VOICELESS MOBILE CHAT

A US company has demonstrated a ‘voiceless ‘ phone call, using a neckband that translates thought into speech by picking up nerve signals.
Ambient Corporation claims that any person can use the new device- called Audeo – to send nerve signals to their vocal cords without having speak.
Michael, Calahan, one of the founders of the company, says that the signals picked up by the neckband are relayed wirelessly to a computer that converts them into words spoken by a computerized voice.
A user only needs some careful training on how to use the device, he says.
With the new system, the first public voiceless phone call was made on stage at a recent conference, held by imcrochip manufacturer Texas Instruments.
Callahan says that the Audeo’s ability to voice people’s inner thoughts need not worry them. He says that a user has to think specifically about voicing words in order for them to be picked up by the equipment.
Callahan also said that the Audeo is the same system that had previously been used to let people control wheelchairs using their thoughts.
He added that the new system might be beneficial for those who do not want to be overheard while making a private call, and also for those who have lost the ability to speak.

GLOWING LOOK

When you look into the mirror, what is it on your face that you would like to get rid of ? is it the wrinkles, the dark circles under the eyes, the pores on your cheeks, the double chin, or your complex ion….? What takes a lot of makeup to hide, or maybe even cosmetic surgery, now finds a cure in acupuncture it seems and all this without pinching your pocket too much.

People usually got for acupuncture treatment to get rid of diabetes, psoriasis, reducing pain and anxiety, but now acupuncture is also proving to be wonderful solution to make you look beautiful as well.

No wonder acupuncture clinics catering to beauty treatment are mushrooming all over the world, although fewer compared to beauty parlors and allopathic clinics, believers in this therapy are on the rise.

Clients for acupuncture include career-oriented women, who want to look good, in short time.

However, there is also another view, blemishes and wrinkles are caused because of many factors such as over-exposure to the sun, pollution, etc. acupuncture can cure only underlying problems relating to the senses and nerves. Such cosmetic problems can be treated only through chemical peeling or high-end lasers.

HIKING IN HONG KONG

Nothing will prepare the tourists for luscious, multi-layered, luminous Kong, with its luxuriant old world charm, neon-sparkled sharp skyscrapers, amazing restaurants, fascinating sights, and a surfeit of shopping that would tire even the most ardent retail addict.But if you think Hong Kong’s hype is only about stacking your wallet and taking a dizzy, tizzy mall crawl through a city that seems to spawn unending crops of shops, thing again !

The real magic of Hong Kong’s stunning natural beauty has to be experienced – juxtaposed, rather jumpily, with urban aggression from wild hillsides, tower blocks spring into view! The city offers varied scenery: rugged peaks, coastal walks, and secluded beaches.

Unknown to one, until visited, nearly two-thirds of Hong Kong is farmland or countryside. Additionally, an incredible 40 percent of the territory has been officially conserved and protected through country and marine parks. The ecological and natural environment in and around Hong Kong is surprisingly diverse.

Bang in the middle of the buzzing business district and commercial hub of Central, is this soothing public park, very modern in design, but verdant with natural wonder. This glamorous Hong Kong hotspot is better known for its bustling dim sum dinner, designer boutiques and lovely stores like the iconic Shanghai Tang with its flagship boutique at 12 Peddar Street, from where tourists buy ‘ Chairman Mao ‘ ashtrays. Central is also home to Charter Road, the bastion of A-list luxury. And, then, there is the discovery of a superlative sanctuary in the Hong Kong Park, sprawled across eight hectares. Water has been turned into thematic feature here, running through the Park by way of streams and waterfalls off artificial rock cliffs.

So, Hong Kong is not only the place for shoppes, it is also a place for wanderers.

KILLING CANCER CELLS WHILE SPARING OTHERS.

It has not exactly been the medical equivalent of the hunt for the holy grail, but scientists have for long been looking for a drug that kills cancer cells and spares healthy ones. And the goal appears within sight.

People get cancer because a protein called p53- which is supposed to suppress tumors- is not doing its job. About half the time, this is because the gene that holds the protein is mutated or missing.

Beut the rest of the time, another protein, called the human MDM2, is the culprit. It binds to p53 and inhibits its tumor suppressor function, promoting cancer development.

For over a decade, scientists have been searching for ways to block the inhibition of the p53 protein- but in vain.

Now, US researchers at the University of Michigan say they have designed a small molecule, called MI-219 completely inhibited tumor growth and appeared to cause no toxicity to animals.

If clinical trials bear these results, the drug, could potentially treat many different types of cancer, say the authors of the study published.

The MI-219 also offers the advantage of being capable of development as an oral pill, rather than traditional chemotherapy that must be given intravenously.

However, the researchers cautioned that MI-219 needs to be evaluated in human clinical trials for safety and efficacy for cancer treatment since it is a brand new drug.

IPODS WITH A WINK

Don’t read to much into some one winking at you in Japan- a researcher says he has developed a system that will soon let people run their ipods with the flick of an eye.

