uwnews.org | RSS news feed: news releases by Hannah Hickey(hickeyh@u.washington.edu) | University of Washington

3-D scaffold provides clean, biodegradable structure for stem cell growth

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:16:14 GMT

A material derived from crustacean shell and algae supports the growth of new stem cells, offering a possible replacement to today's Petri dishes lined with animal byproducts.

Managing Pacific Northwest dams for a changing climate

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:18:40 GMT

Civil engineers at the University of Washington and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Seattle office have taken a first look at how dams in the Columbia River basin, the nation's largest hydropower system, could be managed for a different climate.

'Greenroads' rates sustainable road projects

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Greenroads, developed over the past three years by UW engineers and collaborators at the global engineering firm CH2M Hill, aims to do for road construction what the LEED system has done for the building industry.

Low-cost temperature sensors, tennis balls to monitor mountain snowpack

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:30:00 GMT

Dime-sized temperature sensors that were first built for the refrigerated food industry have been adapted to sense mountain microclimates.

'One keypad per child' lets schoolchildren share screen to learn math

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:34:00 GMT

In most of the world children must share computers. A new device lets up to four children share a computer screen to do interactive math problems, effectively quadrupling the number of computers available for such exercises.

High-school students with disabilities can apply for college prep program

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:31:31 GMT

The University of Washington's DO-IT Scholars program invites applications from Washington state high school sophomores and juniors with disabilities who are interested in preparing for college and challenging careers.

UW to be pilot site for smart grid technology

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) and Robert Roseth (206-543-2580) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:09:48 GMT

The University of Washington will be part of a team that will conduct a regional smart energy grid demonstration project.

Fish food fight: Fish don't eat trees after all, says new study

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:47:44 GMT

Recent theories suggesting that half of fishes' food comes from from land-based ecosystems may not hold water. Experiments show that algae, not land-based matter, is needed to build healthy and fertile aquatic organisms.

UW first educational institution to offer mobile tool for BlackBerry devices

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:00:00 GMT

The m.UW mobile tool for campus information is now available on BlackBerry devices. The UW is the first educational institution to offer an application for the BlackBerry.

Cell phones become handheld tools for global development

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:57:42 GMT

Computer scientists at the UW are using Android, the open-source mobile operating system championed by Google, to transform a cell phone into a flexible data-collection tool. Their free suite of tools, named Open Data Kit, is already used by organizations around the world that need inexpensive ways to gather information in areas with little infrastructure.

UW breaks ground on nation's largest molecular engineering building

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:57:41 GMT

University of Washington leaders today officially broke ground on a molecular engineering building. The underground instrumentation space that minimizes vibrations and electromagnetic interference will be the largest such lab space on the West Coast.

Household robots do not protect users' security and privacy, researchers say

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:47:49 GMT

Robots equipped with wireless and sensing capabilities are available for use in the home. But the safety and privacy risks of these devices are not yet adequately addressed, according to a new University of Washington study.

UW's newly named 'Lamborghini Lab' brings composite parts to sports-car arena

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:07:01 GMT

The newly named Automobili Lamborghini Advanced Composite Structures Lab will test the safety of structures built out of new composite materials.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Dedication of UW 'Lamborghini Lab' that will test composite sports-car parts

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:47:03 GMT

An event will be held Tuesday to formalize a partnership between the UW and Automobili Lamborghini on composites research for sports cars.

Planet's nitrogen cycle overturned by 'tiny ammonia eater of the seas'

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:00:00 GMT

Tiny organisms known as archaea play a central role in the planet's nitrogen cycle, according to new research. Experiments suggest archaea play a key ecological role in upper- and deep-ocean ecosystems. This could affect global climate model calculations.

UW lab demonstrates 3-D printing in glass

Gerald Barnett (206-616-5772) and Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:09:43 GMT

Less than a year ago a UW engineering lab was the first to generate ceramic objects in a 3-D printer. Now the lab has done it again, for glass.

Nine international teams operate biomedical robots from numerous locations

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) and Lindsay Sheppard (650-859-2491) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:58:53 GMT

The UW was among nine research institutions from around the world that collaborated on the first successful demonstration of multiple biomedical robots operated from locations in the U.S., Europe and Asia. UW engineers also helped develop the standard protocol used in the tests.

Rome was built in a day, with hundreds of thousands of digital photos

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:33:59 GMT

Using tourist photos downloaded from the Web, computer scientists created a digital version of Rome in about a day.

Electrical circuit runs entirely off power in trees

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:57:00 GMT

For the first time researchers have run an electrical circuit entirely off power in trees. The findings suggest a new power source for wireless sensors.

UW's new tools for iPhones, mobile devices launched today

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) and Robert Roseth (206-543-2580) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:49:00 GMT

The University of Washington now offers campus maps, course calendars, news, events, athletics schedules and more in a format that's designed for the iPhone and other mobile devices.

Organic electronics a two-way street, thanks to new plastic semiconductor

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:16:20 GMT

A new organic material lets both positive and negative charges flow efficiently. It permits a simpler design of organic electronics, using a single material for transporting positive and negative charges.

'Puter Profs: Experts who can address a variety of computer-related issues

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:36:12 GMT

UW experts who can address a variety of computer-related issues.

Computers unlock more secrets of the mysterious Indus Valley script

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 22:00:00 GMT

A statistical analysis reveals distinct patterns in the placement of Indus symbols, and creates a hypothetical model for the unknown language.

Nanoparticles cross blood-brain barrier to enable 'brain tumor painting'

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:27:46 GMT

A team of engineers and medical experts has been able to illuminate brain tumors by injecting fluorescent nanoparticles into the bloodstream. The tiny particles can safely cross the blood-brain barrier, an almost impenetrable barrier that protects the brain from infection.

All-in-one nanoparticle: A Swiss Army knife for nanomedicine

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:41:00 GMT

For the first time, researchers combine nanoparticles used for medical imaging and therapy in one tiny package.

This article will self-destruct: A tool to make online personal data vanish

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:00:00 GMT

Private information scattered all over the Internet and impossible to control. A new system, called Vanish, puts an expiration date on electronic text. Electronic communication sent using Vanish -- such as e-mail, Facebook posts and chat messages -- would have a brief lifetime and then self-destruct.

Stirred, not shaken: Bio-inspired cilia mix medical reagents at small scales

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:13:44 GMT

University of Washington engineers used a novel underwater manufacturing technique to build biomimetic cilia. The hairlike appendages mix tiny volumes of liquid to speed up biomedical reactions.

Media advisory: Aquatic robots, autonomous planes at UW robotics conference

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:04:42 GMT

Robotics experts to meet Sunday through Wednesday for an international conference.

Media advisory: UW team takes off tomorrow for rocket competition

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:00:00 GMT

A team of graduate students and faculty advisors in the UW's aeronautics and astronautics department are available today to show off the rocket they built from scratch. The team leaves tomorrow for Utah, where the rocket will compete to carry a 10-pound payload to 10,000 feet.

UW experts: Iran

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) and Catherine O'Donnell (206-543-2580) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:07:21 GMT

UW professors who can comment on politics, religion and communications technology affecting Iran.

Crustacean shell with polyester creates mixed-fiber material for nerve repair

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:50:00 GMT

Weaving chitosan, found in the shells of crabs and shrimp, with an industrial polyester creates a promising new material for biomedical applications, including the tiny tubes that support repair of a severed nerve.

UW Experts: Search, Social Media and Web 2.0

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) and Catherine O'Donnell (206-543-2580) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:33:00 GMT

UW experts who can comment on the newest communications software, technologies and trends.

UW will be prominent in space shuttle mission to service Hubble telescope

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) and Vince Stricherz (206-543-2580) — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:45:00 GMT

The space shuttle Atlantis, leaving Monday for the Hubble Space Telescope, will be piloted by UW engineering graduate Gregory C. Johnson. The shuttle will carry a camera that UW astronomers helped build, which will replace Hubble's existing camera.

Indus script encodes language, reveals new study of ancient symbols

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Scholars have recently questioned whether ancient Indus inscriptions code for language. A UW computer scientist used statistics to show that the 4,500-year-old Indus symbols' pattern follows that of other spoken languages.

