A newly developed computer algorithm is being used for everything from ranking the best news-gathering blogs to improving how algal blooms are monitored in lakes and rivers. Above, the inspiration for this algorithm was a competition to design the best sensor network for a city’s water distribution network. Circles show the locations of sensors positioned by Carnegie Mellon researchers to detect water contamination as quickly as possible.
-- Bryn Nelson"; Tech_Frontiers_Blogs_080121[i++] = new Array("","Measuring contamination","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080116/brill_BestBlogs/brill-BestBlogs-1.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Carlos Guestrin / Carnegie Mellon University", "", "273", "219", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); Tech_Frontiers_Blogs_080121[i-1].body = "Measuring contamination
How can you best measure information, whether news or contamination, as it flows through a network? In this example, a water contamination outbreak first spreads from the red house to six adjoining houses linked through the city’s water distribution system. In the absence of any sensors, the outbreak subsequently engulfs an additional eight homes linked via the underground pipes."; Tech_Frontiers_Blogs_080121[i++] = new Array("","Sensor positioning","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080116/brill_BestBlogs/brill-BestBlogs-2.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Carlos Guestrin / Carnegie Mellon University", "", "273", "206", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); Tech_Frontiers_Blogs_080121[i-1].body = "Sensor positioning
The proper positioning of a sensor can make all the difference. In this example, a secondary outbreak has initiated with the red house near the bottom. An initial spread contaminates its neighbor to the south. But the placement of the sensor to the north allows the contamination to be detected as it continues to spread, allowing authorities to disrupt the water flow and spare the two homes at lower left. The problem confronting Carnegie Mellon researchers was how to rapidly detect similar flows on a much larger scale, given a limited number of sensors."; Tech_Frontiers_Blogs_080121[i++] = new Array("","Cascade of information","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080116/brill_BestBlogs/brill-BestBlogs-3.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Carlos Guestrin / Carnegie Mellon University", "", "273", "307", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); Tech_Frontiers_Blogs_080121[i-1].body = "Cascade of information
Similar to the flow of water or contaminations, the posting of one news item can result in a cascade of information as other blogs link to prior postings. In this example, a cascade of information outlined in blue can be traced from the blogs on the top and upper right back to the blog on the upper left, the latter of whose readers would have been the first to read an item deemed newsworthy. Similarly, the news item outlined in orange can be traced from the blog at the bottom back to its original source, the blog at top."; Tech_Frontiers_Blogs_080121[i++] = new Array("","Proper posture","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080116/brill_BestBlogs/brill-BestBlogs-hmed-4.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Carlos Guestrin / Carnegie Mellon University", "", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); Tech_Frontiers_Blogs_080121[i-1].body = "Proper posture
Just as the Cascades algorithm can be used to understand how news flows along Web-based networks, it also can be used to optimize other information sensors. On the left chair, a sophisticated sensor system covers every square centimeter of the chair, allowing researchers to detect even subtle differences in how people are sitting, sleeping or slouching on it. The problem? It costs $10,000. On the right, a pared-down version created with the help of Carnegie Mellon researchers makes use of the algorithm to optimize its detection capabilities while costing only $80."; Tech_Frontiers_Blogs_080121[i++] = new Array("","Monitoring algal blooms","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080116/brill_BestBlogs/080116-lakemerced-hmed-5a.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Wikipedia", "", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); Tech_Frontiers_Blogs_080121[i-1].body = "Monitoring algal blooms
An offshoot of the Cascades algorithm is also aiding California researchers monitoring potentially harmful algal blooms in lakes and rivers across the state, including Lake Merced. On lakes, boats equipped with sensors can make the necessary algae measurements. But given a limited amount of battery power for the boats, the algorithm has helped to optimize which routes they should take to be most effective."; // END editorial data