What if mobile phones knew what sort of moods we were in? What if they could anticipate to whom we’d want to talk to? What if they knew which calls we’re waiting for? If Intel has its way, they soon will. More »
Halloween is fast approaching, so it’s time to start outfitting your house with spooky decor! If you’re feeling particularly courageous this season, why not try your hand at this really neat DIY haunted Ouija board project. After some wood carving, staining and electrical work, you’ll end up with a board that not only moves its planchette independently, but will talk to you (via a remote PC) as well. It’s a complicated process, but aren’t the best Halloween treats always from the sophisticated tricks? [Instructables]
Computer science is definitely reaching the danger zone when actual words can be spotted using MRI scans. In the image above, researchers from the Machine Learning Department at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh predict what the words “celery” and “airplane” look like when someone thinks of them, and then they compare the prediction to actual brain scans, with frightening similarity. The study was “calibrated” with nine students, each thinking of 58 different words. Tom Mitchell, one of the lead researchers, told Reuters the goal is to determine how the brain organises information, but how do we know Dr. Mitchell won’t abuse this newfound power by, say, winning a billion dollars on Jeopardy? We don’t, is my point. [Reuters]
