Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Intel funnels $40 million into global network of research laboratories]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/intel-funnels-40-million-into-global-network-of-research-labora/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/intel-funnels-40-million-into-global-network-of-research-labora/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/intel-funnels-40-million-into-global-network-of-research-labora/#comments Intel funnels $40 million into global network of research laboratories

Like any tech company worth its weight in silicon, Intel puts plenty of cash into research, often partnering with outside labs and schools that are less concerned with turning every project into a multi-billion dollar product. After throwing $30 million at Carnegie Mellon last year to open two new labs, Chipzilla is investing $40 million more in a global network of university research centers. Over the next five years that money will be rolled out to what the company is calling, Intel Collaborative Research Institutes (ICRI). The ICRI are based on the same premise as Intel's Science and Technology Centers, like those opened at Mellon, except with a global reach. Two existing labs, the Intel Visual Computing Institute at Saarland University and the Intel-NTU Connected Context Computing Center at National Taiwan University are being rolled into the program. In addition, three new centers are being opened up, including ICRIs for Sustainable Connected Cities in the United Kingdom, Secure Computing at the Technische Universität Darmstadt and Computational Intelligence at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. For more info on what sort or work they'll be doing at the various labs check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading Intel funnels $40 million into global network of research laboratories

Intel funnels $40 million into global network of research laboratories originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 23:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>icriImperial College LondonImperialCollegeLondonintelIntel Collaborative Research InstitutesIntel Science and Technology CentersIntelCollaborativeResearchInstitutesIntelScienceAndTechnologyCentersISTClaboratorieslabsNational Taiwan UniversityNationalTaiwanUniversityresearchresearch labsResearchLabsSaarland UniversitySaarlandUniversityscienceTechnion-Israel Institute of TechnologyTechnion-israelInstituteOfTechnologyTechnische Universität DarmstadtTechnischeUniversitätDarmstadtUniversity College LondonUniversityCollegeLondonThu, 24 May 2012 23:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Angelina: the experimental AI that's coming for our game dev jobs]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/angelina-the-experimental-ai-thats-coming-for-our-game-dev-job/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/angelina-the-experimental-ai-thats-coming-for-our-game-dev-job/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/angelina-the-experimental-ai-thats-coming-for-our-game-dev-job/#comments Space Station InvadersOk so, maybe Angelina couldn't have created Skyrim all on her own, but the experimental AI from Michael Cook (a computer scientist at Imperial College London) is still quite impressive. The artificial dev is able program enemy behavior, layout levels, and distribute power ups with random attributes. While many elements of a game like Space Station Invaders (which you can play at the more coverage link) are designed by human hands, it's Angelina's ability to act as a composer building something fun from the various ingredients that's so interesting. Before setting a level in stone she plays through the possible combinations, determining which will be most enjoyable for a human player. Hit up the source link for loads more info.

Angelina: the experimental AI that's coming for our game dev jobs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AIangelinaartificial intelligenceArtificialIntelligencegame designGameDesignimperial college londonImperialCollegeLondonMichael CookMichaelCookSpace Station InvadersSpaceStationInvadersThu, 08 Mar 2012 17:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Scientists produce stronger T-rays, bring Tricorders closer to reality]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/23/scientists-produce-stronger-t-rays-bring-tricorders-closer-to-r/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/23/scientists-produce-stronger-t-rays-bring-tricorders-closer-to-r/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/23/scientists-produce-stronger-t-rays-bring-tricorders-closer-to-r/#comments
A group of scientists from Imperial College London and Singapore's Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) have developed a new technique that could have far reaching impacts for Star Trek fans everywhere. It all involves something known as Terahertz (THz), or T-rays: electromagnetic rays that have already been used in full-body airport scanners and have the potential to be used across a much broader range of medical and environmental applications. Because every molecule can be uniquely identified within the THz range, these T-rays can be used to pick up on cancerous cells and other biological matter, perhaps even within a Tricorder-like scanner. Now, Imperial College's Stefan Maier and his team of scientists say they've found a way to create a stronger beam of T-rays, using so-called "nano-antennas" to generate an amplified THz field. In fact, this field can produce about 100 times more power than most other THz sources, which could allow for sharper imaging devices. "T-rays promise to revolutionize medical scanning to make it faster and more convenient, potentially relieving patients from the inconvenience of complicated diagnostic procedures and the stress of waiting for accurate results," Maier explained. "Thanks to modern nanotechnology and nanofabrication, we have made a real breakthrough in the generation of T-rays that takes us a step closer to these new scanning devices." For more details, check out the links below.

