computeraddicted

Bio-inspired projects to improve cyber security

computeraddicted — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 07:11:17 +0000

y KATIE NEAL (’03) Office of Communications and External Relations

Michael Crouse (left) and Errin Fulp

Computer science graduate student Michael Crouse (BS ’10, MS ’12) spends just as much time thinking about biology as he does technology these days.

Crouse and his faculty mentor, Associate Professor Errin Fulp, apply biological design principles to develop innovative ways of thinking and address modern-day challenges. When addressing the ever-changing and growing concern of cyber security, nature is their blueprint and biology is their inspiration.

Now they are fighting the continual evolution of viruses, worms and malwarewith evolution. Together, they are developing the first-ever automated computer configurations that adjust as quickly as the threats.

In refining a genetically inspired algorithm that proactively discovers more secure computer configurations, they are leveraging the concept of “survival of the fittest.” Early simulations have shown the increased diversity of each device’s configuration improves overall network safety, without putting undue stress on IT professionals.

“Typically, administrators configure hundreds and sometimes thousands of machines the same way, meaning a virus that infects one could affect any computer on the same network,” says Crouse, who recently was named one of the “nation’s top new inventors” by Inventor’s Digest magazine. “If successful, automating the ability to ward off attacks could play a crucial role in protecting highly sensitive data within large organizations.”MORE

Genetics-Inspired Research Prevents Cyber Attacks

computeraddicted — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 07:07:34 +0000

Wake Forest University computer science professor Errin Fulp and graduate student Michael Crouse work together to develop a new type of computer security code that mimics natural selection as it adapts to threats. (Credit: Ken Bennett, Wake Forest University photographer

ScienceDaily (Feb. 14, 2012) — Cyber security is an ever changing and growing concern. Nearly twice as much cyber security funding proposed in the 2013 budget underscores the need for improved computer network defenses. Inadequate security configurations are blamed for 80 percent of the United States Air Force network vulnerabilities.

Now Wake Forest University researchers are fighting the continual evolution of viruses, worms and malware with evolution by developing the first-ever automated computer configurations that adjust as quickly as the threats.

Computer Science Associate Professor Errin Fulp and graduate student Michael Crouse are refining a genetically inspired algorithm that proactively discovers more secure computer configurations by leveraging the concept of “survival of the fittest.” Early simulations have shown the increased diversity of each device’s configuration improves overall network safety, without putting undue stress on IT administrators.MORE

Impulsive Kids Play More Video Games, and Kids Who Play More Video Games May Become More Impulsive

computeraddicted — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 07:03:19 +0000

Impulsive children with attention problems tend to play more video games, while kids in general who spend lots of time video gaming may also develop impulsivity and attention difficulties, new research suggests. (Credit: © Deklofenak / Fotolia)

ScienceDaily (Feb. 23, 2012) — Impulsive children with attention problems tend to play more video games, while kids in general who spend lots of time video gaming may also develop impulsivity and attention difficulties, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.

“This is an important finding because most research on attention problems has focused on biological and genetic factors rather than on environmental factors,” said Douglas A. Gentile, PhD, of Iowa State University and lead author of the study published this week in the debut issue of APA’s journalPsychology and Popular Media Culture.

Although the findings indicated that playing violent video games also can be linked to impulsivity and attention problems, the overall amount of time spent playing any type of video game proved to be a greater factor, according to the article. This was the case regardless of a child’s gender, race or socioeconomic status.

Researchers collected data from 3,034 children, ages 8 to 17 years old, over three years at 12 schools in Singapore. The children provided information about their video game playing habits by completing questionnaires in their classrooms at three intervals, each a year apart starting in grades three, four, seven and eight. They also completed psychological tests commonly used to measure attention and impulsiveness. Regarding attention, the children answered questions such as how often they “fail to give close attention to details or make careless mistakes” in their work or “blurt out answers before questions have been completed.” For the impulsivity test, they selected points they felt described themselves, such as “I often make things worse because I act without thinking” or “I concentrate easily.”MORE

In the Genes, but Which Ones? Studies That Linked Specific Genes to Intelligence Were Largely Wrong, Experts Say

computeraddicted — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 06:55:57 +0000

For decades, scientists have understood that there is a genetic component to intelligence, but a new study has found both that most of the genes thought to be linked to the trait are probably not in fact related to it, and identifying intelligence’s specific genetic roots may still be a long way off. (Credit: © ktsdesign / Fotolia)

ScienceDaily (Feb. 24, 2012) — For decades, scientists have understood that there is a genetic component to intelligence, but a new Harvard study has found both that most of the genes thought to be linked to the trait are probably not in fact related to it, and identifying intelligence’s specific genetic roots may still be a long way off.

