INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY

SRC Expands R&D Centers

2009-12-31T01:57:00.000-08:00

The Semiconductor Research Corp. (SRC) has added a new center to its university R&D efforts. The new center, based at the University of California at Berkeley, will devise ''energy-smart'' distributed systems. This new center is the sixth member of the SRC's Focus Center Research Program, a national, multi-university R&D effort. The FCRP is a cooperative initiative among members of the U.S. semiconductor industry and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) designed to expand long-range microelectronics and systems research within U.S. universities. Founded in 1998, FCRP programs have since involved 41 universities, 333 faculty and 1215 doctoral graduate students.

Wireless and Mobile Growth

2009-12-31T01:54:00.000-08:00

Many people searching for tech jobs wonder about the future of wireless and mobile growth and applications. The Strategy Analytics Wireless Network published a report tilted “US Wireless Market Outlook: 2009 Trends.” In this report, it’s predicted that despite an economic downturn, US cellular subscriber growth will continue to increase – which is good news for technology job seekers. In addition, US cellular service revenues will grow at a rate of approximately 3.9%.Since subscription rates are expected to remain intact, the report advises wireless and mobile companies to focus on making postpaid plans attractive to buyers, instead of pushing prepaid products – which yields better results. They also predict that wireless and mobile companies will position themselves for value, instead of undercutting the competition’s pricing.New Area of Growth for Wireless and MobileAccording to a report by iGR, children between the ages of 5 and 9 are the newest growth segment in the wireless and mobile market. The study claims that up to 70% of 12-14 year olds already have a cell phone, and the number of 5-9 year olds getting cell phones is growing, which provides growth opportunities for wireless and mobile companies. However, when creating products for this segment, keep in mind that parents are still making the purchase decision – so, you have two customers.Cloud Computing ApplicationsWith on the go professionals using mobile applications at an increasing rate, many new applications are using “cloud computing,” to store data on the web. This allows professionals the ability to connect with employees and co-workers on the go.Boost in Virtual Goods ConsumptionWith the rapid development of wireless and mobile applications, the virtual goods consumption is estimated to reach $6 billion by 2010. Mobile phone applications are expected to drive this, in combination with easy access to online payment methods, like PayPal. This translates to the purchase of more songs, applications, games and online shopping. In addition, better mobile browsers provide consumers an enhanced web experience.Mobile Search Engine OptimizationA final trend for mobile communications is search engine optimization (SEO) and mobile content. Since more people are accessing the web through mobile phones, search engine optimization is more important than ever. Consumers will be searching at a faster pace on their phones, and optimizing your Website will make it more accessible to end users.

Salary Survey: Chinese, Indian Engineers Expand

2009-12-31T01:47:00.000-08:00

Engineers in China and India want more--more money, more societal recognition, higher positions at their employers. And they want to establish their own companies, too, conceivably to compete with their onetime employers. Some of those wishes are already being granted, according to the 2009 EE Times Global Salary & Opinion Survey. Salaries for engineers in China and India have risen strongly over the past five years, at a faster clip than for their counterparts in Europe, Japan and North America. Almost half of the respondents to our survey in China and about 40 percent of those in India said their annual salaries are now much higher or slightly higher than they were five years ago, vs. the 34 percent and 25 percent, respectively, so reporting in Europe and North America.Competition for engineering talent in China and India has stiffened over the past decade as hardware and software companies have accelerated the transfer of manufacturing and design operations from Western locations to lower-cost parts of the globe. Although both China and India are turning out new engineers by the thousands each year, demand for skilled and experienced engineers is so strong that many positions are going unfilled, forcing companies to raid their competitors for talent. Often, companies offer attractive incentives to secure experienced engineers, only to lose them to rivals after a couple of years.Although high-tech employers in China and India have indeed been raising compensation for local employees, many engineers in the two countries still earn considerably less than their counterparts elsewhere, and that salary gulf is driving a wedge between employers and employees. While most of the engineers polled by EE Times seem satisfied with their career choice, many in China and India believe they can do better and do not consider their current compensation packages adequate or equitable with their foreign colleagues' compensation. A disproportionate number of respondents in China (56 percent) and India (61 percent) believe they earn "less than others in the field with the same qualifications and work experience." By comparison, only 44 percent and 34 percent, respectively, of European and North American respondents think they earn less than similarly qualified counterparts.The result of this real or perceived inequality is that many Chinese and Indian engineers are rethinking their choice of engineering as a career. Only 24 percent of the respondents in China and 39 percent in India described themselves as satisfied with their careers and employers--well below the 68 percent each of respondents so reporting in Europe and North America. Consequently, about one-fourth (24 percent) of respondents in China said they were actively exploring opportunities at other companies, and an even greater number (39 percent) expressed the desire to switch careers. Among the Indian engineers polled, 35 percent are seeking a job change, but only 13 percent are considering a career change. Only 5 percent of engineers who took the survey in North America said were pondering a career change. And in Europe, 13 percent are looking for new jobs, but only 7 percent are exploring opportunities outside the industry.The depth of the dissatisfaction among China's engineers could spell trouble for its industry down the road. Only 42 percent of Chinese respondents said they "would recommend engineering to my kids," compared with 74 percent of respondents each in India and North America, 65 percent in Europe and 54 percent in Japan.It's not that employers in China and India aren't trying; the average base salary percentage increases over the past year reported by engineers in China (6 percent) and India (7.9 percent) exceeded those for respondents in Europe, Japan and North America. But employers in the two countries have their work cut out for them if they hope to ensure an adequate pool of qualified workers going forward.Meanwhile, in many cases the surveyed engineers who are paid the least also aspire to scale the corporate ladder the highest. Most of the respondents in China and India said they hoped to ascend through the management ranks, with many aiming for positions as lofty as chief technical officer, entrepreneur, president, CEO or similar top management roles. Almost 30 percent of Indian and 26 percent of Chinese respondents hope to set up their own businesses, compared with 10 percent and 16 percent, respectively, of European and North American engineers.In India, 25 percent of respondents hope to rise to the position of president or CEO, vs. 13 percent in China, 11 percent in Europe and 9 percent in North America. But more Europeans, by far, than any other group--33 percent--aspire to the position of CTO, while 22 percent are looking for promotions to senior engineer and 13 percent seek to become consultants.

Wanted: Moon Engineers

2009-12-31T01:44:00.000-08:00

Engineering students worried about their job prospects and looking to expand their design experience may want to consider a NASA internship program. The assignment? Design a lunar habitat for future astronauts. The space agency announced on Friday (Dec. 4) that is seeking engineering students to help design new technologies that will be needed to establish a manned lunar base. Top candidates will be offered paid internships with NASA's Exploration Technology Development Program. NASA said engineering students should submit a "notice of intent to enter" the internship contest by Dec. 15. See entry details here. Final entries are due by May 15, 2010. NASA's Exploration Technology Development Program explores new technologies that would be used in future human exploration missions. The program also seeks to reduce mission risk and costs. While NASA still lacks that means to return to the moon any time soon, the development program focuses on near-term technologies that could be used with the proposed Orion crew exploration vehicle. It also seeks to identify future technologies needed for possible lunar exploration missions. Among the technologies being explored are energy storage and power systems, non-toxic propulsion along with envrironmental control and life support.

Researcher Cites Medical Opportunities For MEMS

2009-12-31T01:40:00.000-08:00

MEMS and electronic testing are two of many areas where opportunities abound in medical devices today, according to a researcher in the field. Deborah Schenberger, an analyst at Nerac Inc. discussed work in fields such as smart bone implants and testing for cancer and neurological diseases in a talk at the Biomed Device Forum here. MEMS devices such as piezoresistive strain gauges will be put into future hip, knee and spinal disk replacements to monitor their effectiveness and predict failures for the devices implanted in as many as two million patients in the U.S. each year. Some knee implants wear out within ten years, noted Schenberger who also does research in the field at the University of Portland in Oregon. Combination products will use both electronics and drugs or biological elements. For example, some bone implants will use porous ceramics, stem cells, gene therapy or synthetic tissues to encourage natural bone and muscle growth around the implant, she said. Some central nervous systems diseases such as Lupus or Fibromyalgia could benefit from an analysis of electric signals in the brain or the body. "We can't test for that yet, so there is a great opportunity for medical devices that test for some of these diseases," she said. MEMS and nanoscale materials are also being studied for use treating some forms of cancer. Hollow spheres designed to be absorbed by a tumor can be filled with a drug and exited by ultrasound to explode, delivering the drug directly to the tumor. Other studies are developing tiny metallic particles that can be ingested by a tumor than heated by a microwave device. "It's like an internal laser ablation in which you are basically cooking the cancer cells," she said. Schenberger also cited the opportunity to create a low cost automatic external defibrillator that could be used in the home. Such devices are already being used in public places such as airports. "There are thousands of opportunities to make people lives better, and combination [drug and device] products using microelectronics and nanotechnologies

IT Employment Opportunities for Seniors

2009-12-31T01:35:00.000-08:00

Many seniors find the reality of retirement to be much different than they had once imagined. For some, the anticlimax of an endless vacation eventually wears thin, gradually developing into abject boredom.

But for even more, as a result of investment losses due to today’s unstable economy or the failure to save at all, trying to get by on Social Security benefits has been enough to drive them back into the job market in droves. Those not content with low-paying customer service positions are looking to jobs in technology as a viable alternative, citing not only the low impact physical nature of tech jobs but also the profitable salaries for IT professionals as the main appeal.Consulting. For seniors who have already held careers that would automatically pre-qualify them for IT jobs, options exist to return to work as consultants.

This type of work is generally associated with much more lucrative and less demanding work schedules. Instead of returning to work for a specific corporation, a retiree can enjoy the luxury of being employed on a contractual basis. But for those seniors who have never worked an IT job before, options abound to begin an entirely new and exciting chapter of their lives.

Talk to a Recruiter. Technical recruiting agencies exist to match qualified individuals with hiring employers, and you should not automatically exclude yourself from utilizing these services to find gainful employment. Seniors interested in testing the waters prior to leaping headfirst into IT job searches are encouraged to speak to recruiting agencies about their potential career paths. In many instances, professional recruiting firms can help you create a strategy for your desired career goals. Still others offer programs geared at offering the necessary training for certain jobs. At a minimum, a professional recruiting agency is a viable resource for you to receive advice on how to go about preparing for a career in IT.

Get Certified. In the case of many entry-level IT jobs, simple certification is enough to qualify you for employment. IT certification courses can be taken at many junior colleges and trade schools, or by taking part in online distance learning programs.The job market today is ripe with IT employment opportunities for seniors who are willing to step up to the plate and take advantage. If you're concerned about encountering age discrimination, take heart in the fact that many corporations enjoy hiring seniors as a way to express their commitment to diversity in the workplace. Opportunities such as these should never be passed up.

Computer Modeling

2009-12-30T21:57:00.000-08:00

computer simulation

A computer simulation or a computer model is a computer program that attempts to simulate an abstract model of a particular system.

Computer simulations have become a useful part of mathematical modelling of many natural systems in physics, chemistry and biology, human systems in economics, psychology, and social science and in the process of engineering new technology, to gain insight into the operation of those systems.

Traditionally, the formal modeling of systems has been via a mathematical model, which attempts to find analytical solutions to problems which enables the prediction of the behaviour of the system from a set of parameters and initial conditions.

Computer simulations build on, and are a useful adjunct to purely mathematical models in science, technology and entertainment.

The reliability and the trust people put in computer simulations depends on the validity of the simulation model..

Mathematical model

A mathematical model is an abstract model that uses mathematical language to describe the behaviour of a system.

Mathematical models are used particularly in the natural sciences and engineering disciplines (such as physics, biology, and electrical engineering) but also in the social sciences (such as economics, sociology and political science); physicists, engineers, computer scientists, and economists use mathematical models most extensively.

defined a mathematical model as 'a representation of the essential aspects of an existing system (or a system to be constructed) which presents knowledge of that system in usable form'.

Mathematical models can take many forms, including but not limited to dynamical systems, statistical models, differential equations, or game theoretic models.

These and other types of models can overlap, with a given model involving a variety of abstract structures.

There are six basic groups of variables: decision variables, input variables, state variables, exogenous variables, random variables, and output variables.

Since there can be many variables of each type, the variables are generally represented by vectors.

Mathematical modelling problems are often classified into black box or white box models, according to how much a priori information is available of the system.

A black-box model is a system of which there is no a priori information available.

A white-box model (also called glass box or clear box) is a system where all necessary information is available.

Practically all systems are somewhere between the black-box and white-box models, so this concept only works as an intuitive guide for approach.

Usually it is preferable to use as much a priori info

3D computer graphics

3D computer graphics (in contrast to 2D computer graphics) are graphics that utilize a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images.

Such images may be for later display or for real-time viewing.

Despite these differences, 3D computer graphics rely on many of the same algorithms as 2D computer vector graphics in the wire frame model and 2D computer raster graphics in the final rendered display.

In computer graphics software, the distinction between 2D and 3D is occasionally blurred; 2D applications may use 3D techniques to achieve effects such as lighting, and primarily 3D may use 2D rendering techniques.

3D computer graphics are often referred to as 3D models.

Apart from the rendered graphic, the model is contained within the graphical data file.

However, there are differences.

A 3D model is the mathematical representation of any three-dimensional object (either inanimate or living).

A model is not technically a graphic until it is visually displayed.

Due to 3D printing, 3D models are not confined to virtual space.

A model can be displayed visually as a two-dimensional image through a process called 3D rendering, or used in non-graphical computer simulations and calculations..

cyber security standards

2009-12-30T21:47:00.000-08:00

Cyber security standards are security standards which enable organizations to practice safe security techniques in order to minimize the number of successful cyber security attacks.

Security engineering

Security engineering is the field of engineering dealing with the security and integrity of real-world systems.

It is similar to systems engineering in that its motivation is to make a system meet requirements, but with the added dimension of enforcing a security policy.

It has existed as an informal field for centuries, in the fields of locksmithing and security printing. Technological advances, principally in the field of computers, have now allowed the creation of far more complex systems, with new and complex security problems.

Because modern systems cut across many areas of human endeavor, security engineers not only need consider the mathematical and physical properties of systems; they also need to consider attacks on the people who use and form parts of those systems using social engineering attacks.

Secure systems have to resist not only technical attacks, but also coercion, fraud, and deception by confidence tricksters. For this reason it involves aspects of social science, psychology and economics, as well as physics, chemistry and mathematics.

Some of the techniques used, such as fault tree analysis, are derived from safety engineering.

Cyber-bullying

Cyber-bullying (cyberbullying, online bullying) is the use of electronic information and communication devices such as e-mail, instant messaging, text messages, mobile phones, pagers and defamatory websites to bully or otherwise harass an individual or group through personal attacks or other means, and it may constitute a computer crime..

Information and communication technologies in education

2009-12-30T21:43:00.000-08:00

Information and communication technologies in education

Austrilla

In all of Australia, ICT is not a subject until the final two years of schooling, despite similar subjects being available before VCE or equivalent. In Victoria, children start ICT in Prep but are not reported upon until they are in Year 1. They undertake a wide range of activities using technology to learn in all curriculum areas.ICT Curriculum

Norway ICT is a course which students can select for their second year of upper secondary school. From pre-school to Year 10 ICT is interwoven throughout the curriculum as part of the Essential Learning of Communication.

Philippines

Other countries, such as the Philippines, also have ICT as an educational subject in their curriculum.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a subject in education, and a part of the National Curriculum. All students must study Information and Communication Technology to GCSE level.

The ICT programme in the United Kingdom is co-ordinated by Becta. A major initiative was the Curriculum Online scheme, which was closed in 2008 and which was produced to accelerate the uptake of technology amongst schools. Becta took over the running of this scheme from the Department for Education and Skills in 2005. Becta worked closely with the Joint Information Systems Committee to develop strategy.

