The Age of the At-Home Scientist: A New Era of Discovery

We are living in a groundbreaking time that some may call the "Age of the At-Home Scientist." This refers to a new wave of individuals and small teams conducting scientific research and making discoveries from their homes or personal labs, using the internet and affordable technology to access unprecedented resources.

The internet itself was originally built as a platform for scientists to share ideas, and today, it’s still fulfilling that purpose but on a much larger scale. Thanks to Moore’s Law, which predicts the doubling of computing power roughly every two years, individuals now have access to more computational power at lower costs. What was once available only to massive research institutions can now be harnessed by anyone with a computer or cloud-based computing, an internet connection, and the desire to research.

One of the most exciting developments is the availability of open-source AI models and tools. These allow independent researchers to train their own AI systems, unlocking possibilities that were unimaginable just a few years ago. A prime example of this is today’s release of Orb, an AI-based universal interatomic potential by Orbit Materials. This tool is designed for simulating advanced materials at an impressive scale. Not only does it deliver state-of-the-art performance, but it does so with remarkable speed and accuracy, outpacing other AI-based models used for similar tasks.

For those unfamiliar, interatomic potentials are used to model the behavior of atoms in materials—essentially helping scientists predict how materials will react under various conditions. Orb excels in this area, being able to accurately estimate energy and optimize the structure of crystalline materials, all while being fast enough to handle large-scale molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations. It’s seven times smaller than its closest competitor, MatterSim, yet outperforms it in both speed and precision.

In fact, Orb is more accurate than models from tech giants like Google and Microsoft and is five times faster in handling large-scale simulations. These advancements are making it easier than ever for individuals to engage in cutting-edge scientific research from their own homes.

What does this mean for the future? Access to powerful computational tools, open-source AI models, and global scientific collaboration has never been more democratized. Whether you’re an established scientist or someone with a curiosity for discovery, the playing field is leveling. The age of science being locked away in exclusive research institutions is fading, and now, anyone willing to invest time and effort has the opportunity to contribute to scientific advancement.

The era of the at-home scientist has truly arrived.

About the Author: 

alby13 is a Tech Enthusiast. Make sure to Follow him at X.com/alby13

Related Reading:

Introducing Orb: https://www.orbitalmaterials.com/post/introducing-orb

Technical Blog: The Orb AI-based Interatomic Potential:  https://www.orbitalmaterials.com/post/technical-blog-introducing-the-orb-ai-based-interatomic-potential

The Singularity Is Nearer: When We Merge with AI Book Review - Ray Kurzweil

Who do we listen to when it comes to an important subject? 

    It turns out that we listen to the people who get the predictions right. And in this case, it's Ray Kurzweil. 

In, "The Singularity Is Nearer: When We Merge with AI," Ray Kurzweil is successfully bringing us into a very close prediction on when Artificial General Intelligence and futuristic advanced technologies are going to be filling the landscape. 

    There are many people who will say that this is one of the most important books on Artificial Intelligence, and I can say that the information that you can find in this book is very important. I was surprised that about one third of the book talks about a lot of things that are around and related to AI, but not actually AI. For me, with all of the explanations, it ends up being that you're going to be interested in some of these technology related topics, and you're not going to be interested in others. And when you're not interested, it's really difficult to stay in the book, and pay attention. 

    You want to delve into the content of the book, but it ends up that Ray Kurzweil wants to paint a picture of the future of AI reaching the Singularity. Which makes it believable, and it makes you trust him as an authority on the subject. But if you're someone who is really into AI, and especially if you have been studying it for a long time due to the wealth of information that is coming out every day, and even accessing frontier AI models on a daily basis, I'm not necessarily happy with the approach that this book took when I consumed it with an endless hunger of a AI scientist.

Let's dive into the chapters: 

 Chapter 1: Where Are We in the Six Stages? - In his 1999 Book, Kurzweil predicted that the Turing test would be passed by 2029. 

 Chapter 2: Reinventing Intelligence - Essentially you are brought up to speed and familiarized with digital intelligence. 

 Chapter 3: Who Am I? - Why is Ray Kurzweil, Ray Kurzweil. Kurzweil talks about consciousness. What allows a person to be that person and how they end up thinking the way they think. Somewhat interesting and good philosophical probing. Sprinkle in some how it is hard for a AI to do things that a human does. 

