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1 #+title: Big List O' Ideas
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2 #+author: Robert McIntyre
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3 #+email: rlm@mit.edu
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rlm@43
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4 #+description: list of ideas from the last ~ 7 years
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5 #+keywords: aurellem ideas half-baked random
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6 #+SETUPFILE: ../../aurellem/org/setup.org
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7 #+INCLUDE: ../../aurellem/org/level-0.org
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8 #+babel: :mkdirp yes :noweb yes :exports both
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9
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rlm@42
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10 * Ideas
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11
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rlm@43
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12 This is a list of all the ideas I've had that I felt like writing down
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13 for the past ~ 7 years. Some of them could be practical inventions and
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rlm@47
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14 are "just" waiting the that 95% perspiration to bring them to
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15 fruition, some are ideas for science fiction, and some are simple
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16 observations. Some are really only for my own personal notes and are
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17 not meant to be comprehensible. They are arranged roughly in reverse
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18 chronological order, with the most recent ideas at the top of the
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19 list. The ones at the bottom of the list are heavily influenced by my
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20 time at MIT.
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21
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22 If you find some of these interesting and would like to collaborate on
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23 them with me or discuss them in more detail, I'd love to hear from
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24 you. You can email me at ideas@aurellem.org.
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25
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rlm@52
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26 If you want to use one of these ideas as your own and run with it,
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rlm@52
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27 please feel free. I'd love to hear about it if you do.
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rlm@52
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28
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rlm@62
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29 #+begin_quote
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30 There's no end to what a man can accomplish if he doesn't care about
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31 getting credit.
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32 #+end_quote
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33
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rlm@73
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34 - digital inter-library loan :: libraries at universities already do
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rlm@73
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35 interlibrary loans for books, so why not do the same for access
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rlm@73
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36 to stupid paywalled digital papers? All the universities could
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rlm@73
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37 allow access to articles for registered students to all the files
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rlm@73
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38 available through any participating university. This could be
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rlm@73
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39 achieved by sending requests through proxies at participating
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rlm@73
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40 universities. Each university would decide who at the university
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rlm@73
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41 can access the proxy network. Access to the proxy network could
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rlm@73
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42 be made easy using something like http://libx.org/.
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rlm@73
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43
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rlm@72
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44 - chess visual :: to show the vast size of the game trees considered
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rlm@72
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45 by computers, show two people playing chess in a
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rlm@72
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46 void. They are floating in space, and there is a
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rlm@72
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47 simple chess board between them. Then, as they play,
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rlm@72
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48 the game tree's they are considering are drawn
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rlm@72
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49 behind him. The root of the tree starts centered in
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rlm@72
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50 their heads or whatever they use to think, and the
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rlm@72
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51 tree grows out from behind, never crossing the
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rlm@72
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52 dividing plane between the two players. Each
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rlm@72
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53 player's tree is a different color. As they grow,
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rlm@72
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54 there are animations for pruning, etc. Eventually,
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rlm@72
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55 they look like the hemispheres of a brain, wings,
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rlm@72
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56 etc. A human's tree might occasionally have a long
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57 chain, while the computer tree would be more
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rlm@72
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58 uniform. You could compare deep blue and a modern
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rlm@72
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59 laptop. Use actual data when fighting two computers!
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rlm@72
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60
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rlm@71
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61 - time verification :: some standard way to verify that some piece of
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rlm@71
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62 data was recorded at a specific time. Might involve a time
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rlm@73
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63 server, a key for each time period, something like that.
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rlm@71
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64
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rlm@70
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65 - tamper proof gold bars :: [[http://www.tungsten-alloy.com/gold-plated-tungsten-alloy-bar.html][this site]] offers gold plated tungsten bars
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rlm@70
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66 as "novelty" items. One reason to prefer coins is because they
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rlm@70
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67 are much harder to counterfeit because there is less surface area
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rlm@70
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68 to mass ratio. However, gold bars are still a great design
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rlm@70
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69 because they can hold a lot of value in a small space. A gold bar
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rlm@70
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70 could be given the same protections (and more) that gold coins
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rlm@70
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71 have to offer by changing it into a "gold book", which would have
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rlm@70
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72 hundreds of "pages" of gold bound together. This could be
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rlm@70
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73 implemented with multiple steel rods going through the book which
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rlm@70
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74 can be removed, or some more classier mechanism for holding the
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rlm@70
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75 pages. The point is that the bar can be EASILY subdivided (and
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rlm@70
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76 people would perform this test before buying), thus guaranteeing
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rlm@70
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77 it's authenticity.
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rlm@70
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78
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rlm@68
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79 - aurellem shirt :: I should make an aurellem star symbol tee-shirt.
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rlm@68
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80
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rlm@67
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81 - high school science :: this is a lesson in scientific ethics. The
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rlm@67
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82 goal is to calculate /g/, the local gravitational
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rlm@67
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83 acceleration. The students are told that the textbook says it's
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rlm@67
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84 /exactly/ 9.81 before they start the experiment. See how they
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rlm@67
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85 doctor their results to get closer to the textbook value. It's
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rlm@67
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86 neat because for any given school, /g/ is probably *not* exactly
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87 equal to 9.81, because that is just an average!
