The incredible physics behind quantum computing
Can computers do calculations in multiple universes? Scientists are working on it. Step into the world of quantum computing.
15 January, 2021
- While today's computers—referred to as classical computers—continue to become more and more powerful, there is a ceiling to their advancement due to the physical limits of the materials used to make them. Quantum computing allows physicists and researchers to exponentially increase computation power, harnessing potential parallel realities to do so.
- Quantum computer chips are astoundingly small, about the size of a fingernail. Scientists have to not only build the computer itself but also the ultra-protected environment in which they operate. Total isolation is required to eliminate vibrations and other external influences on synchronized atoms; if the atoms become 'decoherent' the quantum computer cannot function.
- "You need to create a very quiet, clean, cold environment for these chips to work in," says quantum computing expert Vern Brownell. The coldest temperature possible in physics is -273.15 degrees C. The rooms required for quantum computing are -273.14 degrees C, which is 150 times colder than outer space. It is complex and mind-boggling work, but the potential for computation that harnesses the power of parallel universes is worth the chase.
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This $50 crash course can boost your skills in electronics, programming, and robotics
Learn the ins and outs of Raspberry Pi, Python, and ROS2 from talented engineers.
13 November, 2020
- Skills in electronics, programming, and robotics are highly in demand in 2020.
- The Ultimate Raspberry Pi and ROS Robotics Developer Super Bundle can help you get your skillset up to par.
- With 15 courses and 39 hours of content, this bundle will show you the ins and outs of Raspberry Pi, Python, and ROS2.
<script async="true" src="https://widgets.stackcommerce.com/js-deal-feed/0.1/widget.js" type="text/javascript"></script><p>It's never a bad time to jump into the tech world. Jobs in electronics, programming, and robotics are highly in demand. This <a href="https://shop.bigthink.com/sales/the-ultimate-raspberry-pi-ros-robotics-developer-super-bundle?utm_source=bigthink.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=the-ultimate-raspberry-pi-ros-robotics-developer-super-bundle&utm_term=scsf-366623&utm_content=a0x1P000004NCEr&scsonar=1" target="_blank">Ultimate Raspberry Pi and ROS Robotics Developer Super Bundle</a>, which is on sale for just $49.99, can teach you what you need to know about electronics, programming, and <a href="https://bigthink.com/gear/miso-robotics-flippy" target="_blank">robotics</a> to get your skills up to par.<br></p><p>It features 15 courses and 39 hours of content on Raspberry Pi, Python, and ROS2. Led by an assortment of talented and experienced engineers and educators, the bundle kicks things off by teaching you the fundamentals of Raspberry Pi, a credit-card sized computer that you can use to learn programming through fun, practical projects.</p><p>Once you learn essential concepts from the popular tool, you'll be able to do all kinds of projects, from creating a smart mirror to building your own GPS tracking system, and so much more. Additionally, the bundle includes lessons on the major programming language known as Python. </p><p>Overall, each student will have a better understanding of how standard technology systems such as LEDs, switches, smart security cameras, and all the other things in between actually work. One thing's for sure, you certainly won't look at your computer the same way.</p><p>Former student Robert D. touted the learning bundle, saying it offered him "the opportunity to learn more skills that I can not only employ at my job, but also back at home to make my life easier."</p><p>Whether you're brushing up on your skills or attempting to be the best in the industry, don't hesitate to take a leap of faith with the Ultimate Raspberry Pi and ROS Robotics Developer Super Bundle. Valued at over $2,000, you can sign up for a limited time <a href="https://shop.bigthink.com/sales/the-ultimate-raspberry-pi-ros-robotics-developer-super-bundle?utm_source=bigthink.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=the-ultimate-raspberry-pi-ros-robotics-developer-super-bundle&utm_term=scsf-366623&utm_content=a0x1P000004NCEr&scsonar=1" target="_blank">for just $49.99</a>.</p><p><em>Prices subject to change.</em></p><script type="text/javascript"> (function (s,o,n,a,r,i,z,e){s['StackSonarObject']=r;s[r]=s[r]||function(){
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Learn AI and data science with Python for less than $40
These nine courses introduce you to the future of programming.