Led by David I. Laibson ’88, the Robert I. Goldman Professor of Economics, and Christopher F. Chabris ’88, Ph.D. ’99, assistant professor of psychology at Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., a team of researchers examined a dozen genes using large data sets that included both intelligence testing and genetic data. As reported in a forthcoming article in the journalPsychological Science, they found that in nearly every case, the hypothesized genetic pathway failed to replicate. In other words, intelligence could not be linked to the specific genes that were tested.

“It is only in the past 10 or 15 years that we have had the technology for people to do studies that involved picking a particular genetic variant and investigating whether people who score higher on intelligence tests tend to have that genetic variant,” said Chabris. “In all of our tests we only found one gene that appeared to be associated with intelligence, and it was a very small effect. This does not mean intelligence does not have a genetic component, it means it’s a lot harder to find the particular genes, or the particular genetic variants, that influence the differences in intelligence.”

To get at the question of how genes influence intelligence, researchers first needed data, and plenty of it.MORE

Teens Banding Together to Cut Down on Facebook

computeraddicted — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 04:57:11 +0000

There’s no doubt that for many of us, Facebook consumes a goodly proportion of our time; on average, we spend 5 percent of our time online. For some teenagers, time spent on the 350 million-strong social network has gone beyond time spent and into time sunk. It’s prompted a spate of young users to devise ways of cutting down, taking breaks or simply deactivating their accounts altogether, according to The New York Times.

Some are even banding together to provide social support for curtailing the Facebook obsession. Two teens at San Francisco University High School, Hally Lamberson and Monica Reed, made a pact to only log in on the first Saturday of every month. Ann Arbor, Michigan, sophomore Neeka Salmasi enlisted her sister to change her Facebook password for her every Sunday evening and not give the new credentials back to her until the following Friday.

Other strategies include giving up Facebook for Lent, “punishing” Facebook usage breaches with embarrassing Wall messages, deactivating an account temporarily or going cold turkey for the entire senior year after Facebook proved too distracting during college applications. Psychology professionals and school administrators alike acknowledge that usage of the social network can all too easily reach problematic levels of distraction. Dr. Kimberly Young, director of the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery, said she’s worked with dozens of teens trying to break the habit: “It’s like any other addiction… it’s hard to wean yourself.”MORE

Doctor: Internet Addiction Could Become a Chronic Childhood Disease

computeraddicted — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 04:54:05 +0000

Back in August we reported that reSTART, a rehab center for Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD), was the first facility of its kind to treat the controversial diagnosis in the US.

The disorder has yet to be officially recognized, but specific symptoms have been outlined, and it’s a subject matter that continues to undergo evaluation.

Now, new research from the Kaohslung Medical University Hospital in Taiwan shows a correlation in young teens between internet addiction and other psychological disorders. According to CNN and the research report, “ADHD and hostility were linked to Internet addiction in children,” while social phobia and depression were linked to internet addiction in girls.

The researchers studied 2,293 Taiwanese students for two years, 10.8% of whom had developed an internet addiction, and scored the children based on their Internet activity. The researchers developed an addiction scale that factored in the “inability to cut back on usage, a preoccupation with online activities, and symptoms of withdrawal such as anxiety, boredom, or irritability after a few days of not going online.”

The study also deemed that boys are at higher risk for developing an unhealthy addiction, with the same conclusions holding true for those who participate in online gaming or spend more than 20 hours/week online.

While the results may seem obvious and easy to laugh off, researchers are starting to take internet addiction very seriously. The CNN article states:MORE

Why Most People Say They’re Addicted to the Internet [INFOGRAPHIC]

computeraddicted — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 04:49:58 +0000

Are you addicted to the Internet?

If so, you’re not alone. Some 61% of people feel addicted to the Internet and are unable to quit browsing, according to an informal survey.

Opinion pollster SodaHead surveyed 602 visitors to its site Feb. 16. about whether they experience Internet addiction, and found that many people are self-diagnosed addicts.

