In the efforts of protecting our families from unwanted phone calls and people who have no good intentions when it comes to calling our homes, the caller ID spoofing process has been created. The main purpose of this newly found technology is to help prevent phone harassment from being experienced by so many people. This caller ID allows you to have an anonymous phone number as you make those phone calls. When using the caller ID spoofing system, what happens is that a dummy number appears on the other end of the number you are calling in case the other end has a caller ID attached to it. In effect, your privacy as a caller is kept.
The main thing about this whole new calling protection system is that it uses the Voice Over Internet Protocol also more popularly know now as VoIP. Through VoIP, the calls being made are automatically transferred to the internet where a privately customized and secured environment channel will then take over. This is why the entire spoofing system is made safe because the calls are being hosted online. With VoIP, security and safety is made possible in caller ID spoofing.
Actually, it was only 2003 when the whole anonymity of caller ID has been launched. During the time of its inception, it was primarily made for security authorities such as law enforcers as well as private investigators. The system was made for purposes of pretext calling. This is the process used by these security authorities as they try to fish for information within a pretense. Because of the caller ID spoofing system, many safety authorities were able to solve a lot of cases—some of which were pending since time immemorial until the spoofing method came along.
Because of its immense popularity in the specified field of private investigation, caller ID spoofing eventually saw marketability among the public. It did not take that long for caller ID spoofing to finally be made a public product. But as it was made a public commodity, there were also quite a few things which eventually got attached with the system. Among them are controversial issues about how legal it really is to use the said device. Also, a concern which rose out of its being made public is the possibility of it being used by prank callers which can also instigate harassment.
Yet regardless of all these concerns, caller ID spoofing is continually being used by so many people. Moreover, more and more telecommunications companies have been starting to develop their own devices specifically made for the said process. All in all, caller ID spoofing must only be used by those who really need it, and if you do not really have to make that much of anonymous calls then you can probably live without it. The worry about the cons of caller ID spoofing is actually not a problem. Because eventually, it can be possible that another device will be created to reverse the capacity of caller ID spoofing. But for now, people can still expect to enjoy them. Until such time that another fresh wave of technological upgrade makes the process so passé.
A research team of ecologists in the Netherlands has discovered that herbivore insects make use of plant life to communicate with one another. Insects living underground deposit chemical “markers” on the leaves of neighboring plants, alerting other insects that the area is occupied. This chemical communication system is important to prevent insects from competing for the same plant.
It has long been known that animals communicate through many different methods, including noises, body language and odor; but the new research suggests that insects are effectively using plants as “communication tools,” in much the same way that humans use telephones to communicate important information across a great distance.
The research was carried out by the Netherlands Institute of Ecology, and the particular project which led to this discovery was headed up by Roxina Soler Gamborena, a Ph.D. candidate in ecological studies. The new research highlights the complicated interaction between sub terrestrial insects and plant and animal life above ground.
The scientists theorize that certain insects evolved through natural selection to use surrounding plant life as a communications tool to avoid overfeeding on particular plants. This behavior benefits not only the insects, but the plants themselves, and helps to keep the entire ecosystem in balance.
Researchers have dubbed the plant communication the “green phone line,” because it allows insects living deep underground to communicate information to animals on the surface and protect their living environment. The communication signals transmitted through the plants can be received and understood by a wide variety of animal life, including caterpillars, wasps and other insects.
Technically, the “green phone line” works like this: root-eating insects living underground deposit chemicals on the leaves of plants above. These chemical markers warn other insects that the plant is being fed on from below, which discourages them from feeding on it above ground. This is important because research has shown that insects that feed on plants which are also being consumed below ground — at the root level — receive less nutrients from the plant and will develop slower.
The chemical communication carried out via the plant is a clear warning to insects above; “if you feed on this plant you will not receive proper nutrition.” It has been observed that even flying insects will avoid feeding on the plant containing the chemical marker, suggesting that communicating via plant life is an effective and mutually beneficial behavior among insects.
As human beings, we often like to think that we are the only life forms with the ability to communicate over long distances, or to use tools to do so. But this new ecological research clearly demonstrates that even subterranean insects are adept communicators and tool users.
