Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Magnetic retainer lets you operate machinery with your tongue, gives linguistics new meaning]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/magnetic-retainer-lets-you-operate-machinery-with-your-tongue-g/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/magnetic-retainer-lets-you-operate-machinery-with-your-tongue-g/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/magnetic-retainer-lets-you-operate-machinery-with-your-tongue-g/#comments Many people with debilitating conditions rely on sip and puff technology to get around, which is relatively lo-fi by some standards. Now, a special retainer with magnetic sensors could bring mobility into the smartphone age. Developed at Georgia Tech, the Tongue Drive System uses a magnetic piercing to track lingual gestures. The sensors then transmit data to an iOS app that translates it to on-screen or a joystick movement. Earlier versions used a headset, but the prototype revealed at the International Solid State Circuits Conference in San Francisco, is hoped to be more comfortable and discreet. The system is currently being trialled by 11 participants with high-level spinal-cord injuries, with larger trials planned.

Continue reading Magnetic retainer lets you operate machinery with your tongue, gives linguistics new meaning

Magnetic retainer lets you operate machinery with your tongue, gives linguistics new meaning originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appledisabilitydisabledhandicaphandicappedinventioniosiphoneipodlinguisticsmagneticmobilityresearchretainertonguetongue controltongue piercingTongueControlTonguePiercingwheelchairWed, 22 Feb 2012 17:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Georgia Tech researchers turn an iPhone into a Braille writer with BrailleTouch app]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/18/georgia-tech-researchers-turn-an-iphone-into-a-braille-writer-wi/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/18/georgia-tech-researchers-turn-an-iphone-into-a-braille-writer-wi/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/18/georgia-tech-researchers-turn-an-iphone-into-a-braille-writer-wi/#comments Georgia Tech researchers turn an iPhone into a Braille writer with BrailleTouch appIt wasn't all that long ago that we saw a student turn a tablet into a Braille writer, and now some researchers from Georgia Tech have done the same thing for smaller touchscreens, too. The Yellow Jackets produced a prototype app, called BrailleTouch, that has six keys to input letters using the Braille writing system and audio to confirm each letter as it's entered. To use the app, you simply turn the phone face down, hold it in landscape mode and start typing. As you can see above, it's currently running on an iPhone, but the researchers see it as a universal eyes-free texting app for any touchscreen. Early studies with people proficient in Braille writing show that typing on BrailleTouch is six times faster than other eyes-free texting solutions -- up to 32 words per minute at 92 percent accuracy. Skeptical of such speeds? Check out the PR and video of the app in action after the break.

Continue reading Georgia Tech researchers turn an iPhone into a Braille writer with BrailleTouch app

Georgia Tech researchers turn an iPhone into a Braille writer with BrailleTouch app originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appappsbraillebraille writerbrailletouchBrailleWritereyes-freegeorgia techGeorgiaTechmobilepostcrossresearchresearchersvideoSat, 18 Feb 2012 20:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Yale Physicists develop quantum computing error correction, are a qubit pleased with themselves]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/15/yale-physicists-develop-quantum-computing-error-correction-are/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/15/yale-physicists-develop-quantum-computing-error-correction-are/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/15/yale-physicists-develop-quantum-computing-error-correction-are/#comments We're big fans of quantum computing, and hopefully it's about to get a lot more reliable. Researchers at Yale have demonstrated quantum error correction in a solid state system for the first time. Quantum bits were created from "artificial" atoms using superconducting circuits, these qubits are then given either of the typical bit states of "1" or "0," or the quantum state of both simultaneously. The researchers developed a technique that identifies each qubit's initial state, so any erroneous changes can be reversed on the fly. Until now, errors have been a barrier in quantum computing, accumulating and ultimately causing computational failure. A reliable means of fixing these state changes is essential to developing a computer with an exponential speed-up, and fully realizing the quantum dream. The team at Yale hopes that this research might mean its platform of superconducting circuits becomes the one upon which quantum computing is ultimately built. We, on the other hand, just want our parallel universe.

Yale Physicists develop quantum computing error correction, are a qubit pleased with themselves originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>error correctionErrorCorrectionquantum bitsquantum computerquantum computingQuantumBitsQuantumComputerQuantumComputingqubitresearchsciencestudyyaleyale universityYaleUniversityWed, 15 Feb 2012 21:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Large Hadron Collider to increase beam energy: Higgs boson can run, not hide]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/14/large-hadron-collider-to-increase-beam-energy-higgs-boson-can-r/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/14/large-hadron-collider-to-increase-beam-energy-higgs-boson-can-r/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/14/large-hadron-collider-to-increase-beam-energy-higgs-boson-can-r/#comments We've seen the Large Hadron Collider running at a record-breaking 7 TeV for short periods, but now CERN is turning it up a notch (to 4 TeV from 3.5) for the rest of the year. The decision comes after an annual performance workshop last week in Chamonix and a report from the CERN Machine Advisory Committee (CMAC). The increase may seem modest compared to the knee-trembling levels of 7 TeV, but it's all part of a broader optimization strategy. Scientists state the new approach should increase the data collected in 2012 to 15 inverse femtobarns -- a three-fold jump from 2011. Even more encouraging is a statement from CERN's Research Director, Sergio Bertolucci, who claims that we should finally know for sure about the existence of the Higgs boson -- either way -- before the LHC enters a temporary shut-down period at the end of the year. Beam yourself over the break for the full press release.

Continue reading Large Hadron Collider to increase beam energy: Higgs boson can run, not hide

Large Hadron Collider to increase beam energy: Higgs boson can run, not hide originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4 tev4TevATLAScernCMACCMSenergy beamEnergyBeamfemtobarnhiggs bosonHiggsBosonlarge hadron colliderLargeHadronColliderLHCparticle acceleratorparticle physicsParticleAcceleratorParticlePhysicsphysicsresearchsciencestandard modelStandardModelTue, 14 Feb 2012 20:18:00 EST<![CDATA[Huawei R&D department gets new home, sets up shop in Silicon Valley]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/14/huawei-research-and-development-headquarters-in-silicon-valley/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/14/huawei-research-and-development-headquarters-in-silicon-valley/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/14/huawei-research-and-development-headquarters-in-silicon-valley/#comments Huawei R&D department gets new home, sets up shop in Silicon ValleyChinese manufacturing giant Huawei has been calling Plano, Texas its North American home since 2010, but now it seems the company's ready to explore a different business territory. Huawei's just announced its Research and Development squad -- in which it invested about $3.6 billion dollars last year -- is setting up shop in Silicon Valley in a move that could certainly be seen as an effort to rub elbows with the big players this side of the pond. According to the Dallas Business Journal, the company piled up $30 billion in sales last year, and while the new 600-plus human R&D operation will be calling California home, Huawei's Honorary headquarters won't be moving away from the state where "everything's bigger" anytime soon.

Huawei R&D department gets new home, sets up shop in Silicon Valley originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>departmentdevelopmenthuaweihuawei north americahuawei silicon valleyHuaweiNorthAmericaHuaweiSiliconValleyminipostplanordresearchSilicon ValleySiliconValleytexasTue, 14 Feb 2012 03:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Biological computer can decode images stored in DNA chips, applications remain unclear]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/09/biological-computer-can-decode-images-stored-in-dna-chips-appli/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/09/biological-computer-can-decode-images-stored-in-dna-chips-appli/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/09/biological-computer-can-decode-images-stored-in-dna-chips-appli/#comments
Scientists from the Scripps Research Institute and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology have taken biological computing one step further, with a new molecular machine capable of decoding images stored on a DNA chip. Though it's referred to as a "biological computer," the researchers' machine isn't much like a CPU at all -- unless your CPU was manufactured in a test tube filled with a smoothie of DNA molecules, enzymes and ATP. Once they found the right mix, the team proceeded to encrypt images on a DNA chip and used their Turing machine-like creation to decode them, with fluorescent stains helping to track its progress. The above image, read from left to right, gives a more literal idea of what the system can do -- basically, it takes a hidden image and extracts a given sequence. Storing data on DNA isn't anything new, but decrypting said data in this fashion apparently is. The applications for this kind of organic computing remain a bit fuzzy, but it's pretty clear that whatever follows probably won't look anything like a typical computer. The team's findings were recently published in a paper for the journal Angewandte Chemie, the abstract for which is linked below. For a slightly more readable explanation, check out the full press release after the break.

Continue reading Biological computer can decode images stored in DNA chips, applications remain unclear

Biological computer can decode images stored in DNA chips, applications remain unclear originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ATPbiocomputerbiocomputingbiological computerBiologicalComputercomputerCPUdecodedecryptionDNAencryptionimagemoleculeorganicpaperresearchscripps research instituteScrippsResearchInstitutestudyTechnion Israel Institute of TechnologyTechnionIsraelInstituteOfTechnologyturing machineTuringMachineThu, 09 Feb 2012 15:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Researchers get CPUs and GPUs talking, boost PC performance by 20 percent]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/08/researchers-get-cpus-and-gpus-talking-boost-pc-performance-by-2/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/08/researchers-get-cpus-and-gpus-talking-boost-pc-performance-by-2/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/08/researchers-get-cpus-and-gpus-talking-boost-pc-performance-by-2/#comments How do you fancy a 20 percent boost to your processor's performance? Research from the North Carolina State University claims to offer just that. Despite the emergence of fused architecture SoCs, the CPU and GPU cores typically still work independently. The University hoped that by assigning tasks based on each processor's abilities, performance efficiency would be increased. As the CPU and GPU can fetch data at comparable speeds, the researchers set the GPUs to execute the computational functions, while the CPUs did the prefetching. With that data ready in advance, the graphics processor unit has more resources free, yielding an average performance boost of 21.4 percent though it's unclear what metrics the researchers were using. Incidentally, the research was funded by AMD, so no prizes for guessing which chips we might see using the technique first.

Researchers get CPUs and GPUs talking, boost PC performance by 20 percent originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>computer scienceComputerScienceCPUCPUsmulti-coremulti-core processorsMulti-coreProcessorsNCSUNorth Carolina State UniversityNorthCarolinaStateUniversityperformanceprefetchingProcessorProcessorsresearchresearcherresearchersSoCstudysystem on a chipSystemOnAChipWed, 08 Feb 2012 14:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Acrobatic quadrocopters hunt in packs, seduce you into submission (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/01/acrobatic-quadrocopters-fly-in-hypnotic-formation/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/01/acrobatic-quadrocopters-fly-in-hypnotic-formation/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/01/acrobatic-quadrocopters-fly-in-hypnotic-formation/#comments
We've kept a pretty stern eye on the development of GRASP Lab's quadrocopters, and with good reason it seems, now that the four-bladed aerial ninjas have even more alarming abilities at their disposal. In the video after the break, watch them hold a variety of complex formations like it's no thing -- even while on the move. The 'copters can also take flight, or resume position, after being thrown into the air, navigating real world obstacles with deft fluidity. It's part of University of Pennsylvania's Scalable sWarms of Autonomous Robots and Mobile Sensors project (conveniently SWARMS for short), which is responsible for developing the air-born acrobats' new grouping skills. They say it's an attempt to replicate swarming habits in nature, though we're not convinced.

Continue reading Acrobatic quadrocopters hunt in packs, seduce you into submission (video)

Acrobatic quadrocopters hunt in packs, seduce you into submission (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>botbotsconstructioncopterdronedronesgrasp labGraspLabgroupnano quadrotorsNanoQuadrotorsquadrocopterquadrotorresearchrobocopterrobotrobot apocalypseRobotApocalypserobotsSWARMteamworkuniversityuniversity of pennsylvaniaUniversityOfPennsylvaniavideoWed, 01 Feb 2012 12:55:00 EST<![CDATA[IBM builds 9 nanometer carbon nanotube transistor, puts silicon on notice]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/28/ibm-builds-9-nanometer-carbon-nanotube-transistor-puts-silicon/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/28/ibm-builds-9-nanometer-carbon-nanotube-transistor-puts-silicon/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/28/ibm-builds-9-nanometer-carbon-nanotube-transistor-puts-silicon/#comments IBM makes a 9 nanometer carbon nanotube transistor, puts silicon on noticeIt's not the smallest transistor out there, but the boffins at IBM have constructed the tiniest carbon nanotube transistor to date. It's nine nanometers in size, making it one nanometer smaller than the presumed physical limit of silicon transistors. Plus, it consumes less power and is able to carry more current than present-day technology. The researchers accomplished the trick by laying a nanotube on a thin layer of insulation, and using a two-step process -- involving some sort of black magic, no doubt -- to add the electrical gates inside. The catch? (There's always a catch) Manufacturing pure batches of semiconducting nanotubes is difficult, as is aligning them in such a way that the transistors can function. So, it'll be some time before the technology can compete with Intel's 3D silicon, but at least we're one step closer to carbon-based computing.

IBM builds 9 nanometer carbon nanotube transistor, puts silicon on notice originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>9 nanometers9Nanometers9nmcarboncarbon nanotubesCarbonNanotubesibmmoores lawMooresLawresearchsciencesilicontransistorSat, 28 Jan 2012 00:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Researchers develop 'wireless optical brain router' to manipulate brain cells]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/24/researchers-develop-wireless-optical-brain-router-to-manipulat/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/24/researchers-develop-wireless-optical-brain-router-to-manipulat/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/24/researchers-develop-wireless-optical-brain-router-to-manipulat/#commentsOptogenetics might be a relatively unknown area of neuroscience, but it's one that, thanks to some new research, could soon find itself (and its rodental subjects) in the spotlight. For the uninitiated, it's the practice of manipulating animal cells using light (with a little help from gene therapy). Until now, optogenetic equipment has been large and unwieldy, making testing on subjects (read: rats) painstaking. Startup, Kendall Research, has changed all this, creating wireless prototypes that weigh just three grams (0.11 ounces). By eschewing bulky Lasers for LEDs and Laser diodes, the equipment is small enough that it can be attached to the rodents. At that point, their brain function can be manipulated with the touch of a button, and different parts can be stimulated without breeding mutant variants -- a controversial practice that doesn't even yield results in real time. The "router" is powered wirelessly by super capacitors below test area, and researchers can conduct experiments remotely, even automatically. Human applications for this are still some way off, but we're sure our future overlords will make good use of it.

Researchers develop 'wireless optical brain router' to manipulate brain cells originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain routerBrainRoutercell manipulationCellManipulationexperimentKendall ResearchKendallResearchlaserlaser diodeLaserDiodeledneuroscienceoptogeneticsratsresearchresearcherresearchersRobopocalypseRobotApocalypseroutersciencestartupstartupssuper capacitorSuperCapacitorwirelessTue, 24 Jan 2012 18:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Magnetic soap could make your next oil spill less oily]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/24/magnetic-soap-could-make-your-next-oil-spill-less-oily/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/24/magnetic-soap-could-make-your-next-oil-spill-less-oily/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/24/magnetic-soap-could-make-your-next-oil-spill-less-oily/#comments
Instead of spending millions upon millions to clean up the next oil spill, why don't we just all pitch in and buy some soap? That's basically what researchers at the University of Bristol are proposing, with a new kind of soap that's apparently like no other. This soap, you see, is magnetic, which means it could be easily removed from water without leaving behind any hazardous chemicals -- a potentially major selling point for cleanup crews and environmentalists alike. To create it, the team collected water with chlorine and bromine ions, and used it to dissolve iron particles, creating a metallic core. They proceeded to test their creation by placing the soapy particles within a test tube, underneath layers of water and oil. Much to their delight, they were able to remove the particles with only a magnet, ostensibly providing a template upon which disaster response crews may build.

