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Transhumanist Week in Review: October 17, 2010

Oct 17th, 2010
by Eric.
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Here are a few items I wanted to cover here this week, but didn’t get around to because of work, travel or other priorities. If you’re interested in helping out on this blog, feel free to drop me a line.

Why the Singularity isn’t going to happen (10/16/10) – “That is how Singularity-level technologies work in real life. They solve dire problems, sure. They save lives. But they also create problems we’d never imagined – problems that might have been inconceivable before that Singularity tech was invented.” (io9)

Artificial intelligence has a feel for laboratory science (10/14/10) - “‘The artificial experimenter will provide a tool for scientists, which will not only allow them to reduce experimentation costs, but will also allow them to redirect their time from monotonous characterisation experiments, to analysing the results, building theories and determining uses for those results,’ say the researchers in their paper.” (The Engineer)

In New Study, Babies Think A Silvery Robot Is Human, As Long As It Acts Friendly (10/14/10) – “At 18 months old, babies have begun to make conscious delineations between sentient beings and inanimate objects. But as robots get more and more advanced, those decisions may become harder to make. What causes a baby to decide a robot is more than bits of metal? As it turns out, it takes more than humanoid looks–babies rely on social interaction to make that call.” (PopSci)

Scary Smart: The Next Trillion-Dollar Industry (10/12/10) – “I’m convinced the next trillion-dollar industry will be built around all the stuff that makes us smarter. This would include things that go into our bodies–performance-enhancing supplements and drugs, chip implants and the like–and such traditional tools as smartphones, Web search and databases.” (Forbes.com)

Two Days Among The Immortals (10/11/10) - “Exercise, eat healthy and not too much, sleep well, don’t stress out… and you may well live long enough to live forever.” (h+ Magazine)

Posted in: Artificial Intelligence, Longevity, New Abilities, Robotics, Singularity.

What do you do when you lose your job to a robot?

Oct 17th, 2010
by Eric.
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While politicians may talk about outsourcing as the biggest threat to American middle-class jobs, MIT economist David Autor says there’s another serious threat to American jobs: robots. While the United States has continued to be a manufacturing leader in terms of output, manufacturing jobs have continued to dry up. This is due a great deal in part to computers and machines which are able to replace humans and perform routine tasks more efficiently.

Taken to its logical extreme, this creates a dichotomy where people possess either very high-skilled and high paying jobs that require a great deal of schooling, such as doctors, lawyers, engineers and so forth, and then very low-skilled, low paying jobs where it either isn’t practical or cost effective to employ robots. A generation ago one could go into a number of “moderate skilled” positions (for lack of a better term) that paid good wages, ranging from “blue collar” jobs like assembly line workers to “white collar” jobs like bank tellers or travel agents. Technology is increasingly leading to jobs like these drying up.

That’s the double-edged sword of technology, but humans will adapt and find ways to produce in a new robot-driven economy. After all, Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press eliminated jobs for scribes. Refrigerators eliminated milkmen. Computers and robots will continue to shake things up in ways we can and cannot foresee.

Posted in: Robotics.

Michio Kaku on how to prevent hostile AI

Oct 13th, 2010
by Eric.
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Over at Big Think, physicist  Michio Kaku appears in a video where he talks about the progression of Moore’s Law, the evolution of AI, and how to prevent robots from doing us harm:

Right now our machines are as smart as insects.  Eventually they’ll be smart as mice.  After that they’ll be smart as dogs and cats.  Probably by the end of the century, who knows, they’ll be as smart as monkeys.  At that point they could become potentially dangerous because monkeys can formulate their own plans.  They don’t have to listen to you.  They can formulate their own strategies, their own goals and I would say therefore at that point let’s put a chip in their brain to shut them off if they get murderous thoughts.  Isaac Asimov advocated something like that with his “Three Laws.”  I say hey, put a chip in their brain to shut them off if they start to get murderous.

Of course, we can avoid this scenario altogether by developing AI with benevolent motivations.

Posted in: Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Singularity.

Study links high-dose fish oil to colon cancer, but most shouldn’t worry

Oct 6th, 2010
by Eric.
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Most health experts agree high quality fish oil is a beneficial supplement. For starters, fish oil has been found to reduce inflammation in the body, and cutting-edge research shows it may even preserve telomere length and thus slow aging.

However, new research shows too much of a good thing may not be so good, after all. A study from Michigan State University shows “high doses” of fish oil can lead to scary symptoms in mice, including colitis and colon cancer.

The findings were surprising, specifically because DHA has been shown to have some anti-inflammatory properties, according to Fenton: “We hypothesized that feeding fish oil enriched with DHA to mice would decrease the cancer risk; we actually found the opposite. These mice were less equipped to mount a successful immune response to bacteria that increased colon tumors.”

