Cognitive Labs

From the do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep DepartmentEveR-1's android skin is made from a silicon jelly that feels similar to human skin. Resembling a woman in her 20's, EveR-1 is 160 centimeters tall.

The android has fifteen sensors in its robotic face to allow it to interpret the face of a person before it, and thirty-five miniature motors to create expression and properly look back at a person talking to it. The EveR-1 has a basic vocabulary of 400 works, and can have simple verbal exchanges with humans.

According to KITECH scientist Baeg Moon-hong, "The robot can serve to provide information in department stores and museums or read stories to children; it’s capable of both education and entertainment functions."

Science fiction writers have gone a bit further in their thinking about female robots and androids. In his 1954 work The Mechanical Bride, author Fritz Leiber wrote about a similar robotic creation:

Streamlined, smooth-working, absolutely noiseless, breath-takingly realistic. Each one is powered by thirty-seven midget electric motors, all completely noiseless, and is controlled by instructions, recorded on magnetic tape, which are triggered off by the sound of your voice and no one else's. There is a built-in microphone that hears everything you say, and an electric brain that selects a suitable answer. The de luxe model is built to your specifications, has fifty different facial expressions...

from Technovelgy.com

The above is the title of a new book, instead of "guns, germs, and steel" deconstructing the late 1970's.

Gold has hit its highest price since the late 1970's, when those little 24k bullion necklaces were the rage. Gas Lines have come back, for those stations a dime or two cheaper than the rest (instead of a few pennies)and polyester - has not yet come back - but take a look at Hank Aaron's cool polyester-powered Atlanta Braves uniform. Hank celebrates hitting no. 715 and breaking the Babe's record.


try the puzzle

Barry Bonds may tie or pass the Babe and Hank's tie-breaking shot tonight, but has a little way to go to catch Hank Aaron's lifetime home run total.