Daily Bits

noemi

All Along the Watchtower Jazz Cover

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Time for a dose of Battlestar Galactica – well, sort of. We may not watch the entire BSG series every year, but enthusiasts will definitely get their hands on anything related to BSG on a regular basis. This month, what I stumbled upon is a jazzy rendition of Bear McCreary’s All Along the Watchtower.

I do not know a single person who has watched BSG who was not affected by that haunting piece by McCreary, and to be honest, I think that it’s still the best version. The Sac State Jazz Singers did a pretty good job, though, especially given the fact that there were no instruments involved. Oh, and they got a comment from McCreary himself!

Wow, guys… this is seriously awesome. Someone sent this link along, and I’m pretty much stunned listening to this. What a killer arrangement! I think I might like it better than mine. 🙂 Keep up the good work. So say we all…

-Bear
bearmccreary

That’s the best praise these guys can get. Without further ado, here is the video. Enjoy those BSG scenes in your head as you listen!

HBOC201: “Unreal” Blood That Can Save Lives

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dr-mark-fitzgerald
HBOC201. It may remind you of the ubiquitous TV channel, but it has nothing at all to do with that. This is the name of a synthetic blood substitute that has saved an Australian woman’s life. Tamara Coakley had a really bad car accident and was barely alive when she got to the hospital. She had only one liter of blood left in her body, and immediately needed a blood transfusion. Not to mention all the other complications, she is also a Jehovah’s Witness, meaning she couldn’t undergo blood transfusion. Technically though, using the synthetic blood is not blood transfusion as it is considered a blood substitute. ((I honestly am hard pressed to see the difference, but okay.))

In any case, HBOC201 is something that probably belongs to science fiction. This blood substitute contains a molecule that is derived from cow plasma. It was developed by the US Navy and can be used for a wide variety of conditions wherein a blood transfusion is required.

It may not seem an appealing choice, given that HBOC201 is essentially made of cow plasma. Then again, we already drink cow’s milk. This isn’t much different, is it? This blood substitute presents a lot of potential. For one, HBOC201 is not limited by blood type restrictions. Whatever your blood type may be, you will be able to receive HBOC201. Another thing is that HBOC201 is stored more easily. It can be kept without refrigeration for up to three years. This can mean a lot for those in areas where electricity is not taken for granted! And with the low supply of donor blood, HBOC201 just might be what is needed to save other people’s lives.

Science fiction? Amazing!

Dr. Seuss Does Pokemon

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Or maybe it should be Pokemon does Dr. Seuss. Whichever way you see it, the results of the Draw2D2 Dr. Seuss-Pokemon Mashup which was held in the past two weeks are worthy of viewing over and over again. There isn’t much to be said about the “contest” – the contributors of the blog were simply tasked with coming up with original art work that would put elements from Dr. Seuss and Pokemon together.

As they say, one’s imagination is the limit. And boy, do these people have awesome imaginations! If their work is anything to go by, there should be some pretty interesting worlds and characters in their heads.

There are several pieces showcased in the blog ((Draw2D2)), but here are the three that I like the most.

drseuss_pokemon
This is by Ian Brauner. Dr. Seuss meets Pikachu and fish. I don’t know, but the fish reminds me of Klaus (Heissler) in American Dad. And don’t you just love the umbrella?

Seuss-Pokemon_Andy_Hunter
This is by Andy Hunter. Seusemon, indeed! I can’t decide which I like better – Grinkachu or Hortopillar. On the one hand, Grinkachu sounds so much better, but Hortopillar looks better visually.

Pokemon_DrSeuss_jwelborn
I think this is the best of the lot – it’s drawn by Jason Welborn. The art is simple but the rhyme that goes with it is superb. Click on the image to better read the text. Theodor Seuss Geisel himself would be proud of this work, don’t you think?

I think these guys should put their heads together and make their own version of not-so-common children’s books.

