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July 3, 2009

The Future of Invention at WorldFuture 2009

I will be giving a talk on "The Future of Inventing" at the WorldFuture 2009 conference on July 19, 2009 from 11am-12pm (see pp. 50-51 of the program for more details). In the talk I will focus on how computers are enabling inventors to invent more efficiently and effectively, and how in the future even people without technical skill may be able to use computers to become inventors.

I will also be available for a meet-the-author session in connection with my book, The Genie in the Machine, on July 19 from 3:30-4:00pm. Copies of The Genie in the Machine will be available for sale at the Futurist Bookstore throughout the conference.

For a preview of the kinds of topics I will be discussing in my talk, see my article in the July-August issue of The Futurist magazine.

Posted by Robert at 3:10 PM | Comments (0)
category: Artificial Invention | Genie in the Machine

July 1, 2009

AI: Science Fiction or Science Fact?

In a comprehensive New York Times article titled "The Coming Superbrain," columnist John Markoff surveys the current state of Artificial Intelligence. Markoff begins with a look at how AI is depicted in popular culture, as seen in this summer's latest Terminator offer, "Terminator Salvation," touches on the history of AI, and progresses through to Raymond Kurzweil's theories on the concept of the Singularity. Dr. Kurzweil predicts a point in the future when powerful computers and cyborg humans will be developed to a point where machine intelligence surpasses human intelligence and takes over the process of technological invention. Markoff's article presents some of the expert opinions in favor of and opposed to Kurzweil's theory.

Posted by BlogAuthor1 at 6:25 PM | Comments (0)
category: Artificial Invention

Guest Blogging on IP Watchdog

IPWatchdog.com published a guest blog entry from me yesterday in which I argue that the "wishes" I talk about in The Genie in the Machine should be patentable. This kind of discussion is particularly important to have right now, in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to hear the Bilski case. A flawed decision in that case could set back patent protection for software and for computer-generated inventions for years, if not decades.

Posted by Robert at 12:44 PM | Comments (0)
category: Genie in the Machine | Software Patents

June 30, 2009

Genie in the Machine Published in India

The Genie in the Machine continues its worldwide tour with its publication in India this month by Penguin Books India. Thanks to everyone at Penguin for bringing the book to press.

If you are interested in obtaining a copy of the book for review in a publication or blog in India, or would like to order a batch of customized editions for your company or organization in India, please let me know. Otherwise, individual copies of the book are available online directly from the publisher.

Posted by Robert at 11:39 AM | Comments (0)
category: Genie in the Machine

June 29, 2009

GA Gaming Coming to the App Store

Genetic algorithms (GA) have entered into the video game arena with Firemint's new highly anticipated Real Racing simulator, soon to be launched for the iPhone. Rather than using the traditional hardcoded method where drivers in the game are programmed to get better and better, Real Racing uses GAs to simulate more life-like opponents.

"What is great about genetic algorithms (GA) is that they produce AI that is much smarter, but also more human like," explains Firemint CEO Rob Murray. "What isn't so good (as we have discovered) is that just like good human players, they misbehave and find exploits."

Examples of these exploits include driving on the grass at high speeds and entering curves without braking and then bouncing off the racetrack walls. Firemint has had to address these issues, just as real race officials often have to reign in real race drivers. The fine tuning required for Real Racer's GA has led to a delay in its release, but there is the promise of a heightened gaming experience.

Posted by BlogAuthor1 at 7:01 PM | Comments (0)
category: Artificial Invention | Evolutionary Computation

June 27, 2009

Your Desktop Supercomputer

In a recent blog post, Nick Jones forecasts a time in the not-too-distant future when home computers will have acquired the processing power and memory capacity of today's supercomputers. Jones ponders the question of what people will do with all that computing power. While some have suggested that the future of home computing lies in massive computer centers which home users will connect to, Jones doesn't think network technology will be advanced enough to support the resulting huge increase in data transmissions. Instead, he thinks today's PC will be beefed up to supercomputer levels.

Jones suggests that home supercomputers could make use of genetic algorithms (GA). He suggests that a variant of GA known as genetic programming (GP) could be used to evolve programs which solve problems. To put it simply, a home supercomputer would take a fitness function which determines what defines the best program to solve a problem and then use GP to 'breed' various solution programs until the best match was found.

Jones suggests that companies that have an interest in personal computers, including Intel and Microsoft, should start investing in the development of GA and GP tools for the mass market.

Posted by BlogAuthor1 at 6:43 PM | Comments (0)
category: Artificial Invention | Evolutionary Computation

June 25, 2009

Upcoming Keynote Speech on Invention Automation at GECCO 2009 in Montreal

I am going to be giving a keynote speech on invention automation and The Genie in the Machine at this year's Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference (GECCO) in Montreal on July 10 at 2:10pm. In the talk I will discuss how the work of people in the fields of genetic and evolutionary computation raises thorny problems for patent law, and provide an outline of the solutions that I propose in The Genie in the Machine.

It is an honor to be given the opportunity to give this talk, in light of the fact that I first met many of the people who I interviewed for The Genie in the Machine at a GECCO conference a few years ago. Without exception they were generous with their time, and their contributions made it possible to demonstrate in the book that invention automation is a real and growing phenomenon. I am looking forward not only to sharing my thoughts with them on the need to reform patent law in light of their work, but also to learn from them about the latest developments in the use of genetic and evolutionary computation as tools for automated inventing.

Posted by Robert at 11:14 PM | Comments (0)
category: Genie in the Machine