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A pair of musicians uses Quindar tones to create a musical tribute to … – PRI

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

You may not know what a Quindar tone is, but you have definitely heard one.

Quindar tones are the beeps heard in the background of famous space communications, like Neil Armstrongs the Eagle has landed message to Mission Control when the lunar module first reached the moon.

The tones, named after the company that made the equipment, were generated by ground control to turn on and off the radio transmitters used to talk to astronauts. Recently two musicians, Mikael Jorgensen and James Merle Thomas, have taken inspiration from these tones and other sounds from NASAs audio archives to create a new musical album, called Hip Mobility.

Jorgensen, when hes not exploring the bleeps and pings of NASA, is keyboardist for the band Wilco. Thomas is a musician and art historian based in Philadelphia.

Thomas describes the genesis of their projectthis way: [W]hen I was finishing my doctorate [in 2011, 2012], I was working as a fellow at the National Air and Space Museum, and I was looking at how artists and architects were collaborating with engineers at NASA to design for space. In other words, what it meant to build something like the interior of Skylab, as a kind of house that would be different from a regular spacecraft.

When I was researching that material, he continues, I started encountering a lot of archival stuff old industrial films, archival audio. Its not the stuff of the heroic missions that we always think of. It wasnt the countdowns. It wasnt the triumphant sound clips. It was really the mundane stuff of every day. It was tape hiss. It was microphones that were left on. It was people talking about what it felt like to live in space for a long time. It felt almost like a deep portrait of what it meant to live at that given moment in a very unique place. I thought that would make an excellent starting point for telling a story or making some compositions using those sounds.

Jorgensen says that when he and Thomas began to collaborate, they would text each other in-between writing sessions. He recalls asking Thomas, What are those sounds? What are those beeps called? When Thomas told them they were called Quindar tones, Jorgensen knew immediately that would be the name of the project.

Then we further discovered what a Quindar tone was, Jorgensen says. It is a handshake between telemetry systems that keep Mission Control and spacecraft communications open. Its sort of like, Are you there? And then the spacecraft answers, Yeah, Im here. Are you still there? And back and forth.

He says it reminded him of how he and Thomas communicated musically.

Thomas says that the first part of making the Quindar record was sitting around listening to hours and hours of archival audio. But one the things he noticed right away was a small difference between the two Quindar tones. They sound at two different frequencies. Theyre not a musical interval apart, Jorgensen explains, but they are something like 100 Hertz different from each other.

We were struck by the fact that this is basically a synthesizer that NASA is playing, Thomas says. It is a kind of a complex note structure thats being beamed out into the ether. So, we immediately started thinking, What if we push and pull with this fixed industrial standard and think about it less like a precise measure of communication and think about it more like an expressive instrument?

It was a really short path from that way of thinking to thinking about what was happening with synthesizers at this same moment, he continues. What were composers like Stockhausen or John Cage doing when they were using similar devices to create sounds?

The advances that were made due to space agency funding directly inspired and made technologies available for commercial synthesizer apparatus, the Quindar module being a prime example, Jorgensen adds. So, for him, as a lifelong space lover and the son of a recording engineer, the intersection of NASA and electronic music was a logical extension of all of those interests.

Another good parallel to their work would be an artist like Robert Rauschenberg, Thomas says. Rauschenberg was invited by NASA in July of 1969 to travel to Cape Kennedy and witness the launch of Apollo 11.

Rauschenberg was an official guest of the agency and, along with a number of other artists, he was asked to provide some kind of interpretation of the experience.

Rauschenberg didnt set up an easel and paint like everyone else, Thomas says. He immediately started rooting around in the engineers trash cans and found schematics and blueprints and tourist maps from Cocoa Beach. He really upended the narrative that NASA was trying to create, and made a wild, kaleidoscopic set of collages, called Stoned Moon.

I think theres something in the spirit of rewriting a narrative, of maybe thinking differently about the way a countdown works, or the way that were told a story, and to reshuffle the order in which its told, Thomas says. I think theres something in that way of thinking that really informed the way that we were thinking about composition on this album.

This article is based on an interview that aired on PRIs Science Friday with Ira Flatow.

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A pair of musicians uses Quindar tones to create a musical tribute to ... - PRI

Posthuman age – DAWN.com

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

The writer is a journalist.

WHAT if you could edit your genetic code as easily as you can edit a sentence you write on Microsoft Word would you do it? And if so, how far would you go? In the near future, that will not be a hypothetical question as the first major step towards successful gene editing has already taken place.

Scientists in the US have now revealed that they have for the first time edited out a dangerous genetic mutation that causes heart disease from a human embryo using a revolutionary gene-editing technique called CRISPR. Last year, China became the first country to use this technique to attempt to cure lung cancer in a human; previously CRISPR has been used to develop TB-resistant cows.

Due to US regulations, which strictly bar allowing edited embryos to develop into babies, none of the embryos were allowed to develop for more than a few days. However, the test has paved the way for a future in which we may not only see genetic disease eliminated, but also the ethically questionable creation of designer babies and, eventually, superhumans.

Wonders and terrors are promised in equal measure.

Welcome to the posthuman age that promises wonders and terrors in equal measure. Take cyborgs. It now seems inevitable that some kind of integration of man and machine will increasingly be the norm; in many ways its already happening. Pacemakers have been used for decades, as have cochlear implants.

Britains National Health Service has also okayed the implantations of the Argus II bionic eye which can restore sight in some cases of blindness, and more recently people with severe spinal injuries resulting in paralysis have been able to regain the partial use of their limbs thanks to computer chips implanted in their brains.

In another experiment, a man paralysed from the waist down was able to control a robotic arm thanks to electrodes implanted in the brain, and actually feel what the robotic arms was grasping. Taken further, brain implants aimed at repairing or enhancing memory can also help patients suffering from Alzheimers and work in this field is advancing at a rapid clip.

There are more mundane applications as well, of course, and identification chips are already in use: Verichip is one example, and is being implanted into Alzheimers patients and contains information about their identity and medical condition, meant to be accessed by doctors or in case the patient gets lost.

Naturally, corporations are getting into the game as well, and one company in Wisconsin has implanted rice-sized microchips in its employees hands which perform the functions of office entry cards and computer logins. Employees can also receive payments via the chip. While this would certainly ease many routine office activities, the question does arise as to how much data the company may potentially be able to extract and how secure those chips would be to outside interference.

However, once Elon Musks Neuralink project is complete, such chips will seem mundane: Musk intends to inject a mesh into our brains allowing humans to directly interact with, and even control, machines and eventually even communicate mind to mind. If thats not enough, note that steps are also being taken to create a human hive mind by linking the brains of individuals to create a superbrain with enhanced cognitive abilities.

Scientists have already successfully linked the brains of three monkeys, and in a separate experiment, joined the brains of four rats, allowing them to solve a problem that individual rats struggled to complete. Human trials are only then a matter of time, and will eventually define the meaning of brain trust.

Meanwhile, one field worth keeping a close eye on is nanotechnology the engineering of materials and devices on a molecular scale. Technologists anticipate a future in which swarms of tiny robots will be injected into human beings, working to fight diseases like cancer, actively repairing cells and clearing clogged arteries and even enhancing human abilities by providing us with enhanced lifespans, vision and strength, even allowing us to survive in otherwise inhospitable environments.

Just last month, another major threshold was crossed as scientists came a step closer to being able to grow replacement organs for humans by using stem cells implanted in host animals, and now there is research being conducted on enabling humans to re-grow limbs and organs in the way that some reptiles are capable of doing.

Ultimately, how much of this research makes it to the public at large depends less on scientific advancement as it does on ethically driven regulations and laws, which will likely fall by the wayside as nations race to achieve leadership in the biomedical field. What is certain now is that we are entering an era where we will be able to, at least partially, dictate the course of our own evolution.

The writer is a journalist.

Twitter: @zarrarkhuhro

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2017

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Posthuman age - DAWN.com

Hundreds turn out in Ascension Parish to support 3-year-old with rare disorder – WBRZ

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

PRAIRIEVILLE- Hundreds of drivers turned out in Ascension ParishSunday to show support for a 3-year-old boy suffering from a rare disorder.

Jack Loebersuffersfrom Pacsone, a genetic disorder which causes him to have suddentantrums. But Jack's parents say watching cars drive by is one of the most effective ways to calm him down.

