Everything around Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence is much more than just the future, it's a current reality. You'll find all of the latest AI news on this blog, as well as analysis of how AI can impact your business and what it means for humanity.
All articles
What quantum information and snowflakes have in common, and what we can do about it
Qubits, the basic building blocks of quantum computers, are as fragile as snowflakes. Now, researchers have come up with a new way of reading out the information from certain kinds of qubits without destroying them in the process, potentially paving the way for a quantum internet.
Read article →Calculating the 'fingerprints' of molecules with artificial intelligence
With conventional methods, it is extremely time-consuming to calculate the spectral fingerprint of larger molecules. But this is a prerequisite for correctly interpreting experimentally obtained data. Now, a team has achieved very good results in significantly less time using self-learning graphical neural networks.
Read article →Quantum computer programming basics
For would-be quantum programmers scratching their heads over how to jump into the game as quantum computers proliferate and become publicly accessible, a new beginner's guide provides a thorough introduction to quantum algorithms and their implementation on existing hardware. Deep-diving guide explains the basics, surveys major quantum algorithms and steps through implementing them on publicly available quantum computers.
Read article →New, highly tunable composite materials--with a twist
Mathematicians have found that they can design a range of composite materials from moiré patterns created by rotating and stretching one lattice relative to another. Their electrical and other physical properties can change --s ometimes quite abruptly, depending on whether the resulting moiré patterns are regularly repeating or non-repeating.
Read article →Military cannot rely on AI for strategy or judgment, study suggests
Using artificial intelligence (AI) for warfare has been the promise of science fiction and politicians for years, but new research argues only so much can be automated and shows the value of human judgment.
Read article →Automating renal access in kidney stone surgery using AI-enabled surgical robot
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is an efficient surgical intervention for removing large kidney stones. However, it is a challenging procedure that requires years of training to perform. To meet the need for quick skill-building, scientists have now developed and trialed an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled robotic device for assisting surgeons in PCNL. Its notable features include ease of use and better accuracy in creating renal access.
Read article →The potential of probabilistic computers
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) has created a crisis in computing and a significant need for more hardware that is both energy-efficient and scalable. A key step in both AI and ML is making decisions based on incomplete data, the best approach for which is to output a probability for each possible answer. Current classical computers are not able to do that in an energy-efficient way, a limitation that has led to a search for novel approaches to computing. Quantum computers, which operate on qubits, may help meet these challenges, but they are extremely sensitive to their surroundings, must be kept at extremely low temperatures and are still in the early stages of development.
Read article →Engineers build artificial intelligence chip
Engineers built a new artificial intelligence chip, with a view toward sustainable, modular electronics. The chip can be reconfigured, with layers that can be swapped out or stacked on, such as to add new sensors or updated processors.
Read article →Rubbery camouflage skin exhibits smart and stretchy behaviors
The skin of cephalopods, such as octopuses, squids and cuttlefish, is stretchy and smart, contributing to these creatures' ability to sense and respond to their surroundings. Scientists have harnessed these properties to create an artificial skin that mimics both the elasticity and the neurologic functions of cephalopod skin, with potential applications for neurorobotics, skin prosthetics, artificial organs and more.
Read article →Energy harvesting to power the Internet of Things
Scientists have used computer modelling to optimize the design of an electromagnetic energy harvester to power wireless sensor networks for the Internet of Things.
Read article →Virtual CT scans cut patient radiation exposure in half during PET/CT studies
A novel artificial intelligence method can be used to generate high-quality 'PET/CT' images and subsequently decrease radiation exposure to the patient. The method bypasses the need for CT-based attenuation correction, potentially allowing for more frequent PET imaging to monitor disease and treatment progression without radiation exposure from CT acquisition.
Read article →Scientists craft living human skin for robots
From action heroes to villainous assassins, biohybrid robots made of both living and artificial materials have been at the center of many sci-fi fantasies, inspiring today's robotic innovations. It's still a long way until human-like robots walk among us in our daily lives, but scientists are bringing us one step closer by crafting living human skin on robots. The new method not only gave a robotic finger skin-like texture, but also water-repellent and self-healing functions.
Read article →Paving the way for faster computers, longer-lasting batteries
Scientists have finally cracked a problem that's frustrated chemists and physicists for years, potentially leading to a new age of powerful, efficient, and environmentally friendly technologies.
Read article →Researchers demonstrate 40-channel optical communication link
Researchers have develop a silicon-based optical communications link that can improve data-intensive internet applications from video streaming services to high-capacity transactions for the stock market. This device could enable the next generation of optical interconnects for use in data-center networks that form the backbone of the internet.
Read article →Faster computing results without fear of errors
A new technique can dramatically accelerate programs known as shell scripts, through a process called parallelization, while ensuring the programs return accurate results.
Read article →Radio waves for the detection of hardware tampering
Up to now, protecting hardware against manipulation has been a laborious business: expensive, and only possible on a small scale. And yet, two simple antennas might do the trick.
Read article →Bluetooth signals can be used to identify and track smartphones
A team of engineers has demonstrated for the first time that the Bluetooth signals emitted constantly by our mobile phones have a unique fingerprint that can be used to track individuals' movements.
Read article →Scientists observe effects of heat in materials with atomic resolution
Using cutting-edge electron microscopes and novel techniques, a team of researchers has found a way to map phonons -- vibrations in crystal lattices -- in atomic resolution, enabling deeper understanding of the way heat travels through quantum dots, engineered nanostructures in electronic components.
Read article →Breakthrough paves way for photonic sensing at the ultimate quantum limit
A team of physicists has found a way to operate mass manufacturable photonic sensors at the quantum limit. This breakthrough paves the way for practical applications such as monitoring greenhouse gases and cancer detection.
Read article →A quantum drum that stores quantum states for record-long times
Researchers have improved the coherence time of a previously developed quantum membrane dramatically. The improvement will expand the usability of the membrane for a variety of different purposes. With a coherence time of one hundred milliseconds, the membrane can for example store sensitive quantum information for further processing in a quantum computer or network.
Read article →A novel all-optical switching method makes optical computing and communication systems more power-efficient
Photonics researchers have introduced a novel method to control a light beam with another beam through a unique plasmonic metasurface in a linear medium at ultra-low power. This simple linear switching method makes nanophotonic devices such as optical computing and communication systems more sustainable requiring low intensity of light.
Read article →Bumps could smooth quantum investigations
Materials theorists model a contoured surface overlaid with 2D materials and find it possible to control their electronic and magnetic properties. The discovery could simplify research into many-body effects, including quantum systems.
Read article →Study explores the promises and pitfalls of evolutionary genomics
A new study examines mathematical models designed to draw inferences about how evolution operates at the level of populations of organisms. The study concludes that such models must be constructed with the greatest care, avoiding unwarranted initial assumptions, weighing the quality of existing knowledge and remaining open to alternate explanations.
Read article →Creating artificial intelligence that acts more human by 'knowing that it knows'
Development of metamemory in AI system allows it to adjust its understanding based on what it already knows, learning and evolving based on its environment as humans do.
Read article →Great timing, supercomputer upgrade lead to successful forecast of volcanic eruption
In the fall of 2017, a team of geologists had just set up a new volcanic forecasting modeling program on the Blue Waters and iForge supercomputers. Simultaneously, another team was monitoring activity at the Sierra Negra volcano in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. The teams shared their insights and what happened next was the fortuitous forecast of the June 2018 Sierra Negra eruption five months before it occurred.
