College of Computing

What makes a perfect holiday gift for the technology enthusiast? Here’s our own spin on the traditional holiday gift guide, showcasing some of the College of Computing’s biggest research stories from 2011 and providing top technologists with all sorts of “gift” ideas for this holiday season. Our Dean, Zvi Galil, sums it up:

“They sometimes bristle at being called ‘elves,’ but we’ve got a College full of faculty and students who’ve been working very hard on these projects all year,” says Dean Galil. “We are, obviously, having a bit of fun, but there’s also a serious point. Part of our mission is to help improve the world through education and research, and the projects in this gift guide can legitimately be included in our efforts to give back to society—indeed, some are explicitly intended as computational ways to serve the social good.”

Merry scrolling! We hope you enjoy the slideshow.

What is it?

Humanoid socially embedded machine with the ability to learn new tasks from spoken conversations with everyday people, no programming required. Can grasp, lift and move small objects. Tends to ask many questions. Likes to play Simon Says (machine-learning software imbued with distinctly human taste for turn-taking).

Who’s it for?

Don’t let his face fool you—Simon’s a workerbot, the perfect mechanical apprentice for that unionized uncle with a job on the assembly line. Also makes a great kindergarten teacher: Put him in a room full of 5-year-olds and Simon can parry questions for hours (they have similar appetites for attention). 

How much does it cost?

Not for sale, but interested shoppers can try out Simon simply by gaining admission to Georgia Tech’s Ph.D. program in robotics.

Santa’s #1 elf

Andrea Thomaz

What is it?

Addictive little puzzle game for iPhone, in which a lone silhouette must escape from rooms of ever-growing complexity and obstacle. Light on instruction, heavy on mystery, this game is haunting and habit-forming.

Who’s it for?

Existential gamers (a taste for Kafka wouldn’t hurt). Gamers who have trouble with authority and like to discover their own controls and gameplay, thank you very much. Aspiring designers who’ll be motivated by the fact that Percepto was developed by a Georgia Tech undergraduate.

How much does it cost?

Just 99 cents in everyone’s favorite App Store. We take no responsibility for lost minutes (or hours) once you have the game on your phone.

Santa’s #1 elf

Daniel Hooper

What is it?

2012’s most anticipated read. Taut techno-thriller that hits all the right notes: Corporate greed! Foreign espionage! Shadowy villains and gallant heroes! Botnets! Throw in a dash of science fiction and cutting edge research, and you’ve got all the makings of a blockbuster. Part Clancy, part Asimov … all Georgia Tech.

Who’s it for?

Better in-flight reading than beach or bed, the GTECTR2012 (as it’s known in cyber circles) still has mass appeal. Is Mom a corporate IT leader or federal cyber security specialist? A must read. Does Brother dream of getting his master’s in cyber security? Ditto. Have a cousin thought to be the mastermind of a million-member botnet army? Well … maybe not him.

How much does it cost?

Download GTECTR2012 for free here … but act fast! With the report climbing up the bestseller list, we expect the bad guys to try a DoS attack or something to prevent the further spread of this invaluable information. But don’t worry; we’re ready for ‘em!

Santa’s #1 elves

Georgia Tech Information Security Center and Georgia Tech Research Institute

What is it?

An application built for Gmail that alerts others to your current email load. Allows others to be more courteous when they send you email; as they’re typing your name into the “To” field and notice that you currently have a high number of unread messages in your inbox, they might decide to wait until you’ve caught up before sending their message.

Who’s it for?

Anyone who uses Gmail! But let’s keep it real: anyone who usually takes several days to respond to email can use it (takes out the whole “my inbox is flooded!” excuse at the knees). Also a great gift for rival politicians or Homecoming queens—just how popular are they, really?

How much does it cost?

Free, but it might cost you a good excuse for why you didn’t respond to your boss’s email sooner. Serious.ly.

Santa’s #1 elf

Eric Gilbert

What is it?

Handy-dandy software tools to monitor and manage home networks. Skype call keeps freezing? Kermit says it’s because one kid is playing “Call of Duty” upstairs while the other is streaming episodes of “Wizards of Waverly Place” in the basement. Worried you’re not getting the speed your ISP promised? BISMark is the tool for you. And what’s up with the lightning speed one minute, following by a 40-watt bulb the next? ShaperProbe can provide some answers.

Who’s it for?

Tortured parents hoping to wrestle bandwidth away from wired teenagers. Hardcore speed freaks who think any download speed south of 40 Mbps is for sissies. Occupy-minded anarchists convinced their ISP regularly parcels out network speed to the 1%.

