Flash [computer memory]

Ever falling chip geometries are beginning to raise serious doubts as to the long-term viability of flash. Quantum tunnelling is integral to the operation of flash memory, and as chips are getting smaller the ultra-thin tunnelling barrier is becoming increasingly prone to breaking down. A second problem is with the lifetime of flash-based devices, which can be limited to around 100000 cycles. This is fine for some applications, but inadequate where data storage requirements extend over decades. Flash is also quite slow and difficult to program, two problems that are getting more significant as chip areas increase and supply voltages fall. There are three technologies looking to replace flash: magnetic RAM (MRAM), ferroelectric RAM (FRAM) and ovonic RAM. All of these use new materials to create truly nonvolatile memories with long lifetimes. Getting any one of them to replace flash in the marketplace will depend on producing a sufficiently small memory cell, while at the same time minimising the number of additional processing steps required.     

Synchronizing computer graphics animation and audio

Our prototype authoring tool synchronizes computer graphics animation, narration and background music. It lets users visualize the contents of a background music track and narration along a single time line and displays an animation's scenario sharing the same time line. A graphical user interface supports interactive editing of both background music and narration without any loss in quality     

The well-tempered computer [musical applications]

In the world of music, the benefits of computers are widely recognised. In this paper, the author describes how, more recently, the technology wheel has turned full circle with creative musicians now contributing to the development of computer technology     

The millennium bug [computer systems]

There is a time bomb ticking away within the world's computers. Come the next millennium and many computer systems will, quite literally, not know what year it is. Here, the author describes the origins of this problem and suggests some solutions     

Keeping information safe [computer fraud]

Computer-based fraud is an increasing crime with only one in twenty frauds resulting in a successful prosecution. In order to make systems secure the use of the public key cipher (PKC) system is being introduced. PKC has the advantage that the secret aspect of the process is wholly under the control of the person receiving the information. The use of PKC with a digital signature is discussed     

Your flexible friend [computer algebra]

The capabilities of computer algebra extend well beyond the bounds of mathematics. The author describes some of the less obvious ways in which these powerful software packages can come to the help of the busy engineer in many fields, including text processing, graphics etc     

Anatomy of malice [computer viruses]

As in controlling the spread of real diseases, the key to effective defenses against computer viruses is to understand the cause and mechanism of infection, not to focus on the symptoms. A computer virus that erases a user's files may seem very different from one that merely prints out the occasional annoying message, but chances are, they both got into the system in a similar fashion. Malicious software falls, by and large, into three classes: Trojans, viruses, and worms. The way in which these viruses work is explained, as are methods to counteract them     

Mind games [computer game AI]

An increasing number of other games are taking advantage of changes in computer architecture and the growth in processing power to become smarter than ever before. Although most of these games use relatively unsubtle AI techniques, a few pioneers are even showing the academic AI community a trick or two. While AI originated in the laboratory, it has now been coopted by designers of video games, and work is under way on increasing the learning powers of a video games cast of characters and refining their social interactions with one another and with human players, too. At this point, even cinematographers and the military are showing interest in possible applications. To beat the competition, video games are getting smarter. Game AIs have two big advantages over their academic counterparts-they can cheat, and they can get a lot of help from the world they find themselves in.     

Mission impossible? [FBI computer network]

With a new computer network automated investigative tools, and more channels for sharing information, the FBI hopes to finally know what it knows. The fall of 2001 saw the start of an ambitious program of modernization, which seems to recognize that the barriers that prevent the FBI from analyzing and sharing data are as much cultural as technological. These include accelerating a bureau-wide overhaul of basic computer hardware, software, and network infrastructure and replacing the FBI's ancient DOS-based Automated Case Support (ACS) database with a more user-friendly Windows-based system that can search on not just text but also photos, video and audio records, known as the Virtual Case File system.     

Making the rules [industrial computer control]

All processes need some form of control, even if this only consists of simply switching motors and actuators on and off. In some cases, process parameters must be controlled very precisely. Rule-based control offers more flexibility and better control of such complex processes than more conventional model-based techniques. Here, the author describes how rule-based expert systems have proved their worth in real heavy-industrial applications, and could bring benefits to many others     

Fueling the Internet [computer power consumption]

The author discusses power consumption of computers and their peripherals and household appliances which are supposedly switched off. The author examines the claims that the Internet is leading to growth in demand for electricity. The impact of this demand for power on the energy supply industry is also discussed     

How to hook worms [computer network security]

This paper discusses the use of intrusion detection systems to protect against the various threats faced by computer systems by way of worms, viruses and other forms of attacks. Intrusion detection systems attempt to detect things that are wrong in a computer network or system. The main problems of these systems, however, are the many false alarms they produce, their lack of resistance to both malicious attacks and accidental failures, and the constant appearance of new attacks and vulnerabilities. IBM Zurich Research Laboratory has developed a system that specifically targets worms rather than trying to prevent all breaches of computer security. Called Billy Goat, the specialized worm detection system runs on a dedicated machine connected to the network and detects worm-infected machines anywhere in it. Billy Goat has been proven effective at detecting worm-infected machines in a network. It is currently used in several large corporate intranets, and it is normally able to detect infected machines within seconds of their becoming infected. Furthermore, not only is it able to detect the presence of a worm in the network, it can even provide the addresses of the infected machines. This makes it considerably easier to remedy the problem.     

X, as in expediency [computer terminals]

Terminals using the X Window System are discussed. The open X standard is described, and the restrictions it imposes are noted. Selection criteria for X terminals are examined     

New machines for old [manufacturing computer control]

ICL is currently implementing a phased CIM strategy at its printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing site at Kidsgrove. The manufacturing process begins with laminate and components entering the factory, and ends with tested PCBs leaving to be fitted into products at ICL's assembly plants or stored for field spares. The author shows that one of the major problems in installing computer-integrated and flexible manufacturing systems (for PCB production applications) is the integration of existing numerically controlled machines     

The audio frontier [computer audio engineers' retreat]

Hardware and software engineers who work in the Wild West of computer audio gather annually at a Texas ranch to tackle their collective challenges, spend the nights in jam sessions, and commune with the emus. This paper describes the seventh annual Project Bar-B-Q, an offbeat and influential three-day retreat for leaders in the field of audio engineering. Their aim is to improve computer audio, and make consumers care more about computer audio in the first place. This long weekend is an opportunity for competitors to work together on divining the challenges that face them collectively.     

汽车驾驶模拟器视景的三维动画实现

OpenGL(Open Graphic Library)是一个三维的计算机图形和模型库，用户基于OpenGL不仅能够方便地制作三维图形，而且能够实现高质量的三维动画。介绍了OpenGL的变换和动画的原理，设计了汽车驾驶模拟器视景系统的动画层次，视景系统能够实时地提供与汽车运动位置所对应的场景，实现了复杂层次的驾驶视景三维动画。     

Representations and routing for Cayley graphs [computer networks]

It is shown that all finite Cayley graphs can be represented by generalized chordal rings (GCR). An example Borel Cayley graph is used to illustrate the generation of GCR representations. A sufficient condition is given for the representation of a Cayley graph as a chordal ring (CR). With the integer labeling of GCR representations, a straightforward, progressive routing algorithm based on table look-up is summarized