Magnetic soap could make your next oil spill less oily originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bromidecleanupdisasterenvironmenthazardironmagnetmagnetic soapMagneticSoapmetaloiloil spillOilSpillpaperresearchsoapukuniversity of bristolUniversityOfBristolTue, 24 Jan 2012 16:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Researchers use lasers to supercool semiconductor membranes, blow your mind]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/24/researchers-use-lasers-to-supercool-semiconductor-membranes-blo/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/24/researchers-use-lasers-to-supercool-semiconductor-membranes-blo/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/24/researchers-use-lasers-to-supercool-semiconductor-membranes-blo/#comments Ah, lasers. Those wonderful, super intense beams of light that we've seen used in headlights, projectors, and naturally, death rays. Like us, researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen figure there's nothing lasers can't do, and have figured out a way to use them to cool a bit of semiconducting material. This bit of black magic works using a membrane made of gallium arsenide and is based upon principles of quantum physics and optomechanics (the interaction between light and mechanical motion).

Turns out, when a one millimeter square membrane of gallium arsenide is placed parallel to a mirror in a vacuum chamber and bombarded with a laser beam, an optical resonator is created between them that oscillates the membrane. As the distance between the gallium arsenide and the mirror changes, so do the membrane's oscillations. And, at a certain frequency, the membrane is cooled to minus 269 degrees Celsius -- despite the fact that the membrane itself is being heated by the laser. So, lasers can both heat things up and cool them down simultaneously, and if that confuses you as much as it does us, feel free to dig into the science behind this paradoxical bit of research at the source below. In other news, left is right, up is down, and Eli Manning is a beloved folk hero to all Bostonians.

Researchers use lasers to supercool semiconductor membranes, blow your mind originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>coolinggallium arsenideGalliumArsenidelaserlasersniels bohr instituteNielsBohrInstituteoptomechanicsquantum physicsQuantumPhysicsresearchscienceSemiconductorsemiconductorsUniversity of CopenhagenUniversityOfCopenhagenTue, 24 Jan 2012 12:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Scientists produce stronger T-rays, bring Tricorders closer to reality]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/23/scientists-produce-stronger-t-rays-bring-tricorders-closer-to-r/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/23/scientists-produce-stronger-t-rays-bring-tricorders-closer-to-r/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/23/scientists-produce-stronger-t-rays-bring-tricorders-closer-to-r/#comments
A group of scientists from Imperial College London and Singapore's Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) have developed a new technique that could have far reaching impacts for Star Trek fans everywhere. It all involves something known as Terahertz (THz), or T-rays: electromagnetic rays that have already been used in full-body airport scanners and have the potential to be used across a much broader range of medical and environmental applications. Because every molecule can be uniquely identified within the THz range, these T-rays can be used to pick up on cancerous cells and other biological matter, perhaps even within a Tricorder-like scanner. Now, Imperial College's Stefan Maier and his team of scientists say they've found a way to create a stronger beam of T-rays, using so-called "nano-antennas" to generate an amplified THz field. In fact, this field can produce about 100 times more power than most other THz sources, which could allow for sharper imaging devices. "T-rays promise to revolutionize medical scanning to make it faster and more convenient, potentially relieving patients from the inconvenience of complicated diagnostic procedures and the stress of waiting for accurate results," Maier explained. "Thanks to modern nanotechnology and nanofabrication, we have made a real breakthrough in the generation of T-rays that takes us a step closer to these new scanning devices." For more details, check out the links below.

Scientists produce stronger T-rays, bring Tricorders closer to reality originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beamcancerenvironmenthealthimperial collegeimperial college londonImperialCollegeImperialCollegeLondonmedicalmedical scannerMedicalScannermedicinenanotechnologypowerresearchscannerstar trekStarTrekt-rayterahertzterahertz imagingTerahertzImagingthzMon, 23 Jan 2012 05:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Researchers turn your smartphone into a virtual projector]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/22/researchers-turn-your-smartphone-into-a-virtual-projector/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/22/researchers-turn-your-smartphone-into-a-virtual-projector/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/22/researchers-turn-your-smartphone-into-a-virtual-projector/#comments Pico projectors are an easy way to increase the screen real estate of your mobile phone, but what if you'd rather not carry one around in your pocket or bulk up your phone's slim profile with a slip on solution? Well, a team of intrepid researchers may have come up with an elegant solution to your problem that can work with any smartphone and external display: virtual projection. The system works by using a central server that constantly takes screenshots of the external display and compares them with the images from the phone's camera to track its location. It then replicates what's on the handset's screen, while allowing you to add multiple image windows and position and rotate them as you see fit. Additionally, multiple users can collaborate and virtually project pictures or videos onscreen at the same time. Intrigued? See it in action for yourself in the video after the break.

Continue reading Researchers turn your smartphone into a virtual projector

Researchers turn your smartphone into a virtual projector originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>augmented realityAugmentedRealitypico projectorpico projectorsPicoProjectorPicoProjectorsresearchsmartphonevideovirtual projectionvirtual projectorVirtualProjectionVirtualProjectorSun, 22 Jan 2012 12:37:00 EST<![CDATA[GM teams with Future Lab on interactive Windows of Opportunity, MI:4 tech lives on]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/19/gm-teams-with-future-lab-on-interactive-windows-of-opportunity/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/19/gm-teams-with-future-lab-on-interactive-windows-of-opportunity/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/19/gm-teams-with-future-lab-on-interactive-windows-of-opportunity/#comments Wishing your vehicle had a better-integrated entertainment system than the iPad you're forced to futz with in the backseat? If GM has its way, you may be in luck. The auto manufacturer has joined forces with the Future Lab at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Israel to transform boring rear windows into interactive touchscreens. Since there are no plans to work the tech into production models right now, R&D gave the students a blank... er, clear canvas on which to create solutions.

The results include apps that allow an animated character to respond to scenery outside the window and finger drawing on window steam. Two other applications enable a look into users' windows worldwide and a music stream-and-share with your mates on the road. "Traditionally, the use of interactive displays in cars has been limited to the driver and front passenger, but we see an opportunity to provide a technology interface designed specifically for rear seat passengers," said Tom Seder, GM R&D lab group manager. Check out the apps in action or the particulars in the PR after the break.

Gallery: GM Windows of Opportunity applications

Continue reading GM teams with Future Lab on interactive Windows of Opportunity, MI:4 tech lives on

GM teams with Future Lab on interactive Windows of Opportunity, MI:4 tech lives on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car windowscarsCarWindowsFuture LabFutureLabGeneral MotorsGeneralMotorsGMinteractive displayinteractive windowsInteractiveDisplayInteractiveWindowsprojectresearchsmart windowsSmartWindowstransportationvideowindowswindows of opportunitywindows of opportunity projectWindowsOfOpportunityWindowsOfOpportunityProjectwooThu, 19 Jan 2012 03:02:00 EST<![CDATA[The Amazing Gecko-Man: a superhero future made possible by probable science]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/18/the-amazing-gecko-man-a-superhero-future-made-possible-by-proba/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/18/the-amazing-gecko-man-a-superhero-future-made-possible-by-proba/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/18/the-amazing-gecko-man-a-superhero-future-made-possible-by-proba/#comments There's no superhero origin story that begins with a bite (or a lick?) from a gecko. Plain 'ol wall climbing powers are, it seems, just not as sexy as wearing skintight suits, slinging webs and crawling up buildings. But if a few bright minds at the University of Southampton have anything to say about it, we could soon find ourselves walking like real-life lizard people (V, anyone?) and suctioning onto various surfaces using the managed properties of light. Lead researcher John Zhang and his UK team have predicted the existence of a force more powerful than gravity and the short-range pull of the Casimir effect, whereby plasmons (electromagnetic waves) captured on a metamaterial and the electrons on a metal resonate and form a bond of attraction. The resultant particle field is supposedly strong enough to "overcome the Earth's gravitational pull" and could even be used to alter the reflectivity of a material. Obvious military and aerospace applications aside, this invisible adhesive could also make its way into our everyday lives -- they just need to need to prove that it, y'know, actually exists first.

