view org/ideas.org @ 52:a7da18a744e6

add encouragement.
author Robert McIntyre <rlm@mit.edu>
date Mon, 15 Jul 2013 01:13:41 -0400
parents fd862cff3f3c
children 961098491802
line wrap: on
line source
1 #+title: Big List O' Ideas
2 #+author: Robert McIntyre
3 #+email: rlm@mit.edu
4 #+description: list of ideas from the last ~ 7 years
5 #+keywords: aurellem ideas half-baked random
6 #+SETUPFILE: ../../aurellem/org/setup.org
7 #+INCLUDE: ../../aurellem/org/level-0.org
8 #+babel: :mkdirp yes :noweb yes :exports both
10 * Ideas
12 This is a list of all the ideas I've had that I felt like writing down
13 for the past ~ 7 years. Some of them could be practical inventions and
14 are "just" waiting the that 95% perspiration to bring them to
15 fruition, some are ideas for science fiction, and some are simple
16 observations. Some are really only for my own personal notes and are
17 not meant to be comprehensible. They are arranged roughly in reverse
18 chronological order, with the most recent ideas at the top of the
19 list. The ones at the bottom of the list are heavily influenced by my
20 time at MIT.
22 If you find some of these interesting and would like to collaborate on
23 them with me or discuss them in more detail, I'd love to hear from
24 you. You can email me at ideas@aurellem.org.
26 If you want to use one of these ideas as your own and run with it,
27 please feel free. I'd love to hear about it if you do.
29 /There's no end to what a man can accomplish if he doesn't care about
30 getting credit/
32 - image compression :: use a library like gimp or opencv to process an
33 image to make it have less entropy, then store the reverse of
34 those operations along with the compressed simpler image as a
35 super-compressed image file (possibly sccapting some
36 lesses). Trades file size for decompression time, and allows one
37 to cheat by using information in gimp/opencv to compress the
38 image.
40 - fixed cryopreservation :: why not use a fixative to buy enough time
41 to ramp up cryoprotectants to an acceptable level at room
42 temperature? Then, the whole system can be rapidly cooled and
43 vitrified. This method "severs the biological link" in that the
44 fixatives are highly toxic, but current vitrification procedures
45 do this anyway since there can be a lot of freezing damage.
47 - bitcoin wallet :: Part of "server culture", this would be something
48 like "coin.your-domain.com" which would serve as
49 your personal trusted access to your own bitcoins
50 from anywhere.
52 - libpay :: this would be a free library which would enable
53 micro-donations to software projects and other projects,
54 so that you could donate a penny to "emacs" and it would
55 be automatically split up to every person who has ever
56 contributed to emacs in proportion to the amount of
57 community esteem, code quantity, bugs fixed, whatever the
58 community decides. This might make it possible for
59 programmers to live entirely off of free programming.
61 - distributed graphics :: Browser based graphics-card accelerated
62 distributed computing API.
64 - pronouns :: use capital letters A-Z instead of pronouns. They solve
65 pronoun referents and gender neutrality, are short to
66 say, and you can encode useful information into the
67 choice of letter. For example, instead of "Meetings
68 shall be presided over by the president, unless she is
69 absent." USE "Meetings shall be presided over by the
70 president, unless P is absent." We already use this a
71 little, since I and U are reserved for the subject and
72 object respectively.
74 - phone DSP :: software app that inserts an audio DSP between the
75 input to a phone and the output. The DSP is delicious
76 and configurable, and can allow men to make their
77 voices deeper, etc. The app would allow you to hear
78 your own voice as others hear it. Most people hate how
79 their own voice sounds. The app would also allow one to
80 immediately change the parameters of the DSP using good
81 presets.
83 - predestined body learning :: a good example of predestined learning
84 might be the mirror neurons.
86 - restaurant receipt :: use a carbon copy receipt instead of two stupid
87 copies.
89 - anti google glass :: glasses with mounted lasers and computer vision
90 that targets the cameras in google glass and destroy them.
