Engineering & Technology
Information compression as a unifying principle in human learning, perception, and cognition, and as a foundation for the SP Theory of Intelligence
In an extended programme of research, Dr Gerry Wolff of CognitionResearch.org, with colleagues, has been developing the SP Theory of Intelligence and its realisation in the SP Computer Model – and exploring their potential applications. A unifying principle in this research is that much of human learning, perception, and cognition, may be understood as compression of information. A key development in […]
Bayesian inference for 21st century drug development and approval
Traditional statistical hypothesis testing methods have been the mainstay of global regulatory agencies for decades. Dr Stephen Ruberg of Analytix Thinking, argues that a Bayesian approach, combining current data with prior knowledge, offers advantages over traditional methods. He reasons that these quantifiable probability assertions from Bayesian approaches are much more beneficial to both doctors and patients. Regulators should also find […]
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Justice served? Discrimination in algorithmic risk assessment
Algorithmic risk assessment plays a pivotal part in determining an offender’s future, but it isn’t without its flaws. Dr Melissa Hamilton of the University of Surrey puts these flaws under the spotlight, with particular focus on algorithmic fairness and gender bias in criminal justice decision making. In our burgeoning world of information technology, algorithms are at the heart of modern […]
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Enhancing Wi-Fi communication with effective CSI approximations
We increasingly rely on wireless networks for our everyday lives. Dr Zhenghao Zhang, a Full Professor at Florida State University, and his research team are developing the theory and applications of Channel State Information (CSI), or the status of communication links, in Wi-Fi networks. Their aim: to enable faster, more reliable wireless communications to be used in diverse applications from […]
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Controlling UAV networks in uncertain environments
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) look set to play an increasingly important part in our everyday lives in the coming years, but the technology faces a unique set of challenges before it can become fully integrated into our infrastructures. In her research, Dr Yan Wan at the University of Texas in Arlington considers how these challenges can be addressed; paying particular attention […]
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An integrated toolkit for high-dimensional complex and time series data analysis
Big data can be too large and complex for traditional methods and conventional software packages to deal with. Dr Fang Han, Assistant Professor in Statistics at the University of Washington, Seattle, is meeting this challenge head on. He is creating an integrated statistical toolkit comprising robust statistical procedures, including distribution-free inference and rank-based methods, which can be applied to high-dimensional […]
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Using low-cost sensors and citizen science to examine air quality
Air pollution is often a direct cause of poor health. Although useful, governmental air quality recording sometimes lacks spatial coverage. By harnessing the power of modern day’s ‘digital residents,’ citizen science projects can be easily employed to continuously gather vast quantities of data. Dr Andrew May and colleagues from The Ohio State University are teaming up with teachers and students […]
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The Tommie Science Network: A high-speed network for high-level research
As science research projects increasingly focus on utilising ‘big data’, universities and research centres have needed to upgrade their research networks in order to facilitate the management and sharing of large and unwieldy datasets internally and externally. The University of St. Thomas, Minnesota has recognised this need, and Chief Information Officer and Vice President of Innovation & Technology Services Ed […]
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Architecting 3D integrated circuit fabrics at nanoscale
Dr Csaba Andras Moritz, entrepreneur and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, is developing a new nanoscale 3D integrated circuit technology. This research offers a solution to the current 2D CMOS scaling issues and offers a pathway for building integrated circuits in the future with much higher densities and efficiencies than currently possible. It could […]
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Integer-dimensional fractals of nonlinear dynamics
Fractal dimension was developed as a quantitative measure of complex, irregular objects, essentially because it had been accepted that fractals could not be characterised by integer dimensions. Dr Zonglu He, a Professor of Economics at Kaetsu University, is challenging this basic concept with her novel finding that fractals actually can occur in integer dimensional space-times. Her research demonstrates the consistency of both fractional and […]
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