Future News- Review of Maker Faire with VR pundit Greg Panos, Richard Cray, and Drone Racer Zoe Stumbaugh

Listen to Future News 5.24.2016

The KSCO studio was full today with visitors, all of whom participated in adding valuable comments to our most interesting topics.  All our guests had been at last weekend’s epic Bay Area Maker Faire, from which we drew content for much of the show. We also delved a bit into politics, given that this is a major election year, and after all, we are on talk radio.  For that segment we even got a call from Republican Jerry Law, running for a U.S. Senate position this year in California. 

For the last segment of the show we bring on Zoe Stumbaugh, who is the first woman to make the Drone Nationals this year!  We talk about the latest amazing track design, debuted at the Maker Faire, and the future of drone racing as a career path.  A very dynamic and exciting show this week, enjoy!

Foreground-Richard Cray, rear L-R Greg Panos, Al Lundell, Sun Lundell (Dr. Mrs. Future)

The Futures go to Washington

Listen now to the Futures (Al&Sun) in Washington D.C.

This month we were invited to participate in the DC Independent Film Festival, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.. The official theme was “Virtual Rights and Avatars,” but naturally we included drones as well, some historical motion capture and a great moment with Walter Cronkite.

We spoke about emerging trends in technology and entertainment in the Canon Building, one of the offical Congressional office buildings, right next to the Capitol.  It’s been quite a hoot!  Also, curiously enough, our regular guests, filmmakers Brett and Shannon Leonard, also happened to be in DC at the same time, but meeting with govenment agencies about Virtual Reality and it’s future..interesting times. 

For a fuller experience of our talk, check out the video version here. Enjoy!

Future News and Review - 90th Anniversary of TV, Remembering Marvin Minksy, El Nino, Drones and Citizen Scientists, Floating air plants, Planet Nine, Are Aliens Extinct?

Listen Now to Future News 1.26.2016

A fun show today with lots of good stories and callers.  We even started off with a continuing  politcal thread from the previous show on KSCO, with Charles Freedman.  For the second half of the show we had our quantum astronaut friend Christopher Altman check in for comments on several space and consciousness stories on our docket.  Look for the interesting juxtaposition between Chris and a caller, Celestine Star, a psychic intuitive from Marin..”The Psychic and the Astronaut.”  The radical differences in belief systems could have been confusing, but we thought it came off quite well!  The image below is an unusual cloud formation sent in by Celestine, who claims it is a stargate.’   Listen to her explanation and you decide wtf! Thanks, and enjoy!

Stargate in Cloud by Celestine Star

Future News & Interview - Drones and Drone Racing with Zoe Katherine Stumbaugh

Listen Now to Zoe Katherine Stumbaugh

You ever wonder what it was like at the beginning of a new sport? Well, this time in history is the beginning of drone racing, fast little flying machines that can dazzle you with their speed and agility, able to turn on a dime and even sustain high speed crashes, and continue to race. 

As the pilot wearing FPV googles (First Person View), your eyes are fed live video from the drone’s camera as you control the flight sticks, essentially making YOU the aircraft, hurtling through the landscape at up to 100 mph, through abandoned buildings and forests. As Zoe intimates in her online ‘Outer Limits’ flying vids, you are in charge of the “vertical and horizonal.”

Zoe is a pioneer racer in this nascent new sport, one of the few (but rapidly growing) population of female drone pilots that love to feel that need for speed.  It also has to do with the freedom the sport offers. Having been bed-ridden in her early 20’s, the ability to suddenly be free of the tyrany of gravity and fly with the birds in your own neighborhood was tremendous.  And of course, having the mind and technical skills to build them and rebuild them after crashes certainly helps.

In our interview we discuss many significant aspects of the drone universe, including the new rules coming down from the Federal Aviation Administration.  With over half a million drones sold this Christmas, 2016 truly is the year of the drones.  Enjoy!

Future News - Tesla's Autopilot, Current State of Autonomy and other Car's Driver Assist Options, Lyft vs Uber, Drone Registration Imminent

Listen Now to Future News 10.20.2015

The pace of autonomous vehicles has picked up in the last few weeks, with many new services and features being offered by automotive and drone companies.  In this episode we discuss not only the latest features and benefits of new technologies, but the new regulations looming over the entire field.  Exciting times, tempered with cautious optimism.  Enjoy!