In this video, Hans Rosling demonstrates GapMinder, a tool for “unveiling the beauty of statistics”. The content for the brief video is the change in the life expectancy & income throughout the world in the last two centuries. Gapminder looks like a really neat tool, and the trends described through the tool are interesting.
If you would like to play with the simulation used in this video, go to http://www.gapminder.org/world. If you want to see more of Hans Rosling, check out his TED Talk.
I am not sure if this is authentic, but the concept is fascinating. It seems to be the work of Slovenian “contemporary visual artist” named SaÅ¡o SedlaÄek.
The Beggar Robot has access to areas normally off-limits to beggars, such as shopping malls and community events, where the richer members of society more often frequent. The hypothesis is that this part of society is only able to show some sympathy towards the marginalized if they communicate from a safe distance and via a technological interface. The project tests and exploits the advantages of robotic interface by bringing the Beggar Robot to public spaces in different countries and adapting it to the local context and local language, to beg in the name of the poor.
This short, filmed entirely on a cellular phone on the streets of Sydney and New York, was the winner of the Tropfest NY top prize. This film is beautiful, moving, and creative. It is certainly worth sharing.
Thanks to Dr. Patrick Lewis for the heads-up.