Mercurial > thoughts
comparison org/ideas.org @ 69:2097f7685a3b
merge.
author | Robert McIntyre <rlm@mit.edu> |
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date | Sun, 13 Oct 2013 12:09:05 -0400 |
parents | 86b9eb9afc3e 036fe1b13120 |
children | ed7d0ca99c55 |
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68:86b9eb9afc3e | 69:2097f7685a3b |
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31 getting credit. | 31 getting credit. |
32 #+end_quote | 32 #+end_quote |
33 | 33 |
34 - aurellem shirt :: I should make an aurellem star symbol tee-shirt. | 34 - aurellem shirt :: I should make an aurellem star symbol tee-shirt. |
35 | 35 |
36 - high school science :: this is a lesson in scientific ethics. The | |
37 goal is to calculate /g/, the local gravitational | |
38 acceleration. The students are told that the textbook says it's | |
39 /exactly/ 9.81 before they start the experiment. See how they | |
40 doctor their results to get closer to the textbook value. It's | |
41 neat because for any given school, /g/ is probably *not* exactly | |
42 equal to 9.81, because that is just an average! | |
43 | |
44 - opencourseware subtitles :: there are ladies who type up lectures | |
45 while they are being given. These recordings should be kept and | |
46 given to OCW for subtitles. If the timestamps of keys are | |
47 recorded, then it is easy to make subtitles. | |
48 | |
49 - screen locking timing :: you use your computer camera to see if you | |
50 are sitting in front of the computer. If you are, then the screen | |
51 will never lock. If you are, then the screen will lock with a | |
52 30-40 second timeout. It's an extension of using inactivity to | |
53 initiate the countdown, just with more information. | |
54 | |
55 - mirror toilet :: a toilet with a square basin made or mirror instead | |
56 or porcelain. That way, you can see how good of a | |
57 wipe job you have done / watch how your excretion | |
58 system works. | |
59 | |
36 - test dummies :: why don't we clone encephalic humans and use then to | 60 - test dummies :: why don't we clone encephalic humans and use then to |
37 test /in vivo/ human organ systems and drugs? It | 61 test /in vivo/ human organ systems and drugs? It |
38 would be ethical as long as there are women who are | 62 would be ethical as long as there are women who are |
39 willing to host the clones, and it would be a | 63 willing to host the clones, and it would be a |
40 trememdous resource for studying the human body. I | 64 tremendous resource for studying the human body. I |
41 see nothing wrong with it morally, since no one is | 65 see nothing wrong with it morally, since no one is |
42 suffering, and it stands to save many lives throught | 66 suffering, and it stands to save many lives throughout |
43 more advanced technology. | 67 more advanced technology. |
44 | 68 |
45 - X-ray telepresence :: given that a doctor is operating on a patient | 69 - X-ray telepresence :: given that a doctor is operating on a patient |
46 via telepresence, one cool things you can do is shine X-rays into | 70 via telepresence, one cool things you can do is shine X-rays into |
47 the patient to view the insides during real time. If the system | 71 the patient to view the insides during real time. If the system |
48 was coupled with a baysean model of the layout of the structure, | 72 was coupled with a Baysean model of the layout of the structure, |
49 and the x-rays were only fired whenever the uncertaintity of the | 73 and the x-rays were only fired whenever the uncertainty of the |
50 model reached a certain threshold, then the radiation damage | 74 model reached a certain threshold, then the radiation damage |
51 and surgery risk could be minimized. | 75 and surgery risk could be minimized. |
52 | 76 |
53 - superfluid vascular system :: I wonder what would happen if you | 77 - superfluid vascular system :: I wonder what would happen if you |
54 replaced the blood in a human with a superfluid. What would the | 78 replaced the blood in a human with a superfluid. What would the |
56 vasculature, or would it ignore it and travel through the cells, | 80 vasculature, or would it ignore it and travel through the cells, |
57 or something else entirely. Since superfluids need to be cold to | 81 or something else entirely. Since superfluids need to be cold to |
58 retain their superfluidity, how would the dynamics change during | 82 retain their superfluidity, how would the dynamics change during |
59 perfusion of a superfluid, where the fluid gains and looses | 83 perfusion of a superfluid, where the fluid gains and looses |
60 superfluidity as it goes deeper into the body and is cooled by | 84 superfluidity as it goes deeper into the body and is cooled by |
61 superfluid from upstresm. In summary there are two things to | 85 superfluid from upstream. In summary there are two things to |
62 simulate 1.) replace all blood in human with superfluid | 86 simulate 1.) replace all blood in human with superfluid |