05 November, 2020
- Python is one of the world's most popular general-purpose programming languages.
- Programmers love Python's features, including clear code with significant use of whitespace.
- Python is often used in fields like AI, artificial neural networks, and data science.
<script async="true" src="https://widgets.stackcommerce.com/js-deal-feed/0.1/widget.js" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Though it was first dreamed up in the eighties, Python's first release in 1991 made this general-purpose programming language an ideal successor to the ABC language. Logical and clear, Python offers coders and programmers a flexible and readable approach to designing virtually anything online.<br></p><p>As with all great programming languages, Python has evolved with the times. Today, it is used in fields like data science, artificial neural networks, and AI. The<strong> Ultimate Python and Artificial Intelligence Certification Bundle</strong> is your entry point into this exciting field—and it's <a href="https://shop.bigthink.com/sales/the-ultimate-python-artificial-intelligence-certification-bundle?utm_source=bigthink.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=the-ultimate-python-artificial-intelligence-certification-bundle&utm_term=scsf-442915&utm_content=a0x1P000004YajAQAS&scsonar=1" target="_blank">on sale for only $39.99</a> for a limited time.</p><p>If you're new to Python, the <strong>Python for Beginners</strong> course introduces you to this flexible language. You'll learn the basic functions and dive into a few applications. Python is often used for web apps, websites, automation, and even hacking, so this intro will give you a professional overview.</p><p>Fans of Artificial Intelligence will love the course on the H2O package, which will help you become proficient in machine learning, neural networks, and deep learning via a powerful framework. By the end of these 27 lessons, you'll implement artificial neural networks and deep neural networks, as well as supervised and unsupervised learning on real-life data.</p><p>Also included in this nine-course bundle are expert lessons on image processing, analysis, data pre-processing and visualization, and much, much more.</p><p>It's valued at well over $1,500, but for a limited time, you can sign up for the<strong> Ultimate Python and Artificial Intelligence Certification Bundle</strong> <a href="https://shop.bigthink.com/sales/the-ultimate-python-artificial-intelligence-certification-bundle?utm_source=bigthink.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=the-ultimate-python-artificial-intelligence-certification-bundle&utm_term=scsf-442915&utm_content=a0x1P000004YajAQAS&scsonar=1" rel="noopener" target="_blank">for only $39.99</a>.</p><div data-react-checksum="554461892" data-reactid="1" data-reactroot="" style="position: relative;"><a data-reactid="2" href="https://shop.bigthink.com/sales/the-ultimate-python-artificial-intelligence-certification-bundle?utm_source=bigthink.com&utm_medium=referral-cta&utm_campaign=the-ultimate-python-artificial-intelligence-certification-bundle&utm_term=scsf-442915&utm_content=a0x1P000004YajAQAS&scsonar=1" rel="noopener" target="_blank"> </a>
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Can your smartphone detect how drunk you are?
A small proof-of-concept study shows smartphones could help detect drunkenness based on the way you walk.
25 August, 2020
Photo by wavebreakmedia on Shutterstock
- The legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for driving in the U.S is 0.08 percent. You can measure your BAC 15 minutes after your first drink and your levels will remain safe if you consume no more than one standard drink per hour.
- Portable breathalyzers can be used to measure BAC, but not many people own these devices.
- A small proof-of-concept study suggests that your smartphone could detect your drunkenness based on the way you walk.
