Voice Recognition Leaps Into Appliances. Voice control, long the stuff of science fiction, is popping up in mundane household devices like clock radios, television remotes, telephones -- even toasters. By Neil Mcmanus. [New York Times: Technology]

Integration of these sundry devices is the next key, now that voice recognition chips are down in the $1.00 USD range.  This will help users, as they may forget a command after setting it, and having a text interface (say, on a nearby TV) to guide them would be good. This would also overcome limitations in device memory, so a greater number of users could have the systems attuned to their voice. Additionally, this would serve to speed the use of new devices, as the users voice patterns are already known to the system, so they can issue commands right away with a minimum of training each and every new device.

Users could carry their voice profiles along with them in their PDAs so that they could then quickly test out devices in stores, be it a new car, alarm clock, television, or other electronic device.

10:49:17 AM    

A Concrete That Percolates, Keeping Snow and Spies at Bay. A new concrete that can conduct electricity may make it possible to construct buildings in which the basic structure does double duty as an electromagnetic shield. By Ian Austen. [New York Times: Science]

The concrete uses coke breeze, a by-product of steel manufacturing, to make the concrete conduct electricity. Because of the high resistance of the concrete, electrocution is not an issue. The army is experimenting with using the concrete as a means of making a faraday cage, but it's primary use is to make a cheaper version of the self heating concrete that is used to keep walkways clear of ice.

10:10:39 AM