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Stanford releases Developing iOS 8 Apps with Swift course on iTunes U
Stanford has released a new course for iTunes University that will be a godsend to aspiring developers. Developing iOS 8 Apps with Swift currently consists of two lectures and accompanying slide shows, each clocking in at a little over an hour. Here's the complete overview. Updated for iOS 8 and Swift. Tools and APIs required to build applications for the iPhone and iPad platforms using the iOS SDK. User interface design for mobile devices and unique user interactions using multi-touch technologies. Object-oriented design using model-view-controller paradigm, memory management, Swift programming language. Other topics include: animation, mobile device power management, multi-threading, networking and performance considerations. Prerequisites: C language and object-oriented programming experience exceeding Programming Abstractions level, and completion of Programming Paradigms. Recommended: UNIX, graphics, databases. As always with iTunes U, this course is free to download in the iTunes Store.
Light-bending silicon strips are the key to super-fast computers
No, that's not a barcode you're looking at -- instead, it's the likely future of computing. Stanford University researchers have developed an optical link that uses silicon strips to bend light at right angles, which future processors will likely need to transmit data at super-fast speeds. The key, as you might have gathered, is the series of gaps. When light hits the device, the combination of those gaps and silicon sends different wavelengths left and right. You're not limited to specific light bands or directions, either; you can use an algorithm to design the link you need within a matter of minutes.
Stanford University makes its own Gecko-inspired wall climbing pads
Military types are obsessed with the Gecko because of the unique structure of its feet, which enable it to climb walls like Spider-man. Earlier this year, DARPA told the world that one of its labs had built a pair of pads that would enable a 218-pound person wearing 50 pounds of gear to pretend that they're Tobey Maguire. Of course, the method for building the pads was a closely guarded secret, but a team at Stanford University believes that it's cracked the formula. In essence (really paraphrasing here), the group started with PDMS -- polydimethylsiloxane -- a composite more commonly found in water-repellant coatings, skin moisturizers and at least one franchise burger joint's chicken nuggets. The substance was then molded into microwedges to increase the surface area, and crammed into a hexagonal plate with a handle. Testing is still underway, and as you can see in the video below, it's not the most exciting thing to see -- but we figure that millions of teenagers are currently adding this to their gift lists in the hope of making it easier to sneak in and out on a Friday night.
Computers can now describe images using language you'd understand
Software can now easily spot objects in images, but it can't always describe those objects well; "short man with horse" not only sounds awkward, it doesn't reveal what's really going on. That's where a computer vision breakthrough from Google and Stanford University might come into play. Their system combines two neural networks, one for image recognition and another for natural language processing, to describe a whole scene using phrases. The program needs to be trained with captioned images, but it produces much more intelligible output than you'd get by picking out individual items. Instead of simply noting that there's a motorcycle and a person in a photo, the software can tell that this person is riding a motorcycle down a dirt road. The software is also roughly twice as accurate at labeling previously unseen objects when compared to earlier algorithms, since it's better at recognizing patterns.
New web privacy system prevents your data from leaking to other sites
One of the biggest threats to your online privacy is the mixture of code that you'll find on some websites. It's all too easy for a legit-looking page to hide data-stealing code, or for innocent sites to accidentally expose your info. If Google, Mozilla and researchers have their way, though, you won't have to worry quite so much about where that info is going. Their new COWL (Confinement with Origin Web Labels) system prevents JavaScript from sharing data with outside websites that aren't explicitly approved; even when the data gets the all-clear, it won't necessarily spread anywhere else. In theory, it should be harder for ne'er-do-wells to hijack a page and grab sensitive content without your knowledge, or simply for you to lose control of where that content goes.
Online dating leads to more break-ups than meeting in real life
Online dating has reached the point where it isn't weird to say you met someone via the internet anymore. Tinder is another story, but that's a digression for a different day. However, while sites like eHarmony and Match are quick to espouse their success rates (the former claims that 438 members marry every day) it turns out their data, much like OKCupid, might not be telling the whole truth. A recent joint-study (PDF) conducted by Michigan State University and Stanford found that people who met online weren't as likely to stay together for the long haul as their offline-matched counterparts. The separation and divorce rates for folks who'd paired up online was much higher than their offline compatriots, and more online-founded relationships tended to end within a year after the survey. Is Online Better Than Offline For Meeting Partners? states that those who met on the web were more likely to date than actually marry compared to people that'd met IRL, too -- by more than double.
