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Faster optimization

Researchers have developed a new cutting-plane algorithm that improves upon existing methods, offering huge efficiency gains for specific optimization problems. The algorithm has been applied to various types of problems, including submodular minimization and semidefinite programming, resulting in significant speedups.

Programming and prejudice

A team of computer scientists from University of Utah discovered a way to find bias in algorithms used for hiring decisions and loan approvals. They developed a technique to determine if such software programs discriminate unintentionally, revealing potential issues with disparate impact. The researchers also found a method to fix thes...

Stanford team's brain-controlled prosthesis nearly as good as one-finger typing

A team led by Stanford electrical engineer Krishna Shenoy has developed a technique to make brain-controlled prostheses more precise, enabling people with spinal cord injuries to tap out commands with greater accuracy. The new approach continuously corrects brain readings to give users a more natural way to interact with devices.

SourceStanford University School of Engineering·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 30, 2015

Intelligent big multimedia databases

The book explores how hierarchical organization, wavelet transformation, subspace trees, and deep learning can overcome the curse of dimensionality to develop efficient big multimedia databases. It introduces essential statistical supervised machine learning algorithms for information retrieval.

Helping students stick with MOOCs

Researchers developed a dropout-prediction model that uses data from one course offering to predict stopout in the next. The model achieved fairly accurate predictions and showed promise, particularly when incorporating additional variables like weekend study habits. Ongoing work aims to refine the model for improved accuracy.

A fuse of cardiovascular diseases

Researchers at Hiroshima University found a correlation between telomere G-tail length and endothelial dysfunction, as well as stroke and dementia, in patients with chronic cerebrovascular disease. The study suggests that telomere G-tail length may be a useful biomarker for predicting cardiovascular risk.

SourceHiroshima University·JournalEBioMedicine·DateJun 22, 2015

INFORMS journal: Microsoft algorithm improves directions in large networks for Bing Maps

A new algorithm developed by Microsoft researchers has improved route planning capabilities for Bing Maps, providing faster processing and more accurate information on lengthy trips. The Customizable Route Planning (CRP) engine also offers more reliable alternate routes and better estimates of time needed for turns and traffic snarls.

Memory and the hippocampus

A new study by Douglas Mental Health University Institute researchers suggests that the shape of the hippocampus, not its size, is linked to improved memory function. The research, published in Human Brain Mapping, found that individuals with a broader hippocampus tend to perform better on memory tests than those with a smaller one.

SourceDouglas Mental Health University Institute·JournalHuman Brain Mapping·DateMay 13, 2015

Combining computer vision and brain computer interface for faster mine detection

Computer scientists developed a new method combining computer vision algorithms and brain-computer interface to detect mines in sonar images, outperforming existing methods. The system uses classifiers to capture changes in pixel intensity and improves accuracy by detecting 99.5% of true positives and reducing false positives.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalIEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering·DateMay 4, 2015

Fighting the next generation of cyberattacks

A team of US computer scientists are working on an analyzer that can hunt down algorithmic attacks, a new form of vulnerability that is nearly impossible to find with today's technology. The software will perform a mathematical simulation of the software to predict what will happen in the event of an attack.

Protecting nature on the fly

Scientists have developed a new method to monitor Europe's nature protection areas by analyzing reflected light signals from laser pulses. The technique allows for the identification of different types of vegetation, including weeds and vehicle tracks, and provides detailed 3D maps of the landscape.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalRemote Sensing·DateApr 14, 2015

Better debugger

Researchers at MIT's CSAIL have developed a new algorithm, DIODE, to detect integer-overflow bugs in programs. The system works by feeding a single sample input and recording each operation performed on it, allowing it to identify potential security vulnerabilities.

Smarter multicore chips

Researchers at MIT developed a system that cleverly distributes data around multicore chips' memory banks, improving execution times by 18 percent on average while increasing energy efficiency. In simulations involving a 64-core chip, the system increased computational speeds by 46 percent while reducing power consumption by 36 percent.

Building trustworthy big data algorithms

A new algorithm, TopicMapping, has been developed to improve the accuracy and reproducibility of big data text analysis. By using a network approach, the algorithm separates unstructured text into topics with high accuracy and reproducibility. The results show that existing algorithms, such as LDA, are not reliable for complex datasets.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalPhysical Review X·DateJan 29, 2015

Vision system for household robots

Researchers at MIT develop an algorithm that allows household robots to recognize four times as many objects as traditional methods, reducing misidentifications. The new approach uses a representative sampling technique, sampling hypotheses across successive images, and evaluating them more efficiently.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalThe International Journal of Robotics Research·DateJan 12, 2015

Harnessing error-prone chips

Researchers at MIT have developed a new system, Chisel, that enables programmers to prioritize energy savings over computational accuracy in certain applications. The system uses a tool to help programmers evaluate the acceptable level of error and automatically assigns instructions to unreliable hardware components.

Where is that spacecraft?

The Gauss von Mises (GVM) distribution offers improved predictive capabilities for tracking infrequently-observed space objects. This new approach allows for more accurate prediction of satellite and debris locations, enabling better resource allocation and detection of potential collisions.

SourceSociety for Industrial and Applied Mathematics·JournalSIAM/ASA Journal on Uncertainty Quantification·DateSep 22, 2014

Where to grab space debris

MIT researchers developed an algorithm to gauge space debris rotation using visual information, achieving high accuracy in most measures. The algorithm's probabilistic approach and Gaussian distribution modeling enable efficient collection of space trash, including thousands of broken satellites.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalJournal of Field Robotics·DateSep 10, 2014