NVIDIA GameWorks Powers Heroes Reborn VR Experience at Comic-Con
NVIDIA worked with V Squared Labs to create a virtual reality experience at Comic-Con to promote the upcoming Heroes: Reborn TV show from NBC. The FlameWorks special effects library was used to create "two side-by-side portals where fans entered into the Renautas Corporation Evolved Human research facility found in the “Heroes Reborn” universe." Guests were scanned using a Microsoft Kinect to create images of them wielding fire and using their newfound pyro-kinetic abilities to battle a series of villains. V Squared Executive VP Alex Theory stated, "This type of augmented reality, interactive, kinetic experience has never been done before. Anywhere. It’s V Squared Labs’ first time at Comic-Con and we’re loving every minute of it. Especially seeing people’s reaction to our work."
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Bringing One Example of Quantum Mechanics to the Larger World
Quantum mechanics allows for some odd things to happen, like materials that block the flow of electrons within their volume, but are conductors over their surfaces. These topological insulators could have a variety of uses in future technologies, especially as we come to better understand them. Now researchers at ETH Zurich have succeeded in recreating this effect in the classical realm with an array of pendulums, and it too could have uses, including sound and vibration insulation.
Normally one would expect the math beyond quantum systems to be only relevant in quantum mechanics. The Zurich researchers realized, however, that by rearranging the formulae for topological insulators, they would resemble those for an array of swinging pendulums, which is a well-understood system. From this, the researchers got to work constructing an array of 270 pendulums in a rectangular lattice, connected by springs, coupling them all together. Only two of these pendulums were powered, and thus could have their frequency and strength controlled. With the correct frequency, the researchers discovered what they were hoping for; the outer pendulums could be made to swing in rhythm while the inner pendulums hung still. This is like a topological insulator, where electrons will flow over the surface, but will not pass through the center.
Not only were the researchers able to recreate this quantum mechanical phenomenon, but it also turned out to be very robust, as it could survive the array being disordered and some even being removed. Now the researchers are working to shrink the system from the half-meter long, half kilogram pendulums to something without pendulums, and just centimeters in size.
Source: ETH Zurich
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Hardware Roundup: Friday, July 10, 2015, Edition
The end of another week is upon us, with July approaching its midway point. We have several items for you to consider today, including a review of AMD's new R9 Fury video card courtesy of Sapphire. This is the air cooled version of its Fiji chip, so be sure to see what that does for temperature and noise. Plus it has some CrossFire results, too. There is also a comparison between the AMD R9 Fury X and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti in 2-Way and 3-Way video card tests to see which multi-card setup produces the best results. For storage needs, we have the OCZ Trion 100 SSD, with 240, 480, and 960GB models tested. Ending things off for today is a case mod that uses a modifed test bench to deliver a unique setup, complete with water cooling reservoirs, blocks, tubing, and more.
Video Cards
Sapphire Radeon R9 Fury 4GB with CrossFire Results @ PC Perspective
AMD Fury X vs. NVIDIA GTX 980 Ti: 2- and 3-Way Multi-GPU Performance @ PC Perspective
Storage/Hard Drives
OCZ Trion 100 240GB 480GB 960GB SATA SSD @ PC Perspective
Miscellany
Case Mod Friday: Mid-Lif Cry-Sys @ ThinkComputers
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Making Wakes of Light
We are all familiar with wakes in one form or another, likes those made in a body of water, or the sonic booms of supersonic aircraft. Cherenkov radiation you are probably less familiar with, but is also a kind of wake, but involves light instead of water or sound. Now researchers at Harvard University have gone a made the interesting and impressive step of creating and manipulating wakes of light on the surface of a metal.
Cherenkov radiation is created when a charged particles travels faster than the phase velocity of light in a medium. The speed of light in a vacuum may be the Universe's speed limit, but when light is in a medium, like air or water, it propagates slower, leaving room for particles to travel faster, without breaking the ultimate limit. The researchers managed to recreate this with plasmons on the surface of a metal, with the charge moving along a one-dimensional metamaterial. The researchers found they could manipulate the wake, making it go in different directions, and even go backwards, by controlling the angle the light was shining on the metamaterial.
This research could potentially be used to study wake physics in new ways, and from that discover new means of controlling light and plasmons. Plasmons are already seen as a path to advanced nano-optics that will allow for technologies not currently possible.
Source: Harvard University
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Microsoft Releases Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 10166
Days ago, it was reported that Microsoft was expected to deliver another updated build of its Windows 10 operating system before the end of this week, and it seems to have successfully done just that. Yesterday morning, the company officially released build 10166 of Windows 10 to Windows Insiders. While an RTM build of the latest Microsoft operating system was supposedly wrapped up yesterday as well, build 10166 offers various bug fixes as well as fit-and-finish improvements that further improve the overall user experience. Build 10166 of Windows 10 also allows those within the Seattle region to utilize the Microsoft Wi-Fi application to purchase paid Wi-Fi through the Windows Store. When a Windows 10 user is around a network that supports the transaction, they can simply choose to purchase Wi-Fi access with their credit or debit card, a Microsoft gift card, or their PayPal account. According to Microsoft, the ability to utilize this feature of Windows 10 is expected to roll out to the rest of the United States in the near future.