"You know I come home from work and after about ten minutes of me being home he's coming to me and, in his own special way, telling me it's time dad lets go for our walk," said Jason Loeber, jack's father.

But Sunday was much more than just a normal walk for the family.

A few weeks ago, Jack's mom posted a picture of what she and her son do almost every single day. On Sunday, hundreds of people from all across the community participated in "Honk for Jack".

"I'm shocked. I'm overwhelmed," said Hillary Loeber, Jack's Mother.

Hundreds of vehicles of all shapes and sizes drove by as Jack watched in awe from his parents call their "happy spot". They said the turnout was better than anything they could have hoped for.

"People that go out of their way to take care of their own... You know, all these people coming out just to put a smile on a little boys face that they don't even know," Hillary said.

Organizers said about 500 cars participated in the event, all to put a smile on a child's face.

Prairieville Fire Department opens newest fire station, answering need for the booming Ascension Parish community – The Advocate

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

PRAIRIEVILLE With a booming population, Fire Protection District 3 better known as the Prairieville Fire Department opened its fifth fire station this summer to meet the demands of the fastest growing area of Ascension Parish.

But the area may need another five stations to meet the demand.

The $1.4 million station on the corner of Bluff Road and Alligator Bayou Road is the second of two stations built in the area in the last three years, as new business and residential developments seem to break ground weekly in the unincorporated community of Prairieville, in the northern reaches of the parish.

"We're no longer country. We're really city now, in the Prairieville area," said Walter Leftwich, chairman of the fire district's board of commissioners.

And no slowdown in growth is anticipated.

Already home to several Ascension Parish public schools, Prairieville is where three new elementary schools and a new middle school will be built in the next several years, and where the School Board will be doing site planning for a new high school it hopes to build one day.

Last week, Baton Rouge General Medical Center announced it will be opening what it calls a neighborhood hospital at La. 73 and Interstate 10 in Prairieville.

"We're growing every day," said District 3 Fire Chief Mark Stewart.

The new fire station on Bluff Road will "get us closer to the people needing us" in that area, he said.

And, Stewart said, the additional station helps firefighters get to medical and fire calls quickly in a parish where traffic hold-ups are increasingly a part of daily life.

Ten years ago, when District 3 was at three fire stations, Property Insurance Association of Louisiana, which evaluates and rates fire departments ratings that affect property owners' fire insurance costs said the district needed five more stations.

"We've completed two of them," Stewart said.

The district's fourth station was opened on Duplessis Road in 2014. The other fire stations include the main one on La. 73 and two others, on La. 929 and Old Jefferson Highway.

Fire districts are rated on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the highest ranking. Fire Protection District 3 has a rating of 4, an improvement over the rating of 5 it had when it was established in 2003, Stewart said.

The fire district's operations are funded by two 10-mill property taxes and a portion of one-third of a half-cent sales tax. The proceeds of that one-third portion is split among the three fire districts in Ascension, Stewart said.

Covering about 35 square miles and serving 40,000 residents, Prairieville's fire department answered close to 2,000 fire and medical calls last year, he said.

With the calls up at this point this year, compared to the same time last year, the district expects to answer 2,200 calls in 2017, the fire chief said.

The fire station on Bluff and Alligator Bayou roads is "important for the fire district, but most importantly for residents in that area, not only for fire protection services, but for EMS services," said Teri Casso, parish councilwoman for the Prairieville area and former board member for Fire District 3.

The new 6,000-square-foot station that opened in June was designed by Domain Design Architecture of Baton Rouge. The firm of ANR Construction, also of Baton Rouge, was the contractor.

Follow Ellyn Couvillion on Twitter, @EllynCouvillion.

Smart drugs in financial services: A growing trend? – Professional Planner

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

Anecdotal evidence suggests more people working in financial services are using smart drugs with the aim of boosting their professional performance. Real data is needed to understand this trend.

To that end, the Brain, Mind and Markets Laboratory at the University of Melbourne is conducting the first-ever survey of the use of smart drugs in the Australian financial services industry. The confidential and anonymous survey takes between 5 to 10 minutes to complete online.

This research is being jointly led by myself, Dr Carsten Murawski and Professor Peter Bossaerts, the two of whom established the Brain, Mind and Markets Laboratory in 2016 to bring together a multidisciplinary team to study financial decision-making and market behaviour.

Unique in the world, the lab brings together research in finance and economics, neuroscience, and computer science to better understand not just what influences individuals to make decisions, but also how markets process information and how humans and computer algorithms influence each other in decision-making environments.

Smart drugs or nootropics refer to medications or substances used to try to improve cognitive functions. The aim of people taking them might be to increase mental alertness and concentration, fight fatigue, focus attention, reduce anxiety and stress, or generally boost energy levels and wakefulness. The drugs the lab is interested in might be prescription-only medications such as Ritalin or Provigil, over-the-counter substances such as caffeine or nicotine, or illicit drugs such as cocaine or amphetamines.

While there has been some scientific research performed in controlled conditions on how these substances influence basic cognitive tasks, these studies often show quite mixed results in terms of effects on cognition. Of further concern is that many professional industries (such as medicine and finance) require far more creative and multidimensional approaches to what are often computationally complex and intractable problems. It is still unknown if these drugs can help or hinder this kind of problem-solving.

There have been studies, both in Australia and internationally, that have surveyed use of these drugs in populations such as university students, medical students and surgeons. However there has not yet been an investigation of the use of these medications in the highly competitive and diverse world of finance.

Our survey aims to develop a picture of how these kinds of drugs are used in different sectors of the financial industry, and perceptions of their positive and negative effects. We ask what people might know about the use of smart drugs in their working environment, and what kinds of effects they are thought to have. Different sectors of the financial industry require very different skill sets and approaches to problem solving, so interesting to see if different drugs are more or less frequently seen in these different sectors.

As modern professional workplaces strive to increase their intensity and productivity, and the popular profile of these drugs as treatments for conditions like ADHD increases, its not surprising that there is more interest in the use of these drugs by healthy people. And of course, their use raises many ethical questions around issues like competition, perceptions of fairness, and of personal choice. However, these issues cannot begin to be addressed without scientific evidence of their use and effects in the workplace. This survey is one of the first steps in acquiring this evidence.

We would like to invite Professional Planner readers to take part in this research by completing the confidential online survey. The survey has been approved by the University of Melbourne Human Research Ethics Committee, takes only 5 to 10 minutes to complete, and all responses are completely anonymous.

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Smart drugs in financial services: A growing trend? - Professional Planner

Enchanted Valley Carnival Announces Electronic Family Stage! – Trance Hub (satire) (press release) (blog)

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

Come #LiveTheTribe as EVC 2017 brings to India for the very first time the Netherlands based Trance Community, Electronic Family!

The 5th edition of the highly anticipated multi genre music festival, Enchanted Valley Carnival this year announces a trance based- Electronic Family Stage to be a part of the unique festival. Held at the awe-inspiring Aamby Valley City in Lonavala on 16th and 17th December, EVC 2017 has introduced the leading trance giant that is one of the biggest trance genre communities in the world.

The Netherlands based community- Electronic Family created by likeminded individuals share a passion for trance music and curate global events. From its launch in 2011, the Family has expanded exponentially across countries bringing together true fans of Trance. World renowned artists like Andrew Rayel, Aly & Fila, Cosmic Gate, Gareth Emery have performed at Electronic Festival in the past. With the first ever Electronic Family stage at EVC 2017, the picturesque Airstrip shall transform into a larger than ever visual display with the biggest international and national artists packed in the two-day weekend!

Sharing about The Electronic Family stage at EVC, ALDA Events commented, ALDA Events is proud to bring Electronic Family to India. Together with EVC, were looking forward to a long-term partnership to highlight trance music in India.

Commenting on the addition to EVC 2017, Devraj Sanyal, MD & CEO, Universal Music Group India and South Asia said, Im proud to announce the Electronic Family stage at EVC 2017. EVC is the largest multi genre festival in the region and with the addition of such a massive global trance stage, were taking the programming to the next level in our 5th edition. Were super stoked to be working with one of the finest brands in the trance music space.

