'Wet' computing mimics neuron action

Two researchers from the University of Southampton are working on a project to adapt brain processes to a 'wet' information processing scenario by setting up chemicals in a tube which behave like the transistors in a computer chip, reveals Science Daily.

Dr Maurits de Planque and Dr Klaus-Peter Zauner at the University's School of Electronics and Computer Science just received EUR1.8 million (R19 million) from the European Union's Future and Emerging Technologies Proactive Initiatives, which recognises groundbreaking work which has already demonstrated important potential.

"What we are developing here is a very crude, minimal liquid brain and the final computer will be 'wet' just like our brain," says Dr Zauner. "People realise now that the best information processes we have are in our heads and as we are increasingly finding that silicon has its limitations in terms of information processing, we need to explore other approaches, which is exactly what we are doing here."

Major players in the clean tech space including IBM are working on a host of clean tech innovations that could benefit everything from where wind and solar farms are placed to achieving a 500-mile range for electric vehicles with lithium-air batteries, writes Cleantech Group.

Richard Lechner, IBM's vice-president of energy and environment, said many companies are focused on improving conversion efficiencies in photovoltaics. The industry average is about 12% PV efficiency, with laboratory results of 19% to 20%, he said.

IBM is also leading what's being called the Battery 500 project, part of its Big Green Innovations programme, with other industry players to make advancements in lithium-air battery technology. Lechner said the project is focused on improving the efficiency and energy density of the batteries as a mechanism for electric vehicles and storage.

After billions of dollars were spent to build, start, shut down and then fix and re-start the Large Hadron Collider, the system has finally produced enough data for some long-awaited scientific analysis, says Computerworld.

Scientists around the world are starting to analyse what an Iowa State University professor calls "beautiful" data. The experts are looking for noteworthy particle collisions, along with the paths, energies, and identities of the particles created when protons or lead ions collide at unprecedented energies.

Physicists are hoping the influx of data from the Large Hadron Collider will help them solve questions about matter, antimatter, black holes, dark energy and extra dimensions.