<p>The legal limit for driving within the United States is a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent. <a href="https://www.bactrack.com/blogs/expert-center/35040901-how-many-drinks-does-it-take-to-reach-0-08-bac" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank">According to BAC Track</a>, you can measure your BAC (blood alcohol content) as soon as 15 minutes after your first drink. BAC Track suggests your BAC level will remain within safe limits if you consume one standard drink per hour. </p><p><strong>According to BAC Track, one standard drink is half an ounce of alcohol, which can be: </strong></p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>One 12 ounce beer </li><li>One 5 ounce glass of wine </li><li>One 1.5 ounce shot of distilled alcohol </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.lifeloc.com/factors" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank">There are many things</a> that influence a person's BAC, including how quickly you drink, your body weight, altitude, how much food you've eaten, whether you're male or female, and what kind of medications you're currently on. </p><p>A new study has found that your smartphone could actually tell you if your blood alcohol concentration exceeds the limit of 0.08 percent.</p><ul class="ee-ul"></ul>
The small study that could mean big things for alcohol testing
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzU3OTEzMi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzOTY0MDk0OH0.wFIh9fQoCEd7fGgw59Mn5nyp9c5yjQbCoVXQrx3AnNk/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C1307%2C0%2C880&height=700" id="df0bb" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7c1e9a4575df74b89d0078c69a3dbd3d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="alcohol impairment by BAC level chart" data-width="1245" data-height="700" />Image by gritsalak karalak on Shutterstock
<p> While devices such as portable breath analyzers are available, not many people own them due to how expensive they are and the social stigma surrounding them. <a href="https://www.jsad.com/doi/10.15288/jsad.2020.81.505" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow">This 2020 study</a> suggests smartphones could be an alternative. <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/mobile/" target="_blank">According to PEW Research</a>, up to 81 percent of people own a smartphone.<span></span> </p><p> <strong>The study</strong> </p><p> For this small-scale study, there were 22 participants who visited the lab to consume a vodka-based drink that would raise their breath alcohol concentration to 0.02 percent. </p><p> Dr. Brian Suffoletto of the Stanford Medical School's Department of Emergency Medicine (and corresponding author of the study) explains to <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/smartphones-measuring-walk-could-detect-drunkenness#Straight-line-walking" target="_blank">Medical News Today</a>: "I lost a close friend to a drinking and driving crash in college," Dr. Suffoletto says. "And as an emergency physician, I have taken care of scores of adults with injuries related to acute alcohol intoxication. Because of this, I have dedicated the past 10 years to testing digital interventions to prevent deaths and injury related to excessive alcohol consumption." </p><p> <strong>How it works:</strong></p><p> Before having the drink, each participant had a smartphone strapped to their back and was asked to walk 10 steps in a straight line and then back again. Every hour for the next 7 hours, the participants repeated this walk. </p><p> The sensors on the smartphone measured each person's acceleration and their movements (both from side to side and up and down). </p><p> <strong>This is not the first study of it's kind.</strong></p><p> Previous research (such as <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7764559" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow">this 2016 study</a>) has used machine learning to determine whether a person was intoxicated. That data, gathered from 34 'intoxicated' participants, generated time and frequency domain features such as sway area and cadence, which were classified using supervised machine learning. </p><p> This 2020 study showed promising results of the smartphone analysis: over 90 percent accuracy. </p><p> Researchers found through analyzing the data that 92.5 percent of the time they were able to determine if a participant had exceeded the legal BAC limit. </p><p> <strong>Of course, the study had some limitations.</strong></p><p> In real life, a person is very unlikely to keep their smartphone strapped to their back. Placing the phone in your pocket (or carrying it) could impact the accuracy. </p><p> This study also measured breath alcohol concentrations, which are on average <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24747668/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow">15 percent lower</a> than blood alcohol concentrations. </p><p> <strong>The implications of this small-scale study are exciting.</strong> </p><p> While this was a relatively small study, it is being used as a "proof of concept" marker for further research. Researchers on this project explain that future research would ideally be done in real-world settings with more volunteers. </p><p> Dr. Brian Suffoletto explains to <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/smartphones-measuring-walk-could-detect-drunkenness#Over-90%-accurate" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow">Medical News Today</a>: </p><p> "In 5 years, I would like to imagine a world in which, if people go out with friends and drink at risky levels, they get an alert at the first sign of impairment and are sent strategies to help them stop drinking and protect them from high-risk events, like driving, interpersonal violence, and unprotected sexual encounters." </p>
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Coding is not ‘fun’, it’s technically and ethically complex
It doesn't help that Hollywood has cast the 'coder' as a socially challenged, type-first-think-later hacker, inevitably white and male.
