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    1Oct, 2021
    Quantum dots enable infrared lasing at room temperature for silicon photonics

    Lasers, devices that emit light in one direction, with photons traveling at one specific frequency and all with the same phase (coherent), govern the way we communicate today. Although lasers are known to most people as little torches emitting high purity color beams, the workhorse of lasers is actually in the infrared part of spectrum, where our eyes cannot see. The reason for this is that optical fibers are highly transparent to the infrared (1.3-1.6 um), allowing efficient optical transmission with very high data rates. Moreover, infrared lasers have minimum overlap with ambient light and are considered eye-safe, allowing their use in LIDAR (light detection and ranging) applications for 3D imaging, automotive and free-space communications. To date, infrared lasers are mainly made with Erbium-doped fibers or III-V epitaxial semiconductors, imposing certain limitations in their manufacturing and their easy integration with electronics.

    An important feature to take into account while working with lasers is the optical gain. The optical gain describes how well the light can be amplified in the system. If one could find a new optical gain material platform that can be produced with low cost in high volumes and can be integrated on a variety of substrates and form factors, this would definitely unleash a whole new realm of applications. Imagine such material that can be conformally coated along optical fibers or directly deposited atop CMOS silicon. Even better, imagine it to possess facile bandgap tunability so that the emission wavelength of the laser can be readily tuned across the infrared. Such solution could lead to inter- or intra-chip optical communications offering lower power consumption, low cost and higher data rates or enable multi-spectral 3D imaging capabilities.

    Colloidal quantum dot (CQD) technology is based on a solution processed optoelectronic material platform that has demonstrated already its potential for infrared optoelectronics with high performance CMOS compatible photodetectors and light emitting diodes (LEDs). The realization of an infrared CQD laser though had remained elusive.

    Now, in a recent paper published in Nature Photonics, ICFO researchers Guy Whitworth, Mariona Dalmases, and Nima Taghipour, led by ICREA Prof. at ICFO Gerasimos Konstantatos have reported the achievement of a colloidal quantum-dot-based infrared laser source operating at room temperature, compatible with CMOS technology and tunable to emit in the telecommunications window, an important milestone needed for classical or quantum communications.

    Previous to this finding, the team had already been working on an experiment where they were able to demonstrate stimulated emission and optical gain of quantum dots on thin films, but what they were lacking was actually inserting this setup into a cavity to achieve lasing.

    Infrared QD Lasing at room temperature

    To find the ideal cavity for the experiment, the team of researchers took a distributed feedback cavity (DFB), spincoating atop a thin layer of PbS CQDs as the optical gain medium. By concomitantly tuning the size of the dots and the geometrical characteristics of the DFB to optimize the cavity resonance with the gain spectrum of the quantum dots they managed to demonstrate lasing emission across the eye-safe optical communication infrared spectrum and at room temperature, thus, possibly finding the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle for silicon photonics.

    In addition, the researchers went a little further and engineered the surface of the dots in order to suppress electronic trap states in order to favor stimulated emission. They made use of a robust doping of the quantum dots to demonstrate lasing emission at lower pumping intensities, an achievement that opens a new path towards more practical implementations.

    As Prof. Gerasimos Konstantatos comments, “the results of this study are considered a major breakthrough in the field of CQD optoelectronics. This discovery may facilitate fully integrated silicon photonics, paving the way towards low-cost solution processed and CMOS integrated lasing sources for on-chip comm or LIDAR applications. Before, further advances are needed to optimize the material in order to demonstrate lasing under continuous wave or nanosecond excitation, which makes our next milestone.”

    Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/09/210929112828.htm

    23Sep, 2021
    MORSE CODE என்றால் என்ன

    தமிழ் திரைப்படம் ஒன்றில் அதில் வரும் கதாநாயகன் தனது மனைவி உடன் மோர்ஸ் கோடில் பேசுவதும், கிளைமாக்ஸ் இல் அவர் மனைவி கண் அசைவுகள் மூலம் மோர்ஸ் கோட் செய்து வில்லனின் இருப்பிடத்தை ஹீரோவுக்கு காட்டி கொடுப்பதும் பார்த்து இருப்பீர்கள். அந்த மோர்ஸ் கோட் என்றால் என்ன அதெப்படி கண் அசைவில் எல்லாம் பேச முடியும். என்பதை இப்போது பார்க்கலாம்.

    Samuel F.B Morse(Samuel Finley Breese Morse) என்பவரின் பெயரால் அழைக்கப்படுவது தான் இந்த மோர்ஸ். அவர் தான் தந்தியின் கண்டுபிடிப்பாளர். தந்தியில் டக டக என தட்டுவதை பார்த்து இருப்பீர்கள். அது ஏனோ தானோ என்று தட்ட படுவது அல்ல. அதில் ஒரு ஒழுங்கு உண்டு. அது ஒரு பாஷை…தந்தி பாஷை. கணிணிக்கென்று ஒரு பாஷை உண்டு அல்லவா 0 மற்றும் 1 என்று. அதை போல தந்திக்கு ஒரு மொழி உண்டு அது புள்ளி அல்லது கோடு என்ற மொழி. உதாரணமாக மோர்ஸ் கோட் படி A என்றால் ஒரு புள்ளி ஒரு கோடு…
    அப்போ AA என்பதை எப்படி எழுதுவீங்க ? புள்ளி கோடு ,புள்ளி கோடு.. சரி தானே..
    B என்றால் அதன் பாஷையில் ஒரு கோடு அதை தொடர்ந்து மூணு புள்ளி. (கோடு.புள்ளி.புள்ளி .புள்ளி)இப்ப AB என்று எழுத வேண்டும். முயற்சி செய்து பாருங்கள்…

    ( ✴ _ _✴ ✴ ✴)இப்படி வரும் சரியா ?

