Lotteries As A Mechanism For Contracting Via The Internet
John Mamer, UCLA Anderson School of Management
03/23/2006
The Internet holds the promise of bringing vast computing power, currently locked up in idle computers, to bear on problems of commercial interest. Key to unleashing this computing power is the ability to contract for computing resources via the Internet. The anonymous and transient environment of the Internet poses a challenge to the design of an efficient payments system. The use of lotteries offers, instead of a small payment for each unit of computation, a small chance at a larger prize. What can be surmised about the economic efficiency of such a system as the number of participants increases without limit (and hence each individual’s contribution becomes small)?
Bioinformatics Support Of Pathogen Diagnostics And Forensics
Tom Slezak, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
03/30/2006
A bioinformatics team at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has been computationally designing pathogen DNA signatures since the summer of 2000. These signatures were used for biosecurity at the 2002 Winter Olympics, as well as for national security purposes since October 2001. This talk will discuss the LLNL team’s involvement with these efforts and various outbreaks (SARS, monkeypox, Avian Influenza, Exotic Newcastle Disease, etc.)
The Self-Splitting Neural Network
Scott Gordon, California State University, Sacramento
04/06/2006
A Neural Network is a popular artificial intelligence technique in which an array of simulated neurons are interconnected to form a very simplified model of a tiny brain. Knowledge is stored in the interconnections, and is typically acquired through training. In practice, this is often limited to relatively small problems. The self-splitting neural network attempts to tackle larger problems by dividing the input domain into small chunks, and assigning a separate neural network to each chunk. Using a variety of splitting methods, large problems not typically solvable with standard neural networks have been learned quickly and with excellent generalization.
Sync And Timing Issues Of Carrying Tdm Traffic Over Packet Networks
Kishan Shenoi, Symmetricom, San Jose, California
04/13/2006
Packet networks are very efficient in delivering information ("bits") between two end points. Delivery of TDM signals requires, in addition to bits, the replication of timing ("bit-time"). The talk introduces the notion of transporting bit-time and explains the four primary methods being considered in the various Standards Bodies. The advantages and disadvantages of these methods are explained.
Prototyping In Game Development
Jason Shankel, Maxis/Electronic Arts, Walnut Creek, California
04/27/2006
Prototyping is a powerful method for isolating and testing particular aspects of complex software designs. In this talk, I will discuss the use of prototyping in the development of computer games.