LEGO Bricks!

Some of you might have got confused by some comments running around, so I guess I'll save you the trouble of trying to find out what it's all about. I wrote something in a segment called "Voices of Scholars" on the A*STAR website, which you can find here. And then you also can see a picture of me. Just proof that I've actually graduated. Heh.

Did you play with LEGO in the past? It was one of my favourite, albeit most expensive, toys. I recall model sets of petrol stations, airports, train stations, hospitals, pirate ships and all that. It was such a joy fixing them. I don't quite like the new sets they bring in now which I saw in Raffles City last weekend. They had a really cool display of a football (I'm still rather British like that, but soccer for the rest of you) stadium, some of football players the size of about half a metre, and models of pirates. Moving ones too. You might want to go check it out, it's pretty fun. I nearly took photos, but I didn't think I would have captured the beauty of the displays to do enough justice to them.

Which reminds me of a talk I attended this morning. Rather, the talk this morning reminded me of the LEGO display. It was called Sowing the Seeds for a More Creative Society by Mitchel Resnick, who is the LEGO Papert Professor of Learning Research. He has been working on programmable LEGO bricks. Cool huh?

Prof Resnick is the head of the Lifelong Kindergarten group in MIT, which is part of the MIT Media Laboratory. You should check out the site, they do really cool stuff.

So Prof Resnick was talking about using computers and technology as painbrushes - interactive tools rather than the more passive mode of teaching like using computers as televisions. He's quite into getting kids on to hands-on, physical playing around, and also to find avenues to let children experiment in computing software.

He introduced Scratch, which is a software which allows children (or anyone really!) to make their own computer games or animation in a very easy to use way! And it's free! Although you can only download it later this year. I'm going to bookmark this... I think it's a great tool to help children to understand in a simplistic manner how programming works, and yet have lots of fun by creating their own animation. I can imagine myself getting stuck at this for a long time.

There's also this Computer Clubhouse project which he mentioned. I just got overawed by the number of things that are going on. I kinda wished (briefly!) that I was going to MIT instead of Stanford. Hmmz... Ha ha.

But to leave you off, I'll write down some of the things that the children made when given the freedom to create:
- an alarm clock which scratches one's head and plays music to wake one up
- a house for a pet gerbil which detects, via sensor, when he (the gerbil) enters his home
- shoes with ping pong balls attached to them so they light up with different colours when the shoes detect varied pressures on the soles when one walks
- a lock on a diary which detects when someone tries to pry it open. Even takes a photo of the perpetrator!
- a jukebox which reads what types of coins you put in and play different music
- a toilet paper dispenser which rolls out toilet roll when you clap your hands!

Phew, sounds fun? I think so too! Gotta find out more what these guys do...

Well, in the mean time, at least we've Fab Lab running (just about). More on Fab Lab next time, I know I still haven't talked about it!

Hopefully I'll start having pictures in here soon. Hopefully...

Oh, If We Could Get All The Energy

You know how Singaporeans are becoming more health freakish? Yeah, like how they take up health club memberships, and have personal trainers and all? You can tell by the flourishing health clubs market.

Anyway, so this article in BBC reminded me of this grand lofty idea I had back in school. I realised that this isn't new at all, since I once mentioned this to a friend and she had the very same idea! So it isn't patentable. But still, it doesn't make it a bad idea...

So back to the health freaks: Maybe we can make people cycle on special bikes or treadmills so that they transmit all the energy to some power station. I mean, why waste all that energy? It seems weird that you exercise to dispense energy but you use electricity to run these very machines to help you exercise.

On another note, this is interesting too. Although the comment also made me think a bit. Yeah, cheap computers are good, but shouldn't we feed these people first? Anyway, I think something good can still come out of all this, since we can help people break out of the poverty cycle. Only, if they can get cheap and well-connected access to the internet, they'll have the wealth of information at their disposal. That'll be so good too. But we'll have to bank on some altruistic internet company to set that up.

To end off, here's a picture of a gift the Temasek Junior College students so kindly passed to me after I successfully (I hope, at least) entertained them for an hour or so, and told them a bit about research, science and the society.



You know, the little things like that make your day.

How Lasers Work

I finally got around removing the copyrighted pictures, and only to find that I can't add audio either, even if I credited it. So this is a silent movie on how lasers work. I don't like the eerie silence, but apparently I can't add any audio unless I get permission.

Argh, WHATEVER.

So here's the video I promised!


(I've had complaints about not being able to see this, including a complaint from myself. So try looking at this here if you still can't see the vid.)

I reckon I might have made mistakes here (I've already noticed a grammatical error, but don't watch it trying to find the mistake ok!), so let me know if they are serious errors! Or, if HORROR OF HORRORS, you can't understand this video at all.

It's the first time I'm trying this out with a video, usually I'll at best give powerpoint presentations. Maybe for the next video I'll record my own voice. Ha ha, but I don't like hearing it through speakers. I always think I sound weird.

