SMART DUST: People and computers living in perfect harmony?

COMPUTERS have advanced so splendidly in the past few years that electricians are now able to make micro-computers the size of pinheads. The proposed applications for computers of this size range from modifying the weather to controlling the electrical infrastructure of large cities. Of course, it is wise to be wary of anything that is powerful and to analyse critically the potential of such technology before it involuntarily becomes an integral part of our lives.

Smart dust is one particular brand of microcomputers that has been hailed as a society-changing element that will greatly improve and change the way we live our daily lives. Devised by Dr Kristofer Pister from the University of California in 2001, smart dust is able to gather information from its surrounding environment and send this to people or other computers.

Pictured right: Dr Kristofer Pister demonstrating the size of smart dust particles (Images: newilluminati.blog-city.com)

A smart dust particle or mote is a wireless sensor that has four basic functions — sensing, computation, communication and power — all built into one tiny package. With smart dust being so low powered and inexpensive, the idea is to spread it everywhere — in every building, on every street, in every electrical device and ultimately, in or on every human being.

What smart dust is able to do is create a large invisible network that, in theory, would be able to manage the infrastructure of even the largest city in the world. Streets and buildings would be able to recognise people and respond accordingly. Workplaces would recognise employees and buzz you into the building. Smart dust could even send a lift to your floor and boot up your PC.

Of course the major concern involves privacy. If all of this information about you is available and gathered by smart dust, who else has access to it? Smart dust would also allow certain people to know exactly where you are at all times and could quite easily turn on you and deny you freedom of movement and access. It may sound like something from a movie, but the amount of control that powerful people could have on the masses via smart dust is certainly something to be cautious of.

What is a good idea is having smart dust monitor our roadways and transport systems. Smart dust scattered on the roads would be able to report potholes and traffic jams to commuters, and smart dust on the railways would be able to accurately report late trains in an instant. Bridges coated in smart dust would be able to report stress fractures, helping to avoid collapse and prevent disaster.

The first smart dust particles created in 2001, which were about the size of a deck of playing cards.

But do we want such fabric dispersed everywhere? Smart dust may be evolving to the microscopic level, but it is by no means undeniably safe. Several news reports were released in the past decade about a similar substance known as global environmental sensors (GEMS) that had been released into the atmosphere to monitor weather conditions. There was very little thought given to these electrical particles being inhaled once they descended to Earth, nor any given to the fact that several micro-organisms could ingest smart dust and die as a result.

It almost seems worth having to boot up your work PC manually and save a termite population in the process.

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3D PRINTING: Producing abundance with technology

MANY fantasize about designing and building their dream home. If achieved, the feeling must be one of great pride and involvement. The sad reality is that building a house from scratch requires a whole team, and a group of wholesalers. For starters you would need an architect, electrician, a plumber, mechanical engineer and a surveyor, not to mention all the chain stores you would have to visit to furnish your new home. In the end, it may not feel like you were involved at all - apart from having dished out all the necessary funding.

But what if you could play a bigger and cheaper role in your home’s creation? Of course it would be wise to get the professionals to assess the ground and foundations, but when it comes to furnishing and decorating, the power lies in 3D printing. Most homes are, after all, built from the inside-out.

As jaw-dropping as it may sound, 3D printing is essentially the creation of solid three dimensional objects using a large oven-sized printer. Objects are “printed” by laying down successive layers of material. The “ink” generally consists of molten plastics, but the more hi-tech 3D printers are able to use workable metals such as nickel, bronze, titanium and stainless steel.

Most 3D printing methods use melting or softening material to produce the layers. Others lay liquid materials that are then cured with other technologies. Some 3D printers can even reproduce themselves entirely.

3D Printers work by being fed digitised files or schematics. The design for a particular object is created using 3D modeling software and then sent to the printer for creation. Wikipedia explains the process thusly: “A 3D printer works by taking a 3D computer file and using and making a series of cross-sectional slices. Each slice is then printed one on top of the other to create the 3D object.”