    இதில் டிட் டாட் டேஸ் என்பார்கள். டிட் என்றால் கோடு டாட் என்றால் புள்ளி டேஸ் என்பது இரண்டுக்கும் இடையில் உள்ள இடைவெளி. ஒரு கோடு என்பது 3 புள்ளிகள் சேர்ந்த அளவில் இருக்கும். ஒவொரு வார்த்தையும் ஒரு புள்ளி அளவுள்ள டேஸ் அதாவது இடைவெளியால் பிரிக்க பட்டு இருக்கும். மற்றும் இரண்டு வார்த்தைகள் 7 புள்ளி அளவு கொண்ட இடைவெளியால் பிரிக்க பட்டு இருக்கும். இந்த புள்ளி கோடுகள் வெறும் ஆங்கில எழுத்துக்களை மட்டும் அல்ல நம்பர்களையும் குறிக்க பயன்படுகிறது. மோர்ஸில் உள்ள மிக சிறிய எழுத்து என்பது E . (வெறும் ஒரு புள்ளி தான் மோர்ஸ் பாஷையில் E)

    சரி எதற்கு இந்த புள்ளி கோடு …இதனால் என்ன வசதி ?


    இப்போ ஒரு அறையில் நீங்கள் அடைக்க பட்டு இருக்கிறீர்கள் அடுத்த அறைக்கு உங்களால தொடர்பு கொள்ள முடியாது ஆனால் சுவரில் தட்டினால் அல்லது கீறினால் அடுத்த பக்கம் கேட்கும் என்றால். சுவருக்கு இருபுறமும் உள்ளவர்கள் மோர்ஸ் கோட் தெரிந்தவர்கள் எனில் சுவரில் தட்டுவதை புள்ளி எனவும் கீறுவதை கோடு எனவும் கொண்டு தகவலை பரிமாற முடியும். (கோட் பற்றி தெரியாதவர்களுக்கு சுவரில் மாறி மாறி ஏதோ தட்டுவதும் கீறுவதும் போல தெரியும் )

    சரி இப்போ இதை கவனியுங்கள்.. நீங்கள் உயரமான ஒரு கட்டிடத்தில் பெரும் வெள்ளம் அல்லது புயலில் சிக்கி இருக்கிறீர்கள். தூரத்தில் மீட்பு படை கண்ணுக்கு தெரிகிறது ஆனால் கூப்பிடும் எல்லை தாண்டி இருக்கிறார்கள். சைகை செய்யலாம் என்றால் நீங்கள் சிக்கி இருப்பது கும் இருட்டில். என்ன செய்வீர்கள்? இப்போது உங்களிடம் டார்ச் இருந்தால் போதும் நீங்கள் தகவலை பரிமாறலாம். அதாவது டார்ச்சை அணைத்து அணைத்து போட்டால் அது புள்ளி… சில வினாடி நீட்டாக எரிய விட்டால் அது கோடு என்று கணக்கு வைத்து கொண்டு மோர்ஸ் கோடு மூலம் உயிர் ஆபத்தில் இருக்கிறது என்று தெரிவிக்கலாம் .
    உலகம் எங்கும் “உயிர் ஆபத்தில் உள்ளது “என்பதை குறிக்க பயன்படுத்த படும் வார்த்தை… “S. O. S .” இதன் முழு அர்த்தம் “SAVE OUR SOLE “

    நம்ம மோர்ஸ் கோடில் SOS என்பதை எப்படி தெரிவிக்க வேண்டும் என்று முயற்சி செய்து பாரதால் “புள்ளி புள்ளி புள்ளி..கோடு கோடு கோடு புள்ளி புள்ளி புள்ளி ” என்று வரும்.
    (✴✴✴ _ ✴✴✴ )
    டார்ச்சை வைத்து இதை சொல்ல முயன்றால் மூன்று முறை குறுகிய இடைவெளியிலும் அதை தொடர்ந்து கொஞ்சம் அதிகம் இடைவெளியில் மூன்று முறையும் டார்ச்சை அணைத்து அணைத்து போட வேண்டும். உங்கள் கையில் ஏதாவது இசை இருந்தால் ..டிக் டிக் டிக் …டீக் டீக் டீக் … டிக் டிக் டிக் என்று ஒலிக்க வேண்டும்.
    விமாணிகளுக்கு …ராணுவத்தில்…மீட்பு படையில்…. பல உயிர் ஆபத்தில் … அவசரத்தில் என்று பல இடங்களில் மோர்ஸ் பயன்படுகிறது.

    இந்த முறையை தான் தமிழ் திரைபடம் ஒன்றின் செய்திருப்பாா்கள் அந்த படத்தில் செய்தது என்ன என்று இப்போ புரிந்திருக்கும்.


    அதாவது கண்ணை சிமிட்டினால் புள்ளி தொடர்ந்து மூடினால் கோடு.

    27Jul, 2021
    A stunning visualization of Alaska’s Yukon Delta shows a land in transition

    More northern parts of the Arctic are becoming greener

    In this visualization, the northern lobe of Alaska’s Yukon Delta appears as a tangle of sedge meadows (colored yellow-brown), with willow shrublands (green) lining networks of river channels flowing toward the Bering Sea. Sediment-rich waters are shown in their natural browns.

