)>

Salvador Dali In The Brain

Dali Helps Scientists Crack Our Brain Code

Scientists at Glasgow University have established a world first by cracking the communication code of our brains

Kenneth Macdonald | April 21, 2016



Pioneering research in the field of cognitive neuroimaging has revealed how brains process what we see.
The work has been led by Prof Philippe Schyns, the head of Glasgow's school of psychology, with more than a little help from Voltaire and Salvador Dali.
How Dali's mind worked is a matter of continuing conjecture. But one of his works has helped unlock how our minds work. Or more precisely, how our brains see.


"Swans Reflecting Elephants." Source: http://sdapicap.blogspot.com/2012/11/swans-reflecting-elephants.html
"Slave Market with the Disappearing Bust of Voltaire, 1940 by Salvador Dali" Source: http://www.dalipaintings.net/slave-market-with-the-disappearing-bust-of-voltaire.jsp


<more at http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-36105245; related articles and links: http://www.scotsman.com/future-scotland/tech/glasgow-university-scientists-crack-brain-enigma-code-1-4107889 (Glasgow University scientists crack brain “Enigma code”. April 22, 2016) and http://www.nature.com/articles/srep17681 (Tracing the Flow of Perceptual Features in an Algorithmic Brain Network. Robin A. A. Ince, Nicola J. van Rijsbergen, Gregor Thut, Guillaume A. Rousselet, Joachim Gross, Stefano Panzeri and Philippe G. Schyns. Scientific Reports 5, Article number: 17681 (2015). doi:10.1038/srep17681. [Abstract: The model of the brain as an information processing machine is a profound hypothesis in which neuroscience, psychology and theory of computation are now deeply rooted. Modern neuroscience aims to model the brain as a network of densely interconnected functional nodes. However, to model the dynamic information processing mechanisms of perception and cognition, it is imperative to understand brain networks at an algorithmic level–i.e. as the information flow that network nodes code and communicate. Here, using innovative methods (Directed Feature Information), we reconstructed examples of possible algorithmic brain networks that code and communicate the specific features underlying two distinct perceptions of the same ambiguous picture. In each observer, we identified a network architecture comprising one occipito-temporal hub where the features underlying both perceptual decisions dynamically converge. Our focus on detailed information flow represents an important step towards a new brain algorithmics to model the mechanisms of perception and cognition.])>

Recycled 3D Printing Filament

Promising Recycled 3D Printing Filament Hits Kickstarter (+Video)

Hermes Bozec | April 21, 2016



A major new Kickstarter will go live in early May that promises to deliver high-quality 3D printing filament from recycled drinks bottles salvaged from landfill sites.
Reflow claims to have perfected the process of turning old water bottles that urban waste pickers have collected in some of the world’s poorest countries into 3D printing filament that can be used for any application.

Source: http://reflowfilament.com/index.html

<more at http://3dprintingindustry.com/2016/04/21/promising-recycled-3d-printing-filament-hits-kickstarter; related articles and links: http://reflowfilament.com/design/ (Reflow: Reflow delivers you high quality 3D print filament in a way that's affordable, ethical and sustainable) and https://www.3dhubs.com/talk/thread/reflow-filament-pet-filament-that%E2%80%99s-ethical-sustainable-and-affordable (Reflow Filament, PET Filament that’s ethical, sustainable and affordable. February 22, 2016)>

3D Printing Used To Hack "Secured" Keys

3D Printing Hackers Cracked “Secured” Keys (+Video)

Suzanne Crockett | April 21, 2016



[Blogger's note: The video is 44 min. and highly recommended for a full explanation of security risks with "Pin Tumbler Locks".]
In an exciting development in Australia – or worrying, depending on which side of the lock you’re on – a group of hackers in Melbourne has demonstrated their ability to use 3D printed keys to open security locks with highly restricted keyways. And how did they do it? By accessing the designs of the locks on publicly available patent sites.
According to our research “Restricted keys are controlled by limiting manufacture to expensive specialist locksmiths who require licenses and specific machinery to produce the keys”. Hackers have benefited from data becoming purely digital. I presume that with objects becoming both physical and digital, I like to say “digical”, hackers will enter our lives by the front door, reaching our cars, our fridges, our sofas, our homes, our bedrooms. 


