Festo Creates Smart Bird Flying Robotic Seagull

Festo has added to its robotic menagerie with the creation of a robotic seagull that weighs just 450 g (15.87 oz) and boasts a wingspan of 1.96 m (6.4 ft). Dubbed the SmartBird, the ultralight flying robot was inspired by the herring gull and can take off, fly and land autonomously, without the help of any additional drive systems.

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In creating the SmartBird, Festo says it has succeeded in deciphering the flight of birds. The robot's wings not only beat up and down, with a lever mechanism increasing the degree of deflection to increase from the torso to the wing tip, but also twist at specific angles along their length in the same way that a real bird's do so that the leading edge is directed upwards during the upward stroke.
Directional control is achieved through the opposing movement of the robot's head and torso sections, which is synchronized by means of two electric motors and cables. This enables it to bend aerodynamically, with simultaneous weight displacement, and is responsible for the SmartBird's agility and maneuverability.
As with a real bird, the SmartBird's tail isn't just for show either. It produces lift and functions as both a pitch elevator and yaw rudder. In addition to stabilizing the robot in a similar way to an aircraft's conventional vertical stabilizer, the tail also tilts to initiate left and right turns and rotates about the longitudinal axis to produce yaw.
Packed inside the SmartBird's torso are the battery, engine and transmission, the crank transmission and control and regulation electronics. Wing position and torsion can be monitored via two-way ZigBee protocol radio communication and can be adjusted and optimized in real time during flight.
Festo says developing the SmartBird has provided insights that will help it in a variety of areas. The robot's minimal use of materials and lightweight construction will help increase efficiencies in resource and energy consumption, while the functional integration of its coupled drive units have provided ideas the company says it can transfer to the development of hybrid drive technology. Additionally, analysis of its flow characteristics during development has provided insights into ways to optimize future designs. Another plus is that it won't try and steal your chips at the beach.

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Human Powered Flight

It's a dream shared by anyone who has ridden a bicycle up a steep hill - human powered flight. NASA achieved this feat as part of the Daedalus project over a decade ago with the Light Eagle and Daedalus aircraft flying record breaking distances of 59km and 199km respectively. Designed and constructed by a group of students, professors, and alumni of the MIT, the goal was aircraft fly 115km (the distance that Daedalus is said to have flown when he escaped from King Minos on wings made from wax and feathers) and provide research data for the design and manufacture other high-altitude, long endurance aircraft.
The Light Eagle, pictured above in flight over Rogers Dry Lake at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in California, was the prototype aircraft which set a closed course distance record of 59km and also set the straight distance, the distance around a closed circuit, and the duration world records for the female division in human powered vehicles.Two further aircraft were built during the program.
The Daedalus 87 aircraft crashed on Rogers Dry Lakebed in 1988 but its replacement, Daedalus 88, was the ship that flew the 199km from the Iraklion Air Force Base on Crete in the Mediterranean Sea to the island of Santorini in 3 hours, 54 minutes, setting a new record in distance and endurance for a human powered aircraft.The first human powered flight to meet test criteria set by the Wright Brothers for powered craft was achieved by Paul MacCready in 1977.
McReady also made the first flight across the English Channel in his craft the Gossamer Albatross and has subsequently had one of the most stellar and diverse careers possible, being named "Engineer of the Century."
MacCready is widely regarded as one of the World's leading thinkers and his views on sustainable development make fascinating reading and listening. he will be the subject of an upcoming (April 2005) feature in Gizmag and will be one of the speakers at the International Conference on Thinking.
Not just a series of lectures or talks, the 12th International Conference on Thinking (ICOT) will offer participants the chance to learn, reflect, discuss and be actively involved in thinking through new possibilities for the future. The conference will be held in Melbourne, Australia from July 4-8, 2005. ICOT brings some of the most brilliant minds from all parts of the planet to discuss a range of topics and issues under the umbrella of this year's theme; "Celebrate the Past - Window to the Future"

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New Technique Brings Computer Model of the Brain a Step Closer

