Computer Science In Biometric Security
Jonathan Smolenski, 3M Cogent, Pasadena, CA (and SSU Alumnus)
10/13/2011
Technology in recent years has played an increasingly invaluable role in biometric security and identification. Fingerprint matching, iris scanning and facial recognition have become staples in modern crime fighting and access controls with the help of computer science to assist in analysis and searching. Learn how 3M's security division, Cogent Systems, uses state-of-the-art computer systems in providing some of the fastest, most accurate (and very much unlike what you see on CSI) bio-metric matching in the world today.
Organic Semiconductors For Displays, Lighting And Photovoltaics
Bill Imler, Squirrel Hill Associates, Oakland, CA
10/20/2011
The newly emerging field of organic electronics has the potential to revolutionize the display, lighting and photovoltaic industries. The first applications of organic electronics have been in small displays for hand-held devices, in which the active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) displays are brighter, more colorful and consume less energy than the older, but still dominant, passive-matrix and LCD technologies. Over the next few years, these AMOLED displays will increase in size, challenging large-area plasma and LCD displays. A simpler version of OLED technology can be used to produce lighting panels. Organic semiconductors used in photovoltaic devices can enable many applications, which would be impossible for traditional photovoltaic materials. New manufacturing techniques being developed for organic semiconductors such as solution processing, inkjet printing and roll-to-roll processing could result in extremely inexpensive, very large area displays and OPV panels.
A Design Primer For The Graphically Challenged: Eight Essential Skills For Programmers
Scott Stanfield, Vertigo Software, Point Richmond, CA
10/27/2011
As a software developer, it’s inevitable that you will “have to deal” with a designer at some point. But if you appreciate their craft as a learnable discipline, instead of some magical, hocus-pocus process, great things happen. And there’s nothing preventing you from learning the basics. This talk covers the practical elements of design from a programmer’s perspective, useful even if you “don’t do front-end”. I’ll cover the basics like grids, typography, usability, color, brand and industrial design along with practical tools and resources to help you make good design decisions.
Will Full Disk Encryption Keep My Data Safe?
Ron LaPedis, Seacliff Partners International, San Bruno, CA
11/03/2011
There are many questions surrounding the topic of protecting sensitive information, and volume level or full disk encryption (FDE) seem to come up quite often as the answer. But are we asking the right questions? This colloquium will show you why FDE will not protect your data most of the time and will give you a tutorial of encryption technologies, validations, and injection points.
Prototyping
Jason Shankel, Stupid Fun Club, Berkeley, CA
11/10/2011
As budgets, schedules and quality standards in software projects grow, so does the cost of mistakes and course changes. In this talk, I will describe the essential role of prototyping in software development, both to contain costs and to harness developer creativity.