Digital Drum tops 2011's leading inventions

Digital Drum

The Digital Drum, a computer system that gives people access to information on health, education and other relevant issues, has been cited by Time magazine as one of the world's top 50 inventions for 2011.

The Digital Drum is a co-creation by the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. The solution is based on the CSIR's Digital Doorway, a standalone computer system to promote self-learning of computer literacy and information skills. The Digital Doorway initiative is funded by the Department of Science and Technology.

The Unicef/CSIR team was tasked to come up with an alternative in Uganda, using local materials in a simplified housing. Khalid Arbab, Unicef's Uganda IT specialist, suggested that, since oil drums were readily available, they could be used as a basis for the new housing. Grant Cambridge, from the CSIR, worked with Jean-Marc Lefebure, from Unicef's Uganda office, to come up with a prototype Digital Drum, which was mounted on the wall.

Cambridge explains: “Manufacturing the Digital Doorway in Uganda was impossible, as the country lacks the suitable technology – powder-coating and laser-cutting equipment – to manufacture it to specifications.

“The Digital Drum design proved to be an innovative way for Unicef and the CSIR to address a need through a solution developed in the absence of technology.”

The Digital Drum has two workstations, with content adapted from the standard Digital Doorway suite.

The original prototype, as well as a subsequent iteration of the Digital Drum using a second oil drum as a stand, is on display at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, in New York City. It features in the museum catalogue, “Design with the Other 90%: Cities”.

Now, help for people in distress comes from skies

Jerusalem: Straight from any action-packed Hollywood film, people who are in distress in isolated places like islands or deep sea or any other part of the word, can simply relax, as they would soon get help from skies. Israeli scientists are developing miniature satellites that can identify people in distress and can guide the rescue and relief team to the destination at the shortest possible time.

Experts at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology aim to launch three small satellites weighing six kg each to orbit earth at an altitude of 600 km for one year.

Once in orbit, the satellites would pinpoint people showing signs of distress, Xinhua reported quoting the daily Ma'ariv. The orbiters will also help conduct surveillance of birds' migratory patterns across the globe, among other missions.

Project head Pini Gurfil received a $2.1-million grant from the European Research Council last June to develop Disaggregated Spacecraft Architectures (DSA), a method for launching satellites in separate components.

After reaching their designated altitude, these unattached components would cluster together and communicate wirelessly to form a complete satellite.

The researchers' ultimate goal is to develop technology that will enable flight in a DSA formation. "This is the first time ever that an attempt will be made to launch three satellites, which will fly together in a unified formation," Gurfil said, adding, "A launching of this kind has not been possible until now due to the size and weight of the satellites and other problems."

As part of the experiment, the satellites will be equipped with a specially-designed propulsion system that will assist in maintaining the flight formation for an extended period of time. Once in space, the satellites will attempt to receive signals from earth and calculate their origin.

The project will be officially inaugurated next week at the 7th annual Ilan Ramon Space Conference near Tel Aviv, which will be attended by representatives of international space agencies and leading space experts. Technion researchers have set 2015 as the deadline for a launch.

Gurfil said that if successful, the experiment would be significant to the development of miniature satellites and technologies that seek to miniaturize electronic components for civilian applications.

How birds avoid hitting trees

London: Birds don't have to bother about overcrowded roads, but they do stick to a speed limit to avoid hitting trees or other objects.

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) believe their findings could help the military fly unmanned drones as fast as possible without crashing.

They looked at birds such as the daredevil northern goshawk and developed mathematical models based on the way the animals travel through the air.

MIT professor and study author Emilio Frazzoli said: "If birds flew at speeds purely based on what they can immediately see, they wouldn't go very fast."

Instead, he explained, they roughly calculate the density of the environment they are flying through and set themselves a top speed based on the likelihood of finding a gap between the trees or buildings, the Daily Mail reports.

Above that top speed, he went on, they are "sure to crash". But if they stay below it, they could theoretically remain in flight forever.

Frazzoli, who is currently testing his theory on pigeons, added: "There is no magic number for the critical speed. In fact, the critical speed depends on some parameters describing tree density and size, and the bird's manoeuvrability and size.

"In other words, if the forest is too dense, the trees are too thick, the bird is too large or flying too fast, it will eventually collide with a tree," he added.

He said that mathematical calculations drawn from the way birds fly could eventually be used by scientists to increase the speed unmanned drones can safely fly at.

A robot which moves on a ball

New Delhi: Rezero, a robot that moves on a ball, was unveiled here Wednesday. Crafted by a team of Swiss engineers and designers, the ballbot follows people around and can carry heavy loads with a grace of an ice-skater.

Ballbots are robots designed to move on a single sphere instead of wheels. This allows for omnidirectional, organic motion, exceptional agility and manoeuverability unlike other robots which usually have a linear motion.

Members of the team and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich (ETH, Zurich) students, Thomas Kammermann and Jerome Kaser, talked to reporters about Rezero at the Swiss embassy here.

“While designing Rezero, the main focus was on refining the technology. Developing the applications comes later,” Kammermann told IANS.

“Rezero moves on a hollow, specially coated aluminium ball and 3 omni-wheels powered by space-grade motors for powering the locomotion. The bot uses microprocessor-based systems to communicate with the operator and a laser-based radar system to lock onto someone (or something) to follow,” said Kammerman.

Rezero’s very small footprint and dynamic stability made it particularly suited for applications in narrow, crowded and dynamic environments.

“This design is very suitable for applications such as carrying medical equipment or surveillance in crowded areas and since this is a dynamically stable system, its stability gets better as the centre of gravity gets higher. This means, the Rezero gets more stable as more load is piled on it,” Kammerman said.

According to Kaser, the focus of design was agility and stability.

“Currently, Rezero can move at a top speed of 3.5 metres per second and has been tested to bear loads up to 20 kilos so far,” said Kaser.

Ballbot is not a new concept but Rezero has been making news in robotics circles for its next generation performance. The next stop for the 13-member team is Kanpur where they will exhibit Rezero in Techkriti, the tech-fest of IIT Kanpur.

Grasshopper like robot created for space exploration

London:  The first robot that can jump like a grasshopper and roll like a ball could play a key role in space exploration.

The 'Jollbot', created by Rhodri Armour, PhD student from University of Bath, can jump over obstacles and roll over smoother terrain, could be used for space exploration or land survey work.

One of the major challenges that face robots designed for space exploration is being able to move over rough terrain. Robots with legs are generally very complex, expensive to build and control, and encounter problems if they fall over.

Wheels are a simpler solution to this, but are limited by the size of obstacles they can overcome, said a Bath release.

Accordingly, Rhodri and colleagues at the University's Centre for Biomimetic and Natural Technologies have been looking to nature for inspiration - designing a robot that jumps obstacles in its path like an insect.

The 'Jollbot' is shaped like a spherical cage which can roll in any direction, giving it the manoeuvrability of wheels without the problem of overturning or getting stuck in potholes.

The robot is also flexible and small, weighing less than a kg, meaning it's not damaged when landing after jumping and is therefore less expensive than conventional exploration robots.

Armour explained: "Others in the past have made robots that jump and robots that roll; but we've made the first robot that can do both.

"We've made a robot that jumps in a similar way to the grasshopper, but uses electrical motors to slowly store the energy needed to leap in its springy skeleton.

Armour, who has just submitted his PhD thesis, took measurements using a high speed camera to analyse how the robot jumped and to predict how it might behave in a low-gravity environment, such as in space.

Source: http://newshopper.sulekha.com/grasshopper-like-robot-created-for-space-exploration_news_1004830.htm

Tablet computers cause postural problems

LONDON: The use of tablet computers such as the Apple iPad cause postural problems, which can be improved by placing them higher to avoid low gaze angles.

"Compared to typical desktop computing scenarios, the use of media tablet computers may be more of a concern for the development of neck and shoulder discomfort," said lead investigator Jack T Dennerlein, from Harvard School of Public Health, and Brigham and Women's Hospital.

A group of experienced tablet users completed a set of simulated tasks with two media tablets, an Apple iPad2 and a Motorola Xoom. Each tablet had a proprietary case that could be adjusted to prop up or tilt the tablet computer, reports the 'Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment, and Rehabilitation'.

During the experiment, users completed simple computer tasks such as Internet browsing and reading, game playing, email reading and responding, and movie watching.

Head and neck postures and gaze angle and distance were measured using an infrared three-dimensional motion analysis system, according to Harvard statement.
The findings suggest that tablet users should place the tablet higher, on a table rather than the lap, to avoid low gaze angles, and use a case that provides steeper viewing angles.

"Our results will be useful for updating ergonomic computing standards and guidelines for tablet computers," said Dennerlein.

