Ethnography

Experts Tell Retailers How to Lure In Customers, Then Keep Them Satisfied

In this 1999 article on retail anthropology the author offers a top 10 tips list for bricks and mortar retailers. Due to my lack of experience it would be inappropriate for me to argue with retail methods such as placing sales racks at the back of the store to make customers walk through more merchandise or curving aisles to encourage exploration [read confuse the customer and get them lost]. I can say without hesitation that this just won’t work online. (more…)

By Challis, ago
Artificial Intelligence

Roboflies

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, are aiming to create biologically inspired “roboflies” — tiny, inexpensive, quick-moving robots they can send into space for planetary exploration. Imagine swarms of inexpensive robots seeking out life in other galaxies. The concept is simple really, just as schooling fish and flocking birds have evolved to take advantage of the increased odds of survival so too would the robots. (more…)

By Challis, ago
Education

The Social Science Information Gateway

The bio of Hector Blackhurst, Section Editor, Ethnology/Anthropology, is a great description of today’s social scientist. “Hector Blackhurst has been SOSIG section editor for Ethnology/Anthropology since May 1996. Absorbing though this work is, he has found it advisable to continue with his day job as Social Sciences Librarian in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester. (more…)

By Challis, ago