Mercurial > thoughts

comparison org/ideas.org @ 67:036fe1b13120

Find changesets by keywords (author, files, the commit message), revision number or hash, or revset expression.
moar ideas.
author Robert McIntyre <rlm@mit.edu>
date Fri, 04 Oct 2013 14:49:04 -0400
parents eae81fa3a8e0
children 2097f7685a3b dfcbbb3d4b9a
comparison
equal deleted inserted replaced
66:eae81fa3a8e0 67:036fe1b13120
29 #+begin_quote 29 #+begin_quote
30 There's no end to what a man can accomplish if he doesn't care about 30 There's no end to what a man can accomplish if he doesn't care about
31 getting credit. 31 getting credit.
32 #+end_quote 32 #+end_quote
33 33
34 - high school science :: this is a lesson in scientific ethics. The
35 goal is to calculate /g/, the local gravitational
36 acceleration. The students are told that the textbook says it's
37 /exactly/ 9.81 before they start the experiment. See how they
38 doctor their results to get closer to the textbook value. It's
39 neat because for any given school, /g/ is probably *not* exactly
40 equal to 9.81, because that is just an average!
41
42 - opencourseware subtitles :: there are ladies who type up lectures
43 while they are being given. These recordings should be kept and
44 given to OCW for subtitles. If the timestamps of keys are
45 recorded, then it is easy to make subtitles.
46
34 - screen locking timing :: you use your computer camera to see if you 47 - screen locking timing :: you use your computer camera to see if you
35 are sitting in front of the computer. If you are, then the screen 48 are sitting in front of the computer. If you are, then the screen
36 will never lock. If you are, then the screen will lock with a 49 will never lock. If you are, then the screen will lock with a
37 30-40 second timeout. It's an extention of using inactivity to 50 30-40 second timeout. It's an extension of using inactivity to
38 initiate the countdown, just with more information. 51 initiate the countdown, just with more information.
39 52
40 - mirror toilet :: a toilet with a square basin made or mirror instead 53 - mirror toilet :: a toilet with a square basin made or mirror instead
41 or porcelean. That way, you can see how good of a 54 or porcelain. That way, you can see how good of a
42 wipe job you have done / watch how your excretion 55 wipe job you have done / watch how your excretion
43 system works. 56 system works.
44 57
45 - test dummies :: why don't we clone encephalic humans and use then to 58 - test dummies :: why don't we clone encephalic humans and use then to
46 test /in vivo/ human organ systems and drugs? It 59 test /in vivo/ human organ systems and drugs? It
47 would be ethical as long as there are women who are 60 would be ethical as long as there are women who are
48 willing to host the clones, and it would be a 61 willing to host the clones, and it would be a
49 trememdous resource for studying the human body. I 62 tremendous resource for studying the human body. I
50 see nothing wrong with it morally, since no one is 63 see nothing wrong with it morally, since no one is
51 suffering, and it stands to save many lives throught 64 suffering, and it stands to save many lives throughout
52 more advanced technology. 65 more advanced technology.
53 66
54 - X-ray telepresence :: given that a doctor is operating on a patient 67 - X-ray telepresence :: given that a doctor is operating on a patient
55 via telepresence, one cool things you can do is shine X-rays into 68 via telepresence, one cool things you can do is shine X-rays into
56 the patient to view the insides during real time. If the system 69 the patient to view the insides during real time. If the system
57 was coupled with a baysean model of the layout of the structure, 70 was coupled with a Baysean model of the layout of the structure,
58 and the x-rays were only fired whenever the uncertaintity of the 71 and the x-rays were only fired whenever the uncertainty of the
59 model reached a certain threshold, then the radiation damage 72 model reached a certain threshold, then the radiation damage
60 and surgery risk could be minimized. 73 and surgery risk could be minimized.
61 74
62 - superfluid vascular system :: I wonder what would happen if you 75 - superfluid vascular system :: I wonder what would happen if you
63 replaced the blood in a human with a superfluid. What would the 76 replaced the blood in a human with a superfluid. What would the
65 vasculature, or would it ignore it and travel through the cells, 78 vasculature, or would it ignore it and travel through the cells,
66 or something else entirely. Since superfluids need to be cold to 79 or something else entirely. Since superfluids need to be cold to
67 retain their superfluidity, how would the dynamics change during 80 retain their superfluidity, how would the dynamics change during
68 perfusion of a superfluid, where the fluid gains and looses 81 perfusion of a superfluid, where the fluid gains and looses
69 superfluidity as it goes deeper into the body and is cooled by 82 superfluidity as it goes deeper into the body and is cooled by
70 superfluid from upstresm. In summary there are two things to 83 superfluid from upstream. In summary there are two things to
71 simulate 1.) replace all blood in human with superfluid 84 simulate 1.) replace all blood in human with superfluid
72 instantly. 2.) perfuse superfluid into human. 85 instantly. 2.) perfuse superfluid into human.