There’s an old saying: “just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.” Researchers in the UK studying the nature of paranoid thoughts have discovered a unique way to gather information — using virtual reality.
An ongoing study at Kings College, London is using virtual reality technology to monitor the reactions of test subjects while interacting with others on a virtual subway ride. The simulation uses the London Tube (underground commuter train network) as a starting point for analyzing paranoid thoughts and reactions.
The initial studies have shown that approximately 40% of the general public experience paranoid thoughts when traveling by public transportation. The London Tube is a particularly good simulation to use because travelers are “cooped together” in a small confined area with strangers. The researchers analyzed subject behavior and thoughts in response to seemingly innocent actions by other virtual passengers, including simply looking in their direction, smiling, or making eye contact.
The research shows that 40% of the study’s participants interpreted such interaction as hostile or threatening in some way, a clear indication of paranoid tendencies. The study used 200 participants, all wearing virtual reality headsets. The underground train carriage presented in the simulation was populated by computer created people who either sat quietly or moved around, smiled or frowned, made eye contact or looked away, as well as other random human behaviors.
The Kings College researchers found that different participants interpreted the behaviors of the virtual characters on board in very different ways. For example, one participant might have noticed that a virtual person got up and changed seats, but attached no special meaning to this behavior at all, and in fact, viewed it as completely neutral.
But other participants witnessing the exact same behavior would interpret it as a hostile or aggressive act. Even an action as simple as a computer-generated person smiling at the subject could elicit very different responses. Some participants would label this a friendly behavior, while others would perceive it as a threat.
Until recently, in order to study these types of psycho-social behaviors and reactions, researchers had to rely on real-life social situations, and use a variety of questionnaires to determine what people were thinking at various points during the social interaction. This method was highly unreliable, as self questionnaires have been proven to be quite inaccurate in assessing states of mind. The problem is, you’re asking a person to analyze their own thinking process — which is difficult at best.
For this reason, social researchers are praising the use of virtual reality as a tool to understand the thought processes of people experiencing paranoid thoughts in social situations.
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By using a combination of MRI scans and a massive computer database of visual brain activity images, researchers can now “read” images within the brain. The Washington Post is reporting that Professor Jack Gallant of the University of California, Berkeley has invented a process to effectively categorize and “decode” visual activity in the brain.
Although Professor Gallant is quick to point out that the new technology does not amount to “mind reading,” the process does identify and isolate visual activity within the brain, based on millions of possible combinations which are stored in a computer database of known brain activity. The process does not reconstruct visual images of what people are seeing or thinking, though Professor Gallant says that in principle, this should be possible to do.
The research which identified differing images in the mind is fascinating. Volunteers were shown 1750 photographs of different objects and scenes, including food, animals, people, buildings and plants. A brain scan recorded the activity in the volunteers visual cortex region of the brain while being shown each specific image. The brain activity was then categorized and compiled into a huge computer database.
In the last stage of the study, volunteers were again shown photographs while being given an MRI scan. Based on the volunteers previous brain activity, a computer was able to accurately determine which type of image the volunteers were looking at — whether it was a house, person, food or animal. The computer’s success rate in determining the type of image being viewed was often above 90%.
Although the new brain scan technology is in the experimental stage, researchers are already theorizing different ways to use visual image decoding as a medical tool. One exciting possibility would be to use the technology to help determine the effectiveness of medications designed to improve brain function. Psychiatrist could also use the technology to gauge patient biofeedback, or even help interpret dreams.
So far though, the technology is in its infant stage, and much more research will need to be done before computers are able to decode complex visual information within the brain. If perfected however, visual image decoding code radically transform our understanding of how the human brain processes visual information. And because the technology is non-invasive, it could lead to safer treatment for brain injuries and psychological disorders.
Could this be the first step toward computers having the capability of “mind reading?” It’s a scary thought, but in theory, with a large enough brain activity database, a computer may one day be able to identify billions of possible visual images within the mind, and decode the language of our thoughts.
