Research Poster

I know this is a couple days late but on Monday my research poster was due.

I chose to do an upcoming technology called the self-sanitizing keyboard by Vioguard.

It was a really interesting idea that I came across while I was looking up different ideas on what technology I wanted use and research.

This is vioguards first product which bathes the keyboard with germicidal ultraviolet light (UV-C).
UV-C is a well known disinfectant capable of inactivating harmful microorganisms within seconds.

How it works
Vioguard's product has the look and feel of a standard notebook keyboard and requires no software or special hardware to function. The Vioguard keyboard is stored in a mechanized enclosure (which doubles as a monitor stand) when not in use. It safely floods the keyboard and track pad with germicidal ultraviolet light. When a user sits down at the workstation and activates the infrared motion sensor with the wave of a hand, the keyboard automatically extends into working position. When the user is finished, the keyboard automatically retracts back inside the enclosure and activates the germicidal ultraviolet lights. LED indicators are used to let the user know when the keyboard has been sanitized and is ready for use. The sanitization cycle can be interrupted anytime to ensure the keyboard is available as needed

I found the experience of presenting our posters as well as twittering....kind of weird. I've never really experienced something like that before but I didn't enjoy it much because I felt as though people didn't really care about our ideas as much as they cared about just getting their tweets in and leaving.

However, I did enjoy the overall process of researching an emerging technology because I loved seeing the different ideas that are coming out soon such as the self-sanitizing keyboard and tinted contacts. I wonder what the world will be like in 50 years from now..

Look what I stumbled upon

http://www.uxsight.com/product/30171/usb-powered-fans-laptop-notebook-cooler-cooling-pad.html

At first, hearing the words “gas oven” and “cooler” together will strike you as odd. But in the case of the Gas Oven Laptop Cooler, it makes a little more sense. Laptop coolers are a dime a dozen so when a manufacturer of said products tries to do something different, it can either go very well, or…not so well. In this case, they mostly succeed. The GOLC is a relatively small yet powerful laptop cooler with two big fans in use to keep your lappy cool and happy. One other nifty feature that should please mobile warriors is the USB power — no wall socket in sight. Granted, if you completely without a wall socket, using this will cause your battery to drain faster. Then again, if your laptop is starting to melt, I can see where your decision making might be altered. Finally, a nice blue glow shines from within letting you know when you do and don’t have sweet sweet electricity flowing through the device itself. The light is slightly gimmicky but a cool feature none the less. Oh yeah, I almost forgot — it’s shaped like a gas stove *face palm*.

Seeing as how most laptop coolers are $40+, are you willing to walk out on a limb for $12.69 and save a few dollars in the process? I hear limb walking is all the rage these days…

USB Sofas!

http://www.cabracega.org/usb-sofa/langswitch_lang/en

Thinking of the craziest yet useful gadget wouldn’t normally involve a couch. But the minds behind the USB Sofa are some special breed of human. I mean, couches do nothing but sit, stationary, never moving unless one of us humans move them. Why not make all of that wasted space go to good use by cramming in some digital storage? Everything else is becoming a USB drive, why not a couch? The only difference is that the USB Couch is actually useful and clever. You see, the concept is simple, a bevy of USB cables from underneath the cushions of the couch allowing users — mere strangers — to share ideas, information, and pretty much whatever data they want. Now obviously anything personal or secret shouldn’t be stored on such a drive as anyone who sits down with a computer can snatch said data. But lets say you need to save something for a friend or college you know is dropping by later.

Some may highlight the fact that simply emailing the information is just as easy and a heck of a lot more secure. It’s all about the options people. You never know, the sharing that goes on between complete strangers via the USB Couch could be quite the ice breaker. One small thing we need to stress is the 14GB storage limit. If you were thinking of anonymously sharing that entire Beatles catalog you torrented with the rest of the world in defiance of stupid labels and big corps botching modern technology, well, sorry to say it won’t happen here.

So how long before I can get two of these for my living room…?

LED tattoos??

http://www.gizmag.com/implantable-electronics/13334/

Tattoos haven’t changed much over the decades. It’s still essentially the same basic concept: A needle moving in and our of your skin with some sort of ink or dye on the tip. Other forms of body modifications such as piercings and implanting metallic objects ahve added a twist to the whole process, but a “tattoo” is still the same. Rebels and body artists of tomorrow will find LED tattoos the next big craze.

