Baked Robots: Hot, Fresh Approach to Self-Assembly

A new approach for self-assembling robots uses heat to help the objects form properly. MIT professor Daniela Rus used materials that change shape when heat is applied. Manufacturers could use heat to make a plastic sheet with carefully located creases and slits fold into a 3D robot’s body. Rus is scheduled to demonstrate her approach during the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation this week in Hong Kong. (SlashDot)(Tech Crunch)(MIT News Office)

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Demand for NoSQL, Big Data Skills Rises

Recent technology-job postings show that employers are increasingly seeking job candidates with -database skills. Posting for NoSQL skills increased 54 percent “year over year,” according to the Dice.com career website, which provided no specific time frame details. Demand for these skills is increasing because corporations are collecting more data from both internal and external sources, according to the site. Other increases in popular skills were 46 percent for those related to Big Data, 43 percent for those specifically related to Apache Hadoop, 27 percent for those related to cloud computing, 20 percent for those related to software as a service, and 16 percent for those related to Python. Other types of jobs growing in popularity include those using analytics or open-source software. (SlashDot)(Dice.com)

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Autodesk Announces First Hardware Products

Autodesk, a 3D software developer, announced it is launching its first 3D printer. The company is enabling other manufacturers to make their own versions of the printer or use its Spark software at no cost. The printer uses a laser to harden liquid plastic in a process known as stereolithography rather than the extrusion process most low-cost 3D printers rely on. The laser traces the design on a layer of resin, turning it solid. Unused materials are discarded. The process continues iteratively until the object is formed. This particular process will enable users to choose their own materials, allowing them to formulate and experiment with different polymers, says Autodesk. The printer is being targeted at professionals wishing to make small items, namely medical devices or jewelry. Pricing details have not been finalized, but it may cost roughly $5,000. The hardware offering is designed to increase interest in Autodesk’s new Spark software. Analysts have noted 3D printer adoption is growing as hardware prices decline. Most of the purchases are being made by businesses. An estimated 56,000 printers under $100,000 were sold in 2013, according to Gartner analysts. (SlashDot)(BBC)

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Citizen Scientists Sought to Donate Idle Computer Time to Alzheimer’s Researchers

A newly launched project seeks volunteers willing to lend their idle computing power to help researchers with computationally difficult problems. The Compute Against Alzheimer’s Disease project is being developed by George Mason University and Parabon Computation. Participants will download software that works only when the computer is not otherwise in use. The spare computational cycles will be tasked with molecular modeling at the cellular level. This form of distributed computing approach has been used by groups including Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. The researchers are trying to find what causes Alzheimer’s, which is the sixth leading cause of death in the US. (EurekAlert)(George Mason University)(Compute Against Alzheimer’s Disease)

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Samsung Issues Apologies for Worker Deaths, Illnesses

Samsung issued a public apology in connection with the illnesses and deaths of some workers exposed to chemicals at its facilities in South Korea. The company says it will compensate those former manufacturing plant employees affected by leukemia and other blood-related cancers; however, those parties are also seeking compensation from a government insurance fund. “It is truly sad and heart-breaking for us,” the company said in a statement. “We feel regret that a solution for this delicate matter has not been found in a timely manner, and we would like to use this opportunity to express our sincerest apology to the affected people.”  Supporters for the Health And Rights of People in the Semiconductor Industry (SHARPS), an advocacy group, say 26 individuals who worked in Samsung’s Gi-Heung and On-Yang semiconductor plants have reported leukemia and lymphoma and of those, 10 people have died. A third-party investigation commissioned by Samsung in 2011 reportedly found no connection between the manufacturing plants and leukemia. (PC World)(Bloomberg)(The Associated Press)

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Comcast: Data Caps Probable in Five Years

Comcast executive vice president David Cohen predicts bandwidth caps will be in place within five years. Cohen, who made the comments in an investor call, says the company is reportedly determining what the best possible “usage based billing” or cap should be before instituting any changes. Comcast told Ars Technica in 2012 ”98 percent of our customers nationally don’t use 300GB/month,” which the publication speculates may mean an eventual increase of the monthly limit  to 500 GB. The company has established caps in several of its southern US markets, including Atlanta and Memphis. Customers exceeding the limit pay an additional $10/month for 50 GB. As the new caps are rolling out, Comcast is allowing users to exceed the cap for three of 12 months without any additional fees. (SlashDot)(Tech Crunch)(Ars Technica)

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Target CEO Resigns amid Continuing Data Breach Fallout

Department-store chain Target’s board of directors has announced the resignation of CEO Gregg Steinhafel, the latest move to occur in the wake of the huge 2013 data breach from which the company is still recovering. Steinhafel, a 35-year Target employee of the company who also served as its president and a board member, had said that he held himself personally accountable for the data breach. Chief financial officer John Mulligan is acting as interim CEO and president, and board member Roxanne S. Austin will serve as non-executive board chair. Steinhafel remains with Target in an advisory capacity. During the December 2013 breach, hackers stole credit- or debit-card information on up to 110 million people who purchased items at Target. Since then, Target has reported that its revenue during the Christmas 2013 shopping quarter was 5 percent less than in 2012. The company also reported paying $61 million in hacking-related expenses, with insurance covering $17 million. The company plans to use chip-and-pin technology from MasterCard in its new company-branded credit and debit cards, due for release in early 2015. (The Los Angeles Times)(Businessweek)(USA Today)(Target)

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