Tag Archives: future

Synthesizer Spotlight- The Synergy

The Somewhat DX7 Like Alternative

The Digital Keyboards Inc Synergy II+  is a digital additive/FM synthesizer that sounds like no other. Somewhat similar to the extremely popular Japanese Yamaha DX7, its tone is mellower and warmer. The Synergy appealed to many performers and composers in that it was, like the Synclavier (one of Michael Jackson’s famous early synthesizers) , made in USA.

It’s estimated that only 700-800 Synergy keyboards were made and that less than 100 are in operation today.

Due to it’s rarity and lack of many working examples, it is not easy to garner modern day opinions and user experiences and so it makes sense to paste some stuff from wiki:

“Analog synths of the same era (the late 1970s and early 1980s when the Z-80 computer chip ruled the electronic world) were subject to environmental changes in the input controls that meant every performance, even after a short delay, would be different. The tuning capacitors would drift due to performance venue temperature changes or recording studio humidity and temperature changes making it very difficult to stay in tune with other instruments and especially other electronic instruments.

One way around this was to spend huge sums of money on the latest high end digital synthesizers that held their tunings digitally. Famous electronic artist Wendy Carlos (her originally soundtrack for The Shining remains unused to this day and I have yet to hear it. If you have a link please share in the comments below) owned a Crumar General Development System, or GDS, that was released in 1980 and sold at that time for $30,000USD / $41,544 CAD or $114,300 USD / $158,271 CAD in today’s prices after adjusting for inflation . “

The GDS was used famously on the Tron soundtrack.[9] She was also one of the instrument’s most devoted users, and still uses it to this day.

Digital Keyboards Synergy

The GDS Leads to the Synergy

With microchip prices falling including the Z-80 and with further work on the same basic concept of the GDS (additive synthesis, a system microcomputer, programmable sound generators, and a number of different input devices) the lower-cost Synergy was released in 1981.[10]  More affordable and more powerful computer chips meant that The Synergy was able to remove earlier expensive design parameters that would have required a separate stand alone computer component, and re-packaged the entire system into a case with a 77-key keyboard.

Due to it’s high price, the GDS did not sell well, allowing the Synergy to find some market share. However, when the famous Yamaha DX7 was released in 1983, it quickly took over the market. The DX7’s FM synthesis offered the same basic control over output sound as an additive synth, but could duplicate the effects of many ganged oscillators in as few as two.[11] Its $2,000 usd/ or around $7,000 usd in today’s money when adjusted for inflation. This price point eliminated any competition from the additive synths and production of the Synergy ended in 1985.

Mulogix Slave 32

A final version of the original Synergy machine was produced after Digital Keyboards was shut down in early 1985. More on this below. Digital Keyboards’ chief designer, Mercer “Stoney” Stockell, decamped and formed Mulogix with Jim Wright and Jerry Ptascynski. The Mulogix Slave 32 was a Synergy re-packaged into a 2U rack-mount module with a MIDI interface. The Slave 32 could read and write EPROM cartridges from the Synergy.[12]

Final Version

Later models of the Synergy, known as the Synergy II+, feature MIDI implementation, 24 user voice RAM, and an RS-232 computer port. This allowed support for Kaypro II portable computer systems running Synergy voicing software to open up the possibility to finally edit the sounds of the Synergy as well as to save patch and sequence data on to floppy disk. (via vintagesynth.com)

If you are searching for one of the most desirable synthesizers ever, fear not, because our friends at ToneTweakers just fully serviced a unit and it’s working great and its a desirable II+ model. Check out the video below  to hear the preset sounds. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

Canada’s Changing Climate: What Key Cities Could Look Like With ‘Dune-Ification’

How Climate Change Could Transform Cities into a Dune-Like Landscape

Dune’s cinematic and literary success reflects our fascination with desert landscapes. But the vast deserts of Arrakis, the movie’s fictional planet, hold a deeper meaning. They serve as a cautionary tale for our own planet threatened by desertification.

A new study by our friends at Top10Casinos.ca reveals how Canadian and other global cities threatened by climate change would look in the Dune Universe as TikTok searches around Dune: Part Two and climate change spike 7,700% in just 30 days.

Dune: Part Two, is already reaching massive box office milestones surpassing $150 million usd/ $204 million cad, and TikTok searches for the ‘new dune movie’ have soared 4,606% in just 30 days. In the past month, searches around the movie’s desert-like filming locations have increased 141%, while queries related to ‘climate crisis 2024’ have spiked 3,100% in the social media platform.

