ScienceDaily: Information Technology News

Innovation could bring flexible solar cells, transistors, displays

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:20:20 EDT

Researchers have created a new type of transparent electrode that might find uses in solar cells, flexible displays for computers and consumer electronics and future "optoelectronic" circuits for sensors and information processing.

Big Data, for better or worse: 90% of world's data generated over last two years

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:52:52 EDT

A full 90 percent of all the data in the world has been generated over the last two years. Internet-based companies are awash with data that can be grouped and utilized. Is this a good thing?

New method for tailoring optical processors

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:16:16 EDT

Physicists and engineers have unveiled a robust new method for arranging metal nanoparticles in geometric patterns that can act as optical processors that transform incoming light signals into output of a different color.

Bionimbus protected data cloud to enable researchers to analyze cancer data

Mon, 20 May 2013 08:32:32 EDT

The University of Chicago has launched the first secure cloud-based computing system that enables researchers to access and analyze human genomic cancer information without the costly and cumbersome infrastructure normally needed to download and store massive amounts of data.

Computational tool translates complex data into simplified two-dimensional images

Sun, 19 May 2013 14:56:56 EDT

Researchers have developed a computational method that enables scientists to visualize and interpret "high-dimensional" data produced by single-cell measurement technologies such as mass cytometry. The method has particular relevance to cancer research and therapeutics.

Electric and magnetic characteristics of a material which could be used in spintronics: Promising doped zirconia

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:46:46 EDT

Materials belonging to the family of dilute magnetic oxides (DMOs) - an oxide-based variant of the dilute magnetic semiconductors - are good candidates for spintronics applications.

New record in wireless data transmission

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:53:53 EDT

Researchers have achieved the wireless transmission of 40 Gbit/s at 240 GHz over a distance of one kilometer. Researchers say that their most recent demonstration sets a new world record and ties in seamlessly with the capacity of optical fiber transmission. In the future, such radio links will be able to close gaps in providing broadband internet by supplementing the network in rural areas and places which are difficult to access.

Making frequency-hopping radios practical

Wed, 15 May 2013 11:39:39 EDT

New hardware could lead to wireless devices that identify and exploit unused transmission frequencies, using radio spectrum much more efficiently.

New software spots, isolates cyber-attacks to protect networked control systems

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:29:29 EDT

Researchers have developed a software algorithm that detects and isolates cyber-attacks on networked control systems -- which are used to coordinate transportation, power and other infrastructure across the United States.

IT industry ignores silver surfers at its peril: Design for seniors to tap market, industry urged

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:14:14 EDT

Hardware and software vendors are foolish to ignore the needs of the growing population of older computer and information technology users, the so-called "silver surfers." US researchers offer convincing evidence that from the business perspective, seniors represent a rapidly growing sector of the market with the most disposable income to spend on these companies' products.

Common myths about digital piracy busted

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:14:14 EDT

The results of a large-scale, analysis of BitTorrent file-sharing of computer games, focusing on using open methodologies, bust some of the common myths about digital piracy.

Scientists use crowd-sourcing to help map global carbon dioxide emissions

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:50:50 EDT

Climate science researchers from Arizona State University are launching a first-of-its-kind website to better understand and track greenhouse gas emissions from global power plants.

When deciding how to bet, less detailed information may be better

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:33:33 EDT

People are worse at predicting whether a sports team will win, lose, or tie when they bet on the final score than when they bet on the overall outcome, according to a new study.

Data storage: Synchronized at the 'write time'

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:49:49 EDT

Numerical simulations show how to avoid imperfections in the next generation of high-density data storage.

Photonic quantum computers: A brighter future than ever

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:38:38 EDT

Harnessing the unique features of the quantum world promises a dramatic speed-up in information processing as compared to the fastest classical machines. Scientists have succeeded in prototyping a new and highly resource efficient model of a quantum computer -- the boson sampling computer.

Nano-breakthrough: Solving the case of the herringbone crystal

Sun, 12 May 2013 14:12:12 EDT

Leading nanoscientists created beautiful, tiled patterns with flat nanocrystals, but they were left with a mystery: Why did some sets of crystals arrange themselves in an alternating, herringbone style? To find out, they turned to experts in computer simulation.

