Tag: Internet

DIY Prosthetics on Demand

DIY_prostheticThe field of prosthetics has seen some rather stark and amazing developments in recent years. And considering the rise in DIY cybernetics, biohacking and 3D printing, it was just a matter of time before a bunch of hobbyists found a way to create their own. And that’s precisely what Ivan Owen and Richard Van, a special effects artist and a woodworker, have managed to do.

Despite living hundreds of kilometers from each other, these two men managed to collaborate on the creation of an artificial limb. And in an especially heartwarming twist, they did it on demand for a South African boy named Liam who war born without fingers on his right hand. For some time, they had been working together to create prosthetics relying only on their general know-how and technology that is available to the general public, all the while keeping tabs on their progress and sharing it with the general public through their blog comingupshorthanded.com.

DIY_prosth_LiamAfter stumbling onto this website, Liam’s mother contacted Ivan and Richard and asked if they could create an artificial hand for her son. They obliged and, using a 3D printer, bits of cable, bungee cord returns and rubber thimbles, the two men collaborated over the internet to make it happen. And not only have they changed the life of young Liam, who is capable of doing things he never thought possible, they now hope to do the same for others looking for low-cost prosthetic alternatives.

For years, these two had been working on a “Robohand” together, in part due to the fact that Van As lost his right hand fingers in a woodworking accident. But until now, they had not considered the wider implications of their work. And after talking to Liam’s mom and seeing the difference it made in Liam’s life, they have set up a fundraising page are take requests for people looking for devices or who are interesting in offering help. Thanks to the open-source nature of the project, a number of improvements have already been made to their designs, with more sure to follow.

bionic_handsIn addition to showcasing the trend of DIY device-making and open-source development, this is also good news for anyone in the market for an artificial hand or limb and who does not have $10,000 kicking around. That’s the standard price for a prosthetic these days, which despite incredible leaps in terms of sophistication have not gotten any cheaper! But with the right know-how, and some technical assistance, a person can find their way to a cheap, printed alternative and see similar results.

Overal, prosthetics offer people the opportunity to restore mobility and retain their independence. And now, thanks to the internet and 3D printing capabilities, they can manufacture these devices independently. The power to restore your own mobility is in your own hands… Interesting, and one might even say cosmically convergent!

Rock on Liam! You’ve got a great mom and some talented friends. As for the rest of you, be sure to check out this video of the 5 year old boy in action with his new prosthetic hand.

Source: IO9.com, comingupshort.com, fundly.com

Of Search Terms and Hits

0427_Cyber_full_600Recently, I went by my traffic page to see just how many hits I was getting in recent days. Naturally, I was sure to take a gander at the referrals and search term portions of this page, just to see who was looking for what and who else might have led them to me in the first place. Needless to say, it was interesting, and pretty consistent with what I’ve been seeing in the last few months.

Ah, but then, I decided to look at the All-Time totals to see just how much of my traffic I owed to certain subjects. You can tell much about your own page and the impact it’s having by seeing what search term more than any other led people to you. And after looking over the grand totals, I thought I might list the top 15 and see what I could conclude from it.

So, here are the top 15 search terms which have led people to my site since it went online in March of 2011:

  1. Joker:  10,060
  2. The Joker:  4,813
  3. Bath Salts Zombie:  2,267
  4. Bath Salt Zombie:  1,585
  5. Predator:  1,010
  6. Moon:  918
  7. COD (Call of Duty):  887
  8. Bayonet:  820
  9. Tiananmen Square:  607
  10. Firefly Serenity:  607
  11. Firefly:  535
  12. Zombie Apocalypse:  511
  13. Zombie Weapons:  495
  14. Desert Eagle .50 cal:  442
  15. Futuristic Guns:  412

What to conclude from all of this? I’m not sure I want to think about it much. If I did, I might have to admit that maybe my site mainly appeals to gamers, gun enthusiasts and people who like reading about insane clowns, zombies and recreational cannibalism. Not exactly the reason I started writing this thing in the first place!

But then again, I could just as easily conclude that, like me, these people enjoy a good romp through nerd territory, complete with dystopian fiction, post-apocalypticism, cool weapons, cool games and cool franchises. And maybe, just maybe, they enjoy learning about history and engaging in some thoughtful discussion along the way.

Hey, a man can always dream, right? 😉

Wanted: People for Mars!

