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Engineer Seeks To Make Touch-Screen Technology Accessible For The Blind
T. V. Raman, a highly respected computer scientist and an engineer at Google, who is blind, has built a series of tools to help him take advantage of objects or technologies that were not designed with blind users in mind in the past, and is now working to modify a touch-screen phone to make the technology accessible to those with low or no sight. Such systems could prove useful for drivers or anyone else who could benefit from eyes-free access to a phone, as well as aging baby boomers with fading vision who want to keep using technology they've come to depend on. Experts say "Raman's approach reflects a recognition that many innovations designed primarily for people with disabilities have benefited the broader public." The article describes Raman's progress with increasing touch screen accessibility, as well as his other accomplishments in the field. Read more
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IEEE Foundation Announces 2009 Grant Deadlines
The IEEE Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the IEEE, is now accepting 2009 grant applications for new and innovative projects. Committed to improving the technological literacy of society from childhood through adulthood, the IEEE Foundation awarded more than US$360,000 in grants during 2008 to projects supporting the advancement of the engineering field. During 2009, unsolicited applications will be accepted from IEEE units and other organizations working in areas of relevance and importance to the IEEE and its membership. Projects should achieve one or more of the following objectives:
* Improve primary and secondary math and science learning
* Increase active interest in engineering and science
* Preserve the history of IEEE-associated technologies
* Tap the technological expertise of IEEE members
Application deadlines:
24 April for June Consideration
11 September for November Consideration
All applications will be considered for funding by the IEEE Foundation Board of Directors. Questions should be directed to the IEEE Foundation Administrator at +1 732 981 3435 or foundation-office@ieee.org. Learn more
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3-D User Interface Symposium
The 2009 IEEE Symposium on 3-D User Interfaces (3DUI) will be held in Lafayette, Louisiana, USA, 14-15 March. The purpose of the symposium is to provide an intensive exchange between industrial and academic researchers working in various 3DUI research areas and to trigger discussions among participants. Covering all areas of 3DUI research, the symposium will be co-located with the IEEE Virtual Reality Conference, which focuses on virtual environments and augmented reality. Read more
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Firm Touts Cloud Computing In Tough Economy
There are seven reasons the struggling economy is driving interest in, and adoption of, cloud computing, according to provider 3Tera, Inc., which says that deploying new technologies is often sidelined as IT departments look for ways to maintain their infrastructure and service output to the business while suffering budget cuts. Interest in cloud computing is accelerating, says 3Tera, because the technology has lower up-front costs; faster time to market; reduced financial risk; lower capital investment; lower operations costs; decreased downtime; and cloud service providers can offer services that IT departments otherwise can't afford. Read more
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UK Firm Claims Smallest Embedded Box Computer
The world's smallest, fanless embedded box computer has been debuted by the UK firm AXIOMTEK, which says its eBOX530-820-FL fits in an adult's hand and is based on an ultra low power Intel® Atom processor up to 1.6 gigahertz with the Intel system controller hub. The new computer is ideal for embedded applications, according to the manufacturer, such as automotive PCs, digital signage, medical devices, and in-flight entertainment. The eBOX530-820-FL provides one gigabit Ethernet, four USB 2.0 ports, two COM ports, VGA connector, audio connector, and PS/2 ports, the firm says, and its integrated Intel graphics media accelerator offers advanced graphics and 3D performance. The box computer features DDR2 memory up to 2 gigabytes, and required only a five volt power input, according to the firm, which says it can be mounted as a stand-alone component, wall-mounted, or DIN-rail mounted. Read more
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"Microgrippers" May Build Next Generation of Machines
The development of microscopic, chemically triggered robotic "hands" that can pick up and move small objects could be used in laboratory-on-a-chip applications, reconfigurable microfluidic systems, and micromanufacturing, according to a paper by chemical and biomolecular engineers in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. The researchers describe development of tiny metallic microgrippers shaped like a hand that work without electricity, and which are about 0.03 inches wide when open. The devices, made from a gold-coated nickel "palm" joined by six pointy metallic "fingers," are triggered by addition of certain chemicals, according to researchers, who say they have demonstrated in laboratory studies that the grippers could grasp and release tiny pipes and glass beads and transport these objects to distant locations with the aid of a magnet. Read more
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More Cores Can Slow Supercomputing
Trying to increase the speed of supercomputers by increasing the number of processor cores on individual chips unexpectedly worsens performance for many complex applications, according to researchers at Sandia National Laboratories, who say their simulations show a significant increase in speed going from two to four multicores, but an insignificant increase from four to eight multicores. Exceeding eight multicores causes a decrease in speed; sixteen multicores perform barely as well as two, researchers say, and after that, a steep decline is registered as more cores are added. Researchers attribute the problem to the lack of memory bandwidth and contention between processors over the memory bus available to each processor. The lack of immediate access to individualized memory caches slows the process down instead of speeding it up, once the number of cores exceeds eight, according to a simulation of high-performance computers at Sandia. Read more
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Symantec Adds Virtualization, Cloud Computing To Arsenal
Virtualization and cloud computing to protect Web surfers and allow use of applications from one site is being debuted by the security software firm Symantec, which demonstrated the technologies, along with one designed to block malware from getting into corporate networks, at the firm's "Innovation Showcase" in California. Virtualization, essentially creating different machines on the same computer, offers a good platform for securing PCs by providing different protected environments, according to the firm, which says it has developed so-called virtualization-based endpoint security (Vibes), a technology that works with machines already running virtualization hardware and software to isolate three different areas on a computer for doing activities that require different levels of security. The Vibes prototype runs in the background and protects Web surfers from downloading malware and having sensitive data stolen, the firm says, by copying downloaded files to a 'playground' virtual machine and executing it there, isolating the downloads from the rest of the machine. Read more
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IEEE Computer Society’s SWEBOK and CSDA Programs Endorsed
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, a top-ranked Indiana (USA) college), has endorsed the IEEE Computer Society’s Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK) and Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) programs. The Rose-Hulman Institute has agreed to endorse, help fund and facilitate the CSDA as an exit exam for its graduates, helping them prepare for their professional careers; and has adopted SWEBOK as the foundation for its software engineering curriculum. Read more
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Turning Over a New Leaf? Start With Your Thinking
The beginning of the year is resolution season, when people pledge to make a host of improvements in their lives. A California Job Journal article notes that in order to change your circumstances you must change your thinking. Among the bits of advice it presents is the challenge to admit that you don't have all the answers. "It's a sign of strength that comes from a strong individual with the courage to tackle an old idea head on," the article points out. It also urges people to get over whatever embarrassment or shame they may feel regarding their present situation and seek out whatever support they can find. "Fortunately, there are plenty of people ready to help you," the article says. "Now is the time to take them up on it." Read more
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