92 - wearable towel :: towel with clasp, velcro, whatever, that allows
93 one to wear the towel more securely than just
94 wrapping it tightly and hoping for the best.
96 - crossdressing :: Easiest way to disguise oneself as a woman is to
97 wear a burka.
99 - book-mode :: intelligent color highlighting for books and
100 articles. It would disambiguate pronouns and involved
101 references. For example, if "Rachael" as red, and "the
102 blonde haired girl" refers to "Rachael", then "the
103 blonde haired girl" would he colored red. Also, you
104 could disambiguate multi part run-on sentences by
105 highlighting each subcomponent. Maybe would also have
106 applications to scientific reading.
108 - Handheld light Rain measurement :: this would be a clear, teflon
109 coated plastic disk with a camera underneath the disk. You would
110 be able to hold the device out and it would measure the rate of
111 accumulation of water droplets from fine mists and light rain by
112 using computer vision to measure the diameters of the drops.
114 - Big Brother Farming :: This would be a vision system that would
115 individually monitor each plant and turn on water, etc to ensure
116 maximum/uniform growth for each plant.
118 - Discrete Faucet :: A faucet with discrete ticks instead of
119 continuous.
121 - Laser Circle :: take a glass microfiliment and shine a laser at one
122 end at an oblique angle. It will make a perfect,
123 large circle on the wall, converting a laser beam
124 into a laser cone, preserving most of the energy of
125 the laser.
127 - Invisible Glass :: Take a container of liquid and embed a
128 glass sculpture made out of glass that has exactly the same index
129 of refraction and color of the liquid. Then the sculpture will be
130 totally invisible in the container, and will only be revealed
131 when the liquid is drained. The container might be a fancy
132 wine/spirit bottle or an hourglass.
134 - Caterpillar people :: A race of caterpillar like creatures gains
135 intelligence after eons of predation by birds, etc. These
136 caterpillar creatures still undergo metamorphosis into a large
137 butterfly-like creature. The metamorphosis process turns the
138 caterpillar's brain into mush and reforms it into a minimal,
139 dumb, truly insect-like mind, completely destroying the person
140 the caterpillar was. The society develops all sorts of customs and
141 religious interpretations of the metamorphosis. It is viewed as
142 good and natural by some since it is part of their life cycle and
143 necessary to propagate the species, as only the butterflies can
144 mate. Some think that the butterflies are still the same person
145 because they have the same soul, even they no longer posses the
146 memories or personality of the original caterpillar. Some see the
147 butterfly form as the "true form" of the species, since the
148 butterflies can fly, mate, and are beautiful. Many make a big
149 deal out of the fact that 1-2% of the caterpillar's mind is
150 actually preserved in the butterfly. Some see it as a terrible
151 tragedy and argue that the caterpillars should try to stop the
152 metamorphosis by technology. Practically, some very important
153 members of society undergo hormone therapy and/or surgery to
154 prevent metamorphosis so that they can live longer as themselves.
156 This is a continuation of Marvin Minsky's ideas about pain being
157 something that preserves our bodies while destroying our minds,
158 something that is a remnant from our too harsh animal days that
159 hasn't caught up to the fact that we have very complex brains
160 now. It's a worst-case scenario about a maladaptive genetic
161 legacy. Also, it's inspired by "There She Is!!!", which makes a
162 compelling point about homosexuality by introducing a second
163 gender characteristic (bunny/cat, male/female), which makes
164 homophobia look very silly. Here, our own biological legacy of
165 pain and death is made to look like the tragedy it is through the
166 lens of the the caterpillar people.
168 - relationships as a business :: [[http://thedailywtf.com/Articles/Up-or-Out-Solving-the-IT-Turnover-Crisis.aspx][Turnover-Crisis]] is an excellent talk
169 about the "culture of quitting," which is about better business
170 by letting people go instead of keeping them around past their
171 "apex". Focuses on information transfer. Cool idea of an alumni
172 network, which for relationships would be a group of satisfied
173 ex-lovers, who would recommend new people your way, and who might
174 consider coming to you again, refreshed from their time away with
175 new stories/experiences. I should look for examples of this and
176 how they worked out.