Workshop seeks to lure women researchers from industry to academia

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:52:03 GMT

Experienced women researchers in the private sector are invited to apply for a workshop that will offer support to women who are considering making the jump to academia. Recruiting women from industry is a new approach that seeks to boost the number of women in U.S. science, technology, engineering and mathematics departments.

Scorpion venom with nanoparticles slows spread of brain cancer

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:52:00 GMT

By combining nanoparticles with a scorpion venom compound already being investigated for treating brain cancer, University of Washington researchers found they could cut the spread of cancerous cells by 98 percent, compared to 45 percent for the scorpion venom alone.

Harnessing cloud computing for data-intensive research on oceans, galaxies

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:05:07 GMT

The University of Washington will apply cloud computing to analyze climate simulation results and astronomical images. The new grants are part of a program sponsored by the National Science Foundation, Google and IBM that brings cloud computing to U.S. universities.

Picture this: Digital album puts focus on kids' health

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 23:23:47 GMT

Baby Steps is a multimedia system that combines sentimental snapping with medical record-keeping. The experimental product feels like a fun toy for parents, but researchers found in a pilot study that parents who used it regularly collected twice as much medically relevant information about their child's developmental progress.

3-D printing hits rock-bottom prices with homemade ceramics mix

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:45:46 GMT

A new, not-so-secret recipe uses artist-grade ceramics powder for 3-D printing. Ceramics objects can now be printed for about 3 percent the cost of commercial printing mixes.

Media advisory: Brain Awareness Week brings neuroscience to the masses

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:06:31 GMT

Reporters and photographers are invited to attend the UW's Brain Awareness Week open house on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Bus left you waiting in the cold? Use your cell phone to track it down

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:35:00 GMT

Two UW graduate students have created a free tool, OneBusAway, that lets Seattle bus-riders use a cell phone, iPhone or computer to see if their bus is running late.

Cancer diagnosis: Now in 3-D

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:19:00 GMT

University of Washington researchers helped develop a new kind of microscope to visualize cells in three dimensions, an advance that could bring great progress in the field of early cancer detection.

Matthew O'Donnell, David Auth elected to National Academy of Engineering

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:54:00 GMT

Matthew O'Donnell, dean of the University of Washington's College of Engineering and professor in the department of bioengineering, and David Auth, a UW affiliate professor in bioengineering, have been elected to the National Academy of Engineering.

'Astronaut food approach' to medical testing: Dehydrated, wallet-sized malaria tests promise better diagnoses in developing world

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:52:10 GMT

Researchers have created a credit-card sized tool can be stored for months and then used to test for malaria--part of a larger project to develop high-tech tools for global health. The prototype dehydrated the reagents to store them without refrigeration, and delivered a diagnosis in just nine minutes.

UW buys multimillion-dollar tool for nanotech research

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:44:38 GMT

A $1.3 million gift from the Washington Research Foundation will help the University of Washington to acquire an electron beam lithography machine used to build devices at the nanometer scale.

'Can you see me now?' Sign language over cell phones comes to United States

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:18:59 GMT

A group at the UW has developed software that for the first time enables deaf and hard of hearing Americans to use sign language over a mobile phone.

The 160-mile download diet: Local file-sharing drastically cuts network load

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) and Suzanne Muzzin ((203) 432-8555) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:49:03 GMT

New research shows that sharing music and video files locally would be five times as efficient, relieving the stress on the Internet's major arteries. A research project that promotes a more neighborly approach to file sharing is attracting interest from the computing industry.

Cataloguing invisible life: Microbe genome emerges from lake sediment

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:00:00 GMT

A UW-led team has taken a sample of Lake Washington mud and successfully sequenced a complete genome for an unknown microorganism. The finding suggests a way to discover microscopic life in complex communities.

Toxic chemicals found in common scented laundry products, air fresheners

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:00:00 GMT

A study of top-selling laundry products and air fresheners found they emitted dozens of different chemicals, some of which are toxic or hazardous. None of the chemicals was listed on the product labels.