Fenton cautions people may not need to avoid fish oil; what the research shows is needed are guidelines on dosing. With any nutrient, there is a “bell curve” effect. On the left of the curve are those deficient in a nutrient; on the right are those in excess.

She said people already receiving enough omega-3 fatty acids through their normal diet and foods have no need for added supplementation.

While these findings may be alarming for those of us who supplement with fish oil, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, without purchasing the study I can’t comment on what qualifies as a “high dose” given to the mice. In many animal studies, the amount of a substance administered to an animal is far, far beyond levels that are realistically consumed by humans. (If anyone has read the study and would care to enlighten me, I would appreciate it!)

Second, evidence indicates humans evolved to have a roughly 1:1 to 2:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in our diets. Current “Western diets” contain about 15 times the level of omega-6 than we should be consuming. This overabundance of omega-6 can lead to a number of diseases, including cancer, inflammatory diseases and autoimmune diseases. Taking a regular dose of high quality fish oil, in addition to reducing your consumption of foods high in omega-6, can correct this ratio and may help protect against these diseases.

Third, physicians already do not recommend high doses of fish oil due to potentially unpleasant side effects, including increased risk of bleeding and reduced immune system activity, particularly among those with impaired immune systems to begin with. Therefore, it’s not surprising that this study found high doses of fish oil had a negative effect on immune system function. That said, human studies have administered up to 12 grams per day and beyond, and some health experts advise higher doses than that, at least temporarily.

Ultimately, those of us who regularly supplement with fish oil, even in doses beyond that recommended by the NIH, should have nothing to fear from this study.*

*Note. I’m no doctor. If you’re nervous about any supplement, including fish oil, talk to a qualified professional.

Posted in: Food, Longevity, Medicine.

Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to discoverers of graphene

Oct 5th, 2010
by Eric.
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Today the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics to Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov of the University of Manchester, for their discovery and experiments with graphene.

Graphene is an amazing material that pushes the limits on material strength – indeed, graphene is the “strongest material in the world.” For instance, if you were to take a sheet of graphene as thick as a sheet of plastic cling wrap, stretch it over a bucket, and try to puncture the sheet with a pencil, you would have to apply as much force as that exerted by the mass of a large car.

In addition to its strength, graphene also conducts electricity and heat, and possesses several unique properties that scientists are eager to explore:

Graphene makes experiments possible that give new twists to the phenomena in quantum physics. Also a vast variety of practical applications now appear possible including the creation of new materials and the manufacture of innovative electronics. Graphene transistors are predicted to be substantially faster than today’s silicon transistors and result in more efficient computers.

Since it is practically transparent and a good conductor, graphene is suitable for producing transparent touch screens, light panels, and maybe even solar cells.

When mixed into plastics, graphene can turn them into conductors of electricity while making them more heat resistant and mechanically robust. This resilience can be utilised in new super strong materials, which are also thin, elastic and lightweight. In the future, satellites, airplanes, and cars could be manufactured out of the new composite materials.

Geim is amusingly also a distinguished winner of the Ig Nobel Prize, which recognizes scientists for odd or “funny” research, for his work in using a magnetic toy to levitate a frog.

Posted in: Physics.

Astronomy: The first “post-singularity” science?

Oct 4th, 2010
by Eric.
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Computers are playing an increasingly active role in astronomy. Human astronomers are able to devote more of their time to analyzing and interpreting data gathered by machines, thus automating much of the process. However, we may be close to a time where the number of discoveries made by computers far outweighs the ability of astronomers to “keep up”:

“In twenty years time, it is likely that most astronomers will never go near a cutting-edge telescope,” says Ray Norris at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation in Epping, Australia. So begins a fascinating discussion about the future of humanity’s oldest science.

Norris paints an optimistic picture. For him, the future is filled with automation that will make astronomers’ jobs easier. He says, for example, that in twenty years time: “I expect to be able to click on an object in a paper, and see its image at all wavelengths.” This data will be provided more or less automatically by a new generation of smart telescopes that calibrate and edit data on the fly and then send it to a Virtual Observatory that anybody can access.

The job for astronomers will be to theorise about this data, to look for patterns within it and to see how it explains some problems and creates others. They might then suggest what other data to collect.

That should free up much of their time. Norris says the time not spent fiddling with equitorial mounts and lens cloths will allow them up to better engage with the public who pay their wages.

The article notes that as technology progresses, the ability of machines to find patterns and evaluate data may eclipse that of humans, as well. Machines in other scientific disciplines have made great strides in automated research. However, given the nature of astronomy, it’s likely that humans in this field may be among the first scientists to find themselves replaced by computers.