Scientists produce stronger T-rays, bring Tricorders closer to reality originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beamcancerenvironmenthealthimperial collegeimperial college londonImperialCollegeImperialCollegeLondonmedicalmedical scannerMedicalScannermedicinenanotechnologypowerresearchscannerstar trekStarTrekt-rayterahertzterahertz imagingTerahertzImagingthzMon, 23 Jan 2012 05:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Growing Up Geek: Richard Lai]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/29/growing-up-geek-richard-lai/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/29/growing-up-geek-richard-lai/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/29/growing-up-geek-richard-lai/#comments Welcome to Growing Up Geek, an ongoing feature where we take a look back at our youth and tell stories of growing up to be the nerds that we are. Today, we have our very own Senior Associate Editor, Richard Lai, who also happens to be the Editor-in-chief of Engadget Chinese.
I've come to the point in life where I stop paying attention to my age, though it's still fun to make people guess it for their reaction -- you'll find out after the break, but here's a hint: I've spent the same number of years in both Hong Kong and the UK, plus a couple of years in Australia. Such a combination has turned me into a Chinese guy who speaks both British English and two Chinese dialects while holding an Australian passport; but I tend to skip all this and say that I'm a spy with many gadgets.

Continue reading Growing Up Geek: Richard Lai

Growing Up Geek: Richard Lai originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 22:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AustraliaAustralian passportCounter-StrikefeaturedfeaturesFlash animationFujifilm FinePixgrowing up geekGrowingUpGeekgugHong KongHongKongImperial CollegeImperial College Londonimperial+collegeimperialcollegeImperialCollegeLondonInternet accessIPadJean ValjeanLes MisérablesLondonNikon Coolpix seriesNikon D50Nintendo Entertainment SystemPokémon Trading Card Gamerichard laiRichardLaiRoyal Air ForceSci/TechSham Shui PostonehengeSuper Mario Bros.West End of LondonWickedZac EfronMon, 29 Aug 2011 22:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Nanopore DNA sequencing technique promises entire genome in minutes or your money back]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/24/nanopore-dna-sequencing-technique-promises-entire-genome-in-minu/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/24/nanopore-dna-sequencing-technique-promises-entire-genome-in-minu/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/24/nanopore-dna-sequencing-technique-promises-entire-genome-in-minu/#commentsScientists refine speedy nanopore DNA sequencing technique, entire genome in minutes or your money back Those vaguely affordable DNA tests that promise to tell you just how likely you are to be stricken by some horrible and unavoidable genetic affliction in the future? They only look at a tiny fraction of the bits and bobs and bases that make up your genetic code. There's a race on to develop a quick and inexpensive way to sequence a human's entire genome, a process that costs about a million thousands of dollars now and takes ages but, via the technique under development at Imperial College London, could be done in a few minutes for a couple of bucks in 10 years. The process relies on nanopores, which are the go-to tech for companies trying to pull this off. Basically, a DNA strand is pushed through a 2nm hole on a silicon chip and, as it moves through, that chip is able to use an electrical charge to read the strand's coding sequence. That is then spit out to a supercomputer to crunch the numbers at a speed of 10 million bases per second and, within minutes, you too can have some hard data to make you freak out about the future -- and maybe a place to put your iPod, too.

Update: As many of you pointed out, there are multiple places to get your full genome scanned now for prices in the mere thousands of dollars. Pocket change, really.

Nanopore DNA sequencing technique promises entire genome in minutes or your money back originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Dec 2010 08:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dnadna sequencingdna strandDnaSequencingDnaStrandgenomehuman genomeHumanGenomeimperial collegeimperial college londonImperialCollegeImperialCollegeLondonnanoporeFri, 24 Dec 2010 08:08:00 EST<![CDATA[String theory finds an elegant use for itself with qubit entanglement and black holes]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/03/string-theory-finds-an-elegant-use-for-itself-with-qubit-entangl/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/03/string-theory-finds-an-elegant-use-for-itself-with-qubit-entangl/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/03/string-theory-finds-an-elegant-use-for-itself-with-qubit-entangl/#commentsSure, trying to wrap your head around string theory -- a study in particle physics that's trying to rectify the perceived contradictions between general relativity and quantum mechanics -- can cause more cognitive pain than a colliding god particle. That hasn't stopped anyone from trying to validate its corollaries, and in the interim, researchers like Michael Duff of the Imperial College London. Mr. Duff realized a few years ago there existed some strong relations between formulas pertaining to both black holes (relativity) and four entagled qubits (quantum mechanics). So, in his words, "In a way, there's bad news and good news in our paper. The bad news is, we're not describing the theory of everything. The good news is, we're making a very exact statement which is either right or wrong. There's no in between." We're sure some science cliques are already gearing up to get their troll on. Hit up the PDF below if you want to read it yourself.

