Neural networks to make sensors smarter?

Prof. Milos Manic has been working with Idaho National Laboratory to develop smarter sensor networks and a smarter Smart Grid using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) technology. Based on the biological information processing works, neural networks can help us find order in complex systems. Check it out on the Idaho National Lab website through this link:

http://www.uidaho.edu/engr/cs/newsevents

What's a COTS BOT?

A roBOT built from Commercial Off-The-Shelf components. Professors Robert Heckendorn and Terry Soule and their students are putting laptop computers and smart phones onto commercial robots. Smart phones come with built sensors like cameras, microphones, compasses, GPS receivers and enough computing power to do really interesting things with the right software, in a very affordable package. The class is nicknamed the Skunk Works. Here’s the COTS BOTS web site: http://www.cotsbots.org

Welcome to the UI CS blog

Welcome to the new University of Idaho Computer Science blog. Late-breaking news items will go here and on our Facebook page.

Here's a not-so-new item. Last Fall the student chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery made a light display for homecoming by putting a computer-controlled light in every south-facing window of the Theophilus Tower, one of the on-campus residence halls. The lights blinked in synchronization to music, making a dynamic display. Check it out here:

http://www.vimeo.com/uiacm/videos

-- Greg Donohoe, CS Department Chair