#Embedded 3d Barcodes To Ensure Pills Are Real A new kind of barcode could be built structurally into a pill or other product,
Researchers from the University of Bradford and Sofmat, an anti-fraud technology company, developed a system to add microscopic indentations to the surface of a product.
and verify products to combat fakes. The annual global value of counterfeit goods has been projected to be more than $1. 5 trillion by the International Chamber of commerce.
Counterfeit electronics are a problem, and counterfeit medication can be downright dangerous, containing the wrong dose or no active ingredient at all.
paralyzed due to a spinal injury, was able to feel a physical sensation thanks to a hand prosthetic attached to his brain,
this work shows the potential for seamless biotechnological restoration of near-natural function. Touch is one of our least-understood senses.
In some experiments, patients have been able to move prosthetic limbs just by thinking about it--a chip implanted in the brain translates the electricity in the brain motor cortex into instructions for the prosthetic to move.
The prosthetic hand contains torque sensors that can detect minute changes in pressure. Once the brain and arm were hooked up
prosthetics might take a huge leap closer to imitating how our limbs naturally work. And though they aren yet able to sense all the information that our hands can,
Unfortunately, a study published today in Nature climate change does just that. And the news is ominous.
it a further blow to the state to find its primary natural water storage system in critical condition.
Unfortunately, climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of these types of droughts, and the Sierra Nevadassnowpack is expected to drop a further 25 percent by 2050.
It remains the United Stateslargest state economy and as climate change continues, many other states will feel the squeeze s
#DARPA Taps Into the Brain To Give Patients Robo-Touch and Better Memory ST LOUIS By hardwiring into the brains of people with traumatic injuries,
scientists have been able to restore the feeling of touch and to improve memories, according to researchers at DARPA.
The project, called Restoring Active Memory (RAM), could help people suffering from traumatic brain injury. The Defense department research wing shared both milestones last week at a conference called ait, What?
Mind-controlled robot limbs have gotten incredibly sophisticated in the past few years, culminating in the FDA approval of a bionic arm developed with DARPA funding.
The agency newest research department, the Biological Technologies Office, is trying to make them better,
said program manager Justin Sanchez. ithout feedback from signals traveling back to the brain, it can be difficult to achieve the level of control needed to perform precise movements,
DARPA engineers and scientists at Johns hopkins university Applied Physics laboratory first inserted electrodes into the patient motor cortex.
The hand contains sensors that can detect when pressure is being applied to its fingers, and converts this pressure into electrical signals that the brain implant reads.
people who were undergoing brain surgery and volunteered to get electrode implants saw improvement in their scores on memory tests,
DARPA said. They received small electrode arrays placed in brain regions involved in the formation of declarative memory, according to DARPA.
That the type of memory we use to remember lists, as well as spatial memory, according to the agency.
which could help people with memory problems including those with traumatic brain injuries, Sanchez said. s the technology of these fully implantable devices improves,
and as we learn more about how to stimulate the brain ever more precisely to achieve the most therapeutic effects,
I believe we are going to gain a critical capacity to help our wounded warriors and others who today suffer from intractable neurological problems,
he said u
#British Scientists Want Permission To Genetically Edit Viable Human Embryos Cas9, the enzyme used in the CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing technique, employed on a stand of DNA.
While scientists around the world continue to debate the use of the CRISPR/Cas9 system, the tool capable of precisely editing DNA on the genomic level,
and after Chinese researchers reported they had employed indeed successfully the CRISPR/Cas9 system on nonviable human embryos to remove a part of the gene that causes a genetic blood condition called beta thalassemia.
Some argue that editing the human genome could have unintended consequences that could be passed down to future generations,
and even preventing certain diseases, if given the proper basic research. Niakan told The Guardian:
#Marines Are Testing A Robot Dog For War Robots can die--at least, not in the tragic,
--so having a robot accompany soldiers gives them at the bare minimum an expendable scout.
preparing for a future where robots fight alongside American troops at war. Spot isn the first of Bigdog siblings to train with the Marines.
LS3, a heavier, sturdy robot designed as a mechanical mule that can carry up to 400 pounds of gear for a squad on the move
poking ahead of troops into houses or around corners. The 160-pound robot is powered battery and remotely controlled, with the operator as far as 1, 600 feet away.
