Yesterday the radio world was abuzz with the news of Howard Stern moving his controversial morning show to satellite radio in January 2006. However, the King of All Media isn't the only one shaking up the airwaves...
A project in Minneapolis called Radio Re-Volt is distributing "microradios" to people in that city, and teaching them how to build their own transmitters, according to an article in Wired. These tiny transmitters cost about $20 each and can broadcast for about 200 feet -- a step up from the novelty transmitter kits that Radio Shack used to sell when I was a kid. The limited reach allows them to comply with FCC regulations. But in a densely populated area, even these can potentially reach lots of listeners. About 500 people in Minneapolis now have these transmitters, and plan to coordinate a mass "broadcast-in" on Oct. 28 along Lake Street, one of the city's main drags. If you'll be in Minneapolis that day, tune in to 97.7 FM and take a listen.
The project is less about technology than it is about free speech and a rebellion against commercial radio... and that message seems to be resonating among the young people participating in Radio Re-Volt. In his essay "F*** Big Media," Mark Pesce takes the microradio concept a step further, suggesting that microradio transmitters can be networked in a peer-to-peer manner, so that they can share content, and cover a wider area the way that cell phones do now.
Microradio is clearly in a very embryonic stage of development. The tools are all in place, Pesce points out, but it's only now that people are starting to realize their potential. This makes it a classic disruptive technology, even more so than satellite radio. It provides users with a tool they didn't have before, it's relatively easy to use and deploy, and it's dirt cheap.
Pesce is concerned that lawmakers will attempt to stamp out microradio, much in the way that they've acted against P2P file sharing. Indeed, mass-market radio doesn't take kindly to competition, as illustrated by this chilling story on an upstart rap station in Oakland, CA competing with the market leader, owned by media giant Clear Channel. This is what differentiates microradio from other disruptive technologies like the Internet; often, market leaders fail to recognize disruptive technologies for what they are until it's too late. But in this case, "big radio" appears to know what it's up against, and may be taking aggressive action.
On another level, microradio could have an impact in developing nations that are "leapfrogging" past the traditional broadcast, phone and electrical infrastructures. Souped up with higher broadcast ranges, battery-powered microtransmitters could be made practical even for remote areas, allowing people to share local, uncensored information.
Source: unmediated
Friday, October 8, 2004
Program Senses Level of Patients' Pain
Medical researchers in New Zealand are testing out a new computer program that senses a patient's level of pain, and administers the precise amount of pain relief and sedative medications. The program uses sensors and video cameras to monitor a patient's level of agitation and, by using complex algorithms, determines the exact amount of medicine necessary to comfort the patient. The system could administer the drugs automatically, but more likely it would notify a nurse, who would do the administering.
Hospitals would be highly interested in such a system, as it would free up nurses' time, promote faster recovery, and prevent waste in medication. All of which add up to better patient care and potentially billions in cost savings.
Hospitals would be highly interested in such a system, as it would free up nurses' time, promote faster recovery, and prevent waste in medication. All of which add up to better patient care and potentially billions in cost savings.
Thursday, October 7, 2004
Track Polls in (Almost) Real Time
With the presidential race coming around the home stretch (I get a nickle for every horse-race cliche I use), polling results are now being made available online, almost as soon as results are calculated.
The Washington Post poll is updated by 6:30 PM each day, and the site offers trend charting and other interesting survey information.
The USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup poll is also available online, though not updated as frequently. The site also offers polls taken in "battleground" states.
The Rasmussen Tracking Poll is also online -- though with fewer interactive tools -- and is updated daily at noon.
PollingReport.com tracks a number of prominent national and regional polls, updating them as soon as new numbers are available.
The Washington Post poll is updated by 6:30 PM each day, and the site offers trend charting and other interesting survey information.
The USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup poll is also available online, though not updated as frequently. The site also offers polls taken in "battleground" states.
The Rasmussen Tracking Poll is also online -- though with fewer interactive tools -- and is updated daily at noon.
PollingReport.com tracks a number of prominent national and regional polls, updating them as soon as new numbers are available.
[FOLLOWUP] House Mandates Prison Time for Spyware
In a follow-up to the article posted Tuesday about the House passing strict regulations for spyware, today the House unanimously passed a supporting bill specifying criminal penalties for attempting to install software on a computer without the user's explicit permission. Under the Internet Spyware Prevention Act, violators face up to five years in prison, in addition to fines levied via the earlier bill. The bill also covers "phishing" scams.
"Smart Car" Warns Driver, Calls Cops
Big Brother is watching you... and soon he may be your back-seat driver.
IBM and the United Arab Emirates University have developed a "Smart Box" that uses GPS technology to track a car's whereabouts. It can also integrate with local traffic laws to tell whether the driver is obeying the speed limit. The car will issue several verbal warnings to the driver; if those are not heeded, the car automatically notifies local law enforcement, who can issue a ticket (assuming, of course, they have the necessary infrastructure in place).
Source: Futurismic
IBM and the United Arab Emirates University have developed a "Smart Box" that uses GPS technology to track a car's whereabouts. It can also integrate with local traffic laws to tell whether the driver is obeying the speed limit. The car will issue several verbal warnings to the driver; if those are not heeded, the car automatically notifies local law enforcement, who can issue a ticket (assuming, of course, they have the necessary infrastructure in place).
As you can see, the body work was done by Playskool...
In all fairness, the Smart Box offers other benefits, such as anti-theft devices, fuel optimizers, and navigation tools.
That whirring sound you hear isn't the engine. It's George Orwell spinning in his grave...
In all fairness, the Smart Box offers other benefits, such as anti-theft devices, fuel optimizers, and navigation tools.
That whirring sound you hear isn't the engine. It's George Orwell spinning in his grave...
Source: Futurismic
How to Counter "Big Media"
An essay by Mark Pesce, "F*** Big Media: Rolling Your Own Network," is a terrific manifesto explaining what's wrong with today's media conglomerates, as well as the disruptive technologies that are out there to offer alternatives. It's profane, politically incorrect... and a must-read.
Better Ways to Fight the Flu
By now you've surely heard about the shortage of flu vaccine caused by a recall from a major vaccine producer. This means that millions of Americans will not be able to get their annual flu shot this year... and if they do, it may be too late for it to be effective. The result: more sickness, and possibly more deaths.
On another front, researchers are working to reverse-engineer the 1918 pandemic flu strain that infected half the world's population and killed between 20 and 50 million people. By doing this, scientists can learn how flu viruses mutate and spread from species to species. Scientists believe that the 1918 flu was a variant of an avian flu that normally affects birds but not humans. Another odd thing about the strain was that it hit healthy young people the hardest, sparing the elderly and very young, who are more typical flu victims.
This type of research will help scientists better understand how flus mutate and spread, to develop more effective vaccines, and to prevent another global epidemic on the scale of 1918. But the best vaccine in the world won't help a soul if the system can't get it to the people who need it.
Source: WorldChanging
On another front, researchers are working to reverse-engineer the 1918 pandemic flu strain that infected half the world's population and killed between 20 and 50 million people. By doing this, scientists can learn how flu viruses mutate and spread from species to species. Scientists believe that the 1918 flu was a variant of an avian flu that normally affects birds but not humans. Another odd thing about the strain was that it hit healthy young people the hardest, sparing the elderly and very young, who are more typical flu victims.
This type of research will help scientists better understand how flus mutate and spread, to develop more effective vaccines, and to prevent another global epidemic on the scale of 1918. But the best vaccine in the world won't help a soul if the system can't get it to the people who need it.
Source: WorldChanging
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