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IEEE Computer Society to Host Technology Summit
Designed to bring executives and technologists together to learn about and discuss the latest issues, strategies, and advances affecting today's high-technology businesses, the IEEE Computer Society is sponsoring a one-day Technology Summit. The inaugural event will be held Tuesday, 13 May 2008 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. The summit will feature a powerhouse lineup of world-class experts and speakers, with concurrent tracks on CyberSecurity, Electronic Game Development, and Software and Systems Engineering and Standardization. According to Roger Fugii, series organizer and Vice President at Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, “the technology summit was organized to provide a forum of technology exchange between computer-science practitioners and leading experts.” The featured speakers will introduce the latest thinking in technologies such as digital forensics, game development, and systems and software engineering. Learn more
HP Predicts "Fundamental Shift" Towards Cloud Computing
All computer applications could soon be delivered online, according to software, printing and computing giant Hewlett-Packard (HP). “The technology industry is at the beginning of a fundamental shift towards software as a service," says Steve Gill, Managing Director of HP UK and Ireland. This shift is expected to be prompted by a proliferation of online services such as backup, data storage and applications delivered to the user on request, reducing the need for desktop processing power. The company also claims it is already seeing a strong interest for "mobile thin clients" which would provide a steady stream of tailored information directly to the users' pocket. The technology would have “physical senses capable of recognizing current location and serving relevant information so your wife knows where you are, or Starbucks can alert you to the latest deal when you walk by, if it knows you're a coffee lover," says Huw Robson, Director of HP's Pervasive Computing Lab. Read more
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Encryption Still Worthwhile Investment, Even Without Guarantee
A new type of computer attack discovered by researchers at Princeton University, New Jersey, USA, demonstrates that encryption alone may not be an effective defense against hackers and security breaches. The security research group recently published a report on its success at recovering data from an encrypted disk image on a laptop. This discovery caused alarm in the computer security field, leading to some speculation that on-disk encryption was simply not worth the effort. An article on CIO.com discusses the benefits of data encryption and outlines the costs of not encrypting data, saying that doing so is still worth the effort even if the measure does not work 100 percent of the time. Read more
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Ultra High-Speed Computing Devices to Benefit from Strained Silicon Technology
Analysts at global technology research firm Frost & Sullivan see a bright future for strained silicon technology in serving the needs of next generation high-speed computing devices in demanding applications such as supercomputers, game consoles and high speed memory devices. Their report, Global Advances in Strained Silicon Technology, details how the technology results in high transistor switching speed and enhanced performance. In dealing with physical restrictions of geometric scaling, researchers are analyzing advanced and alternate technologies for improving device performance. Strained silicon technology can be used to increase the electron mobility rate and achieve higher transistor switching speeds and higher frequencies, leading to faster computing. It also enables the enhancement of transistor performance without transistor scaling. The report calls for the development of a standard to carry forward the potential of the technology, and for developer collaboration at the basic and applied research phase to speed ultimate deployment. Read more
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Connectivity Scorecard Measures Infrastructure and Usage
Even the world’s best connected businesses and governments must better utilize their infrastructure communications technology (ICT) to realize its full economic and social benefits, according to a study by Prof. Leonard Waverman of the London Business School, UK and global economic consulting firm LECG. Commissioned by Nokia Siemens Networks, the study’s Connectivity Scorecard measures the extent to which governments, businesses and consumers make use of such connectivity technologies as fiber-optic lines, mobile phones and personal computers to enhance social and economic prosperity. For each Scorecard component, countries are benchmarked against the best in class in their tier for a possible maximum score of 10. Countries typically considered highly connected achieved only modest scores: the average score for a tier of 16 countries classified as innovation-driven that include the U.S., Sweden and Korea was 5.05 (ranked first, the U.S. score was only 6.97). Russia placed first among the nine nations classified as resource or efficiency driven economies. Its high literacy rate, along with solid scores on measures of usage and infrastructure, especially mobile usage, resulted in a rating of 6.11. Malaysia finished second, while India (1.68) and Nigeria (1.10) placed at the bottom in this tier. Pointing to a prior study showing a US$500 billion long-term economic benefit to the U.S., just from achieving near-universal broadband penetration, the author says that worldwide gain from improving a number of measures of connectivity would be several multiples higher. Read more
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IEEE to Update Six Computer Storage and Security Standards
IEEE has begun projects to update six standards dealing with computer data storage security, including a suite of standards dealing with Media Management Systems.
- IEEE P1244.1(TM), "Standard for Media Management System (MMS) Architecture," is intended to serve as an introduction to the MMS and its capabilities, as well as a guide to implementing MMS applications and devices such as robotic libraries or drives.
- IEEE P1244.2(TM), "Standard for Media Management System (MMS) Session Security, Authentication, Initialization Protocol (SSAIP)," describes syntax and semantics of the protocol messages that pass between the MMS client or MMS module and the MM, and offers security protocols for home offices, DOD classified sites and business-to-business communications over the public Internet.
- IEEE P1244.3(TM), "Standard for Media Management System (MMS) Media Management Protocol (MMP)," specifies the syntax and the semantics associated with various commands and protocol messages that pass between an MMS application and the MM. In addition, this standard will define certain aspects of the operation of the MM itself in response to various events that occur in the MMS, for example, the initiation and termination of various components of the MMS.
- IEEE P1244.4(TM), "Standard for Media Management System (MMS) Drive Management Protocol (DMP)," describes the syntax and semantics of the protocol messages that pass between the Library Manager (LM) and the Media Manager (MM).
