AI for understanding ambiguity

Please do not park bicycles against these railings as they may be removed - the railings or the bikes? Understanding the meaning is easy for us, harder for machines
Please do not park bicycles against these railings as they may be removed – the railings or the bikes? Understanding the meaning is easy for us, harder for machines

Last year I wrote a post on whether machines could ever think1.  Recently, in addition to all the general chatbot competitions, there has been a new type of test for deeper contextual understanding rather than the dumb and obvious meanings of words.  English2 has a rich variety of meanings of words with the primary as the most common and then secondary and tertiary meanings further down in the dictionary.  It’s probably been a while since you last sat down and read a dictionary, or even used an online one other than to find a synonym, antonym or check your spelling3 but as humans we rely mostly on our vocabulary and context that we’ve picked up from education and experience.

Continue reading AI for understanding ambiguity

3D Printer Part 18: Print Head

At the end of my last post in this series, we had added the cables and feeder components.  This post focuses on the print head assembly, covering issues 68 – 71 of 3D Create and Print by Eaglemoss Technology.  If you’ve skipped a part of this series you can start from the beginning, including details of the Vector 3 printer I’m building on my 3D printer page. Continue reading 3D Printer Part 18: Print Head

OU Maths – halfway review

Halfway through (Q31 course image (c) Open University
Halfway through (Q31 course image (c) Open University

Well it’s been 3 years and I’m halfway through the Maths degree I started “for fun” because I needed some mental stimulation that I just wasn’t getting in my work at the time. 3 companies later and I’ve got the challenge I was craving, and since the results of the last two modules are now out, it seems like a good time to review my experiences with the OU. Continue reading OU Maths – halfway review

3D Printer part 17: Cables and feeder

At the end of my last post in this series, we had added the top plates and roller holder.  This post focuses on the cables and feeder components, covering issues 64 – 67 of 3D Create and Print by Eaglemoss Technology.  If you’ve skipped a part of this series you can start from the beginning, including details of the Vector 3 printer I’m building on my 3D printer page.

  1. Testing the connection
    Testing the connection

    Cables: Issue 64 comes with your country specific power cable, and issue 65 comes with the USB-component cable.  I initially wasn’t going to even open these as I knew there’d be no chance of printing.  However, there was a very important step – validating that the computer could talk to the printer.  As my surface doesn’t have any USB ports, I had to break out the Dell XPS.  The software from Eaglemoss requires .Net 3.5 so if you’re on Windows 10 then you’ll get an error message and need to enable this.  Microsoft have a helpful guide on how to do this if you’re not sure.  With the v3 software installed, the printer connected to the mains, the USB cable connecting them both and the power turned on, my laptop was able to “see” the printer.  This was a great step forward.

    Continue reading 3D Printer part 17: Cables and feeder

3D Printer part 16: top plate and roller holder

At the end of my last post in this series, we had added the power module and fan.  This post focuses on the top plates and roller holder covering issues 60 – 63 of 3D Create and Print by Eaglemoss Technology.  If you’ve skipped a part of this series you can start from the beginning, including details of the Vector 3 printer I’m building on my 3D printer page.

This drop comes with another much needed binder for the magazines, starting to get us back into phase with the right number of binders to loose magazines.  With the plate covers we enclose the wires and finally start the process of building the components for the top of the printer. Continue reading 3D Printer part 16: top plate and roller holder

Goodbye Greebo

8 months old and attached to my shoulders whenever I was home
8 months old and attached to my shoulders whenever I was home

Warning: this post contains detail of what happens when you take a cat to the vet for the last time – please do not read if this might upset you.

I never had a pet growing up.  With both my parents working, and a combination of allergies and phobias through the family, it just wasn’t a priority.  I remember asking for a puppy once and, realising that it was never going to happen, accepted the “no” at the first attempt.  When my husband and I first moved in together he made a case for us getting a cat – the perfect low-maintenance pet: give them love and remember to feed them, no walking or grooming, no cleaning cages or tanks, and perfectly happy being left while you’re at work.  I remember not being bothered either way, I’d never had a connection with a pet, but he wanted one so we got a kitten. Continue reading Goodbye Greebo

Please Don’t Vote Tomorrow Unless…

In or out - your vote
In or out

I try to avoid anything that isn’t STEM related on this blog but I feel I do need to speak out on the EU referendum on 23rd June.  I fundamentally believe in democracy, and love the fact that in the UK we have multiple parties so we do really have a choice, even if many people do not exercise it.  However, we now have a black or white, in or out decision to make with regard to the European Union.  I have seen so many people saying that the way they will vote is not because of the issue but because of personality or logical fallacy.  So I implore you, spend the next 24 hours doing some real research or please don’t vote.

If you’re deciding to vote because Continue reading Please Don’t Vote Tomorrow Unless…

3D Printer part 15: Power module and fan

At the end of my last post in this series, we had added the USB, microcontroller and motor boards.  This post focuses on the power module and fan covering issues 56-59 of 3D Create and Print by Eaglemoss Technology.  If you’ve skipped a part of this series you can start from the beginning, including details of the Vector 3 printer I’m building on my 3D printer page. Continue reading 3D Printer part 15: Power module and fan

3D Printer part 14: USB, microcontroller and motor boards

At the end of my last post in this series, we had added the power switch and control unit covers and the look of the main part of the printer was starting to come together.  This post focuses on the USB, microcontroller and motor boards covering issues 52-55 of 3D Create and Print by Eaglemoss Technology.  If you’ve skipped a part of this series you can start from the beginning, including details of the Vector 3 printer I’m building on my 3D printer page.

Due to some of my OU studies and work, I figure I’m now 6 months behind in this build so please accept my apologies if you’ve been waiting on my posts to do your own builds. So, when I finally opened the pack, I initially panicked to see that there were two issue 55 parts that came in my pack.  On checking the magazines, they had different part numbers but were identical in every respect as far as I could tell from the magazine.  As such, I have used these parts as supplied.  If this turns out to be a problem I’m sure I’ll find out later… Continue reading 3D Printer part 14: USB, microcontroller and motor boards

Rework DL Boston 2016 – Day 2

Me, networking at breakfast
Me, networking at breakfast

This is a summary of day 2 of ReWork Deep Learning summit 2016 that took place in Boston, May 12-13th.  If you want to read the summary of day 1 then you can read my notes here. Continue reading Rework DL Boston 2016 – Day 2