Supercomputer Earth

The Future of Civilization

(& Africa's part in it)

December 4th 2008, Goethe-Zentrum Windhoek, NamibiaChristian Heller ( http://www.plomlompom.de )

The last 500,000 years

speech, language (500,000-50,000 years) graphical symbols, writing (35,000-5,000 years) abacus, library (5,000-2,500 years) printing (1,500-500 years) digital computing machines (350-150 years) real-time telecommunication (150 years) computer networks (40 years) world wide web (15 years)

“Internet map”Source: Wikimedia Commons / Matt Britt ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Matt_Britt )( http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Internet_map_1024.jpg )License: Creative Commons Attribution Generic 2.5( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ )

Evolution of the Web / Web 2.0

participation made easier, standardized− usability standards, friendly design− standards for data formats & interconnections

more ways and new scales of participation− anyone can publish, comment on, edit, rate, name,

tag, sort, link anything anywhere anytime wiring massive user input into intelligence

− “people who bought x also bought ...”− new intelligence methods as business models

Sections from“LOGO 2.0”

by Ludwig Gatzke( http://flickr.com/photos/stabilo-boss/ )

Licensed under Creative-Commons-BY-NC-SAhttp://flickr.com/photos/stabilo-boss/93136022/ http://flickr.com/photos/stabilo-boss/101793493/

Some techniques & examples

uploading media ....... YouTube.com, Flickr.com open source design ................ SourceForge.net wiki .............................................. Wikipedia.org feeds ................... Blogspot.com, Bloglines.com social networks .......................... Facebook.com social bookmarking & tagging ........... del.icio.us crowdsourcing ................................. MTurk.com anything ......................................... Google.com

Twitter.com

Growth of the global supercomputer

thinking brain matter− more humans, more intelligent brain matter− growing % flows into global intellectual enterprises

artificial information storage & computing− Moore's law− improving problem-solving algorithms

synthesis− wiring up growing intelligences of brain & machine− extend intelligence network to other matter

“nabaztag”Source: Flickr / David Haberthür ( http://habi.gna.ch/ )( http://www.flickr.com/photos/habi/288065866/ )License: Creative Commons Attribution Generic 2.0( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en )

Everything interfacing everything

new user interfaces− from keyboards to touchscreens− from joysticks to accelerometers− from mouses to direct neural interfaces

the internet of things− mobile devices− GPS (Global Positioning System)− RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)

“Reigh's Brain rlwat2b”Source: Flickr / Reigh LeBlanc ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/reighleblanc/ )( http://www.flickr.com/photos/reighleblanc/1372175973/ )License: Creative Commons Attribution Generic 2.0( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en )

Supercomputer Earth at work

physical production− open source 3D printing; RepRap.org− extend to future nano assemblers

energy− intelligently self-organizing energy grids− centralization vs. decentralization

biotechnology− crowdsourcing science; InnoCentive.com− Freeman Dyson: bio-engineering kits for every child

“'Paradigm Shifts for 15 Lists of Key Events”Source: Wikimedia Commons / Ray Kurzweil ( http://www.kurzweilai.net/ )

( http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:ParadigmShiftsFrr15Events.svg )License: Creative Commons Attribution 1.0 Generic( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/1.0/ )

Development models

Teilhard de Chardin− Noosphere, Omega Point

Ray Kurzweil− Accelerating Change

Vernor Vinge− Technological Singularity

Africa's part?

“leapfrogging”

jumping directly into newest technology− by-passing older forms− avoiding certain intermediary problems− avoiding the burden of old infrastructure

examples & opportunities for Africa− internet adress space: IPv6− decentralized, alternative energy− wireless telecommunication

“'SMS till you drop' -- mobile phone ad on van in Kampala, Uganda”Source: Flickr / FutureAtlas.com ( http://futureatlas.com/blog/ )( http://www.flickr.com/photos/87913776@N00/305425495/ )License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en )

Mobile telecommunication in Africa

explosive growth original, unexpected uses

examples for use− collective use of devices & pre-paid credits− information & help services via SMS− micro finance / banking via SMS

Africa's Supercomputer support

acceleration through leapfrogging technological ideas through special situations unexpected contacts crowdsourcing potential? solar energy?

Links

Wikipedia.org on “Web 2.0”, “Technological Singularity” and just about anything else

InternetWorldStats.com “The Impact of Mobile Phones in Africa”

− http://commissionforafrica.org/english/report/background/scott_et_al_background.pdf

JanChipchase.com Ubuntu.com