Computer scientists have discovered some creative strategies to help neural networks fulfill their potential in pattern recognition and artificial intelligence. Machine vision is his near-term goal, but the real prize could be insight into the human brain. Full story (PDF)
A personal library that fits in your pocket—it will soon exist, if Michael Hart gets his way. Hart heads Project Gutenberg (PG), the Internet’s oldest digital library. On 4 July 2006, PG turned 35. Digital libraries in academia and commercial publishing are coming of age right along with it, driven by the latest technology. But to Hart and others involved in digital libraries, the technology is the least interesting part of the story. Full story (PDF)
A search engine that sorts through 3D images of manufacturing parts could give users an edge in today’s economy. Ultimately, it could aid other 3D tasks, from surgery to drug discovery. Full story (PDF)
A study of vortices may lead to ultra-maneuverable craft that can navigate beneath the ice, or even inside the human body. Full story (PDF)
A computer model developed by the United States Geological Survey is forecasting urban development — and helping to settle the question of whether the fictional Sprawl of William Gibson’s Neuromancer could ever truly exist. Full story (PDF)
For the first time in 11,000 years, the fearsome saber-toothed tiger’s canines will tear into fresh meat—if scientists at the University of Buffalo get their way. Full story (PDF)