Tag: atom

After 43 years, gentle touch of a neutrino is finally observed

Enlarge / The neutron source at Oak Ridge National Lab. (credit: Oak Ridge National Lab ) Neutrinos are noted for being extremely reluctant to interact with other matter. While it’s possible to build hardware that will detect them, these detectors tend to be enormous in order to provide sufficient material for the neutrinos to interact with. Those interactions also take the form of energetic events that transform the identity of particles (for example, converting protons to neutrons). Given the neutrino’s low mass and tendency not to interact, the idea of detecting one simply bumping into another particle seems almost ludicrous. But that’s what scientists from Oak Ridge National Lab are reporting today. They’ve seen brief flashes as atoms get nudged by a neutrino, which imparts a tiny bit of its tiny momentum to the atom’s nucleus. Oak Ridge National Lab is home to some hardware called the Spallation Neutron Source. This accelerates a beam of protons and smashes them into a tank of mercury. This creates debris that includes lots of neutrons, which are used for a variety of scientific purposes. But the debris also includes some neutrinos that are otherwise lost in the spray of particles that come flowing out of the collisions. Read 7 remaining paragraphs | Comments

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After 43 years, gentle touch of a neutrino is finally observed

IBM built an atomic hard drive

While the rush to keep pace with Moore’s Law is getting rather “chaotic” , researchers at IBM announced on Wednesday that they have drastically reduced the space required to store a bit of information down to that of a single atom. This tiny advancement in storage technology, is a big deal. Given that modern hard drives need about 100, 000 atoms to store a single bit, this development could shrink the size of future storage mediums by an order of magnitude. IBM figures that it can store the entire iTunes catalog (all 35 million tracks) onto a disk the size of a credit card by using this technique. A single atom of holmium credit: IBM Research – Almaden The system uses atoms of holmium seated atop a magnesium oxide surface, which keeps the atom’s magnetic poles stable — even in the presence of other magnets. The orientation of these poles determines whether the atom constitutes a 1 or a 0. To write to this storage system, a microscopic needle induces a current to flip the atom’s orientation. Reading the information, conversely, is simply a matter of measuring the magnetic current passing through each atom, which varies depending on which pole is facing up. But don’t expect this technology to show up in the next iPhone, mind you. It currently requires a liquid nitrogen-cooled tunnelling electron microscope operating in a vacuum to work. The study was published today in the journal Nature .

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IBM built an atomic hard drive

