Computers

There are some tasks that traditional robots -- the rigid and metallic kind -- simply aren't cut out for. Soft-bodied robots, on the other hand, may be able to interact with people more safely or slip into tight spaces with ease. But for robots to reliably complete their programmed duties, they need to know the whereabouts of all their body parts. That's a tall task for a soft … [Read more...] about Researchers’ algorithm designs soft robots that sense: Deep-learning technique optimizes the arrangement of sensors on a robot’s body to ensure efficient operation.

Army-funded researchers demonstrated a machine learning approach that corrects quantum information in systems composed of photons, improving the outlook for deploying quantum sensing and quantum communications technologies on the battlefield. When photons are used as the carriers of quantum information to transmit data, that information is often distorted due to environment … [Read more...] about Machine learning shows potential to enhance quantum information transfer

Warning signs for Alzheimer's disease (AD) can begin in the brain years before the first symptoms appear. Spotting these clues may allow for lifestyle changes that could possibly delay the disease's destruction of the brain. "Improving the diagnostic accuracy of Alzheimer's disease is an important clinical goal. If we are able to increase the diagnostic accuracy of the models … [Read more...] about Researchers enhance Alzheimer’s disease classification through artificial intelligence: Better detection of the disease may lead to earlier treatment, opportunity to participate in clinical trials

An international team of interdisciplinary researchers has identified mathematical metrics to characterize the fragility of financial markets. Their paper "Network geometry and market instability" sheds light on the higher-order architecture of financial systems and allows analysts to identify systemic risks like market bubbles or crashes. With the recent rush of small … [Read more...] about Its curvature foreshadows the next financial bubble

Researchers improve their newly established quantum algorithm, bringing it to one-tenth the computational cost of Quantum Phase Estimation, and use it to directly calculate the vertical ionization energies of light atoms and molecules such as CO, O2, CN, F2, H2O, NH3 within 0.1 electron volts of precision. Quantum computers have seen a lot attention recently as they are … [Read more...] about New quantum algorithm surpasses the QPE norm

Numeric anchoring is a long-established technique of marketing communication. Once a price is mentioned, that number serves as the basis for -- or "anchors" -- all future discussions and decisions. But new research shows that this phenomenon is not limited to decisions that involve numbers, the use and understanding of which require high-level cognitive thinking. Anchoring also … [Read more...] about Not just for numbers: Anchoring biases decisions involving sight, sound, and touch

A sustainable, powerful micro-supercapacitor may be on the horizon, thanks to an international collaboration of researchers from Penn State and the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. Until now, the high-capacity, fast-charging energy storage devices have been limited by the composition of their electrodes -- the connections responsible for managing the … [Read more...] about Inexpensive tin packs a big punch for the future of supercapacitors

In researching the causes and potential treatments for degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, neuroscientists frequently struggle to accurately identify cells needed to understand brain activity that gives rise to behavior changes such as declining memory or impaired balance and tremors. A multidisciplinary team of Georgia Institute of Technology … [Read more...] about Identifying cells to better understand healthy and diseased behavior: Graphical model an advance in common neuroscience bottleneck

Using your face to unlock your phone is a pretty genius security protocol. But like any advanced technology, hackers and thieves are always up to the challenge, whether that's unlocking your phone with your face while you sleep or using a photo from social media to do the same. Like every other human biometric identification system before it (fingerprints, retina scans) there … [Read more...] about Facial recognition ID with a twist: Smiles, winks and other facial movements for access: New algorithm makes ID verification more secure by tracking facial motion

In their pursuit of maximum reward, people suffering from gambling disorder rely less on exploring new but potentially better strategies, and more on proven courses of action that have already led to success in the past. The neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain may play an important role in this, a study in biological psychology conducted at the University of Cologne's … [Read more...] about How gamblers plan their actions to maximize rewards