Monthly Archives: February, 2013
MIT teach robot arms to think outside of the box [Video]
MIT algorithms teach robot arms to think outside of the box
Although robots are getting better at adapting to the real world, they still tend to tackle challenges with a fixed set of alternatives that can quickly become impractical as objects (and more advanced robots) complicate the situation. Two MIT students, Jennifer Barry and Annie Holladay, have developed fresh algorithms that could help robot arms improvise. Barry’s method tells the robot about an object’s nature, focusing its attention on the most effective interactions — sliding a plate until it’s more easily picked up, for example. Holladay, meanwhile, turns collision detection on its head to funnel an object into place, such as balancing a delicate object with a free arm before setting that object down. Although the existing code for either approach currently requires plugging in existing data, their creators ultimately want more flexible code that determines qualities on the spot and reacts accordingly. Long-term development could nudge us closer to robots with truly general-purpose code — a welcome relief from the one-track minds the machines often have today.
How to Communicate Dissent at Work
How to Communicate Dissent at Work
Dissent plays an important role in the workplace. For any organization to thrive, employees need to be able to propose solutions to problems, raise questions about unethical practices and ask how they can work more efficiently and effectively. In places where dissenting opinions are encouraged, employees report greater job satisfaction, and leaders are able to consider a wider range of proposals and options before making decisions.
There’s only one problem with dissent: a lot of people don’t want to hear it. Accordingly, many employees worry that expressing dissent will cause others to see them negatively, or that it simply won’t make a difference. I’ve surveyed and interviewed hundreds of employees and supervisors to better understand how employees can more effectively express their ideas at work. There are no magic words that will make people listen to you, but I’ve found several things that seem to be consistently associated with positive experiences.
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Top 11 Biggest Lies of Mainstream Nutrition
Top 11 Biggest Lies of Mainstream Nutrition
There is a lot of misinformation circling around in mainstream nutrition.
I have listed the worst examples in this article, but unfortunately this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Here are the top 11 biggest lies, myths and misconceptions of mainstream nutrition.
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Movie: The Movie trailers [Video]
‘Movie: The Movie’ The Sequel 🙂 🙂 🙂
Jimmy Kimmel: When you have a big success in Hollywood, there’s only one reasonable thing you can do — and that is cheapen it with a sequel
For those whom haven’t seen the first trailer: