The Brain Computer

Former graduate student Adam Fritz, 28, who severed his spinal cord in a motorcycle accident, is shown during a brain-computer interface experiment at UC Irvine's iMove Lab in Irvine, California, in this image released on September 23, 2015. REUTERS/University of California Irvine/Handout via Reuters

Adam Fritz trying to walk in the iMove Center at UC Irvine (Reuters)

The amount of progress scientists, engineers, and engineers have made in the medical field is remarkable. We can see innovations from treatment methods all the way to 3D printed body parts. On Wednesday a team of doctors reported that former graduate student at UC Irvine Adam Fritz, who had severed his spinal cord in a motor cycle accident, was the first patient to walk without the use of robotics. This was done with the use of “a brain-to-computer technology that can translate thoughts into leg movements.” This brain-to-computer systems works by “allowing the brain to bypass the injured spinal cord and instead send messages through a computer algorithm to electrodes placed around the patient’s knees to trigger controlled leg muscle movements.” I was in awe when reading the article because I didn’t think scientists were so close to implementing anything even remotely close to a brain-to-computer technology such as this. Although Dr. An Do, one of the study co-authors, states that the process may be able to help stroke and spinal injury victims regain some mobility some day, that day is a years from now because the results of the study need to be replicated and refined. The refining would be done by “miniaturizing the EEG component enough to be implanted inside the patient’s skull or brain, allowing for clearer reception of the neural messages and perhaps the delivery of pressure sensation from sensors in the foot back to the brain.”

In a way the procedure reminds me of the Internet of Things. Although it’s not entirely the same, some of the components are, especially the fact that sensors would be used to send sensations in the foot back to the brain. Even though a larger scale version is years away, I think Dr. Do’s study is worth it and will have amazing outcomes for the medical industry. What do you guys think of the brain-to-computer system?

Here’s the article: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/24/us-usa-health-paraplegic-idUSKCN0RO06620150924

The Internet of Things in Automotives

With the previous discussions we have had with the Internet of Things, I found a very relevant and interesting article to discuss. Reuters employee Hannibal Hanschke spoke with Bosch, a German automotive parts supplier, about what to expect to see from the company within the near future. Bosch will be moving into other sectors of the automotive industry like software. The company already has experience with a few types of sensors and is looking to utilize them more.

The article quotes Bosch representative Rolf Bulander by saying that onboard sensors allow for vehicles to detect a free parking spot while giving the position and size of each spot. The video we saw in class the other week at the introduction of the Internet of Things pretty much captured the idea of this concept. Having networked cars like the ones involved in the parking spot example allows for a variety of new features and services to client groups according to Bulander. He also states, “’The companies can monitor the distance driven and set up an early appointment with a garage if parts are suffering from wear and tear’” (Bulander qtd. in). I have mixed feelings about this statement for a few reasons. The first being that the sensors may not always be accurate. If that’s the case then you could just be replacing parts for no reason at all and wasting money. Another reason is that I’ve see how people don’t always replace what is suggested to them by mechanics because the cars pass the state inspections without it, which can save some money here and there. Lastly there is the issue of privacy just like with any other technology source. Because the car will be connected to so many sensors, there will be tons of personal data being shared among the devices. We have seen how simple it is for hackers to access not only the data from the sensors but the car’s on board computer system itself too.

I find the path that Bosch is taking to be very interesting nonetheless. Sure there are risks that I pointed out, but there are risks with everything. If the company can create a better way for something to done or create a new and innovative service that we haven’t seen before, why not see how it goes?

Here’s the link to the article: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/11/us-autoshow-frankfurt-bosch-idUSKCN0RB19420150911

Virtual Reality Shopping

Who would’ve thought that online shopping might actually be something more than its name implies? Apparently Trillenium founder and CEO Hrvoje Prpic thought just that. Trillenium is a company that creates virtual reality stores for different brands in order to establish a sense of real-life shopping for customers. Reuters employee Toby Melville states, “Shoppers can tour the virtual store by focusing their gaze on products, browse items from different angles and socialize with friends online, bringing to life an e-commerce industry currently dominated by search boxes and static pages” (Reuters). Being someone who absolutely hates shopping as I’m sure a lot of people would agree that that is like the opinion of most guys, I think that Prpic’s idea has a lot of potential. I’m not sure if other people share my idea that I’d much rather go to the store than purchase items online, but this idea could possibly be a mixture of both experiences. It could appeal to a much broader audience of people.

It’s not surprising that Prpic believes his technology will appeal to women more so than men because there is a clear generalization that women like to shop more than men, which I know is not always the case. Prpic states, “’Women like to discover. How women like to shop is that they want to see something, they want to spot something on the shelf nobody has seen before’” (Prpic qtd. in). Although his ideology doesn’t just apply to women, I think he hit the nail right on the head so to speak. If you are able to sit in your house while viewing a three dimensional version of the product in a store it’s pretty obvious that that’s better than the current two dimensional views we are stuck to look at now online, unless you want to travel to the store to see what it actually looks like.

Even though Trillenium is just in the beginning stages of their product development, with the interest it is generating already I definitely can tell that the company has a very bright future ahead of it. What do you guys think?

Here’s the link to the article: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/12/us-britain-retail-trillenium-idUSKCN0RB1I220150912

Alternative Bullet Technology

Guns and violence are clearly hot button topics in the United States right now. A gun accessory aimed toward a police/law enforcement audience is discussed in the following article that I came across. The accessory is designed for the very first bullet in the ammo cartridge of the gun in order to reduce the speed of the bullet and decrease the number of bystander casualties.

http://www.popsci.com/clown-gun-for-police-slows-down-single-bullet

Although something like this is good in theory, I don’t think the application of it will succeed. There are always going to be dangerous situations that police face. It’s just the nature of their job. If they are negatively impacted by this product that is supposed to help, how are they supposed to protect themselves? Granted every situation is different, but the risk is still present. It would take a little more time than the officers may have to load the gun, which is stated in the article. That hindrance could cost not only the life of the officer, but of others involved in each situation.

I think the alternative bullet is a good idea on paper, but lacks in practical application. If the technology is developed a little more it has the potential to save numerous lives. What do you guys think of this innovative accessory?

Technology in the Automotive Industry

As I was growing up I was constantly around cars, so I’ve always taken an interest in them. Obviously there’s a lot of technology that goes into cars to make them easier to use, more efficient, etc. The differences between Henry Ford’s Model T in 1908 and the automobiles we see today are absolutely incredible due to the technological advances that have surfaced along the way.

In a CNN article that I found the Consumer Reports review of one of the newest Tesla models is discussed. Tesla’s Model S P85D, which is completely electric, is rated by Consumer Reports based on multiple criteria. “Consumer Reports rates vehicles on a zero-to-100 scale, but Tesla’s high-performance, all-wheel-drive car scored 103” (CNN). Because scientists and engineers have made so many advances in the technology behind automobiles, Tesla’s electric car is able to put forth an almost perfect performance. Granted there are some features that do still need to be developed further. Factors such as the fuel efficiency aspect have increased though, which is one of the reasons why it can put out such a great performance. Even though the P85D is an all-electric car, it is able to achieve the equivalent of over eighty miles per gallon. Looking back at the Model T’s fuel efficiency of around eighteen miles per gallon, the difference is quite clear. The enormous strides in the technology industry can clearly be seen throughout the automobile industry as well.

http://money.cnn.com/2015/08/27/autos/consumer-reports-tesla-p85d/index.html