- IEEE P1244.5(TM), "Standard for Media Management System (MMS) Library Management Protocol (LMP)," specifies the Library Management Protocol (LMP), the interface between two software components of the MMS: the central management core and a program that manages an automated library or a vault.
- IEEE P1667™, "Standard Protocol for Authentication in Host Attachments of Transient Storage Devices," defines a standard protocol for secure authentication and creation of between a secure host and a directly attached transient and other storage devices, such as a USB flash drive, portable hard drive, or cellular phone. The standard is intended to address potential data security threats brought about by the past decade's explosive growth of transient and externally attached media storage drives. It will help insure the security of the enterprise using these devices while allowing a continued robust market and a convenient method of transporting information for the user.
The IEEE Standards Association, a globally recognized standards-setting body, develops consensus standards through an open process that brings diverse parts of industry together. These standards set specifications procedures based on current scientific and technological consensus. IEEE-SA has a portfolio of over 870 active standards and more than 400 standards under development. Learn more
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Leading Researchers Forecast State of Computing in 2020
With the proliferation of mobile devices changing the mouse-driven, windowed human-computer interface (HCI), what are the larger computing changes and impacts on humanity that we can expect in the next decade? Microsoft Research invited 45 leading researchers to discuss where HCI would be in 2020; the report from their forum is now available. The report offered a number of predictions for the coming years. Speech, gestures and even nerve impulses will play a larger role in HCI, especially for the disabled. The pervasive connectivity that enables computers to act as surrogates for human memory will combine with enhanced processing power to act as a supplement to human reasoning. Current trends, such as user identification through RFID and facial recognition and tracking through GPS and closed-circuit monitoring, will accelerate and raise serious privacy issues. The age of mobile computing will move into ubiquitous computing, where pervasive networking will give users access to thousands of computers. Additionally, by having medical information, personal photos and even thoughts permanently stored online, people will voluntarily provide access to more information than ever before. Researchers suggest that the design process needs to take human values such as personal security into account, allowing people to be notified and opt out of pervasive recording. Read more
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Parallel Computing Research Benefits from Backing by Intel, Microsoft
Intel and Microsoft will invest US$10 million over five years in the new Universal Parallel Computing Research Center at the University of Illinois, USA. Launched in March 2008, the center is the corporations’ joint research endeavor with the University of Illinois (UI) Department of Computer Science and Coordinated Science Laboratory, with faculty support from the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. UI will add US$8 million, largely in staff and computing time, to support the center’s goal of developing ways to take maximum advantage of today’s multi-core computer chips. Activities of the center’s 22 UI researchers are founded on the premise that advances in multi-core computing will require a coordinated, multi-disciplinary effort that encompasses all components of the multi-core system. The center aims to enable commodity systems to make use of parallel computing techniques previously relegated to the realm of supercomputers. Researchers will strive to discover easy and accessible methods for enabling the multi-core computing systems increasingly in use today to take better advantage of their processing capabilities. The center at UI is one of two funded by Microsoft and Intel; the other center will be at the University of California at Berkeley, USA. Read more
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Computer Rates Female Beauty
Marking the latest step in developing artificial intelligence, scientists have created a computer that can rate a woman's attractiveness. Israel-based researchers say the breakthrough is the realization of the theory first offered by Greek mathematician Pythagoras, who talked of a "golden ratio", defining beauty more than 2,000 years ago. “Until now, computers have been taught how to identify basic facial characteristics, such as the difference between a woman and a man, and even to detect facial expressions,” said project leader Amit Kagian. Applications of the software can be found in reconstructive surgery and facial recognition technology currently used in security applications. Read more
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Sensor Networks, Ubiquitous and Trustworthy Computing Conference
The IEEE International Conference on Sensor Networks, Ubiquitous and Trustworthy Computing (SUTC 2008) is an international forum for researchers to exchange information regarding advancements in the state-of-the-art and practice of sensor networks, ubiquitous and trustworthy computing. The conference will also identify the emerging research topics and define the future of these important fields. The technical program of SUTC 2008 will consist of invited talks, paper presentations and panel discussions. SUTC 2008 will be held 11-13 June 2008 in Taichung, Taiwan. Learn more
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Blade Server Segment Advances on Cost and Speed Efficiencies
Offering space and power efficiency over traditional rack servers, blade servers have become the fastest-growing segment of the US$52 billion server industry as organizations look for improvements in IT data centers to help increase overall customer response times. According to British research firm Quocirca, blade computing is a completely different approach to providing a platform for an organization’s computing environment. Rathiga Renganathan, IBM Malaysia, said the main drivers influencing the adoption of blade technology include cost considerations and flexibility in IT infrastructure. Vincent Lee, HP Malaysia, commented that from a capital expenditure point of view, hundreds of independent rack servers require thousands of repetitive parts. “The blade server system, with its integrated backplane, consolidates LAN [local area networks] and SAN [storage area networks] and thus requires far fewer interconnecting cables and devices.” Reductions in power, cooling and data center space added up to an estimated 25 percent savings in lower facility costs, in addition to a dramatic drop in the cost of initial system deployment. According to Jacob Pereira, Dell Asia-Pacific, “blade technology is the perfect solution for customers in the telecommunication, manufacturing, financial services, web hosting and gaming sectors as it offers the density such companies require.” Recognizing the potential with small to medium businesses and remote offices that run three or more servers, often with minimal IT resources, both HP and IBM have launched blade products designed for smaller companies. Read more
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