Read article →An atomic-scale window into superconductivity paves the way for new quantum materials
Superconductors are materials with no electrical resistance whatsoever, commonly requiring extremely low temperatures. They are used in a wide range of domains, from medical applications to a central role in quantum computers. Superconductivity is caused by specially linked pairs of electrons known as Cooper pairs. So far, the occurrence of Cooper pairs has been measured indirectly macroscopically in bulk, but a new technique can detect their occurrence with atomic precision.
Read article →'Beam-steering' technology takes mobile communications beyond 5G
Researchers have revealed a new beam-steering antenna that increases the efficiency of data transmission, and opens up frequencies for mobile communications that are inaccessible to currently used technologies. The technology has demonstrated vast improvements in data transmission efficiency at frequencies ranging across the millimeter wave spectrum, specifically those identified for 5G (mmWave) and 6G, where high efficiency is currently only achievable using slow, mechanically steered antenna solutions.
Read article →Time crystals 'impossible' but obey quantum physics
Scientists have created a 'time-crystal' a two-body system in an experiment that seems to bend the laws of physics. A 'two-level system' is a basic building block of a quantum computer. Time crystals could perhaps be used to build quantum devices that work at room temperature. Time crystals were long believed to be impossible because they are made from atoms in never-ending motion. The discovery shows that not only can time crystals be created, but they have potential to be turned into useful devices.
Read article →6G component provides speed, efficiency needed for next-gen network
An international team led by researchers has developed 6G components that will allow future devices to achieve increased speeds necessary for such a technological jump.
Read article →Machine learning models: In bias we trust?
Researchers find the explanation methods designed to help users determine whether to trust a machine-learning model's predictions can perpetuate biases and lead to less accurate predictions for people from disadvantaged groups.
Read article →VoxLens: Adding one line of code can make some interactive visualizations accessible to screen-reader users
Researchers worked with screen-reader users to design VoxLens, a plugin that allows people to interact with digital visualizations made with JavaScript.
Read article →Study evaluates how to eliminate telemedicine's virtual waiting room
Researchers have conducted a 10-week study to evaluate how text messaging a link to patients when their doctor is ready provides a way to connect patients and doctors without relying on the virtual waiting room.
Read article →A 'Goldilocks amount' of time spent online could be good for teenagers' wellbeing
New research has found further evidence of a relationship between online engagement and mental wellbeing in teenagers. The study contributes to mounting international evidence on the dangers of high levels of digital media use.
Read article →When AI is the inventor who gets the patent?
The day is coming -- some say has already arrived -- when new inventions that benefit society are dreamt up by artificial intelligence all on its own.
Read article →Researchers investigate the links between facial recognition and Alzheimer's disease
In recent years Alzheimer's disease has been on the rise throughout the world and is rarely diagnosed at an early stage when it can still be effectively controlled. Using artificial intelligence, researchers conducted a study to identify whether human-computer interfaces could be adapted for people with memory impairments to recognize a visible object in front of them.
Read article →Scientists use AI to update data vegetation maps for improved wildfire forecasts
A new technique uses artificial intelligence to efficiently update the vegetation maps that are relied on by wildfire computer models to accurately predict fire behavior and spread.
Read article →Photonics: Quest for elusive monolayers just got a lot simpler
Optics researchers develop an automated scanning device that can detect 2D monolayers with 99.9 percent accuracy -- surpassing any other method to date -- at a fraction of the cost, in far less time, and with readily available materials.
Read article →AI learns coral reef 'song'
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can track the health of coral reefs by learning the 'song of the reef', new research shows.
Read article →A quarter of the world's Internet users rely on infrastructure that is susceptible to attacks
About a quarter of the world's Internet users live in countries that are more susceptible than previously thought to targeted attacks on their Internet infrastructure. Many of the at-risk countries are located in the Global South. That's the conclusion of a sweeping, large-scale study conducted by computer scientists.
Read article →Agriculture tech use opens possibility of digital havoc
Wide-ranging use of smart technologies is raising global agricultural production but international researchers warn this digital-age phenomenon could reap a crop of another kind -- cybersecurity attacks. Complex IT and math modelling has highlighted the risks.
Read article →Tiny robotic crab is smallest-ever remote-controlled walking robot
Engineers have developed the smallest-ever remote-controlled walking robot -- and it comes in the form of a tiny, adorable peekytoe crab. Just a half-millimeter wide, the tiny crabs can bend, twist, crawl, walk, turn and even jump. Although the research is exploratory at this point, the researchers believe their technology might bring the field closer to realizing micro-sized robots that can perform practical tasks inside tightly confined spaces.
Read article →Roboticists go off road to compile data that could train self-driving ATVs
Researchers took an all-terrain vehicle on wild rides through tall grass, loose gravel and mud to gather data about how the ATV interacted with a challenging, off-road environment. They drove the heavily instrumented ATV aggressively at speeds up to 30 miles an hour. They slid through turns, took it up and down hills, and even got it stuck in the mud -- all while gathering data such as video, the speed of each wheel and the amount of suspension shock travel from seven types of sensors.
Read article →Toward error-free quantum computing
For quantum computers to be useful in practice, errors must be detected and corrected. A team of experimental physicists has now implemented a universal set of computational operations on fault-tolerant quantum bits for the first time, demonstrating how an algorithm can be programmed on a quantum computer so that errors do not spoil the result.
Read article →Researchers teleport quantum information across rudimentary quantum network
Researchers have succeeded in teleporting quantum information across a rudimentary network. This first of its kind is an important step towards a future quantum Internet. This breakthrough was made possible by a greatly improved quantum memory and enhanced quality of the quantum links between the three nodes of the network.
Read article →Secure communication with light particles
While quantum computers offer many novel possibilities, they also pose a threat to internet security since these supercomputers make common encryption methods vulnerable. Based on the so-called quantum key distribution, researchers have developed a new, tap-proof communication network.
Read article →Researchers develop algorithm to divvy up tasks for human-robot teams
Researchers have developed an algorithmic planner that helps delegate tasks to humans and robots. The planner, 'Act, Delegate or Learn' (ADL), considers a list of tasks and decides how best to assign them. The researchers asked three questions: When should a robot act to complete a task? When should a task be delegated to a human? And when should a robot learn a new task?
Read article →Significant energy savings using neuromorphic hardware
New research illustrates neuromorphic technology is up to sixteen times more energy-efficient for large deep learning networks than other AI systems.
Read article →Emulating impossible 'unipolar' laser pulses paves the way for processing quantum information
A laser pulse that sidesteps the inherent symmetry of light waves could manipulate quantum information, potentially bringing us closer to room temperature quantum computing.
Read article →Scientists use quantum computers to simulate quantum materials
Researchers have used quantum computers to simulate spin defects, an important material property for the next generation of quantum computers.
Read article →Breakthrough in quantum universal gate sets: A high-fidelity iToffoli gate
Researchers have demonstrated the first three-qubit high-fidelity iToffoli native gate in a superconducting quantum information processor and in a single step. This demonstration adds a novel easy-to-implement native three-qubit logic gate for universal quantum computing.
Read article →AI reveals unsuspected math underlying search for exoplanets
The astronomers' goal: find an artificial intelligence algorithm to interpret microlensing events captured by the upcoming Roman Space Telescope and speed detection of exoplanets around other stars. They achieved that, but the AI told them something unexpected and deep: the theory used to infer stellar and exoplanetary masses and orbits from observations was incomplete. Digging into the mathematics, they uncovered a theory that explains all types of microlensing events and possible ambiguities in interpreting them.
