New Technology Creates Secure Documents
Scientists at Xerox have developed a new technology that makes it easier to add security features to any document from a personal check to a birth certificate using the same printers found in most print shops.
The innovative security printing method uses a special combination of toners — the “dry ink” used in xerographic printers — to create the secure imprint. Prints from a four-color printer selectively expose the fluorescent properties found within white paper, making it possible to embed personalized printing, hidden security marks or codes that are only visible when exposed to ultraviolet light.
“What amazes people about the new technology is that we can create fluorescent writing on a digital printer without using fluorescent ink,” said Reiner Eschbach, a research fellow in the Xerox Innovation Group and with principal color scientist, Raja Bala, the co-inventor of the patented process. “That means a four-color digital printer can print everything it normally would, and it can simultaneously individualize a document with a fluorescent identifier.”
The fluorescent printing is one of several specialty imaging technologies Xerox scientists have developed making it easier for a suspicious recipient to tell which checks, certificates or other printed materials are authentic. The new specialty technology is part of the Xerox FreeFlow Variable Information Suite 5.0, software that Xerox sells to commercial printers and large enterprises like banks and insurance companies that produce personalized documents.
The Xerox technology resulted from a “Eureka” moment of inspiration. Eschbach’s group realized that paper manufacturers put fluorescent brightening agents in paper to make it appear “white.” Eschbach and Bala discovered certain combinations of toner that would selectively allow the paper’s fluorescence to shine through when exposed to ultraviolet light. Based on this insight, Xerox developed a technology that uses the contrast to “write” fluorescent letters and numbers. Because the fluorescent marks can be made without fluorescent ink, there are no extra costs for special inks or for additional steps required during printing. Users can embed the security feature as a normal part of their printing process.
Meeting of Nobel Laureates on the Net
Science of the highest degree is available for everyone. Lectures presented by the Laureates at the 57th Meeting of Nobel Laureates, together with their podium discussions, can be viewed online through www.lindau-nobel.de. The meetings, which took place from July 1-6 in Lindau, Germany, were devoted to Laureates in Physiology or Medicine. At the meetings, 18 Nobel Prize holders came together with 560 young scientists of tomorrow from 63 countries.
The program featured lectures by Laureates on topics such as “Why I Love Microbes” (Richard Roberts, Nobel Prize Physiology or Medicine 1993), “The Cell Cycle and Cancer” (Sir Timothy Hunt, Nobel Prize Physiology or Medicine 2001) and “Why Do We Not Have a Vaccine Against TB or HIV (Yet)?” (Rolf Zinkernagel, Nobel Prize Physiology or Medicine 1996). Two podium discussions from the 57th Meeting of Nobel Laureates are also available — “Basic Science in Molecular Medicine” and “Medical Sciences and Society.”
Rankings of Top Web Properties
According to comScore’s evaluation of global Internet traffic for the month of May, there were 772 million people online worldwide in May, representing a 16 percent penetration of the worldwide population of individuals age 15 or older.
The comScore World Metrix service revealed that Google continues to lead as the most popular property, reaching almost 70 percent of Internet users. Both Google and the second-leading property, Microsoft, increased their number of unique visitors by two percent from April to May. The Top 3 properties each boasted more than 20 visits on average per visitor in May: Google with 27, Microsoft with 23, and Yahoo! with 22.
The fastest growing property in May’s Top 10 most-visited sites was Apple Inc., which saw total worldwide visitation grow by five percent. Social networking site Facebook.com grew to become the largest of the Top 10 gaining properties in terms of monthly unique visitors. The site was the second fastest growing site in May, increasing total worldwide traffic by 22 percent. This growth is especially significant as the property garners at least five times more visits per visitor than any of the other Top 10 fastest-growing sites.
May also saw the worldwide online gaming community reach almost 217 million people — a year-on-year growth of 17 percent. The comScore World Metrix study took into account all sites that provide online or downloadable games, excluding gambling sites. Yahoo! Games was the largest property, attracting 53 million unique visitors. MSN Games followed in second place, having grown by 16 percent since May 2006 to reach 40 million unique visitors in May 2007. Both properties provide a mixture of strategy, trivia, arcade and board games, with puzzle and card games proving to be the most popular choices for gamers in both cases. The fastest-growing Top 10 gaming property was WildTangent Network, a US company that makes online and downloadable games, which grew by 398 percent year-on-year to attract 11.5 million unique visitors in May. The site also attracted an average 12.2 visits per visitor, notably higher than any of the other Top 10 gaming properties.
The popularity of individual properties varied significantly between geographical locations. Yahoo! Games dominated the North American and Asia-Pacific continents, registering 18.7 million and 20.9 million unique visitors respectively. In Europe however, the Yahoo! property proved to be the fourth most popular gaming site with 8.6 million unique visitors. MSN Games, the second-most popular gaming site in the world, was more consistent in geographical take-up, proving to be either the most or the second-most popular site in every geographical location.
Taking Computing to the Extreme
Addressing the demand for even faster laptop computers, Intel has introduced its first Intel Core 2 Extreme mobile dual-core processor — the world’s highest-performing mobile processor. The company has also introduced new desktop processors and said it expects to announce battery-friendly quad-core processors for laptop computers next year. Intel plans to showcase the new products in Dubai in September.
“Laptops are the fastest-growing computing market segment, and there is increasing demand from those who crave the ultimate in video, gaming and design computing performance yet want the freedom and flexibility that a laptop brings,” said Samir Al-Schamma, Intel’s GM for the GCC.
The Intel Core 2 Extreme X7800 mobile dual-core processor, with both cores running at a brisk 2.6GHz, also features mobile-specific power-saving features. For example, the Intel Core 2 Extreme mobile processor X7800 offers up to 28 percent more performance than the company’s previous-generation mobile processor. In addition, for experienced enthusiasts who desire more capability, the Intel Core 2 Extreme mobile processor bus ratio locks (overspeed protection) have been removed. This offers added technical flexibility in customizing the system so even more performance can be unleashed.
Even with the growth of mobile computing, desktop PCs are still a part of Intel’s focus. For desktop computers, Intel is introducing a set of new processors, including the flagship Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850 quad-core processor. Clocked at 3.0GHz with a new, faster 1333MHz system bus speed, the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850 will be welcomed by game developers looking to deliver new features and performance levels.
Satellite Notebook Series Adds AMD
Toshiba will launch three Satellite notebook PCs based on the AMD Turion 64 X2 dual-core mobile technology and the AMD M690 Series Chipset. Toshiba is expected to start shipping the new consumer notebooks in time for the back-to-school season. The company stated that its move to offer AMD is to provide greater customer choice. The first launch of the Satellite AMD-based notebooks will be in the US and Europe.
