Episode 0051, 05/31/2008
Title/Description: Mapping the Brain, Cyber Security
Welcome to Course Technology's CourseCast of the Week, Episode 51, recorded May 31st, 2008. This is Ken Baldauf bringing you this week's technology news and information. This CourseCast is brought to you by Course Technology. Check out www.course.com for innovative textbooks and creative electronic learning solutions.
Story 1 - Mapping the Brain
This week, the mysteries of the human brain have been further unraveled. According to an article published in the journal Science, a computer has been trained to read peoples minds as they focus their thoughts on a specific word. Tom Mitchell of the Machine Learning Department at Carnegie Mellon University hopes that the research might lead to a better understanding of how and where the brain stores information, which could lead to better treatments for language disorders and learning disabilities.
Meanwhile, other researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University wired areas of a monkey's brain to allow the subject to manipulate objects with a robotic arm using thoughts alone. The article published in the journal Nature described a monkey using a robotic arm as though it were one of its own limbs, grabbing up grapes and marshmallows and popping them into its mouth. This research can lead to treatments for head and spinal injuries like those suffered by veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Studies such as these help us to understand the functioning of the brain which provides fuel for researchers in areas of artificial intelligence. IBM sponsored research, called the Blue Brain Project, is working to simulate the biological functioning of the human brain, by replicating the behavior of neurons and synopses in software running on a supercomputer. By creating an artificial intelligence that models human intelligence, mysteries of human thought processes and mental disorders may be better understood.
Sources: Computer trained to "read" mind images of words (Reuters), Monkeys Think, Moving Artificial Arm as Own (New York Times), Blue Brain Project to unlock secrets, (Australian Business) Blue Brain Project
Story 2 - National and International Information Security Update
National and International groups have been evaluating the state of internet security recently and found it dangerously lacking.
The U.S. electrical grid remains vulnerable to cyber attacks that could cripple the economy, says U.S. Representative James Langevin and the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology. They question whether the corporation responsible for ensuring electric reliability is doing its job. In 2006, the North American Electric Reliability Corp, or NERC, was assigned the job of beefing up security for the nation's power grid by the US Department of Homeland Security. Concerns were raised when security flaws were discovered that would allow a hacker to use the Internet to cut power to much of the country.
Meanwhile, members of the International Telecommunication Union, the U.N.'s leading information technology agency, have stated that countries around the world must cooperate better to fight the threat of cyberterrorism at facilities such as nuclear power plants.
The secretary general of the group observed that information technology has become a tool for cybercrime and cyberterrorism". He stated that, "cybersecurity must become a cornerstone of every aspect of keeping ourselves, our countries and our world safe."
Former U.S. adviser to the White House, Howard Schmidt, said that information security threats originate from criminals, state sponsored activities, and organized crime.
In another story, the FBI warns Wi-Fi users to watch out for hackers. Lately, hackers have been setting up in areas where public Wi-fi is accessed - like coffee shops and airports, and impersonating the access points. Users think that they are connecting to the available Wi-Fi hotspot, but are really connecting to the hacker's PC. The hacker can then gain access to the users PC, and the networks the user attempts to connect to - which in many cases are secure corporate networks.
Lawmakers See Cyber Threats to Electrical Grid (PCWorld), Experts warn of cyberterrorism threat (SFGate), FBI Warns Wi-Fi Users To Watch Out for Hackers (News Factor)
And that brings us to News Briefs.
That's it for this week's CourseCast. Links to this week's stories and many more news and information resources are provided at the CourseCast Web site at www.course.com/coursecasts. E-mail us with your suggestions for the show at course.coursecasts@cengage.com. Until next time, have a great week and be sure to take advantage of the Power -- of Technology!