Cybernetics and Ethics

Cyborgs have appeared across science fiction: The Six Million Dollar Man; The Borg; and Darth Vader but to name a few. They vary from the oddly comic Cybermen to the crime-fighting hero Robocop¹.

In the last decade cybernetic organisms, once confined to the imaginings of authors, have begun to appear across the world. At 4.00PM on Monday, 24th August, 1998 Professor Kevin Warwick underwent surgery to become the World’s first cyborg.

Prof Warwick’s implant, a small glass capsule full of electronics or "transponder", allowed the buildings in his department at the University of Reading to recognise his presence, opening doors and turning on lights automatically.

The Transponder (Ref.)

Kevin Warwick did not stop there;

Unsung Heroes

The BBC is running a short series on scientists at the moment. More Tribes of Science follows The Tribes of Science, looking at the variety of scientists hidden behind the labcoats and coloured liquids.

Among others the Scientists of the Diamond Light Source, an interest of mine, take the spotlight for one episode. I encourage you to listen to the series.

The past week's episode featured The Statisticians.

Ubuntu Tinkerings 1: Zotero, NTFS and missing devices.

Recently, following a hiccup with my Internet connection, I decided to completely reformat my laptop and start again*.

I use a 3 partition system: An ext3 (now ext4) primary partition containing Ubuntu; an NTFS primary partition containing Windows 7; and an extended partition containing my swap partition and an NTFS data store.

Following the reinstall I encountered a couple of problems setting up Ubuntu.

Preyed Upon

The BBC has recently reported how a Mac owner recovered his laptop by using Hidden. Hidden, however, costs $15 per year (just over £9), and can cost up to $400 for a more comprehensive service.

What the Beeb fails to mention is that there is a program that does this for free, on most operating systems (including android mobile phones).

This program is called Prey.

Driven to Distraction

On 1st December 2003 a law came into effect in the UK making the use of a hand-held mobile phone illegal while driving. The law covers all communication equipment other than "two-way radio", and most uses of such equipment including video calls, internet access and text messages.

At the time the law allowed police to issue £30 fines, this rose to £60 in 2007.

Despite this 20% of drivers admit to having texted while driving, despite texting being perceived as the most dangerous distraction while driving. The true number is probably much higher; would you readily admit to committing a driving offence?

ie6: The Numbers Game

Microsoft has officially announced that it is going to kill off ie6. This is made out to be a big thing, but it is really too little too late.

Phonyleaks

On BBC Radio4's Any Questions broadcast yesterday evening Katharine Birbalsingh compared the release of diplomatic cables by Wikileaks to phone-tapping by the News of the World. This met ridicule from some members of the audience but none of the other panel members picked up on the comment.*

Open Computing

Having recently started my course I have been assigned a desk in the centre's computer lab. Interestingly in addition to the standard Windows install (in this case XP) the computers give the option of loading in Ubuntu.

I use Ubuntu at home, so was pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately access is password locked, so I am as yet unsure what it is there for (probably some Linux based computational chemistry programs). I will keep you updated.

Rage, rage against the Dying of the Light!

South of Oxford, in the Vale of White Horse lies a machine. It's a big machine, housed under 33,000 m² of roofing and with a circumference of 561m the Diamond Light Source is Britain's largest synchotron.

A sextupole magnet at the DLS, ref.

Synchotrons allow the inspection and analysis of chemical mechanisms and material structures (among other uses) with real world results. The DLS has been used for vast numbers of projects including research into cancer, jet engines and Alzheimer's.

Is Google Evil?

If you are reading this post you are using a service provided by Google. Since its start in the 1990's the firm has become ubiquitous, being the centre of many peoples internet use.

Google's motto is "Don't Be Evil". Above and beyond the normal corporate requirement of acting lawfully, Google aims to act honourably and respectfully, and provide unbiased information access for users.

So, how does this fit with the recent debate over Net Neutrality. Support for Net Neutrality comes from the belief that all internet users are equal, in the same way that all humans are equal. Google is in its own words still "the leading corporate voice on the issue of network neutrality", but is it?