Since 2003 there has been large growth in the sale of 3D printers for industrial use, but they are now finding their way into consumers’ homes (at around R100 000). The technology is generally used in the fields of industrial design, engineering, construction, auto mechanics, and the dental and medical industries, and is also known as the “architect’s dream tool”. 3D printing is even used for creating jewellery and footwear prototypes before they are mass produced.

One fantastic application is the use of 3D printing for reconstructing fossils in paleontology. Ancient and priceless artifacts can be replicated with flawless precision. As exciting, is the reconstruction of bones and body parts in the field of forensic pathology as well as the reconstruction of heavily damaged evidence acquired from crime scene investigations.

Meanwhile in the biology department, 3D printing technology is currently being studied by biotechnology firms and academia for possible use in tissue engineering. Its applications are to build living organs and body parts. Layers of living cells are deposited onto a gel medium which slowly builds up to form three dimensional structures. This field of research has been termed as organ printing, bio-printing or computer-aided tissue engineering. I’m surprised that no one has called it “playing God”.

The thought that 3D printing could be the means for producing abundance, excites me. High quality metal parts or tools could be mass produced and then donated to relief efforts or developing communities. Taps, tools, light fixtures, cutlery, hip replacements, 3D models, cogs, prosthetics and nuts and bolts could all be mass printed. Gone are the dreary days of the assembly line; 3D printers could even run overnight while the goods cook in the oven.

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TED TALK: Building a 3D model of the mammalian brain

HERE’S something that might blow your neo cortex. Neuroscientists are confident that within the next 10 years they will be able to construct an artificial human brain that functions very much like the real thing.

This is according to brain expert Henry Markram — director of Blue Brain, a supercomputing project that models components of the mammalian brain to precise cellular detail — and simulate their activity in 3D. Markram’s ultimate goal is to build a detailed, realistic­ computer model of the entire human brain.

Talk of neurology tends to be very scientific by nature, so I have attempted to dissect Markram’s work from a talk he gave at TED — a small non-profit organisation devoted to "ideas worth spreading". TED started out in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from the three worlds of technology, entertainment and design, and the talks given in these fields are simply fantastic.

The holy grail of neuroscience is understanding the design of the neo cortical column, which could inevitably help us better understand perception and reality (Photos: Blue Brain)

BUILDING A BRAIN

Understanding the human brain is a key step in evolution that will better equip human beings to understand one another and the societies in which they live. Being able to study and experiment with working models of the human brain will also do away with the need for animal experimentation.

In his talk, Markram pointed out that there are over two billion people on the planet today suffering from mental disorders. The drugs that are used to treat such disorders are largely empirical and far from conclusive. Understanding the human brain may lead to more concrete solutions to treating people with such disorders.

There are many theories regarding how the brain works. One that is drawing the most attention according to Markram (pictured right) is one that theorises how the brain creates or builds a version of the universe and projects this around us. This particular theory has been part of philosophical debate for centuries. However, with brain simulation, this theory can finally be tested and explored further.

Markram highlights decisions as the main factor influencing our perceptual bubbles. Upon walking into a room for example, one has to immediately process all kinds of information regarding what you see. Decisions regarding the size of the room, its dimensions, the height to the roof, all the objects in the room etc. have to be made in an instant. Markram posits that 99% of what we see is not what enters through our eyeballs, but rather what we infer about that room.

OUR BRAIN IN EVOLUTION

If you are an evolutionist, you may know that it took the universe 11 billion years to develop the brain into what it is today. The exciting news is that this development has by no means slowed down. On the contrary, our brains are currently evolving faster than ever before. In fact, because of the restrictiveness of our skulls, we can already see how the growing brain has starting to fold in on itself to accommodate more grey matter.

The neo cortex is the latest evolutionary achievement. This is arranged in columns and is where all our more complex functions occur. The holy grail of neuroscience is understanding the design of the neocortical column, which could inevitably help us better understand perception and reality.

Neuroscientists have systematically dissected the neo cortex over the past 15 years. Understanding how the neo cortex works largely involves understanding how our neurons are arranged and communicate with each other.

The biggest design secret of the human brain, according to Markram, is diversity. Not only is every neuron different, but their arrangement differs too in each and every human being. What we do all share is the same fabric and chemistry, which is how we can all perceive and understand the same reality­. This is also believed to be species-specific, which might explain why we can’t communicate across species — more naturally at least.