    The westward journey of the mighty Yukon River takes it from its headwaters in Canada’s British Columbia straight across Alaska. The river has many stories to tell, of generations of Indigenous people hunting on its banks and fishing in its waters, of paddle-wheeled boats and gold panning and pipelines.

    Where it meets the Bering Sea, the river fans out into an intricate delta resembling cauliflower lobes of river channels and ponds. The delta has a story to tell, too — that of an increasingly green Arctic.

    A composite image of the delta’s northern lobe, taken May 29 by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Landsat 8 satellite, shows willow shrublands lining river channels as they wind toward the sea. Farther inland, tussock grasses carpet the tundra. Grasslike sedge meadows populate low-lying wetlands, punctuated by ponds left behind by springtime floods along the riverbanks from snow and ice that have melted upstream.

    In southern Alaska, such as in the Kenai Peninsula, the Arctic has been getting noticeably greener since the 1980s, as global temperatures climb (SN: 4/11/19). Researchers observed this change using satellite measurements of red and near-infrared light reflected off the vegetation. Now, analyses of changing vegetation in the Yukon Delta and nearby Kuskokwim Delta show that more northern areas are getting greener too, researchers report June 1 in Earth Interactions.

    The increasing prevalence of tall willows, an important moose habitat, is one sign of these changes in the delta. Moose populations, too, are on the rise. But for the Yukon and other Arctic deltas — where higher floodwaters due to climate change are likely to deposit thicker sediment piles, supporting more greenery — many more changes are likely to come as the planet warms. 

    Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/alaska-yukon-delta-visualization-climate-change-land-transition

    22Jul, 2021
    Ten skills every web developer should know in 2021 and beyond

    Key tech-stack covers Full stack development, HTML & CSS, Git and Github, Javascript, Browserdev tools, DevOps etc. 

    Gone are the days a web developer was a specialist or a standalone professional in a team. Today, web developers are gradually evolving to be multi-taskers with specializations in multiple domains and expertise. Web development has grown to become a niche where developers must be familiar with a minimum of 5 skill sets or competencies they could bring to the table. 

    If you have been paying attention to the job market or industry practices, specialists are gradually becoming replaceable and those who shine are the ones that can don multiple hats. So if you are a web developer, looking to make it big in the domain in 2021, we have handpicked these 10 skills you should know. 

    These skills go beyond what experts and gurus would have taught you technically. From the attitude you carry to your work to your project management skills, every single aspect of your skillset is inevitable to fetch that project, that dream job, or that startup funding. 

    So, what are the skills? 

    HTML 

    Hello World was probably the first web page most of us developed as kids. What is astounding about this is how relevant HTML still is. Standing at the fulcrum of web development, HTML is responsible for how the internet functions today. 

    The tech allows you to develop custom websites with unique (and advanced) features and functionalities. Knowing HTML also allows you to build CMS modules better and gives you an edge at implementing SEO strategies at the backend. For the uninitiated, HTML5 is the latest and you should definitely get started with learning this. 

    CSS 

    Abbreviated as Cascading Style Sheets, working on CSS has been the next stage in web development as it defines how a page created with HTML would be presented on the internet. Through layouts, fonts, colors, styles, and more, CSS visualized a static webpage. 

    Recently, however, CSS has been becoming increasingly vital because of the varying screen sizes prevailing in the market today. CSS is now responsible for making webpages responsive and fluid depending on the screen a web page is being accessed from. 

    JavaScript 

    There has been a significant evolution in terms of content consumption over the decades. From simply being passive viewers of information, we as consumers have grown to expect interactivity and dynamics on pages we access online. 

    This is where JavaScript comes in. 

    It takes an otherwise redundant webpage and turns into an immersive experience. It defines the functionalities of a webpage and allows you to incorporate graphical elements, animations, gamification concepts, and more. You don’t want to skip your classes on JavaScript if you’re an aspiring web developer. 

    Git and GitHub 

    A web developer needs to be smart and agile in their work. When something goes wrong in the development process, one cannot afford to start over with a project from scratch again. That’s why it is essential to learn Version Control like Git and GitHub. This allows you to keep a consistent track of your development process so you can roll back to a previous version when something goes wrong. A full-stack web developer working on tight deadlines absolutely needs this skill. 

    At least one JS library 

    Most of the projects that get into the development phase come with a minimal time-to-market. Stemming from requirements on competition and trends, project managers are keen on developing projects in a very short span of time. 

    As a developer, one cannot just work on lines after lines of code to develop websites and projects. That’s why JavaScript Libraries are inevitable. Launched to cut down on your development time and expenses, knowing at least one JavaScript library will save you from having the worst Wednesdays and Fridays in your career. 

    Knowledge of BrowserDev tools 

    All the efforts and hard work you put in developing websites as part of your full-stack development projects will have to reflect on browsers visitors use to access your website. 

    A browser renders your work and makes your website fully functional the way you intended to. That’s why it is important to test how your website functions and responds across multiple browsers. To help you do that, there are tons of BrowserDev tools (Chrome DevTools and Firefox DevTools) that enable you to debug, test, edit CSS and HTML elements, make changes, and fine-tune your work. 

    Different Types of APIs 

    A website is never standalone. Even enterprise web development involves interactions with a 3rd party element due to diverse dependencies. A simple example is when you have to embed a YouTube video on your website. 

