:: GussetBLOG ::

:: Monday, June 23, 2008 ::

Do Pokerbots Dream of Electric Sheep?

Bluff 4-08 Do Pokerbots Dream of Electric Sheep.pdf [190KB PDF] [HTML]

Not a fantastic article but an interesting find. I wasn't expecting to find a PKD article in a poker magazine (Bluff Europe) I picked up when waiting in a Chinese take-away.

Searching around I also found this story from 2005:
Science non-fiction
"Grace was one of 19 robots participating in the conference's 14th annual Mobile Robot Competition and Exhibition. Her job was to entertain the crowd and allow her Carnegie Mellon University team of creators to test how she uses social interactions, rather than sight and sound, to achieve a task -- in this case, finding a team member in a pink hat. ... Across from Grace, an android version of the late science-fiction writer Philip K. Dick sat in a chair candidly chatting about his novels and personal habits. A true conversationalist, he made eye contact and punctuated his remarks with smiles and scowls on his realistic, three-dimensional face -- sculpted by David Hanson, founder of Texas-based Hanson Robotics Inc. ... Nearby, several robots rolled through a section of a hallway, seeking bright balls and stuffed animals as part of a scavenger hunt. The robots had to make their own decisions about how to locate and retrieve the objects using artificial intelligence: No remote controls could be involved, said Paul Rybski, a CMU post-doctoral fellow and co-chairman of the competition."

Labels: AI, Gaming, Literature, Sci-Fi

:: Dan 23.6.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
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Kommissar
Originally uploaded by gusset.


I decided to pop into the Cold War Exhibition at the RAF Museum Cosford when I drove past it the other day. Although some of the aircraft are interesting and seeing them in the flesh is much more impressive than I expected, that wasn't really what interested me. I liked the display cases they had put together to demonstrate differences between West and East during the Cold War. Differences in sporting achievement, arts, etc. It reminded me of the Russian propaganda display at Tate Modern I saw last year, the graphic design in those magazines was way ahead of its time. In the life style section I spotted the Kommissar board game from 1966, above. It's effectively US anti-commie propaganda for kids, based on a Monopoly like board where you try to collect enough of “the peoples money” to get to “the peoples airport” to escape Serbia to retirement somewhere warm. The idea seem to be that everyone is a capitalist at heart and is just trying to escape from tyranny. Hmm.

Labels: Flickr, Gaming, History, Politics

:: Dan 16.5.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
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I don't game so am not good at keeping up with gaming news, so please forgive this months old link. It's interesting to see that EA are using Pd to create "uniquely flavored" dynamic music for Spore.
[via breakwhore]

Labels: Electronic Music, Gaming, Pd

:: Dan 22.4.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
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This has appeared everywhere this week but how can I not post a story about a Korg MS-10 clone running on a Nintendo DS?

The KORG DS-10 is a music-creation software for the Nintendo DS that combines the superior interface of the Nintendo DS and the design concept of the famous MS-10 synthesizer.

The sound sources in the KORG DS-10 come from KORG - one of the world's top musical instrument producers - and no effort was spared in creating these ultra-high-quality sounds. The Nintendo DS's dual-screen touch panel is used to the fullest to provide a feel and operability that is unsurpassed, and combined with the sensory input mode at the touch-control screen, this unit can be appreciated by the complete novice as well as the seasoned professional.

In addition to the two analog synth simulators and drum module, a 6-track/16-step sequencer enables precise control and provides a wide range of musical possibilities. Several units can be connected and played together through a wireless link, and this and other features make the Nintendo DS and KORG DS-10 almost limitless in their application - they can take you places that no single synthesizer can.

The KORG DS-10 will introduce “stylus music” to the world at the International Musikmesse Frankfurt (Germany).

Sound sample: demo song01 (02:08) [4.9MB MP3]

Release date July 2008
Price 4,800 YEN (tax included) [<25GBP!)
Distributor AQ Interactive, Inc.
*FOR JAPAN ONLY [theoretically]

Labels: Electronic Music, Gaming, Seqeuncers, Synths

:: Dan 15.3.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
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Virtual Rape Is Traumatic, but Is It a Crime?
"Last month, two Belgian publications reported that the Brussels police have begun an investigation into a citizen's allegations of rape -- in Second Life."

Timely that this story should crop up today. Last night I sat at my laptop preparing my set for the gig tonight whilst Mrs P sat at the PC next to me playing World of Warcraft. (It's almost like being a couple, we both just sit staring at a screen, but at least we're in the same room.)

Some dwarf character kept asking her for sex. We both thought this was amusing, especially as he wouldn't drop it despite warnings "hubby" was watching and a couple of jokey warnings from me. Eventually they ended up stripping to their virtual underwear and dancing around on a bed. It all seemed like fun at the time, and the dwarves shocked explanation of "We're being watched!" when someone else walked in was priceless. Afterwards, as we made our way to bed, she asked me how old I though the other person might have been? "14," I answered, quite sure of myself. There's no doubt in my mind they weren't somewhere between 12 and 16 so I took a medium.

Come the morning she was feeling sheepish, upset she may have had non-existent, almost-nearly-but-not-quite, virtual, cyber-sex with a minor. I reminded her that it was her that had been led astray, she was the new player in the game, she was the innocent in this alleged crime. It didn't cut mcuh. I'll see how she feels after reading that story. ^

Labels: Gaming, News

:: Dan 4.5.07 [Arc] [1 comments] [links to this post] ::
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