Messages

31

Science and Information / Soft, energy-efficient robotic wings

« on: April 01, 2015, 03:18:59 PM »

Researchers have discovered a new resonance phenomenon in a dielectric elastomer rotary joint that can make the artificial joint bend up and down, like a flapping wing.

source: internet

32

Science and Information / Non-invasive technique allows amputee to use bionic hand, powered by his thought

« on: April 01, 2015, 03:18:01 PM »

Medical researchers have created an algorithm that allowed a man to grasp a bottle and other objects with a prosthetic hand, powered only by his thoughts.

source: internet

33

Science and Information / Pennies reveal new insights on nature of randomness

« on: March 07, 2015, 03:02:35 PM »

Researchers have developed an algorithm that creates truly disordered packings of pennies for the first time.



source: internet

34

Science and Information / Energy-generating cloth could replace batteries in wearable devices

« on: March 07, 2015, 02:59:58 PM »

From light-up shoes to smart watches, wearable electronics are gaining traction among consumers, but these gadgets' versatility is still held back by the stiff, short-lived batteries that are required. These limitations, however, could soon be overcome. Scientists report the first durable, flexible cloth that harnesses human motion to generate energy. It can also self-charge batteries or supercapacitors without an external power source and make new commercial and medical applications possible.

source: internet

35

Science and Information / Strength in numbers: First-ever quantum device that detects and corrects its own

« on: March 07, 2015, 02:59:18 PM »

When scientists develop a full quantum computer, the world of computing will undergo a revolution of sophistication, speed and energy efficiency that will make even our beefiest conventional machines seem like Stone Age clunkers by comparison.

source: internet

36

Science and Information / Printing custom touch-sensitive displays yourself

« on: March 07, 2015, 02:57:33 PM »

Computer scientists have developed a technique that could enable virtually anyone to print out customized displays of their own in future -- in all shapes and sizes and onto various materials. A regular home printer could be used to print wafer-thin displays onto paper, so these printed displays might present custom-designed icons or even respond to touch.

source: internet

37

Science and Information / Security in a smart world

« on: March 07, 2015, 02:56:50 PM »

More stable power grids and quicker accident care: When used properly, digital data may be of high benefit. However, electronic processing also facilitates data abuse. For this reason, scientists have developed holistic approaches to enhancing intrinsic security.

source: internet

38

Science and Information / Reliance on smartphones linked to lazy thinking

« on: March 07, 2015, 02:56:09 PM »

Our smartphones help us find a phone number quickly, provide us with instant directions and recommend restaurants, but new research indicates that this convenience at our fingertips is making it easy for us to avoid thinking for ourselves.

source: internet

39

Science and Information / Breakthrough in nonlinear optics research

« on: March 07, 2015, 02:55:30 PM »

A method to selectively enhance or inhibit optical nonlinearities in a chip-scale device has been developed by scientists. To achieve their result the scientists investigated a specific optical nonlinearity that deals with the interaction between light and sound on chip scale devices.

source: internet

40

Science and Information / Moves to automate identification of Saimaa ringed seals

« on: March 07, 2015, 02:54:40 PM »

Moves are being made to automate the identification of Saimaa ringed seals. This would bring new kinds of real-time information on how the extremely endangered species behaves, the movements of individual seals, and what happens to them. The final aim of an ongoing study on machine vision is to get a biometric passport for each individual Saimaa ringed seal. This happens on the basis of the unique fur patterns of each individual seal, using computer-based smart calculation and digital image processing. The aim is to store the information in a so-called Saimaa ringed seal database.

source: internet

41

Science and Information / A new way to control information by mixing light and sound

« on: March 07, 2015, 02:53:47 PM »

For once, slower is better in a new piece of technology. Scientists have developed a new, radio frequency processing device that allows information to be controlled more effectively, opening the door to a new generation of signal processing on microchips. One of the keys to the technology involves slowing information down.

source: internet

42

Science and Information / New flexible films for touch screen applications achieve longer lasting display

« on: March 07, 2015, 02:52:56 PM »

Today, touch screens are everywhere, from smart phones and tablets, to computer monitors, to interactive digital signage and displays. Many touch screens are made of layered thin (billionths of a meter thick) films of indium-tin oxide, an inorganic material that is electrically conductive, which allows electrical signals to travel from the "touch" to the edges of the display, where they are sensed by the device--as well as optically transparent. But these and other inorganic materials have a downside, as anyone who has ever dropped their smart phone knows: they are brittle and shatter easily. The solution? Make the screens flexible and durable without sacrificing any of their electrical or optical properties. Researchers have now created thin sheets of hybrid materials that may enable the next generation of consumer electronics.


source: internet

43

Science and Information / Graphene meets heat waves

« on: March 07, 2015, 02:51:58 PM »

Researchers have shed new light on the fundamental mechanisms of heat dissipation in graphene and other two-dimensional materials. They have shown that heat can propagate as a wave over very long distances. This is key information for engineering the electronics of tomorrow.

source: internet

44

Science and Information / New technique improves forecasts for Canada's prized salmon fishery

« on: March 04, 2015, 06:31:22 PM »

A method for analyzing and predicting nature's dynamic and interconnected systems has improved forecasts of populations of Fraser River Sockeye Salmon, a highly prized fishery in British Columbia, has been developed by scientists.

source: internet

45

Science and Information / Reading speed harnessed to automatically control text display rates

« on: March 04, 2015, 06:30:42 PM »

Reading a text is something that each of us does at our own individual pace. This simple fact has been exploited by computer scientists who have developed a software system that recognizes how fast a text on a display screen is being read and then allows the text to scroll forward line by line at the right speed. The technology makes use of commercially available eye-tracking glasses, which are able to capture the motion of the user’s eyes and convert this into a reading speed.

source: internet