 Chapter 4: Life Is Getting Exponentially Better - We tend to think that the world and the United States is getting worse, but the world is actually getting better every day by a fraction of a percent. If it's not exciting, we don't hear about it. At the end of the day, I think that we care about where we live and how our quality of life is. 

 Chapter 5: The Future of Jobs... - Kurzweil believes that we will head towards abundance because of the increase of compute power and other important things that will increase not just linearly, but at an exponential rate. It's a convincing story and reassures someone who hasn't been reassured about technology for a long time. 

 Chapter 6: The Next 30 Years in Health... - Combining AI with Nanotechnology and how we will have the answer to replicating and extending our life and all of that gets talk about in the book. There admittedly is some extremely interesting things talked about. 

 Chapter 7: Peril - What people really want to hear? AI will end the world? Global warming will end us? Is this just what we expect to hear? I was actually surprised to see the book end on these notes. Heightened peril from real threats that we must deal with. Heavy stuff.

    The book talks about the ways that The Singularity in "The Final Years" will bring rapidly increasing human prosperity.

    In the end, Kurzweil believes that we will create powerful new tools and defenses that will keep us safe from the ever increasing cybersecurity and weapon threats. He is right. The man has predicted, is predicting, and will predict correctly. 

Recommend: Yes or No?

    It's really hard for me to actually recommend this book to a Information Technology Professional such as myself, but it just might be a book that you can't afford not to read. 

The Book:

The Singularity Is Nearer: When We Merge with AI by Ray Kurzweil https://www.amazon.com/Singularity-Nearer-Ray-Kurzweil-ebook/dp/B08Y6FYJVY

Self Driving Cars and Taxis Will Change The Way People Drive

Greetings, It's been a while since I've written anything on a blog, but let's jump right into it!

I was watching a great Youtube video by AI DRIVR about Full Self Driving (FSD) in a Tesla that you can watch here:

FSD BETA takes on San Francisco - YouTube

This video brings you up to speed on the FSD Beta that current Teslas are capable of if you opt-in to Full Self Driving in the menu. Additionally, this is on the Assertive profile setting which is the most aggressive, and in one of the most challenging city driving in San Francisco. Worthy of a watch, with great commentary on top of all of that!

So it struck me with the thought that self driving cars and robot taxis are going to force pedestrians and other human drivers to deal with the way that self driving cars drive. When you watch the video you see times when the car will make a legal maneuver but either it would require complex thinking or being overly cautious (defense driving?) to drive in a safer manner and possibly avoid an accident.

It quickly becomes clear that other drivers and people walking on the street are not realizing that there can be fully automatic FSD cars driving around and may not navigate, respond, or react like a human would.

This is just blowing my mind right now. For example, when a computer puts the car in a legal place or tries to complete legal driving with probably the legal right of way, there are going to be times when a person driving is going to accidently crash into them. Everything will be recorded on cameras and sensors, of course, so those drivers better be prepared to accept the consequences! 

Hopefully this leads to not only safer driving through self driving cars, but also the way people share the road with them and fellow drivers. After all, a person may be in the driver's seat, but they may not be driving the car at all! We clearly are in the future.

2017 Ultimate Performance Truck Comparison

Hello truck enthusiasts and the rest. When I grew up I had to come to the realization that I couldn't buy a Monster Truck and drive it around every day. Darn. Luckily, there are some pretty radical and awesome trucks that could be bought if you got the money to pony up!

Chances are you've heard about at least one of these, but I'm going to put the ultimate short list of High Performance Trucks that are coming out soon as of this writing. What a time to be alive! Now, let's take a look at the offerings!

List of Competitors:

2017 Ford F150 Raptor
2017 Dodge Ram Rebel TRX
2017 Nissan TITAN Warrior
2017 Chevy Reaper
2017 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro

2017 Ford Raptor

The Ford Raptor made a splash on the scene with a true high performance truck that the every-man could manhandle. It has inspired people to send the truck 90 feet into the air jumping on YouTube, but don't try that at home! Now for 2017 it is all new with an amazing blue color available that matches the new Ford GT. It features a 450 Horsepower, 510 lb.-ft of Torque created with a 3.5 liter Twin-Turbocharged EcoBoost V6 engine. Said to have an Intimidating look by Ford, I'm inclined to agree that the body looks aggressive as hell! Highly desirable! A 5.0 EcoBoost V8 Engine may be coming out in the future.

Features:
3.5 liter Twin-Turbocharged EcoBoost V6 engine.
10-Speed transmission.
500 pounds lighter than the old model.
FOX Racing Shox 3.0 Internal Bypass front and rear.
The new Raptor’s engine has a new aluminum block and upgraded internals, revised heads, and tweaked fuel-delivery.
The new Raptor will be ~6″ wider than the standard new model 2015 F-150.
Paddle shifters on the steering wheel.
6 Upfitter (AUX) switches.
Push button start.
“The four-wheel-drive system in the next-gen Raptor will include a Terrain Management with settings for Normal driving, Street driving, Weather mode (for rain, snow or ice), Mud and Sand, Baja mode and Rock mode. According to Ford, the Raptor’s new transfer case is designed to work as both a locking unit for crawling and a full-time unit for other off-road applications. A Torsen front differential will be optional.”
Available in 2 door with suicide half-doors or a crew cab 4 door.
Specs:
MSRP: Super Cab $48,325, SuperCrew Cab $51,310
Engine: 3.5 L V6 Twin-Turbo
Dimensions: 232-251″ L x 80″ W x 76-77″ H
Bed length: 66″
Tire size: LT315/70R17
Wheel size: 17″ diameter, 8.5″ width

2017 Dodge Ram Rebel TRX

The new bad boy on the scene. Dodge has been to afraid to simply start selling these in their showrooms so they are parading them around as a concept. Is this the Hellcat-powered Off-Road Raptor-Killer?! Dodge calls their engine a Supercharged 6.2 Liter V8 with Ram Air induction. Calibrated for off-roading and mated to a 8-speed truck transmission. With 575 Horsepower it is said to be able to travel at 100 MPH in its off road terrain mode(!) Two spare wheels and tires are locked in the back with a purpose fitted jack. Strap into the 6-point racing harness and listen to the awe-inspiring side exit exhaust sounds. Man!

Features:
Supercharged 6.2 Liter V8 with Ram Air Induction.
8-Speed Truck Transmission.
Custom Front Control Arms, internal bypass shocks at each corner and new springs.
13 inches Suspension Travel all around.
Massive 37 x 13.5-inch tires.
Six-piston Brake Calipers with 15-inch Discs at the Front and 14-inch Discs at the Back.
Electronic locking differential.
Updated version of the Ram's 4x4 Performance Control System featuring Normal, Wet/Snow, Off-road and Baja modes.
Sporting interior with leather, suede and carbon fiber.
Nylon-door pulls instead of handles.
Six-Point Racing Harnesses.
Vented and Scooped Hood based on the Ram HD.
Large Steel Skid Plate.
Unique Side-Dump Dual Exhaust for maximum underbody clearance.

2017 Nissan TITAN Warrior

Nissan is of course very conservative and is also scared to call this anything but a concept. But the TITAN Warrior packs a knock-out punch with a Cummins 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel engine! Protected with a "Modern Armor" exterior painted in "Thunder" color, Nissan says it is stealthy, robotic, machine-like, with sharp edges - manacing and beefed up. OK, Nissan. The quad-tip exhaust is bad-ass for sure, though. "Premium Sport" interior makes an impression with carbon styling, high strength fabric, orange "Magma" race accents, polished aluminum and the steering wheel is constructed out of a single block of aluminum. Wow, that means business.

Features:
Cummins 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel.
Heavy-duty 6-Speed Aisin Transmission.
Full Custom Off-Road Suspension.
Front Custom Upper and Lower Control Arms with Performance Ball Joints and Tie-Rod Extensions, and racing-style Shocks with Custom Reservoir Mounts.
Back Custom Shocks and Reservoir Mounts, a Lengthened Next-Gen Axle, Relocated Sway Bar Brackets and Rear Lift Blocks and U-Bolts, and a Custom Sway Bar.
Hydraulic Pressurized Bump Stops added to Front and Rear.
Height Raised nearly Three Inches, from 78.7 inches to 81.5 inches.
37-inch tall Off-Road Tires mounted on 18x9.5-inch Aluminum-alloy Wheels, machined in Dark Matte Finish.
New Long-travel Suspension, and Width was Extended three inches on each side, from 80.6 inches total to 86.6 inches.
Custom LED Lights, Front and Rear with Integrated LED Taillights.
Quad-tipped Molded Exhaust with Squared Exhaust Tips.
Carbon Fiber Rear Cab Spoiler and Tailgate Spoilers.
Unique Hot-and-Cold Drink Containers Integrated into the Center Console.
Robust Auxiliary Toggle Switches are Integrated into the Center Stack.
Instrument Panel-Mounted Auxiliary Gauges.