16 August, 2020
Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash
Programming computers is a piece of cake. Or so the world's digital-skills gurus would have us believe.
<p> From the non-profit Code.org's promise that 'Anybody can learn!' to Apple chief executive Tim Cook's comment that writing code is 'fun and interactive', the art and science of making software is now as accessible as the alphabet. </p><p>Unfortunately, this rosy portrait bears no relation to reality. For starters, the profile of a programmer's mind is pretty uncommon. As well as being highly analytical and creative, software developers need almost superhuman focus to manage the complexity of their tasks. Manic attention to detail is a must; slovenliness is <em>verboten</em>. Attaining this level of concentration requires a state of mind called being 'in the flow', a quasi-symbiotic relationship between human and machine that improves performance and motivation.</p><p>Coding isn't the only job that demands intense focus. But you'd never hear someone say that brain surgery is 'fun', or that structural engineering is 'easy'. When it comes to programming, why do policymakers and technologists pretend otherwise? For one, it helps lure people to the field at a time when software (in the words of the venture capitalist Marc Andreessen) is 'eating the world' – and so, by expanding the labour pool, keeps industry ticking over and wages under control. Another reason is that the very word 'coding' sounds routine and repetitive, as though there's some sort of key that developers apply by rote to crack any given problem. It doesn't help that Hollywood has cast the 'coder' as a socially challenged, type-first-think-later hacker, inevitably white and male, with the power to thwart the Nazis or penetrate the CIA.</p>
<p>Insisting on the glamour and fun of coding is the wrong way to acquaint kids with computer science. It insults their intelligence and plants the pernicious notion in their heads that you don't need discipline in order to progress. As anyone with even minimal exposure to making software knows, behind a minute of typing lies an hour of study.</p><p>It's better to admit that coding is complicated, technically and ethically. Computers, at the moment, can only execute orders, to varying degrees of sophistication. So it's up to the developer to be clear: the machine does what you say, not what you mean. More and more 'decisions' are being entrusted to software, including life-or-death ones: think self-driving cars; think semi-autonomous weapons; think Facebook and Google making inferences about your marital, psychological or physical status, before selling it to the highest bidder. Yet it's rarely in the interests of companies and governments to encourage us to probe what's going on beneath these processes.</p>
<p>All of these scenarios are built on exquisitely technical foundations. But we can't respond to them by answering exclusively technical questions. Programming is not a detail that can be left to 'technicians' under the false pretence that their choices will be 'scientifically neutral'. Societies are too complex: the algorithmic is political. Automation has already dealt a blow to the job security of low-skilled workers in factories and warehouses around the world. White-collar workers are next in line. The digital giants of today run on a fraction of the employees of the industrial giants of yesterday, so the irony of encouraging more people to work as programmers is that they are slowly mobilising themselves out of jobs.</p><p>In an ever-more intricate and connected world, where software plays a larger and larger role in everyday life, it's irresponsible to speak of coding as a lightweight activity. Software is not simply lines of code, nor is it blandly technical. In just a few years, understanding programming will be an indispensable part of active citizenship. The idea that coding offers an unproblematic path to social progress and personal enhancement works to the advantage of the growing techno-plutocracy that's insulating itself behind its own technology.<img src="https://metrics.aeon.co/count/ead5db81-b8d1-4e6a-9683-532622b4ab3e.gif" alt="Aeon counter – do not remove"></p><p>This article was originally published at <a href="https://aeon.co/?utm_campaign=republished-article" target="_blank">Aeon</a> and has been republished under Creative Commons. Read the <a href="https://aeon.co/ideas/coding-is-not-fun-it-s-technically-and-ethically-complex" target="_blank">original article</a>.</p>
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