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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

ScienceDaily: Top Technology News

ScienceDaily: Top Technology News


Cassini sheds light on cosmic particle accelerators

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 01:32 PM PST

During a chance encounter with what appears to be an unusually strong blast of solar wind at Saturn, NASA's Cassini spacecraft detected particles being accelerated to ultra-high energies. This is similar to the acceleration that takes place around distant supernovas.

NASA releases radar movie of asteroid 2012 DA14

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 01:30 PM PST

An initial sequence of radar images of asteroid 2012 DA14 was obtained on the night of Feb. 15/16, 2013, by NASA scientists using the 230-foot (70-meter) Deep Space Network antenna at Goldstone, Calif. Each of the 72 frames required 320 seconds of data collection by the Goldstone radar.

That's the way the droplets adhere: First direct views of how drops and bubbles adhere to surfaces -- and how they let go

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 01:12 PM PST

A new technique provides the first direct views of how drops and bubbles adhere to surfaces -- and how they let go.

Theory of crystal formation complete again

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 11:07 AM PST

Exactly how a crystal forms from solution is a problem that has occupied scientists for decades. Researchers are now presenting the missing piece.

Semiconductor 'nano-shish-kebabs' created with potential for 3-D technologies

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 11:05 AM PST

Researchers have developed a new type of nanoscale structure that resembles a "nano-shish-kebab," consisting of multiple two-dimensional nanosheets that appear to be impaled upon a one-dimensional nanowire. But looks can be deceiving, as the nanowire and nanosheets are actually a single, three-dimensional structure consisting of a single, seamless series of germanium sulfide crystals. The structure holds promise for use in the creation of new, three-dimensional technologies.

Radio telescope, GPS use ionosphere to detect nuclear tests

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 11:05 AM PST

Analyzing radio telescope interferometry and GPS data recorded of the ionosphere, scientists are able to detect acoustic-gravity waves from surface and underground nuclear explosions.

Engineering cells for more efficient biofuel production

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:13 AM PST

Yeast research takes a step toward production of alternatives to gasoline.

Quick, efficient chip cleans up common flaws in amateur photographs

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:12 AM PST

Smartphone snapshots could be instantly converted into professional-looking photographs with just the touch of a button, thanks to a new processor chip.

'Simplified' brain lets the iCub robot learn language

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 07:26 AM PST

The iCub humanoid robot will now be able to understand what is being said to it and even anticipate the end of a sentence.

New material interface improves functioning of non-silicon-based electronic devices

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 06:10 AM PST

For the first time, researchers have designed a special material interface that has been shown to add to and to improve the functioning of non-silicon-based electronic devices, such as those used in certain kinds of random access memory. The new method could be used to design improved, more-efficient, multilevel and multifunctional devices, as well as enhanced nanoelectronic components -- such as non-volatile information storage and processing; and spintronic components -- an emerging technology that uses the natural spin of the electron to power devices.

Engineering 'ghost' objects: Breakthrough in scattering illusion

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 06:06 AM PST

Researchers have come out with an optical device to "engineer" ghosts. Their research has opened up a completely new avenue for cognitive deception through light-matter behavior control. This would have wide applications in defense and security. The findings also pave the way for the design of new optical and microwave devices such as those for detection and communication.

FDA approves first retinal implant for adults with rare genetic eye disease

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 08:11 AM PST

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System, the first implanted device to treat adult patients with advanced retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The device, which includes a small video camera, transmitter mounted on a pair of eyeglasses, video processing unit (VPU) and an implanted retinal prosthesis (artificial retina), replaces the function of degenerated cells in the retina (a membrane inside the eye) and may improve a patient's ability to perceive images and movement. The VPU transforms images from the video camera into electronic data that is wirelessly transmitted to the retinal prosthesis.

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