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Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is the study of systems that model the human behaviors of learning and reasoning. Some of the main areas of study are problem solving, pattern recognition, natural language processing, machine learning, artificial life, robotics, expert systems, fuzzy logic, neural networks and speech recognition. To this list, I would also add figuring out how to plan your breakfast so the milk and the cereal come out even. Web:
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Artificial Life Getting tired of real life? Try a little artificial life. It's low in calories, high in fiber, and while it might run up your electricity bill, it will certainly keep you from being lonely. Web:
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Biometrics Biometrics is the science of studying biological phenomena using mathematics and statistics. One of the more important applications of biometrics is to use various body characteristics to identify people, for example, by analyzing fingerprints. With the advent of small, powerful computers and sensors, a whole new biometric industry has been developed -- an industry devoted to creating personal identification products. Modern biometric devices can be used to identify people based on their physiological or behavioral characteristics, such as speech, hand shape, facial traits, and appearance of the iris (colored part of the eye). One day, biometric devices will be used everywhere to identify us to machines. For example, there are already ATMs that identify a person by scanning his or her eyes, and checking the iris patterns against a database. This means you will be able to withdraw money without having to use a password. It also means that the government and your employer will be able to identify and track you with unbelievable efficiency. Clearly, the shape of biometric things to come is something we all need to understand. Web:
Cloning In most organisms, a copy of the blueprint for reproduction is stored within each cell. Inside the cell there are genes, most of which perform a particular function in creating a brand new organism. Genes are made of a biochemical substance called deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA. In principle, one could take an animal, extract the DNA from one of its cells, and then use that DNA as a blueprint to create a brand new animal. Although the new animal would be a completely separate organism, it would be an exact genetic copy of the original. We call this copy a clone. So far, using the techniques of genetic engineering, various types of plants and animals have been cloned successfully. In 1996, Scottish scientists created a cloned sheep named Dolly (after the singer Dolly Parton). Dolly was the first mammal cloned from an adult cell (as opposed to an embryonic or fetal cell); using an adult cell allows one to choose an animal with specific characteristics. Since then, other mammals have been cloned, including several goats and cows. Should we clone human beings? Technically speaking, cloning-like procedures for human cells have been performed since 1993. However, the full cloning of a person is still a highly controversial issue. Still, it's just a matter of time. There is no doubt in my mind that sooner or later (probably sooner), someone will clone a human, using cells from an adult. Once that happens, the world will never be the same. Web:
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Computer Speech Computer speech has been hyped for years, and every year we hear the same thing: "This is the year." Well, when I hear it from a computer, I will believe it. In the meantime, you can get a grasp of the fundamentals by reading the FAQ (frequently asked question list). Where else are you going to go when you need a fast Fourier transform program right away and the neighborhood convenience store is closed? Web:
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Conversations with Computers In 1972, I was in a computer lab at UCLA where there was a computer connected to several other computers around the country. (The connection was made over a primitive network that was the ancestor of the Internet.) I was able to connect to a computer at Stanford that had a program that acted like a paranoid. I was also able to connect to a computer at MIT that ran a program that acted like a psychiatrist. For fun, I typed the responses from one program into the other, and vice versa, and for the first time in history, that I know of, two computers were talking to one another. (The paranoid won, by the way.) Would you like to talk to a computer program yourself? Well, you can. Here are some programs with which you can carry on a typed conversation. (Tell them I said hello.) Web:
Gadgets I must confess, I like reading about the newest gizmos and gadgets. If you're the same way, you'll appreciate these Web sites, where there's always something new and exciting to admire. Kids: these resources can help you get ideas as you write a letter to Santa Claus. Anyone can ask for a toboggan or a new video game, but how many people do you know who request a pen that glows in the dark (so you can write at night), or a wristwatch that is also a fully functional Etch-A-Sketch? Let me tell you, Santa will be impressed. Web:
Nanotechnology Nanotechnology is an area of technology that strives to work with extremely small devices: devices on the scale of molecules or even atoms. Such devices can be created by using a scanning tunneling microscope. Experiments have been devised in which a single atom is used as an electric switch, or a single molecule is used to convert AC to DC. The holy grail of nanotechnology is to develop the methods necessary to create vast numbers of tiny little machines. Although progress is slow, the implications are fascinating. The name "nanotechnology" is derived from "nano", the Greek word for "dwarf". In the metric system, "nano" is used as a prefix indicating "one billionth" (American terminology). For example, a nanosecond is one billionth of a second. (In the English terminology, this would be one thousand millionth of a second.) Web:
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Neural Networks A neural network is a computing system consisting of many simple processors connected in various patterns. Each processor operates on its own data and its own input, resulting in an output signal that is transmitted to other processors. In the aggregate, a "network" of such processors can work together to recognize patterns, process information, and help people make decisions. The original work with neural networks was done to try to mimic the biological processes used in our brains. Although neural networks are not nearly as complex or powerful as a brain, they are able to achieve astonishing results and are routinely used in many business and scientific applications. Web:
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Peer-to-Peer Computing Originally, the Internet was based on a client/server model, in which a relatively few programs (called servers) provide services to a large number of other programs (called clients). In a client/server network, only clients and servers can communicate with one another. A peer-to-peer (P2P) network is an alternate paradigm in which different types of programs and computers communicate with one another directly. For example, with P2P software, your computer could communicate with another person's computer, say, to share information. The first very popular P2P-based system was Napster, a music-sharing facility that combined a centralized client/server system (to coordinate searching) with P2P communication, allowing users to copy music files directly from one computer to another. Although Napster was shut down in 2001 (for copyright reasons), P2P technology has developed unabated. Today, it is used not only for file sharing (music, videos, software, pictures), but for a wide variety of imaginative applications. P2P computing is a big change from client/server computing because, once a pure P2P system is established, there is no reliable way to control it. This idea can be stimulating or frightening, depending on your emotional makeup. Web:
Robots When I was a kid, I made my own robot out of various things I found around the house: a few old radio parts, three tin cans, a pair of knitting needles and my baby sister. It was a great robot, and I could make it do anything I wanted just by hitting it. Now, you can have almost the same experience by making your own robot. Use the Net to see what other robot enthusiasts are doing. Some of the robots are complex and it may take you a while to make them do everything you want. Don't complain. I'm still trying to understand my sister. Web:
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Virtual Reality Before I commit myself to the concept of virtual reality, I need someone to answer some fundamental questions. Will there be commercials? Can I take my cat with me? Will I be able to get real food? In the meantime, I content myself with following what's new and almost real in the land of simulated make-believe. Web:
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