It’s no surprise that law enforcement agencies use mobile phone records to investigate criminal activity, but a platform called LogAnalysis could facilitate some of the most sophisticated analysis for all that raw data. Developed by Emilio Ferrara and his team at Indiana University, the software uses call records and other info to map hierarchies within criminal organizations according to “social network theory.” (Hint: Those who make the most calls are usually at the bottom, while those in charge tend to communicate the least.) And by automatically importing call records and removing ambiguous or redundant information, LogAnalysis streamlines the process of analyzing that data. In a paper , Ferrara and other researchers describe how LogAnalysis processed call records for a group convicted of several robberies, drug trafficking and extortion. By clustering together calls based on the time and date, the software revealed which numbers traced back to gang members involved in a particular robbery or murder. The data also clumped calls together in 14 different subgroups, revealing individuals (or at least phone numbers) involved in specific crimes. As the MIT Technology Review points out, many of the researchers behind this paper are based in Sicily, so it’s likely that some of the call data in this case comes from Italy. If that’s true, we have a pretty good idea what criminal organization they’re talking about here. Filed under: Networking Comments Via: MIT Technology Review Source: Detecting Criminal Organizations in Mobile Phone Networks (paper)

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LogAnalysis maps the structure of gangs using phone records

Back at CES in January, MIT spin-off FINsix unveiled the “world’s smallest” 65W laptop adapter, and it even managed to nab a nomination for our Best Startup award. Fast forward to today, the company is launching this nifty device — now dubbed the Dart — on Kickstarter for as low as $79 per unit. Here’s a quick reminder: this charger is four times smaller and six times lighter than its regular counterparts, and it also comes with a 2.1A USB port. The enabling technology here is a highly efficient VHF (very high frequency) power conversion, as refined and patented by MIT. As you’d expect, the Dart is compatible with most laptops, and there’s even a special version for MacBooks that don’t need more than 65W of power. The first 1, 000 backers will be able to grab a standard Dart for just $79 a pop, and latecomers will only have to fork out an extra $10 per piece. Both lots are cheaper than the $119 retail price, but rather than arriving in the summer as expected, these won’t be shipped until November — following product certification and field tests in the earlier months, of course. As for the limited MacBook version due December, the first 500 units will cost a staggering $148 each, followed by $168 each for the remaining 1, 500 units. FINsix explained that this huge price bump is because it has to buy the original MacBook adapters (also $79 each), in order to repurpose the MagSafe and MagSafe 2 connectors for its Darts. The good news is that FINsix is also hoping to work out a long-term agreement with Apple, in order to offer the MagSafe Dart at a much lower price. For this Kickstarter campaign, the Dart’s aluminum body will be available in either blue, magenta, silver, gunmetal or orange. The device is built with a US plug, but it’ll work with different voltages and frequencies around the world, so non-US folks can just add a plug adapter. Since the Dart is geared towards road warriors, chances are its backers already have a travel adapter, anyway. FINsix has also previously told us that it’s quite easy to scale the Dart in terms of power output, so here’s hoping that the startup will consider a 90W or even a 150W version, for the sake of those chunky mobile workstation bricks. Filed under: Misc Comments Source: Kickstarter

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The ‘world’s smallest’ laptop adapter debuts on Kickstarter for $79