1. One thing that helps
Strokes come on suddenly, and often without warning. Given that early intervention usually proves the difference between a good or bad result, this new screening technology will save lives.
The device developed by a team from Caltech uses infra-red laser light to monitor brain blood flow and volume. This is done using speckle contrast optical spectroscopy (SCOS). Makes sense? No? Well, infrared light is passed through the skull as the patient holds their breath. During this time, a specialised camera captures the scattered light that interacts with the blood vessels and measures the ratio of blood flow to volume.
This test identifies vessel stiffness which is associated with increased risk of stroke. The low-stroke-risk group had a slower increase in blood flow than the high-risk group but a larger increase in blood volume.
Whilst it is still a big ugly headset, it is much easier and cheaper than an MRI machine, and the way technology is progressing, soon I hope to have this built into my Oura ring.
2. One to be wary of
How does this person I've never met know so much about me? And why are they wearing sunglasses in a nightclub?
AnhPhu Nguyen and Caine Ardayfio have showcased their I-XRAY tech that allows them to know details about a stranger they meet almost instantly. It uses a pair of Meta smart glasses that feeds a live stream to Instagram. Unbeknownst to everyone in the live stream, their faces are being captured and identified by artificial intelligence. Data like names, phone numbers and addresses are looked up in publicly available sources. I-XRAY then uses LLMs to come up with a dossier of the stranger in question.
Check out their public demo here.
How scary is this? For one, the tech that allowed all this to happen is accessible to everyone. Though the student pair did not publish I-XRAY, it is easy to come up with something similar. Also, this proves just how much personal info you likely already have out there and easily accessible.
So the next time a stranger seems to know all about you, thank Meta for that. Or maybe take a close look at the glasses they are wearing.
3. One to amaze
Zombies and robots don’t really mix well in sci-fi. Ignoring the warnings, a team from Switzerland’s École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne has designed a robotic hand that is a perfect gift this Halloween.
Robotic hands take inspiration from dexterous human hands. That’s not surprising since scientists say that our unique hands are what distinguishes us from other primates. And this video titled Beyond Manual Dexterity seeks to overcome the challenges of an attached limb.
What started as a normal robotic demonstration turns into a stuff of nightmares. The researchers are exploring the possibility of a robotic hand that can detach from its robotic limb and use fingers that bend both ways! While detached, the robotic hand is free to explore in places outside of the arm's reach. It still retains its ability to pick up and grip objects dexterously and crawl back to its limb. Once there, a machine learning process allows the hand to reattach to the limb.
Right now, this is just a proof of concept prototype. In real life, the attachment and detachment is much slower but the uses for this technology are wide ranging. Yes I'm thinking of being able to stay on the couch and get another beer. The world is a wonderful place.