Important Innovations

Cleveland Clinic Landmark Research Source:  Stock Photo Cardiorespiratory Fitness is Key Here's another great reason to even more enjoy your favorite exercise like running or biking.  It's now proven to lead to a longer life.  Researchers at the renowned Cleveland Clinic have found that cardiorespiratory fitness leads to a longer life.  And they say there are no limits to the benefits of aerobic fitness. Substantive, Long Term Research Results This is a very substantive study.  The research team retrospectively studied testing results on 122,007 patients who exercised on treadmills.  The time frame is from January 1, 1991 thru December 31, 2014... almost 2 decades.  The researchers measured all causes of mortality relating to fitness and exercise. Aerobic Fitness Extends Life The researchers say aerobic fitness is the key to a long life.  And there is no limit on how much exercise is too much.  According to the study's key author, cardiologist Wae

Breakthru for VR & AR - New Ultra Lite Gloves Source:  ETH Zurich Enables Touching Virtual Objects for Real It's the ultra-lite glove that's less than 8 grams per finger.  The gloves enable you to feel, grasp and manipulate virtual objects.  The system developed by Swiss scientists provides extremely realistic feedback and could run on a tiny battery. That allows unparalleled freedom of movements for VR and AR.  This is a big development in VR, AR tech. Global Quest for This Tech Globally for years, scientists, engineers, and software developers have been trying to achieve what the scientists at ETH Zurich and EPFL have just done.  It's the quest for tech that lets users grasp, touch and manipulate virtual objects while feeling they're touching something real. Swiss Scientific Achievement The gloves are called DextrES.  They've been successfully tested on volunteers and will be presented at  an upcoming international symposium.  The gloves are comp

Emory University's Dog Project Source:  Emory University - Eddie in an MRI Fido's Brain Scientists at Emory University have concluded that dogs have at the very minimum a basic neural representation of the meaning of words they've been taught.  They differentiate between words they know and those they've never heard before. Brain Imaging with Owners On Hand Giving Commands This is one of the first studies using brain imaging to study how dogs process words associated with objects.  We all know dogs learn to understand and obey verbal commands.  But there is no substantive scientific evidence on how they do it. Eddie and Friends 11 dogs joined Eddie, pictured above, in the Dog Project, along with their owners.  The dogs were trained to voluntarily enter an MRI and remain motionless without any sedation while scanning occured.  2 objects, a stuffed animal and rubber toy, were used to monitor how the dogs associated the objects with words.  The MRI's sho

Terrafugia's Transition Goes to Market  Source:  Terrafugia Flying & Driving in 2019 Terrafugia's Transition is the world's first FAA and NTSB approved flying car.  The company is taking orders for it.  The driving/flying vehicle is a smart looking 2-seater that will be delivered to customers in 2019.  The US is one of the first markets where it's available. MIT Engineering, Now Chinese Owned Terrafugia was founded in 2006 by a group of MIT engineers.  It's now a wholly owned subsidiary of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group of China, which also owns Volvo. Details on  Hybrid Electric Vehicle The Transition has foldable wings while on the ground and driving.  For driving, a hybrid electric powertrain provides propulsion.  It converts to a flying machine in less than a minute.   Flight is powered by a 4-cylinder petrol engine. Speed and Altitud e According to the company, the vehicle can fly at a cruising speed of 100 mph to an altitude of 10,000 fee

First Proof of What Quantum Computing Can Deliver Source:  IBM 4 Superconducting Quantum Bit Device Global Research Results Scientists from the Technical University of Munich, IBM and the University of Waterloo have demonstrated that quantum computing offers big advantages over conventional computers.  They've developed a quantum circuit that can solve an unsolvable problem using any equivalent classical circuit. It's being called the first proof of what quantum computing can deliver. This news is just in. Not Promises, Just Results Experts believe this is a landmark in the field of what quantum computing can deliver. Many governments, companies, research organizations and universities are investing in quantum technology.  What this team developed is a quantum circuit that solves a specific "difficult" algebraic problem.  It's making news and is quantum computing to be aware of.

Utah's Pando Forest at 80,000 Years Old is Dying Source:  Utah Pando Aspen Forest Scientific Warning Utah's Pando Aspen tree forest is ancient and considered to be the largest living thing in our world.  New scientific research says it's dying. Unique and Beautiful The Pando aspens are majestic.  They are an expanse of 40,000 trees dating back 80,000 years. The aspen trees are clones identical in composition.  They cover 106 acres in Utah's Fish Lake National Forest.  Scientists believe they have one root system and they are all dying. Causes Ecologists from Utah State University say the reasons are drought, fire, climate change, human development and animal encroachments.  The good news is the scientists believe  the decline is reversible if there is a will to do it. They believe reversal is realizable.

