"Space Cowboy" UConn Physics Professor Ronald Mallett makes theory of time travel a reality

Professor Ronald Mallett, a theoretical physicist at the University of Connecticut, has developed a working theory for traveling forward in time. Professor Mallett's life work was inspired by his wish to travel back in time to see his father, who died in 1955 of a heart attack at the age of 33. Read the "Boston Phoenix article here, and a link to Professor Mallett's site here (also check out his list of favorite time travel films).

Blog #8

In what ways does Mellencamp challenge the arguments regarding virtual technologies and immersive experiences put forth in Scott Bukatman’s “Zooming Out”? For Mellencamp, what happens to narrative in the digital age? In what ways is The Matrix a gaming rather than a traditional film viewing experience?

According to Baudrillard, what is the "hyperreal"?

Blog #7

Douglas Trumbull, "Slit Scan" effect for 2001: A Space Odyssey

According to Scott Bukatman ("Zooming Out: The End of Offscreen Space"), how did the development of new visual and immersive entertainments such as the kaleidoscope, panorama, large-scale landscapes, and diorama during the nineteenth century help acclimate the body to new urban environments and transportation technologies? What is the “end of off-screen space”? For Bukatman, what are the implications of new virtual technologies on embodied experience?

"Honda Develops a Robot Controlled By Human Thought" NYT April 1 2009

Although believed to be an April Fools' joke, it seems that Honda has developed a machine that can be controlled by human thought. Brain-Machine Interface allows brain patterns to be sent to robot Asimo, who then is able to enact movements that correspond to the human user's brain image. Well, check out the video and decide for yourself.

Click here for article and video.