The idea may seem crazy at first, but it’s really not that complex. Simple silicon transistors measuring roughly 1 millimeter long and 250 nanometers wide are placed closely together on a thin layer of dissolving silk. The silk dissolves in the body leaving the circuits behind. Irritation is non-existent as the circuits are so tiny that they are completely unnoticeable to the “wearer”.

It’s pretty cool if you ask me. A little less permanent than ink and highly geeky. Those worried about the procedure should know that silk has been used for years in the medical field for various uses because of it’s ability to be broken down by the body with no harmful byproducts of effects. If it’s good enough to conform to the ultra strict rules in medicine then it’s good enough for the rest of us.

So what will you rock in LED fashion under your skin? The Mario Mushroom? Circuit board outline? Logo of your favorite tech company? Skies the limit…

The Pirate Bay!

http://torrentfreak.com/the-pirate-bay-tracker-shuts-down-for-good-091117/

Today(November 17th) marks the end of an era, as The Pirate Bay team announces that the world’s largest BitTorrent tracker is shutting down for good. Although the site will remain operational for now, millions of BitTorrent users will lose the use of its tracker and will instead have to rely on DHT and alternative trackers to continue downloading.

I usually try to start off each morning with something happy or exciting, but this is neither of those. The Pirate Bay team has announced that starting today, torrent users will no longer be able to use TPB trackers for downloads and will have to rely on other trackers instead. Whether you were for or against PB, you have to admit that in a relatively short time span (since 2003) TPB grew explosively, evolving to a digital giant with upwards of 25 million peers in it’s prime. Sadly that prime is no more. The team says the main site will remain live for now, but it’s but a shell of what it once was. So it is from this point on we must hold our heads high and find a new friend in this vast space of digital junk.

http://www.hemagazine.com/YG_Acoustics_Anat_Reference_II_Professional

A previous incarnation of this speaker was named one of the 40 most significant loudspeakers of all time by Japan’s prestigious Stereo Sound. From its breathtaking ascending form to its aircraft grade 6061-T651 aluminum front baffle and enclosure—according to the company, “simply the most resonant free ... stiffest, strongest, and most acoustically desirable materials ever found”—every facet of the Anat Reference II Professional’s design points toward the goal of ultimate performance, not aesthetic timidity.

I love music. Part of that love is finding the best possible sound quality I can…that which my budget allows anyway. However, if money were no object, these particular loudspeakers by YG Acoustics would be somewhere near the top. To many, the thought of spending even 1/16th the amount a pair of YG’s latest Anat Reference II Professional loudspeakers cost ($107,000 USD) is outrageous. But ask any audiophile, cost does not matter one bit. In essence it’s a lot like photography and professional photographers. When purchasing new equipment, they don’t even ask the cost. If it will make their pictures, (in this case music) look better, than by all means, melt that credit card. But even the most stringent audiophiles will feel their bank account weep with the stratospheric price tag that the Anat Reference II’s dish out.

According to YG Acoustics, the usable frequency range these giants produce extends from below an earth trembling 20 Hz all the way up to a dog exploading, bat killing 40 kHz with +/- 1dB. But sound alone doesn’t make these the “giants” of the loudspeaker world. The physical presence these loudspeakers take is quite astonishing. Weighing in at a tad over 440 lbs., standing 6ft. tall, and crafted out of aircraft grade 6061-T651 aluminum means these won’t fade into the background of your humble abode like those cute little speakers at Best Buy will. Not only will you hear these speakers, you will most certainly see them as well.

Again, the price tag will keep these out of reach for most of the human race. But if you’re the type that has pockets deep enough to reach through to China, then by all means splurge a little. If you have to even question the price tag or try to “reason” yourself into even thinking about spending that much money on a pair of sound output devices then you simply don’t get it. It’s ok. You’re not alone in this world.

A new set of blogging!!