String theory finds an elegant use for itself with qubit entanglement and black holes originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black holeblack holesBlackHoleBlackHolesduffgeneral relativityGeneralRelativityImperial CollegeImperial College LondonImperialCollegeImperialCollegeLondonlondonmichael duffMichaelDuffquantum mechanicsQuantumMechanicsqubitqubit entanglementQubitEntanglementqubitsrelativitystringstring theoryStringTheoryFri, 03 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Newfangled nanoscale scanning technique could improve heart health]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/27/newfangled-nanoscale-scanning-technique-could-improve-heart-heal/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/27/newfangled-nanoscale-scanning-technique-could-improve-heart-heal/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/27/newfangled-nanoscale-scanning-technique-could-improve-heart-heal/#commentsOh, nanotechnology -- your wonders never cease. Boffins at Imperial College London have been able to use live nanoscale microscopy (a technique called scanning ion conductance microscopy) in order to see the surface of the cardiac muscle cell at more detailed levels than those possible using conventional live microscopy. Without getting too gross on you, the new process could lead to improved designs of beta-blockers, the drugs that can retard the development of heart failure. Researchers are hoping that the findings could also lead to "improvements in current therapeutic approaches to treating heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms," and while these exceptionally detailed images are helping the cardiac muscle right now, we're hoping that this stuff could also bleed over to other fields of medicine. Ventricles crossed!

Newfangled nanoscale scanning technique could improve heart health originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Feb 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>healthheartheart cellsHeartCellsimperial college londonImperialCollegeLondonmedicinenanotechnologyresearchscienceuniversitySat, 27 Feb 2010 11:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Researchers say new material could let cars be powered by their bodywork]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/researchers-say-new-material-could-let-cars-be-powered-by-their/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/researchers-say-new-material-could-let-cars-be-powered-by-their/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/researchers-say-new-material-could-let-cars-be-powered-by-their/#comments It likely won't be ready for your next vehicle purchase, but some researchers from Imperial College London say that this rather modest-looking piece of material could eventually do nothing short of change of the way that cars are powered. The material itself is still a bit of a mystery, as you might expect, but it's apparently able to store and discharge electrical energy, and (here's the real kicker) is strong and light enough to be used for a car's bodywork -- essentially making the car itself one giant battery. That would obviously open up a whole host of possibilities, including being used to complement traditional batteries for even longer runtimes, or being used on its own to make smaller and lighter vehicles. The applications also wouldn't necessarily be limited to cars, and the researchers specifically mention cellphones as another area that could see smaller and lighter (or longer-lasting) devices if the material is used. Let's get on that, shall we? Video demonstration after the break.

[Thanks, Clinton C]

Continue reading Researchers say new material could let cars be powered by their bodywork

Researchers say new material could let cars be powered by their bodywork originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batterycar batteryCarBatterycarselectric vehicleElectricVehiclehybridhybrid carhybrid carshybrid vehiclehybrid vehiclesHybridCarHybridCarsHybridVehicleHybridVehiclesImperial CollegeImperial College LondonImperialCollegeImperialCollegeLondonFri, 05 Feb 2010 14:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Bloodbot draws blood, inspires fear]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/16/bloodbot-draws-blood-inspires-fear/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/16/bloodbot-draws-blood-inspires-fear/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/16/bloodbot-draws-blood-inspires-fear/#comments
We've seen our fair share of scary robots in these parts, and we're not going to mince words here: there is no way we are going anywhere near one that's armed with a hypodermic needle -- and we sure as hell aren't going to sit still and let it draw blood! Currently being developed by a team at Imperial College in London, the Bloodbot is designed to probe your arm for the presence of a vein, stick you with the needle, puncture the vein, and then stop short of rupture. The system, which has thus far only been tested on one patient (sounds like we're not the only ones with reservations regarding the device) has been accurate about 78 percent of the time, meaning it only resulted in screaming fits 22 percent of the time -- unlike your friendly neighborhood nurse or medical technician, who is accurate nearly 100 percent of the time (and still inspires the occasional fit, but that's another story).

[Via Switched]

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Bloodbot draws blood, inspires fear originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bloodbloodbotimperial college londonImperialCollegeLondoninjectionmedicalmedicinerobotrobot apocalypseRobotApocalypserobotsscaryWed, 16 Sep 2009 14:06:00 EST