The system, comprising a single-chip computer and a couple of infrared sensors, monitors movements of the temple and is so tiny that it can be built into the side of a pair of eyeglasses. Closing both eyes for one second starts an ipod. While blinking again stops the machine. A wink with the rifht eye makes the machine skip to the next tune while with a wink of the left eye it goes back.

As a person does not have to move either hand, the system can serve as “ a third hand “ for caregivers, rock-climbers, motorbike drivers and astronauts, as well as people with disabilities.

“ You don’t have to worry about the system moving incorrectly as the system picks up signals when you close your eyes firmly. You can use this when you’re eating or chatting with someone, “ said the device’s developer, Kazuhiro Taniguchi.

The system – dubbed as “ Temple Switch “ can easily differentiate a deliberate one-second wink from natural blinking. Normally you blink in an energy –saving manner, very quickly and lightly, but you would close your eyes more firmly to operate a device.

DYSLEXIA,

Don’t frown at your children if they have problem in spelling a word or difficulty in grasping a concept quickly.

They may be suffering from DYSLEXIA, said Prof. Sumant Majmudar at a multi-disciplinary seminar on dyslexia at Kanoria Centre for Medical Education and Research.

As many as 175 participants, including psychologists, students and teachers from across the city took part in the multi-disciplinary seminar.

All that such children need is an enabling environment, for dyslexia is just a disorder, not a disease, said experts.

The rate of dyslexia in USA is 4 per cent while it is around 10 per cent in India. Reading writing and mathematical disorders are included in dyslexia.

The seminar where such problems were discussed was held by KCMER faculty Rajul Malik.

The centre runs postgraduate courses like in applied clinical counseling and psychotherapy, certificate course in educational counseling and parental counseling

LEAPFROGGIN AS STRATEGY

Leapfrogging is not only an interesting game in which youngsters indulge but it can be also an effective strategy in overcoming problems.

Dr. Vikram Sarabhai pointed out in the context of technology, India being a late comer in many areas of technology, had had an advantage because India can leapfrog through the intermediate stages of technology.

In telecommunications, for example, we have witnessed this advantage of leapfrogging. For hundred years wireline technology dominated the scene now.

India had a telephone density of one telephone per 100 persons of the population as late as 1990.

But it recent times India is touching 24 for 100 people.

This has been mainly due to the liberal policies of the government, giving opportunities to the private and also the explosive growth of new wireless communication technology. Unlike United States and other developed countries, India does not have to worry about the sunk costs of the wireline infrastructure on the ground. India can adopt wireless with a clean conscience.

In face, leapfrogging is nothing but eliminating a stage or stages in any process.

THE POSH SYNDROME

It is hard to imagine Posh Spice got a cyst scare as she strikes a cucumber cool pose here. The condition is on the rise as more and more women hit the fast lane and take to stress as a way of life.

The problem has not spared even Nicole Kidman or closer home Sapna Bhavnani, author and celebrity hairdresser.

If you are a woman, irrespective of whether or not you are in your child-bearing years, you could be at risk of an ovarian cyst.

Ovarian cysts are essentially closed fluid-filled sacs that develop on one of both ovaries. A sac or follicle forms on the surface of a woman’s ovary during ovulation. This sac holds a maturing egg and dissolves away when the egg is released during the monthly menstrual cycle.

Sometimes, however, the egg is not released and the sac gets enlarged and a cyst develops.

But, if you have just ben diagnosed with an ovarian cyst, do not press, the panic button and assume that all cysts are malignant and life-threatening. In most cases, ovarian cysts are completely benign.

Cysts may often be accompanied by problems such as frequent stomach upsets. In rare cases, a cyst goes undetected till torsion occurs or where a cysts bursts; there is usually sharp and often unbearable pain, which may be accompanied by vomiting- medical emergencies which warrant surgery.

MICROSOFT FINED $ 1.35 B FOR VIOLATING SANCTIONS.

The European commission regulators on Wednesday penalized the Microsoft Corporation with a fine of Euro 899 ($1.35billion) for failing to comply displayed with a 2004 antitrust order, a European official said.

It is the largest fine ever imposed against a single company by the European Union.

Microsoft was the first company in 50 years of EU competition policy that the commission has had to fine for failure to comply with an antitrust decision. Microsoft has tried to allay European antitrust concerns, announcing last displayed week that it will help competitors’ software work better with some products, such as MS Office.

It sought to limit potential EU fines by agreeing in October to make network data available to open –source software developers so their server software can connect to the Windows operating system.

EU imposed the fine because Microsoft failed to charge reasonable royalty fees for patent licenses on operating system software.

A European court upheld the commission’s ruling against Microsoft in September, meaning the company was not in compliance for three years.

Last month, EU regulators opened fresh investigations into whether Microsoft is using its dominance in word processing and spreadsheets to thwart displayed rivals and whether the company illegally tied an internet browser to its Windows operating system.

Wednesday fine is not related to the new probes.

SPICE GIRLS FOR MANDELA

The Spice Girls would love to perform for former South African President Nelson Mandela, but said on Monday they had not yet been formally asked to be part of his planned 90^th birthday celebrations in June.

