Shimmer - Wireless Sensor Platform for Wearable Applications

Shimmer - Wireless Sensor Platform for Wearable Applications: "Shimmer is a small wireless sensor platform that can record and transmit physiological and kinematic data in real-time. Designed as a wearable sensor, Shimmer incorporates wireless ECG, EMG, GSR, Accelerometer, Gyro, PIR, Tilt and Vibration sensors. Shimmer is an extremely extensible platform that enables researchers and industry to be at the leading edge of sensing technology."

'Smart dust' aims to monitor everything - CNN.com

'Smart dust' aims to monitor everything - CNN.com: "The latest news comes from the computer and printing company Hewlett-Packard, which recently announced it's working on a project it calls the 'Central Nervous System for the Earth.' In coming years, the company plans to deploy a trillion sensors all over the planet.
The wireless devices would check to see if ecosystems are healthy, detect earthquakes more rapidly, predict traffic patterns and monitor energy use. The idea is that accidents could be prevented and energy could be saved if people knew more about the world in real time, instead of when workers check on these issues only occasionally.
HP will take its first step toward this goal in about two years, said Pete Hartwell, a senior researcher at HP Labs in Palo Alto. The company has made plans with Royal Dutch Shell to install 1 million matchbook-size monitors to aid in oil exploration by measuring rock vibrations and movement, he said. Those sensors, which already have been developed, will cover a 6-square-mile area."

Comparison of statistical packages - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Comparison of statistical packages - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Analytics and Business Intelligence workers are the new "knowledge worker". This is a list of available tools.

Ants vs. Worms: Computer security mimics nature

Ants vs. Worms: Computer security mimics nature: "In the never-ending battle to protect computer networks from intruders, security experts are deploying a new defense modeled after one of nature’s hardiest creatures — the ant. Unlike traditional security devices, which are static, these digital ants wander through computer networks looking for threats, such as computer worms — self-replicating programs designed to steal information or facilitate unauthorized use of machines. When a digital ant detects a threat, it doesn’t take long for an army of ants to converge at that location, drawing the attention of human operators who step in to investigate.
The concept, called “swarm intelligence,” promises to transform cyber security because it adapts readily to changing threats.
“In nature, we know that ants defend against threats very successfully,” explains Professor of Computer Science Errin Fulp, an expert in security and computer networks. “They can ramp up their defense rapidly, and then resume routine behavior quickly after an intruder has been stopped. We were trying to achieve that same framework in a computer system.”"

Rome Built in a Day with 150,000 Digital Photos

Rome Built in a Day with 150,000 Digital Photos:

"The ancient city of Rome was not built in a day. It took nearly a decade to build the Colosseum, and almost a century to construct St. Peter's Basilica. But now the city, including these landmarks, can be digitized in just a matter of hours. A new computer algorithm developed at the University of Washington uses hundreds of thousands of tourist photos to automatically reconstruct an entire city in about a day.
The tool is the most recent in a series developed at the UW to harness the increasingly large digital photo collections available on photo-sharing Web sites. The digital Rome was built from 150,000 tourist photos tagged with the word 'Rome' or 'Roma' that were downloaded from the popular photo-sharing Web site, Flickr."

This is awesome!

iSniff: Pocket-Size Pollution Sensors Promise Big Improvement in Monitoring Personal Environment: Scientific American

iSniff: Pocket-Size Pollution Sensors Promise Big Improvement in Monitoring Personal Environment: Scientific American: "Once large enough to be mistaken for terrorist bombs, portable air pollution monitors are now being shrunk into smaller and smaller wearable devices that can be easily dispatched for environmental detective work: Is black carbon soot emitted by school buses contributing not just to warming global temperatures, but raising childhood asthma rates, too? These new pocket-size sensors could provide more practical and powerful detection of such potential public health risks."

Nikon announces new Coolpix S1000pj compact camera with built-in projector | Digital Cameras & Camcorders | ZDNet.com

Nikon announces new Coolpix S1000pj compact camera with built-in projector Digital Cameras & Camcorders ZDNet.com: "With new and improved point-and-shoot cameras announced at an ever more rapid pace, there are only so many ways camera makers can differentiate their new products. Well, Nikon has hit upon a pretty unique differentiator for its latest entry into the compact camera wars: Today’s announcement of four new Coolpix cameras includes the world’s first camera with a built-in projector, the Nikon Coolpix S1000pj."

Energy saving: Measure It To Manage It! - Sensors

Energy saving: Measure It To Manage It! - Sensors: "Today energy efficiency is paramount in the minds of most organisations. Yet most organisations have little idea of how they use energy, whether they are efficient, or what are the opportunities for improvement.
Because energy usage often represents a large proportion of an organisation's costs, any improvements in efficiency will benefit both the bottom line and the environment. Despite this fact, many organisations spend a large amount of time minimising equipment purchase costs, but pay little or no attention to the running costs. For equipment that consumes power this is a big mistake! For example, 95% of the costs of a motor may be the energy it consumes, with maintenance accounting for 3% and the motor's price accounting for only 2% of its total lifetime costs."

Aardvark: ask it anything, get an answer in 5 minutes [invites] | The Web Life | ZDNet.com

Aardvark: ask it anything, get an answer in 5 minutes [invites] The Web Life ZDNet.com: "San-Francisco startup Mechanical Zoo is trying to build the ultimate interactive knowledge base. And it’s kind of addicting. Once you get started, you will not want to stop.

To use Aardvark, simply ask it a question. You can interact with it in so many ways too: web, IM, email, you name it. You can even ask questions via Twitter."

A projector that fits in your pocket, remember not to sit on it. | CES 2009 - CNET Blogs

A projector that fits in your pocket, remember not to sit on it. CES 2009 - CNET Blogs: "I'm not certain if this has truly never been accomplished before, but BenQ is claiming that their new GP1 is the world's first LED pocket projector with an integrated USB reader. According to BenQ users will be able to run movies, slides or whatever they want simply by plugging a USB thumb drive in, with no need for a separate PC.
In addition, GP1 users will be able to connect digital cameras, PDAs, iPods, iPhones, Smartphones, gaming consoles and laptops for viewing projected from 10 inches, up to an 80-inch diagonal size and it will project sound through its integrated speaker.
If you're concerned about color accuracy (and really who isn't?), well BenQ seems to think they have you taken care of with a 120 percent NTSC color gamut. According to BenQ this is 40% higher than non-LED projectors.
Connection options include D-Sub (VGA), Composite, and USB inputs, and PC audio output as well as a detachable iPod docking station.
The GP1 will be available March 2009 through at an MSRP of $599."