(Via Instapundit)

Posted in: Artificial Intelligence, Singularity.
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New process allows scientists to make stem cells from skin cells

Sep 30th, 2010
by Eric.
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Embryonic stem cell research has faced significant controversy in the United States. Although private embryonic stem cell research is legal and unrestricted, the federal government is not allowed to fund any stem cell research that results in the destruction of the embryo. This has led to researchers exploring alternatives to embryonic destruction or ways to create stem cells that would avoid using human embryos altogether.

Today researchers from Harvard Medical School reported they’ve discovered a “surprisingly quick and apparently safe” way to transform skin cells into stem cells, which have the ability to themselves transform into other cell types. The process involves using RNA to carry new genes into the existing stem cells. In the past, scientists have used viruses to carry the genes, but this had led to serious complications, including development of cancer.

The researchers note this process should not be expected to replace embryonic research, but do note they “believe that our approach has the potential to become a major and perhaps even central enabling technology for cell-based therapies and regenerative medicine.”

Results of their research are published in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

Posted in: Stem Cells.

Universities devoting significant resources to nanotechnology

Sep 30th, 2010
by Eric.
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Universities are smartly banking on the fact that nanotechnology will be both an economic driver and a topic of interest for future students, and are therefore devoting funds to building new facilities and conducting research in the field.

Yesterday, University of Michigan announced it plans to spend around $46 million on a new facility dubbed the “Center of Excellence in Nano Mechanical Science and Engineering.” The new facility will explore research and development of several nanoscale technologies, including “nanomanufacturing, DNA molecules, energy conversion and microelectromechanical systems for use in medical technologies.”

While the project will be partially funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the grant only covers $9.48 million of the total cost. The university’s willingness to spend their own resources on the project is telling in that it demonstrates their commitment to and optimism for the future of nanotechnology.

While the University of Michigan may be on the forefront of nanotechnology investment with this endeavor, many other universities are vying for grant money to help kick-off or continue their own research.

Yesterday the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health, announced it is awarding $65 million in funding to continue its “Programs in Nanotechnology Research,” which began in 2005. The program is designed to “help researchers develop tools based on materials designed at the molecular level to detect and deliver treatments for heart, lung, and blood diseases.”

The funding for this grant will be divided among both hospitals and large universities, including Harvard, MIT, Texas A&M and University of California, among others.

While many have argued that nanotechnology (and molecular nanotech in particular) is underfunded, developments such as these show there is a real, growing interest in this area. Hopefully this latest round of investment only represents the vanguard of what is to come.

Posted in: Nanotechnology.

Will robotics be the next big growth industry for the United States?

Sep 29th, 2010
by Eric.
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Recently, tech and business luminary Peter Thiel publicly lamented the lack of innovation in Silicon Valley:

“We need to ask ourselves more: How are we actually doing things to make the country and the world a better place in the next few decades?” he said.

Thiel urged entrepreneurs to solve hard technology problems by embracing science fiction goals from the heyday of the original “Star Trek” series, such as permanent lunar bases.

“We need to spend a lot more time focusing on breakthrough technologies that take our civilization to the next level,” Thiel said.

One of those technologies will undoubtedly be robotics. Countries around the world are devoting significant resources to robotics research and development, but nowhere on Earth is this commitment as evident as it is in Japan, which is experiencing a rapidly aging population and low birth rates.

Not only will robots help care for the elderly in that country, but will also serve to stave off the inevitable labor shortage and help Japan maintain its position as a world leader in manufacturing.

While Japan is pursuing robotics development with the zeal of desperation, the United States is also home to world-leading robotics companies and innovative start-ups clamoring to get a piece of what will be a $100 billion pie in the next two decades.

Robotics development in the States may spur economic recovery in suffering “Rust Belt” areas like Michigan, which possess  existing infrastructure, engineering talent and skilled labor that could be applied to building and servicing robots for a world that will be increasingly relying on machines to compete economically. This growth will be driven by countries such as China, Brazil, India, Russia and the Middle East, which will soon be new and large “markets for automation.”

World leaders in robotics will also find themselves poised to take advantage of emerging technologies. Much like the advent and popularization of personal computers, robotics will drive new developments and innovation in other areas, including defense, health care and nanotechnology.

Posted in: Robotics.

Raytheon’s XOS 2 “closest thing we have… to the ‘Iron Man’ suit”

Sep 27th, 2010
by Eric.
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Yesterday defense contractor Raytheon released the above video for the latest iteration of their XOS 2 exoskeleton, which coincides with the home release of Iron Man 2. The XOS 2 is designed to help military personnel personnel by lightening their loads and assisting with lifting heavy objects, like armaments.

A Raytheon spokesman said he expects to deploy the non-tethered XOS 2, which is powered by an internal combustion engine, in the field in the next “3 – 5 years.”

In the meantime, let’s get working on the rocket boots and repulsor blasters so we can get them online in time for the unveiling of the XOS 3, hmm?

(Via Engadget)

Posted in: Military and Defense, New Abilities, Robotics.

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