It sees through a spinning camera mounted where its head should be, and, after scanning a room, it can crouch down to get out of the way of troops storming in.
Spot may not be the final form of the robot dog the Marines take to war, but by training with a robot now,
theye learning what they need from a robot, and robot makers are figuring out how better to match their machines to the Marines.
the human devil dogs may march into battle alongside mechanical brethren. Watch a short video about the tests below s
-And-Trade Program To Limit Carbon emissions President Xi Jinping of China announced today during a visit to the White house that China will start a national cap
-and-trade program to limit greenhouse gas emissions in 2017. Under cap-and-trade programs, a governing body limits the amount of pollution that can be emitted,
and then sells permits to companies that want to emit pollutants. Companies can trade their permits,
creating a market for emissions and providing an economic incentive for companies to reduce their carbon footprint.
The announcement comes on the heels of last November climate accord between the U s. and China
including power generation, iron and steel, and chemicals. Regional cap-and-trade programs already exist in China.
which Obama officials said have been in the works since April, represents the country first wide-ranging plan for limiting its emissions.
Along with the emissions trading program, China also announced that it will stop investments in high-carbon energy projects overseas."
"In the last decade, China has surpassed the U s as the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, in parallel with its rapid economic growth.
In 2013, China accounted for nearly 30 percent of total global carbon emissions, with many of its emissions coming from coal fired power plants,
which generate 80 percent of the country electricity. The World Resources Institute, a U s.-based think tank, estimates that China cumulative emissions since 1990 will reach 161 billion tons by 2016, exceeding projections for the U s. at 147 billion,
and making China the largest contributor to modern climate change. However the United states still exceeds China by more than double in per capita emissions,
which Chinese officials have argued are a better yardstick for contributions to global climate change. China has yet to announce specifics about its cap-and-trade plan, leaving some concerned about the political and technical challenges that lie ahead."
"The devil of course is in the details, "said Timmons Roberts, a professor of environmental studies at Brown University."
"It really does matter what the actual cap is.""If China sets limits that will peak its emissions before 2030,
"Cap-and-trade programs have been praised by some policymakers as an efficient way to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions,
while others argue that the strategy rewards big polluters that can afford to buy permits. In his first term, President Obama tried to pass a similar cap-and-trade program,
. and China to lead discussions at the UN climate change conference that will take place in Paris in December.'
when it comes to climate change
#The Future Of The DNA Hard drive Back in August at a chemistry conference, the worlds of science fiction and fact merged with the announcement of a technological advancement in data storage.
Instead of using physical means, a group of European researchers were able to store information in DNA, our genetic material.
The promise of this discovery was huge. After all, imagine being able to store the entirety of the world data on one hard drive.
Even more incredible, the information could be held for centuries without any concern for decomposition. The sky appeared to be the limit.
However, for one group of computer experts, better known as IBM, venturing into this foray is par fort the course.
The company has been part of computer history and known for developing such famous names as Mark 1, PC, ig Blue, and Watson.
I reached out to Dr. Spike Narayan. He the Director of Science and Technology at IBM Research and has a passion for taking the computerized world to new heights.
For him the DNA technology isn as new as we might think but hasn gained momentum for one particular reason:
money. he technology to read and write DNA is already available today but it not necessarily accessible.
DNA data storage and access is already possible from a technological standpoint, but not necessarily from an economical one.
For example the cost of reading genetic data, or identifying the components of genetic material, is getting dramatically cheaper.
For example, you can have the 3 billion bases in your own DNA sequenced for as little as $1000.
However, the cost of writing that data or chemically synthesizing the sequence of nucleotides that represent your data is a different story.
Specifically researchers in the UK estimated recently that it would cost more than $12, 000 per MB to encode DNA data,
but only around $200 per MB to read that data back. The hope is that the techniques for writing DNA will catch up with the amazing progress that is happening in technology to sequence
or read DNA. Until there is greater demand, it will be many years until we see greater technological adoption due to cost factors.
and read genetic data. But in terms of long term storage, he believes DNA offers the perfect choice. hat really interesting now is that researchers are using DNA as a medium for digital archival storage
because the stability of the DNA structure in principle lets one access the data after centuries under reasonable storage conditions.