Health trials using Apple's HealthKit about to start at two US hospitals
Apple's HealthKit is one of the most exciting aspects of iOS 8, but when it launches, the app's focus will be mainly on fitness rather than longterm health. HealthKit still has a long way to go before its full potential is realized, but work is already underway. Reuters is reporting that Stanford University Hospital and Duke University are starting trials that use the service to help treat patients. Stanford is developing a way to let doctors use the app to track blood sugar changes in diabetic children, while Duke's program aims to develop a way to track blood pressure, weight, and other metrics for heart disease and cancer patients. Apple has been clear since announcing HealthKit that its goal is for the service to serve as a medical aid for doctors, but this is the first time that details of medical trials involving the app have been released. Reuters was able to speak Stanford's CIO to get a better understanding of what the trials will be like: Stanford Children's Chief Medical Information Officer Christopher Longhurst told Reuters that Stanford and Duke were among the furthest along. Longhurst said that in the first Stanford trial, young patients with Type 1 diabetes will be sent home with an iPod touch to monitor blood sugar levels between doctor's visits. HealthKit makes a critical link between measuring devices, including those used at home by patients, and medical information services relied on by doctors, such as Epic Systems Corp, a partner already announced by Apple. You can read Reuters' complete report here, including an examination of the privacy issues that may arise from use of the app. We'll keep you updated when more information from the trials becomes available.
Here's how doctors will test Apple's new patient tracking features
Apple briefly hinted last week that hospitals would soon try out HealthKit's patient tracking technology, and we now know how those experiments are going to work. According to Reuters, both Duke University and Stanford University are weeks away from launching trial programs that will let doctors monitor vital stats with patients' permission. In the Stanford test, young Type 1 diabetes sufferers will carry both an iPod touch and a smart glucose meter to keep tabs on their blood sugar levels. There are fewer details surrounding Duke's pilot, but it will track the blood pressure and weight of those with cancer or heart disease.
Snapchat acknowledges jilted founder, settles legal spat
We've seen the whole "successful startup begets jilted cofounder" thing many times before -- there's Facebook and Eduardo Saverin, Twitter and Noah Glass and (most recently) Snapchat and Reggie Brown. The legal battle that last pair has been embroiled in has finally come to an end, though: a statement released earlier today confirms that both parties have resolved their little spat. And really, what better way to quietly end a year's worth of startup drama than to issue a press release while Apple's going crazy?
Next-generation lithium cells will double your phone's battery life
The lithium ion batteries in your mobile devices are inherently limited by the "ion" part of their name; they can safely use lithium only in the part of the cell that supplies ions, wasting a lot of potential energy. It's good news, then, that researchers at Stanford have developed a new lithium battery that could last for much, much longer. The technique allows for denser, more efficient lithium in the battery's anode (which discharges electrons) by using a nanoscopic carbon shield that keeps the unstable chemical in check -- uncontrolled, it can quickly shorten the device's lifespan.
Solar cells cool themselves to produce more power
Solar power cells need to stay relatively cool for the sake of both efficiency and longevity, but active cooling (like ventilation) isn't practical; it's expensive, and may block the very rays the cells are supposed to collect. To tackle this problem, Stanford University researchers have created a new form of solar cell that cools itself. The technique embeds a pattern of very small cone and pyramid shapes into the collector's silica surface, bouncing hot infrared wavelengths away while letting in the visible light that generates the most energy.
Move aside graphene, there's a new wonder-material on its way
Everyone talks about graphene as if it'll solve all of the world's problems, forgetting that it's got a few of its own, too. The biggest issue is that the substance only works in two dimensions, making it hard to use to build complex pieces of hardware. That's why researchers from Oxford, Stanford and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are turning their attentions to Cadmium Arsenide. Like its more famous frenemy, the substance can transmit electricity at tremendous speeds, but will also work in three dimensions, which is far more useful when building transistors and sensors. Researcher Yulin Chen goes so far as to say that this "family of materials could be a good candidate for everyday use." It's easy to make bold claims before the locked doors of a university lab, but still, if smartphones are ever going to make use of graphene in the real, three-dimensional world, then this could be the missing piece in the puzzle. [Image Credit: Greg Stewart / SLAC]
Stanford turns to Twitter to track earthquakes
It's easy to tell when an earthquake hits an area full of Twitter users -- there's frequently a rush of panicked tweets within seconds of the ground shaking. If Twitter and Stanford University have their way, though, those posts could be useful for more than just alerting friends. They've conducted research showing that geotagged tweets can help model the effects of a quake while it's happening. When you combine geological data with the volume of related tweets within a given radius, it's easier to determine the intensity of tremors and accurately track how they spread.
Stanford acquires MUD1 source
MUD1, the first online virtual world, was originally released in 1978. Thirty-six years later, Stanford University Libraries has acquired the project's source code and has plans to provide public online access. Details are forthcoming, according to a university blog. MUD1 is a text-based multi-user environment inspired by Zork and The Colossal Cave Adventure. It was created by Richard Bartle and Roy Trubshaw.
