Wales -- Engadget

Wales posts

Artificial Intelligence solves boring science experiments, makes interns obsolete

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Apr 3rd 2009 at 10:47AM

Researchers at Aberystwyth University in Wales have developed a robot that is being heralded as the first machine to have discovered new scientific knowledge independently of a human operator. Named Adam, the device has already identified the role of several genes in yeast cells, and has the ability to plan further experiments to test its own hypotheses. Ross King, from the university's computer science department, remarked that the robot is meant to take care of the tedious aspects of the scientific method, freeing up human scientists for "more advanced experiments." Across the pond at Cornell, researchers have developed a computer that can find established laws in the natural world -- without any prior scientific knowledge. According to PhysOrg, they've tested the AI on "simple mechanical systems" and plan on applying it to more complex problems in areas such as biology to cosmology where there are mountains of data to be poured through. It sure is nice to hear about robots doing something helpful for a change.

[Thanks, bo3of]

Read: Robo-scientist's first findings
Read: Being Isaac Newton: Computer derives natural laws from raw data

Trucker blindly follows GPS, gets wedged in farm lane

by Darren Murph, posted Feb 22nd 2008 at 9:36AM

At first glance, we seriously assumed that we had mentioned this exact same story before. Turns out, one particular Maxi Haulage driver doesn't tune into Engadget, as he pulled the exact same trick in (almost) the same circumstances. Reportedly, this timber haul was cut short as the driver followed his personal GPS system down a "farm lane" suitable only for (presumably small) tractors, and needless to say, the 45-foot vehicle has been wedged ever since. Additionally, the owner of the property is quite irate, as the mishap is forcing her to drive an extra two miles until rescue arrives. Still, the motorist did cruise right by a sign noting that the upcoming road was unfit for heavy goods vehicles, so at least the sat nav can't take all of the blame this go 'round.

[Thanks, Carl H.]

Welsh village under attack by GPS-blind drivers

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 12th 2007 at 6:45AM

We tend to shed a tear or two for humanity each time one of these stories crosses our radar, and unfortunately, this one had us bawling. Apparently, residents in Llangadog have been frustrated time and time again as drivers of large trucks came rumbling through blindly following directions spat out by navigation systems. Wide vehicles have now failed to successfully traverse a very narrow road and not destroy any property in the process not once, not even twice, but three times, leaving a previously restored building in the community damaged (thrice) by recklessness. Reportedly, around £1.5 million ($3.12 million) is being spent to beautify landmark properties in Llangadog and Llandovery, but there's mounting concern that GPS-reliant motorists could reverse any progress by striking buildings as they attempt to squeeze through. It sounds as if signs are being erected to inform drivers of their navigator's cluelessness, but who knows if folks will actually take their eyes off of the LCD long enough to notice.

[Thanks, Josh]

Welsh get incomprehensible anti-GPS signs

by Donald Melanson, posted Aug 28th 2007 at 11:17AM

Apparently looking to avoid unfortunate incidents like this (or this, or this), the Welsh Assembly recently agreed to put up signs warning drivers not to use their GPS along narrow lanes. Problem is, the drivers may end up spending more time trying to figure out the meaning of the signs than they ever did staring at their GPS. According to Sky News, the signs are aimed specifically at lorry drivers, who seem to have been particularly prone to getting stuck along roadways around St. Hilary in the Vale of Glamorgan -- a problem one local resident described as a "nightmare." Despite those potential issues of comprehension, that region has now gotten four of the signs as part of a one-year trial period, although there doesn't appear have to been any word on their effectiveness (or lack thereof) just yet.

[Thanks, Barry T]

Greenbox converts carbon emissions into biofuel

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 22nd 2007 at 8:30AM

A breakthrough technology developed by three engineering lads in Wales could hold the key to converting carbon emissions into beneficial substances such as biodiesel, methane gas, and fertilizer. The cleverly-dubbed Greenbox was designed to be fixed underneath one's vehicle where it could gobble up carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide until the next fill up, at which point the box would be switched out for a new one while the filled canister headed to a bioreactor for processing. Sounds complicated, we know, but strapping these bad boys beneath every gasoline-powered vehicle in a given nation could boost its biofuel production exponentially -- all without spending another penny (or pence) on research. Unsurprisingly, the trio of inventors are staying mum until they (hopefully) convince the government or a private company to grab ahold, but unless these boxes learn to swap themselves, we can't imagine too many individuals bustin' out the creeper for underbody work at each fuel stop.

[Thanks, Jamie]

Alan Cox's ThinkPad battery explodes

by Cyrus Farivar, posted Sep 22nd 2006 at 3:22PM

It appears that the exploding IBM ThinkPad that we spotted last week at LAX may not have been a fluke after all. Telsa Gwynne, wife of famed Linux kernel programmer Alan Cox, describes on her website how her husband's ThinkPad battery suddenly exploded last night (see the photo on the next page), after which "a couple of fires started where the (presumably) boiling battery landed," with one of the fragments taking out a nearby LCD monitor. Alan sustained a few minor burns, but other than the laptop itself there were no serious injuries, thankfully. Telsa does note, however, that the battery was third-party and was bought on eBay, so it may not be an authentic IBM pack at all. Still, somebody needs to get to the bottom of this, like, now -- after the Apple, Dell, Panasonic, and Toshiba recalls, the public demands and deserves complete and rapid disclosure.

Update: We traded emails with Alan Cox and have posted some of our questions and answers with him on the next page.

Continue reading Alan Cox's ThinkPad battery explodes