Computers “Given” Schizophrenia

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Robot
First they give computers a sense of humor – something that is totally cool, I think. Now they give them a mental disorder, specifically schizophrenia. We sometimes use the word loosely to make fun of people close to us who may exhibit erratic behavior, but schizophrenia is nothing to joke about. Especially when it comes to computers who might one day take over the human race.

All joking aside, researchers have turned to computers to try to gain more insight into the mind of a schizophrenic human. Some researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and Yale University have set up a neural network model ((Via: LabSpaces)) to represent the brain and tweaked things so that it simulated conditions wherein excessive levels of dopamine are present. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter which is present in large amounts in the brain of a schizophrenic.

So what did they find out? The neural network model showed that what the dopamine does is to mess with the brain’s ability to remember and forget things. So being schizophrenic is all about not being able to properly forget or ignore things. The result is that people who suffer from schizophrenia make connections that are not present or not real, hence the hallucinations and paranoia.

On the technical side, the creation of this neural network model is a big feat, which can make way for more studies in the future. However, my worrywart nature cannot help but assert itself. What if this computer schizophrenic state becomes the ground for “complications” in human-computer interaction in the future? Call me paranoid, but once artificial intelligence becomes full-blown, you never know. 😉

Image via Chris Devers

Get Your Own Strandbeest Via 3D Printing

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strandbeest3d
Remember those awesome “beasts” that were introduced to the world by Dutch kinetic artist Theo Jansen? They are called strandbeests, and they are made of every day materials such as water bottles, rods, plastic tubes, and rubber rings. The amazing thing about these creations is that they are self-propelling. Given the size of a strandbeest, seeing one in action is probably one of the most amazing sights ever.

Now, the average person will probably not have the opportunity to build or see one of these in real life. It’s a pity, especially since the amount of work and effort put into a single strandbeest is impressive. But what if there was a way to have your very own strandbeest? Not life sized, but something that can join your already huge toy collection.

With 3D printing, this is actually possible! I was quite a skeptic in the beginning with regard to 3D printing and its use, but the more I read about its applications, the more I am convinced about the whole concept.

Now Theo Jansen himself has shared his mini-strandbeest created using 3D printing! It really is fascinating, especially since the creature works just like its big brothers. Here’s the artist showing how it’s done.

http://youtu.be/nt8oHv09e_k

I have to admit – it looks like a tiresome process; but then again, I bet the original beasts were just as bothersome, if not more. You also have to think that in order to make something that is worthy of a permanent place in science fiction (as the strandbeests are), you have to go the extra mile. Now 3D printer manufacturers – make them so ordinary people can get hold of these devices!

Software Gives Computers Sense of Humor

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AIWork on artificial intelligence has been going on forever, and even huge developments have been made in this area. We hear and read about smart computers on a daily basis. We visit online video platforms to watch the awesome creations of scientists. However, we have to admit that there is still a long way to go before computers or robots can match the human brain (in some respects, at least).

While other researchers, engineers, and computer scientists are busy trying to achieve the ultimate AI setup, Chloe Kiddon and Yuriy Brun have come up with something that will give us more amusement than anything right now. They have created a software that adds a human aspect to computers – a sense of humor.

You have to admit that while we love the idea of an emotion-less and 100% efficient robot, the idea of interacting with robots with humor involved is even more appealing. Think of Iron Man and his robot cum fire extinguisher.

More than a generic sense of humor, though, the software gives computers the ability to understand specific kinds of jokes. Imagine this scenario.

My friend and I were driving home from school when a car suddenly pulled out in front of her car and she had to slam on her brakes. I said, “I hate it when they pull out when they know you are coming!” (That’s what she said.) ((Source: TWSS -Yes, there IS a web site for that’s what she said jokes!))

If you don’t get the joke, I suggest you do a quick search on the phrase “That’s what she said”.

So anyhow, the two computer scientists created the system DEviaNT (Double Entendre via Noun Transfer) using jokes found online to train the computer. ((Via Physorg)) The end result? A computer that can tell you “That’s what she said!”

Can’t think of a practical use of this software right now, but who cares?

Image via Trinity