Advances in Computers thread

[ScienceRocks]

PlayStation VR hands-on: A mid-ranged alternative to the Rift and Vive

• Will Shanklin
• January 11, 2016
• 7 PICTURES

Of the three big (non-mobile) VR headsets, PlayStation VR was the one that had the lowest profile at CES 2016. We did stop by Sony's booth for a demo, though, and have some new impressions on where it currently stacks up.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Rambus will work with Microsoft to create memory system for next generation quantum computers

Rambus Inc., the chip technology intellectual property vendor, is working with Microsoft Research on future memory requirements for quantum computing. Rambus (NASDAQ: RMBS), Sunnyvale, Calif., confirmed just before the holidays it is collaborating with the software giant (NASDAQ: MSFT) on memory systems for next-generation quantum computing..

Google dives into virtual reality with new division

Alphabet Inc.'s Google is focusing on virtual reality and moving the head of its product management team to run the new effort. Clay Bavor, the vice president of product at Google since 2005, has taken on the title of vice president of virtual reality, according to Bavor's Twitter profile. Bavor is no stranger to taking on big jobs at Google....

New DARPA Chips Ease Operations In Electromagnetic Environs

Enhanced situational awareness could come from new chips that can sample and digitize battlefield radiofrequency signals at blazingly fast rates Competition for scarce electromagnetic (EM) spectrum is increasing, driven by a growing military and civilian demand for connected devices. As the spectrum becomes more congested, the Department...

 

[longknife]

Tablet for the Blind!

This is awesome. It opens a whole new world for all those who can't see well. And it may be a lot cheaper than current models. Read the story @ 'Braille Kindle' will make reading easier for blind people

 

[ScienceRocks]

Nvidia 8 teraflop deep learning supercomputer for self driving cars

NVIDIA is applying its deep learning prowess to enable autonomous vehicles. The GPU vendor launched NVIDIA DRIVE PX 2, an autonomous vehicle development platform powered by the 16nm FinFET-based Pascal GPU, the named successor to Maxwell. Like last year’s DRIVE PX, the next-gen development platform targets NVIDIA’s automotive partners, a...

First all-antiferromagnetic memory device could get digital data storage in a spin

If you haven't already heard of antiferromagnetic spintronics it won't be long before you do. This relatively unused class of magnetic materials could be about to transform our digital lives. They have the potential to make ...

 

[ScienceRocks]

The world’s biggest SSD has arrived: 13TB January 14, 2016 at 4:32 pm

Fixstars has just shattered the record for SSD drives, with a 13TB monster. While it’s not for everyone (and the five-figure price tag is a bit much for most), it’s the largest single SSD ever manufactured.

AMD’s first ARM-based processor, the Opteron A1100, is finally here January 14, 2016 at 2:27 pm

The new Opteron A1100 packs eight Cortex-A57 CPU cores, with each pair of cores sharing a 1MB L2 (512K effectively allocated to each chip). An 8MB L3 cache backs the entire CPU cluster, and the CPU supports both DDR3 and DDR4.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Technology IBM Watson CTO: Quantum computing could advance artificial intelligence by orders of magnitude​

Combining the vast processing power of quantum computers with cognitive computing systems like IBM's Watson will lead to huge advances in artificial intelligence, according to a C-level executive at the US software giant.
Speaking to IBTimes UK at the recent Hello Tomorrow conference in Paris, IBM Watson's chief technology officer Rob High said there was a "very natural synergy" between cognitive computing and quantum computing, revealing he hoped to one day see Watson run on a quantum system.
"I'd love to see a quantum Watson," he said. "IBM Research is actually working on next generation computing. I can't say exact numbers but a [quantum Watson] would be orders of magnitude more powerful than systems that are currently being used.
"Besides the obvious that both cognitive computing and quantum computing depart substantially from the classical forms of information computing, the biggest synergies lie in the realisation that increasingly sophisticated reasoning strategies employed by cognitive computing are going to require increasingly powerful and efficient underlying computing architectures."
IBM's Watson supercomputer first rose to prominence in 2011 when it became the first computer to beat human contestants at the US gameshow Jeopardy!​

 

[ScienceRocks]

Graphene tunes in to new frequency

The fascinating electrical properties of graphene have allowed University of Manchester researchers to open up a new area of technology using terahertz lasers.
This could vastly improve scanning systems, replacing X-rays, and also dramatically increase internet bandwidth.
Terahertz technology exists on the electromagnetic spectrum between microwave and infrared frequencies. The benefit of using terahertz lasers instead of X-rays is that they can accurately scan materials without causing damage.
Highly-sensitive scanners for sensing minute defects in manufactured drugs, or detecting concealed weapons at airports could become more accurate and much safer for frequent use using the new technology.
Terahertz lasers are similar to X-rays in that they are invisible to the naked eye but are far safer in comparison by being non-destructive and non-invasive.​

A quantum leap in processors?