MarsOneThey’re called Mars One, a nonprofit organization based in the Netherlands that intends to establish a human settlement on the Red Planet by 2023. What began as a proposed Reality TV project that would hopefully recoup the costs of sending people to Mars has since matured into a project for actual, factual colonization. There’s just one thing missing at this point…

They need people to volunteer.

A little over a week ago, they released a document specifying their application criteria. Clearly, they can’t take just anyone. Among the five key categories for qualification are Resiliency, Adaptability, Curiosity (no pun!), Ability to Trust, Creativity and Resourcefulness. Oh, and you must be at least 18 years of age, kind of like getting in to an R-rated movie. No specific technical qualifications are necessary, but if you’ve got a go-getter attitude, a positive outlook and are willing to learn, I’m sure they can teach you.

terraforming-marsThe selection process will begin during the first half of 2013, and will still be based around a reality TV concept. Basically, it will take the form of Mars One experts and viewers of a “global, televised program” choosing who they want to see go. Those ultimately selected will be assembled into teams of four, with at least six teams hoped to be prepared to launch in September 2022. But only one team will make the first trip to the Red Planet, and that team will be decided democratically.

The training process will take eight years, and will include simulated missions, practice in a restricted mobility environment, and lessons in electronics, equipment repair, basic and critical medical care. In 2016, the company plans to begin rocketing supplies to Mars, including spare parts, two rovers, and living units that can be assembled into a base once humans arrive.

It’s a testament to an age where commercial space flight is fast becoming a reality, and internet-based voting, crowdsourcing and information sharing can take the place of space agencies and government sanctioned research. Sure, it still sounds like a pipe dream, but the effort alone is impressive isn’t it? And given all the advances that are made every day, who’s to say what will and won’t be possible within the next few decades?

To read the application in detail, click here. And check out the video of Mars One’s proposed mission:

Source: wired.com, blastr.com

Data Miners Published!

Dataminers_3It’s finally happened. After three years of writing, editing and constant picking, I finally got around to pushing Data Miners through publication! As you can see, I decided to go with the black and green cover, which I feel highlights the lines of code best. And I also made sure there’d be print on the side. I feel there should be demarcation between the front and back covers, hope you agree.

And here is the precis I decided to go with on the back of the dust jacket. Hope it encapsulates the story without giving too much away:

“Prad is a member of the DeMarchy, an elite society of data miners dedicated to finding the patterns in chaos and exposing the lies that permeate our society. Or so he thinks. In reality, he’s a second-rate programmer working for a faceless company and obsessed with a woman he can’t possibly have. Until one day when a mysterious package arrives that plunges him into a mystery ten years in the making.  If he can crack the code, he just might be able to save his friends and himself.  If not, they’ll lose everything: their jobs, their freedom, and even their lives. Like everything else in Prad’s wireless world, the answer is out there, just waiting to be mined!“

But to give my loyal followers are more in-depth survey, the book was inspired largely by the works of William Gibson and his exploration of technology and its effects on society. But for my own purposes, I wanted some serious espionage and spy thriller stuff, the kind of things people would expect from a techno-thriller. After all, one of the cornerstones of the digital age has been fears about the loss of privacy, the dangers of government surveillance, and the threat posed by insidious people with the wrong kinds of talents!

Add to that the concept of Democratic Anarchy, a west-coast libertarian perspective, and some real history – which I shamelessly exploited for the sake of fiction – and you’ve got Data Miners. In time, I will be producing the sequel, Data Pirates, which focuses on the darker side of hacking and libertarianism, and a finale, entitled Data Moguls. But those will have to wait for my current workload to cool down a little…

In the meantime, look for Data Miners on Amazon-Kindle! It will be appearing on my author page for the ebook price of 4.99, or for free if you’ve got a Kindle Select membership. My first full length novel is out, Yaaaaaay! Follow the links below if you want a copy:

Amazon Author Page

Idle No More: A Mobilization of People and Information

we_are_idle_no_moreFor years, I have been pondering how the information age has affected society, particularly with regards to politics and social change. Many would argue that it has simply amplified the tendencies Neil Postman spoke of in Amusing Ourselves to Death, where the truth would drowned in a sea of irrelevance and mindless entertainment would keep us pacified and inert. However, others, including myself, have been the type to notice how access to information and the ability to connect the world over has helped activists and reform movements mobilize and overcome, in ways that might have been impossible in previous ages.