Flawed diamonds promise sensory perfection: Electron spin extended for incredibly tiny magnetic detectors

Fri, 10 May 2013 10:21:21 EDT

By extending the coherence time of electron states to over half a second, scientists have improved the performance of one of the most potent sensors of magnetic fields on the nanoscale -- a diamond defect no bigger than a pair of atoms called a nitrogen vacancy center. The achievement is important news for nanoscale sensors and quantum computing.

With the right mortgage, home ownership builds wealth

Thu, 09 May 2013 18:46:46 EDT

The Great Recession, characterized by devastating mortgage defaults, has challenged the conventional wisdom that home ownership is a good investment, particularly for those with low and moderate incomes. But the conventional wisdom on the benefits of owning vs. renting still holds when done right, according to a newly published study.

Heady mathematics: Describing popping bubbles in a foam

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:21:21 EDT

Two applied mathematicians have found a way to mathematically describe the evolution and disappearance of a foam. Using these equations, they were able to generate a movie that shows the complex draining, popping and rearrangement of these bubbles as the foam vanishes.

Device for portable, ultra-precise clocks and quantum sensors developed

Thu, 09 May 2013 09:08:08 EDT

Researchers have developed a portable way to produce ultracold atoms for quantum technology and quantum information processing.

Benefit vs. risk of facial recognition technology

Wed, 08 May 2013 21:32:32 EDT

Law enforcement agencies are using facial recognition software as a crime-fighting tool. Now businesses are looking to use the technology to reach customers. But a professor questions whether customers are ready for it.

Spintronics discovery: Scientists find new 'magic' in magnetic material

Wed, 08 May 2013 17:19:19 EDT

Researchers have reported a fundamental finding that will help advance the development of next-generation electronics called "spintronics."

Speed test of quantum versus conventional computing: Quantum computer wins

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:28:28 EDT

A quantum computer system is “thousands of times faster” than conventional computing in solving an important problem type, a computer science professor finds.

Internet content is looking for you

Mon, 06 May 2013 18:17:17 EDT

"Contextual search" is improving so gradually the changes often go unnoticed, and we may soon forget what the world was like without it, according to a technology expert.

More than a good eye: Robot uses arms, location and more to discover objects

Mon, 06 May 2013 11:40:40 EDT

A robot can struggle to discover objects in its surroundings when it relies on computer vision alone. But by taking advantage of all of the information available to it -- an object's location, size, shape and even whether it can be lifted -- a robot can continually discover and refine its understanding of objects, say researchers.

Cyberbullying rampant among high school students: Nearly one-third of youths also report playing video/computer games for more than 3 hours a day

Sun, 05 May 2013 07:37:37 EDT

Step into a class of 30 high school students and look around. Five of them have been victims of electronic bullying in the past year. What's more, 10 of those students spend three or more hours on an average school day playing video games or using a computer for something other than school work, according to a new study.

Robots take part in a space simulation

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:41:41 EDT

The two robots Flobi and Nao worked full time for three weeks in an isolation study in Cologne. Scientists were studying how these intelligent assistance systems can help astronauts to keep fit – both physically and mentally. However, it was not just the people who were on trial, but the robots as well. The scientists were testing both their suitability and their durability. The experiment ended on Saturday.

Cyberthreats must require governments and businesses to be 'cyberrisk intelligent'

Thu, 02 May 2013 14:26:26 EDT

In an age where cybersecurity is of foremost interest for governments and businesses, public and private organizations must deploy risk-intelligence governance to secure their digital communications and resources from eavesdropping, theft or attack, according to a new article.

New, more accurate way of imaging lung cancer tumors

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:55:55 EDT

Scientists have devised a new computational method for assessing lung cancer tumors using CT, PET or MRI diagnostic technologies. The method, called single click ensemble segmentation (SCES), uses a new computer algorithm developed by the researchers to help segment and extract features of a tumor. The new approach not only improves diagnosis and prognosis assessments, but also saves time and health care dollars.

How to get more followers on Twitter

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:55:55 EDT

What do all Twitter users want? Followers – and lots of them. Looking at a half-million tweets over 15 months, a first-of-its-kind study has revealed a set of reliable predictors for building a Twitter following.

