Technology
Technology: USC Institute for Creative Technologies Presents A Counselor That Is Almost Human (Video)
May 23, 2013
The USC Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT) is really pushing the frontier on what tech can do in the realm of healthcare. ICT’s latest initiative combines two technologies – Multisense and SimSensi – to enable what, in effect, is a virtual counselor. Imagine a truly private visit to a therapist; one in which no other human, not even a human doctor/specialist, is present. The implications are fascinating (and kind of scary).
In the video above, Multisense is showing viewers how it “reads” the actors who are playing the clients in the clip.
‘Multisense automatically tracks and analyzes in real-time facial expressions, body posture, acoustic features, linguistic patterns and higher-level behavior descriptors (e.g. attention, fidgeting). From these signals and behaviors, indicators of psychological distress are inferred to inform directly the healthcare provider or the virtual human.’
Given what Multisense is picking up during the session, and sharing with SimSensei, the virtual counselor is giving human-like responses in real time. An actual counseling session, as a result, should be a real experience for a client.
‘SimSensei is a virtual human platform specifically designed for healthcare support and is based on the 10+ years of expertise at ICT with virtual human research and development. The platform enables an engaging face-to-face interaction where the virtual human automatically reacts to the perceived user state and intent, through its own speech and gestures.’
Amazing! But ICT is very clear on this point: This dual-tech platform is NOT a substitute for counseling. Rather, it is a support tool for counselors and healthcare providers; a powerful tool.
Posted in Science, Technology, Videos | 
Tags: Augmenting psychiatric diagnosis with data, Disconcerting Robot Detects Depression, ICT, Institute for Creative Technologies, MultiSense, SimSensei, University of Southern California, USC, Virtual Human and Multimodal Perception for Healthcare Support | 
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Action Bronson, Harry Fraud, and Killer Mike Speak On the ‘Current State of Rap Music’ (Video)
May 20, 2013
Journalist and music industry insider Matt Sonzala hosts a panel discussion at the Scion AV Music(less) Music Conference. The first segment of the ‘Current State of Rap Music’ is ready for viewing above. Matt has Killer Mike setting it off with straight talk on his story in the rap game. No punches pulled. No anger. Just Mike stating his point of view. Powerful! In part 2 of this exclusive panel discussion, the other panel members (Action Bronson and producer Harry Fraud) join in the discussion with their opinions of major labels. Check that out – as well as the rest of the panel discussion – after the jump.
‘The Scion Music(less) Music Conference 2012 is an exclusive mix of panel discussions and one-on-one conversations highlighting the brightest minds in today’s creative culture. Learn first-hand from industry movers and shakers as they offer their views on art and commerce.’
Great viewing. Watch all the clips. Thank me later!
- @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, Opinion, Producers, Technology, Videos | Tags: Action Bronson, Current State of Rap Music, Harry Fraud, Killer Mike, Matt Sonzala, MUSIC, Music Conference, Music(less), SCION A/V | No Comments »
How Alex Recovered Video Footage the Police Deleted To Frame Him (Video)
May 6, 2013
This is Alex from Federal Jack and Hack Miami. You see, Alex was arrested by the Miami Police Department… who tampered with video evidence to pin false charges on him! In the above video, Alex breaks down how he was able to recover video footage that enabled him to be exonerated (a process he calls ‘forensic recovery’). For a step-by-step process on how to recover deleted files from your camera and more on Alex see We Are Change on YouTube.
Posted in Human Interest, Technology, Videos | Tags: Alex, exonerate, How To Recover Video Footage That Was Deleted By The Police | No Comments »
Jared Evan – “Are We Almost There Yet?” (Prod. By Statik Selektah) [Video]
May 3, 2013
New music video directed by Rik Cordero for Jared Evan. “Are We Almost There Yet?” (produced by Statik Selektah) is another joint off of “Boom Bap & Blues.” Get that via earlier link posted here.
