Computer Technology News

New Technology-AI in hospitals to maintain staff hygiene ENEVA: Scientists have developed a new artificial intelligence system that can track medical staff through cameras and detect whether they maintain proper hand hygeine, an advance that could reduce the risk of hospital- acquired infections. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) conducted a study using a combination of depth cameras and computer-vision algorithms. They tracked people around two hospital wards and automatically identified when they used gel dispensers. "We're trying to shed light on the dark spaces of healthcare. Understanding the problem is just the first step," said Alexandre Alahi from EPFL. In the initial study, researchers collected images from cameras installed overlooking corridors, patient rooms and alcohol-based gel dispensers, among other places. Of the 170 people they recorded entering a patient's room, only 30 people correctly used the gel dispensers. The te

New Technology-Intel's Movidious Myriad X VPU to give devices new AI capabilities Intel on Monday introduced its new Movidius Myriad X vision processing unit (VPU), advancing Intel's end-to-end portfolio of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to deliver more autonomous capabilities across a wide range of product categories, including drones, robotics, smart cameras and virtual reality. Myriad X is world's first system-on-chip (SoC) shipping with a dedicated Neural Compute Engine for accelerating deep learning inferences at the edge. The Neural Compute Engine is an on-chip hardware block specifically designed to run deep neural networks at high speed and low power without compromising accuracy, enabling devices to see, understand and respond to their environments in real time. "With Myriad X, we are redefining what a VPU means when it comes to delivering as much AI and vision compute power possible, all within the unique energy and thermal constraints of modern unt

New Technology-A virtual reality game to help detect Alzheimer's Sea Quest Hero is more than just the usual computer game in which players find their way through mazes, shoot and chase creatures -- it also doubles as scientists' latest tool for studying Alzheimer's disease. The game -- downloadable from Tuesday in its virtual reality version -- seeks to stimulate players' brains through a series of tasks based on memory and orientation skills, while gathering data to research dementia. One of the first symptoms of Alzheimer's is loss of navigational skills. But data comparing cognitive response across a broad spectrum of ages is rare, and this is what the game seeks to provide. The game -- billed as the "largest dementia study in history" -- has been developed by Deutsche Telekom, Alzheimer's Research UK and scientists from University College London and the University of East Anglia. The mobile version, which came out in 2016, has already been downlo

New Technology-Discovered a new method to convert dried tree leaves Scientists have discovered a new method to convert dried tree leaves into a porous carbon material that can be used to produce high-tech electronics. Researchers from Qilu University of Technology in China used a multi-step, yet simple, process to convert phoenix tree leaves into a form that could be incorporated into electrodes as active materials. The dried leaves were first ground into a powder, then heated to 220 degrees Celsius for 12 hours. This produced a powder composed of tiny carbon microspheres. These microspheres were then treated with a solution of potassium hydroxide and heated by increasing the temperature in a series of jumps from 450 to 800 degrees Celsius. The chemical treatment corrodes the surface of the carbon microspheres, making them extremely porous. The final product, a black carbon powder, has a very high surface area due to the presence of many tiny pores that have been chemically etched on

New Technology-robot can follow pedestrian traffic rules Engineers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have designed an autonomous robot that can keep pace with foot traffic while observing the general social codes that pedestrians follow to avoid oncoming obstacles while keeping up a steady walking pace. In drive tests, the robot, which resembles a knee-high kiosk on wheels, successfully avoided collisions while keeping up with the average flow of pedestrians, said the researchers who have detailed their robotic design in a paper scheduled to be presented at the IEEE Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems to be held in Vancouver, Canada, in September. "Socially aware navigation is a central capability for mobile robots operating in environments that require frequent interactions with pedestrians," said lead author of the study Yu Fan (Steven) Chen. "For instance, small robots could operate on sidewalks for package and food delivery. Similarly, persona

New Technology-smartwatch that tracks your every move Scientists have created a new algorithm that enables smartwatches to not only record your exercise session but also detect when you are brushing your teeth or cooking, an advance that will provide a richer and more accurate picture of your daily life. Current smartwatches can recognise a limited number of particular activities, including yoga and running, but these are programmed in advance. The new method, developed by researchers from University of Sussex in the UK, enables the technology to discover activities as they happen, not just simply when exercising, but also when brushing your teeth or cutting vegetables. Traditional models "cluster" together bursts of activity to estimate what a person has been doing, and for how long, researchers said. For example, a series of continuous steps may be clustered into a walk. Where they falter is that they do not account for pauses or interruptions in the activity, and, so, a