ScienceDaily: Computers & Math News

Strength in numbers: First-ever quantum device that detects and corrects its own errors Posted: 04 Mar 2015 12:26 PM PST When scientists develop a full quantum computer, the world of computing will undergo a revolution of sophistication, speed and energy efficiency that will make even our beefiest conventional machines seem like Stone Age clunkers by comparison.

Taking madness out of March Madness Posted: 04 Mar 2015 09:40 AM PST A business professor takes the madness out of the month with his "Dance Card" Method for determining NCAA March Madness brackets, also known as "bracketology."

Energy-generating cloth could replace batteries in wearable devices Posted: 04 Mar 2015 08:03 AM PST From light-up shoes to smart watches, wearable electronics are gaining traction among consumers, but these gadgets' versatility is still held back by the stiff, short-lived batteries that are required. These limitations, however, could soon be overcome. Scientists report the first durable, flexible cloth that harnesses human motion to generate energy. It can also self-charge batteries or supercapacitors without an external power source and make new commercial and medical applications possible.

Pennies reveal new insights on nature of randomness Posted: 04 Mar 2015 07:45 AM PST Researchers have developed an algorithm that creates truly disordered packings of pennies for the first time.

Twitter helps smokers kick the habit, study finds Posted: 04 Mar 2015 07:45 AM PST When subjects in a smoking cessation program tweet each other regularly, they're more successful at kicking the habit, according to a study. Specifically, daily 'automessages' that encourage and direct the social media exchanges may be more effective than traditional social media interventions for quitting smoking.

Kids and robots learn to write together Posted: 04 Mar 2015 07:45 AM PST Who is the teacher: the student or the machine? By showing a robot how to write letters, children improve their writing skills and gain self-confidence.

How big data can be used to understand major events Posted: 04 Mar 2015 07:43 AM PST With the most unpredictable UK general election looming in modern times, how can big data be used to understand how elections are covered by the media? New research has for the first time analyzed over 130,000 online news articles to find out how the 2012 US presidential election played out in the media.

Simulating the potential spread of measles Posted: 04 Mar 2015 07:41 AM PST To help the public better understand how measles can spread, a team of infectious disease computer modelers has launched a free, mobile-friendly tool that lets users simulate measles outbreaks in cities across the country.

Genetic data can help predict how pine forests will cope with climate change Posted: 04 Mar 2015 07:41 AM PST Data from only a small number of gene variants can predict which maritime pine trees are most vulnerable to climate change, scientists report. The results will improve computer models designed to forecast where forests will grow as the climate changes, and promises to help forestry managers decide where to focus reforestation efforts. The results will also guide the choice of tree stocks.

Twitter chatter predicts health insurance marketplace enrollment Posted: 04 Mar 2015 07:40 AM PST An increase in Twitter sentiment (the positivity or negativity of tweets) is associated with an increase in state-level enrollment in the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) health insurance marketplaces — a phenomenon that points to use of the social media platform as a real-time gauge of public opinion and provides a way for marketplaces to quickly identify enrollment changes and emerging issues.

Flexible sensors turn skin into a touch-sensitive interaction space for mobile devices Posted: 04 Mar 2015 04:52 AM PST If a mobile phone rings during a meeting, its owner often has to dig it out before it can be muted. A more discreet method would be to decline the incoming call by pressing on one of your fingers. Computer scientists are studying the potential use of the human body as a touch sensitive surface for controlling mobile devices. They have developed flexible silicone rubber stickers with pressure-sensitive sensors that fit snugly to the skin. By operating these touch input stickers, users can use their own body to control mobile devices. Because of the flexible material used, the sensors can be manufactured in a variety of shapes, sizes and personalized designs.

Robots for stroke rehabilitation Posted: 04 Mar 2015 04:52 AM PST A prototype of a robotic glove has been developed which stroke suffers can use in their own home to support rehabilitation and personal independence in receiving therapies. At the chronic stages of stroke, patients are not likely to be receiving treatment but they continue to live with some impairments -- the glove's goal is to provide therapies to target these impairments.