2017 Chevy Reaper

Originally introduced as the Chevy "T-Rex", anytime you hear a ancient carnivorous dinosaur in the name, you know it's serious. Now called the 2017 Chevy Reaper, it was known for a time as the best off-road oriented pick-up. Designed to offer high off-road performance and very good comfort, let's see how it stacks up. Chevy jammed under the hood a Lingenfelter Supercharged V8 engine producing 550 Horsepower and 575 lb.-ft of Torque. Equipped with special beadlock wheels, a Fox Racing Suspension, upgraded body, upgraded interior, 3 inch Ridetech Lift Kit, Auxiliary Light Bars, a performance exhaust, and huge Reaper Graphics, there is no question this after-market customized truck is designed to compete with the Raptor.

Features:
Lingenfelter Supercharged 6.2L V8 engine with Tuning Package.
Custom Reaper Hood and Grill with Custom Reaper Badging.
Reaper High Clearance Bumpers with LED Fog Lights.
Reaper Front Skid Plate.
Reaper Fender Flares with Graphics Kit.
Reaper Gauge Package.
Fox Racing Suspension with 3" Ridetech Lift Kit.
17" Street Legal Beadlocking Wheels or 20" Custom Reaper Beadlocking Wheels with General Grabber AT2 Tires.
Custom Interior with Stitched Reaper Headrest.
Removable Step Rock Rails.
50" Rigid Brow Light Bar and Two 10" Ridgid Industries Light Bars.
Corsa Performance Exhaust with Lingenfelter Exhaust Tips.
Custom Etched Auxiliary Switches.
White LED Floor Lighting and Window Tinting.
Custom Colors and Matte Paint Options.
Linex Bed Liner.
Cost Estimated $55,000 to $65,000

2017 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro

The Toyota Tundra TRD PRO may not even be on your radar, but consider that this truck is CAPABLE. Toyota focuses on offering a superior suspension package with specially tuned Bilstein® shocks mated to lower-rate TRD Eibach springs that help raise the nose two inches, while improving tracking while driving off road. Tundra TRD Pro also has unique off-road wheels and tires, a heavy-duty skid plate and an aggressive TRD-tuned Dual Exhaust together with a Brawnier, Chiseled body. A 5.7L V8 Engine with 381 Horsepower and 401 lb.-ft. is more than enough grunt to push you around. Upgraded 38 Gallon Fuel Tank offers extended range. Nice interior standard equipment make this truck special with the legendary roll-down rear window. Where it lacks in raw power, it has so much of that Toyota truck experience that has made them a top player in the truck world.

Features:
TRD Pro 5.7L V8 Engine.
Heavy-duty 1/4-inch Aluminum Front Skid Plate.
TRD-tuned Dual Exhaust.
Lower-rate TRD Eibach Springs that help raise the nose two inches, while improving tracking while driving off road.
Special TRD Bilstein Coil-Over Shocks with 2.5-inch Body (similar to what you might find on an off-road racing truck) designed to deliver two more inches of downward wheel travel.
Main Piston on the TRD Bilstein Shocks is 60mm - 30 Percent Larger than Standard.
Internally TRD Bilstein Shocks with Remote Reservoir to help ensure consistent damping while helping to control shock temperature.
Rear Matched Bilstein Shocks with TRD Off-road Leaf Spring.
3-stage Compression Dampening with Internal Hydraulic Bump Stops.
18-inch Black Alloy TRD Wheels Wrapped in 32-inch Michelin LTX AT2 Tires.
Front Bucket Seats with Black Leather-trimmed and Red Stitching and Accents as well as embroidered TRD Pro Badges.
Unique TRD Pro Carpet Floor Mats and a Leather-accented TRD Pro Shift Knob with TRD logo.
Entune Premium Audio with Integrated Navigation and App Suite.
Roll-down Rear Window (CrewMax models).
Unique TRD Pro bed stamp.
Specs:
Double Cab $43,395, CrewMax $46,010
Towing capacity: 9,400 to 9,800 lbs
MPG: 13 city / 17 highway
Wheel size: 18″ diameter, 8″ width


WOW That was a lot of Kool-Aid from the vehicle marketing departments! Now that I have shown you all that AWESOMENESS, PLEASE do one thing for me: Subscribe to my blog to get updates when I post!
There is a sign-up box at the bottom of the blog. If you don't see it, click on "view web version" or visit my blog on your desktop computer. THANK YOU!