And Idle No More, a new reform movement here in Canada that seeks to address injustice the status of Canada’s First Nations, is a perfect example. Initially, it was a small but committed protest movements that had emerged in response to our current government and the Omnibus Bill C-45 that was passed back in 2011. But in just a few short months, thanks largely to social media, it has become a nation-wide phenomena joining countless groups and encompassing many outstanding issues, not the least of which are matters of Native sovereignty and the enduring and outdated government document known as the “Indian Act”.

idle_no_more_saskThe movement officially began in November of 2012 as a series of teach-ins by activists Nina Wilson, Sheelah Mclean, Sylvia McAdam and Jessica Gordon in Saskatoon. This led to a series of teach-ins, rallies and protests that were planned by the founders in a National Day Of Action on Dec. 10th, which coincided with Amnesty Internationals Human Rights Day and similar protests already underway in British Columbia over the Northern Gateway and Pacific Trails pipelines – two other issues effecting First Nations, but which are being pushed ahead by the Conservative Government.

At about the same time, Chief Theresa Spence, leader of the Attawapiskat Nation, announced that she was going on a hunger strike (limiting herself to water and broth) until Prime Minister Stephen Harper agreed to a meeting to discuss these and other issues relating to First Nations. Idle No More timed its protests with her announcement and declared their support for her cause. And of course, Facebook became the principal means of coordinating and connecting people all over the country.

In addition to the many changes to the Indian Act that Bill C-45 contained, specifically with regards to land held by First Nations People, Idle No More’s grievances extend to the following government bills. These and other acts initiated by the Conservatives and other governments weaken environmental protection laws, effect Canada’s waterways (many of which pass through First Nations territory and are intrinsic to the health and well being of the communities), and are believed to have a negative impact on native people and native sovereignty:

  • Bill C-38 (Budget Omnibus Bill #1)
  • Bill C-45 (Budget Omnibus Bill #2)
  • Bill C-27 First Nations Financial Transparency Act
  • Bill S-2 Family Homes on Reserve and Matrimonial Interests or Right Act
  • Bill S-6 First Nations Elections Act
  • Bill S-8 Safe Drinking Water for First Nations
  • Bill C-428 Indian Act Amendment and Replacement Act
  • Bill S-207 An Act to amend the Interpretation Act
  • Bill S-212 First Nations Self-Government Recognition Bill
  • “First Nations” Private Ownership Act

idle_no_more_posterTaken together, they are seen as part of a larger agenda on behalf of the Harper government to run rough-shod over environmental and First Nation interests, to ignore the harm caused by the implementation of one or many economic projects, and to streamline the legal process to make it easier for them to push their projects through. On top of that, they seek to redress hundreds of years of abuse, neglect and genocide that remain a stumbling block to a healthy relationship between the Canadian government and its First Nation people, and an embarrassment to the world.

Naturally, the Harper government was intransigent about having a meeting, but finally agreed when it became clear that Spence meant business and the Assembly of First Nations, Canada’s many Aboriginal peoples, and a hell of a lot of its non-Aboriginal citizens (myself included) stood in solidarity with Spence. As of January 2013, his government and the Govern General of Canada both agreed to hold a meeting to discuss all outstanding issues.

THERESA-SPENCE-HARPER-MEETINGTo many, this is a hard-won victory, even though the greatest battles may be yet to come. And as far as I am concerned, it is demonstration of what social media and the internet can do when used for positive political change. Much like the Arab Spring, the Wisconsin Protests, and the 2008 and 2012 elections, having the means to connect with people far and wide and share in a common goal, all the while circumventing traditional media and official procedures, may mean the difference between victory and defeat.

As we all know, sometimes it’s necessary to “wag the dog” when the system fails. More and more, we see this happening today and it gives me hope. If people the world over can rise up and bring an end to ongoing abuse and oppression, then it demonstrates that we might actually be moving towards this thing called a global community after all, and one that is united in its commitment to human rights and social justice, not just a globalized economy and cheap electronics!

You go Spence! Give Harper and his cronies hell, and don’t let them give you any crap either! Chances are, they won’t be in office much longer. Oh, how I hope and pray…

Idle_No_MoreSource: CBC.ca, Huffington Post.ca, Facebook, idlenomore.ca

Big News in Quantum Science!

Welcome all to my 800th post! Woot woot! I couldn’t possibly think of anything to special to write about to mark the occasion, as I seem to acknowledge far too many of these occasions. So instead I thought I’d wait for a much bigger milestone which is on the way and simply do a regular article. Hope you enjoy it, it is the 800th one I’ve written 😉

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C2012 saw quite a few technical developments and firsts being made; so many in fact that I had to dedicate two full posts to them! However, one story which didn’t make many news cycles, but may prove to be no less significant, was the  advances made in the field of quantum science. In fact, the strides made in this field during the past year were the first indication that a global, quantum internet might actually be possible.