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rlm@67
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88
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rlm@67
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89 - opencourseware subtitles :: there are ladies who type up lectures
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90 while they are being given. These recordings should be kept and
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rlm@67
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91 given to OCW for subtitles. If the timestamps of keys are
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92 recorded, then it is easy to make subtitles.
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rlm@67
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93
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rlm@66
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94 - screen locking timing :: you use your computer camera to see if you
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rlm@66
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95 are sitting in front of the computer. If you are, then the screen
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rlm@66
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96 will never lock. If you are, then the screen will lock with a
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rlm@67
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97 30-40 second timeout. It's an extension of using inactivity to
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rlm@66
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98 initiate the countdown, just with more information.
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rlm@66
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99
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rlm@66
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100 - mirror toilet :: a toilet with a square basin made or mirror instead
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101 or porcelain. That way, you can see how good of a
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102 wipe job you have done / watch how your excretion
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103 system works.
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104
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rlm@62
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105 - test dummies :: why don't we clone encephalic humans and use then to
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rlm@62
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106 test /in vivo/ human organ systems and drugs? It
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rlm@62
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107 would be ethical as long as there are women who are
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108 willing to host the clones, and it would be a
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rlm@67
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109 tremendous resource for studying the human body. I
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rlm@62
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110 see nothing wrong with it morally, since no one is
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111 suffering, and it stands to save many lives throughout
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112 more advanced technology.
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113
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114 - X-ray telepresence :: given that a doctor is operating on a patient
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rlm@62
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115 via telepresence, one cool things you can do is shine X-rays into
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116 the patient to view the insides during real time. If the system
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rlm@67
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117 was coupled with a Baysean model of the layout of the structure,
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118 and the x-rays were only fired whenever the uncertainty of the
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rlm@62
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119 model reached a certain threshold, then the radiation damage
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rlm@62
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120 and surgery risk could be minimized.
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121
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122 - superfluid vascular system :: I wonder what would happen if you
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rlm@62
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123 replaced the blood in a human with a superfluid. What would the
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rlm@62
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124 physical dynamics be? Would the superfluid flow through the
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125 vasculature, or would it ignore it and travel through the cells,
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126 or something else entirely. Since superfluids need to be cold to
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rlm@62
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127 retain their superfluidity, how would the dynamics change during
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128 perfusion of a superfluid, where the fluid gains and looses
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rlm@62
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129 superfluidity as it goes deeper into the body and is cooled by
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rlm@67
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130 superfluid from upstream. In summary there are two things to
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rlm@62
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131 simulate 1.) replace all blood in human with superfluid
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132 instantly. 2.) perfuse superfluid into human.
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rlm@51
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133
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rlm@59
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134 - projective guessing :: I think that we read and see things by
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rlm@67
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135 making a really good guess about what we're expecting to see,
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rlm@59
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136 and then searching for our guess in what we see. If it really
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rlm@59
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137 doesn't match, then we start to make more guesses / analyze the
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rlm@59
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138 image from first principles, but most stuff is projective
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rlm@59
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139 guessing.
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rlm@59
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140
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rlm@67
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141 - Intestinal flora maintenance :: why not inoculate babies at birth
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rlm@59
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142 with "ideal" gut flora instead of whatever bullshit they
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rlm@59
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143 naturally get, thus giving them optimal digestive/nutrient
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rlm@67
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144 extraction capabilities. Might also be able to make their farts
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rlm@59
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145 not stink for life, too.
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146
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rlm@56
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147 - server culture : mirrors :: make a distributed system where people
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rlm@56
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148 can mirror the websites of people they like -- essentially cover
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rlm@56
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149 the server costs of favored websites. This could make popular
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rlm@56
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150 websites run at no cost. The system would require that the
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rlm@56
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151 mirrored content be the same as the official source. Sort of like
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rlm@67
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152 bit-torrent for websites.
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rlm@56
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153
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rlm@56
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154 - map programming :: one problem with functional programming is that
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rlm@56
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155 in order to remain functional, you have to pass up arguments up
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rlm@67
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156 into each calling function to get the full range of behavior
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rlm@56
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157 from the lower level functions. Normally people come to a
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rlm@67
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158 compromise involving abstraction and sparing use of dynamic
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rlm@67
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159 variables to configure runtime behavior. What would be the
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rlm@56
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160 advantages of making a programming language where every function
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rlm@67
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161 receives one argument, a map, which contains all the symbol
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rlm@56
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162 bindings it would ever need? This map is passed on to all
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rlm@56
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163 subordinate functions. This way, you could replace functions on
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rlm@56
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164 the fly, and arrange for there to be sensible defaults,
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rlm@56
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165 etc. Might cause more harm than good but is an interesting idea.
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166
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rlm@55
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167 - rest nest :: a small EEG device you would attach to your head when
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rlm@55
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168 you go to sleep at night. ML algorithms would determine
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rlm@55
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169 your particular sleep cycles. This would mostly be an
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rlm@55
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170 alarm clock that you could give a time range, say
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rlm@55
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171 7:00AM - 7:15AM, and it would wake you up during an
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rlm@55
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172 ideal time corresponding to then end of one of your 90
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rlm@55
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173 min sleep cycles. You would feel much more rested upon
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rlm@55
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174 waking up, and would wake up faster. There might be
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rlm@55
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175 some other uses for the EEG data as well.
