ScienceDaily: Top Technology News

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• Theater arts research offers insight for designers, builders of social robots
• New terahertz device could strengthen security
• 'Mind the gap' between atomically thin materials
• Helping trains take the strain
• A green transformation for pharmaceuticals
• Fluorescent nanoprobe could become a universal, noninvasive method to identify and monitor tumors
• Streamlining thin film processing for electrodes, display screens
• When shareholders exacerbate their own banks' crisis
• Robots take over inspection of ballast tanks on ships
• Impact of power prosthetic failures on amputees studied
• Novel robotic walker helps patients regain natural gait and increases productivity of physiotherapists
• A coating that protects against heat and oxidation
• When vaccines are imperfect: What math can tell us about their effects on disease propagation
• Pain, magnet displacement in MRI in patients with cochlear implants
• Nuclear reactor fuel behavior during a severe event
• Improved nanomaterials: Understanding surface structure of quantum dots will aid design of new solar devices
• Don't get hacked! Research shows how much we ignore online warnings
• Health screening for industrial machines
• Tomorrow's degradable electronics
• Volcanic ash clouds can cross Atlantic Ocean
• Sun's rotating 'magnet' pulls lightning towards UK
• Pac-man instead of patch: Using video games to improve lazy eye, depth perception
• As winter approaches, switching to cleaner heating oils could prevent health problems
• Paper electronics could make health care more accessible
• Lean times ahead: Preparing for an energy-constrained future
• Clean energy 'bio batteries' a step closer
• Emergency communication: Turtle Mike technology bridges communications systems
• Gamification for behavior change: What is it and how is it useful?
• Computerized cognitive training has modest benefits for cognitively healthy older adults
• First image-recognition software that greatly improves web searches

Theater arts research offers insight for designers, builders of social robots Posted: 21 Nov 2014 11:12 AM PST Researchers have provided insight into human behavior for scientists, engineers who design and build social robots.

New terahertz device could strengthen security Posted: 21 Nov 2014 11:12 AM PST We are all familiar with the security hassles that accompany air travel. Now a new type of security detection that uses terahertz radiation is looking to prove its promise. Researchers have developed a room temperature, compact, tunable terahertz source that could lead to advances in homeland security and space exploration. Able to detect explosives, chemical agents and dangerous biological substances from safe distances, devices using terahertz waves could make public spaces more secure than ever.

'Mind the gap' between atomically thin materials Posted: 21 Nov 2014 11:11 AM PST For the first time, researchers have grown a single atomic layer of tungsten diselenide on a one- atom-thick substrate of graphene with pristine interfaces between the two layers using an industrially scalable technique.

Helping trains take the strain Posted: 21 Nov 2014 09:11 AM PST The introduction of smartcard ticketing for Singapore's public transport system has enabled researchers to provide valuable predictive data on potential train overloading. This will enable system planners to address critical bottlenecks as the system stretches to accommodate an expanding population.

A green transformation for pharmaceuticals Posted: 21 Nov 2014 09:11 AM PST A more sustainable approach to a bond-forming reaction extensively used in the pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries has now been developed. The team used the solvent-free, catalytic reaction to produce high yields of a wide range of amides, including the antidepressant moclobemide and other drug-like molecules.

Fluorescent nanoprobe could become a universal, noninvasive method to identify and monitor tumors Posted: 21 Nov 2014 09:11 AM PST Researchers have developed a hybrid metal-polymer nanoparticle that lights up in the acidic environment surrounding tumor cells. Nonspecific probes that can identify any kind of tumor are extremely useful for monitoring the location and spread of cancer and the effects of treatment, as well as aiding initial diagnosis.

Streamlining thin film processing for electrodes, display screens Posted: 21 Nov 2014 08:18 AM PST Energy storage devices and computer screens may seem worlds apart, but they're not. When an electrical engineering professor teamed up with and computer scientists to make a less expensive supercapacitor for storing renewable energy, they developed a new plasma technology that will streamline the production of display screens.

