Major car makers would, of course, resist letting Google control the driving OS layer of their vehicles.

FORBES: But how will Google profit?

Ann Kelley has found an even more powerful layer of control in the amygdala, a center for emotions that also has rich nerve connections to the nose.

FORBES: Health

Its biggest switch, called the Nexus 7000, sits above them all, unifying a computer center's crazy quilt of engineering standards into a layer of control that Cisco can own.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Digg is getting into the breaking news business with a new layer of editorial control.

FORBES: Digg Digs Deep With New Moderated News Portal

The top layer contains hundreds of control channels through which pressurized water is pumped.

FORBES: Science Beyond Belief

One favoured solution involves yet another layer of technology that would allow the driver to control on-board systems using spoken commands.

ECONOMIST: When crashing is not an option

Dr. KEN CASTRO (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention): Tuberculosis is a very slow-growing organism and that adds a layer of complexity.

NPR: TB Traveler Exposes Diagnosis Problems

At the top, the computer makers control everything, managing customer relationships and farming out orders to their software subsidiaries in the second layer.

ECONOMIST: Software in Japan