    When such data is involved, there arises the need to maintain the functionalities of your websites without sharing your website code. This is where APIs come in and help you achieve this intention. As a web developer, the ideal APIs we recommend you to master include CRUD operation, data formats, RestAPIs, and HTTP request methods. 

    Backend Tech 

    Full-stack web developers are supposed to be all-rounders. Not just the frontend, they are required to work on backend development as well. This means they have to know about databases, servers, and more to handle requests, figure out ways to store, access, and retrieve data, and accomplish other complex tasks. For this, one needs to master server-side languages such as HTTP and MySQL. 

    Problem-solving And Logical Reasoning Skills 

    Developing a website is challenging and a roadmap for web development is filled with hurdles, hindrances, and concerns developers should consistently fix to make a website airtight. So, it’s imperative that web developers are expert problem solvers who have superior reasoning skills as well. 

    From fixing syntax errors and workflow loopholes to cracking a completely new way to deploy a unique website functionality, overcoming challenges dictate these skills. If coming up with solutions is hard, developers should at least know where to look for probable solutions. Hint: Stack overflow. 

    Project Management Tools 

    Statistics reveal that close to 80 percent of businesses spend over half of their development time on reworks. This not just delays the time-to-market but fetches additional expenses for staff and other teams involved as well. 

    That’s why web developers should also be excellent project managers, knowing what development methodology to implement for which project, understanding resource allocation strategies, acknowledging scope creep, and having plan Bs, and more. Regardless of the size of projects, quality delivery is key and project management tools and techniques can help a developer achieve that. 

    DevOps and Deployment 

    Once the web development process is complete, it needs to go live so users across the globe and access it and constitute traffic. To do this, knowing how to deploy codes is necessary. Deploying involves implementing your code on the cloud, SaaS providers like Amazon Web Services, and more. Apart from deployment, knowing how to migrate and scale websites is essential as well. If your project involves moving from one host to another or the addition of new features or abilities to handle massive traffic, these skills come into play. 

    Writing Test Cases And Testing Scenarios 

    Most developers either completely overlook this stage or undermine the importance of writing tests. However, this phase can save you time and make debugging and development of your project seamless. When you write test scenarios, you are making way for your websites and projects to be more robust and more functional. The sooner you realize this, the more you could save time on your projects. 

    Wrapping up 

    So, these were the essential skills every web developer should know. If you know a majority of them, we can assure you a good 2021. If you are yet to master several skills we have listed, you have the entire year ahead of you to learn, evolve and become a better web developer. 

    Source : https://www.itproportal.com/features/ten-skills-every-web-developer-should-know-in-2021-and-beyond/

    14Jul, 2021
    Microsoft to acquire cybersecurity firm RiskIQ as cyber threats mount

    Microsoft on Monday announced that it’s buying cybersecurity firm RiskIQ to help companies better protect themselves as ransomware and other cyber attacks become increasingly disruptive. 

    Microsoft (MSFT) said the acquisition will help its customers address the unique risks created by remote work and relying on cloud computing amid “the increasing sophistication and frequency of cyberattacks.” 

    RiskIQ’s software allows organizations to monitor their entire networks — including operations running on various cloud providers — and its threat intelligence research helps businesses understand and mitigate potential risks. 

    “We couldn’t be more excited to join forces to enable the global community to defend against the rising tide of cyberattacks,” RiskIQ Founder and CEO Elias Manousos said in a blog post Monday. 

    The announcement comes at a time when cybersecurity is top of mind for many business leaders, following a string of recent ransomware attacks that temporarily took out a major fuel pipeline, meat supplier  and IT vendor, among others. 

    Microsoft has also had its own cybersecurity challenges this year: Chinese-linked group Hafnium breached the company’s Exchange email service in March, potentially giving the group access to data from tens of thousands of organizations, including state and local governments, academic institutions, infectious disease researchers and businesses. 

    Microsoft declined to disclose the financial terms of the acquisition. Bloomberg on Sunday reported that Microsoft paid more than $500 million in cash to buy RiskIQ. 

    Prior to the acquisition, RiskIQ had raised more than $80 million from investors. Most recently, it raised a $15 million Series D round announced last June aimed at helping integrate the company’s software into critical infrastructure, including to protect against nation-state adversaries. At the time, RiskIQ said it served 30% of the Fortune 500 and 6,000 organizations globally. 

    Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/12/tech/microsoft-riskiq-acquisition/index.html

    13Jul, 2021
    9 Best Skills to Learn for the Future

    1. Artificial intelligence 

    You don’t need to work in the artificial intelligence (AI) field to expect to encounter AI in your workplace. 

    Software like hyperautomation and business intelligence, both examples of process automation  enhanced by artificial intelligence, regularly rank among some of the top business technology trends  lists. These technologies are being employed across digitally transformed companies, which now account for approximately 70% of businesses. 

    These technologies are transforming the way businesses function, enhancing the need for employees with artificial intelligence experience across industries. 

    Developing artificial intelligence skills isn’t something that happens overnight, but is sure to be valuable in any company. The first step to understanding artificial intelligence is to learn how it’s developed. This is key to learning how to manipulate and inform artificial intelligence. Once you have the development skills necessary, you’ll have the ability to interact with and learn AI skills. 

    2. Coding 

    Coding has quickly become one of the most sought after skills people can learn. Computing languages serve a variety of purposes and can be applied to almost any job. At this point, coding has become so dominant across industries that experts argue that coding might soon be a basic life skill. 

    Learning to code is one skill that could take some time. The specific computing language you want to become literate in will determine how long it takes you to learn to code. 

