The Information Sciences Group (CCS-3) engages in a wide variety of basic and applied research activities that are directly applicable to core laboratory needs. By maintaining scientific excellence in areas such as Machine Learning, Sensors, Knowledge Information Systems, and Quantum Computing, CCS-3 provides the critical expertise necessary to address tomorrow's data-intensive National Security challenges.

Research Highlights

Jon Yard's quantum communication work appears in the September 26th, 2008 issue of the journal Science. He and his colleague show that two quantum channels with zero capacity, when used together, enable communication. A description of this work is available on the Physorg.com website ("In quantum channels, zero plus zero can equal non-zero").

Results from Sami Ayyorgun's research are being recognized as a significant achievement in wireless sensor network efforts. In a domain where performance trade-offs are expected, Ayyorgun and his colleagues have shown that concurrent gains in a variety of network measures (e.g. connectivity, energy, delay, throughput, system longevity, coverage, and security) are possible. For more information about this effort, please see the corresponding LANL press release ("Networks of the Future: Extending Our Senses into the Physical World").

Ilya Nemenman's fly-neuron signal analysis work has been featured by a large number of external news organizations in recent weeks. This research fundamentally alters earlier beliefs about how neural networks function and could provide the basis for intelligent computers that mimic biological processes. Nemenman and his colleagues used tiny electrodes to tap into motion-sensitive neurons in the visual system of a common blowfly, and analyzed their reaction to a variety of complex flight scenarios. For more information about this effort, please see the corresponding LANL press release ("Language of a fly proves surprising").