All-nanowire sensor arrives

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have created the first integrated circuit that uses nanowires as both sensors and electronic components, says Technology Review.

With a simple printing technique, the group was able to fabricate large arrays of uniform circuits, which could serve as image sensors. "Our goal is to develop all-nanowire sensors" that could be used in a variety of applications, says Ali Javey, an electrical-engineering professor at UC Berkeley, who led the research.

Nanowires make good sensors because their small dimensions enhance their sensitivity. Nanowire-based light sensors, for example, can detect just a few photons.

Researchers at Penn State have cooked up a new plastic that can be cooled by simply running a current through it, reports Gizmodo.

It uses the electrocaloric effect to rearrange its individual atoms when charged, allowing for heat to more easily come and go.

By wrapping up a chip in the stuff and zapping it with current, researchers hope they've found a way to make more efficient heatsinks for laptops and other gear with small, hot enclosures.

When IBM and Linden Lab officially announced limited interoperability between the Second Life Grid and OpenSim earlier month, it was clear there was still plenty of work to be done, says Virtual Worlds News.

Today Linden Lab announced the public beta for Open Grid, hoping to speed that development along. The programme is specifically aimed at developers - there's nothing much for end users to see here now.

Eventually there will be, though. The point, according to the FAQ, is for "Developers of virtual worlds who would like to enable their users to teleport between their platforms and regions on the Second Life Beta Grid."