The “loading” icons appearing today on popular websites such as Reddit and Netflix don't really mean those sites are slowing down. Instead, they are there as a symbol... to raise awareness about a [FCC] plan that would effectively end net neutrality, the foundational Internet principle that dictates all traffic must be treated equally by service providers — whether it's from a blog, a start-up or an established Web giant such as Facebook. — Al Jazeera
The campaign is called Internet Slowdown. Find out more here. View full entry
A project from three students at Barcelona’s Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalunya continues that exploration by looking at how physical spaces could someday morph based on various environmental inputs.
The project, Translated Geometries, tackles the idea by developing a new use for Shape Memory Polymers, a composite material that can deform and return to its original state when activated by cues like heat, humidity and light.
— wired.com
The idea of the Future Cemetery is to create a place for people to connect with death. What that actually means and looks like is still in development, Troyer says, but in the first stage of the project they did everything from projections to audio installations. Now, they’re working on developing augmented reality experiences in cemeteries—elements that are only visible with certain devices and if you know they’re there. The idea is to allow people to add to their own cemetery experience... — theatlantic.com
In what is being described as "a strategic alliance to collaborate to transform the construction industry" software company Trimble has acquired Gehry Technologies. The alliance will offer other architects and designers use of the technology to collaborate on projects more efficiently.Press... View full entry
One index of human impact is the extinction of species, now estimated to be at about the same rate as it was 65 million years ago when an asteroid hit the Earth. That is the presumed cause for the ending of the age of the dinosaurs, which opened the way for small mammals to proliferate, and ultimately modern humans. Today, it is humans who are the asteroid, condemning much of life to extinction. — In These Times
Probably one of the most prompt and tell it the way it is style of Noam Chomsky, 'where we are going account' of recent history and our as a matter of factly demise depicted. Enjoy your last milleniums.., humans! View full entry
Residents of Beijing can use one of the city’s 34 newly installed recycling machines to trade empty bottles for phone card rebates or free public transit passes.
Those who choose the phone card rebate just need to type in their phone numbers or scan their cards and the rebate will be automatically applied.
The value of the rebate will correspond to the value of the type of bottle that was recycled.
— pangeatoday.com
Read the original Chinese language report here. View full entry
... the 92-year-old structure had fallen into disrepair since it stopped transmitting TV signals in 2002. Plans to dismantle and relocate the tower were announced earlier this year, prompting Norman Foster, Rem Koolhaas and other architects to petition Vladimir Putin to save it. Moscow's city council has now announced that the tower will be preserved at its current site. — newscientist.com
The suppliers of ethanol fireplaces are doing a brisk business with the lightweight, easy-to-install ornamental stoves with no chimney. However, caution is warranted when operating these fireplaces, because ethanol is a fuel that, together with the air, forms a highly combustible atmospheric mixture [...] [Moreover], ornamental stoves with ethanol-based firing are a source for pollutants in indoor air that are hazardous to one’s health. — ScienceDaily
The hearth may be the psychological center of the home, but it can also blow it up or make it toxic.On the other hand: the researchers also studied traditional, wood-burning stoves in a variety of real-life homes. They found that "emissions enter the air of the room only when the fire wood is... View full entry
It was only a matter of time before someone saw the commercial potential of drones. Their compact size and swift mobility makes them ideal vehicles for transporting goods and information around the crowded streets of a city.
Amazon has recently been testing the potential for drone deliveries, but Russian creative agency Hungry Boys’ campaign has brought a new dimension to both advertising and drone use.
— popupcity.net
Related: Martha Stewart in the age of drone photography View full entry
Friday, August 29:MIT's MindRider helmet draws mental maps as you bike: The prototype is currently being used to create a mental-map and guidebook for NYC, and an upcoming Kickstarter campaign will attempt to fund the project for commercial sale.In Beirut, a grassroots push for more grass... View full entry
A map showing the location of every single device connected to the Internet. The image was created by John Matherly, founder of Shodan, a search engine for connected devices. He pinged every device online, then mapped the location of the ones that responded [...] — Huffington Post
The National League of Cities announces the formation of a network composed of business, policy leaders and city officials to identify the regulatory challenges posed by the disruptive technologies that power the sharing economy.
The Sharing Economy Advisory Network will create and promote model solutions that can be adopted by communities across the nation ... The Network will also look to identify ways that cities can support and encourage the growth of new businesses in this space.
— nlc.org
City governments aren't often so nimble when it comes to adjusting regulations related to the "sharing economy". Without formal industry precedents, it's difficult for cities to know how to integrate these new services into preexisting policies, or whether they should be outlawed entirely. So in... View full entry
Keeping up with new design and rendering softwares is a never-ending job. Industry standards change, plug-ins multiply, and technology simply improves. And more often than not, the onus of learning these updates falls on the individual architect or designer — school programming moves at too... View full entry
"Small is huge" - Mac mini slogan in early 2009. — macrumors.com
It's a giant circling pit. How I wish that was a moat filled with crocodile data, making it impossible for software architects to escape the premises and create even more tech for the masses.Is the new thing in architecture medievalism? View full entry
Originally developed at MIT, MindRider is a new helmet that shows, in real time, how your rides, movement, and location engage your mind. The MindRider app maps and tracks your engagement, and allows you to share your maps with others. These maps provide quantified insight that empower you to maximize your riding experience, and they are a great resource for riding communities and street advocacy. — mindriderhelmet.com
Unlike many other biometric monitoring devices, the MindRider helmet isn't just about recording your physical activities; it's about harvesting data from normal routines to better inform public policy. The MindRider "reads" electrical activity between the brain's neurons, but the technology isn't... View full entry
