Clipmarks | wildcat's 'future' clips

The Future of Copyright

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:48:02 GMT

clipped by: wildcat
clipper's remarks: A must read

A very condensed version of copyright history could look like this: texts (1800), works (1900), tools (2000). Originally the law was designed to regulate the use of one machine only: the printing press. It concerned the reproduction of texts, printed matter, without interfering with their subsequent uses. Roughly around 1900, however, copyright law was drastically extended to cover works, independent of any specific medium. This opened up the field for collective rights management organizations, which since have been setting fixed prices on performance and broadcasting licenses. Under their direction, very specific copyright customs developed for each new medium: cinema, gramophone, radio, and so forth. This differentiation was undermined by the emergence of the Internet, and since about the year 2000 copyright law has been pushed in a new direction, regulating access to tools in a way much more arbitrary than anyone in the pre-digital age could have imagined.

Tags: copyright, copyleft, future

The Coming Convergence

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:13:34 GMT

clipped by: wildcat
clipper's remarks: The message is clear: the choices we make now will converge to create a near and distant future that will be almost unbelievably wonderful or unimaginably catastrophic, or both. This knowledgeable, fascinating glimpse into the future is a must read for everyone interested in technology, upcoming innovations in business, science fiction, and the future.

Clip Source: www.sfwa.org

The Coming Convergence
The Surprising Ways Diverse Technologies Interact to Shape Our World and Change the Future

Imagine direct communication links between the human brain and machines, or tailored materials capable of adapting by themselves to changing environmental conditions, or computer chips and environmental sensors embedded into everyday clothing, or medical technologies that eliminate currently untreatable conditions such as blindness and paralysis. Now imagine all of these developments occurring at the same time. The stuff of science fiction?

Not So. These are actually the reasonable predictions of scientists attempting to forecast a few decades into the future based on the rapid pace of innovation.

Longer, healthier lives

Cheap, generally available food, energy, and technology

Reduced pollution and environmental stress

Economic disruption during transitional periods

Excessive power in too few hands

Increased vulnerability from overdependence on technology.

Tags: convergence, technologies, future, singularity

Futurese- English in 3000 AD

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:13:57 GMT

clipped by: wildcat
clipper's remarks: So how far will another thousand years take it?

Clip Source: www.xibalba.demon.co.uk

Predicting the future of the English language is rather easy, in the short term. The odds are, over the next few decades its New World dialects are going to gain increasing global dominance, accelerating the demise of thousands of less fortunate languages but at long last allowing a single advertisement to reach everybody in the world. Then after a century or two of US dominance some other geopolitical grouping will gain the ascendancy, everyone will learn Chechen or Patagonian or whatever it is, and history will continue as usual. Ho hum. But apart from that... what might the language actually look like in a thousand years time? For comparison, the English spoken at the turn of the last millennium looked like this:

Wé cildra biddaþ þé, éalá láréow, þæt þú taéce ús sprecan rihte, forþám ungelaérede wé sindon, and gewæmmodlíce we sprecaþ...

We children beg you, teacher, that you should teach us to speak correctly, because we are ignorant and we speak corruptly...

Tags: language, future

The Future Of Code, Digital And Genetic Continued

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:15:56 GMT

clipped by: wildcat

Clip Source: spectrum.ieee.org

Simonyi talked about his “intentional software” concept. If the human genome can be encoded in a program that takes up less than 1 gigabyte, he asked, why does Windows require 15 or 16? So, instead of building software according to elaborate blueprints that detail every programming step, Simonyi is following what he called a recipe approach. His team at Intentional Software creates a set of programming tools, writes a very specific description of the problem they are attempting to solve, and then uses the tools to generate a software solution. It sounds like a software version of the directed self-assembly techniques used in chemistry and nanotechnology.

Over on the in vivo side of the house, Harvard’s George Church, biotechnologist and founder of the Personal Genome Project; Drew Endy, of Stanford University and a founder of the BioBricks Foundation; and Rodney Brooks, of MIT and iRobot, discussed what’s being called synthetic biology or synthetic life research.

