A groundbreaking electronic device will allow blind people to "see" using their tongues, scientists have claimed. The extraordinary technology takes pictures filmed by a tiny camera and turns the information into electrical pulses which can be felt on the tongue.
Tests show that the nerves send messages to the brain which turn these tingles back into pictures.
People using the device which resembles a pair of sunglasses attached by a cable to a plastic lollipop, say that with fewer than 20 hours training they can make out shapes and even read signs. Scientists say learning to picture images felt on the tounge is similar to learning to ride a bioke. It collects visual data through a small digital video camera about 2.5cm in diameter that sits in the middle of a pair of sunglasses worn by the user. This information is transmitted to a hand-held control unit, which is about the size of a mobile phone. The unit converts the digital signal into electrical pulses and sends this to the tongue via the lollipop that sits on the tougue.
The lollipop contains a grid of 600 electrodes, which pulsate according to how much light is in that area of the picture. The control unit allows users to zoom in and out and control light settings and electric shock intensity. It enables blind people to gain perception to their surroundings, displayed on their tongue , improving people's mobility and safety. William Seiple, research director at Lighthouse International, which has been testing it, said, "At first, I was amazed at what the device could do. One guy started to cry when he saw his first letter."
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Articles I read these days
I am going to write about interesting topic I read in Mx Newspaper these few days!
Organs from executions
More than 65 per cent of all transplanted organs in China come from executed prisioners, state media reported. It was a rare acknowledgement of the role played by prisoners. The Red Cross launched a national organ donation system, which aims to end illegal trafficking of organs the sees patient with money skip ahead of those in the most need . China executes more prisoners than any other country, according to Amnesty International, but the number put to death is considered a state secret by the government in Beijing.
My comment: If there's chance, parts of organs in our body is from a deceased !
Melons to fuel motors
Forget chip fat, sugarcane or rapeseed oil - the lastest source of biofuel could be watermelons.
Scientists have discovered that the fruit is a great source of sugar that can be readily distilled into alcohol to power cars and farm machinery. And because retailers reject 325, 000 tonnes of substandard fruit annually in America alone they could be used as an economical way to make fuel. The waste from US growers could produce nearly nine million litres of biofuel a year.
Researches at the US Department of Agriculture set out to determine the biofuel potential if juice of juice from culled watermelons - which make up about a fifth of each annual crop that are not sold because of imperfections, and currently ploughed back into the fuel.
Dr Wayne Fish, who led the team, found that 50 per cent of the fruit was fermentable into ethanol that could provide fuel.
"We've shown that the juice of these melons is a source of readily fermentable sugars, representing a heretofore untapped feedstock for ethanol biofuel production," he said. The study, published in the journel 'Biotechnology for Biofuels, discovered that watermelons could produce about 225 litres of fuel a hectare from fruit. Meanwhile, Australian researches have discovered that a chemical released by a mown lawn makes people feel happy and relaxed, and could prevent mental decline in old age."
My comment: "Go Watermelon! Shoo Fossil Fuel! Grow more Watermelon!"
Surf on the way to work
Australia's first commuter bus that allows passengers to suft the internet has been launched in Adelaide. The i-Commute bus, which will be trialled over the next six months, also offers free gaming programs via bluetooth-enabled mobile phones, real-time transport information and news provided on two LCD screens. Passengers can check the screens to find out the distance and time for upcoming stops and receive information about what they'll find when they get there. The i-Commute system costs about $10,000 to install per bus and could be paid with ads on the LCD screens.
My comment: That's cool! I hope got one in Melbourne! Can kill my 30minutes journey on transport! Wooot* !
Butter try this idea
A bridge in China has been smeared with butter to stop people jumping off it.
The 305m-long steel bridge in GuangZhou, southeast China, has become a well-known spot for suicide attempts, causing traffic jams as drivers stop. Guards, fences and notices failed, so the state's government ordered butter spread on all the climable surfaces. Government spokesman Shiu Liang said: "None if it worked - so now we have put butter over the bridge and it has worked very well."
My comment: 'Well-known spot for suicide attempts' ?? Lol~ ah, next time no need buy butter to spread on bread, share it at the bridge with butter everywhere! (It seems unhygienic... 但能省就省, 不是吗??)
Leaf it to technology
Planting forests of "fake trees" would reduce the impact of climate change, a new study says. Experts claim the devices would each be able to soak up 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere a day - thousands of times more than a real tree.
Britain's Instituition of Mechanical Engineers study into how technology could prevent climate change said the trees would be coated with synthetic materials that absorb CO2, which would then be removed and stored underground in depleted oil and natural gas reservoirs.
