Academic research is a big driver behind the advancement of Web 2.0 and social networking.  Researchers at Pennsylvania Stats University have developed the most advanced system to date for machines automatically tagging photos with descriptive text.  At Cornell University researchers are working on a projector the size of a coin that can be integrated into mobile phones to project meter-wide high definition tv on a surface a half-meter away. At Leeds University work is advancing on automated systems to identify characters in tv or film. Of course such research is not limited to academia and Microsoft looks on the verge of a major breakthrough in the race for "killer maps" by creating up-to-date searchable maps with real time info on gas prices, availability of a table at your local restaurant or traffic flows on highways. Researchers at UCLA are exploring integrating embedded sensors in the physical world with online maps.