News
Facial recognition technology proves its mettle
May 28, 2013 11:25 am | by Michigan State University | CommentsIn a study that evaluated some of the latest in automatic facial recognition technology, researchers at Michigan State University were able to quickly identify one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects from law enforcement video, an experiment that demonstrated the value of such technology.
Driving and hands-free talking lead to spike in errors: UAlberta study
May 28, 2013 11:18 am | by EurekAlert! | CommentsTalking on a hands-free device while behind the wheel can lead to a sharp increase in errors that could imperil other drivers on the road, according to new research from the University of Alberta. A pilot study showed that drivers who talk using a hands-free cellular device made significantly more driving errors...
Trailblazing Israeli electric car company to close
May 28, 2013 10:38 am | by JOSEF FEDERMAN, Associated Press | CommentsIt was an audacious idea that came to symbolize Israel's self-described status as "Start-Up Nation," a company that believed it could replace most gasoline-powered cars with electric vehicles and reduce the world's reliance on oil — and all within a few years.
China premier warns EU over solar, telecom probes
May 28, 2013 10:36 am | by The Associated Press | CommentsPremier Li Keqiang, China's top economic official, has criticized the European Union for pursuing anti-dumping cases against Chinese solar power and telecommunications equipment that he warned will hurt both sides. In a speech in Swizerland, Li said the action will hurt European consumers and might encourage trade protectionism...
Plans for Australia spy HQ hacked by China
May 28, 2013 10:31 am | by ROD McGUIRK, Associated Press | CommentsAustralian officials on Tuesday refused to confirm or deny whether Chinese hackers had stolen the blueprints of a new spy agency headquarters as a news report claims. A tiny party essential to the ruling coalition's government demanded an inquiry into how much damage may have been done.
SKorea idles 2 nuke plants after cable tests faked
May 28, 2013 10:29 am | by YOUKYUNG LEE, AP Business Writer | CommentsSouth Korea has idled two nuclear power plants after finding that test results for crucial control cables were falsified in a new blow to an industry mired in a graft scandal and safety lapses. South Korea's trade and energy ministry said Tuesday a company contracted to conduct tests fabricated the results for cables...
Online sign language service makes life easier for the deaf
May 28, 2013 10:28 am | by The Associated Press | CommentsAn Internet-based sign language service launched by a university student a few years ago is finding its way into hotels, restaurants and other public places. The service involves a notebook or tablet computer through which a hearing-impaired person at, say, a shoe store, speaks in sign language to an interpreter...
Korean consumers snapping up new generation laptops
May 28, 2013 10:18 am | by GFK | CommentsNormal traditional laptops may not be attractive enough to appeal to the more tech savvy consumers these days. The latest and more sophisticated laptop models such as the ultra-thin and hybrid types which come packed with advanced features in slimmer frames are becoming increasingly popular with Korean consumers...
Reinventing invention
May 28, 2013 8:41 am | by Massachusetts Institute of Technology | CommentsAn expandable table. A collapsible CNC router. Motorized wheels whose diameter can enlarge and contract depending on the terrain. These are a few of the examples of "transformable design" now on display from the course, "Mechanical Invention Through Computation" led by visiting designer, engineer and inventor Chuck Hoberman. The seminar, co-taught with MIT profes...
Army explores futuristic uniform for SOCOM
May 28, 2013 12:00 am | by U.S. Army | CommentsArmy researchers are responding to a request from the U.S. Special Operations Command for technologies to help develop a revolutionary Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit....
Engineering course ‘demystifies’ entrepreneurship
May 28, 2013 12:00 am | by Massachusetts Institute of Technology | CommentsUndergraduates at MIT have been known to spend countless hours conceiving and creating marketable innovations in labs and classrooms. Sometimes, however, they may struggle with turning their ideas into commercial reality. “One reason is that these students tend to focus all their time on inventing, as opposed to exploring the journey that awaits a startup founder,” says Ken Zolot, a seasoned entrepreneur and a senior lecturer in the ...
Danger levels high for America's Cup sailors
May 27, 2013 12:19 pm | by PAUL ELIAS - Associated Press - Associated Press | CommentsThe margin for error is exceedingly small for a sailor sitting three stories above the San Francisco Bay on the side of a high-tech catamaran as it leans toward the water literally flying along the surface like a giant stingray at 40 mph. It doesn't take much for these top-heavy craft to topple —...
A feud in tech, passed down
May 26, 2013 4:16 pm | by By QUENTIN HARDYAssociated Press | Commentsc.2013 New York Times News Service SAN FRANCISCO — If the Hatfields and McCoys lived in Silicon Valley, they’d be fighting with piles of cash and lines of software code instead of knives and shotguns. And the fight would be over who wins the most customers in the computer industry’s growing...
Vintage Apple computer auctioned off for $668,000
May 25, 2013 11:31 am | by The Associated Press | CommentsAn auctioneer says one of Apple's first computers — a functioning 1976 model — has been sold for a record 516,000 euros ($668,000). German auction house Breker said Saturday an Asian client, who asked not to be named, bought the so-called Apple 1, which the tech company's founders Steve Jobs and...
Allscripts names 2 new directors to board
May 24, 2013 12:16 pm | by The Associated Press | CommentsAllscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc. said Friday it added Anita Pramoda and Michael Klayko as directors, expanding its board to eight members. Allscripts said their terms began on Tuesday. Pramoda is the former chief financial officer of Epic Systems Corp., a competitor to Allscripts. Allscripts...