178 - coffee with tea :: /rlm-tea/ contains 2% sugar, 10% cream, and 20%
179 dylan coffee. /dylan coffee/ contains 5% sugar,
180 20% cream, and 10% rlm-tea. Start your mornings
181 with recursion!
183 - psychic crystal :: in a science fiction story, this would be an
184 object that is very easy to move physically but is extremely
185 difficult to move with telekinesis.
187 - http://betsofbitco.in/ :: what a great place for an AI/person to
188 prove themselves as a good predictor. I wish this could be
189 automated.
191 - true reflection :: don't forget about that mirror in the student
192 center!, it's two mirrors at right angles, like staring at a
193 corner of a room. The light reflects so that it shows you what
194 you actually look like, instead of your mirror image.
196 - remote control wasp :: use computer to drive wings with remote
197 power/logic.
199 - encrypted email phone book :: public (distributed?) database of
200 email->private-key pairs, to enable automatic encryption.
202 - universal eye color :: every equivalent creature will see each
203 others' eyes as black -- it's universal. Even if the creatures
204 see in radio waves, and their eyes are 2m long pieces of jagged
205 metal, when those creatures look at each other, they will see
206 black, the absence of light and color (since it's being absorbed
207 by the sensor array).
209 - intelligent microwave :: it learns where the hot nodes of its fields
210 are, and uses them to evenly heat any food item. It has an infared
211 camera or something to keep track of how hot the food is. That way,
212 you don't get bowls where the edges are boiling, while the center is
213 still frozen. Requires a little bit of intelligence/vision, since
214 the exact pattern of heating totally depends on the exact shape of
215 the food. Wouldn't need a carousel, and wouldn't need a timer,
216 just a desired temperature. Could also detect ice, and automatically
217 defrost the parts which are frozen. Might be able to work much
218 faster since it can avoid overheating; might have problems with
219 heating the insides of thick things, might need a weight sensor too.
221 + Would be much cleaner than other microwaves, since food would
222 "sputter" and splash liquid much less.
224 + Throw in some SIFT+R processing to match previously cooked foods
225 and learn the exact heating profiles for things that have been
226 cooked before -- it can get faster the more its used.
228 - compression :: brain-aware image compression algorithm
230 - Credit card proxy :: would be a company which works like paypal
231 except for real world transactions
233 - Flesh pillow :: a pillow like the arm or torso of a human, complete
234 with simulated temperature, bones, and heartbeat.
236 - super screw :: a screw which has only one or two threads and instead
237 uses compression to fit into a hole (the whole shank
238 of the screw is split into multiple pieces to
239 accomplish this; the tip is a point, then the middle
240 bulges out and gets compressed when screwed in.
242 - light filter :: (like light tweezers) to mechanically separate
243 fluids with different index of refraction
245 - chalk eraser project :: maybe make a directional eraser, for easy
246 release of chalk dust, like fur, and how it likes to rest in a
247 certain direction.
249 - silver socks :: socks laced with silver for the antimicrobial
250 properties.
252 - UROP :: magnet gear/metal teeth tape device to distill urine through
253 evaporation and easily dispose of urea crystals for use in
254 desert -- produce drinkable water.
256 - UROP :: Make the LED in line with the flow for the micro injector, so
257 that it may transmit maximum flow. Motor that changes
258 distance of internal magnet from windings depending on
259 desired speed so as to obtain maximum power efficiency.
261 - lottery scraper :: web scraper which monitors various lotteries,
262 looking for "special" gimmick changes in the rules (like 4x
263 winnings on Wednesdays) and computes expected value...
265 - Memristiors novel design :: make an evolutionary algorithm to make
266 old stuff using all four basic circuit elements.
268 - Conductive concrete :: concrete that has embedded metal fibers so
269 that it can conduct electricity.
