Robot-inflicted injuries studied

With robots becoming more technically advanced and more feasible around the house, a future where robots help with the housework, cleaning, chopping vegetables, and tucking children in at night may become a reality sooner than we had previously anticipated.  But as with any new technological device, there is a possibility for human error and machine malfunction.  One research team in Germany is hoping to study just that.

The experiment was simple: a robotic arm holding several blades and sharp tools was programmed to cut through substances that were soft and fleshy.  Vegetables, hot dogs, and human flesh were all possible targets.  Of course for the purpose of the experiment the human flesh was substituted for a simple silicon lump.  The robot used screwdrivers, steak knives, kitchen knives, cleavers, scissors, and a screwdriver.  The results of the experiment, aside from building a terrifying bladed killbot were clear.  Without the proper programming, and fail-safe mechanisms, a robot could easily cause accidental injury or death to a human being by accident.  The experiment also included a prototype safety system designed to reduce the lethality and the amount of damage done by the robot.

The later experiments used the same silicone lump, but added a pork loin and the arm of a live human volunteer.  The researchers concluded that a safety system on robots would have to be mandatory if they were going to be performing kitchen duties such as chopping, stabbing, and/or tenderizing.  The robot with the safety mechanism was significantly less deadly.  The researchers patted themselves on the back as their specially designed kill-bot failed to create injuries quite as bad after their safety switch caused the robot to "realize" when it was cutting, or about to cut something it wasn't supposed to.  Torque sensors within the robot would study the type of substance being hit, and immediately cut power and pull back on a strike when a different substance was detected.  It is the same sort of safety mechanism used to prevent large robots from crushing people when moving quickly down a hallway or road.

Researchers are hopeful that the 2011 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation will be even better than that held in 2010 of this year in Alaska.  With new technology, motion tracking, data gathering, and limb control, it seems there is nowhere in the field of robotics to go than forward.  But will robots one day become a real and dangerous part of our own homes?  Will reprogrammable robots one day be rigged to guard houses in addition to helping to cook and clean?  And how long until the first murder is assisted with the use of a machine?  One can only imagine the horrifying prospect of a 911 call being played over the news in which a machine has clearly gone rogue and is now chasing the occupants of the house it once served.  Is this reason enough to forsake a future with household robots?  As we embrace new technologies we realize it is a double edged sword.

Largest gold coin sold at $4 mn in Austria

The world's largest gold coin, weighing 100 kg with a diameter of 52 cm, was sold for 3.27 million euros (about $3.99 million) at an auction in Vienna.


Spanish dealer Oro Direct offered the price and became the owner, Xinhua reported.

Six bidders were registered for the auction. Oro Direct offered the bid in a written form, while the other five applicants participated through telephone.

The coin was originally owned by Auer von Welsbah (AvW), an Austrian investment management company, which went bankrupt in May 2010.

The coin which was minted in 2007 in Canada with purest and finest gold (99.999 percent) has been listed in the Guinness book of world records.

It bears the largest official portrait of Queen Elizabeth II in solid gold. Three maple leaves, the national symbol of Canada, were minted on the back of the coin.

Mars' entire surface was shaped by water

The whole of Mars' surface was shaped by liquid water around four billion years ago, say scientists.


Signs of liquid water had been seen on southern Mars, but the latest findings reveal similar signals in craters in the north of the Red Planet.

The team made their discovery by examining data from instruments on board Europe's Mars Express and Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

They report the findings in the latest issue of the journal Science.

John Carter, of the University of Paris, led the team of France- and US-based scientists.

"Until now, we had no idea what half Mars was made of in terms of mineral composition".

"Now, with the Esa and Nasa probes, we have been able to get a mixture of images and spectral information about the composition of the rock."

He explained that these instruments had revealed clay-type minerals called phyllosilicates - "the stuff you would find in mud and in river beds."

"It's not the species of mineral itself that's important," said Dr Carter, "it's more the fact that the minerals contain water.

"This enhances the picture of liquid water on Mars."

Liquid rock

Previously, researchers have seen similar signs of water in the highlands of southern Mars in rocks that are up to four billion years old. But in the northern part of the planet, more recently formed rocks have buried the older geology.

The prevailing theory for why this is, is that a giant object slammed into northern Mars, turning nearly half of the planet's surface into the Solar System's largest impact crater.

Dr Carter explained that this meant a thick veneer of younger rock covered the older geology, "so the craters are the only way of accessing the older stuff".

But the craters are relatively small and more difficult for the orbiting probes to take measurements from.

"There's also ice and dust coverage in the north of the planet, making it harder to get signals from these craters," said Dr Carter.

The new findings suggest that at least part of the wet period on Mars, that could have been favourable to life, extended into the time between that giant impact and when volcanic and other rocks formed an overlying mantle.

