How is this: Computers can recognize sarcasm and later all the other emotions that we humans have. Researchers have now developed a computer algorithm capable of recognizing sarcasm in written text.

How easy is it for computers to “get” the meaning, when what is written is actually the opposite of what the writer intended? That is why this algorithm could be the Holy Grail in artificial intelligence - for a more “natural” communication between humans and computers.

As it is, the computer is about as good as a person with bad social skills would do.. (abcnews.go.com)

We announce the addition of Steve Ardire and Steve Bastasini to position the company as a key supplier of tools for the semantic web and intelligent computing applications.

To view the entire press release please click here: PR_Ardire and Bastasini June 16 2010

The small four-legged robot LittleDog, from Boston Dynamics, has acquired new locomotion skills. The new controller lets LittleDog walk over very rocky terrain and haul itself up wide steps without setting a paw wrong.

The launch of the new name and branding is timed to coincide with the SemTech 2010 and the public filing of our company with the SEC.

Remember James V. Hardt (see Intelligence in Computing), who trains people how to change their brain waves? Now researchers have found evidence that data discarded previously as “junk EEG” may contain significant information about how the brain works. A closer look at unrecognized patterns in EEG brain data shows that putting the brain to work on a simple task can change those patterns (via Washington University School of Medicine news).

Research fellow Eliezer Yudkowsky of the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence and philosophy professor Massimo Pigliucci of the City University of New York discuss everything from intelligence to singularity.

Other then Henry Markrams Blue Brain, there is another project to emulate the brain - Spinnaker which uses affordable, practical, low-power components such as smartphone chips. The aim is to eventually have a brain like computer for controlling a humanoid. Read more on newscientist.com

What can we achieve with intelligence in computing? Watch the video where Walt interviews Dr. Jim Hardt and Manfred Hoffleisch. In this interview Jim, Manfred and Walt tackle issues like having the computer behave in an open ended way - the way a human brain behaves and the advantages of the computer that can think like a biological brain.

Navigation is still a challenge for robots. Now a team of researchers have developed a computer vision software which enables the computer to basically watch the road and recognize real world driving conditions a few steps in advance such as traffic signs or lane changes while also watching out for other cars and pedestrians. Read the article on bbc.co.uk or watch the video.

Remember last weeks post about memristors (Is the memristor the basis for a computer brain?)? According to Wei Lu, a computer engineer of the University of Michigan, memristors can possibly learn like synapses and be used to build human brain like computers. How close are we to biologically inspired computer intelligence?

(via umich.edu)