I have decided that for the rest of the semester, I will be talking about random other types of emerging technologies rather than just concentrating on cell phones alone. However, I may write about cell phones again. I just figured a lot of the information that I could blog about, its really just information that people know already. So today I'm going to be writing about... oh looks like its going to be cellphones!! :)

http://www.phonescoop.com/news/item.php?n=4900

 A love child created between new found partners TeraStar and AT&T are aimed at bringing expanded coverage to remote areas via satellite. The handset will allow users to “seamlessly” switch between satellite and cellular networks without hiccup. While the Genus is being marketed towards more government and utility companies, AT&T and TeraStar claim to have a consumer model en route.

Users of the Genus will be required to pay for a standard minutes and data plan as well as pay additional charges when roaming via satellite. While I don’t see big government entities having issues handling the associated operating costs, if these two friends have any hopes of getting a consumer model to be even remotely popular, minutes/data/satellite roaming plans are going to have to go on a thorough diet. Last time I checked paying to use such services via a satellite link were damn near astronomical. Still, I’d love to try one. Wouldn’t you?

Driving with a cell phone..

Article: http://www.naturalnews.com/004823_cell_phone_cell_phones_drugs.html

This article plays a little off my previous post about driving with a cell phone. This article is actually about, an obvious fact, that driving with a cellphone is a lot less dangerous than driving on prescription drugs.

Statistics show that those who use cell phones while driving cause a much greater percentage of accidents than those who avoid using their cell phones. And the studies have shown that it's not just the physical coordination required to punch numbers into the cell phone while you're trying to work the vehicle that causes accidents; it's actually the lack of attention resulting from driving and talking on the cell phone at the same time. It seems that when you're distracted, you're more likely to cause accidents.


In terms of public safety, it's probably correct to say that banning cell phones would reduce the number of traffic accidents. But I think, more accurately, it depends on the person. Some people are operating on, shall we say, lower power CPUs in their heads to begin with. They might be zoned out on prescription drugs, and when you add a cell phone to the equation, they do become a danger to the other drivers on the road. But there are individuals who are perfectly capable of talking on the cell phone or operating other non-visual electronic devices while they are driving.
 
The real test of driver safety should be determined by the reaction time of individuals, not simply noting whether they using a cell phone or other portable electronic device. Some people need to be taken off of the roads just the way they are, even without any distractions, because they have about a two-second reaction time. Those people are a danger to other drivers, regardless of what electronics they might be using. And of course, when they pick up a cell phone, their reaction time might double to four seconds, and then they're more than likely going to hit somebody. We should go all the way and just ban drivers with low cognitive function and slow reaction time.
A traffic control officer recently said that as many as 30 to 35 percent of all traffic accidents are caused by people who are dosed up on prescription drugs. Another third or so are caused by people on alcohol or illegal drugs. So prescription drugs are causing just as many accidents as people doped up on cocaine, marijuana and alcohol. And occasionally there are really bad drivers -- people who are taking antidepressant drugs, smoking pot, drinking beer and trying to talk on a cell phone to hook up their next drug deal.
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So should cell phones be banned from the hands of drivers? Should we outlaw the use of portable electronic devices by people who are operating automobiles? I would only support that if we also ban drivers with slow reaction times and actually start testing people for reaction times. I say, stop blaming the electronics, and start holding drivers accountable for their mental states.


I guess that cell phones don't even come close to the dangers posed by prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs. Approximately 40% of all drivers are on at least one drug at all times, and if you include nicotine and caffeine, that number goes up to around 70%. The abuse of drugs is the root cause of the vast majority of automobile accidents.

Eavesdropping

Article: http://www.naturalnews.com/021240_cell_phones_cell_phone_Big_Brother.html

This website has learned that the FBI has developed a technique that can remotely activate a nearby cell phone's microphone, thereby turning it into a listening device. The "roving bug" technique was approved by U.S. Department of Justice officials for use on members of an organized crime family in New York that was getting increasingly suspicious of tails, wiretaps or other traditional surveillance techniques.


The cell phones of alleged mobster John Ardiot -- considered by the FBI to be one of the most powerful men in the national Mafia's Genovese family -- and his attorney Peter Peluso, also an alleged mobster, were activated by this technique in order for authorities to monitor nearby conversations. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan ruled that the technique was legal in an opinion this week, stating that federal wiretapping law was broad enough to cover the monitoring of conversations occurring near a suspect's cell phone.

