Stories by Sharon Gaudin

Soft, squishy robots can change shape, size

Toss aside your typical idea of a robot -- all metal, jerky movements and a stiff-legged walk.

Better boiling with nanorods could lead to cooler chips

University researchers have discovered a way to use nanotechnology to enable them to boil water much more quickly. And that, they say, will help them more efficiently cool computer chips, leading to more powerful and smaller machines.

Intel, AMD gather steam as chip price war cools

Intel and Advanced Micro Devices both gained momentum in the first quarter of this year as the longtime price war between rival chipmakers slowed.

Supercomputer seen helping to diagnose osteoporosis

IBM and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology researchers are using an IBM BlueGene/L supercomputer to build intricate simulations of human bones, which could lead to earlier diagnoses of osteoporosis.

Former HP VP charged with stealing IBM trade secrets

A former Hewlett-Packard vice president was indicted by a US federal grand jury last week for allegedly stealing trade secrets from his former employer, IBM.

AMD unveils trio of quad-core Phenom chips

Advanced Micro Devices Tuesday unveiled three new quad-core Phenom X4 processors, including a high-end Black Edition chip.

Global PC sales strong despite sluggish US economy

Global PC shipments were healthy in the first quarter despite an ailing US economy, according to iSuppli research.

NASA: Ice, mineral-rich soil could support human outpost on Mars

The ice and minerals found using a robotic arm in the Martian soil could make it easier for humans to live on the planet in the not-so-distant future.

NASA: Tests show Martian soil can support life

Finding more familiar than alien elements, NASA scientists Thursday announced that their initial analysis found that Martian soil could support life.

NASA waiting on first chemical analysis of Martian soil

NASA scientists are eagerly waiting for the first test results to come down from a wet chemistry lab on the Phoenix Mars Lander that Tuesday analysed its first bit of Martian soil.

Scandinavian scientists designing robotic snakes

People are becoming accustomed to robots in space, robotic vacuum cleaners and even the notion of robotic friends and spouses. But robotic snakes?

NASA: With Martian ice discovered, major tests beginning

After a technical glitch and the loss of data last week, NASA engineers and scientists are finally finding what they'd hoped to discover in the latest Mars mission -- signs of elements that could support life.

Gartner expects 2 billion PCs will be in use by 2014

As the number of PCs in use around the world passed the one billion mark, a research firm is estimating that the total will double in just another six years.

Top500 list ranks energy efficiency for first time

Proving that performance isn't everything, the latest Top500 list of supercomputers for the first time also measures energy efficiency.

Toshiba unveils laptop that uses powerful Cell chip

Toshiba Monday unveiled the first laptop computer to use the computing-intensive Cell chip that was first was designed for Sony's PlayStation 3 game console.