 "Connectomics" is an area of neuroscience that aims to map the brain's connections, known as synapses, to gain an understanding of how information flows through the circuits of the brain. With an estimated 100 billion nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain, each connected to thousands of other nerve cells, adding up to an estimated 150 trillion synapses, the creation of such a map is no small task – but a new technique is bringing scientists a step closer to developing a computer model of the brain.
"We first need to understand the function of each neuron and find out to which other brain cells it connects," says Dr Tom Mrsic-Flogel, a Wellcome Trust Research Career Development Fellow at University College London (UCL). "If we can find a way of mapping the connections between nerve cells of certain functions, we will then be in a position to begin developing a computer model to explain how the complex dynamics of neural networks generate thoughts, sensations and movements."
With neurons in different areas of the brain performing different functions, Dr Mrsic-Flogel and his colleagues focused on the visual cortex, which processes information from the eye. Using high-resolution imaging they were able to detect, out of the thousands of neurons in the visual cortex of the mouse brain, which ones responded to a particular stumulus, such as a horizontal edge.
Then, by taking a slice of the same tissue and applying small currents to a subset of neurons, the scientists were able to see to which other neurons they were synaptically connected. Repeating this technique many times allowed the scientists to trace the function and connectivity of hundreds of nerve cells in the mouse's visual cortex.
With results showing that neurons that responded very similarly to visual stimuli tend to connect each other much more than those that respond differently, the researchers say their study has resolved the debate about whether local connections between neurons are random and independent of function or whether they are ordered.
The researchers hope to use the technique to begin generating a wiring diagram of a brain area with a particular behavioral function. While their initial study focused on the visual cortex, they say the technique should also help reveal the functional circuit wiring of the regions of the brain responsible for touch, hearing and movement.
Scientists hope that creating a computer model of the brain will help them understand how perceptions, sensations and thoughts are generated and how diseases such as Alzheimer's, schizophrenia and stroke can cause these functions to go wrong.
"We are beginning to untangle the complexity of the brain," says Dr Mrsic-Flogel. "Once we understand the function and connectivity of nerve cells spanning different layers of the brain, we can begin to develop a computer simulation of how this remarkable organ works. But it will take many years of concerted efforts amongst scientists and massive computer processing power before it can be realized."
The researcher's study entitled, "Functional specificity of local synaptic connections in neocortical networks," appears in the journal Nature.

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Scientists use bacteria to create fuel from sunlight and CO2

 Researchers from the University of Minnesota have announced a breakthrough in the quest to create a viable fuel alternative using greenhouse gases. The process uses two types of bacteria to create hydrocarbons from sunlight and carbon dioxide. Those hydrocarbons can in turn be made into fuel, which the scientists are calling "renewable petroleum."
The process starts with Synechococcus, a photosynthetic bacterium that fixes carbon dioxide in sunlight, then converts that CO2 to sugars. Those sugars are then passed on to another bacterium, Shewanella, which consumes them and produces fatty acids. University of Minnesota biochemistry graduate student Janice Frias discovered how to use a protein to transform those acids into ketones, a type of organic compound. Her colleagues in the university's College of Science and Engineering have developed catalytic technology that allows them to convert those ketones into diesel fuel.
"CO2 is the major greenhouse gas mediating global climate change, so removing it from the atmosphere is good for the environment," said Frias' advisor, Prof. Larry Wackett. "It's also free. And we can use the same infrastructure to process and transport this new hydrocarbon fuel that we use for fossil fuels."
The university is in the process of filing patents on the process.
The research is being published in the upcoming issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

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Ketika Wordpress dkk Dibobol

