Professor Ian Search Results

News: Scientists Grow World's First DIY Eyeball

DIY is a far-reaching term—though culturally it tends to refer to hacks, mods, crafts and constructions, its meaning can also extend to the ongoing trials and tribulations of the evolution of mankind: astonishing developments in technology, desperate acts of self-preservation or as in today's topic, discoveries in science that truly move the needle.

News: World's First Bionic Cat

Oscar the cat is one lucky feline. After losing his two hind legs in a combine harvester, his loving owners had Oscar outfitted with two prosthetic paws, or metallic pegs to be more specific. This revolutionary veterinary procedure is nothing to scoff at - biomedical engineering experts and a neuro-orthopedic surgeon were both called in to create the world's first bionic cat. Via BBC:

How To: Draw a book worm cartoon

Animals and insects make great cartoon characters. So get ready to learn how to draw a worm that turns into a bookworm. All you need is paper, pencil, marker, colored chalks or colored pencils, and an eraser. Start by drawing a squiggly line. Come around and double the line, keeping an equal distance from the other. Draw a curved shape for a head at the end. Draw large circles for his eyes and connect them to give him glasses. Draw his pupils going all the way to the right. Add two small eyeb...

News: Minority Report, Kinect-style

Here's another cool hack using the Kinect, albeit one beyond the reach of most of us. Some students, staff, and professors at MIT have developed "hand detection" software using the Kinect's motion sensor. Below is a demonstration of this software. It recalls Tom Cruise's iconic scenes from the movie Minority Report.

Mathematical Beading: Accessories to Thought

Math is unreasonably effective in describing the natural universe. Anyone who's seen Walt Disney's Donald in Mathmagic Land knows this to be so. Well, the axiom works in reverse, too: The physical stuff of the universe can model math right back. And to great effect.

News: The Los Angeles Theatre Summer Conservatory

The Latino Theater Company’s Youth Summer Conservatory at the Los Angeles Theatre Center has been developed under the leadership of Artistic Director and UCLA professor, Jose Luis Valenzuela, to create an opportunity for high school students from under-served communities to experience and train in a conservatory setting. Now in its fifth year, this 5-week, intensive program integrates acting classes with rigorous physical training, voice and speech, movement, dance, writing, and improvisation...

News: Math Craft Inspiration of the Week: The Curve-Crease Sculptures of Erik Demaine

Erik Demaine is a Professor of Electronic Engineering and Comp Sci at MI, but he is also an origami folder who has had work displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. He makes some beautiful models and intricate puzzles, but in my opinion the really inspirational work is the curved creased models. In Erik's own words describing the above models: "Each piece in this series connects together multiple circular pieces of paper (between two and three full circles) to make a large circular ramp ...

News: Oops, New York Times... Why Is Your PayWall So Easy to Hack?

When the New York Times paywall first went up, there was a whole lot of balking. The idea seemed egregious to most, and the digerati's overwhelming conclusion was that the system would fail. But interestingly enough, there is speculation that the NYT is actually experiencing an increase in their print subscriptions, which according to Business Insider founder Henry Blodgett, is due to users feeling less guilt over buying the print media if, after all, the digital version is no longer free.

News: Thirsty Plants Text for Water

Can't remember when to water the plants? Wish they could just tell you when they need watering—just call you on the phone or something? Or maybe text you, "Help I'm desiccating!" Telecommunications researcher Kate Harman has come up with the device of an absent-minded plant owner's dreams—Botanicalls. It hooks up to your plant and sends you a short text message when the plant is too dry. Each kit costs $99 and includes metal sensors connected to a microcontroller. Insert the sensors into the ...

HowTo: Get Paid To Be a Total Lazy Ass

Eric Abrahamson, a professor at Columbia University, writes in to Forbes on how to be the Michelangelo of work shirking. The article is intended to help managers better understand their team's lack of productivity, but it also provides 10 simple tactics for all the lazy asses out there. Introducing exhibit A, June, a total lazy ass who lasted almost a decade in her job before being laid off: