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We have learned to identify the elements by their image. For some also by their smell. A researcher today offers us to discover the noise they make.

Chemists know this well. Elements absorb and emit light at wavelengths specific to them. Forming spectra that allow them to be identified. Spectra that gave a University of Indiana (USA) researcher the idea to see – or rather hear – what might be there if turned into music in a new exercise in what scientists call sonification. His work was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

This has already been attempted to some extent in the past. Walker Smith, he wanted to better explain the complexity and nuances of the spectra of the individual elements of the periodic table. He developed computer code that converts light data into mixes of notes. There, the wavelengths of each color become individual sine waves whose frequency corresponds to that of the light and whose amplitude corresponds to the luminosity of that light. With a few adjustments so that the human ear always remains sensitive.

The music of chemistry

Result: The simplest elements like hydrogen (H) or helium (He) sound a bit like chords. Others are played from a collection of more complex sounds. Calcium (Ca), for example, rings like bells at a rate that results from the interaction of frequencies. Zinc, on the other hand, with its multitude of colors, sounds like “a choir of angels singing a major chord with vibrato”.

For Walker Smith, the next step is to create an interactive musical periodic table that lets you select an element while seeing a real-time display of its visible light spectrum and hearing the associated sound. He has already recorded a show built from the sound of large molecules. And beyond the artistic aspect, the researcher suggests his work could help in chemistry class

Hashing separates the elements of a database sent over the networks and then reconstructs them. It generates shorter codes than the original data, making it easier to source the items.

It also plays a key role in data collisions that can affect query performance. Of MIT researchers recently investigated whether AI can deliver better hash functions. You have found a way Accelerate data searches in huge databases.

The new hacking technique could be applied in many areas. It would be particularly useful for AI, computer graphics, bioinformatics, and compilers.

The model helps reduce data collisions by half

Standard hash functions are very random. It happens two pieces of data have the same hash value. consequently, Collisions occur when a user searches for an item. The user can also be redirected to multiple items have the same hash value. The research is therefore slower and less efficient.

The new AI-based hash model can sort data in a way that avoids collisions. The latter are reduced by half, and the calculations are much more accurate. The model can Reduction in collision rate by 30 to 15% between the keys of a record. The running time is also shortened 30%.

For example, this method could improve the storage and analysis of DNA, amino acid sequences and other biological data.

“What we discovered in this work is that in some situations we can find a better compromise between computing the hash function and the collisions we face. We can increase the computation time of the hash function a bit, but at the same time we can reduce collisions very significantly in certain situations. »

Ibrahim Sabek, postdoctoral fellow at MIT Data Systems

SEE ALSO: This AI can store many more memories

AI could further improve data processing performance

For this research, the scientists wanted to design Hash functions for different data types. In addition, they planExplore learned hashes for databases that can be added or deleted. When the data is updated, the model needs to be updated updated while maintaining its accuracy.

By studying the learned models, they find out the partial models have the greatest impact on reducing collision. They now want to create hash functions with the patterns they have learned for different data formats.

“We want to encourage the community to use machine learning in more fundamental data structures and operations. Any fundamental data structure gives us the opportunity to use machine learning to capture data properties and achieve better performance. There are still many things to discover. »

researcher

Science is taking up more and more space in video games today! We explain everything to you with Daniel Hennequin, CNRS researcher at the University of Lille.

Today you are going to talk to us about science in video games

Yes, on the occasion of the scientific game jam that will take place next weekend in several cities in France and in particular in Lille, on the campus of the science city of Villeneuve d’Ascq, where it will be organized by the Lilliad Learning Center Innovation .

And what is a scientific game jam? How is it translated into French?

So as far as I know it is not translated. Jazz lovers know that the jam is an improvisational session. A game jam is therefore an improvisation session around the video game, a hackaton or, if you prefer, a marathon where each team has to create a video game.

And what’s scientific about it?

Well, a science game jam team includes programmers and graphic designers as well as a scientist, in this case a PhD student, and the goal is to create a video game inspired by his thesis topic.

And what does it bring in the end?

Well, in previous editions there was Cold Vibes, for example, where you take on the role of a glacier explorer who has fallen into a glacier and has to find the exit. Or Bob the photon, where you have to direct the light so that it enters a glass fiber. And believe me, it’s not as easy as it sounds, because the laws of physics are clear: light only travels in a straight line, so you have to use mirrors and other optics to avoid obstacles.

But you’re talking about the laws of physics. Video game creators don’t really care, the goal of a video game isn’t to be realistic!

So think again. There are many very good reasons to put real science into a video game. And that has actually always been there. Quite simply because the universe of the game must at least correspond to reality. For example, in a video game, you can fall. And if you can fall, there’s gravity. And indeed, it is the laws of gravity that are used in video games to simulate falls or calculate the trajectories of thrown objects. There are sometimes deviations from reality to make the game more fun, such as: B. Mario’s double jump in Super Mario. But on the contrary, there are games that want to be as faithful as possible to the laws of the real world, like flight simulators, including space flight simulators. And the trend today is to put more and more science and especially physics into video games.

How come ?

So I have to tell you about David Louapre, a physicist that some of you may know from his Amazing Science YouTube channel, and from whom I drew a lot of inspiration for today’s column. . And if I’m going to talk to you about him, it’s simply because he was scientific director at Ubisoft, a French video game designer, for a few years.

A scientific director in a video game development company! And what is his role?

Using science as a source of inspiration for the so-called gameplay of video games, ie the scenario, the plot, the way of playing it. It is a unique gaming experience for the player, and moreover, it can help them better understand certain scientific concepts. In fact, playing in virtual worlds allows us to better understand the world around us! And suddenly we learn and we gain experience through play! Pretty cool right?

As with the Kiprun GPS 500, Decathlon commissioned Coros to develop a second, more upscale multisport watch, the GPS 900, which is also adorned with the suffix “by Coros” that leaves no doubt as to the question.

Using the same method as its previous creation commissioned by Decathlon, the American manufacturer has based the development of the GPS 900 on a previous generation model. As the GPS 500 took on the characteristics of the Coros Pace, the GPS 900 in turn uses the hardware of the Coros Apex. Devices that have been tested without being outdated and that therefore allow Decathlon to offer its Coros GPS 900 at a very attractive price of €249.

Compared to the Kiprun GPS 500, the Decathlon GPS 900 by Coros mainly gains an altimeter, better autonomy, a more sophisticated finish, navigation (without base maps) and sports and data modes dedicated specifically to outdoor practices such as the trail.

ergonomics and design

Based on the Coros Apex 46mm, the Coros GPS 900 features several processing details. Its stainless steel bezel is therefore riddled with notches and protects the contours of a glass no longer made of sapphire but simply made of Gorilla Glass (and therefore scratch-resistant) to reduce its cost. The case of the watch remains in polycarbonate, with a metal plate covering the underside. The assembly is clean with no visible screws, but this suggests the use of glue (possible more delicate repair).

The Decathlon GPS 900 watch from Coros

The watch also boasts a 5 ATM certification, meaning it can be submerged and swim underwater, but not water sports that could subject it to heavy use (surfing, etc.).

Coros’ Decathlon GPS 900 remains lightweight; We weighed it with its silicone strap at 59g (39.5g without). Without being particularly compact with its 46mm format (47mm measured from one edge of the case), it doesn’t appear bulky and is discreet on the wrist, aided by a thickness of 12.2mm (13.1mm considering the sensor island).

Its silicone strap is classic. Very soft and elastic, comfortable to wear. Its standard format of 22mm allows for easy replacement.

In terms of display, we’re sticking with a 1.2-inch transflective MIP LCD screen that only displays 64 colors but offers excellent readability in direct sunlight. An automatic backlight is available so that it lights up when we point it at ourselves with a simple twist of the wrist or as soon as we press a button.

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interface

As a good sports watch, the Coros Decathlon GPS 900 gives pride of place to displaying activity data. In addition to the date, time and battery level, the standard dial also shows the duration of the sporting activity, the calories burned and the number of steps taken, as well as the altitude and heart rate. 4 other watch faces are available and you can download more in the Coros application.

The Coros Decathlon GPS 900 user interface: standard watch face, then widgets (backlight disabled in the 1st photo on the left)

Since the screen isn’t touch-sensitive, navigation is done solely with the button-wheel-button duo on the right side of the watch. A rotation of the dial scrolls through the various widgets: last night’s sleep summary, mileage, fatigue level, recovery, calories burned and activities, heart rate, altitude, barometer, skin temperature, sunrise and sunset times, sun and finally notifications.

Decathlon GPS 900 by Coros Widgets

For most of these widgets, pressing the crown button gives you access to more detailed information. However, the full data can be viewed in the Coros application.

The main menu, in turn, opens with a simple press of the button on the wheel. You can then access settings, sport modes and training.

A notification will appear on the GPS 900, then the main menu with the start of a race activity

The additional functions, in turn, are displayed in the form of icons distributed in a ring around the edges of the screen (5th image on the module above). They are simply scrolled with the wheel to quickly activate the “do not disturb” mode, start a stopwatch, set an alarm clock… However, the associated functions are reduced to a trickle, you have to deal with the display of notifications content and action cam controls. Unfortunately, the GPS 900 does not support music playback.

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Application

For the Coros GPS 900, Decathlon has not bothered to develop a specific application. The watch works with the Coros app (iOS and Android) like all other watches from the manufacturer of the same name. We won’t complain as it is complete and well organized.

When opened, the home screen shows the latest data measured by the watch to give an overview of our day. Sleep tracking, last sporting activity, average heart rate, calories burned and number of steps since the start of the day are displayed in the form of overlaid tiles. Just touch them to access the corresponding data history.

The Coros app with the Decathlon GPS 900 by Coros watch

The second tab of the application lists the dates of the activities performed in chronological order. Detailed reports allow us to analyze our sports sessions and extract or share information.

In order to keep an eye on our performance, the app summarizes various measured values ​​and evaluations in a third tab, such as VO2 Max, resting and threshold heart rate, marathon level, threshold rhythm… Calculated data thanks to our in-house “EvoLab” algorithm based on our latest activities. In the same vein, a Race Predictor gives an estimate of the duration and average pace that can be targeted at the flagship distances of 5km, 10km, half marathon and marathon.

This third tab of the application also houses the training management tool. We can download or create more or less complex ones depending on our goals. It is also possible to import routes (GPX files) to transfer them to the watch and then follow them with its navigation function.

Use and Accuracy

As it’s based on a previous generation Coros watch (the Apex), the Coros Decathlon GPS 900 obviously doesn’t have the latest refinements in terms of sensors. It’s not ridiculous because of that, but you have to know your limits.

Tested in endurance and interval runs as well as indoor rowing, the GPS 900 shows its performance. In our interval runs, the heart rate peaks are clearly visible. However, sometimes the clock shows a delay and a delay of a handful of beats per minute, even when a more regular rhythm is found.

The heart rate curve of the Coros Decathlon GPS 900 (in purple) compared to that of the Polar H10 chest strap (red), which serves as our reference, during an interval run.

The reliability of the heart rate measurement also depends heavily on the activity performed. Coros’ GPS 900 therefore completely derails during our rowing sessions and fails to detect the sudden increases in heart rate. Even tightening the watch or wearing it on the other wrist does not change that.

The heart rate curve of the Coros Decathlon GPS 900 (in purple) compared to that of the Polar H10 chest strap (red), which serves as our reference, during an interval row session.

In terms of geolocation, good surprise, the Coros Decathlon GPS 900 is pretty accurate. However, it’s not as good as a watch with dual-band GNSS mode like the Garmin Epix Gen 2, especially in traffic-heavy environments (forest, city center, etc.). The altimeter also appears to be sufficiently accurate, which is particularly useful for hiking and trail enthusiasts.

The GPS track of the GPS 900 (in blue) compared to that of the Garmin Epix Gen 2 (in orange, dual frequency enabled).

autonomy

Coros’ Decathlon GPS 900, which was promised to be very durable, actually worked for 3 weeks on a single charge on our wrist. This corresponds well to the 20 days of intensive daily use (automatic backlight, sleep monitoring and very frequent notifications) that Decathlon indicates in its technical sheet. This is still fine with the default heart rate tracking setting, which only takes a reading every 10 minutes. Switching to the “real time” setting reduces the autonomy by several days. In this case, you should still count on at least 2 weeks of autonomy.

As with all watches, GPS use in particular consumes the most energy. We’ve seen a drop of about 3% per hour, for a total of about thirty hours of use. For long-distance adventures, an Ultramax mode is also available, reducing the recording time to 30 seconds every 120 seconds.

When it’s time to charge, simply plug the cable into the proprietary connector on the back of the watch, which you plug into a smartphone power adapter or a computer’s USB-A port. Take about 2 hours to replenish your energy.

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strong points

• Complete app.

• Good GPS tracking.

• Good autonomy.

• Simple interface.

weak points

• Cardio follow up in halftone.

• No music playback.

• Small screen for a 46mm format.

• Other sport modes would not be rejected.

Diploma

Global brand

How does the classification work?

Despite its reasonable price for an outdoor multisport watch, the Coros Decathlon GPS 900 is well made and offers the essential features that outdoor enthusiasts have a right to expect. You’ll appreciate the good GPS precision and the autonomy, but you’ll be keen to equip yourself with a chest strap or a cardio bracelet to compensate for the unreliability of the watch’s cardio optical sensor.

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Selected to you

Ever since scientists named the first interstellar object to enter the solar system ‘Oumuamua’, which roughly means ‘scout’ in Hawaiian. The earth never stops questioning its nature and origins.

Discovered in 2017 while crossing the solar system, the cigar-shaped comet is now on its way to the constellation Pegasus.

Also read:

‘Oumuamua moved like a comet, but did not leave the vapor trails one would normally see behind a comet. The star was also smaller than other comets, which can be several kilometers across.

This text is a translation of an article by CTV News.

Its elongated shape and other unusual features have led to several theories: alien probe, piece of distant planet, etc. However, scientists have now claimed that they know its origin and the answer is less extraordinary than previous theories. Oumuamua is most likely an interstellar comet, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

Before the arrival of the small celestial body, scientists had only observed comets that originated from the solar system and had similar properties. NASA describes these comets as “frozen remnants of the formation of the solar system, made up of dust, rock, and ice.”

As comets in the solar system orbit the Sun, they are heated by solar radiation, producing a jet of vaporous dust and gas visible from Earth, a comet’s tail

The authors of this latest study, Jennifer Bergner and Darryl Seligman, found that Oumuamua probably has a comet’s tail, but it’s simply invisible. Since ‘Oumuamua is much smaller than the comets commonly observed, Jennifer Bergner and Darryl Seligman wrote that it may have produced a jet of hydrogen gas that was simply too small and thin to be detected by telescopes.

The path through the solar system also supports this idea.

According to NASA, comet jets are powerful enough to give comets a boost in speed at certain points in their orbit, regardless of the Sun’s gravitational pull. ‘Oumuamua accelerated as it flew like a comet through Earth’s inner solar system, but the lack of a visible tail suggested it was not a comet, leaving scientists perplexed as to the source of its acceleration.

If the comet’s tail was too small to be seen but strong enough to give it a boost, scientists would say that would explain its characteristics.

Updated 7/31/19 at 9:00 PM

Digital Foundry’s detailed comparison has just been published, Doom 1 and 2 are 1080p resolution and Doom 3 is native 4k on Xbox One X!

Original post:

Bethesda has a nice surprise in store for the opening of its Quakecon 2019 and the 25th anniversary of the franchise: the immediate availability of the first three Dooms on Xbox One!

Suggested to 4.99 EUR each for Doom 1 and 2 and EUR 9.99 for Doom 3, the offer seems tempting. Especially for the third part, which was rarer than the countless issues of the first 2 episodes.

But Doom 3 BFG was released on Xbox 360 and backward compatible One for many months. Is it worth diving back into adventure? Let’s look at this together.

Doom 1 and 2 on One are not much different from previous versions, with the complete adventures and all the bonuses available at the time. The multi is back too, with split screen up to 4, local and local co-op. No online multiplayer in sight.

Doom 3, on the other hand, stands out with one visible resolution boost, everything looks cleaner. We’re keeping the edgy side of the original game, but going to 1080p on One (vs. 720p on 360). It’s smooth with 60 frames per second, In any case. The big change comes from the complete absence of multi. So we have the main campaign and that’s it. Menus also look cleaner, with everything looking cleaner. The Version contains the two DLCs released at that time, Add a few hours of playtime to the counter. Last point, the loads are much faster!

So, is it worth going back to checkout for the One versions of Doom? It all depends on what you are looking for. Multi? Stay on BFG. A pure solo adventure? The leap is possible given the cleanest graphical aspect to be found on the console.

Another piece of information to consider is the lack of Doom BFG in the dematerialized shop. In fact, this collection is only available in physical version and is difficult to find. So more and less but affordable prices to try the experience without taking big risks!

The teaser: