The power of Sniff

A new device lets the disabled move and communicate with their noses.

When I read this, I was like, Wow! What all Technology can do!

Researchers have invented a device that allows the paralyzed to write, surf the web and steer an electric wheel chair - all by sniffing. 

The sniff controller, which was developed by Anton Plotkin and his colleagues are at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, uses a small plastic tube that fits into nose. It measures pressure, translating variations in intensity and frequency of sniffing in and out into commands for a compute or wheel chair.

It has been tested for 15 challenged patients and 14 were successful in using the technology.

Hope they will be more successful in having this on a larger scale. And many such technologies are welcome in the current scenario of treating the less fortunate people. It is a moving experience to see what they can do using these mind blowing inventions. 

Source: Scientific American, Oct 2010 Issue. 

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-power-of-sniff

Arctic Art

Art to monitor Climate Change!?

heART warming it is to hear!

Dutch Artist A P Verheggen has made two swirling metal sculptures representing a dog sledge. They are installed on an iceberg in western Greenland.

The purpose is to highlight how the ice sheets, thinned by global warming, are a threat to innuits. People will be able to monitor the melting of the iceberg as the sculptures drift away!

Please read the detailed Reuters article here: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62I4GS20100320

Source: Reuters, Dow-to-Earth (July 1-15)

Mountain men!

I am not talking about people living in mountains. Read the following to say wOw!

One man, 22 years, a road!

Yes! Dasrath Manjhi kept chipping away at the hill surrounding Atri village in Bihar for 22 years and cleaved a 100 metre road across the hill in 1982. The road, now named 'Dasrath Ghati', connects the block with the district headquarters.

In 2004,the Bihar government recognized Manjhi’s work and conferred on him the title of Parbat Purush (Mountain Man).

One man, 14 years, a chisel, a hammer, a tunnel!

Inspired by Manjhi, there evolved another mountain man! Ramachandra Das. Das, 53, worked on cutting a hill for 14 years to build a tunnel all by himself. Das’s only companions were a hammer and a chisel. The 10m long and 4m wide tunnel he completed in 2005 is the only connection between his village Kewati in Gaya district of Bihar with the world beyond the hills.

They say about 70 small roads and bridges across Bihar are built by individuals and communities.

More details on Dasrath Manjhi here. More details on Ramachandra Das here.

Source: Wikipedia, Guardian.co.uk  

Solar powered ATM saves money

Mumbai based solar power teller machine saves Rs 20,000 a year.

For the first time, Indusind bank has installed the solar powered ATM at Lamington Road, Mumbai. It has become a new landmark near the colonial era Opera House.

Managing Director of the bank says atleast 100 out of the 500 ATMs, managed by the bank, will switch to Solar power by the end of 2010.

Here are some highlights:

1. Solar power generated in one day is around 6 watts per hour.
2. Solar power generated in a year is around 2010 units. (335 sunlit days)
3. Annual savings from using solar power 8 hours a day is around 20,100 Rs.
4. 1.942 tonnes of carbon emissions are saved in a year.
5. One KW power from fossil fuel releases about 960 gm CO2.
6. Solar powered ATMs are expensive (7 lakhs compared to 5 lakhs). But the extra cost is recovered in 4.5 years by the way of saving the electricity bill.

Read more about it here.

Wonderful to read such news! What a way to go green! Kudos!

Source: Down to Earth magazine, Jan 16-31, 2010 and Globalsolartechnology.com 

India's Hospital Train

I happened to watch this documentary on the National Geographic Channel. In this time and age of improper medical facilities for the rural poor, India's Hospital Train is a blessing for the interior parts of the country.

I am unable to find the NGC link to this. But here's a BBC link http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00jf4jq

This facility, also called the Lifeline Express, is run by an organisation called Impact India in collaboration with the Indian Railways. The train stops for a period of four weeks at a place and treats patients for polio, eye-related problems, ENT and so on. It works on the concept that if you cannot reach a hospital, the hospital will come to you. Surgeries are performed on this stationary train as well, all free of cost.

More information on their Wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifeline_Express

Google’s new sibling!

Google has a sibling in China called ‘Goojje’!

I was not aware of this until this morning. But it made me say wOw!

Now that Google has embroiled in a censorship row with China, it has threatened to leave the country. But now it seems that Google does have a loving sister in China. As soon as it threatened to leave the country, a site popped up – Goojje.

‘jje’ stands for sister in official Chinese language.  Google’s last syllables sound like ‘ge ge’ or brother in Chinese. The mysterious figure behind Goojje (a female college student) writes in the site’s manifesto: “I made Goojje because brother Google was leaving”. The site contains pleas for Google to not to leave China.

The manifesto also notes: “Goojje was born for peace, this internet world has become harmonious because of Goojje’s appearance, and with Goojje the brother won’t be lonely”.

Source: Down to Earth magazine, February 16-28, 2010