Use of laser light yields versatile manipulation of a quantum bit

Wed, 01 May 2013 14:51:51 EDT

By using light, researchers have manipulated the quantum state of a single atomic-sized defect in diamond -- the nitrogen-vacancy center -- in a method that not only allows for more unified control than conventional processes, but is more versatile, and opens up the possibility of exploring new solid-state quantum systems.

Computer algorithms help find cancer connections

Wed, 01 May 2013 13:19:19 EDT

Using powerful algorithms developed by computer scientists, medical researchers have assembled the most complete genetic profile yet of acute myeloid leukemia, an aggressive form of blood cancer.

Best of both worlds: Towards a quantum Internet with combined optical and electrical technique

Wed, 01 May 2013 13:18:18 EDT

Scientists have achieved a breakthrough in quantum science that brings the prospect of a network of ultra-powerful quantum computers -- connected via a quantum internet -- closer to reality. The team is the first to have detected the spin, or quantum state, of a single atom using a combined optical and electrical approach.

Researchers look to mathematics, nature, to understand the immune system and its role in cancer

Wed, 01 May 2013 09:18:18 EDT

Can patterns in tree branches or the meandering bends in a river provide clues that could lead to better cancer therapies? According to a new study, these self-similar, repeating patterns in nature known as fractals help scientists better understand how the immune system is organized and may one day be used to help improve stem cell transplant outcomes in leukemia patients by predicting the probability of transplant complications.

Talking tissue boxes and other smart objects may be welcomed by most people

Wed, 01 May 2013 09:18:18 EDT

Just as people have embraced computers and smart phones, they may also give their blessing to talking tissue boxes and other smart objects, according to researchers.

New simulation speed record on Sequoia Supercomputer

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:40:40 EDT

Computer scientists have set a high performance computing speed record that opens the way to the scientific exploration of complex planetary-scale systems. Scientists have announced a record-breaking simulation speed of 504 billion events per second on LLNL’s Sequoia Blue Gene/Q supercomputer, dwarfing the previous record set in 2009 of 12.2 billion events per second.

New zooming technique for entering text into smartwatches

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:15:15 EDT

Researchers have developed a solution to the problem of entering text into the next generation of ultra-small computers. Called ZoomBoard, this text entry technique is based on the familiar QWERTY keyboard layout. Though the full keyboard is impossibly small on a watch-size display, simply tapping the screen once or twice will enlarge an individual key until it can be comfortably and accurately pressed.

Why people quit and come back to Facebook

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:59:59 EDT

With more than a billion active accounts worldwide, it can be easy to forget that some people don’t use Facebook. A new study suggests that “non-use” of the social networking site is fairly common – a quarter of Facebook users take breaks from the site by deactivating their account, and one in 10 completely quit.

One step closer to a quantum computer

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:24:24 EDT

Scientists have succeeded in both initializing and reading nuclear spins, relevant to qubits for quantum computers, at room temperature.

Modeling disease spread, including flu

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:46:46 EDT

A collaborative research network that formed nearly 10 years ago has pioneered the use of computational and mathematical models to prepare for, detect and respond to influenza, pertussis, West Nile disease, dengue fever, cholera and other infectious disease threats.

Neuroscientists use statistical model to draft fantasy teams of neurons

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:41:41 EDT

This past weekend teams from the National Football League used statistics like height, weight and speed to draft the best college players, and in a few weeks, armchair enthusiasts will use similar measures to select players for their own fantasy football teams. Neuroscientists are taking a similar approach to compile "dream teams" of neurons using a statistics-based method that can evaluate the fitness of individual neurons.

Revolutionary shape-changing phone curls when called

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:36:36 EDT

Researchers at Queen's University's Human Media Lab have developed a new smartphone -- called MorePhone -- which can morph its shape to give users a silent yet visual cue of an incoming phone call, text message or email.

Engaging online crowds in the classroom could be important tool for teaching innovation

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:05:05 EDT

Online crowds can be an important tool for teaching the ins and outs of innovation, educators say, even when the quality of the feedback provided by online sources doesn't always match the quantity.

Older is wiser: Study shows software developers' skills improve over time

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:48:48 EDT

There is a perception in some tech circles that older programmers aren't able to keep pace with rapidly changing technology, and that they are discriminated against in the software field. But a new study indicates that the knowledge and skills of programmers actually improve over time -- and that older programmers know as much (or more) than their younger peers when it comes to recent software platforms.