The study also calls for pots of algae that absorb CO2 to be used to line buildings.
My comment: Ah, the 'fake plant' we owned now is it absorbing CO2? XP
Swiss cows take flight
Dozens of alpine cows appear to be committing suicide by throwing themselves off a cliff near a small village in the Swiss Alps. In just 3 days, 28cows and bulls have plunged hundreds of metres to rocks below in the village of Lauterbrunnen. In each cases, mountain rescue services using a helicopter had to be called in to remove the carcasses to avoid local groundwater pollution. 'Most scientists generally believe that animals are incapable of committing suicide.'
My comment: In conclusion, even animals stressed out themselves like us! They are way too 想不开!
Organs from executions
More than 65 per cent of all transplanted organs in China come from executed prisioners, state media reported. It was a rare acknowledgement of the role played by prisoners. The Red Cross launched a national organ donation system, which aims to end illegal trafficking of organs the sees patient with money skip ahead of those in the most need . China executes more prisoners than any other country, according to Amnesty International, but the number put to death is considered a state secret by the government in Beijing.
My comment: If there's chance, parts of organs in our body is from a deceased !
Melons to fuel motors
Forget chip fat, sugarcane or rapeseed oil - the lastest source of biofuel could be watermelons.
Scientists have discovered that the fruit is a great source of sugar that can be readily distilled into alcohol to power cars and farm machinery. And because retailers reject 325, 000 tonnes of substandard fruit annually in America alone they could be used as an economical way to make fuel. The waste from US growers could produce nearly nine million litres of biofuel a year.
Researches at the US Department of Agriculture set out to determine the biofuel potential if juice of juice from culled watermelons - which make up about a fifth of each annual crop that are not sold because of imperfections, and currently ploughed back into the fuel.
Dr Wayne Fish, who led the team, found that 50 per cent of the fruit was fermentable into ethanol that could provide fuel.
"We've shown that the juice of these melons is a source of readily fermentable sugars, representing a heretofore untapped feedstock for ethanol biofuel production," he said. The study, published in the journel 'Biotechnology for Biofuels, discovered that watermelons could produce about 225 litres of fuel a hectare from fruit. Meanwhile, Australian researches have discovered that a chemical released by a mown lawn makes people feel happy and relaxed, and could prevent mental decline in old age."
My comment: "Go Watermelon! Shoo Fossil Fuel! Grow more Watermelon!"
Surf on the way to work
Australia's first commuter bus that allows passengers to suft the internet has been launched in Adelaide. The i-Commute bus, which will be trialled over the next six months, also offers free gaming programs via bluetooth-enabled mobile phones, real-time transport information and news provided on two LCD screens. Passengers can check the screens to find out the distance and time for upcoming stops and receive information about what they'll find when they get there. The i-Commute system costs about $10,000 to install per bus and could be paid with ads on the LCD screens.
My comment: That's cool! I hope got one in Melbourne! Can kill my 30minutes journey on transport! Wooot* !
Butter try this idea
A bridge in China has been smeared with butter to stop people jumping off it.
The 305m-long steel bridge in GuangZhou, southeast China, has become a well-known spot for suicide attempts, causing traffic jams as drivers stop. Guards, fences and notices failed, so the state's government ordered butter spread on all the climable surfaces. Government spokesman Shiu Liang said: "None if it worked - so now we have put butter over the bridge and it has worked very well."
My comment: 'Well-known spot for suicide attempts' ?? Lol~ ah, next time no need buy butter to spread on bread, share it at the bridge with butter everywhere! (It seems unhygienic... 但能省就省, 不是吗??)
Leaf it to technology
Planting forests of "fake trees" would reduce the impact of climate change, a new study says. Experts claim the devices would each be able to soak up 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere a day - thousands of times more than a real tree.
Britain's Instituition of Mechanical Engineers study into how technology could prevent climate change said the trees would be coated with synthetic materials that absorb CO2, which would then be removed and stored underground in depleted oil and natural gas reservoirs.
The study also calls for pots of algae that absorb CO2 to be used to line buildings.
My comment: Ah, the 'fake plant' we owned now is it absorbing CO2? XP
Swiss cows take flight
Dozens of alpine cows appear to be committing suicide by throwing themselves off a cliff near a small village in the Swiss Alps. In just 3 days, 28cows and bulls have plunged hundreds of metres to rocks below in the village of Lauterbrunnen. In each cases, mountain rescue services using a helicopter had to be called in to remove the carcasses to avoid local groundwater pollution. 'Most scientists generally believe that animals are incapable of committing suicide.'
My comment: In conclusion, even animals stressed out themselves like us! They are way too 想不开!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)