Students are taught to use software such as office suites, desktop publishers; they are also taught about ICT theory, and how ICT can be used to solve problems. IComputer programmingGCSE level. is not taught at

Students also study the Data Protection Act, the Computer Misuse Act, and other legal and ethical issues related to ICT.

Many schools have specialist school status in technology and, more recently, in maths and computing, and these schools champion the use of ICT to enhance teaching and learning.

Within Scotland and the North East of England a pilot enterprise in education initiative (ICT Youth Challenge) aims to use ICT as a vehicle to encourage creative thinking within the youth demographic. Tapping into the 'unconstrained' minds of the regions young people, the programme simulates the process of taking a new innovative ICT idea through the commercialisation process. The competition is sponsored by Microsoft and BT and hopes to expand its reach throughout the UK.

mobile internet

2009-12-30T21:27:00.000-08:00

The Mobile Web refers to browser-based access to the Internet or web applications using a mobile device connected to a wireless network. Traditional web access in comparison is desktop computer based via a fixed landline connection. The total number of mobile web users grew past the total number of desktop computer based internet users for the first time in 2008.

Mobile Web access today still suffers from interoperability and usability problems. Interoperability issues stem from the platform fragmentation of mobile device devices, mobile operating systems, and browsers. Usability problems are centered around the small physical size of the mobile form factor (limited resolution screens and user input/operating limitations).

Moving forward, the distinction between the Mobile Web and native mobile applications is anticipated to become increasingly blurred, as mobile browsers gain direct access to the hardware of mobile devices (including accelerometers and GPS chips), and the performance of browser based applications improve (speed- and capability-wise). Persistent storage and access to sophisticated User Interface graphics functions may further reduce the need for the development of platform-specific native applications.

Once users are unable to differentiate between native and mobile web applications, at this point the Mobile Web will refer generically to applications and web access from a mobile device.

'Mobile Internet' refers to access to the Internet from a mobile device, such as a smartphone or laptop via integrated capabilities or via an independent device (such as a USB modem or PCMCIA card).

Nowadays USB modems are HSPA (3.5G) modems. Many users "tether" their smartphones to their laptop or personal computer with the wireless device providing access to the Internet via 3G, GPRS or CSD.

The development of standards is one approach being implemented to improve the interoperability, usability, and accessibility issues surrounding mobile web usage.

The W3C Mobile Web Initiative is a new initiative set up by the W3C to develop best practices and technologies relevant to the Mobile Web. The goal of the initiative is to make browsing the Web from mobile devices more reliable and accessible. The main aim is to evolve standards of data formats from Internet providers that are tailored to the specifications of particular mobile devices. The W3C has published guidelines (Best Practices, Best Practices Checker Software Tool) for mobile content, and is actively addressing the problem of device diversity by establishing a technology to support a repository of Device Descriptions.

W3C is also developing a validating scheme to assess the readiness of content for the mobile web, through its mobileOK Scheme, which will help content developers to quickly determine if their content is web-ready. The W3C guidelines and mobile OK approach have not been immune from criticism. This puts the emphasis on Adaptation, which is now seen as the key process in achieving the Ubiquitous Web, when combined with a Device Description Repository.

mTLD, the registry for .mobi, has released a free testing tool called the MobiReady Report to analyze the mobile readiness of website. It does a free page analysis and gives a Mobi Ready score. This report tests the mobile-readiness of the site using industry best practices & standards.

Other standards for the mobile web are being documented and explored for particular applications by interested industry groups, such as the use of the mobile web for the purpose of education and training e.g. Standards for M-Learning Project

The first access to the mobile web was commercially offered in Finland in 1996 on the Nokia Communicator 9000 phone on the Sonera and Radiolinja networks. This was access to the real internet. The first commercial launch of a mobile-specific browser based mobile web service was in 1999 in Japan when i-Mode was launched by NTT DoCoMo.

Evolution of mobile web standards

The Mobile Web primarily utilises lightweight pages written in Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML) or Wireless Markup Language (WML) to deliver content to mobile devices. Many new mobile browsers are moving beyond these limitations by supporting a wider range of Web formats, including variants of HTML commonly found on the desktop Web.