This stability can provide far more than just a hard drive to last the ages. Because DNA is always present in a variety of biological environments
the idea of a personal DNA hard drive within the body may also be possible. According to Dr. Narayan, it already happening at the microbial level. everal years ago researchers built the first self-replicating bacterial cell
and they inserted DNA representing text such as the scientistsnames and literary quotations within the functioning DNA of the cell.
This in itself is a perfect biological version of what we currently do today with computers.
But while this may be possible, Dr. Narayan wonders if this might be the best approach.
For him, it may be better to use more traditional means of data storage: the brain. ince the average human has about 100 trillon bacteria in
or on them it seems there certainly would be room to put your social security number in the genome of some bacteria or virus. However,
There also another reason why this personalized biological hard drive may not be the best option. We do not yet have the technology to read it.
if you did manage to incorporate your personal information into the HPV genome (you couldn't add much-the genome is very small) remember using today technology the DNA has to be extracted,
There is little doubt the future of the DNA hard drive is bright. Yet while the biological aspects may be suited perfectly for a variety of applications
the economic and logistic hurdles suggest we should only focus on a few aspirations. For Dr. Narayan, the answer to the future of the DNA hard drive is clear.
NA as a medium for archival storage may have place in digital storage. But as he points out much to the chagrin of anyone looking for that perfect human/synthetic hybrid:
#FDA Approves Use Of Engineered Herpes virus To Treat Cancer Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it had approved the drug Imlygic to treat late-stage melanoma on the skin and lymph nodes.
The drug, which relies upon a genetically engineered herpes virus to attack and kill the cancerous cells,
And while malignant cancers often slip by the immune system, the viruspresence ignites the immune response. Combined, these reactions mean that virology can successfully treat even some late-stage cancers that are often resistant to other treatment methods.
Before it was approved, Imlygic was tested in more than 400 patients with metastatic melanoma, which kills about 10,000 people per year in the United states,
which had caused lesions in patientsskin or lymph nodes. When the drug was injected into the cancerous sites over the course of six months,
more than 16 percent of patients saw their lesions shrink. So far, virology treatments haven worked as well in cancers in tissues deeper in the bodyhe drug has to be injected directly into the tumor site
or the immune system will launch its attack too early, according to Nature News. But a number of drugs using different viruses
and to treat several types of cancer are already in clinical trials. Now that the first virology cancer treatment has been approved,
researchers hope that many more are to follow e
#This Flexible Electronic Sticks To Your Skin And Can Measure Your Blood Flow The blood coursing through your arteries
and veins bring necessary nutrients to organs throughout the body as well as take waste away. But conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease,
and certain types of inflammation can limit blood flow to various parts of the body
and lead to permanent damage that is often hard to catch early on. Now a team led by researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has developed a flexible electronic sensor that can measure blood flow on top of the skin or
can possibly be implanted onto the tissues themselves, according to a study published today in Science Advances.
The devices are made from a thin array of metallic wires that are oriented around a central sensor
They are coated in a thin layer of silicone, so they are flexible and can stick to the skin like temporary tattoos.
For now, the devices need to be attached to a computer using a thin cable, but could someday connect wirelessly via Bluetooth,
as do other flexible electronics from the same lab. Those devices, which have been tested in the lab,
are also capable of measuring blood flow, however this new device could be the most promising one to one day make it to the clinical setting.
The researchers have not yet tested the sensors abilities when implanted below the skin as the devices would need to be totally wireless in order for that to make probable sense.
and monitor various medical conditions that may alter blood flow w
#Open-source Soil Sensors: Vinduino As California fourth straight year of drought forces farmers to cut back on water use,
even those who grow crops with relatively low water needs like wine grapes are feeling the pinch.
And while the Internet of things has brought a number of water-conscious smart irrigation products into the agricultural market,
one California vineyard-owner has taken a DIY approach to creating a sensor-driven water conservation system.
Vinduino is Reinier van der Lee open-source solution to the challenge of cutting back on water use by 25 percent a voluntary measure that, for Van der Lee Vineyard
amounts to savings of 42 million acre-feet per year, more than five times what an average residential household uses.