Rajni's Ishtyle! Now his website runs without internet

Netted fact: Idhu Eppidi Iruku?

Website runs without internet connection? Is it possible? For Rajnikanth, anything is possible, and an ardent fan of the southern megastar has proved just that.

Sound like another Rajinikanth joke, but a new website dedicated to the superstar runs 'without an internet connection'!

Visitors to www.allaboutrajni.com are greeted with a warning that "He is no ordinary man, this is no ordinary website. It runs on Rajini Power" and are advised to switch off their internet connection to enter the website.

Only when the web is disconnected, one is allowed to explore the site. Is it not amazing?

Netizens can trace the story of the legend from the beginning, read inside scoops from his films and get a glimpse of behind-the-scenes action, while browsing through famous Rajini jokes about impossible feats only he can achieve.

"The unbelievable spectacle of running a website without the internet is a tribute to Rajinikant's larger than life image," claimed Webchutney's creative director Gurbaksh Singh, who developed the site for Desimartini.com.

With a heady mix of foot-tapping music, vibrant splash of colours, quirky quotes and illustrations, and icons in true Rajni style and lingo, the unique website reflects Rajini's signature style.

Singh told PTI that the website is based on a complex algorithm running in the back-end that keeps an eye on the propagation of data packets between two terminals.

Magic kicks in soon as the internet speed is down to zero, which is the basic premise on which the site and the concept has been constructed.

The humour element on the website is accentuated by the error message in typical Rajini style that appears if a visitor attempts to re-connect the internet.

"Aiyyo! That was unexpected. To keep browsing, switch off your internet," reads the message.

"The website has received a phenomenal response and has gone viral with several thousand hits and counting, along with innumerable shares and mentions across the web, especially on popular social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter," Singh said.

"After a few iterations and testing, we cracked the code required to build the world's first website that runs without the internet - a website that runs offline - which is as awesome and unbelievable as miracles and stunts associated or performed by Rajni himself," he said.

Source: PTI

Brain quickly adjusts for broken arm

London: An injured arm causes the brain to enlarge in areas that compensate the injured side and decreases the areas that are not being used owing to the cast or sling.


"These results are especially interesting for rehabilitation therapy for people who've had strokes or other issues," said study author Nicolas Langer from the University of Zurich in Switzerland.


"One type of therapy restrains the unaffected, or "good", arm to strengthen the affected arm and help the brain learn new pathways. This study shows that there are both positive and negative effects of this type of treatment."


For the study, researchers examined a group of right-handed people with an injury of the upper right arm that required a sling for at least 14 days. The entire right arm and hand were restricted to little or no movement during the study period, the journal Neurology reports.


As a result, participants used their non-dominant left hand for daily activities such as washing, using a toothbrush, eating or writing. None of the people in the study had a brain injury, psychiatric disease or nerve injury, according to a Zurich statement.


The group underwent two MRI brain scans, the first within two days of the injury and the second within 16 days of wearing the cast or sling. The scans measured the amount of gray and white matter in the brain.


Participants' motor skills, including arm-hand movements and wrist-finger speed, were also tested. The study found that the amount of gray and white matter in the left side of the brain decreased up to 10 percent, while the amount of gray and white matter in the right side of the brain increased in size.


"We also saw improved motor skills in the left, non-injured hand, which directly related to an increase in thickness in the right side of the brain," said Langer. "These structural changes in the brain are associated with skill transfer from the right hand to the left hand."

Rare moon rock found on earth

Sydney: Scientists have stumbled upon tranquillityite, a mineral considered unique to the moon, in the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia.


Researchers at The University of Western Australia's Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis (CMCA) identified the mineral.


The Pilbara rocks in which tranquillityite occurs were once thought to have been about 820 million years old but new dating by Birger Rasmussen, professor and colleagues at Curtin University has shown that they are about 1,040 million years old, the journal Geology reports.


Tranquillityite, named after the Sea of Tranquillity, where the Apollo 11 moon-walkers landed in July 1969, was tentatively identified by Birger Rasmussen, professor from Curtin University, while studying a polished slice of earthly rock in a scanning electron microscope, according to a Western Australia statement.


When lunar rocks were first analysed in the 1970s after having been brought to earth by US astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin and Michael Collins, scientists identified three minerals - armalcolite (after Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins), pyroxferroite and tranquillityite - that they believed were unique to the Moon.