Known for its amazing cinematography and striking desert visuals, Dune’s landscape is something that makes it instantly recognisable. But the movie’s vast deserts are more than just a stunning backdrop. They serve as a stark warning of a potential future for our own world impacted by climate change.

Do Canada’s iconic outdoor skating rinks face a frosty future? While bundling up for harsh winters is a national pastime, a worrying trend is emerging. Since 1950, winter temperatures have soared by over 3°C, outpacing global warming by a factor of three.

Toronto, Ontario

Toronto, once known for its predictable seasons, is grappling with the impacts of climate change. The city is experiencing a rise in average temperatures, leading to more frequent and intense heat waves that strain infrastructure and threaten public health. Winters are becoming shorter and less severe, with unpredictable precipitation patterns bringing both heavier downpours that overwhelm storm drains and periods of drought that stress green spaces and water resources.toronto desertified

Vancouver. British Columbia

Like many coastal, seaport cities, Vancouver is feeling the brunt of climate change. Rising temperatures are a key concern, with projections for hotter, drier summers and wetter winters. Sea levels are also on the rise, threatening coastal areas with flooding. The City of Vancouver itself is planning for up to a 1.4 meter rise by 2100, which would inundate parts of the city during major storms.vancouver desertified

Montreal, Quebec

Montreal’s climate is expected to experience significant changes due to climate change. Average temperatures are projected to rise by 1.5-2.3°C by mid-century, leading to more frequent and intense heat waves. This can strain infrastructure, harm public health, and disrupt outdoor activities. The city is also likely to see increased precipitation extremes, with heavier rainfall events and the potential for more flooding.montreal desertifiedmontreal desertified

Niagara Falls, Ontario

Studies suggest Lakes Erie and Ontario, feeding the Niagara River, could see water levels drop a meter by 2050 due to increased evaporation and less snowfall. This decline could impact the Falls’ power and beauty. Additionally, more extreme weather events like flooding could damage surrounding areas. While milder winters might extend tourism, climate change poses significant ecological and aesthetic challenges.niagara desertified

Methodology

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Seven Steps For Countries To Regulate Generative AI In Education

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools have far-reaching implications for education and research. 

Yet the education sector today is largely unprepared for the ethical and pedagogical integration of these powerful and rapidly evolving technologies.

A recent UNESCO global survey of over 450 schools and universities showed that less than 10% of them had policies or formal guidance on the use of GenAI applications, largely due to the absence of national regulations. And only seven countries have reported that they had developed or were developing training programmes on AI for teachers.

That is why UNESCO has developed and released the first-ever global Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research to support countries amidst the rapid emergence of GenAI technologies.

The new guidance, recently launched during UNESCO’s flagship event Digital Learning Week in Paris, calls on countries to implement appropriate regulations, policies, and human capacity development, for ensuring a human-centred vision of GenAI for education and research. 

What the guidance is proposing

The guidance presents an assessment of potential risks GenAI could pose to core humanistic values. It offers concrete recommendations for policy-makers and institutions on how the uses of these tools can be designed to protect human agency and genuinely benefit students, teachers and researchers.

The guidance proposes seven key steps for governmental agencies to regulate the use of GenAI in education:

Step 1: Endorse international or regional General Data Protection Regulations or develop national ones. The training of GenAI models has involved collecting and processing online data from citizens across many countries. The use of data and content without consent is further challenging the issue of data protection.

Step 2: Adopt/revise and fund national strategies on AI. Regulating generative AI must be part and parcel of broader national AI strategies that can ensure safe and equitable use of AI across development sectors, including in education.

Step 3: Solidify and implement specific regulations on the ethics of AI. In order to address the ethical dimensions posed by the use of AI, specific regulations are required.

Step 4: Adjust or enforce existing copyright laws to regulate AI-generated content: The increasingly pervasive use of GenAI has introduced new challenges for copyright, both concerning the copyrighted content or work that models are trained on, as well as the status of the ‘non-human’ knowledge outputs they produce.

Step 5: Elaborate regulatory frameworks on generative AI: The rapid pace of development of AI technologies is forcing national and local governance agencies to speed up their renewal of regulations.

Step 6: Build capacity for proper use of GenAI in education and research: Schools and other educational institutions need to develop capacities to understand the potential benefits and risks of GenAI tools.

Step 7: Reflect on the long-term implications of GenAI for education and research: The impact and the implications of GenAI for knowledge creation, transmission and validation – for teaching and learning, for curriculum design and assessment, and for research and copyright.