The project so far includes instructions for making your own soil moisture sensors (based on the gypsum mineral found in plaster of paris;
building a handheld Arduino-based device for taking sensor readings; and creating Arduino-based irrigation valves,
water pressure sensors and data loggers for controlling and monitoring the vineyard irrigation system. In prototype stage is networked a,
solar-powered sensor reading station that can report Vinduino sensor data via the Thingspeak platform.
Van der Lee future plans include designing a network hub for collecting readings from multiple sensor stations,
and creating software that will be able to read and interpret the data and feed it back to the irrigation valves closing the loop on fully automated watering.
Van der Lee says that one of his primary motivations for building Vinduino was to innovate on commercial soil monitoring systems that typically rely on readings from a single sensor.
Vinduino uses three sensors at different depths to get a better handle on the way water moves through the soil at each measurement point.
It also doesn hurt that Vinduino can be built cheaply, out of readily available components. s a small vineyard owner,
I needed something low cost and flexible, van der Lee explains at the project Github page. he open source Arduino platform,
together with low cost gypsum soil moisture sensors, provides all that
#Plug Your Toaster Into the Sun Sunport lets you use solar power at homeithout the panels.
Solar power has long been touted as a clean, green way to generate electricity. Typically, that means installing large, expensive solar panels,
which is not practical for those who cannot afford it or who don have the space.
But a new device called the Sunport lets you use solar energy, anywhere, and it only the size of a three-prong plug.
Here how it works: connect Sunport to any three-prong outlet. Then plug in the device or cord to the Sunport.
The colorful little widget monitors the amount of electricity that comes through it, then reports that use to your phone.
The accompanying app upgrades your usage to solar using Solar Renewable energy Credits (S-RECS). In effect,
it certifies that you have asked the energy grid to power your device with solar power. You see,
the energy grid consists of electricity from every available source: coal, hydro, nuclear, wind, what have you.
Of course, there no way to know exactly what generated your electricity, unless you ask specifically for solar with S-RECS. Sunport inventor Paul Droege stresses that this is a lifestyle choice, not a money-saver.
Although it lets you use solar energy, it won reduce your electric bill. But like organic foods or hybrid vehicles, it will help the environment. he more solar we use,
Droege says, he more demand we create, which encourages utility companies to invest in solar generation capacity.
Sunport Kickstarter campaign offers a single Sunport for a pledge of $49 ($39 for early birds
which also includes a year of unlimited solar upgrades. After the first year, Droege expects upgrades will cost $1-$2 per month
#The Long-Fought Battle Between TV and Phone for Outlet Space is No more Samsung has released a monitor with a charging station at the base where users can wirelessly charge their phones.
The wireless charging station won take away from the monitor ability to display content, or even change the lines of the design,
and is compatible with any phone that uses Qi wireless charging. This design solves two problems at once,
first tackling the issue location for charging a phone. The TV ROOM and work desk are two places where outlets tend to be at a premium.
Further those places are often the worst culprits for able tanglebecause of all the electronics already there.
Instead of dealing with either issue, users just set their phones at the base of the monitor
and confirm that the green harginglight has come on. Samsung TV isn the only, or even the first, entry in the evices that do their job and charge your phonecategory.
Here at PSFK we recently covered a lamp that wirelessly charges phones. It probably not the breakthrough technology of the year, like 3d printing in 2014 or wearables,
but expect to see more and better from the trend as the months go by. The SE370 comes in two sizes
23.6 inches and 27 inches. The monitor has multiple features catering to movie lovers and gamers.
For workers, there a blue screen option where it will lower the amount of blue light emitted from the screen to help protect a user lens.
The monitor will also prevent flicking to occur that would strain user eyes. The screen has a smooth tracking system for all the action of today movies and games.
This prevents motion blur and ghost images to linger on screen. A user will automatically make these changes to the screen when switching to a game or movie.
The monitor will also auto-detect these changes to improve visuals based on the activity of the user.
For further information and updates about where to get the charging monitor and how much you can expect to pay,
check in at the Samsung blog. Samsung s
#This Museum Offers Special Glasses to Colorblind Visitors The museum experience relies on visuals. You step into the space expecting to see something new to lose yourself in stunning compositions anderhaps most importantlyivid colors.
