PlymouthUniversity
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Researchers propose using patterns and icons for passwords
Researchers at Plymouth University have devised a new password input method they believe could improve security. Called GOTPass, it combines patterns, imagery, and one-time passcode to create a system that it's hoped would be both more secure and easier to remember than traditional passwords.
Student upgrades a 1930s typewriter for modern-day messaging
When people restore old typewriters, they mostly just make them (1) look new and (2) usable again. Joe Hounsham from Plymouth University in the UK, however, had other ideas in mind: he took one and upgraded it to connect to the internet. More specifically, Hounsham's device (called Dico) connects you to a random person from a chat room -- in fact, it starts looking for a stranger to talk to as soon as its ultrasonic sensor feels you approaching. The other person's messages are processed by an Arduino microcontroller, which controls the solenoids that pull down the keys on the typewriter. Yes, a piece of paper serves as the device's "screen," and to reply, you need to type on it, too.
Researchers create virtual bots that teach each other
New Scientist reports that researchers at Plymouth University in the U.K. have created a pair of virtual robots that can teach each other words by simply demonstrating various tasks and actions (sound familiar?). The bots start out with one performing simple functions like bending an elbow which the other one copies, then repeating the action while also describing it, causing the student bot to pick up the meaning of the words. The teacher then uses the newly formed vocabulary to gradually convey more and more complex actions, which the student acts out. If you're worried about the little buggers getting a little too smart, you'll be pleased to know that they currently top out at a vocabulary of about 100 words and are, of course, virtual. However, the researchers do eventually see the technology being put to use in real robots in the future, possibly even teaching us humans a few tricks.