Leadership emerges spontaneously during games

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:24:24 EDT

Video game and augmented-reality game players can spontaneously build virtual teams and leadership structures without special tools or guidance, according to researchers.

Shape-shifting mobile devices

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 23:04:04 EDT

Prototype mobile devices that can change shape on-demand could lay down the foundation for creating high shape resolution devices of the future.

Computer scientists suggest new spin on origins of evolvability: Competition to survive not necessary?

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:56:56 EDT

Scientists have long observed that species seem to have become increasingly capable of evolving in response to changes in the environment. But computer science researchers now say that the popular explanation of competition to survive in nature may not actually be necessary for evolvability to increase.

Tracking gunfire with a smartphone

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 21:38:38 EDT

A team of computer engineers has developed an inexpensive hardware module and related software that can transform an Android smartphone into a simple shooter location system.

With wave of the hand, researchers create touch-based interfaces

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:28:28 EDT

Researchers previously have shown that a depth camera system, such as Kinect, can be combined with a projector to turn almost any surface into a touchscreen. Now researchers have demonstrated how these touch-based interfaces can be created almost at will, with the wave of a hand. For instance, the new system enables someone to rub the arm of a sofa to "paint" a remote control for her TV.

Teenage password security: Risk of identity theft

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:13:13 EDT

Many of us are sharing increasing amounts of personal information through online social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and others. However, according to researchers, many of us are side-stepping apparently laborious security measures and putting our data at risk of being hijacked and used in identity theft and other fraud.

Microelectronics: Taking the heat off microfluidic chips

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:23:23 EDT

Replacing a high-temperature processing technique with an infrared treatment allows the manufacture of tiny devices without damaging the polymer components.

Facebook interests could help predict, track and map obesity

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:52:52 EDT

The higher the percentage of people in a city, town or neighborhood with Facebook interests suggesting a healthy, active lifestyle, the lower that area's obesity rate. At the same time, areas with a large percentage of Facebook users with television-related interests tend to have higher rates of obesity. Such are the conclusions of a study comparing geotagged Facebook user data with data from national and New York City-focused health surveys.

High-volume Bitcoin exchanges less likely to fail, but more likely breached, says study

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:11:11 EDT

Online exchanges that trade hard currency for the cyber money Bitcoin have a 45 percent chance of failing -- often taking customer money with them. A new empirical study into the closure of Bitcoin currency exchanges found that exchanges that buy and sell a high volume of Bitcoins are less likely to shut down but more likely to suffer security breaches.

Computer game could improve sight of visually impaired children

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:13:13 EDT

Visually impaired children could benefit from a revolutionary new computer game being developed by a team of neuroscientists and game designers.

What drives activity on Pinterest?

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:57:57 EDT

Researchers have released a new study that uses statistical data to help understand the motivations behind Pinterest activity, the roles gender plays among users and the factors that distinguish Pinterest from other popular social networking sites.

Precision agriculture improves farming efficiency, has important implications on food security

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:07:07 EDT

Precision agriculture promises to make farming more efficient and should have an important impact on the serious issue of food security, according to a new study. A scientist assesses how there is potential to manage land more effectively to improve the farming economy and crop quality, and to ensure food security.

Scientists provide 'new spin' on emerging quantum technologies

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:10:10 EDT

Scientists have shed new light on a fundamental area of physics which could have important implications for future electronic devices and the transfer of information at the quantum level.

Scientists map all possible drug-like chemical compounds: Library of millions of small, carbon-based molecules chemists might synthesize

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:49:49 EDT

Drug developers may have a new tool to search for more effective medications and new materials. It's a computer algorithm that can model and catalog the entire set of lightweight, carbon-containing molecules that chemists could feasibly create in a lab.

Sporting events: Clear your memory to pick a winner

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:49:49 EDT

Predicting the winner of a sporting event with accuracy close to that of a statistical computer program could be possible with proper training, according to researchers.

Physicists find right (and left) solution for on-chip optics: Nanoscale router converts and directs optical signals efficiently

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:33:33 EDT

Scientists have created a new type of nanoscale device that converts an optical signal into waves that travel along a metal surface. Significantly, the device can recognize specific kinds of polarized light and accordingly send the signal in one direction or another.