Fascinating research projects presented at Microsoft’s TechFest 2010

When brains at Microsoft Research Labs are at work, we can  definitely expect some path breaking techno developments. Techfest 2010 at Redmond witnessed many such demos on various projects. Lets have a look at some of them:

1. The Translating phone and The Transcriptor: Transcriptor generates a live transcript of the coversation we have over a call on a PC based communicator. The scripts are merged in email as well for searching.

The Translator is a wonderful concept that takes away the about the difference of language we might have over an important client call or anything like that. The translator translates the speech of the person on the other side of the phone to the language you want at real time. This 2-way translator also generates a live translated transcript. Find out more about the project @ http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/transcriptor/default.aspx

2. Project Gustav: Project Gustav is a creative endeavor of Microsoft to make digital painting a perfect realistic experience. It is a realistic painting system prototype that simulates natural, real-world painting environment.

For a better knowhow of the project visit the official page on Project Gustav.

3. Skinput: Skinput is a technology that favors the skin of our body to be used as an input device. Various signals like location of finger taps are collected by sensors worn as armbands. To know more about the Skinput check out http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/gustav/default.aspx

4. Mobile Surface: It aims at making any surface around you as a touch interface surface by linking together a mobile device, camera and a projector. It allows you to project an image on any surface and interact with it even without touching the image.

Click on http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/mobilesurface/default.aspx for more information.

An altogether new world of technologies. Exciting!! Isn’t it?? Lets wait and watch how these project finally turn out. Till then keep reading and commenting.

50 Interesting Facts

1. Look at your zipper. See the initials YKK? It stands for Yoshida Kogyo Kabushibibaisha, the world’s largest zipper manufacturer.

2. A raisin dropped in a glass of freshchampagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top.

3. A duck’s quack doesn’t echo. No one knows why.

4. 40 percent of McDonald’s profits come from the sales of Happy Meals.

5. 315 entries in Webster’s 1996 Dictionary were misspelled.

6. On the average, 12 newborns will be given to the wrong parents daily.

7. Chocolate kills dogs! True, chocolate affects a dog’s heart and nervous system. A few ounces is enough to kill a small sized dog.

8. Most lipstick contains fish scales.

9. Ketchup was sold in the 1830’s as a medicine.

10. Leonardo da Vinci could write with one hand and draw with the other at the same time.

11. Because metal was scarce, the Oscars given out during World War II were made of wood.

12. There are no clocks in Las Vegas g@mbling casin0s.

13. Leonardo da Vinci invented scissors. Also, it took him 10 years to paint Mona Lisa’s lips.

14. Bruce Lee was so fast that they actually had to slow a film down so you could see his moves. That’s the opposite of the norm.

15. The original name for the butterfly was “flutterby”!

16. By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you can’t sink in quicksand.

17. Mosquito repellents don’t repel. They hide you. The spray blocks the mosquito’s sensors so they don’t know you’re there.

18. Dentists recommend that a toothbrush be kept at least six feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush.

19. The first product to have a bar code was Wrigley’s gum.

20. The first owner of the Marlboro Company died of lung cancer.

21. Michael Jordan makes more money from Nike annually than the entire Nike factory workers in Malaysia combined.

22. Marilyn Monroe had six toes on one foot.

23. Adolf Hitler’s mother seriously considered having an abortion but was talked out of it by her doctor.

24. The three most valuable brand names on earth: Marlboro, Coca-Cola, and Budweiser, in that order.

25. “Stewardesses” is the longest word that can be typed with only the left hand.

26. To escape the grip of a crocodile’s jaws, prick your fingers into its eyeballs. It will let you go instantly.

27. A mathematical wonder: 111,111,111 multiplied by 111,111,111 gives the result 12, 345, 678, 987, 654, 321.

28. The most common name in the world is Mohammed.

29. The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.

30. The “pound” (#) key on your keyboard is called an octothorp.

31. The only domestic animal not mentioned in the Bible is the cat.

32. Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.

33. The average person’s left hand does 56% of the typing.

34. “Dreamt” is the only word in the English language that ends in “mt”.

35. It’s impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.

36. In Chinese, the KFC slogan “finger lickin’ good” comes out as “eat your fingers off”.

37. A cockroach can live for 10 days without a head.

39. We shed 40 pounds of skin a lifetime.

40. Yo-Yos were once used as weapons in the Philippines.

41. Coca-Cola can be used as car oil.

42. Mexico City sinks abut 10 inches a year.

43. Brains are more active sleeping than watching TV.

44. Blue is the favorite color of 80 percent of Americans.

45. When a person shakes their head from side to side, he is saying “yes” in Sri Lanka.

46. There are more chickens than people in the world.

47. It’s against the law in Iceland to have a dog.

48. The thumbnail grows the slowest, and the middle nail grows the fastest.

49. The only word in the English Language with all vowels in reverse order is “s ub c ont in ent al”.

50. There are more telephones than people in Washington, D.C.

Do you have such interesting Facts to share, here is the place ! Add on……….

Celebrate Reading…..

