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Gaming the Future: The Book!

Category: news

Ray Kurzweil receives Lemelson-MIT Prize

from the invention-and-innovation dept.
The Lemelson-MIT Program announced on 24 April 2001 that its annual $500,000 prize — world's largest single award for invention and innovation — is being presented to futurist Raymond Kurzweil According to the award citation, Kurzweil is being honored as "a pioneer of pattern recognition technologies who has made a career of helping others, while showing a flair for integrating technology and the arts. Over the past 35 years, Kurzweil has produced a lengthy list of achievements and innovations that have enriched society, including: advancing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies; founding, developing and selling four successful companies; and writing two best-selling books that support his predictions for the 21st century." His controversial views on the future notwithstanding, Kurzweil is being recognized by the Lemelson-MIT Program for the breadth and scope of his inventive work, and for his commitment to enhancing the quality of life for people with disabilities through technology.

It is also notable that this year's Lemelson-MIT Student Prize goes Brian Hubert, a Ph.D. candidate who has already done significant work in the field of nanotechnology. Hubert plans to finish his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, with a concentration in nano-assembly techniques. He earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering from MIT.

IBM initiative aims at greater computer system autonomy

from the am-I-blue? dept.
Sharad Bailur calls attention to a number of news reports of plans announced by IBM to design computers that would adjust to changing workloads, recognize faults and repair themselves without human intervention. A longer-term goal includes a sort of digital immune system to fight off computer viruses and other attacks. Although these goals are not radically new, some reports do mention Ray Kurzweil and ask whether such systems would have a sort of limited self-awareness.
A report appeared in the New York Times ("I.B.M. Project Seeks to Reduce Need for Human Action", by B.J. Feder, 27 April 2001). According to the article, I.B.M.'s research arm had already singled out such autonomous computing technology as a major focus for its work.

Ralph Merkle to present public program on nanotechnology

from the 21st-century-teach-in dept.
Ralph Merkle, a principal fellow at Zyvex Corp. and winner of the 1998 Feynman Prize, will lead a half-day public program on nanotechnology at the University of California Berkeley campus on Saturday, 5 May 2001 (That's this coming Saturday). Designed for the lay public, "Nanotechnology: Basic Concepts and Potential Applications" will take place on Saturday, May 5, from 1 to 5 p.m., in Dwinelle Hall on the UC Berkeley campus in Berkeley, California. The fee is $20. To register, call 510/642-4111 or register online. For more information see www.learningsphere.org/nanotech.htm.

At the four-hour public UC Berkeley Extension program, Dr. Merkle will explain the basic concepts of nanotechnology and the potential it offers in medicine, computer science, aerospace and the military, as well as other fields. He will examine how the development of this powerful technology could be best guided to maximize the benefits while minimizing any potential risks. The program is co-sponsored by the Foresight Institute.

IBM will invest $100 million in NY Nanoelectronics Center

from the coast-to-coast dept.
According to an Associated Press report in the New York Times, IBM will invest more than $100 million to help create a state Center of Excellence in Nanoelectronics at the State University of New York's Albany campus, (Note: Access to the NY Times site is free, but requires registration.)

New York Gov. George Pataki and company officials announced the contribution on 23 April 2001. Pataki said the state would contribute $50 million for the center, which is expected to initially employ 100 technicians and 400 scientists. The center will create the only university-based, 300-millimeter computer wafer prototype facility in the world, and provide laboratory and clean room space for researchers, incubator space for high-tech company spinoff ventures and a work force development program, officials said. IBM has announced plans to build a $2.5 billion computer chip fabrication plant in East Fishkill, located south of Albany.

Read more for additional information on the New York program, and similar efforts in California.

NSET releases report on societal implications of nanotechnology

from the NSETting-the-agenda dept.
The U.S. National Science and Technology Councilís Subcommittee on Nanoscale Science, Engineering and Technology (NSET) has released a 280-page report detailing the presentations from a workshop on the Societal Implications of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, which was held at the National Science Foundation in Washington, D.C., 28-29 September 2000. NSET is the coordinating body for the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI).

