Computing and Informatics

Diodes are used in an endless array of devices. They are essential ingredients for the semiconductor industry. Making diodes smaller means cheaper cost and better performance for electronic devices. ASU researchers have now made diodes on the scale of a single molecule.--by Richard Harth

K-12 students are literally stepping into learning with ASU's interactive SMALLab. Through advanced technology, students manipulate a multidimensional, multisensory environment in order to learn about everything from physics to oceanography to language arts. --by Sheilah Britton

Being flexible is key to making information displays truly mobile. --by Skip Derra

The prevailing wisdom in artificial intelligence is that humans learn by storing a system of rules. But you won't learn to play tennis by sitting in a room reading about the sport. Asim Roy says there is a profound truth to the saying that "practice makes perfect." --by Carrie Barnett

If you want to understand how likely doctors are to use information technology, look at how they get paid. --by Carrie Barnett

ASU computing experts are using satellite images to help humanitarian organizations provide disaster relief to cyclone-ravaged Myanmar. The images could help determine if aircraft could land in an area or if roads are blocked, for example. --by Joe Kullman

We've all heard that playing video games can improve your hand-eye coordination--usually from kids trying to evade mom's order to go play outside. But those kids may be on to something. New research shows that playing a video game on the Nintendo Wii can help medical students become better surgeons by improving hand dexterity. --by Joe Kullman

What do cancer clusters and galaxy clusters have in common? Quite a bit, it turns out. Astronomer Rogier Windhorst has discovered that software he uses to analyze telescopic images can also be used to effectively detect cancer cells and early signs of diabetes. --by Skip Derra

Al Qaeda operatives reportedly substituted the word "wedding" for "attack" in e-mail messages. Finding these kinds of word substitutions has been a hit-or-miss process for federal investigators. It's also tough duty for corporate security pros who try to catch employee collusion. But new research from ASU shows that computer programs are capable of detecting word swaps that conceal the true meaning of e-mail messages.

Inverse Ocean Modeling (IOM) is a tool for combining computer models with observations of the ocean. Researchers at ASU are helping to make the system more accessible and easier to use. --by Jessica McCann