Women experience addiction more than men, with 64% of women compared with 55% of men reporting the symptoms of addiction.

Interestingly, respondents addicted to other behaviors were less likely to be addicted to the Internet. Only 48% of smokers, compared with 65% of non-smokers, experience addiction. The margin between drinkers and non-drinkers was narrower, with 57% of drinkers and 64% of non-drinkers describing themselves as Internet addicts.

SEE ALSO: Afraid of Losing Your Phone? You May Have Nomophobia, Like Half the PopulationAmong respondents who felt addicted, teenagers between 13 and 17 were worst off, with 73% reporting addiction. As respondents get older, they reported subsequently less addiction, with the exception of those 65 and over, who feel more addicted than their counterparts between 45 and 64.

The poll found that the Internet users who spend the most time online were the least likely to be Internet addicts. Those between 45 and 54, on average, spend the most time each week online, reporting almost 40 hours of browsing each week. Teens, who feel the most addicted spend the least amount of time online, reporting only 22.3 hours per week of use.

Do you consider yourself an Internet addict? How many hours do you spend online each week? Let us know in the comments.

Self-Healing Electronics Could Work Longer and Reduce Waste

computeraddicted — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 07:09:11 +0000

ScienceDaily (Dec. 20, 2011) — When one tiny circuit within an integrated chip cracks or fails, the whole chip — or even the whole device — is a loss. But what if it could fix itself, and fix itself so fast that the user never knew there was a problem?

A team of University of Illinois engineers has developed a self-healing system that restores electrical conductivity to a cracked circuit in less time than it takes to blink. Led by aerospace engineering professor Scott White and materials science and engineering professor Nancy Sottos, the researchers published their results in the journal Advanced Materials.

“It simplifies the system,” said chemistry professor Jeffrey Moore, a co-author of the paper. “Rather than having to build in redundancies or to build in a sensory diagnostics system, this material is designed to take care of the problem itself.”

As electronic devices are evolving to perform more sophisticated tasks, manufacturers are packing as much density onto a chip as possible. However, such density compounds reliability problems, such as failure stemming from fluctuating temperature cycles as the device operates or fatigue. A failure at any point in the circuit can shut down the whole device.

“In general there’s not much avenue for manual repair,” Sottos said. “Sometimes you just can’t get to the inside. In a multilayer integrated circuit, there’s no opening it up. Normally you just replace the whole chip. It’s true for a battery too. You can’t pull a battery apart and try to find the source of the failure.”

Most consumer devices are meant to be replaced with some frequency, adding to electronic waste issues, but in many important applications — such as instruments or vehicles for space or military functions — electrical failures cannot be replaced or repaired.

The Illinois team previously developed a system for self-healing polymer materials and decided to adapt their technique for conductive systems. They dispersed tiny microcapsules, as small as 10 microns in diameter, on top of a gold line functioning as a circuit. As a crack propagates, the microcapsules break open and release the liquid metal contained inside. The liquid metal fills in the gap in the circuit, restoring electrical flow.

“What’s really cool about this paper is it’s the first example of taking the microcapsule-based healing approach and applying it to a new function,” White said. “Everything prior to this has been on structural repair. This is on conductivity restoration. It shows the concept translates to other things as well.”

More Powerful Supercomputers? New Device Could Bring Optical Information Processing

computeraddicted — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 07:04:09 +0000

ScienceDaily (Dec. 22, 2011) — Researchers have created a new type of optical device small enough to fit millions on a computer chip that could lead to faster, more powerful information processing and supercomputers.

The “passive optical diode” is made from two tiny silicon rings measuring 10 microns in diameter, or about one-tenth the width of a human hair. Unlike other optical diodes, it does not require external assistance to transmit signals and can be readily integrated into computer chips.

The diode is capable of “nonreciprocal transmission,” meaning it transmits signals in only one direction, making it capable of information processing, said Minghao Qi (pronounced Chee), an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Purdue University.

“This one-way transmission is the most fundamental part of a logic circuit, so our diodes open the door to optical information processing,” said Qi, working with a team also led by Andrew Weiner, Purdue’s Scifres Family Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

WWEpoliticians

computeraddicted — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 06:58:13 +0000

‘WWEpoliticians ‘

WE WANT EDUCATED POLITICIANS . . .

(DEADBJ QUOTE)