#QUANTUM: Machine Learning Solves Big-Data"

Self-proclaimed "quantum mechanic" and author of "Programming the Universe," Seth Lloyd, an engineering professor at MIT, has a new theory--quantum machine learning--that applies quantum states to solve big data. He claims to need only a 300 q-bit quantum computer to simulate the entire universe and has a design for a quantum RAM to prove it: R. Colin Johnson @NextGenLog

Seth Llody--the self-proclaimed "quantum mechanic"--recently revealed a patented new method of solving big data called quantum machine learning.
Further Reading

#QUANTUM: "Quantum Entanglement Made Visible"

The founder of the first successful quantum technology company--Nicolas Gisin at ID Quantique--describea the first quantum phenomenon visible to the naked eye (glowing photonic crystals): R. Colin Johnson @NextGenLog

Nicolas Gisin at ID Quantique showed quantum entanglement involving two states visible to the naked eye.
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#QUANTUM: Russian Quantum Center Makes Advances"

The Russian Quantum Center (RQC) recently showed two technology advances: a plug-and-play quantum key distribution (QKD) system using superconducting single-photon detectors. And with another building block that dovetails to the plug-and-play QKD was a new technique for transferring quantum information from single-photons to single-atoms where they can processed by future quantum computers: R. Colin Johnson @NextGenLog

Russian Quantum Center member, Elena Kuznetsova, transfers q-bits from single photons to a single atoms where they can be processed in future quantum computers.
Further Reading

#QUANTUM: "Russia Pioneering Quantum Technologies"

The International Conference on Quantum Technologies (ICQT) featured an all-star cast of international quantum researchers, but the real highlight was the Russian Quantum Center (RQC)--a hands-across-the-water effort to integrate Russian scientists with the mainstream of international technology research into quantum technologies: R. Colin Johnson @NextGenLog

Serguei Kouzmine ia president of the Russian Quantum Center, a hands-across-the-water--effort to integrate Russian scientists into the international research community.
Further Reading

#MEMS: "Sensors Secure Structures"

Resensys secures any structure--such as bridges--with an array of MEMS sensors that transmit the realtime strain and loading of the structure, issuing alarms when there is danger or just when the structure needs maintenance: R. Colin Johnson @NextGenLog

Further Reading

#CHIPS: "Graphene Confirmed as Health Hazard"

Carbon is the wonder material that will increase speeds, decrease power and make mobile electronic devices as lightweight as styrofoam, according to semiconductor futurists. Unfortunately, its nanoscale dimensions also makes it a hazardous material that workers and users must be protected against inhaling. Carbon nanotubes are already on the hazardous materials list, and now Brown University researchers say that graphene--the flattened out planar version of carbon nanotubes--should also be classified a hazardous material: R. Colin Johnson @NextGenLog

Graphene fragment with sharp corner pierces a human cell after which it gets sucked inside where it disrupts the cells internal functions.

Further Reading

#CHIPS: "Intel/SRC Cut Fabricate Cost/Time"

As semiconductor makers progress to smaller scales contamination is becoming an increasingly ever-present problem, necessitating the use of expensive ultra-pure gases to purge systems between each fabrication step. Now the Semiconductor Research Corp. (SRC) together with Intel, which built a test bed, have crated a new "greener" purging technique to solve the problem for SRC member companies (which include Intel, IBM, GlobalFoundries and many more): R. Colin Johnson @NextGenLog

Using its pressure cyclic purge (PCP) technique (see graphic at left) the ultra-pure gases that purge a gas distribution system are greatly conserved.

Further Reading

#MEMS: "SiTime TempFlat Stabilizes Oscillators"

The world's most popular micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) oscillators just got a boost in stability by SiTime's TempFlat technology which extends its reach into the parts-per-billion timing chip market for base stations, small cells, and optical networking: R. Colin Johnson @NextGenLog

Quartz crystals today vary their frequency by temperature as much as 200 parts-per-million (ppm), but TempFlat MEMS technology varies by as little as 20 ppm.

Further Reading

#CHIPS: "Xeon Phi Tower Nixes Noise"

Puget Systems has designed an ultra-quiet tower that can house up to three Xeon Phi coprocessors, along with Xeon E5 main processors, for a 3-teraFLOPS supercomputer that's as quiet as a PC: R. Colin Johnson @NextGenLog

Four USB ports (two 2.0 and two 3.0) give users front panel access to their thumb drives.

Pictured are two Xeon Phi cards (blue), but a third slot above can hold a third Xeon Phi.

Further Reading

#MEMS: "Graphene Beats Silicon for Sensors"

Graphene--the favorite material for next-generation semiconductor designers--will boost the sensitivity of micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensors by 10-times, according to Swedish researchers: R. Colin Johnson @NextGenLog

Graphene membrane (black) boosts suspended pressure sensor (vertical line) by narrowing its thickness by 10-fold, thereby boosting sensitivity by the same amount.

Further Reading

#ENERGY: "Solar Cells Slim-Down at MIT"

Solar panels that measure just millimeters in thickness, compared to inches today, would be possible with new ultra-thin materials being developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): R. Colin Johnson @NextGenLog

MIT's ultra-thin solar cells use just two layers of material, one of which is just a single atom thick, enabling it to make solar cells that are thin, lightweight and robust in harsh environments.

Further Reading

#ROBOTICS: "Rival Shapes Drive Robot Competition"

The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) is sponsoring the construction of several unique search-and-rescue robots for its Robotic Challenge to be held later this year. The finalists in the $2 million contest--to be announced July 11th--come in a variety of styles all aimed at beating the seven teams using DARPA's own Atlas robot made for it by Boston Dynamics: R. Colin Johnson @NextGenLog

NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab is sponsoring the only non-humanoid robot which uses three legs to brace itself while the fourth leg acts like a hand for operating tools.

Further Reading

#ROBOTICS: "Virtual Robotics Challenge Kicks Off @ DARPA"

The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) sponsored Virtual Robotics Challenge (VRC) has just completed its first phase, with the winners so far advancing from the simulation-round to the real-world round this fall: R. Colin Johnson @NextGenLog

The Atlas robot (pictured)from Boston Dynamics will be supplied by DARPA to the winners of the virtual robotics challenge, so they can compete against custom-built robots in the real-world competition in Dec. 2013.

Further Reading

#CHIPS: "Terahertz Graphene Ferroelectrics Debut at MIT"

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has discovered that pure crystalline carbon--graphene--sandwiched between two ferroelectric layers results in devices with built-in memory that operate in the terahertz range, potentially opening the door to next-generation applications: R. Colin Johnson @NextGenLog

Terahertz optical memories made by sandwiching high-mobility graphene between two layers of ferroelectric materials could boost density by 10-times.

Further Reading

#CHIPS: "Xeon Phi Enables World’s Densest Supercomputers"

The world's densest supercomputers were enabled by Intel's 60-core Xeon Phi on its recently announced high-density 5120D coprocessor board. For instance, Silicon Graphics ICE X supercomputer can house two Xeon Phi coprocessors in a single blade slot enabling 172-teraFLOPS per rack: R. Colin Johnson @NextGenLog


Each rack contains 172-teraFLOPS of power, here enabling a 3.4-petaFLOP supercomputer to fit in 20 rack cabinets.Further Reading