A Little BioEngineering, A little Singularity of Neuroscience and Computers

What if the data from our brain be downloaded into a computer software program, OR  what if  technology and information programs be encoded into our DNA? 

Innovation seems to be the mother of invention. Looking deeply into complex and complicated sequence of bio  that gives us the map to follow. What is most fascinating is that the amount of data that can be condensed down into the smallest particle. One of the most amazing discoveries I have come across recently is the concept of genetically engineered machines and the very real possibility of storing digital files...in living cells! It all sounds like science fiction.
 
What's the future without super-intelligent computers?  Well, nothing at all, if listeners Ron Bobker of Oakville, Ontario and Jeremy Nowack of Southampton, Ontario, are correct. Bobker predicts computers as intelligent as humans in the next 100 years or so, and Nowack anticipates that this will lead to humans downloading their minds into computers and achieving digital immortality.

Dr. Chris Eliasmith, Canada Research Chair in Theoretical Neuroscience and director of the Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience at the University of Waterloo, says yes and no to this prediction.  Intelligent computers might be on the horizon, or, in fact, they may be here already, but part of our problem is deciding what we call intelligent. 

Is it what the computer can do?  Is it how it does it?  Since we don't really know how to define human intelligence, it's difficult to do it for a computer as well.  Nevertheless, he's sure that increasing sophistication of computers will, at the very least, make this problem more difficult.  On the other hand, downloading the mind is not quite so easy to predict.  The biggest problem is that we don't know how to capture the fabulously complex state of the human brain to do the transfer.

On another advanced technology of combining genetic information with computer technology, some of the latest advancements in this field have shown that information can be written into cellular structures.

 The Synthetic Biology community had its International World Jamboree last November in Cambridge USA.  The categories for the competitions inclduded teams from high school students, universities and entrepreneurs.
 
George Church, Ph.D. Is one of Science's top most innovators. Just a look at his bio is quite impressive!

Founding Core Faculty Member
Platform Lead, Synthetic Biology
Dr. Church leads the Synthetic Biology Platform, where he oversees the directed evolution of molecules, polymers, and whole genomes to create new tools with applications in regenerative medicine and bioenergy. Among his recent work at the Wyss is development of a technology for synthesizing whole genes, and potentially whole gene circuits, that is faster, more accurate, and significantly less expensive than current methods.
Dr. Church is widely recognized for his innovative contributions to genomic science and his many pioneering contributions to chemistry and biomedicine. In 1984, he developed the first direct genomic sequencing method, which resulted in the first commercial genome sequence (the human pathogen, H. pylori). He helped initiate the Human Genome Project in 1984 and the Personal Genome Project in 2005.
Dr. Church invented the broadly applied concepts of molecular multiplexing and tags, homologous recombination methods, and array DNA synthesizers. His many innovations have been the basis for a number of companies including Joule Unlimited, Inc. (solar fuels); LS9, Inc. (bio-petroleum); and Knome (full human genome sequencing).
Dr. Church is Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and Professor of Health Sciences and Technology at Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He is Director of the U.S. Department of Energy Center on Bioenergy at Harvard and MIT and Director of the National Institutes of Health Center of Excellence in Genomic Science at Harvard. His has received numerous awards including the 2011 Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science from the Franklin Institute, the 2009 Promega Biotechnology Research Award from the American Society for Microbiology, and the number four spot on the 2008 list of The Scientist's top ten innovations.

Drew Endy, an Assitant Professor from Stanford University has some amazing research into bio engineering as well.

(Esquire has named him one of the most influential people of the 21st Century. So if you haven't heard of him, get to know him.) The potential for his technology is limitless.

Here is what Endy has to say: "The immediate goal of our research is to enable the engineering of genetically encoded memory systems. Modest amounts of programmable memory, if implemented within living organisms, would have profound impacts on the study and treatment of diseases and would broadly enable non-medical applications of biotechnology. We are interested in both the basic and applied aspects of the problem, from considering how to best store information inside cells to practical applications. Our overall long term goal is to help make biology easy to engineer, an area of research known as synthetic biology."

Another active participant in this field is Justin Pahara, of Synbiota Inc. This company, Synbiota offers collaborative IT tools and research services to the high-growth biotech and life science industries. We strive to remove barriers in scientific information workflows to substantially reduce research and develelopment costs that presently amounts to billions spent annually.

 Pahara has almost a decade of bioengineering experience as well as extensive knowledge of synthetic biology tech, markets, and work-flows. Justin is passionate about biology as a technology and believes that with just a little more tinkering, many of humanities greatest challenges can be overcome using biology. Justin studied at the University of Cambridge, Singularity University (Google Fellow), and the University of Alberta,

Big Data and Analytics -- A Numbers Game?

As we move forward into the new year, the big questions I am searching out have to do with the big data and analytics. In my previous post, my discussion looked back into the previous year and some of the major advancements in science and technology. I started woring with an organization, and subsequently became a member of ABC Technologies and their focus for 2013 is on Big Data and Analytics. I had my questions about it, so started with some research.

A few years ago, the TV series Numb3rs dealt with the algorithms of data. David Krumholtz played Charlie Eppes who had been a mathematical genius. He developed software programs that input a large quantity of data regarding crime scenes and the algoryithms it produced with commonality between the data were utilized to come to rational conclusions regarding crime. So how do you utilize big data anyway? Is it just taking up precious storage space?

Organizations today need to manage, process, and store huge amounts of complex data. The trick is to find tools that can help get control of your data, take on even the biggest business challenges, and turn data-driven insight into action quickly.

The initial focus of 'big data' has been about its increasing volume, velocity and variety — the "three Vs" — with little mention of real world application. Now is the time to get down to business. In order to deliver value from 'big data', businesses need to look beyond the nature of the data and re-assess the technologies, processes and policies they use to engage with that data. This 'total data' concept for delivering business value from 'big data', providing examples of how companies are seeking agile new data management technologies, business strategies and analytical approaches to turn the "three Vs" of data into actionable operational intelligence.

By adapting your organization’s data architecture and processes to address these three attributes of big data, you can improve operational efficiency, grow revenues and empower new business models, back to those "three Vs of data":

• Volume
• Variety
• Velocity

What should you expect to do in 2013 to succeed with big data?  Brett Sheppard with Tableau Software and  has written an information paper "7 Things You Need to Do About BIG DATA in 2013."

While BIG DATA and ANALYTICS still seems like it is trying to compete with the Leviathan in an overwhelming and out of control of information being plugged into programs, I think there may be a simple solution or formula to adapt and utilize that information to the greatest advantage. Maybe new software programs can handle the data dilemma!

Adapting to Technology and New Designs.

How can a bright individual move forward in this ever-evolving tech-savvy world of social media. How can data and analytics give your company the leg up in the marketplace. In trying to study the integration of the new patterns and designs and how they take shape utilizing technology, it is important to remember the human experience.  It often feels to me like there is this disconnect when incorporating digital media and new technology into a user-friendly experience. How do we adapt?

I came across a magazine that features this concept, integrating out needs with technolgy and becoming more compatible with creative innovations. UX MAG attempts to be a resource for this dilemma. The primary goal of UX Magazine to foster communication between groups that are typically siloed but who must collaborate effectively for good UX outcomes to be achieved. For example: between designers and engineers, clients and vendors, stakeholders and production teams, design and business strategy, and so on.

I like this article Stop Explaining UX and Start Doing UX. It sort of reiterates the internal and external motivations for why we do things. I utilized this model years ago when I was building programming for an acting and improvisation class I taught. In my mind, innovation is all about being able to implement ideas.

In just a few short decades, the way we utilize and integrate technology changes to rapidly that It boggles my mind to think of it. A few days ago, Iread an article that highlighted Science and Technology, year in review for 2012. It featured some amazing advancements, some that we were aware of, some went by without too much notice in the noise of information and media. The Most Futuristic Predictions That Came True in 2012, by io9.

Ring in 2013-A Wonderful New Year

So here it is, 2013! The drama surrounding the World Coming to an End according the the Mayan Calendar on December 21, 2012, came and went without fanfare or any kind of doom or gloom. There were no earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, storms or any kind of catacalysmic magnetic polar shifts, or meteors or even space weather. So, how oftn have we heard the whole "end of the world" "apolcalypse" scenario? It shouldn't give any of us cause for fear or alarm. I think what it does is generate a media machine of propaganda.

Well, the shift is occuring. Too me it may not be a polar shift, or a drop of the magnetic field surrounding the earth to incinerate us all with meteor bombardment or solar flares, but it is more about us, as the inhabitants, becoming more socially aware and concious and awakening from our dream-like state. A dream of where we imagine our society capable of endowing us with certain rewards or perks for just being who we are. That entitlement of the former "ME" concept of our society is out of touch with the new "WE" concept.

Don't get me wrong, I don't make this stuff up. Michael Drew has studied the patterns of our social situations and the cycles they undergo, in his book "PENDULUM". The pendulum effect has swung into what he calls the "WE" age where we look towards a more unified and harmonious and collaborative way to  approach our relationships.

I am not an anthropologist, but I do see the change as being very productive to having more transparency, more openness, more honesty and truth as the basis for relationships. If it isn't real or honest in our new "WE" society, it is going to be looked upon with skepticism and even contempt. As individuals come together to weave and knit a tapestry of unique talents and innovative concepts and ideas, we create new patterns, new systems and new modes of communicating and sharing news and information.