Chinese researchers have found a way to identify a person’s heartbeat in an instant and use it as a password.

Researchers have created a security system where a person’s heartbeat is their password – offering hope of electronic devices that people can simply pick up to unlock them.

Human heartbeats never quite repeat themselves, and each person’s heartbeat is unique.

Chinese researchers have found a way to identify a person’s beat in an instant and use it as a password.

“Because electrocardiogram signals vary from person to person, they can be used as a new tool for biometric recognition,” say the researchers at the National Chung Hsing University in Taichung, Taiwan.

Lead researcher Chun-Liang Lin used two ECG readings from people’s palms to determine the unique mathematical properties of their heartbeats. They found that the number could be used as a password, and that the system was highly secure.

Previous biometric security systems using fingerprints can sometimes be tricked using photographs.

Lin’s system takes the user’s ECG reading from each palm once, and a key based on that reading is stored and used for all later decryptions.

Lin says the goal is to build the system into devices that can be decrypted and encrypted simply by touching them, New Scientist reports. – Daily Mail

Nuclear fusion offers millions of years of energy with virtually no carbon impact. The problem is that, until now, no one has worked out how to do it reliably.

The “Holy Grail” of clean energy that could clean up our planet is nearer than we think, an international nuclear-fusion conference of more than 100 scientists agreed in Canberra last week.

The first stage towards success was already under way in Europe with an international effort to stabilise a doughnut-shaped plasma (the fourth state of matter) at a temperature of 100 million degrees with a giant version of a microwave oven.

No problems there, the scientists agreed: fusion has no safety problems compared with nuclear fission plants, producing less than a hundredth of radioactivity in incidental processes.

Nuclear fission is our dangerously dirty and accident-prone method of producing energy at the expense of radioactive waste by splitting atoms. Nuclear fusion, on the other hand, is based on fusing the nuclei of two atoms. It produces more energy and is radioactively clean. It produces limitless energy (electric power) from seawater or lithium. Nuclear fusion offers millions of years of energy with virtually no carbon impact. The problem is that, until now, no one has worked out how to do it reliably.

Professor Boyd Blackwell, director of Australia’s Plasma Research Facility, said the great problem of the fusion programme was that magnetic fields could break into chaotic shapes.

When you need a reactor that is economical and can be maintained remotely, then you must have perfect symmetry of the plasma formation. Magnetic fields can break into chaotic shapes, especially when you are trying to make them in a three-dimensional reactor.

We use waves carrying energy to the plasma and make these waves resonate with the plasma particles by choosing the right frequency. The trick is to make a force field which holds the particles in place without letting the heat escape.

The “doughnut” problem was that a perfect formation of its plasma is two-dimensional. The programme has to make it work in a three-dimensional world in practical terms and, said Blackwell, this should be achieved within 20 years after producing 500 million watts from the first-stage machines.

This “serious amount of power” would give development investors confidence in the demonstrator reactors – which will have a potential of developing two to 10 times greater watts capacity. At this stage mass-production of clean and reliable fusion reactors can be expected.

The replacement of the world’s coal-powered and nuclear plants would begin. This would have to be a gradual effect because we now have so many coal-powered plants. So a second stage of perhaps another 20 years to accomplish effective replacements with fusion energy would take place.

What we had to keep in mind, Blackwell said, was this was the biggest pay-off you could imagine in cleaning up our world, with damage causing immense climate-change costs. This is, more or less, free energy from the point of view of fusion power stations in the long-term. The fuel cost is near zero to power stations in the long-term. But creating the machines to use it is not and they will be similar in cost to the already escalating price of producing fossil fuel energy and solar energy.

But eventually the world will achieve freedom from the causes of climate change and the appalling costs of nuclear fission disasters.

The world could then lessen much of the damage already done by cleansing its energy production and, agreed the Canberra conference: the means is in sight. - Sunday Tribune

They may be tiny, but hummingbirds have a huge memory, say researchers.

London - They may be tiny, but hummingbirds have a huge memory, researchers have found.

Their hippocampus – the area of the brain responsible for learning and memory – is up to five times bigger than that in songbirds, seabirds and woodpeckers.

This might explain why hummingbirds are such skilled foragers.

The birds can remember where every flower in their territory is and how long it takes to refill with nectar after they have fed.

A team led by Dr Andrew Iwaniuk, of the University of Lethbridge in Canada, dissected hummingbird brains and found their hippocampus showed an “exceptional” memory.

Their study is published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters. - Daily Mail

Last year, taunts at Natalie Harvey’s curly ginger hair started again after she posted a photograph of her childhood haircut on her Facebook page.

London - As a child, her frizzy ginger hair made her a prime target for playground bullies.

Devastated by taunts of ‘Orphan Annie’, Natalie Harvey dyed and straightened her hair as soon as she was old enough.

At 35, and having spent more than £10,000 (about R120 000) taming her locks, the mother of one thought she had left the abuse behind her for good.

But last year, it all started again after she posted a photograph of her childhood haircut on her Facebook page.

She was immediately targeted by cyber bullies and her Facebook and Twitter accounts were deluged with cruel comments.

One message read: “I can’t wait to pull off your wig and reveal your ginger afro hair to everyone.”

Another added: “Wait until everyone sees your ****ed up afro hair!”

The online hate campaign became so bad that she was forced to call police.

Mrs Harvey said: “I spent years desperately trying to cover my hair up. As a child, I would dread going to school because I would be spat at and called names like Annie.

“The children would laugh and spit at me. I felt like the ugliest kid in the world.

“One of my most common nicknames was microphone. Children used to tap me on my head and shout: ‘Testing, testing, one, two, one, two.’

“But I had learned how to manage it and thought the bullying had stopped. I always hated pictures of myself as a youngster but three years ago I felt confident enough to post them on Facebook.

“Then I started getting this abuse. I couldn’t believe it. It was so personal and nasty, and targeted directly at something that has affected me throughout my life.

“I was so upset that I couldn’t sleep or eat, and lost a stone in weight. I couldn’t believe that I was getting bullied at 35.

“At least at school I could see who was insulting me but this was so faceless. Now, bullies are able to hide behind their keyboards.”

She revealed that her family has also struggled to understand how she could have ended up with such unusual locks.

“People had never seen an afro like mine on a white person before,” she said. “Every single member of my family has straight hair.

“My dad even had doubts as to whether he was my real dad because my hair was so unusual.” Mrs Harvey, who is married to sales manager Ian, 36, said that as soon as she was old enough, she began to try to change her hair.

To date, she has spent more than £10,000 straightening, dying, tonging and chemically treating her orange curls.

After years of practise, she has perfected a two-hour daily hair routine of washing, blow drying and straightening – although she often wears a wig to hide her hair altogether.

Since the abuse began, Mrs Harvey, a teacher for adults with mental health issues, has deleted her Twitter profile and increased the privacy settings on her Facebook page. But she said: “Something has to be done about online security. I am an outwardly confident person but it really affected me.

“Every time I meet someone from school now, they say, ‘Oh, didn’t you have funny hair at school?’”

A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police said: “A report was made to us on January 8 regarding messages received through Facebook and Twitter. An officer spoke to a person alleged to have sent messages regarding their actions.” - Daily Mail

A US software industry report chides Brazil, China and India for policies it says threatens the future of cloud computing.

Washington - A US software industry report on Wednesday chided Brazil, China and India for policies it said threatened the future of cloud computing, but also took aim at developed countries such as Germany that did well on its inaugural scorecard.

The Business Software Alliance, which represents US industry heavyweights such as Microsoft, said Brazil finished last in its survey of 24 countries, earning only 35.1 points out a possible 100 because of its policies in areas such free trade, security, data privacy and cybercrime.

India, which has the world's second-largest software industry after the United States, and China, whose information and communications technology sector is expected to nearly double to $389 billion by 2015, also were in the bottom six, with scores of 50.0 and 47.5, respectively.

