Assuming that the new student is moving in to the dorms, get them packet sniffer software for their (network equipped) PC. That way they can have all sorts of fun with their new neighbors! The number of fun scenarios are practically endless when you share an Ethernet with the people you live with!
Uh, no.. Check your physics, bud. That.1 Watt figure is for the total power consumed by the LED from the power supply (Power=Volts*Amps) and includes both the light power emitted by the LED and the waste heat power produced. So, it does not give off even.1 Watt of light, and is therefore much dimmer than the incandescent bulb that you compare it too. This principle is known as "The Conservation of Energy."
Re:The main thing I think the article misses ...
on
The Next Generation
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
I see your point, but remember, what is being discussed here is possibly the ending of the human species in the strict biological sense. Rather than just a change in our capabilities (like a cell phone brings) it's possible that these "transhumans" will no longer be able (or willing) to breed with today's Homo Sapiens and a divergence in species will occur. I'd say that's a little more startling than the next evolution in information technology.
The pending clash between modern international capitalism and religious and ethnically based tribalism has been a familiar rant of pundits for the last decade or so. One of the more comprehensive studies of this phenomenon is the book (and article): Jihad Vs. McWorld by Benjamin Barber. In this treatment, Jihad represents any fanatic religious or ethnic movement (not just those zany Islamic terrorists!) and McWorld is the MTV/McDonalds/etc. imperialistic capitalism of the West. It's a little on the liberal side, but it's a good analysis of the trends that self-proclaimed experts everywhere bitch and moan about.
Actually, if you read the article, high speed is not the purpose of this research project. Rather, a self-configuring, micropower distributed network which appears to be geared towards sensor applications. In fact, each sensor requires so little power that ambient radiation is sufficient to run the thing!
It's likely that the true killer applications of this technology have not yet been proposed yet. For example, a network of biological implants might be possible that take measurements from several points and then perform some useful computations. The wireless communication and micropower features would be very attractive (provided that the body doesn't attenuate the operating frequency too much..)
Fast Fourier Transform
on
Deep Algorithms?
·
· Score: 5, Interesting
I'm going with the Fast Fourier Transform, because it is ubiquitous in signal processing and it has various number theoretic applications. As an added bonus: The Quantum Fourier Transform can be used in Shor's Algorithm to factor numbers in polynomial time! Although, this is not yet practically realizable..
>>I don't think there is any theory on how this ultimately gives rise to the cognitive processes in the brain...
This is definitely true, but the simulation of large neural networks modeled faithfully after sections of the animal brain would at least give us a way to start quantifying information processing capabilities of various sections of the brain. This would be a start to developing a theory about how these sections work together to form cognitive processes.
This is starting to drift way off-topic, but oh well..
I'd like to see this type of massive computing power used for a comprehensive effort to map the human brain (in an undertaking similar to the Human Genome Project.) Large numbers of optically scanned brain slices (or high-res MRI data) could be input, and abstract representations of the nerve cell connections could be generated. Then a massive effort to simulate and explore large chunks of the brain could begin using this behemoth.
I wonder if something like this could be in the works in the near future. Anyone have any information about this?
...that DNA computation offers no theoretical advantage over Turing machines. That is, problems that are thought to take an exponentially increasing number of steps on a regular computer still do with the DNA computation model. The DNA method requires that every combination be exhaustively generated, and therefore the number of molecules required grows exponentially with the input size. Of course, the DNA method offers some practical advantages over today's computers (when it comes to this type of combinatorial problem.) The computational elements (DNA molecules) are very small and can "swim around" in three dimensions to make many more combinatorial "decisions" than could be hardwired onto a piece of silicon today.
Slashdot Mirror
Assuming that the new student is moving in to the dorms, get them packet sniffer software for their (network equipped) PC. That way they can have all sorts of fun with their new neighbors! The number of fun scenarios are practically endless when you share an Ethernet with the people you live with!
Yah, that's not expensive or anything...
Uh, no.. Check your physics, bud. That .1 Watt figure is for the total power consumed by the LED from the power supply (Power=Volts*Amps) and includes both the light power emitted by the LED and the waste heat power produced. So, it does not give off even .1 Watt of light, and is therefore much dimmer than the incandescent bulb that you compare it too. This principle is known as "The Conservation of Energy."
I see your point, but remember, what is being discussed here is possibly the ending of the human species in the strict biological sense. Rather than just a change in our capabilities (like a cell phone brings) it's possible that these "transhumans" will no longer be able (or willing) to breed with today's Homo Sapiens and a divergence in species will occur. I'd say that's a little more startling than the next evolution in information technology.
The pending clash between modern international capitalism and religious and ethnically based tribalism has been a familiar rant of pundits for the last decade or so. One of the more comprehensive studies of this phenomenon is the book (and article): Jihad Vs. McWorld by Benjamin Barber. In this treatment, Jihad represents any fanatic religious or ethnic movement (not just those zany Islamic terrorists!) and McWorld is the MTV/McDonalds/etc. imperialistic capitalism of the West. It's a little on the liberal side, but it's a good analysis of the trends that self-proclaimed experts everywhere bitch and moan about.
It's likely that the true killer applications of this technology have not yet been proposed yet. For example, a network of biological implants might be possible that take measurements from several points and then perform some useful computations. The wireless communication and micropower features would be very attractive (provided that the body doesn't attenuate the operating frequency too much..)
I'm going with the Fast Fourier Transform, because it is ubiquitous in signal processing and it has various number theoretic applications. As an added bonus: The Quantum Fourier Transform can be used in Shor's Algorithm to factor numbers in polynomial time! Although, this is not yet practically realizable..
I'd like to see this type of massive computing power used for a comprehensive effort to map the human brain (in an undertaking similar to the Human Genome Project.) Large numbers of optically scanned brain slices (or high-res MRI data) could be input, and abstract representations of the nerve cell connections could be generated. Then a massive effort to simulate and explore large chunks of the brain could begin using this behemoth. I wonder if something like this could be in the works in the near future. Anyone have any information about this?
...that DNA computation offers no theoretical advantage over Turing machines. That is, problems that are thought to take an exponentially increasing number of steps on a regular computer still do with the DNA computation model. The DNA method requires that every combination be exhaustively generated, and therefore the number of molecules required grows exponentially with the input size. Of course, the DNA method offers some practical advantages over today's computers (when it comes to this type of combinatorial problem.) The computational elements (DNA molecules) are very small and can "swim around" in three dimensions to make many more combinatorial "decisions" than could be hardwired onto a piece of silicon today.