| Vitruvian Mind |
| Life as it should be |
|
Posted on September 15th, 2008 by Myk.
Categories: Science & Technology, Definitions.
Seriously, sometimes this stuff is useful:
Before you start reading this article, I want you to take a trip back into your past when you were being taught the decimal system. Personally, when I was in elementary school (in the 70’s/80’s), teachers used to use a column system to teach us about numbers:
[Thousands] | [Hundreds] | [Tens] | [One]
The number 1234 is - 1 Thousands, 2 Hundreds, 3 Tens and 4 Ones.
A few years later, we learned about the composition of the decimal system in a more complex way.
Thousands became 10^3 (10*10*10). Hundreds became 10^2 (10*10)… and so on. 1234 then became:
((1*10^3)+(2*10^2)+(3*10^1)+(4*10^0))
As you already know, counting in decimals is done by using 10 digits, from 0 to 9. Each time we jump a “column” (from 9 to 10), we add 1 digit to our total and reset all subsequent numbers to 0 (999 becomes 1000). The binary system works exactly the same way, but instead of using digits that goes from 0 to 9, we keep things simple and only use 0’s and 1’s, just like computers do. But the question you are probably asking yourself now is why do computers only use 0’s and 1’s? The answer is simple: electronic circuits. Circuits that make the wheel inside your computer turn can only have 2 states, on and off. Since a computer is mostly made out of electronic circuitry, it is logical that it uses the binary system to send, receive or compute information.
How does the binary system work?
Let’s start with what a binary number looks like: 01001010
“What the heck does this mean, and how do I represent this in more familiar decimal format” you ask. First, you have to know that each digit of a binary number is based on 2 to the power of x (as opposed to (more…)
Posted on September 6th, 2008 by Phil.
Categories: Media & Entertainment, Travel & Leisure, Philosophy & Spirituality, History & Politics, Philanthropy & Environment, Science & Technology, Arts & Literature, Humor & Pop Culture.
We’re finally home, unpacked, and settled back in after this year’s Burning Man. This was hands down my favorote year yet, and I think I speak for all of our crew when I say an amazing time was had by all.
Our friend Tomas was out there completing a five year retrospective art piece on photos of Burning Man from 2004-2008. He is still working on it, but the current gallery is already available at www.burningmanpix.info.
I encourage you to check it out, as the images are absoluely incredible.
Posted on July 30th, 2008 by Phil.
Categories: Science & Technology, Humor & Pop Culture.
The MonkeyLectric LED light system, invented by Instructables.com co-founder Dan Goldwater, turns spinning bike wheels into a psychedelic experience. Beyond the fact that I love the name “MonkeyLectric”, and that I have been dying to get these on my beach cruiser, I really enjoyed reading the essay that a man named Brownlee over at Boing Boing Gadgets wrote on the inherent weirdness of bicycles and the magic of these lights:
“I’ve always wanted a bike like that. Perhaps not one that turns onlookers minds into a gelatin-like slurry, but a surrealist bicycle. Because, if you think about it, there is something inherently weird about the bicycle. With its chittering gears, bristling spokes and spinning chains, there is something insect-like about its workings… a mental connection evoked by its best synonym, velocipede… a synonym which seems to share both etymologic and entomologic phylum with the centipede.
I’m not the only one to be fascinated by the bike’s innate oddity. Bicycles are often used in art as symbols of the inherently absurd: children’s books are filled with magic or living bikes, and the penny-farthing is such a marvelously implausible method of transportation that it is constantly used as the butt of jokes in television shows. The penny-farthing was also the logo of Patrick McGoohan’s hallucinatory sci-fi spy series, The Prisoner: the bike, by itself, was a symbol of the surrealness to come.
There are few pleasures in life purer than bicycling around on a bright, brisk day. This is because bikes are already just wonderfully odd inventions… making a bike even stranger is less an act of mechanical eccentricity than an attempt to pass the pleasure of riding one to the people you cycle past, emphasizing to them what they forgot: the bicycle’s marvelous strangeness.”
