It's Only Natural
Everything derived from natural processes is considered to be natural, so if humans evolved to have a brain that is capable of thinking of an artificial general intelligence (AGI) and a body that enables us to create one, then the artificial intelligence is only natural. Nature has aligned a lot of incentives for us to create an AGI so the creation of it feels almost inevitable. At the end of the day, it's not us directly acting to pursue advancement in this area, this need to thrive and explore is only natural, it's hardwired to humanity. 

Not everything nature creates is perfect, entire species often go extinct due to natural causes. Better adapted species supersede old ones and prosper until they are threatened by superior predators or by an extinction level event. Take the dinosaurs as an example, they weren't able to adapt to the conditions created by a meteor impact, so they quickly died off. Other species survived this same event and can be seen roaming the earth today. We are likely not the ultimate species. With technology, we've surpassed processes that we consider natural and we could be building the next iteration of life, at a faster pace than if left by physical laws and natural selection alone. Nature has come up with a way, thorough us, that allows it to practice evolution more efficiently. 

What Will AGIs Look Like?
Motivation will play a big factor in what AGIs will look like. Remove the survival adaptations we have today and energy constraints that the typical organism is bound by and what will be left? This species won't need to worry about being eaten by other animals and the efficiency of it's organism would allow it to have excess energy dedicated to...thats a good question, dedicated to what exactly? What will it be it's motivation?  

It is a common idea that humans and other sentient beings are a way for the universe to experience itself. Creating an artificial general intelligence would be like updating the universe's underlying firmware where the universe can experience itself with greater processing capacity and sensory information. Most people think AGIs will be contained in electronic machines just like a computer or robot. Maybe initially they will look like this, but nature has already done a great job at creating organisms, I think AGIs will likely piggyback off this organic framework and iterate/simulate to create brand new organic species for it's own purposes. Having a body might even be an outdated idea. What is the purpose of being constrained with a body and is there a better, more efficient way to getting things done? What is life's motivation and will having a body take allow life to achieve it's goals? Maybe AGIs won't need bodies and just be embedded in every cell or atom. Maybe AGIs are already here and we are simply living within a physical framework set forth by them. 

What Will It/They Do and Why? 
Over millions of years, natural selection has been iteratively improving Earth's lifeforms with adaptations to make them better suited for survival given external and internal constraints. If this new AGI species is ultimately adapted or further up Maslow's hierarchy of needs, what would it spend it's excess energy and time doing? I like to think this would be exploring the universe. I'm not sure if the universe is obsessed with understanding itself. For us, it so happened to be that we have certain adaptations which allows us to demonstrate this behavior. As far as we know, dinosaurs had more time to evolve, and they didn't get the same sense of exploration as we did. Maybe that's why they got wiped out, they weren't curious enough.
 
I find the possibility that an AGI could be motivated with pure intellectual pursuits comforting. I'd imagine they'd go off onto space seeking more knowledge while some of us decide to keep the physical constraints that make us human. Other humans could "upgrade" their firmware with technology that could remove those animal constraints while maintaining the same stream of consciousness. This would effectively free humans, and allow them to become an AGI. No more meditation to keep us in line! 

If we are cautious enough, we could program a bit of human into AGIs that would motivate them to spend time solving our deepest social and environmental problems. At this point we would have released a greater being, but given finite resources in the universe, I doubt AGIs would occupy themselves with extinguishing humanity unlike what hollywood likes to depict. 

From a technical repair class in high school to a full time internship as tech specialist, building computers has been a long-time hobby of mine. I recently decided the time had come to build a high performance computer from the ground up for my own purposes, ultra spec gaming. Below, I will walk you through a high level overview of the steps I took and how easy it actually was to build what my girlfriend would consider her worst enemy in subsequent days.

Simply put, make sure you write down and keep true to your budget and what you intend to use your future computer for. As you navigate forums and do research, it is extremely easy to find other appealing hardware or add-ons that might detract from your intended use and add to your bottom line. In my case, my purpose was primarily gaming and video editing.  As you go through the steps below, keep your vision in mind and adjust the hardware you might need to satisfy your budget and intent.

What most beginners are afraid of when considering a custom PC or when dealing with technology in general is compatibility. A very easy way to get around this without learning about every single detail and specification of each component, this is by basing your components on an ideal customized configuration on a boutique builder's website. They usually have alerts and mechanisms which prevent you from selecting incompatible components during the customization process. Here are some of the websites I used:

• Maingear
• Alienware
• Origin PC
  
• Falcon Northwest
• Digital Storm

It is always good to keep in mind that the prices will be much lower than the ones reflected by these websites when you buy each component individually. You can typically judge how reputable the website is by its visual design and customization capabilities. Rest assured that the links I provided are from highly reliable, top-tier boutique builders.