The fastest supercomputers are built with the fastest microprocessor chips, which in turn are built upon the fastest switching technology. But, even the best semiconductors are reaching their limits as more is demanded of them. In the closing months of this year, came news of several developments that could break through silicon’s performance barrier and herald an age of smaller, faster, lower-power chips. It is possible that they could be commercially viable in the next few years.

In December, Google and Nasa announced that for problems involving nearly 1,000 binary variables, ‘quantum annealing’ significantly outperforms a classical computer – more than 108 times faster than simulated annealing running on a single core computer. The researchers think they’ve found a quantum algorithm that solves certain problems 100 million times faster than conventional processes on a PC.
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[ScienceRocks]

More info surfaces on HoloLens battery life, field of view

This month HoloLens made news and comments about its battery life were sprinkled with words such as "disappointing" and "not great." The writers were referring to revelations about battery life for the anticipated device, ...

ODG's smartglasses are like a high-end Android tablet for your face (hands-on)

• Will Shanklin
• January 19, 2016
• 4 PICTURES

For the second straight CES, we spent some time hanging out with Osterhout Design Group (ODG), makers of the most badass smartglasses this side of Hololens. ODG's glasses are still aimed primarily at enterprise customers and developers (and priced accordingly), but if or when they eventually become full-on consumer products, there's a pretty good chance you're going to want a pair.

 

[ScienceRocks]

NutriRay3D uses laser light and your phone to count calories

• Ben Coxworth
• January 21, 2016
• 3 PICTURES

There are already plenty of apps that let people estimate how many calories are in the foods they're eating. However, most of these programs require users to either guess at their portion sizes, or actually weigh the food. That's where the University of Washington's NutriRay3D comes in. It's a smartphone device/app combo, that uses lasers to ascertain how many calories are sitting on the plate.

GESTOR - air mouse, presenter, smart TV scroller

by Gestor Devices Inc.
What is Gestor?

GESTOR - air mouse, presenter, smart TV scroller

What is Gestor? First of all - it is an air computer mouse! Why air? Because you can use in without any surface. Just pick it up, touch the first, lower control ring with any of your fingers, it becomes operational, and you can move a cursor on your computer screen by tilting Gestor up or down, back and forth. You can use it with any computer and any device that supports a traditional USB mouse.
How is it different from any other wireless air mouse? Well, there is more than just a computer mouse and it looks very cool, don’t you think?

 

[ScienceRocks]

Open-source GPU could push computing power to the next level​

Binghamton University researchers have developed Nyami, a synthesizable graphics processor unit (GPU) architectural model for general-purpose and graphics-specific workloads, and have run a series of experiments on it to see how different hardware and software configurations would affect the circuit’s performance.
Binghamton University computer science assistant professor Timothy Miller said the results will help other scientists make their own GPUs and “push computing power to the next level.”
GPUs are typically found on commercial video or graphics cards inside of a computer or gaming console. The specialized circuits have computing power designed to make images appear smoother and more vibrant on a screen. There has recently been a movement to see if the chip can also be applied to non-graphical computations, such as algorithms processing large chunks of data.

Knowm's new memristor improves efficient AI processors​

Knowm, a startup launched only six months ago, has announced this week that two new variations on the Knowm memristor are available for purchase. Knowm is also selling raw device data that can be used by researchers to develop their own memristor models.
Memristors are an electrical component that, much like the synapses in the brain, can remember previous connections. Neurons learn by sending pulses through synapses, which strengthens the neural pathway, or not sending pulses which causes the synapses to atrophy. In a memristor, the neural pathway is emulated through resistance – an electrical connection that is used frequently will have a lower resistance; one that is rarely used will have a higher resistance. Knowm’s memristors can learn and retain information based on characteristics of data flow, data frequency, and current.​

 

[ScienceRocks]

