Scientists have successfully tested a system that translates brain waves into speech, raising the prospect that people left mute by stroke, Lou Gehrig's disease and other afflictions will one day be able to communicate by synthetic voice.
The system was tested on a 26-year-old man left paralyzed by a brain stem stroke, but with his consciousness and cognitive abilities intact. The condition is known as "locked-in syndrome." In this condition, communication by eye movement or other limited motion is possible, but extremely cumbersome.
Scientists implanted an electrode about 5 millimeters deep into the part of the subject's brain responsible for planning speech. After a few months nerve cells grew into the electrode, producing detectable signals. It took several years, however, to develop a computer system that could discriminate elements of speech from the busy backdrop of neural activity.
The first "words" detected from the subject's brain were three vowel sounds, but the speed with which the speech thought was transmitted into audible sound was about 50 milliseconds -- the same amount of time it typically takes for naturally occurring speech.
The embedded electrode amplifies neural signals and converts them into FM radio waves which are then transmitted wirelessly across the subject's scalp to two coils on his head that serve as receiving antennas. The signals are then routed into a system that digitizes, sorts and decodes them. The results are fed into a program on a PC that synthesizes speech.
Jan 23, 2010
Ripcord Charger
Wouldn't it be great if you could charge your cell phone or MP3 player the just by pulling a string?
The $40 YoGen Mobile Charger could provide emergency power in a pinch. Like today's solar chargers, the ripcord device isn't a viable alternative to the good old AC adapter, but it's handy for campers, or those who have talkative friends that use up that last few minutes of charge on your phone, while you are away from home.
The $40 YoGen Mobile Charger could provide emergency power in a pinch. Like today's solar chargers, the ripcord device isn't a viable alternative to the good old AC adapter, but it's handy for campers, or those who have talkative friends that use up that last few minutes of charge on your phone, while you are away from home.
Wasp Spray
A receptionist in a church in a high risk area was concerned about someone coming into the office on Monday to rob them when they were counting the collection. She asked the local police department about using pepper spray and they recommended to her that she get a can of wasp spray instead.
The wasp spray, they told her, can shoot up to twenty feet away and is a lot more accurate, while with the pepper spray, they have to get too close to you and could overpower you. The wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote. She keeps a can on her desk in the office and it doesn't attract attention from people like a can of pepper spray would. She also keeps one at home for home protection.
The wasp spray, they told her, can shoot up to twenty feet away and is a lot more accurate, while with the pepper spray, they have to get too close to you and could overpower you. The wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote. She keeps a can on her desk in the office and it doesn't attract attention from people like a can of pepper spray would. She also keeps one at home for home protection.
Live TV on the Internet
This is very cool stuff. Justin.tv (link below) is a site that allows people to send in live streams from their phone or other device directly to the net and you can watch. One channel had a football game that was blacked out locally that was sent directly from a guy in another area. It also has online chat, so you can share comments with others about the show being played live.
It has multiple feeds and I can see foresee family events for the holidays, where a few people in different cities show live video and add comments. What a great way to keep in touch and better than picture phone. I made need to upgrade my phone to play with this one.
LINK
It has multiple feeds and I can see foresee family events for the holidays, where a few people in different cities show live video and add comments. What a great way to keep in touch and better than picture phone. I made need to upgrade my phone to play with this one.
LINK
Jan 22, 2010
Eyewitness to History
For you history buffs, this web site will take you to places it is hard to imagine. It has detail stories and pictures ranging from the old west, civil war, world wars, presidents and kings. A wonderful place to waste a great number of hours. LINK
Glen Bell Jr.
Glen Bell Jr., an entrepreneur best known as the founder of the Taco Bell chain, died this week. He was 86. Bell died Sunday at his home in Rancho Santa Fe, CA. He started Taco Bell in California in 1962. He sold his 868 Taco Bell restaurants to PepsiCo for $125 million in stock, in 1978.
Taco Bell is now owned by Yum Brands and is the largest Mexican fast-food chain in the nation, serving more than 36.8 million consumers each week in more than 5,600 U.S. locations.
Taco Bell is now owned by Yum Brands and is the largest Mexican fast-food chain in the nation, serving more than 36.8 million consumers each week in more than 5,600 U.S. locations.
Telephone
OK, it's time to think about that home phone you are paying for. The number of people in the US who have eliminated their home landline phones in favor of cell phones doubled between 2006 and 2009, according to a government report. Twenty five percent of US households have no landline.
In December 2009, AT&T proposed that the government develop a plan and set a date to eliminate all telephone line service for the country. Interesting to see something that was once so vital to our comfort and convenience be made redundant.
Some may remember the beginning of phones in the home and 'party' lines. Amazing that in one generation an amazing technology can come and go. I have a feeling many things we have seen the birth of will die before we do. Technology is advancing at such a rapid pace, it is difficult to keep up. Of course it helps if you love technology, like I do. . . almost as much as potato chips and bacon.
In December 2009, AT&T proposed that the government develop a plan and set a date to eliminate all telephone line service for the country. Interesting to see something that was once so vital to our comfort and convenience be made redundant.
Some may remember the beginning of phones in the home and 'party' lines. Amazing that in one generation an amazing technology can come and go. I have a feeling many things we have seen the birth of will die before we do. Technology is advancing at such a rapid pace, it is difficult to keep up. Of course it helps if you love technology, like I do. . . almost as much as potato chips and bacon.
