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Better than barcodes

The new technology uses small electric crystal chips that can be embedded into products and read by electromagnetic scanners, providing unique identification for individual items. The tags can be used for tracking, inventory management, and logistical tasks, offering possibilities such as checkout-free shopping.

What do women in IT want?

A study by Dr. Eileen Trauth found that women in IT face unique challenges depending on their cultural background, family support, and personal experiences. The researcher suggests that respecting individual differences and providing tailored encouragement can help women resist social shaping and succeed in the field.

SourcePenn State·JournalInformation Technology and People·DateJun 28, 2002

Working in Britain in 2000

A survey of nearly 2,500 employed people in Britain found that employees express declining loyalty to their organisations, working harder and longer. However, a growing proportion of the workforce needs advanced information technology skills, with most occupational groups indicating these skills are essential for their work.

Technophobes may be right after all

Recent research in social informatics reveals that information and communication technologies often have unintended outcomes, such as harming group communications and exacerbating social differences. The studies highlighted the need for frameworks to expose value conflicts embedded in ICT design, but these are not widely practiced.

SourcePenn State·JournalAnnual Review of Information Science and Technology·DateMar 14, 2002

Finding a face in a crowd

The FaceIt face recognition system uses local feature analysis to capture tiny components of the face, allowing it to recognize faces even when only a portion is visible. It can track up to 10 faces simultaneously and search for matches against a database at a rate of 60 million/minute.

E-commerce to cause major shake-up of world transport

Global e-commerce growth is expected to significantly impact the transport industry, leading to a 50-100% increase in intercity freight trips and air travel by 2005. This shift is driven by increasing customer expectations for 'right now' deliveries and the need for more flexible, fragmented, and on-demand transport services.

The Knowledge Wall

The Knowledge Wall is an ONR-funded concept using commercial technology to display relevant data on a single wall. It was installed onboard the USS CORONADO, addressing issues faced by naval decision-makers.

Office Of Technology Policy And The Japan Documentation Center To Host International Conference On Japanese Information

The US Congress's Office of Technology Policy and the Japan Documentation Center co-hosted a conference on access to Japanese scientific, technical, and business information. The event explored the impact of the Internet on access issues and featured presentations from leading experts in the field.