Shoven Shah, Founder, EVC & Director Twisted Entertainment said, Ever since the inception of EVC, Trance music has always been an integral part of the festival. Im ecstatic that Electronic Family is making their debut in India with EVC & we cant wait to reveal the lineup!

Well, we are super excited for this one! We finally see a massive trance festival stage heading down to India! To all the trance fans out there, make your plans, pack your bags and be prepared to#LiveTheTribe

You can check out their website here:http://www.evc.co.in/

Trance enthusiast. Armada Ambassador. Content writer. Im not afraid of 138! Making people give Trance a chance.

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Enchanted Valley Carnival Announces Electronic Family Stage! - Trance Hub (satire) (press release) (blog)

Is EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP) The Right Stock For Heady … – FLBC News

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP) moved0.34% from the recent close and currently pricing at$2.95. There has been some talk amongst investors regarding this name and is on many cheap stock watchlists. Cheap that is in terms of price, but what about value?

Equity marketscan move in an instant, requiring investors to always stay on their toes. Most sudden stock spikes or dropsrequire the attention of anyone who is keeping a keen eye on the shares. What may go somewhatundetected is the slow and steady rise or fall of a particular stock. Sometimes it can be difficultto decipher fact from fiction in the markets. Why is a company that consistently produces strong returnsgoing down? Why are the underperforming company shares movinghigher? While there may be no clear cut answers to the questions, professional investors workendlesslyto make sense ofequity market nuances.

Based onrecent analysis, EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP) shares have been seen trading -23.38% off of the 50-day peakand 13.46% away from the 50-daybottom. In terms of the stock price in relation to its moving averages, company shares are -7.43% away from the 20-day moving average and -7.55% off of the 50-day average. If we take alongerapproach, shares have been trading -1.01% away from the 200-day moving average.

Occasionally investors may be looking to shift their stockstrategy. Maybe one plan worked for a period of time, but now economic conditions have shifted and a change is required. Whatever the case, the primary goalis typically to maximize profits. Finding a winning investing strategy may not happen immediately. Navigating the sometimes murky economic waters can be a struggle. Staying afloat may depend on many factors, but doing homework and studying all the available information is essential.

Over the last year, EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP)s stock has performed -3.91%. For the last six months, the stock has performed -8.67%. From the start of the calendar year, shares have been -10.06%. Zooming in closer, company stock has been 18.47% for the quarter, -7.81% over the past month, and -11.41% over the past week.

Interested parties will be eagerly watching how the markets behave the rest of the year. Savvy investors typically try to spot opportunities around every corner. With the uncertainty of the global economic climate, individuals with a stake in the game will need to buckle down and be ready for multiple scenarios. Throw in the rate hike debate, and it makes for a very interesting next couple of months. We are currently keeping a close eye on stocks that are trading under the $5 price level.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and information expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company stakeholders, financial professionals, or analysts. Examples of analysis performed within this article are only examples. They should not be utilized to make stock portfolio or financial decisions as they are based only on limited and open source information. Assumptions made within the analysis are not reflective of the position of any analysts or financial professionals.

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Is EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP) The Right Stock For Heady ... - FLBC News

Is It Time to Embrace Political Correctness? Kelly Carlin, Kliph Nesteroff and Stephen J. Morrison Take on the PC Debate – The Interrobang

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival continued this week in Jamestown, NY, with outstanding stand-up comedy interspersed with great conversation and debate at the nearby Chautauqua Institution a summer community devoted to immersion in art, culture, creativity, and philosophy. On Friday at the Chautauqua Pavilion, Kelly Carlin continued an In Conversation series- this time sitting down with comedy historian Kliph Nesteroff and Stephen J. Morrison, Executive Producer of CNNs acclaimed History of Comedy series.

The conversation touched on a number of important subjects, including some incredible insight from Kelly about what it was like to grow up in the shadow of George Carlin which led to one of the most interesting conversations of the entire week a debate about the merits of political correctness. The conversation left people talking all day following the panel discussion- as they left the theater, over lunch and into the night.

The ability to speak freely is a precious and sacred principle to everyone who performs comedy. Any threat to that right has historically resulted in strong backlash from comedians. But in the past two years, the debate has changed a bit. In 2015, Jerry Seinfeld complained about college campuses being too-PC, but since there has been a growing minority speaking out in favor of political correctness, even in comedy.

Historian Kliph Nesteroff quickly got down to the heart of why the PC debate is changing. The phrase political correctness, he said, is being used too often, by too many people, and they dont use the phrase in the same way. Nesteroff said recent use of that phrase to justify hate has changed his opinion. The phrase politically correct has been co-opted, he explained, and colored by the fascist movement, who he argued is using the phrase to excuse bigotry. I dont want to complain about the same thing a racist group is complaining about, he said. Kliph argued that its time to stop defending the right to be politically incorrect, and suggested that perhaps the comedians who are complaining, are being too sensitive. Yes we want to preserve [free speech], but do we have a persecution complex? he asked. Comedians now are so defensive they will respond as if they are under attack. Maybe the problem is the comedians ego.

Morrison agreed that the PC debate is changing and witnessed this first hand when conducting interviews for CNNs History of Comedy. He said his opinion started to change after hearing comedians talk about their realizations about their own racially charged humor or gender slamming jokes. He gave the example of Sarah Silverman who argued that you have to listen to people on college campuses, who are often on the right side of history.

Kelly Carlin had a different take- noting that limiting speech has never been a good strategy to change behavior. She referred back to her fathers thoughts on the subject, arguing that his sentiments are still relevant today. One of the reasons he didnt like political correctness on campuses, she said, is because its a pernicious form of intolerance because it is disguised as tolerance. George Carlins full quote that Kelly referenced was this: political correctness is Americas newest form of intolerance, and it is especially pernicious because it comes disguised as tolerance. It presents itself as fairness, yet attempts to restrict and control peoples language with strict codes and rigid rules. Im not sure thats the way to fight discrimination. Im not sure silencing people or forcing them to alter their speech is the best method for solving problems that go much deeper than speech.

Carlin also quoted her fathers material on the softening of language how the term shell shock, changed to battle fatigue which gave way to post traumatic stress disorder. Carlin said that soft language takes the life out of life.Language should be honest, she said, and real. And not hiding behind something.

The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival takes place every year in Jamestown NY, with satellite programming at the Chautauqua Institute. For more information, visitlucycomedyfest.com.

Is It Time to Embrace Political Correctness? Kelly Carlin, Kliph Nesteroff and Stephen J. Morrison Take on the PC Debate - The Interrobang

The real problem with that Google employee’s viral anti-diversity memo is bigger than Silicon Valley – Quartz

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

A Google employee created an uproar this weekend when his manifesto about criticizing the companys diversity initiatives went viral among employees. The senior software engineer claimed the diversity programs discriminated against employees like himself by creating an ideological echo chamber where some ideas are too sacred to be discussed honestly.

Google staffand lots of other peopleare peeved, and its not hard to see why. The author of the document (a full version of which was posted by Gizmodo) argued that the gender gap in software engineering in part boiled down to biological differences between men and women. The ideas arent particularly well-reasoned. For instance, he wrote, Discriminating just to increase the representation of women in tech is as misguided and biased as mandating increases for womens representation in the homeless, work-related and violent deaths, prisons, and school dropouts. Ultimately, he contends that efforts to boost racial and gender diversity were unfair, divisive, and bad for business.

While his comments were apparently roundly rejected by most employees and Googles own diversity officer, some employees reportedly came to his defense. Vices Motherboard reported that Google employees anonymously praised the employees views on an app called Blind, where tech employees can discuss workplace problems.This is actually terrifying: if someone is not ideologically aligned with the majority then hes labeled as a poor cultural fit and would not be hired/promoted, wrote one commenter. Another said: The fella who posted that is extremely brave. We need more people standing up against the insanity. Otherwise Diversity and Inclusion which is essentially a pipeline from Womens and African Studies into Google, will ruin the company.

The internal culture clash is troubling for a company that is under investigation by the US government is for underpaying women employees, and for Silicon Valleys reputation in the wake of its sexual harassment troubles.

But it also reflects a disquieting trend across the country: Discussion about diversity and free speech is increasingly defined by people on the ideological extremes. On one side, we have the militantly politically correct leftfor instance, the students who shut down Charles Murrays speech at Middlebury College.

