Science Daily recently published an article entitled, “Computer ‘Trained’ to Classify Pictures and Videos Basing on Elements They Contain”
“University of Granada researchers have developed a new computer technique that allows to “train” computers to interpret the visual contents of a video or picture. This advance will allow to classify automatically pictures basing on whether individuals or specific objects are present in such images. Videos can also be classified according to specific poses.”
And ChatBots.Org has a video interview with Hugh Loebner.
Worth the read and look to tickle the inner geek.
I remember talking with someone in 2000 about something similar. We came to the conclusion that technology would eventually endow computers with the ability to “recognize” videos and images at a glance, and that even computer coders (software architects, developers, etc) would eventually become less of a necessity as machines would be able to generate much of their own “code”, and the only individual necessary would be sysadmins…
For example, the computer language is text, the human counterpart would never have to bother with actually “reading” or looking at text, unless a machine is voicing it to the human in a perfect human voice. The only thing the human would see is multimedia in the form of motion and pictures, sound and music, etc…
I love the saying, “code is poetry”. It would be humorous if computer languages (code) eventually turn into a form of English… Or are the only written English anymore.
A bit far-out, but it’s interesting to note a lot of people used to laugh at the idea of HTML or JavaScript generators.
The discussion eventually drew the conclusion that the internet would inevitably usher in the end of reading as a necessity to “get around”. A true collective human consciousness network, and a full on cyberspace is inevitable!!
…Ahem.
Of course it is a far-out topic in the realm of sci-fi… but, c’mon. You have to but laugh when you watch an old star-trek and see their version of a laptop, in regards to today’s cell phone. Or even spot them carrying around paper bearing clip-boards instead of a non-paper alternative… Not to mention the thickness of their monitors. Granted that is what the creative mind then could only foresee in terms of the computer future (don’t get me wrong, I’m just talking “computer future” not “space travel future”)… besides the audience of that day would probably think it’s “too far out” if they really went ape shit wild with their creative speculations… but one has to wonder if the “cyberspace” displayed by today’s pop culture may be even less amazing and actually a down-play of what the computer future truly holds. Instead of asking, “what’s the next step look like” it would be fascinating to ask “what does it look like two or more steps down the road”. Maybe we wouldn’t even be able to comprehend it.
At any rate, It’s exciting to run across the occasional hint of this sort of thing…
My inner geek is tickled.