Posted in Album, Hip-Hop, Music, Product, Technology | Tags: Are We Almost There Yet, Boom Bap & Blues, boom bap and blues, JARED EVAN, Statik Selektah | No Comments »
Technology: Muscle-Reading Remote Control
April 15, 2013
No product on the market, yet he has all this going for him. Do you respect this young innovator’s techno-business-gangsta yet? What if I told you that the Businessweek writeup has the market for this gadget at about a half BILLION dollars??!! Yeah, who do you know who had it going like this at 23?
- @ojones1
READ THE FULL BUSINESSWEEK ARTICLE HERE.
DJ Jazzy Jeff Gives Us A Tour Of His Home Studio (Video)
April 10, 2013
Legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff shows off his studio and the power and range of his music setup. From digital to analog to heritage pieces… Jazzy Jeff even has the original analog board used to produce Sesame Street! Check it. A visual treat for heads and geeks alike.
Posted in Hip-Hop, Producers, Product, Technology, Videos | Tags: DJ, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Jazzy Jeff, Jazzy Jeff Studio Tour (Scion AV MMC 2012), Music Production, Studio, Technology | No Comments »
Nice, But Didn’t Anyone Think That Package Looked Suspicious? (Video)
April 9, 2013
As for the footage, van der Vleuten was amazed to see the complex – and efficient – conveyor belt system at work; and that relatively few people actually touched the package on its journey. But most surprising (and a bit scary), was that based on the pics that showed the open box; that thing really, really looks like a homemade bomb! “To be honest this was my biggest concern as well,” van der Vleuten admits. He included a note explaining that this was part of a student project with no criminal intent, but regardless: “Every time, I was bringing it to the post office with sweaty hands.”
As is their duty, delivery workers drop off packages like this every day. Neither rain, nor sleet… nor threat of ‘bomb’… or something like that, right?
Technology: Upgrade Your Golf Cart Game With Bubba’s Hover (Video)
April 4, 2013
Well, Bubba Watson officially has the coolest golf cart ever…because it is a HOVERCRAFT!
U.S. Masters Champion Bubba Watson and Oakley set out to create the world’s first hovercraft golf cart. The result, the BW1, is is golf course transportation that can glide over any terrain type there (and water), without damaging the grass. Will this bring more folks out to the links to try the age old Scottish game of strategy? Maybe, but most may never get out of the cart!
Posted in Lifestyle, Product, Sports, Technology | Tags: Bubba Watson, Bubba's Hover, BW1, Golf Cart, hovercraft, Oakley | No Comments »
Technology: New Clean Energy Source… Gravity? (Video)
April 2, 2013
(Bonus: This means that one day there’ll be no more yelling at relatives about leaving lights on and running up the bill in homes using this innovation.)
- @ojones1
Posted in Human Interest, Technology, Videos | Tags: businessweek, gravity, innovator, lamp, martin, powered, riddiford | No Comments »
BLITZ – 3/6/13: She Played You
March 6, 2013
Ice-T – “You Played Yourself”
HEADLINES
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Dies of Cancer At The Age Of 58
Hollywood Director Oliver Stone Calls Fallen Venezuelan President A ‘Great Hero’
Terrence Howard Praises Oprah’s ‘Tig Ol Bitties’ In ‘Dream Come True’ Movie Sex Scene
Fecal Matter Found In Cakes Sold Being By IKEA; Recall Taking Place In 23 Countries
Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez: An Outsized Personality & A Domineering Figure
Big Oil, Big Ketchup, & The Assassination Of Hugo Chavez
Kanye West Calls Into Radio Station Upset Over MTV’s Hottest Emcee Rankings
How Hugo Chavez Challenged Major League Baseball’s Relationship With The Caribbean
Bill Cosby Equates Republican Racism With Anti-Civil Rights Segregationists
CNN Eliminating Black Journalists; Axes Black Commentators Donna Brazile & Roland Martin
Venezuela Expels U.S. Officials & Blames ‘Historic Enemies’ Of Inducing Hugo Chavez’s Cancer
NY Hit & Run Driver Who Killed A Family Was The Murderer Of The ‘Original 50 Cent’
An Elevator ‘Murder’ Goes Viral
ESPN Faces New Rival In August With New FOX SPORTS 1 Cable Channel
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Says He’s ‘Terrified’ A Player Will Die On The Field
Lamborghini Introduces It’s New $4 Million Dollar Super Car
Noam Chomsky: Can Civilization Survive Capitalism?
New Samsung Galaxy Phone Might Be Controlled By Your Eyes
9 Interesting Things About Sex We Learned Studying Our Ancient Ancestors
The World’s Tallest Hotel Opens In Dubai
Attorney General Eric Holder: In Theory President Obama Can Order Drone Strikes In The U.S.
The Death Of Hugo Chavez: The End Of The Latin American Left?
Millions Of Locusts Invade Israel
BLITZ – 3/4/13: Skeet Invaders
March 4, 2013
Jeru Tha Damaja – “Invasion”
HEADLINES
Lebron James Soars Above $1 Million Dollar Dunk Offers & Other Distractions
Vice President Joe Biden & Congressman John Lewise Re-Enact Voting Rights March In Selma
Fugitive Wanted For Intentionally Spreading HIV To 100s Of Gay Men In The New York Area
Scientists Says Baby Born With HIV Has Been Functionally Cured With New Treatment
Dennis Rodman Speaks On His Visit With North Korean Leader Kim Jung Un
How Dennis Rodman & You Too Can Visit North Korea
Mom Drowns Her Baby Boy Because He Had A ‘Small Penis’
Female Kicker’s Historic Bid To Enter The NFL Ends Painfully
Former NO LIMIT Artist ‘Mr. Magic’ & Wife Die In Car Accident; 12-Year-Old Daughter Survives
Nicki Minaj Fires Her Stylists, Hairdresser, & Makeup Artists In Efforts To Be ‘Taken Seriously’
Keith Olbermann Wants To Work At ESPN Again
Former NFL Wide Receiver Terrell Owens The IRS Over $430,000 In Unpaid Taxes
Man Breaks Into Popeye’s To Eat 16 Pies Then Falls Asleep On The Floor Before Cops Arrive
Randy Moss Hints That He Will Not Be Returning To The San Francisco 49ers
American Cities With The Highest & Lowest Taxes
Man Fakes His Own Kidnapping To Avoid His Angry Girlfriend & Gets Arrested
Jay Leno Leaving NBC’s ‘Tonight’ Next Season?
The Biggest Misconceptions About NBA Superstars
Bill Gates Dodges Questions Of Why He Owns 500,000 Shares Of Monsanto Worth $23 Million
Technology: New Futuristic Highways Being Built In Europe (Video)
February 25, 2013
Construction of the highways of the future (in the Netherlands) begins this year! Roads that will help recharge electric cars, display weather conditions for drivers on the street, and light the roadsides and pavement beneath their feet (tires)… heavily utilizing renewable energy sources like wind and solar). Incredible!
Read the rest of this entry »
Technology: Wish You Could Get that Pic Back? Should Have Used Snapchat (Video)
February 21, 2013
Courtesy: Bloomberg TV
You know that pic you wished you had not sent? You know… that picture. Well, if you used the Snapchat app, it’s like you didn’t. People using the app send messages, pictures, and even video that quickly disappear, so there’s no pressure to look cool… or worrying that the receiver will have permanent “dirt” on you (think: angry ex with that nude Valentine’s Day pic you sent). If someone cheats and tries to take a screenshot of your snap to keep, the app notifies you. And in the realm of Snapchat, getting caught trying to beat… er… the system by capturing a screen image of what was sent is taboo. Of course, folks have started to figure out ways to save images without getting caught; so if you choose to use the free app, use care.
READ THE FULL BUSINESSWEEK WRITE-UP ON SNAPCHAT HERE.
- @ojones1
Posted in Technology, Videos | Tags: Snapchat, Snapchat and the Erasable Future of Social Media | No Comments »
Technology: Chip Could Enable Smartphones to See Through Objects
February 20, 2013
Ali Hajimiri, a professor of electrical engineering at the California Institute of Technology, has created a chip capable of producing terahertz waves—radiation (or T-rays) that can penetrate materials such as plastic and wood without the side effects associated with X-rays. So far, T-rays have been used mostly in experiments in medical and dental imaging. But Hajimiri, working with postdoctoral researcher Kaushik Sengupta, got thousands of tiny transistors to operate in concert, producing T-rays from a smaller machine. When connected with a computer or mobile device, the 0.1 inch-wide silicon chip technology could help doctors locate skin cancer noninvasively, speed up passenger scans at airport security lines, scan suspicious packages at the post office, or find art hidden behind painted walls.
Aww, not quite what you were expecting? C’mon though. It’s still pretty cool tech, right?
- @ojones1
READ THE FULL BUSINESSWEEK WRITE-UP HERE.
Technology: Flying Drones, You Can Own Your Own (Video)
February 7, 2013
Above: Bitcraze is buzzing will be selling mini-drone copter kits this spring, but you can pre-order now.
Wait…WHAT? Didn’t we just post on military drones that might be over our cities. Now, we’re talking about drones in our cities… launched from private homes? Yep. Believe it.
Marcus Eliasson, Arnaud Taffanel, and Tobias Antonsson are the engineers behind the Swedish startup Bitcraze; and they now accepting pre-orders for a palm-sized quadcopter called the Crazyflie Nano. At less than four inches across and 19 grams, the device is small enough to fly under tables and chairs, and through enclosed spaces.
The trio used only open source material for the project’s hardware and code. So, they did not have to waste time and money they did not have to test and perfect their market version. No fighting over intellectual property rights either.
They have already gotten suggestions for modifications to the $149 device, and hacked the copter to carry a video camera, LEDs, and even an inductive charger. There will already be a more advanced, $173 Crazyflie Nano, with a magnetometer and altimeter offered.
BLITZ – 2/6/13: Awww Skeet Skeet
February 6, 2013
Prodigy – “Bang On Em”
18 People Charged By The Feds In A $200 Million Dollar Global Credit Card Scam
Former NBA Star Allen Iverson Loses His Atlanta Mansion To Foreclosure
Church Daycare Closed After 5-Year-Olds Caught Having Oral Sex
Jeremy Lin Helps Set NBA Record In Houston Rockets Win Over The Golden State Warriors
I Went To The Playboy Mansion (And It Was Kinda Depressing)
Female Prison Guard Pregnant With Inmate’s Baby & Had Multiple Affairs With Other Prisoners
Coco Brown Could Be The First Ever Porn Star In Space
Man Caught Having Sex With A Horse; Says He Was Trying To Get It Pregnant
Palm-Sized Nano-Copter Being Used In Afghanistan As A Spy Drone
Nigerian Prostitutes Offer One-Week Of Free Sex If Nigeria Wins The African Cup In Soccer
Atlanta Reporter Gets Sucker Punched In The Face Live On Camera
For 100 Years Pitbulls Were Considered The Perfect ‘Nanny Dogs’ Before Negative Stories
10 Questions Should Ask Themselves At The Beginning Of Their Careers (If They Want Success)
Room For Debate: Have Black Intellectuals Sold Their Souls?
Futuristic Freakum Dress: ‘Intimacy 2.0′ Dress Turns Transparent When Women Get Aroused
Jacksonville Jaguars Unveil New Team Logos
Jesse Jackson, Jr’s Wife Subject Of A Federal Investigation
Mixing Alcohol & Diet Soda Can Make You More Intoxicated Faster
Armor On The Field: How The NFL’s Use Of Kevlar Helmets Can Possibly Eliminate Concussions
Ray Lewis Does His Dance For The Last Time In The Ravens Stadium With Lombardi Trophy
New Orleans Saints Plan To Hire Rob Ryan As Their New Defensive Coordinator
Research Says Straight Men Who Watch Porn Tend To Be Supportive Of Same-Sex Marriages
Puerto Rico’s Battered Economy: The Greece Of The Caribbean?
The Wives & Girlfriends Of Super Bowl XLVII
Technology: A 1.8 Gigapixel ‘Eye in the Sky’ – No Hiding From ARGUS-IS (Video)
February 5, 2013
Whoa. As a high-tech society, we have already crossed many barriers; some, perhaps, maybe we should not have.
