Research
http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nature/journal/v427/n6971/full/nature02236_fs.html
This article in Nature describes a robotic system that uses techniques from artificial intelligence to generate hypotheses and conduct experiments. In the example described, the system is applied in a functional genomic experiment, but the findings are relevant for anyone interested in the ways scientific discovery software can be integrated with laboratory robotics. Supplemental information regarding materials and methods is available from the sidebar. [VF]
This online resource for GIS and geospatial data has compiled data from a wide range of GIS Web sites located on the Internet. Some of the data is free once you set up a user account to be part of the GeoCommunity, with additional data available for a fee using the Premium option. Downloading may require the user to be proficient in GIS and own relevant software. Download options include: Digital Raster Graphic (DRG) Data, USGS Digital elevation Models (DEM), Digital Orthophotos (DOQ/DOQQ), and FEMA Flood Data. Bundles of data available for purchase include: VECTOR MAP (VMap) Level 1, National Wetlands Inventory, TIGER Data & U.S. Census Resources, data by individual states in the U.S. as well as data on countries around the globe. The majority of the datasets are in ARC/INFO E00, SHP, DLG, TIGER, and DEM formats. [VF]
http://www.theaircar.com/howitworks.html
How does a car that boasts "zero pollution" and even "cleans the air it uses" work? This website provides information on the air compression cars developed by Motor Development International. Aside from the general overview of the mechanics of air compression, the FAQ section provides additional information on the air tanks, filter system, body frame, electric system and MDI's business model. A key target for this website seems to be potential buyers and investors. [VF]
http://cm.bell-labs.com/cm/ms/departments/sia/index.html
Statistics research at Bell Labs bridges the dotted line between Mathematical Sciences research and Computer Science research. The labs' work follows in the footsteps of Walter Shewhart and John Tukey "by continuing to focus on data from a host of challenging applications, we are working on new ways to think about, look at, and compute with data." Visitors can learn more about technical research on distributed computing, network traffic analysis, fraud detection and model selection, or read about current projects, which "range from pure methodology to application-driven research." Another section allows visitors to download software to be used for "calculations, plots or any other purpose in a journal article or other published work" as long as appropriate reference is made to the software and author(s). [VF]
Python is often compared to Tcl, Perl, Scheme or Java and runs on many brands of UNIX, on Windows, OS/2, Mac, Amiga, and many other platforms. The most recent version of Python is available for free from this website. Also included are Python 2.3.3 Documentation (released December 19, 2003), the interpreter program that reads Python programs and carries out their instructions, tutorials for non-programmers and programmers, some examples and sample code, information for developers, and links to the programming community user groups. "The Python implementation is copyrighted but freely usable and distributable, even for commercial use."
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http://athome.harvard.edu/dh/sce.html
The Harvard@Home website lets visitors download video footage from research, teaching, and public addresses at Harvard (for more see Scout Report Dec 5, 2003). This 45-minute video features Professors Benedict H. Gross and William A. Stein taking "a modern approach to the ancient mathematical problem of solving cubic equations." A glossary of terms, slide images and audience Q&A are also included. [VF]
http://www.ams.org/dynamic_archive/home-news.html#currentevents2004
The American Mathematical Society has posted talks from an AMS Special Session on Current Events in Mathematics held on Friday, January 9. The talks include The Interior-Point Revolution in Optimization: History, Recent Developments and Lasting Consequences, presented by Margaret Wright; What Is Motivic Integration?, by Thomas C. Hales; It Is Easy to Determine Whether or Not a Given Integer is Prime, by Andrew Granville; and Perelman's Recent Work on the Classification of 3-Manifolds, by John W. Morgan.
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http://www.osti.gov/media/DeepWebVideo.html
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) recognizes the need for "state-of-the-art technologies and services" to support the needs of visitors searching OSTI's "wealth of energy, science, and technology research and development (R&D) information." From this website you can view a video and the corresponding transcript demonstrating this new technology that allows users to search data not accessible by popular search engines. [VF]