Tags: future, code, digital, genetic

Born Bionic

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 09:46:53 GMT

clipped by: balthazarus
clipper's remarks: Welcome to the future....

Clip Source: www.spectrum.ieee.org

Slideshow: Born Bionic

BABBLING BOT: Osaka University researchers built the CB2 robot to mimic the appearance and behavior of an infant

Clip Source: www.spectrum.ieee.org

tele-operated mechanical servants like Monty, a two-armed wheeled robot equipped with gyroscopes

Clip Source: www.spectrum.ieee.org

Twendy-One is a 47-degrees-of-freedom, 1.5-meter tall humanoid

to help disabled people with household tasks

Clip Source: www.spectrum.ieee.org

WHO’S WHO?: Chinese roboticist Zou Ren Ti, of the Xi’an Chaoren Sculpture Research Institute, sits next to his android twin [right

Clip Source: www.spectrum.ieee.org

GENIUS HEAD: Albert Hubo is 1.4-meter-tall battery-powered walking humanoid with realistic, humanlike facial expressions.

Clip Source: www.spectrum.ieee.org

i-1 is a 50-degrees-of-freedom, freestanding, full-body humanoid

Clip Source: www.spectrum.ieee.org

MECHANICAL MAESTRO: Honda keeps improving its famed Asimo humanoid. The latest version can dance, climb stairs, and has even conducted the Detroit Symphony Orchestra

Clip Source: www.spectrum.ieee.org

play the trumpet and the violin

Clip Source: www.spectrum.ieee.org

The Actroid DER2 female humanoid

Clip Source: www.spectrum.ieee.org

ARMAR III humanoid to closely mimic the sensory and motor capabilities of humans

Tags: robotics, future

The future of reputation

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:54:12 GMT

clipped by: wildcat
clipper's remarks: Full Text

The full text of The Future of Reputation is now available online for free. Click on the links below to download PDFs of each chapter. The front matter to the book is at the beginning of each chapter.

Clip Source: docs.law.gwu.edu

Synopsis

Teeming with chatrooms, online discussion groups, and blogs, the Internet offers previously unimagined opportunities for personal expression and communication. But there’s a dark side to the story. A trail of information fragments about us is forever preserved on the Internet, instantly available in a Google search. A permanent chronicle of our private lives—often of dubious reliability and sometimes totally false—will follow us wherever we go, accessible to friends, strangers, dates, employers, neighbors, relatives, and anyone else who cares to look. This engrossing book, brimming with amazing examples of gossip, slander, and rumor on the Internet, explores the profound implications of the online collision between free speech and privacy.

Longstanding notions of privacy need review, the author contends: unless we establish a balance among privacy, free speech, and anonymity, we may discover that the freedom of the Internet makes us less free

Tags: reputation, net, privacy, gossip

Europe, Japan join forces to map out future of intelligent robots

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:19:42 GMT

clipped by: wildcat

Clip Source: www.physorg.com

The field of robotics could be poised for a breakthrough, leading to a new generation of intelligent machines capable of taking on multiple tasks and moving out of the factory into the home and general workplace. The great success of robots so far has been in automating repetitive tasks in process control and assembly, yielding dramatic cuts in production, but the next step towards cognition and more human-like behaviour has proved elusive.

It has been difficult to make robots that can truly learn and adapt to unexpected situations in the way humans can, while it has been equally challenging trying to develop a machine capable of moving smoothly like any animal. There is still no robot capable of walking properly without jerky slightly unbalanced movements.

The future of cognitive robotics lies in combining the techniques discussed at the ESF/JSPS conference to develop true humanoid machines capable of assisting in homes, offices, and public places

Tags: europe, japan, future, intelligent, robots

Intel: Human and computer intelligence will merge in 40 years

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:52:56 GMT

clipped by: wildcat
clipper's remarks: On the company's anniversary, a future of sensors, robots and new thinking

Clip Source: www.computerworld.com

At Intel Corp., just passing its 40th anniversary and with myriad chips in its historical roster, a top company exec looks 40 years into the future to a time when human intelligence and machine intelligence have begun to merge.

