Scientists at the University of Melbourne in Australia have created the world’s smallest diamond ring, measuring a measly 5 microns (millionths of a meter) in diameter and 300 nanometers (billionths of a meter) in thickness.

Granted, this tiny ring probably isn’t what you want to use to propose. However, if you happen to be a scientist developing quantum information processing, then this ring just might be a fit for you.

The ring is used as part of a device that can produce and detect single particles of light, called photons. These photons, set in different states, can carry information. However, unlike today’s computer memory which can hold either a 1 or 0 at each bit, they can hold both states at once.

If scientists can figure out how to take advantage of this property, they could expand the possibilities for computer memory and storage. This is a brand new development, so applications for the ring are obviously very scant. Hopefully we will see some clever uses in time, such as using the ring to increase the amount of data we can store in a certain amount of space.

Verizon, working with Yale University and software developer Pando Networks, recently conducted a test of new P4P software that intelligently routes peer-to-peer (P2P) traffic.

The new software reduces network utilization and speeds up downloads for subscribers by reducing the number of hops that packets have to take. Essentially, the P4P software allows data to travel shorter distances to reach the same destination.

P2P traffic (used for applications like torrents and high-def video streaming) is a major contributor to the data traveling over the internet. In fact, Verizon estimates that about half of the traffic on its network comes from P2P applications.

This new technology, if implemented by all internet providers, would make it cheaper to operate their networks and give subscribers higher speeds - especially for high-bandwidth connections such as Verizon’s FiOS.

We applaud Verizon for taking this approach to fix the growing bandwidth problem. Unlike Comcast, which resorted to blocking most P2P traffic, Verizon is trying to solve the problem on their end and provide better service for the subscribers.

The name says it all - the VirtuSphere is a giant… well… sphere that lets the user move around freely in a virtual reality world.

Visuals are projected via a motion-tracking headset worn by the player. He can then run, jump, roll, or crawl around the virtual world in any direction.

VirtuSphere works sort of like a hamster exercise ball. Well, exactly like a hamster exercise ball. The player gets in a large, hollow sphere that sits on rollers and can turn it 360 degrees in all directions to move around.

The manufacturer makes the system to client specifications. VirtuSpheres have already been sold to military and law enforcement organizations as well as entertainment companies.

Don’t get to excited to buy one of these, though. The VirtuSphere costs over $30,000, and that’s a lot of cash to shell out on gaming.

We do wonder how ridiculous a person might look while playing a game inside this thing.

[via Ananova]

DARPA is funding research at the University of Wisconsin at Madison aiming to develop an energy-efficient, heat-resistant mechanical nanocomputer.

The scientists are essentially trying to create a mechanical version of today’s silicon computer chips that’s able to perform in extreme environments such as space, car engines, and battlefields. Instead of using transistors and other electrical components, a mechanical nanocomputer would rely on gates, pillars, levers, and pistons to perform calculations.

The mechanial parts mean that this computer is more rugged and can operate at much higher temperatures. It also uses less energy, mainly due to the fact that it doesn’t need a power-hungry cooling system as it produces very little heat unlike its electrical counterpart.

Although mechanical computer designs have been around for a while, this is the first attempt to squeeze such a computer into a tiny package. Imagine itty bitty parts moving inside of your cell phone when it needs to calculate something. Although this new tech probably won’t be used in our gadgets, it could prove to be very valuable in demanding space and military applications.

[via Crave]

Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 7, the next generation of the Windows operating system, is on track to be released in 2010, three years after the failure that is Windows Vista was made publicly available.

Details about Windows 7 are scant, and no one knows what Microsoft has up their sleeve to help it compete with the next generation of operating systems. Hopefully we’ll see something truly innovative instead of the more common blatant copying of features from the competition.

Expect more news as public betas are released, most likely mid-2009.

TEC Japan has created the Tobidasu Menu, a touchscreen embedded into restaurant tables that allows patrons to browse a digital menu by touch and view food in 3D.

The menu also packs a few other neat tricks. For example, place a hamburger bun on the screen and when you lift it up there will be a juicy 3D hamburger sitting there (picture of this after the jump).

Tobidasu Menu is a clever idea, and comes at a time when touchscreens are popping up all over the place. TEC has not said if or when the system would be available in restaurants, but we wouldn’t mind ordering our food via touchscreen sometime soon. If it’s anything like a real menu, though, the real food won’t look anywhere near as good as its virtual counterpart. Read more »

Michael Callahan, CEO and co-founder of Ambient Corporation, recently used the company’s Audeo neckband to demonstrate a “voiceless” phone call for the first time.

With training, a person can send nerve signals to her vocal chords without making a sound. The Audeo is capable of picking up those signals and wirelessly transmitting them to a computer where they are turned into spoken words. Read more »

Researchers at GE have found a way to print OLEDs (Organic Light-Emitting Diodes) “roll-to-roll,” much like printing newspapers. The breakthrough, coming as a result of four years of work, will allow manufacturers to create OLEDs at a fraction of the cost.

OLED technology is behind the flexible and e-ink displays popping up daily now, but price has always been a barrier. Now, with some tuning and polishing, the researchers hope they’ll have a working “printing press” set up to manufacture OLEDs at a much cheaper price.

OLEDs are much more energy efficient than traditional lights or displays. As soon as the printing method is perfected, we will see OLED displays quickly taking over current technologies. Just one of the benefits of OLEDs is better battery life for our gadgets, meaning less frequent recharging.

There is now just one major hurdle to jump - improving the lifetime of OLEDs. Since they are made of organic materials, they are very sensitive to outside elements, especially water. As soon as scientists figure out a way to overcome that, expect to see OLEDs everywhere.