73 86
74 - projective guessing :: I think that we read and see things by 87 - projective guessing :: I think that we read and see things by
75 makeing a really good guess about what we're expecting to see, 88 making a really good guess about what we're expecting to see,
76 and then searching for our guess in what we see. If it really 89 and then searching for our guess in what we see. If it really
77 doesn't match, then we start to make more guesses / analyze the 90 doesn't match, then we start to make more guesses / analyze the
78 image from first principles, but most stuff is projective 91 image from first principles, but most stuff is projective
79 guessing. 92 guessing.
80 93
81 - Intestinal flora maintainence :: why not innoculate babies at birth 94 - Intestinal flora maintenance :: why not inoculate babies at birth
82 with "ideal" gut flora instead of whatever bullshit they 95 with "ideal" gut flora instead of whatever bullshit they
83 naturally get, thus giving them optimal digestive/nutrient 96 naturally get, thus giving them optimal digestive/nutrient
84 extraction capabilities. Might also be abot to make their farts 97 extraction capabilities. Might also be able to make their farts
85 not stink for life, too. 98 not stink for life, too.
86 99
87 - server culture : mirrors :: make a distributed system where people 100 - server culture : mirrors :: make a distributed system where people
88 can mirror the websites of people they like -- essentially cover 101 can mirror the websites of people they like -- essentially cover
89 the server costs of favored websites. This could make popular 102 the server costs of favored websites. This could make popular
90 websites run at no cost. The system would require that the 103 websites run at no cost. The system would require that the
91 mirrored content be the same as the official source. Sort of like 104 mirrored content be the same as the official source. Sort of like
92 bittorrent for websites. 105 bit-torrent for websites.
93 106
94 - map programming :: one problem with functional programming is that 107 - map programming :: one problem with functional programming is that
95 in order to remain functional, you have to pass up arguments up 108 in order to remain functional, you have to pass up arguments up
96 into each calling function to get the full range of behaviour 109 into each calling function to get the full range of behavior
97 from the lower level functions. Normally people come to a 110 from the lower level functions. Normally people come to a
98 compromize involving abstraction and sparing use of dynamic 111 compromise involving abstraction and sparing use of dynamic
99 variables to configure runtime behaviour. What would be the 112 variables to configure runtime behavior. What would be the
100 advantages of making a programming language where every function 113 advantages of making a programming language where every function
101 recieves one argument, a map, which contains all the symbol 114 receives one argument, a map, which contains all the symbol
102 bindings it would ever need? This map is passed on to all 115 bindings it would ever need? This map is passed on to all
103 subordinate functions. This way, you could replace functions on 116 subordinate functions. This way, you could replace functions on
104 the fly, and arrange for there to be sensible defaults, 117 the fly, and arrange for there to be sensible defaults,
105 etc. Might cause more harm than good but is an interesting idea. 118 etc. Might cause more harm than good but is an interesting idea.
106 119
127 temperature? Then, the whole system can be rapidly cooled and 140 temperature? Then, the whole system can be rapidly cooled and
128 vitrified. This method "severs the biological link" in that the 141 vitrified. This method "severs the biological link" in that the
129 fixatives are highly toxic, but current vitrification procedures 142 fixatives are highly toxic, but current vitrification procedures
130 do this anyway since there can be a lot of freezing damage. 143 do this anyway since there can be a lot of freezing damage.
131 144
132 - dialated security cmaera :: a security camera that would capture 145 - dilated security camera :: a security camera that would capture
133 full video footage of everything at 60fps but then decide to keep 146 full video footage of everything at 60fps but then decide to keep
134 only every 1 frame every 5 seconds unless there's something 147 only every 1 frame every 5 seconds unless there's something
135 "interesting" happening. 148 "interesting" happening.
136 149
137 - bitcoin wallet :: Part of "server culture", this would be something 150 - bitcoin wallet :: Part of "server culture", this would be something