[From The New York Times, where the story includes several images, videos and interactive features] Smarter Than You Think What Is I.B.M.’s Watson? By CLIVE THOMPSON Published: June 14, 2010 “Toured the Burj in this U.A.E. city. They say it’s the tallest tower in the world; looked over the ledge and lost my lunch.” This is the quintessential sort of clue you hear on the TV game show “Jeopardy!” It’s witty (the clue’s category is “Postcards From the Edge”), demands a large store of trivia and requires contestants to make confident, split-second decisions. This particular clue appeared in a mock…

[From CNN, where the story includes several videos] New tech moves beyond the mouse, keyboard and screen By John D. Sutter, CNN June 18, 2010 (CNN) — Goodbye computer mouse, keyboard and monitor. Say hello to a new, simpler era of human-computer interaction — this time, with no clunky hardware standing between you and digital information. In this new world, there are options aplenty. Instead of sliding a mouse across your desk, you could just point at whatever you’d like to select. Instead of pecking away at a keyboard, you could just say what you’re thinking. And instead of glaring…

[From Scientific American] June 8, 2010 Can People Become Experts without the Experience? A geologic field study explores whether expertise can be taught to novices By Charles Q. Choi Editor’s note: This is an extended version of the News Scan story “Expert Education,” from the June 2010 Scientific American. DEATH VALLEY, CALIF. —The dozen students and scientists spread over an area called Furnace Creek looked like cyborgs in floppy hats scrabbling over the boulders. Before hammering chips off rocks, they inspected them with magnifying lenses held up next to eyeglasses sporting miniature cameras and infrared lights. A seasoned geologist could…

[From GreenMuze (“Green Ideas and Innovations!“)] Virtual Reality Veneer Monday, 14 June 2010 Michael Jantzen For over forty years I have been working as an experimental artist and designer. In all of that time I have become very aware of how important aesthetics are in dictating the amount of the Earth’s resources that are consumed by the human population. Most things, including building, have to look a certain way in order for people to feel good about using them, and most often a lot of resources are consumed just to make these things look a particular way. Much of the…

[From TechNewsDaily via MSNBC; a 0:57 minute video is here]   ‘Imaginary’ interface could replace real thing Screen, even keyboard, for mobile devices might be supported by gestures By Adam Hadhazy, TechNewsDaily Staff Writer June 8, 2010 Researchers are experimenting with a new interface system for mobile devices that could replace the screen and even the keyboard with gestures supported by our visual memory. Called Imaginary Interfaces, the German project uses a small, chest-mounted computer and camera to detect hand movements. Unlike Tony Stark in “Iron Man,” who manipulates holographic elements in his lab with his hands, users conjure up…

[From Fox News]   Octavia the Android, a Real-Life Rosie the Robot By John R. Quain Published May 26, 2010 She has an expressive, alabaster face, a delicate touch — and two wheels where her feet should be. She is Octavia, a brand new robot designed to improve interactions with humans. And at the annual Fleet Week in New York City, the Navy is bringing its débutante out of the lab.…