How much is it?

FREE! Or, nothing. BISMark and ShaperProbe are ready for download, while Kermit needs a bit more training before his public debut. What, you think it’s easy being green?

Santa’s #1 elves

Marshini Chetty (Kermit); Nick Feamster (BISMark); Constantine Dovrolis (ShaperProbe)

What is it?

Completely web-based collaboration software that can lift online communities to greatness. Optimized specifically for multimedia so you can get your creative on, all within a browser environment. Full list of features includes real-time updates, email-based invitations, customizable task structure and notifications, comment and discussion support, virtual coffee making, online ropes course for team building, and a cyber whiteboard with dry-erase markers in all 64 Crayola colors. Just kidding about the last three.

Who’s it for?

Frazzled project managers juggling assignment leads on four continents and a global diaspora of contributors. Forward-thinking CEOs pushing their Big Idea to investors meeting in a virtual boardroom. Do-it-myself types looking to change the world. Inspired creative professionals looking to add some heft to their work.

How much does it cost?

The best price—free! Pipeline is completely open-source and ready for download. However, be careful what you wish for—people who step up big time in project management tend to be rewarded with … more projects to manage.

Santa’s #1 elf

Kurt Luther

What is it?

A book, yo. (Yes, they still exist!) But not just any book—100 years from now, when students can earn a Georgia Tech degree remotely from Europa; engaging virtually with classmates living on Mars, in Shanghai and Des Moines and everywhere in between; from instructors who deliver not a single lecture themselves but still regularly earn the distinction of Professor Overflowing With Awesome … people will say this book pointed the way.

Who’s it for?

Armchair futurists love to hold forth at every holiday dinner table--this is perfect for them. Can be considered professional development reading for any college professors, administrators or those who work generally in higher ed. Also a shout-out to technological innovators in the education space—this book says you got game and it’s getting bigger.

How much does it cost?

Just $19.77 (hardcover) on Amazon. For the Kindle version or used copies, knock another $3 off.

Santa’s #1 elf

Rich DeMillo

What is it?

Pre-order NOW for this soon-to-be-released suite of quantum chemical programs designed for efficient, high-accuracy calculations of properties of molecules. PSI4 follows on the heels of its predecessor, PSI3, which included a variety of Hartree-Fock, coupled cluster, complete-active-space self-consistent-field, and multi-reference configuration interaction models. Molecular point-group symmetry is utilized throughout to maximize efficiency. Non-standard computations are possible using a customizable input format.

Who’s it for?

If you understood any of the above, this software’s for you.

How much does it cost?

Yet another open-source offering, so ... free! However users are asked to subscribe to the psicode-users list to report their experiences and any bugs detected. Non-users may also subscribe to the list if they want their minds completely blown.

Santa’s #1 elf

David Sherrill

What is it?

Earthquakes. Tsunamis. Fires. Floods. 2011 has had more than its share of epic disasters. Will 2012 bring even more troubles to bear? Never fear … LifeNet is here! This software enables quick, reliable communication among aid and relief workers by creating a WiFi network out of thin air. Essential for when thin air is all that’s left after a major disaster.

Who’s it for?

FEMA and the International Red Cross? We’re looking at you.

How much does it cost?

Nothing. Zero. Zip. Zilch. Some companies charge to provide similar services during disaster situations, but LifeNet is absolutely free because we understand most international relief agencies are nonprofit. So it’s got that going for it. Which is nice.

Santa’s #1 elves

Santosh Vempala and Hrushi Mehendale

What is it?

A bona fide 3D scanner masquerading as a humble iPhone app. Uses both the phone’s screen and its front-facing camera, detecting patterns of light reflected off your face (or any other object) to build a true 3D model.

Who’s it for?

Hello? Have you noticed how quickly people cycle through Facebook profile pictures (we know a few who change theirs daily). Let’s talk scenarios: You’re switching your relationship status to “single” and feeling glum about life. Just whip out the ole iPhone equipped with Trimensional, gin up a 3D model of your mug, and watch the new recruits come running. Also good for children on car trips longer than 30 minutes.

How much does it cost? 

A bargain 99 cents for the base app (closest competitor? Several hundred dollars).

Santa’s #1 elf

Grant Schindler

We hope our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide brought a smile to your face. If we can send you more information about any of these projects, please don’t hesitate to email the College’s communications [at] cc [dot] gatech [dot] edu (Office of Communications).

And, if you’d like to help make next year’s guide just as special by supporting the College’s research, just click here for information on how to give.

Happy Holidays!