A turtle family decided to go on a picnic. Turtles, being naturallyslow about things, took seven years to prepare for their outing. Finally the turtle family left home looking for a suitable place for their outing. During the second year of their journey they found a place ideal for them at last! For about six months they cleaned up the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements.
Then they discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed. After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home.
He agreed to go on one condition: That no one would eat until he returned The family consented and the little turtle left. Three years passed and the little turtle had not returned. Five years….six years… then on the seventh year of his absence, the oldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and begun to unwrap a sandwich.
At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, “SEE I knew you wouldn’t wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt.”

“Some of us waste our time waiting for people to live up to our expectations to finally realize that it is better to have done it ourselves than to have waited for someone to complete.”

1.  If all the nations in the world are in debt (I am not joking. even US has got debts), where did all the money go? (weird)

2.  When dog food is new and improved tasting, who tastes it? (to be given a thought)

3.  What is the speed of darkness? (absurd)

4.  If the “black box” flight recorder is never damaged during a plane crash, why isn’t the whole airplane made out of that stuff? (very good thinking)

5.  Who copyrighted the copyright symbol? (who knows)

6.  Can you cry under water? (let me try)

7.  Why do people say, “you’ve been working like a dog” when dogs just sit around all day? (I think they meant somethingelse)

8.  Why are the numbers on a calculator and a phone reversed? (God knows)

9.  Do fish ever get thirsty? (Can you ask and tell)

10.  Can you get cornered in a round room? (by ones eyes)

12.  Why do birds not fall out of trees when they sleep? (tonight I will stay and watch)

13.  What came first, the fruit or the color orange? (seed)

14.  If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from? (No comments)

15.  What should one call a male ladybird? (No comments)

16.  If a person suffered from amnesia and then was cured would they remember that they forgot? (can somebody help )

17.  Can you blow a balloon up under water? (yes you can)

18.  Why is it called a “building” when it is already built? (strange isnt it)

19.  If you were traveling at the speed of sound and you turned on your radio would you be able to hear it? (got to think scientifically)

20.  If you’re traveling at the speed of light and you turn your headlights on, what happens? (I dont have a chance to try)

21.  Why is it called a TV set when theres only one? (very nice)

22.  If a person owns a piece of land do they own it all the way down to the core of the earth? (this is nice)

23.  Why do most cars have speedometers that go up to at least 130 when you legally can’t go that fast on any road? (stupid, break the law)

Base of Relationship

TRUST

This is a very important factor for all relationships. When trust is broken, it is the end of the relationship. Lack of trust leads to  suspicion, suspicion generates anger, anger causes enmity and enmity  may result in separation.
A telephone operator told me that one day she received a phone call.  She answered, “Public Utilities Board.” There was silence. She  repeated, “PUB.” There was still no answer. When she was going to  cut off the line, she Heard a lady’s voice, “Oh, so this is PUB. Sorry, I got the number from my Husband’s pocket but I do not know whose Number it is.”
Without mutual trust, just imagine what will happen to the couple if the telephone operator answered with just “hello” instead of “PUB”.

NO POINTING FINGERS

A man asked his father-in-law, “Many people praised you for a successful marriage. Could you please share with me your secret?”

The father-in-law answered in a smile, “Never criticize your wife for her shortcomings or when she does something wrong. Always bear in mind that because of her shortcomings and weaknesses, she could not find a better husband than You.”
We all look forward to being loved and respected. Many people are afraid of losing face. Generally, when a person makes a mistake, he would look around to find a scapegoat to point the finger at. This is the start of a war. We should always remember that when we point one finger at a person, the other four fingers are pointing at ourselves.
If we forgive the others, others will ignore our mistake too.

CREATING PERFECT RELATIONSHIPS ?

A person visited the government matchmaker for marriage, SDU, and requested “I am looking for a spouse. Please help me to find a suitable one.” The SDU officer said, “Your requirements, please.” “Oh, good looking, polite, humorous , sporty, knowledgeable, good in singing and dancing. Willing to accompany me the whole day at home during my
Leisure hour, if I don’t go out. Telling me interesting stories when I need companion for conversation and be silent when I want to rest.” The officer listened carefully and replied, “I understand you need television.”

There is a saying that a perfect match can only be found between a blind wife and a deaf husband , because the blind wife cannot see the faults of the husband and the deaf husband cannot hear the nagging of the wife. Many couples are blind and deaf at the courting stage and dream of perpetual perfect relationship. Unfortunately, when the excitement of love wears off, they wake up and discover that marriage is not a bed of roses. The nightmare begins.

NO OVERPOWERING

Many relationships fail because one party tries to overpower another,or demands too much. People in love tend to think that love will conquer all and their spouses will change the bad habits after marriage. Actually, this is not the case. There is a Chinese saying which carries the meaning that “It is easier to reshape a mountain or a river than a person’s character.”
It is not easy to change. Thus, having high expectation on changing the spouse character will cause disappointment and unpleasantness.
It would be less painful to change ourselves and lower our expectations.