To create a working model of the neo cortex of a rodent (consisting of 10 000 neurons), Markram and his team required an entire laptop to power a single­ neuron. A refrigerator-sized supercomputer was built (basically consisting of 10 000 laptops) and neuroscientists have began to gain the first glimpse of what happens in our brains when they receive a stimulus.

Stimulating stuff!

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FUTURE CARS: Memory metal allows cars to repair themselves

CARS are great to own and drive and even admire, but it is clear on so many levels that they are not globally sustainable. Our roads are already over-crowded, accidents happen daily, lives are lost, and they fart out enough carbon monoxide to choke a large Redwood plantation.

New cars are being pumped out the assembly line at an alarming rate. There are currently over 800 million cars and light trucks on the roads today, consuming over 260 billion gallons of petrol and diesel every year.

Coupled with the fuel crisis are motor vehicle accidents. If you are not killed or severely injured in a car accident, you are at least left with a hefty bill to pay. I was involved in quite a bad car accident earlier this year. It took six months to get my car back from the panel beaters. The only injuries sustained were to my patience and wallet.

Transport should be so much higher on the technological agenda and it’s high time that vehicle-related problems were met. What’s more is that the technology for safer and more environment-friendly transport is already available; it just needs to be put into proper use.

Shape Memory Alloy

Shape memory alloy is at the forefront of future transport. This cheaply produced metal, also known as smart metal, memory metal, muscle wire and Nitinol, is able to regain its original shape when heated. This can be demonstrated with a memory alloy spring. The object is deformed and disfigured beyond recognition and springs back to its original shape when heated. Here's a video demonstrating this process:

Memory Alloy in Action

To put it very simply, memory materials are created at a specific temperature and then held in place until cooled. Applying any heat source after the object is disfigured will return it to its original shape.

Shape memory alloy is already being used in medical applications, such as optometry and dentistry, as well as aerospace; but why not use it more vigorously in vehicle production? Serious research advances in the field of memory materials have been ongoing since the 1960s. This lightweight, solid-state material is the perfect alternative to conventional materials used to manufacture cars.

Shape memory alloy is at the forefront of future transport. This cheaply produced metal is able to regain its original shape when heated.

Cars in the Future

Safety and fuel-efficiency are the two major factors when it comes to considering cars of the future. To be more fuel-efficient, cars need to be more aerodynamic and lightweight on top of having better, eco-friendlier engines. To achieve this, more consideration needs to be given to vehicle shape and the material used to make cars.

Many cars today might seem more plastic than metal — the cheaper ones certainly feel that way. The good news is that there are also memory plastics and textiles, which behave very similarly to memory metals. Future vehicles would be made from a combination of these memory materials — eliminating the need to waste time and resources at the panel beater.

This is, of course, if accidents were even to occur in the future. Social engineer and industrial designer, Jacque Fresco, believes that there is no reason for accidents to happen at all in the future.

But as an extra precaution, Fresco explains how the front end of future cars would be equipped with radar or sonar, or other sensory devices. These would be able to detect the distance between other vehicles and maintain that separation automatically.

Like the human body, cars of the future could even have memory systems of their entire configuration built in — allowing them to regenerate automatically if entire parts were lost. “The technology of the future will enable our automotive vehicles to repair and regenerate damaged areas automatically,” says Fresco.

I don’t think I can ever look at my current car the same way again.

• This article is the seventh in a series of Future by Design concepts. The others are available under Quite Interesting - A Resource-Based Economy

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OVERCLOCKING GUIDE: A beginner's guide to overclocking a motherboard, RAM and CPU ... and all the joys this can bring

I KNEW nothing about overclocking a desktop PC, but over the last two weeks dearest Google has given me an education on how to overclock a motherboard, memory and CPU! I wanted to share what I’ve learnt with others. Some of these tips are generic but others may be specific to my own PC. These are my system specs:

System Specs:

• OS: Windows 7 – 64-bit
• Asus P5QD Turbo motherboard
• Cooler Master Extreme Power PSU - 550w
• 4GB Corsair XMS2 Memory - DDR2-1066MHz ( pc2-8500 ), CL5, 2.1v
• TwinTech nVidia – 9800 GT - 1GD3E-HDMI-GE, GDDR3 256bit - PCI-E
• Intel Boxed Core2 Duo E8400 Processor - 3.00GHz Dual Core - Socket 775, 6MB cache, 1333MHz FSB

My memory is the latest upgrade and when it was first installed it was only being read as 800Mhz (rather than 1066Mhz). After fiddling with the AI Tweaker in the BIOS I managed to get it up to 999Mhz. Any other changes caused my system to crash – often my giving me the BSOD (Blue Screen of Death).

