Gordon Bell April 6 (Thurs) 3-4:30pm, in SAL 101
Sensecam!
Dr. Gordon Bell from Microsoft Research will be giving a DLS
talk on Thu, April 6, 3-4:30pm, in SAL 101, on the following
topic of "Building Memex: Current Status."
Memex is a quest to chronicle a person's life by encoding every aspect of one's communications with people and machines, what is heard and seen, and all the aspects of their physical existence. These digital memories will not only extend human memory; they will infallibly record sensor readings and machine activities not even perceived by humans. Digital memories can provide humans with better recall, improved health, faster learning, new insights, and a telling of their story to posterity that only the great used to receive. They will hopefully enhance personal reflection in the same way that internet search has enabled more research.
Comments
I'm extremely skeptical of such an endeavor. This sounds like the equivalent of running your video camera non-stop during a weeklong family vacation. Sure, it could be edited down later (many great documentaries are the result of great masses of footage), but still something feels mechanical and inhuman about Memex, as it's described above. I think it's the word "infallibly". Human memory is filtered through personal experiences, biases, interests, etc. This device seems quite fallible indeed if it doesn't give weight to some events over others.
Posted by: msteffen![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://interactive.usc.edu/members/jbleecker/nav-commenters.gif)
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March 30, 2006 10:42 AM
Well, Michael - I am excited to see what this Bell fellow proposes before I pass judgement.
Posted by: Justin Hall![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://interactive.usc.edu/members/jbleecker/nav-commenters.gif)
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April 4, 2006 1:09 PM