The New Infinadeck Lets Users Explore Immersive Virtual Worlds​

The Infinadeck isn’t your grandma’s treadmill. In fact, paired with a VR headset, you can explore immersive new worlds–kind of like the holodeck in Star Trek. Meet the world’s first commercially-viable omnidirectonal treadmill– meaning you can walk on it in any direction. The treadmill reacts to the user’s movement to keep them safely in the center. The Infinadeck is also equipped with a customizable support system that straps comfortably around the user’s waist and keeps them secured.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Ultraresponsive touch devices up to 100 inches on diagonal in size enables new applications

Cima NanoTech, a developer and manufacturer of transparent conductive film solutions, is has large ultra responsive large touch screens. SANTE® ProTouch™ module is the industry’s first high performance projected capacitive (pro-cap) solution for large format touch screens that can be mass-produced in high volumes. With ultra fast response...

 

[ScienceRocks]

The Teslasuit Allows You to Feel Sensations from the Virtual World

The revolutionary Teslasuit uses electro muscular stimulation and features an array of highly sensitive sensors that allow the wearer to literally FEEL virtual reality

The Teslasuit Allows You to Feel Sensations from the Virtual World

 

[ScienceRocks]

AI beats European Go champion but the exciting aspect is how it trained itself to get better and can play many other games

The first classic game mastered by a computer was noughts and crosses (also known as tic-tac-toe) in 1952 as a PhD candidate’s project. Then fell checkers in 1994. Chess was tackled by Deep Blue in 1997. The success isn’t limited to board games, either - IBM's Watson won first place on Jeopardy in 2011, and in 2014 our own algorithms learned to play dozens of Atari games just from the raw pixel inputs. But one game has thwarted...

 

[ScienceRocks]

New Form of Matter Holds Promise for Ultracompact Data Storage and Processing
Futurism/Roy Kaltschmidt
New Form of Matter Holds Promise for Ultracompact Data Storage and Processing
In Brief

A new form of matter, in which electrical charge swirls in "polar vortices", has been observed in a ferroelectric material. The discovery holds intriguing possibilities for advanced kinds of memory and processors that take up far less space.

A new form of matter, in which electrical charge swirls in “polar vortices,” has been observed in a ferroelectric material.

Notably, ferroelectric materials display unique electrical or magnetic properties, as such, the discovery holds intriguing possibilities for advanced kinds of memory and processors that take up far less space, and could also “rewrite our basic understanding of ferroelectrics,” according to the researchers who observed them.

'Star Wars' and the coming holographic cinema revolution
Why watch a film when you can be in it?

Joseph Volpe , @jrvolpe
01.29.16 in AV

'Star Wars' and the coming holographic cinema revolution

"AR is going to hit us like a big bang," says ILMxLab creative director John Gaeta when I ask him whether augmented reality, as that holographic technology is known, has been undervalued by the public and press. "We're just trying to point out right from the beginning that there will be a form of AR that will be as hi-fidelity as the cinema that you see at some point. I can't say what year that'll be. But at some point, we'll have intimate holo-experiences with performance and things like that."

Google plans to beam 5G internet from solar drones
Project Skybender is experimenting with millimeter-wave radio transmissions.
Google plans to beam 5G internet from solar drones

Google has a new top secret project by the same team that brought us Project Loon, according to The Guardian. It's called Project Skybender, and it aims to deliver 5G internet from solar drones. Mountain View has reportedly begun experimenting with millimeter wave-based internet in Virgin Galactic's Gateway to Space terminal at Spaceport America in New Mexico. Millimeter waves are believed to be capable of transmitting data 40 times faster than LTE and could become the technology behind 5G internet. DARPA began working on an internet connection based on it for remote military bases in 2012.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Expect Samsung to reveal the Galaxy S7 on February 21

• Will Shanklin
• 
  
• 2 PICTURES

If you follow annual patterns in the tech industry, it was already a no-brainer that Samsung would reveal the Galaxy S7 at Mobile World Congress later in February. Today the company made it a bit more official, teasing "the next Galaxy" launch on February 21.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Android Wear 1.4 brings new gestures, speech-to-text messaging, voice calling February 5, 2016 at 1:00 pm

While Google’s Android blog post doesn’t specifically identify the release number, other Google sources have verified the update is Android OS 6.0 and Android Wear

The story of Job Simulator – the absurdly fun VR sandbox for Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR and HTC Vive

• Will Shanklin
• February 5, 2016
• 6 PICTURES

Sometimes all virtual reality needs to do to blow your mind is put you in a well-polished sandbox and let you screw around. Owlchemy Labs has mastered this art, with the upcoming title Job Simulator that will launch later this year alongside the Oculus Touch controllers, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR. We sat down with CEO Alex Schwartz and CTO Devin Reimer to chat about the game's origins and striking a balance between progression and free-for-all mayhem.