Cloud computing refers to providing software, storage, computing power and other services to customers from remote data centres over the Web. Demand for cloud-based software is rising rapidly because the approach allows companies to start using new programs faster and at lower cost than traditional products that are installed at a customer's own data centre.

A major purpose of the report is to rally the international “technology community around the need for greater harmonisation of laws so a truly global cloud can come about,” said Robert Holleyman, president of the US software group.

Without greater coordination of government policies, “the cloud could be chopped into little pieces,” reducing the efficiency that comes from being able to move data and software services freely across borders, Holleyman said.

The 24 countries included in the survey represent 80 percent of the global information and communications technology industry. They were scored in seven areas, which also included intellectual property protection, infrastructure and support for industry-led standards to promote smooth data flows.

Japan was ranked highest with 83.3 points. It was followed closely by other developed countries including Australia, Germany, the United States, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and South Korea, which all scored in the high 70s.

While the report showed a “sharp divide between advanced economies and the developing world, even some of the high-ranking countries are walling themselves in with conflicting laws and regulations,” Holleyman said.

European Union countries scored well, but “what's happening now in the EU is lawmakers and regulators are effectively putting their thumbs on the scale in ways that will make it difficult for non-European firms to compete,” he said.

“There are concerns that Germany, for example, wants to put a wall around the country to limit the provision of cloud services to companies that are located in Germany.”

Strong laws to protect privacy are important to give users confidence “that private information stored in the cloud, wherever in the world, will not be used or disclosed by the cloud provider in unexpected ways, the report said.

Tough security measures are also needed, but some countries such as China that have implemented Internet filtering or censorship regimes could thwart develop of cloud computing and the digital economy, the report said.

Brazil scored just 1.6 out of a possible 10 on policies to combat cybercrime, which is expected to become an increasing challenge as more and more information is aggregated in large data centres, making them tempting targets.

Japan and France earn perfect marks in that section, while South Africa came close with a 9.8.

Even though Brazil finished dead last in the report, Holleyman said he was more optimistic about the potential to persuade Latin America's second largest economy to make reforms than he was for China.

“There is probably more opportunity to make progress in Brazil by pointing out what we see as the gaps that exist currently and why Brazil's economy will slow down as result of these policies,” Holleyman said.

“I think it's going to be a bigger challenge in some other markets, particularly China,” he said.

China “not only has the 'great firewall,' that does not allow the transmission between people in China and the rest of the world. But it also has a policy to require non-Chinese cloud firms to enter into joint ventures with Chinese firms” on unfavourable terms for outsiders, he said.

India also appears to recognise it is in its interest to promote global cloud computing, Holleyman said. - Reuters

The full report can been on the Business Software Alliance's website, at www.bsa.org/cloudscorecard

Google has signed a deal with the London Stock Exchange to become the first major website offering private punters real-time share prices.

London - Google has signed a deal with the London Stock Exchange to become the first major website offering private punters real-time rather than delayed share prices.

Under the deal, Google Finance will publish live prices of any share on the London Stock Exchange and the Borsa Italiana.

Up until now most websites targeting private investors have opted to use 15-minute delayed share prices, which costs considerably less than real-time prices.

Neither Google nor the London Stock Exchange would reveal what the annual licence would cost the search engine.

Jarod Hillman, the head of real-time data at the LSE, said: “This partnership is great news for retail investors across the globe. For the first time Google users will have access to free, real-time last-trade prices, allowing them to make more informed investment decisions.

“LSE is committed to making the group's markets as accessible as possible to the retail investor.”

Maxim Edelman, the head of strategic partnerships at Google, said: “Since the launch of Google Finance in 2006, we have worked hard to provide Google users with the best financial information.

“Real-time quotes from the London Stock Exchange and Borsa Italiana will enable our users to better monitor market changes, manage their portfolios and track developments in Europe.” - The Independent

Megaupload boss Kim Dotcom has been freed on bail in a surprise move, after a New Zealand judge dismissed fears he would flee the country.

