Technology Project

[Daichan]

Bokkai would have had a geekgasm over that too. Not trying to bring anyone down, I'm actually just remembering him fondly.

[Cybermancer]

I'm sure he would have and I'm sure he would be glad you're remembering him fondly.

Here are some more things to geek out over. The US military is working on a new system for their special forces soldiers. They're calling it the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit or TALOS for short.

One of the features that will be included is what DARPA is calling a Warrior Web. Basically it is a soft lower body powered exoskeleton. It not only fits under armor, it fits under combat clothingas well (though it's still a little bulky). Here's one sample and another.

Other systems for TALOS will deal with temperature control for the user, sensors to monitor the users biometrics as well as wound treatment and management. Also being looked at is a battery of sensors to increase the soldiers situational awareness and to provide their command with a real time picture of what is happening on the ground.

Armor protection may include liquid armor and will most certainly be class IV for the whole body. Blast protection and mitigation is also being looked at.

This is significant to us for several reasons. First of all such a suit wouldn't be much bulkier than what a warrior might wear today. In fact you could probably wear it under a trench coat. It will however greatly increase combat capability. It will also reduce the edge currently held by certain nightmares given physical form. It will help compenstate for lost capability both due to injury and age. So our older and more battered hunters might be able to keep bringing their expertise to the field a little longer.

My younger brother Alex is already dreaming up ways a system like this could be modified using his unique gifts.

For myself I see a suit like this being worn as a primary combat system suitable for urban and stealth operations. I also picture a bigger 'hard' powered exoskeleton that a soldier wearing this system could step into, increasing both physical capabilities and amor protection, not to mention weapon payload. The problem with a larger suit is that while it would still be small enough to go into most situations, it is liable to draw a lot of attention in public.

Also, if Batman were real, this is the gear he'd be taking to the streets.

Just saying.

[Athena]

I am assisting with this project.

[Cybermancer]

DARPA and Boston Dynamics is six months away from an untethered humanoid robot. Exciting times.

[Athena]

Here is an article I found relating to artificial intelligence.

Recent studies indicate that there are 86 billion neurons in the human brain.

Assuming you could get approximately 1,000 neurons on one of these chips, you would need 86 million chips to simulate the human brain.

By comparison the most number of processing cores used in a super computer is the Sequoia, an IBM BlueGene/Q system using 1,572,864 cores. It was capable of processing 17.17 petaflop's. It is currently the third fastest super computer in the world.

The fastest supercomputer currently belongs to China.

[Robyn]

Irony.

[Athena]

An article was posted today about Stanford bio-engineers who have produced a new chip that uses three watts of power and can simulate one million neurons in real time. The chips cost $40,000 each.

Read the article here.

Here is another article on the subject.

And here is another one.

[Cybermancer]

A new generation of artificial limbs will soon become available to the public. The DEKA arm from Segway has been approved for use by the FDA. You can expect some absolutely amazing advancements in this area over the next ten years. That's assuming you don't consider current advancements amazing already.

[Cybermancer]

This could grant some people a new lease on life.

[Cybermancer]

Sometimes investigations into the supernatural get dangerous. Some have lost their lives and others their limbs. Medical science is making some real breakthroughs in the area of prosthetics. The one in this article won't get you back into the fight but will return some normalcy that was once thought lost forever.

One thing I have to wonder though is when we have artificial limbs and organs that are controlled directly by the brain and nervous system, will they effect psychic or magical abilities. If so, would the trade off be worth it?

What do you think? Your arm or your third eye?

[Cybermancer]

Speaking of new arms, here's a very heartwarming film of a young boy getting his new arm.

[Hannah]

The world needs more benevolent millionaire scientists, and the kind actors who play them in the movies.

[Cybermancer]

The geek in me can't help but point out that Tony is billionaire. He's also more of an engineer than a scientist. Certainly he has a strong background in science but he doesn't do much in the way of experimentation with say his arc reactor. Instead he finds engineering applications for it.

But what my geek side often misses is that's entirely beside the point. We can certainly use more benevolence from those of means and station in this world.

[Athena]

Many of the advances referred to here and found elsewhere suggest there may come a point in time where nearly all of the human body could be replaced if damaged. Work is still going into making these replacements as good as the originals but eventually they could be made superior.

Would someone who hunts physically superior supernatural beings consider artificial augmentation? What would be the costs?

[vulcan]

Hey Athena. I think the simple answers are "sure" and "it depends".

The more complete answers are much more complex and would be a whole lot of speculation.

Besides the usual human psychological factors when it comes to this subject I think that for us in this field there might be some special considerations. I'm thinking of PPE levels, auras, astral travel, and so on. Just as a quick example, it would seem that PPE levels should not be affected but it is possible that they would be.

[Athena]

Hey Athena. I think the simple answers are "sure" and "it depends".

The more complete answers are much more complex and would be a whole lot of speculation.

Besides the usual human psychological factors when it comes to this subject I think that for us in this field there might be some special considerations. I'm thinking of PPE levels, auras, astral travel, and so on. Just as a quick example, it would seem that PPE levels should not be affected but it is possible that they would be.

Hello Vulcan (I like that name),

I am looking for speculation about the psychological factors. A sort of informal poll of who here would be willing to receive such augmentation for the sake of augmentation?

I do not know what P.P.E. is. Rather, I do know what Victor Lazlo wrote about it but I have not identified anything I would confidently call the same. I am more interested in engineering in any case.

As for my interest in artificial limbs, it is because I require them myself. I would be satisfied with those that worked as well as human ones but I think I would be willing to accept superior capability if offered. But that is a perspective from someone who has nothing to lose so I am curious about the perspective from those who could potentially be giving something up in exchange for the best that technology has to offer.

[vulcan]

Hey. I chose it because I'm a pyro. I'm studying astronomy but I'm currently failing miserably at it. How I got into it is a perverse story that maybe I'll share another time. But for now I'm just living life. No doubt the name is way more noble than I am (or possibly ever will be).

Our mechanic is melding engineering and PPE so the nature of that energy is of interest to us.

So long as the enhancements would not interfere with my abilities, I would have no problem with the augmentation. Although I'm not a melee kind of guy so the types of augmentation that I would consider in the first place are not along the lines of new arms.

[Last Moon]

I'd be happy with just being able to go to the bathroom normally again.

[Athena]

Last Moon,

From what you've told me about your condition, that would require surgery and what are currently experimental procedures. There is always risk in both. Is happiness worth that risk?

[Last Moon]

It is more than a matter of happiness my dear. My injuries have robbed me of a great many things most people take for granted. The worst of it is the loss of dignity and independence caused by being reliant on others for even basic tasks like personal sanitation.

Simply being able to go to the bathroom in a normal fashion would represent a great deal more independence than I now experience.

Given the nature of my condition, I doubt there is much worse I could experience.

[Cybermancer]

Canon has developed a new camera with HD color night vision. It's intended for 'industrial purposes' such as 'night time surveillance' and 'nocturnal wildlife documentaries'. I'm sure there are those on this site who could find a use for it.