Source: Windows Blog
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Team Led by IBM Unveils 7nm Test Chip
IBM has been working as part of a collaborative effort with GlobalFoundries, Samsung, SONY, and the State University of New York (SUNY) at the 300mm research facility at SUNY Polytechnic. The team announced today that is has developed "the world's first 7nm chip with functional transistors." Current CPUs have reached the 14nm level with 10nm CPUs planned for release from Intel late next year. Consumers likely won't be able to get their hands on the technology for about two years but it is still a significant development for multiple reasons including that "it's the first commercially viable sub-10nm FinFET logic chip that uses silicon-germanium as the channel material; and it appears to be the first commercially viable design produced with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography." The group is targeting vastly increased performance numbers in relation to power, predicting "at least a 50 percent power/performance improvement for the next generation of systems."
Source: Ars Technica
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Phanteks Announces Enthoo Pro M Case
The Enthoo Pro M is the latest case from manufacturer Phanteks, combining elements from the Enthoo Pro and EVOLV cases. The Pro M exterior and look is based on the PRO while the interior features resemble the EVOLV. The case design uses aluminum and brushed plastic in color choices of black or titanium green. The case features support for full size ATX motherboards as well as a top mounted radiator. Multiple mounting points for water cooling reservoirs and pumps are also included. Boon Tuoh Knor of Phanteks commented on the case stating, "being very versatile, having a spacious and clean interior and of course making it very easy to build water-cooling systems is what the Enthoo Series is all about."
Source: Press Release
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Galactic Civilizations III Gets Steam Workshop Support and Map Pack DLC
For any Galactic Civilization III players out there, or those interested in joining them, it is receiving a new update and DLC today. The DLC adds eight new maps of various sizes, as well as a new Milky Way scenario. With the DLC comes a new custom map editor, so you can design your own galaxies to play in. Unless you have the Elite Founders pack, the DLC will cost $4.99.
The game is also receiving Steam Workshop support, which means that every ship and race you create in the game can be easily shared with other players. Throughout the game's development, Stardock was supportive of use created content, so this is the "next logical evolution." The update also brings with it two new difficulty levels and UI improvements.
Source: Stardock
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Hardware Roundup: Thursday, July 9, 2015, Edition
The week is drawing to its close, but not before we have some items for you to check out. There is a review of the ASUS Sabertooth X99 motherboard, the newest entrry in ASUS' TUF line of products. We also have the Razer Seiren Pro microphone, a desktop model designed for podcasters, streamers, and anyone who needs their voice recorded cleanly. If you're on the road a bunch and would like to record the actions of those around you, perhaps the PAPAGO! GoSafe 520 Dashcam is the perfect item for you. For those wanting to better track and control their power usage, the D-Link WiFi Smart Plug can help you get the job done.
Motherboards
ASUS Sabertooth X99 @ Bjorn3D
Microphones
Razer Seiren Pro @ LanOC Reviews
Gadgets
PAPAGO! GoSafe 520 Dashcam @ Bjorn3D
D-Link WiFi Smart Plug @ ThinkComputers
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Single Atoms Chilled with Microwaves
For quantum technologies to be realized, we need means to bring out quantum phenomena, which usually requires very extreme circumstances, like ultra-low temperatures. Typically those temperatures are acquired with lasers that will trap and pull away vibrational energy from a particle. Now researchers at the University of Sussex have successfully brought an atom to within a millionth of a degree above absolute zero, using microwaves.
Microwave radiation is already very well understood, as we use it to heat food and wirelessly transmit data every day. Compared to lasers, it is also much simpler to work with, so by using it instead of lasers, the designs for quantum technologies could become much simpler, and easier to build. Therefore, this discovery could bring us much closer to realizing quantum technologies, such as quantum computers, sensors, and clocks.
Source: University of Sussex
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AMD Releases Catalyst 15.7 WHQL Driver
Just weeks before Windows 10 is expected to be released to the public in its final form, AMD has just made available its Catalyst 15.7 WHQL driver. The latest graphics card driver brings important features to AMD users, such as full DirectX 12 support, which enables increased performance in various scenarios, as well as expanded support for Frame Rate Target Control, which provides decreased noise and heat output by GPUs by allowing users to set a target frame rate level when running an application in full screen exclusive mode. The AMD Catalyst 15.7 WHQL driver brings support for the Radeon 300 series and other Radeon products under one driver package, and also introduces FreeSync compatibility with computer configurations that include graphics cards running in Crossfire. Additionally, Virtual Super Resolution support, which allows games to be rendered at a higher resolution and then displayed at a lower resolution for improved visuals, has been expanded to include all Radeon R7 260 and above GPUs as well as desktop A-Series 7400K and above APUs.
The Catalyst 15.7 WHQL driver offers quite a bit of what Radeon owners have been requesting for some time and represents the largest driver update for AMD since the Omega driver was released late last year. The latest driver is available for immediate download from the official AMD website.
Source: WCCFtech
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Available Tags:NVIDIA , Hardware , Microsoft , Windows , IBM , Steam , AMD , Catalyst , WHQL , Driver ,
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