Read article →Traveling wave of light sparks simple liquid crystal microposts to perform complex dance
Mastering control over the dynamic interplay among optical, chemical and mechanical behavior in single-material, liquid crystalline elastomers, results in microposts that combine bending, twisting and turning into complex dances. The advancement could contribute toward further development of soft robotics and other devices.
Read article →Charting a safe course through a highly uncertain environment
Researchers have developed a trajectory-planning system for autonomous vehicles that enables them to travel from a starting point to a target location safely, even when there are many different uncertainties in the environment, such as unknown variations in the shapes, sizes, and locations of obstacles.
Read article →Twisted soft robots navigate mazes without human or computer guidance
Researchers have developed soft robots that are capable of navigating complex environments, such as mazes, without input from humans or computer software.
Read article →Novel AI algorithm for digital pathology analysis
Digital pathology is an emerging field which deals with mainly microscopy images that are derived from patient biopsies. Because of the high resolution, most of these whole slide images (WSI) have a large size, typically exceeding a gigabyte (Gb). Therefore, typical image analysis methods cannot efficiently handle them. Seeing a need, researchers developed a novel artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm based on a framework called representation learning to classify lung cancer subtype based on lung tissue images from resected tumors.
Read article →High school students measure Earth's magnetic field from ISS
A small computer aboard the International Space Station programmed by Portuguese students enables measurements as part of Raspberry Pi Foundation's Astro Pi Challenge.
Read article →Designers find better solutions with computer assistance, but sacrifice creative touch
A computer-guided approach to design can propose more solutions and balance out human inexperience and design fixation.
Read article →Using artificial intelligence to predict life-threatening bacterial disease in dogs
Veterinarians and researchers have developed a technique to predict leptospirosis in dogs through artificial intelligence. Leptospirosis is a life-threatening bacterial disease dogs can get from drinking contaminated water.
Read article →Haptics device creates realistic virtual textures
Tactile sensation is an incredibly important part of how humans perceive their reality. Haptics or devices that can produce extremely specific vibrations that can mimic the sensation of touch are a way to bring that third sense to life. However, as far as haptics have come, humans are incredibly particular about whether or not something feels 'right,' and virtual textures don't always hit the mark. Now, researchers have developed a new method for computers to achieve that true texture -- with the help of human beings. Called a preference-driven model, the framework uses our ability to distinguish between the details of certain textures as a tool in order to give these virtual counterparts a tune-up.
Read article →Neuromorphic memory device simulates neurons and synapses
Researchers have reported a nano-sized neuromorphic memory device that emulates neurons and synapses simultaneously in a unit cell, another step toward completing the goal of neuromorphic computing designed to rigorously mimic the human brain with semiconductor devices.
Read article →Interplay between charge order and superconductivity at nanoscale
Scientists have been relentlessly working on understanding the fundamental mechanisms at the base of high-temperature superconductivity with the ultimate goal to design and engineer new quantum materials superconducting close to room temperature.
Read article →Virtual immune system roadmap unveiled
Researchers have published a roadmap for creating a digital twin of the immune system. Patterned after digital twins used in industry to test innovations on a model, the digital twin would create a virtual immune system tailored to individuals. Physicians could use this model to develop precision treatments based on a person's genetics and personal history. It could answer questions why some people react differently to COVID-19 infection, for example, or design precise immunosuppressant therapy for transplant patients, or allow pharmaceutical companies to more quickly bring drugs to market.
Read article →Organic crystals can serve as energy converters for emerging technologies
New research demonstrates that organic crystals, a new class of smart engineering materials, can serve as efficient and sustainable energy conversion materials for advanced technologies such as robotics and electronics.
Read article →Using everyday WiFi to help robots see and navigate better indoors
Engineers have developed a low cost, low power technology to help robots accurately map their way indoors, even in poor lighting and without recognizable landmarks or features. The technology uses WiFi signals, instead of light, to help the robot 'see' where it's going.
Read article →New thermal management technology for electronic devices reduces bulk while improving cooling
Electronic devices generate heat, and that heat must be dissipated. The high temperatures can compromise device function or even damage the devices and surroundings if it isn't. Now, a team has detailed a new cooling method that offers a host of benefits, not the least of which is space efficiency which offers a substantial increase over conventional approaches in devices' power per unit volume.
Read article →Accelerating the pace of machine learning
Machine learning happens a lot like erosion. Data is hurled at a mathematical model like grains of sand skittering across a rocky landscape. Some of those grains simply sail along with little or no impact. But some of them make their mark: testing, hardening, and ultimately reshaping the landscape according to inherent patterns and fluctuations that emerge over time. Effective? Yes. Efficient? Not so much. Researchers are now seeking to bring efficiency to distributed learning techniques emerging as crucial to modern artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). In essence, the goal is to hurl far fewer grains of data without degrading the overall impact.
Read article →Researchers create photonic materials for powerful, efficient light-based computing
Researchers are developing new photonic materials that could one day help enable low power, ultra-fast, light-based computing. The unique materials, known as topological insulators, are like wires that have been turned inside out, where the current runs along the outside and the interior is insulated. In their latest work the researchers demonstrated a new approach to create the materials that uses a novel, chained, honeycomb lattice design.
Read article →Component for brain-inspired computing
Researchers have developed a new material for an electronic component that can be used in a wider range of applications than its predecessors. Such components will help create electronic circuits that emulate the human brain and that are more efficient at performing machine-learning tasks.
Read article →Teaching physics to AI makes the student a master
Researchers have demonstrated that incorporating known physics into machine learning algorithms can help the inscrutable black boxes attain new levels of transparency and insight into material properties.
Read article →Energy-efficient AI hardware technology via a brain-inspired stashing system?
Researchers have proposed a novel system inspired by the neuromodulation of the brain, referred to as a 'stashing system,' that requires less energy consumption. Computer scientists have now developed a technology that can efficiently handle mathematical operations for artificial intelligence by imitating the continuous changes in the topology of the neural network according to the situation.
Read article →Automated platform for plasmid production
Researchers have developed PlasmidMaker, a versatile automated platform for plasmid design & construction. These circular DNA molecules are used by scientists to introduce new genes into a target organism, and have extensive use in basic and applied biology. In particular, they have applications in the large-scale production of bioproducts.
Read article →Algorithms empower metalens design
Researchers have developed a new method for designing large-scale metasurfaces that uses techniques of machine intelligence to generate designs automatically. The method will enable new metasurface designs that can make an impact on virtual or augmented reality, self-driving cars, and machine vision for embarked systems and satellites.
Read article →The numbers don't lie: Australia is failing at maths and we need to find a new formula to arrest the decline
Australia has suffered a significant drop in teenage maths proficiency in the past 20 years -- sliding from 11th in the OECD rankings to 29th place out of 38 countries, prompting widespread debate over potential curriculum changes. One researcher says hand gestures could stop the slide.
Read article →Electronic skin: Physicist develops multisensory hybrid material
Recently developed 'smart skin' is very similar to human skin. It senses pressure, humidity and temperature simultaneously and produces electronic signals. More sensitive robots or more intelligent prostheses are thus conceivable.
Read article →Eavesdroppers can hack 6G frequency with DIY metasurface
Crafty hackers can make a tool to eavesdrop on some 6G wireless signals in as little as five minutes using office paper, an inkjet printer, a metallic foil transfer and a laminator.
Read article →New approach allows for faster ransomware detection
Engineering researchers have developed a new approach for implementing ransomware detection techniques, allowing them to detect a broad range of ransomware far more quickly than previous systems.
Read article →Robotic surgery is safer and improves patient recovery time
Robot-assisted surgery used to perform bladder cancer removal and reconstruction enables patients to recover far more quickly and spend significantly (20 per cent) less time in hospital, concludes a new clinical trial.
Read article →Going gentle on mechanical quantum systems
Systems in which mechanical motion is controlled at the level of individual quanta are emerging as a promising quantum-?technology platform. New experimental work now establishes how quantum properties of such systems can be measured without destroying the quantum state -- a key ingredient for tapping the full potential of mechanical quantum systems.
Read article →When quantum particles fly like bees
A quantum system with only 51 charged atoms can take on more than two quadrillion different states. Calculating the system's behavior is child's play for a quantum simulator. But verifying the result is almost impossible, even with today's supercomputers. A research team has now shown how these systems can be verified using equations formulated in the 18th century.
Read article →How cells correct errors under time pressure
How does a cell balance risk and speed when dividing? Scientists have developed and experimentally tested the first mathematical theory that describes the cell's best strategy for dividing safely and efficiently.
Read article →Study finds realism a key factor in driving engagement with virtual reality videos
A recent study finds that realism is a key factor in determining whether viewers engage with virtual reality videos -- and that engagement is itself a key factor in determining whether viewers are interested in watching VR videos in the future.
Read article →Video games can help boost children's intelligence
Scientists have studied how the screen habits of US children correlates with how their cognitive abilities develop over time. They found that the children who spent an above-average time playing video games increased their intelligence more than the average, while TV watching or social media had neither a positive nor a negative effect.
Read article →Algae-powered computing: Scientists create reliable and renewable biological photovoltaic cell
Researchers have used a widespread species of blue-green algae to power a microprocessor continuously for a year -- and counting -- using nothing but ambient light and water. Their system has potential as a reliable and renewable way to power small devices.
Read article →One particle on two paths: Quantum physics is right
The famous double slit experiment shows that particles can travel on two paths at the same time -- but only by looking at a lot of particles and analysing the results statistically. Now a two-path-interference experiment has been designed that only has to measure one specific particle to prove that it travelled on two paths.
Read article →Scientists discovers new properties of magnetism that could change our computers
A fundamental property of magnetism has been disclosed through new research. The discovery may be key to development of a new generation of powerful computers.
Read article →Researchers find way to form diodes from superconductors
Researchers have demonstrated how a heterostructure consisting of superconductors and magnets can be used to create uni-directional current like that found in semiconductor diodes.
Read article →Laser bursts drive extremely fast logic gates
By clarifying the role of 'real' and 'virtual' charge carriers in laser-induced currents, researchers have taken a decisive step toward creating ultrafast computers.
Read article →Small, mini, nano: Gear units created from a few atoms
Ever smaller and more intricate -- without miniaturization, we wouldn't have the components today that are required for high-performance laptops, compact smartphones or high-resolution endoscopes. Research is now being carried out in the nanoscale on switches, rotors or motors that comprise of only a few atoms in order to build what are known as molecular machines.
Read article →Computational sleuthing confirms first 3D quantum spin liquid
Computational detective work by physicists has confirmed cerium zirconium pyrochlore is a 3D quantum spin liquid, a solid material in which quantum entanglement and the geometric arrangement of atoms cause electrons to fluctuate between quantum magnetic states no matter how cold they become.
Read article →Head, body, eye coordination conserved across animal kingdom
Fruit flies synchronize the movements of their heads and bodies to stabilize their vision and fly effectively, according to researchers who utilized virtual-reality flight simulators. The finding appears to hold true in primates and other animals, the researchers say, indicating that animals evolved to move their eyes and bodies independently to conserve energy and improve performance. This understanding could inform the design of advanced mobile robots.
Read article →Development of an ensemble model to anticipate short-term COVID-19 hospital demand
Scientists identified the most relevant predictive variables for anticipating hospital demand and proposed using an ensemble model based on the average of the predictions of several individual models.
Read article →It takes three to tangle: Long-range quantum entanglement needs three-way interaction
A theoretical study shows that long-range entanglement can indeed survive at temperatures above absolute zero, if the correct conditions are met.
Read article →In balance: Quantum computing needs the right combination of order and disorder
Researchers have analyzed cutting-edge device structures of quantum computers to demonstrate that some of them are indeed operating dangerously close to a threshold of chaotic meltdown. The challenge is to walk a thin line between too high, but also too low disorder to safeguard device operation.
Read article →'Nanomagnetic' computing can provide low-energy AI
Researchers have shown it is possible to perform artificial intelligence using tiny nanomagnets that interact like neurons in the brain.
Read article →Scientists observe quantum speed-up in optimization problems
Scientists have demonstrated a breakthrough application of neutral-atom quantum processors to solve problems of practical use.
Read article →Self-propelled, endlessly programmable artificial cilia
Researchers have developed a single-material, single-stimuli microstructure that can outmaneuver even living cilia. These programmable, micron-scale structures could be used for a range of applications, including soft robotics, biocompatible medical devices, and even dynamic information encryption.
Read article →Taste of the future: Robot chef learns to 'taste as you go'
A robot 'chef' has been trained to taste food at different stages of the chewing process to assess whether it's sufficiently seasoned.
Read article →The quest for an ideal quantum bit
Scientists have developed a qubit platform formed by freezing neon gas into a solid, spraying electrons from a light bulb's filament onto it, and trapping a single electron there. This system shows great promise as an ideal building block for quantum computers.
Read article →New open-source software automates RNA analysis to speed up research and drug development
'Pytheas' is an app created to identify and quantify modified RNA molecules more easily than ever.
Read article →Engineers develop new control electronics for quantum computers that improve performance, cut costs
Quantum computing experiments now have a new control and readout electronics option that will significantly improve performance while replacing cumbersome and expensive systems.
Read article →New approach may help clear hurdle to large-scale quantum computing
New method for shuttling entangled atoms in quantum processor at the forefront for building large-scale programmable quantum machines.
Read article →From blurry to bright: AI tech helps researchers peer into the brains of mice
Biomedical engineers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) training strategy to capture images of mouse brain cells in action. The researchers say the AI system, in concert with specialized ultra-small microscopes, make it possible to find precisely where and when cells are activated during movement, learning and memory.
Read article →Scientific advance leads to a new tool in the fight against hackers
A new form of security identification could soon see the light of day and help us protect our data from hackers and cybercriminals. Quantum mathematicians have solved a mathematical riddle that allows for a person's geographical location to be used as a personal ID that is secure against even the most advanced cyber attacks.
Read article →Engineers get under the skin of ionic skin
In the quest to build smart skin that mimics the sensing capabilities of natural skin, ionic skins have shown significant advantages. They're made of flexible, biocompatible hydrogels that use ions to carry an electrical charge. These hydrogels can generate voltages when touched, but scientists did not clearly understand how -- until a team of researchers devised a unique experiment.
Read article →In Einstein's footsteps and beyond
Physicists are re-examining the foundations of quantum physics from the perspective of momentum and exploring what happens when the momentum of light is reduced to zero.
Read article →Microrobot collectives display versatile movement patterns
Collective behavior and swarm patterns are found everywhere in nature. Robots can also be programmed to act in swarms. Researchers have developed collectives of microrobots, which they can move in every formation they wish.
