The UMBC Game Developers Club will hold its third annual summer game jam this coming weekend. The event will run from 5:00pm Friday August 2, 2013 until 5:00pm Sunday, August 4, 2013 in the GAIM Lab, room 005 in the Engineering building. While there are computers available in the lab, participants are encouraged to bring their personal laptops. If you plan to participate, you can register your interest by joining the Summer Game Jam Facebook event.

Every week we tweet a lot of interesting stuff highlighting great content that we find on the web that can be of interest to web designers.

The best way to keep track of our tweets is simply to follow us on Twitter, however, in case you missed some here’s a quick and useful compilation of the best tweets that we sent out this past week.

Note that this is only a very small selection of the links that we tweeted about, so don’t miss out.

To keep up to date with all the cool links, simply follow us @DesignerDepot

.@davidwalshblog is looking into the future of Sass http://depot.ly/nlllC

 10 Things You Didn’t Know Dropbox Could Do. Or Did You? http://depot.ly/nldRd

Justin Mezzell’s brilliant illustrations make us want to dive back in time http://depot.ly/nl987

A nice article from @alistapart – http://depot.ly/nl9Bi  Client Relationships and the Multi-Device Web

Illustrator Monica Ramos makes the heatwave a little bit more bearable http://depot.ly/niQzO

Lorem Ipsum is Killing Your Designs http://depot.ly/niMNJ  *An interesting article from @smashingmag

Beautiful logo and packaging design for Hagiwara Butcher http://depot.ly/ngDw4  via @Johnny_Strategy

You’re Good. Get Better. http://depot.ly/ngCt2  Advice to follow from @_dte

Nice read: How to Code Your First #HTML #UI Kit http://depot.ly/ngC0t

Typographica’s favorite typefaces of 2012 http://depot.ly/ngBM6

Create pretty charts in minutes with http://dimplejs.org

Feast your eyes on these fantastic packaging designs from the ’60s & ’70s http://depot.ly/ne4u8

The Mill teamed up with Droga5 & they decided to say ‘No’ to cliches in Newcastle Ale’s hilarious ads http://depot.ly/ne4mF

Michiel Schuurman delights our eyes with his eye-popping posters http://depot.ly/ne4as  via @itsnicethat

Huge showcase of iOS 7 redesigns http://depot.ly/ne3T2

This is how Irving Harper created the Herman Miller logo http://depot.ly/nbFRh

To bookmark: 16 best #free Mac #apps http://depot.ly/nbC82

Beautiful showcase of vibrant 80s inspired neon artwork http://depot.ly/nbBYZ  via @chrisspooner

Lacoste’s iconic crocodile logo gets unexpected squiggly makeover http://depot.ly/nbwiK  Like it?

 Want more? No problem! Keep track of all our tweets by following us @DesignerDepot

Mini Font Bundle: 3 Fonts for only $9!

Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
University of Maryland, Baltimore County

An Introduction to Quantum Computing: D-Wave Systems

Robert (Bo) Ewald and Edward (Denny) Dahl

D-Wave Systems, Inc

10:00-12:00 Tuesday, July 30, 2013, ITE 325b

Bo Ewald and Denny Dahl from D-Wave Systems, Inc. will present an introduction to quantum computing and its role in their computing systems, complex machines constructed using state of the art ideas and approaches from many different fields of science and technology. While the quantum processor itself is the heart of the machine, the infrastructure that makes the processor go is also designed, built and tested extensively by D-Wave. In 2011, D-Wave System announced the D-Wave One, "the world's first commercially available quantum computer" which incorporated their 128 qubit chip-set using quantum annealing to solve optimization problems. This year a collaboration between NASA, Google and the Universities Space Research Association was announced that will create a Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab at the NASA Ames Research Center that will use a 512 qubit D-Wave Two system to study how quantum computing might advance machine learning.

