Science & Technology

Spring is in the air and summer is on the way. I wanted to snowboard one last time before all the snow melted so I went to Winterberg and returned a few days ago. The powder was fresh but the wi-fi where I stayed was prehistoric.  The only way to check email was by walking half a kilometer, down a hill, and pirating WiFi from the student hostel. This post is a mix of science and technology information that I couldn't share while traveling.

First is the "Heart on a chip." The "Heart on a chip," is literally, a functioning human heart the size of a micro-chip. Scientist at the University in Toronto grew heart tissue in a lab, attached the tissue to scaffolding and transplanted it into a rat. Inside the body it grew muscle and blood vessels that allowed blood to flow. Even after the tissue was removed from the rats body it continued to beat rhythmically like a normal organ. this is cutting edge technology that can change not only the rejection rate for transplants, but can also allow science to grow replacement organs for patients from their own tissue.



The next piece of tech is going to make some people wonder if science fiction has just become real. The creative minds at Microsoft have taken holographic technology to a whole new level. Their new "Holoportation" technology allows for interactive 3D holograms that don't use a screen and move in real-time. Don't take my word for it...watch the video.



The last piece of information is a bit weird...but in a good way. A company out the UK named Moley Robotics has invented the first robotic chef. The chef is a pair of robotic arms which move about a kitchen that consumers must purchase as well. The robotic chef will(in the future) be programmed with over 2000 recipes from four star chefs. To learn more about the robotic chef and what it's capable of ...check out the video below.

Holo-Tech

There is a quote by someone I can't remember that says. "If civilization was confronted with a technology so advanced that it baffled our imagination. That technology would be perceived as magic." To some people who have viewed Microsoft's new product HoloLens...magic is here.

HoloLens is a pair of goggles containing a Windows 10 operating system that generates holographic projections (in midair or on a surface) that can be manipulated by the user. This Holo-Tech (Holographic Technology) produces an interactive form of augmenting reality that's user friendly. It uses sensors, a high-definition 3D optical display, and spatial sound to allow users to manipulate augmented reality through gaze, voice, and hand gestures. 

The concept behind HoloLens was to take all the tasks done behind a computer screen and bring them off the screen. Blending the digital world with the real world where the users can interact with their projects in augmented reality. Who is this technology made for? Everyone. The diversity of how HoloLens can be is applied to everyday life depends on the user. Engineers, architects, designers, jewelry makers, and visual artists can make 3D scale models of their projects.

There's a similar gaming product about to hit the market this year named Oculus Rift which also offers augmented reality. The major difference between the two is, Oculus Rift was designed primary for gaming, while HoloLens was developed to be more project oriented and used in everyday life. HoloLens will be available this year. It's release will coincide with the launch of the new Window's 10 operating system.

Below I posted a video displaying HoloLens in action. It's the demo for the new product and shows how science fiction can be made real. 

Resurrecting the Dead

Tupac Shakur dead in 1995. His legacy is in the music which has endured and gained more popularity over the last 17 years. Recently at the 2012 Coachella festival a 3D (3 dimensional) hologram of Tupac was debuted performing along side west coast legend Snoop Dogg. The image was like a scene out of science fiction films. The hologram was so realistic it had viewers questioning if Tupac had been resurrected from the dead like Lazarus or was alive and had faked his death like Machiavelli.

The hologram costs a reported 10 million U.S. dollars to create. It was designed by a company out of London which uses a state of the art high definition camera to broadcast a 3D holographic image on stage. The hologram gives the illusion of a real person and is created from scratch. Which means they don't use revamped archive footage or old video. Instead they create the entire image and performance from scratch. 

This technology opens the door for artists and government delegates to give performances or speeches from a remote location while viewers believe they're seeing the real thing. The military applications for this type of technology are to numerous to count and not part of this post. But I'm sure if you watch the videos below you can come up with a few on your own. Check it out. 

3D Printers

Normally the only way you would see me posting about a printer, is if it printed money or played Hip-Hop music. Three dimensional (3D) printers are not your typical printer!

They make fully functioning scale models out of plastic and other materials from whatever design is placed inside. This technology is being applied to science, medicine, snowboard design, and even space exploration. These are the printers of the future. I posted a few clips below...see for yourself.   

Surrealism Art

I've always been a fan of surrealist art. My passion for the style came from seeing the paintings of Spanish artist Salvador Dali (May 11, 1904 - Jan. 23, 1989). 

His amazing use of color and bizarre depiction of everyday objects captured my imagination and inspired me. One of his most famous paintings "The Persistence of Memory," depicts clocks melting in the dessert. Its such a simple concept but the technique behind it makes it extraordinary. 

Aside from painting Dali was known for making 3D optical illusions and sculptures. You can see his style reflected in the works of many modern artists including Hans Kanters, a Dutch painter I posted in an earlier entry.  I posted a few pieces from Dali below, but if you want to see more of his art go to www.daligallery.com or www.artsy.net.