"Restricted keys are limited by the manufacturer to reduce key duplication. Most just have “special” grooves in the key." Source: http://blog.singlekeys.com/?p=60

<more at http://3dprintingindustry.com/2016/04/21/hot-news-secure-keys-cracked-hackers/; related articles and links: http://blog.singlekeys.com/?p=60 (Make me this key or I’ll… April 12, 2011) and http://www.3ders.org/articles/20150805-keysforge-web-app-lets-you-3d-print-do-not-duplicate-keys-based-on-a-picture.html (Keysforge web app lets you 3D print 'do not duplicate' keys based on a picture. Auguust 5, 2015); further: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pin_tumbler_lock (Pin Tumber Lock)>

Your Passport/Visa Alone Not Good Enough: Kuwait Soon To Demand Your DNA Before Entry

This Country Will Soon Demand Your DNA Before You Enter

Melanie Lieberman | April 25, 2016



Before the end of the year, visitors to Kuwait—as well as citizens and expats—will need to submit DNA at the International Airport before entering the country. Officials insist that the test is being used “to fight crime and terrorism,” not to test for “lineage,” ascertain certain “genealogical” or “medical” factors, or infringe on privacy, according to an article in the Kuwait Times.

Source: http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/kw.htm

<more at http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/kuwait-dna-test-airport-travelers-citizens; related articles and links: http://news.kuwaittimes.net/website/kuwait-to-enforce-dna-testing-law-on-citizens-expats-visitors-tests-wont-be-used-to-determine-genealogy-affect-freedoms/ (Kuwait set to enforce DNA testing law on all – Officials reassure tests won’t be used to determine genealogy, April 26, 2016) and http://www.sciencealert.com/kuwait-has-become-the-first-country-to-make-dna-testing-mandatory-for-all-residents (Kuwait has become the first country to make DNA testing mandatory for all residents. Those who refuse risk prison time. July 13, 2015)>

Google Glass Is Very Active -- Augmedix: Augmented Reality (AR) In Healthcare

Augmedix Nabs $17M to ‘Rehumanize’ Doctor/Patient Relations Using Google Glass

Ingrid Lundren | April 25, 2016



Google Glass is no longer being marketed to consumers, but its enterprise business continues to pick up pace, and today one of the more promising companies developing medical services using Google’s connected eyewear is announcing a significant investment in its technology, which aims to “rehumanise the interaction” between doctors and patients by pulling physicians’ faces away from their computer screens, according to its CEO.
Augmedix, a startup out of San Francisco that has developed a platform for doctors to collect, update and recall patient and other medical data in real-time, has raised $17 million in a strategic round.

"With Augmedix-Dignity Health deal, has Google Glass gone mainstream?" Source: http://medcitynews.com/2014/06/with-augmedix-dignity-health-deal-has-google-glass-gained-mainstream-acceptance-in-healthcare/

<more at http://techcrunch.com/2016/04/25/augmedix-nabs-17m-to-rehumanize-doctorpatient-relations-using-google-glass/; related articles and links: https://developers.google.com/glass/distribute/glass-at-work (Google Glass: Glass at Work, Glass Certified Partners) and http://www.augmedix.com/about/ (Augmedix: About Augmedix. [About: Augmedix simplifies how physicians use EHRs by providing a technology-enabled documentation service for health systems and doctors. We are on a mission to re-humanize the doctor-patient relationship, and address the largest pain-point in the US healthcare system – the burden of documentation. The Augmedix service saves doctors an average of 15 hours per week, enabling them to see more patients and spend more time with their existing patients. What we see as a result is increased provider satisfaction, improved patient experience, higher quality patient notes, and timely note completion. We are partnered with several national health systems, with happy users from Alaska to Florida, serving tens of thousands of patients per month.])>

Mini Arduino Wireless Clone: Tiny328

The AAduino

Johan Kanflo | April 13, 2016



I have been using Nathan Chantrell’s Tiny328 for quite some time as my swiss army knife ISM radio node. Now I wanted a more slim ISM node as my setup with a Tiny328 on a breadboard is not very “deployable”. I could of course 3D print a case for the Tiny328 but I have limited access to 3D printers and do not feel I have the time to explore that exciting part of the maker world just yet. This leaves me with finding off the shelf project boxes with a compartment for 2x AA batteries and the “radioduino” (and in an acceptable form factor). That search came up disappointingly, and surprisingly, short. I did have a set of standard eBay AA battery holders and looking at the 3x variant it occured to me. I needed to shrink the radio node, and the AAduino was born.

"The AAduino is an wireless Arduino clone the size of an AA battery with Keystone battery terminals rotated 180° to act as positive and negative terminals. It is meant to go inside a 3xAA battery holder creating a very small wireless node. Powered by an ATMega328p, it is fitted with an RFM69C companion, two DS18B20 temperature sensors and an indicator LED. Included in this repository is the schematics, bill of material and a sample program to test the hardware." Source: https://github.com/kanflo/aaduino

<more at http://johan.kanflo.com/the-aaduino/; related articles and links: http://makezine.com/2016/04/24/meet-arduino-clone-thats-size-aa-battery/ (Meet the Arduino Clone That’s the Size of a AA Battery. April 24, 2016) and https://nathan.chantrell.net/20130923/tiny328-mini-wireless-arduino-clone/ (Tiny328 – A mini wireless Arduino clone. September 23, 2013)>