Oh, and there's a reason why we sound different through recorded audio! That's because when we speak, we hear ourselves through our head - sound travels through our head to the inner ear, where the sound is detected. When you hear yourself through speakers, the sound waves travel through your ears and into your inner ear.

I digress.

Yesterday, at the Fab Lab in the Institute of Infocomm Research, I was shown how to operate the Epilog laser cutter and engraver. We tried engraving on wood and glass, and some of the Anglo Chinese School (ACS) boys were so fascinated, they wanted to engrave the ACS crest on their mobile phone covers and ipods. Unfortunately we weren't sure the mobile phone cover was of a permitable material to engrave (if it's PVC, it starts emitting poisonous fumes, which we don't want!), and the ipod was a bit costly to use as a testbed. But these are ideas they definitely are going to be keen on trying.

I'll explain more about what Fab Lab is next time. It was funny though, that the students and their teacher were so entrepreneurial, they wanted to start a mini business engraving their classmates' mobile phones.

Ha ha, relying on that strong ACS loyalty, I say!

I, on the other hand, was thinking of getting a slick metal sheet, and engrave my university certificate on it. Man, it costs lots just to get it done outside...

Oh, maybe I have a business plan in my head too... Ha ha.

Eyes Popping!!

Somehow staring at a textbook for the whole day tires you too. At least I was able to glance past the chapters faster than I thought I would, in part because it was interesting and I have encountered most of the material before. It's like revision time again.

And I got these new post-its. Actually, not new, but I just opened it up over the weekend. A friend popped it in my pigeon hole back while I was in Cambridge and I never beared to use them! Hi-lighter post-its. You know, those which are transparent, and coloured (pretty colours too!!) and I can make "markings" on my books without destroying them. I like books in pristine conditions. I know friends who like them used - it apparently adds to the well-read factor of the book.

Ha ha, we geeks bother about little things like these.

What to do, my computer's running slow since it's processing some data for me, so I can't do my C++-programming "lessons". Ah, one textbook at a time though, I'm hoping to learn some bio at some point. My education since sec 2 has been bio-free. Ha ha, I'm against the flow, man.

Meant to put up a video I had created on lasers. Unfortunately I remembered some pictures might be copyrighted in there, so I can't post it on you-tube yet. I'll make some changes, then I'll post it up. My attempt at explaining how lasers work.

Heh, and if you want to know how other things work, drop me a comment. I'll see what I can do!

Unplanned Break

Since I'm almost finished with my one year attachment, it means that a new batch of scholars are coming in to do theirs. Can imagine their excitement; sometimes the unknown makes you curious and enthusiastic, only I'm not sure how long it lasts!

And it also marks my impending departure from this research institute, and even this country! Whoah, sometimes a year seems to pass by so quickly.

Anyway, my afternoon suddenly got freed today. I was supposed to go down to VJC to give a presentation, but apparently they won some final (dunno sports or what) and then got let off with a half-day break. I can imagine the students chanting "Half-day! Half day!" and the principal finally giving in. Although I was there when it was still Mrs Lee; I don't know how the new principal does things now.

Ha ha, the funny thing is that the students will be cheering, but the teachers will be groaning because they would miss lessons AGAIN! Yeah, I know what it's like, I've taught for a while there too.

But today I don't mind the extra break. Although it doesn't seem like giving the presentation's going to work out. First the session got postponed from 5th May because the school was closed for half the day in preparation for polling day (it was a designated polling station). Then today. So, twice it has been postponed.

Maybe eventually it'll take place when I'm ready to leave for Stanford. Heh.

Argh, been staring too much at the computer screen learning C++ programming. There is a certain sense of joy that comes with seeing the program work, even if it's a draft one you copied from the book. I tried an exercise question, and managed to get it working, and I must say, I was kinda smiling after.

Sigh, almost being a geek.

Check this out, so funny. Maybe the day will come I'll be the only one who knows what I'm doing.

Heh, hope I won't forget how to communicate...

Things Heat Up!

I was reminded of something I learnt in school (actually university, but that's too embarrassing, since I ought to have known this earlier...) earlier today when I was walking back from the bus-stop after a lunch appointment at Biopolis.

Have you ever wondered why the roads look wet even though it did not rain prior, and the sun is shining so brightly?

When I was in primary school, I used to be so amazed at how the "wet" roads so quickly turned dry as my dad's car approached the "puddle". I never figured where the elusive puddle went, I just assumed it evaporated fast enough before we could approach it! Well, silly it is, but at least it "explained" where all that water went!

But actually, there never really was water to evaporate. The reason you even think there is water is because of the reflection you see on the road (or really, just any really hot surface). The presence of the reflection makes you think that there is a puddle of water, because it only seems logical in your brain as it processes the information.

Hmmz, this is when I'll fish out my brilliant art piece...

Now, now, don't you just love this? I would have made a great artist, I say.

I've got to explain why you even get the reflection, because that's the real reason you even think there is water on the road.

What happens is this: The sun heats up the road, which in turn heats up the air just above it. Then the air above the road is warmer than those above it. Yes, I know you'll say hot air rises, and that's true, but this isn't the equilibrium state - some air just above the road is warmer. And because it's warmer, it's less dense.

(I've drawn an idealised version, where this is only one layer of less dense air represented by yellow. In reality, the air above the road has a density which varies with height, but let's just keep things simple...)

When a ray of light leaves a less dense material (and hence lower refractive) index, for those of you who know the word...), to a denser material (higher refractive index), it bends (i.e. refracts). And it bends in a direction closer to what is known as the normal (it's the dotted vertical line in this case, if you can see it in my artistic diagram...).

Your eyes (or maybe brain) assumes that the light travels in a straight line, and hence traces back the ray (which enters the eye) with a straight line. And as it does that, it forms an image on the road (all this processed in the brain), which is why you see this inverted "reflection" image.

It's hard to explain this in words, but I hope the diagram is clear enough!

Phew, one mystery solved for you today!

Some Changes Along the Way

I didn't realise the days have gone by so quick. Man, my last entry here was more than a week ago, and I even had a long weekend! So I'm left with no excuse...

Oh, but I did change my blog template, I didn't like the dark, eerie feel of the last one, and it seemed hard to read too. Maybe one day I'll download something from the net, so those of you who read blogs regularly won't be put off by this simple and probably overused template. But yeah, I'm lazy, so not yet at the moment.

I've just filled in my form to collect my I20 from Stanford. It's a bit surreal, being half in Singapore and half already in Stanford. The preparation's been slow so far, but I hope there isn't much that I actually have to do, since I'm a bit clueless about what I need prior to departing for the US. Back when I was packing up for Cambridge (UK, that is, not the likes of MIT and Harvard), things seemed a little less confusing. Although I don't know why, except that they use the same current and voltage as us! Hmmz.

Maybe age is catching up on me.

Oh, there's this new thing called Scientists in Schools which A*STAR has been working with MOE in recent months. It's about sending scholars over to JCs to promote science, mentor students and come up with interesting projects. I've just latched on to this, so I don't really know what to expect either. But I'll fill in more details next time when I know more.

Though it was great being back in JC, even though as a visitor!

I just realised this is the first time I'm officially declaring that I'm an A*STAR scholar. There, I've said it!

Ha ha, I hope you won't stop reading coz of this... Ha ha!

The Way Education Should Be

Oopz, I've been away for too long. Excuse the lack of regular update - I've been quite caught up at work (finally!), with a paper dateline looming, and seemingly ceaseless changes to be made to every draft I write. I can't wait to finally submit my draft, then I'll get it off my chest for a while.

Meanwhile, to break the trend of New Scientist, check out what MIT has to offer. Yeah, that MIT, the one most scientist go gaga over... It's not new, but I guess not everyone knows about it, so I'll help them do some publicity. MIT's quite into open education, so they have a series of information you can download and access. You have video (quite new!), podcasts and lectures (OpenCourseWare).

And I'm starting to find gems in Wiki too.

Ah, wealth of information.

I say, the newer generation (that includes me!) have far more exposure and opportunities than the older generation! I wonder what that means about the GE tomorrow.

10pm, I'll be watching!

A Liberal Education

I just returned from a talk at the Engineering faculty of the National University of Singapore (NUS) , on "A Liberal Education for Engineers".

Guess what the turnout was: a paltry five, including me, two professors and a French student. I wonder what that means about how important the local students view a broad education. In comparison, in a technical talk I attended last Friday (also during exam period), the theatre was almost full - I think about 40-50 people turned up. And Prof Hoole wasn't even a bad lecturer; apparently when he gave a technical talk sometime ago he had a far better turnout.

Oh well, some things you can't change too easily, can you?

I'm seeing plenty of value in a broad education (which is what the "liberal" here means - nothing radical, really), just by virtue of being in the workforce for less than a year. People don't fit nicely into equations, you know, and one thing you can be sure of: you'll have to work with people at some point. I think a broad education is vital in both ways - a science/engineering student should have exposure in the humanities and vice versa. If you start narrowly classifying yourself, then you gradually pin yourself down in terms of opportunities and options.

I used to think, very naively that the softer subjects can be gathered outside of the education curriculum. But I've been reminded today that the rigour in a proper course training cannot be underestimated. Afterall, if you get drilled to write an essay every week, you'll learn how to write coherently and cogently. Just like how you drill yourself to use an equation by solving problems. At least for me, I don't learn well when I do it myself.

So, what does this all mean? I don't know. But I think the Singapore education system seems to be steering in the right direction. At least the changes to the JC curriculum seems useful, although when I was interviewing the JC students two weeks ago, I had the impression that some of them were frustrated that they had to do an arts subject although they were in the science stream. That meant they couldn't do triple science at a higher level.

There isn't a perfect system, and educational policies have to be constantly modified to meet societal needs and trends. But at the end of it, I think a broader education accords one with a more varied set of skills, which means you'll be able to tackle more tasks later in life.

Now, at the end of the day, what constitutes an educated person?

I never thought of that question, but I was made to think about it today. We'll see.