IPAB Web Site
The University of Edinburgh School of Informatics Institute for Perception Action and Behaviour (IPAB), which is Edinburgh’s Robotics Institute and part of the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics (jointly with Heriot-Watt University) has a new web site… http://web.inf.ed.ac.uk/ipab
Asgardia – The Space Nation
Asgardia (http://asgardia.space/) is a project to explore a space-based community by creating an “Asgardia Citzenship” of those interested. It will start with privately financed spacecraft and go on from there.
DreamWorld – Outworldz OpenSim Installer
DreamWorld is an OpenSimulator world to demonstrate an easy to use OpenSim setup program called the “Outworldz Installer” created by Fred Beckhusen, aka Ferd Frederix. It includes MySQL, the Diva Distribution (“D2”) of OpenSim 0.8.2.1, Diva’s WiFi admin interface and the OnLook viewer. It sets up a sample virtual world with HyperGrid capability along with options to load a range of alternative content via OpenSim Archive (OAR) files.
- Download and Instructions – http://www.outworldz.com/Outworldz_Installer/
- YouTube Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cLytBLMT2g
- Source – https://github.com/Outworldz/Dreamworld
Fix to OpenSim.exe.config
It is possible that some Windows .NET4 environments might have problems loading some modules… reporting an error with…
An attempt was made to load an assembly from a network location which would have caused the assembly to be sandboxed in previous versions of the .NET Framework. This release of the .NET Framework does not enable CAS policy by default, so this load may be dangerous. If this load is not intended to sandbox the assembly, please enable the loadFromRemoteSources switch. See http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=155569 for more information.
A fix was made to OpenSim in bin/OpenSim.exe.config (and bin/Robust.exe.config though that is not used yet in the Diva D2 distribution) on 23-Nov-2013 (git master a68d1fa) for this, adding the following line to the <runtime> section…
<loadFromRemoteSources enabled="true" />If you see this error in the Outworldz console or log file (in …Outworldz\OutworldzFiles\Opensim\binOpenSim.log), check this line is present in the bin/OpenSim.exe.config. If not, add it and run again.
360 Degree Snapshots in Second Life and OpenSim
This is a resource area for experimentation with the production and publishing of 360° snapshots in virtual worlds such as Second Life and OpenSim.
Blog Posts
- Panoramic 360 Degree Image Capture Coming to Second Life Viewer – Blog Post 2016-10-08 – Inara Pey
- Illiastra Panoramic Camera System – Blog Post 2016-10-05 Strawberry Singh
- Illiastra Panoramic Camera 360 Degree System – Blog Post 2016-10-07 – Inara Pey
- IOL Panoramic Camera – Blog Post 2016-10-06 – Lalwende Leakey
- IOL Panoramic Camera – Blog Post 2016-10-13 – Inara Pey
- VR Photosphere: a further Second Life 360 photo HUD – Blog Post 2016-10-20 – Inara Pey
Resources
- Second Life Marketplace – Illiastra Panoramic Camera System
- Second Life Marketplace – <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/IOL-Camera-
- Second Life Marketplace – VR Creations 360 Photosphere HUD V10
- VRchive – Share 360 degree scenes
Panoramic/10049409″>IOL Panoramic Camera
Update 26-Oct-2016: Linden Lab released a project viewer able to generate 360° snapshots along with a web to view the generated images. See this blog post for more information.
The Darkness Must Go On Mix and Match Expressions for Lilith 7 and Genesis 3 Female(s)
The Darkness Must Go On is a pack of expressions organized in three folders (Full Face, Upper Face, and Lower Face) for Lilith 7 And Genesis 3 Female(s), and you also have pose control dials to apply each full face expression.
See images and get them here: The Darkness Must Go On Mix and Match Expressions for Lilith 7 and Genesis 3 Female(s)
- Jordi R. Cardona www.hiperia3d.com
Edinburgh MOOCs
On 3rd October 2016 a celebration of the first 5 years of University of Edinburgh Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) took place in the Playfair Library in the University’s Old College. 35 MOOCs on three MOOC platforms (Coursera, EdX and FutureLearn) have been provided in that period. A brochure was released to celebrate the occasion and publicise the work of the University in providing open online accessible educational materials in many subjects areas…
This includes the School of Informatics Artificial Intelligence Planning MOOC…
We can add that the AI Planning MOOC also had 6 guest lecturers for each week and for additional study opportunities:
Guest Lecturers:
Prof. Nils Nilson (Stanford University, USA),
Dr. David Wilkins (SRI International, USA),
Prof. Jörg Hoffmann (University of Saarland, Germany),
Dr. Brad Clement (NASA JPL, USA),
Dr. Alex Champandard (AiGameDev, Austria),
Dr. Arturo Gonzalez-Ferrer (University of Granada, Spain and University of Haifa, Israel)
The materials all are available under a flexible Creative Commons Licence: CC-BY-NC-SA
Saffron Hair for Genesis 3 Females
Saffron Hair is a young, fresh and fun hair that can look great in any female character from modern fashionable girls to fantasy sword masters, elves and fairies, and anything you can imagine.
