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Georgia Institute of Technology


Study provides new way to classify E. coli bacteria and test for fecal contamination

Researchers identified nine environmental E. coli strains indistinguishable from typical E. coli but potentially not representative of true environmental hazards. The findings suggest the need for a new culture-independent, genome-based coliform test to accurately detect non-hazardous environmental types of E. coli.

SourceGeorgia Institute of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 11, 2011

How can robots get our attention?

A team of researchers has successfully programmed a robot to understand when it gains a human's attention and when it falls short. Using social cues, the robot achieves close to 80% accuracy in detecting whether someone is paying attention or ignoring it. The findings could pave the way for robots to engage with humans more effectively.

Teaching robots to move like humans

Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology found that when robots move in a more human-like fashion, people can better recognize what the robot is doing and mimic it themselves. The study used motion-capture technology to program a robot to perform human movements, resulting in improved human-robot interaction.

Study classifies and uses artificial proteins to analyze protein-protein interfaces

Researchers found that approximately 90% of protein-protein interfaces have close structural neighbors, and most interfaces are roughly planar. The study suggests that the interfaces' structures depend on simple physics principles and are primed for promiscuity, which could help explain biological phenomena and inform drug discovery.

SourceGeorgia Institute of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 15, 2010

Modeling shows that factors beyond crowding affect how molecules interact within cells

Using large-scale computer simulations, researchers at Georgia Tech have identified hydrodynamic interactions as a dominant factor in intracellular diffusion, accounting for much of the reduction in molecular movement. This finding has significant implications for understanding disease states and developing therapeutic drugs.

SourceGeorgia Institute of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 11, 2010