The new method works whether the phone is on or off, because many phone models cannot be truly powered down without removing the battery.

"If a phone has in fact been modified to act as a bug, the only way to counteract that is to either have a bugsweeper follow you around 24-7, which is not practical, or to peel the battery off the phone," Atkinson said, adding that some security-conscious corporate executives make a habit of removing their cell phone's battery when the unit is not in use.


This is not the first time the FBI has commandeered built-in microphones as listening devices. In a 2003 lawsuit, it was discovered that the FBI was able to activate the microphones of automotive systems such as OnStar and listen to passenger conversations without the speakers knowing. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the practice was not legal, but only because the technique prevents the system from being used in an emergency
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Wow...opinions?
This whole cellphone being bugged business, not necessary. I would assume that cellphone manufacturers would make their phones be less suseptible to being rigged, but to think that one day someone would be able to put a bug in my phone? Scary. I can't believe that the FBI would allow such a thing.

Well, I guess if the case called for it. I really don't believe I"ll be in any trouble anytime soon. But still, the thought it scary.

However, it is just crazy to see what can happen because of technology. Because people seem to need cellphones now to communicate at any point, at any time and also be able to make their called 'anonymous'. Even with the use of cellphones, which we hope to be used privately, they can easily be bugged for another persons use or deception.

Say what?!

Here is an interesting article:::

http://www.naturalnews.com/024386_mobile_phone_health_mobile_phones.html

Supposedly, phone use places undeveloped babies at risk.--Please try to explain this to me?!

Researchers from the University of California and the University of Aarhus Denmark surveyed over 13,000 women who had given birth in Denmark in the late 1990's about their mobile phone use habits while pregnant and their children's use up until the age of 7. But considering the fact that it was done in the late 1990's, mobile phone use wasn't very popular and very infrequent.

Stats say that women who used handsets two or three times per day while pregnant were 54 percent more likely to give birth to children who developed behavioral problems by the time they reached school age than women who did not use them.-- Personally I do not see the connection as to how cell phone use could really cause that much of a difference. What is so different from the use of house phones, or listening to music, being around computers and laptops?

The article then states a hundred(exaggeration) statistics about the use of children using mobile phones and how it relates to behavioral problems especially if and when the use of the technology was frequent.

However the researchers urged that their results "should be interpreted with caution." They also suggested that there might be some correlation between cellular phone use and some other factor that leads to behavioral difficulties such as neglect by a mother.


My question is what is the point of this article and the statistics if there is really no true proof that cell phones are causing these 'problems.'

Hand free cell phone use

http://www.NaturalNews.com/025551_cell_phone_cell_phone_use_cell_phones.html


The article beings stating that cell phones may play a large role in an increase in cancer and have banned in certain areas of the world. I personally do not agree that it causes cancer or at least I haven't seen good evidence that states that cell phones do 'insert scientific word' which in turn creates cancer in humans. What are your opinions? Have you seen any solid evidence to show this fact?

Hands free cell phone devices are being banned in areas around the world, while places such as England are looking to even ban the use of cellphones themselves in cars. They claim that the use of this type of technology creates a large distraction for up to 10 minutes after the conversation ends. So when driving, your mind tends to be elsewhere and usually on the past conversation or the conversation as it is taking place. Oddly enough, cellphone use in the car is more distracting than having an actual person in the car with you? I find that hard to believe considering the fact that I know I could be just as absent minded with someone in the car as well as with someone being on the phone with me.

I guess all in the all, I think the ban of cell phone use while driving should be in place in all states and all countries because it really does cause a distraction and causes many accidents, rather than banning it because it may cause cancer? Everything seem to cause cancer!

Voicemail!

Voicemail transcription services: It is possible to check messages as texts or emails.

http://cell-phones.suite101.com/article.cfm/voice_mail_transcription_services


This article was posted back in december of 2008, so it is rather recent compared to the last article I posted.
This article tries to explain the positives of using this 'voicemail transcription'. It states how listening to voicemail can be slightly inconvenient(which I agree..I absolutely hate listening to voicemail when I prefer if someone just texts me what they need to say or just leave me a message if it is ABSOLUTELY important..).
"Services that turn voice mail into text are growing in popularity, because smart phones make text messaging and emails easier than finding a quiet area to listen check messages."

