Natural
Selection Applied to Problem of Circuit Design
A digital
simulation of natural
selection may replace the more "creationist"
approach currently used to design integrated circuits.
Miguel Garvie, a research student at the University of Sussex
in the UK, has developed software that lets ordinary computer
users contribute their spare processing power to contribute to
a
virtual evolutionary environment for the project, similar to
the SETI@home
Project. Randomizing
processes produce a wide variety of designs. The best
designs are allowed to sexually reproduce, leading to
offspring who survive or die off according to their fitness.
No, I'm not making this up!
Scientists Create Digital Food
Simulator
Scientists working for Japanese
food companies have come up with a device that, when placed in
the mouth, simulates
food, including taste, smell, texture, chemical reaction in
the mouth and even the "crunch" of
mastication. Researchers hope food companies will use the device
to design new foods via computer, rather than in some kind of
actual kitchen.
Sega
to Announce Cheap Cat Robot
SegaToys showed off an ugly new cat
robot at the 2003 Japan Toy Show in Yokohama, Japan, today.
Tentatively and hideously called the "Necot," the pre-programmed
pussy communicates via gestures and sound, and will go on sale next
March for about $250.
Unanticipated
Convergence
Electrolux is converging
the refrigerator with the digital camera. The idea is that
each time you close your refrigerator door, built-in digital
cameras take snapshots of what's inside and upload them to a
server. If you find yourself at the store, and don't remember if
you're out of mustard, you can use your cell phone or PDA to
take a look. Hopefully, the light stays on when you close the
door.
China Mulling
Robot Nurses for Future SARS Outbreaks
The Chinese
Academy of Sciences has created a robot
nurse called "Aim" that it hopes can treat
future SARS patients without risking the lives of hospital
staff. No word yet on any trademark lawsuit from AOL.
Scientists
Create Working Motor Less Than 1/300th the Width of Human hair
Alex
Zettl of the University of California, Berkeley, and his
colleagues have created a working
motor just 500 nanometers wide. It could be used to power
a uselessly microscopic, but nevertheless very fuel-efficient,
electric car.
MIT Creates
'Corporate Fallout Detector'
Simply scan the
bar code of a product, and the gadget will make a "Geiger
counter" noise of an intensity directly related to the product
manufacturer's environmental or social record. It makes
the products of unethical companies appear radioactive.
Found Video
A Mac user reveals what's
wrong with Macs...
Bad
Robots
Morgui, a robot creation of Reading University Professor of Cybernetics
Kevin Warwick, has been deemed so scary that children and teens under the age of 18 must have parental consent to be in the same room with it, which is really unfair. After all, the robot is nothing more than a disembodied skull with a gaping mouth
and flashing, alien-looking eyes that follows you around wherever you go,
watching your every move. The Terminator-head robot uses sound, heat sensing and radar to
stalk its victims. Morgui was created to study people's reactions to robots.
Proof You Can Buy Anything On the
Internet
A huge political battle is brewing both in the U.S. and the UK over suspect intelligence claiming Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein sought to purchase uranium ore from Niger. Saddam could have just fired up his browser and
bought some on the
Internet.
In Mike's List 34, I told you about a web site that provided step-by-step instructions for adding a fan to the inside of your mouse to keep your hand cool, just like professional bowlers do. It looks like the site has been removed, but fear not! I have discovered a company that sells
fan mice.
Credit Cards Accepted!
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The Art Gallery
Some people might see useless old mice. But others see the raw materials for
goofy
sculptures.
Company
Working On Flying Motorcycle
The
AirBike
is a cross between a jet, helicopter, motorcycle and Star Wars
Speeder. It can fly very fast, hover and maneuver, according
to Allied Aerotechnics, the New Hampshire-based company that's
working to make the AirBike a reality.
Cell Phone Follies
France Telecom
R&D is testing an instant scrapbook service for tourists
that lets visitors point-and-shoot their cell phones at kiosks
to create online
photo albums and travel journals. Canned monument info can
be added to personal photos, video and other data to create
custom web sites about one's vacation. The service is being
tested with 500 French and English-speaking tourists
vacationing in Corsica and the French Riviera. The trial will
begin Monday in Corsica and in September on the
French Riviera. Presumably all the English-speaking tourists
are English, Canadian, Australian or New Zealanders, as Americans
don't go to France anymore.