Information and communication technologies

2009-12-30T21:21:00.000-08:00

Information and communication technologies allow users to participate in a rapidly changing world in which work and other activities are increasingly transformed by access to varied and developing technologies. By this definition, you could almost say ICT is technology's version of economic growth, to satisfy the needs and wants of the community over time.ICT is also a very age friendly mechagnmisom.

ICT tools can be used to find, explore, analyze, exchange and present information responsibly and without discrimination. ICT can be employed to give users quick access to ideas and experiences from a wide range of people, communities and cultures.

In recent decades widespread incorporation of ICTs into many tiers of business, political processes and eructuring of the global economy. ICTs have increased international interconnectedness and sped up the process of globalization. They have been instrumental in the information revolution, facilitating the transition from industrial economies, driven by the manufacturing sector, to knowledge economies^[2].

ICTs, in conjunction with globalization and the information revolution, have reshaped the workforce. By increasing the speed of international communication, ICTs have enabled corporations to outsource jobs, both in the manufacturing as well as white collar sectors. While this lowers production costs and, as a result, the cost of goods, it has also had fundamental and often detrimental impacts on labour conditions.

Outsourcing causes geographic fragmentation of commodity chains, in which production of goods occurs in specialized plants in different locations, often traversing international boundaries^[4]. Locations with no or minimal restrictions on wages, compensation and entitlements for workers therefore become economically attractive as sites of production. This can lead to the exploitation of workers in developing countries and undermine the bargaining power of organized labour in developed countries^[5]. Outsourcing causes geographic fragmentation in which production of goods occur in specialist plants, often traversing international boundaries.

Despite the international spread of ICTs, the economic impacts have been geographically uneven. They have exacerbated pre-existing disparities between developed countries, which can afford to produce and consume the latest technologies, and developing countries, which cannot. This gap is known as the digital divide.

ICTs have impacted societies on many levels. They have extended the reach of public administration, leading to a centralization of regional management into urban centres.

They have led to new forms of employment in innovation and production of ICTs and a demand for highly-skilled specialists. However, ICTs have also enabled professionals in certain industries to be replaced by unskilled workers, or even made entirely redundant. Proponents of ICTs portray this as a ‘re-skilling’ of the workforce, while to detractors it is a ‘de-skilling’ process

The diffusion of ICTs within societies is varied, with some institutions and sections of society having greater access to ICTs than others. These divisions are reflected in the content of ICTs. For example the English language, which is understood by only 10% of the worlds population, accounts for approximately 80% of internet content.

Despite these imbalance in power relations, many social justice movements believe ICTs can be used to promote equality and empower marginalized groups. These groups advocate ICTs as a means of providing accessible and affordable information and as a platform for voices that might otherwise go unheard.

ICTs have been identified by many international development institutions as a crucial element in developing the worlds' poorest countries, by integrating them into the global economy and by making global markets more accessible. The World Bank has collaborated with the International Finance Corporation to promote access to ICTs, an initiative which it describes as one of its most successful. In 2006 the United Nations launched an initiative called the Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development.

Information technology

2009-12-30T20:47:00.000-08:00

Information Technology as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), is "the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware. IT deals with the use of electronic computers and computer software to convert, store, protect, process, transmit, and securely retrieve information.

Today, the term information has ballooned to encompass many aspects of computing and technology, and the term has become very recognizable. IT professionals perform a variety of duties that range from installing applications to designing complex computer networks and information databases. A few of the duties that IT professionals perform may include data management, networking, engineering computer hardware, database and software design, as well as the management and administration of entire systems.

When computer and communications technologies are combined, the result is information technology, or "infotech". Information technology is a general term that describes any technology that helps to produce, manipulate, store, communicate, and/or disseminate information. Presumably, when speaking of Information Technology (IT) as a whole, it is noted that the use of computers and information are associated.

In recent days ABET and the ACM have collaborated to form accreditation and curriculum standards for degrees in Information Technology as a distinct field of study separate from both Computer Science and Information Systems. SIGITE is the ACM working group for defining these standards