Sign me up to beta test the first Memristor PC
Researchers at HP Labs have built the first working prototypes of an important new electronic component that may lead to instant-on PCs as well as analog computers that process information the way the human brain does.The new component is called a memristor, or memory resistor. Up until today, the circuit element had only been described in a series of mathematical equations written by Leon Chua, who in 1971 was an engineering student studying non-linear circuits. Chua knew the circuit element should exist — he even accurately outlined its properties and how it would work. Unfortunately, neither he nor the rest of the engineering community could come up with a physical manifestation that matched his mathematical expression.
Thirty-seven years later, a group of scientists from HP Labs has finally built real working memristors, thus adding a fourth basic circuit element to electrical circuit theory, one that will join the three better-known ones: the capacitor, resistor and the inductor.
Researchers believe the discovery will pave the way for instant-on PCs, more energy-efficient computers, and new analog computers that can process and associate information in a manner similar to that of the human brain.
The Sheep Market – 10,000 organic mechanical sheep
Artist Aaron Koblin hired 10,000 strangers to draw sheep using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk service.
He had them draw the sheep using an online drawing tool and recorded the entire process of each. Check out his site here.
Ancient language from a far, cute little sheep up close.
Random paper / live sand art
So I gave my lady one of my high school notebooks so she could use the back of pages as scrap paper. Tonight she said, go to this website right now, “agentvector.com”. I had scribbled it on one of the pages at some point. Looks like it just expired in early February and is pending renewal or deletion.
This wasn’t a good enough answer so I hit up google. I found a reference to agentvector.com/sicaf_sand.wmv in a forum post from 2003 on Organic Flash.
I’m not sure if this video is why I wrote the domain on a sheet of paper in high school, but here it is on youtube:
Pharmaceuticals in US drinking water
I just an article on drugs in our water supply:
A vast array of pharmaceuticals — including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones — have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans, an Associated Press investigation shows.
I use one of Brita’s on-tap water filtration systems so I contacted their support to find out if their system catches any of these, and if they could provide me with any research or other info on it. Their site says they will reply within 48 hours, however the article makes it sound like the filter most likely does not remove drugs:
Even users of bottled water and home filtration systems don’t necessarily avoid exposure. Bottlers, some of which simply repackage tap water, do not typically treat or test for pharmaceuticals, according to the industry’s main trade group. The same goes for the makers of home filtration systems.
I also learned that Brita is a Clorox company, which made this line jump out at me:
Another issue: There’s evidence that adding chlorine, a common process in conventional drinking water treatment plants, makes some pharmaceuticals more toxic.
Full article here:
AP Probe Finds Drugs in Drinking Water
Edit 3/12/08 at 9:45pm: I got a reply from Brita today:
Brita has not tested to determine whether our products filter out pharmaceuticals, but it is now something our scientists will investigate. All Brita pitcher filters reduce lead, mercury, copper, cadmium, benzene and the taste and odor of chlorine in tap water while keeping a healthy level of fluoride ¿ a water additive that promotes strong teeth. All faucet mount filtration systems reduce chlorine, lead and asbestos. Depending on the faucet filtration system you choose, other impurities may be reduced as well, including mercury, benzene, turbidity (microorganism such as viruses, parasites and some bacteria) or Cryptosporidium/Giardia. Please see Brita.com for the exact impurities each type of faucet mount reduces. Brita is committed to providing healthier, great tasting water to all who use our filtration systems.