271 - little bitty melting pot :: might be useful for some types of
272 manufacturing/3D printing -- how small can an induction melter be
273 made, for example.
275 - power strip/timer programmable combination :: meh
277 - algorithms :: which learn what their inputs are and in what order,
278 and can adapt to changing circumstances -- they
279 remember previous arguments and adapt so as to respond
280 to different connections.
282 - true pure tones :: hear a true pure tone by direct stimulation of the
283 nerves of the ear
285 - mechanical analogue to the electrical op-amp :: would be an object
286 with two levers -- you pull on one lever and the other moves the
287 same way, no matter what's in the way or what it is driving. This
288 analogy could be useful to teach op amps to people.
290 - paper folding device :: make it convenient to fold lots of papers in
291 various ways.
293 - concrete epoxy :: epoxy with sand/ some other solid material.
295 - light capacitor :: suspend some ball of material with a high index
296 of refraction and shine light into it so it gets stuck -- would
297 the light stay trapped forever? Could you build up unlimited
298 quantities of light inside the sphere (which could then be
299 released slowly by frustrated internal reflection?
301 - movie screening :: Movies always are too long at first. One way to
302 shorten them ``scientifically" is to record blink rate during the
303 move and then remove / shorten the frames of the parts in which
304 there are a lot of blinking (average this over multiple people)
305 better yet, put it online and do it across thousands of people. I
306 got this from youtube in which there is an episode of kill bill
307 which is composed entirely of the parts in which people had their
308 eyes closed. slogan: want to make a movie people can't take their
309 eyes off of? Just take those parts out!
311 - optimize an article :: capture reading of a scientific article via
312 screen capture while people read it, then use it to make the
313 article better. like the movie-pruning idea.
315 - super reading program :: teaches people the ideal mental mask to
316 apply during reading so as to read very fast.
318 - explosive thermite epoxy putty :: one part would contain the rust,
319 one part the aluminum.
321 - reading comprehension :: use the above screen capture routine to
322 make a quiz program that constructs questions about the content
323 you seemed to gloss over while reading. could be easy if the pdf
324 came with embedded questions. Dylan: automatically generate
325 word-cloud about the parts you found most interesting; help
326 others who read the same stuff by drawing attention to the
327 interesting parts.
329 - hard sword :: make a samurai sword, but use osmiridum instead of
330 martensite for the cutting part; it should be a better
331 sword.
333 - close range wireless :: use the induction technology used to
334 recharge electric toothbrushes with no metal links to send data
335 without any metal at all!
337 - reading :: is a form of synsethesia
339 - DNA printer :: A machine which translates the text eg, "ACTGAC" into
340 actual DNA
342 - black generator :: ferro-fluid magnetic field suspended micro
343 generator to make electricity
345 - alcohol battery :: alcohol/fluid flow powered battery
347 - folding razor blade sword ::
349 - perfect pitch :: learn perfect pitch using another sense in
350 combination (sight or touch)
352 - kaleidoscope projector ::
354 - razor blade de-sharpener :: for guilt free disposal
356 - bricks :: filled with luminescent plant material
358 - bio metallic structure :: metal grids with seeds inside, which grow
359 together and form a durable biological matrix. The metal
360 substrate delivers water. (maybe use plastic instead of metal?)
361 Dylan: enrich plants with inorganic compounds; electrical
362 interfaces in cellular plant matter => remote-controlled
363 photosynthetic/bioluminescent structures.
365 - conducting extracellular matrix :: to allow better control of
366 organic systems and an enhanced nervous system.
368 - cross-modal memory hashing :: a way to retrieve memories more
369 robustly.
371 - flossing thimble-guards :: (these actually exist)
373 - rules + lattice learning :: integrate lattice learning with rules by
374 generating hypothetical examples
376 - wooden refrigerator :: to give food a better taste Dylan: like
377 barrels for wine, or planks for salmon. Maybe just have "flavor
378 planks" for your pre-existing fridge. Need to mitigate effect of
379 temperature on volatility?
