Emerging Technologies Topic Center

Emerging technology news, in-depth articles and more

NASA needs help hunting down killer asteroids

NASA wants to find asteroids that could threaten Earth and figure out what to do about them. It wants your help doing it.
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Startup beams your text msgs to extraterrestrials

For 25 cents, would you send a short message deep into outer space in the hopes that an alien race might receive it?

Power to the people: AT&T sets up free mobile charging stations in NYC

AT&T has set up a pilot program to offer free solar-powered cellphone charging stations in and around New York City.

NHK develops robot camera array for Matrix-like effects

Japan's public television broadcaster, NHK, has developed an array of video cameras that are synchronized to create "bullet time" shots like those popularized in the film The Matrix.

NASA's new astronauts could one day blast off to Mars

After a year and a half of culling through 6,100 applicants, NASA has chosen four men and four women to train to become astronauts and potentially travel to an asteroid -- or Mars.

Now, a robot with nine lives

Swiss scientists have created a cat-like robot with the stability and agility to one day be used in search-and-rescue missions.

Google tests Internet connectivity via balloons in the stratosphere

Google launched high-altitude balloons in a test to create a wireless network that could provide Internet access to remote and underserved parts of the world.

China likely to become No. 1 in supercomputing this week

China has produced a supercomputer capable of 54.9 petaflops that will likely be recognized as the world's fastest system this week with the unveiling of a new Top500 list.

China trounces US in Top500 supercomputer race

The supercomputing arms race is heating up again between the United States and China, as China retakes the top spot in the 41st Top500 listing of the world's most powerful supercomputers with Tianhe-2, an updated system that was able to execute 33.86 petaflops, or 33.86 thousand trillion floating point operations per second.

Google Glass could get a look at the enterprise

While the curious are looking to get their hands on a pair of Google's Glass, companies also may be looking to weave the computerized eyeglasses into their businesses.

How super high-def displays change everything

The new super high-resolution screens bring beauty, clarity and precision to our work and play, writes columnist Mike Elgan. Are they worth the extra money? Definitely.

Computerworld Honors 2013: Technology gives people with disabilities better access to website content

Deque Systems' Amaze technology, the 21st Century Achievement Award winner for innovation, is an overlay that fixes inaccessibility issues in real time, without having to reprogram source code.

Computerworld Honors 2013: ID program empowers citizens in India

Government program, the 21st Century Achievement Award winner for economic development, uses biometrics to assign unique identity numbers, allowing residents of India to participate more fully in society.

It's a desktop! It's a tablet! Dell XPS 18 vs. Sony Vaio Tap 20

We look at the Dell XPS 18 and the Sony Vaio Tap 20: Two all-in-ones that transform into large-scale tablets. Is this an alteration you can work with?

Supply chain 2013: Stop playing whack-a-mole with security threats

IT can never take all the risk out of a supply chain, but it can help organizations minimize their vulnerability in a world of new threats.

Google Glass mysteries revealed!

Google made a long list of announcements and revelations about its cyborg eyewear Glass. Google is taking a very conservative, controlling approach to the platform, not unlike Apple's style.

Open your data to the world

Not having an API is becoming like not having a website, but the interface has got to be easy for outside developers to work with.

Why your clothes need a mobile upgrade

The clothing most of us wear hasn't changed to keep up with mobile technology. But there are apparel makers that are rising to the challenge.

DARPA makes an indoor GPS chip that's smaller than a penny

GPS IS a godsend for people with absolutely no natural sense of direction. But sometimes, these people-tracking satellite systems don't work so well in a dense city, or worse--when you go anywhere indoors.

8 myths about the smartwatch revolution

By the time Apple ships its rumored 'iWatch' smartwatch, it will be entering an already crowded market. That's a good thing, says columnist Mike Elgan.