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Scientists build first Memristor: Missing fourth electronic circuit element

In an exciting breakthrough, scientists from HP Labs have built working prototypes of a new electronic circuit component called a ‘Memristor’. The device may lead to instant-on PC’s and analog computers that act in the same way a human brain does.

Until recently the Memristor had only been described using mathematical equations written back in 1971 by engineering student Leon Chua. Although Chua knew this circuit element should exist, he was unable to come up with a physical manifestation of the component.

“Thirty-seven years later, a group of scientists from HP Labs has finally built real working memristors, thus adding a fourth basic circuit element to electrical circuit theory, one that will join the three better-known ones: the capacitor, resistor and the inductor.”

The researchers believe this discovery may be integral in the production of Instant-on PC’s and more energy efficient computers and even computers that act in the same way as the human brain.

See the full story at the website link below.

Website: Memristor

USB Cooling Fan

Video: Metacafe


Bummer, one of my pleasures when dealing with computer DVD writers and their planned obsolescence, is to take to them with a hammer when they die. Oh well, now I guess I’ll at least pull the motors out of them first… somehow I don’t think that will be quite as satisfying.

Komputer Tutor Infomercial

Komputer Tutor Infomercial Part 1

Video: YouTube

I remember these Komputer Tutor infomercials airing on TV in Australia, I think it was during 1991 that I first saw them. They seemed like they would be just what the average computer user would need to get themselves going in the world of computers.

POST CONTINUES see more of the Komputer Tutor Read more

Bad Day at the office!

Video: YouTube

Hey, I had a look at this footage and I realized there was obviously a common thread. Now I’m not making excuses for their incapacity to deal with their frustration… but I do understand.

ASUS ecobook

Photo: LAPTOPS ARENA

This is a look at what hopefully will be ASUS’s new ecobook. There no indication of specs or price yet but, being a fan of ASUS’s computers, I’m sure it’s performance will be as attractive as it’s looks… makes me almost want to stay with PC, not.

Photo: LAPTOPS ARENA

Website: LAPTOPS ARENA

The Dirty Little Secret of Inkjet Printers

Video: Metacafe

When I saw the footage above, the first thing I said was, hey that’s my printer… the next was, hey that’s what happened to my last printer, and then when I got the dialogue box saying that the whatever is full etc., I thought, what? Pay to fix a printer that cost a couple of hundred bucks?… yeah right, and I did what I always do in such situations… I took a hammer to it; it’s strangely satisfying, and then I said to myself, self, time for a brand change. mmm screwed yet again.

But next time I’ll have a go at fixing it myself… and if that doesn’t work, the hammer will again.

PC Vs Mac

Image: Stumble

When I first looked at this Image, the second thing it reminded me of a previous post… totally unrelated, it was just the comparison between complicated and straightforward.

Well I have made my decision to get a Mac, most likely an Apple MacPro… I’m just waiting until they come with a on board BluRay and I’m going to do a bit more research on where to buy and how I’m going to configure it.

Hey, if any of you Mac fans have got any suggestions please let me know.

HomePlanet Screen Saver

Photo: John Walker’s HomePlanet

John Walker’s HomePlanet is a Microsoft Windows application which calculates the position of the Earth, Sun, Moon, planets, asteroids, comets, and Earth satellites with high accuracy.

A friend who’s a professional Astronomer recommended it to me and gave it quite a rap and now I’m giving it a rap, it’s great, easy to use and has a brilliant help file with a huge amount of great reference material.

I’m about to abandon Windows, I’ve finally had enough so I’m moving to the light side, I’m getting a Mac and my only regret will be losing my much loved HomePlanet (thanks to my friend Sean, and John Walker) and perhaps my Lotus SmartSuite, but particularly my Lotus Organizer.

John Walker is a computer programmer and a co-founder of the computer-aided design software company Autodesk, and a co-author of early versions of AutoCAD… which explains the excellent nature of HomePlanet.

The above photo is in fact a feature known as ‘Sky map’. The sky map shows the sky as it appears at the current time (real or simulated) above the location you’ve selected as the observing site. Stars visible to the naked eye and symbols representing the Sun, Moon (with correct phase), and planets currently above the horizon are shown in their correct positions in the sky. If you’ve selected an asteroid or comet to track from the Object catalogue and it’s currently visible, the symbol representing it will also appear in the sky map. If you’re tracking a satellite and it’s visible from your site, its icon will appear at the correct position in the sky.

John Walker’s real time Screen saver looks very similar to Sky Map, it, like it’s parent software, is brilliant and free, you don’t even have to register them… how great is that.

Website: John Walker’s HomePlanet

Judgment Day moves closer

Photo: Engadget

This is really spooky, I just finished posting my ‘Robots inspired by animals’ when I stumbled on this story with in 5 minutes!

“General Dynamics will build robotic vehicles to conduct surveillance and other security tasks for the Army under a five-year contract that could be worth as much as $40 million.

The semi-autonomous security vehicles are designed to perform a number of surveillance activities without the aid of a human driver, including checking for intruders and monitoring stored ordnance.

The contract calls for General Dynamics Robotic Systems of Westminster, Md., to produce 24 vehicles, spare parts and training and technical services – all part of the Army’s Robotic Mobile Detection and Assessment and Response System.

MDARS diesel-driven vehicles have a payload capacity of 500 pounds. They are equipped with sensors and a real-time obstacle avoidance system, and can operate at speeds up to 20 miles per hour for up to 16 hours without refueling.”

Website: Washington Technology

Robots inspired by animals

Video: Asterpix

Making Robots, a Geeks dream, but what about the question of one small step for man… leading to a giant leap for a Cyberdyne System’s Terminator cyborg assassin, which in real life’s already on the way, in the form of War Robots being developed by various countries in their quest for more efficient killers.

It’s a possibly ironic ‘Real Life’ copying a Hollywood nightmare situation… remember when Sir Mark Oliphant; the Australian designer and builder of ‘the bomb’, told ‘the powers that be’ that nobody was sure if the first atomic bomb would lead to a chain reaction that would destroy the whole world. The politicians, no doubt led on by the military, made the decision to set it off anyway.

Website: Asterpix

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