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tools smooth design
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Computers
are precise to a fault, which makes them hard
to use if you just want to sketch out an idea.
A set of interface design tools combines the
freedom of the sketch pad with the organization
and interactivity of the computer. The goal
is to help people keep their eyes on the big
picture.
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Tightening
photonic bonds strengthens security
Quantum cryptography promises perfectly secure communications.
But sending extraordinarily fragile quantum information
through the noisy environment of real-world communications
devices is a tremendous challenge. A scheme for
strengthening the bonds between pairs of photons
is a step in the right direction.
Tunable
superconductor makes better circuits
Superconductors, those cold, ultra-fast conduits
for electricity, can be fashioned into rudimentary
circuits. But until now, the current could only
be turned on or off. Researchers at Bell Labs have
added the equivalent of a volume knob.
Flexible
film turns heat to power
Tiny machines need sources of power. Many of the
environments they're intended to work in, like vehicles
and the human body, generate heat. A flexible film
aims to let these machines fuel up on this thermal
energy.
Natural
force drives molecular ratchet
Charged particles either attract or repel each other.
Make a track out of alternating charges and you
have the beginnings of a molecular-scale railroad.
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