Free Republic

Driver-Monitoring System Instead of just watching for hazards on the road, Toyota's latest precrash safety system is turning its attention to the most likely cause of an accident: you. This spring, Lexus models in Japan will be available with a camera mounted on the steering column that uses facial-recognition software to determine whether you're watching the road. If not, and the front-mounted radar sees you're getting too close to something, it will flash a light, then beep and tap the brakes if you persist in rubbernecking. Body Area Network (BAN) Like everything else, implantable medical devices are going wireless. A...

OK, new thread for the next week. First, a big shout out to the SETI members who have added CPUs to the effort. Remember, its Team 36120, NOT Team 0. Next, congrats to all for bumping our team up to 104 processors and 76 users. We have a number of new users in the team, with Clara Lou, fzx12345, SamfromLivingston, brityank, manwiththehands and Tami all popping onto the hit list this week. Malsua, uriah and Ken in Texas are solidly in the top 10. Malsua is continuing to add systems and now accounts for 10% of the FR total. Great...

OK, new thread for the next week. First, a big shout out to the SETI members who have added CPUs to the effort. Remember, its Team 36120, NOT Team 0. Next, congrats to all for bumping our team up to 65 processors. ArgentCent is the latest to have joined our happy band of folders and jumps in at # 36 with his first completed WU. We now have 51 members in the team, and about 45 active participants. Malsua, uriah and Ken in Texas are solidly in the top 10. One of these will probably be the new Numero Uno...

FreeRepublic Team Ranked #1,550 (of 41,708 teams)

TOKYO, Japan, December 13, 2005– Honda Motor Co., Ltd. debuted a new ASIMO humanoid robot which features the ability to pursue key tasks in a real-life environment such as an office and an advanced level of physical capabilities. Compared to the previous model, the new ASIMO achieves the enhanced ability to act in sync with people – for example, walking with a person while holding hands. A new function to carry objects using a cart was also added. Further, the development of a “total control system” enables ASIMO to automatically perform the tasks of a receptionist or information guide...

FR Team ranking up to number 1782 of 41608

I have a network that has not been working. My computer, the main computer works well through it and connects up to the cable without problem. Computer number two just throws up these days but lets forget it for now. Triage works in computers as well as medicine. Computer number three wants to hook up to the internet and it appears that it sends packets to the router but cannot receive. there is a Via RhineII fast internet adapter that needs attention. Device does not start (Code 10) I am assuming that this is the card where the usb port...

Details of a zero-day vulnerability in Microsoft's Excel spreadsheet program have been put up for sale on eBay, with the seller offering a starting price of 1 US cent. At the time of writing, the bidding had reached $US60 ($A79). Zero day means information that is not publicly available and is used to describe security vulnerabilities exploits which are unknown to security professionals. The seller said the vulnerability had been discovered on December 6 and the details had been sent to Microsoft. "All the details were submitted to Microsoft, and the reply was received indicating that they may start working...

BEIJING, DECEMBER 7: Unlike India. Beijing’s official policy and industry incentives mean jackpot for those who want to return For the last 25 years, many of the best and brightest in India and China have left for western shores in the belief that study and work abroad offer greater opportunities. However, unlike India which has been wringing its hands over this ‘‘brain drain’’, the Chinese have systematically encouraged their best to acquire valuable expertise abroad—and then wooed them back to set up businesses or work in top government posts. Often, at the expense of western universities. Apart from direct incentives,...

With NASA's beleaguered shuttle still grounded over safety concerns -- and given the unanswered questions about its replacement, the Crew Exploration Vehicle, which won't be ready to fly until 2012 -- the European Space Agency (ESA) is mulling an option to buy its own ride to space. This month ESA plans to request $60 million from its member states to help Russia prepare its new, reusable spaceship, the Clipper, for a crewless test flight by 2011 and a manned flight by 2012. The six-person Clipper is designed to replace Russia's three-person Soyuz capsule, which has been in operation since the...

