40 Years Of Music Tech – Ottawa 01 08

The recent MIDI controller at top makes no sounds of it's own and connects to another keyboard or a separate Tone Module. The Hammond-type organ in the middle allows the player to shape their sounds by adjusting the drawbars for control of your sound's harmonics. The analog synthesizer technology used in the Roland at bottom dates back to the late 1960s and pre-dates both technologies above.

Doug Engelbart

For the Dec 8 NMC Board meeting in San Francisco, the legendary Doug Englebart shared his continuing ideas about networks, human capability, and solving complex problems.
Bild: cogdogblog

Doug and Doug

Doug Engelbart now (Dec 2006) and broadcasting the famous Mother of All Demos (1968). I was fortunate to be at the NMC Board meeting where Doug was our guest - I mashed up this image and have used it in almost every technology presentation I have done.
Bild: cogdogblog

Card Reader Accessibility

My friend Dan uses the employee entrance with an automatic door and card reader access. Before the card reader was installed, he could roll up to the post and hit the foot switch with his foot rest for the door to open. Now, a card reader was installed (see the black box posted below the hand switch). His employee ID card has a microchip in it. When he rolls near the card reader, the card reader reads his card and sends the signal to the door to open. This system was installed after Dan's advocacy for accessibility. It's not hard to do, and not expensive - just takes the willingness to look at new ideas.
Bild: cobalt123

Fingerprint Reader

Anthony Rozario, Springbrook High School Academy of Information Technology in Silver Spring, Maryland checks his fingerprint during the enrollment process for a Smart Card identification card at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Rozario and other students attended the USDA Information Technology Job Shadow Day on Wednesday, April 13, 2011, an annual opportunity for students from local high schools to learn the breadth and depth of information technology at USDA and how it is applied the department. Students toured the Network Operations Center, the Badging Office and had a lecture on geospatial technology. USDA Photo by Bob Nichols.
Bild: USDAgov