What the author of this fun little pondering of bicycles is probably not aware of is the one place on earth where there are more of these being used than anywhere else….. the place that the photo attached to his essay, and shown above, was taken… the place that I will be in less than 30 days. That’s right, Burning Man!
Posted on July 28th, 2008 by Phil.
Categories: Travel & Leisure, Consumer Products, Science & Technology.
In a relatively average looking hangar out in the hot and dusty Mojave Desert, a team of elite Aerospace engineers have been holed up for four years, building a spaceship. Today they showed the word what they have so far. The ship is called ‘White Knight Two’, and is the mothership of the Virgin Galactic space tourism fleet. The company plans to use their white knight to loft rich tourists some 62 miles above Earth, for a glimpse of space.
The last time there was this level of buzz in the high desert north of Los Angeles was in 2004, when throngs of spectators gathered to witness SpaceShipOne capture the $10 million Ansari X Prize by becoming the first private, manned craft to reach space. It was designed by Rutan and bankrolled by Microsoft Corp. co-founder Paul Allen. I was there to watch that flight, and I can tell you it was quite something.
SpaceShipOne ushered in a new space age dominated by deep-pocketed entrepreneurs with dreams of making space voyages as mundane as airplane travel. That vision remains unfulfilled, but took a big step today. More than 250 customers have paid $200,000 or put down a deposit for the chance to be one of Virgin Galactic’s first space tourists.
White Knight Two will be the launch pad for SpaceShipTwo, the successor of the original craft. The smaller draft is about the size of a corporate Gulfstream,and capable of carrying six passengers and two pilots. Virgin Galactic declined to set a date for commercial travel, but said the earliest flights to space could be late 2009 or early 2010. The maiden voyage has been reserved for Branson and his family; Virgin Galactic plans to rename the aircraft “Eve” after Branson’s mother, a former glider pilot instructor and flight attendant.
Plans call for White Knight Two to carry SpaceShipTwo 50,000 feet in the air, tucked beneath its single 140-foot wing, before releasing it. SpaceShipTwo will then power its hybrid rocket and climb into space. Before gliding back to Earth, it will use a special “feathering” technique — in which the wings are rotated upward from the fuselage to reduce the heat of re-entry. The 2-1/2-hour trip is expected to include about five minutes of weightlessness.
I’ll tell you, if I had the money, I’d sign up.
Posted on July 21st, 2008 by Myk.
Categories: Travel & Leisure, Consumer Products, Philanthropy & Environment, Business & Finance, Science & Technology, Sports & Health.
From Trendhunter, I give you the fastest boat in the world. Also, the most environmentally friendly. It made me go a big rubbery one as it reminded me of Fight Club, the second best movie of all time after True Romance. TH writes:
The Earth Race boat is a bio-diesel powered boat that runs on human fat and looks like a highly futuristic vessel you’d expect to see on Star Trek.
The inventors of the zero carbon boat intend of breaking the current global speed record, planning to take the boat around the world running purely on fat. It was invented by an enlightened former oil industry engineer from New Zealand who is also an environmentalist. He hopes the project will promote environmental awareness and highlight the fascinating potentials of sustainable resources.
Pete Bethune and two crew members underwent liposuction, gathering a total of 2.5 gallons of excess blubber to power the speed boat. Their fat alone was enough to produce 2 gallons of fuel. He put the lard in motor and says under optimal conditions, the boat could run a successful 9 miles.
This boat is built for speed. While most boats ride over waves in rough seas, the Earth Race boat is built to pierce right through them. He plans on taking a 27,600-mile journey across the world, making the entire journey on 100% biodiesel.
If inventors could find a way to use global muffin tops, saddle bags and beer bellies as energy, these could be revolutionary.
One things for sure—in today’s society, human fat is definitely a renewable resource. So long as the obesity epidemic persists, fueled by pop culture phenomenons like McDonalds, it looks like there will be plenty of fuel to burn.