 Judul tulisan di blog itu "Insiden Keamanan". Penting, sebab penulisnya adalah Matt Mullenweg, pendiri WordPress, dan ditulis di blog resmi WordPress. Singkatnya, server Automattic.com, yang menyimpan data sejumlah layanan seperti WordPress, dibobol dan Mullenweg memutuskan untuk jujur kepada publik.
Di blog itu, kata Mullenweg, pembobolan ke sejumlah server Automattic terjadi pada Rabu (13/4). Menurut dia, pembobolan itu berkategori "low-level (root) break-in". Artinya, ada potensi apa pun yang ada di server itu diakses oleh si pembobol.
Bagi pengguna WordPress, ini tentu bukan hal menggembirakan. Selain WordPress, server-server Automattic juga menyimpan kode-kode dan data partner seperti Akismet, Gravatar, dan lain-lain.
Automattic sudah mempelajari bagaimana pembobolan itu dilakukan, dan sejauh apa informasi yang terekspos ke si pembobol. Dan, "Kami sudah mengamankan jalan masuk yang dipakai si pengakses," kata Mullenweg.
Mullenweg menambahkan, pihaknya menganggap source code mereka sudah terekspos dan disalin. "Banyak kode kami yang Open Source, namun ada beberapa bagian sensitif pada kode kami dan partner kami," kata dia. Namun, berdasar pemeriksaan menyeluruh dan audit sistem, informasi yang terpapar ke pembobol ternyata hanyalah terbatas.
Berdasar itu, Mullenweg tak punya saran khusus kepada pengguna, selain kembali mengingatkan langkah-langkah keamanan mendasar: gunakan password yang kuat, gunakan password berbeda untuk situs berbeda, dan bila ada password sama telah digunakan di situs lain, gantilah password itu dengan yang lebih aman.
"Kami sudah mengambil langkah preventif agar insiden serupa tidak terjadi lagi," kata Mullenweg.
Keterbukaan Mullenweg itu disambut baik oleh pengguna. Di halaman komentar, sejumlah masukan positif ditulis, yang intinya tetap merasa percaya dengan WordPress karena mereka terbuka.
Yang jadi pertanyaan: apakah pembobolan ini hanya bisa berpengaruh pada blog di WordPress.com saja, atau juga ke WordPress yang disimpan di server lain, seperti misalnya blog-blog pribadi? Kata Matt Mullenweg, "Pembobolan ini menyangkut juga situs WordPress.org, tapi tidak kepada perangkat lunak WordPress yang Anda simpan di tempat lain."
Ada juga pengguna yang bertanya tentang nasib password Twitter yang terhubung dengan akun WordPressnya. "Kami tak menyimpan password Twitter Anda, jadi tak perlu khawatir," kata Mullenweg.
Nah, bagi pengguna WordPress.com, segeralah ganti password Anda dengan yang lebih kuat.

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FOSSA DEI LEONI

La Fossa dei Leoni adalah kombinasi ultras dari Milan, didirikan pada 1968. Fu il primo gruppo ultras vero e proprio nato in Italia. Pertama kelompok ultras itu sendiri dilahirkan di Italia
SEJARAH
Ia dilahirkan ketika sekelompok anak laki-laki mulai berkumpul di jalan 18 dari sektor-sektor populer San Siro Stadion, mengenakan kaus dari Milan dan membawa bendera dan kantong-kantong confetti.
Venne scelto questo nome ispirandosi al soprannome dato ad un vecchio campo del Milan . Nama ini dipilih karena nama panggilan yang diberikan kepada daerah tua Milan. In più la disposizione del gruppo nella curva, sopra l'ingresso dei popolari, dava l'idea di entrare per l'appunto in una fossa di leoni. Di samping penyediaan kelompok dalam kurva, di atas pintu masuk yang populer, memberikan gagasan untuk memasukkan catatan ke dalam lubang singa.
Pada 1972 jalan 18, yang Fossa dei Leoni bergerak lurus. Nello stesso anno venne ideato l'inno, tratto dal film L'armata Brancaleone . Pada tahun yang sama lagu dikandung dari film L'armata Brancaleone. In quegli anni andavano stringendosi anche le identificazioni politiche dei vari gruppi ultras, e la Fossa si identificò con gli ambienti di sinistra, portando sempre in curva un enorme striscione del Che . Pada tahun-tahun itu juga menekan identifikasi dari berbagai kelompok politik ultras, dan lubang yang diidentifikasikan dengan lingkaran di sebelah kiri, selalu membawa spanduk besar di sudut Mei.
Selama bertahun-tahun, Blackwater telah menjadi model bagi banyak kelompok-kelompok ultras Italia, masuk dalam sejarah bioskop setelah interpretasi, oleh Diego Abatantuono dari "Ras della Fossa" dalam film Eccezzziunale veramante.
Grup Itu dibubarkan pada November 17 2005 menyusul kontroversi mengenai spanduk dicuri setelah pertandingan AC Milan - Juventus dari 29 Oktober 2005. La decisione dei dirigenti della Fossa di terminare l'esperienza arrivò in un contesto di minacce e aggressioni e di un conflitto strisciante tra tifosi, durante il quale la Fossa fu accusata da altri gruppi ultras di aver richiesto l'intermediazione della Digos per ottenere la restituzione dello striscione (comportamento inaccettabile secondo le logiche ultras).
Keputusan eksekutif Blackwater datang untuk mengakhiri pengalaman dalam lingkungan ancaman dan serangan dan konflik antara pendukung merayap, di mana lubang dituduh oleh kelompok lain dari ultras mensyaratkan intermediasi digos untuk kembali banner (perilaku yang tidak dapat diterima menurut logika ultras). Secondo alcuni osservatori e commentatori, lo scioglimento del gruppo è da ricondursi a questione politiche (la Fossa era da tempo entrata in contrasto con gli altri gruppi ultras milanisti, legati ad ambienti di destra) ed economiche (il controllo della gestione dei biglietti, del merchandising e dell'organizzazione delle trasferte).
Beberapa pengamat dan komentator, pembubaran kelompok berkaitan dengan isu-isu politik (pit sudah lama masuk ke dalam konflik dengan kelompok lain ultras Milani, dikaitkan dengan lingkaran sayap kanan) dan ekonomi (pengendalian alih manajemen tiket, merchandising dan organisasi kunjungan).
Berikut beberapa usaha untuk membayar bubarnya FdL,lahirlah (pada 31 Desember 2005) grup "Guerrieri Ultras Curva Sud Milano", di mana beberapa mantan anggota bergabung Fossa dei Leoni.
Lagu Kebangsaan
"Leoni armati stiam marciando siam la Fossa dei Leon...dei leon..leon..leon...leon...leon...siam la Fossa dei Leon! Sangue! Violenza! Fossa dei Leoni!"