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rlm@55
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176
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rlm@50
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177 - image compression :: use a library like gimp or opencv to process an
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rlm@50
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178 image to make it have less entropy, then store the reverse of
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rlm@50
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179 those operations along with the compressed simpler image as a
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rlm@50
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180 super-compressed image file (possibly sccapting some
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rlm@50
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181 lesses). Trades file size for decompression time, and allows one
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rlm@50
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182 to cheat by using information in gimp/opencv to compress the
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rlm@50
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183 image.
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rlm@50
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184
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rlm@47
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185 - fixed cryopreservation :: why not use a fixative to buy enough time
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rlm@42
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186 to ramp up cryoprotectants to an acceptable level at room
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rlm@42
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187 temperature? Then, the whole system can be rapidly cooled and
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rlm@42
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188 vitrified. This method "severs the biological link" in that the
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rlm@47
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189 fixatives are highly toxic, but current vitrification procedures
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rlm@42
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190 do this anyway since there can be a lot of freezing damage.
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rlm@38
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191
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rlm@67
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192 - dilated security camera :: a security camera that would capture
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rlm@58
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193 full video footage of everything at 60fps but then decide to keep
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rlm@58
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194 only every 1 frame every 5 seconds unless there's something
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rlm@58
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195 "interesting" happening.
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rlm@58
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196
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rlm@40
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197 - bitcoin wallet :: Part of "server culture", this would be something
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rlm@40
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198 like "coin.your-domain.com" which would serve as
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rlm@40
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199 your personal trusted access to your own bitcoins
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rlm@40
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200 from anywhere.
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rlm@40
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201
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rlm@40
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202 - libpay :: this would be a free library which would enable
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rlm@40
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203 micro-donations to software projects and other projects,
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rlm@47
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204 so that you could donate a penny to "emacs" and it would
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rlm@47
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205 be automatically split up to every person who has ever
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rlm@40
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206 contributed to emacs in proportion to the amount of
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rlm@40
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207 community esteem, code quantity, bugs fixed, whatever the
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rlm@47
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208 community decides. This might make it possible for
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rlm@40
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209 programmers to live entirely off of free programming.
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rlm@40
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210
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rlm@45
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211 - distributed graphics :: Browser based graphics-card accelerated
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rlm@45
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212 distributed computing API.
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rlm@41
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213
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rlm@40
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214 - pronouns :: use capital letters A-Z instead of pronouns. They solve
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rlm@40
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215 pronoun referents and gender neutrality, are short to
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rlm@40
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216 say, and you can encode useful information into the
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rlm@40
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217 choice of letter. For example, instead of "Meetings
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rlm@40
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218 shall be presided over by the president, unless she is
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rlm@42
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219 absent." USE "Meetings shall be presided over by the
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rlm@40
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220 president, unless P is absent." We already use this a
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rlm@40
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221 little, since I and U are reserved for the subject and
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rlm@40
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222 object respectively.
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rlm@40
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223
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rlm@40
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224 - phone DSP :: software app that inserts an audio DSP between the
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rlm@40
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225 input to a phone and the output. The DSP is delicious
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rlm@40
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226 and configurable, and can allow men to make their
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rlm@40
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227 voices deeper, etc. The app would allow you to hear
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rlm@40
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228 your own voice as others hear it. Most people hate how
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rlm@40
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229 their own voice sounds. The app would also allow one to
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rlm@47
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230 immediately change the parameters of the DSP using good
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rlm@40
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231 presets.
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rlm@40
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232
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rlm@47
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233 - predestined body learning :: a good example of predestined learning
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rlm@40
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234 might be the mirror neurons.
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rlm@40
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235
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rlm@47
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236 - restaurant receipt :: use a carbon copy receipt instead of two stupid
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rlm@40
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237 copies.
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rlm@40
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238
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rlm@41
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239 - anti google glass :: glasses with mounted lasers and computer vision
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rlm@41
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240 that targets the cameras in google glass and destroy them.
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rlm@41
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241
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rlm@40
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242 - wearable towel :: towel with clasp, velcro, whatever, that allows
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rlm@40
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243 one to wear the towel more securely than just
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rlm@40
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244 wrapping it tightly and hoping for the best.
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rlm@40
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245
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rlm@47
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246 - crossdressing :: Easiest way to disguise oneself as a woman is to
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rlm@44
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247 wear a burka.
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rlm@41
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248
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rlm@40
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249 - book-mode :: intelligent color highlighting for books and
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rlm@40
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250 articles. It would disambiguate pronouns and involved
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rlm@40
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251 references. For example, if "Rachael" as red, and "the
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rlm@40
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252 blonde haired girl" refers to "Rachael", then "the
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rlm@40
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253 blonde haired girl" would he colored red. Also, you
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rlm@47
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254 could disambiguate multi part run-on sentences by
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rlm@40
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255 highlighting each subcomponent. Maybe would also have
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rlm@47
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256 applications to scientific reading.
