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December 22, 2004
Artificial General Intelligence Research Institute (AGIRI) Announces R&D Fundraising Drive
The non-profit Institute AGIRI is raising funds for Artificial Intelligence research. The research program will create a simulated world in which the Novamente AI System can learn and develop. Some portions of the research will be released as Open Source Software.
Washington, DC (PRWEB) December 22, 2004 -- AGIRI is pleased to launch a new drive to raise $80,000 dedicated to pure AGI research with a specific goal: to complete the next major software development milestone of the Novamente AI System by the end of 2005. The funded research program, code-named AGI-SIM, will develop a Novamente system specialized to control an embodied agent, interacting linguistically and "physically" with other agents and objects in a simulated world.
About AGIRI, Inc.
The Artificial General Intelligence Research Institute is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. AGIRI's mission is to foster the creation of powerful and ethically positive Artificial General Intelligence.
About Research & Contributions at AGIRI
For detailed technical information about the AGI-SIM research program, see http://agiri.org/dev
For more information on how AGIRI operates and how donations are handled, see the contributions page at http://agiri.org/contributions.
About AGI
The field of scientific and philosophical investigation and software engineering termed 'Artificial General Intelligence' is an interdisciplinary, whole-systems-focused alternative to the traditional and fragmented fields found under the umbrella of 'Artificial Intelligence'.
The goal of AGI research is the creation of broad human-like and transhuman intelligence, rather than narrowly "smart" systems that can operate only as tools for human operators in well-defined domains.
About Novamente
The Novamente AGI System is designed to be a pure learning machine, with the capability to learn how to perceive, cognize, act and interact based on experience -- and ultimately to learn to modify itself beyond its creators' wildest dreams. Novamente's design philosophy stresses cognitive sophistication and conceptual correctness over immediate behavioral and programmatical benefit.
Novamente's design is based on sophisticated cognitive models and is near concept-complete. Novamente is not a simulation of the human brain or mind, but it does take into account the primary aspects of mental structure and dynamics as understood by modern neuroscience and cognitive science. Novamente deviates from its inspiration in human cognition by taking advantage of the strengths of its digital-computer implementation, in ways that allow it to compensate for the lack of the massive parallelism present in the human brain. The primary technical goal of the Novamente design is to enable sophisticated dynamical interactions between elementary learning and memory components, thus empowering the emergence of complex higher-level patterns of thought within a relatively simple substrate.
Novamente is software implementing a virtual machine with an architecture very different from contemporary Von Neumann implementations, while at the same time more closely following Von Neumann's original concepts involving self-modification. Novamente's current implementation is approximately 60% complete. Future versions of Novamente will replace present human-coded components (mostly C++) with Novamente byte codes which are themselves digital versions of abstract Novamente "schemata" (procedures learned, adapted and reasoned on by Novamente).
For more information please visit http://agiri.org
Posted by Industrial at 03:37 AM | Comments (0)
December 15, 2004
150 Student Teams Compete in FIRST LEGO® League “No Limits” 2004 Challenge
FIRST LEGO® League “No Limits”2004 Challenge introduces young people, ages 9 to 14, to the fun and excitement of science and technology while building self-confidence, knowledge and life skills.
(PRWEB) December 15, 2004 -- FIRST LEGO® League “No Limits”2004 Challenge introduces young people, ages 9 to 14, to the fun and excitement of science and technology while building self-confidence, knowledge and life skills.
150 Student Teams Compete in FIRST LEGO® League “No Limits” 2004 Challenge
150 Teams from five boroughs are preparing to compete in the 2005 New York City FIRST LEGO League (FLL) “No Limits” 2004 Challenge. Designed for middle schools, FIRST LEGO League uses the LEGO MindStorms System to provide accessible technological experiences for younger children. Each year, participating teams are provided a challenge based on a real-life problem.
“No Limits” Challenge, FLL teams will build and program robots that address the specific needs of people who face physical challenges in their everyday routines. Additionally, they will research and present robotics solutions to help individuals in their community perform activities of daily living that many people take for granted.
FLL students use the Internet and other resources to study challenge topics, make presentations of the results of their research, and test their robotic creations in a setting of friendly competition at local and state tournaments. More than 3,000 teams representing 30,000 kids took part in the 2003-2004 FIRST LEGO League Mission Mars Challenge at 82 local and 30 official state FLL Tournaments across the nation as well as events in Japan, Singapore, France, Germany, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom.
