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Now this is a little eerie. Computers supposedly know when we're angry . It's not from banging on the keys.  Or shrieking at it, "You saved it, didn't you?!"  Would you believe it's from the movement of your mouse? Brigham Young University information systems experts say people experiencing anger (and other negative emotions--frustration, confusion, sadness) become less precise in their mouse movements and move the cursor at different speeds. Thanks to advances in modern technology, the team can now gather and process enough data points from  cursor movement to measure those deviations and indicate an emotional state.  Using this technology, websites will no longer be dumb," Jenkins said. "Websites can go beyond just presenting information, but they can sense you. They can understand not just what you're providing, but what you're feeling." According to research, when users are upset or confused, the mouse no longer ...

I've long found it to be true.  Taking a walk (or a run) is good for your head. Now a new study says taking a walk may lead to more creativity than sitting.  Duh.  I think what they meant to say is that your creativity can really be stirred when you're moving. I jog every morning and a lot of ideas for essays come to me during this time.  I especially like the early mornings now, when it's still dark but the birds are at it, chirping and singing away (they know spring is here, even if we don't).  I often write pieces in my head when I'm running. So what's sitting good for?  Not much.  Other studies have found that those of us who sit too much will die younger.  (Even though I exercise avidly for part of the morning, the rest of the day I tend to sit at my computer or, OK, I'll admit it, the TV.) "Many people anecdotally claim they do their best thinking when walking," said Marily Oppezzo, PhD, of Santa Clara University at newswise.com. ...

I used to think there was nothing new under the sun about autism. But today I read that a new screening method may improve the way the disease is diagnosed and tracked in children after age 3.  And it's very unique. According to newswise.com, the new method involves tracking a person’s random movements in real time "with a sophisticated computer program that produces 240 images a second and detects systematic signatures unique to each person." How it differs from the traditional assessment for diagnosing autism is that it now removes the primarily subjective opinions of "a person’s social interaction, deficits in communication, and repetitive and restricted behaviors and interests." In other words, there is now an objective way to test for, and diagnose, autism, providing an earlier, diagnosis by factoring in the importance of changes in movements and movement sensing.  This enables professionals to identify "inherent capabilities in each child,"...

How about this?  Instead of forcing you to drink beverages in smaller-size cups, or count the calories on a menu, a new plan to build so that people have to walk around to get where they're going, is in the works. According to a story in The Wall Street Journal today, architects are being asked by NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg to build, well, healthier buildings . His idea is to "combat obesity through building design."  And he'll do this by tapping into "the expertise of the city's design and construction, health, transportation, planning and budget departments," the WSJ reports. His plan?  Provide strategies for creating healthier buildings, streets and public spaces. Not much else is known at this point but this fits in with Bloomberg's penchant to combat obesity overall in the city, along with his order to limit the sizes of sugary beverages (since overturned) and promote biking as a way to get around. I guess the buildings could be built...