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rlm@40
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257
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rlm@40
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258 - Handheld light Rain measurement :: this would be a clear, teflon
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rlm@47
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259 coated plastic disk with a camera underneath the disk. You would
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rlm@40
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260 be able to hold the device out and it would measure the rate of
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rlm@40
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261 accumulation of water droplets from fine mists and light rain by
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rlm@40
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262 using computer vision to measure the diameters of the drops.
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rlm@40
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263
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rlm@40
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264 - Big Brother Farming :: This would be a vision system that would
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rlm@40
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265 individually monitor each plant and turn on water, etc to ensure
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rlm@40
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266 maximum/uniform growth for each plant.
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rlm@40
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267
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rlm@40
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268 - Discrete Faucet :: A faucet with discrete ticks instead of
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rlm@47
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269 continuous.
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rlm@40
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270
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rlm@40
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271 - Laser Circle :: take a glass microfiliment and shine a laser at one
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rlm@40
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272 end at an oblique angle. It will make a perfect,
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rlm@40
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273 large circle on the wall, converting a laser beam
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rlm@47
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274 into a laser cone, preserving most of the energy of
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rlm@40
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275 the laser.
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rlm@40
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276
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rlm@40
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277 - Invisible Glass :: Take a container of liquid and embed a
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rlm@40
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278 glass sculpture made out of glass that has exactly the same index
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rlm@40
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279 of refraction and color of the liquid. Then the sculpture will be
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rlm@40
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280 totally invisible in the container, and will only be revealed
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rlm@40
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281 when the liquid is drained. The container might be a fancy
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rlm@40
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282 wine/spirit bottle or an hourglass.
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rlm@40
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283
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rlm@47
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284 - Caterpillar people :: A race of caterpillar like creatures gains
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rlm@40
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285 intelligence after eons of predation by birds, etc. These
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rlm@47
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286 caterpillar creatures still undergo metamorphosis into a large
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rlm@40
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287 butterfly-like creature. The metamorphosis process turns the
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rlm@40
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288 caterpillar's brain into mush and reforms it into a minimal,
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rlm@40
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289 dumb, truly insect-like mind, completely destroying the person
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rlm@47
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290 the caterpillar was. The society develops all sorts of customs and
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rlm@40
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291 religious interpretations of the metamorphosis. It is viewed as
|
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rlm@40
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292 good and natural by some since it is part of their life cycle and
|
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rlm@47
|
293 necessary to propagate the species, as only the butterflies can
|
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rlm@40
|
294 mate. Some think that the butterflies are still the same person
|
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rlm@47
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295 because they have the same soul, even they no longer posses the
|
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rlm@47
|
296 memories or personality of the original caterpillar. Some see the
|
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rlm@40
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297 butterfly form as the "true form" of the species, since the
|
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rlm@40
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298 butterflies can fly, mate, and are beautiful. Many make a big
|
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rlm@47
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299 deal out of the fact that 1-2% of the caterpillar's mind is
|
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rlm@40
|
300 actually preserved in the butterfly. Some see it as a terrible
|
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rlm@47
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301 tragedy and argue that the caterpillars should try to stop the
|
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rlm@40
|
302 metamorphosis by technology. Practically, some very important
|
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rlm@40
|
303 members of society undergo hormone therapy and/or surgery to
|
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rlm@40
|
304 prevent metamorphosis so that they can live longer as themselves.
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rlm@40
|
305
|
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rlm@40
|
306 This is a continuation of Marvin Minsky's ideas about pain being
|
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rlm@40
|
307 something that preserves our bodies while destroying our minds,
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rlm@40
|
308 something that is a remnant from our too harsh animal days that
|
|
rlm@40
|
309 hasn't caught up to the fact that we have very complex brains
|
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rlm@40
|
310 now. It's a worst-case scenario about a maladaptive genetic
|
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rlm@40
|
311 legacy. Also, it's inspired by "There She Is!!!", which makes a
|
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rlm@40
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312 compelling point about homosexuality by introducing a second
|
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rlm@40
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313 gender characteristic (bunny/cat, male/female), which makes
|
|
rlm@40
|
314 homophobia look very silly. Here, our own biological legacy of
|
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rlm@47
|
315 pain and death is made to look like the tragedy it is through the
|
|
rlm@47
|
316 lens of the the caterpillar people.
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rlm@40
|
317
|
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rlm@46
|
318 - relationships as a business :: [[http://thedailywtf.com/Articles/Up-or-Out-Solving-the-IT-Turnover-Crisis.aspx][Turnover-Crisis]] is an excellent talk
|
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rlm@46
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319 about the "culture of quitting," which is about better business
|
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rlm@46
|
320 by letting people go instead of keeping them around past their
|
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rlm@47
|
321 "apex". Focuses on information transfer. Cool idea of an alumni
|
|
rlm@46
|
322 network, which for relationships would be a group of satisfied
|
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rlm@46
|
323 ex-lovers, who would recommend new people your way, and who might
|
|
rlm@46
|
324 consider coming to you again, refreshed from their time away with
|
|
rlm@46
|
325 new stories/experiences. I should look for examples of this and
|
|
rlm@46
|
326 how they worked out.
