Health and Technology – William Gail Blog

January 27, 2010January 27, 2010

Green Technology: Hydrogen-Powered Mobile Phone

Mobile phones are considered now as vital to human life. It’s essentially becoming indispensable among other things.

And just recently, a group of French engineers and researchers broke out the news about a new power source for mobile phones they developed that’s probably no one has ever heard of.

The device is the hydrogen-powered developed by a semi-conductor technology company in France, ST Microelectronics in collaboration with Bic, makers of pens and razors.

Igor Bimbaud, CEO of ST Microelectronics said that the company started creating the technology in 2005 and it is now ready for release early this year.

The made this hydrogen fuel cell to be used as a backup power source for mobile phones, thus reducing dependence on an electricity supply to charge the phone. This product is designed to be a part of “hybrid” system.

In this hybrid system, cell phone first draws on the conventional battery for its power then it will tap into the fuel cell if needed. Each cartridge of this gadget gives the equivalent of three to five recharges of the traditional battery.

You can charge the phone by yourself, simply by filling the fuel cell with water from the faucet. No other additives needed.

Click here to read more about Hydrogen-Powered Phone, Hybrid system.

December 25, 2009December 25, 2009

Hottest Gadgets Exhibit at CES 2010

Wow, 2010 is about to usher and new gadgets, ‘hot from the grill’ are lining in the most awaited CES 2010 exhibit fair in the hope to get the most attention.

These new electronic stuffs promise more innovative, unique and easier applications. These stuffs feature more vivid, clear and more sophisticated look that everybody would not dare miss.

Electronic companies like Nokia, Sony, Apple, Microsoft, LG and other leading manufacturers of useful gadgets are already making press releases, web promotions and other strategic marketing activities to inform the world of their latest innovations for 2010.

Some of the hottest and highly anticipated electronic gadgets listed here were exhibited in CES 2010. Please follow the link to get more information on each item.

1) Camera phones and Smartphones: Nokia 6700, LG BL40 Chocolate, Android MID

2) Tablet PCs and Laptop: Apple iTablet, Microsoft Courier, Samsung OLED

3) Flexible & lightweight gadget: Nokia 888 Communicator, Gelfrog, Vaio Zoom Holographic Concept notebook

4) 3D TVs and Digital TV: Sony Bravia 3DTV, 65-inch Full HD 3D LCDs

5) Servers and Softwares: Microsoft Sharepoint Server 2010, Windows 7 Aero

Click here to read more about New Gadgets for 2010, CES 2010

December 16, 2009

Brain Overloads: A Daily Dose of 34Gb Shortens Attention Span, study says

man getting mentally stressed with information overload

The human brain is capable of processing as much as 34 gigabytes of information a day. That’s about 100,500 words a day, equivalent to 23 words per second, University of San Diego researchers estimate.

Brains are bombarded with so much information through email, the internet, TV, radios, cell phones and other media forms. According to Edward Hallowell, a New York psychiatrist and author specializing in attention deficit disorder,

“Never before in human history have our brains had to process as much information as they do today. They (people) are so busy processing information from all directions they are losing the tendency to think and to feel.”

Studies have found that our daily intake of information is enough to overload a laptop in week! Imagine, how our brain works. Furthermore, neuro-experts believe that this is revolutionizing the way neurons behave causing new nerve cells to be born.

Click here to read more about Brain Overload, Brains Super-Processing Power, and Effect of Brain Overload to Memory Retention

December 16, 2009December 16, 2009

The Ultrasound Technology, Then and Now

Ultrasound is a medical method of capturing static images of unborn babies inside mothers’ wombs. The ultrasound was first introduced in the mid-1960s but was not widely known until 1970s. Earlier ultrasound methods were not as efficient in producing quality images than the later ultrasound technologies.

There are three advances in the ultrasound technology. The 2D, 3D and the latest, 4D ultrasound. These three techniques use the same method of capturing images through sound waves except that later versions are more colorful, vivid, and of course you see a voluminous object in motion.

In a 2D ultrasound, a sonographer views different layers (planes) of the 20-week old baby, from the outer extremities to the internal organs.

While a 3D ultrasound, using the same machine, captures only the external extremities of the babies. 3D ultrasound are performed ideally on 24 to 34 weeks old babies because they have already gained brown fats. While a 4D ultrasound, shows moving images of unborn babies.

The three different ultrasound techniques

A comparative study was made assessing the significance of each the ultrasound techniques. And according to the researchers, “3D or 4D ultrasound provide a bonding experience for the mother and her unborn child which encourages mothers to improve their diets, exercise more frequently, and eliminate harmful behaviors such as smoking and drinking. For fathers and siblings, the chance to see the baby and create a pre-birth bond is instrumental in drawing the whole family closer during this time of change,” Expectant Mother’s Guide website reads.

Click here to read more about 2D, 3D or 4D Ultrasound Technologies

November 28, 2009November 28, 2009

Healthy and Independent Living: 10 Helpful Technologies for the Elderly

Healthy and independent living for the elderly

Getting older is an inevitable stage of our human existence. When you’re in that age, you can either stay at home or live in home cares where many health providers can attend to your needs. However, the second option wouldn’t be much better if you have these technologies to stay healthy, safe and independent in the comforts of your own home.

The increasing trends in monitoring and reminder systems are reaching for the senior members of our society. These technologies are being integrated in home care institutions, to assist health providers and residential homes as well, to support independent living.

There is an enormous list of technologies available on the web, but in this article I’ve listed down 10 helpful technologies for the elderly.

1) Carebots – robot caregivers

2) eNeighbor System – wireless sensor

3) Home Life Support Robots

4) WIFI Monitoring Wristband – for precise locator system

5) Living Room Systems – home network reminder system

6) Pet Robots – for robotic therapy

7) Autonomous Wheelchair – for the disabled seniors

8 Home Appliances with remote control systems

Telemedicine enables older patients to stay at home while being treated online

9) Laptop or Desktop – for web browsing and constant communication with loved ones

Grandma is using the internet to boost her memory

10) Telemedicine – for do-it-yourself guided online treatments

If you decide to live with your family beyond your golden age, you might as well prepare early because some of these are quite expensive.