GSA Technology Council

Clemson University is the 22nd best national public university in the country, according to the annual ranking by U.S.News & World Report. In a new category Clemson also received recognition as a school to watch.

Clemson is No. 2 among national public universities in the “up and coming” category as “a college that has recently made striking improvements or innovations — a school everyone should be watching,” according to the magazine.

The No. 22 ranking is the university’s highest ranking to date. Last year, Clemson was No. 27 among the 164 public, doctoral-granting institutions in the country. The climb in the rank is attributed to improvement in a number of areas at Clemson: the graduation rate has gone up from 75 percent to 78 percent; the freshman retention rate is up from 88 percent to 90 percent; and alumni giving increased from 27 percent to 28 percent. The university has more classes with fewer than 20 students and more freshmen — 52 percent — in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating classes.

A message from Clemson University President James Barker:

Complete rankings are published in U.S.News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges 2009.

KeyMark Inc., a document management systems integrator of advanced capture, BPM and content management solutions, announces the addition of MavBridge to their automated mailroom solution. Mavro Imaging developed MavBridge to provide full tracking, monitoring and reporting on the productivity of OPEX scanning machines.

“We are extremely excited to partner with Mavro Imaging to extend and add value to the mailroom solutions we offer to our customers,” said Ed McQuiston, VP of Sales at KeyMark. “Mavro’s unique focus on providing tools allowing customers to leverage mailroom processing analytics enables end users to adjust processes and staffing in real time utilizing the MavBridge™ tool.”

Mavro Imaging develops software to seamlessly link OPEX mail opening and scanning equipment into high-end document management systems in mixed hardware and software environments. Mavro Imaging recently developed MavBridge – a software product to convert scanned output from high-volume OPEX multi-purpose extraction systems equipped with an OPEX Image Extraction Module. This application parses and converts proprietary data files into industry-standard formats and creates corresponding metadata files. KeyMark imports these files into high-end document management systems such as those from Kofax, AnyDoc, and Hyland Software (OnBase).

“We are pleased to have KeyMark representing Mavro Imaging. They are a strong reseller with an impeccable reputation and the most loyal customer base in the industry,” said Bo Minogue, Mavro VP of Sales. “I expect that jointly we will continue to exceed their customers’ expectations and set new trends in mailroom automation.”

via KeyMark

The Palmetto Biotechnology Alliance will hold their annual meeting and conference on September 18th and 19th in Charleston, SC. The 2008 conference is titled “Biotechnology: Addressing the World’s Problems Today” and will feature “The Queensland Life Science Success Story” by the former Premier of Queensland, Australia, Peter Beattie. Programs committed to the growth of the biotechnology industry in Queensland have led to a projected $4 billion in revenues and is projected by 2025 to be a $20 billion industry.

via: Palmetto Biotechnology Alliance

Sealevel Systems announces two additions to the popular SeaLINK USB to serial product line, the SeaLINK.SC and SeaLINK+2.SC. Offering one or two serial ports that are software configurable for RS-232, RS-422, or RS-485, the adapters eliminate the need to open the enclosure to change jumper settings or dipswitches. The devices maintain their electrical interface settings locally, allowing the host computer to
be repaired or upgraded without reconfiguring the serial ports. Additionally, the devices can be configured at one computer and deployed to other computers.

The serial ports on each SeaLINK adapter appear as standard COM ports to the host computer enabling compatibility with legacy software. All Sealevel SeaLINK USB serial adapters use a state-machine architecture that greatly reduces the host computer’s overhead when communicating over multiple serial ports simultaneously while supporting data rates to 921.6K bps. Status LEDs on the front of the enclosure indicate serial data activity, electrical interface, and power.

The SeaLINK.SC and SeaLINK+2.SC are housed in rugged, plastic enclosures that are ideal for mounting on walls, under counters, or inside panels. DIN rail mounting clips are available as an option. The adapters are USB bus powered, so no external power supply is needed. Both models integrate SeaLATCH(R) locking USB ports, which are fully compatible with standard USB cables. When used with the included USB cable with a locking type B connector, the metal thumbscrew provides a secure connection to the device and prevents accidental cable disconnection.

All SeaLINK products ship with the Sealevel Systems SeaCOM(tm) suite of Windows drivers and diagnostic utilities. WinSSD, a full-featured application providing powerful testing and diagnostic capabilities, is
also included. Use WinSSD for BERT (Bit Error Rate Testing), throughput monitoring, loopback tests, and transmit test pattern messages.

Standard operating temperature range for SeaLINK products is 0-70°C, and extended temperature range (-40°C - +85°C) models are available. Both are available immediately and are backed by a lifetime warranties.

via Sealevel

Speed Matters has released their second annual state-by-state Internet speed report, and the results show the U.S. still has a long way to go to catch up with the rest of the world.