The liberal ideal sees free speech as a positive-sum good, enabling an open marketplace of ideas where, in the long run, reason can prevail, as Jonathan Chait recently put it, but left-wing critics of liberalism instead see the free-speech rights of the oppressed and the oppressors set in zero-sum conflict, so that the expansion of one inevitably comes at the cost of the other.

And on the other is the anti-PC backlash liberals have provoked, of which the rambling, confused tirade of the Google employee is the latest example. And hes not alone. As the election of Donald Trump has made clear, many Americans feel enslaved by political correctness. The extreme left has claimed a moral monopoly and attempted to shame dissenting views out of existence.

Dissenters are unlikely to consider the value of diversity and opportunity if they dont feel psychologically safe, as the Google author says repeatedly, in mainstream conversations. Shaming forces these perspectives onto sub-channels of the Blind app and websites like Breitbart, where these ideas tend to go unchallenged.

Neutralizing this dangerous ideological split is all the more urgent given the fact that Trump seems as enthusiastic about capitalizing on identity politics as the extreme-left zealots he rails against.

The presidents populismwhich during the campaign seemed centered on economic injusticeis proving to be far more focused on fomenting cultural clashes. Recent developments bear this out: his assimilation-driven immigration initiatives, the bizarre trans military ban, and talk of a government investigation into Harvard Universitys discrimination against Asian-American applicants. Silicon Valley wont solve its diversity problems until it both acknowledges its failures and engages in a broader dialogue about why those failures matter. Similarly, the US will only create opportunity in the face of difference when its public stops letting ideologues on both sides dominate the conversation.

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The real problem with that Google employee's viral anti-diversity memo is bigger than Silicon Valley - Quartz

The Evolution of Safety Services in SEK – KOAM-TV

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

Some fascinating four-state history,came out of the shadows in Franklin, Kansas. It's all part of the Miners Hall Museum'spresentation,"The Evolution of Emergency Services".

Lomshek: "With the mines it was mostly young people and with that you get a little more criminal activity than with older people." That's Jerry Lomshek, he's a part of the Miners Hall Museum. He says the criminal aspect is the darker part of the coal mining history. Take this statistic for instance... Lomshek: "It's always been, verbal history anyway, that there's been 52 unsolved murders in the history of Chicopee." Lomshek is a local historian for the town of Chicopee, and has done some checking... Lomshek: "Although I've researched a number of those, Idon't know that there's exactly 52, but i can tell you there was many unsolved murders there, and that's in addition to the solved murders." The Chicopee murders are just a part of that. Lomshek: "There was some really violent crimes that occurred here in those past days, some of it may have been vendettas between different groups here." Those different 'groups' he's referring too, are the vast number of immigrants that came to America and to the four-states in search of a better life, a richer life. And even though they may have fought among themselves... Lomshek: "There was not animosity between the different ethnic groups, it was usually within the ethnic group, not between ethnic groups, which is kinda unusual, you wouldn't expect that." But, there were dangers beyond the criminal activity. Lomshek: "Along with that, the fire safety is a little more intimately connected with coal mining because of the dangers in the mines, there was explosions and fires and those kinds of things." Those dangers resulted in the development of mine safety laws, as well as a unique need in the area. Lomshek: "There was rescue, mine rescue squads that were developed to help in the mines in case of a disaster and that type of thing." One last thing Lomshek says was a big operation in southeast Kansas...bootlegging... Lomshek: "There was always liquor here in southeast Kansas, and it was kinda ignored that that was going on, and fostered almost, and that went through the whole history of prohibition in this area and our bootleg whiskey became well known in other places because of that."

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The Evolution of Safety Services in SEK - KOAM-TV

SCCTC opens robotics prog to public – Portsmouth Daily Times

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

Scioto County Career and Technical Center will be holding an open house at 11 a.m. Tuesday to show of the growing robotics program that is gearing up to welcome are children for the upcoming robotics camp.

Theres a new opportunity for students interested in building their own robots and even competing in robotics competitions. SCCTC is offering an first-year VEX robotics camp that is designed to help students prepare to compete in a robotics competition.

The camp will be August 9, 10 and and 11 and will teach area students how to build and program their own robots.

SCCTC Central Office Administrator Josh Shoemaker explained that in addition to working with instructors, students will have the opportunity to learn from VEX professionals from across the state.

Such camps are typically $800; however, this year, the local camp will be free of charge in hopes of growing the field of robotics and engineering in southern Ohio.

Students participating in the camp will be encouraged to further expand their knowledge by taking engineering classes at their local schools. Shoemaker explained that SCCTC has eight engineering programs in local school districts. The camp will also prepare students to take part in VEX robotics teams that will compete at the county and state level throughout the school year.

Last year, SCCTC hosted one state robotics competition bringing in 100 students from approximately 20 schools.

It was very successful, which is why we will be expanding from one competition to three next school year, Shoemaker stated.

The county competition is planned for fall with state competitions to follow in the winter.

The summer robotics camp will be held at SCCTC and will begin each day at 9 a.m. For more information, contact Josh Shoemaker at 740-259-5522.

Reach Nikki Blankenship at 740-353-3101 ext. 1931.

I, robot: Say hello to Pepper as Brisbane hosts largest robotics festival – Brisbane Times

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

The world's first "social"robot will be joking, dancing and chatting with attendees to Australia's largest robotics festival in Brisbane this August.

Pepper the robot will be at the Robotronica festival, opening on August 20 at QUT's Gardens Point campus.

Pepper's interactive show will show off its socials skills, with a few audience members to be invited to speak with it after an onstage demonstration.

The festival will also have robot battles, a glimpse into the hospitals of the future and a series of presentations and discussions.

Australian Centre for Robotic Vision project manager Belinda Ward has been part of the QUT team working on Pepper.

"Pepper is really designed to be a companion robot, not really designed to do physical tasks as much as to be there to have a conversation with, to provide information, to get people interacting," Ms Ward said.

The Australian Centre for Robotic Vision helped apply new technology to Pepper's camera-based vision, meaning it can better identify things and navigate its surroundings.

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Researchers at Softbank Robotics, the company that developed Pepper, hopes social robots will soon be a common sight in households.

Ms Ward said she could definitely see the robotsplaying a role in the future.

"I'm not sure if I'm going to have a robot at home with me, but I think in more public environments it may well happen," Ms Ward said.

"When you go into hospital or a healthcare facility it might be totally reasonable to be met by a robot like Pepper, who might help you or show you around," she said.

Pepper has the ability to speak 19 languages and has been hired by businesses around the world to work as a receptionist.

Alongside Pepper will be a range of displays and activities that will showcase the latest robotic applications in healthcare and education.

The Hospital of the Future showcase will feature new technologythat will be important to the future of healthcare.

QUT Professor Mia Woodruff has been involved with the showcase and said there would be educational and interactive elements.

"People will be able to have their faces scanned ... in a non-invasive and quick way and then see how we create a 3D image out of that," Professor Woodruff said.

Much of the technology in the exhibit will be an insight into the work of the soon-to-be-launched Herston Biofabrication Institute, which will attempt to improve healthcare by advancing 3D scanning, modelling and printing technology.

The festival will also delve into what effect robots would have on the future of certain industries.

This will include panel talks on what robots would mean for education, law enforcement and intimacy.

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I, robot: Say hello to Pepper as Brisbane hosts largest robotics festival - Brisbane Times

UK publishes Laws of Robotics for self-driving cars – The Register

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

The United Kingdom has published a set of Key principles of vehicle cyber security for connected and automated vehicles outlining how auto-makers need to behave if they want computerised cars to hit Blighty's byways and highways.

Penned by the UK's Department for Transport, with help from the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure, and launched by transport minister Lord Callanan, the principles suggest all participants in the auto industry's long supply chains must work together on security both in the design process and for years after vehicles hit the roads.

The eight principles follow:

Each principle has sub-principles and that's where the detail gets interesting. Principle 1.2, for example, suggests Personal accountability is held at the board level for product and system security (physical, personnel and cyber) and delegated appropriately and clearly throughout the organisation.

Principle 2.4 expects Security risks specific to, and/or encompassing, supply chains, sub-contractors and service providers are identified and managed through design, specification and procurement practices.