You can use it with or without the headband, and also move it freely in all directions and with wind, put it all back in each side or both, and more things with its 140 morphs. With 20 hair dyes, 18 fabrics for the headband and 9 fabrics for the ties, the customization possibilites are huge. A must have!
See images and get it here: Saffron Hair for Genesis 3 Females
- Jordi R. Cardona www.hiperia3d.com
Voice Activated Intelligent Personal Assistants
On 28th September 2016 the Amazon Echo voice-activated cloud-based intelligent personal assistant device named “Alexa” was introduced in the UK, having been available in the US since 6th November 2014 (see Wikipedia article). This blog post collects resources and links related to voice-activated computer assistants such as Amazon Echo, Apple Siri, Google Home and Microsoft Cortana.
- Amazon Alexa Web Interface
- New Device Setup
- Amazon Echo Documentation
- Amazon Alexa FAQs
- Multiple Amazon User Profiles
- Alexa integration with Google Calendar
- Alexa Skills:
- Radio: Tunein (built-in), RadioPlayer UK (add-on)
- Connect a Smart Home Device to Alexa [e.g. Belkin WeMo (built-in)]
- Twitter Reader (US only)
- Fix to Connect to UK BT Home Hub [Extra Blog Post] [Separate 2.4GHz and 5GHz Fix]
- Pair a Bluetooth mobile device to Echo [Then use Voice Control]
The Amazon Echo incorporates a wifi linked control unit along with a tubular speaker. The control unit on its own is available as the “Amazon Echo Dot” which can be connected to external speakers, though it also has a simple speaker incorporated for voice feedback.
Amazon Echo Dot First Time Setup
For some reason on a University network that should present several WiFi access point options (eduroam and central) only central showed. But except for that, connection to a Wifi network which requires a user name/password and conditions acceptance prompt was straightforward.
The Alexa Home Application on a web browser or mobile device shows the latest interactions, news, music player (with active controls), etc that are relayed via the device.
It appears that the ability to read out Kindle books is not present in UK devices yet.
The Echo and Echo Dot update themselves when idle for a period. See this page for the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot Current Software Version. Although my experience is that the version listed on web page may not be fully up-to-date and your Echo or Echo Dot may actually have a new version after an update.
Switching between WiFi Networks
If you move your Echo or Echo Dot to a location with a different WiFi access point, you will need to change the WiFi setup. The device will indicate it cannot make a WiFi connection. If you then hold the “Action” button for 5 seconds or so, it will show an orange ring and enter setup mode. This will create an “Amazon-XXX” named local WiFi setup to which you should connect your Alexa app device (such as an Apple iPhone/iPad). Then run the Alexa App, select “Settings”, select your device and enter “Update WiFi”.
Connecting a Wemo Smart Home Device
I tried to connect a Belkin Wemo smart home plug. An immediate issue was that I could not connect to a Wifi network that requires a login username and password, normally presented through a web page or pop-up dialogue. It appears that WEMO only supports WPA, WPA2, and WEP security types.
A “Restore” button on top of the device allows for the initial built in direct access Wifi settings to be restored to allow a new Wifi connection to be set up. Instructions for the procedure are here.
AudioBooks
The Amazon Echo and Dot can relay audio books from Audible (an Amazon company) and (in the US only at present) can do text-to-speech output for compatible Kindle books. If “WhisperSync” is enabled across your Amazon devices then the last page read is saved whichever modality you use.
- Alexa Audiobook Commands. E.g.
- Alexa, play book <title>
- Alexa, resume my book (on subsequent instructions to go back to last page being read)
- Alexa, restart (to go back to the beginning of the book)
- Alexa, go to chapter <number>
Alexa Future Developments and Alexa Prize
Developers and students can access an “Alexa Skills Kit” to add “Alexa Skills” and join in a competition to develop conversational AI extensions suitable for Alexa.
- The Alexa Prize – The Alexa Prize – $2.5 Million to Advance Conversational Artificial Intelligence – September 2016 – November 2017.
- University of Edinburgh Team Edina Entry (Federico Fancellu -Team Lead, Ben Krause, Emmanuel Kahembwe @MannyKayy, Daniel Duma @mstdan, Marco Damonte, Jianpeng Cheng, Mihai Dobre and Joachim Fainberg).
- New Alexa Skills Kit Template: Step-by-Step Guide to Build a Flash Cards Skill
- Echo Simulator – Alexa in a Browser
[Manage Login with Amazon – Revoke Permission]
Mucho Flow Outfit and Accessories for Genesis 3 Female
Also included are 10 poses for Genesis 3 Female(s), which turn this into a package to build a great scenes in seconds. You can load all the outfit at once, or each piece independently. Perfect for any cheerleader, trending girl, sports woman, dynamic characters, or any casual fashion and street scene.
Mucho Flow is a must have!
See images and get it here: Mucho Flow Outfit and Accessories for Genesis 3 Female
- Jordi R. Cardona www.hiperia3d.com
YOLO Mix and Match Expressions for Sunny 7 and Genesis 3 Females
USING FULL AND PARTIAL EXPRESSIONS: Using the partial expressions, you can move all the face, or just the upper and lower parts of the face, mixing both as you like, creating your own original expression for your renders.
