As part of its quest to develop cognitive systems, IBM Research is exploring whether a computer can be creative by designing a machine that can create surprising yet flavorful recipe ideas no cookbook has ever thought of in order to enhance human creativity.
http://www.research.ibm.com/cognitive-computing/computational-creativity.shtml
Can we measure empathy?
๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐-๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง
๐ผ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ช๐๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐๐ช๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐จ๐ช๐ก๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ช๐ฃ๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ค๐ ๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐ง๐จ ๐๐ฎ ๐ง๐๐๐ค๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ข ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฉ๐ง๐ค๐๐๐จ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ช๐ข๐๐ฃ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ข๐๐๐จ๐ช๐ง๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ช๐ง๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ช๐๐ก ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐จ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐จ ๐๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฎ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ค๐ง๐ฉ ๐ข๐ค๐ซ๐๐๐จ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ง๐๐จ๐จ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฃ. ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ช๐๐ฎ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐ซ๐๐จ ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐ช๐ฃ๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐๐จ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฅ๐๐ค๐ฅ๐ก๐โ๐จ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ค๐ ๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐ง๐จ, ๐๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐จ ๐ฅ๐ค๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐๐ก ๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐จ๐ข๐จ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ง๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฃ๐๐ช๐ง๐ค๐ฅ๐จ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐จ.
Using intracranial electroencephalographic (iEEG) recordings and single-cell recordings from the human insulae in patients with epilepsy who have electrodes embedded in their brains, scientists have analyzed the contribution of the insula in our ability to understand the pain of others. The study improves our understanding of the inherent differences in peopleโs ability to empathize and react to the pain of others, as well as potential mechanisms for the lack of empathy in certain neuropsychiatric conditions.
Summary: Findings could have implications for new avenues of research for a range of neurodegenerative diseases including ALS and Alzheimerโs.
Source: University of Bath.
A discovery that may improve treatment options for patients with neurodegenerative diseases has been made by scientists at Kingโs College London and the University of Bath in the UK.
Universitat Autรฒnoma de Barcelona (UAB) researchers have developed a magnetic material capable of imitating the way the brain stores information. The material makes it possible to emulate the synapses of neurons and mimic, for the first time, the learning that occurs during deep sleep.
Neuromorphic computing is a new computing paradigm in which the behavior of the brain is emulated by mimicking the main synaptic functions of neurons. Among these functions is neuronal plasticity: the ability to store information or forget it depending on the duration and repetition of the electrical impulses that stimulate neurons, a plasticity that would be linked to learning and memory.
Among the materials that mimic neuron synapses, memresistive materials, ferroelectrics, phase change memory materials, topological insulators and, more recently, magneto-ionic materials stand out. In the latter, changes in the magnetic properties are induced by the displacement of ions within the material caused by the application of an electric field.
Synopsis: In this talk we articulate a positive vision of the future that is both viable given what we know, and also utterly radical in its implications. We introduce two key insights that, when taken together, synergize in powerful ways. Namely, (a) the long-tails of pleasure and pain, and (b) the correlation between wellbeing, productivity, and intelligence. This informs us how to distribute resources if we want to maximize wellbeing. Given the weight of the extremes, it is important to take them into account. But because of the causal significance of more typical hedonic ranges, engineering our baseline is a key consideration. This makes it natural to break down the task of paradise engineering into three components:
Avoid negative extremes.
increase hedonic baseline, and.
achieve new heights of experience.
With regards to : the future of consciousness is anodyne. It lacks extreme suffering in any of its guises. We will see how, if we aim right, a significant proportion of extreme suffering can be prevented with pragmatic technologies already available. Even just applying what we know today would be as significant for the reduction of suffering as the advent of anesthesia was in the context of surgery.
On : the future of consciousness is engaging. From novelty generation to Buddhist annealing, baseline-enhancing interventions will change the way we think of life. It is not only about making everyday fun, but also the economics of it.
And : the future of consciousness is ecstatic. A science of ecstasy will allow us to safely and reliably sample from a wide range of time-tested ultra-blissful peak experiences. A common cause with other sentient beings, and indeed with the interests of consciousness at large, can be forged in the knowledge of such deep experiences.
They give you a genuine, non-sentimental, reason to live. Together, action on these three levels can significantly advance the cause of eliminating suffering and engineering paradise. And our assessment is: there is a lot of low-hanging fruit in this space. Letโs pick it up!
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐ข๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฉ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง
๐๐๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐จ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐จ๐ ๐จ๐ช๐๐๐๐จ๐ฉ๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐ช๐ฉ ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ค๐๐๐จ ๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐๐ง๐ช๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐ง๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ช๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃโ๐จ ๐จ๐ค๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐ค๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ.
New research in fish suggests that gut microbes can have a crucial early influence on the brainโs social development.
The stadiums include a quiet room for those with cognitive disabilities. The FIFA World Cup to be held in Qatar this year is leading the way in accessibility for specially-abled people, according to a report by Euronews published on Wednesday. The event is making sure all can enjoy it.
Qatar unveiled a massive 40,000-seat arena for the World Cup thatโs entirely crafted from shipping containers.
Built with the notion of sustainable construction in mind, Qatar officials are partnering with architects Fenwick Iribarren, Schlaich Bergermann Partner and Hilson Moran on the Ras Abu Aboud Stadium. The building could even earn a four-star rating from the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) certification.