But not all museum visitors can perceive color the same way. Visitors to the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago can now pick up a pair of Enchroma glasses
and see artworks in their full color spectrum for the first time. By adjusting the separation within red and green coneshe colorblind condition occurs
when the sensing of light overlaps within these conesnchroma glasses allow wearers with red-green color blindness to see color again.
According to the National Eye Institute eight percent of males and 0. 5 percent of female with North European ancestry are red-green colorblind.
That means some of the population has trouble distinguishing between colors or seeing some colors in their full hue.
The process behind making the glasses hinges on erceptual psychophysicsor the tudy of how physical stimuli are transformed to perceptual phenomena using our senses,
as the Enchroma website explains. Though the glasses only create a simulation of sorts, wearers still experience a significant change in their perception of objects.
The MCA Chicago is the first museum to offer these glasses to visitors. Visitors can pick up a pair at the front of the museum
free of charge. The glasses were supplied by Valspar as part of the Color for All campaign, which focuses on bringing Enchroma glasses to those who struggle to see Color in a video,
users wear the glasses to look at art pieces but also everyday sights like paint strokes on the wall and drawings by kids.
At the museum, can experience more fully not only the visual nature of pieces but the emotional responses that these colors often spark in their viewers.
Among the many users of these glasses is Matthew Renton, the Director of Communications at the museum.
In an interview with Creator Project he suggests that Enchroma wearers spend some time looking at the Martin Creed Painting in the museum cafe.
the MCA Chicago is making a move that might inspire other museums to increase accessibility for visitors with color blindness h
#iphone Case Self-heals, Contends With Life Unexpected Close calls After dealing with the abuse from a 3000g bronze brush,
Innerexile's Hydra iphone 6 case healed in 30 secondscan this be true? Can this be real?
A self-repair iphone 6 case is in our midst and this could solve every iphone case problem you have.
Innerexile has developed Hydra, an instant self-repair case for the latest smartphone from Apple. Innerexile is a company that operates all the way from Taipei, Taiwan.
A company focused on designing and creating products to improve the mobile lifestyle, Innerexile offers
what seems to be a game changer for all iphone 6 users. With busy and hectic lifestyles, it is easy to neglect your phone well-being.
In a hurry, you just put your iphone in your pocket while commuting not realizing that it rubbing side by side your coins and keys.
Later, youl be disappointed to see your iphone decorated with irreversible scratches here and there. There nothing else left to do but to bear this sight every day.
Here comes the Hydra instant self-repair case, a case built to be durable and scratch-free.
Not only will this case serve as a protective barrier for your iphone, it also has Wolverine-like self-healing abilities
leaving you with a flawless and scratchless iphone case. Hydra can take handle a load of 10kg based on a resilience test.
The Hydra works best at 25°C when repairing itself. The case is available in transparent colors as to not hinder the iphone 6 natural aesthetics.
It is lightweight and easy-to-use. Does the Hydra really work? There have been a number of video reviews online already since the launch of the case.
You can watch this review from Toxic Inferno. An actual key and knife were used actually to punish the case,
but Hydra prevailed at the end h
#Record Digital Notes with an Old fashioned Pen Love writing by hand but hate transcribing the digital version?
The Orée Stylograph is an elegant ballpoint pen that pairs with a refillable notebook to record digital notes,
while an accelerometer detects its movements. The pen recorded contents can be transferred to a connected smartphone app using Bluetooth.
The app features various editing, archiving and exporting options. It can be sent directly via email
or sync with services like Google Drive or Evernote. The Stylograph has embedded an an memory
and battery that should last up to two days, and recharges using a micro USB cable.
The Stylograph comes with a leather covered notebook with specially patterned paper that will help record the digital notes.
The notebook holds 192 pages of refillable paper. Orée calls the Stylograph he first writing instrument suited for the digital age.
The pen meets the company design philosophy: legant, simple and lasting functionality crafted with the finest natural materials.
The Stylograph will be available for pre-order starting September. The Stylograph is a lovely concept paired with a beautiful design,
typing frantically on a smartphone. Now wee just waiting with bated breath for the beautiful pen that can not only capture a digital image,
but translate it to a functional, typed document. Anyone u
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