Justin Rattner,

CTO and a senior fellow at Intel, told Computerworld that perhaps as early as 2012 we'll see the lines between human and machine intelligence begin to blur. Nanoscale chips or machines will move through our bodies, fixing deteriorating organs or unclogging arteries. Sensors will float around our internal systems monitoring our blood sugar levels and heart rates, and alerting doctors to potential health problems.

Virtual worlds will become increasingly realistic, while robots will develop enough intelligence and human-like characteristics that they'll become companions, not merely vacuum cleaners and toys.

Most aspects of our lives, in fact, will be very different as we close in on the year 2050

Tags: intel, future, sensors, robots

Mark Shuttleworth: life on Mars, Ubuntu in emerging markets

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:07:39 GMT

clipped by: wildcat
clipper's remarks: A great visionary, a shrewd business-human

Clip Source: arstechnica.com

He also shared his views about the future of the space program and the importance of reaching for the stars. Although he believes that manned research efforts in space are too costly and less efficient than more automated approaches, he contends that humanity's experience in space will be essential for shaping a future in which society extends beyond earth's sphere.

"A majority of our space research should be unmanned," he remarked. "But fundamentally, [experience in space] is our life boat—that's what the dinosaurs didn't have, so it's essential research."

Shuttleworth is particularly emphatic about the need to conduct more extensive research on Mars, and the potential for Mars to sustain life—a possibility that he regards as "profound" in significance.

After returning from his trip into space, he decided that he wanted to turn his attention to efforts that could have a broader positive impact.

I wanted to be sure that anything I devoted time to would potentially have a global impact

Tags: mark shuttleworth, mars, ubuntu, emerging markets

The Future

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:50:40 GMT

clipped by: wildcat
clipper's remarks: This is a special report that appeared on Forbes on 10.15.07 and has an impressive list of visionaries talking about the future. highly recommended reading. click the names to read the visions

Clip Source: www.forbes.com

hat happened to the future? Weren't things supposed to be cooler by now, smarter, safer? Raised on a steady diet of science fiction, overzealous politicians and corporate hype, Americans expected to be living in The Jetsons -- but instead find themselves stuck in a scarier version of The Waltons.

The truth is that people simply aren't very good at predicting the future. It was only two centuries ago that we began to think we could do it at all, and we're still learning. Hindsight may be 20/20, but foresight remains largely blind.

Visionaries

What were you sure would happen, but didn't? What totally surprised you?

Joel A. Barker
Wendell Bell
Stuart Brand
David Brin
Pat Cadigan
James Canton
Ed Cornish
Esther Dyson
Scott W. Erickson
Frank Feather
Jacque Fresco
Harry Harrison
Hazel Henderson

Sohail Inayatullah
William Knoke
Richard Lamb
John Mahaffie
Syd Mead
John Naisbitt
Nicholas Negroponte
Bob Rogers
Rudy Rucker
Paul Saffo
Robert Sawyer
Stephen Wolfram

Tags: visionaries, future

Artificial Intelligence under the spotlight at BA Festival

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:34:25 GMT

clipped by: wildcat
clipper's remarks: ‘Computers are now one million times more powerful than when I started my research career – no field has come close to this rate of development,’ he says. ‘If transport had progressed at the same rate we would be flying from London to New York in less than a tenth of second.’

Clip Source: www.ecs.soton.ac.uk

Although Hollywood often likes to present us with a world full of self-aware and destructive robots in the style of I Robot, this is not the way the science of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is headed, says British Computer Society President and ECS Professor of Artificial Intelligence Nigel Shadbolt.

Speaking at the BA Festival of Science in York tomorrow (Tuesday 11 September), Professor Shadbolt will outline how developments in the speed and power of computers, the emergence of the World Wide Web, and our deeper understanding of human and animal intelligence is producing a different but no less exciting future.

‘AI has had a huge influence on the past and present of computer science – it will be a large part of the future but not in the way you might think,’ says Professor Shadbolt, an AI expert in the School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton.