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Mobile phones just seem to get smaller and smaller every year, but a new Israeli company is trying out a concept that takes mobile phone “compactness” to a whole new level: tiny phone modules that snap into any number of interchangeable “skins” or “jackets” to become bigger smartphones, or even into other gadgets to allow them to connect to the Internet.
The Israeli company, Modu, will launch the new phone “modules” in October of this year in association with Telecom Italia, Vimpel Communications, and Cellcom Israel, to provide network service in Italy, Russia and Israel respectively.
The new cell phone module, or Modu, weighs only 1.5 ounces (even smaller than an iPod Nano), and will have a small color screen and keypad to allow it to work as a very basic mobile phone on its own. But things only start to get interesting when the Modu is snapped into a “jacket” to, in effect, transform the mini-cell into a fully featured smartphone, complete with camera, additional memory and other advanced features.
The Modu is expected to turn mobile phones into fashion accessories, as new skins can be purchased to update your look for every season. Modu president Dov Moran says, “This allows you to make a summer collection and a winter collection.”
The jackets themselves are inexpensive to produce and have very little electronics, making them accessible to many consumers. With the new Modu module, you can change the look — and even functionality — of your cell phone at any time. For example, you can have a “day phone,” which is more utilitarian and functional, and a “night phone,” which is more elegant and streamlined.
Additionally, you can also collect the phone jackets in order to complement any color you may be wearing on a particular day. Motive is particularly marketing to teenagers, who have shown a clear preference toward changing their cell phone look to match their mood, the occasion, or just for the fun of it.
Even younger kids are being targeted as potential consumers for the new modular phones. In Russia, Modu will be producing phone jackets featuring cartoon characters.
On the other hand, in Israel the company will be producing phone jackets specifically for Israeli soldiers, featuring a rugged green design and built-in flashlight. Other jacket designs will focus on music, and come preinstalled with a variety of songs. Universal Music Group, for example, is considering a phone jacket that is music themed and comes preloaded with tracks by many of the company’s recording artists.
Worldwide, there has been a great deal of interest in the new modular phone concept. But the United States is lagging far behind on the trend. Moran expects his company won’t debut the Modu phones in the United States until sometime in 2009 — practically a lifetime from now in the fast-paced world of cell phone technology.
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These days, microchips make the world go around. They are in mobile phones, computers, refrigerators, microwaves and pretty much any other electrical device you care to name. But there’s a new microchip on the horizon now that is so efficient, it can be powered by only body heat and movement.
Wired.com is reporting that the new microchip, developed by MIT in Massachusetts, uses 70% less power than current chips. MIT researchers believe it could dramatically increase the energy efficiency of electronic devices within the next five years. The development is especially exciting in the field of medical electronics. Anantha Chandrakasan, an MIT professor of electrical engineering says, “when you look at the digital processor, the fact is that we may be able to reduce the energy needed by 10 times.”
Extending the battery time of medical or military devices is particularly important, as time is often critical in these situations, and changing a battery could mean the difference between life and death. In fact, the US military is so interested in the new technology that it partially funded the MIT research that led to the new microchip design.
But industry is taking note of the innovation as well. Cell phones and notebook computers, in particular, could benefit greatly from the more efficient chips. Computer processor manufacturer Intel already has their own low-power chip research department investigating the uses of the technology.
Current microchips suffer from a problem when used at low voltages. The reduction in power tends to cause errors in the memory area of the chip. But the new low-power microchips have been completely reengineered to handle fluctuations in voltage, and function without error at very low levels of power.
To put the innovation of the new chip in perspective, just consider the current low level microchip leaders: Intel has developed a mobile microchip that reduces power consumption to two watts in notebook computers. That amounts to less than 1/5 the voltage of most current microprocessors.
The new MIT microchip, however, uses in the range of one to 100 micro-watts, resulting in longer life, and a cooler running processor. Of course, saving a few watts of energy may not be significant to consumers, but for mobile devices, such as those used by the military, this is a tremendous innovation.
Using the new microchip, battlefield communication devices could potentially function up to 10 times longer without needing a recharge or a new battery, a prospect that is very appealing to the US military.
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The Opera Web browser has been toiling away in the background for years now. Opera’s “small footprint” alternative Internet browser was created in Scandinavia back in the 90s, and in keeping with its northern European roots, provides an efficient and elegant interface for Web surfing that critics went absolutely ga ga for.
The only problem was, Opera never caught on with the mainstream, particularly here in North America, where for years only the most hard-core of computer geeks took advantage of Opera’s superior user interface and miniscule file size.
But these days, Opera has officially grown up. Opera Software ASA is now the official name of the company, and instead of trying to compete with Internet Explorer and Firefox, they have turned their attention to the world of mobile phone Web browsing, particularly on the latest generation of web-enabled smart phones.
The latest version of Opera Mobile is designed for bleeding-edge smartphones and claims desktop-like speed and performance from your mobile phone. Opera Mobile 9.5 features a re-engineered software engine which the company claims allows Web surfing at 2 1/2 times the speed of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer Mobile.
Page loading is said to be “comparable” to a desktop computer, and Opera Mobile’s new “Presto” software engine provides increased responsiveness on pages that use JavaScript and AJAX code.
Opera CEO Jon Von Tetzner says, “Opera Mobile is the result of Opera’s unwavering commitment to a vision that puts a true Web experience in the hands of mobile users.” So far, the critics seem to agree, with many Web experts noting that Opera Mobile 9.5 raises the bar for mobile Web browsing, and could easily become the de facto standard mobile operating system.
In addition to increasing page load times, the new Opera Mobile browser adds many new features, like the new zoom and pan control, which makes reading a web page more comfortable on a small screen. There is also the ability to download and save web pages to the phone’s memory for off-line browsing at a later time. The browser also includes a URL auto complete function, an intuitive password manager and support for Flash web applications.
But not everyone will be thrilled by the success of the new Opera Mobile. Of course, Microsoft will not be pleased to hear that independent tests confirm that Opera Mobile is 2 1/2 times faster than Internet Explorer. And Google is also not likely to get any joy from the success of Opera’s new software. Google inc. has developed its own competing mobile operating system called Android, which it hopes will become the standard for mobile smartphones around the world.
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The U. S. military claims that it must shoot down a non-functional satellite over the course of the next several days to protect against the possibility of the satellite’s fuel tank leaking out into the atmosphere, and creating a toxic gas cloud. However, experts in the field of aircraft and space security are crying foul. Many experienced missile defense and space authorities are questioning the rationale for the proposed shoot down.
The Deputy National Security Adviser, James Jeffrey, told the press that the satellite’s fuel tank, containing Hydrazine rocket fuel, was the primary rationale for firing a missile at the satellite. Jeffrey claims, “There is a small but real risk that the Hydrazine tank could rupture, releasing a toxic gas over a populated area.”
But interestingly, General James Cartwright, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, downplayed any threat from the rogue satellite at a press conference yesterday. Cartwright noted that even if the Hydrazine were to escape into the atmosphere, the chances of it affecting anyone were extremely remote, and even then it would likely cause only mild affects.
General Cartwright’s comments match those of many missile defense experts who have scoffed at the military’s official explanation for why they are spending millions to shoot down a disabled satellite that would, if left alone, re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere naturally within the next few weeks.
But if public safety is not the military’s rationale for shooting down the satellite, then what is? Experts believe that there are several likely reasons for using a naval launched missile to shoot down the satellite. First, shooting down the satellite would eliminate the possibility of another nation getting their hands on it and analyzing the technology used– specifically, China or Russia, who both have very active space programs.
Another possible reason: as a warning to the Chinese. The Chinese military fired a missile into space last year to destroy a satellite. While the US condemned this move as reckless and warlike, it seems that now the shoe is on the other foot, and America could be playing a game of one-upmanship with the Chinese.
Whatever the reason for the proposed shoot down, the US is playing a dangerous game, one that has already brought protests from both Russia and China who, like many American experts, have seen through the flimsy rationale for targeting a failing satellite with a next-generation heat-seeking missile.
Whatever the true reason is behind the shoot down, the US appeaars to be edging closer and closer toward a new “arms race” with both China and Russia.