‘The U.S. Air Force, right now, has the ability to archive every single video that comes off of every single UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle]. We’re moving to an increasingly electronic society where our movements are going to be tracked.’
- Mary “Missy” Cummings, MIT Humans and Automation Lab
One million terabytes of video a day, with high enough resolution to track an object six inches from the sidewalk… in your city… from 15,000 feet above… saved forever. Take a second to be amazed. Then spend the rest of your day SHOOK!
This might already be deployed in Afghanistan… it MIGHT already be deployed closer to home! That information is classified.
Watch yourself, people. Big Brother probably is. Just saying.
‘This is the next generation of surveillance… It is important for the public to know that some of these capabilities exist.’
- Yiannis Antoniades, BAE Systems, Creator of ARGUS-IS
H∆SHTAG$: Episode 1 – “Don’t Call It #AltRnB” (Video)
February 4, 2013
H∆SHTAG$ is a new mini-documentary series from the Red Bull Music Academy, covering emerging music trends of interest across the web – like #CloudRap, #SeaPunk, #PostDubStep, and #AdvancedPop.
Above is “Don’t Call It #AltRnB” (the first episode of H∆SHTAG$), which explores… #AltRnB (or #HipsterRnB or #InternetRnB or whatever-you-get-from-watching-this-RnB). The video takes a look at the current renaissance of contemporary R&B – featuring Jeremy ‘Zodiac’ Rose (former half of The Weeknd), Miguel, Rochelle Jordan, and more. Very interesting discussion.
Posted in Producers, R&B, Technology, Videos | Tags: Alt R&B, Alt RnB, AltR&B, AltRnB, Don't Call It #AltRnB, Episode 1, HASHTAG$, HASHTAGS, H∆SHTAG$, H∆SHTAGS | No Comments »
Technology: Prototype Wheelchairs That Climb Stairs and More (Video)
January 28, 2013
This is a game-changer for people who use wheelchairs to get around. Japan’s Chiba Institute of Technology has developed a robotic wheelchair that negotiates obstacles by turning its wheels into legs and climbing over them.
Holes and gaps in the road, bumps, sidewalk curbs, and steps currently bar access to free travel for those in a traditional wheelchair. Turning around in small spaces is also a huge challenge. But Chiba’s chair will change that. More robot than mobility chair, the robo-chair can actually climb stairs and move safely over uneven surfaces and onto or down off curbs. In addition, it can retract and realign its wheels to make tight 360 degree turns, all with the twist of a joystick.
So, this model proves the robo-chair to be more than a concept; rather a prototype. Next up: A project to develop wheelchairs that help people reach and read items too far overhead for folks using mobility chairs of today.
Collaborators from National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, National Taipei University of Technology, Yuan Ze University, National Tsing Hua University and National Cheng Kung University developed the i-Transport model wheel chair that can lift its passenger to a standing position. Other features of the wheelchair include:
- A built-in microchip for monitoring heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and body temperature.
- A touch screen with radio frequency identification technology that allows users to control home appliances and other electrical devices from their wheelchair.
- Navigation software and obstacle detectors which allows users to enter the coordinates for frequently visited locations and change the routes upon request.
- Heather Fairchild, AtlantaCareerPath.com
Good tech. DAMN good tech!
- @ojones1
Posted in Technology, Videos | Tags: chair, Chiba Institute of Technology, Chiba Tech, Dig Info TV, Diginfo, DigInfo TV, DigInfoTV, disability, disabled, elderly, injury, mobility, mobility chair, prototype, recuperation, rehab, rehabilitation, robo-chair, Robotic wheelchair from Chiba Tech turns wheels into legs and climbs over steps, Smart Wheelchairs that Level the Field, wheelchair | No Comments »
Technology: Indoor Clouds and More – 2012′s Best Inventions (Video)
January 25, 2013
AMAZING! The Dutch artist Berndnaut Smilde has developed a way to create a small, perfect white cloud in the middle of a room. By carefully manipulating the temperature, humidity and lighting in a room, Smilde conjures a cloud out of… well… thin air… using a fog machine!