The Amazing Gecko-Man: a superhero future made possible by probable science originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Casimir forceCasimirForceelectronsgeckometamaterialoptical fieldOpticalFieldplasmonsresearchtheoryUniversity of SouthamptonUniversityOfSouthamptonWed, 18 Jan 2012 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[HP India to expand web access with Vayu Internet Device]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/18/hp-india-to-expand-web-access-with-vayu-internet-device/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/18/hp-india-to-expand-web-access-with-vayu-internet-device/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/18/hp-india-to-expand-web-access-with-vayu-internet-device/#comments
The Internet is gradually seeping its way into homes across India, but there are many within the country who remain too poor to actually purchase a PC. Fortunately, HP India has just developed new technology known as the Vayu Internet Device, or VInD, that could dramatically lessen this gap. According to the Times of India, the company's new set top box will essentially allow users to access web content via traditional TVs, using standard remotes, rather than keyboards or mice. All they'd have to do is plug it in, subscribe to an internet service, and turn on their in-home televisions. The idea, of course, is to deepen web penetration across lower-income populations, as well as among the elderly, who may have difficulties manipulating more complex computer equipment. No word yet on when the VInD could hit the market, but the Times of India has a more comprehensive rundown, at the source link below.

HP India to expand web access with Vayu Internet Device originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accesseconomicsentertainmenthphp indiaHpIndiaincomeindiainternetinternet accessInternetAccessISPmoneypriceproductresearchset top boxSetTopBoxTVvayu internet deviceVayuInternetDeviceViNDWed, 18 Jan 2012 08:20:00 EST<![CDATA[IBM stores bits on arrays of atoms, shrinks magnetic storage to the scientific limit]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/14/ibm-stores-bits-on-arrays-of-atoms-shrinks-magnetic-storage-to/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/14/ibm-stores-bits-on-arrays-of-atoms-shrinks-magnetic-storage-to/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/14/ibm-stores-bits-on-arrays-of-atoms-shrinks-magnetic-storage-to/#comments IBM's Almaden Research Center is filled with some of the best and brightest minds in the world, and its researchers just released new findings that detail how just how far IBM has come in the realm of magnetic storage. Andreas Heinrich is leading the team at Big Blue that figured out how to create atomic storage based on the fact that atoms of ferromagnetic material align their spins in one direction -- so the ability to control the spin direction is what's needed to make such minature memory possible. Heinrich and his crew were able to accomplish the trick by supercooling 12 atoms to four degrees kelvin (-452 fahrenheit), and arranging them using an electron microscope in such a away that nonvolatile storage became possible. As this is only a proof of concept, we won't be seeing atomic memory at, say, CES any time soon, but you can dig into the deep science behind the breakthrough at the source link below.

IBM stores bits on arrays of atoms, shrinks magnetic storage to the scientific limit originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Jan 2012 13:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Almaden Research Centeralmaden research labAlmadenResearchCenterAlmadenResearchLabandreas heinrichAndreasHeinrichatomic storageAtomicStoragebitbitsibmresearchsciencestorageSat, 14 Jan 2012 13:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Cyborg cockroaches inch closer to reality, blame science]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/12/cyborg-cockroaches-energy-power/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/12/cyborg-cockroaches-energy-power/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/12/cyborg-cockroaches-energy-power/#comments
Few things on this planet are more indestructible than the lowly cockroach -- except, of course, a cyborg cockroach. That's what researchers at Case Western Reserve University are looking to create, and they're a lot closer than you may think. In fact, chemistry professor Daniel Scherson has found a way to harvest energy from the chemicals swimming within these insidious insects, meaning that they may soon be able to create robot cockroaches with a more reliable power source. To do this, Scherson and his team incorporated enzymes capable of converting a cockroach's food intake into electrons, which can then be funneled through a fuel cell to generate electricity. Unlike similar developments, Scherson's technique doesn't rely on an external source like light, movement or batteries. All you need is a cockroach and a steady food supply -- basically, a college dorm room.

[Image courtesy of The Life Files]

Cyborg cockroaches inch closer to reality, blame science originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 05:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bugscase western reserve universityCaseWesternReserveUniversitychemistrycockroachcyborgcyborg cockroachesCyborgCockroacheselectricityenergyfuelgrossinsectresearchscaryThu, 12 Jan 2012 05:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Cornell scientists perform optical illusion, herald invisibility through bending of light (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/06/cornell-scientists-herald-invisibility/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/06/cornell-scientists-herald-invisibility/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/06/cornell-scientists-herald-invisibility/#comments Taken at face value, you'd almost think that Cornell scientists had successfully bent the fabric of time. With gobs of fiber optics at their disposal, the researchers have devised a method to distort light in a way that makes events in time undetectable to observers. Initial success in this Pentagon-backed invisibility project has cloaked an event for 40 trillionths of a second, leading Cornell scientists to tout, "You kind of create a hole in time where an event takes place. You just don't know that anything ever happened."

The feat is performed by separating light into more fundamental wavelengths, first by slowing the red and speeding the blue. A resultant gap forms in the beam, which leaves a small window for subterfuge. Then, as the light passes through another set of fibers -- which slow the blue and speed the red -- light reaches the observer as if no disturbance had taken place at all. While the brilliant researchers ultimately imagine art thieves being able to pass undetected through museums with this method, the immediate challenge will be in prolonging the light gap. This could prove frustrating, however, due to the scattering and dispersion effects of light. As Cornell scientists dream of their ultimate heist, visual learners will most certainly want to check the video after the break.

Continue reading Cornell scientists perform optical illusion, herald invisibility through bending of light (video)

Cornell scientists perform optical illusion, herald invisibility through bending of light (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cloakcloakingcornellcornell universityCornellUniversitydarpafiber opticfiber opticsFiberOpticFiberOpticsinvisibilityinvisibility cloakInvisibilityCloakinvisiblelightoptical camouflageOpticalCamouflagepentagonresearchscientistsstealthtimevideoFri, 06 Jan 2012 02:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Slime molds could hold key to new kinds of intelligence, help Statue of Liberty walk]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/29/slime-molds-could-hold-key-to-new-kinds-of-intelligence-help-st/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/29/slime-molds-could-hold-key-to-new-kinds-of-intelligence-help-st/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/29/slime-molds-could-hold-key-to-new-kinds-of-intelligence-help-st/#comments See that yellow amoeboid slime mold? It's up to something. A team of Japanese scientists at Future University Hakodate led by professor Toshiyuki Nakagaki has found evidence that physarum polycephalum -- or grape-cluster slime -- are capable of navigating mazes and can organize their cells to find the most direct route. Nakagaki and others believe this could be the key to designing bio-computers capable of solving complex problems. According to Nakagaki, the slime's cells appear to have a kind of information-processing ability that allows them to "optimize" the route along which the mold grows to reach food while avoiding stresses -- like light -- that may damage them.

Over at Kyushu University, researcher Atsushi Tero told the AFP news agency: "Computers are not so good at analysing the best routes that connect many base points because the volume of calculations becomes too large for them. But slime molds, without calculating all the possible options, can flow over areas in an impromptu manner and gradually find the best routes." Tero and other researchers have expressed hope that slime mold networks could be used in future designs of new transportation systems, electric transmission lines and understanding the human nervous system. Just remember, if you're going to coat the interior of the Statue of Liberty with some pink slime you found in the sewer, make sure you play some upbeat music to go along with it. It's just a good idea in the long run.

Slime molds could hold key to new kinds of intelligence, help Statue of Liberty walk originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 03:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Atsushi TeroAtsushiTerobio-computerscluster slimeClusterSlimeelectric transmission linesElectricTransmissionLinesFuture University HakodateFutureUniversityHakodategrapeKyushu UniversityKyushuUniversitylightmoldnervous systemNervousSystemphysarum polycephalumPhysarumPolycephalumresearchresearcherresearchersscienceslimeToshiyuki NakagakiToshiyukiNakagakitransmission linesTransmissionLinestransportationtransportation systemsTransportationSystemsUniversity HakodateUniversityHakodateThu, 29 Dec 2011 03:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Hajime Research is assembling a robot taller than you, Mr. Stark couldn't be more proud (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/23/hajime-research-is-assembling-a-robot-taller-than-you-mr-stark/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/23/hajime-research-is-assembling-a-robot-taller-than-you-mr-stark/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/23/hajime-research-is-assembling-a-robot-taller-than-you-mr-stark/#comments Not only are robots getting their own social networks, but now the plan is for them to become increasingly taller than us humans -- at least that's what the people at Hajime Research have in mind. The company has in its strategic plans the ultimate goal of building a 59-foot large machine that could be a comic-book character all on its own; before it can do so, though, it's starting with a 13-foot humanoid. Hajime Sakamoto is the man behind the bizarre idea, and if there's anyone that can do, it's him. After all, in 2009 he built a seven-foot droid that remains one of the tallest this side of Saturn. Don't believe us? Catch the video after the break.

Continue reading Hajime Research is assembling a robot taller than you, Mr. Stark couldn't be more proud (video)

Hajime Research is assembling a robot taller than you, Mr. Stark couldn't be more proud (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 21:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hajimehajime researchhajime robothajime robotsHajimeResearchHajimeRobotHajimeRobotsresearchrobotrobotsvideoFri, 23 Dec 2011 21:13:00 EST<![CDATA[VT nears completion of HokieSpeed, world's 96th most powerful supercomputer]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/23/vt-nears-completion-of-hokiespeed-worlds-96th-most-powerful-su/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/23/vt-nears-completion-of-hokiespeed-worlds-96th-most-powerful-su/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/23/vt-nears-completion-of-hokiespeed-worlds-96th-most-powerful-su/#comments If basking in the presence of a powerful supercomputer is on your list of "must-haves" when selecting a proper university, then you may wish to fire off an admissions application to the Hokies at Virginia Tech. The school's HokieSpeed system is now in its final stages of testing, which combines 209 separate computers, each powered by dual six-core Xeon E5645 CPUs and two NVIDIA M2050 / C2050 448-core GPUs, with a single-precision peak processing capability of 455 teraflops. To put things in perspective, HokieSpeed is now the 96th most powerful computer in the world, and yet it was built for merely $1.4 million in loose change -- the majority of which came from a National Science Foundation grant. As a further claim to fame, HokieSpeed is the 11th most energy-efficient supercomputer in the world. Coming soon, the system will drive a 14-foot wide by four-foot tall visualization wall, which is to consist of eight 46-inch Samsung 3D televisions humming in unison. After all, with virtually limitless potential, these scientists will need a fitting backdrop for all those Skyrim sessions. The full PR follows the break, complete with commentary from the system's mastermind, Professor Wu Feng.

Continue reading VT nears completion of HokieSpeed, world's 96th most powerful supercomputer

VT nears completion of HokieSpeed, world's 96th most powerful supercomputer originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3daccC2050cpuE5645gpuHokieSpeedintelM2050National Science FoundationNationalScienceFoundationnvidiaresearchsamsungsupercomputersupercomputinguniversityVirginia TechVirginiaTechvtWu FengWuFengxeonFri, 23 Dec 2011 18:43:00 EST<![CDATA[IBM says mind control next big thing in human-computer interaction; GLaDOS offers cake reward]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/20/ibm-says-mind-control-next-big-thing-in-human-computer-interacti/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/20/ibm-says-mind-control-next-big-thing-in-human-computer-interacti/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/20/ibm-says-mind-control-next-big-thing-in-human-computer-interacti/#commentsFrom the ongoing Google-Apple turf war on voice recognition to Microsoft's gesture tracking with Kinect, humans continue to push the envelope on how to interact with computers and devices. Now IBM says mind control will be the next field to see a big leap, predicting breakthroughs within the next five years. Keep in mind that they're not talking about controlling humans a la Gorilla Grodd ... yet. Instead, they're talking about controlling computer actions and devices via brain waves. IBM software guru and potential Borg recruit Kevin Brown (pictured right) has already been using a headset to move cubes on a computer screen at will. Given the ongoing progress with mind-controlled cars and BrainGate, IBM's prediction might not be too far-fetched.

IBM says mind control next big thing in human-computer interaction; GLaDOS offers cake reward originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 07:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brainbrain controlbrain controlled movementBrainControlBrainControlledMovementmindmind controlMindControlneuralresearchsensorsensorstelekinesisthoughtthought controlThoughtControlTue, 20 Dec 2011 07:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Researchers turn a DSLR into hyperspectral camera using PVC and duct tape, MacGyver green with envy]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/15/researchers-turn-a-dslr-into-hyperspectral-camera-using-pvc-and/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/15/researchers-turn-a-dslr-into-hyperspectral-camera-using-pvc-and/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/15/researchers-turn-a-dslr-into-hyperspectral-camera-using-pvc-and/#comments Hyperspectral imaging is a method that captures a far greater amount of the electromagnetic spectrum than a regular photograph. This makes it ideal for a variety of uses, from night vision to identifying mineral deposits from afar, but the problem is that hyperspectral sensors don't come cheap. However, some intrepid imaging scientists have come up with a way to turn your DSLR into a hyperspectral camera using stock SLR glass, a gel diffraction filter, PVC pipe, duct tape, some serious ingenuity and plenty of elbow grease. Thusly did they build a (relatively) cheap-as-chips imaging spectrometer that can deliver spectral resolution equal to that of commercial solutions at a far lower cost.

The result of their labor is a computed tomography image spectrometer (CTIS), which takes hyperspectral images by splitting light into spectral bands with a diffuser and recording them using a Canon EOS 5D Mark I in HDR mode. As constructed, the prototype takes a spectral resolution of up to 4.89nm in a 120 x 120 pixel area, though at a longer exposure time than dedicated devices. Having proven their concept, the plan is to build another lens extension using custom tubes and lenses that'll both reduce weight and increase the aperture to shorten the exposure time -- all for less than a grand. You can see both the camera's construction and some sample images in the gallery below, plus you can dig deep into the nitty gritty behind this bit of imaging black magic at the source link.

Gallery: DSLR hyperspectral camera

Researchers turn a DSLR into hyperspectral camera using PVC and duct tape, MacGyver green with envy originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cameractisdslrfull-spectrumfull-spectrum photographyFull-spectrumPhotographyhdrhyperspectralhyperspectral camerahyperspectral imagingHyperspectralCameraHyperspectralImagingresearchsciencespectralThu, 15 Dec 2011 19:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft Kinect used to map asteroids, glaciers, other scary things]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/15/microsoft-kinect-used-to-map-asteroids-glaciers-other-scary-th/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/15/microsoft-kinect-used-to-map-asteroids-glaciers-other-scary-th/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/15/microsoft-kinect-used-to-map-asteroids-glaciers-other-scary-th/#comments
Ken Mankoff is a PhD student at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he studies ice and ocean interactions. He also counts himself among a growing legion of environmental scientists who have begun using Microsoft's Kinect to create detailed, 3D maps of caves, glaciers and even asteroids. As Wired reports, the Kinect has garnered something of a cult following within the scientific community, especially among those who, until now, have relied upon comparatively more expensive and complicated technologies to gather detailed 3D data. The approach du jour for most researchers is something known as Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) -- a laser-based technology capable of creating precise maps over relatively large areas. The Kinect, by contrast, can only see up to 16 feet in front of itself, but at just $120, it's significantly cheaper than the average LIDAR system, which can run for anywhere between $10,000 and $200,000. It's also surprisingly accurate, capable of capturing up to 9 million data points per second.

Mankoff, for one, has already used the device to map a small cavern underneath a glacier in Norway, while Marco Tedesco, a hydrologist at the City College of New York, is looking to attach a Kinect to a remote-controlled helicopter, in the hopes of measuring so-called meltwater lakes found on glaciers during the summer. Then there's Naor Movshovitz, also a PhD student at UC Santa Cruz, who's more interested in using the Kinect and its image processing software to figure out how asteroids behave when broken up by a projectile. There are limitations, of course, since the device still has trouble performing amidst severe environmental conditions, though its supporters seem confident they'll find a solution. Read more at the source link below.

Microsoft Kinect used to map asteroids, glaciers, other scary things originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3d3d map3d mapping3dMap3dMappingasteroidscavecaverngamegaminggeologyglaciericeLIDARlight detection and rangingLightDetectionAndRangingmapmicrosoftmicrosoft kinectMicrosoftKinectmoneyMSMSFTresearchsciencescientificspacestudyThu, 15 Dec 2011 16:05:00 EST<![CDATA[NVIDIA open sources CUDA compiler, shares its LLVM-based love with everyone]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/14/nvidia-open-sources-cuda-compiler-shares-the-llvm-love-with-eve/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/14/nvidia-open-sources-cuda-compiler-shares-the-llvm-love-with-eve/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/14/nvidia-open-sources-cuda-compiler-shares-the-llvm-love-with-eve/#commentsA few years back, Intel prognosticated that NVIDIA's CUDA technology was destined to be a "footnote" in computing history. Since that time, Jen-Hsun Huang's low level virtual machine (LLVM) based compiler has more than proven its worth in several supercomputers, and now NVIDIA has released the CUDA source code to further spread the parallel computing gospel. This move opens up the code to be used with more programming languages and processors (x86 or otherwise) than ever before, which the company hopes will spur development of "next-generation higher performance computing platforms." Academics and chosen developers can get their hands on the code by registering with NVIDIA at the source below, so head on down and get started -- petaflop parallel processing supercomputers don't build themselves, you know.

NVIDIA open sources CUDA compiler, shares its LLVM-based love with everyone originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 22:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cudallvmnvidiaopen sourceOpenSourceparallel computingparallel processingparallel processorparallel processorsParallelComputingParallelProcessingParallelProcessorParallelProcessorsresearchWed, 14 Dec 2011 22:19:00 EST<![CDATA[New quantum tunneling transistors to make PCs less power-hungry]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/12/new-quantum-tunneling-transistors-to-make-pcs-less-power-hungry/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/12/new-quantum-tunneling-transistors-to-make-pcs-less-power-hungry/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/12/new-quantum-tunneling-transistors-to-make-pcs-less-power-hungry/#commentsYes, that awesome new 8-core chip in your PC is the fastest thing on the block, but it's got your utility meter spinning accordingly. Fortunately, researchers from Penn State have come up with a new high performance transistor that may turn future chips from power hogs into current-sipping silicon. The group, in cooperation with semiconductor manufacturer IQE, has created a high-performance transistor capable of significantly reducing power demand whether it's idle or switching. Doctoral candidate Dheeraj Mohata's the one who made it happen by inventing an alternative to traditional MOSFET (metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors) technology capable of turning on and off using far less power. Mohata's method uses a tunneling field effect transistor crafted from dissimilar semiconductor materials to provide instant on-off capability at 300 millivolts -- compared to MOSFET's one volt requirement -- to provide a power savings of 70 percent. You can dig deeper into the technical transistor details at the source, but all you really need to know is that the ladies love a PC with paltry power consumption.

New quantum tunneling transistors to make PCs less power-hungry originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Dheeraj MohataDheerajMohataeffectfieldIQEmillivoltMOSFETPenn StatePenn State UniversityPennStatePennStateUniversitypowerpower consumptionPowerConsumptionquantum tunnelingquantum tunneling field effect transistorQuantumTunnelingQuantumTunnelingFieldEffectTransistorresearchsciencesemiconductorsemiconductorstransistortransistorsvoltMon, 12 Dec 2011 15:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Researchers build world's smallest steam engine that could]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/12/researchers-build-worlds-smallest-steam-engine-that-could/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/12/researchers-build-worlds-smallest-steam-engine-that-could/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/12/researchers-build-worlds-smallest-steam-engine-that-could/#comments
Wanna create your very own microscopic steam engine? Just take a colloid particle, put it in water, and add a laser. That's a CliffsNotes version of what a group of German researchers recently did to create the world's smallest steam engine. To pull it off, engineers from the University of Stuttgart and Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems tweaked the traditional approach introduced by Robert Stirling nearly 200 years ago. In Stirling's model, gas within a cylindrical tube is alternately heated and cooled, allowing it to expand and push an attached piston. Professor Clemens Bechinger and his team, however, decided to downsize this system by replacing the piston with a laser beam, and the cylinder's working gas with a single colloid bead that floats in water and measures just three thousandths of a millimeter in size. The laser's optical field limits the bead's range of motion, which can be easily observed with a microscope, since the plastic particle is about 10,000 times larger than an atom. Because the beam varies in intensity, it effectively acts upon the particle in the same way that heat compresses and expands gas molecules in Stirling's model. The bead, in turn, does work on the optical field, with its effects balanced by an outside heat source. The system's architects admit that their engine tends to "sputter" at times, but insist that its mere development shows that "there are no thermodynamic obstacles" to production. Read more about the invention and its potential implications in the full press release, after the break.

Continue reading Researchers build world's smallest steam engine that could

Researchers build world's smallest steam engine that could originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beadcolloidconceptdevelopmentefficiencyenergyengineGermanyheatlaserlaser beamLaserBeammax planck institutemax planck institute for intelligent systemsMaxPlanckInstituteMaxPlanckInstituteForIntelligentSystemsoptical fieldOpticalFieldparticlephysicsplasticresearchrobert stirlingRobertStirlingsteam engineSteamEngineThermodynamicsworlds smallest steam engineWorldsSmallestSteamEngineMon, 12 Dec 2011 13:29:00 EST<![CDATA[NASA looks to send landers to Europa in 2020, wants to break the ice]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/12/nasa-looks-to-send-landers-to-europa-in-2020-wants-to-break-the/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/12/nasa-looks-to-send-landers-to-europa-in-2020-wants-to-break-the/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/12/nasa-looks-to-send-landers-to-europa-in-2020-wants-to-break-the/#comments
There's still a lot of mystery surrounding Jupiter's moon Europa, but researchers at NASA seem fairly certain that there's a watery ocean lurking beneath its icy exterior. Their theories may finally be put to the test later this decade, thanks to a concept mission crafted by astronomers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. According to Space.com, JPL researchers have come up with a plan that would send a pair of landers to Europa by 2026, in the hopes of finding out whether the rock has ever supported life forms. The endeavor certainly wouldn't be easy, since Jupiter blankets its moon in heavy radiation, but researchers think they can mitigate these risks by sending in an extra lander as backup, and by keeping the mission short and sweet. Under the plan, each 700-pound robot would use a mass spectrometer, seismometers and a slew of cameras to search for any organic chemicals that may be lodged within the moon's ice. Neither craft will sport a protective shield, so they'll only stay around the planet for about seven days, so as to avoid any radiation damage. At this point, the mission is still in the concept phase, though the JPL is hoping to launch both landers by 2020. JPL researcher Kevin Hand was quick to point out, however, that this would be a "habitability mission," and that NASA doesn't expect to find any signs of current life on Europa. Lars von Trier was unavailable for comment.

NASA looks to send landers to Europa in 2020, wants to break the ice originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliencamerachemicalconceptEuropaexplorationJet Propulsion LaboratoryJetPropulsionLaboratoryjplJupiterlanderlars von trierLarsVonTrierlifemass spectrometerMassSpectrometermissionmoonnasaorganic chemicalOrganicChemicalplanetradiationresearchrobotspacespace explorationSpaceExplorationMon, 12 Dec 2011 08:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Researcher brings modified Touchpad into the MRI room, breakthrough ensues]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/08/researcher-brings-modified-touchpad-into-the-mri-room-breakthro/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/08/researcher-brings-modified-touchpad-into-the-mri-room-breakthro/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/08/researcher-brings-modified-touchpad-into-the-mri-room-breakthro/#comments
Yes, the Touchpad is officially dead, but that hasn't stopped Stanford researcher Andrew B. Holbrook from using HP's tablet in a somewhat unexpected setting: the MRI lab. Holbrook, it turns out, has been developing a new, webOS-based system that could make it a lot easier for doctors to conduct interventional MRI procedures. Unlike its diagnostic counterpart, this brand of MRI can only operate within highly magnetic fields, thereby posing a threat to many electronic devices. Holbrook, however, may have found a way around this barrier, thanks to a modified Touchpad. With the help of HP engineers, the researcher stripped his tablet of metallic components, including its speakers and vibration motor, resulting in what the manufacturer calls a "minimally metallic device that could be used almost anywhere within the magnet room." With his Touchpad primed and loaded with apps for data manipulation, Holbrook went on to successfully integrate the device within an MRI system. He also developed a series of apps that allow technicians to monitor and manipulate an MRI procedure on their devices, regardless of whether they're in the magnet room itself, or outside. Holbrook says he's already started applying the same approach to webOS phones, in the hopes of providing doctors and researchers with an even more compact way to keep track of their patients. For more details on the system and future developments, check out the source link below.

[Thanks, Mina]

Researcher brings modified Touchpad into the MRI room, breakthrough ensues originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Andrew B HolbrookAndrewBHolbrookappapplicationhealthhewlett-packardhphp touchpadHpTouchpadimaginginterventional MRIinterventional scanInterventionalMriInterventionalScanmagnetmagneticmagnetic resonance imagingMagneticResonanceImagingmedicalmedicinemetallicmodMRIoperating systemOperatingSystemOSphoneresearchscanningsciencesmartphonestanfordtablettouchpadwebosThu, 08 Dec 2011 23:55:00 EST<![CDATA[High school senior kills cancer with nanotech, still can't legally drink]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/08/high-school-senior-kills-cancer-with-nanotech-still-cant-legal/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/08/high-school-senior-kills-cancer-with-nanotech-still-cant-legal/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/08/high-school-senior-kills-cancer-with-nanotech-still-cant-legal/#comments Ever ask yourself, "What am I doing with my life?" No? Well, a little existential crisis is in order then. Because while you and the rest of Team teen America were busy dressing like Gaga, dancing to the Bieber and playing Angry Birds, high school senior Angela Zhang was killing cancer. Yes, this 17-year old medical prodigy from Cupertino was just awarded the Siemens Foundation grand prize -- a $100,000 payday -- for her work "Design of Image-guided, Photo-thermal Controlled Drug Releasing Multifunctional Nanosystem for the Treatment of Cancer Stem Cells." It's certainly a mouthful, but this nanotech is what one fellow researcher's calling the "Swiss Army knife of cancer treatment," as her gold and iron-oxide nanoparticle does double duty delivering the drug salinomycin to a tumor site, in addition to aiding MRI and photoacoustic imaging. If that's not impressive enough, this real-life lady Doogie Howser's also won Intel's ISEF grand award in both 2010 and 2011 for other health science-related work. Sure, Angela might inadvertently fall into the overachiever category, but girlfriend definitely deserves to win that Prom Queen crown.

High school senior kills cancer with nanotech, still can't legally drink originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Angela ZhangAngelaZhangcancercupertinodoogie howserDoogieHowsergrand prizeGrandPrizehigh schoolHighSchoolmedicalnanotechnanotechnologyprodigyresearchSiemensSiemens FoundationSiemensFoundationteensThu, 08 Dec 2011 18:53:00 EST<![CDATA[First molybdenite IC delivers silicon-crushing, chip-shrinking, graphene-blasting action]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/06/first-molybdenite-ic-delivers-silicon-crushing-chip-shrinking/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/06/first-molybdenite-ic-delivers-silicon-crushing-chip-shrinking/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/06/first-molybdenite-ic-delivers-silicon-crushing-chip-shrinking/#comments Molybdenite IC Never heard of molybdenite? We're not shocked. Its not nearly as hyped as graphene or quantum dots, but it could be the key to smaller, bendable microchips. The problem with silicon is that, in layers less than two nanometers thick, it can become unstable, oxidize and quickly deteriorate. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), on the other hand, can be laid down in sheets just three atoms thick. The semiconductor also earns bonus points for being an abundant, naturally occurring mineral. Earlier this year researchers at the Laboratory of Nanoscale Electronics and Structures (LANES) demoed the first molybdenite transistor, but the team is moving fast and has already whipped up the first prototype of a complete integrated circuit (we assume with the aid of an all girl army of Kung Fu engineers). Things are looking good for this potential silicon usurper. And best of all, molybdenite is flexible. So, hello bendable computers!

First molybdenite IC delivers silicon-crushing, chip-shrinking, graphene-blasting action originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Laboratory of Nanoscale Electronics and StructuresLaboratoryOfNanoscaleElectronicsAndStructuresLANESmicrochipmicrochipsmineralmineralsmolybdenitemolybdenumMolybdenum disulfideMolybdenumDisulfideMoS2researchSemiconductorsemiconductorsTue, 06 Dec 2011 12:41:00 EST<![CDATA[Aluminum oxide 'egg-carton' could improve quantum dot efficiency]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/06/aluminum-oxide-egg-carton-could-improve-quantum-dot-efficiency/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/06/aluminum-oxide-egg-carton-could-improve-quantum-dot-efficiency/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/06/aluminum-oxide-egg-carton-could-improve-quantum-dot-efficiency/#comments Quantum Dots Quantum dots have been deemed the future of everything from light bulbs, to displays and solar panels. Yet, one thing has been keeping them down -- a lack of efficiency. Current has a tendency to leak in between the dots, instead of passing straight through all the time. But, researchers at Harvard have found a possible solution. By surrounding the dots with an insulating layer of aluminum oxide, which hugs them like an egg carton, they were able to direct the current, greatly increasing the light-emission yield and reducing wasted electricity. Of course, this only applies to light-producing quantum dots at the moment, but it's possible it could eventually be applied to solar panels and increase the amount of energy harvested from the sun's rays. If you're scientifically inclined, check out the latest issue of Advanced Materials for the complete research paper.

Aluminum oxide 'egg-carton' could improve quantum dot efficiency originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Dec 2011 03:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advanced materialsAdvancedMaterialsAluminum oxideAluminumOxideefficiencyharvardharvard universityHarvardUniversitynano particlesNanoParticlesquantum dotquantum dotsQuantumDotQuantumDotsresearchTue, 06 Dec 2011 03:22:00 EST<![CDATA[New periodic table elements finally get names, will probably want to trade them in]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/05/new-periodic-table-elements-finally-get-names-will-probably-wan/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/05/new-periodic-table-elements-finally-get-names-will-probably-wan/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/05/new-periodic-table-elements-finally-get-names-will-probably-wan/#comments
Flerovium and livermorium. Prime names for really ugly babies -- or, equivalently, new elements on the periodic table. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry opted for the latter last week, baptizing elements 114 and 116 just about six months after they were first ratified. Back in June, as you may recall, Russia's Joint Institute for Nuclear Research proposed flerovium and muscovium as names for the two ultraheavy elements, while deferring to the IUPAC for final say on the matter. At the time, the organization said it would likely accept any name, as long as "it's not something too weird." Flerovium (Fl), named after Soviet nuclear physicist Georgiy Flerov, apparently passed that litmus test. Muscovium, sadly, did not. Instead, slot 116 will belong to livermorium (Lv), named after California's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which collaborated on the discovery of the element, back in 2000.

Bill Goldstein, associate director of Lawrence Livermore National Labs' Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, heralded the decision as a celebration of his institute's collaborative contribution to chemistry: "Proposing these names for the elements honors not only the individual contributions of scientists from these laboratories to the fields of nuclear science, heavy-element research, and super-heavy-element research, but also the phenomenal cooperation and collaboration that has occurred between scientists at these two locations." The nomenclature isn't entirely set in stone, however, as the two names must first endure a five-month public comment period before appearing in chemistry textbooks.

New periodic table elements finally get names, will probably want to trade them in originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chemistrydiscoveryelementfleroviumGeorgiy FlerovGeorgiyFlerovLawrence Livermore National LabsLawrenceLivermoreNationalLabslivermorelivermoriummoscowmuscoviumnamesnomenclatureperiodic tableperiodic table of elementsPeriodicTablePeriodicTableOfElementsphysicsresearchrussiaultraheavyMon, 05 Dec 2011 10:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Some Android phones fail to enforce permissions, exposed to unauthorized app access]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/02/some-android-phones-fail-to-enforce-permissions-exposed-to-unau/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/02/some-android-phones-fail-to-enforce-permissions-exposed-to-unau/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/02/some-android-phones-fail-to-enforce-permissions-exposed-to-unau/#comments
Eight Android phones, including the Motorola Droid X and Samsung Epic 4G, were found to house major permission flaws according to a research team at North Carolina State University. Their study revealed untrusted applications could send SMS messages, record conversations and execute other potentially malicious actions without user consent. Eleven of the thirteen areas analyzed (includes geo-location and access to address books) showed privileges were exposed by pre-loaded applications. Interestingly, Nexus devices were less vulnerable, suggesting that the other phone manufacturers may have failed to properly implement Android's security permissions model. Google and Motorola confirm the present flaws while HTC and Samsung remain silent. Exerting caution when installing applications should keep users on their toes until fixes arrive.