    If you want to learn to code, start by looking at different types of computer languages and consider how relevant they would be to your career. 

    Often, people begin with the easiest languages to learn like HTML or JavaScript. After learning the basic languages, you can move on to more popular and widely used languages like Python. 

     3. Cloud computing 

    Cloud computing is a safe way to store and manage company data that also enables remote access to company platforms. 

    The technology has become one of the best ways to leverage and store data securely, making it popular across several companies. 

    If you develop cloud computing skills, you offer the ability to advise your employer on how to best manage their cloud. From remote data storage to multi-cloud computing, understanding the different aspects of the cloud and its possible uses will make you valuable to any company. 

    Understanding the cloud is valuable for managing company-wide data, but on a smaller scope, it is essential for effectively distributing and managing individual projects. 

    Developing cloud computing alongside valuable project management skills can help you secure your career in organizing and managing company processes. 

    4. Blockchain 

    You don’t have to work in finance for blockchain to be relevant to your workplace. Blockchain is characterized as a solution in search of problems, making it a desirable skill for employees to have. 

    Blockchain is driving deep changes to the architecture of corporations. If you understand how blockchain works, you will be in the mindset to find potential problems within your company before they develop into real problems. 

    If you already understand cryptocurrency and trading, you likely have blockchain skills in place. Consider reading different blockchain blogs that further explain how the technology works and can be applied in your company. 

    Knowing more about the way it changes and develops daily will help you advance and apply your blockchain skills. 

    To get familiar with blockchain in real life, start by getting a bitcoin address and a crypto wallet. 

    5. UX design 

    The internet continues to grow as the main source for consumers to find information and products. While it’s important for companies to host a website so that consumers can find them and their products, it doesn’t matter unless they can keep consumers on their site. 

    User experience (UX) design is essential to keeping users on a website. Bad UX design can lead to high bounce rates, which costs companies money. Companies have shifted their focus to UX design in order to stay competitive in the future. 

    Having UX design skills shows employers that you are invested in ensuring users have a good experience. Companies value this skill and mindset, as it proves to be applicable across the board. 

    You can start by taking courses that teach you about design and how to use essential design tools. To fully sharpen your UX skills, you’ll have to do research on the users you are targeting, so that you understand what they want. 

    6. Critical thinking 

    Companies look for critical thinking skills in their employees because critical thinking indicates the ability to solve both vague and complex problems. 

    Management can’t always direct your workflow, which means when you run into problems, it’s likely you’ll need to take on the task yourself. 

    Strong critical thinking skills enable you to find a solution to almost any problem that arises in your daily work. Companies want to know that their workers can handle problems independently, which is why they desire workers with strong critical thinking skills. 

    Critical thinking is a skill that takes self-discipline to further develop. Try thinking “outside of the box” and regularly approach problems from different perspectives. Doing so will help you practice thinking critically about problems and situations. 

    7. Emotional intelligence 

    Emotional intelligence has been described in several ways, but to most, it explains a person’s ability to recognize their own emotions and the emotions of others. 

    A person with strong emotional intelligence understands how to process and regulate their own feelings while being in tune with coworkers’ feelings. 

    Companies look for emotional intelligence in workers because it signifies strong interpersonal skills. Employees that have strong emotional intelligence will be able to communicate, debate, and disagree without the situation getting out of control. 

    This is important in every company that wants to host an honest, collaborative working environment. 

    Emotional intelligence isn’t a skill that can be developed overnight. This soft skill takes time and plenty of attention to your surroundings. Luckily, there are online courses that help you develop your awareness of coworkers’ body language. 

    Taking the steps to better read and understand the situations you’re in, will help enhance your emotional intelligence. 

     8. Communication 

    Communication skills are important for employees at any level within a company to have. 

    Effective communication is essential to company-wide success. Companies where leaders possess strong communication skills are reportedly making a 47% higher return, compared to competitors with poor communication. 

    Companies desire employees with effective communication skills, including verbal and written, to increase revenue return rates. 

    You can develop your communication skills by learning how to effectively speak to groups and individuals through online and in-person soft skill development courses. 

    9. Leadership 

    Possessing strong leadership skills means that you know how to effectively motivate and direct others, setting up your entire team for success. Companies look for leadership skills in employees to promote a successful team and organization. 

    Research has shown that it’s more beneficial for companies to promote internally, rather than hiring externally. This means that when it comes to leadership opportunities, companies are more likely to promote their employees to those positions. 

    If you want to secure a career within your company, it’s important to always be developing leadership and  team development skills to keep you moving up the ladder. 

    Source: https://www.goskills.com/Soft-Skills/Resources/Best-skills-to-learn-for-the-future 

    12Jul, 2021
    AR can improve the lives of older adults, so why are apps designed mainly with youngsters in mind?

    Older people affected by memory loss have much to gain from augmented reality technology, yet a study from the UK exploring the use of augmented reality to support older adults at home finds the user interface is sometimes confusing for those aged 50-plus. 

    Augmented reality (AR) is poised to revolutionise the way people complete essential everyday tasks, yet older adults — who have much to gain from the technology — will be excluded from using it unless more thought goes into designing software that makes sense to them. 

    The danger of older adults falling through the gaps has been highlighted by research carried out by scientists at the University of Bath in collaboration with designers from the Bath-based charity Designability. A paper describing their work has received an honourable mention at this year’s Human Computer Interaction Conference (CHI2021) — the world’s largest conference of its kind. 

