Luke Stark, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Information and Media Studies at Western University, delivered a virtual talk on Jan. 18 about the history of affective computing and emotions in cybernetics, the science of communications and control in humans and machines. The lecture was part of an annual[Read More…]
Tag: technology
Penguin feathers and the ice cube tray effect
One thing that is always on the mind during a Montreal winter is the cold and, more specifically, the ice. Living in Montreal makes slipping on ice inevitable. A painful landing on your behind, however, is not the only inconvenience associated with this crystalline structure. The buildup of ice on[Read More…]
Tribune Explains: 3D Printing
Three-dimensional printing (3D printing) feels like one of those buzzwords we heard all the time growing up; we were told that it would be revolutionary and change the world. But, in 2022, the media’s excitement has nearly disappeared. Surprisingly though, the 3D printing market is booming. In 2021, it was[Read More…]
The changing landscape of industrial mining
From the diamonds in Nunavut to the gold in British Columbia to the iron ores in Labrador, Canada has a multitude of resources spanning from coast to coast to coast. Producing over 30 different minerals and metals, it is no surprise that Canada plays a substantial role in the global[Read More…]
Computing creativity: A visit to UQAM’s ‘Vers un Imaginaire Numérique’
Upon entering UQAM’s exhibit Vers un Imaginaire Numérique (Designing the Computational Image), tessellated sculptures created from delicate steel and acrylic mesh hang from above. Inspired by biological synthesis, machine learning creates the canopy system, which includes spiralled metallic stars and pyramidal struts. This installation is but the beginning of the[Read More…]
The role of analog media in an online world
Last Friday, I listened to Prince by Prince on vinyl while I handwrote a letter to a friend, wandered the streets taking videos on my handheld camcorder, and watched my favourite John Cusack film High Fidelity on VHS. It is 2021, and yet I find that my days are consumed[Read More…]
Fictionalizing science: How literature and film have shaped modern technology
Science fiction has always focussed primarily on imagining the future and coming up with inventions far beyond what was possible at the time. Whether science fiction directly inspired inventors or because writers were able to predict the future, several technologies first featured in fiction are now part of everyday life.[Read More…]
Talk explores the intersection of video games and education
McGill’s Rare & Special Collections, Osler, Art, and Archives (ROAAr) hosted “The Ludic Generation: Harnessing the Potential of Interactive Learning in Higher Ed” on Jan. 16 to generate discussions among educators about how to embrace the growing presence of technology in the world. The panel featured York University PhD candidate[Read More…]
The haphazard world of scientific research funding
Human systems, from medicine and technology to industrial agriculture, are built upon the tools and findings brought forward by scientific achievement. Yet, to practice science in the 21st century, researchers depend upon another cornerstone of modern civilization: Money. The amount of funds required to conduct scientific research is almost incomprehensible.[Read More…]
HackMcGill event covers AI, smart cities, and internet privacy
In the last few decades, technology has evolved at a staggering pace and has become so deeply enmeshed in everyday life that removing it would throw society into shambles. While new technologies are immensely important to modern society, there is little regulation to keep mega-corporations like Amazon and Facebook in[Read More…]