Don't forget to leave a comment which is your favorite truck!

Gears of War Ultimate Edition Xbox One Screenshots

Gears of War Ultimate Edition Xbox One Screenshots

Who is Black Tusk Studios of Microsoft? New Gears of War 4 Developer

Who is Black Tusk Studios, of the Microsoft Division? Black Tusk Studios is set to develop the next-gen Gears of War game exclusively on the Xbox One. I'll talk about what the team is, who they are looking for and what that means.

Microsoft Studios has acquired the rights to the “Gears of War” franchise from Epic Games, including rights to all existing and future games, entertainment experiences and merchandise. What does this mean for fans? It means a new Gears game with unlimited Gears Lifestyle possibilities including new clothing, toys, and console/controller bundles and themes. Bungie has plans to incorporate social media into new upcoming MMO Shooter 'Destiny', allowing players to remain connected to one another even when offline. Bungie is exploring the potential of using a mobile phone application to update players about new quests and inform them as to what their friends are doing in-game. It's possible Black Tusk is looking to connect players via their cell phone or tablet for stats and more.

Let's get down to who is behind Black Tusk Studios. Formerly Microsoft Vancouver, located in Vancouver, Canada. From them: "We are the official home of the Gears of War franchise and our objective is to forge the future of the IP and push the limits of Microsoft’s entertainment platforms and devices. Our team is comprised of deep creative and technical expertise from our industry’s top shooter and action titles, working cohesively to delight our fan base and shatter expectations of what is possible."

Why was an as-yet-unproven studio like Black Tusk chosen to lead the “Gears of War” development over a more established studio?
Phil Spencer (Head of Microsoft Studios): Black Tusk has assembled a world-class team with deep experience and passion for the shooter space, and specifically the “Gears of War” franchise. I am extremely confident that under the leadership of Hanno Lemke, Rod Fergusson and our other leaders in the studio, Black Tusk is well equipped to take on the future development of the “Gears of War” franchise.

From IGN:
The development team itself has a rich history of excellent games. The combined resume of Black Tusk's team includes Splinter Cell: Conviction, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, Crysis 2, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, God of War III, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, The Saboteur, and more.

Hanno Lemke is General Manager, Microsoft Studios
-Previously managing games such as Forza, Fable, and Ryse: Son of Rome
-General Manager of Black Tusk Studios. Oversight of studio and Gears of War franchise development.

Rod Fergusson previously Executive Producer at Epic Games and 2K Studio Executive Vice President of Development
-Now Studio Manager (Producer) at Black Tusk Studios
-Expertise in directly communicating with Fans and Game Community

Who is Black Tusk Studios looking for?
Senior Concept Artist
Minimum of 7 years in video game production. Black Tusk is looking for leader to add creative visual impact for the new Gears game.

2 Gameplay Designers
Minimum of 5 and 6 years experience. Gameplay is extremely important to Gears of War and they are looking for new talent who can think outside the box as Gears has always been a radical approach to cover based shooters.

Lead Online Services Engineer
Minimum of 10 years experience. Will be responsible for leading the Gears of War Game Services team to build the next generation of backend services to power the Gears of War Universe, on console, web and mobile. Expect a rich website experience and as previously mentioned they want to tie the mobile phones and mobile devices to the Gears experience.

Watch for updates on http://www.blacktuskstudios.com/

Neo Geo MVS Arcade Marquee High Resolution

Download High Definition Printable Neo-Geo System Marquee Artwork for your Arcade. I couldn't find any of these on the web so I made my own. This uses templates from Southtown - Homebrew Specialists, http://southtown-homebrew.com/templates.php
      

    You can download Full Size images and the PSD Photoshop File from here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4r7AqTTg8bdekJqdV91dUJ0T3c   Edit: May 2017, I have fixed and updated the links.

Anime Expo 2013 Cosplay Coverage!

Anime Expo 2013, a set on Flickr.

Hundreds of Cosplay photos from Anime Expo 2013 at the Los Angeles Convention Center! July 4-7, 2013