Intel Compute Stick review (2016): Second time’s a charm

I had high hopes for Intel’s original Compute Stick , but it ended up being a massive disappointment. Sure, it was cool to have a fully functional computer the size of a few thumb drives. But it was awfully slow and limited in some truly baffling ways (only one USB port?!). Now with Intel’s second-gen Compute Stick ($159), it’s another story entirely. It may look similar, but it packs in enough upgrades — a faster processor, better networking and more USB ports — to actually make it a usable computer. Hardware The first Compute Stick felt like a prototype that left Intel’s labs before designers ever laid their eyes on it. This new model, on the other hand, looks and feels like a solid piece of consumer kit. Instead of a boring rectangular design, it’s got smooth curves and perforated openings for its tiny fans (previously, they looked like cheap fan grilles molded into plastic). Even though it’s a device that’ll mostly live behind monitors, it’s also meant to be portable, so being attractive is a plus as you’re bound to show it off. It feels more solid in your hand, thanks to a tasteful balance of matte and glossy plastic. Heck, even the placement of the Intel Inside logo seems better (it’s now lower on the device instead of in the middle, and with less garish coloring). Intel also included two USB ports this time around (one of them USB 3.0), so that you can connect a keyboard and mouse without resorting to a hub. (If you were one of the readers who thought I was being unfair by complaining about the first model’s single USB port, this is why. It’s not as if Intel couldn’t fit in another port the first time around, and a USB hub kind of defeats the purpose of such a compact device!) I tested the Compute Stick with a wireless keyboard and mouse, so I only needed to use one of the USB ports for their wireless dongle. But the extra port came in handy for transferring files and updating the BIOS without removing my input devices. Once again, the Compute Stick features a microSD slot for an additional 128GB of storage (on top of the 32GB of internal storage). There’s also a micro-USB port for the power adapter. You still need to plug it into an AC adapter, unfortunately, which makes it a tad less portable than it may appear at first. An Intel spokesperson said the company is looking into the “superMHL” standard, which could power future models entirely over HDMI. A small power button lives on the side of the Compute Stick, and this time around there’s a small cap to protect the HDMI connector. That should make it less dangerous to chuck it in your bag or pocket. If your HDMI ports are too crowded on your TV or monitor, Intel also packs in a small HDMI extension cord to give the Compute Stick a bit of breathing room. Setup and performance Installing the Compute Stuck was a cinch: I plugged it into my TV, connected the power adapter and plugged in the wireless dongle for my keyboard and mouse. It booted up immediately, and it took about four minutes for me to run through the initial Windows 10 setup process. After a reboot, it took another five minutes to plug in my Windows login details and wait for my user account to bake. That may seem a tad lengthy, but it’s on par with what I’ve seen setting up other Atom-based computers. PCMark7 3DMark06 3DMark11 ATTO (top disk speeds) Intel Compute Stick (2016) (1.4Ghz Atom x5-Z8400) 2, 419 2, 677 E610 / P382 92 MB/s (reads); 176 MB/s (writes) Intel Compute Stick (2015) (1.3GHz Atom Z3735F, Intel HD Graphics) 2, 320 1, 544 E266 / P173 77 MB/s (reads); 175 MB/s (writes) Microsoft Surface 3 (1.6GHz Atom x7-Z8700, Intel HD Graphics) 2, 839 3, 920 E941 / P552 163 MB/s (reads); 39.2 MB/s (writes) HP Stream 11 (2.16Ghz Intel Celeron N2840, Intel HD Graphics) 2, 607 N/A E374 168 MB/s (reads); 72 MB/s (writes) Once I hit the desktop, I immediately opened up Microsoft Edge and opened YouTube to test the Compute Stick’s media capabilities. It loaded up 1080p streams far faster than the previous model, though there was a bit of slowdown as I swapped between fullscreen and windowed views. But, feeling a bit cheeky, I also played some 4K streams and was surprised to see the Compute Stick managing them just fine. Occasionally it would get stuck on a frame and then catch itself back up, but the fact that it was able to load and play 4K without any buffering or major slowdown is still notable. Of course, the Compute Stick’s 1.44GHz Atom x5-z8400 processor was pretty much maxed out while playing 4K, but that’s not terribly surprising. After