When shareholders exacerbate their own banks' crisis Posted: 21 Nov 2014 07:28 AM PST Banks are increasingly issuing 'CoCo' bonds to boost the levels of equity they hold. In a crisis situation, bondholders are forced to convert these bonds into a bank's equity. To date, such bonds have been regarded only as a means of averting a crisis. A study by German economists now shows that if such bonds are badly constructed, they worsen a crisis instead of stabilizing the banking system.

Robots take over inspection of ballast tanks on ships Posted: 21 Nov 2014 07:26 AM PST A new robot for inspecting ballast water tanks on board ships is being developed. The robot is able to move independently along rails built into the tanks. At the moment, people still carry out such inspections, with ships being brought into dry dock for the purpose.

Impact of power prosthetic failures on amputees studied Posted: 21 Nov 2014 07:25 AM PST Powered lower limb prosthetics hold promise for improving the mobility of amputees, but errors in the technology may also cause some users to stumble or fall. New research examines what happens when these technologies fail, with the goal of developing more robust powered prostheses.

Novel robotic walker helps patients regain natural gait and increases productivity of physiotherapists Posted: 21 Nov 2014 05:29 AM PST Survivors of stroke or other neurological conditions such as spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries and Parkinson's disease often struggle with mobility. To regain their motor functions, these patients are required to undergo physical therapy sessions. A team of researchers has invented a novel robotic walker that helps patients carry out therapy sessions to regain their leg movements and natural gait. The system also increases productivity of physiotherapists and improves the quality of rehabilitation sessions.

A coating that protects against heat and oxidation Posted: 21 Nov 2014 05:29 AM PST Researchers have developed a coating technique that they plan to use to protect turbine engine and waste incinerator components against heat and oxidation. A topcoat from micro-scaled hollow aluminium oxide spheres provides heat insulation, in the lab, already proved more economical than conventional techniques.

When vaccines are imperfect: What math can tell us about their effects on disease propagation Posted: 20 Nov 2014 03:36 PM PST The control of certain childhood diseases is difficult, despite high vaccination coverage in many countries. One of the possible reasons for this is 'imperfect vaccines,' that is, vaccines that fail either due to 'leakiness,' lack of effectiveness on certain individuals in a population, or shorter duration of potency. In a new article, authors use a mathematical model to determine the consequences of vaccine failure and resulting disease dynamics.

Pain, magnet displacement in MRI in patients with cochlear implants Posted: 20 Nov 2014 03:36 PM PST Pain, discomfort and magnet displacement were documented in a small medical records review study of patients with cochlear implants who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), according to a new report.

Nuclear reactor fuel behavior during a severe event Posted: 20 Nov 2014 03:34 PM PST A new discovery about the atomic structure of uranium dioxide will help scientists select the best computational model to simulate severe nuclear reactor accidents.

Improved nanomaterials: Understanding surface structure of quantum dots will aid design of new solar devices Posted: 20 Nov 2014 12:39 PM PST A potential path to identify imperfections and improve the quality of nanomaterials for use in next-generation solar cells has just emerged.

Don't get hacked! Research shows how much we ignore online warnings Posted: 20 Nov 2014 09:32 AM PST New research finds that people say they care about online security but behave like they don't -- such as ignoring security warnings. To better understand how people deal with security messages, researchers simulated hacking into study subjects laptops. The responses were telling.

Health screening for industrial machines Posted: 20 Nov 2014 05:21 AM PST Germany's Industry 4.0 initiative aims to develop industrial machinery with built-in intelligence based on smart self-monitoring functions. Researchers have now come a step closer to the ideal of a self-maintaining machine. New technology provides real-time online monitoring of unprecedented quality.

Tomorrow's degradable electronics Posted: 20 Nov 2014 05:19 AM PST Researchers are developing electronics that disappear to order. When the FM frequencies are removed in Norway in 2017, all old-fashioned radios will become obsolete, leaving the biggest collection of redundant electronics ever seen – a mountain of waste weighing something between 25,000 and 30,000 tons. The same thing is happening with today's mobile telephones, PCs and tablets, all of which are constantly being updated and replaced faster than the blink of an eye. The old devices end up on waste tips, and even though we in the west recover some materials for recycling, this is only a small proportion of the whole. And nor does the future bode well with waste in mind. Technologists' vision of the future is the "Internet of Things".

