CTS 287.....

CTS 287 is drawing to an end, and I have learned a lot throughout the semester regarding emerging technologies. While at times I found it difficult to find new technologies to post, I enjoyed being able to research my choice of technologies that I found interesting. My absolute favorite assignment was definitely the virtual computing assignment. While I enjoyed the hands-on assignments, this class was a little less structured than any other class I have taken in the past. Not having any question and answer tests was great, because I feel that anyone can memorize the answers, but knowing that I know how to actually do something is more rewarding. Good luck to everyone in the future, and I enjoyed being in the class!

Chip Cooling

As described in an article from Nanowerk News, researchers from Perdue University have created a device that may advance the progress of computer chip cooling. This technology as explained in the article uses "ionic wind engines" that has been demonstrated to boost the cooling rate by 250 percent. This will enable the production of smaller computers, and reduce the amount of heat they produce by an extreme amount. This cooling mechanism will not only be useful in the creation of smaller computers, but all technologies, including cell phones, and televisions. The funding for this new technology is being done by none other than the Intel Corporation. As mechanical engineer Raul Maturana explains, the new cooling mechanism generates electrically charged atoms when electrodes are placed in close proximity of one another. As the article explains, the "ionic wind" is created when the positively charged ions are pulled towards the negatively charged electrodes. This device works in conjuction with a fan, as described in the article. If you would like to learn more, the article is at:

http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=2367.php

Sensing an Earthquake Through a Laptop

As Anna Davison explains in her article titled "Laptops as Earthquake Sensors", a group of Earthquake researchers located in California have found a way to use motion sensors in laptops to predict the next earthquake. As described in Davison's article, the "Quake Catchter Network" is still in the making. This "earthquake network" will have many computers attached to it, and each computer will be able to monitor rumbles or shakes, and report the movements to one central server, which will then send the signal to all computers within the "Earthquake Network". Earthquake seismologist Jesse Lawrence explains that this network is not actually trying to predict an earthquake, but rather gather information quickly enough about particular shaky areas before the quake problem escalates. As noted in the article, the "Quake Catcher Network" software is only available to Macintosh laptops at this time, but plans to make it available for Windows in the future. The motion sensors are connected to the computers via USB, making it easy to install.


The orginal article can be found at:http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/20658/?a=f

Diskeeper 2008

If you are tired of having to spend so much time defragging your computer, Diskeeper technologies has introduced Diskeeper 2008. According to the site, this software is defragging your computer all the time, so you don't have to wait while you are running the defragmenter on windows. As the site explains, your computer will be faster. This software fixes issues concerning fragmentation when they happen, rather than waiting for something to fail.
More information can be found at http://www.diskeeper.com/defrag.asp

"MyEdge Email"

Edgecombe Community college has introduced a new E-mail system that will take over the current "Imail" on July 30th. "MyEdge" is powered by Google, and is said to reduce the amount of spam being sent to student accounts. This is a huge relief for me because I have been getting over a hundred junk e-mails a day on my old Imail account. MyEdge has storage capacity of up to 2GB, whereas the old I-mail has only 50mb. I logged into the new E-mail system and played around with it a little, and I like it. I really like how it has a spam mail section. The thing I like best about MyEdge over Imail is the way it allows you to set up permissions as to what is junk. The old Imail was very time consuming having to create "rules" in order to block junk E-mails.

To get your user ID, you must read the information pertaining to the new system at : http://www.edgecombe.edu/technical_support/myedge_FAQ.htm. Towards the bottom of the page, there is a link that says " What is My User Id"? When you clik on that, you will be prompted to enter your name and student ID. After doing that, you should get a page that tells you what your address is along with your password.

"Windows Live SkyDrive"

Microsoft has introduced a technology that enables users to store their data online. As the Microsoft site explains, you can store up to 5 GB online. You can also share your online files with others, depending on your preferences. To use "Windows Live SkyDrive" just sign into Windows Live with your account and sign up for the service. After that, you can begin uploading your files. As the Microsift website explains,"SkyDrive" allows you to have personal, shared, and public files. Personal files are not shared, and the SkyDrive service does not make these files accessible to other users. Shared files are only visible to the users you specify, and you can control their level of access to your files. Public files allow anyone to view them, but they cannot edit them. The site ensures that your data is secure by using secure socket layers, but I still wouldn't suggest storing really personal data on this.All of the information in this post was gathered from the Microsoft Live Skydrive website at: http://skydrive.live.com/welcomemoreinfo.aspx

Cyborg Insect Spies

What if the next bug in your ear is a spy? The U.S. Military is funding the creation of these insect spies. In an article written by Fiona MacRae at http://tinyurl.com/25zab9, she explains that these insects are implanted with electrodes by wires through their nerves. They will be useful for the government to do their spying.

This isn't exactly new... as Jessica Marshall explains in her article titled "The Cyborg Animal Spies Hatching in the Lab" , José Delgado at Yale University was the creator of the first cyborg animal bck in 1950. Delgado experimented with bulls, even getting in the ring with them, letting them charge, then, with the flip of a switch, the bull stops just before he is about to charge. In 2002, the technology was revisited when The University of New York Health Science Center in Brooklyn created a cyborg rat. According to Marshall, this rat was able to be controlled remotely by humans.

Although this does not seem very moral even on insects in my opinion, I REALLY hope the government never deems this as a way to control unruly humans!


Picture found at:
http://tinyurl.com/25zab9

http://technology.newscientist.com/channel/tech/mg19726461.800-the-cyborg-animal-spies-hatching-in-the-lab.html