Engineering

Reinforcement learning expedites 'tuning' of robotic prosthetics

Researchers from North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina and Arizona State University have developed an intelligent system for "tuning" powered prosthetic knees, allowing patients to walk comfortably ...

Robotics

This system helps robots better navigate emergency rooms

Computer scientists at the University of California San Diego have developed a more accurate navigation system that will allow robots to better negotiate busy clinical environments in general and emergency departments more ...

Computer Sciences

Training machines to learn more like humans do

Imagine sitting on a park bench, watching someone stroll by. While the scene may constantly change as the person walks, the human brain can transform that dynamic visual information into a more stable representation over ...

Computer Sciences

Improving the mapping of human skin using models and deep learning

With just a scan of your face and a little basic data, such as height and weight, mathematician Alessio Gallucci can produce a complete body scan. To improve the 3D analysis of our skin he used deep learning techniques. 3D ...

Computer Sciences

Building a supercomputer on wheels

Modern cars are packed full of electronics. Managing all the computers and assistance systems is a complex task, and the cable harnesses increase the weight of the car. In the joint research project CeCaS, Fraunhofer researchers ...

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Computer

A computer is a machine that manipulates data according to a set of instructions.

Although mechanical examples of computers have existed through much of recorded human history, the first electronic computers were developed in the mid-20th century (1940–1945). These were the size of a large room, consuming as much power as several hundred modern personal computers (PCs). Modern computers based on integrated circuits are millions to billions of times more capable than the early machines, and occupy a fraction of the space. Simple computers are small enough to fit into a wristwatch, and can be powered by a watch battery. Personal computers in their various forms are icons of the Information Age and are what most people think of as "computers". The embedded computers found in many devices from MP3 players to fighter aircraft and from toys to industrial robots are however the most numerous.

The ability to store and execute lists of instructions called programs makes computers extremely versatile, distinguishing them from calculators. The Church–Turing thesis is a mathematical statement of this versatility: any computer with a certain minimum capability is, in principle, capable of performing the same tasks that any other computer can perform. Therefore computers ranging from a mobile phone to a supercomputer are all able to perform the same computational tasks, given enough time and storage capacity.

This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA