The human brain has around 86 billion neurons, connected by synapses that not only create logic circuits; they also continuously adapt to stimuli by strengthening some circuits while weakening others. This adaptive process in the brain is what enables humans to learn. Now, Harvard scientists say they have created a new type of transistor that […]
Archive | Computing & Electronics
Boffins say Internet 2.0 doesn’t need servers
University of Cambridge scientists say their proposal for a revolutionary new Internet architecture could make the Internet more “social” by eliminating the need to connect to servers and enabling all content to be shared more efficiently. The prototype, which has been developed as part of a European Union-funded project called “Pursuit,” is being put forward […]
Researchers expose Google’s massive network expansion
Google has dramatically increased the number of sites around the world from which it serves client queries, say researchers who accidentally discovered a massive repurposing of existing infrastructure to change the way that Google processes web searches. The researchers, from the University of Southern California, say they had not originally set out to document search […]
Touch-feedback out of thin air
Using focused ultrasound radiation, scientists have created a human-computer interface that provides haptic (touch) feedback above a computer screen without having to touch or hold any device. The system, developed by University of Bristol (UK) researchers, will be unveiled this week at the ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology in Scotland. Co-developer Tom […]
Smartphone microscope can see a single virus
A smartphone-based microscope attachment developed at UCLA is sensitive enough to detect viruses and nanoparticles, allowing sophisticated biomedical testing in places where laboratory facilities are not available. The lead developer behind the new device, Aydogan Ozcan, says the microscope attachment weighs less than half a pound and can be attached to a variety of smartphones. […]
Researchers demo human brain-to-brain interface
University of Washington researchers have demonstrated a non-invasive human-to-human brain interface, with one researcher able to send a brain signal via the Internet to control the hand motions of a fellow researcher. Previously, researchers at Duke University had demonstrated brain-to-brain communication between two rats. But University of Washington researchers Rajesh Rao and Andrea Stocco believe […]
No power source needed for new wireless communications technique
A new wireless communications technique uses what researchers call “ambient backscatter” to allow devices to communicate and exchange information with each other by reflecting (or absorbing) existing radio and television signals. Impressively, the devices do not require any power source apart from the existing ambient radio and TV signals that already surround us. “We can […]
3D images generated from single lens
Researchers at the Harvard School of Engineering have developed a way for photographers and microscopists to create a 3D image through a single lens, without moving the camera. Detailed in the journal Optics Letters, this improbable-sounding technology relies only on computation and mathematics, rather than special lenses or hardware. Lead researcher Kenneth B. Crozier said […]
Magnetic wand provides three dimensions of smart phone interaction
A magnetic pen-like wand that makes use of the magnetometers built into most smart phones and tablets adds a third dimension to device interaction, heralding a new generation of innovative games and applications. The MagPen device that works both on and around mobile devices was developed by researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science […]
Kinect-like gesture recognition leveraged from standard WiFi signals
In a clever use of Doppler frequency shifts, computer scientists have shown it’s possible to use the existing WiFi signals around us to detect specific movements without needing sensors on the human body or cameras. The University of Washington researchers behind the development say that with an adapted WiFi router and a few existing wireless […]