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This paper describes an approach to the control of continuous systems through the use of symbolic models describing the system behavior only at a finite number of points in the state space. These symbolic models can be seen as abstract representations of the continuous dynamics enabling the use of algorithmic controller design methods. We identify a class of linear control systems for which the loss of information incurred by working with symbolic subsystems can be compensated by feedback. We also show how to transform symbolic controllers designed for a symbolic subsystem mb controllers for the original system. The resulting controllers combine symbolic controller dynamics with continuous feedback control laws and can thus be seen as hybrid systems. Furthermore, if the symbolic controller already accounts for software/hardware requirements, the hybrid controller is guaranteed to enforce the desired specifications by construction thereby reducing the need for formal verification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses patents, examining the question of what constitutes a patentable business method. The impact of the 1998 decision rendered by the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals regarding "State Street Bank Bank v. Signature Financial Group" is described. Topics include whether software algorithms should be patentable and a flood of patent applications received by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO). The decision in February 2008 of the Federal Circuit to hear en banc an appeal by businessman Bernard Bilski is discussed.

The article discusses efforts to avoid cognitive bias attributable to humans in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning algorithms. An overview of the biases in algorithms' predictions of African Americans' committing drug crimes, in which they were erroroneously predicted to commit more crimes than whites, is provided.

the article offers information on the Computers in Libraries (CIL) conference held in the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City, Virginia from April 17–19, 2018. Topics include role of libraries in digital communities; community impact of digital transformation; and trend in web search. It featured professionals from the industry including Greg Notess, Jeanne Holm and Rick Huijbregts.

The article discusses the author's views about how to transform the utilization of radio spectrum from a low-value use such as over-the-air television to a high-value use such as wireless broadband communication, and it mentions the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's (FCC's) incentive auctions and the agency's right to move television stations to other frequencies. Spectrum allocation repacking problems, clearing targets, and data-driven algorithms are examined.

This article presents information on the top technology innovators under age 35 as of October 1, 2005. Parham Aarabi, a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Toronto in Ontario, developed an algorithm that calculates the difference between the times at which a sound reaches two closely spaced microphones. Martha Bulyk of Harvard Medical School in the U.S. has adapted gene chip technology to determine the DNA binding preferences of proteins. An application that offers real-time software diagnostics has been created by Bryan Cantrill, senior staff engineer at Sun Microsystems.

Discusses advances in information technology as of January 2003, including software that draws connections about data. Data-mining algorithms of ClearForest; Software developed by Autonomy, MicroStrategy; Spending by the U.S. government on information technology during 2003; Algorithm that Systems Research and Development uses; Predictive software that ABM in England produces; Other companies that use information technology and data-mining software, including J.Crew.

The article presents information about candidates for members at large for the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). Scholar Roscoe C. Giles's formal education is in theoretical physics. He received a Ph.D. from Stanford in 1975 and graduation honors in 1970. His dissertation focused on extended string-like models of strongly interacting particles and was titled "Quarks and Bubble: A Field Theory Model of Hadron Structure." His research focuses on the application of high performance and parallel computing to physics and materials problems. He has developed parallel algorithms for large scale micromagnetic modeling and molecular dynamics simulations. As an outgrowth of these computational science research efforts, he has become committed to prototyping and building computational and educational infrastructure that will enable broad participation of scholars, students and communities in computing. James Jay Horning from Inter Trust Technologies Corp., California, believes that 35 years of academic and industrial computing research have prepared him to help guide ACM programs that serve the research community, without neglecting needs of ACM's other members. ACM is currently doing many things right; several initiatives are making things better. ACM's publications have always been one of its greatest strengths.

The article discusses issues related to electronic signatures. According to Richard Hansberger, director of eNotarization at the National Notaries Association (NNA), more than 900 million transactions are notarized in the U.S. annually. To accommodate the increasing number of digital transactions, the NNA created an electronic notary seal (ENS). Security features such as biometrics, public-key interfaces, third-party time stamps and hash algorithms can be integrated into the electronic document process to prevent misuse.

The article examines financial algorithms used in stock trading and their influence and effect on financial markets. It notes that some are self-learning and can be more efficient than human traders. Algorithm monitoring by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and by financial companies is discussed and the changing concept of the global financial market is explored.