If we took all the plastic surgeons in LA and Miami and took them to the heartland for a little sucking…we might possible solve all of our energy problems :). Screw $5 gas prices and expensive corn-based ethanol, McDonald’s-generated lipids work too! The update on the boat’s progress is spectacular as well:
Despite being threatened by pirates and having almost been sunk by submerged logs, the Earthrace biodiesel trimaran (powered by recycled human fat) made the fastest trip around the world. This knocks 14 days off the previous record.
Tyler Durden would be more than proud. He would be ecstatic.
Posted on July 18th, 2008 by Phil.
Categories: Philanthropy & Environment, Science & Technology.
The $100 laptop is here, but only if you’re a kid (and only if you’re in certain parts of the world). The XO is a robust computer designed for schoolchildren. It boasts built-in smart Wi-Fi, a bright swivel screen, and highly efficient power consumption.
A breakdown of the features:
•Built-in Wi-Fi antennas that automatically create a “mesh network” with any other XO computer within about one-third of a mile. A screen displays icons showing the other XO computers within range at any given time. The mesh also means that if any one of the linked computers has access to the Internet, all of them will. That’s important in places where Internet connections can be few and far between.
•A 7.5-inch diagonal super-high resolution color screen capable of being easily seen outdoors in daylight. The screen can swivel in all directions or fold flat to create a tablet computer for reading or playing games.
•Extremely low power consumption, about 2 watts, which is 1/10th the amount used by a typical laptop. In areas without a reliable electrical supply, the XO can be powered by a hand-held generator – pull the string for one minute to produce 10 minutes of operating time.
•A rugged water- and dirt-resistant rubberized keyboard and a body capable of withstanding five years of rough use and strong sunlight.
Inside, the operating system is based on Linux open-source software, ignoring both Windows and Mac. Instead of folders on the opening screen, students see a figure representing a child (an X with an O over it, hence the “XO”) surrounded by a circle of icons showing what activities are in use. The system also includes an Internet browser, a word processor, games, and a toolkit for a wide variety of musical activities.
The computers are designed to forgo rote learning exercises and instead promote more creative methods: exploring (the Internet browser) and expressing (video, text, and music programs). When children use the screen to read a book, for example, every page will offer a chance to make comments and discuss it with others. “I think that feature is of itself going to change the world,” Bender says. “The idea that you’re encouraged to critique, to engage in this discourse about whatever you’re looking at. That’s what learning is about.” Cool.
Posted on July 17th, 2008 by Phil.
Categories: Consumer Products, Science & Technology.
Spanish scientists have begun work on a new brain-computer interface, or BCI, capable of converting thought into commands that a wheelchair can execute. Enter the “Thought-controlled Robotic Wheelchair”.
They are using non-invasive devices to record the rhythms from the surface of the skull, and then convert signals into basic movements. “You’re not going to be using EEGs to control a robotic arm to play the piano or anything,” says Dawn Taylor, an assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University’s Department of Biomedical Engineering, “But you can certainly turn right and left and stop and go using that sort of signal.”
Two 800-MHz Intel computers mounted on the wheelchair will process these readings and send instructions to the wheels. After about a week’s training the software will adapt to patients’ thought patterns for simple commands such as “left” and “right.” The team hopes to use a combination of thought and mapping software to enable more complicated “macro” commands such as “Go to the kitchen.”
A front-mounted laser will work as a sensor, detecting obstacles ahead and changes in the environment, like furniture that has been moved. This is particularly important for people with limited head and neck mobility, as they often cannot clearly see the way ahead, especially at ground level.
The first working prototype is expected in 2008 or early 2009.
Posted on July 10th, 2008 by Myk.
Categories: Media & Entertainment, Business & Finance, Science & Technology.
The median age of Americans is 38. Did you know that?? As of last season, the average age of Americans watching live TV is…drum roll…50. Yep. I suppose we already knew this was going to happen but PSFK brought the topic to our attention. This is one of those “thought you should know” posts.
Posted on July 7th, 2008 by Bijan.
Categories: Media & Entertainment, Consumer Products, Business & Finance, Science & Technology, Coming Events.
“Scientists Set Sights on Invisibility Cloaks”
Such is the title of an article posted on CNN.com last Tuesday. Did you know that? Apparently, scientists from all over the globe have been experimenting with something called a “Superlens” which, essentially, can make things invisible. A superlens has a negative refractive index, meaning that it refracts light that an object projects in the opposite direction, thereby causing the light waves to cancel each other out and, voila! - renders the object invisible. Check it out for yourself.
Yet ironically, since websites like CNN are more concerned with matters such as “Mini Me’s” sex tape and these damn bikini-touting baristas in Seattle (seriously people, its a bikini. GET OVER IT), we oftentimes miss the truly important things that are happening in the world.
But news media debates aside, the scientific community is largely lost in the obscurity of politics, economics and pop culture. Consider the fact that only two decades ago, the idea of an iPhone would have sounded almost as feasible as, well, an invisibility cloak. Websites like the National Science Foundation provide oceans of information regarding the latest scientific discoveries and upcoming scientific research. It is important to note the vast impact even the most minor scientific innovation can have on society as we know it, and, as gradual as these things seem - they aren’t. So don’t be surprised if you find yourself shopping for jetpacks, teleporters and Beryllium Spheres in the near future. Just watch out for shoplifters - always wearing those pesky cloaks…
Posted on June 14th, 2008 by Phil.
Categories: Science & Technology.
The brain needs care just like any other part of the body – but when was the last time you set aside some time to flex your frontal lobe? A study funded by National Institute of Health scientists found that memory, reasoning and processing speed can be improved by fairly simple ‘brain training’ in very little time. Moreover, they found that cognitive improvements persisted for at least five years.
After the age of about 30, the brain’s ability to function begins to deteriorate. Just like the rest of us, things move slower and begin to deteriorate. It’s important to keep yourself sharp, and traditional activites aren’t usually enough to do it. Even if you have an intellectually challenging job, are an avid reader, and play chess, you’re still going to be neglecting certain parts of the brain. And most of us do a lot less than that. Enter Lumosity.com.
Lumosity is a scientifically designed ‘brain training program’ based on the concept of neuroplasticity - the brain’s ability to learn and physically adapt given appropriate stimuli. Lumosity’s brain games and exercises are engineered to train and improve your memory, attention, processing speed, and cognitive control. And better yet, they’re fun! Why melt your brain playing crap like Grand Theft Auto, training yourself to think and act like a criminal, when you can have a good time literally boosting your IQ.
The development and testing of the games were guided by some of the leading scientists in neuroscience, cognitive psychology and bioinformatics – and they work. Lumosity’s program has been shown to improve memory and attention in randomized, controlled clinical trials. And the site isn’t just a free for all. They have well crafted progams that guide you through short ten minute ‘workouts’, explain what the games do, and track your progress.
Here are examples of some of the games:
Monster Garden - Area of Cognition: Memory
Monster Garden improves your memory and attention with a spatial memory task. As your spatial and working memory improves, you will be able to navigate through progressively harder levels.
Word Bubbles - Area of Cognition: Processing Speed
Word Bubbles was designed to train and improve your processing speed and word-finding ability. The brain’s speed of processing is an important factor determining how quickly a person can think, take in sensory information, or conduct other cognitive processes such as remembering or comprehending language.
Birdwatching - Area of Cognition: Attention
Birdwatching improves attention and the ability to process visual information. These abilities are important in many everyday activities including driving and playing sports. The task gets progressively more challenging to accommodate your improvements in visual attention and processing speed.
Lost in Migration - Area of Cognition: Cognitive Control
Lost in Migration is designed to train and improve your cognitive control and reaction time. This task focuses on supressing your automatic - almost reflexive - responses, helping you stay focused on the greater goal.
Mental health is an important as physical health. One is meaningless without the other. What use is a Vitruvian body, without a Vitruvian mind? I recommend giving it a try while the service is still free. As they say… use it or lose it folks.