Economic Recovery
Here is an interesting site that shows where the recovery money is being spent. It shows many of the projects funded by the ARRA. Interesting that, as of today, it is last updated last year. Still, it is a fun read if you want to scare yourself with details or where your tax dollars are being spent, like waterless latrines in Arkansas and a picnic shelter at Turkey Point Park in Kansas.
A good deal were for construction projects as they were supposed to be, but pork always finds its way in. A few more goodies, $5 million and another $1.75 million, the Jennie-o Turkey Store, MN, (the only description for both is "small turkey deli breasts". $3 million to Accenture to help construct a data warehouse for the Farm Service Agency. $707,000 to increase demand for the National Health Service. $90 million to Leland Stanford University to develop 3 x-ray instruments. $27.9 million for "The purpose of this procurement is to obtain the services of a broadband industry consultant to implement the statutory requirements of the American Recovery Act and Reinvestment Act of 2009."
Especially interesting are the amounts to outlying areas, such as the $2 Billion to Puerto Rico, $93 million to the Virgin Islands, $78,000 to the American Samoa Coalition against domestic and sexual violence (that is a real jobs booster). Guam received money for Catholic Social Services, Salvation Army, Guam coalition against social assault, Soroptimist Club of Guam, an organization of business women, and more. Seems some folks like pork more than I do.
A good deal were for construction projects as they were supposed to be, but pork always finds its way in. A few more goodies, $5 million and another $1.75 million, the Jennie-o Turkey Store, MN, (the only description for both is "small turkey deli breasts". $3 million to Accenture to help construct a data warehouse for the Farm Service Agency. $707,000 to increase demand for the National Health Service. $90 million to Leland Stanford University to develop 3 x-ray instruments. $27.9 million for "The purpose of this procurement is to obtain the services of a broadband industry consultant to implement the statutory requirements of the American Recovery Act and Reinvestment Act of 2009."
Especially interesting are the amounts to outlying areas, such as the $2 Billion to Puerto Rico, $93 million to the Virgin Islands, $78,000 to the American Samoa Coalition against domestic and sexual violence (that is a real jobs booster). Guam received money for Catholic Social Services, Salvation Army, Guam coalition against social assault, Soroptimist Club of Guam, an organization of business women, and more. Seems some folks like pork more than I do.
Skiff
Here is a very slick and flexible reader. E-Readers are proving to be all the rage and here is one called Skiff from Skiff LLC. Flexible screens have been promised for the past 3 or 4 years, and now we actually have one.
With an unannounced released date or price, the flexible Skiff will deliver content on Sprint's 3G network.
We found that the e-reader, which uses resistive touch, had better and faster reactions than the similarly sized Que from Plastic Logic (which is capacitive). Both are basically the size of a sheet of paper and are marketed at readers of traditional newspapers and magazines.
The Que will come to the market in April, retailing in two versions that cost $649 or $799. I have been waiting for this for a few years, since I first saw the prototype.
With an unannounced released date or price, the flexible Skiff will deliver content on Sprint's 3G network.
We found that the e-reader, which uses resistive touch, had better and faster reactions than the similarly sized Que from Plastic Logic (which is capacitive). Both are basically the size of a sheet of paper and are marketed at readers of traditional newspapers and magazines.
The Que will come to the market in April, retailing in two versions that cost $649 or $799. I have been waiting for this for a few years, since I first saw the prototype.
Electronic Greeting Cards
link
For those folks who do not use the internet, here is a great solution. A mini electronic picture book. The self contained digital greeting card is a digital frame with a 2.4-inch LCD that springs to life when the card is opened. It has battery life for about three hours of playback and storage for fifty images or five minutes of MP3 audio. The cards can be recharged via USB and are priced at $19.99. I can see many new grandparents getting these for the next holidays.
For those folks who do not use the internet, here is a great solution. A mini electronic picture book. The self contained digital greeting card is a digital frame with a 2.4-inch LCD that springs to life when the card is opened. It has battery life for about three hours of playback and storage for fifty images or five minutes of MP3 audio. The cards can be recharged via USB and are priced at $19.99. I can see many new grandparents getting these for the next holidays.
Jan 15, 2010
Look Young, Die Old
A study published December, 2009 in the British Medical Journal reports that longer survival of 1,826 twins correlated with the “perceived age” of the subjects. Perceived age was significantly associated with survival, even after adjustment for chronological age, sex, and environment. The bigger the difference in perceived age within a pair, the more likely that the older looking twin died first.
The study began in 2001 and concluded in 2008. There are a variety of factors which are instrumental, including smoking status, body mass index, and sun exposure.
Physicians traditionally compare perceived and chronological age, and for adult patients the expression "looking old for your age" is an indicator of poor health. The study indicates that this practice, which has existed for centuries, is actually a useful clinical approach especially given that in a clinical setting perceived age is based on an array of indicators in addition to facial appearance. The next time someone says 'you look good for your age', make sure they know how old you really are.
The study began in 2001 and concluded in 2008. There are a variety of factors which are instrumental, including smoking status, body mass index, and sun exposure.
Physicians traditionally compare perceived and chronological age, and for adult patients the expression "looking old for your age" is an indicator of poor health. The study indicates that this practice, which has existed for centuries, is actually a useful clinical approach especially given that in a clinical setting perceived age is based on an array of indicators in addition to facial appearance. The next time someone says 'you look good for your age', make sure they know how old you really are.
Inventions
The bathtub was invented in 1850 and the telephone in 1875. If you had been living in 1850, you could have sat in the tub for 25 years without the phone ringing once.
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