    The study concludes that adults aged 50+ are more likely to be successful at completing AR-prompted tasks (such as ‘pick up the cube’ followed by ‘move the cube to the blue area’) when the steps are shown by a ‘ghosthand’ demonstrating the action rather than the more commonly used arrow or some other visual aid. 

    According to the research team, many manufacturers of AR software are failing to factor the needs and preferences of older people into their application designs. 

    “We can’t expect people to benefit from AR technology if they can’t follow the prompts shown to them,” said Dr Christof Lutteroth from the University’s Department of Computer Science. 

    Thomas Williams, the Doctor of Engineering student (funded by the EPSRC) who conducted the research from the university’s Centre for Digital Entertainment (CDE), said: “A lot more thought needs to go into understanding what older adults need from augmented reality, so users in this group understand the prompts they’re given straight away.” 

    He added: “AR technology has great potential for improving the lives of older adults but most AR designers give little or no thought to the kind of augmentations they use for this population.” 

    Supervising the project were Dr Lutteroth and Dr Simon Jones, also from Bath’s Department of Computer Science, Dr Elies Dekoninck from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Dr Hazel Boyd from Designability. 

    For the study, participants were asked to lift, move, lower, open and close 3D shapes on a foam board in response to four different types of visual instruction displayed on a laptop that was running the AR application. Overall, participants preferred the ghosthand over other AR prompts, and were both faster at completing tasks and more confident in their actions. Assisted by the hand, they responded up to twice as fast and twice as accurately as they did when using another, more commonly used prompt. Participants commented that they could relate to the hand and it was clearer to them than the other visual prompts. 

    Demonstrations delivered by three other ‘augmentations’ — an arrow, a transparent ghost of the object and a pulsating transparent ghost — often resulted in participants hesitating before taking action and needing to see the visual instructions more often to get the task completed. It also led to participants being less sure that they’d done the job right. 

    “Though AR technology has great potential for improving the lives of older adults, this user group is rarely considered the target for AR development,” said Dr Lutteroth. “I think this is the first study to investigate the accessibility of AR technology to older users.” 

    How AR can help with dementia and memory problems 

    Researchers envision AR technology soon being adopted to help others: 

    • Understand what it might be like living with a cognitive impairment such as dementia 
    • Make better assessments of fall-prevention modifications to older adults’ homes 
    • Reduce navigation- and distraction-related errors with in-car navigation systems 
    • Provide training for improving spatial direction. 

    The research teams sees huge potential for AR technology being used to help people with dementia and other memory difficulties. Using AR, a task such as preparing food, hand washing or making a cup of tea can be broken down into individual steps, each step represented simply and clearly on a screen or AR glasses, making it far easier for the job to be completed successfully. AR is also being explored as a diagnostic tool to detect early signs of cognitive decline and provide people with an earlier diagnosis of dementia. 

    “Activities of daily living that we take for granted can be more difficult for people with dementia, and AR prompting could make a big difference for them if designed appropriately,” said Dr Boyd. 

    Inclusivity 

    So why are older adults being left out of AR research? “Designers often find it difficult to know how non-designers and older people think if they’re not big users of tech.” explained Dr Jones. 

    “Another common problem is that designers often prioritise in a way that’s not inclusive — they worry about the aesthetics of an application more than the ease of use for everyone. This is fine if you’re a regular user of an application but it violates an essential principle of usability: you shouldn’t have to read a manual to achieve what you’re trying to achieve.” 

    AR is gaining popularity in medicine, cultural heritage tourism, industrial assembly, and more recently, in the home. It allows people to use their smartphones or special glasses to immerse themselves in a real-world environment where the objects in their immediate vicinity are enhanced by digital content (such as a ghosth and). Over the next decade, computer scientists expect this technology to become increasingly integrated into all our daily lives. 

    “We’ll be using AR for everything from fixing our own washing machines to deciding whether we’re better off catching the bus from bus stop 1 or 2 as we’re walking down the street,” said Dr Dekoninck. 

    Many people encountered AR for the first time in 2016 with the release of Pokémon Go. This AR-enhanced game allowed players to use their smartphone screens to spot creatures from the Pokémon universe superimposed on the real world. 

    Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/06/210622123229.htm

    9Jul, 2021
    What fractals, Fibonacci, and the golden ratio have to do with cauliflower
    Enlarge / Macro-photo of green Romanesco cauliflower showcases the vegetable’s striking fractal pattern.

    It’s long been observed that many plants produce leaves, shoots, or flowers in spiral patterns. Cauliflower provides a unique example of this phenomenon, because those spirals repeat at several different size scales—a hallmark of fractal geometry. This self-similarity is particularly notable in the Romanesco variety because of the distinctive conical shape of its florets. Now, a team of French scientists from the CNRS has identified the underlying mechanism that gives rise to this unusual pattern, according to a new paper published in Science. 

    Fractal geometry is the mathematical offspring of chaos theory; a fractal is the pattern left behind in the wave of chaotic activity. That single geometric pattern repeats thousands of times at different magnifications (self-similarity). For that reason, fractals are often likened to Russian nesting dolls. Many fractal patterns exist only in mathematical theory, but over the last few decades, scientists have found there are fractal aspects to many irregular yet patterned shapes in nature, such the branchings of rivers and trees—or the strange self-similar repeating buds that make up the Romanesco cauliflower. 