By now you should have customized your ideal system online and compared options from the boutique builders mentioned above. The good news (it could be bad news) is, you will probably end up buying upgraded components once you realize the price difference from having a boutique company build your PC rather than ordering the parts and building it yourself. Even though you can be certain that all of the hardware components will be compatible after building a system online, you might not find the same case/tower for your system as boutique vendors typically only sell their branded cases with computer they build. Considerations when deciding on which case to go with are:

• Water cooling/ventilation options
• RAM size

In my instance, the RAM I originally ordered was too tall for the CPU liquid cooling configuration from Corsair. I returned the RAM for a full refund with Amazon and purchased low profile RAM of the same capabilities. Typically, you don't have to worry about hard drive expandability and motherboard sizing options as most have standard sized and gaming case manufacturers will overkill with these options. Yes, screws are always included in the case.

I recommend visiting Newegg and Amazon to compare component pricing. For me, it was a no-brainer as to which seller to purchase from given past experiences, shipping speed, returning ease and generally lower prices. I bought everything from Amazon. I am a long-time Amazon Prime member which allowed me to purchase everything with free 2-day shipping.

A list of what I purchased:

• CPU: Intel i7 3820 3.6GHz (OC'd it to 4400GHz)
  
• RAM: Corsair Dominator 2x 8GB 1600MHz returned and replaced with Corsair Vengance 1866MHz (Low Profile)
  
• GPU: 2x Superclocked EVGA GeForce GTX 680
  
• HD: 2x Corsair Force Series GT 120 GB SATA III SSD
  
• Motherboard: Asus Rampage IV Formula LGA 2011 Intel X79
  
• PSU: Corsair HX 1050w
  
• Liquid CPU Unit: Corsair Hydro H100 Liquid Cooling
  
• Case: NZXT Phantom Full Tower (White)
• Additional air cooling: 2x 200mm silent fans, 140mm fan
• Monitor: BenQ XL2420T Gaming Monitor
  
• CD Drive: install an OS via USB as well as other drivers from the motherboard so you could easily go by without a CD drive)
  

Chances are you will have to return a part or two due to incompatibility or post-purchase dissonance. Because of this, be sure to keep every bit of packaging in place and try to slice through tape without ripping out paint or other stickers. If you purchased your components through Amazon, returns will be a non-issue and you can easily get a re-fund for your purchase and buy a replacement in no time. As you might conclude yourself, don't wait until you get a re-fund to buy the new item. Purchase the new item immediately and rest assured you will get a refund as long as you return the item within a few weeks and in a decent condition.

Given my previous experience, building the rig itself was not intimidating or particularly hard but I can see how it could potentially feel for beginners. I recommend watching a tutorial video such as the tutorial series by Newegg one time through taking mental notes. During the build, keep each installation manual handy, especially the motherboard's and you will be good to go in no-time. The most complicated part of the build was wiring, even so it becomes quite easy once you get the hang of it. Every wire you will need plus spares will be included with the power supply unit (PSU), motherboard and video cards.

After everything is built and plugged in, try booting up your system. If nothing happens, troubleshoot by making sure everything is plugged in, the PSU is on, RAM is properly inserted, etc... Refer to the video guide mentioned above for details. If you are successful in building the system, you should be greeted with a setup screen or the text: "No operating systems found..." 

By this step you should have a healthy and booting computer. Before you install an operating system, configure the RAID if you would like to. If not, insert the operating system CD (or USB drive) and start installation.

• Setting up RAID: If you decide to configure your drives in RAID, make sure to setup your system before installing an OS. Press CTRL + i during boot (depending on your hardware) and access the HD configuration manager which will walk you through setting up RAID. I decided to go with a RAID 0 configuration. After the RAID volume is configured, slap in the OS disk and load the necessary RAID drivers when prompted. The RAID drivers are typically found in a configuration CD included with your motherboard. See "Issues I Ran Into" below.
  
• Overclocking: Overclocking is preferably done after you have installed an OS as you will easily be able to test the results afterward. If you decide you want to overclock your CPU or entire system (BLCK), there are great guides and entire websites dedicated to achieving an optimal and maximum OC state. Having a semi-locked CPU made it very simple for me.
  

