Surprising Science — April 25, 2012

NAO

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The NAO is a fully programmable, 57cm humanoid robot made by Alderaban Robotics.

This cute robot contains a full array of body language, text and visual recognition, as well as the ability to connect to other devices in your home and other NAOs. The robot’s ease of use and likability has made it a valuable research tool in over 350 universities around the world in fields as diverse as navigation and autism.

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An older man with a white beard sits in a room, wearing a light blue shirt, hands clasped together. Bookshelves and artwork are visible in the background.

The Future

Kevin Kelly points a new way forward into the Age of AI

One of the most original and optimistic thinkers in America sketches some big ideas about what’s possible with AI in the next 25 years.

Stylized illustration of a person holding a chess piece, with a digital glitch effect and horizontal lines creating a blue-toned, distorted appearance.

High Culture

“Pantheon” creator Craig Silverstein on uploading our brains to the internet

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Most planets in the Universe are orphans without parent stars

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A close-up of a reddish-orange engraving shows an elderly man with a beard and focused expression, as though he's reflecting on the wisdom found in books.

Thinking

3 philosophy classics that are better than self-help books

Self-help often distills philosophical ideas for the modern ear. Sometimes, its better to go back to the source.

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