    Each bud is made up of a series of smaller buds, although the pattern doesn’t continue down to infinitely smaller size scales, so it’s only an approximate fractal. The branched tips, called meristems, make up a logarithmic spiral, and the number of spirals on the head of Romanesco cauliflower is a Fibonacci number, which in turn is related to what’s known as the “golden ratio.” 

    The person most closely associated with the Fibonacci sequence is the 13th-century mathematician Leonardo Pisano; his nickname was “filius Bonacci” (son of Bonacci), which got shortened to Fibonacci. In his 1202 treatise, Book of Calculation, Fibonacci described the numerical sequence that now bears his name: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21… and on into infinity. Divide each number in the sequence into the one that follows, and the answer will be something close to 1.618, an irrational number known as phi, aka the golden ratio. And there is a special “golden” logarithmic spiral that grows outward by a factor of the golden ratio for every 90 degrees of rotation, of which a “Fibonacci spiral” is a close approximation. 

    Scientists have long puzzled over possible underlying mechanisms for this unusual patterning in the arrangement of leaves on a stem (phyllotaxis) of so many plants—including pine cones, daisies, dahlias, sunflowers, and cacti—dating all the way back to Leonardo da Vinci. Swiss naturalist Charles Bonnet (who coined the term “phyllotaxis”) noted that these spirals exhibited either clockwise or counterclockwise golden ratios in 1754, while French brothers Auguste and Louis Bravais discovered in 1837 that the ratios of phyllotaxis spirals were related to the Fibonacci sequence. 

    In 1868, German botanist Wilhelm Hofmeister came up with a solid working model. He found that nascent leaves (“primordia”) will form at the least crowded part of the meristem, and as the plant grows, each successive leaf will move outward radially, at a rate proportional to the stem’s growth. The second leaf, for instance, will grow as far as possible from the first, and the third will grow at a distance farthest from both the first and the second leaves, and so on. It’s not a hardcore law of nature or some kind of weird botanical magic: that Fibonacci spiral is simply the most efficient way of packing the leaves. 

    According to the authors of this latest paper, the spiral phyllotaxis of cauliflower is unusual because those spirals are conspicuously visible at several different size scales, particularly in the Romanesco variety. They maintain that cauliflowers are basically failed flowers. The whole process depends on those branched tips, or meristems, which are made up of undifferentiated cells that divide and develop into other organs arranged in a spiral pattern. In the case of cauliflower, these cells produce buds that would normally bloom into flowers. Those buds develop into stems instead, but unlike normal stems, they are able to grow without leaves and thereby produce even more buds that turn into stems instead of flowers. 

    This triggers a chain reaction, resulting in that trademark pattern of repeating stems upon stems that ultimately forms the edible white flesh known as the “curd.” In the case of the Romanesco variety, its stems produce buds at an accelerating rate (instead of the constant rate typical of other forms of cauliflower). So its florets take on that distinctive pyramid-like shape that showcases the fractal patterns so beautifully. 

    The puzzle, per the authors, is how these gene regulatory networks that initially evolved to produce flowers were able to change so drastically. So co-author Eugenio Azpeitia and several colleagues combined in vivo experiments with 3D computational modeling of plant development to study the molecular underpinnings of how buds form in cauliflower (both edible cauliflower and the Romanesco variant). 

    Apparently, this is the result of self-selected mutations during the process of domestication, which over time drastically changed the shapes of these plants. The authors found that, while the meristems fail to form flowers, the meristems do experience a transient period where they’re in a flower-like state, and that influences later steps in development. In the case of Romanesco cauliflower, the curd adopts a more conical shape instead of a round morphology. The end result is those fractal-like forms at several different size scales. 

    “These results reveal how fractal patterns can be generated through growth and developmental networks that alter identities and meristem dynamics,” the authors concluded. “Our models now clarify the molecular and morphological changes over time by which meristems gain different identities to form the highly diverse and fascinating array of plant architectures found throughout nature and crops.” 

    Source : https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/07/what-fractals-fibonacci-and-the-golden-ratio-have-to-do-with-cauliflower/

    6Jul, 2021
    NASA Software Benefits Earth, Available for Business, Public Use

    Many of NASA’s computational innovations were developed to help explore space, but the public can download them for applications that benefit us right here on Earth. The agency’s latest software catalog has hundreds of popular programs, as well as more than 180 new ones, all available for free download. 

    “From operations here on Earth to missions to the Moon and Mars, software is integral to all that NASA does,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “The good news is this technology is available to the public for free. The software suited for satellites, astronauts, engineers, and scientists as it is applied and adapted across industries and businesses is a testament to the extensive value NASA brings to the United States – and the world.” 

    NASA programs adapted and used by entrepreneurs, other government agencies, researchers, and others include: 

    • TetrUSS: Aircraft emissions contribute significantly to humanity’s carbon footprint. Computational fluid dynamics programs developed at NASA allow engineers to design an aircraft’s shape to minimize drag, allowing for maximal fuel efficiency. Available in the United States, TetrUSS is one of NASA’s most downloaded applications of all time. The program has enabled users to improve designs for aircraft, automobiles, and boats, as well as gauge architectural aerodynamics and even assist in plane crash investigations. 
    • WorldWind: The sheer volume of data captured by NASA’s many satellites can make it unwieldy for everyday use. WorldWind visualizes NASA data using a video game-like virtual globe of Earth, allowing users to zoom from satellite altitude down to any point on the planet’s surface. This software helps decision-makers worldwide manage scarce resources. It supports the Coast Guard by generating a map from live feeds of satellite and maritime data. And it helps researchers understand climate impacts on freshwater resources. 

