Science in the News-Technology

[Sabocat]

This seems like an appropriate story for the new Science and Environment Forum.

Apparently there has been a breakthrough at Duke University, where they have placed very fine wires on a monkey's brain and the monkey has controlled a robotic arm with only impulses from it's brain.

I would imagine that this would have huge implications for persons with Spinal Cord injuries and paralysis. Interesting stuff. Enjoy.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/...01116080512.htm



edit:just trying to change the time it was posted so it would be under mine...

[Rastafari]

Please post all bits of news related to the changing fields of technology here. Please read the medicine sticky for more information.

[ComradeRobertRiley]

North Korea latest

North Korea says its going to show off its nuclear deterrant.

Whats your opinion on this? its in this section because, its cool technology/science and the effect a nuclear bombe would have on the environment would be disasterous

[ComradeRobertRiley]

Microsoft fuck up

Microsoft FuckUp

[Rastafari]

Originally posted by Disgustapated@Oct 14 2003, 04:23 PM
This seems like an appropriate story for the new Science and Environment Forum.

Apparently there has been a breakthrough at Duke University, where they have placed very fine wires on a monkey's brain and the monkey has controlled a robotic arm with only impulses from it's brain.

I would imagine that this would have huge implications for persons with Spinal Cord injuries and paralysis. Interesting stuff. Enjoy.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/...01116080512.htm



edit:just trying to change the time it was posted so it would be under mine...

alright. I'm gonna delete the original so my post stays at the top

[ComradeRobertRiley]

Smart screens sample DNA

By Jo Twist
BBC News Online technology reporter


An intelligent liquid crystal displays which could bring mobile DNA fingerprinting a step closer has been developed by scientists.

Epson and Cambridge researchers have developed the technology
Joint research between Cambridge University scientists and Epson has yielded an intelligent, ultra-thin display device which combines clever circuitry and sensors.

The sophisticated device can take samples either through touch or in liquid form, then analyse and store the information.

The technology could be used on a range of wireless mobile devices, like handheld computers or even wrist watches.

Testing time

The scientists who have been researching liquid crystal display (LCD) technology say the wafer-thin sensing displays are about the size of a film negative.

The technology could be used in a range of testing and sampling applications.

The collection, retention and storage of DNA is an extremely imprecise art, with concerns of cross contamination or damage

Gareth Crossman, Liberty
"Thin Film Transistors (TFT) can be seen as an intelligent version of LCD technology," Professor Piero Migliorato at the University of Cambridge told BBC News Online.

"The TFT will have an intelligent chip inside programmed to do a set job, be it reading people's fingerprints or telling a person's blood type in the future."

The chip technology behind the display will be able not only to store but also to analyse information.

It means in the future, police equipped with mobile devices could take DNA fingerprinting samples from people when they are on the beat.

This could make it is a lot easier for samples to be recorded and stored, and raises the possibly of using wireless technology to compare database information with samples.

TFTs are often used to make screens for computers, and this development of it is a result of a long term collaborative research effort between Cambridge University and technology giants Epson.

The University's Epson lab was set up in 1998 to encourage cross-fertilisation of academic and professional research and development.

Changes

The technology could be seen as timely with legislation on the taking and storing of DNA samples and fingerprints under review in the Criminal Justice Bill.

Currently, police can only take DNA samples from people once they have been charged with an offence.


DNA fingerprinting is controversial
New rules could allow fingerprints and DNA samples to be taken from anyone they arrest, whether they are charged or not.

Gareth Crossman from civil rights campaign group Liberty said that whether the technology allows DNA to be collected on the move or in the police station, they remain worried about the practice.

"The concerns we have about DNA remain the same," he said.

"The collection, retention and storage of DNA is an extremely imprecise art, with concerns of cross contamination or damage."

Mr Crossman said the more samples that were taken and stored, the more problems that could create.

Last year, the Court of Appeal ruled police could keep DNA and fingerprints from people charged with a crime, even if they were never convicted.

In July, the Home Office announced the number of DNA profiles in the database had reached the two million mark.

Home Secretary David Blunkett said DNA and fingerprint databases had become "vital weapons" in law enforcement.

In the last three years, there had been a 50% increase in crimes solved using DNA samples, the government said.

It plans to expand the database by pumping funds of £182 million from April 2000 to 2004.

[redstar2000]

Here is an interesting source for late-breaking science news that doesn't necessarily make the mass media...

Eureka Alert



The RedStar2000 Papers
A site about communist ideas

[apathy maybe]

Has anyone heard about how the Greens in Germany are phasing out nuck power?
I think it's great!

[The Moderator]

http://www.thesandiegochannel.com/health/2...809/detail.html

Interesting case of woman losing all skin and being saved by a new type of artificial skin...

[The Moderator]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040109/D.../D7VVDUJ01.html

I hate when he does what I want him to...about manned mission to mars by the end of the decade...

[DaCuBaN]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3837585.stm

Toshiba develops tiny fuel cell

This is how you could be fuelling your MP3 player in 2005
A tiny prototype fuel cell the size of a thumb has been developed by Toshiba.
The Japanese electronics giant said the methanol fuel cell could power a gadgets such as a digital music player for 20 hours.

Fuel cells generate electrical power by catalysing substances such as hydrogen and methanol.

Toshiba hopes that by 2005, the fuel cells could be used in handheld electronic devices instead of lithium-ion batteries.

Size matters

Fuel cells have been touted as a green power source for the future as they produce electricity by converting hydrogen and oxygen into water.

Many companies are working on developing the technology that could replace conventional batteries.

The main obstacle has been making the cells small and inexpensive.

The prototype developed by Toshiba measures 22 millimetres by 45 millimetres (0.88 inches by 1.80 inches) and weighs 8.5 grams (0.29 ounces).

It works by mixing methanol with air and water to produce 100 milliwatts of electricity, which the company says is enough to power a MP3 player for about 20 hours on a single charge of methanol fuel.

Last year Toshiba unveiled a prototype fuel cell designed for future laptops, while rival NEC produced a notebook powered by a built-in fuel cell.

Toshiba expects its tiny fuel cell will go on sale in 2005

[DaCuBaN]

Excellent news!

French Government Chooses Mandrakesoft to Replace 1500 Windows NT servers

The French Ministry of Equipment has chosen Mandrakelinux Corporate Server to replace 1,500 Microsoft Windows NT servers in a national scale deployment. Recently, Civil Service Minister Renaud Dutreil was quoted in Reuters as saying "the competition is open" between open-source and Microsoft for the nearly one million government computers. Mandrakesoft is proud to supply the operating system for the Ministry of Equipment deployment, and to supply open-source alternatives to governments around the world.

Learn more about this significant news at:
http://www.mandrakesoft.com/company/press/...r/business/2490

[apathy maybe]

For those that don't know, MandrakeSoft is a French company. Their distro was based on RedHat, but is now not. It is also a very nice distro.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

I'm unpinning this as I think it's better for news items to be discussed in their own topic.