Technology News: Future Tech

Two Can Play at the Wired War Game
March 09, 2010

As the United States military increases the use of robots like unmanned drones in battle, it increases the danger that our enemies will take and adapt the technology to use against us, according to Peter Warren Singer, senior fellow and director of the 21st Century Defense Initiative at the Brookings Institution.

Roxxxy Sexbot: It's Not Her Looks, It's Her Personalities
January 11, 2010

The real world has finally caught up with the concept of a sex robot, something that's been immortalized in films ranging from "Westworld" to "A.I." and the fembots of "Austin Powers." And where else but the 2010 Adult Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas would that vision be realized in the five-foot-seven, 120-pound, lingerie-clad form of Roxxxy?

What Technology Will Bring to the Next Decade
December 27, 2009

Ten years ago, we would have been blown away by a cellphone with far more computing power and memory than the average PC had in 1999, along with a built-in camera and programs to manage every aspect of our lives. Ten years from now, the iPhone and its ilk will be antiques.

Automobiles, Digital Technology and Safety: It's Complicated
December 22, 2009

A new study from the University of Utah provides more fuel for the conviction that sending and receiving text messages while driving affects concentration and reaction times. However, more potential digital distractions lie down the road -- as shown by another Monday announcement: Ford plans to turn cars into rolling WiFi hotspots.

IBM Researchers Go Way Beyond AI With Cat-Like Cognitive Computing
November 19, 2009

IBM's revelation at SC09 created quite a stir and immediately brought forth visions of Cylons and Hal 9000. The cognitive computing team at IBM Research has moved significantly forward in creating a large-scale cortical simulation and a new algorithm that synthesizes neurological data -- two major milestones on the path to a cognitive computing chip.

Frankencamera Could Herald a New Digital Photography Era
October 20, 2009

There's a pieced-together monster shaking up the campus of Stanford University this fall, and it's named after the legendary, lumbering creature that Halloween nightmares are made of. It's the Frankencamera, and it's here to change the way digital photography is done.

Windows 7 and What Comes After the PC
October 19, 2009

Microsoft and Windows go back to the very beginning of the PC -- when people couldn't afford them, when networks were defined by terminal emulators and floppy disks, and when many of the Google pioneers were in diapers. Looking back at what Windows initially did and considering what Windows 7 is capable of, you can certainly say a lot has changed.

Movable Prosthetics: The Biomechanical Interface
August 24, 2009

Thanks to research that will culminate this year in a major set of new designs, procedures and prototypes for artificial limbs, highly advanced prosthetics might eventually become commonplace, perhaps in another generation. However, much more research must be done in the ways human tissue interacts with mechanical parts.

Toyota Wheelchair Guided by Thought Alone
June 29, 2009

U.S. automakers have spent a lot of time lately wondering whether someone can think up a solution for their economic woes. Meanwhile, one of their Japanese counterparts is using brainpower in a different way: to control the movement and direction of a wheelchair. Researchers at Toyota have announced the development of a new brain-machine interface that can allow a person to steer a wheelchair with brain waves.

The Blood and Guts of Biometric Systems
May 27, 2009

When biometric security devices began appearing nearly a decade ago, they were often touted as the final word in security technology. After all, stealing your password is one thing -- stealing a thumb, a retina or a voice print is a bit more of a chore. Hackers, however, developed techniques to fool biometrics scanners, much like they've found ways around spam filters and firewalls.

Home Automation: The Unfulfilled Promise
May 05, 2009

For the last 30 years, many people have invested a lot of money and effort chasing an unrealized promise of hoped-for explosive growth in home automation. With not a lot of commercial progress, it might be seen as foolish to pursue opportunities in this space. However, the promise of addressing latent needs of millions of households worldwide to create a new consumer electronics category is highly seductive.

Robots and the Law: Will the Real Inventor Please Stand Up?
April 28, 2009

Earlier this month, the journal Science reported on a robot that could formulate hypotheses, perform experiments to test those hypotheses, and thereby contribute to scientific knowledge. This technological advance raises legal concerns: Based on current law, if a robot conceived the idea for an "invention," this invention might not have the possibility for patent protection in the U.S.

IBM Supercomputer to Match Critical Thinking Wits With 'Jeopardy' Wonks
April 27, 2009

Having developed Deep Blue, the supercomputer that famously beat out world chess champion Gary Kasparov back in 1997, IBM is now working on a computer built to compete in the TV quiz show "Jeopardy." This will use a system based on Question Answering, a computer science approach that tries to build software systems that can provide accurate, useful answers to questions people ask using natural language.

3rd Rebirth of Computing: The End of PCs and Game Consoles
April 06, 2009

The gaming market has been broken for a long time, and the PC concept is also becoming unmanageable. Developers want one platform to develop to; they don't want three consoles, two portable gaming systems, lots of phones and a PC. Users want something vastly less complex and really would like to go back to a time when they only worried about the price and where the on switch was.

Robo-Scientist 'Adam' Performs Landmark Solo Experiment
April 03, 2009

There may not be a white lab coat big enough for Adam, the newest and most expensive member of the scientific department at Aberystwyth University in Wales, UK. Adam, a $1 million robot-computer amalgam about the size of a large pickup truck, carried out genetic experiments on yeast and reached groundbreaking conclusions without human help, according to a report in the journal Science.

HP's Z Series Will Dazzle Your Eyes, Bob the Monster Will Steal Your Heart
March 30, 2009

I spent much of last week attending an event put on by HP, Intel and BMW, which launched HP's new professional workstation line on top of the new Nehalem processors from Intel. This took place at DreamWorks, where we were treated to an early screening of the "Monsters vs. Aliens" movie. This last was a showcase for DreamWorks huge 3-D bet and one that I haven't been a believer in.