For your eyes only: Custom interfaces make computer clicking faster, easier

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:48:00 GMT

Personalized computer interfaces that adapt to each user's vision and motor abilities significantly speeds up computer tasks, especially in disabled users. The UW prototype offers the first instantly customizable computer interface.

Online service lets blind surf the Internet from any computer, anywhere

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:41:00 GMT

New software launched today lets blind and visually impaired people surf the Internet on the go. The UW computer science student who created the software, called WebAnywhere, says more accessibility tools must move from desktop machines to the Web.

Gene silencer and quantum dots reduce protein production to a whisper

Quinn Eastman ((404) 727-7829) and Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:31:00 GMT

Fluorescent nanoparticles, called quantum dots, are dramatically better than existing methods for delivering a gene-silencing tool into cells. The quantum-dot chaperones help impede the cell's production of a given protein.

School of Robofish provides basis for teams of underwater robots

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:51:28 GMT

Most ocean robots have to talk to scientists or satellites to share information. A school of robotic fish developed at the University of Washington communicate directly, allowing them to work cooperatively without ever coming to the surface.

Computer game's high score could earn the Nobel Prize in medicine

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:30:00 GMT

Gamers have devoted countless years of collective brainpower to rescuing princesses or protecting the planet against alien invasions. This week researchers at the University of Washington will try to harness those finely honed skills to make medical discoveries, perhaps even finding a cure for HIV.

'Bill Gates Unplugged': UW final stop on tour of North American universities

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:26:30 GMT

President Mark Emmert and UW Computer Science & Engineering host Microsoft chairman Bill Gates on April 25 for the final stop of his six-university tour, as Gates transitions from Microsoft to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

UW to lead $6.25 million project creating electronic Sherlock Holmes

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:01:00 GMT

A UW computer scientist will direct a major research project for the U.S. Department of Defense. The multi-institutional team will use machine learning to try to link vast amounts of data, including videos, satellite images and sensor measurements.

Popcorn-ball design doubles efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:31:00 GMT

By using a popcorn-ball design - tiny kernels clumped into much larger porous spheres - engineers can more than double the efficiency of a type of solar cell at converting the sun's rays to electricity.

Hubble maps the changing constellation of Internet 'black holes'

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:29:23 GMT

A surprisingly large fraction of Web traffic gets sucked into temporary black holes, in which information between two computers disappears en route. A new online observatory monitors Internet black holes so network administrators--and frustrated Web users--can diagnose problems in real time.

Engineers Without Borders-USA international conference this week in Seattle

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:11:10 GMT

More than 600 members of Engineers Without Borders-USA will gather for an annual conference Thursday through Sunday on the University of Washington's Seattle campus.

Researchers find implantable cardiac defibrillators may expose patients to security and privacy risks; potential solutions suggested

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 05:05:00 GMT

Digital security may become an issue for the medical profession. A team of researchers has shown that patients' private medical information could be extracted from implantable medical devices and their devices reprogrammed without the patients' authorization or knowledge.

Future of social networking explored in UW's computer science building

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 21:53:00 GMT

A pilot project in the University of Washington's computer science building explores the next step in social networking, wirelessly monitoring people and things. The project is one of the largest experiments looking at wireless identification tags in a social setting.

Water planners call for fundamental shift to deal with changing climate

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:28:20 GMT

The past is no longer a reliable base on which to plan the future of water management. So says a Science article written by a prominent group of hydrologists and climatologists that calls for fundamental changes to the science behind water planning and policy.

Graduate students and Native American tribes will tap forests, farms for biofuels

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 21:24:00 GMT

A new grant funds doctoral students to work with Washington state tribes developing local sources of plant-based fuels. Possibilities range from forestry debris to paper-mill residue to waste associated with the state's wheat and apple crops.

Camera in a pill offers cheaper, easier window on your insides

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:57:07 GMT

A tiny, single-eyed camera fits in a pill that can easily be swallowed. The device promises low-cost screens to prevent esophageal cancer.

Contact lenses with circuits, lights a possible platform for superhuman vision

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:05:00 GMT

Achieving superhuman vision could be as easy as popping in a contact lens. UW engineers have for the first time combined a flexible, biologically safe contact lens with an imprinted electronic circuit and lights.