Indian phone companies
have banded together to provide the parents of eligible Indian
young people a fast, convenient way to arrange
marriages. Parents can exchange key data such as caste,
education level and employer. The service is free, but future
versions may feature photos and other rich media -- and cost
real money.
Japan's Index Corporation rolled out
a service this month to enable cell
phone event tickets. After the customer pays, a barcode is
sent to the phone, which is then read and authenticated at
concerts, ball games and the opera.
Mike's List on
the Radio
Craig Crossman's
Computer America features Mike Elgan every
Thursday night. The show runs from 7pm to 9pm SVT (Silicon Valley Time). Listen
to Computer America on your local Business TalkRadio station or
over
the Internet every weeknight. Don't miss Computer
America!
Hollywood Spy
Called "Paycheck," a new Ben Affleck sci-fi thriller
is about a hotshot techie brought
into a project by a shady corporation to reverse engineer
something. The catch is that he has to allow them to erase his
memory after the project is complete. Afterwards, bad stuff
ensues, and he tries to remember what was erased before it's too
late. Sounds like the typical Silicon Valley job. Check
out the trailer.
Variety says Will Ferrell will star
in a remake of "Get
Smart" for Warner Bros.
Director Paul Verhoeven told Preview
magazine in Holland that he is thinking about doing a
"Robocop 4."
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Gotta-Get-It
Gadgets
Wallflower
Systems is promising new 8x10 digital frames that suck
photos off your PC via Wi-Fi, and display them at 1024x768.
Sounds cool, but the frames will start at about $500. I'll keep
you posted.
Wacky
Web Sites
RIAA
Radar is a web site that lets you search for a singer or
band, and get information on whether or not they are associated
with the Recording Industry Association of America, which is
currently issuing subpoenas against music swappers at the rate
of 75 per day. It's the perfect boycotting tool.
When you really have to go, check
out the Top Ten
Most Most Fascinating Urinals web site.
The BuzzPhraser
web site will auto-generate Silicon Valley marketing bull.
If you're a fan of quality dog-nose photography -- and who isn't? -- you'll
love Dognose Heaven, featuring canine snouts of every description.
The Mona
Make-Over lets you bring modern plastic surgery and chemical
"beauty" treatments to that old hag, the
Mona Lisa.
If you're thinking about buying one of those tiny, annoying remote-controlled cars, but just aren't sure, now you can test drive one over the Internet at the
Remote Driver web site.
If you like obscure words, then you'll love the Luciferous Logolepsy web site!
Twisted
Games
Park
Life
Parkeringspil
Slack
Man
Plastic
Balls
Workplace
Rapid
Motion
Packman
(The World's Smallest)
Smash
Galactic Tennis
Battlebots
MechaSpider
Reader Comment
Mike,
Great newsletter - thanks for all your efforts. Following up on your article on personalised stamps, Australia Post sells (partly) personalised stamps that
can be used like normal
stamps.
Regards,
Peter McMahon
I'd like to hear from you! Send me an e-mail and let me know
what you think of Mike's List. I
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edit letters for length and clarity. Send comments to: [email protected]
Big Number o' the Week
1,000,000 - The
number of farms in the United States that Internet
access (it's also the number of farms that don't).
Mystery Pic o'
the Week
What is it? Send YOUR guess to [email protected] (be sure to say where you live).
If you're first with the right answer, I'll print your name in the
next issue of Mike's List!
 LAST WEEK'S
MYSTERY PIC:
No, it's not "the Quality Inspector at a nanotechnology manufacturing," a "female ant choosing birth control pills," or even "nano-Legos" as suggested by some readers. In fact, the photo shows RFID
(Radio Frequency Identification) chips with an ant thrown in for
scale. The RFID technology will likely be used in future product packaging instead of or in addition to bar codes for fast, wireless idenfication and tracking.
Congratulations to Craig A. Mitchell of Newport Beach, California, for being first with the right
answer!
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