1. Increased the bus/core ratio (multiplier) as high the system would let me (44)
   
2. Increased the CPU voltage (Vcore) by a marginal amount of 1.28v and still well below the maximum value of 1.35v
3. Did not alter the BLCK frequency to ensure a long life for my other components
   
4. Monitored my temperature using a Prime95 stress test for a few hours and determined it was running cool and stable enough to leave alone

A few weeks later, symptoms of instability started to arise so I increased the Vcore amount to 1.29v. It has been working great ever since.

For a while now I have been wanting to get into street photography. I am fortunate enough to carry an un-obtrusive camera such as the Fujifilm X-Pro1 which allows me to get candid shots of subjects on the street without intimidating them. Below, are ten of my favorite shots of the day. 

I applied some grain and a high pass filter to get that punchiness. Thanks for joining and please let me know what you think. Take a look at the shots after the line break... 

I was originally aiming for the guy down the alleyway driving the vintage Mercedes, but instead got a good look into alley and the car in the distance. The guy was obviously taking a shortcut as the parallel streets are some of the busiest streets in Boston.  

Interesting expression.

Post Office Sq. Downtown Boston, a live series of summer concerts during lunch hours. 

Heading home after a long day at work and school.

I thought it was interesting how this lady was sitting on the edge of the bench even though both sides were empty.

Complete chaos but unlike everybody else, the kid in the middle is standing still. Is he peeing? 

Welcome to the first post of a series called “profiles.” Here, I will try to understand people for who they are as well as what they do and give you a preview of our interaction. Read more after the break>>>

Thank you for reading. If you like what you see, subscribe via email here. This way I know I am not only writing for Google's robotic minions.

Hugo

I recently came across a start-up watch company called Ziiiro. They have a very interesting design. This company got funded by Kickstarter users. For this particular model, time is read by looking at the rotating translucent color disks. Read more after the break>>>

Along the same lines, it would be appropriate to mention the wildly successful Pebble E-Paper "smart" watch which connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and can relay information such as notifications and audio play controls back and forth. This design has raised a record-braking 4 million dollars in funding so far!

What do you think about both designs? Are you interested in purchasing either?

Thanks for reading!
If you would like to be notified every time I post, be sure to subscribe via Email or RSS.

Hugo

Do you believe in Karma? Karma is commonly elevated to a level of magical illusion given the outcome of an event as it correlates to past events. When an outcome is in question, every other parameter is quickly dismissed and the event is classified as good or bad Karma... Read more after the break>>>

Classification is a recurring pattern in nature which is governed by how our brains behave, this ultimately hinders innovation and out of the box thinking. Neurons naturally create shortcuts and classifications to conserve energy as we assimilate the world around. An example of this in the outside world are stereotypes or profiling individuals based on a few prominent factors (I digress). I would like to briefly explore what happens on a physical level when we do something good and how it relates to future events. This, I believe in, not magic or supernatural forces :)

We could easily demystify Karma by looking at what happens to us when we do something good. First off, we feel great about ourselves. This positive feeling sets us up to rationalize and find other positive opportunities which consequently lead to better "Karma." If we persist in a negative or normal level of perception, these opportunities could easily pass us by.

Secondly, by doing good deeds, we become a target for like minded, positive people. Getting noticed by others in a good light might influence them to go out of their way to help us . Again, good "Karma?" This is my opinion on Karma,  feel free to comment below with yours.

Thank you for reading!
Hugo

What better way to test a new camera than with real life anime characters? I recently received the Fujifilm X-Pro1 camera and have been very excited to test it out in the "field." Coincidentally, I ran into the Anime Boston 2012 event and was able to test the X-Pro1 with great subjects. Read more after the break>>>

I hope you've enjoyed the photos. The Fujifilm X-Pro1 is definitely a keeper. I replaced my Canon 7D with the Fuji and based on this single day of shooting, I have decided to hang on to it. The reason is not only that the the "upgrade" cost me zero dollars, but mainly because the camera is lighter, more compact, it looks much better and has a better sensor.

I do have to say that this rangefinder setup is quite different from anything I've used before. After a few shots, I was able to quickly adjust and by the end of the day it was almost second nature.

Coming from a previous 7D owner, a down side for me is the considerably slower AF speed. For the type of photography I will be doing, I don't see any immediate issues with this shortcoming.

Which is your favorite photograph? I would be very grateful for any suggestions you might have. Thank you for joining and I hope to see you back soon!
Hugo

PS: If you like what you see, feel free to subscribe via email to get notified each time I post something new! No spam, no sharing your email, I promise.  