The HTC Vive isn't limited to perfectly square rooms
The HTC Vive isn't limited to perfectly square rooms
Not even a slightly trapezoidal space will spoil your VR fun.

I'm not gonna lie: I was jealous when I heard that my colleague Sean Buckley got to play 12 virtual reality games in Seattle last week. (He even moaned about it later.) I got to try "only" four on the Vive Pre at HTC's Taipei headquarters. But that's OK, because in the end I also had a blast -- to the point that I ended up running around the room, high on adrenaline. Not even the zombies in Arizona Sunshine made me do this much exercise. As I sat down to recuperate afterwards, I caught up with one of the key execs on HTC's VR team to learn about the Vive's setup process and what other features are in the works.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Google’s AI is Scheduled to Compete Against the Highest Ranked “Go” Player in the World

Google's AlphaGo technology will take on the top-ranked Go player in the world. The match, which will be shown live on Youtube, could have major implications for the AI company.

Replacing Your Login Password With A Brain Scan

Researchers have developed a system that can match unique brain scans to individuals, generating a potential replacement for passwords, fingerprint scanning, and facial recognition.

 

[ScienceRocks]

3D NAND flash chips will mean 3.5 TB SSD the size of a pack of gum and over 10 TB for 2.5 inch SSDs

Intel’s solid-state drives could be poised for a big jump in capacity and speed with new 3D flash chips coming from Micron. Micron, which makes the flash in Intel’s SSDs, has started volume shipments of its 3D NAND flash chips. The chips could lead to SSDs the size of a pack of gum with more than 3.5TB of storage and standard 2.5-inch SSDs...

World data transmission speed record of 1.125 Terabits per second

A new record for the fastest ever data rate for digital information has been set by UCL researchers in the Optical Networks Group. They achieved a rate of 1.125 Tb/s as part of research on the capacity limits of optical transmission systems, designed to address the growing demand for fast data rates. Lead researcher, Dr Robert Maher, UCL...

How Univision is beating the competition to 4K sports streaming
This week, the network showed off its first live soccer game in Ultra High-Definition.
How Univision is beating the competition to 4K sports streaming

Google’s rumored standalone VR headset may employ Movidius chips February 12, 2016 at 1:28 pm
Google is rumored to be taking the plunge and developing a standalone VR headset, possibly using a VPU from startup Movidius.


AMD is supposedly planning a 32-core CPU with an eight-channel DDR4 interface February 12, 2016 at 10:30 am


AMD may be planning a new 32-core server CPU once Zen launches — but whether that’s a good thing or not depends on whether its an Intel bunker buster, or an attempt to compensate for weak per-core performance. Right now, it could be either.

New satellites could bring 1 terabit of internet bandwidth to remote regions February 12, 2016 at 7:30 am
The next-generation satellites from ViaSat could have more bandwidth than the 400 communication satellites already in orbit.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Meta Unveils Incredible Augmented Reality Headset at TED

Redwood City-based Meta showed its latest AR glasses live on stage at TED in Vancouver.
The Meta Two was demonstrated live by CEO Meron Gribetz with a person-to-person “call” showing a hand-off of a 3D model from a holographic person. Gribetz’ perspective was shown through the glasses as he reached out and took a model of a brain — a 3D hologram — from the hands of a colleague he saw projected in front of him.
“We’re all going to be throwing away our external monitors,” Gribetz said.
Gribetz’ talk focused on the idea that “you” are the operating system. His roughly 100-person company is attempting to tap into a more natural way of interacting with information and the people around us, rather than sitting behind a computer terminal or hunched over a little rectangle of light. Instead, Gribetz sees everyone wearing tiny strips of glass in a few years.
“Living inside of Windows scares me,” he said of the current paradigm.

Microwave quantum tuning fork could lead to Quantum Information Processing and enhanced magnetic resonance devices

Researchers have switched an intrinsic property of electrons from an excited state to a relaxed state on demand using a device that served as a microwave “tuning fork.” The team’s findings could also lead to enhancements in magnetic resonance techniques, which are widely used to explore the structure of materials and biomolecules, and for...

Leap Motion opens door to reach into virtual worlds

California virtual reality startup Leap Motion on Wednesday opened a door for makers of games or other applications to literally touch virtual worlds.