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rlm@43
|
327
|
|
rlm@47
|
328 - coffee with tea :: /rlm-tea/ contains 2% sugar, 10% cream, and 20%
|
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rlm@43
|
329 dylan coffee. /dylan coffee/ contains 5% sugar,
|
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rlm@43
|
330 20% cream, and 10% rlm-tea. Start your mornings
|
|
rlm@43
|
331 with recursion!
|
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rlm@43
|
332
|
|
rlm@43
|
333 - psychic crystal :: in a science fiction story, this would be an
|
|
rlm@43
|
334 object that is very easy to move physically but is extremely
|
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rlm@43
|
335 difficult to move with telekinesis.
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rlm@43
|
336
|
|
rlm@40
|
337 - http://betsofbitco.in/ :: what a great place for an AI/person to
|
|
rlm@40
|
338 prove themselves as a good predictor. I wish this could be
|
|
rlm@40
|
339 automated.
|
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rlm@40
|
340
|
|
rlm@44
|
341 - true reflection :: don't forget about that mirror in the student
|
|
rlm@44
|
342 center!, it's two mirrors at right angles, like staring at a
|
|
rlm@44
|
343 corner of a room. The light reflects so that it shows you what
|
|
rlm@44
|
344 you actually look like, instead of your mirror image.
|
|
rlm@33
|
345
|
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rlm@33
|
346 - remote control wasp :: use computer to drive wings with remote
|
|
rlm@32
|
347 power/logic.
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rlm@32
|
348
|
|
rlm@47
|
349 - encrypted email phone book :: public (distributed?) database of
|
|
rlm@44
|
350 email->private-key pairs, to enable automatic encryption.
|
|
rlm@32
|
351
|
|
rlm@44
|
352 - universal eye color :: every equivalent creature will see each
|
|
rlm@44
|
353 others' eyes as black -- it's universal. Even if the creatures
|
|
rlm@44
|
354 see in radio waves, and their eyes are 2m long pieces of jagged
|
|
rlm@44
|
355 metal, when those creatures look at each other, they will see
|
|
rlm@44
|
356 black, the absence of light and color (since it's being absorbed
|
|
rlm@44
|
357 by the sensor array).
|
|
rlm@32
|
358
|
|
rlm@33
|
359 - intelligent microwave :: it learns where the hot nodes of its fields
|
|
rlm@32
|
360 are, and uses them to evenly heat any food item. It has an infared
|
|
rlm@32
|
361 camera or something to keep track of how hot the food is. That way,
|
|
rlm@32
|
362 you don't get bowls where the edges are boiling, while the center is
|
|
rlm@32
|
363 still frozen. Requires a little bit of intelligence/vision, since
|
|
rlm@32
|
364 the exact pattern of heating totally depends on the exact shape of
|
|
rlm@47
|
365 the food. Wouldn't need a carousel, and wouldn't need a timer,
|
|
rlm@47
|
366 just a desired temperature. Could also detect ice, and automatically
|
|
rlm@32
|
367 defrost the parts which are frozen. Might be able to work much
|
|
rlm@47
|
368 faster since it can avoid overheating; might have problems with
|
|
rlm@32
|
369 heating the insides of thick things, might need a weight sensor too.
|
|
rlm@32
|
370
|
|
rlm@39
|
371 + Would be much cleaner than other microwaves, since food would
|
|
rlm@39
|
372 "sputter" and splash liquid much less.
|
|
rlm@32
|
373
|
|
rlm@39
|
374 + Throw in some SIFT+R processing to match previously cooked foods
|
|
rlm@39
|
375 and learn the exact heating profiles for things that have been
|
|
rlm@54
|
376 cooked before -- it can get faster the more it's used.
|
|
rlm@32
|
377
|
|
rlm@47
|
378 - compression :: brain-aware image compression algorithm
|
|
rlm@32
|
379
|
|
rlm@44
|
380 - Credit card proxy :: would be a company which works like paypal
|
|
rlm@44
|
381 except for real world transactions
|
|
rlm@32
|
382
|
|
rlm@33
|
383 - Flesh pillow :: a pillow like the arm or torso of a human, complete
|
|
rlm@33
|
384 with simulated temperature, bones, and heartbeat.
|
|
rlm@33
|
385
|
|
rlm@47
|
386 - super screw :: a screw which has only one or two threads and instead
|
|
rlm@47
|
387 uses compression to fit into a hole (the whole shank
|
|
rlm@33
|
388 of the screw is split into multiple pieces to
|
|
rlm@33
|
389 accomplish this; the tip is a point, then the middle
|
|
rlm@33
|
390 bulges out and gets compressed when screwed in.
|
|
rlm@33
|
391
|
|
rlm@47
|
392 - light filter :: (like light tweezers) to mechanically separate
|
|
rlm@33
|
393 fluids with different index of refraction
|
|
rlm@33
|
394
|
|
rlm@33
|
395 - chalk eraser project :: maybe make a directional eraser, for easy
|
|
rlm@33
|
396 release of chalk dust, like fur, and how it likes to rest in a
|
|
rlm@33
|
397 certain direction.
|
|
rlm@33
|
398
|
|
rlm@44
|
399 - silver socks :: socks laced with silver for the antimicrobial
|
|
rlm@44
|
400 properties.