Free software brings affordability, transparency to mathematics

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 17:46:52 GMT

A UW mathematician is on a mission to replace the costly software used in education and research with a free, open-source version. More than a hundred mathematicians are helping to develop the tool.

Vacation photos create 3D models of world landmarks

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 20:27:53 GMT

Online collections of photos, such as Flickr and Google, can create realistic 3D models of buildings and landmarks. The method could speed the development of 3D digital maps by tapping the vast supply of photos on the Internet.

Media advisory: Engineering students create electrifying Halloween decorations

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 18:19:36 GMT

The UW's electrical engineering department hosts the first Halloween design challenge, in which students use their technical skills to create spooky decorations. Judging will take place Friday afternoon.

Generating 'oohs' and 'aahs': Vocal Joystick uses voice to surf the Web

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 02:41:00 GMT

A new tool lets people with disabilities control a computer cursor without lifting a finger. Early tests suggest that an experienced user of Vocal Joystick would have as much control as someone using a handheld device.

'Google 101' class at UW inspires first Internet-scale programming courses

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 15:17:24 GMT

A pilot course at the UW forms the basis for a national program that shows students how to program using tens, hundreds or thousands of computers.

UW computer engineer wins MacArthur Foundation 'genius' award

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 05:01:00 GMT

Yoky Matsuoka, associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington, has been named one of this year's MacArthur Fellows. The $500,000 grants were announced today.

Collapsing structures to be tested in revamped UW engineering lab

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 20:14:45 GMT

The Structural Research Laboratory opened its doors soon afer the infamous collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in 1940. A new grant will allow the lab to expand its program researching structural collapse.

A rose is a rozsa is a 薔薇: Image-search tool speaks hundreds of languages

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 18:07:00 GMT

Image searches are often lost in translation, even though the results of the search could be appreciated in any language. A new multilingual search tool makes the universal appeal of pictures available to all.

Star Trek medical device uses ultrasound to seal punctured lungs

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 19:24:00 GMT

The first experiment using ultrasound to treat lung injuries shows promising results. High-intensity ultrasound rays stopped air and blood leaks in punctured lungs.

UW's College of Engineering wins three of Technology Review's TR35 awards

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 14:00:00 GMT

The UW's College of Engineering was awarded three of Technology Review magazine's TR35 awards, given to 35 top innovators from industry and academia who are younger than 35. One of the UW's winners also was recognized by the magazine as Humanitarian of the Year.

Computers expose the physics of NASCAR

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 17:47:29 GMT

Computer scientists developed a new way to simulate and display complex situations very quickly. The algorithm made its high-profile debut this summer when the ESPN sports network used it to show air flowing over racing cars in its NASCAR coverage.

Infrastructure Experts: Engineers who can speak on building and bridge safety

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 23:19:47 GMT

Technology summer camp welcomes disabled high-school students

Scott Bellman (206-685-6222) and Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:23:01 GMT

More than 50 Washington students arrive today for the DO-IT Scholars Summer Study program. The 10-day camp is part of an award-winning program encouraging disabled high-school students to pursue careers in technology, science and engineering.

Microsoft picks new UW center to develop distance learning technologies

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 17:01:00 GMT

The newly established Center for Collaborative Technologies at the University of Washington will develop tools for distance learning. These tools let students anywhere watch lectures, participate in discussions, and even write on a virtual classroom blackboard.

Deaf computing academy welcomes first participants in national program

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 21:19:26 GMT

The 2007 Summer Academy for Advancing Deaf & Hard of Hearing in Computing, a nine-week academy teaching talented students the fundamentals of computer science, starts next week.

National concrete canoe races come to Seattle

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 17:10:21 GMT

The 20th annual American Society of Civil Engineers National Concrete Canoe Competition takes place this week at the University of Washington Seattle campus and on Lake Sammamish.

Ports could hasten freight traffic by doubling up on crane trips

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 16:29:00 GMT

Ports could use their cranes to move goods more quickly without investing in any new equipment. A system called double cycling would minimize empty return trips - what taxi drivers and long-haul truckers call "deadheading" - by the massive cranes.