The article then states how cell phone interruptions are so common and so intrusive that meetings, movies, classrooms begin with the statement of making sure that your cellphones are turned off. However with the use of voicemail transcription, you would be able to take a peak at your cell phone textmessage which can be seen as being less obtrusive. Transcribed voicemails in emails/text messages allow others to get their message across to those who need it without having to interrupt important business.

There are only about 5 companies that allow voicemail transcription so far, but considering this article was written only less than a year ago, who knows what technology will bring. I personally find that having this type of service available could be very beneficial to many buisness men and woman by allowing them to be able to check their smartphone for an email/textmessage stating what their voicemail was about. I personally hope to see this type of application applied to the smartphones in the near future because maybe one day I may need that type of service myself!

Today I am welcomed

So sorry I've been MIA lately. I've been sick and quarentined because my boyfriend tested positive for swine flu on monday. So it was stated that we are to have at least 6 total posted by whenever this site gets checked. So I'll do my best to catch up!!



I'm going to be researching about cell phones and how they are an ever evolving type of technology. I'll do my best to find old articles and relate them/discuss how the cellphone technology is today.


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"Why Cell Phones are Replacing Laptops"
http://www.inc.com/magazine/20040901/technology.html


          "Packed with 32 megabytes of memory, a 144-megahertz processor, a thumb keyboard, and a 1.8-inch color screen, the slick-looking devices come loaded with Palm organizer software and a Blazer Web browser, and can run Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and other core business applications. Users can read and send e-mail, view PDFs, inspect and make changes to documents, review change orders, and even pull up drawings to inspect with architects at construction sites. They can also call the office to check voice mail. "I feel more connected than I did with my notebook," says Webcor CFO Tim J. Lutz."
                          --This is definitely true. I have a blackberry cellphone today in which I am able to access the web, my email, text, text others with blackberries, edit word and powerpoints. But why do we feel it is necessary to have all of these applications in a cellphone, when cellphones were made as a simple device to call others? Why are cellphones beginning to take the place or try to act as a notebook/computer?


              "In 2004, just 9% of the cell phones shipped in North America were smart phones. In 2005, the number is expected to hit nearly 18%, according to the Zelos Group in San Francisco."
                           --It is strange to think that only about 5/6 years ago, smart phones were very limited. What do you think the percentage of smartphones is today? Smart phones were not as popular back when because they weren't able to properly display the technology so consumers still needed the use of PDA's and laptops in order to create schedules, edit documents, and search the web.


           No smart phone is smart enough to run animated PowerPoint presentations or be used for, say, three- or four-dimensional modeling. But thanks to a confluence of technology trends -- better hardware, faster cellular networks, more sophisticated software, and a new ability to make them all work together -- more road warriors will be leaving the laptop behind.


                           --I'm not going to lie. The Blackberry tour cell phone is pretty high tech in the way that it is formatted. I even believe it may be HD. I do believe that one day they will be able to create a device that can run animated powerpoint..and soon the use of laptops will be rare. Of course, as long as they can make cell phone battery life last a bit longer... What is your opinion?


           The price tag for such phones: between $450 and $800, with a service agreement, though prices are expected to drop in 2005. One word of caution: "Just because you can do all those things doesn't mean you wind up with a computer," says Seamus McAteer, senior analyst at the Zelos Group.
                            -- Prices these days for these hightech smart phones are ridiculous. Many services are doing a 'buy one get one' deal. Why is that? Are they not selling well? Is it because of the economy? Yes you are able to do a lot of things on a smart phone, I just do not find much of a difference anymore between a cell phone and a computer. I tend to do alot of my emailing and facebooking on my phone.


Anyways the rest of the article just ends up talking about what to expect in the upcoming cellphone technology world, including allowing cells phones to run on voice over Internet protocol which would be helpful especially in foreign countries if you do not have the right type of phone. These types of cellphones(smartphones) are so useful in todays society because you are always able to access your email and look up graphs for work instead of only when a computer is available to you. But thankfully for the computer companies, we still can find use for a computer/laptop aside from these matters!