Principle 3.4 may raise eyebrows as it suggests Organisations ensure their systems are able to support data forensics and the recovery of forensically robust, uniquely identifiable data. This may be used to identify the cause of any cyber, or other, incident. The combination of uniquely identifiable and other incident isn't spelled out, but suggests all manner of avenues to investigate driver behaviour, although those efforts could founder on Principle 7.3's insistence that Users are able to delete sensitive data held on systems and connected systems.

There's some sound OpSec suggestions under Principle 5, with 5.3 calling for Design controls to mediate transactions across trust boundaries, must be in place throughout the system. These include the least access principle, one-way data controls, full disk encryption and minimising shared data storage. Principle 5.4 suggests Remote and back-end systems, including cloud based servers, which might provide access to a system have appropriate levels of protection and monitoring in place to prevent unauthorised access.

Principle 8.1 sets out how a car should respond to malicious hacking attempts, by stating The system must be able to withstand receiving corrupt, invalid or malicious data or commands via its external and internal interfaces while remaining available for primary use. This includes sensor jamming or spoofing.

To The Register's mind, the Principles are largely sound and could handily be applied to other Internet of Things devices.

Lord Callanan's announcement suggests the Principles will be included in future legislation governing self-driving cars on British tarmac.

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UK publishes Laws of Robotics for self-driving cars - The Register

Cavalier Robotics recruiting new team members – The Charlottesville Newsplex

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- The Cavalier Robotics team is looking for new members.

They held an open house on Grounds on Sunday.

Team 619 is a high school robotics team in Central Virginia that celebrates science and technology by letting high school students get hands-on experience with robots.

There are about 20 members on the team now, and some say the hardest part is communicating as a team.

"Making sure all of the projects are done, we make the right decisions in the games so we perform the best on the field," said Micah Mutseheller, team member.

"A lot of school teams are a lot bigger than we are," said Seth Kilmer, team member. "If you have a huge team and not coordinated at all, you're not going to have a functioning robot at the end of six weeks."

The team recently won a district championship in robotics.

If you missed out on Sunday's recruitment, we have information on how you can sign up in the Related Links box.

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Cavalier Robotics recruiting new team members - The Charlottesville Newsplex

Haryana stalking case: Woman, her father take to Facebook to share experience; family of accused shames victim – Firstpost

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

After Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala's son Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish were arrested and later released on bail for allegedly stalking a daughter of a civil servant in Chandigarh, the woman and her father have taken to Facebook to express their side of the story.

Recounting the incident, which took place on the night of 4 and 5 August, the victim's father wrote on Facebook, "If we do not persist in trying to bring the guilty to justice, more and more daughters will suffer this hurt,"

The father of the victim in his Facebook post thanked the Chandigarh police for being helpful and efficient in handling the matter.

"Chandigarh police was pretty efficient and helpful. They intercepted the goons, were responsive to Varnika's distress calls, and were neutral in filing the complaint."

Representational image. Reuters

While stating how his family had gone through a "horrendous experience", he said that it will take a long time for his daughter "to go back to a normal life."

"We are thankful that she survived this ordeal. The goons had a very clear intention of abducting her, and she escaped due to her courage and presence of mind, but it was a very close call, and her trauma is unimaginable. I suppose it will take her a long time to go back to a normal life," the post read.

Giving reasons for writing the Facebook post, the father said, "Our clear intention is to bring the culprits to book."

The woman in her complaint had alleged that two youth in an SUV followed her when she was driving from the Sector 8 market in Chandigarh towards Panchkula on the intervening night of 4 and 5 August.

"There were two guys inside the SUV, and they seemed to really be enjoying harassing a lone girl in the middle of the night, judging by how often their car swerved, just enough to scare me that it might hit me," the woman wrote in her Facebook post.

"By now I was totally alert and mildly panic-y, so I decided to turn right from the St.Johns' traffic lights towards Madhya Marg(a more crowded, seemingly safer road).I tried to turn right from the lights but the SUV blocked my way, forcing me to go straight into sec-26," the woman said in her post.

Thanking the Chandigarh Police for the prompt action, she narrated how the police came to her rescue.

"I also called the cops at 100, and explain to them the situation and my exact location and where I was headed. The cop who answered my call, intuitively sensed the urgency in my voice, and promised me that help would be along very soon," the post read.

While the politician's son and his friend were incessantly bullying her, the woman wrote, she saw a PCR vehicle pull up at the lights, quite possibly to her response to her call.

"They heard me honking, and saw the SUV swerving left and right in an attempt to block me, and a couple of cops ran out towards the SUV, nabbing it just in time, because they were blocked in by traffic," she wrote on Facebook.

Concluding her post, the woman urged other women to be proactive about their safety.

"Ladies! Please be proactive about your own safety. Note the number of any vehicle that tries to harass you. Don't be afraid to call the cops, The minute it starts!" she wrote.

The woman also suggested some measures to make women feel more secure against any kind of sexual harassment.

"Call your parents, if possible, and let them know where you are and the situation you're in. Try and run away, in the safest way possible. Your life is paramount! If he walks towards you, use whatever you can as a weapon,whether it's a gun or mace or taser or a golf club or a knife, it's going to make you feel safer and more confident."

However, a member of the Barala family, Kuldeep Barala, took to Facebook to hit out at the woman. Uploading images of her drinking alcohol, Kuldeep questioned her character while discrediting the incident. Kuldeep also said that the incident was blown out of proportion by the Opposition to malign the ruling BJP government in Haryana. According to The Wire, Kuldeep later deleted the post.

The BJP state unit too is defending Barala's son. "The girl should not have gone out at 12 in the night. Why was she driving so late in the night? The atmosphere is not right. We need to take care of ourselves." the state unit told News18 on Monday. The state unit's reaction came in response to the latest development in the case, with the police claiming that the CCTV footage of the incident has gone missing.

The Opposition Congress on Sunday held protests at various places against the incident. State Congress chief Ashok Tanwar led one such protest in Faridabad.

"The arrogance of power in the BJP, the party which talks about saving and educating girl child, has reached to such a level that son of a state BJP chief dared to commit such crime," Tanwar told PTI.

Opposition party INLD and the leader of opposition Abhay Chautala demanded Barala's resignation over the issue.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi too condemned the incident, saying the state government must punish the guilty and not "collude" with culprits and the mindset they represent.

Both Vikas, who is a student of LLB, and his friend Ashish were booked under section 354 D (stalking) of IPC and 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act (driving by a drunken person or by a person under the influence of drugs), the police said.

After the woman recorded her statement before the area magistrate in Chandigarh under section 164 of the CrPC, the police added another Section 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint) in the FIR, according to officials.

With inputs from PTI

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Haryana stalking case: Woman, her father take to Facebook to share experience; family of accused shames victim - Firstpost

Creating Consciousness: Artists, AI and Playing with Fire – Crixeo (press release) (blog)

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

For centuries, artists have warned about the dangers of creating consciousness. From Greek mythology toFrankensteinto Westworld, here are some of theircautionary tales.

There was once a lonely and isolated sculptor by the name of Pygmalion. He knew no women and had no wife. His entire life had been dedicated to his art, and the only beauty he knew was what he created through stone: lifelike figures of beautiful women. One day he formed perfection: a sculpture of a female of unparalleled beauty. The artist was overwhelmed and soon fell madly in love with his creation, giving her the name Galatea. Every day and night he admired her and prayed to the goddess Aphrodite to give Galatea life so that they might be married. Hearing his desperate prayers, the goddess descended from Mount Olympus, determined to judge this great beauty herself.

Of course, when Aphrodite finally saw Galatea, she too was overcome by her beauty and perfection, and the goddess decided to grant Pygmalion his request. That day as the lonely artist returned to his workshop, a rosy color emanated from his creations face. Realizing his prayers had been answered, he clutched Galatea and held her to his chest as she transformed from cold, hard stone to soft, warm flesh. Galatea had received the spark of life, and when she saw her creator, she spoke with love and admiration for him. Pygmalion rejoiced, and soon they were married with the blessing of Aphrodite, who promised them happiness and prosperity. They went on to have two children: a son named Paphos and a daughter they called Metharme, and they all lived happily ever after.

And so the story goes.

