20120330

RoboBonobo: A Project To Outfit Apes With Tablets and Telepresence Bots

 
 

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via Slashdot: Hardware by samzenpus on 3/30/12

MrSeb writes "Ken Schweller, a computer scientist and psychologist, and also the chairman of the Great Ape Trust in Des Moines, Iowa, has a vision: He wants to put wireless Android tablets in the hands of bonobo apes. The Great Ape Trust Sanctuary is home to seven bonobos, including the world-famous Kanzi, and two orangutans. So far the Sanctuary has focused almost exclusively on language, with the bonobos and their keepers communicating through lexigrams on a touch-screen TV. Now Schweller wants to go one step further and outfit the bonobos with wireless tablets running custom Bonobo Chat software, allowing the apes to communicate with their keepers (and other bonobos!) from anywhere in the Sanctuary, and to remotely control devices such as vending machines, doors, and the RoboBonobo. If all this wasn't weird (cool?) enough, the RoboBonobo is even outfitted with a water cannon (so the telepresent apes can play "chase games" with humans) and Schweller is trying to fund the whole thing with Kickstarter. If you're a big fan of apes (or Darwinism), be sure to donate."

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Qualcomm Calls To 'Kill All Proprietary Drivers For Good'

http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~3/SHqWL4O1e0M/qualcomm-calls-to-kill-all-proprietary-drivers-for-good

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20120326

Από τους τελευταίους στην ΕΕ οι Έλληνες στη χρήση ηλεκτρονικών υπολογιστών

De xriazomaste kobiouter giati otan ftiaxname ton parthenona, i ali kremontousan apo ta dentra. :P

 
 

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Ένα από τα χαμηλότερα ποσοστά χρήσης ηλεκτρονικών υπολογιστών στην ΕΕ καταγράφει η Ελλάδα, στις ηλικίες 16- 74 ετών, σύμφωνα με στοιχεία της Eurostat. Για το 2011, μόνο το 59% του πληθυσμού της Ελλάδας, από 16 ως 74 ετών, έχει χρησιμοποιήσει ηλεκτρονικό υπολογιστή. Το ποσοστό αυτό είναι το τρίτο χαμηλότερο στην ΕΕ, μετά τη Ρουμανία (50%) και τη Βουλγαρία (55%).

 
 

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20120323

Einstein archives hit the web to share knowledge

 
 

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via SlashGear by Shane McGlaun on 3/22/12

Albert Einstein is one of the most famous scientists in history and developed some of the most important theories science has today. Einstein died almost 60 years ago, but his contributions to science continue long after his death. Over the next few years, a complete archive of all of Albert Einstein's groundbreaking work will be placed online for the first time.

The data is being made available to anyone by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The university is the curator of Einstein's volumes of private and professional research notes, diaries, scientific writings, correspondence, and lots more. In all the archive has about 80,000 items that have only recently been catalogued. The information has also been cross-referenced for easier searching.

The data is being placed online with help from a grant given to the university by the Polonsky Foundation UK. Einstein's personal collection will be placed online and high-resolution image format. A portion of Einstein's collection is already online with visitors to the online portal having access to about 2000 documents representing Einstein's life through the year 1921. The archive includes the original 1916 manuscript outlining the general theory of relativity.

[via PCMag]


Einstein archives hit the web to share knowledge is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


 
 

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20120322

Mercury is closest to the sun but may have water ice

 
 

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via SlashGear by Shane McGlaun on 3/22/12

One of the last places I would never expect to find evidence of ice would be on the surface of Mercury. Mercury is the innermost planet of our solar system orbiting very closely to the sun and temperatures can reach above 400°C. However, some craters on the poles of Mercury are in perpetual shadow meaning while exposed surfaces right next door are 400°, the shadows are perpetually frozen in cold.

NASA's Messenger probe has discovered strong indications that inside some crater shadows might hide water ice. BBC reports that the probes recent photos show that the so-called "radar-bright" patches line up perfectly with shadows of craters on the surface of Mercury. Mercury is one of the least studied planets in our solar system. Before Messenger, it had only been visited by one other spacecraft, Mariner 10 back in the 70s.

The bright patches were detected by ground-based radio telescopes back in the 90s, but scientists lacked imagery to be able to determine surface features surrounding those bright spots. By overlaying the radio observations of the radar bright patches with the latest photos taken by the Messenger probe the scientists were able to determine that the bright radar patches fit exactly with permanent shadows on Mercury surface. The scientist did note that this is not proof of ice existing on the surface of the planet since any ice deposit would need to be covered by a thin layer of some sort of insulating debris to remain stable.

"MDIS images show that all the radar-bright features near Mercury's south pole are located in areas of permanent shadow," said Dr Chabot, from Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL).

[via BBC]


Mercury is closest to the sun but may have water ice is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


 
 

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20120316

Neo Geo X goes official, celebrates Grandpa's 20th anniversary

Metal Slug FTW \m/

 
 

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via Engadget by Mat Smith on 3/16/12

We've already seen the device in the real world, but now it's confirmed -- this portable Neo Geo is legit and heading to both the US and Europe. Blaze is crafting the retro gaming handheld with SNK's blessing and 20 baked-in titles confirmed, including Metal Slug, King of Fighters '94 and -- yes -- King of the Monsters. It'll tie into the Neo Geo's 20th birthday and the manufacturer promises that the new device will deliver the same arcade thrills "in a more affordable manner," although there's still no pricing specifics. Check the press release below for the full game selection and expect a release some time in Q2.

Continue reading Neo Geo X goes official, celebrates Grandpa's 20th anniversary

Neo Geo X goes official, celebrates Grandpa's 20th anniversary originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 09:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Joystiq  |  sourceNeo Geo X  | Email this | Comments

 
 

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Deep voices win votes, says study

imagine the popularity of Morgan Freeman or Don LaFontaine ;)

 
 

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via BBC News - Home on 3/13/12

Voters are more likely to pick a candidate with a deeper voice, regardless of the speaker's gender, says a study.

 
 

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03/14/12 PHD comic: 'Staring contest'

LOL

 
 

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via PHD Comics on 3/16/12

Piled Higher & Deeper by Jorge Cham
www.phdcomics.com
Click on the title below to read the comic
title: "Staring contest" - originally published 3/14/2012

For the latest news in PHD Comics, CLICK HERE!


 
 

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Lego + Transformers + Gameboy = Nerdgasm

http://feeds.slashgear.com/~r/slashgear/~3/Lq-Wr4jU8ps/

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Neutrinos can transmit messages through walls, mountains, planets

http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/15/neutrinos-transmit-messages/
Awesome
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Squid eye is sperm whale defence

http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/science-environment-17365736

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Sex-starved flies 'turn to drink'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/science-environment-17357560
LoL
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20120313