After scouring the forums and trying many different things over the course of many moons, I found the following settings to work beautifully:

Considering that you have the latest BIOS (v.0301), try these:

Set AI Overclock Tuner to {Manual}
Set DRAM Frequency to {1066}
Set DRAM Static Read Control to {Disabled}
Set DRAM Read Training to { Disabled}
Set MEM OC Charger to {Enabled}
Set AI Clock Twister to {Light}*

Set DRAM Voltage to {2.1 - 2.2} [depending on the voltage sticker on the modules]
Set NB Voltage to {1.35 volts}
Set DRAM Timing Control to {Manual}
Set DRAM Timings to 5-5-5-18 (CL-TRCD-TRP-TRAS)
Set Row Refresh Cycle Time to {60 DRAM Clocks}

*NOTE: Setting the AI Clock Twister to anything above {light} may cause your system to crash when playing graphically-demanding games.

*NOTE 2: The above settings gave my ram a score of 7 in the Windows User Experience compared to a score of 6.7 when my ram was running at 800Mhz.

Problem: Memory can't run at proper frequency

The important things to know about memory are voltage (e.g. 2.1v) and timings or latency (represented as a string of numbers, e.g. 5-5-5-18). Tweaking RAM can be risky business if you attempt to set these values higher than what the manufacturer specifies. You can find your RAM values glued on the memory sticks themselves.

It is important to check that your BIOS is picking up the correct values else your RAM will not run at its full potential. If they are lower than what is specified, you can manually adjust your DRAM Timings under the AI Tweaking settings in your BIOS. Just make sure your type them in 100% correctly!

An important note from Tom's Hardware:

"After finishing the overclocking process you have to put your system through a tough and thorough testing procedure. If the system passes all the testing, only then can you talk of successful overclocking and feel confident that everything is working well ... Available freely on the web, Prime95's "torture test" has become the gold standard for CPU stability testing." - Tom

If things are still not working out for you, check if your memory supports Enhanced Performance Profiles (EPP). Alternatively, if the BIOS has a SPD setting for the memory, this should be used for the highest stability with your computer.

CPU clock

Things can get a bit more complicated when having to tweak or overclock your CPU. This is where ratios and multipliers come into play.

For example, if you have a processor that has a CPU clock speed of 1.82GHz, the proper settings for the BIOS would be a bus speed of 166MHz and a multiplier of 11. (166MHz x 11 = 1.826 GHz).

If you need to run your ram 1066 @ 5-5-5-15 @ 2.1v and keep stock
CPU speed of 3.0Ghz, then you could use the following settings:

SPD = 3.0
CPU FSB = 352
CPU Mult. = 8.5

Aftert setting your RAM voltage to 2.1v, the above settings should give you a CPU clock speed of 3.0ghz, and ram speed of DDR2-1056. However, many forumites argue that this is a wasted effort – resulting in wasted volts and unnecessary heat. You'd be better served overclocking your processor and running a 1:1 ratio (SPD = 2.0) while lowering voltage and timings.

Conclusions

Upping the voltage of your RAM and adjusting your memory timings seem to make all the difference to the number of Mhz you can set your ram at in the BIOS. FSB should also be set to manual with the highest possible setting selected (e.g. 400Mhz).

Asus motherboards are notorious for being incompatible with certain brands of memory, so it may be wise to check what’s good to go on the Asus support website before paying for any upgrades. Otherwise, if you have a similar system to mine I hope the above helps you to get the most out of your PC!

• PCSTAT'S Beginners Guides: Overclocking the CPU, Motherboard & Memory

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