Creative Economy Workshop: Robot man Caleb Chung

I recently attended Creative Economy workshop Luncheon featuring keynote presentation from Caleb Chung owner of Ugobe's Robo pet "Pleo". (Prior to the luncheon Artie Gogats presented from his book Business Creativity.) The event was held at the Capital City Development Corp Office in downtown Boise, Idaho.

Mr.Chung's presentation was fractal in that the sum of his life's work to date is comprised of the varied parts. These parts were fervently and nakedly displayed with slide show, in riveting and entertaining style. Caleb Chung has done this before. While he says he is no teacher, he brought the packed office up to speed on his life, his learnings, his reasons, and his crowning achievement the artificial life form "Pleo". This product which has met and exceeded sales goals to date, despite set backs and last minute improvements, stands apart from most off the shelf toys. More than a toy, Pleo is a household pet based on several years of R&D. I read about it, I had seen pictures, but nothing prepared me for watching the instant pupy-luv and rockstar appeal it generated among event participants. You see we are used to things that do stuff. Not used to things that are "beings" interacting with what we do. We are talking new territory here people.

The future of robotics will never be the same. Caleb Chung has taken all the magic of Hollywood and delivered it in a $350 dinosaur package. The robot is a little unbelievable, a little mystic and a chock full of cute overload. I watched several people nearly drown in the cuddle chemical oxytocin. What is more is Caleb knows it. He and his company know that they have punched through an AI membrane that few have the multi disciplinary skill, resources, and track record to duplicate.

The presentation begged my two part question: Will robotics be the next tech explosion, and is Boise, Idaho a candidate for the epicenter?

Caleb was frank about the definitive steady but slow growth and investment power of robotics and the not quite there business climate of Boise and small pop count. He did point out that he could get anyone to relocate here, but that it would take dramatic creative preparation from key stakeholders in order for that growth to occur. Suggesting that seeding creative powerhouses like Pixar by providing satellite frontage on BSU's college campus with a dedicated building for teaching and recruiting in the field of rendering, filmography , and animation would be the first step in the right direction. Both Ugobe and Mr.Chung are at the top of their game burping creativity on their way to making Pleo a household name. But then there are the next 3 Ugobe ventures...

Thank you Dr. Nancy Napier and Create!Idaho for demonstrating why creativity and science are essential to successful economies.

New Online Trust Exposes Rotten Neighbors

I expected to hear the standard "Crack Addict" or "Domestic Violence" lables. What I read on the site seemed a little gossipy, and tell all.

Although the use of Googlemaps with pins that say things like "White Trash With Loud Dogs: Beer bottles in the yard, trash strewn about, 12 year olds smoking on the front porch. These people are ridiculous" seems interesting.

I think if I was going to purchase a home I would check the map for bad whuffie.

via therawfeed

Woophy

Woophy is a Social Networking photo map from the Netherlands.

Sounds like "whuffie" but stands for "World Of Photgraphy".

"The goal of Woophy's founders is to create an accessible, visual, current, democratic and collective work of art comprised of a database picturing our remarkable world."

Kinda fun to look at photos from your area.

Nokia Aeon

I love the concept of objects becoming the screen. My cheapo cell phone has an internal wallpaper and a small one when I open it. It is so custom and allows me express individualism. Nokia takes this a step further with the Aeon and what they are calling the "full surface screen".

That said I think that is part of the innovation and allure of the iPhone. Instead of a small viewing screen it actually becomes a viewing device. The 360 screen rotation or " accelerometer" really makes it a viewing device. Ipods need to be updated with this feature.

update:
Would a full surface screen work for a laptop? Skeptics downplayed the "Newport" with a 2nd external screen. But I can see the benefits. Envision my children watching a slew of YouTube videos served up through the back of my computer while I work. I for one would like to be able to show what I am looking at on the back of my screen to others. A laptop is a display device as well as a computing device.

European Space Agency is looking for a few good persons

ESA is looking for experimental 'virtuonauts' (terminology mine) to man a virtual mission to mars. Finally a looming solution to migrant worker problems.

Read the full story here.

download application here

Blackminton

Not to be confused with speedminton
This sport played in an all dark court with neon clothing has nuances of Tron. You know how fond of that now banned movie I am.

Berkshares Can't buy Me Whuffie?

This article from Rueters details a whuffie system that co-habitates with US currency. The BerkShare is valued at .90 on the US dollar, and is mostly used by locals of Great Barrington, Massachusettsas a way to give a 10% discount. The Berkshare comes in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50. It is illegal for a state to issue it's own currency, however coupons are permitted as long as they do not resemble US currency. A local bank is hoping to convert Berkshares to a debit card.

YouTube Launches mobile ap

According to Brian at Gizmodo, You Tube the online user content video source has 'soft launched' it's new mobile site. A few years back I blogged here about video becoming the new email. Soon literacy will become even less important (See Idiocracy post below) as we shift to video. My wife uses her camera regularly now to shoot both photos and video. And uses Photobucket to edit her video online. The paradigm that means everyone is a graphic artist, chef, movie producer marches on.

Clocky

This robot is a clock who runs away when you don't wake up. elsewares.com

iBone

via tumbl.us

"Mirror Video Screen On the Wall..."

Lizzie at designwatcher made mention of her friends concept to project video imagery into your mirror. I thought it was interesting and futuristic. Considering the highly personal nature of mirror use saying "hello" to oneself, beauty and hi-gene, I have negative response to the concept. On second glance However, what a better way to share intimacy? I could envision smaller images (full size would tend to startle and dis-orient) wirelessly connected so as the kids brush the teeth they check in with mom. Or college student checking in with dad, or boyfriend away on a business trip. Downside? Generally what is reflected in bathrooms needs to be private, showering, toilets, and changing and all that jazz even with family. So I am not so certain about proof of concept there. I did see sometime ago video screens that turned into mirrors. I think that is a great use of blank screen space compared to distracting animations and screen savers, especially in the home.

What is important to me is that when I look at my cell phone screen mirror to check my teeth after lunch that when a call comes through and I say "accept" the mirror morphs like a drop of water on a pool of mercury into an LCD video of who ever is calling me.

video screen mirror

minority report touch screens

Manufacturer: Suera : Salon use.

PC world article on Phillips : Hotel use

A phone that really works.

via tumbl.us

UPDATE: Then there is this LOL video from Conan.
And Steve Jobs iWitch from madtv.
And yeah let's see.

Smoking Jacket with See through Lungs

Fiona Carswell an Apple User Interface Engineer creates a jacket that has lungs on it that gradually turn brown over time. She is into using humor to encourage risk taking and truths about society.

Her other works (worth checking) are a bikini that develops moles when exposed to direct sunlight, and "Codependnet Gloves" that heat your hands only when holding someone else's hand.

via tumbl.us

Real time weather on your STREET

Google Earth phonom has grown into invisable or transparent part of daily life so much so that the eye in ths sky view has started a craze in branding your roof top. See Wired story here.

But that is so yesterday. Today you can check the weather on your street. Via Microsoft's Virtual Earth- That is right go to weather.com interactive satalite fed page and see real time doppler radar overlaying your location. This could be real handy for wirless enabled outdoors activities and travelers. Be sure next trip I go on I will check the weather first.

via download squad