World Cup Football - Humans Vs Robots (Source :B.B.C. News Jun.2002) Mobile keypad reinvented (Source :B.B.C. News Jun.2002) Iris Prints may soon replace Finger Prints (Source: The Gateway Magazine) Turning pictures into passwords (Source: B.B.C. News June. 2002) Pocket size video camera (Source:B.B.C. News Apr. 2002) Its Bill again with Tablet PC (Source: The Economic Times - June 2002) | ||||||
Scientists believe that advances in computing technology and artificial intelligence are well on the way to delivering a team of humanoid robots capable of beating the human world football champions. Like their human counterparts, the world's best robot football teams are facing a busy summer, with two major tournaments coinciding with the World Cup. 
If you are frustrated by the time it takes to tap out text messages on your mobile phone, help could soon be at hand. A US company has redesigned the traditional 12-number keypad to give every letter and number its own key. Typing a text message with the novel keypad is twice as fast as other methods. Numbers are typed by pressing the four letter keys surrounding each numeral. This Fastap keypad is expected to be popular with mobile network operators who are keen to encourage customers to spend more on data services such as picture messaging.
The Panasonic authenticam is a low-end optical scanning device that may make biometric security affordable for small or home offices. The authenticam uses iris recognition (IR) software and a lens to eliminate the hassles of remembering passwords. The iris patterns are stored by a process of enrollment and is less irritating than with earlier retinal/iris scanners because the user can be as much as 0.5 metre from the screen. This scanner costs Rs. 9,600.
Researchers are working on a system which uses a library of faces. A person has to choose half a dozen in a particular order as their password. People don't remember passwords but they are good at remembering faces. 
A new device - digicamcorder DCR IP7BT from Sony comes with a new micro MV tapes that are 70 percent smaller than the standard MiniDV cassette and record 60 minutes of MPEG-2 video. The entire unit weight around 300 gm. and is the same size as a pack of cards. The camcorder is bluetooth enabled. It also has firewire and USB ports. The IP7 also includes a web browser and email client allowing direct attachment of AV to emails. This digicamcorder costs Rs. 81,600. 
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates disclosed recently that a "tablet PC" will go on sale in October. He was discussing how speech and handwriting recognition technology will make computers easier and more useful. The software company has developed a special version of its Windows XP operating system to run on tablet PCs. The device is expected to sell for approximately $2,000. The device consists of a portable screen, behind which is mounted the hard drive, microprocessor and other hardware. Users input commands via a stylus writing directly onto the screen.