Post-IOP-Talk thoughts

So I gave this talk last night entitled: Quantum Computing: Is the end near for the Silicon chip? It was an interesting experience. I've given talks of this size before, but I don't think I have ever tried so cover quite so many topics in one go, and give so many demonstrations in the process. So with two radio microphones strapped to my waist, and 3 cameras recording the talk, I proceeded to enthusiastically extol the future potential for superconducting electronics technology, and warn about the limits of silicon technology. I gave an overview of superconductors for use in quantum computing, which culminated in a discussion of interesting applications in machine learning and brain emulation.The main problem I had during the talk was that I wanted to stand in FRONT of the rather large podium/desk in order to talk to the audience, as I felt this would be a bit more personal (rather than 'hiding' behind the desk). However, the controls for the visualiser, (which is a camera pointing at an illuminated surface connected up to the projector so that the audience can look closely at objects you wish to show) were behind the desk, so I had to keep running backwards and forwards every few minutes to switch from visualiser -> laptop output. This was most irritating and is a really poor design in a lecture theatre. The control for the projector output really should have been somewhat more mobile.The other moment of complete fail was when the large piece of YBCO stubbornly refused to cool to below 90K when immersed in the liquid nitrogen. Stupid smug piece of perovskite. I stood there for what seemed like hours, with over 80 pairs of curious eyes fixated upon my failing experiment, eagerly anticipating some badass superconducting action. And the damn magnet wouldn't levitate. There was just way too much thermal mass in the YBCO block and its metal/wood housing to cool it quickly enough. I eventually gave up and swapped to the smaller YBCO piece, making some passing comment about physics experiments never working.Anyway, those gripes over, the talk seemed to attract a lot of questions relating to the last 30% of the material I covered, namely the part about simulating the human brain and potentially building quantum elements into such machine intelligences.Anyway I hope it inspired some of the younger members of the audience to consider working as scientists in these areas to be interesting career paths.I'll try and get the talk edited and put up on the web soon :)