Armalcolite and pyroxferroite were later found on Earth, but then CMCA's Janet Muhling and Alexandra Suvorova and colleagues from Curtin University, showed that tranquillityite also occured on earth.


To confirm the identity of the Pilbara mineral, Muhling analysed its composition by collecting X-rays emitted when the sample was targeted by an electron beam in the electron microscope.


This showed that the terrestrial mineral was made up of the same elements as lunar tranquillityite. Electron diffraction showed that the two minerals have the same crystal structure, reports IANS.


Previously, tranquillityite was thought to exist only in returned moon samples and lunar - and possibly Martian - meteorites. The researchers believe tranquilliltyite is the final 'lunar' mineral to be found on earth because it is rare, small and prone to change.


The so-called sea (Pilbara region) is actually a giant impact crater that appears dark because it is filled with dark basaltic rocks. It was first named by Italian astronomer Giambattista Riccioli in 1651.

Watch out, headphone may cost your life

London: Researchers have found a dramatic rise in injuries to people using headphones while walking on the streets and have warned of serious accidents involving pedestrians using electronic devices, such as iPods and mobile phones.


There is rising concern about the near trance-like state people can apparently enter while using mobile phones, MP3 players or electronic personal organisers, the Daily Mail reported.


Psychologists view it as "divided attention" or "in-attentional blindness".


The research, published in the Injury Prevention journal, analysed US data taken from US National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Google news archives and a university research database between 2004 to last year on injuries to pedestrians using headphones.


Cases involving mobile phones, including hands-free, or cyclists were excluded.


There were a total of 116 reports of death or injury, jumping from 16 in 2004-05 to 47 in 2010-11 during the study period. In a total of 81 of the 116 collisions, 70 percent led to person's death. In a quarter of the cases a warning such as a horn or siren was sounded before the crash.

NASA scientist shows how to slow global warming

Washington: Key steps on pollution control would slow down global warming by 0.5 degree Celsius, increase crop yields by 135 million tonnes and prevent thousands of premature deaths every year in India, Nepal and Bangladesh by 2050, reveals a study.


The 14 steps, highlighted by NASA scientist Drew Shindell, are the outcome of an analysis of 400 control measures by an international team, based on technologies evaluated by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Laxenburg, Austria.


"We've shown that implementing specific practical emissions reductions chosen to maximize climate benefits would also have important win-win benefits for human health and agriculture," said Shindell, scientist at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), New York City.


The steps, if implemented would curb the release of either black carbon or methane, pollutants that exacerbate climate change and damage human or plant health either directly or by leading to ozone formation, the journal Science reported.


India, Bangladesh and Nepal would see the biggest reductions in premature deaths. The study estimates that globally between 700,000 and 4.7 million premature deaths could be prevented each year.


Countries in Asia and the Middle East would see the biggest health and agricultural gains from emissions reductions, said a university statement.


Shindell and his team concluded that these control measures would provide the greatest protection against global warming to Russia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan -- countries with large areas of snow or ice cover.


Iran, Pakistan and Jordan would experience improvement in agricultural production, and the southern Asia and the Sahel region of Africa would see beneficial changes to precipitation patterns.


The scientists used computer models developed at GISS and the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology in Hamburg, Germany, to model the impact of emissions reductions.

Scientists establish fat as sixth human taste

London: Scientists have stumbled on the sixth basic taste that our tongues can detect -- fat -- after sweet, sour, salty, bitter and savoury.

A team in the US has located a chemical receptor in the tongue's taste buds that recognises fat molecules, whose sensitivity varies between individuals.


The finding may help to explain why some people consume more fatty foods, as they are less aware of the taste as they eat.

The study found that those with half as much CD36 were eight times less sensitive to the presence of fat.

Researchers hope their discovery can be exploited to combat obesity by increasing people's sensitivity to fat in their food. Apart from the basic tastes, other aspects of food flavour actually come from the smell and are detected in the nose.

The research team, from the school of medicine at Washington University, St Louis, showed that people with more of CD36 were better at detecting the presence of fat in food.

They found that variations in a gene that produces CD36 makes people more or less sensitive to the presence of fat.

"The ultimate goal is to understand how our perception of fat in food might influence what foods we eat and the qualities of fat that we consume," said Nada Abumrad, professor at Washington, who led the research.

Up to 20 percent of people are believed to have a variant of the CD36 gene that is tied with producing lower levels of the receptor, which could mean they are less sensitive to the presence of fat in food. This may make them more prone to obesity.