Linux News: Future Tech

What's Driving Future American Auto Development?
January 22, 2009

Hybrid cars now produced by Toyota, Honda and other mainstream automakers are veritable gas hogs, says Felix Kramer, founder of California Cars Initiative. Not that he doesn't appreciate the technology that has led to mileage ratings in the range of 40 to 50 miles per gallon of gasoline. Still, that amounts to child's play, compared to Kramer's dream of plug-in hybrids that squeeze out 100 mpg or better.

Extreme HD: IBM Makes MRI Tech 100 Million Times Sharper
January 13, 2009

Scientists at IBM Research, along with researchers the Center for Probing the Nanoscale at Stanford University, say they have developed and demonstrated magnetic resonance imaging technology with volume resolution 100 million times finer than conventional MRI. Results of the demonstration were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Asus Fattens Up Its Little Notebook Lines
January 07, 2009

As of a few nights ago, it was still possible to get a room at a decent place on the Las Vegas strip at a bargain rate. That was a good sign for travelers but a bad sign for the Consumer Electronics Show -- not to mention the city's hospitality industry. When everything falls into place, CES is supposed to fill hotels, casinos, restaurants, clubs and taxis to capacity.

At Home With Robots: The Coming Revolution
November 26, 2008

You might not think you have robots in your house, but think again. There's your dishwasher, for instance; you put dishes in it, walk away, and a half hour later they're clean. Same thing with your washing machine. Or your programmable coffeemaker. Though these everyday mechanical devices aren't humanoid, they are on the robotic spectrum, in the sense that they perform functions with minimal human involvement.

Bond Goes Commercial: Quirky Gadgets Out, Product Placements In
November 21, 2008

The history of James Bond films is the history of our fascination with technology: booby-trapped briefcases, jetpacks, cars with machine guns and ejector seats, super-magnet watches, cars driven by remote control, acid-filled fountain pens, cars that become invisible, sharks with frickin' lasers...

IBM, Academics Seek to Create a Computer That's More Like Us
November 20, 2008

IBM and five universities are receiving funding from a government agency to build a supercomputer -- but not just any supercomputer. They've been tasked with building hardware and software that mimics the human brain. "There are no computers today that can even remotely approach the robust and versatile functionality of the brain," said Dharmendra Modha of IBM Research.

Where Are the Japanese Googles?
November 14, 2008

Last week, a select group of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs traveled to Tokyo to learn about Japan's tech sector and new opportunities. What they found was a country in transition, a few surprises, and a group of Japanese entrepreneurs itching to plunge headfirst into the international marketplace. The goal was to "build bridges -- geographical, cultural, and topical" between Silicon Valley and Japan.

Election Night TV 2008: Technology for Technology's Sake
November 07, 2008

CNN reporter Jessica Yellin has probably heard a lot of compliments during her career, which has included stints at ABC and MSNBC. But I'm guessing anchor Wolf Blitzer's closing comment to her following her live report from Chicago early Tuesday evening was a new one for her.

CNN Holo-Gimmick: Less Than Meets the Eye
November 06, 2008

For TV networks, a presidential election isn't just a chance to report history-making news. With so many millions of people watching, it's also a chance to show off new technological toys. On Tuesday night, CNN unveiled its new psuedo-holographic imaging technique reminiscent of the "Star Wars" movies.

FCC Opens Gate to White Spaces Playground
November 05, 2008

Despite dissent in some quarters of the television and cable broadcasting community, the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday voted to allow the use of open broadcast television spectrum to provide broadband data and other services to consumers and businesses. However, the wireless devices needed to implement those services are not yet available.

Technological Singularity: Utopia or Annihilation?
October 31, 2008

It's been called the "rapture of the nerds," but such derision didn't stop an estimated 500 enthusiasts from showing up to the Singularity Institute's conference in San Jose, Calif., last weekend to discuss the possibility of artificial intelligence overtaking that of humans.

AI Program Texts Its Way to Turing Test Award
October 13, 2008

Researchers at the University of Reading in England awarded the 18th annual Loebner Prize Sunday. The competition tests the conversational capabilities of artificial intelligence using text messages, an examination known as the "Turing Test." The winner of the bronze medal -- the highest award given to date -- was Fred Roberts of Hamburg, Germany, whose Elbot program was pegged as the best of the five participants.

The New Biology of Biometrics
September 24, 2008

To a lot of computer users, the concept of biometric authentication is limited to thumb drive reader devices, eye scanners and voice pattern recognition. Such technologies still face stiff competition in most enterprise circles, where passwords and user tokens seemingly work well enough and are quicker and cheaper to deploy.

Google, GE to Groom Grid for Electric Cars
September 18, 2008

Corporate heavyweights General Electric and Google have announced a plan to work together to promote new renewable energy policy initiatives in Washington, D.C. -- as well as help build up the nation's electricity grid so it can actually support key efforts like plug-in hybrid cars. The two companies briefly announced the partnership at Google's Zeigeist conference at its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters.

Fuel Cells, Part 2: The Future of Power
September 03, 2008

As energy prices -- crude oil, gasoline, heating oil, electricity and natural gas -- continue to increase, the focus of governments and other groups, such as car makers, has turned to finding alternative energy sources. High on that list of potential technologies are fuel cells. Much has been made about the future applications of fuel cell technology, particularly in the automotive sector.

Fuel Cells, Part 1: Powering Up a Revolution
August 27, 2008

Over the last decade, mainstream automakers with the right foresight have put their money on technologies like gasoline-electric hybrids in order to offer consumers what they desire more and more with each visit to the gas pump: a more efficient personal vehicle. A little further out, plug-in hybrids that need even less gasoline will perhaps become a more common sight on the road.