The Sniffer

Nora Young and Cathi Bond

Listen to writer/broadcasters Nora Young and Cathi Bond as they freak over the future. They can't believe it. Neither will you.

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520 episodes
Updated Mar 10, 2024

Episodes520

Newest first

Mar 30, 2018 · 12 min
Fixing the News and Freaky Avatar Assistant
On this podcast, Cathi Bond talks about Jimmy Wales' idea for Wikitribune: journalism that's crowdfunded, where the community decides what stories professional journalists will research and cover (via Wired UK). Nora Young talks about SK Telecom out of South Korea. They're partnering with a VR developer to come up with a hologram avatar that lives in a cylindrical "HoloBox" in your home (via PSFK). Is this just the natural progression of Alexa, Siri et al on your smart speaker? Nora also mention
Mar 9, 2018 · 9 min
New IoT Botnet and AI for Fashion
Hi again! On this episode, Cathi Bond talks about Satori, a new bit of malware that, like Mirai before it, can take control of internet- connected household devices and routers and harness them for botnets (via Technology Review). Nora Young mentions this Spark interview with Finn Brunton on the black market for botnets. Meanwhile, Nora talks about this report on how fashion is starting to use the data analytics power of AI in design. The idea is that designers can query things like, for example
Feb 20, 2018 · 10 min
Tracking Distracted Drivers and Self-Parking...Slippers!
On this podcast, Nora Young talks about insurance company Arity's driver safety project. Drivers put an app on their phone that monitors whether drivers are picking up their phones or engaging with apps while they drive. It's a bid to charge people more or less for insurance, depending on whether they are distracted or not (via CNN). Arity is a branch of insurance giant Allstate. Nora wonders whether this is a harbinger of the future. Meanwhile, Cathi Bond talks about a cool project from Nissan.
Jan 14, 2018 · 10 min
Drones for Workaholics and Brain-Computer Interfaces
On this podcast, Cathi Bond talks about a surprising response to the problem of overwork in Japan: drones that chase employees out of the building by blasting annoying music (via New Atlas) Nora Young talks about this article in Technology Review. It looks at the potential for brain-computer interfaces in the future. A brain surgeon and speculative fiction author believes in a possible future of so-called "neural prosthetics" that would allow us to communicate with our computers, and each other,
Dec 24, 2017 · 10 min
Diagnose your Car Trouble and 3D Print your Watch
For our annual holiday edition, Nora Young mentions a tweak to Google maps for transit (via Tech Crunch) as well as a cool idea for a 3D printed watch (via New Atlas). Custom fit! Cathi Bond has a gift for drivers: the FIXD dongle for diagnosing what's wrong with your car (via Daily Wise)! Happy Holidays from your Sniffer pals!
Dec 15, 2017 · 9 min
Homes for Extreme Weather and Remote Working with Virtual Reality
On today's podcast, Cathi Bond talks about these cool biodomes, geodesic domes designed to be partly nestled into the earth, and to resist intense climate events (via New Atlas). Nora mentions this exhibit at the Royal BC Museum. Nora Young talks about barriers to working remotely, and whether truly realistic virtual reality might eventually bridge that gap (via Technology Review) BTW, there's more on remote working solutions on this weekend's episode of Nora's show, Spark.
Nov 20, 2017 · 11 min
Writing and Body Hacks: Benefits of Ritual and Fasting
We're back after a little break! This time, Nora Young talks about this New York Times profile of author, Philip Pullman. In particular, she looks at his very specific rituals around writing. Nora and Cathi talk about journaling and their own rituals for writing. Nora's preferred method: pomodoro! Cathi Bond looks at a study on the benefits of fasting, in particular, 5 days of 'regular' eating a week, and 2 days of extremely limited calorie intake (via New Atlas). Do you have rituals to get in
Oct 10, 2017 · 10 min
Future of Manufacturing and Interactive Movies
In today's podcast, Cathi Bond talks about PSFK's report on the future of manufacturing and the possibility of more continuous feedback. Could it help reduce waste and increase customization? Nora Young looks at the interactive 'proof of concept' movie Otis (via Engadget). You can watch and interact with Otis for free here. Let us know what you think in the comments!
Sep 25, 2017 · 10 min
AI that Creates Music, and a 16 Hour Work Week
Welcome to season 13 (ack!) of The Sniffer! Thanks for staying subscribed; we really appreciate the support. On this podcast episode, Nora Young talks about this Technology Review profile of Douglas Eck, who works on creativity and AI at Google's Magenta. Meanwhile, Cathi Bond discusses Jack Ma's idea that in the future, we'll all work a 16 hour work week (via Gizmodo). What would you do if your working life was 16 hours per week?