This skin-sensitive controller ramps up game difficulty when you're bored
The concept of using your emotional state to alter gameplay is nothing new, but the technology to make that happen has frequently relied on cameras and other special add-ons. Stanford University's Corey McCall has a far more elegant solution -- he recently developed technology that builds skin-based emotion detection into an otherwise ordinary gamepad. The controller changes the intensity of a game based on the feelings you convey through breathing, heart rate and motion. It can boost the difficulty level if you're obviously bored, or tone things down if you're taking a challenge way too seriously. There may not be a great need for McCall's approach when systems like the Xbox One can check your pulse at a glance, but it could let console and peripheral makers offer emotion-aware gaming without requiring cumbersome (or costly) extras.
MIT and Stanford will teach Ford's automated cars how to dodge obstacles
It's not enough for Ford to build automated test cars; it also has to teach those cars how to handle the road. To that end, the automaker is partnering with MIT and Stanford on research projects that will help automated (and eventually, autonomous) vehicles avoid obstacles. MIT is investigating ways to predict the movements of both pedestrians and other drivers, letting a smart car find a clear path around any hazards. Stanford, meanwhile, is developing sensor technology that could peek around big rigs and other objects that block the view ahead. It may be a long while before either project bears fruit, but the work could lead to Ford cars that deal with many emergencies by themselves.
Researchers create self-healing batteries inspired by artificial robot skin
In the race to create a better battery, scientists have gazed longingly at silicon, prized for its ability to hold copious energy during charging. The material has a significant drawback, however: it likes to expand during said charging, causing it to eventually crack and become useless. However, scientists at Stanford's SLAC laboratory have developed silicon electrodes that repair themselves, inspired by -- of all things -- the latest research into robotic skin. They created a silicon polymer with weak chemical bonds which attract each other when the material cracks, allowing it to regain its shape in a few hours (as pictured above). The team managed a respectable 100 discharge cycles with a battery that used the material, a promising start but still far from their goal of 3,000 cycles for an electric vehicle. You can add that to the growing pile of promising battery tech that may amount to something, some day -- but at least the odds keep getting better.
The Daily Grind: Does your MMO character reflect you or the other way around?
Last summer, we reported on research that suggested people's behavior changes because of the proportions of the characters they were assigned to play. This week, we saw related results from a Stanford/OSU team that posed a similar question in relation to sexualized avatars in online settings like MMOs. The researchers tested the "Proteus effect," finding that subjects who were assigned hyper-sexualized avatars in a virtual setting "internalized" their avatars' appearance, focusing more on body image and expressing more "rape myth acceptance" than the control group. Setting aside the obvious implication that playing a sexed-up toon in an MMO might temporarily darken our mental health, I have to wonder what other bad habits we might be learning from our characters. How much control do we really have when we roll up a new avatar in an MMO? Did I choose to roleplay a snarky pirate in that last game because it would be fun or because I have a problem with authority and a rude attitude I needed a way to express? Worse, did her negative traits and wardrobe rub off on or change me? Do you think your MMO character reflects you, or do you think you subconsciously reflect your MMO character? Have you ever found yourself picking up or dwelling on the attributes of your characters? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Stanford's latest particle accelerator is smaller than a grain of rice (video)
Particle accelerators range in size from massive to compact, but researchers from Stanford University and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have created one that's downright miniscule. What you see above is a specially patterned glass chip that's smaller than a grain of rice, but unlike a broken Coke bottle, it's capable of accelerating electrons at a rate that's roughly 10 times greater than the SLAC linear accelerator. Taken to its full potential, researchers envision the ability to match the accelerating power of the 2-mile long SLAC linear accelerator with a system that spans just 100 feet. For a rough understanding of how this chip works, imagine electrons that are brought up to near-light speed and then concentrated into a tiny channel within the glass chip that measures just a half-micron tall. From there, infrared laser light interacts with patterned, nanoscale ridges within the channel to create an electrical field that boosts the energy of the electrons. In the initial demonstration, researchers were able to create an energy increase of 300 million electronvolts per meter, but their ultimate goal is to more than triple that. Curiously enough, these numbers aren't even that crazy. For example, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin were able to accelerate electrons to 2 billion electronvolts over an inch with a technique known as laser-plasma acceleration, which involves firing a laser into a puff of gas. Even if Stanford's chip-based approach doesn't carry the same shock and awe, it seems the researchers are banking on its ability to scale over greater distances. Now if we can just talk them into strapping those lasers onto a few sharks, we'll really be in business.
New Stanford Apple Store opening this Saturday at 10 AM
Apple has announced that its new Stanford store in Palo Alto will have its grand reopening this Saturday, September 7 at 10 AM. The new store has been completely redesigned and features three floor-to-ceiling glass walls at its new ground-level location. ifoAppleStore tweeted the above picture of the finished design. Previously, the Stanford store in the Stanford Shopping Center was one of the few remaining mini-stores in the country. The new design brings it up to flagship status and is sure to be a retail beacon in a city that is so entwined in the tech industry.