The report found the average U.S. Internet speed was 2.3 megabits per second (mbps), representing a minimal gain of 0.4 mbps over last year’s average speed. At this rate, it will take us more than a hundred years to catch up to Japan, where average speeds are estimated at 63 mbps.

But as CWA President Larry Cohen said, Americans can’t wait that long:

“This isn’t about how fast someone can download a full-length movie. Speed matters to our economy and our ability to remain competitive in a global marketplace. Rural development, telemedicine and distance learning all rely on truly high-speed, universal networks.”

The new report is based on data from nearly 230,000 Internet users who took the Speed Matters Speed Test — almost three times the number of tests taken for last year’s inaugural state-by-state report. The fastest states were Rhode Island, Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia, and Massachusetts, while the slowest speeds were in rural states: Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, and Alaska.

In the report, SC ranked 14th both in 2007 and 2008, while Georgia was 9th and North Carolina came in 11th in the nation.

The US has fallen behind the rest of the world

via: SpeedMatters.org

Electronic devices get smaller and more complex every year. It turns out that fragility is the price for miniaturization, especially when it comes to small devices, such as cell phones, hitting the floor. Wouldn’t it be great if they bounced instead of cracked when dropped?

A team of Clemson University researchers, led by Apparao Rao, professor of physics, has invented a way to make beds of tiny, shock-absorbing carbon springs which possibly could be used to protect delicate objects from damaging impacts. With collaborators at the University of California at San Diego, the team has shown that layers of these tiny springs called coiled carbon nanotubes, each a thousand times smaller than a human hair, can act as extremely resilient shock absorbers.

Similar coiled carbon nanotubes have been made before, yet Clemson researchers say this method is unique since beds of coiled carbon nanotubes can be grown in a single step using a proprietary hydrocarbon-catalyst mixture.

The group also envisions coiled nanotubes in soldiers’ body armor, car bumpers and bushings and even as cushioning elements in shoe soles.

“The problem we have faced in the past is producing enough of these coiled carbon nanotubes at a reasonable cost to make a difference,” said Rao. “Because our current method produces coiled nanotubes quickly in high yield, it can be readily scaled up to industrial levels. After formation, the coiled nanotubes can be peeled off in one piece and placed on other surfaces to form instant cushioning coatings.”

In earlier studies, Rao and his team, along with UCSD collaborators, tested more conventional straight carbon nanotubes against coil-shaped nanotubes. When a stainless steel ball was dropped onto a single nanotube layer, the coiled nanotubes completely recovered from the impact, while the straight ones did not. 

“It’s like an egg toss,” said Rao. “If you move your hand backward as you catch the egg and increase the time of contact over which the impact occurs, the impact will be less forceful and the egg will not break. It is the same phenomenon experienced in catching a baseball.”

In previous work, Rao’s group developed a process that coaxes a traditionally straight carbon nanotube to split into a “Y” shape. When powered by electrical voltages, the Y-branched nanotubes behave like tiny switches or transistors that process information.

“Our studies with carbon nanotubes have been ongoing for quite some time,” said Rao. “Each step along the way has led to the next breakthrough, and each time we’ve learned more about how they grow and what their applications could be. We believe that carbon nanotubes have tremendous potential for the lives of each one of us.”

via Clemson

Blackbaud, Inc. announced today that The Field Museum will use The Patron Edge for ticketing and The Financial Edge for financial management.

The Field Museum, located in Chicago, is regarded as one the finest natural history museums in the world and attracts more than 1.3 million visitors annually. When the Museum was faced with a costly and resource-consuming conversion with its legacy system, staff decided to research other solutions. “What we found in Blackbaud was a responsive, dedicated team and are confident that they will be a sustainable partner,” said J.W. Croft, The Field Museum’s executive vice president.

The partnership between The Field Museum and Blackbaud began in 1990 when the development staff selected The Raiser’s Edge for fundraising management. Pleased with the level of support and the performance of the technology, the Museum leadership recently chose to expand the relationship with Blackbaud to help improve operational efficiency, financial administration, ticketing capabilities and business intelligence through a unified technology platform with real-time reporting capabilities.

“Our old finance program was not built for a nonprofit, making our fund accounting practices extremely tedious. Now, our staff will be able to access data for a real-time view of the Museum’s finances and operations,” said Croft. “Blackbaud solutions will enable us to demonstrate organizational effectiveness to our supporters and create a more meaningful experience for our patrons. Just as we are a leading museum in renowned exhibits and research, it is our strategic goal to be a leader in operations andtechnology. With Blackbaud, we will achieve these goals.”

“Sustainability is at the heart of this partnership,” said Chris Bilbro, Blackbaud’s director of arts andcultural solutions. “We are dedicated to the Museum’s long-term success and to helping improve its overall operations so that donors and patrons reap the benefits.”

via Blackbaud

Solar energy has just become more cost effective in South Carolina as a result of a recent Public Service Commission order.  Solar customers are now able to use net metering to offset their energy costs like customers in nearly all 50 states.

