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Apr 18, 2016

Researchers can identify you by your brain waves with 100 percent accuracy

Posted by in categories: computing, neuroscience

Could we see BMI technology used as part of our ID?


A team of researchers at Binghamton University, led by Assistant Professor of Psychology Sarah Laszlo and Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Zhanpeng Jin, recorded the brain activity of 50 people wearing an electroencephalogram headset while they looked at a series of 500 images designed specifically to elicit unique responses from person to person — e.g., a slice of pizza, a boat, Anne Hathaway, the word “conundrum.” They found that participants’ brains reacted differently to each image, enough that a computer system was able to identify each volunteer’s “brainprint” with 100 percent accuracy.

“When you take hundreds of these images, where every person is going to feel differently about each individual one, then you can be really accurate in identifying which person it was who looked at them just by their brain activity,” said Laszlo.

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Apr 18, 2016

Common over-the-counter drugs can hurt your brain

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, neuroscience

Makes one assess their medicine cabinet especially those allergy meds, etc.


The new study is the first to examine the physical changes that serve as the catalyst for cognitive decline. Using brain imaging techniques, researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine found (PDF) lower metabolism and reduced brain sizes among study participants taking anticholinergic drugs.

“These findings provide us with a much better understanding of how this class of drugs may act upon the brain in ways that might raise the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia,” said Shannon Risacher, an assistant professor of radiology and imaging sciences.

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Apr 18, 2016

AAN Updates Guidelines on Use of Botulinum Toxin for Spasticity, Headache, Other Brain Disorders

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, neuroscience

Given more recent news about over the counter drugs contributing to dementia; makes me wonder what Botox injects in Neuro/ head area will eventually reveal in the long run in relation to dementia, etc.


VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 18, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has updated its 2008 guidelines on the use of botulinum toxin for spasticity, cervical dystonia, blepharospasm and migraine headache, based on recent research. The guideline is published in the April 18, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, and will be presented at the 68th AAN Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, April 15 to 21, 2016.

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Apr 18, 2016

IIT to Develop Nanosensors to Boost Farm Productivity

Posted by in categories: electronics, food, sustainability

Nice


HYDERABAD: In an initiative that may improve farm productivity, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mumbai and Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture University (PJTSAU), Hyderabad have joined hands to develop nanosensors that can read the percentage of moisture and nutrients in the soil. This new research is expected to provide an important technological innovation in the field of agriculture. This is for the first time an IIT is collaborating with an agricultural university to devise solutions for the farmers.

“While we were exploring the possibilities of nano technology in various fields, the idea of using it in agriculture sector struck us. Thanks to the interest shown by some agricultural scientists at PJTSAU, we decided to develop nanosensors which can calculate the moisture content of the soil. There is a need for IITs to work for solving the problems faced by farmers and this is a step in that direction,” said V Ramgopal Rao, director of IIT Delhi, who was instrumental in initiating the research project, while he was the chief investigator of Centre of Excellence in Nanoelectronics Project at IIT, Mumbai.

While IIT, Mumbai will develop the nano soil sensors, PJTSAU will serve as the testing partner and conduct field tests to assess the efficacy of nanosensors. Already, funds have been allotted by IIT for the research project and a team of agricultural scientists and technologists has been formed to work on the project.

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Apr 18, 2016

Kumaun Univ’s project to turn plastic waste to graphene bags Rs 2 crore grant

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, computing, sustainability

Like it — turning those old plastic into Graphene bags.


Summary: The project will also motivate people to collect used plastic bottles and other plastic waste, which is degrading to the environment, and help us in putting it to good use. Once the varsity is able to make graphene out of the plastic waste, it can eventually also be used as an alternate source of energy. We received an approval letter for the project proposal on April 16 and the initial grant of Rs 1,97,88,800 for a period of three years has been approved. “Dhami also said that much of the encouragement for research work in the varsity came from governor K K Paul, who has been motivating universities in the state to pursue research in nano science and nano technology. In fact, even wrappers and packets of chips are an environmental hazard.

DEHRADUN: A project proposed by Kumaun University in Nainital to synthesize graphene from plastic waste to use the material in energy and biomedical applications has received approval for a grant of nearly Rs 2 crore. Confirming that the grant has been approved, vice-chancellor of Kumaun University, H S Dhami, said, “It is a great achievement as the varsity aims at contributing to the society through research work. We received an approval letter for the project proposal on April 16 and the initial grant of Rs 1,97,88,800 for a period of three years has been approved.” The grant has been approved by The National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS), G B Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (GBPIHED), Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.

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Apr 18, 2016

When size matters: Tiny innovations for a better world

Posted by in categories: food, nanotechnology

Some of Israel’s latest nanotechnology startups reveal how they can improve many aspects of life, from public safety to food safety.

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Apr 18, 2016

Paralyzed man regains control of hand after having chip implanted in brain

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, computing, cyborgs, neuroscience

BMI/ BCs are only going to improve over time and give new lives and chances again to people. Note: this version has limited use outside the medical lab; however, they are working on making one wireless and connected in order to be used anywhere.


Thanks to an experimental treatment that included implanting a chip in his brain, Ian Burkhart was able to regain control of his hand.

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Apr 18, 2016

Dartmouth-led team devises new technique to probe ‘noise’ in quantum computing

Posted by in categories: computing, quantum physics

Fine tuning QC.


HANOVER, N.H. — Dartmouth College and Griffith University researchers have devised a new way to “sense” and control external noise in quantum computing.

Quantum computing may revolutionize information processing by providing a means to solve problems too complex for traditional computers, with applications in code breaking, materials science and physics, but figuring out how to engineer such a machine remains elusive.

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Apr 18, 2016

MIT’s AI Can Predict 85 Percent of Cyberattacks

Posted by in categories: cybercrime/malcode, internet, robotics/AI

Knowing a cyberattack’s going to occur before it actually happens is very useful—but it’s tricky to achieve in practice. Now MIT’s built an artificial intelligence system that can predict attacks 85 percent of the time.

Cyberattack spotters work in two main ways. Some are AI that simply looks out for anomalies in internet traffic. They work, but often throw up false positives—warnings about a threat when actually nothing’s wrong. Other software systems are built on rules developed by humans, but it’s hard to create systems like that which catches every attack.

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Apr 18, 2016

New study shows mammals can be developed in space

Posted by in category: space

The latest experiment results from China’s SJ-10 recoverable satellite have been sent back with some groundbreaking news. For the first time in human history, it has been proven that the early stages of embryos in mammals can be developed completely in a space environment.

China launched the country’s first microgravity satellite, the SJ-10, on April 6. The return capsule on the satellite will stay in orbit for several days before heading back to Earth. An orbital module will continue to conduct experiments for a few more days.

High-resolution photographs sent back by SJ-10 show that the mouse embryos carried by the return capsule completed the entire developing process within 96 hours from the launch, the first reported successful development of mammalian embryos in space.

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