The Machine That Changed the World (miniseries)

The Machine That Changed the World (1992) (broadcast under the alternative title "The Dream Machine" in the UK, with different narration) is a 5-episode television series on the history of electronic digital computers. It was written and directed by Nancy Linde, and produced by WGBH Television of Boston, Massachusetts, and the British Broadcasting Corporation. Backers included the Association for Computing Machinery, the National Science Foundation, and the UNISYS Corporation.

The first three episodes deal with the history of fully electronic general-purpose digital computers from the ENIAC through desktop microcomputers. The pre-history of such machines is examined in the first episode ("Giant Brains"), and includes a discussion of the contributions of Charles Babbage, Ada Lovelace, Alan Turing, and others. The fourth episode ("The Thinking Machine") explores the topic of artificial intelligence. The fifth episode ("The World at Your Fingertips") explores the then-newly-emerging worldwide networking of computers. All episodes begin and end with a song by Peter Howell, "Stellae matutinae radius exoritur" ("The morning star's ray arises") and are narrated by long-time Frontline narrator Will Lyman.

Machine (disambiguation)

A machine is a device that uses energy to perform some activity or task.

Machine, Machines, Machinery, The Machine, or The Machines may also refer to:

Term of art

More specific applications of the general term

Computing

The Machine (film)

The Machine is a 2013 British science fiction thriller film directed and written by Caradog W. James. It stars Caity Lotz and Toby Stephens as computer scientists who create an artificial intelligence for the military.

Plot

In the future, amid a cold war with China, scientists employed by Britain's Ministry of Defence produce a cybernetic implant that allows brain-damaged soldiers to regain lost functions. Scientist Vincent McCarthy sets up a cognitive test for soldier Paul Dawson, a recipient of the cybernetic implant. Upset with Dawson's apparent solipsism and lack of empathy, McCarthy ignores Dawson's requests to see his mother. Dawson turns hostile, kills a scientist and wounds McCarthy, before apologizing and being shot. Afterwards, Dawson's mother regularly protests at the base, though McCarthy denies that her son was ever there.

McCarthy's research leads to a series of more stable cyborgs. Although they lose the capability for human speech, the cyborgs develop a highly efficient method of communication that they keep secret. After she demonstrates her latest work in artificial intelligence, McCarthy recruits Ava, by promising her unlimited funds for her research. Thomson, the director, is suspicious of Ava's countercultural politics and sympathy for Dawson's mother but he relents when McCarthy insists that she is the only one who can provide the necessary programme for their latest project, a self-aware and conscious android. McCarthy plans to use this technology to help his daughter Mary, who suffers from Rett syndrome, a neurological disorder. When she finds out, Ava volunteers to help and McCarthy maps her brain.

The Machine (band)

The Machine is one of the oldest U.S. Pink Floyd tribute bands. Formed in 1988 by Tahrah Cohen and Joe Pascarell, the band has performed many shows around the world. Spin magazine noted that The Machine "sounds exactly like Pink Floyd"

The Machine began as a cover band who played gigs local to the Rockland County, NY area and did not play Pink Floyd Music exclusively. At one point, they were approached by a talent agent and it was suggested that they play only music from Pink Floyd, since it seemed to garner such a delighted response from their audiences. From there, the band's reputation continued to grow and soon they became one of the forerunners of the tribute band phenomenon.

The band has played thousands of shows worldwide and has seen several lineup changes.

Members

Current members:

Past members: