I have decidedly mixed feelings about this. Like any tool, it could be either good or evil depending on who wields it, but the amount of power it provides greatly amplifies both possible outcomes — and in another five or ten years, it will probably be available to anyone who’s willing to spend the money. [...]
Archive of posts filed under the Robotics and/or Computing Hardware category.
Linux compiles and massive IOWait delays
As mentioned previously, I use a 13″ mid-2009 MacBook Pro as my development machine, with virtual Linux and Windows machines running under Parallels. All was mostly well, except that I’m doing a lot more compiling in the last few months than I had been previously, and the IOWait problem on the Linux VM — always [...]
“US killer spy drone controls switch to Linux”
So you’ve got an unmanned flying drone with deadly weapons, controlled by ground stations that could be hundreds or thousands of miles away. Of course you run it with the most popular and least secure operating system on the planet! I mean, what could possibly go wrong? I’ve said it before, in all-caps and bold [...]
“H&M Under Fire for Using Fake, Computer-Generated Models”
That’s not data models, it’s women who model clothing. There was a near-future SF novel I read many years ago (I don’t recall which one) that posited that actors would be replaced almost entirely by computer-generated models. We’re already seeing the precursors of it — all the Pixar releases, for instance. And characters in games [...]
“Technology confuse lizard! Lizard no like!”
I can’t figure out whether this is EPIC LIZARD-BRAIN FAIL or simply hilarious. Maybe I’ll settle for both. I especially find it amusing when, between rounds, the lizard looks up at the guy behind the camera, as if he really wants to convey his disgust at the proceedings. Here is a short clip of a [...]
“New Apple ad says Siri-reliant Santa is a slob”
The ad is funny enough on its own, but this take on it had me laughing aloud.
“US spy drone hijacked with GPS spoof hack, report says”
Ever since I heard the report about the captured US spy-drone earlier this week, I wondered how it could possibly have happened. Well, my curiosity was satisfied today: it was reputedly caught by sending it false GPS signals — a vulnerability that military officials have apparently been aware of since at least 2003, and one [...]
“Robo-bear helps snorers snooze more smoothly”
My stepfather has sleep apnea. He’s a really top-notch guy who will put up with a lot, but somehow I doubt he’d take kindly to having a robo-bear tickling his face at night.
“Brainscan breakthrough: Working robot limbs come closer”
This sort of thing will be useful for lots of peaceful purposes too. True telepresence, for instance, a la Surrogates. Fire and rescue workers equipped with something like this will be able to save others without having to risk their own lives. Astronauts could remain safely in orbiting ships, sending down only robotic suits, possibly [...]
“New plan: Send humans into space, keep the robots on Earth”
It sounds like a good idea to me.