“This is significant for South Carolina. With rising energy costs, net metering can further reduce solar customers’ energy bills by up to 30 percent,” says Bruce Wood, founder and CEO of Sunstore Solar, the largest solar installation company in South Carolina. “With this kind of savings we are forecasting a rise in business as people learn more about solar and the benefits of net metering.”

Net metering allows homeowners to “bank” power generated by their solar systems. For example, excess power generated by a system during the day can now be captured and credited to their account for use at a later date. Without net metering, this energy was lost unless a customer had a back-up battery system.

According to John Clark, director of the South Carolina Energy Office, the state spends about $18 billion on energy annually. “The problem is most of that amount goes out of state. Renewables let us keep more revenue here, so we’re very pleased that the state’s investor-owned utilities have made it easier for their customers to use clean, renewable energy,” he said.

This new Public Service Commission ruling applies to all investor-owned utilities including Duke Energy, Progress Energy and South Carolina Electric and Gas. Rates and explanations are now published on company websites.

Visit www.energy.sc.gov for more information 

Lawriter, LLC a subsidiary of Collexis Holdings Inc. has announced the development of the first professional social network exclusively for law students. The site www.CasemakerX.com was showcased in Beta format at the American Association of Law Librarians Conference in Portland in July. A full launch is expected in early fall 2008 to coincide with the incoming class of new law students. Along with the social networking site, CasemakerX will provide free access to the Casemaker Suite of Applications for the U.S. law student community.

“CasemakerX is an exciting new legal information product that law students and faculty will find useful,” said Duncan Alford, associate dean and director of the law library at the University Of South Carolina School Of Law. “The social networking portion of CasemakerX is reminiscent of LinkedIn, but with the electronic content of primary federal and state law. The upcoming introduction of legal thesaurus searching will make the searching capabilities even more sophisticated and the success of the Collexis search engine and fingerprinting technology in medical research shows exciting promise for legal research.”

CasemakerX is a free service for law students supported by the Casemaker Bar Consortium and its 475,000 attorney members across the U.S. Law students, faculty and law librarians can sign up for the site and register from accredited Law Schools. Once a profile is created, users are networked by areas like corresponding law school, fields of interest, graduation year, etc. Users can also enjoy a host of social networking components including capabilities like blogging, instant messaging, photo sharing, job postings, video streaming via YouTube™, and iPhone plug-ins. Lawriter’s Casemaker suite of legal discovery products is available on the site and includes a library of over 12 Million documents in federal and state case law. The site also includes the recently released Casemaker Medical application, with full text search of over 15 Million biomedical abstracts.

“We are pleased to host this community for the next generation of attorneys,” said Steve Newsom, general manager for Lawriter. “Our mission is to help law students succeed – connecting with their peers, their teachers, and the external attorney community to advance their education and career goals.”

via Collexis

3D Systems Corporation, a provider of 3-D Modeling, Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing solutions, announced today its operating results for the second quarter and first half of 2008. The company also announced the filing of its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the second quarter of 2008 with the SEC today.

The company will hold a conference call and simultaneous webcast to discuss its operating results for the second quarter and first half of 2008 tomorrow morning, August 6, 2008 at 9:00 a.m., Eastern Time. Additional information relating to that call and webcast is provided below.

Operating highlights for the second quarter of 2008, compared to the 2007 second quarter, were as follows:

• Revenue increased by $0.2 million to $36.7 million, primarily due to higher materials’ sales and higher service revenue, that were almost completely offset by a decline in systems’ sales.
• Gross profit decreased by 1% to $13.3 million, as lower margins on systems and services more than offset higher materials’ margins. This resulted in a 0.7 percentage point gross profit margin decrease to 36.3%.
• Continuing a trend, operating expenses declined by 12% to $16.1 million.
• Operating loss declined by 43% to $2.8 million while net loss declined by 37% to $3.3 million.
• Net loss per share declined by 44% to $0.15 per share

Conference Call and Audio Webcast Details

3D Systems will hold a conference call and audio webcast to discuss its second-quarter and first-half 2008 financial results tomorrow morning, August 6, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

• To access the Conference Call, dial 1-888-336-3485 (or 706-634-0653 from outside the United States). A recording will be available two hours after completion of the call for three days. To access the recording, dial 1-800-642-1687 (or 706-645-9291 from outside the United States) and enter 55872360, the confirmation code.
• To access the audio webcast, log onto 3D Systems’ Web site at www.3dsystems.com/ir. To ensure timely participation and technical capability, we recommend logging on a few minutes prior to the conference call to activate your participation. The webcast will be available for replay beginning approximately three hours after completion of the call at: www.3dsystems.com/ir

via 3D Systems