Articles in University of Washington News and other periodicals look at the work of University of Washington Computer Science & Engineering professor Raj Rao, who is using machine learning techniques to support the hypothesis that the Indus Script is a written language.
According to the UW News article, “While the Rosetta Stone enabled scholars to translate symbols left by ancient civilizations which helped decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics, symbols left on other ancient artifacts have remained a mystery. The mystery remains… Read more →
“Phoning in Data”
Nature explores the potential of mobile phones. Their role as merely an accessory may be waning. Mobile phones – many of which now have cameras, GPS receivers, accelerometers, and internet access – are now starting to be used to collect data in an increasing number of disciplines. Among the research projects discussed in this article is work by UW CSE’s Gaetano Borriello about mobile phone applications in the developing world.
“‘For those of us working in the developing world, that’s… Read more →
ABC News’ Nightline Visits UW “Genius School”
On April 15, ABC News’ Nightline television program took a look a the UW’s “genius school” for thirteen-year-old gifted students, who enter the University of Washington as fourteen-year-old freshmen after participating in the year-long program. UW CSE student Raymond Zhang, whose parents moved here from New Jersey so that he could participate, is interviewed.
View the 7:40 video here.… Read more →
“Gamers Unravel the Secret Life of Protein”
A really engaging Wired article about Foldit, the protein folding game designed by David Baker, Zoran Popovic, David Salesin, and their collaborators.
“More than 100,000 people have downloaded Foldit since last summer, turning the game into massively multiplayer competition – global online molecular speed origami …
“Baker’s lab is developing targets for cancer, AIDS, and Alzheimer’s, and the folders’ task is to build a small protein drug with the right shape and binding properties. This isn’t just an intellectual… Read more →
Bill Gates, UW Profs Speak at Global Tech Conference in Qatar
Xconomy reports on the major UW presence at the IEEE/ACM International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development, in Qatar.
“Seattle-area researchers, specifically from the UW, made quite a showing at the meeting. Several Microsoft projects were presented too, and Bill Gates showed up to give the keynote talk.”
“‘Technology is naturally mixing with global health as there is much low-hanging fruit where a little tech can make a big difference,’ Gaetano Borriello, a University of Washington computer… Read more →
“Crowd Forms Against an Algorithm”
The New York Times offers a followup to a previous article regarding Amazon.com’s temporary de-listing of more than 50,000 books a week ago.
“‘Whenever something like this happens, people immediately blame it on conspiracy,’ said Ed Lazowska, professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Washington. ‘There are all kinds of ways for things to go wrong that are what I would call unintended consequences of either computer algorithms or human behavior.'”
Unfortunately, however, in typical “he said,… Read more →
“Robots that Take Orders From the Brain”
UW CSE’s Yoky Matsuoka is the Computing Community Consortium’s “Computing Research Highlight of the Week.”
“At the University of Washington, MacArthur ‘genius’ award-winner Yoky Matsuoka is leading an effort to build robotic hands and other devices that will take commands directly from the human brain – and revolutionizing the opportunities for people with disabilities to function more fully.”
See the complete post here.… Read more →
“Harnessing cloud computing for data-intensive research on oceans, galaxies”
The University of Washington has won three recent awards from the National Science Foundation related to cloud computing. Two of the grants will fund projects examining ocean climate simulations and analyzing astronomical images. Both provide tools so researchers can use cloud computing to easily interact with the massive datasets that are becoming more and more common in science. A third grant to the UW provides curriculum and training to teach cloud computing. The awards are to eScience Institute research scientist… Read more →
“Microsoft Live Labs Reorganization, Questioned by Many, is Great for Innovation, says Lazowska”
An Xconomy post describes UW CSE professor Ed Lazowska‘s take on the recent reorganization of Microsoft Live Labs, the organization that (among other things) created Photosynth by combing Seadragon’s streaming technology with UW and Microsoft Research’s PhotoTourism photo navigation technology. See the full post here.… Read more →
Yoshi Kohno and Magda Balazinska Make ‘Five Hot Prospects’ List
When asked by Xconomy to name five young talents in the UW College of Engineering who are shaping the future of information technology, biotechnology, and clean technology, UW Dean of Engineering Matt O’Donnell’s list included UW CSE’s Yoshi Kohno and Magda Balazinska. Yoshi’s cybersecurity research has a number of potential applications, including helping people find stolen laptop computers, and protecting wireless signals given off by implantable medical devices. Magda’s research focuses on the use of the databases for science… Read more →