A team of computer scientists and psychologists at the University of California, Berkeley is studying how young children learn to help make computers smarter. The researchers want to know why despite having less memory and processing resources than computers, young children are able to read feelings, learn languages quickly, and solve complex problems. Although computer programs are good at solving straightforward tasks, one of the greatest challenges in artificial intelligence is enabling computer programs to solve problems that involve ambiguous information. The researchers are studying the relationship between a model applied in computer science known as a Bayesian network, or a mathematical web of possibilities, and how children make sense of problems where there are many interrelated factors. The researchers are also studying how other childhood learning behaviors such as testing out hypotheses and assuming that people do things for a reason, can help computer programs solve problems more effectively.

Researchers at Disney Research and Carnegie Mellon University have developed a system known as Touché that applies touchscreen technology to everyday objects. Touchscreens found in items such as smartphones and tablets are coated with a transparent conductor that carries an electrical signal. These gadgets detect the changes in signal that occur when touching the screen, and translate them into user inputs, such opening an application or typing. Typical touchscreens use a binary system and can only detect whether the screen is being touched or it’s not. The Touché system however, can detect a wide range of frequencies, recognizing gestures such as a grasp, a pinch, or a sweep of the hand. This technology can be used to develop doorknobs that unlock when grasped a certain way, a sofa that turns on the TV when someone sits on it, or a smartphone that turns on using only gestures of the body.

Check out this great new video about the exciting field of Biomedical Engineering developed by the IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society (IEEE EMBS).

Structural engineers at the University of California, San Diego conducted a grand-scale experiment to find out how the inside of a structure is impacted when an earthquake strikes. The engineers constructed an 80-foot-high model hospital complete with an elevator, stairs, wiring, heating and air conditioning, electrical, computers, and medical equipment on a massive shake table. The building was equipped with hundreds of cameras and sensors to record what happened inside during a simulated earthquake. In the first tests simulating a 6.7 and 8.8 magnitude quake, the building was placed atop base isolators which can absorb shock and minimize damage. In both tests the building swayed but remained intact, and experienced very little internal damage. In coming days the simulation will be repeated without the isolators, which is anticipated to cause significant damage. The engineers will also start a fire in the building to see how flames and smoke impact a building damaged by an earthquake. This experiment illustrates how technologies such as base isolators can minimize the impact of earthquakes on structures such as hospitals and schools.