ScienceDaily: Computers & Math News

New angle on x-ray measurements Posted: 09 Mar 2015 10:51 AM PDT Criminal justice, cosmology and computer manufacturing may not look to have much in common, but these and many other disparate fields all depend on sensitive measurement of X-rays. Scientists have developed a new method to reduce uncertainty in X-ray wavelength measurement that could provide improvements awaited for decades. Accurate measurement of X-ray wavelength depends critically on the ability to measure angles very accurately and with very little margin for error.

Quantum sensor's advantages survive entanglement breakdown Posted: 09 Mar 2015 10:50 AM PDT The extraordinary promise of quantum information processing -- solving problems that classical computers can't, perfectly secure communication -- depends on a phenomenon called "entanglement," in which the physical states of different quantum particles become interrelated. But entanglement is very fragile, and the difficulty of preserving it is a major obstacle to developing practical quantum information systems.

Ultrathin polymer insulators key to low-power soft electronics Posted: 09 Mar 2015 10:50 AM PDT Researchers have developed a high-performance ultrathin polymeric insulator for field-effect transistors. The researchers used vaporized monomers to form polymeric films grown conformally on various surfaces including plastics to produce a versatile insulator that meets a wide range of requirements for next-generation electronic devices.

Online health information -- keep it simple! Posted: 09 Mar 2015 09:42 AM PDT Australian health websites are too difficult for many people to read, a team of researchers suggest. And limited availability of 'easy-to-read' health materials suggests that many Australians may not be benefiting from the convenience of the internet, they say.

Electrons in slow motion Posted: 09 Mar 2015 09:41 AM PDT At the origin of the properties of high-temperature superconductors lies a phenomenon that is too fast to be observed experimentally with conventional methods. Scientists have applied a sophisticated experimental technique, something like a moviola film-editing system, to slow down and analyze the structure of the process, thereby improving knowledge of these materials and bringing their technological applications a step closer.

Bioengineers put human hearts on a chip to aid drug screening Posted: 09 Mar 2015 05:30 AM PDT Researchers have created a 'heart-on-a-chip' that effectively uses human cardiac muscle cells derived from adult stem cells to model how a human heart reacts to cardiovascular medications. The system could one day replace animal models to screen for the safety and efficacy of new drugs.

Online and offline: The changing face of meetings Posted: 09 Mar 2015 05:28 AM PDT In all but the most disconnected places, most of us are connected to our online social networks and contacts information throughout the working day and either side. Moreover, even in face-to-face meetings it is now common for people to check their phones periodically. New research suggests that the online world is now increasingly facilitating new relationships in the offline world.

Strained thumb from texting? Biomechanical simulations show how tablets and smartphones stress joints and muscles Posted: 09 Mar 2015 05:28 AM PDT Spending hours on a computer or sending lots of text messages on a mobile phone can result in a stiff neck and sometimes even a strained thumb. Computer scientists have developed a procedure that simulates in a lifelike manner which muscles and joints are put under particular strain when using IT devices. It also demonstrates the speed and accuracy with which a user can operate a device. The method developed by the researchers uses cameras to capture the motion of a test subject and then projects these movements onto a model of the human body.

2D nitrogenated crystals new potential rival for graphene Posted: 09 Mar 2015 05:26 AM PDT Researchers have, for the first time, developed a simple technique to produce a two-dimensional nitrogen-containing crystal that has the capacity to be a potential rival to graphene and silicon as semi-conductor materials.