Humanoid Robot Brother of SpotMini,  the Dancing Robot Source:  Boston Dynamics https://youtu.be/LikxFZZO2sk   for Atlas Doing Parkour <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LikxFZZO2sk" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe> Boston Dynamics Robotic Innovation Atlas is a humanoid robot developed by Boston Dynamics.  It's a "brother" robot of SpotMini, the dancing robot also known as Uptown Spot. Parkour, Software and Computer Vision Atlas does parkour military exercises with ease.   The robot's software uses the entire body including arms, legs and torso to jump over a log and leap up stairs without breaking stride.  It uses computer vision to position itself accurately as it runs and jumps to target destinations.   Thought you might enjoy seeing one of the world's most agile and dynamic robots in action.  The link is

Boston Dynamics "I've Got Talent" Robot SpotMini Dancing https://youtu.be/kHBcVlqpvZ8 https://youtu.be/kHBcVlqpvZ8 Source:  Boston Dynamics' Spot MIni Making Musician Bruno Mars Proud SpotMini the robot not only wows when it opens doors.  It wows dancing to Bruno Mars' 2014 hit song Uptown Funk.  SpotMini even does a moonwalk.  It's brilliant robotics and the stuff superstars are made of. Uptown Spot The video is called Uptown Spot. I've embedded it for you to see.   If you have a minute to see Spot dance, you'll be delighted and mesmerized.  Boston Dynamics hasn't disclosed how they achieved the robot's natural movements and tremendous agility. Spot Goes on Sale in 2019 SpotMini goes to market and up for sale to customers in 2019.  Boston Dynamics was recently purchased from Google by SoftBank.  This is the first time in Boston Dynamics' 26 year history that it's offered a robot for purchase. They say SpotMini is f

Purdue University Celebrates 150 Years of Innovation Source:  Purdue University Personal Health Monitoring that Costs 5 cents to Make Scientists and engineers at Purdue have created a wearable, flexible, electronic sticker device that's easily attached to the skin.  It monitors physical activity and can alert the user in real-time about possible health problems and risks.  It can be used for patients, athletes and anyone who wants to monitor their health. Personalized Medicine Made from Paper It's made out of paper and costs only 5 cents to make.  Not only is it wearable;  it's nearly invisible.  And it's biodegradable.  This is the latest health innovation that Purdue has contributed over the past 150 years.....a history it's marking with its "Giant Leaps" celebration. Available Very Soon The smart stickers are composed of cellulose.  They are biocompatible and breathable.  They can also be implanted in the body for monitoring.  They are ex

Aviation Innovation Chinese Style Artist Rendering of H-20 Official Unveiling of the H-20 in 2019 Chinese media are reporting that Beijing will unveil its H-20 nuclear stealth bomber in 2019.  The event to highlight the 70th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army Air Force. Maiden Flight Very Soon There are also reports that the H-20, also known as the Hong-20, will soon make its maiden flight. It's a much anticipated piece of Chinese aviation innovation and the object of much speculation.  It's debut will be epic.  It's compared to the US' B-2 stealth bomber but the specifications are relatively unknown. Expert Opinion Military experts say it's a 4-engine, stealth bomber with a dual nuclear and conventional role.  China's goal is for it to have a 7500 mile range and a 20 ton payload.  Some experts think a range of 5000 miles and 10 ton payload are more likely.  Even that would pose a threat to Taiwan and US aircraft carriers in the Pac

Innovation's Core - STEM TF-X Biggest Jobs of the Future:  STEM At the core of innovation is expertise in science, technology, engineering and math.  Experts believe STEM will be the biggest job generator of upcoming decades.  A fascinating example of STEM expertise is the prototype flying car, the TF-X designed by a young MIT Ph.D in Engineering, Dr. Carl Dietrich.  The TF-X is a marvel of engineering.  It drives like a car and flies like a helicopter with vertical takeoffs and landings.  In about 5 years it will be on the market and enable you to take-off and land from your driveway. STEM Classroom Resource In order to excite the public and particularly students about the marvels of innovation being created by expertise in STEM, there's an e-book on Amazon's Kindle Select.  "Important Innovations:  Transportation".  It can be borrowed for free.  It's a great resource for the classroom and motivator for STEM.  It can be found in the Technology an

The Holy Grail - AI with Common Sense DARPA's New Initiative It's so ironic.  AI can identify objects in nanoseconds, enable cutting edge robotics and perfectly mimic the human voice.  But most machine intelligence doesn't understand the basics of everyday life like actions and objects.  The US Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency DARPA is on a mission to teach AI basic common sense. Not So Fast and Not So Easy DARPA calls the initiative the Machine Common Sense Program.  They're teaming up with Seattle-based The Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence.  The team is facing a profoundly daunting task.  They acknowledge it probably won't be solved in a year to two. Goals DARPA wants to define the problem and make progress on it.  AI works extremely well and at warp speeds, for instance on the classification of very specific areas.  According to DARPA:  "The absence of common sense prevents an intelligent system from und

Rising Acidification of the Oceans Dissolving Shells Source:  University of Tsukuba, Japan Climate Change's Relentless Pace Another startling sign of climate change.  The ocean is getting increasingly acidified.  To the point that in sea regions with high level of carbon dioxide the shells of sea snails are dissolving from it.  Marine biologists say shelled sea creatures are fighting for survival. International Research Marine scientists from the University of Tsukuba, Japan and University of Plymouth, UK studied the impact of rising carbon dioxide levels on shellfish.  They found those living off Japan with high levels of carbon dioxide are 1/3 the size of their counterparts.  They also found shell deterioration in terms of thickness, strength, density, structure and in some cases shells totally dissolved. Scientific Warning The UK and Japanese university scientists warn that if carbon dioxide emissions continue to rise unchecked, it poses a clear threat to marine