Read article →Physicists embark on a hunt for a long-sought quantum glow
Researchers say they've found a way to significantly increase the probability of observing the Unruh effect, a 'quantum glow' phenomenon that was first proposed in the 1970s.
Read article →Immersive VR: Empowering kids to survive in fire, flood, and war
When you live in the driest State in the driest country in the world, bushfires are an unfortunate, and all-too-regular part of life. Learning how to survive such emergencies is important for all people, but especially for our youngest citizens.
Read article →An easier way to teach robots new skills
Researchers have developed a technique that enables a robot to learn a new pick-and-place task with only a handful of human demonstrations. This could allow a human to reprogram a robot to grasp never-before-seen objects, presented in random poses, in about 15 minutes.
Read article →Using AI to detect cancer from patient data securely
A new way of using artificial intelligence to predict cancer from patient data without putting personal information at risk has been developed. Swarm learning can be used to help computers predict cancer in medical images of patient tissue samples, without releasing the data from hospitals.
Read article →Exotic magnetic structures created with laser light
Research has found a new way to create nano-sized magnetic particles using ultrafast laser light pulses. The discovery could pave the way for new and more energy-efficient technical components and become useful in the quantum computers of the future.
Read article →Computing: Resilient system using only non-volatile memory
A research team has developed hardware and software technology that ensures both data and execution persistence. The Lightweight Persistence Centric System (LightPC) makes the systems resilient against power failures by utilizing only non-volatile memory as the main memory.
Read article →Researchers take step toward developing 'electric eye'
Using nanotechnology, scientists have created a newly designed neuromorphic electronic device that endows microrobotics with colorful vision. The newly designed artificial vision device could have far-reaching applications for the fields of medicine, artificial intelligence, and microrobotics.
Read article →New process enables 3D printing of small and complex components made of glass in just a few minutes
Scientists combine materials science invention with newly developed 3D printing technology. Components made of highly transparent glass can be manufactured in just a few minutes and with great geometric freedom. Possible applications of the new process technology are micro-optical components of sensors, microscopes or lab-on-a-chip systems
Read article →Study shows simple, computationally-light model can simulate complex brain cell responses
Studying how brain cells respond to signals from their neighbors can aid the understanding of cognition and development. However, experimentally measuring the brain's activity is complicated. Neuron models provide a non-invasive way to investigate the brain, but most existing models are either computationally intensive or cannot model complex neuronal responses. Recently, a team has used a computationally simple neuron model to simulate some of the complex responses of neurons.
Read article →DIY digital archaeology: New methods for visualizing small objects and artifacts
A new article presents step-by-step protocols for creating publishable 2D and 3D visualizations. The techniques will allow anyone to produce high-quality images and models with minimal effort and cost.
Read article →Hybrid quantum bit based on topological insulators
With their superior properties, topological qubits could help achieve a breakthrough in the development of a quantum computer designed for universal applications. So far, no one has yet succeeded in unambiguously demonstrating a quantum bit, or qubit for short, of this kind in a lab. Scientists have now succeeded in integrating a topological insulator into a conventional superconducting qubit.
Read article →How to compete with robots
Roboticists and economists have developed a method for estimating the probability of jobs being automated by future intelligent robots and suggesting career transitions with lower risks and minimal retraining effort.
Read article →Tear-free hair brushing? All you need is math
Scientists explore the mathematics of combing and explain why the brushing technique used by so many is the most effective method to detangle a bundle of fibers.
Read article →New polymer materials make fabricating optical interconnects easier
Researchers have developed new polymer materials that are ideal for making the optical links necessary to connect chip-based photonic components with board-level circuits or optical fibers. These materials can be used to easily create interconnects between photonic chips and optical printed circuit boards, the light-based equivalent of electronic printed circuit boards.
Read article →Engineering team develops new AI algorithms for high accuracy and cost effective medical image diagnostics
Medical imaging is an important part of modern healthcare, enhancing both the precision, reliability and development of treatment for various diseases. Artificial intelligence has also been widely used to further enhance the process. However, conventional medical image diagnosis employing AI algorithms require large amounts of annotations as supervision signals for model training. To acquire accurate labels for the AI algorithms -- radiologists, as part of the clinical routine, prepare radiology reports for each of their patients, followed by annotation staff extracting and confirming structured labels from those reports using human-defined rules and existing natural language processing (NLP) tools. The ultimate accuracy of extracted labels hinges on the quality of human work and various NLP tools. The method comes at a heavy price, being both labour intensive and time consuming. An engineering team has now developed a new approach which can cut human cost down by 90%, by enabling the automatic acquisition of supervision signals from hundreds of thousands of radiology reports at the same time. It attains a high accuracy in predictions, surpassing its counterpart of conventional medical image diagnosis employing AI algorithms.
Read article →Machine learning model could better measure baseball players' performance
Researchers have developed a machine learning model that could better measure baseball players' and teams' short- and long-term performance, compared to existing statistical analysis methods for the sport. Drawing on recent advances in natural language processing and computer vision, their approach would completely change, and could enhance, the way the state of a game and a player's impact on the game is measured.
Read article →How did visitors experience the domestic space in Pompeii?
Researchers have used virtual reality and 3D eye-tracking technology to examine what drew the attention of the visitors when entering the stunning environment of an ancient Roman house. The team recreated the House of Greek Epigrams in 3D and tracked the gaze of study participants as they viewed the home.
Read article →Adding AI to Museum exhibits increases learning, keeps kids engaged longer
Researchers have demonstrated a more effective way to support learning and increase engagement at science-focused museum exhibits. They used artificial intelligence to create a new genre of interactive, hands-on exhibits that includes an intelligent, virtual assistant to interact with visitors. When the researchers compared their intelligent exhibit to a traditional one, they found that the intelligent exhibit increased learning and the time spent at the exhibit.
Read article →Physiological signals could be the key to 'emotionally intelligent' AI, scientists say
Artificial intelligence (AI) is at the forefront of modern technology. Making AI 'emotionally intelligent' could open doors to more natural human-machine interactions. To do this, it needs to pick up on the user's sentiment during a dialog. Physiological signals could provide a direct route to such sentiments. Now, researchers from Japan take things to the next level with an AI with sentiment-sensing capabilities comparable to that of humans.
Read article →New technique offers faster security for non-volatile memory tech
Researchers have developed a technique that leverages hardware and software to improve file system security for next-generation memory technologies called non-volatile memories (NVMs). The new encryption technique also permits faster performance than existing software security technologies.
Read article →Rational neural network advances machine-human discovery
Math is the language of the physical world, and some see mathematical patterns everywhere: in weather, in the way soundwaves move, and even in the spots or stripes zebra fish develop in embryos.
Read article →An automatic information extraction system for scientific articles on COVID-19
VIGICOVID is a system that uses natural language questions to get answers in the avalanche of information on COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2.
Read article →New software to help discover valuable compounds
Because the comparative metabolomics field lacks sophisticated data analysis tools that are available to genomics and proteomics researchers, metabolomics researchers spend a lot of time hunting for candidate compounds that could be useful as leads for the development of new pharmaceuticals or agrochemicals. To solve this problem, scientists have developed Metaboseek, a free, easy-to-use app that integrates multiple data analysis features for the metabolomics community.
