Random Accesses

Ofcom has published a discussion document to explore the potential of a technology that could wirelessly link up different devices and offer enhanced broadband access in rural areas.

The technology works by searching for unoccupied radio waves, called 'white spaces', between TV channels to transmit and receive wireless signals.

Compared with other forms of wireless technology, such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, white-space devices are being designed to use lower frequencies that have traditionally been reserved for TV.

Although at least three years away from commercial production, possible applications include improved mobile-broadband access in rural areas; digital cameras that can automatically transmit photos back to a user's computer as soon as the shutter is operated and the ability to control appliances in the home – such as the oven and central heating – hundreds of miles away.

However, white-space devices must first prove they can operate without interfering with TV broadcasts and other wireless technologies that share these frequencies, such as wireless microphones.

Source: http://www.theengineer.co.uk/Articles/314190/Ofcom+explores+white-space+device.htm?nl=TE_NL&dep=webops&dte=181109

For the first time, physicists have demonstrated the quantum entanglement of three light beams, all of different wavelengths. Entanglement of two light beams of different wavelengths has already been demonstrated, but the researchers explain that going beyond two beams is important since three beams can serve as connections at the nodes of a quantum network.

The team of scientists, from the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, and the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, both in Erlangen, Germany, has published their results in a recent issue of Science Express.

The physicists are working toward the goal of building a quantum information network, in which entangled light beams convey information from one place to another

Source: http://www.physorg.com/news174133022.html

The crew of the classic science-fiction show's Starship Enterprise wore small devices on their chests that they could tap to communicate instantly with their colleagues. Such communications technology is now closer to reality thanks to a Finnish company which this week demonstrated high-tech clothing that can send and receive messages via satellite.

The demonstrator antenna, built by the Patria Aviation Oy company, looks like a simple patch of cloth but is capable of operating in the Iridium and GPS frequency band as part of clothing. The Iridium satellites allow two-way voice and data communication, while GPS provides positional data to the user. Iridium could also relay the position of the user.

According to the firm, the project's main issue was selecting the fabric to use because the material's electrical characteristics had to be measured using a number of techniques. This is not a completely trivial task and different measurement techniques have to be used in order to evaluate the validity of the extracted parameters, such as the systems ability to store electric capacity, what researchers called its dielectric constant. The next goal was to determine the antenna's performance when the wearer was moving around or bending.

Source: http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/45768

Some developers are leveraging undocumented APIs in iPhone OS 3.0 to create "augemented reality" apps for the iPhone. However, Apple has told at least one developer to wait until the 3.1 update, already in beta, before submitting such apps for App Store approval.

The idea behind augmented reality is that a live video view—in this case, taken from the iPhone's camera—can be overlaid with useful additional information. Sometimes these types of augmented reality apps use direction and GPS coordinates, or they might recognize 2D barcodes within view of the camera. One concept demonstrated below uses facial recognition to display links to someone's social networking profiles.
Augmented ID demonstration video

Another such augmented reality app is Nearest Subway from developer Acrossair. Using the iPhone 3GS's GPS and compass hardware, the app can overly information about nearby subway stops. Merely by pointing an iPhone in the intended direction, Nearest Subway overlays small signs indicating the next subway stop in that direction, and what lines pass through.

Source: http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/07/augmented-reality-coming-to-iphone-with-iphone-os-31.ars

Early on the afternoon of April 1, Adam Wilson posted a message to Twitter. But instead of using his hands to type, the University of Wisconsin biomedical engineer used his brain. "USING EEG TO SEND TWEET," he thought.

That message may be a modern equivalent of Alexander Graham Bell's "Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you." Brain-computer interfaces are no longer just a gee-whiz technology, but a platform for researchers interested in immediate real-world applications for people who can think, but can't move.

"We're more interested in the applications," said Justin Williams, head of the University of Wisconsin's Neural Interfaces lab. "How do we actually make these technologies useful for people with disabilities?"

The researchers built upon the BCI2000, a software tool pioneered by Williams and Wadsworth Center neural injury specialist Gerwin Schalk. The software translates thought-induced changes in a scalp's electrical fields to control an on-screen cursor.

The BCI2000 is already used by 120 laboratories worldwide, but its communications applications have been largely restricted to messages appearing on a nearby screen.

Source: http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/04/braintweet.html