A human-centered vision for digital learning and AI

The guidance is anchored in a humanistic approach to education that promotes human agency, inclusion, equity, gender equality, cultural and linguistic diversity, as well as plural opinions and expressions. In line with UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and the Beijing Consensus on Artificial Intelligence in Education, it also responds to the flagship report, Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education which calls to redefine the relationship between humans and technology.

UNESCO is committed to steering technology in education, guided by the principles of inclusion, equity, quality and accessibility. The latest Global Education Monitoring Report on technology in education highlighted the lack of appropriate governance and regulation. UNESCO is urging countries to set their own terms for the way technology is designed and used in education so that it never replaces in-person, teacher-led instruction, and supports the shared objective of quality education for all.

Synth Britannia Shows The Future Was In Fact Delivered

Come on, you have to admit. It’s a lot of fun to stumble around YouTube with that old pre-internet habit of television channel surfing surprising you with random discoveries.

When I do, I particularly enjoy reading comments left by others who have somehow found their way to whatever it is I happen to be watching. This comforts me because I know that this method of purposeful and accidental consumption of media is not exclusive to me [many comments start with: “Not sure how I ended up at this video but….” or ” __________led me here.”]  but perhaps I’m alone in the belief that spontaneous discoveries help connect me better to the production. I think what I’m talking about is called “verisimilitude” and no doubt as I type this out there’s someone trying to figure out how they’ve discovered the same excellent BBC synth documentary that I discovered by chance: Synth Britannia.

Donna Summer's synth programmer in 1977 brought the sounds of the future to disco with I Feel Love
Donna Summer’s synth programmer in 1977 brought the sounds of the future to disco with I Feel Love

A few years ago, I was enjoying reading a guest editorial in Wired by comedy bull Will Ferrell. )

Not one to beat around the bush, Will wanted to know what had happened to the future?  Specifically the future suggested if not promised in comic book ads to the then pre-adolescent Will Ferrell. He asked, where were the Jet packs, autopilot-flying cars and robot butlers? It occurred to me that if Will was an electronic musician he would have come to the same conclusion that the producers of Synth Britannia did while they drew up the plans to make their excellent documentary: The future did come, it just wasn’t so literal.

1970's Northern Britain looking like a scene from Blade Runner, one of the birthplaces of future synth music.
1970’s Northern Britain looking like a scene from Blade Runner, one of the birthplaces of future synth music.

To compound matters this future somehow passed by all of us, unless perhaps you were a student of history or an existentialistic, free-radical electronic acolyte or computer programmer back in the golden age of dystopia vision. I call this era the ‘other’ 1970’s.
I have added the qualifier: ‘other’ 1970’s, because today’s media mistakenly focuses on reinforcing the bell-bottom, disco driven qualities of the 1970’s but there was a much more robust, artistic movement running against the grain in the same way that meaningful art has always done. This movement bridged fashion, art, cinema, sound design and of course music and if you want to learn more while being thoroughly engaged, then spend some time paying attention while you watch Synth Britannia.

You might even find yourself considering an impulse purchase of a mini Korg 700S. I know I did.

Supplemental- While I polished this article, one thing became apparent. New music or to be specific, those new artists that are being profiled on national television as new music agents are all lacking the one thing that characterizes the heroes of this column. Simply put, today’s music heroes are not a unity of ideas and expression. They are not bands. They are performers representing wish fulfillment with no sense of genuine attitude or social commentary and perhaps even worse, no sense of daring inventiveness. So far, most (but not all-there are exceptions) of today’s star performers are ‘safe’, predictable and lacking in terms of communicating their alienation. They have become game show contestants. This is because media business (in other words the television networks) has formulated and created what is palatable to an audience. The home video game market further suggests and reinforces created fantasies with interactive games that essentially boil down to a form of karaoke or twister. Simply put, new consumer habits are being engineered and I’m sure they always will be.

So, as listeners, is it fair to say that we no longer think for ourselves and we no longer question what is ‘good’ or ‘impactful’? With today’s de rigueur promise of dream and wish fulfillment (in terms of television shows that empower an audience with voting privileges to create the next pop star) that most crucial artistic ingredient: “individualized commentary” has been eradicated. Even more alarming is that consumers’ freedom of choice is being challenged.

That’s likely because the major media corporations feel wholly threatened by what the internet promises: a vast sea of content that is discoverable and searchable by desire or by chance.

Vince Clarke- Depeche Mode's keyboard player and future visionary.
Vince Clarke- Depeche Mode’s keyboard player and future visionary.

