‘technology’ Articles
Written by admin on 29 October 2008
A new study shows that humans had the skill of lighting a fire 790000 years ago, an important ability which facilitated their migration process from Africa to Europe
The research of silexes discovered within the archeological site on the Jordan river bank has revealed to scholars of the Israel Jewish University the fact that the first civilizations have learned how to light a fire very early, an advantage which has allowed them to venture into the exploration and occupation of new territories. A previous study, carried out in 2004, has shown that the people knew how to preserve the fire around the same period. However, the recent discovery indicates that they were familiar with the very process of producing it, not only relying on natural phenomena such as thunder. The independence which this early discovery has given them has influenced and eased the migration towards northern territories, the researchers affirm. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: ancient, homo sapiens, technology
Posted in homo sapiens, technology | No Comments »
Written by admin on 29 September 2008
Assisted by a new artificial intelligence system, a robotic helicopter is able to teach itself to fly and perform stunts, by watching and simulating these maneuvers done by other helicopters.
This autonomous helicopter relies on observation and registration rather than on software. Its observation model is an expert in what the Stanford University team calls “apprenticeship learning”, a 4-foot model helicopter flown by radio-control pilot Garret Oku, known to fly amazing acrobatics on any helicopter.
The study conducted by the Stanford University team, made up from professor Andrew Ng and his research graduate students proves that computers can acquire the same skill. Therefore, the artificial intelligence helicopter can do rolls, loops, traveling flips, stall-turns with pirouettes – “ by far the most difficult acrobatic maneuvers flown by any computer-controlled helicopter”, according to the Stanford professor.
The machine is also remarkable through its underlying technology: aftermarket instrumentation such as accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers, since controlling a helicopter is known to be difficult – “ it always wants to just tip over and crash” , says Oku.
Posted in robot, robotics, technology | 3 Comments »
Written by admin on 29 September 2008
The world may come to face an unexpected issue: running out of web addresses in less than 2 years, the World Wide Web creators announced, quoted by DailyMail.
“ Internet addresses allow the computers to identify one another, and thus, to communicate. As long as no device is brought into service in order to increase the number of IP addresses, the amount of these addresses may run low in two years tops.” Claims Vint Cerf, the vice president of Google.
In 1977, the year the internet was created, 4,2 billion IP addresses were released on the market. At present, only 14% of them are left available.
“ Imagine that the telephone numbers would run low.” Without a new series of numbers it would be impossible to register new users”, Vint Cerf mentions.
Source: DailyMail
The researchers announce that they are already operating on a system called IPv6, which shall be accomplished in about ten years and will be able to offer 340 trillion trillion trillion web addresses.
Posted in technology, web | 1 Comment »
