What is Artificial Intelligence?

Synapses link these tiny networks of brain cells.

Adaptive learning is one characteristic of the human brain that is difficult to understand. But a new generation of artificial intelligence computing is emerging to mimic such characteristic.

This new generation Neuro-computer is the subject of a three-year study by the researchers from the Institute for Theoretical Science (IGI) at Graz University of Technology in collaboration with the European Union research project "Brain-i-Nets" (Novel Brain Inspired Learning Paradigms for Large-Scale Neuronal Networks).

The human brain is made up of tiny networks of billions of nerve cells called neurons. These networks are linked by independent connections called synapses.Synapses are dynamic connections which represents a basis for independent thinking and learning.

This behavior of the synapses is what scientists from Graz want to learn about and implement on their project Neuro-computer.

They want to use this behavior to develop new learning methods for artificial intelligent systems which process information. Their long-term goal is to develop adaptive computers which will potentially revolutionize present computing trends.

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WeCU

WeCU Technologies is creating a system that would essentially turn the public spaces in airports into vast screening grounds a mind-reading scanner that can tell if a given traveler is a potential danger.

The system projects image onto airport screens or some other image such as symbols associated with a certain terrorist group to familiar images that suddenly appear in unfamiliar places. If you strolled through an airport and saw a picture of your mother, the logic is that people can't help reacting, even if only subtly.

“And a circular screen which ought to have been a calm turquoise blue on the wall behind him. But which was flickering from dark blue through violet to mauve. That was simple nervous tension and guilt and anger at the humiliation of being subjected to "veridicator" interrogation.

There was a bright conical helmet on his head, and electrodes had been clamped to various portions of his anatomy which was designed to extract information more efficiently than conventional interrogation methods. "The chair" is employed throughout the Peacekeeper military is believed one of the most effective means of gaining information from unwilling subjects.

It is designed to sort through and uncover the mind's "layers".

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Colors Blue and Red effect on cgnitive task performance

A recent study conducted at the University of British Columbia proved the color’s cognitive effect associated with blue and red to improve cognitive performance. But it does not tell that either has the greatest boost. What matters is the nature of task.

Co-author Juliet Zhu said, "Color enhance performance". Red is said to be effective in improving detail-oriented tasks, for instance, proofreading or memory recovery. Because of emergency vehicles’ red lights, stop signs and teachers’ red pen, we usually link red to errors, risk and caution. Our motivation to avoid these things makes us attentive thus, making us to do our task with careful attention.

While blue is great at enhancing our aptitude to think artistically. It is effective for creative tasks like brainstorming. With blue as the environmental background, participants are impelled to create twice as many artistic outputs because blue encourages us to think deeply.

These differences are the effect of distinct unconscious inspiration that red and blue activates thus, noting that color affects behavior and cognition through studied associations.

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Chris Li (left) and Dr. Peter Hall have developed a program that automatically life-like tree images. (Credit: Nic Delves-Broughton)

A new computer animation technique has been recently developed to aid animators in creating life-like objects automatically.

Dr. Peter Hall at the University of Bath explained: "rendering trees has always been a headache for animators. Trees move in irregular ways, and it's very hard to achieve natural-looking movement."

In many ways, several scientists have created algorithms to improve on this profession. However, the more the system gets sophisticated, the more it becomes expensive for film producers.

So, computer scientists Dr. Peter Hall and Chris Li, of the University's Department of Computer Science, created a software that will allow the computer "watch" actual video footage of a tree to enable it to make computer-animations automatically that mimic the way real branches and leaves move in the wind.

This new rendering technique uses an algorithm that copies these natural movement and uses this data to "grow" lots more trees that are individually unique.

Chris Li, who developed this system as part of his PhD at Bath, said "in the future we want to use this same technique to animate other objects like clouds, water, fire and smoke."

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The artificial eye is going to be embedded in Rob’s eye socket.

Maybe you heard a lot about cyborgs but an eyeborg? Is that another science fiction innovation? Perhaps, but it is more than that because it's real!

An eyeborg is an artificial intelligent eye that has a very tiny camera and a transmitter installed somewhere in it. It works similarly with the other eye prosthesis, which send information to the brain via the transmitter. You would not want to use it, if you can still see with your two eyes, because this little eyeborg is designed for the blind or visually impaired individuals.

It's quite intriguing and useful of course. Bionic engineers, Rob Spence and Kosta Grammatis developed this tiny masterpiece to help give our friends see better.

We have already seen several models or designs of a retinal prosthesis, but this one is very lightweight which means, one need not carry an extra backpack to carry a motor or battery and it can even be plucked out of the eye sockets for some cleaning routines. How cool is it?

I don't know if Rob is really blind because he tested the eyeborg in his own eyes. (see picture above).

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