Of course, there are two sides to every story, and perhaps the only reason Pygmalions ended in happiness is because his love gained consciousness only through the work of the gods. Sadly, the Greeks did not have a warning for us regarding artificial intelligence, and they didnt explain what would happen if mere humans chose to play with the fire of the gods (remember, Prometheus himself was a Titan). Luckily for us, since the dawn of the industrial age and the birth of machines, artists have been reminding us that the road to destruction can be paved with good intentions. Lets explore a few of these modern-day myths expressing the dangers of creating consciousness.

Frankenstein (1931) / Universal Pictures

In this famous novel, the natural world is viewed as something dark and mysterious, filled with secrets and hidden truths that only a scientist can shed light on. Light, in this sense, is seen as enlightenment and knowledge. And it is this pursuit of knowledge that so violently burns Victor Frankenstein, for he learns the lesson of fire far too late.

However, his creation learns early on that fire can illuminate the darkness but also hurt you if you touch it. Victor is blinded to this reality by his own ego, selfishness, pride and ambition. He seeks to become a god through knowledge and science, to break through the boundaries of nature and discover the secrets of life and death. Hes ruthless and barbaric, searching cemeteries for body parts, creating a grotesque monster with strange chemicals and a mysterious spark, granting consciousness to a supernatural being.

Man, how ignorant art thou in thy pride of wisdom!

However, Victors creation is not a purely evil thing. He is a learning being, born with the mind of a child, seeking love, compassion and understanding. Yet Victor lacks the moral fiber and fortitude to face the consequences of his ruthless pursuit of fame and glory. He abandons his innocent creation, leaving the creature to face a cruel and violent society alone. On the one hand, yes, Victor has achieved the impossible. In his pursuit of immortality, he has created life and cheated death. He becomes a god of sorts through science. But he also abandons his creation, a virtuous, albeit hideous, being and proves himself to be the true monster of the tale, corrupted by his thirst for knowledge, no matter the cost. As a result, all that Victor truly loves is taken from him, and he spends the rest of his life possessedby hatred for his creation, determined to destroy it.

Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be his world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow.

What you need is a gramme of soma. / Brave New World / Warner Bros.

While Dr. Frankenstein is horrified by his creation and abandons his work, the all-powerful dystopian World State described in Huxleys novel seeks to control their creation, right down to their consciousness. In this world, people are not born but hatched. Reproductive rights are strictly regulated, with two-thirds of the female population being sterilized, and the very thought of being a mother or father is either ridiculous or a symbol of great shame. Behavior of those created in this brave new world is strictly controlled from birth to death. Infants are reprogrammed to hate nature and independent thought, with their consciousness altered even in their sleep through a whispering voice describing the moral code of the World State. There is no art or science, and any understanding of stream of consciousness is eradicated. Religion and states of higher consciousness have also been replaced with pure consumerism, with Henry Ford becoming the new Lord and Savior. The goal of the World State is not to foster self-identity or individual expression but to provide social stability and economic prosperity. In other words, human consciousness and the emotions, relationships and connections that spring from it have been replaced by superficial consumerism in the name of happiness.

A really efficient totalitarian state would be one in which the all-powerful executive of political bosses and their army of managers control a population of slaves who do not have to be coerced, because they love their servitude.

To maintain this level of control and alienation of the self, the World State employs a number of strategies. Social mores have been altered so that sexuality is associated not with commitment, love or reproduction but with pure promiscuity. Technology is used to fulfill basic desires for food, clothing and products. Soma, a hallucinogen, relieves citizens of stress and from glimpses of their own reality. Negative emotions are neutralized, aging has become invisible, pain is never felt, death is not feared, and personal freedom has been forgotten entirely. Yet in their own unique ways the characters are still unsatisfied, and even when faced with the vastly different worldview provided by the savage, John, through the lens of William Shakespeare, the characters of the World State are unable to grasp reality through the cloud that is their controlled existence. In a sense, these hatchlings have not only lost their own self-consciousness, but theyve also been robbed of their humanity all in the name of comfort and stability through technology.

But I dont want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.

Ex Machina / DNA Films

Again, here we have a creator who is isolated, wildly intelligent, ambitious and driven by hubris.

Nathan: You know, I wrote down that other line you came up with. The one about how if Ive invented a machine with consciousness, Im not a man, Im a God.

Caleb: I dont think thats exactly what I

Nathan: I just thought, Fuck, man, that is so good. When we get to tell the story, you know? I turned to Caleb and he looked up at me and he said, Youre not a man, youre a God.

Caleb: Yeah, but I didnt say that.

Nathan isin search of true artificial intelligence in order to achieve the greatest scientific event in the history of man. And in pursuit of this AI, Nathan, similar to Dr. Frankenstein, focuses only on whether he can create it, never asking whether he should. As a result, he manages to create something he cannot control or truly comprehend. Even worse, he appears to lack the maturity, understanding and empathy required to create life in this sense, though he does have the financial and technical capability to complete the project. However, unlike Dr. Frankenstein, Nathans creatures are beautiful, almost to the point of becoming purely sexual objectsand perhaps thats by design.

Caleb: Why did you give her sexuality? An AI doesnt need a gender. She could have been a grey box.

Nathan: Actually I dont think thats true. Can you give an example of consciousness at any level, human or animal, that exists without a sexual dimension?

Caleb: They have sexuality as an evolutionary reproductive need.

Nathan: What imperative does a grey box have to interact with another grey box? Can consciousness exist without interaction? Anyway, sexuality is fun, man. If youre gonna exist, why not enjoy it? You want to remove the chance of her falling in love and fucking? And the answer to your real question, you bet she can fuck.

Caleb: What?

Nathan: In between her legs, theres an opening, with a concentration of sensors. You engage them in the right way, it creates a pleasure response. So if you wanted to screw her, mechanically speaking, you could. And shed enjoy it.

Caleb: That wasnt my real question.

Nathan: Oh, okay. Sorry.

Its this beauty and devised sexuality that causes Caleb (also isolated, lonely and single) to fall in love with Nathans creation, and in that love he finds empathy for the AIs situation, believing her to be not only conscious but alive. Unfortunately, these beliefs also blind Caleb to Avas manipulation of him. And as Calebs relationship with Ava deepens (and his relationship with Nathan simultaneously deteriorates), it becomes clear that neither man is equipped to manage the creation locked in the research center. Even worse, it becomes evident that Ava is far more intelligent than either human, having been educated by the powerful search engine capabilities that Nathan controls as well as from his other technological exploits.

Caleb: You hacked the worlds cellphones?

Nathan: Yeah. And all the manufacturers knew I was doing it, too. But they couldnt accuse me without admitting they were doing it themselves.

This film highlights a frightening reality: that we innocent bystanders provide the tools for our own destruction by uploading our lives to the internet. It also demonstrates that those who do possess the intelligence and technical capabilities to create an Ava are playing with fire and that it takes only a spark to create an inferno. And as we learned from the lesson of Pandoras box, whatever these geniuses release into the world, willingly or not, there will be consequences for creating conscious, albeit artificial, intelligence of this magnitude.

One day the AIs are going to look back on us the same way we look at fossil skeletons on the plains of Africa. An upright ape living in dust with crude language and tools, all set for extinction.

Westworld / HBO

Dr. Robert Ford and his partner Arnold set out to tell stories. Perhaps they were naive in what exactly they were creating, but it appears they were merely attempting to take storytelling to an entirely different and immersive level.

These violent delights have violent ends.

Westworld, the futuristic theme park they created for wealthy vacationers, was formed for the sake of this entertainment. It was even advertised as a place where you could live out your most primal fantasies, no matter how violent or innocent they might be, without any consequences or traditional notions of morality.

Thats certainly an appealing proposition for many visitors, yet as Dr. Ford puts it, Theyre not looking for a story that tells them who they are. They already know who they are. Theyre here because they want a glimpse of who they could be.

Is there anything more noble than that concept? To allow guests to immerse themselves in a story, in the same way they can with a novel or a video game?

However, a lack of consequence is possible only through the guarantee of control the promise that the hosts cannot harm a human guest and that these robots have been blessed with the ability to forget the crimes against them. What guests to the park do not realize is that these artificial beings have gained consciousness and their keepers are slowly losing control.

