Research
http://www.newamerica.net/Download_Docs/pdfs/Pub_File_1250_1.pdf
The recent explosion of wireless Internet technologies was brought about by tapping unlicensed portions of the frequency spectrum. This paper from The New America Foundation, published in June 2003, focuses on the success of Wi-Fi and argues for better utilization of the spectrum to enable more widespread access to broadband Internet. The potential exists for wireless hot spots that span square kilometers, according to the authors. A number of short case studies are included as examples of areas that are effectively using technologies to establish wireless connectivity. The New America Foundation homepage has many other publications and resources available. [CL]
http://www.music.mcgill.ca/musictech/nime/onlineproceedings/TOC.html
The second international conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME) was held in May 2003. Full proceedings from the event are provided online at this site and are free for general viewing. The collection of technical reports and research papers comprises a diverse array of topics, such as computer music, high-tech instrument prototypes, and even robotic musicians. One paper outlines a novel digital disk jockey interface, while another proposes a system for controlling audio effects with gesture recognition and head tracking technologies. Of the nearly 50 papers submitted to the conference, most come from various international universities and institutions. [CL]
http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~pebbles/
The Pebbles Project at Carnegie Mellon University is working to create new technologies and applications for personal digital assistants (PDAs). Many avenues of investigation are being explored, including networking and synchronizing multiple PDAs, using handheld devices in classrooms and in conjunction with a fixed computer, and integrating assistant technologies into handheld devices for people with disabilities. The project's homepage has many conference papers and technical reports available for download, as well as streaming video of an hour and a half talk on Mobile Devices for Control presented by the project leader. Software developed by members of the Pebbles project is also provided. [CL]
http://www.wise-intern.org/research.html
"The Journal of Engineering and Public Policy is an electronic compendium of research papers prepared by engineering students participating in the annual Washington Internships for Students of Engineering (WISE)." Papers are currently available for the first six years of the program, and those for 2003 will be available later in the fall. A continuing theme studied by many of the WISE students is homeland security, ranging from critical infrastructure protection to computer and Internet security. Other topics include communications, transportation, engineering policy, and more. [CL]
The Internet Domain Survey is published on a biannual basis and has been conducted since 1987. Sponsored by the Internet Software Consortium, the survey "attempts to discover every host on the Internet by doing a complete search of the Domain Name System." In doing so, it serves as a key indicator of the growth of the Internet. This Web site provides results from each iteration of the survey. Additionally, the general methodology used to conduct the domain name search is explained. The number of hosts representing each domain (e.g. .com, .net, etc.) is also included. [CL]
http://www.research.ibm.com/compsci/spotlight/
The Research Spotlight is a service of IBM's Computer Science Division, offering an insider's perspective into some of the most cutting-edge work being conducted in the company's laboratories. Each month, a particular field of study is recognized in the Spotlight. Past focuses have included e-Commerce, artificial intelligence, multimedia, and many more. Upon exploring the Research Spotlight, users will find in-depth discussions of several relevant projects, links to additional information, and occasionally a few technical reports. Most months have multiple areas of research featured. [CL]
http://www.ptc.psu.edu/pdfs/Progressive%20collapse%20paper.pdf
The Protective Technology Center (PTC) at Pennsylvania State University conducts research and development "aimed at protection against blast, shock, and impact effects." This paper, presented in May 2003 at the International Symposium of Interaction of Munitions Effects with Structures, was written by two PTC researchers to document their work on an algorithm for simulating the progressive collapse of a building. The algorithm incorporates certain parameters that are often left out of similar simulations. The authors describe how these parameters are modeled in their algorithm and show how it could be used to achieve better simulation results. Many other PTC publications, including others presented at the symposium, can be downloaded from the center's homepage. [CL]
http://www.math.uga.edu/~abrams/research/papers/reconfig.pdf
An active area of research within robotics is the development of reconfigurable, or metamorphic, robots. These robots are composed of many small robotic cells that can disconnect and reconnect to form specialized physical organizations for different tasks. This paper proposes "a mathematical framework for defining and analyzing general metamorphic robots." The basis for the work is to create a model that defines an efficient way for the robot to reconfigure itself, based upon the state in which it starts and its desired final state. An algorithm to accomplish this task is presented, and its benefits and limitations are discussed. [CL]