Auckland - Megaupload boss Kim Dotcom was freed on bail in a surprise move Wednesday, after a New Zealand judge dismissed fears he would flee the country to escape US online piracy charges.

The 38-year-old German national said he was happy to be released following a month in custody after New Zealand police, cooperating with a major US probe, raided his sprawling “Dotcom Mansion” in Auckland.

Dotcom's lawyer Paul Davison said his client remained determined to fight US allegations that he masterminded “massive worldwide online piracy” through file-sharing webite Megaupload and associated sites.

“My client's proposition is that the case they have presented doesn't have any substantial basis at all and when it is analysed and revealed for what it is, that will be the view that prevails,” he said.

The bail decision is a setback for US authorities, who are seeking to extradite Dotcom and three others arrested in the January 20 raid.

Two previous bail hearings had accepted the prosecution case that the Internet millionaire was an “extreme flight risk” because he had the wealth and possible criminal connections to slip out of the country if he wanted.

But Judge Nevin Dawson said the danger of Dotcom fleeing had diminished because all his funds had been seized and investigators had not uncovered any new bank accounts or assets in his name since his arrest.

“It would seem that he has every reason to stay to be with his family and to fight to keep his significant assets,” Dawson said.

He granted Dotcom bail but barred him from accessing the Internet and booking helicopter flights, ordering him to stay in his Auckland property unless there was a medical emergency.

Dotcom, who allegedly earned $42 million from his Internet business in 2010 alone, declined to comment on his case, aside from saying his treatment by New Zealand police “resembled an audition for American Idol”.

“I'm relieved to go home and see my family, my three little kids and my pregnant wife,” he told reporters.

The US Justice Department and FBI allege Megaupload and related sites netted more than $175 million in criminal proceeds and cost copyright owners over $500 million by offering pirated copies of movies, TV shows and other content.

Megaupload was founded in 2005 but shut down last month when its assets were frozen as part of the US probe.

A US application for Dotcom's extradition is expected to be heard on August 20. US authorities have said they will seek the maximum penalty of 20 years in jail if he is brought before a US court.

The three other Megaupload executives arrested with Dotcom, who legally changed his name from Kim Schmitz, had already been granted bail.

The raid on Dotcom's home netted a 1959 pink Cadillac, numerous other luxury cars and valuable artworks.

Since his arrest, there has been a steady stream of media revelations about his extravagant lifestyle, including claims his mansion had a swimming pool filled with imported spring water and gold toilet roll holders.

The portly millionaire also reportedly had a butler in his mansion whose duties included retrieving stray ping pong balls when Dotcom was playing table tennis.

Prime Minister John Key said this month that since Dotcom's arrival in New Zealand in early 2010, his office had received complaints from the public about loud parties and cars speeding around the mansion, which is in his electorate.

Key said his staff had passed the complaints on to police.

A documentary uploaded online shows Dotcom, surrounded by topless women, spraying champagne on board a superyacht during a “crazy weekend” in Monaco that reportedly cost $10 million.

“Fast cars, hot girls, superyachts and amazing parties. Decadence rules,” said the blurb accompanying the documentary, which Dotcom dedicated to “all my fans”. - Sapa-AFP

Playing videogames could actually be good for your eyesight - at least if you have trouble seeing in the first place.

London - It is a discovery unlikely to be popular with parents who tell their children the very opposite.

Playing videogames could actually be good for your eyesight – at least if you have trouble seeing in the first place.

Just ten hours of gaming over four weeks dramatically improved the vision of young men and women who as babies were almost blind. After 40 hours of playing, they were able to read two extra lines on an eye chart, a study found.

The simple but effective therapy was devised by Daphne Maurer, of McMaster University in Canada, whose work was inspired by previous studies which showed that playing action games improved vision in adults whose eyesight was already good.

Those with healthy eyes are believed to benefit from playing due to the brain forming new connections or dormant cells waking up. It could mean just a few hours a week playing games such as the type which simulate sports on the Wii console helps boost eyesight. The adults in Professor Maurer study, aged between 19 and 31, were born with cataracts in both eyes and as babies could see light but not detail. Although their cataracts were removed, their vision did not return to normal.