So-is it fair to say that we have become woefully inadequate in identity and informed choice? If there is art, angst and message, where can we find it? Try channel surfing around YouTube and follow what catches your interest.  For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

Nanotechnology Gloves For Phone Use In Cold Weather

Do you have trouble using your smart device in the cold?

Here’s some good news for you- we’ve improved our knitted touchscreen gloves, raising the bar again with the introduction of the Single Layered and Double Layered Touchscreen Gloves. Featuring an updated nanotechnology design that includes a leather wrist strap, leather cuff boards, upgraded material for increased durability and maximized grip and a magnetic snap closure ensuring strong holding power while reducing tension on the strap during opening / closing. Here’s the story behind these innovative gloves-

There’s a new kid on the block, a brand new addition to Mujjo’s highly appraised line of Leather Touchscreen Gloves. Fitted with a fold-over closure and marked with the brand’s familiar slant line, the new Leather Touchscreen Gloves are a bold statement with an iconic look.

Mujjo All New Touchscreen Gloves Size L (black) Price — Dice.bg

Crafted with poise and quality

Designed by Remy Nagelmaeker (Co-founder) with subtleness in mind, the new gloves were formed according to Mujjo’s signature aesthetics. Crafted with poise and quality, the gloves present characteristics of masculinity with carefully considered materials. The matte finishing of the leather allows for a well-balanced iconic look in uniform dark tones along with a few areas of contrast intensifying the low-key design.These gloves are equipped with a magnetic snap closure, ensuring strong holding power while reducing tension on the strap during opening / closing.

Powered by nanotechnology

Powered by state of the art nanotechnology, which mimics the conductive properties of the human skin, Mujjo’s touchscreen gloves offer an unrestricted touchscreen experience and enable the user to utilize all fingers and even the palm of their hand.

To make the gloves compatible with touchscreen, nanotechnology is infused into premium Ethiopian lambskin known for offering the best isolation properties of any kind of leather. The technology functions independently from the human skin which enables us to fully insulate the gloves with a soft and warm cashmere lining.

Mujjo Leather Crochet Touchscreen Gloves » Gadget Flow

A great gift for someone

There’s no doubt our product would make for a great gift for someone, which is why we’ve put serious effort into designing the gift box. It is important to us that the high-quality of these leather gloves radiates through the packaging. The gift box package embodies the low-key personality of the gloves, delicate yet striking. Made with attention to detail, the materials are of uniform dark tones and contrasting textures.

The Story

Mujjo pioneered unrestricted touchscreen gloves and has continued to improve and evolve on all aspects of the designs ever since.   For the Silo, Jarrod Barker. 

 

Philadelphia Artist Goes To Space With Augmented Reality Artwork Initiative

Hello Siloites (Siloers?) my name is David Bradford and I would like to share my art story with you, one involving augmented reality artwork that I have recently activated on the International Space Station and Mars as part of my Go Love Universally initiative. This is the first fine art activation of its kind in terms of distance (62,368,540 miles, to be exact) is aptly called Future. In case you were wondering, Yes there will be a Guiness World Record attempt based on this achievement. 

A picture containing outdoor, motorcycle, water, bicycle

Description automatically generated

A look to the stars. My next (virtual) canvas with new augmented reality fine art activation, titled, Go Love Universally.

This art initiative comes at a time in which much of the world is still under travel restrictions due to COVID-19 and was designed to include everyone around the planet and those orbiting, watching from above. Born out of exploring a way to express and distribute fine art to the public while using consumer technology, I started with using bus stops as fiducial markers (QR codes) in Philadelphia, New York City, San Francisco, and London.

When I was asked to initially introduce my augmented art initiative in the Philadelphia Weekly, I said that while I’ve been social distancing, I came up with a way to share positive messages with people using AR and recognizable visual triggers found easily around Philly.

It is a way for a mass amount of people to interact with their surroundings in a safe way that also creates positive feelings through the messages being communicated.

Within two weeks of launching Go Love Universally, I took my art initiative into space, bringing the art from Philadelphia to Mars. For curious consumers of this activation, all pieces can be viewed at select locations using the Artivive app, a free augmented reality fine art app available for iOS and Android.

Steve Morrison, co-host of Philadelphia morning show Preston & Steve (93.3 WMMR), said to me: “Hey, this is pretty cool!  What if the aliens in They Live just wanted to spread positive messages?  Well, you have a potential answer with this project.  Kudos to you, Sir!”

Go Love Universally is an ongoing project, as future collaborations with artists are to be announced.