For some time now, scientists and researchers have been toying with the concept of machinery that relies on quantum mechanics. Basically, the idea revolves around “quantum teleportation”, a process where quantum states of matter, rather than matter itself, are beamed from one location to another. Currently, this involves using a high-powered laser to fire entangled photons from one location to the next. When the photons at the receiving end take on the properties of the photon sent, a quantum teleportation has occurred, a process which is faster than the speed of light since matter is not actually moving, only its properties.

quantum-teleportation-star-trails-canary-islands-1-640x353Two years ago, scientists set the record for the longest teleportation by beaming a photon some 16 km. However, last year, a team of international researchers was able to beam the properties of a photon from their lab in La Palma to another lab in Tenerife, some 143 km away. Not only was this a new record, it was significant because 143 km happens to be just far enough to reach low Earth orbit satellites, thus proving that a world-spanning quantum network could be built.

Shortly thereafter, China struck back with its own advance, conducting the first teleportation of quantum states between two rubidium atoms. Naturally, atoms are several orders larger than a quantum qubit, which qualifies them as “macroscopic objects” – i.e. visible to the naked eye. This in turn has led many to believe that large quantities of information could be teleported from one location to the next using this technique in the near future.

And then came another breakthrough from England, where researchers managed to transmit qubits and binary data down the same piece of optic fiber, which laid the groundwork for a conventional internet that runs via optic cable instead of satellites, and which could be protected using quantum cryptography, a secured means of information transfer which remains (in theory) unbreakable.

quantum_compAnd finally, the companies of IBM and the University of Southern California (USC) reported big advances in the field of quantum computing during 2012. The year began with IBM announcing that it had created a 3-qubit computer chip (video below) capable of performing controlled logic functions. USC could only manage a 2-qubit chip — but it was fashioned out of diamond (pictured at left). Both advances strongly point to a future where your PC could be either completely quantum-based, or where you have a few quantum chips to aid with specific tasks.

As it stands, quantum computing, networking, and cryptography remain in the research and development phase. IBM’s current estimates place the completion of a fully-working quantum computer at roughly ten to fifteen years away. And as it stands, the machinery needed to conduct any of these processes remains large, bulky and very expensive. But miniaturization and a drop in prices are too things you can always count on in the tech world!

^So really, we may be looking at a worldwide, quantum internet by 2025 or 2030. We’re talking about a world in which information transfers faster than the speed of light, all connections are secure, and computing happens at unheard of speeds. Sounds impressive, but the real effect of this “quantum revolution” will be the exponential rate at which progress increases. With worldwide information sharing and computing happening so much faster, we can expect further advances in every field to take less time, and breakthroughs happening on a regular basis.

Yes, this technology could very well be the harbinger of what John von Neumann called the “Technological Singularity”. I know some of you might be feeling nervous at the moment, but somewhere, Ray Kurzweil is doing a happy dance! Just a few more decades before he and others like him can start downloading their brains or getting those long-awaited cybernetic enhancements!

Source: extremetech.com

Microsoft Concept Video: The Future of Smartphones and Computers

futurvision5-550x321Ah, I imagine people are getting tired of these. But permit just one more! In the midst of so many new products and developments in the fields of smartphones, tablets, augmented reality, and wireless technology, Microsoft was sure to add its two cents. Releasing this concept video back in 2011, shortly after the Consumer Electronics Show, amidst all the buzz over flexible screens and paper-thin displays, Microsoft produced this short entitled “Productivity Future Vision”.

In addition to showcasing their Window Phone (shameless!), the video also features display glasses, “smart” windows, self-driving cars, 3D display technology, virtual interfacing, paper-thin and flexible display tablets, touchscreens, teleconferencing, and a ton of internet browsing and wireless connectivity. All of the technologies featured are those that are currently under development, so the video is apt in addition to being visually appealing.

But of course, the real purpose of this video is to demonstrating to the world that Microsoft can bring these technologies and build the future of business, travel, education and play. Or at the very least, they seeks to lay their claim to a good portion of it. It’s Microsoft, people, they didn’t get to being a mega-corporation by writing checks or playing nice.

And based on this video, what can be said about the future? All in all, it looks a lot like today, only with a lot more bells and whistles!

Nominated for a Beautiful Blogger Award!

