Talk: Synthetic Intelligence

Tonight, back with London Science Events at the Royal Institution - this time, it was Synthetic Intelligence. Last week's organiser couldn't make it - someone else volunteered to do the honours, but asked people to confirm they're coming - and I was the only one who did! Typical of this group, actually.

I left straight after a meeting (skipping my last one), so made it in time. Roughly. I still wasn't in time for the bus, so took the Tube. Ah jeez, it was hot.. not too crowded on the Northern Line, but I actually couldn't get on the first Jubilee Line to come, it was so packed. At least I was first in line for the next train. And it felt so long, that journey of four stops in sweltering heat - the Jubilee Line is always like this, I can always feel the sweat pouring off of me. I can't really say it was a relief to get off - it was just as hot outside!

Made my way as quickly as I could, and got there just after 6, when we were supposed to meet. No sign of anyone - although it was cooler inside, I was still roasting, so headed to the downstairs cafe for a cold drink. Bought a glass of wine, said on the Meetup page that I was sitting in the downstairs cafe. Got a message to say he was sitting inside the front door.. No sign of him coming down, and I didn't think I could take my drink upstairs, so messaged back to say I was having a glass of wine, and would be back up when it was finished.

And so I was. He turned out to be someone I'd seen earlier, but he was with a friend who wasn't in the group, so I hadn't thought it was him. Anyway, the friend was looking for another friend, so there we stayed and chatted, before the doors opened and we went up. Lordy, what a difference from last week, when as soon as I arrived, I started to queue on the stairs - tonight, the doors opened promptly at 6.30, and up we went, and straight in. And this time, I ended up with a more central seat, which was nice. As was the aircon.

It filled mostly, but not completely - unlike last week. And this time, with only one person speaking, they brought out the desk, behind which the chair stood while he introduced her, his shirt drenched with sweat. She remarked that the temperature outside was impressive - even for an Australian! Now, she started off keen to make the distinction between artificial and synthetic intelligence - she wasn't just trying to get computers to act clever. Nope, she's trying to build a synthetic brain. That learns for itself.

Someone in the Q+A afterwards, predictably, brought up Frankenstein.. it is an absolutely fascinating subject. She's trying to facilitate the replication of thought processes by replicating the response of the synapses. IBM got a couple of mentions for its neuromorphic nanotechnology, which replicates the way that biological systems behave. Well, they do put a high value on invention. So, what she's doing is building teeny tiny systems that look just like neurons, in a messy pattern that looks like a microscopic view of the brain, only made out of silver. The chair did actually ask her, at the end, why she didn't just make the thing out of biological material.. she said it was literally too messy! (I think she meant "difficult".)

As someone else pointed out afterwards, synaptic plasticity is necessary if you want the system to be capable of learning new information. And wouldn't you know it, her teeny system has a teeny amount of plasticity.. and yes, when they shoot a current through it, they've observed that ions shoot across the gaps between synapses in exactly the same way as molecules are transmitted across the gaps between synapses in biological systems! Yes, it does indeed look as though they're getting somewhere.

A couple of people in the Q+A brought up the idea of emotional intelligence, and whether you could teach the system to hear, or appreciate music. She ain't really there yet, so all those questions were pretty hypothetical. However, she was more certain when the talk turned to quantum computing, which - as she pointed out - uses up far too much power. The brain doesn't, and that's what they're trying to reproduce. She did point out, though, that quantum tunnelling does seem to play a role in synaptic transmission..

Truly fascinating, and I was glad I came. After it was all over, the pair I'd met made themselves scarce almost immediately! They did make excuses - one wanted a glass of water and then to shoot off, the other wanted to photograph the library. Not exactly the most sociable of exits, but at least they took the time to excuse themselves, I guess. Yep, scientific types were never really social experts, in my experience. Me, I got the bus back, glad it was a bit cooler. Just a bit, at 28 degrees.

Tomorrow, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) again, for Pity, at the Royal Court - which I missed last week, when the same group was doing it with another organiser. Delighted to make this - also delighted to avail of a terrific Time Out offer of £12 tickets for Band B seats - the official price for Band D is £14, so this was great value! Sadly, now sold out. There was a mixed reaction to it on Tuesday, among those who'd seen it.. well, time will tell.

On Saturday, back with them again, for the very last performance of Spun, at the Arcola. Second in a row with a theme of terrorism - this one is about the London bombings. Beforehand, we're headed for dinner at the Stone Cave, a Turkish place - and afterwards, to the Aqua 7 wine bar.

On Sunday, back with Walking in London, and Katie of Look Up London! Delighted she has a new walk - Smithfield & Clerkenwell: Guts & Glory. It's actually cheaper on her own site than on Funzing - unless you're getting one of those common 10% discounts!

On Monday, I'm taking myself to the Proms, at the Albert Hall, for the first time in ages. This one is An Alpine Symphony.

On Tuesday, I'm finally back with North London Friends, for Give My Regards to Broadway, Upstairs at the Gatehouse. Completely sold out now, I believe.

On Wednesday - London Literary Walks is taking a break! That was the day I was looking at films for - but what was coming top was Teefa in Trouble. A Bollywood film - fine: except when I watched the trailer, the jokes weren't quite as funny to me as I think they were to the makers, and there was a bit too much exaggerated action - think slo-mo, and people balancing motorbikes on their fingertips. And 2.5 hours of all that was, I thought, a bit much - so no thanks. Which left Sanju again. Not so much.. so I then thought about heading, with UITCS, to Julie, again at the National. Huh! Only tickets left were £50, when I checked! I then checked again.. they had two tickets for £26! Gone again now. Anyway, I've booked for a Heroism & Villainy Walking Tour (with Real Magic!), via Walking in London.

Next Thursday, I was also booked with them - for The Summer Ghost Walk. I've been with this guide before - found him very good. And then.. Ryanair announced another bloody strike!! Yes, for the next day. Yes, when I was to go to Ireland for the weekend. So now I'm flying next Thursday, instead - happily, it was Funzing, so I'll get a refund. And they've even refunded me the credits that I used to book it! And I retain the record of bookings that'll earn me more credits. And at least I found out earlier this time, so booked an alternative flight earlier, so it was a bit cheaper.

On the 6th, Anthony's Cultural Events and Walking Activities Group is off to Westferry Circus again, for The Importance of Being Earnest. Must remember to bring supplies, this time. And a hat.

On the 7th, UITCS is off to When Midnight Strikes, Upstairs at the Gatehouse.

On the 8th, London Literary Walks is back with Brook Green - another area near where I used to live! Actually, the first medical practice that I registered with, in London. Nice nurse - one very narky doctor.

On the 9th, UITCS is back to the Camden Fringe, with How to Be a Londoner in an Hour, at the Hen & Chickens Theatre. Then I'm down to Helen's for the weekend, for a party..

And on the 13th, back with Anthony's Cultural Events and Walking Activities Group, back to Westferry Circus.. this time it's for A Woman of No Importance.