63 instantly. 2.) perfuse superfluid into human. | 87 instantly. 2.) perfuse superfluid into human. |
64 | 88 |
65 - projective guessing :: I think that we read and see things by | 89 - projective guessing :: I think that we read and see things by |
66 makeing a really good guess about what we're expecting to see, | 90 making a really good guess about what we're expecting to see, |
67 and then searching for our guess in what we see. If it really | 91 and then searching for our guess in what we see. If it really |
68 doesn't match, then we start to make more guesses / analyze the | 92 doesn't match, then we start to make more guesses / analyze the |
69 image from first principles, but most stuff is projective | 93 image from first principles, but most stuff is projective |
70 guessing. | 94 guessing. |
71 | 95 |
72 - Intestinal flora maintainence :: why not innoculate babies at birth | 96 - Intestinal flora maintenance :: why not inoculate babies at birth |
73 with "ideal" gut flora instead of whatever bullshit they | 97 with "ideal" gut flora instead of whatever bullshit they |
74 naturally get, thus giving them optimal digestive/nutrient | 98 naturally get, thus giving them optimal digestive/nutrient |
75 extraction capabilities. Might also be abot to make their farts | 99 extraction capabilities. Might also be able to make their farts |
76 not stink for life, too. | 100 not stink for life, too. |
77 | 101 |
78 - server culture : mirrors :: make a distributed system where people | 102 - server culture : mirrors :: make a distributed system where people |
79 can mirror the websites of people they like -- essentially cover | 103 can mirror the websites of people they like -- essentially cover |
80 the server costs of favored websites. This could make popular | 104 the server costs of favored websites. This could make popular |
81 websites run at no cost. The system would require that the | 105 websites run at no cost. The system would require that the |
82 mirrored content be the same as the official source. Sort of like | 106 mirrored content be the same as the official source. Sort of like |
83 bittorrent for websites. | 107 bit-torrent for websites. |
84 | 108 |
85 - map programming :: one problem with functional programming is that | 109 - map programming :: one problem with functional programming is that |
86 in order to remain functional, you have to pass up arguments up | 110 in order to remain functional, you have to pass up arguments up |
87 into each calling function to get the full range of behaviour | 111 into each calling function to get the full range of behavior |
88 from the lower level functions. Normally people come to a | 112 from the lower level functions. Normally people come to a |
89 compromize involving abstraction and sparing use of dynamic | 113 compromise involving abstraction and sparing use of dynamic |
90 variables to configure runtime behaviour. What would be the | 114 variables to configure runtime behavior. What would be the |
91 advantages of making a programming language where every function | 115 advantages of making a programming language where every function |
92 recieves one argument, a map, which contains all the symbol | 116 receives one argument, a map, which contains all the symbol |
93 bindings it would ever need? This map is passed on to all | 117 bindings it would ever need? This map is passed on to all |
94 subordinate functions. This way, you could replace functions on | 118 subordinate functions. This way, you could replace functions on |
95 the fly, and arrange for there to be sensible defaults, | 119 the fly, and arrange for there to be sensible defaults, |
96 etc. Might cause more harm than good but is an interesting idea. | 120 etc. Might cause more harm than good but is an interesting idea. |
97 | 121 |
118 temperature? Then, the whole system can be rapidly cooled and | 142 temperature? Then, the whole system can be rapidly cooled and |
119 vitrified. This method "severs the biological link" in that the | 143 vitrified. This method "severs the biological link" in that the |
120 fixatives are highly toxic, but current vitrification procedures | 144 fixatives are highly toxic, but current vitrification procedures |
121 do this anyway since there can be a lot of freezing damage. | 145 do this anyway since there can be a lot of freezing damage. |
122 | 146 |
123 - dialated security cmaera :: a security camera that would capture | 147 - dilated security camera :: a security camera that would capture |
124 full video footage of everything at 60fps but then decide to keep | 148 full video footage of everything at 60fps but then decide to keep |
125 only every 1 frame every 5 seconds unless there's something | 149 only every 1 frame every 5 seconds unless there's something |
126 "interesting" happening. | 150 "interesting" happening. |
127 | 151 |
128 - bitcoin wallet :: Part of "server culture", this would be something | 152 - bitcoin wallet :: Part of "server culture", this would be something |