Tech Poster Project!

I chose to do my research and project on the Verigene Testing System developed by Nanosphere. This is the first hand-held and portable gene-testing device. I learned alot about this device and its implications. This new testing device is much faster than the machine it replaces. It takes a couple hours versus a couple days that the old tech took. My two main sources were:

Tech Review

http://www.technologyreview.com/

Popular Science

http://www.popularscience.com/

This device revolutionizes the interpersonal contact and communication between the patient and the doctor. The Verigene device can pin-point specific medications that will work, and won't work based on the information gained by the testing device. This is could be used over seas in the military to diagnose diseases picked up by soldiers. The information could be present and ready by the time they are put into a hospital.

Related Articles:

Legislatures attempting to get insurance companies to widely cover genetic-tests:

http://http://www.technologyreview.com/business/23997/?a=f

"Becoming One with the Computer"

In lab today we discussed the modern technologies, including incorporating machines and computers into the human body. We also discussed when the definiton of a human changes as these technologies are used. "Research still needs to be done but, it is also possible to cure memory problems and Alzheimer's disease," (Naam 2006). These types of technologies also have great potential, but could be used to control people if it falls into the wrong hands. I believe that as long as these technologies are used to help people with disabilities that they are perfectly fine. There has been a study at South Hampton University where they are further developing a computer that allows people to speak through their thoughts.

Link to South Hampton Article:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006102637.htm

Robots with Human-like touch

Researchers and developers from the University of Ghent in Belgium have created robots with a sensitive touch. These robots are extremely human-like and can perform almost any task a human could. This light touch especially comes into play when you have robot to human interaction. "as robots perform more tasks that put them in contact with human flesh, be it surgery or helping the blind, their touch sensitivity becomes increasingly important," (Fox, Popular Science). The key to this light touch is the sensitivity of the sensors. These sensors pick up the light amount of feedback which goes to the robots central computer. This feedback allows them to adjust contact.

These robots could have huge implications on many different industries. The largest function may be robots performing surgeries for humans. This is not tradition interpersonal interaction, but becomes human-robot interaction. This is a revolutionary concept.

Popular Science Article:

http://http//www.popsci.com/technology/article/2009-12/optical-sensors-give-robots-

New Tech To Collect Online Info

Experts are working toward developing a program that can collect pieces of information from all over the web and and notify you about them. This is very important for people that are trying to "stay in the loop" with the conversation surrounding their interests or occupation. This could be applied to many different types and could be very useful when trying to gather information on possible threats to security. It could even be used to see reviews on certain products or services.





Tech Review Article:


http://http//www.technologyreview.com/web/23968/?a=f

In a related article, people are also concerned with what people are searching, clicking, and viewing on the internet. A similar program would collect this information...

Search: What are people clicking?:

http://http//www.technologyreview.com/web/23756/

Picture of Click Search:

Lens Speeds Data Transfer

Researchers at Cornell University have created a silicon lense that amplifies the speed of data travel. This device is very energy efficient, and replaces bulky high energy equiptment originally used to speed up the transfer of energy. With power cosumption being a large issue, these lenses are very important because they save alot of power. Using large amounts of power to accomplish lesser speeds can cause heat and overload. ""You can't have your laptop run faster without it getting hotter" and consuming more energy, says Bergman. Electronics have an upper limit of about 100 gigahertz," (Bourzac of Tech Review). These optical cables can transfer massive ammounts of imformation without overheating. These lenses can change data transfer and electronic communication forever.




Time Lense Article:
http://http//www.technologyreview.com/communications/23535/?a=f

Twitter

Today in class I created my first Twitter account. Shortly after registering we learned how to follow other people and read their Twitter page. This is a quick and easy way of communicating with other people without actually contacting them to see what they are doing. Also anyone can view these pages, therefore anyone could see what a celebrity or proffessional athlete is doing at any given point. I'm not sure how much I will use this technology outside of class, because I use facebook almost everyday and it can serve the same purpose. Twitter is a quickly rising technology, that many people are using for everyday communication.

http://www.twitter.com is very easy to use and is completely changing the communication and social networking scene.

Here is a video that shows you how to use twitter:

How To Use Twitter on Howcast

Wikkis

As our Midterm exam approaches in COM 435 I get online to check my wikki and am suprised how useful it is as a study guide. Before this class I had only heard of the idea of wikkis, now I am starting to understand some of the uses. Wikkis are extremely powerful and important modern communication tools. The most powerful aspect of the wikki is being able to widely broadcast large ammounts of information, pictures, videos, and other mediums to whoever you want. Another aspect is that you do not have to store any of the information on your computer. Once you put information on the internet it is there to stay, and to be viewed, unless you or someone else deletes, corrects, or updates the post. As the semester goes on I find myself going from an internet technology skeptic to one who is using these tools to my advantage.