What is Artificial Intelligence?

This three-dimensional visualization of synapses shows the tomography mail synaptic vesicles (yellow), cell membrane (purple), connectors between vesicles (red), filaments that anchor the vesicles to the cell membrane (blue), microtubule (dark green), material synaptic space (light green) and postsynaptic density (orange). (Photo Credit: Fernández-Busnadiego et al.)

A new technique in electron microscopy has recently made a breakthrough in observing a huge number of filamentous structures within the presynaptic terminal and learning about their significant role in responding to the electrical activity of the brain.

This new technique is called electron cryotomography, by ultra-fast freezing of cells maintained at liquid nitrogen temperatures (below -140 ºC), researchers are able to obtain three-dimensional images of the cells interior and to minimize any changes to their structure.

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry lead by Rubén Fernández-Busnadiego, were able to study about said filaments connecting the vesicles and how these structures can act as barriers that block the free movement of the vesicles, keeping them in their place until the electric impulse arrives, as well as determining the ease with which they will fuse with the membrane.

During laboratory experiments, the "frozen cells" were maintained at liquid nitrogen temperatures and can be physically observed using specially-equipped microscopes.

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Game creation tool for teens

Computer scientists in the United States believe that creating computer games, rather than just playing them could boost students' critical and creative thinking skills as well as broaden their participation in computing.

Researchers Nikunj Dalal, Parth Dalal, Subhash Kak, Pavlo Antonenko, and Susan Stansberry of Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, described in a paper how creating computer game can be an innovative teaching method that could ultimately help bridge and define the digital divide between people lacking computer skills and access and those with them.

This project named Rapid Computer Game Creation (RCGC) came about in response to the "increasing gap between groups that use information and communication technologies widely and those that do not," the team explains, which is rapidly becoming a problem.

This gap is technically known as the digital divide. In addition to what the team said, "digital divide refers not only to unequal access to computing resources between groups of people but also to inequalities in their ability to use information technology fully."

After defining the problem, the team came up with a solution, which was proven using a preliminary survey of this approach. The approach proved largely positive effects of using the method RCGC.

RCGC was proven effective to provide pre-requisite knowledge in computer programming among students, whether schoolchildren or adult learners.

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The first-ever anthropomimetic robot was developed for the main purpose of investigating machine consciousness through internal modeling.

Anthropomimetic is the science of developing bio-medically engineered robot that mimics the physiological and behavioral systems of humans. If humanoids are made to copy the human form, anthropomimetic copies the inner structures and mechanisms such as bones, joints, muscles, and tendons

The first anthropomimetic robot, ECCEROBOT is a three-year project funded by the 7th framework programme of the EU. This project is a spin-off of the CRONOS1 project conducted at the University of Essex.

ECCEROBOT stands for “Embodied Cognition in a Compliantly Engineered Robot”. Interestingly, the robot's anatomy is designed to mimic the human body systems.

The robot's skeleton is a very detailed replicate of the human model, consisting of bones and joints formed out of thermoplastic polymorph (a caprolactone polymer) which when heated to only 60°C it softens and can be freely hand molded several times. It has a distinctive bone-like appearance when cold and can be reheated and remoulded as many times as necessary.

ECCEROBOT's subsystems include the actuator, sensor and the behavioral subsystems.

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A screenshot shows the Crisis in the Air challenge, which puts the student in the position of a co-pilot who needs to assess jet streams, water vapor imagery and computer models while trying to make a decision about an emergency landing. (Credit: Image courtesy of University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Findings from a new study on the use of interactive animations in the college science classroom showed, interactive games supplemented learning helps retain a much better understanding of a scientific concept than those who don't.

Researchers Steve Ackerman, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences and UW-Madison graduate student Tim Wagner conducted the study using an introductory meteorology course to 400 students as a crucible for testing the efficacy of short animations that can show such concepts as tracking hurricanes and ice bergs, heat transfer, and how rain or snow form in the atmosphere and other weather elements.

The animations are small computer programs called applets can be virtually interactive to adjust to real-world variables that may come into play as students learn.

In an assessment test, the students who used the animations showed better mastery of concepts included on the test.

"The students who used the applets performed much better on those questions," said Wagner.

The new findings by Wagner and Ackerman are essential to encourage educational institutions to integrate interactive teaching materials in the science classroom and how teachers and students alike can benefit from such method of teaching.

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airport security measures are strengthened through new intelligent system

An undergoing airport security system project, named HAMLeT, tracks down suspected terrorists-carrying hidden explosives through smell sensors in addition to surveillance cameras.

HAMLeT, which stands for Hazardous Material Localization and Person Tracking, will alert security personnel to suspicious individuals," says head of department Dr. Wolfgang Koch from the FKIE, Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics in Wachtberg.

The prototype was built in response to the increasing number of undetected suspicious individuals, going in and out of national airports carrying hidden explosives that are difficult to investigate especially during peak hours or seasons.

HAMLeT, highly sensitive smell sensors which consist of oscillating crystals on the sensor chips, and whenever chemical molecules are sniffed through the "electronic noses" their oscillation frequency changes. Oscillation frequencies are unique for a particular chemical or substance contained in an explosive.

The system also uses a second network - the sensor's data fusion function, that traces the explosive's trail and tracks down the carrier.

In a mock demonstration, HAMLeT proved effective in sniffing out hidden explosives and tracked down 5 "terrorists". Currently, the researchers are doing some refinements on the prototype's algorithms in order to reduce the false alarm rate.

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