Tags: ai, the net, robotics

How Visionary Political Leadership Can Save the Environment for Future Generations

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:21:47 GMT

clipped by: wildcat
clipper's remarks: Halting the destruction of the environment for the sake of future generations takes peering into the future so that we are able to truly perceive the impact of our actions. In that respect, leadership can be a powerful force to direct the behavior of nations toward the accomplishment of some common environmental objectives.

Clip Source: ecoworldly.com

Political leaders have a key role to play in developing and taking action to combat the world environmental degradation, according to a recent survey of 1,350 professionals in position to make or influence large climate-related decisions in their governments, companies, or other organizations across 120 countries.

The performance of key actors - particularly national governments - has been inadequate to date with rhetoric at much feted climatic conferences over-dominating action states the survey.

Respondents in the survey conducted by the GlobeScan for the World Bank, The World Conservation Union (IUCN), and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), noted that there is currently little consensus on solutions to climate change.

In many parts of the world, the destruction of the environment is a daily reality in spite of the numerous statements that have been made about the terrible state of the environment.

Tags: visionary, political leadership, environment, future generations

11 Ways to Build an Extraordinary Life

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:16:30 GMT

clipped by: wildcat
clipper's remarks: Have a vision for your future...

Clip Source: www.steve-olson.com

How can you build the life you want? The answer to that question is different for each of us. But it’s critical that you answer it, because in the answer you will find purpose and meaning. Many of us look for happiness in things, but happiness doesn’t come from things, it comes from how we relate to ourselves and our world.

Be True to Yourself

Have a Vision for Your Future

Avoid Debt

Save

Continue Your Education

Take Responsibility for Change

Learn from Mistakes -

Build Quality Relationships/Discard Destructive Ones

Love: Look for a partner who is on a similar journey as yours, who has similar goals and values, and build on your relationship by giving your love and encouragement

Friendship: Look for people with similar values, who give as much as they take, with which you can share interests and hobbies.

Do the Right Thing Even When it is Unpopular

Honor Your Commitments - Do not make commitments lightly

Be Charitable

Tags: life, extraordinary

Future Human: The Evolution of Immediate Emotion

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:23:56 GMT

clipped by: wildcat
clipper's remarks: Humans, apparently, are still in the early stages of evolving extended response mechanisms. But it seems likely that by the time we portion more of our brain to long-term dangers, there will be few grizzly bears around to worry about, and a whole lotta global warming.

Clip Source: www.popsci.com

Why a grizzly gets you shivering—but not global warming

In my Science Confirms the Obvious post today, I discussed the first psychological proof (so say the authors) that humans can indeed experience emotions without immediately knowing why. We do this, they say, because we evolved that way. True, scientists love that explanation, but here it’s quite intriguing.

“After all, you are likely to live longer if you immediately stop moving at the sight of a growling grizzly bear,”

“and do not need full awareness for such a response to be instigated.” Given the flood of unexpected stimuli we face moment to moment, quick reactions make sense for survival.

You, that bear, and other animals experience emotions such as fear, anger, or disgust. But only a few species are aware of their emotions. This ability helps humans judge and respond to the behavior of others in order to navigate social situations and, ultimately, grease the wheels of complex society.

Tags: future, human, evolution, immediate emotion

The Future of Babies: Artificial Wombs and Pregnant Grandmas

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:44:37 GMT

clipped by: wildcat

Clip Source: www.livescience.com

Artificial wombs and experiments on human embryos grown in the lab will be commonplace and no big deal ethically in 30 years, several scientists predict.

They envision a scenario just like test-tube babies, which shocked us 30 years ago but now are fairly routine and acceptable to most people.

That is one of many predictions about the future of assisted reproduction and other baby-related medical advances in a special news report, "Making Babies: The Next 30 Years," in the July 16 issue of the journal Nature.

Newborns and 100-year-olds alike could have children. Infertility will be eradicated.

Labs will be able to generate sperm and eggs for anybody.

Human embryos will be made from sperm and egg cells derived from pluripotent stem cells (the kind that can develop into any of the body's cell types).

Fetuses will freely float in artificial placentas or uteruses of fluid, with umbilical cords attached to machines.

"Genetic cassettes" will be inserted at the embryonic stage to correct diseases

Tags: the future, babies, artificial wombs, pregnant