[A very useful read and cuts through the hype] Mything the point: The #AI renaissance is simply expensive hardware and PR thrown at an old idea, writes Andrew Fentem theregister.co.uk/2018/11/06/and… #deeplearning

If you go beyond the 🤢 headline this article by Andrew Fentem is a great read and 💯 agree. I am spending all my time in this field and I am super excited by it, but there is a lot of hippy dippy baloney thrown around.

This is what happens to #innovation when you offshore your engineering and manufacturing bases. ft.com/content/793be7… Financial Times @BEISgovUK Engineering News Royal Academy of Engineering @GregClarkMP

Welcoming summer outside the Bodleian Libraries in #Oxford this morning (dancing to 'Set You Free' by Niño Mike Trance). Happy #MayDay! #Beltane

Saw lots of great quirky art in Belgium this week - from Bosch and Bruegel to retro-futuristic bronzes by Stéphane Halleux Absolute Art Gallery #steampunk

A couple of days ago I was interviewed for a European film about inventors. The crew were keen to discuss this Andrew Orlowski scoop about Nesta and pre-iPhone #multitouch. Rory Cellan-Jones theregister.co.uk/2013/12/13/uk_… via The Register

Found a pic of me with some 1980s #engineering #apprentices. The apprentice in the grey jumper is now President and COO of Arm (worth $30billion+). Wow, #SocialMobility. Consider apprenticeships. #Alevels2019 The Sutton Trust Apprenticeships and Skills Sam Friedman Amol Rajan Aditya Chakrabortty

Amazing! Always ahead of our time 😉

I enjoyed this talk Blackwell's, Oxford’s Bookshop. Professor Danny Dorling News was as interesting and amusing as ever. Read his book!

TOY SYNTHS 1.0 Many years after quitting #synthesizer hardware development, I thought it'd be fun to create some new low-cost #synth prototypes. This is the 'Synthmouse' - #RP2040 MCU, #CircuitPython #synthio, DAC, amp, battery, casing, & ribbon keyboard - total weight just 63g.

TOY SYNTHS 2.0 Inspired by the Japanese #Otamatone electronic instrument, I developed this #guitar #synth by replacing the sound circuitry in a musical toy with an STM32F411 MCU, virtual #analog synthesis algorithms, and a joystick. (*Direct smartphone 🎤 recording.) #synthesizer

TOY SYNTHS 3.1 In the mid-80s - inspired by the Fairlight CMI, E&MM, Hal Chamberlin - my little bro (Z80 CPU whizz) and I developed a digital #synth system including: sampling, Fourier synthesis, drums, CV seq etc. Hardware approx £2500 (acc inflation). (Pic: My bedroom, 1985)

TOY SYNTHS 3.2 The Z80 CPU (8-bit,~4MHz) was launched in 1976, and discont'd in June 2024. You can now buy ultra low cost MCUs instead (eg. a PY32F002A (32-bit, 24MHz, 12-bit ADC etc.) is less than $0.08 ! (in qty)) So, I built this: a ~$1 disposable(?) synth #synthesizer #synth

7 Future Gaming Interfaces Beyond Mouse and Keyboard editorialge.com/future-gaming-…

Our increasing dependence on ICT requires the UK Civil Service widen its talent pool – Andrew Fentem Letters Financial Times on.ft.com/2xdcXex