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COMMANDOS TIGRE

Lahir pada tahun 1967 dan setia persatuan antara Komando Clan, Commandos Tigre yang ditempatkan di utara terpisah sampai 1985 (saat pertama cincin hijau). Pada tahun 1985 akan pindah ke deringan pertama dari selatan untuk membentuk kurva, dengan Fossa dei Leoni dan Brigade Rossonere, tiga serangkai-Pit-Komando Brigade selama 20 tahun akan memimpin kurva selatan.
Mengalami periode pertumbuhan terbesar kedua di nomor (sekitar 2.000 anggota terdaftar) di milan dekade Sacchi dan Capello. Attualmente contano alcune centinaia di iscritti e sezioni a TORINO , BRIANZA , TOSCOLANO MADERNO . Saat ini memiliki beberapa ratus anggota dan bagian Turin, Brianza, TOSCOLANO Maderno. Sono riconoscibili per gli innumerevoli stendardi con rappresentata la tigre e per gli stendardi con il simbolo CT in caratteri runici incrociati. Mereka dapat diakui untuk spanduk-spanduk yang tak terhitung jumlahnya yang diwakili oleh harimau dan spanduk dengan simbol karakter Runic CT di salib.
Baru saja mencapai 40 tahun bisnis dan disertai dengan cincin dari kelompok pertama domba jantan yang lahir pada tahun 1984, oleh kelompok fanatik yang lahir di musim 2008-2009 dan regu (SQ), sebuah kelompok yang lahir di kurva selatan pada akhir tahun 80-an dan bergerak beberapa tahun di link pertama dengan warna biru.
Dengan aturan baru masuknya spanduk di stadion sejarawan Commandos Tigre banner tidak terekspos, dan bukannya digantung beberapa banner yang mewakili harimau dan inisial CT, dan TIGRE banner.
LAGU KEBANGSAAN
Orgoglio e tradizione è questo il nostro motto / Commandos Tigre siamo veniamo da Milano / Tifiamo per il Milan il nostro grande amore / Ovunque lo seguiamo e speriam nel tricolore / Siam milanisti siam combattenti / Coi manganelli vi bastoniam / Commandos Tigre siam di Milano / Il nostro onore è la fedeltà... TIGRE TIGRE TIGRE COMMANDOS TIGRE!

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