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RAI's certification process aims to prevent AIs from turning into HALs
The Responsible Artificial Intelligence Institute hopes to offer a more standardized means of certifying that the AIs of tomorrow operate fairly, transparently, and safely.
Big tobacco keeps starting 'grassroots' Facebook campaigns
This article was produced in partnership with Point, a YouTube channel for investigative journalism. Facebook groups like 'Oregonians Against Tax Hikes' and 'No Blank Checks for Colorado' look like citizen groups concerned about taxes. But after a few months running extensive Facebook ad campaigns, they recede with members' petition signatures and personal data. They also happen to be owned and operated by tobacco companies. "[Tobacco companies] create these groups to oppose efforts to pass laws either through legislatures or especially through ballot measures," explains Vince Willmore, Vice President of Communications for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "Every time there's a ballot measure to increase a tobacco tax or pass a smoke-free air law, they'll come up with a front group with a great sounding name when it's entirely funded and run by the tobacco companies."
WoW Moviewatch: Nef vs. Rai: A machinimated cartoon
The author says up front that he considered this movie to be an experiment. Nef vs. Rai was intended to help explore the animation possibilities in World of Warcraft. It is a very short animation example, that pretty much can be summed up as "A dragon steps foot in Darnassus, an anime hero charges his lasers, and kills the dragon." The story wasn't complex, but probably wasn't meant to be. While the opening shot of a dragon landing is created using modified WoW graphics, the rest seems to be hand drawn.The opening credit with the animated cat-form druid (Night Elf) was pretty neat. I liked the hand-drawn overlay in Darnassus, and what it did for the environment there. I'm not sure the animation of "Rai" did much for me. Something about the way Rai's face was drawn kind of put me off, and made it very difficult for me to understand what emotion the character was experiencing. But, I guess, the anime style can be kind of like that, with a lot of it being an acquired taste."Nef vs. Rai" isn't the worst freshman effort we've ever seen, but any follow-up would definitely need some story embellishment.
Super Hi-Vision demo seen in totally inadequate web video player
By now, you're completely familiar with what Super Hi-Vision is looking to do. You know, revolutionize HDTV programming as we know it. Provide an intense amount of detail good for filing up hundred-foot screens. That type stuff. If you've been eager to actually see what SHV can do, but you weren't able to make the trip to Amsterdam for IBC2008, fret not -- Auntie Beeb has hosted up a video of the demonstration in a wee web video player. Nah, it's no 7,680 x 4,320, but at least you'll get the idea. (Psst... it's in the read link.)
BBC teaming with NHK for Super Hi-Vision trials
Talk about getting around. Auntie Beeb has jumped from Freeview to FreeSat to Sky HD to iPlayer to who knows where else in no particular order, and while the vast majority of Europe is still struggling to adopt vanilla HD, the network is already dipping its toes in the next best thing. Reportedly, the BBC is all set to participate in a transmission trial using the Super Hi-Vision (SHV) system developed by Japan's NHK. The series of demonstrations will combine content from Japan and London, and the actual screenings are supposed to take place in the NHK Theater using an 8k x 4k projector. We'll admit, this isn't the very first time we've heard that The Beeb may be interested in this stuff, but with the UK-based 2012 Olympics growing ever closer, it looks like the dedication may be ratcheting up.[Via TechRadar, thank L. Rawlins]
Eurocup HD action is free on Italian TV
RAI is calling itself Italy's "free HDTV pioneer", opting to maintain exclusive broadcast rights for the European Cup instead of selling some of them to Sky Italia's pay service. This means the country's first HDTV broadcasts on digital TV will include every game in the series. Apparently this is a major step in RAI's competition with fellow broadcaster Mediaset, not that we care as long as it means more HD for everyone interested.
DVB-SH mobile TV trials to crank up in Italy
Though it once appeared as if DVB-SH was headed for high times in Europe, DVB-H eventually won out as the nationwide standard, but that certainly doesn't mean other standards can't compete within the region. Reportedly, Alcatel-Lucent has agreed to launch the first trial of the technology in Italy with RAI and 3 Italia, and while DVB-SH would likely be more costly to implement due to its position in the spectrum, European telecoms are grasping for options to satisfy the growing desire for mobile TV. If all goes as planned, the trials will take place in Turin over the next few months, but it wasn't clear when Jane / John Doe would be called in to participate. Also of note, a cellphone provider has yet to be selected, but it sounds like Samsung and Sagem both made it onto the short list. [Via mocoNews]
