Tomorrow’s classroom – with AI, BCI and more!

Mar 28, 2024 | Arts, Culture, and Entertainment Signals

Beverly French, Arts, Culture and Entertainment Signals Team

With all the talk lately about AI trends, here is a thoughtful discussion on AI usage in education sixteen years from now.  Daniel Bron discusses the applications of AI (Artificial Intelligence), Web3 Technologies (the next generation), IoT (Internet of Things), BCI (Brain-Computer Interfaces), and ITS (Intelligent Tutoring Systems). “Imagine a classroom,” he says, “where the physical environment adapts to the needs of the lesson, lights adjust based on time of day, air quality is continuously monitored and improved, and interactive displays come to life when a student approaches”… then pile on equity, geography and regulation!  This article opens a window into the complexities we face.

A Hip Hop Department at Duke University?

Mar 28, 2024 | Arts, Culture, and Entertainment Signals

Beverly French, Arts, Culture and Entertainment Signals Team

Imagine a university music department offering, under one roof, transformative artistic encounters musical practices that include beatboxing, beat-making, Djing, dance, fashion, poetry, theater, and visual arts. Mark Katz, Professor of Music at UNC-Chapel Hill, challenges higher education in his article called 2040 Vision:  What will Arts Education Look Like in the Triangle 20 Years From Now?  He suggests we might find “The 9th Wonder Department of Hip Hop” at Duke University.  Professor Katz is proposing a fundamental change in the way universities teach music and the arts in general. Learn about Duke University.

 

Gas stations in space? Apparently so.

Mar 28, 2024 | Upward Mobility Signals

Judy Nagel, Upward Mobility Signals Team

Fifteen thousand satellites have been sent to space since 1957, and only half are still working. Others are floating uselessly or have burned up. Orbit Fab is now building gas stations in space, providing hydrazine, the most common fuel for satellites.  Read more on satellites.

What powers Google data centers?

Feb 20, 2024 | Signals to Watch

Judy Nagel, Upward Mobility Signals Team

Google has initiated a first-of-its-kind approach to powering its data centers –
geothermal energy! With the goal of accelerating a clean energy transition on a
planetary scale, Google has pioneered a horizontal drilling method. It uses new
techniques to harness the consistent heat from within the Earth’s crust and generate
electricity without burning fossil fuels or releasing carbon into the atmosphere. More on energy.

A State Corrections System for 2033

Jan 30, 2024 | Upward Mobility Signals

Jim Golembeski, Upward Mobility Signals Team

Historically, prison conditions in America are not a pretty picture. Wisconsin continues to spend an enormous amount of taxpayer dollars on a system that is inhumane and a vicious cycle for those caught up in it. The current situation at the Green Bay and Waupun prisons has been gaining a lot of media attention. So I ask, what is the single biggest reason that people are sentenced to prison in Wisconsin? Read more about our State Corrections System