Huntsville AL (SPX) Nov 17, 2005 We'll soon know the answer: A NASA/Stanford physics experiment called Gravity Probe B (GP-B) recently finished a year of gathering science data in Earth orbit. The results, which will take another year to analyze, should reveal the shape of space-time around Earth--and, possibly, the vortex. Time and space, according to Einstein's theories of relativity, are woven together, forming a four-dimensional fabric called "space-time." The tremendous mass of Earth dimples this fabric, much like a heavy person sitting in the middle of a trampoline. Gravity, says Einstein, is simply the motion of objects following the...

I hate vanity posts, but I am wondering if anyone in FR land knows anything about the Spy Axe 3.0 virus. It has set up shop in my toolbar and has hijacked my home page. eTrust isn't touching it. Help?!?!

BANGALORE, India - Drive along Hosur Road -- Bangalore's version of Highway 101 -- even at 1:30 a.m. and you'll see sparks from welders working on new buildings to house software companies. Pick up any newspaper and read ads from tech companies seeking -- imploring -- engineers to come work for them. Experience the Silicon Valley-style, masters-of-the-digital-universe attitude permeating Bangalore, from its impossibly jammed roads to the new dot-com-like offices. ``We think we will overtake Silicon Valley,'' said Vineet Shrivastava, bid manager at the Bangalore campus of Dutch tech services and wireless company LogicaCMG. ``You can see it for yourself.''...

The world's leading chip-maker Intel Corporation on Monday announced a multi-year investment plan for India, totalling over $1 billion, including $800 million over the next five years for business expansion. The investment roadmap includes a huge chunk ($800 million) for expanding the company's business operations in India, Intel Chairman Craig Barrett told reporters in New Delhi. The investment would focus on expanding the research and development centre in Bangalore, in addition to marketing, education and community programmes. The investment roadmap also has a provision for setting up a $250 million venture capital fund in India. "The investment demonstrates the company's...

There are no unions in India's information technology sector now and the billionaire chairman of the country's top software exporter wants to keep it that way. "The unionization of the sector would certainly be a retrograde step. It will unnecessary damage the growth of the industry as global clients will get concerned about whether they should be sending business to India," said Wipro's (nyse: WIT - news - people ) Azim Premji, according to the Hindustan Times newspaper. The IT sector is a key component in India's $17 billion in annual earnings from outsourcing. Companies such as Cisco (nasdaq: CSCO...

Folding@Home update: 3 Work Units completed, 2 computers, 138 points, overall team rank #15,162

When Jake Walker upsets his girlfriend, Jaci Boydston, he might buy her flowers. When Jaci feels she owes an apology to Jake, she agrees to play a round of the Nintendo fighting game "Super Smash Brothers." Jaci and Jake, who both attend Kansas State University, are a modern couple dealing with a modern issue. One of them is a gamer; the other is not. Theirs is not an unusual plight. For decades gamers and non-gamers in love have struggled to find harmony. At Kansas State the frustration is rampant. Like most college campuses, it is a place where the release...

My local Walmart is advertising a HP Pavillion ze2308wm for $378. Is this a decent laptop? I've never had a laptop before and when I travel it would be useful. Opinions please.

Any Freepers "folding@home"???? For those not familiar with F@H -> some diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer and even "mad cow" disease are believed to be linked to protein (mis)folding. A scientist team from Stanford University studies this phenomenon to try and find a cure to these diseases. To do this, they have designed a software (folding@home) which enables people to donate unused power from their computer to speed up medical research!

US updates quarantine procedures ahead of possible bird flu pandemic 47 minutes ago US health authorities have called for updating quarantine procedures, including better access to passenger lists for incoming ships and planes, to improve preparedness for a possible bird flu pandemic. The proposed changes, which include more authority to administer medical treatments and vaccines to people under quarantine, are part of a review started two years ago following the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. "Existing communicable disease regulations are outdated, have not kept up with advances in disease control measures and have not been substantially updated for over...