Computers

The COVID-19 virus holds some mysteries. Scientists remain in the dark on aspects of how it fuses and enters the host cell; how it assembles itself; and how it buds off the host cell. Computational modeling combined with experimental data provides insights into these behaviors. But modeling over meaningful timescales of the pandemic-causing SARS-CoV-2 virus has so far been … [Read more...] about First complete coronavirus model shows cooperation: Frontera, Anton 2 supercomputers simulate holistic model of SARS-CoV-2 virion

During World War II, British intelligence agents planted false documents on a corpse to fool Nazi Germany into preparing for an assault on Greece. "Operation Mincemeat" was a success, and covered the actual Allied invasion of Sicily. The "canary trap" technique in espionage spreads multiple versions of false documents to conceal a secret. Canary traps can be used to sniff out … [Read more...] about Cybersecurity researchers build a better ‘canary trap’: A new artificial intelligence system generates fake docs to fool adversaries

A joint research team co-led by City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has developed a new soft tactile sensor with skin-comparable characteristics. A robotic gripper with the sensor mounted at the fingertip could accomplish challenging tasks such as stably grasping fragile objects and threading a needle. Their research provided new insight into tactile sensor design and could … [Read more...] about Novel soft tactile sensor with skin-comparable characteristics for robots

The era of widespread remote learning brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic requires online testing methods that effectively prevent cheating, especially in the form of collusion among students. With concerns about cheating on the rise across the country, a solution that also maintains student privacy is particularly valuable. In research published today in npj Science of … [Read more...] about In era of online learning, new testing method aims to reduce cheating: New method proven effective in reducing collusion among students

The Governance Lab (The GovLab) at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering released a report, "The Power of Virtual Communities," which examines the role online groups play in creating opportunities for people to build new kinds of meaningful communities they often could not form in real space. This first-of-its-kind research was built on interviews with 50 Facebook community … [Read more...] about Impact of online communities

Researchers have developed a data transfer system that can transmit information 10 times faster than a USB. The new link pairs high-frequency silicon chips with a polymer cable as thin a strand of hair. The system may one day boost energy efficiency in data centers and lighten the loads of electronics-rich spacecraft. The research was presented at this month's IEEE … [Read more...] about Data transfer system connects silicon chips with a hair’s-width cable: The advance could improve energy efficiency of data centers and lighten the load for electronics-rich vehicles

Baby mice might be small, but they're tough, too. For their first seven days of life, they have the special ability to regenerate damaged heart tissue. Humans, on the other hand, aren't so lucky: any heart injuries we suffer could lead to permanent damage. But what if we could learn to repair our hearts, just like baby mice? A team of researchers led by UNSW Sydney have … [Read more...] about Baby mice have a skill that humans want, and this microchip might help us learn it

Babies whose births were depicted in Bollywood films from the 1950s and 60s were more often than not boys; in today's films, boy and girl newborns are about evenly split. In the 50s and 60s, dowries were socially acceptable; today, not so much. And Bollywood's conception of beauty has remained consistent through the years: beautiful women have fair skin. Fans and critics of … [Read more...] about AI identifies social bias trends in Bollywood, Hollywood movies

Computer training applied in addition to psychotherapy can potentially help reduce the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These are the results found by researchers from Ruhr-Universität Bochum and their collaborating partners in a randomised controlled clinical trial with 80 patients with PTSD. With the computerised training, the patients learned to appraise … [Read more...] about Computer training to reduce trauma symptoms

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have found a new way to harness properties of light waves that can radically increase the amount of data they carry. They demonstrated the emission of discrete twisting laser beams from antennas made up of concentric rings roughly equal to the diameter of a human hair, small enough to be placed on computer chips. The new … [Read more...] about Light unbound: Data limits could vanish with new optical antennas: New research throws wide open the amount of information that can be simultaneously transmitted by a single light source