|
|
rlm@32
|
401
|
|
rlm@53
|
402 - UROP :: magnet gear/metal teeth tape
|
|
rlm@53
|
403
|
|
rlm@53
|
404 - rod of moses :: device to distill urine through evaporation and
|
|
rlm@53
|
405 easily dispose of urea crystals for use in desert --
|
|
rlm@53
|
406 produce drinkable water.
|
|
rlm@32
|
407
|
|
rlm@47
|
408 - UROP :: Make the LED in line with the flow for the micro injector, so
|
|
rlm@44
|
409 that it may transmit maximum flow. Motor that changes
|
|
rlm@44
|
410 distance of internal magnet from windings depending on
|
|
rlm@44
|
411 desired speed so as to obtain maximum power efficiency.
|
|
rlm@32
|
412
|
|
rlm@47
|
413 - lottery scraper :: web scraper which monitors various lotteries,
|
|
rlm@44
|
414 looking for "special" gimmick changes in the rules (like 4x
|
|
rlm@44
|
415 winnings on Wednesdays) and computes expected value...
|
|
rlm@34
|
416
|
|
rlm@34
|
417 - Memristiors novel design :: make an evolutionary algorithm to make
|
|
rlm@34
|
418 old stuff using all four basic circuit elements.
|
|
rlm@34
|
419
|
|
rlm@44
|
420 - Conductive concrete :: concrete that has embedded metal fibers so
|
|
rlm@44
|
421 that it can conduct electricity.
|
|
rlm@34
|
422
|
|
rlm@44
|
423 - little bitty melting pot :: might be useful for some types of
|
|
rlm@44
|
424 manufacturing/3D printing -- how small can an induction melter be
|
|
rlm@44
|
425 made, for example.
|
|
rlm@34
|
426
|
|
rlm@44
|
427 - power strip/timer programmable combination :: meh
|
|
rlm@34
|
428
|
|
rlm@47
|
429 - algorithms :: which learn what their inputs are and in what order,
|
|
rlm@44
|
430 and can adapt to changing circumstances -- they
|
|
rlm@44
|
431 remember previous arguments and adapt so as to respond
|
|
rlm@44
|
432 to different connections.
|
|
rlm@34
|
433
|
|
rlm@47
|
434 - true pure tones :: hear a true pure tone by direct stimulation of the
|
|
rlm@44
|
435 nerves of the ear
|
|
rlm@43
|
436
|
|
rlm@43
|
437 - mechanical analogue to the electrical op-amp :: would be an object
|
|
rlm@43
|
438 with two levers -- you pull on one lever and the other moves the
|
|
rlm@43
|
439 same way, no matter what's in the way or what it is driving. This
|
|
rlm@47
|
440 analogy could be useful to teach op amps to people.
|
|
rlm@34
|
441
|
|
rlm@47
|
442 - paper folding device :: make it convenient to fold lots of papers in
|
|
rlm@34
|
443 various ways.
|
|
rlm@34
|
444
|
|
rlm@34
|
445 - concrete epoxy :: epoxy with sand/ some other solid material.
|
|
rlm@34
|
446
|
|
rlm@47
|
447 - light capacitor :: suspend some ball of material with a high index
|
|
rlm@43
|
448 of refraction and shine light into it so it gets stuck -- would
|
|
rlm@43
|
449 the light stay trapped forever? Could you build up unlimited
|
|
rlm@43
|
450 quantities of light inside the sphere (which could then be
|
|
rlm@43
|
451 released slowly by frustrated internal reflection?
|
|
rlm@34
|
452
|
|
rlm@40
|
453 - movie screening :: Movies always are too long at first. One way to
|
|
rlm@34
|
454 shorten them ``scientifically" is to record blink rate during the
|
|
rlm@34
|
455 move and then remove / shorten the frames of the parts in which
|
|
rlm@34
|
456 there are a lot of blinking (average this over multiple people)
|
|
rlm@34
|
457 better yet, put it online and do it across thousands of people. I
|
|
rlm@34
|
458 got this from youtube in which there is an episode of kill bill
|
|
rlm@47
|
459 which is composed entirely of the parts in which people had their
|
|
rlm@34
|
460 eyes closed. slogan: want to make a movie people can't take their
|
|
rlm@34
|
461 eyes off of? Just take those parts out!
|
|
rlm@34
|
462
|
|
rlm@47
|
463 - optimize an article :: capture reading of a scientific article via
|
|
rlm@44
|
464 screen capture while people read it, then use it to make the
|
|
rlm@44
|
465 article better. like the movie-pruning idea.
|
|
rlm@35
|
466
|
|
rlm@44
|
467 - super reading program :: teaches people the ideal mental mask to
|
|
rlm@44
|
468 apply during reading so as to read very fast.
|
|
rlm@35
|
469
|
|
rlm@44
|
470 - explosive thermite epoxy putty :: one part would contain the rust,
|
|
rlm@47
|
471 one part the aluminum.
|
|
rlm@34
|
472
|
|
rlm@44
|
473 - reading comprehension :: use the above screen capture routine to
|
|
rlm@44
|
474 make a quiz program that constructs questions about the content
|
|
rlm@44
|
475 you seemed to gloss over while reading. could be easy if the pdf
|
|
rlm@44
|
476 came with embedded questions. Dylan: automatically generate
|
|
rlm@44
|
477 word-cloud about the parts you found most interesting; help
|
|
rlm@44
|
478 others who read the same stuff by drawing attention to the
|
|
rlm@44
|
479 interesting parts.
