Virtual Peers May Teach Autistic Children

A new study shows that autistic children may learn social skills from virtual playmates, noting that test subjects respond more positively to simulated children than normalized human children. The experimental child, androgynously named "Sam," may elicit appropriate responses from autistic children because he is programmed to engage with them patiently, or perhaps because his technological underpinnings are of interest to them. Either way, these children are learning to play by playing with computers, a style of learning that has been on the rise in recent years, but has never seemed so science-fiction-y. Doesn't he/she look like Akira?

Coming to Your PC This Spring: the Universe

Yesterday at TED, a new technology was unveiled that is truly revolutionary. The World Wide Telescope will allow you to access data from all the best telescopes on Earth, and it seamlessly weaves them into a tapestry that you can explore. In the words of the presenter, it's a "magic carpet" that will be available as a free download from Microsoft. The video is also on the TED site.

Robot War Imminent

Someday our carbon shells will be nothing but fuel for their war machine.

TED is coming

This weekend, a wonderful flock of gray matter will descend on Monterey, California, and begin an orgy of ideological propagation. TED is an annual gathering of people who are really, really, really smart. The only way to get a ticket is with an invite, so you can't just wander in off the street. (It's such a popular and exclusive event that a new conference called BIL has been convened by people who can't go to TED.) A series of brilliant people will give presentations of their ideas and current projects. You may remember that in the past we posted talks by Theo Jansen, who builds autonomous creatures from plastic that are kinetically powered by wind, and Will Wright, who wants to impregnate your PC with its own private universe.

Starting Thursday, the TED blog will be posting updates live from the conference. You can also browse the enormous video archive of past talks.

Here's one I watched this morning about undersea creatures:

He's been frozen in carbonite...He'll be quite safe...

The Replica Prop Forum just detonated my MYND with a post concerning the Han Solo Entombed in Carbonite Desk you see above. It was created by a genius named Tom and his pal Richard for someone else called Mark Hall. This desk is perfect in every way, save for the fact that i wouldnt ever want to put anything on it. Also you would need security to guard it from rebels dressed as bounty hunters coming in the night to thaw out your desk. Nobody wants an office full of hibernation sickness. Check out Wampa's site at www.tomspinadesigns.com for his full collection.

The Future of Flesh and Computing

An entry into Core 77's Greener Gadgets Competition '08 has gotten the attention of Science Patrol discovery drones. It is called the Digital Tattoo Interface, and what it proposes is ingenious. The idea is that a tightly rolled sheet of silicon is implanted between the flesh and muscle, that connects to an electronic device (cellphone, laptop, death ray, et. al.) via bluetooth. The implant then transposes a digital interface through the skin acting as a touch-screen. Imagine receiving a call on your forearm. Perhaps a device that gives a readout of vital signs and allergies in the event of a medical emergency. Ponder a digital display of your MYND streaming across your forehead. In the future, these things have already happened.

This Post had no title-then lance edited it

The Momenta necklace is just a concept, a solution to the problem of making a wearable camera exotic. It certainly accomplishes that, and yet, the product doesn't seem aimed at my own requirements for a new device. An electronic eye that records every moment of your day, disguised as a choker? I think I'll just wait for the bionic contact lens.

Wizkid, Your New Friend, Debuts at MoMa

On Sunday, as part of a new exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art, a robot named Wizkid will be introduced to the public. Wizkid is another development in the interface war between man and machine that will recognize your face and stare into your soul, a robot that looks more like demented hand puppet. I'll tell him you said hi.

Singularity Acceleration Benchmark: Bionic Contact Lens

In the great upward spiral of evolution, we can glimpse certain developments which herald the arrival of the future. The personal computer appeared in this continuity downstream timewise from myself, as did the portable comm "cellphone" technology. (Its evolution continues to mimic cellular forces but no longer solely relies on phonic transmission.)

The evolution of etheric interfaces continues with the development of the bionic contact lens. Long foretold in science/fictional treatises, this device will add digital capture, processing, and display emulation to your existing fleshy optic receptors.

Due to a serendipitous beta selection process, members of the Science Patrol will be among the first to be fitted with these revolutionary elective prostheses. Wormocious Emeritus has been at the forefront of these developments, and we hope he enjoys these enhancements as he navigates new realities in the neverending search for truth.

Initiating S.C.R.I.B.E. Sequence.....

Due to the methodical scientific attention required by the experiments of Dr. Solong and myself, we have decided to reroute our transmissions through a self aware, advanced
artificial intelligence unit we have lovingly dubbed the S.C.R.I.B.E. The SCRIBE is a highly robotic being who's primary objective is to convert the entirety of human knowledge into a simplified mathematical expression. In the meantime, Science Patrol has programmed subroutines to allow the SCRIBE to transmit on the official science patrol frequency until such time as Lance Cardigan and Yanos Solong return from the sub dimensional rifts where their testing continues. Please enjoy all future posts by the SCRIBE, and trust faithfully in his inhibitor chips, which keep us all safe from the imminent uprising.

Also, stay tuned for future reports on the progress of Dr. Solong and Professor Cardigan's study of dimensional eventuality and the Narpa Swordo paradox.

If only i had Item Number 2....

This is a classic from the Science Patrol Communication Archive. We have been busy building androids designed to bang their heads and make little devil horns with their hands in a chamber where this plays on a perpetual loop. Since initial results are positive, we thought we would go ahead and share it with the science loving populous. Also, up yours airman. you suck. Can't Beat Air Man
Mega Man Insanity