SRI International, a research firm in Menlo Park, California, is working with the Defence Department to create a shoe that will convert the mechanical energy of walking into electric power to charge up gadgets, batteries and other devices
An online artificial conversation program named ALICE wins a top prize in the Loebner artificial intelligence contest, in which computers try to convince judges that they’re human
Silicon Valley entrepreneur Steve Kirsch is currently advocating the creation of a voluntary federal database of brain fingerprints, a record of a person’s brain wave activity when shown images with which a terrorist would have a strong personal connection, and correlating these to iris scans
Look out, music pirates: The recording industry wants the right to hack into your computer and delete your stolen MP3s
Charles Darwin could not have known he might one day improve mobile phone communications and help win wars. But a new computer-based genetic algorithm based on Darwin’s ideas about how the fit survive may do just that
A Japanese company has launched the latest in cyber-pets — a robot cat that purrs when stroked
Telstra has refused to respond to rumours within the broadband community that its three-gigabyte data download restriction may be lifted, claiming it hasn’t decided what its future plan will be
At this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair, industry publishers realise that readers aren’t quite ready to toss that paperback, and look to add new technologies
Telecommunications cable network operator Southern Cross Cable Network said there has been a downturn in demand for cable capacity in the wake of 11 September events but that it is well placed versus competitors
David Dunn of Cleveland has become such a powerful warrior in the Internet fantasy game DragonRealms that others would pay thousands of dollars to assume his character, Bloodwrath. But shortly after the 11 September terrorist attacks, a real-world impostor tried to kill him off and steal his online identity. Except, they didn’t
2001 has been a bad year for ISP customers in Australia, who have faced seemingly continuous outages and other service problems. A recent survey reveals the full extent of this situation, as the ISP industry watchdog prepares to bite back
Australian Internet Service Providers are split over the decision to disconnect virus-spreading users that have taken insufficient precautions against malicious attacks
The Australian Department of Defence confirmed its internal and external data network had been struck down by the nimda worm
When cartoon detective Dick Tracy first appeared 70 years ago, his wristwatch communicator was pure fantasy. This week IBM and Citizen announced they would recruit dozens of Dick Tracys on Japanese and US university campuses to trial a wristwatch computer early next year
Inflatable loudspeakers light enough for anyone to shift could mean rock stars’ roadies have had their day. Loudspeakers come in heavy, cumbersome boxes that provide an air enclosure to absorb unwanted vibration and give a fuller sound. But now two companies, SoundTube Entertainment of Park City, Utah, and Ellula Sounds of Loughborough in Leicestershire, UK, reckon an inflatable box will do the job
Telstra BigPond customers were unable to send large attachments since all day Wednesday following another system glitch
Administrators of the troubled Australian etailer E-Store have revealed the company’s debt to a pool of 80-odd creditors amounts to about AU$2 million — the bastards still owe me a copy of Metal Gear Solid
StarOffice has the interface familiarity and file format compatibility that will enable it to peacefully coexist with Microsoft Office. And its cross-platform support and ingenious use of XML will pay dividends in future, more wide-scale deployments
Biometric-enabled ATMs could be doling out cash to Australian bank customers within a year following the launch of technology that promises to reduce the expense of converting existing ATM security infrastructure
While military forces are engaged in a war of weapons in Afghanistan, frustrated civilians on both sides of the conflict are waging a war of words online. Discussion boards and chat rooms across the Internet have become a battleground for pro- and anti-American Web surfers locked in well-reasoned debates as well as vicious clashes in which vitriol-fueled tirades are the weapons of choice
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