Ordinary
solar cells are designed to generate one electron
for every photon they absorb. Solar cells
made from nanocrystals open another possibility
-- two electrons for every photon -- that
promises to boost the potential amount of
energy that can be harvested from the sun. Full
story
Shape-shifting
remakes interfaces
A lump of clay/television remote combination may
seem like the unfortunate result of a two year old
left alone too long, but it also summarizes a research
effort that aims to transform the very nature of
input devices. The goal is to make controls that
users can reshape on-the-fly in order to change
the controls' functions.
Evolution
trains robot teams
Using evolution to teach robots complex behavior
could eventually give them the ability to adapt
to unfamiliar environments. There's a long way to
go, but researchers are laying a foundation. A project
that evolves game playing behavior in simulation
and downloads the results to teams of real robots
shows promise.
Group
dynamics play out in VR
Melding the characteristics of multi-user online
games like EverQuest with those of computer simulations
of large spaces yields a virtual environment that
allows large numbers of people to interact in the
context of a real-world place. One application is
office building evacuation drills performed from
the comfort of your own home.