Read article →Quantum information theory: Quantum complexity grows linearly for an exponentially long time
Physicists know about the huge chasm between quantum physics and the theory of gravity. However, in recent decades, theoretical physics has provided some plausible conjecture to bridge this gap and to describe the behavior of complex quantum many-body systems -- for example, black holes and wormholes in the universe. Now, researchers have proven a mathematical conjecture about the behavior of complexity in such systems, increasing the viability of this bridge.
Read article →Chaos theory provides hints for controlling the weather
Researchers have used computer simulations to show that weather phenomena such as sudden downpours could potentially be modified by making small adjustments to certain variables in the weather system. They did this by taking advantage of a system known as a 'butterfly attractor' in chaos theory, where a system can have one of two states -- like the wings of a butterfly -- and that it switches back and forth between the two states depending on small changes in certain conditions.
Read article →Design of protein binders from target structure alone
Scientists have now created a powerful new method for generating protein drugs. Using computers, they designed molecules that can target important proteins in the body, such as the insulin receptor, as well as vulnerable proteins on the surface of viruses. This solves a long-standing challenge in drug development and may lead to new treatments for cancer, diabetes, infection, inflammation, and beyond.
Read article →Single-photon source paves the way for practical quantum encryption
Researchers describe new high-purity single-photon source that can operate at room temperature. The source is an important step toward practical applications of quantum technology, such as highly secure communication based on quantum key distribution (QKD).
Read article →Tiny, cheap solution for quantum-secure encryption
Engineers propose a new kind of encryption to protect data in the age of quantum computers.
Read article →'Off label' use of imaging databases could lead to bias in AI algorithms
Significant advances in artificial intelligence (AI) over the past decade have relied upon extensive training of algorithms using massive, open-source databases. But when such datasets are used 'off label' and applied in unintended ways, the results are subject to machine learning bias that compromises the integrity of the AI algorithm, according to a new study.
Read article →Active video games provide alternative workout
Working out isn't known for being fun. But new active video and virtual reality games may help change that. Exergaming, or active video gaming, may be the perfect introduction to helping people be more active, according to new research.
Read article →Tiny magnets could hold the secret to new quantum computers
Scientists have discovered a type of magnetic behavior that could help enable magnetically based quantum devices.
Read article →Mathematical paradoxes demonstrate the limits of AI
Humans are usually pretty good at recognizing when they get things wrong, but artificial intelligence systems are not. According to a new study, AI generally suffers from inherent limitations due to a century-old mathematical paradox.
Read article →AI provides accurate breast density classification
An artificial intelligence (AI) tool can accurately and consistently classify breast density on mammograms, according to a new study.
Read article →Intensity control of projectors in parallel: A doorway to an augmented reality future
A challenge to adopting augmented reality (AR) in wider applications is working with dynamic objects, owing to a delay between their movement and the projection of light onto their new position. But, scientists may have a workaround. They have developed a method that uses multiple projectors while reducing delay time. Their method could open the door to a future driven by AR, helping us live increasingly technology-centered lives.
Read article →Stackable 'holobricks' can make giant 3D images
Researchers have developed a new method to display highly realistic holographic images using 'holobricks' that can be stacked together to generate large-scale holograms.
Read article →Warning: Objects in driverless car sensors may be closer than they appear
Researchers have demonstrated the first attack strategy that can fool industry-standard autonomous vehicle sensor components into believing nearby objects are closer (or further) than they appear without being detected. The research suggests that adding optical 3D capabilities or the ability to share data with nearby cars may be necessary to fully protect autonomous cars from attacks.
Read article →Are conferences worth the time and money?
Scientists who interact with others during assigned sessions at conferences are more likely to form productive collaborations than scientists who do not, researchers found. And the kicker? It doesn't matter whether the conference is in person or virtual.
Read article →Chemical reaction design goes virtual
Researchers aim to streamline the time- and resource-intensive process of screening ligands during catalyst design by using virtual ligands.
Read article →Brain-based computing chips not just for AI anymore
With the insertion of a little math, researchers have shown that neuromorphic computers, which synthetically replicate the brain's logic, can solve more complex problems than those posed by artificial intelligence and may even earn a place in high-performance computing. Neuromorphic simulations employing random walks can track X-rays passing through bone and soft tissue, disease passing through a population, information flowing through social networks and the movements of financial markets.
Read article →A cautionary tale of machine learning uncertainty
A new analysis shows that researchers using machine learning methods could risk underestimating uncertainties in their final results.
Read article →Labeling key to success of software company innovations
Companies in the software industry, where novel ideas are prized, use linguistic tactics to develop new labels for their innovations to stay ahead of competitors.
Read article →Researchers use flat lenses to extend viewing distance for 3D display
Researchers have demonstrated a prototype glasses-free 3D light field display system with a significantly extended viewing distance thanks to a newly developed flat lens. The system is an important step toward compact, realistic-looking 3D displays that could be used for televisions, portable electronics and table-top devices.
Read article →Mathematical discovery could shed light on secrets of the Universe
How can Einstein's theory of gravity be unified with quantum mechanics? It is a challenge that could give us deep insights into phenomena such as black holes and the birth of the universe. Now, a new article presents results that cast new light on important challenges in understanding quantum gravity.
Read article →Simulated human eye movement aims to train metaverse platforms
Computer engineers have developed virtual eyes that simulate how humans look at the world accurately enough for companies to train virtual reality and augmented reality programs. Called EyeSyn for short, the program will help developers create applications for the rapidly expanding metaverse while protecting user data.
Read article →Dark energy: Neutron stars will tell us if it's only an illusion
Scientists provide the first simulation of neutron star collisions in extensions of general relativity relevant for cosmology, offering a new approach to test gravity.
Read article →Temperature variation could help new touchscreen technology simulate virtual shapes
High-fidelity touch has the potential to significantly expand the scope of what we expect from computing devices, making new remote sensory experiences possible. The research on these advancements could help touchscreens simulate virtual shapes.
Read article →Mammoths, meet the metaverse
Paleontologists from La Brea Tar Pits develop a whole herd of scientifically accurate extinct animals to use in AR and VR.
Read article →Double locked: Polymer hydrogels secure confidential information
The development of highly secure but simple and inexpensive encryption technology for the prevention of data leaks and forgeries is decidedly challenging. A research team has now introduced a 'double lock' based on thermoresponsive polymer hydrogels that encrypts information so that it can only be read at a specific window in temperature and time.
Read article →For new insights into aerodynamics, scientists turn to paper airplanes
A series of experiments using paper airplanes reveals new aerodynamic effects, a team of scientists has discovered. Its findings enhance our understanding of flight stability and could inspire new types of flying robots and small drones.
Read article →BioCro software for growing virtual crops improved
A team has revamped the popular crop growth simulation software BioCro, making it a more user-friendly and efficient way to predict crop yield. The updated version, BioCro II, allows modelers to use the technology much more easily and includes faster and more accurate algorithms.
Read article →Computer drug simulations offer warning about promising diabetes and cancer treatment
Using computer drug simulations, researchers have found that doctors need to be wary of prescribing a promising treatment for all types of cancer and patients.
Read article →A security technique to fool would-be cyber attackers
Researchers developed a technique that effectively protects computer programs' secret information from memory-timing side channel attacks, while enabling faster computation than other security schemes.
Read article →Research team makes breakthrough discovery in light interactions with nanoparticles, paving the way for advances in optical computing
Researchers detail a breakthrough discovery in nanomaterials and light-wave interactions that paves the way for development of small, low-energy optical computers capable of advanced computing.
