Filed under: Robots

Famed technologist and futurist Ray Kurzweil is on the record about human-machine intelligence parity: it’s going down by 2029, so be prepared to get digital on entirely new levels. Apparently, machines “will have both the hardware and the software to achieve human level artificial intelligence” by then, but even if it’s not in the form of meatbag-terminating cyborgs, Kurzweil thinks one future of intelligent machines is on the nano scale, with interfaces to enhance our own physiology and intelligence. Oh sure, this stuff is completely pie in the sky — but it’s still absurdly fun to think of what kinds of crazy crap the 21st century’s going to hold.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Interactive nightclubs aren’t entirely unheard of, but we’ll be sure to relieve ourselves just before prancing into any party scene with these displays on the lavatory doors. The small LED Matrix displays can be mounted on both male and female doors, and the image shown can be switched as folks enter and leave. Needless to say, such a setup caused quite a bit of hilariousness / confusion when caught on candid camera, so be sure and take a peek for yourself after the break.

[Via Halfmachine]

Continue reading LED displays keep folks guessing at nightclub bathrooms

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Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Following a so-called “insider’s release” last year that targeted early adopters with beta software running on final-spec hardware, Chumby has finally completed and rolled out a somewhat massive firmware update for the plush lil’ buggers that adds significant functionality — significant enough, in fact, that they’re now being sold disclaimer-free to all comers. Besides a long, what’s-what list of bug fixes, the real draw in the new firmware is fairly comprehensive support for a variety of internet radio services, a feature that previous builds technically supported but had no user interface for (they are Linux-based, after all, and totally hackable). So yeah, if a cute touchscreen with an open-source platform, Flash player, and integrated speakers is just what the doctor ordered, you can pick one up now without the worry of pre-release software getting in your way for $179.95 in black, white, or “latte.”

[Thanks, Kurt]

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Filed under: Laptops

Sure, you probably caught a brief glimpse of the X300’s innards earlier this morning, but the photos waiting for you in the read link below are what we nerds really crave. Some lucky cat in Los Angeles managed to wrap his paws around Lenovo’s forthcoming machine, and rather than booting it up and keeping it a secret, he whipped out the pliers and went to work. You know the drill — tap that link below for all the guts ‘n bolts you can handle.

[Thanks, Loran M.]

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Filed under: Features, Misc. Gadgets

Ariel Waldman contributes Movie Gadget Friday, where she highlights the lovable and lame gadgets from the world of cinema.

Last time on Movie Gadget Friday, we entered the 8th dimension with The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai, but this week, we’re setting the dial back to the 1978 version of the Seventh Millenia in the original Battlestar Galactica. Filled with feathered 70’s haircuts, insect Ovion aliens, and, of course, Cylons, the movie is an underrated, campy classic.

Muffit II Robo-Daggit
Created as a robotic replacement to a daggit, Muffit II is a life-size, artificial intelligence prototype developed by Dr. Wilker on the Battlestar Galactica. Muffit II has an integrated visual response system, designed to help train the robotic daggit. By scanning a picture of a person into its circuits, Muffit II actively responds and interacts with them. The out-of-the-box system is able to handle basic moves such as sitting and wiggling its ears. However, with time, the robo-daggit can learn to be smart, performing such tasks as disarming Cylons by biting them in the leg while humans try to escape rapid fire. We’re patiently awaiting a Muffit II vs. Roboquad throw down challenge. More after the break.

Continue reading Movie Gadget Friday: Battlestar Galactica (1978)

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