pgrove2 - Slashdot User

The Mouse Vanishes 292

Posted by kdawson on Tuesday July 13, 2010 @01:12PM from the yesterday-upon-the-stair dept.

countertrolling sends in a clip from Wired that begins "...researchers at MIT have found a method to let users click and scroll exactly the same way they would with a computer mouse, without the device actually being there. Cup your palm, move it around on a table and a cursor on the screen hovers. Tap on the table like you would click a real mouse, and the computer responds. It's one step beyond cordless. It's an invisible mouse. The project, called 'Mouseless,' uses an infrared laser beam and camera to track the movements of the palm and fingers and translate them into computer commands... A working prototype of the Mouseless system costs approximately $20 to build, says Pranav Mistry, who is leading the project."

MIT Researchers Harness Viruses To Split Water 347

Posted by Soulskill on Monday April 12, 2010 @03:29PM from the but-it's-harmless-trust-us dept.

ByronScott writes "A team of researchers at MIT has just announced that they have successfully modified a virus to split apart molecules of water, paving the way for an efficient and non-energy-intensive method of producing hydrogen fuel. 'The team, led by Angela Belcher, the Germeshausen Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and Biological Engineering, engineered a common, harmless bacterial virus called M13 so that it would attract and bind with molecules of a catalyst (the team used iridium oxide) and a biological pigment (zinc porphyrins). The viruses became wire-like devices that could very efficiently split the oxygen from water molecules. Over time, however, the virus-wires would clump together and lose their effectiveness, so the researchers added an extra step: encapsulating them in a microgel matrix, so they maintained their uniform arrangement and kept their stability and efficiency.'"

NASA Tests All-Composite Prototype Crew Module 67

Posted by Soulskill on Tuesday January 26, 2010 @12:25PM from the just-don't-try-to-take-a-slap-shot-with-it dept.

coondoggie writes "With an eye toward building safer, lighter and tougher spacecraft, NASA said today its prototype space crew module made up of composite materials handled tests simulating structural stresses of launch and atmospheric reentry. The idea behind NASA's Composite Crew Module project is to test new structural materials for possible future NASA spacecraft. According to NASA, composite materials are being looked at because they are stiff and lightweight and can be formed into complex shapes that may be more structurally efficient. In space travel, where every additional pound of weight drives costs higher, any weight savings provides increased payload capacity and potentially reduces mission expense."

Comment Re:Ringworld (Score 1) 922

by pgrove2 on Monday January 11, 2010 @06:32PM (#30730074) Attached to: What SciFi Should Get the Reboot Treatment Next?

The concept of the organ banks in Niven's known space collection would make for a real interesting ethical discussion in our current society where we debate stem cell research. Sure, we have seen hints of it in Coma, and The Matrix, and even in the forthcoming vampire movies, but Niven just makes it part of the universe. They can do the CGI on all of those aliens now. Saberhagen's Berserker series would make for a great action movie too!

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