Volcanic ash clouds can cross Atlantic Ocean Posted: 19 Nov 2014 05:48 PM PST Scientists have led the discovery of a volcanic ash cloud that traveled from Alaska to Northern Ireland and beyond -- overturning previously held assumptions about how far ash deposits can drift, with major implications for the airline industry.

Sun's rotating 'magnet' pulls lightning towards UK Posted: 19 Nov 2014 05:48 PM PST The sun may be playing a part in the generation of lightning strikes on Earth by temporarily 'bending' the Earth's magnetic field and allowing a shower of energetic particles to enter the upper atmosphere.

Pac-man instead of patch: Using video games to improve lazy eye, depth perception Posted: 19 Nov 2014 02:47 PM PST Scientists have created video games that add an important element of fun to the repetitive training needed to improve vision in people – including adults – with a lazy eye and poor depth perception.

As winter approaches, switching to cleaner heating oils could prevent health problems Posted: 19 Nov 2014 09:54 AM PST With temperatures dipping, homeowners are firing up their heaters. But systems that require heating oil release fine particles outside that could have harmful health effects. Regulations to curb these emissions in New York City, however, could save hundreds of lives, a new study has found. The report may have ramifications for the entire northeast, the country's largest consumer of heating oil.

Paper electronics could make health care more accessible Posted: 19 Nov 2014 08:27 AM PST Flexible electronic sensors based on paper -- an inexpensive material -- have the potential to some day cut the price of a wide range of medical tools, from helpful robots to diagnostic tests. Scientists have now developed a fast, low-cost way of making these sensors by directly printing conductive ink on paper.

Lean times ahead: Preparing for an energy-constrained future Posted: 19 Nov 2014 07:17 AM PST Some time this century, the era of cheap and abundant energy will end, and Western industrial civilization will likely begin a long, slow descent toward a resource-limited future characterized by "involuntary simplicity."

Clean energy 'bio batteries' a step closer Posted: 19 Nov 2014 05:47 AM PST Researchers are a step closer to enhancing the generation of clean energy from bacteria. A new report shows how electrons hop across otherwise electrically insulating areas of bacterial proteins, and that the rate of electrical transfer is dependent on the orientation and proximity of electrically conductive 'stepping stones'. It is hoped that this natural process can be used to improve 'bio batteries' which could produce energy for portable technology such as mobile phones, tablets and laptops – powered by human or animal waste.

Emergency communication: Turtle Mike technology bridges communications systems Posted: 18 Nov 2014 03:22 PM PST Recent two-week field tests of the Hybrid Public Safety Microphone —- or Turtle Mike —- allowed law enforcement, medical, fire and rescue and public works personnel to test a merge of land mobile radio (LMR) and broadband systems to enable first responders to communicate with each other.

Gamification for behavior change: What is it and how is it useful? Posted: 18 Nov 2014 01:36 PM PST In a world where the majority of children spend hours a day playing computer or console game, researchers are starting to utilize those habits for the better.  The use of gamification -- using game design elements to teach lessons, engage, and motivate -- is starting to increase in popularity. Now gamification concepts and principles have been applied to the development of an online, multiuser, substance abuse, and relationship violence prevention game for youths.

Computerized cognitive training has modest benefits for cognitively healthy older adults Posted: 18 Nov 2014 12:31 PM PST Computerized cognitive training (CCT) has been widely promoted for older adults, but its effectiveness for cognitively health older adults has been unclear in systematic reviews to date. In a new systematic review and meta-analysis scientists found a small overall effect of CCT on performance of cognitive tests that were not included in the training program.

First image-recognition software that greatly improves web searches Posted: 18 Nov 2014 09:54 AM PST Researchers have created an artificial intelligence software that uses photos to locate documents on the Internet with far greater accuracy than ever before.

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