During a backstage interview before the group’s sold-out New York concert, the five members of the British pop group- Geri Halliwell, Victoria Beckham, Melanie Brown, Melnie Chisholm and Emma Bunton – were enthusiastic about the idea.

Daily Mirror reported last week that Mandela was eager for the Spice Girls, who reunited late last year for a greatest hits album and would tour, to perform at a planned concert in London’s Hyde Park. “We’re great friends of Mandela and we would love to perform for him again,” said Chisholm, aka Sporty Spice. The pop stars reportedly have to turn down an invitation to perform at Mandela’s 89^th birthday celebrations last year as Bunton was heavily pregnant with her first child.

“We were privileged enough to meet the man and he is just amazing.” Said Halliwell, aka Ginger Spice. “He’s just an example of strength and humility and if we could be part of that, celebrating his life – wow.”

ROBOT TO PUMP YOUR PETROL

Soon, the attendant who fuels your car at the petrol pump might not have a hand made of flesh and bones- thanks to a new robot.

Dutch inventors’ unveiled Monday a 75000 euro car fuelling robot which they say is the first of its kind, working by registering the car on arrival at the filling station and matching it to a database of fuel cap designs and fuel types.

A robotic arm fitted with multiple sensors extends from a regular petrol pump, carefully opens the car’s flap, unscrews the cap, picks up opening- much as a human arm would, and as efficiently. “I was on a farm and I saw a robotic arm milking a cow. If a robot can do that then why it can’t fill a car tank, I thought, “Said developer and petrol station operator Nico van Stavern.

“People neen’t gets dirty hands or smell of petrol again, “he added. He hopes to introduce the “Tankpitstops” robot in a handful of Dutch stations by the end of the year. It works for any car whose tank can be opened without a key, and whose contours and dimensions have been recorded to avoid scratching.

Asked whether he would trust his car to a robotic garage attendant, Lelger De Kroon, filling his black Alfa Romeo at a nearby petrol station, said “why not? But I’d hope they have good insurance. “

SPEARS TO SPEND TWO WEEKS IN PADDED ROOM

Britney Spears is being held in a padded room after the troubled singer hit an all-time low over the weekend. The “Toxic” singer suffered a meltdown after being told on Feb 3 that she was to be locked in a psychiatric ward for another two weeks, claim sources.

Experts say that medics might even have to resort to using bed restraints or injections to calm the ranting star.

Britney’s parents Lynne, 52, and Jamie, 55, are said to be worried by their daughter’s bizarre behavior.

And doctors are trying their best to normalcy after a string of public incidents saw her classified as “gravely disabled “last week.

Meanwhile the singer “hit the roof “when estranged dad Jamie was appointed guardian of all her financial, legal and medical affairs while she is in hospital.

The singer, who has been feuding with her father for years, wants her lawyers to get the decision reversed. “This is war. Britney is furious hat while she is sick in hospital; the first thing her dad does is to court to get control of her money. “

The Sun quoted a source, as saying “She has a business manager for that. She says she doesn’t trust her dad and just wants him to keep out of her business. “Britney has been having screaming rows with her parents at the hospitals. She hit the roof when she found out Jamie had been handed control of her affairs. “She wants her parents’ love and support but doesn’t want them to intervene where they are not needed,” the source added.

RURAL AND THE URBAN

The rural folks may not be savvy with cell phones and computers, but college youths from the countryside in India are physically fitter than their city counterparts. And it must be assumed that this may be true for the other nations also.

An extensive survey study made by an Indian university covering 32000 students in 114 colleges has revealed that students from rural areas living in the pristine countryside, on healthy home grown food have over 50 percent less health problems like obesity, blurred vision, dental decay and high blood pressure than the city bred college goers.

Why?

Anemia caused by iron deficiency is the only problem plaguing village girls. If the urban youth is struggling with obesity, flab is hardly a bother with the rural. Village youths say they owe it all to the pure, unpolluted air they breathe and the natural healthy food they eat.

Here the subjects revealed that they usually use the neem sticks to brush their teeth.

They do not eat the junk food.

The rural students commented during the study that their friends from urban areas are not physically very strong and get tired easily.

The study concluded that village boys and girls are brought up on a healthy diet of pure milk and unadulterated pulses and grains since childhood, which contributes to their good health.

In cities, most youngsters’ start eating junk food at a very early childhood age, spoiling their health, stress is more in urban areas.

LIVE IN PARTNER CAN BE A SUCCESOR

Setting a precedent, the Supreme Count of India has granted succession certificate to a woman after the death of the man she was living with and despite the fact that his legally wedded wife was alive.

This gives a new twist to the concept of line in relationship.

In the past, the court had repeatedly shown inclination to assume valid marriage between a man and a woman who lived together as husband and wife for long years without specifying the inheritance rights of the woman in such a relationship.

In this judgment, the court gave succession certificate to the live in partner on the ground that the children born out of the relationship were legitimate disregarding the fact that man had a legally wedded wife, who never lived with him.

A living person who is proved as a person of confidence for P.F., pension and other dues, is preferable even to the legally wedded wife..

The judgment is revolutionary in so far as the un-wedded wife till now was being denied any rights of succession against the legally wedded wife.