suffering through slow download speeds with the original Compute Stick, I was surprised to see that the new model doesn’t have any issue bringing down large 4K files. That’s mainly due to improved networking hardware: a 2×2 antenna array and 802.11ac WiFi support. The first Compute Stick only had a single WiFi antenna, which limited its overall speed and also made it tough to both download and upload data at the same time. Emboldened by its YouTube performance, I started using the Compute Stick as I would a typical computer. I loaded up several browsers with multiple tabs, opened up multiple programs in the background, including Spotify and Slack, and proceeded to go about my usual workflow. And, surprisingly, the experience wasn’t half bad. The Compute Stick slowed down a bit as I quickly alt-tabbed between programs, or streamed Spotify music while downloading large files, but whereas the first model felt too slow for comfort, this one simply feels comfortable. It wasn’t long before I felt the limits of its limited 2GB of RAM, though. While that used to be all you needed for a decent computing experience, these days browsers and most web pages eat up memory quickly. Hopefully next year Intel will be able to include 4GB of RAM in its base Compute Stick model (which this year’s faster upcoming models all include). As the benchmarks show, this Compute Stick is significantly faster when it comes to 3D. And while its PCMark7 are only marginally faster, I wouldn’t worry too much about that. Real-world performance matter a lot more to me than benchmark numbers, and doing just about everything on the Compute Stick felt significantly faster than last year’s model. It even managed to play some simple games, like Hotline Miami 2 and Undertale , which the original version couldn’t even touch. One potential issue for some: The Compute Stick’s tiny fan made itself known while I was running benchmarks, even though it was about 12 feet away from me in my living room. Thankfully, I didn’t hear it much during normal usage. But it’s not the sort of device I’d leave running high-load tasks (or at least, as much as you can make the Atom x5 do) running in my bedroom overnight. Mostly, I’m impressed by just how versatile the new Compute Stick happens to be. It’s more than powerful enough for kiosks and computer labs, but it can also be a solid cheap home theater computer. I was able to access network shares on my desktop and play back HD video files without any issue. Configuration options and the competition This year, Intel isn’t going to offer a cheaper model of the Compute Stick (last year, there was a Linux-focused model for $110 with a 8GB of storage and 1GB of RAM), but that seems like a wise choice. Instead, the company is going a bit higher end. Upcoming Compute Stick models will include Core M3 and Core M5 processors for $399 and $499, respectively. They also pack in 4GB of RAM, which means we should expect performance along the lines of slower Ultrabooks, and three USB ports (two on the power adapter). Intel says both models can spit out 4K video at 30 Hz, and the Core m5 version (which doesn’t come with an OS) also includes its VPro hardware-level security technology. Of course, they don’t offer the same amount of value as the cheaper $159 model, but I’m still intrigued to see how much power Intel can stuff into this tiny case. You can bet we’ll put them through their paces when they’re available. You might be tempted to grab last year’s Compute Stick at an even cheaper price, or the (practically identical) Lenovo Ideacentre stick for around $100, but I’d advise against that unless you enjoy torturing yourself. There are also a handful of other PC sticks out there, but most of them use slower CPUs than the new Compute Stick. If you just want a simple stick for web browsing, the $85 ASUS Chromebit will let you bring ChromeOS to any monitor. (I didn’t include this in the benchmark table, but the new Compute Stick clocked in a 550ms SunSpider browser test score while running Edge, compared to the Chromebit’s slower score of 780ms score. Do with that what you will.) Wrap-up Well, Intel did it. The Compute Stick bundles just about everything you’d need for a basic computer into a compact, inexpensive package, and unlike its predecessor, it works. It’s no wonder we named it one of our Best of CES finalists this year. If you’ve got a spare monitor lying around, you could easily turn that into a machine for your kids, or some sort of household kiosk. And no matter how you use it, it’ll make you rethink your notion of what a PC can be.

