A step into the Metro

I speak, of course, of Metro 2033. Metro 2033 is set after WWIII, in the irradiated remains of Russia. It's like the Fallout series, but with more gas masks (the entire surface cannot be traversed without a gas mask, as opposed to Fallout where you can generally get around and only have to worry about not rolling around in radioactive stuff.

http://sploid.gizmodo.com/living-in-this-nuclear-shelter-for-1-000-people-looks-l-1569386009

Much as I hope we don't stray down the path towards "everything is terrible and radioactive/etc" again, I feel like having a gas mask is kind of mandatory. If nobody else has any suggestions, the Israeli gas masks are cheap and look pretty good and presumably work.


I kind of dig the post apoc vibe, I think I'll have a region of the Wastelands as a steampunk version. Still need to work more on Raygun Gothic space marines with spacesuits made as a combo of old gas masks and diving equipment.

Tech Tuesday: slightly NSFW rambling edition

I'm really tired because of extra sleep that I haven't been getting needed to patch up far faster than most other people. So I'm mostly not going to bother trying to pick out a theme.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jun/25/oscar-cat-artifical-paws-pioneering-surgery  Kitty loses hind paws. Kitty gets fancy new prosthetics that mount to the bone and have the skin grow over the base of them to seal them in place, instead of having strap-on peglegs. I imagine this'll be how a lot of prosthetic limbs work, you get a permanent bone mount that they click onto, so there's no pain from putting pressure on your stump, the bones just carry the weight as they're supposed to. This'll be really handy with future mind-linked prosthetics.

.... I could have sworn I had more lined up than that.

I guess not, and I can't be bothered to go look for more, so here's some rambling on Simsense based on a discussion I had with a friend recently.

Simsense is artificially inducing sensory information; simulated senses. Usually it's found in things like Cyberpunk that aren't all grim darkness, all the time. Go to a movie, and if you've got the prerequisite implant or fancy brain-interface hat, you'll get a muted version of what the heroes are smelling on screen, or feel the wind or heat of the flames or chill of the rain. We actually HAVE simsense. A few tech tuesday's back, I discussed a new prototype prosthetic hand that had touch capability, and was reported by the user as being nearly the same as the real deal. It may be in its infancy, but it exists. If we have sensors that can pass on sensory info to the brain, with programming you can spoof those sensors and make simulated senses.

And I can basically guarantee that if it hits anything resembling widespread and usable without brain surgery, it'll be the porn industry that makes it take off. Think about it; Once things are understood well enough, it allows a LOT of possibilities for the porn industry. Try out what it feels like to have parts you aren't equipped with, feel like you're really there (no, REALLY really there!) with your favorite film star, play with your special someone's special places from anywhere with web access, things like that.

Sure, it'll get used right along with the Occulus rift and surround sound to make ever better, more immersive games (What I wouldn't give to have at least SOME sense of where and how I'm taking hits. Vests and stuff exist that can sort of do it, but they're loud and not at all precise and require you be wired in and stuff). But it'll be the porn industry who's there with the dollars to keep pushing the technology along at the.... leaking... edge.

No more surgeries

Got my neck muscles fixed up. Gotta wait a bit for them to heal to be sure everything worked, but they're as fixed as they'll get. Wanted the surgery done awake, but the doc decided to knock me out without mentioning it. I think I fell asleep in the OR the old fashioned way (everyone was getting stuff set up and waiting on parts after I was in the operating bed, sitting there comfy with nothing to do and a sizeable sleep deficit), and then woke up in the recovery room and was slightly grumpy about it. Was actually looking forward to being awake for the surgery.

Now, unless I have some kind of horrible accident that requires some fixing, I should be good for a good long while. Also, outpatient procedures are nice

Insect Pathfinding Error

Gotta hate it when the AI gets bugged and stuck

Why I can't be a space captain

At least on something commercial. Somehow I think passengers might not care for me blasting Powerman 5000's "Blast Off to Nowhere" during launch so much.

Semi-related, they found an earth sized planet in the habitable zone. 

Tech Thursday; megadump

To make up for the past few weeks of not having much, apparently the internet decided to dump a crapload of interesting content on me and now it's taking up all my browser tabs. I was busy Tuesday and couldn't be bothered.

http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/scientists-regenerate-living-organs-first-time This is a big one, usually internal damage is basically permanent. Nothing on the inside of the body can really heal except for the liver. Even if it's just part of the body being revamped, it's still a heck of a first step.

http://gizmodo.com/handheld-jet-thrusters-make-any-sport-instantly-extreme-1562160699 Jet Booster bar. There is nothing that cannot be improved by jets/rockets. I look forward to all of the terrible stupid awesome things that people use these for. And the actual good ideas (like powered parachuting)

http://www.iflscience.com/technology/coming-soon-tabletop-fog-screens-3d-interactions Still not all the way to the free-floating holograms, but at least people are trying. Still cool.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1686304142/the-mini-mobile-robotic-printer miniature roomba printer. I wonder if they have anything in there to keep it from driving off the paper and inking all over other things?

http://www.iflscience.com/technology/glow-dark-roads-now-reality These would be really nice when it's rainy out and all the lines on the road nearly vanish in the dark.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2604543/Glass-without-glasses-Google-patents-smart-contact-lens-CAMERA-built-in.html?login More work on video contacts. I still think that the first version of a cyberbrain will be an implanted computer linked wirelessly to earbuds and contact lenses.

http://www.iflscience.com/technology/quantum-dot-technology-could-lead-solar-panel-windows More work on solar panels that aren't terrible and in the way. Solar's great, if it isn't expensive and space consuming.

Buy a Gun Day

Why does nowhere anywhere near where I live or work sell just AR-15 lowers? Is that so much to ask? I want to build the thing from scratch, but noooo. Going to have to expand my search radius.