OneHourAhead » Science/Tech/Art

Creating Science Cities

OneHourAhead — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 12:14:02 +0000

Here are a few articles that might interest both the geek and politico that I know lurks within us all. They are partly about recent work that the research group I am involved with has been doing in the field of neuroprosthetics but also about the transfer of technology and knowledge to developing nations (in this case Brazil) so that they can use it to stimulate their own economies.

Mind Powered Robots & Creating Science Cities

Building the Knowledge Archipelago

Building a Future on Science

Brains at Davos

OneHourAhead — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 09:58:43 +0000

Julian Glover writes a small article on CiF today about a project that I am involved in. Our group works on creating interfaces between the brain and external machines with the hope of developing workable artificial limbs for amputees or SCI patients that can be controlled directly from motor areas of the brain, allowing them to use these neuroprosthetics in a similar manner to real limbs. He seems to miss the point though and think we want to turn everyone into cyborgs which is a shame as he could have written a good article about it but instead went down the fear route. The point is not to wire everyone up to robots as he puts it, but to allow people that have limited function then chance to regain that function and live a normal life again.

Chancellor Darling’s Gummy Fingers

OneHourAhead — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 15:26:16 +0000

Just would like to draw your attention to Ben Goldacre’s blog on the faking of biometric details. It makes for interesting and quite fun reading. I will be cooking up my own edible and fraudulent fingerprints soon to see if I can fool the fingerprint reader on my computer.

For now though, watch this excerpt from the Mythbusters to see how woefully inadequate some of the systems the government will be relying on to secure your information will be.

if you’re going to San Di-ego….

OneHourAhead — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 08:53:55 +0000

If Southern California hadn’t had enough to deal with recently, 35-40 000 neuroscientists will be descending on San Diego next week and I get to be one of them. whoopee.

I wonder whether god might have something against neuroscience. The annual Society for Neuroscience conference rotates between Washington DC, Orlando, New Orleans and San Diego. So if Orlando and Washington want to avoid an “act of god” perhaps they should ban us - Maybe we’re getting to close to the truth!

Or actually:

2005 - Dalai Lama gives keynote speech

2006 - New Orleans floods*

2007 - San Diego wildfires

Maybe Buddhism isn’t the way to go!

In truth, this is one of the biggest scientific conferences in the world and is an interesting few days with all ranges of brain-related topics being discussed, from hardcore molecular biology to more fuzzy clinical psychology. My own field, Neuroprosthetics, is becoming more and more popular, so quite looking forward to it all in all.

If anybody has any ideas about what to do in San Diego or San Francisco, as spending a few days there afterwards, then they would be more than welcome.

* I know the floods were actually in 2005, but the 2006 still had to be moved to Atlanta

Bad Science

OneHourAhead — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 15:04:23 +0000

Ben Goldacre, the bad science columnist from the Guardian, stands up for Evan Harris today on his blog. Evan has being getting some stick from, among others, Nadine Dorries, his fellow Science and Technology Select Committee member.