Thought-controlled Computer Cursor

Thought-Controller Computer Cursor Becomes A Reality 

According to a report released on November 19, 2012, researchers led by Indian-origin Scientists have designed the fastest and most accurate mathematical algorithm yet that can help disabled users to move computer cursors with their thoughts. The path breaking recherche was led by Krishna Shenoy of Stanford University, USA. 

The algorithm's speed, accuracy and natural movement closely match those of a real arm. They researchers developed the algorithm form brain-implantable prosthetic systems, known as REFIT, which vastly improves the speed and accuracy of neural prosthetic that control's computer cursors.

The system relies on sensor implanted into the brain, which record's "action potentials" in neural activity form an array of electrode sensors and sends data to a computer. In demonstrations with rhesus monkeys, cursors controlled by the new algorithm doubled the performance of the monkey's actual arm in controlling the cursor. 

Dog's Nose That Can Sniff Out Explosives

A Device Modeled on Dog's Nose That Can Sniff Out Explosives 

At the University of California, USA Scientists had designed a new "nano-tech" chip which can sniff out traces of molecules form explosives. The device is portable, accurate and highly sensitive, and could become as commonplace as smoke detectors in public places in near future. 

The new device used microfluidic nanotechnology to mimic the biological mechanism which is behind scent receptors of dogs. The device is highly sensitive to trace amounts of certain vapour molecules and is able to tell a specific substance apart form similar molecules.

Dogs are still the gold standard for scent detection of explosives. But like a human being, a dog can have a good day or gad day, get tired or distracted  In this aspect, the device steals a march over dogs, as it always has the same amount of sensitivity. Test results show that the device can detect airborne molecules of 2.4 dinitrotoluene, the primary vapour emanating from TNT-based explosives. 

Plastic Skin

First Self-healing, Touch-sensitive Plastic Skin Developed 

A Study published in the journal Nature Nona-technology on November 12, 2012 revealed that researchers have developed the first synthetic skin that is both sensitive to touch and has the ability to heal itself quickly and repeatedly in room temperature. The finding could lead to smarter prosthetic or resilient personal electronics that can repair themselves. It was developed by researchers at Stanford University, USA. 

In the last decade(2000-2012), there have been major advances in synthetic skin, but even the most effective self-healing materials had major drawbacks. Some had to be exposed to high temperatures, making them unsuitable for daily use,. Some others could heal themselves at room temperature  but repairing a cut changed their mechanical or chemical make-up. Most crucially, no self-healing material till now was a good bulk conductor of electricity, an important property. Now, the new plastic skin has remedied all these shortcomings. 

Wireless Keyboard

Gloves That Allow The Hands To function As Wireless Keyboard 

Researchers from the University of Alabama, USA, have designed a new glove that allows the users hands to turn into a wireless keyboard. Instead of tapping keys on a keyboard, the user simply touches their thumb to certain points on their fingers which are assigned a letter or other keyboard functions. Conductive thread carries the command to the matchbox-sized Printed Circuit Board(PCB) affixed to the back of the glove. The PCB transmits it to the targeted device via Bluetooth.

The name of the glove is Gauntlet, which is an acronym for Generally Accessible Universal Nomadic Tactile Low-power Electronic Typist. It features a beehive of conductive threads running though the fingers and palm. 

World's Fastest

Us computer named World's fasted. A Cray super computer at the US Government's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been named the world's fastest. It overtook an IBM supercomputer at another American research center. Titan, a Cray XK7 system installed at Oak Ridge achieved 17.59 petaflops(quadrillions of calculations per second). The system is funded by the United States Department of Energy, and is used for research in energy, climate change, efficient engines, materials and other advanced scientific research.

Titan knocked the IBM Sequoia at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, California, to second place. Sequoia, which was declared the world's fastest system in June 2012, could manage only 16.32 petaflops in the contest. In the top five, the others were Fujitsu's K computer in Kobe, Japan; an IBM  BlueGene/q system named Mira in Chicago  USA; and another IBM BlueGene/Q system named Juqueen in Germany. The survey found that 251 of the fastest 500 systems in the world were in USA, 105 in Europe and 123 in Asia, including 72 in China.