Bob's WebBrain: AI neuro psych
The RX Project: Robotic Discovery
Computer Science, Robotics, AI
Biosphere Protection: Global Consciousness
Be Saved by Bob!!! (And Other Balms )
Optimal Nutrition:
Are Fats Killers
or Saviors?
Beating Jeopardy! What is Watson?
AI Overlord or Tool?
Consciousness Video: Who, What, When?
Near Death Experiences: In the Desert With Pim Van Lommel
Is the UNIVERSE Fine-Tuned for Life?
KEPLER Seeks Earth-like Worlds
SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
STEVE PINKER in the Amazon: photos
Singularity Summit 2010 San Francisco: Lecture Notes
CONSCIOUSNESS as Global Resonance
Kevin Kelly's Global SuperOrganism
Coronary Artery CT Scan: A Life Saver
Total Recall: Everything, Always
Turing Test? Yes? Try ELBOT!!!
Scientists & Evangelicals Unite
Thomas Berry, Geologian: Obituary
Calorie Restriction Works in Monkeys!
Best Internet Website: TED ROCKS!!!
With Ray Kurzweil at the SETI Institute. The plaque displays the Drake equation,
estimating
the number of intelligent civilizations in the Milky Way. The day-glo shirt is just one of
my
bike shirts, not a Starship Enterprise uniform. Ray was a classmate of mine at the 'Tute (MIT).
And here is Frank Drake of Drake equation fame with Ray at SETI. Note that Cro Magnons
died at age 18, Renaissance humans in their thirties, and modern folk at age 78.
Jill Tarter (whom Jodie Foster portrayed in Contact) was seated next to me.
Ray was discussing the Fermi Paradox. "If there are so many ET's, where are they?"
Jill's answer to Ray spun heads. "Perhaps their technology is hidden in the dark matter of the Universe!"
During a week long back-packing trip to the Sierras.
With Steve Pinker on CFI's 2008 trip to the Amazon. A professor in Harvard's
Psych Dept.,
Steve is a "rockstar" cognitive psychologist and linguistics expert,
whose books regularly top the New York Times best sellers lists.
With Natasha Vita-More at Convergence 2008. Natasha is the former President
of the Extropy Institute, and an advocate of transhumanism with her husband, philosopher Max More.
(That open chest look (on me not on Natasha) reflects my large collection of bike shirts.
I almost always travel by bike.)
In January 2012 Professor Mike Gazzaniga gave a presentation at Kepler's in Menlo Park,
which I introduced. His new book is called Who's in Charge? Free Will and the Science of the Brain.
Our sense of free willl is made possible because 1) the brain is incredibly complex and probabilistic
and 2) like an iceberg, most of its operation is hidden from view. Professor Gazzaniga is editor-in-chief
of the magnificent volume The Cognitive Neurosciences. In addition to being an essential
reference (1312 pages), at seven pounds, it's also useful for weight training! In this wonderful clip
Prof. Gazzaniga explains left vs right-brain to Alan Alda (of MASH fame). Prof. G. did the original research.
With Pim Van Lommel and Dave Chalmers at the 2010 Consciousness Conf. in Tucson, AZ.
Pim is a renowned cardiologist whose 2001 Lancet paper on Near Death Experiences made
worldwide headlines. Dave, a prof. of philosophy at the Australian National Univ., is famous
for defining the "easy vs the hard" problem of consciousness. The "easy" problem is "simply"
discovering the neural correlates of consciousness. The hard problem is understanding
precisely how and why brain stuff gives rise to a subjective universe in each of us.
With Cynthia Breazeal and Thad Starner at the Singularity Summit 2008.
Cynthia is a professor at the MIT Media Lab where she directs the Personal Robotics Group.
The highly expressive robot Kismet is one of her famous mind-children.
Thad is a professor and director of Georgia Tech’s Contextual Computing Group.
He is best known as one of the original Cyborgs. As co-founder of MIT’s Wearable
Computing Group, he has used wearable computers daily for fifteen years. Here you see
a heads-up display mounted on his left lens and a twiddler keyboard below.
One of the great joys of my life is ballroom dancing. As one of my good friends puts it,
it’s “no-fault flirting + cardio.” Candy is one of my lovely dance partners.)
The dance gang on a recent ride to Tiburon.
At Peers (vintage dancing), in formal attire. You rrrroook maahvelous, my dahlings!
Prof. Paul Davies, renowned physicist and cosmologist, on a recent book tour promoting
The Eerie Silence: Renewing Our Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.
The Eerie Silence
refers to the Fermi Paradox. Paul's speculations about possible
origins of our Universe also figured prominently in my essay on the Fine-Tuned Universe.
I introduced the event by making an impassioned plea to the audience to support independent
bookstores and Earth Day. Longevity of civilizations (ours and theirs) is the key to finding ET.
With Michael Merzenich at the Bay Area Future Salon. Mike is a Professor Emeritus
of neuroscience at UCSF, my alma mater. His presentations on neural plasticity
are frequently televised nationally on pledge drives for PBS. His message: use it or lose it!
You CAN teach an old dog new tricks!
Dancing with a mystery woman at Halloween.
Ah, the joys of ballroom dancing.
With my salsa teacher, Pantea. See her lovely dancing at Alberto's, Mountain View, Calif.
Number one daughter, Aly, in Bali in 2010. Wow!
Number one son, Sean, bouldering in Tuolumne Meadows.
Sean on the Ediza-Iceberg Lakes trail in 2007 - Clyde Minaret in the background.
Up the hill from Minaret Lake, before the 4th class section leading to Iceberg Lake, 2007.
Above Merced Lake in 2006.
Top-roping in Tuolumne Meadows in 2007.
Hannah owns the Alpenrose Inn at South Lake Tahoe. Sean and I stay there when we ski at Heavenly.
A newly minted cell biologist with his fellow grads
Answers the question, "what's better for your academics than one Asian roommate?"
Ten years ago
After my two week Sierra backpacking trip in 2009. Personally, I like the rugged look.
Most of my dance partners voted "no," so I got rid of it (until hiking season in 2010).
With Jenn on the Angels Landing Trail in Zion National Park in 2010
Christmas 2010
With Kasia in Zion National Park in 2011
On Angels Landing in 2011
Kasia on the Observation Point Trail, 2011
Kasia at the Observation Point Lookout
Zion Canyon carved by the Virgin River below
In Bryce Canyon, 2011
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