1,000 trillion calculations per second (petaflop computing) may emerge on the new June list of world’s fastest supercomputers. www.top500.org

3 associations (AESF, MFSA, and NAMF) operate as one, NASF. National Association of Surface Finishing has its annual event, SUR/FIN 2008, June 16-18, in Indianapolis, IN. www.sur-fin.net

15 years ago on April 30, the agreement for a free World Wide Web was signed. See “Luminaries look to the future web” at news.bbc.co.uk.

8 Rules for Resolving Contract Confusion, says a Baker Daniels Automation Practice April 2008 eNewsletter, include paying attention to plain meaning, consistency, order of priority, and customs. See also June “Legalities” column in this issue. www.bakerd.com

52% of the total corporate workforce, on average, does not work at headquarters, says Aberdeen. They’re either dedicated branch office employees or remote/mobile workers. Reasons include expanding company presence into new geographies and attempts to acquire top talent worldwide. www.aberdeen.com

10 industrial Ethernet protocols use are compared based on survey data from December 2006 and May 2008 in a Control Engineering Online extra posted with Product Research: Industrial Ethernet. www.controleng.com/archive

5 individually powered digits are in the Touch Bionics i-Limb Hand. Muscle signals provide actuation signals to the prosthetic device; advanced control software helps with speed and grip-strength. See photos and video. www.touchbionics.com

85 tools and 110 functions are in the Wenger Giant Swiss Army Knife (2007 Guiness World Record) with adjustable pliers, wire crimper and cutter flashlight, and laser pointer. See price and photo under the Elite tab at www.wengerna.com

3 million times smaller than an earthworm, a tiny mechanical nanoworm may be able to release a drug to kill a cancerous tumor someday, says the May 13 “Can Robot Worms Kill Cancer?” at www.abcnews.com.

500 flywheel energy storage systems were shipped as of May, says Pentadyne, with two million operating hours total. Pentadyne’s first commercial installation at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cincinnati reached 35,000 flywheel operating hours since 2004. www.pentadyne.com

>90,000 members of the American Society for Quality advance learning, quality improvement, and knowledge exchange to improve business results, and to create better workplaces and communities worldwide, says ASQ, which also administers the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. www.asq.org.