Joining
a pickup ball game is a good way to get to
know people. It might also be a good way for
humans and robots to learn to work together.
To that end, CMU researchers are putting together
mixed teams for soccer, with the Segway scooter
as the common denominator. Full
story
Light
frozen in place
Momentarily freezing a light pulse is the latest
trick from scientists who have recently figured
out how to slow light and make light pulse impressions
in vapors. The feat could make it easier to get
light pulses to interact with each other in a way
similar to electronic signals in computer circuits.
It also gives quantum computer researchers a new
tool.
Gel
gains life-like motion
Put a strip of hydrogel on a surface and most likely
it will just lay there. But cut scale-like slits
into it and make the surface vibrate, and the gel
will seem to spring to life. Mimicking the motions
of legless animals opens up new possibilities for
moving micromachines and tiny robots.
Tool
eases Grid monitoring
If Grid computing is going to become the ubiquitous
data utility many people envision, it's going to
have to be easier to use. Setting up a Grid today
requires programming skills. A Web interface that
makes running a Grid a point-and-click affair points
the way.
