You must’ve met several old people having memory problems, or should’ve seen those Hollywood movies where accident victims have issues in remembering anything at all. Imagine a world, where all this would become laughable and you’ll be and to remember just about anything with the click of an event or even only with the help of a gesture!
Scientists are constantly sweating it in the labs to make it ask possible for you. People who are the victims of Alzheimer’s stroke, or disrupted neuronal networks, often have problems in forming long-term memories.
Theodore Berger, a biomedical engineer and neuroscientist at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, is one scientist who’s giving it all to achieve his long lived dream of having his piece of technology mimic the memory formation and retrieval process inside the brain.
Although Berger and his research partners have not yet conducted any human tests of their neural prostheses, but with their experiments, they were successful in processing information by electrodes, when tested with rats and monkeys.
Apart from Berger’s experiments and research, scientists have also tried processing information, similar to a prefrontal cortex. They placed electrodes in the monkey brains to capture the code formed in the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible to allow the animals to remember images. Upon drugging these monkeys with cocaine, the corresponding part was blocked away from the brain. The implanted electrodes were then able to do the job of the prefrontal cortex, successfully and efficiently.
Thus, with this level of research being conducted, the days are not too far away when all our memories
Before learning about what this technology can do for us, let us first know what Prenatal DNA sequencing is all about.
Prenatal DNA Sequencing is nothing but re-arranging the DNA in a fetus. The role of DNA is to carry forward the traits and biological information about the unborn child, from parents to the baby. Thus, Prenatal DNA sequencing refers to the required alterations in the DNA of the fetus, to modify the biological characteristics.
It can be a very helpful method to evade disease much before the child is born, and will also be a supporting pillar for those who opt for an abortion, instead of having a medically challenged child.
At the moment, a prenatal diagnosis requires the doctors to insert a needle inside the mother’s womb, to capture a fragment of the placental tissue. The operation has a reported failure of 1%, resulting in miscarriages.
Dennis Lo, Chinese University, Hong Kong, found out that there’s enough DNA floating inside the pregnant woman’s body that it is actually achievable to rebuild the entire genome, meanwhile making it possible to test the child (fetus) for any diseases, without those tedious, painful and risky procedures.
Thus, Prenatal DNA sequencing will not only save people from having a handicap-able or diseased life, but also will result in lesser cases of abortions.
As of now, the available technology is not fully capable to materialize this dream yet, but it’s definitely in the near future.
“The biggest advantage is that you are saving all those babies that would be lost” Dennis Lo.
The Apple Campus 2 project has been there in the talks since 2006, when Late Steve Jobs made the Cupertino City Council take a note of the buildings that Apple had acquired to materialize its dream of building another campus, just a mile away from the very first Apple Campus, in Cupertino. The campus was supposed to be built by 2015, but now it is expected to open not any time before 2016.
The story began when Texas-based real estate fir Hines Interests began a shopping spree, of properties in Cupertino, for Apple. The sellers, at the time, didn’t know about Apple being the real buyer. Apple’s name was hidden, due to the very fact that it’d, for sure, urge the sellers to sell their properties at an all-time higher rate!
Apple Campus 2 is going to be one of the best company-campuses in the world, in the coming time, if everything that the management claims is achieved. The proposed, 175 acres, campus will have 4-storeyed circular ‘spaceship’ architecture building to house about 13000 of its technocrats, a café with a seating capacity of 3000 people, an auditorium that will be able to house about 1000 people, and an area of 28000m2 will remain dedicated to an R&D structure. Apart from this, regular aspects of the campus will include an orchard, a fitness center, a renewable power plant, etc.
Although the cost of the project is estimated at a whopping $5billion, Apple Campus 2 in Cupertino is bound to attract thousands of Apple and non-Apple employees!
Remember the hit tele-series “Small Wonder”, the robot girl in it can be considered as an application of deep learning.
This is the smallest and the simplest definition of Deep Learning that can be made available to you. But, hey, what are we here for? Let’s dive into the actual crust of the topic.
Deep Learning can be easily inferred as a form of highly-evolved artificial intelligence. It is a cluster of various algorithms, employed in machine learning. For those of you, who have no clue about what machine learning is, do not worry, here’s an ill gist. Machine learning is a branch of artificial intelligence, with the help of which, we can create systems that can learn from the data they are exposed to.
So, Deep Learning inherits these algorithms from its sister branch, thus getting induced in the same family as of machine learning, but based on learning representations. The algorithms that are embedded in deep learning are based on distributed representations.
When you see organized, random (for you) data, you consider it to be arbitrary, but deep learning algorithms tend to assume that no configuration of the data is random.
It assumes that a seemingly unorganized system of data has several layers of organized data inside it, wherein each level is responsible for the one just above it. Thus, by establishing a relationship between all the levels, the deep learning approach makes it easy to have large quantities of data, managed.
Thus, in Layman’s words, it can be said that via deep learning, the working of neural networks can be extracted and employed to several other domains.
With such a growing demand of fuel, in the coming days, solar power seems to be the only solution to all of our energy needs.
At present, in many parts of the world, solar power is being harnessed via solar panels. Although the technology is not bad, but due to being static, meanwhile the position of the sun keeps on changing, the efficiency of these panels is quite low. 20% efficiency, while being a bit on the higher side in terms of pricing, is the only reason that keeps the consumers at bay.
For a developing nation like Africa, harnessing solar power for electricity is nothing less than a boon. To add to its advantage, the lower efficiency problem is also being addressed, successfully.
Harry Atwater is a pioneer in efficiently harnessing the solar power in this region. His lab has come up with a unique design, which can produce more than twice the solar power generated by other panels, available as of today.
