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Feb 9, 2016

Heliatek claims new conversion efficiency record for organic PV cells

Posted by in categories: solar power, sustainability

German solar technology firm Heliatek claims to have outdone itself by setting a new world record for directly converting sunlight into electricity using organic photovoltaic cells. In 2012 it claimed a then world record 10.7 percent conversion efficiency and said it was gunning for 15 percent in the near future. This week it announced it’s halfway there, achieving a new record of 13.2 percent.

Heliatek says its R&D teams achieved the new record using a multi-junction cell and that the measurement was independently confirmed by Fraunhofer CSP’s solar testing facility. While traditional silicon cells have achieved higher levels of conversion efficiency, organic cells are also pursued because they can be produced more cheaply and are also more flexible.

In fact, the firm claims that “the excellent low light and high temperature behavior of the organic semiconductor” in the new cells makes them equivalent to the electricity generation capability of conventional solar cells with 16–17 percent efficiency under real world conditions.

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Feb 9, 2016

Robots in health care could lead to a doctorless hospital

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, health, robotics/AI

As long as there is no level of “personable experience/ empathy” AI will not eliminate the need for doctors or other medical staff members. For example, a female of 30 yrs of age newly married talking to a stone face robot that she has stage 3 breast cancer for first time. Yep; I see that one going well.

Plus, can you imagine how children in hospital wards for several months at a time will come out with only robots w/ no “EMPATHY.” I believe there are plenty of pyshcological case studies on this. If you ever want to advance AI; you must have women heavily embedded in its development as well as leading the work around it; or you will never get there.

Here’s another thought — can you imaging the potential lawsuits in the making because a child was proven to be impacted by only having interactions with robots in the children’s ward for months a time. Especially, when the robots that cannot connect due to the lack of design of “empathy”. Who gets sued? Hospitals, tech companies, etc.? This list could go on and on. So, again you must have various perspectives in the AI design in place or you could really be in trouble on a large scale.

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Feb 9, 2016

Should We Fear an AI Arms Race?

Posted by in category: robotics/AI

I believe that we’re already in an arms race.

I fear the bad AI designs and broken foundation that we face along with the human collateral left in its wake as a result of AI’s lack of “human emotions and empathy”.


Five reasons the benefits of defense-related artificial intelligence research outweigh the risks—for now.

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Feb 9, 2016

First case of Zika Virus reported in East Tennessee

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, health

First confirmed case of Zika Virus hits Tennessee (US)


The Tennessee Department of Health confirmed Tuesday afternoon the first case of Zika virus in the state.

TDH, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reported one person in the state tested positive for the Zika virus.

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Feb 9, 2016

Brain Preservation Breakthrough Could Usher in a New Era in Cryonics

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, cryonics, life extension, neuroscience

Researchers from 21st Century Medicine have developed a new technique to allow long term storage of a near-perfect mammalian brain. It’s a breakthrough that could have serious implications for cryonics, and the futuristic prospect of bringing the frozen dead back to life.

By using a chemical compound to turn a rabbit’s brain into a near glass-like state, and then cooling it to −211 degrees Fahrenheit (−135 degrees Celsius), a research team from California-based 21st Century Medicine (21CM) showed that it’s possible to enable near-perfect, long-term structural preservation of an intact mammalian brain. The achievement has earned not just accolades from the scientific community, but a prestigious award as well; the 21CM researchers are today being awarded the $26,735 Small Mammal Brain Preservation Prize, which is run by the Brain Preservation Foundation (BPF).

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Feb 9, 2016

The Small Mammal Brain Preservation Prize Has Been Won

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, cryonics, life extension, neuroscience

The Brain Preservation Foundation (BPF) announced that the Small Mammal Brain Preservation Prize has officially been won. The spectacular result achieved by 21st Century Medicine researchers provides the first demonstration that near-perfect, long-term structural preservation of an intact mammalian brain is achievable.

A team from 21st Century Medicine, spearheaded by recent MIT graduate Robert McIntyre, has discovered a way to preserve the delicate neural circuits of an intact rabbit brain for very long-term storage using a combination of chemical fixation and cryogenic cooling. Proof of this accomplishment, and the full “Aldehyde-Stabilized Cryopreservation” (ASC) protocol, was recently published in the journal Cryobiology and has been independently verified by the BPF through extensive electron microscopic examination conducted by the two official judges of the prize: BPF President Ken Hayworth and Princeton neuroscience professor Sebastian Seung, author of “Connectome: How the Brain’s Wiring Makes Us Who We Are.”

“Every neuron and synapse looks beautifully preserved across the entire brain,” said Hayworth. “Simply amazing given that I held in my hand this very same brain when it was frozen solid… This is not your father’s cryonics.”

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Feb 9, 2016

NASA engineers to build first integrated-photonics modem

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, computing, space

NASA laser expert Mike Krainak and his team plan to replace portions of this fiber-optic receiver with an integrated-photonic circuit (its size will be similar to the chip he is holding) and will test the advanced modem on the International Space Station. (credit: W. Hrybyk/NASA)

A NASA team plans to build the first integrated-photonics modem, using an emerging, potentially revolutionary technology that could transform everything from telecommunications, medical imaging, advanced manufacturing to national defense.

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Feb 9, 2016

Android Founder Andy Rubin Wants To Monopolize AI With A Dash Cam And Your Data

Posted by in categories: business, mobile phones, robotics/AI

When is industry finally going to finally understand that the gap all along has been the lack of women leading NextGen Innovation especially around AI?

Here we go again trying to make AI more enriched. This time it is using a “dashcam” which again is a technique that is like living in a bubble looking at the world; meaning no true human experience or empathy programmed within AI. We must develop AI with an inside-out approach along with the outside-in approach; and not just an outside-in approach. And, it can be done because women understand this piece extremely well and can build AI to include this perspective because of how we interact and see the world.


Former Google exec and Android co-founder Andy Rubin has announced his latest designs for the tech industry — and his plans to take over what he considers the most important technological frontier of the decade: artificial intelligence.

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Feb 9, 2016

Inside the surprisingly sexist world of artificial intelligence

Posted by in categories: futurism, robotics/AI

AI designed badly will indeed have detrimental impact for decades to come. We do have a crisis in AI world. Where are the women? With AI today, we’re developing the underlying foundation for AI in the future. And, without women in a large half of that development; we run a huge risk of failure by designing a foundation that only connects with maybe 40% of the world. That means 60% of missed opportunity is left on the table plus lets face it women totally understands how (better than anyone else) to incorporate feelings & thoughts together.


This post has been updated.

There’s no doubt Stephen Hawking is a smart guy. But the world-famous theoretical physicist recently declared that women leave him stumped.

Continue reading “Inside the surprisingly sexist world of artificial intelligence” »

Feb 9, 2016

NASA’s Next Great Telescope Will Settle This Alien Megastructure Mystery For Good

Posted by in category: alien life

The James Webb Space Telescope will finally crack the mystery of Tabby’s Star. We think.

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