technology

Jul 14, 2011

Soft Memory Device Opens Door To New Biocompatible Electronics

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a memory device that is soft and functions well in wet environments – opening the door to a new generation of biocompatible electronic devices. 

Jul 13, 2011

Research Hopes to Improve Suits For Fighting Wildfires

You can hardly get through an evening news program without hearing about an out-of-control wildfire spreading across various parts of the country. But how safe – and comfortable – is the clothing being worn by the men and women fighting these fires? Researchers at North Carolina State University are working to develop and demonstrate new… 

Jul 6, 2011

NC State To Create Video Game Adventure To Boost Science Literacy

North Carolina State University has landed a grant to boost science literacy by developing a narrative video game that uses adventure to help middle school students develop their literacy skills – particularly their ability to read and understand scientific and technical language. 

Jun 28, 2011

Model Finds Optimal Fiber Optic Network Connections 10,000 Times More Quickly

Designing fiber optic networks  involves finding the most efficient way to connect phones and computers that are in different places – a costly and time-consuming process. Now researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a model that can find optimal connections 10,000 times more quickly, using less computing power to solve the problem. 

Jun 15, 2011

Gaming’s Crystal Ball

Video games are more popular than ever. The online role-playing game World of Warcraft (WoW) alone has more than 11 million registered players. And generating new content to keep those players involved can be a challenge. But now NC State researchers have developed a way to predict what players will do next – and that can help video-game designers give the players exactly what they want. 

Jun 15, 2011

New Sensor To Measure Structural Stresses Can Heal Itself When Broken

Researchers from North Carolina State University have designed a sensor that can measure strain in structural materials and is capable of healing itself – an important advance for collecting data to help us make informed decisions about structural safety in the wake of earthquakes, explosions or other unexpected events. 

Jun 14, 2011

What Gamers Want: Researchers Develop Tool To Predict Player Behavior

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new method that can accurately predict the behavior of players in online role-playing games. The tool could be used by the game industry to develop new game content, or to help steer players to the parts of a game they will enjoy most. 

Jun 9, 2011

New Parallelization Technique Boosts Our Ability To Model Biological Systems

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a new technique for using multi-core chips more efficiently, significantly enhancing a computer’s ability to build computer models of biological systems. The technique improved the efficiency of algorithms used to build models of biological systems more than seven-fold, creating more realistic models that can account for uncertainty… 

May 31, 2011

The Real Space Saver: NC State Students Look To Support Manned Mission To Mars

What would it take to make a manned mission to Mars a reality? A team of aerospace and textile engineering students from North Carolina State University believe part of the solution may lie in advanced textile materials. The students joined forces to tackle life-support challenges that the aerospace industry has been grappling with for decades. 

May 25, 2011

New Bandwidth Management Techniques Boost Operating Efficiency In Multi-Core Chips

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed two new techniques to help maximize the performance of multi-core computer chips by allowing them to retrieve data more efficiently, which boosts chip performance by 10 to 40 percent. 

May 17, 2011

Researchers Develop Hardware Encryption For New Computer Memory Technology

Security concerns are one of the key obstacles to the adoption of new non-volatile main memory (NVMM) technology in next-generation computers, which would improve computer start times and boost memory capacity. But now researchers from North Carolina State University have developed new encryption hardware for use with NVMM to protect personal information and other data. 

May 2, 2011

Paging Han Solo: Researchers Find More Efficient Way To Steer Laser Beams

For many practical applications involving lasers, it’s important to be able to control the direction of the laser beams. Just ask Han Solo, or the captain of the Death Star. Researchers from North Carolina State University have come up with a very energy-efficient way of steering laser beams that is precise and relatively inexpensive. 

Apr 13, 2011

Software Creates Privacy Mode To Help Secure Android Smartphones

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed software that helps Android smartphone users prevent their personal information from being stolen by hackers. 

Apr 12, 2011

Study Finds Public Relatively Unconcerned About Nanotechnology Risks

A new study finds that the general public thinks getting a suntan poses a greater public health risk than nanotechnology or other nanoparticle applications. The study, from North Carolina State University, compared survey respondents’ perceived risk of nanoparticles with 23 other public-health risks. 

Mar 21, 2011

NC State Program Fosters Entrepreneurship In Engineering Community

One lesson learned in North Carolina State University’s Engineering Entrepreneurs Program (EEP): technical knowledge is not enough, if you want to be successful. NC State researchers are laying out lessons they’ve learned running one of the nation’s first EEPs in a paper being published by IEEE’s Computer, as part of a special issue focused on entrepreneurship.