IN10
The Science of Tech
By Jorge Figueiredo - September 19th, 2010
Ariel, Andrew, 3ric and Kate – A fascinating presentation.
The second session that I attended at IN10 was entitled The Science of Tech and was moderated by Kate Hartman, a professor from OCAD University. The presentation showcased leading work being done locally (and abroad) that has the potential to bring about new ways to interact in every day life.
Ariel Garten, Interaxon
Ariel, the CEO of Interaxon, is a lively soul; her eyes sparkle as if she holds the keys to the kingdom – honestly, I think she does. Ariel’s company is working on ways to engage with parts of the world simply by thinking. That’s right: thought control.
The technology began with electroencephalography (EEG); electrical signals within the brain can be read outside as a series of aggregated values. General thought processes can be classified into different brainwaves; when your thoughts change, your brainwaves also change. These changes can be read to drive processes tied to the physical world; as time marches on, the ability to read these processes becomes increasingly easier (just think about how many electrodes used to be required to read the brain – now there are simplified headsets using from 1 to 14 electrodes).
A few examples of how they demonstrated the power of this technology spring to mind:
- They created a way for people in Vancouver to change the light patterns on the CN Tower using only their minds.
- The Deconcert – Musical instruments assigned to different people and they all “thought” a concert into being.
Not only can you use this technology to control the external world; you can also use the technology to train your brain to do new tasks! The hope is to have EEG technology so small that it can be integrated into everything. These goals fall in line with their interest in using this technology to enhance the human experience, helping us to learn more about ourselves.
As a gamer, thought control is the next big step in gaming (in my opinion). At the moment, motion control schemes have grown in popularity, and in different ways. Whether a physically tracked controller, a visual tracking system, or a combination of both, it is clear that gaming technology is moving closer to emulating reality (from a physical perspective). This may sound strange, but I believe that you cannot get closer to physical reality without using the mind itself.
Andrew Hessel, Singularity University
Andrew Hessel is a Co-Chair of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology at Singularity University. He is a funny, funny guy with a straight-shooting attitude. He opened his discussion by talking about E. Coli, and how it is such a great resource as it will double every 15 minutes. Imagine being able to build a computer out of something like this; a living, chemical computer. Is it so far fetched? Not really. Andrew comments that each of our bodies is like its own living internet.
He drilled down a bit further by addressing genetic language, and argued that it is just like any other language: the three aspects being reading, writing, and comprehension. Every day we get better at all three of these aspects. In regards to reading: Since the initiation of the Human Genome Project, we have advanced to the point where we can get a cheapish desktop-printer-sized device that can catalog the make-up of a bacteria in an afternoon; humans take a little longer, of course, but not as much as you would think!
In terms of comprehension, they have been implementing a SETI@Home-like program called Foldit, which allows anyone to contribute to science by playing with protein-folding puzzles.
And writing? Well, splicing was the method of choice at the beginning; taking various bits of existing genetic code and combining them together – not unlike a ransom note. Now things have totally changed. You can actually use software, and edit DNA; you can even print the stuff (he mentioned that some enterprising young students had actually modify E. Coli to become more like blood in composition)!
Andrew believes that youth will lead this ongoing revolution in science; not the old guys with big beards and lab coats. So much is open-source now that anyone can start their own lab with what amounts to a good support structure from other scientists. “If you have a credit card, and an idea”, Andrew comments, “you can start your own biotech companies.” He finished his talk with idea of cancer-fighting beer. Not too shabby.
How much of an impact does this have on us as gamers? I’m not really sure; all I can think about now is a biochemical super-computer that can run circles around our overheating circuit-boards. Gives a whole new meaning to “cell processor”, eh?
3ric Johanson, Intellectual Ventures Lab
3ric is a project scientist and “entropy generator” at the Intellectual Ventures Lab. The IVL is geared toward making science more approachable and fun, in addition to being profitable. Some of the science he spoke about was pretty fascinating, even though it wasn’t directly gaming-related.
One of their creations is what amounts to a force-field against mosquitoes: a laser “fence” that zaps mosquitoes before they even enter your yard. Another interesting thing the do is a “Monte-Carlo modelling of diseases”, allowing them to find the most effective distribution points for medications to be able to control disease. They have even created a cookbook that focuses on the science behind cooking!
3ric believes that their collective of unique people and tools is a great hotbed for discovery. “Technology tools can help drive innovation, ” he comments, “and these tools are at your fingertips.”
3D printing, for example, is something that might be in every home in the not-too-distant future. Imagine getting the manufacturing specs for a device and then printing that device out in your own home. That’s right.
A project that he seemed particularly proud of was Terrapower, the reusing of spent nuclear fuel. A reactor powered by nuclear waste enriches the fuel as it burns, creating a long-lasting power source.
As a gamer, this is something that I think about: power. It may seem silly to focus on that when there are so many more cool things that 3ric spoke about, but the amount of power consumed by all the gamers in the world is probably nothing to sneeze at. Being able to enjoy ourselves without making the planet pay is something to hope for.