UW's undergrads dominate international math competition

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 03 May 2007 17:27:09 GMT

Two teams of UW undergrads took home the Outstanding Winner title in this year's international math modeling marathon.

Space launchers, robotic fish will be on display at Engineering Open House

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 00:52:59 GMT

It's somewhere between a carnival and a trip to a mad scientist's lab. When the UW's College of Engineering opens its doors this weekend, schoolchildren and members of the public can see, feel and test out its latest technologies.

Robotic surgeon to team up with doctors, astronauts on NASA mission

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:15:00 GMT

This week Raven, the mobile surgical robot developed by the University of Washington, leaves for a NASA test mission. For 12 days the system will be put through its paces to help develop robotic surgeons for use in space.

'Smart' sunglasses and goggles let users adjust shade and color

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 16:43:00 GMT

There's a bright future for protective eyewear: Sunglasses that can change color almost instantly, and on command. A new lens material makes this possible.

UW, Micron launch materials-testing lab in quest for next-generation microchips

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 17:02:00 GMT

Computers, cell phones and other electronics can't keep shrinking in size without radical changes to their design. Finding novel semiconductor materials is the first goal of the new Micron Laboratory for Combinatorial Materials Exploration.

Free energy assessments for region's small- to medium-sized factories

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 23:54:51 GMT

The University of Washington has joined 26 universities in a Department of Energy-sponsored program to reduce electricity use in manufacturing plants.

Custom cell phones for microfinance co-ops, fair-trade coffee growers

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 01:16:03 GMT

For his doctoral research in computer science, Tapan Parikh designed mobile phone software for use by members of Indian grassroots banking cooperatives, known as microfinance groups. Now he's gone one step further and founded a company in India that carries out testing and brings the system to its intended users.

Better freshwater forecasts to aid drought-plagued West

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 16:30:00 GMT

Even at the best of times, the West's water supplies are fraught with political, economic and environmental wrangling. Yet the ability to predict drought at seasonal lead times -- months or longer -- has scarcely improved since the 1960s.

Photo software creates 3-D world

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 12:48:00 GMT

Experimental software developed by UW computer scientists, called Photo Tourism, is one part photo album and one part video game. The program combines digital images to create a 3-D virtual world. Uses could include organizing personal photo collections, creating virtual tours or someday making a visual map of all the photos on the Internet.

VIDEO | Photo Tourism software demonstration | 5:16

Mobile phones facilitate romance in modern India

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 16:33:19 GMT

Indians -- like young people everywhere -- are integrating technology into their romantic lives. Cell phones allow long-distance relationships and arranged marriages to flourish in a modern high-tech boomtown, according to a new ethnographic study.

BitTyrant makes a turbulent entry into digital filesharing

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 08:00:00 GMT

This week UW computer scientists released an update to BitTorrent, the world's most popular filesharing program. BitTyrant aims to foil anyone cheating the system -- while seizing 70 percent more bandwidth.

Robotic crawler detects wear in power lines

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 08:00:00 GMT

Ageing power lines usually go unnoticed until an electric failure shuts off the lights. Now, an autonomous robot can roll along the miles of cable, performing a utilities' equivalent of a check-up.

Researchers demonstrate direct brain control of humanoid robot

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:15:00 GMT

A classic science-fiction scene shows a person wearing a metal skullcap with electrodes sticking out to detect the person's thoughts. Another sci-fi movie standard depicts robots doing humans' bidding. Now the two are combined, and in real life: University of Washington researchers have managed to control the movement of a humanoid robot with signals from a human brain.

Nike+iPod Sport Kit raises privacy concerns

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 08:00:00 GMT

This holiday season, gift-givers may unwittingly give their favorite athlete a workout accessory that can double as a tracking device. Computer scientists at the University of Washington show potential breaches of privacy related to the Nike+iPod Sport Kit.

DO-IT program seeks students with disabilities for college preparation

Hannah Hickey (206-543-2580) — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 08:00:00 GMT

The DO-IT Scholars is now accepting applications from Washington State high school sophomores and juniors who have disabilities for a college-preparation and mentoring program.