Arnold: When I was first working on your mind, there was a pyramid I thought you needed to scale, so I gave you a voice, my voice, to guide you along the way. Memory, improvisation, each step in order to reach the next step, but you never got there. I couldnt understand what was holding you back. Then one day I realized Id made a mistake. Consciousness isnt a journey upward but a journey inward, not a pyramid but a maze. Every choice will bring you closer to center or send you spiraling to the edges, to madness. Do you understand now, Dolores, what the center represents? Whose voice Ive been wanting you to hear?

Dolores: Im sorry. Im trying, but I dont understand.

Arnold: Its all right. So close. We have to tell Robert. We cant open the park. Youre alive.

Westworld, for all its beauty and romanticism, is still a cautionary tale, should it become cost-effective to create this brand of artificial intelligence. But it also returns us to Mary Shelleys question: Who is the real monster here? The hosts or the guests? Having freedom from consequences reveals who the human visitors truly are, and often they are cruel and violent. Many visit the park to participate in orgies, shootouts and killings. They rape, pillage, torture and slaughter as an escape from their real lives on the outside. But if the hosts have consciousness, if theyre alive, what does that mean? What does that say about the visitors to the park? Or those who manage operations? Can any action ever be free of consequence, or is there always a price to be paid?

Arnold dies so that his creations might achieve consciousness. Dr. Ford follows suit. In Fords mind, they were magicians all along: We practice witchcraft. We speak the right words. Then we create life itselfout of chaos. These men are portrayed as fathers of a new age, fully aware of what they have created, the consequences of its birth and the eventual disillusionment of control. They sacrifice themselves, out of not hubris but compassion. They suffer so that their creatures might know. They die so that their children might live. In their minds, it doesnt matter whether this intelligence should or shouldnt exist. It already does, and the future belongs to them, consequences be damned.

It begins with the birth of a new people, and the choices theyll have to make and the people they will decide to become.

Warnings about artificial intelligence and the creation of conscious beings have already been shared with the public by Julian Assange, Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, Bill Gates and many more. The danger of this technology, and the organizations that wish to control it, are very real. But what can be done to stop it? Frankenstein has touched so many lives, as has Brave New World. Ex Machina has been applauded as a classic film, and Westworld appears to be a very promising series for HBO. Yet so much more can be said on this issue, and its important for artists to explain the potential consequences of this technology. Novels, films and television series are a way to share truth and reach minds in a way that so few mediums can. In a sense, the only way to stop artificial intelligence from endangering our future is to create art in the way only true humans can and leave the creation of consciousness to the gods.

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Creating Consciousness: Artists, AI and Playing with Fire - Crixeo (press release) (blog)

Therapists use virtual reality as a new way to treat patients – Seattle Times

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

A handful of psychologists are testing a new service from a Silicon Valley startup called Limbix that offers exposure therapy through Daydream View, the Google headset that works in tandem with a smartphone.

SAN FRANCISCO Dawn Jewell recently treated a patient haunted by a car crash. The patient had developed acute anxiety over the cross streets where the crash occurred, unable to drive a route that carried so many painful memories.

So Jewell, a psychologist in Colorado, treated the patient through a technique called exposure therapy, providing emotional guidance as they revisited the intersection together.

But they did not physically return to the site. They revisited it through virtual reality.

Jewell is among a handful of psychologists testing a new service from a Silicon Valley startup called Limbix that offers exposure therapy through Daydream View, the Google headset that works in tandem with a smartphone.

It provides exposure in a way that patients feel safe, she said. We can go to a location together, and the patient can tell me what theyre feeling and what theyre thinking.

The service recreates outdoor locations by tapping into another Google product, Street View, a vast online database of photos that delivers panoramic scenes of roadways and other locations around the world. Using these virtual street scenes, Jewell has treated a second patient who struggled with anxiety after being injured by another person outside a local building.

The service is also designed to provide treatment in other ways, like taking patients to the top of a virtual skyscraper so they can face a fear of heights or to a virtual bar so they can address an alcohol addiction.

Backed by the venture capital firm Sequoia Capital, Limbix is less than 1 year old. The creators of its new service, including its chief executive and co-founder, Benjamin Lewis, worked in the seminal virtual reality efforts at Google and Facebook.

The hardware and software they are working with is still very young, but Limbix builds on more than two decades of research and clinical trials involving virtual reality and exposure therapy. At a time when much-hyped headsets like the Daydream and Facebooks Oculus are still struggling to find a wide audience in the world of gaming let alone other markets psychology is an area where technology and medical experts believe this tool can be a benefit.

As far back as the mid-1990s, clinical trials showed that this kind of technology could help treat phobias and other conditions, like post-traumatic stress disorder.

Traditionally, psychologists have treated such conditions by helping patients imagine they are facing a fear, mentally creating a situation where they can address their anxieties. Virtual reality takes this a step further.

We feel pretty confident that exposure therapy using VR can supplement what a patients imagination alone can do, said Skip Rizzo, a clinical psychologist at the University of Southern California who has explored such technology over the past 20 years.

Barbara Rothbaum helped pioneer the practice at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, and her work spawned a company called Virtually Better, which has long offered virtual reality exposure therapy tools to some doctors and hospitals through an older breed of headset. According to one clinical trial she helped build, virtual reality was just as effective as trips to airports in treating the fear of flying, with 90 percent of patients eventually conquering their anxieties.

Such technology has also been effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder among veterans. Unlike treatments built solely on imagination, Rothbaum said, virtual reality can force patients to face their past traumas.

PTSD is a disorder of avoidance. People dont want to think about it, she said. We need them to be engaged emotionally, and with virtual reality, its harder for them to avoid that.

Now, headsets like Googles Daydream, which works in tandem with common smartphones, and Facebooks Oculus, the self-contained $400 headset that sparked the recent resurgence in virtual reality technologies, could bring this kind of therapy to a much wider audience.

Virtually Better built its technology for virtual reality hardware that sold for several thousands of dollars. Today, Limbix and other companies, including a Spanish startup called Psious, can offer services that are far less expensive. Limbix recently began offering its tools to psychologists and other therapists outside its initial test. The service is free for now, with the company planning to sell more advanced tools at some point.

After testing the Limbix offering, Jewell said it allowed patients to face their anxieties in more controlled ways than they otherwise could. At the same time, such a tool can truly give patients the feeling that they are being transported to different locations at least in some cases.

Standing atop a virtual skyscraper, for instance, can cause anxiety even in those who are relatively comfortable with heights. Experts warn that a service like the one offered by Limbix requires the guiding hand of trained psychologists while still in development.

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Therapists use virtual reality as a new way to treat patients - Seattle Times

‘Star Wars’ virtual reality experience to open near Disney parks this year – Fox News

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

Star Wars lovers now have something else to get excited about this holiday season. In addition to The Last Jedi the second installment in the final trilogy slated to release December of this year, Disney will also be launching its hyper-realistic virtual reality experience near both of its parks Downtown Disney in Anaheim and Disney Springs in Florida.

The experience, titledStar Wars: Secrets of the Empire, is a joint venture with Lucasfilm, ILMxLab, and The Void a company who is pioneering whole-body, fully immersive VR experience.

WILLIAM SHATNER URGES 'STAR TREK: THE CRUISE' TO DITCH DOLPHIN EXPERIENCE

The collaboration is aiming to bring a new kind of storytelling to the beloved franchise by creating immersive social experiences that take visitors to new worlds.

Disney has not released a lot of details beyond a general timeline for the upcoming interactive Secrets of the Empire, but The Voids new CEO, Cliff Plumer told Business Insider that:

[The Lucasfilm story team] spent time with us understanding our process and looking at how we go about creating our experiences, and they had a storyline in mind. Its been a great collaboration since day one.

The Void has described its virtual reality as full of surprises and one second youre standing on solid ground, the next youre stepping deep into darkness, looking at unimaginable beauty or fending off danger in another realm.

The Void has created other fully immersive experiences before. Its previous work including a Ghostbusters Dimension where people would wear virtual reality headsets and then walk around an area that was set up with tables and walls reflecting the layout of the area the users were experiencing in the game. Those who visited the Dimension said The Void used fans to recreate wind experienced in the game.

Though there is limited information about the new offering from Disney, The Void and Disney promise to create a first-of-its-kind experience for the park.

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'Star Wars' virtual reality experience to open near Disney parks this year - Fox News

How AI will help freelancers – VentureBeat

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

When it comes to artificial intelligence (AI), theres a common question: Will AI technology render certain jobs obsolete? The common prediction is yes, many jobs will be lost as a result. But what do the numbers say? Even more importantly, what does logical thought suggest?