Bo Ewald has been Chief Revenue Officer and President of U.S. Business at D-Wave Systems Inc. since May 02, 2013. Mr. Ewald served as Chief Executive Officer of Graphics Properties Holdings, Inc., since April 9, 2007. Mr. Ewald has over 25 years experience in the high performance computing industry. He served as Chief Executive Officer of Silicon Graphics, Inc. from 2007 to 2009. He served as Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Scale8 Inc. He served as Chief Executive Officer of Linux Networx, Inc. until April 3, 2007 and oversaw its strategy & direction to drive continued growth. From 1984 to 1996, he held various management and executive positions at Cray Research, Inc., including President and Chief Operating Officer since December 1994. Before joining Cray Research Inc., he served as Head of the Computing and Communications Division of the Los Alamos National Laboratory and was responsible for providing computing and communications services to government customers nationwide from 1980 to 1984. Mr. Ewald is involved in various industry organizations and was appointed to the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee from 1997 to 2001. Mr. Ewald holds an M.S. Degree in Civil Engineering and Applied Mathematics from the University of Colorado and a BS Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Nevada.

Dr. Denny Dahl received his PhD in physics from Stanford University in 1985 after completing a thesis on Quantum Monte Carlo computational techniques. He took a postdoctoral research position at Lawrence Livermore National Labs in the Parallel Processing Project and worked on simulation, analysis and applications of neural networks. Following this, Denny joined Thinking Machines Corporation and worked in their Technical Marketing Department. He obtained a patent for novel work in routing messages through the communication fabric of the CM-2, which was a massively parallel high performance computing platform. He also helped in providing technical support to a number of customers across a range of business verticals, including the petroleum and defense industries. Following Thinking Machines, Dr. Dahl participated in a range of start-up companies and developed expertise in high volume / high complexity RDBMS environments. He worked at a number of companies (eBay, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, Travelers Insurance, Western Asset Management, Williams Sonoma, Kroger, Walgreens, Teradata) providing architectural and development services related to batch and real-time data processing. Denny joined D-Wave Systems at the beginning of 2012, and has been involved in algorithm research, training, technical support for sales and communication functions within the company.

Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
Ph.D. Dissertation Proposal

Framework for Accurate Estimation of Dynamic

Power Supply Noise and its Effect on Path Delays

Sushmita K. Rao

11:00am-1:00pm Monday, July 29, 2013, ITE 346

Power-supply noise is a major contributing factor for yield loss in sub-micron designs. Excessive switching in test mode causes supply voltage to droop more than in functional mode leading to failures in delay tests that would not occur otherwise under normal operation. Thus, there exists a need to accurately estimate on-chip supply noise early in the design phase to meet power requirements in normal mode and during test to prevent over-stimulation during test cycle and avoid false failures.

Simultaneous switching activity (SSA) of several logic components is one of the main sources of power-supply noise (PSN) which results in reduction of supply voltages at the power-supplies of the logic gates. Current research concentrate on static IR-drop which accounts for only part of the total voltage drop on the power grid and therefore insufficient for nanometer designs. To our knowledge, inductive drop is not included in current noise analysis techniques for simplification. The power delivery networks in today’s very deep-submicron chips are susceptible to slight variations and cause sudden large current spikes leading to higher Ldi/dt drop than resistive drop essentiating the need to be accounted. Simultaneous switching in localized areas in a chip too result in large instantaneous current to be drawn from a particular power bump or pad reducing supply voltage further. Thus, there arises a growing need to accurately characterize the resistive and inductive voltage drop caused by simultaneous switching of multiple paths. Power-supply noise also impacts circuit operation incurring a significant increase in path delays. It is critical to account for this increase in delay during the ATPG process else it can lead to overkill during transition and delay testing. However, it is infeasible to carry out full-chip SPICE-level simulations on a design to validate the large number of ATPG generated test patterns. Accurate and efficient techniques are required to quantify supply noise and its impact on path delays to ensure reliable operation in both mission mode and during test.