USING POSE CONTROL DIALS: Using the pose control dials, you can apply a full face expression as much as you like, and also mix it with another expression dial. It is great to create transitions between expressions in animations or series of renders.
USING BOTH: In many cases you can also mix the partial expressions with the dials.
See images and get them here: YOLO Mix and Match Expressions for Sunny 7 and Genesis 3 Females
- Jordi R. Cardona www.hiperia3d.com
EJ Cintia For Genesis 3 Female
Versatile, unique and charming, Cintia is a strong, beautiful woman with a great personality. With her special makeups and tattoos. Cintia can also be an elven warrior, a queen of the fairies in a dream of a Midsummer night, or whatever character you can imagine! A must have!
See images and get her here: EJ Cintia For Genesis 3 Female.
- Jordi R. Cardona www.hiperia3d.com
Shena Hair for Genesis 3 Females
You can put it all back on one or both sides, make it longer or shorter, give it more volume, use it with any ear morphs including elven ears, widen and blow it with wind, and many more things with its 124 morphs.
See images and get it here: Shena Hair for Genesis 3 Females
- Jordi R. Cardona www.hiperia3d.com
Seabrooke Hair for Genesis 3 Female(s)
Seabrooke Hair is a very customizable stylish hair with head scarf that can look wild, appealing and at the same time fashionable, perfect for boho chic girls, adventurer girls that love risk and want also be the center of all the looks.
You can put it all back on one or both sides, make it longer or shorter, give it more or less volume, make it straight, widen and mess, blow it with wind, and many more things with its 121 morphs. You also have lots of hair dyes: classical, two-colored, and Californian highlights, and 15 fabrics for the scarf. The many materials for the hair and the scarf and the many morphs give enormous versatility to this hair for any casual, fantasy or sci-fi character, or whatever you can imagine. A must have!
See images and get it here: Seabrooke Hair for Genesis 3 Female
- Jordi R. Cardona www.hiperia3d.com
Awesomity Mix and Match Expressions for Tween Julie 7 and Genesis 3 Female
Don't let your characters have a poker face! Bring them to life! A versatile customizable expression set for Tween Julie 7 And Genesis 3 Female(s)! Make them happy, angry, joyful, bored, excited, sad, surprised... make your characters feel, make them tell a unique story. A must have!
Awesomity is a pack of expressions organized in three folders (Full Face, Upper Face, and Lower Face) for Tween Julie 7 And Genesis 3 Female(s), and you also have pose control ERC dials to apply each full face expression.
See images and get them here: Awesomity Mix and Match Expressions for Tween Julie 7 and Genesis 3 Female
- Jordi R. Cardona www.hiperia3d.com
EJ Gloria for Genesis 3 Female(s)
Extremely versatile and beautiful, Gloria can be the next famous fashion model, as well as a glamorous diva, but she has a supernatural side too. She's a survivor than can also roam in the night as a feline rogue, or rule the storms and lightning as a super-heroine, or bite you and eat your soul as a vampire. A must have!
See images and get her here: EJ Gloria for Genesis 3 Female(s)
- Jordi R. Cardona www.hiperia3d.com
Violin Soul: Balcony, Violin And Poses for Genesis 3 Female(s)
See images and get it here: Violin Soul: Balcony, Violin And Poses for Genesis 3 Female(s)
- Jordi R. Cardona www.hiperia3d.com
Violin Soul Outfit For Genesis 3 Female(s)
Violin Soul Outfit is a set of Dress and Cloak for Genesis 3 Female(s), with 8 beautiful material presets for the full outfit and for each of the parts of the dress (top, belt, skirt, and metals) and for the cloak and its clasp. You can also hide the top or the skirt of the dress and mix and match it with other clothing, or use it as a skirt or top only.
See images and get it here: Violin Soul Outfit For Genesis 3 Female(s).
- Jordi R. Cardona www.hiperia3d.com
Bahia Tropical Outfit for Genesis 3 Female
See images and get it here: Bahia Tropical Outfit for Genesis 3 Female(s)
- Jordi R. Cardona www.hiperia3d.com
Nanika Atta Mix and Match Expressions for Aiko 7 and Genesis 3 Female(s)
Although they were made especially for Aiko 7, they also work on Genesis 3 Female(s), and figures or characters based on her.
Nanika Atta is a pack of expressions organized in three folders (Full Face, Upper Face, and Lower Face) for Aiko 7 And Genesis 3 Female(s). With them, you can apply an expression that moves all the face, or partial expressions that move only the upper or lower parts of the face.
See images and get them here: Nanika Atta Mix and Match Expressions for Aiko 7 and Genesis 3 Female(s)
- Jordi R. Cardona www.hiperia3d.com
Samantha Hair for Genesis 3 Female(s), for Daz Studio
See images and get it here: Samantha Hair for Genesis 3 Female(s), for Daz Studio.
- Jordi R. Cardona www.hiperia3d.com