In the experiment, they played a game in which they took on the role of a solider shooting the enemy or a gunman firing at aliens.

After 40 hours, as well as being able to see further down the eye chart, the volunteers were better at distinguishing the direction of a movement and at telling faces apart.

Presenting her findings to the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference, Professor Maurer said: “Videogames have got a lot going for them in terms of them being an optimal visual therapy.”

Her other studies suggest that the first ten years of life “hardwire” the part of the brain critical to decoding visual information. If it doesn’t receive enough information, due to cataracts for example, it struggles to make up the loss.

The game helped with this because it forced the brain to work hard, by making it process information on the line of fire and “threats” on the periphery. Less dynamic games such as Tetris would not have the same effect. - Daily Mail

The Shanghai case marks the latest round in a long-running and multi-pronged legal battle between Apple and Proview.

Shanghai - A trademark dispute between Apple and a Chinese computer maker moved to Shanghai on Wednesday, where the debt-laden plaintiff is seeking to stop the sale of the US giant's iconic iPad.

Proview Technology (Shenzhen) says it owns the Chinese rights to the “iPad” name and is asking the Shanghai court to order Apple to stop selling its trendy tablet computer in the city, where it has three stores.

Lawyers for both companies would exchange evidence at Wednesday's hearing and the Pudong District People's Court would then decide whether the case should proceed to trial, a court official told AFP.

The Shanghai case marks the latest round in a long-running and multi-pronged legal battle between Apple and Proview, which has been badly hit by the financial crisis, over the rights to the iPad name.

The Taiwan affiliate of Proview Technology (Shenzhen) registered “iPad” as a trademark in several countries including China as early as 2000 - years before Apple began selling its product.

The US titan subsequently bought the rights for the global trademark, but Proview Technology (Shenzhen) claims the Taiwanese affiliate had no right to sell the Chinese rights.

Apple last year took the firm to a Chinese court, claiming trademark infringement, but the court ruled the US company lacked “supporting facts and evidence” for its claim - even though a Hong Kong court had previously sided with Apple.

Apple is now appealing that case but Proview, which makes computer monitors, has itself filed trademark lawsuits against Apple in China and is threatening to sue the technology giant in the United States for $2 billion.

Proview's lawyer, Xie Xianghui, said Tuesday the company was preparing for talks with Apple, raising hopes for a settlement.

Xie's remarks came a day after Apple's law firm warned Proview of possible legal action over “defamatory statements and unlawful actions” aimed at interfering with Apple's business, according to a letter seen by AFP.

In another lawsuit, a Chinese court last week ordered an electronics chain store to stop selling Apple iPads at a branch in the southern city of Huizhou, according to the GH Law Firm which represented Proview.

Proview, based in China's southern boomtown of Shenzhen, has also filed complaints with local governments in several Chinese cities, resulting in seizures of iPads in at least two places.

Analysts expect the companies will eventually reach an out-of-court settlement.

“Apple has so much cash, they will look at the situation, they will look at how their profits are going to be impacted, and if it looks like it is going to be significant they will just pay and take care of it,” said Ben Cavender, a senior analyst at China Market Research Group. - Sapa-AFP

Its similarity to other bacteria means this deadly new strain has existed until now without being identified.

London - A type of bacteria in the mouth may cause serious disease or even kill if it enters the bloodstream via bleeding gums, scientists warned on Tuesday.

They identified Streptococcus tigurinus for the first time after carrying out tests in which they isolated it from the blood of patients suffering inflammation of the heart, meningitis and inflammation of the spine.

Its similarity to other bacteria means it has existed until now without being identified.

Dr Andrea Zbinden, of the University of Zurich, who led the study, published in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Micro-biology, said: “This bacterium seems to have a natural potential to cause severe disease. The next step is to work out how common this bacterium is in the oral cavity.” - Daily Mail