The proposed device would use a design that efficiently splits sunlight, similar to the action of a prism, into six-eight component wavelengths. Depending upon the wavelength, the colour of the light will be determined, and each color would then be dispersed to a cell made of a semiconductor that can absorb it.
Atwater’s team has come up with 3 different designs, to utilize the abundant solar energy.
This device will surely be able to drag the prices of the solar panels down, as it’ll produce about 30-45% more energy, as compared to the present scenario. Hence, for Africa, this is a ripe chance to have its appetite for energy, fulfilled.
It seems that someone has pushed the “Eco-Friendly Mode” button, as 2014 Formula 1 Season comes to terms with the environment, by preferring efficiency over performance, this year.
The races this time will see differently configured cars, as the following technical changes have now been mandatorily introduced:
ü Replacing the 2.4-litre V8 engines, the cars will now sport a 1.6-litre V6 turbo engine, with a maximum 15,000rpm, meanwhile witnessing a decrement in the horsepower, from 750bhp to 600bhp, with additional power coming from Energy Recovery Systems.
ü The forward ratio of the gearbox has been increased from the current 7, to 8.
ü The current Kinetic-ERS (Energy Recovery Systems) will be replaced by ERS, yielding about 160bhp for 33 seconds/lap, instead of 80bhp for 6 seconds/lap by the former.
ü Employing an Electronic Rear Brake Control System is now allowed, so that the additional power, generated by the ERS is compensated efficiently.
ü The fuel war is about to begin, as the ‘Unlimited fuel per race’ cap has been replaced by a ‘100kgfuel per race’.
ü The minimum weight has also been amended from 642kgs to 690kgs now.
ü As per the released guidelines, a single tailpipe has been made compulsory, meanwhile ensuring the fact that it has been bent upwards, so that the driver is not able to harness the aerodynamic effects, to his/her advantage!
ü Car manufacturing firms will now have to perform various other trimming operations as the Nose Height has been reduced to 185mm, the width of the Front Wing cannot be more than 1650mm, and the main flap has to be shallower now.
918 Spyder Porsche’s new Hybrid Car Review by PING! Nigeria
The 918 Spyder is Porsche’s future. The technique of the hybrid athlete will feed into the next generation of the 911, Boxster and co.
Porsche presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2013 its flagship project, the 918 Spyder. Just a little over three years ago that the board a rubber stamp series production of the hybrid athlete. Now is the successor to the Carrera GT take-off. The 918 Spyder will carry the genetic material for the Porsche sports car of the future itself. His genes in turn come directly from motorsport: monologue and all supporting structures made of CFRP. Similarly, most parts of the body, such as the two removable roof panels that bring together less than six and a half kilograms.
The template for the main drive of the 918 Spyder, a V8 engine with 608 hp, comes from the Le Mans prototype RS Spyder. The engine is about as strong as the V10 Carrera GT (612 hp). However, with 4.6 litres of V8 is a good litre less than the V10 of its predecessor and has the much higher output per litre. The speed is critical: Only at 9150 rotations per minute the crankshaft reaches its rev limiter. The Carrera GT is already closing in 8400 tours.
The V8 is supported by two electric motors. The system performance estimates Porsche with 887 horsepower. An electric motor (156 hp) acts together with the eight-cylinder engine to the rear axle, the second (129 hp) performs his duties at the front.
The resulting four-wheel drive without a direct drive connection between the axles to promote traction and also allow safe cornering and extreme speeds – even for drivers without motor sports training, such as Porsche says. The hybrid drive especially flaunts the experience of the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid collected on the racetrack.
Top Pipes called the Porsche which opens up exhaust pipes, so has no other production vehicle.
Five different driving modes give the tone when engines trio. The default mode is called “E-Power”. Here ceased the V8 and only two electric motors are used for propulsion. In less than seven seconds, it goes like this, to 100 cases, a maximum of 150 km / h pure electric feasible. Between 16 and 32 km Porsche specifies the range in E mode. Thereafter, the liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery can be recharged in about four hours at the outlet.
The optional quick charger shortens the process to 25 minutes. In the other modes, “hybrid”, “sports hybrid” and “Race Hybrid” composed the electronic interaction of the three motors and the switching mode of the seven-speed PDK transmission of economically to fit Racetrack. The last ace up its sleeve is the mode of the 918 Spyder “Hot Lap”. Transmission, battery and motors are out here to their performance limits. The overall objective is the fastest possible lap time.
The rising centre console introduced in 2003, Porsche Carrera GT. Today, this cockpit layout is also in the 911 and Panamera again.
It also helps the new rear axle, the Porsche in the coming 911 Turbo sets in, which is also available at the IAA. At low speeds, the rear wheels to steer to three degrees with respect to the front direction. Porsche describes the effect as virtual wheelbase shortening. At high speeds, the rear wheels steer parallel to the front axle, which in turn correspond to a wheelbase extension.
Another special feature is the active aerodynamics. Adjustable louver to the vehicle body and in the flow channels beneath the vehicle and the adjustable rear wing are adapted to the five above-mentioned drive modes. Thus, either the minimized air resistance, or for a high contact pressure and the best possible cooling of the aggregates.
It is great technique fireworks that ignite with the Porsche 918 Spyder. No wonder, the new super sports car is so glorious technology support such as the Carrera GTS (904), the first 911 Turbo or the Porsche 959 inherits. The price for this milestone is exactly 768 026 EUR. Thus, the 918 Spyder is a real bargain. Finally, the only two real competitors cost P1 McLaren and Ferrari LaFerrari over a million euros. Such prices are not illusory, because both P1 (375 copies) and LaFerrari (399 copies) are sold out even before its launch.