[Thanks, John]

Some Android phones fail to enforce permissions, exposed to unauthorized app access originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidappapplicationapplicationsappsdevicedevicesdroiddroid xDroidXepic 4gEpic4gflawflawsgoogleholeholeshtcmessagemessagesmobilepostminiMotorolaNexusphonephonesresearchresearcherssamsungsmstexttextsvulnerabilitiesvulnerabilityvulnerableWoodPeckerFri, 02 Dec 2011 21:56:00 EST<![CDATA[3D-printed bone replacements coming soon to an orthopedic surgeon near you, courtesy of WSU (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/30/3d-printed-bone-replacements-coming-soon-to-an-orthopedic-surgeo/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/30/3d-printed-bone-replacements-coming-soon-to-an-orthopedic-surgeo/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/30/3d-printed-bone-replacements-coming-soon-to-an-orthopedic-surgeo/#comments 3D printers are slowly, but surely working their way into all sorts of useful, everyday applications -- like the creation of chocolates, flutes and even Mario Kart turtle shell racers. Now, Washington State University engineers are unveiling a unique implementation of the tech that could aid in the regrowth of damaged or diseased bones. Utilizing a ceramic compound, the group's optimized ProMetal 3D printer builds dissolvable scaffolds coated with a plastic binding agent that serve as a blueprint for tissue growth. The team's already logged four long years fine tuning the process, having already achieved positive results testing on rats and rabbits, but it appears there's still a ways to go -- about 10 -12 years, according to the project's co-author Susmita Bose -- before orthopedic and dental surgeons can begin offering "printed" bone replacements. With a synthetic windpipe already under medical science's belt and now this, it's looking like we're just a few short decades away from that long sought after full body replacement. Right, Mr. Lagerfeld? Click on past the break for a brief look at this osteo-friendly machinery.

Continue reading 3D-printed bone replacements coming soon to an orthopedic surgeon near you, courtesy of WSU (video)

3D-printed bone replacements coming soon to an orthopedic surgeon near you, courtesy of WSU (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3D3D printed bones3D printer3D printing3dPrintedBones3dPrinter3dPrintingbone scaffoldbonesBoneScaffoldresearchSusmita BoseSusmitaBosevideoWashington State UniversityWashingtonStateUniversityWSUWed, 30 Nov 2011 18:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Researchers create spinal cord connectors from human stem cells, heralding breakthrough]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/23/researchers-create-spinal-cord-connectors-from-human-stem-cells/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/23/researchers-create-spinal-cord-connectors-from-human-stem-cells/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/23/researchers-create-spinal-cord-connectors-from-human-stem-cells/#comments It's taken many years and more than a bit of brainpower, but researchers at the University of Central Florida have finally found a way to create neuromuscular connectors between muscle and spinal cord cells, using only stem cells. Led by bioengineer James Hickman, the team pulled off the feat with help from Brown University Professor Emeritus Herman Vandenburgh, who collected muscle stem cell samples from adult volunteers. After close examination, they then discovered that under the right conditions, these samples could be combined with spinal cord cells to form connectors, or neuromuscular junctions, which the brain uses to control the body's muscles. UCF's engineers say the technique, described in the December issue of the journal Biomaterials, marks a major breakthrough for the development of "human-on-a-chip" models -- systems that simulate organ functions and have the potential to drastically accelerate medical research and drug development. These junctions could also pay dividends for research on Lou Gehrig's disease or spinal cord injuries, though it remains unclear whether we can expect to see these benefits anytime soon.

Researchers create spinal cord connectors from human stem cells, heralding breakthrough originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Nov 2011 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academicanatomybioengineerbiologybiomedicalbreakthroughbrown universityBrownUniversitycellhealthhumanhuman on a chipHumanOnAChipmedicineneuromuscularneurosciencepaperresearchspinal cordSpinalCordstem cellStemCellstudyUCFuniversity of central floridaUniversityOfCentralFloridaWed, 23 Nov 2011 10:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Kevin Bacon's closer than you think, Facebook finds folks separated by less than 4 degrees (update)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/23/kevin-bacons-closer-than-you-think-facebook-finds-folks-separa/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/23/kevin-bacons-closer-than-you-think-facebook-finds-folks-separa/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/23/kevin-bacons-closer-than-you-think-facebook-finds-folks-separa/#comments Facebook's fertile ground for social experiments, and it wasn't all that long ago that Yahoo tested the six degrees of separation theory using the site. Not to be outdone, Mark Zuckerberg's crew, with an assist from the Laboratory for Web Algorithmics of the Università degli Studi di Milano, has done a little digging of its own to find out just how intertwined its 721 million users really are. Turns out, instead of being six degrees away from your favorite dancing actor, you're likely only 4.74 -- which was the average distance between any two Facebook users globally. Considering that number shrinks to three when limited to relationships within your own country, and the worldwide number was at 5.28 in 2008 (and is shrinking all the time), you should be best friends with Kevin Bacon by 2020 or so. Don't believe us? There's plenty of statistical analysis to prove it at the source below.

Update: An astute commenter (with an assist from the BBC) has pointed out that the figures above correlate to the number of intermediate persons between you and Mr. Bacon, therefore the number of degrees separating you is actually one fewer.

Kevin Bacon's closer than you think, Facebook finds folks separated by less than 4 degrees (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Nov 2011 02:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6 degrees6Degreesfacebookkevin baconKevinBaconLaboratory for Web AlgorithmicsLaboratoryForWebAlgorithmicsresearchsix degreessix degrees of kevin baconsix degrees of separationSixDegreesSixDegreesOfKevinBaconSixDegreesOfSeparationsocial networksocial networkingSocialNetworkSocialNetworkingUniversita degli Studi di MilanoUniversitaDegliStudiDiMilanoWed, 23 Nov 2011 02:16:00 EST<![CDATA[New computer system can read your emotions, will probably be annoying about it (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/22/new-computer-system-can-read-your-emotions-will-probably-be-ann/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/22/new-computer-system-can-read-your-emotions-will-probably-be-ann/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/22/new-computer-system-can-read-your-emotions-will-probably-be-ann/#commentsIt's bad enough listening to your therapist drone on about the hatred you harbor toward your father. Pretty soon, you may have to put up with a hyper-insightful computer, as well. That's what researchers from the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid have begun developing, with a new system capable of reading human emotions. As explained in their study, published in the Journal on Advances in Signal Processing, the computer has been designed to intelligently engage with people, and to adjust its dialogue according to a user's emotional state. To gauge this, researchers looked at a total of 60 acoustic parameters, including the tenor of a user's voice, the speed at which one speaks, and the length of any pauses. They also implemented controls to account for any endogenous reactions (e.g., if a user gets frustrated with the computer's speech), and enabled the adaptable device to modify its speech accordingly, based on predictions of where the conversation may lead. In the end, they found that users responded more positively whenever the computer spoke in "objective terms" (i.e., with more succinct dialogue). The same could probably be said for most bloggers, as well. Teleport past the break for the full PR, along with a demo video (in Spanish).

Continue reading New computer system can read your emotions, will probably be annoying about it (video)

New computer system can read your emotions, will probably be annoying about it (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adjustablecomputercomputer sciencecomputer scientistComputerScienceComputerScientistconversationdialogueemotionpsychologyresearchspainspeechstudyuniversidad carlos iii de madridUniversidadCarlosIiiDeMadridvideowordTue, 22 Nov 2011 16:01:00 EST