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Intel Compute Stick review (2016): Second time’s a charm

Intel’s new Atom and Core M Compute Sticks get faster and look better

Andrew Cunningham Intel’s new Compute Stick has a better-looking design. 7 more images in gallery Intel’s original Compute Stick  was an neat idea that ultimately wasn’t executed very well. Any system based on one of Intel’s Atom processors is going to be a little slow, but flaky wireless, inconsistent performance, and a clunky setup process all made it less appealing than it could have been. It had all of the hallmarks and rough edges of a first-generation product. Today Intel showed us its next-generation Compute Sticks, and it’s clear that the company is taking seriously the criticism of the first model. There are three new versions to talk about: the lowest end stick uses a Cherry Trail Atom CPU and is the closest relative to the first-generation Compute Stick. The other two use more powerful Skylake Core M processors—one has a Core m3-6Y30 processor, and another has a Core m5-6Y57 CPU with Intel’s vPro management features enabled. All three sticks share the same basic design. The first-generation stick used a bulky, glossy plastic housing that made it look and feel more like a reference design than an actual shipping product, but all three new models switch to a softer, curvier case that looks more refined. Read 6 remaining paragraphs | Comments

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Intel’s new Atom and Core M Compute Sticks get faster and look better

Physicists successfully map individual atoms in 3D

Technology can evolve at such a rapid rate that many scientific discoveries are not just pushing boundaries, they’re practically barging them. Example, Physicists at UCLA have managed to 3D-map the position of individual atoms to a precision of 19 trillionths of a meter (that’s several times smaller than a hydrogen atom, for those of you playing at home) using a creative scanning technique. The method will help scientists and engineers build things — such as aircraft components — that lack point defects (i.e. missing atoms) that can have detrimental effects on structural integrity. The new procedure is called “scanning transmission electron microscopy” and works by passing an electron beam over a sample and measuring how many electrons interact with the atoms in said sample. Different arrangements of atoms react with the electrons in different ways so the outcome is unique to a particular atomic structure. The team conducts the initial scan which produces a 2D image, and in order to get to the final 3D product, they combine several scans from different angles. The downside of this technique is that multiple scans can potentiality damage the sample. The research is led by Jianwei (John) Miao, a UCLA professor of physics. Currently, a method known as X-Ray crystallography is used to map the layout of billions of atoms at a time, but has never been able to pinpoint an atom’s exact coordinates. This all encompassing procedure makes identifying a missing atom impossible. “Our measurements are so precise, and any vibrations — like a person walking by — can affect what we measure, ” said Peter Ercius, a staff scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The team of UCLA scientists who happened across this discovery now plan to use it in order to study magnetic properties. [Image Credit: Mary Scott and Jianwei (John) Miao/UCLA] Source: UCLA Newsroom

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Physicists successfully map individual atoms in 3D

Scientists capture images of molecules forming atomic bonds

For most of us, molecular bonding only really exists as a classroom concept. Some scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory can now claim more tangible knowledge, however: they’re the first to have taken truly clear snapshots of bonding in progress. While trying to create graphene nanostructures and observe them with an atomic force microscope , a lab team spotted molecules forming their individual, atom-level links during a chemical reaction. The resulting shots were nearly textbook material, too — as the molecules were neatly placed on a flat surface, the researchers identified the order and nature of each bond. While the images will only be immediately useful for the nanostructure research at hand, they may add a welcome dash of reality to future chemistry lessons. Filed under: Science , Alt Comments Via: Phys.org Source: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

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Scientists capture images of molecules forming atomic bonds

Extreme closeup! IBM makes ‘world’s smallest movie’ using atoms (video)

After taking a few shadowy pictures for the scientific world’s paparazzi, the atom is now ready for its closeup. Today, a team of IBM scientists are bypassing the big screen to unveil what they call the “world’s smallest movie.” This atomic motion picture was created with the help of a two-ton IBM-made microscope that operates at a bone-chilling negative 268 degrees Celsius. This hardware was used to control a probe that pulled and arranged atoms for stop-motion shots used in the 242-frame film. A playful spin on microcomputing, the short was made by the same team of IBM eggheads who recently developed the world’s smallest magnetic bit . Now that the atom’s gone Hollywood, what’s next, a molecular entourage? Filed under: Storage , Science , Alt Comments

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Extreme closeup! IBM makes ‘world’s smallest movie’ using atoms (video)

Facebook’s Open Compute Project splits up monolithic servers with help from Intel, more

As much as it’s important to have every component of a PC stuck together in a laptop, that same monolithic strategy is a major liability for server clusters: if one part breaks or grows obsolete, it can drag down everything else. Facebook and its Open Compute Project partners have just unveiled plans to loosen things up at the datacenter. A prototype, Atom -based rackmount server from Quanta Computer uses 100Gbps silicon photonics from Intel to connect parts at full speed, anywhere on the rack. Facebook has also garnered support for a new system-on-chip connection standard, rather affectionately named Group Hug, that would let owners swap in new mini systems from any vendor through PCI Express cards. The combined effect doesn’t just simplify repairs and upgrades — it lets companies build the exact servers they need without having to scrap other crucial elements in the process. There’s no definite timeframe for when we’ll see modular servers put to work, but the hope is that a cluster’s foundations will stay relevant for years instead of months. Continue reading Facebook’s Open Compute Project splits up monolithic servers with help from Intel, more Filed under: Intel , Facebook Comments Source: Open Compute Project

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Facebook’s Open Compute Project splits up monolithic servers with help from Intel, more