Read article →Entanglement unlocks scaling for quantum machine learning
The field of machine learning on quantum computers got a boost from new research removing a potential roadblock to the practical implementation of quantum neural networks.
Read article →California's push for computer science education examined
Despite California's computer science education policies, gender, racial and ethnic disparities persist among the high schools that offer these courses, the students enrolled in them and the faculty who teach them.
Read article →Rebooting evolution
The building blocks of life-saving therapeutics could be developed in days instead of years thanks to new software that simulates evolution. Proseeker is the name of a new computational tool that mimics the processes of natural selection, producing proteins that can be used for a range of medicinal and household uses.
Read article →New methods for network visualizations enable change of perspectives and views
Researchers have developed a new method for generating network layouts that allow for visualizing different information of a network in two- and three-dimensional virtual space and exploring different perspectives. The results could also facilitate future research on rare diseases by providing more versatile, comprehensible representations of complex protein interactions.
Read article →How a single nerve cell can multiply
Neurons are constantly performing complex calculations to process sensory information and infer the state of the environment. For example, to localize a sound or to recognize the direction of visual motion, individual neurons are thought to multiply two signals. However, how such a computation is carried out has been a mystery for decades. Researchers have now discovered in fruit flies the biophysical basis that enables a specific type of neuron to multiply two incoming signals. This provides fundamental insights into the algebra of neurons -- the computations that may underlie countless processes in the brain.
Read article →Artificial intelligence tutoring outperforms expert instructors in neurosurgical training
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented both challenges and opportunities for medical training. Remote learning technology has become increasingly important in several fields. A new study finds that in a remote environment, an artificial intelligence (AI) tutoring system can outperform expert human instructors.
Read article →Forget handheld virtual reality controllers: a smile, frown or clench will suffice
An international team of researchers has taken facial recognition technology to the next level, using a person's expression to manipulate objects in a virtual reality setting without the use of a handheld controller or touchpad.
Read article →Scientists discover how our circadian rhythm can be both strong and flexible
The combination of mathematical modeling and experiments identifies the difference in molecular clockworks of the master and slave clock neurons in Drosophila. This solves the long-standing mystery of the molecular mechanisms underlying how the circadian (~24h) clock can exhibit paradoxical characteristics of robustness (strong rhythms), and plasticity (flexible adaption).
Read article →CROPSR: A new tool to accelerate genetic discoveries
Scientists have developed CROPSR, the first open-source software tool for genome-wide design and evaluation of guide RNA (gRNA) sequences for CRISPR/Cas9 experiments. This tool significantly shortens the time required to design a CRISPR experiment and reduces the challenge of working with complex crop genomes. It should accelerate bioenergy crop development as well as broader crop improvements and other gene-editing research.
Read article →DNA design brings predictability to polymer gels
Simulations have led to the fabrication of a polymer-DNA gel that could be used in tissue regeneration and robotics.
Read article →Algorithm could shorten quality testing, research in many industries by months
A machine-learning algorithm could provide auto manufacturing, aerospace and other industries a faster and more cost-efficient way to test bulk materials.
Read article →Researchers use supercomputers for largest-ever turbulence simulations of its kind
Despite being among the most researched topics on supercomputers, a fundamental understanding of the effects of turbulent motion on fluid flows still eludes scientists. A new approach aims to change that.
Read article →Where mathematics and a social perspective meet data
Community structure, including relationships between and within groups, is foundational to our understanding of the world around us.
Read article →Computational modelling experts pioneer pest-busting model
Mathematicians have developed a new mathematical model which could greatly increase the efficiency of pest control and hence significantly reduce the impact of pests on crops whilst minimizing the damage to environment.
Read article →Spatial training with blocks and puzzles could unlock the UK's mathematical potential
A sustained focus on spatial reasoning training could help children learn science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Read article →Researchers develop methodology for streamlined control of material deformation
Researchers devise a new approach to a highly studied exotic elastic material, uncover an intuitive geometrical description of the pronounced -- or nonlinear -- soft deformations, and show how to activate any of these deformations on-demand with minimal inputs. This new theory reveals that a flexible mechanical structure is governed by some of the same math as electromagnetic waves, phase transitions, and even black holes.
Read article →Predicting cell fates: Researchers develop AI solutions for next-gen biomedical research
Data is not only the answer to numerous questions in the business world; the same applies to biomedical research. In order to develop new therapies or prevention strategies for diseases, scientists need more and better data, faster and faster. However, the quality is often very variable and the integration of different data sets often almost impossible.
Read article →Research advances technology of AI assistance for anesthesiologists
A new deep learning algorithm trained to optimize doses of propofol to maintain unconsciousness during general anesthesia could aid anesthesiologists and augment monitoring, according to a new study.
Read article →The power of chaos: A robust and low-cost cryptosystem for the post-quantum era
Scientists develop a chaos-based stream cipher that can withstand attacks from large-scale quantum computers.
Read article →Artificial intelligence system rapidly predicts how two proteins will attach
A new machine learning system can predict the structure formed when two proteins dock, in a process that's between 50 to 800 times faster than some software-based methods. This could help scientists better understand biological processes or speed the development of new therapies.
Read article →New computational tool predicts cell fates and genetic perturbations
Researchers have built a machine learning framework that can define the mathematical equations describing a cell's trajectory from one state to another, such as its development from a stem cell into one of several different types of mature cell. The framework, called dynamo, can also be used to figure out the underlying mechanisms -- the specific cocktail of gene activity -- driving changes in the cell.
Read article →Scientists uncover how the shape of melting ice depends on water temperature
A team of mathematicians and physicists has discovered how ice formations are shaped by external forces, such as water temperature. Its newly published research may offer another means for gauging factors that cause ice to melt.
Read article →Study finds lower math scores in high schools that switched to 4-day school week
A recent study analyzing the impact of a shorter school week for high schools found that 11th-grade students participating in a four-day week performed worse on standardized math tests than students who remained on five-day schedules.
Read article →Where did that sound come from?
Neuroscientists developed a computer model that can localize sounds. The model, which consists of several convolutional neural networks, not only performs the task as well as humans do, it also struggles in the same ways that humans do when the task is made more difficult by adding echoes or multiple sounds.
Read article →A virtual reality 'Shopping Task' could help test for cognitive decline in adults
New research suggests that a virtual reality test in which participants 'go to the shops' could offer a potentially promising way of effectively assessing functional cognition, the thinking and processing skills needed to accomplish complex everyday activities.
Read article →How big does your quantum computer need to be?
Researchers decided to explore two very different quantum problems: breaking the encryption of Bitcoin and simulating the molecule responsible for biological nitrogen fixation. They describe a tool they created to determine how big a quantum computer needs to be to solve problems like these and how long it will take.
Read article →New software may help neurology patients capture clinical data with their own smartphones
New pose estimation software has the potential to help neurologists and their patients capture important clinical data using simple tools such as smartphones and tablets, according to a new study.
Read article →How robots learn to hike
Researchers have developed a new control approach that enables a legged robot, called ANYmal, to move quickly and robustly over difficult terrain. Thanks to machine learning, the robot can combine its visual perception of the environment with its sense of touch for the first time.
Read article →Inner workings of quantum computers
A precision diagnostic is emerging as a gold standard for detecting and describing problems inside quantum computing hardware.
Read article →New models assess bridge support repairs after earthquakes
Civil engineers develop a computational modeling strategy to help plan effective repairs to damaged reinforced concrete columns.
Read article →New cloud-based platform opens genomics data to all
Harnessing the power of genomics to find risk factors for major diseases or search for relatives relies on the costly and time-consuming ability to analyze huge numbers of genomes. Computer scientists have now leveled the playing field by creating a cloud-based platform that grants genomics researchers easy access to one of the world's largest genomics databases. Known as AnVIL (Genomic Data Science Analysis, Visualization, and Informatics Lab-space), the new platform gives any researcher with an Internet connection access to thousands of analysis tools, patient records, and more than 300,000 genomes.
Read article →Computer model seeks to explain the spread of misinformation, and suggest counter measures
Researchers have come up with a computer model that mirrors the way misinformation spreads in real life. The work might provide insight on how to protect people from the current contagion of misinformation that threatens public health and the health of democracy.
Read article →System recognizes hand gestures to expand computer input on a keyboard
Researchers are developing a new technology that uses hand gestures to carry out commands on computers.
Read article →Engineers develop new software tool to aid material modeling research
A new software tool can accelerate materials science research by cutting out tedious background research on material properties. Researchers recently debuted propSym, an open-source software on the programming platform MATLAB, to calculate the fundamental constants needed to describe the physical properties of solids, such as metals, ceramics or composites.
Read article →IT security: Computer attacks with laser light
Computer systems that are physically isolated from the outside world (air-gapped) can still be attacked. This is demonstrated by IT security experts. They show that data can be transmitted to light-emitting diodes of regular office devices using a directed laser. With this, attackers can secretly communicate with air-gapped computer systems over distances of several meters. In addition to conventional information and communication technology security, critical IT systems need to be protected optically as well.
Read article →Measuring a quantum computer’s power just got faster and more accurate
What does a quantum computer have in common with a top draft pick in sports? Both have attracted lots of attention from talent scouts. Quantum computers, experimental machines that can perform some tasks faster than supercomputers, are constantly evaluated, much like young athletes, for their potential to someday become game-changing technology.
Read article →Rollercoaster of emotions: Exploring emotions with virtual reality
To the left and right, the landscape drifts idly by, the track in front of you. Suddenly, a fire. The tension builds. The ride reaches its highest point. Only one thing lies ahead: the abyss. Plummeting down into the depths of the earth. These are scenes of a rollercoaster ride as experienced by participants in a recent study. However, not in real life, but virtually, with the help of virtual reality (VR) glasses. The aim of the research was to find out what happens in participants' brains while they experience emotionally engaging situations.
Read article →Real-world study shows the potential of gait authentication to enhance smartphone security
A study showed that -- within an appropriate framework -- gait recognition could be a viable technique for protecting individuals and their data from potential crime.
Read article →Grouping of immune cell receptors could help decode patients' personal history of infection
Novel software for grouping immunological T-cell receptors may enable the identification of shared patterns that could be used to determine if a person has previously been infected or vaccinated against a given pathogen.
Read article →Development of an artificial vision device capable of mimicking human optical illusions
Researchers have developed an ionic artificial vision device capable of increasing the edge contrast between the darker and lighter areas of an mage in a manner similar to that of human vision. This first-ever synthetic mimicry of human optical illusions was achieved using ionic migration and interaction within solids. It may be possible to use the device to develop compact, energy-efficient visual sensing and image processing hardware systems capable of processing analog signals.
Read article →New chip hides wireless messages in plain sight
Researchers have developed a method for incorporating security in the physical nature of the wireless transmission signal for 5G and future networks.
Read article →Virtual reality tool to be used in the fight against disease
Science has the technology to measure the activity of every gene within a single individual cell, and just one experiment can generate thousands of cells worth of data. Researchers have now revolutionized the way this data is analyzed -- by using 3D video gaming technology.
Read article →Big data privacy for machine learning just got 100 times cheaper
Computer scientists have discovered an inexpensive way for tech companies to implement a rigorous form of personal data privacy when using or sharing large databases for machine learning.
Read article →A nanoantenna for long-distance, ultra-secure communication
Researchers have used a nanoantenna to focus light onto a single semiconductor nanobox. This approach will enhance the utility of quantum repeater technology currently under development for advanced communication and data storage. Such technology is essential to overcoming the limitations of classical computer information for securely sharing information over long distances.
Read article →Researchers develop rapid computer software to track pandemics as they happen
Researchers have created lightning-fast computer software that can help nations track and analyze pandemics, like the one caused by COVID-19, before they spread like wildfire around the globe.
Read article →Securing data transfers with relativity
To counter hacking, researchers have developed a new system based on the concept of 'zero-knowledge proofs', the security of which is based on the physical principle of relativity: information cannot travel faster than the speed of light. Thus, one of the fundamental principles of modern physics allows for secure data transfer.
Read article →Government action needed to ensure insurance against major hacking of driverless vehicles, experts warn
Government action is needed so driverless vehicles can be insured against malicious hacks which could have potentially catastrophic consequences, a study says.
Read article →New software predicts the movements of large land animals
New software helps determine the movements of large wild animals thereby minimizing conflicts with people. The software is simpler than measurements obtained using radio transmitters and can be used where conventional methods fail.
Read article →Scientists build on AI modeling to understand more about protein-sugar structures
New research building on AI algorithms has enabled scientists to create more complete models of the protein structures in our bodies - paving the way for faster design of therapeutics and vaccines.
Read article →Physicists describe photons’ characteristics to protect future quantum computing
Physicists have described in theoretical terms how to develop codes that cannot be broken by quantum computers -- computing devices of the future. These codes rely on distributing single photons that share a quantum character solely among the parties that wish to communicate.
Read article →Using quantum Parrondo’s random walks for encryption
SUTD has set out to apply concepts from quantum Parrondo's paradox in search of a working protocol for semiclassical encryption.
Read article →Quantum networks in our future
Investigators outline how a time-sensitive network control plane could be a key component of a workable quantum network. In addition to the well-understood requirements of transmission distance and data rate, for quantum networks to be useful in a real-world setting there are at least two other requirements that need to be considered. One is real-time network control, specifically time-sensitive networking. The second is cost.
Read article →One material with two functions could lead to faster memory
Researchers have developed a new light-emitting memory device by integrating a resistive random-access memory with a light-emitting electrochemical cell that are both based on perovskite. The results are promising for faster data storage and reading in future electronic devices and open a new avenue of applications for perovskite optoelectronics.
Read article →Is your mobile provider tracking your location? New technology could stop it
Right now, there is a good chance your phone is tracking your location -- even with GPS services turned off. That's because, to receive service, our phones reveal personal identifiers to cell towers owned by major network operators. This has led to vast and largely unregulated data-harvesting industries based around selling users' location data to third parties without consent. For the first time, researchers have found a way to stop this privacy breach using existing cellular networks. The new system protects users' mobile privacy while providing normal mobile connectivity.
Read article →Impenetrable optical OTP security platform
An anticounterfeiting smart label and security platform which makes forgery fundamentally impossible has been proposed. The device accomplishes this by controlling a variety of information of light including the color, phase, and polarization in one optical device.
Read article →New study examines privacy and security perceptions of online education proctoring services
Educational institutions have had to transition to remote learning and exam taking. This has led to an increase in the use of online proctoring services to curb student cheating. In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers explored the security and privacy perceptions of students taking proctored exams.
Read article →New cybersecurity technique keeps hackers guessing
Researchers developed a new machine learning-based framework to enhance the security of computer networks inside vehicles without undermining performance.
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