RIGHT SPEECH

There is a Chinese saying which carries the meaning that “A speech will either prosper or ruin a nation.” Many relationships break off because of wrong speech. When a couple is too close with each other,we always forget mutual respect and courtesy. We may say anything without considering if it would hurt the other party.
A friend and her millionaire husband visited their construction site. A worker who wore a helmet saw her and shouted,”Hi, Emily! Remember me? We used to date in the secondary school.” On the way home, her millionaire husband teased her, “Luckily you married me.Otherwise you will be the wife of a construction worker.” She answered ,”You should appreciate that you married me. Otherwise, he will be the millionaire and not you.”
Frequently exchanging these remarks plants the seed for a bad relationship. It’s like a broken egg – cannot be reversed.

PERSONAL PERCEPTION

Different people have different perception. One man’s meat could be another man’s poison. A couple bought a donkey from the market. On the way home,a boy commented, “Very stupid. Why neither of them ride on the donkey?”Upon hearing that, the husband let the wife ride on the donkey. He walked besides them. Later, an old man saw it and commented, “The husband is the head of family. How can the wife ride on the donkey while the husband is on foot?” Hearing this, the wife quickly got down and let the husband ride on the donkey.
Further on the way home, they met an old Lady. She commented, “How can the man ride on the donkey but let the wife walk. He is no gentleman.”

The husband thus quickly asked the wife to join him on the donkey. Then, they met a young man. He commented, “Poor donkey, how can you hold up the weight of two persons. They are cruel to you.” Hearing that, the husband and wife immediately climbed down from the donkey and carried it on their shoulders.
It seems to be the only choice left. Later, on a narrow bridge, the donkey was frightened and struggled. They lost their balance and fell into the river. You can never have everyone praise you, nor will everyone condemn you. Never in the past, not at present, and never will be in the future.
Thus, do not be too bothered by others words if our conscience is clear.

BE PATIENT

This is a true story which happened in the States. A man came out of his home to admire his new truck. To his puzzlement, his three-year-old son was happily hammering dents into the shiny paint of the truck. The man ran to his son, knocked him away, hammered the little boy’s hands into pulp as punishment. When the father calmed down, he rushed his son to the hospital.

Although the doctor tried desperately to save the crushed bones, he finally had to amputate the fingers from both the boy’s hands. When the boy woke up from the surgery & saw his bandaged stubs, he innocently said, ” Daddy,I’m sorry about your truck.” Then he asked, “but when are my fingers going to grow back?” The father went home & committed suicide.
Think about this story the next time someone steps on your feet or u wish to take revenge. Think first before u lose your patience with someone u love. Trucks can be repaired.. Broken bones & hurt feelings often can’t. Too often we fail to recognize the difference between the person and the performance. We forget that forgiveness is greater than revenge.

People make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes. But the actions we take while in a rage will haunt us forever.

Chanakya’s Quotes :

 “A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and honest people are screwed first.”

  “Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous.”

  “The biggest guru-mantra is: Never share your secrets with anybody. ! It will destroy you.”

  “There is some self-interest behind every friendship.There is no Friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth.”

 “Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions – Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead.”

 “As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it.”

 “Once you start a working on something, don’t be afraid of failure and don’t abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest.”

“The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind. But the goodness of a person spreads in all direction.”

“Whores don’t live in company of poor men, citizens never support a weak company and birds don’t build nests on a tree that doesn’t bear fruits.”

 “God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god.The soul is your temple.”

“A man is great by deeds, not by birth.”

 “Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status. Such friendships will never give you any happiness.”

 “Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend. Your grown up children are your best friends.”

 “Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person.”

 “Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth.”

Nomophobia the new Mania !

Is the network coverage not there or is it that the mobile is out of charge? This is the panic that keeps gripping each individual in this tech savvy 21^st century. Earlier, the stress was to get a job, to get married or to reach one’s workplace in time or even anxiety of a broken home. But in this cutting edge technology driven frantic pace of life, have redefined stress and anxiety. Today, it is most closely associated with the fear of being out of contact. This affliction has been given a new name and is known as nomophobia as millions of people suffer from no mobile phobia and hence the term is coined.

People today are wedded with the mobile phone and the reason that they give is to be in touch with their family and friends constantly. Losing mobile contact with children, parents, colleagues and even customers can be worrying and stressful experience for many.  But is it only this or there is some emotional stress behind the veil of being in touch constantly. There are people who do not switch off their mobile phones.. The question is why? Experts believe that if the mobile phone stops working, the mobile addicts feel restless and they feel insecure, as if they are being cut off from this rat race and being panicky is a 24/7 culture for these kinds of people.

But if you are one and are stressful if your mobile is out of charge or credit, then you are not alone. The mania is catching up and to avoid nomophobia keep your mobile credits topped up and ensure that you carry your charger wherever you go such that it does not run out of battery. You can also carry a pre-paid phonecard to make emergency calls if your mobile is lost, stolen or broken. Additionally, keep the contact numbers of your immediate family members in record, as your handset might get lost or stolen.

Above all, try keeping your mobile phone switched off for some time so that you can liberate yourself from the shackles of nomophobia.