A-Z Index
Thought Control For Computer Games
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
The EPOC neuroheadset from Emotiv contains gyroscopic sensors to detect head movement as well as EEG sensors to monitor brainwave activity. The result is a system that, when combined with the correct software, will allow players to interact with games via thought.
The EPOC headset is due to be launched later in 2008 at a cost of $299.
Labels: gadgets, inventions, science and technology
Thought Controlled Robot Experiment
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Scientists led by Miguel Nicolelis of Duke University have managed to control a robot by thought - and those thoughts were transmitted over the internet! For this experiments the thoughts were only those of a monkey walking on a treadmill, but it's a good start.
The research was a joint experiment between scientists in the US and Japan. A monkey in the US was trained to walk a treadmill and a chip implanted in its head recorded its brain activity. This signal was digitized and transmitted over the net to Japan, where it was used to control the movements of a robot. Video of the robot was then sent back to the US to complete the feedback loop.
This technology could ultimately lead to thought controlled artficial limbs, exoskletons or even remote robots for dangerous situations.
Labels: robots, science and technology
Crow-Cams Tail Tool Building Birds
Monday, October 08, 2007
It's been known for a while that New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides) are one of the few species capable of making and using tools. One example of this is that they whittle twigs and leaves into bug-grabbing instruments. This species is the only non-primate known to have such skills. Previous research has suggested that crows are even better than chimps at tool-making: one was seen to make a hook out of wire in order to retrieve food.
Although this is fascinating, not much more has been known about it. The problem is that it's very difficult to study crows in the wild and captivity induces different behaviour.
Now a team from Oxford University has found a solution. Special miniature "crowcams" have been built that incorporate mobile phone technology. These were attached to the tail feathers of 18 New Caledonian crows which were released back into the wild.
The results show that the crows' tool usage is even more sophisticated than previously thought. They use a wider range of tools in a wider range of situations than previously observed. Since the crow's brain is small this is probably a very specialised skill rather than a general problem-solving ability.
The Oxford University team believe that the new technique could be useful in other wild bird studies. Which is great for science, however I fear that the TV schedules will soon be full of the avian equivalent of Big Brother: "It's day five in the trees and two of the robins have been getting very friendly, however the sparrowhawk has been evicted for eating one of the other contestants".
Labels: science and technology
How Many Planets?
Friday, August 25, 2006
Last week the International Astronomical Union (IAU) decided to strip little Pluto of its status as a planet. There will now only be eight "official" planets orbiting our sun. Pluto will be classed as one of a number of "dwarf planets". Textbooks will have to be rewritten and much fiction will become flawed.
The decision - which I personally oppose - has caused much outcry including claims that the crucial vote was "hijacked". Others have described the decision as "embarrassing" and "sloppy science".
If this decision stands then the solar system will have eight planets plus "dwarf planets" Pluto, Ceres and 2003 UB13. The number of dwarf planets is expected to rise as more small bodies are discovered.
Technorati tags:
Pluto astronomy
Labels: science and technology
Chocolate Can Help You Think Better
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Finally! The news chocoholics everywhere have been waiting for - scientific evidence that eating chocolate can make you think better.
Dr. Bryan Raudenbush of Wheeling Jesuit University led the study, entitled "Effects Of Chocolate Consumption On Enhancing Cognitive Performance". The study looked at the effect of eating chocolate on cognitive performance, mood and task workload.
Volunteers were tested for the the effect of different types of chocolate. After a 15 minute digestion period, both milk and dark chocolate improved impulse control and reaction time. Milk chocolate also improved verbal and visual memory.
Which leaves one important question: how to I get to be a volunteer in the next experiment?!?
Labels: science and technology
Mathematicians Propose "Cloaking Device"
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
The starship cloaking device is a common feature of science fiction - usually with little or no suggestion as to how it might work. Now two mathematicians have come up with a theory.
Nicolae Nicorovici and Graeme Milton have published (Proceedings of the Royal Society A) a paper titled On the cloaking effects associated with anomalous localized resonance. This describes how proximity to a superlens could appear to make objects vanish. According to the abstract:
"Regions of anomalous localized resonance, such as occurring near superlenses, are shown to lead to cloaking effects. This occurs when the resonant field generated by a polarizable line or point dipole acts back on the polarizable line or point dipole and effectively cancels the field acting on it from outside sources."
At the moment it's only a mathematical theory. And it only works for particles the size of a speck of dust - however in the future it might provide the basis for practical cloaking technology.
Technorati tags: strange weird
Labels: science and technology
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