 | Spot the difference -- oranges and lemons Mar 7th 2013, 16:06 A computer recognition system that is 99-percent accurate can identify different fruits and vegetables, even the particular strain of apples or plums, for instance. New research explains how challenging this issue has been until now and shows how it could be used in agricultural science and perhaps to improve efficiency in the growing and food industries as well as at the supermarket. | | Spot the difference -- oranges and lemons Mar 7th 2013, 16:06 A computer recognition system that is 99-percent accurate can identify different fruits and vegetables, even the particular strain of apples or plums, for instance. New research explains how challenging this issue has been until now and shows how it could be used in agricultural science and perhaps to improve efficiency in the growing and food industries as well as at the supermarket. | | New flex-grid system prevents optical network 'traffic jams' Mar 7th 2013, 16:05 Services like Google Maps use algorithms to determine the fastest route from point A to point B -- even factoring in real-time traffic information as you travel to redirect you if, for example, a parade is blocking part of your route. Now, a team of researchers from have achieved this kind of traffic control for the connections in optical networks by using a new dynamic network management system -- and it does Google Maps one better. | | Predicting what topics will trend on Twitter: Algorithm offers new technique for analyzing data that fluctuate over time Nov 1st 2012, 15:06 Twitter's home page features a regularly updated list of topics that are "trending," meaning that tweets about them have suddenly exploded in volume. A position on the list is highly coveted as a source of free publicity, but the selection of topics is automatic, based on a proprietary algorithm that factors in both the number of tweets and recent increases in that number. Researchers have developed a new algorithm that can, with 95 percent accuracy, predict which topics will trend an average of an hour and a half before Twitter's algorithm puts them on the list -- and sometimes as much as four or five hours before. | | Footwear forensics: CSI needs to tread carefully Oct 26th 2012, 14:09 A new computer algorithm can analyze the footwear marks left at a crime scene according to clusters of footwear types, makes and tread patterns even if the imprint recorded by crime scene investigators is distorted or only a partial print. | | Making Sudoku puzzles less puzzling Oct 11th 2012, 19:16 For anyone who has ever struggled while attempting to solve a Sudoku puzzle, mathematicians are coming to the rescue. They can not only explain why some Sudoku puzzles are harder than others, they have also developed a mathematical algorithm that solves Sudoku puzzles very quickly, without any guessing or backtracking. | | App protects Facebook users from hackers Oct 9th 2012, 15:24 A new app to detect spam and malware posts on Facebook users' walls was found to be highly accurate, fast and efficient, new study suggests. | | Robots using tools: Researchers aim to create 'MacGyver' robot Oct 9th 2012, 14:13 Robots are increasingly being used in place of humans to explore hazardous and difficult-to-access environments, but they aren't yet able to interact with their environments as well as humans. If today's most sophisticated robot was trapped in a burning room by a jammed door, it would probably not know how to locate and use objects in the room to climb over any debris, pry open the door, and escape the building. A research team hopes to change that by giving robots the ability to use objects in their environments to accomplish high-level tasks. | | Negative effects of computerized surveillance at home: Cause of annoyance, concern, anxiety, and even anger Oct 8th 2012, 14:16 To understand the effects of continuous computerized surveillance on individuals, a Finnish research group instrumented ten Finnish households with video cameras, microphones, and logging software for personal computers, wireless networks, smartphones, TVs, and DVDs. The results expose a range of negative changes in experience and behavior. To all except one participant, the surveillance system proved to be a cause of annoyance, concern, anxiety, and even anger. | | Education: Get with the computer program Oct 5th 2012, 17:46 From email to Twitter, blogs to word processors, computer programs provide countless communications opportunities. While social applications have dominated the development of the participatory web for users and programmers alike, this era of Web 2.0 is applicable to more than just networking opportunities: it impacts education. | |