Wouldn’t you know it? There’s yet another blogger award making the rounds, and I’ve picked up a nomination. And it comes from a new follower to this page, one who is equally if not more prolific than I am. So my thanks to Maarit-Johanna of Literature and Culture for the nod. May you musings on literature, the arts, travel and culture continue to inspire!

So… as always there are rules to this award. Four to be specific:

1. First up, thank the person who nominated you:
That’d be you, Mrs. Maarit-Johanna. Thanks a bunch!

2. Post the award image to your page:
Did that!

3. Tell seven facts about yourself:
-I love the smell of fresh air! City living is fine, but there better be plenty of green spaces to provide that scent of dense foliage and clean air

-I love cats and dogs. I grew up with the plenty of the former, but my wife’s love of the latter rubbed off on me. Now we need to get a big enough place to accommodate a few of each.

-I love to cook, bust suspect I might have only a few moves: Pasta, stir fry, stew and barbeque. But enough variations on these basic areas make it seem like I got lots of moves!

-I have a notorious passion for beer! I hope to one day be able to brew my own, and not from some sissy homebrew operation. I’m talking my own barley roasting, my own mash tun, and my own hops grown right out the back.

-Four books have inspired me more than any others: 1984; Guns, Germs and Steel; The God That Failed; and Dune. I’ve read plenty of good books, and quite a few great ones. But these ones stand alone as the one’s that blew my mind!

-My favorite colors appear to be green and black. Of all my clothes, the vast majority are one or the other.

-I’ve studied Taekwon-Do for a good twenty-four years and can’t really imagine life without it. I’ve gone for short periods without any training, and honestly felt like I something major was missing.

4. Nominate 15 other bloggers:

–Rendezvous Heath

–MythRider

–Mark Sackler

–Michelle Proulx

–Vinny Lanni

–Tazein Mirza Saad

–Shafiqah

–Casey Sheridan

–Erin Brady Pike

–Czech the Flip

–Gigable

–Liz

–Vee Villarreal

–Vandhana

–Carolyn

Thanks again, and congrats to all those nominated by meeeee! 😉

125,000 Hits! Thank You All!

fireworks1Okay, it seems I have a few things to be thankful for this week. Well for starters, there’s my health. You always have to be thankful when that’s in your favor. Second, there’s the positive feedback I’ve been getting for my serial novel Whiskey Delta, which is just a few chapters shy of completion. Third, there is the nomination for the Beautiful Blogger Award (thank you Maarit-Johanna!)

And last, but not least, there’s the fact that I passed the 125,000 hit mark this evening. As far as milestone go, its a bit arbitrary, not like 100,000 or anything. But I still feel like some celebration is in order and some thanks are due. So as usual, thanks a million to those of you who have tuned in to my site on one or more occasions, and a special, hearty thank you to those who make it a regular scheduled stop on their daily jaunts through the ether of cyberspace!

One of these days, I hope to be able to afford a getaway where I can host gathering of this nature, but in person! They always say that the internet is excelling at bringing people together and fostering communities, but I still look forward to the day when I can actually meet some of the people I talk to regularly on this thing. But until then, I guess this interface will have to suffice, and for my part, I hope to be able to continue to provide entertainment. Thanks again and keep on trucking! And of course, there’s more to follow, so stay tuned…

Oh, and it seems I also passed another milestone. This is my 601st post, which makes Whiskey Delta – Chapter 36 the 600th. How about that? 😉

100,000 Hits! Best-Milestone-EVER!

Wow. I’d like to thank my family, my wife, my cat Jasper, all my lovely friends, and of course, all the people who’ve helped to make this possible. Those would be the people who have chosen to follow my blog and even just come by to read what I’ve had to say over the past few years. Lord knows you’ve had plenty of choices in how to spend your internet time – which as we all know, costs way too much – and I’m pleased that you’ve chosen to spend some of it on me.

Over the next few weeks, I hope you stick around to see what else I’ve got on store. There’s plenty more Whiskey Delta on the way, plus a series of posts dealing with advances in technology – not to many though, I feel like I’ve been on a real nanotech and singularity bender lately! – and some (hopefully) big news regarding a certain novel named Data Miners. Possibly some anthology news too…

Thanks again, y’all. As far as milestones go, this is the biggest one I’ve experienced yet. Couldn’t have done it without you, so please feel free to stick around as I continue to unwind my pedigree. And if you yourself are an aspiring writer or are just fascinated with expressing your thoughts, let me know where I can share with them with you. Take care and see you real soon!