A scalable current-based dynamic method is presented to estimate both IR and Ldi/dt drop caused by simultaneous switching activity. Also presented is a technique to predict the increase in path delays caused by supply noise. The noise and delay estimation techniques use simulations of individual extracted paths in comparison to time-consuming full-chip simulations and thus it can be integrated with existing ATPG tools. Simulation results for combinational and sequential benchmark circuits are presented demonstrating the effectiveness of the convolution-based techniques.

Committee: Professors Chintan Patel (Chair), Mohamed Younis, Ryan Robucci and Nilanjan Banerjee

Every week we feature a set of comics created exclusively for WDD.

The content revolves around web design, blogging and funny situations that we encounter in our daily lives as designers.

These great cartoons are created by Jerry King, an award-winning cartoonist who’s one of the most published, prolific and versatile cartoonists in the world today.

So for a few moments, take a break from your daily routine, have a laugh and enjoy these funny cartoons.

Feel free to leave your comments and suggestions below as well as any related stories of your own…

Those aren’t hobos, they’re my clients

Catch 22

The “old” big thing

Can you relate to these situations? Please share your funny stories and comments below…

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“In a time when social bridge building is greatly needed, we have lost much of our capacity for public friendliness,” writes Lisa Akchin, associate vice president for marketing and public relations, in a recent Baltimore Sun op-ed.  Akchin was responding to President Obama’s recollection of being greeted by the click of car door locks while crossing the street as a young black man.

“I know my own hand made that reflexive move for the door lock too many times before my mind considered the impact of my actions as a white woman on the feelings of a young black man,” she says.

Akchin writes about her own process of changing her perceptions, and calls on others in Baltimore to seek out opportunities to engage with people of diverse backgrounds. “For me, the first step out of this counterproductive cycle was a decision to stop seeing a statistic when I approached a black man on the street and begin seeing an individual coming from somewhere and going somewhere,” she says. “We are fortunate in Baltimore to have many attractive public spaces and events that serve as a modern-day town commons. These places and experiences offer rich opportunities to practice public friendliness.”

The piece, “On race, moving from fear to friendliness,” appeared in the Sun on July 24.

TO: The UMBC Campus Community

FROM: Diane Lee, Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education, and Greg Simmons, Vice President for Institutional Advancement

RE: Naming Academic IV for Generous Supporters of UMBC

We are delighted to announce that the USM Board of Regents have approved UMBC’s request to officially name Academic IV after George and Betsy Sherman, in honor of their generous support of the University. Over nearly 20 years, the Shermans have committed more than $10 million to help strengthen our efforts increase the number of well-prepared, highly qualified teachers committed to teaching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in high-needs school throughout the Greater Baltimore region.

In 2007, the Shermans partnered with UMBC to start the Sherman STEM Teacher Scholars Program, which is dedicated to growing the number of highly-qualified STEM teachers working in urban school districts by providing scholarships, intensive advising, and robust peer support and mentorship. Dozens of Sherman Scholar alumni are now working in Baltimore City Public Schools.

The Shermans’ most recent gift commitment, a $1-million pledge, will enable UMBC and the Sherman STEM Teacher Scholars Program to deepen its connection to city schools through a multi-year partnership with Lakeland Elementary and Middle School in southwest Baltimore. Sherman Scholars, along with Shriver Center Peaceworkers and Choice Program caseworkers, will work with school leadership to develop school- and family-centered strategies that address student and community needs.

In appreciation of the Shermans’ generosity, and in recognition of our shared commitment to the power of education to transform lives, Academic IV will be renamed “Sherman Hall.” In the tradition of the Robert and Jane Meyerhoff Chemistry Building and Janet and Walter Sondheim Hall, signage throughout the building will be changed and donor plaques will be introduced. Work will begin over the summer, with the building officially assuming its new name at the beginning of fall 2013.

A formal dedication ceremony will be planned for the fall, and we will share that information in a follow up communication in the coming weeks.