Aug 13, 2017 · 9 min
The Power of Journals and Yikes! Bed Bugs
This time, Nora Young and Cathi Bond commit to keeping journals after reading this article about the benefits of doing so. Writing out your thoughts reminds Nora of this Spark interview with philosopher Andy Clark, about the idea of "extended minds". Cathi Bond offers you this summertime travel help: how to spot and deal with bed bugs (via Lifehacker)!
Jul 30, 2017 · 9 min
Virtual Reality Pain Relief and Perfume as Social History
This time, Cathi Bond talks about a study testing the effectiveness of different virtual reality scenarios in managing pain. Perhaps unsurprisingly, a virtual reality scene at a calming beach was much more effective in pain relief, than one that was simply a distracting urban scene (via Medgadget) Nora Young talks about an exhibit in London UK called Perfume: A Sensory Journey through Contemporary Scent, and how perfume can be a barometre of social conditions (via PSFK).
Jul 16, 2017 · 7 min
Blocking Memories and Modular Tents
Nora Young talks about research into blocking specific memories in snails (via Motherboard) Just in time for summer, Cathi Bond talks about the RhinoWolf tent system. You can sleep anywhere from one to 100 people by attaching more and more modular tents (via New Atlas)
Jul 2, 2017 · 11 min
Robocop and Bricks and Mortar Amazon
On this podcast, Cathi Bond talks about the growing trend in robot policing (via New Atlas) Nora Young talks about this Guardian article, which takes a walk through Amazon's latest bricks-and-mortar store in New York. In the wake of their purchase of Whole Foods, what's Amazon's end game?
Jun 19, 2017 · 9 min
Health Trends: Apps for Recovery and Tech for Mobility
In this podcast, Nora Young talks about Triggr Health, an app designed to support people in recovery from substance abuse (via Technology Review). Nora also mentions Cathi's fabulous story in the new collection, Any Other Way Cathi Bond talks about a fascinating Manual Standing Wheelchair that users can manipulate to raise themselves to a standing position (via MedGadget) Here it is in action:
May 24, 2017 · 9 min
New Ideas for Mass Customization: Houses and Shoes
This time, Cathi Bond talks about Cover, an architectural startup that aims to give people customized, small houses - based on their preferences - at a lower cost than hiring an architect to design a home, but with more options than just buying a regular prefab (via PSFK) Meanwhile, Nora Young talks about Adidas' plan to partner with innovative 3D printing company, Carbon, to produce customized midsoles for sneakers (via Technology Review)
May 1, 2017 · 10 min
Gig Economy Pushback and Still Using Word
Welcome back to the podcast! This time, Nora Young talks about this article over at Backchannel, and why some service-based startups are rejecting the 'Uber for X', gig economy model in favour of hiring actual employees. Meanwhile, Cathi Bond points to this Gizmodo article questioning why people still need to use Word. Cathi's been having her own frustrations, and wonders whether she should find an alternative. In the comments, Gizmodo's readers, however, seem to like Word. How about you? Is it
Apr 8, 2017 · 14 min
Sorry State of the Web and Cool, Modular Phones
Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the Web and recent winner of the Turing Award, has been sounding the alarm about the sad, sad state of the Web (read it here in The Guardian). Cathi Bond has heard the alarm bells loud and clear. Is the promise of the Web as an open, democratic place dead? People have been talking about modular smart phones for a while now, where you swap out parts of your phone that need upgrading, instead of trading them in for a whole new one. Are they ready for their close-up? No
Mar 21, 2017 · 9 min
New Ways to Pay: Do You Tap? And Using Your Ring to Pay
Cathi is a fan of "tap and pay" credit cards. But now she's wondering if they're really secure. She also mentions this security report about malware on phones installed somewhere along the supply chain. Nora looks at Kerv, a cool-looking ring that gives you the ability for contactless payment without a card, or a phone, at all (via Tech Radar).
Mar 4, 2017 · 8 min
Innovation in heating and cool new robot
Cathi Bond talks about Swiss research into a process that supposedly stores summer heat for use in the frosty winter months. Read about the process here. Meanwhile, HOLY CATS! Nora Young talks about Boston Dynamic's cool/freaky new robot, Handle (via Mashable)
Feb 13, 2017 · 9 min
Taming Trolls and Adult Swaddling
In this podcast, Nora Young talks about research suggesting pretty much any of us can be a troll, or otherwise just plain nasty online, given the right circumstances (via Technology Review). And, Cathi Bond shares this video on the trend in Japan towards adult women being swaddled and rocked.