    “In the race to mitigate the effects of human-made climate change, human-made technology can be a key advantage,” said Technology Transfer Program Executive Dan Lockney. “By making our repository of software widely accessible, NASA helps entrepreneurs, business owners, academia, and other government agencies solve real problems.” 

    Dozens of other environmental science software programs are also ready for download. Highlights include: 

    • A tool to calculate a solar power system’s size and power requirements using fuel cells, solar cells, and batteries.  
    • Code to analyze solar aircraft concepts by evaluating flight worthiness and providing design feedback.  
    • Computational fluid dynamics software that can improve the efficiency of wind turbines for power generation. 

    Containing more than 800 programs, the NASA software catalog features categories such as system testing, aeronautics, data and image processing, autonomous systems, and more. The software is also continuously updated in a searchable repository online. 

    The agency will host a webinar July 13, 2021, to give the public an opportunity to learn more about the download process and ask questions about available NASA software. Visit the information page to learn more and register: 

    https://go.nasa.gov/3iPFX7l

    The software catalog is a product of NASA’s Technology Transfer program, managed for the agency by the Space Technology Mission Directorate. The program ensures technologies developed by and for NASA are broadly available to the public, maximizing the benefit to American taxpayers. For more information about NASA’s Technology Transfer program, visit: 

    https://technology.nasa.gov

    26Jun, 2021
    14 In-Demand Skills You Can Learn Online Now

    Improving yourself and diversifying your skill set has never been easier thanks to online courses, webinars, video tutorials and guides that are readily available on the internet.  Whether you’re building your own business or looking to get hired by your dream company, adding these skills to your resume will help you stand out like a unicorn in a sea of donkeys — and best of all, you can learn them online. Here, discover 14 in-demand skills  and where you can learn them!

    1. Chatbot Development

    Facebook Messenger marketing is huge — it’s driving 80% average open rates and 20% click-through rates. If you have the skills to build and operate a Facebook Messenger chatbot, you’ll prove invaluable to any marketing department. I’m so invested in the future of Facebook Messenger marketing, I went all-in with my own free chatbot building software company MobileMonkey.

    MobileMonkey has tons of helpful how-to articles and video tutorials for building, using and optimizing chatbots — all without writing a single line of code. 

    2. Coding

    Even if you are not aiming to become a full-time programmer, having fundamental  knowledge of coding is a major asset.  Whether you’re launching an app, working on AI, optimizing a site for search, creating content, etc., basic coding skills can go a long way. You can get started through Codeacademy, which is great for both beginners and coders looking to learn more and improve.

    3. Advanced Excel Skills

    Spreadsheets are a staple of any business process, and learning how to use formulas and other features to organize and process data in Excel can help save tons of time.

    You can learn advanced Excel skills through Data Monkey.

    4. New Language

    Becoming fluent in a new language can open new doors and broaden horizons for just about anyone in any industry. Language learning platforms like Livemocha  help greatly with excellent instruction and a community for other users to help each other out.

    5. Photography

    Good-quality photographs can enhance any blog post or social media post, making them more digestible. Platforms like Udemy have tons of photography courses, from beginner lessons to in-depth instructionals on its various facets.

    6. Photoshop

    Knowing how to edit images can let you do things from making memes to designing graphics for websites, brand logos, and marketing materials. Adobe offers its  expert tutorials that are more than enough for introducing Photoshop fundamentals to beginners, as well as advanced courses for experienced Photoshop users.

    7. Writing

    This is perhaps the most ubiquitous skill in this list, as well as the most fundamental. No matter what field you work in, being able to write well is always an asset. You can brush up on your writing through SkillShare and even learn new writing skills along the way.

    8. SEO

    There is literally no business in the world that can’t benefit from more web traffic. Anyone looking to gain visibility and exposure online needs to learn search engine optimization. You can learn the fundamentals using the Google Webmaster Central Blog. You can also visit Search Engine Journal for a huge library of guides and how-to articles on SEO.  It has updated information on how to make your website easier to find on the search engine.

    9. Social Media Marketing

    Marketing on social media is an ever-changing field, so staying on top of it is important. Whether you want to learn the basics or more advanced skills, there’s no shortage of online courses for social media marketing.  Try an indepth guide that covers all major social media platforms like How to Dominate Social Media, or a niche course  like Mari Smith’s Fast Facebook Results.

    10. Leadership

    Want to learn to take control, inspire others, and lead teams to success?

    Mindtools has high-quality courses to help you develop your leadership skills.

    11. Budgeting

    Managing one’s money seems rather basic, but it’s surprising how many people get it wrong. Budgeting is one of those skills that gets used everyday, both on a professional and personal level. 

    Boost your budgeting skills with sites like The Motley Fool or apps like Intuit’s Mint.

    12. Graphic Design

    Having the ability to your own graphics can be a boon for your business. You can make your own logo, images to go with your social media posts, and so on.

    Lynda.com for LinkedIn offers a course on graphic design where you can get a solid foundation in typography, color, layout and more, while practicing with InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop. 

    13. Project Management

    Management skills which can help you apply leadership in an organized and productive manner. Being able to manage every aspect of a project to completion is challenging — you must know how to keep everyone organized, productive, engaged and motivated. 

    Try a project management course from Edx.

    14. Public Speaking

    As it’s often said, one of most people’s greatest fears is public speaking. It’s a skill that takes a lot of practice to perfect, and doing so can pay dividends. Being able to speak to a crowd with confidence is invaluable, wherever you may go.