Applied Physics

In old movies we were going to improve society by making everything think like a computer. Now the goal is to make computers think like brains. Researchers at Missouri University of Science and Technology say they can make power network management more efficient by literally tapping brain cells grown on networks of electrodes. The Missouri S&T group, working with researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology, plans to use the brain power to develop a new method for tracking and managing the constantly changing levels of power supply and demand. Led by Dr. Ganesh Kumar Venayagamoorthy…

Researchers are looking to increase security at border controls by developing a computer system that can detect guilt. Obviously a successful prototype could be used in multiple other applications, like police interrogations and interview scenarios. “Who knows - it could even be used to enhance our real-time computer gaming experiences,” says Dr Hassan Ugail, Head of Visual Computing Research at the University of Bradford’s School of Informatics. Ugail is part of a team working on a £500,000 project to develop technologies that would assist the border control agencies in identifying people…

HORSHAM, Pennsylvania, October 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Astea International Inc. (Nasdaq: ATEA), the leader in service lifecycle management and mobility solutions, today announced that it has signed a partner agreement with Larsen & Toubro Infotech Ltd, a leading global IT services and solutions provider and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the USD 7 billion global technology, engineering, manufacturing and construction conglomerate Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T). The partnership combines L&T Infotech's deep IT services expertise and system integration experience with Astea's global…

PARIS, October 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Valeo announced today that it has created a joint venture with the Anand Group for the production of lighting systems in India. The new company, called Valeo Lighting Systems India Private Limited, will be majority-owned by Valeo. Located in Chennai, the joint venture will develop, produce and sell Valeo Lighting Systems products, including headlamps, rear lamps and fog lamps, for automakers serving the fast-growing Indian market. Valeo has been present in India since 1997, when it created two joint ventures for the production of clutches and clutch facings…

A team of Yale scientists has found that certain countries and some U.S. states stand to benefit from the use of compact fluorescent lighting more than others in the fight against global warming. Some places may even produce more mercury emissions by switching from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent lighting. Estonia, which relies heavily on coal-powered energy generation, tops the list as the country that would see the greatest reduction in mercury emissions for every incandescent bulb it replaces with a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL). However, given its similar reliance…

ZURICH, Switzerland, October 1 /PRNewswire/ -- - Combined Capabilities Deliver a Winning Formula Swiss-based Bühler, a global leader in food and chemical processing technology, has chosen the recently announced alliance of Swisscom and Verizon Business to deliver a new local-to-global data communications infrastructure. Swisscom will deliver advanced multiprotocol label switching (MPLS)-based communications across its Swiss network, while Verizon Business will deliver a seamless interconnection to its global IP network. Swisscom and Verizon Business recently established their preferred…

LONDON, October 1 /PRNewswire/ -- - A Live EDGE Energy Efficiency Conference will be Hosted Online on 15 October 2008 Premier Farnell plc (LSE:PFL), the leading multi-channel, high service distributor and its companies (Farnell, Newark, Premier Electronics, Farnell-Newark CPC, and MCM), today announced that design entries are now being accepted at http://www.Live-EDGE.com for the international design competition, Live EDGE - Electronic Design for the Global Environment. The competition invites electronic design engineers, students and hobbyists to design products utilizing electronic…

A gravity model of the Earth constructed with data from GRACE. Credit: University of Texas Center for Space Research and NASA It is all about gravity these days. First came GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) and then we'll have GOCE (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer). I'll reveal the difference right away: GRACE measures time variations while GOCE measures the static gravity field. Both are equally important for a number of societal application and both are hot on the satellite scene this fall. Well, actually amazing science results have come out based…

GAITHERSBURG, Maryland. and BERN, Switzerland, September 30 /PRNewswire/ -- - The high-precision clock in SmartNode(TM) digital VoIP IADs preserves DECT, PBX, and FAX functionality when converting ISDN telephony systems to Voice-over-IP. - SmartNode(TM) VoIP...more than just talk. Patton -- the leader in business-class network access, connectivity, and VoIP equipment -- together with Patton-Inalp Networks AG -- creator of SmartNode(TM) industry-leading VoIP technology -- announces new BRI and PRI VoIP product lines that ensure seamless inter-operation with Digital Enhanced Cordless…

KELSO, Scotland, September 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Plexus Corp. (Nasdaq: PLXS), a global contract manufacturer of electronic products, announces that its Kelso manufacturing facility was recognized in two categories at the recent 2008 UK Best Factory Awards. These awards, organized by Cranfield School of Management in conjunction with Works Management Magazine, reward excellence within the UK manufacturing industry. Plexus Kelso was the winner in the Supply Chain category for its unique supply chain modeling solutions which drive world-class on-time delivery performance. In addition it was highly…