Using the positive, engaging and motivational aspects of friendly competition, and using robotics as a vehicle, FLL create opportunities for students to experience the creative process of technology. Students participating in FLL work in teams, manage resources, solve problems, make decisions, assume leadership responsibilities, communicate ideas, and apply scientific and mathematical knowledge. FIRST teams engage in fund-raising, marketing, management, design and fabrication, communications, and celebration of success.
The excitement, fun, and engagement of FIRST activities help to create a culture of academic success in the classroom and throughout the school community. This cultural change often leads to a stronger emphasis on preparing young people for the world-of-work in a technologically driven economy and gives rise to new curriculum and instructional strategies reaching beyond the FIRST activities.
The “No Limits” Challenge asks students to explore how technology and innovative thinking can work together to create equal access for all people, regardless of their physical ability,” says Dean Kamen, world-renowned inventor and founder of FIRST. The Challenge also shows children that their robotics solutions, based in research and collective group work, can impact the real world in a positive manner.
Local practice tournaments in each borough are being held December 18th through January 22, 2005 preparing teams for participation in the 2005 New York City FIRST LEGO League Tournament, a citywide celebration at Riverbank State Park - Harlem, New York on February 5-6, 2005.
Upcoming Practice Tournaments:
·Nov. 20, 2004 Staten Island Staten Island Technical High School
·Dec. 18, 2004 Brooklyn Brooklyn Tech HS
·Jan. 15, 2005 Bronx Fordham RETC
·Jan. 15, 2005 Queens Jacob Riis Settlement
·Jan. 22, 2005 Manhattan CCNY
More than 40,000 children in North America will participate in FLL this year. A recent study of FLL participants conducted by Brandeis University showed that:
·93% of children reported wanting to learn more about computers and robotics.
·88% of children reported wanting to learn more about science and technology.
·77% of children reported increased interest in having a job that uses science or technology when they are older.
As Dean Kamen believes in fostering interest in science and technology among young people, the LEGO Company “Believes that children who have a chance to express their creativity and explore their imaginations are the most successful learners in life.” Bringing those beliefs together makes FLL a powerful experience for participants…and for those who witness the results.
About FIRST
Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology and engineering. With the support of many of the world’s most well-known companies, the non-profit organization hosts the FIRST Robotics Competition for high school students and the FIRST LEGO™ League for children 9-14 years old. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.usfirst.org
About New York City/New Jersey FIRST!
New York City/New Jersey FIRST! is a regional office of FIRST based at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) located in Newark, New Jersey. New York City/New Jersey FIRST! also maintains an office at Polytechnic University in Brooklyn. Located in the heart of the nation’s major metropolitan area, the mission of New York City/New Jersey FIRST! is to grow the FIRST celebration of young men and women working smart in science and technology in schools across the region with special emphasis on the participation of schools and students in under-resourced communities. FIRST is committed to the goal of increasing the participation of low-income and minority youth in the nation’s technological enterprise. For additional information: 973-596-3234.
Sponsors of the 2005 New York City FIRST LEGO League Tournament:
Con Edison
CMS Endowment Foundation
Verizon
Netherlands American Community Trust
SIAC
MEDIA CONTACT:
Phyllis M. Shelton
201-222-5390
Posted by Industrial at 03:36 AM | Comments (0)
December 09, 2004
Massage Chairs
New award winning PHP2022 Premier Shiatsu Massage Chair delivers the most realistic massage from a robot. The PHP2022 massage chair feels like the hands of a trained masseuse.
(PRWEB) December 9, 2004 -- The award winning design of the Premier PHP2022 massage chair adjusts in three dimensions. Zero Gravity, Upright, and Inversion Therapy. Just like your backbone-spine does. This Shiatsu massage chair has been in development for over several years by a team of over 50 engineers, designers, and doctors. As a zero gravity massage chair and orthopedic device, the Premier Health PHP2022 massage chairs helps to ease pain and improves your posture, actually teaching your spine to relax while seated in the zero gravity position. See http://www.massagechairoutlet.com
Zero Gravity Position
This physician-recommended position, "Zero Gravity" or "Anti Gravity" was developed by NASA to support astronauts spines as they ascend into space. In the Zero Gravity position the lower legs are positioned above the heart, pressure on the spine is reduced, spinal muscle tension is relieved, and the spine is allowed to decompress. In the Zero Gravity position circulation is increased because the heart is on the same plane as the bulk of the body’s mass and therefore has to do the least amount of work to pump blood throughout the system. This causes the cardiovascular system to go into zero stress mode.
The specific “ergonomic” curve of the massage chair exactly matches the position the body assumes when floating weightless in space allowing for the most relaxing massage position available. The zero gravity position also makes this chair ideal for watching TV in, while receiving a massage.
Inversion Therapy Massage Chair
The Greeks as early as 400B.C. have documented the effects of inversion therapy. By reclining the massage chair back further than 180 degrees to the 190 degree position you enter inversion therapy. Inversion therapy takes the weight off of your spine and helps elongate your spine increasing the space between the vertebrae, which relieves the pressure on discs, ligaments and nerve roots. Less pressure means less back pain.
About http://www.MassageChairOutlet.com: www.MassageChairOutlet.com is a leading Internet retailer specializing in advanced ergonomic massage chair products for office and home use. Including the award winning PHP2022 zero gravity massage chair They have been awarded a Yahoo Store 5-star rating for excellent customer service. You receive discounted shipping from www.MassageChairOutlet.com when the order is delivered to the 48 contiguous states and no sales tax is charged shipped outside of Colorado saving you 8.25% more.
Posted by Industrial at 03:34 AM | Comments (0)
December 04, 2004
New Scale Technologies and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Announce Joint Development Agreement for Mini Cryo Motors
Space Act Agreement focuses on qualification of New Scale’s SQUIGGLE™ motors at 4 degrees Kelvin for spacecraft and commercial applications. The objectives are to qualify SQUIGGLE ceramic motors for use by NASA in future spacecraft missions, and to validate SQUIGGLE technology for use in commercial cryogenic applications.
Victor, NY (PRWEB) December 4, 2004 -- New Scale Technologies (Victor, NY) and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (Greenbelt, MD) have signed a joint development agreement to evaluate New Scale’s patent-pending SQUIGGLE™ motors at 4 degrees Kelvin.
The objectives are to qualify SQUIGGLE ceramic motors for use by NASA in future spacecraft missions, and to validate SQUIGGLE technology for use in commercial cryogenic applications.
“NASA has extensive cryogenic testing capabilities and experience and needs cold-qualified actuators for future space telescope missions,” said Dr. Peter Shirron, a senior researcher in the Cryogenics and Fluids Group at NASA Goddard. NASA’s cryogenic instruments require millimeters of stroke, nanometer precision and several Newtons of force while generating negligible vibration and heating. Potential NASA applications include adaptive optics in large aperture telescopes and heat switches in cryogenic cooling systems.
New Scale Technologies has already demonstrated a cryogenic Squiggle motor that operates from room temperature to 100 degrees Kelvin. The tiny SQUIGGLE motor is an ultrasonic piezoelectric actuator that uses vibrations in a threaded bushing to directly rotate a mating screw. Nanometer resolution over many millimeters of travel has been demonstrated. See http://www.newscaletech.com for more information on the SQUIGGLE motor operating principle.
NASA and New Scale will work together to test and improve the cryogenic SQUIGGLE motor at temperatures as low as 4 degrees Kelvin. New Scale will provide the SQUIGGLE motors and NASA will complete the testing at their Cryogenic Research and Integration Test Facility. The team will work together to identify and demonstrate motor improvements and publish the test results.
“We are pleased to be working with NASA team lead by Dr. Shirron, and have our ceramic motor tested in the excellent cryogenic laboratory at Goddard Space Flight Center,” said David Henderson, President and Founder of New Scale Technologies. “Our goal is to show how the unique capabilities of our SQUIGGLE motor can improve future NASA spacecraft, and to demonstrate a new positioning solution for commercial cryogenic markets.”
Potential commercial markets for cryogenic SQUIGGLE motors include:
- Cryogenic imaging systems for remote sensing and security surveillance.
- Basic materials research in cryostats.
- Microelectronic inspection and testing using cooled ultra-sensitive photon detectors.
About New Scale Technologies
New Scale Technologies (http://www.newscaletech.com) makes miniature ceramic motors that enable our customers to create smaller products. Our patent-pending motors are bigger than MEMS devices but smaller than conventional motors. We generate precise movement using ultrasonic vibrations which makes our products powerful, simple, inexpensive to produce and compatible with extreme environments. Our SQUIGGLE motor uses piezoelectric actuators to vibrate a nut and directly rotate a mating screw in a tiny assembly with an order of magnitude fewer parts than conventional motors.
About NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
The mission of the Goddard Space Flight Center is to expand knowledge of the Earth and its environment, the solar system, and the universe through observations from space. For more information visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/Goddard.
Posted by Industrial at 03:33 AM | Comments (0)