Molecular Memory Chips 
Researchers at U.S. computer company Hewlett-Packard have created a computer memory chip using new molecular technology that takes miniaturisation further than ever before.  They have created a 64-bit memory unit that fits inside a square micron -- a micron is one millionth of a meter. Some thousands of these memory units could fit on the end of a single strand of hair.  Each bit was formed by one or a few molecules sandwiched between two sets of superthin platinum wires. At the junctions of the grid the molecules could be switched "on" or "off" by sending an electronic current through the platinum wires. The memory they created is non-volatile, which means the molecules stay in their position, and retain their information, when the current is switched off.

( Source:CNN News September 2002)

Mobile Games turn 3D
Games on mobile phones are fast catching up with those being played on computers and consoles. French mobile game maker In-Fusio has unveiled a colour 3D shooting game that will soon be available to download and play on handsets. Called Mission 3D, the game is very similar to the classic computer game Wolfenstein 3D. It makes the player find their way out of a maze of corridors shooting the robots and mad scientists that get in their way. Despite the sophisticated graphics playing the game did not prove a big drain on the battery of a phone. All these games are based around Wap technology.
                                                                                            (Source: BBC News September 2002)

Robot vies to be wedding snapper
Wedding photographers could be put out of a job by a robot developed by scientists at Washington University in the US. The machine, called Lewis, looks like an upside down dustbin with a digital camera on top. It is programmed to wander around a room, picking out people's faces and taking photographs.  Lewis is a short, human-sized mobile robot that wanders around taking pictures of people. The robot alternates between detecting faces and adjusting the camera position to take well-composed photographs. It is basically looking for skin in the image and it finds people's faces, forearms and legs and it then uses a number of techniques to decide which of those patches of skin are faces. Lewis has also been instructed to stay within a predefined area and avoid bumping into people.
                                                                                           (Source: B.B.C. News September 2002)

Remote Control PC
The upcoming version of Windows XP, named Windows XP Media Center Edition, aims to make the PC a permanent part of home entertainment. It will enable users to use a TV remote control to catalogue songs, videos and pictures, as well as check TV listings. However, users will need a new system to run it on. Hewlett-Packard and Samsung are among the computer manufactures developing Windows Media Center PCs and prices are estimated between $ 1,000 and $ 2,000.

(Source: Digit September 2002)

Say no to Queues
A British technology firm is working on a way to make the queues a thing of the past and something only your grandparents remember. A smart wristband that can tell you when it’s your turn to ride the roller coaster in a theme park or to know the fast-food plate turn no matter where you are in the area. The disposable wristband will also have onboard a location device so children accidentally separated from their parents can be swiftly re-united. The disposable wristband would be ideal for theme parks who want to find a better way to manage the numbers keen to ride the roller coasters.
                                                                                                                                                        (Source: B.B.C. News September 2002)

Grandmas can chat in Hindi
A computer chat program that speaks Hindi could open up computers of Hindi lovers. Computer science students in Chandigarh have developed an interactive software program called Deepti which can converse intelligently with people in Hindi. It is believed that bots like Deepti could be used to make government services more accessible where it can replace the enquiry counter or things like that. Deepti could also be used on home computers. Users can install it on their computers and have fun chatting with Deepti.
                                                                                                                                                        (Source: B.B.C. News September 2002)