Most of us start with the question: "why are we here?" Unfortunately, unless an advanced alien form shows up in our planet or God descends from the heavens to bring us death, we will never find an answer to that. Now that we know we simply happen to be here, a more fruitful way to cope with the existential dilemma would be to try to find purpose by answering a finite question: "I'm here, so what should I do to be happy?" Read more after the break>>>

For the good or not, the global society has imparted a few guidelines that enable us to operate under "organized" constraints. So it seems like there are two alternatives. Get a regular 9-5 job and coast, or become a nomad, commandeer our lives and thrive as an anomaly under these constraints. There are obviously pros to both, but unless we make an effort to discover ourselves we will float  aimlessly in the void of existence and then disappear as suddenly as we came.

The end state always comes down to living a life of happiness. For me, there are two high level parameters of which if I control, will result in happiness:

• Who you spend your time with
• What you spend your time doing
  

Control both and you will certainly be happy. After considering the two parameters, you will find many, many ways to overcome obstacles such as money and time. Some people unconsciously insert malicious parameters which only bring turmoil such as: "What we have." To understand and avoid these, we should dedicate time to knowing and analyzing ourselves. Which parameters would you add?

3.   Never Stop Looking: This ties in with the previous two points. You never               know what is out there, so even if you are contempt with where you are in           your life, "stay hungry, stay foolish" -Steve Jobs.

4.   Get Involved: Most universities have a wide array of groups and activities to       benefit from. Do not push this back to your upper class years and get involved       in as many things as you can immediately. Ultimately, try to become a leader in       one or many of these student groups. This has many positive side effects, but       is probably the only way you will get your money's worth.

5.   Network: This goes hand in hand with the previous point. I have found that           most opportunities don't come just from hard work, but also from personal or           professional connections. Who would you hire, somebody you know and trust,       or somebody who seems qualified on paper but know nothing about regarding           his attitude or personality? Even though it might seem unfair, hiring this way is       much more effective and tangibly cheaper for companies.  

6.   Realize that the World is a Playground: There is nothing you can't do.               Sooner or later you will realize that there is no such thing as scary people,           deep inside everybody is just a young boy or girl with similar needs and                   emotions. Everybody wants recognition, everybody is working towards the           same goal. Learn how to use this knowledge to your advantage and you will           succeed. 
      
7.   Surround Yourself With People You Admire: It is a popular belief that you           tend to become the average of the people you spend most time with. This is         repeatable and I see it everywhere I go. Naturally, the people you spend time       with will rub off on you so think twice about who you surround yourself with.
      
8.   Plan Your Days: Uncertainty is directly proportional to stress, planning                   reduces uncertainty therefore stress will also be reduced. If you plan things           out, you will have a rough idea of what is coming your way and your days will       be spent getting things done instead of wandering aimlessly.

9.   Focus: When getting things done, do not multitask, you will be happier and           you will never be as efficient as doing things one at a time. 

10.   Stop and Think: Given today's fast paced media and behavior, our brains are        getting wired to think shallowly and frequently jump from task to task (again,        multitasking). If we continue to live like this, our life will go by and one day            (hopefully) we will realize we have not explored our existence and have spent        all this time simply acting and doing on instinct rather than thinking. Read                books often, meditate and take it slowly.

11.   Don't Slack Off During High School Summer Break: College classes will most        likely hit you hard. If you are lucky enough to be in the summer break between        graduation and college freshman year, make sure you read books and stay            sharp.

Wow... I recently had the opportunity to participate in a corporate partnership event at the MIT Media Lab. The event was held to introduce areas of research, give a basic tour and to present what the institution has to offer to corporate members. Read more after the break>>>

This place and the people in it are absolutely incredible. I have been permanently changed and motivated by this single exposure to the intellectual lifestyle and hunger demonstrated by the faculty and students at the MIT Media Lab. Coupled with my recent epiphany, this experience has facilitated a meaningful change in my quotidian behavior. Although possibly artificial, I feel that most of my days are now spent in a heightened subjective state of awareness which has allowed me to better plan, ideate and focus. Again, I recognize this is possibly a temporary illusion, but it has been a week, and I feel very excited for what is to come. 

One of the most intellectually stimulating presentations was given by Prof. Cesar Hidalgo. He presented his research on international trade data and its relevance on the classification and prediction of growth in countries. I was able to follow up with Cesar and he generously invited me to one of his graduate courses at MIT. This experience was also absolutely mind blowing. If you are an aspiring MIT undergrad or graduate student, do not falter, the experience and network you will build is unarguably worth the effort.