381 - radioactive transmutation molecule by molecule :: create precious
382 metals or something else economically advantageous.
384 - crowd preservation :: inoculate food with tons of harmless
385 bacteria so that there's no room for bad bacteria as a method of
386 preservation
388 - old school preservation :: Pasteur - style holding jar with siphon
389 as a way to store liquids at room temperature indefinitely w/o
390 refrigeration.
392 - restaurant policy :: Throw rude people out of restaurant as a matter
393 of course -- make ambiance much better.
395 - clean windows :: make something that mixes soap with fire hydrant
396 water (and reduces the pressure a bit) and use it
397 to clean windows of buildings.
399 - ocarina :: make an ocarina out of pure silver
401 - fire pen :: pen which burns words on to the page, thus never needing
402 any ink. Is there a way to make it runnable from the
403 human's energy?
405 - website to design your own soda :: and label, and have it mailed to
406 you / sell it from your own online store.
408 - solar panels :: that float on the ocean
410 - handcuffs with more than two cuffs (3?) :: great for daisy chaining
411 people, binding them to environment, etc.
413 - vector based SOUND files :: like the pictures but with SOUND. codify
414 sound in a language with enough symbols so that it can describe
415 everything and encode it in that. would be like going from speech
416 to text or smtg. Could also store sound as an image of the
417 wavefront encoded as a vector image.
419 - Mouse :: with a horizontal scroll wheel in addition to the vertical
420 scroll wheel
422 - logic maintenance system for big institutions :: to make sure the
423 things they are thinking about doing are not retarded
425 - http://www.regulations.gov/ :: cool site
427 - genetically engineered glowing fruit :: sell seeds?
429 - memory slide :: IF memories are encoded using particular sensory
430 impressions, what happens if the sensory organ
431 itself changes? those memories would become
432 inaccessible. maybe this is why we can't remember
433 much from our childhoods. also, could this happen
434 throughout life as well? Could S remember stuff from
435 his childhood?
437 - make a completely indestructible phone :: no moving parts or display
438 you should be able to slam it around all you want, and it will
439 just work. brutally simple. aerogel around the battery, minimal
440 interface - never gets too hot, and can be dropped into water. no
441 holes -- uses field effects for everything from the buttons to
442 inductive charging and data transfer.
444 - midi to ocarina "tabs" program :: (online website? buy ocarinas from
445 it too)
447 - 3d printing with sound pulses (or just patterns) :: like the 8.03
448 lecture
450 - lighter flint on spring :: make hot, throw it at something, and it
451 makes sparkles!
453 - nuclear energy :: Rebranding New+Clear Energy with informational
454 campaign and public debate forum to enforce its
455 transparent and open nature. France needn't be the
456 world leader in nuclear energy. (Dylan)
458 - bubbles :: Engineer a material which has both ductility and high
459 surface tension to make the "third"
460 minimal-surface-energy solution to a bubble suspended
461 between two equal-diameter rings. (Solutions are
462 cylindrical catenary curve, two separated half-bubbles,
463 and a double-cone)
465 - Textbook whose content can be varied continuously :: alter level of
466 difficulty, rigor, diction, emphasize crossover with certain
467 other discipline, etc. Content generated dynamically from
468 knowledge base, along with questions that are moreover altered to
469 guide knowledge acquisition. Motivation: One book of
470 knowledge. /One./
473 ** From Jacob's idea list
475 - Roommate-canceling headphones: uses roommate's laptop mic to seed
476 noise cancellation alg in your headphones (would this
477 work?). -Update on sound canceling headphones that take feed from
478 tv: how about ones that cancel people talking on the phone by
479 receiving the phone signals and playing inverse sound
480 waves. #signalprocessing ~jcole@mit.edu
482 - ClackerAlert -- tells if you slam the keys too hard using sound data
483 (and speed/jerkiness data)!.Prevents RSI ~jcole@mit.e
485 - Panic Pin :: separate pin that you can tell someone if forced to
486 identify your PIN (idea from idea about credit cards)