The workshop report includes a comparative survey of the current studies on societal implications (knowledge and education, technological, economic, medical, environmental, cultural, ethical, legal, cultural, risks, etc.) of advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology, as well as an examination of vision and alternative pathways for the future over short (3-5 years), medium (5-15 years) and long-term (over 20 years) horizons. The report also makes recommendations for research and education programs. The workshop and any follow-on activities are part of the NNI.

The full report is available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file (2.5 MB).

Britian Plans Legislation To Ban Human Cloning

from the The-happening-world dept.
VAB writes "A BBC Article reports Britain is to ban reproductive human cloning as part of a strategy to assure the public that genetic technology will be harnessed for beneficial use only.

Health Secretary Alan Milburn announced on Thursday [19 April 2001] that the government is bringing forward legislation to outlaw human cloning within months. Mr Milburn said that the only way to ensure human cloning never takes place is to ban reproductive human cloning by law.

The health secretary stressed that while Britain should aim to become a world leader in the genetic revolution in healthcare, no progress can be made unless strict boundaries are set to reassure the public about genetic technology."

"Friendly AI" now open for commentary

from the smart-allies-not-enemies dept.
From Senior Associate Eliezer Yudkowsky: The Singularity Institute has just announced that it has begun circulating a preliminary version of "Friendly AI" for open commentary by the academic and futurist communities. "Friendly AI" is the first specific proposal for a set of design features and cognitive architectures to produce a benevolent – "Friendly" – Artificial Intelligence. The official launch is tentatively scheduled for mid-June, but we hope to discuss the current paper with you at the upcoming Foresight Gathering this weekend. Read More for more details.

Singularity Institute receives tax-exempt status

from the IRS-gods-have-smiled dept.
From Senior Associate Eliezer Yudkowsky: The Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Inc. is glad to announce that we have obtained tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3) public charity. We are now accepting donations (through check, credit card, or Paypal) which will be tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.

The Singularity Institute currently analyzes seed AI (AI designed for self-understanding, self-modification, and recursive self-improvement), Friendly AI (goal architectures for benevolence), and the Singularity. The Singularity Institute is also beginning to evangelize Friendly AI to other AI projects. The Singularity Institute's long-term purpose is to directly implement the Singularity by designing, developing, and teaching the "seed AI" which becomes the first transhuman Artificial Intelligence.

(Remember to attend the Singularity SIG at this weekend's Foresight Gathering!)

NASA seeks public comment on new institutes

from the short-notice dept.
The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to implement a number of University-based research centers, to be known as Research, Engineering, and Technology Institutes, or RETIs, and is seeking public comment on the implementation of this new program. Nanotechnology is prominently featured among the targeted technologies.

The goal of this plan is to strengthen NASA's ties to the academic community through long-term sustained investment in areas of innovative and long-range technology critical to NASA's future. At the same time the RETIs will enhance and broaden the capabilities of the nation's universities to meet the needs of NASA's science and technology programs. The role of the RETIs is intended to be research and exploitation of innovative, cutting-edge, emerging opportunities for technology that can have a revolutionary impact on the missions that NASA pursues in the future, while expanding the nation's talent base for research and development.

Organizations that have an interest in this activity are requested to provide information that addresses creative concepts in how to implement the RETIs, on collaborations with the NASA Centers, on mechanisms for partnering with non-university/non-NASA performers, and on RETI management.

Public Comment Due Date: April 21, 2001

Bioscientists back an "open source" library

from the Straight-to-the-source dept.
Senior Associate John Gilmore calls our attention to an item on the movement to create an open public library of scientific papers that appeared on the New Scientist website.

A model archive, called "PubMed Central", was set up by Harold Varmus when he was director of the US National Institutes of Health. Major journals which already deposit their papers there include the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and the British Medical Journal. Supporters of the idea urge other scientists to sign a petition calling for the library, and to boycott journals unwilling to participate in the scheme.

As of the end of March, more than 12,000 scientists from 120 countries have signed an open letter in support of the Public Library of Science initiative. As a result of this initiative, several scientific publishers have already decided to adopt the policy advocated in the open letter, and almost every publisher and scientific society is discussing it. You can find out more, and add your signature to the petition, at http://www.publiclibraryofscience.org.

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