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When John Lennon wrote the classic Beatle’s song “Across the Universe,” he probably never dreamed that that is exactly where the Beatle’s classic would end up. On February 4, NASA celebrated the 50th anniversary of the very first space mission. In honor of the occasion, NASA used a huge networked array of antennas that normally scan the heavens for incoming signals from space to transmit a broadcast out into the cosmos.
NASA broadcast the Beatles song “Across the Universe” out into space in what will be the most powerful extraterrestrial transmission ever conceived by humankind. Coincidentally, the Beatle’s song was recorded exactly 40 years ago on February 4th 1968, making it the perfect choice for a musical message to the universe.
The broadcast signal was aimed in the direction of Polaris, which is also known as the North Star, and is located 431 light-years from Earth. The song should also be audible in some locations here on earth. And just to increase the power of the songs broadcast out into the heavens, NASA has been encouraging Beatles fans and the public at large to play the song themselves at 7 p.m. Monday night, the scheduled time of the interstellar broadcast.
Sir Paul McCartney of the Beatles seemed humbled and pleased by NASA’s inclusion of the Beatles tune, saying “well done, NASA! Send my love to the aliens.” Perhaps coincidentally, the new film by director Julie Traymor entitled “Across the Universe” debuted on DVD the following Tuesday, February 5. The film, which uses a soundtrack of classic Beatles songs including Across the Universe, has received rave reviews by critics, and has been nominated for an Oscar.
It is rare indeed for NASA to use its array of large, deep-space-probing antenna in order to broadcast a signal. Normally the array listens quietly for any signs of electromagnetic activity in deep space. The system is also used for receiving data from space probes, as they fulfill their missions throughout the solar system and beyond.
But it is not rare for the Earth to send out electromagnetic signals into space. In fact, day to day human activity, including television and radio broadcasts, emits billions of electromagnetic signals out into the ether. Even so, there is no denying that no one has ever attempted to broadcast a signal out into the cosmos as powerfully as the NASA networked antenna array broadcast this Monday. The real question is, is there anyone out there listening?
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Remember the 6 Million Dollar Man? The classic 70s-era TV show extolled the virtues of combining man and machine to create a type of “superhuman,” with capabilities and potential far beyond that of the average person.
Some times real life imitates fiction: Fox news is reporting that scientists have developed a “bionic” digital contact lens with the ability to zoom in or out, making objects far in the distance clear and visible, and displaying useful facts and navigation details on the periphery of our vision.
A prototype has been developed by researchers at the Sandia National Laboratories in California, which proves that the technology is both viable and safe. Once perfected, the user looking through the “bionic” contact lens would see a superimposed display revealing lighting and distance information about any object in view.
Think of the Terminator movies, where the mechanized hero constantly viewed a wide variety of information relating to his current environment. Soon, that could be me and you.
The prototype for the new lens is constructed of micro electrical circuits, which are made of metal layers only a few nanometers thick each. As a comparison, each metal layer is 10 to 20 times thinner than the average human hair. The contact lens itself is made of organic materials, to prevent the body from rejecting the “foreign intruder.”
The prototype for the finished lens has been tested on rabbits in increments of 20 minutes at a time. So far, the animals have showed no negative responses, or attempts by the body to reject the cyber site-aid.
Researchers theorize that this technology can eventually yield many different types of high tech personal gadgets. For example, airline pilots could see their air speed and direction at all times. The same technology could even be used while driving, giving drivers constant access to their speed, direction and other useful safety updates on the road.
There is even talk of developing a video game system using the technology, which would allow gamers to completely immerse themselves in the landscape of the virtual world they are playing in. Rather than using a computer screen, the game world would be projected directly onto their eyes by the “bionic” lenses. Talk about virtual reality!
More usefully, researchers are even theorizing that site aids could be created using the technology to allow visually impaired people to see. Now that the basic technology has been proven in a prototype, we’re likely to see many different laboratories exploring the possibilities and usefulness of the bionic lens.
Of course, there are also naysayers who resent the idea of technological intrusions into the human body. But with plastic surgery, laser eye correction, mechanical hearts and other procedures being commonplace these days, it seems that the “purists” who resist the idea of technology being incorporated into the human body are fighting a losing battle.
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