|
|
rlm@34
|
480
|
|
rlm@44
|
481 - hard sword :: make a samurai sword, but use osmiridum instead of
|
|
rlm@44
|
482 martensite for the cutting part; it should be a better
|
|
rlm@44
|
483 sword.
|
|
rlm@32
|
484
|
|
rlm@44
|
485 - close range wireless :: use the induction technology used to
|
|
rlm@44
|
486 recharge electric toothbrushes with no metal links to send data
|
|
rlm@44
|
487 without any metal at all!
|
|
rlm@32
|
488
|
|
rlm@44
|
489 - reading :: is a form of synsethesia
|
|
rlm@32
|
490
|
|
rlm@44
|
491 - DNA printer :: A machine which translates the text eg, "ACTGAC" into
|
|
rlm@44
|
492 actual DNA
|
|
rlm@32
|
493
|
|
rlm@44
|
494 - black generator :: ferro-fluid magnetic field suspended micro
|
|
rlm@44
|
495 generator to make electricity
|
|
rlm@32
|
496
|
|
rlm@44
|
497 - alcohol battery :: alcohol/fluid flow powered battery
|
|
rlm@32
|
498
|
|
rlm@44
|
499 - folding razor blade sword ::
|
|
rlm@32
|
500
|
|
rlm@44
|
501 - perfect pitch :: learn perfect pitch using another sense in
|
|
rlm@44
|
502 combination (sight or touch)
|
|
rlm@32
|
503
|
|
rlm@44
|
504 - kaleidoscope projector ::
|
|
rlm@32
|
505
|
|
rlm@44
|
506 - razor blade de-sharpener :: for guilt free disposal
|
|
rlm@32
|
507
|
|
rlm@44
|
508 - bricks :: filled with luminescent plant material
|
|
rlm@32
|
509
|
|
rlm@47
|
510 - bio metallic structure :: metal grids with seeds inside, which grow
|
|
rlm@44
|
511 together and form a durable biological matrix. The metal
|
|
rlm@44
|
512 substrate delivers water. (maybe use plastic instead of metal?)
|
|
rlm@44
|
513 Dylan: enrich plants with inorganic compounds; electrical
|
|
rlm@44
|
514 interfaces in cellular plant matter => remote-controlled
|
|
rlm@44
|
515 photosynthetic/bioluminescent structures.
|
|
rlm@32
|
516
|
|
rlm@44
|
517 - conducting extracellular matrix :: to allow better control of
|
|
rlm@44
|
518 organic systems and an enhanced nervous system.
|
|
rlm@32
|
519
|
|
rlm@44
|
520 - cross-modal memory hashing :: a way to retrieve memories more
|
|
rlm@44
|
521 robustly.
|
|
rlm@32
|
522
|
|
rlm@47
|
523 - flossing thimble-guards :: (these actually exist)
|
|
rlm@32
|
524
|
|
rlm@44
|
525 - rules + lattice learning :: integrate lattice learning with rules by
|
|
rlm@44
|
526 generating hypothetical examples
|
|
rlm@32
|
527
|
|
rlm@47
|
528 - wooden refrigerator :: to give food a better taste Dylan: like
|
|
rlm@44
|
529 barrels for wine, or planks for salmon. Maybe just have "flavor
|
|
rlm@44
|
530 planks" for your pre-existing fridge. Need to mitigate effect of
|
|
rlm@44
|
531 temperature on volatility?
|
|
rlm@32
|
532
|
|
rlm@35
|
533 - radioactive transmutation molecule by molecule :: create precious
|
|
rlm@35
|
534 metals or something else economically advantageous.
|
|
rlm@32
|
535
|
|
rlm@47
|
536 - crowd preservation :: inoculate food with tons of harmless
|
|
rlm@44
|
537 bacteria so that there's no room for bad bacteria as a method of
|
|
rlm@44
|
538 preservation
|
|
rlm@32
|
539
|
|
rlm@47
|
540 - old school preservation :: Pasteur - style holding jar with siphon
|
|
rlm@47
|
541 as a way to store liquids at room temperature indefinitely w/o
|
|
rlm@47
|
542 refrigeration.
|
|
rlm@32
|
543
|
|
rlm@47
|
544 - restaurant policy :: Throw rude people out of restaurant as a matter
|
|
rlm@44
|
545 of course -- make ambiance much better.
|
|
rlm@32
|
546
|
|
rlm@47
|
547 - clean windows :: make something that mixes soap with fire hydrant
|
|
rlm@44
|
548 water (and reduces the pressure a bit) and use it
|
|
rlm@44
|
549 to clean windows of buildings.
|
|
rlm@32
|
550
|
|
rlm@44
|
551 - ocarina :: make an ocarina out of pure silver
|
|
rlm@32
|
552
|
|
rlm@35
|
553 - fire pen :: pen which burns words on to the page, thus never needing
|
|
rlm@47
|
554 any ink. Is there a way to make it runnable from the
|
|
rlm@35
|
555 human's energy?
|
|
rlm@32
|
556
|
|
rlm@44
|
557 - website to design your own soda :: and label, and have it mailed to
|
|
rlm@44
|
558 you / sell it from your own online store.
