GEL2007 - Day 2 - Session 2

Robin Burgener is the creator of the 20Q ball and 20Q.net. The game is really the normal 20 questions just some simple coding to help the logic actually learn via a neural network. 90% of all the games center on 100 objects; this is better than the 80-20 rule. The number one object is a carrot. The game (online version at least) is built by every use. There was a challenge to restructure the code to fit within the confines of the ball but they overcame those challenges and it works well. 50 million games had been played online by the time the conference was held. Marie Lorenz talked about her water taxi service located in NYC, the “Tide and Current Taxi”. It is stilted somewhat in her favor. The riders don’t always get where they want to but she always gets a story. Her service lives on the edge of what is permitted. Henning Rubsam talked about Sensedance, his effort to bring a better awareness to dance and how body language can be effectively used and appreciated. He spoke in a number of ways to be aware of and open to the senses. With our arms by our side, we are contained. With our arms extended, brought forward, we are reaching and at the same time giving. Doug Quin had us listen. Yes, listen. The lights in the theater were dimmed to take away the visual distractions and enable us to concentrate on what he played for us. He had recorded a variety of birds in the wild, deep in the jungles, and walruses/seals under the ice in Antarctica. The sounds were amazing. His point was simply to be aware of the sounds around us.