Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Recent Tech Discoveries that Look Interesting
I recently dicovered a few tech developments that look interesting thanks to a few people who pointed them out to me.
Firstly, this one was pointed out by Trond Nilsen and looks to be very promising. It's the Wolfram-Alpha project (http://www.wolframalpha.com) that is an application that tries to make all systematic knowledge immediately computable by anyone and it appears to have made a good start with its current application. This is the sort of innovative development that may be important in out knowledge society.
Second, is the 'Sixth Sense' pointed out to me by Professor Therese Laferriere which is basically a prototype of wearable computer that through the use of an outward pointing camera allows the computer to identify and give information on images that it receives. In addition, it also allows you to have an interface with the computer anywhere through a small projector that projects say the image of a keyboard onto your hand. Thus, you can interact with the keyboard and the computer because of the feedback from the camera. I think we may well all be wearing one in 10years! Again innovative and responsive to the need for knowledge. Check it out at http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/pattie_maes_demos_the_sixth_sense.html
Finally, found some great talks and an interesting society TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design). Every year the society conference brings together the most facinating thinkers and doers to give short talks on their pet topic. It's very exclusive but means most talks are cutting edge and intereesting. Their website is a collection of such talks - very much worth taking a look if you have 20 mins spare http://www.ted.com/
Firstly, this one was pointed out by Trond Nilsen and looks to be very promising. It's the Wolfram-Alpha project (http://www.wolframalpha.com) that is an application that tries to make all systematic knowledge immediately computable by anyone and it appears to have made a good start with its current application. This is the sort of innovative development that may be important in out knowledge society.
Second, is the 'Sixth Sense' pointed out to me by Professor Therese Laferriere which is basically a prototype of wearable computer that through the use of an outward pointing camera allows the computer to identify and give information on images that it receives. In addition, it also allows you to have an interface with the computer anywhere through a small projector that projects say the image of a keyboard onto your hand. Thus, you can interact with the keyboard and the computer because of the feedback from the camera. I think we may well all be wearing one in 10years! Again innovative and responsive to the need for knowledge. Check it out at http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/pattie_maes_demos_the_sixth_sense.html
Finally, found some great talks and an interesting society TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design). Every year the society conference brings together the most facinating thinkers and doers to give short talks on their pet topic. It's very exclusive but means most talks are cutting edge and intereesting. Their website is a collection of such talks - very much worth taking a look if you have 20 mins spare http://www.ted.com/