|
|
rlm@35
|
559
|
|
rlm@44
|
560 - solar panels :: that float on the ocean
|
|
rlm@43
|
561
|
|
rlm@35
|
562 - handcuffs with more than two cuffs (3?) :: great for daisy chaining
|
|
rlm@43
|
563 people, binding them to environment, etc.
|
|
rlm@35
|
564
|
|
rlm@35
|
565 - vector based SOUND files :: like the pictures but with SOUND. codify
|
|
rlm@35
|
566 sound in a language with enough symbols so that it can describe
|
|
rlm@35
|
567 everything and encode it in that. would be like going from speech
|
|
rlm@43
|
568 to text or smtg. Could also store sound as an image of the
|
|
rlm@35
|
569 wavefront encoded as a vector image.
|
|
rlm@32
|
570
|
|
rlm@44
|
571 - Mouse :: with a horizontal scroll wheel in addition to the vertical
|
|
rlm@44
|
572 scroll wheel
|
|
rlm@32
|
573
|
|
rlm@47
|
574 - logic maintenance system for big institutions :: to make sure the
|
|
rlm@44
|
575 things they are thinking about doing are not retarded
|
|
rlm@32
|
576
|
|
rlm@47
|
577 - http://www.regulations.gov/ :: cool site
|
|
rlm@32
|
578
|
|
rlm@44
|
579 - genetically engineered glowing fruit :: sell seeds?
|
|
rlm@32
|
580
|
|
rlm@36
|
581 - memory slide :: IF memories are encoded using particular sensory
|
|
rlm@36
|
582 impressions, what happens if the sensory organ
|
|
rlm@36
|
583 itself changes? those memories would become
|
|
rlm@47
|
584 inaccessible. maybe this is why we can't remember
|
|
rlm@36
|
585 much from our childhoods. also, could this happen
|
|
rlm@47
|
586 throughout life as well? Could S remember stuff from
|
|
rlm@36
|
587 his childhood?
|
|
rlm@32
|
588
|
|
rlm@47
|
589 - make a completely indestructible phone :: no moving parts or display
|
|
rlm@36
|
590 you should be able to slam it around all you want, and it will
|
|
rlm@36
|
591 just work. brutally simple. aerogel around the battery, minimal
|
|
rlm@36
|
592 interface - never gets too hot, and can be dropped into water. no
|
|
rlm@36
|
593 holes -- uses field effects for everything from the buttons to
|
|
rlm@36
|
594 inductive charging and data transfer.
|
|
rlm@32
|
595
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rlm@44
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596 - midi to ocarina "tabs" program :: (online website? buy ocarinas from
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rlm@44
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597 it too)
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rlm@32
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598
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rlm@44
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599 - 3d printing with sound pulses (or just patterns) :: like the 8.03
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rlm@44
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600 lecture
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rlm@32
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601
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rlm@40
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602 - lighter flint on spring :: make hot, throw it at something, and it
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rlm@40
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603 makes sparkles!
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rlm@32
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604
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rlm@44
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605 - nuclear energy :: Rebranding New+Clear Energy with informational
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rlm@44
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606 campaign and public debate forum to enforce its
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rlm@44
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607 transparent and open nature. France needn't be the
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rlm@44
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608 world leader in nuclear energy. (Dylan)
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rlm@32
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609
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rlm@44
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610 - bubbles :: Engineer a material which has both ductility and high
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rlm@44
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611 surface tension to make the "third"
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rlm@44
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612 minimal-surface-energy solution to a bubble suspended
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rlm@44
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613 between two equal-diameter rings. (Solutions are
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rlm@44
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614 cylindrical catenary curve, two separated half-bubbles,
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rlm@44
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615 and a double-cone)
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rlm@38
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616
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rlm@38
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617 - Textbook whose content can be varied continuously :: alter level of
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rlm@38
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618 difficulty, rigor, diction, emphasize crossover with certain
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rlm@38
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619 other discipline, etc. Content generated dynamically from
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rlm@38
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620 knowledge base, along with questions that are moreover altered to
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rlm@38
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621 guide knowledge acquisition. Motivation: One book of
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rlm@40
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622 knowledge. /One./
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rlm@40
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623
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rlm@40
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624
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rlm@40
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625 ** From Jacob's idea list
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rlm@40
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626
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rlm@47
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627 - Roommate-canceling headphones: uses roommate's laptop mic to seed
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rlm@43
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628 noise cancellation alg in your headphones (would this
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rlm@40
|
629 work?). -Update on sound canceling headphones that take feed from
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rlm@40
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630 tv: how about ones that cancel people talking on the phone by
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rlm@40
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631 receiving the phone signals and playing inverse sound
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rlm@40
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632 waves. #signalprocessing ~jcole@mit.edu
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rlm@40
|
633
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rlm@40
|
634 - ClackerAlert -- tells if you slam the keys too hard using sound data
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rlm@40
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635 (and speed/jerkiness data)!.Prevents RSI ~jcole@mit.e
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rlm@40
|
636
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rlm@40
|
637 - Panic Pin :: separate pin that you can tell someone if forced to
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rlm@41
|
638 identify your PIN (idea from idea about credit cards)
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