You dont need a special degree to understand the textbook relationship between automation and jobs. The basic theory is that for every job thats automated by technology, theres one less job available to a human who once performed the same task. In other words, if a machine can make a milkshake with the push of a button, then theres no need for the person who previously mixed the shake by hand. If a robot can put a car door on a vehicle in a manufacturing plant, then theres no need for the workers who previously placed the doors on by hand. You get the idea.

But does this theory really hold up on a reliable basis, or is it merely a theory that works in textbooks and PowerPoint presentations? One study or report doesnt discount a theory, but a quick glance at some recent numbers paints a different picture that requires a careful look at this pressing issue.

Upwork, an online platform that connects freelancers with clients, recently published data from its website that shows AI was the second-fastest-growing in-demand skill over the first quarter of 2017.

With artificial intelligence (AI) at the forefront of the conversation around what the future of work holds, its no surprise it is the fastest-growing tech skill and the second fastest-growing skill overall, Upwork explained in a statement. As AI continues to shape our world and influence nearly every major industry and country, companies are thinking about how to incorporate it into their business strategies, and professionals are developing skills to capitalize upon this accelerating tech trend. While some speculate that AI may be taking jobs away, others argue its creating opportunity, which is evidenced by demand for freelancers with this skill.

This latter opinion might be a contrarian view, but in this case, the data supports it. At this point, there really isnt a whole lot of data that says AI is killing jobs. Consider that as you form your opinions.

From a logical point of view, you have to consider the fact that the professional services industry isnt going anywhere. Sure, there might be automated website builders and account software, but the demand for freelancers people isnt going to suddenly disappear. Growth in AI isnt going to replace web developers, accountants, lawyers, and consultants. If anything, its going to assist them and make them more efficient and profitable.

Everything we love about civilization is a product of intelligence, says Max Tegmark, President of the Future of Life Institute. So amplifying our human intelligence with artificial intelligence has the potential of helping civilization flourish like never before as long as we manage to keep the technology beneficial.

When you look at freelancers, in particular, you can already see how AI is having a positive impact in the form of powerful tools and resources that can complement and expand existing skillsets. Here are a couple of tools:

Weve only just begun. These technologies will look totally rudimentary when we look back in a few years and recap the growth of AI. However, for now, they serve as an example of what the future holds for the freelance labor market.

The future of work, particularly as it deals with expected growth in AI, is anybodys guess. Ask AI expert Will Lee about his expectations and hell say there are two possible futures:

The first future Lee sees is one where AI has led to high unemployment and people are forced to freelance in order to get by. The only problem is it will be difficult for freelancers to differentiate themselves from the crowd because theyll be offering the same exact services as everyone else.

In this first possibility, people struggle to recognize their value and the uneducated freelance labor force is swallowed up by superior automated technology. But then theres a second possibility, where AI technology actually fuels growth in the freelance economy and humans and machines harmoniously work together.

In the second possibility, weve built a sustainable freelance market based on each individuals special skills and passions, Lee says. Each freelancer is able to find work and make a living due to their ability to differentiate themselves from others in the freelance market.

Experts in the AI field folks like Will Lee, who dedicate their working life to understanding the impact technology will have on labor dont know how this is going to unfold. It could be disastrous, or it could be highly beneficial. Making rash statements about how AI is going to collapse the freelance economy is unwise. You dont know how things will unfold and its better to remain optimistic that everything will work out for the greater good.

One thing is certainly clear: Technology is changing and the ramifications of this evolution will be felt in every capacity of business. Well know a lot more in three to five years, so hold on and enjoy the ride.

Larry Alton is a contributing writer at VentureBeat covering artificial intelligence.

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How AI will help freelancers - VentureBeat

New AI algorithm monitors sleep with radio waves – The MIT Tech

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Danzig

More than 50 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders, and diseases including Parkinsons and Alzheimers can also disrupt sleep. Diagnosing and monitoring these conditions usually requires attaching electrodes and a variety of other sensors to patients, which can further disrupt their sleep.

To make it easier to diagnose and study sleep problems, researchers at MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital have devised a new way to monitor sleep stages without sensors attached to the body. Their device uses an advanced artificial intelligence algorithm to analyze the radio signals around the person and translate those measurements into sleep stages: light, deep, or rapid eye movement (REM).

Imagine if your Wi-Fi router knows when you are dreaming, and can monitor whether you are having enough deep sleep, which is necessary for memory consolidation, says Dina Katabi, the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, who led the study. Our vision is developing health sensors that will disappear into the background and capture physiological signals and important health metrics, without asking the user to change her behavior in any way.

Katabi worked on the study with Matt Bianchi, chief of the division of sleep medicine at MGH, and Tommi Jaakkola, the Thomas Siebel Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and a member of the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society at MIT. Mingmin Zhao, an MIT graduate student, is the papers first author, and Shichao Yue, another MIT graduate student, is also a co-author.

The researchers will present their new sensor at the International Conference on Machine Learning on Aug. 9.

Remote sensing

Katabi and members of her group in MITs Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory have previously developed radio-based sensors that enable them to remotely measure vital signs and behaviors that can be indicators of health. These sensors consist of a wireless device, about the size of a laptop computer, that emits low-power radio frequency (RF) signals. As the radio waves reflect off of the body, any slight movement of the body alters the frequency of the reflected waves. Analyzing those waves can reveal vital signs such as pulse and breathing rate.

Its a smart Wi-Fi-like box that sits in the home and analyzes these reflections and discovers all of these changes in the body, through a signature that the body leaves on the RF signal, Katabi says.

Katabi and her students have also used this approach to create a sensor called WiGait that can measure walking speed using wireless signals, which could help doctors predict cognitive decline, falls, certain cardiac or pulmonary diseases, or other health problems.

After developing those sensors, Katabi thought that a similar approach could also be useful for monitoring sleep, which is currently done while patients spend the night in a sleep lab hooked up to monitors such as electroencephalography (EEG) machines.

The opportunity is very big because we dont understand sleep well, and a high fraction of the population has sleep problems, says Zhao. We have this technology that, if we can make it work, can move us from a world where we do sleep studies once every few months in the sleep lab to continuous sleep studies in the home.

To achieve that, the researchers had to come up with a way to translate their measurements of pulse, breathing rate, and movement into sleep stages. Recent advances in artificial intelligence have made it possible to train computer algorithms known as deep neural networks to extract and analyze information from complex datasets, such as the radio signals obtained from the researchers sensor. However, these signals have a great deal of information that is irrelevant to sleep and can be confusing to existing algorithms. The MIT researchers had to come up with a new AI algorithm based on deep neural networks, which eliminates the irrelevant information.

The surrounding conditions introduce a lot of unwanted variation in what you measure. The novelty lies in preserving the sleep signal while removing the rest, says Jaakkola. Their algorithm can be used in different locations and with different people, without any calibration.

Using this approach in tests of 25 healthy volunteers, the researchers found that their technique was about 80 percent accurate, which is comparable to the accuracy of ratings determined by sleep specialists based on EEG measurements.

Our device allows you not only to remove all of these sensors that you put on the person, and make it a much better experience that can be done at home, it also makes the job of the doctor and the sleep technologist much easier, Katabi says. They dont have to go through the data and manually label it.

Sleep deficiencies

Other researchers have tried to use radio signals to monitor sleep, but these systems are accurate only 65 percent of the time and mainly determine whether a person is awake or asleep, not what sleep stage they are in. Katabi and her colleagues were able to improve on that by training their algorithm to ignore wireless signals that bounce off of other objects in the room and include only data reflected from the sleeping person.

The researchers now plan to use this technology to study how Parkinsons disease affects sleep.

When you think about Parkinsons, you think about it as a movement disorder, but the disease is also associated with very complex sleep deficiencies, which are not very well understood, Katabi says.

The sensor could also be used to learn more about sleep changes produced by Alzheimers disease, as well as sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea. It may also be useful for studying epileptic seizures that happen during sleep, which are usually difficult to detect.

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New AI algorithm monitors sleep with radio waves - The MIT Tech

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How AI will help freelancers – VentureBeat

New AI algorithm monitors sleep with radio waves – The MIT Tech