Renewable Energy Outlook for 2040 Includes Cancelling Your Print Newspapers

Hey Silo readers! This infographic courtesy of FuelFighterUK demonstrates how production could look in 2040 and what is being done to make our world a greener place. The infographic covers the projected worldwide growth in energy demand, what is being invested to change the renewable outlook and some awesome eco-friendly innovations that have been made by technology companies. For the Silo, Louis Dixon


Energy Outlook For 2040 Infographic 

ELEKTRO MOSKVA- Intriguing Documentary About Soviet Music Synthesizers

I spent most of yesterday afternoon watching and taking notes from the 86 minute documentary ELEKTRO MOSKVA. This film is so rich and interesting that I found myself sitting in reflection every time I jotted down another intriguing story element…..and believe me there were lots.

Stanislav Kreichi with ANS - world's first 'draw sound' synthesizer.
Stanislav Kreichi with ANS – world’s first ‘draw sound’ synthesizer.

The film’s official website describes itself like this: “ELEKTRO MOSKVA is an essayistic documentary about the beginnings of the Soviet electronic age and what remained of it- a huge pile of outdated, fascinating devices. Today they are being recycled and reinterpreted by musicians, inventors and traders, who carry that legacy on into an uncertain future. An electronic fairy tale about the inventive spirit of the free mind inside the iron curtain- and beyond.”

An example of everyday Soviet Russia DIY- In 1970 TV's were readily available but not antennas.
An example of everyday Soviet Russia DIY- In 1970 TV’s were readily available but not antennas.

Well all of that is certainly true but I discovered something deeper….. something partially hidden and really only stated at the end of the documentary: A metaphysical connection between electronic instruments, their circuitry and between immortality and rejuvenation. A sort of Frankenstein subplot. And that makes ELEKTRO MOSKVA much more interesting. It lingers and stays with you as all great films and documentaries tend to do.

Leon Theremin

Leon Theremin
Leon Theremin

Leon Theremin

If the inventor of the world’s first electronic instrument- The Theremin is to believed, his experimentation with electronic instrument designs led to techniques that allowed rejuvenation of human life and the bringing of the dead back to life. Kooky stuff to be sure but in our modern age of DNA manipulation and Stem Cell research shouldn’t we keep our minds open to all biological possibilities? Why is it so obtuse to think that electronic manipulation holds the key to immortality? The brain is after all- a sort of electronic computer. Why else would Russia have kept the body of Lenin whole and entombed for over a hundred years? Perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself- let’s move instead to the birth of Communist Synthesizers.

A Ghost of Communism: The backdrop for the film

It began with the Soviet electrification of the country. As Russian homes and farms became wired, Science and Technical Progress became heralded by the state as ‘the new Gods’. In 1926 Léon Theremin ( Lev Sergeyevich Termen ) invented an early form of television which was adapted for border security use and classified. At the same time, the state decided that technological developments were only considered legit and legal if they strengthened communism.

Alexey Borisov
Alexey Borisov

The long awaited electrical revolution expected by the masses and any notions of new, exciting products in Russian homes became instead a sort of electrified jail and super factory. Then, after Russia had successfully developed nuclear bombs and orbited the first man in space- things changed. A celebration of technical progress and Soviet achievement became politicized through the use of synthetic music and sound. Found out what happened next by watching ELEKTRO MOSKVA online in HD. Highly recommended. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

Click me! New Music created from early sci-fi soundtracks incl. Theramin cameos.
Click me! New Music created from early sci-fi soundtracks incl. Theremin cameos.

Why The Future Of Healthcare Is Virtual Reality

Presently and in the not too distant future, virtual reality in healthcare will become the norm. In this piece, we’ll show you how VR can help detect, treat and cure patients in all sorts of different sectors, such as Surgery and Dentistry, as well as teaching the Nurses of the future.

VR will also be used to help the development of people suffering from mental disabilities such as Autism and help cure phobias and tend to soldiers dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Via the Luminous Group, for the Silo, Georgia Davies. 
virtual reality healthcare infographic

TRDWTR “Treadwater” launches as new mature themed Superhero franchise

TRDWTR  TRDWTR, pronounced ‘treadwater’, is a mature take on the superhero genre, set in a plausible geopolitical future. The franchise will kick off with a graphic novel on September 30th, 2014. A live-action series based on the novel is set to follow suit in 2015. A preview of the graphic novel will be staged in America’s largest comic book store today, September 10th.  To commemorate the launch, a teaser trailer for the TRDWTR franchise has been  made available to the general public. And here it is!