This indicates that, 4.2 billion years ago, the planet was probably altered by liquid water on a global scale.

But Dr Carter said that the findings did not paint a picture of huge Martian oceans.

"It was probably a very dry place," he said. "But we're seeing signals of what were once river beds, small seas and lakes."

The Girl Who Never Ages

A young girl is under the scrutiny of scientists who say she may be one of the most important finds in the often sought fountain of youth.  The girl has been alive for seventeen years, but still looks and behaves like a one-year-old child.  She weighs 16 lbs and is only 30 inches in height.  Most people who see her say Brooke Greenberg is only a toddler.  But Brooke Greenberg is almost old enough to vote.  Scientists say the child is suffering from a rare genetic mutation.  And if scientists map her genome as they are hoping to do, they may find out why.

Brooke, age 17

When many scientists look at Brooke Greenburg, they see an opportunity to discover why we age.  When her mother sees her, she sees the girl who will never grow up - literally.  Researchers at the University of South Florida School of Medicine, led by Richard Walker, have suggested that the girl's rare condition is an opportunity for the team to study something that they have been attempting to uncover for years: why we age.  There are several theories, but the actual mechanics behind the aging process are often unclear or misleading.  "If we can compare her genome," Walker says, "to the normal version then we might be able to find those genes and see exactly what the do and how to control them."

Age is a matter that all humans have to come to terms with at some point in their lives.  We are born, we reach a peak age, and then we begin gradually to deteriorate before we die.  But what about a world where we didn't age?  That's the question several scientists are proposing.  If genes could be studied accurately, then not only could the aging process potentially be halted, there are some who suggest it could even be (in some ways) reversed.  Of course this field of research is still new, and there are a thousand different avenues of research that could help the whole world.

Meanwhile, life for Melanie and Howard Greenberg goes on in the suburb where they live.  It's a struggle as they continue to help Brooke through her life as an eternal toddler, changing her, rocking her to sleep, and attempting to teach her to speak.  Brooke crawls, smiles, and giggles when tickled, but has not yet mastered the art of speech.  In addition, she has suffered several potentially deadly illnesses and conditions.  But the girl who may hold the future in her genes is not without hope.  As research into her condition continues she may not only help others, but herself as well.  Scientists have already discovered that parts of her body are aging, just at different speeds.  Those researching her case have suggested that it's likely that her genes have been damaged in such a way that it makes it difficult for her body to coordinate the rate at which her body develops.  Scientists suggest if they could only figure out which gene, they could switch it on and off at will.  And maybe switching it on in Brooke would help her develop into an adult.  Would it be possible to then stop aging for the rest of us?

Apple patent case 'could affect all android phones'

Apple's legal action against HTC may have "wider implications" for all phone makers using Google's Android operating system, an analyst has warned.

Ian Fogg of Forrester Research said that the case against HTC, in which Apple alleges infringement of 20 of its patents, could be the first of many.

Although Apple has not named Google in the suits, many of the named patents relate to operating system processes.

Google has taken the unusual step of publicly supporting HTC in the case.

"We are not a party to this lawsuit," said a Google spokesperson.

"However, we stand behind our Android operating system and the partners who have helped us to develop it."

Wider implications

HTC was the first manufacturer to use Android in its phones and is also the maker of Google's own brand Nexus One handset.

Some have speculated that Apple - which makes the popular iPhone - are attacking Google "by proxy" by filing the case against HTC.

"I think this is kind of an indirect lawsuit against Google," analyst Shaw Wu of Kaufman Brothers told Reuters.

Some of the patents that Apple alleges have been infringed are 15 years old and cover aspects of operating systems.

As a result, some believe that the patents cannot just relate to HTC and believe the case may just be an opening salvo against other firms and possibly Google.

"Simply because Apple has focused on HTC now doesn't mean it won't take action against other manufacturers later," Mr Fogg told BBC News.

"[This case] could have implications for all other phone manufacturers which have just announced their phones at Mobile World Congress."

Mobile World Congress is a showcase for the phone industry, held every February in Barcelona, Spain.

Manufacturers including Sony Ericsson, LG, Samsung and HTC announced new handsets running Android at the show.

"2010 is going to be the year of Android," said Mr Fogg.

Legal web

In a statement Apple boss Steve Jobs said: "We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it.

"We've decided to do something about it."

The Californian firm alleges that HTC have infringed 20 patents owned by Apple that are used in the iPhone.

Apple is seeking an injunction which would effectively bar HTC from selling phones that use the disputed technology in the US.

The legal action has been filed with the US International Trade Commission (ITC) and a district court in Delaware.

HTC has said it is unable to comment on the case until it has had a chance to assess the validity of the claims.

It is the latest in a series of legal wrangles involving Apple.

Finnish phone giant Nokia sued Apple for patent infringement in October 2009, alleging it had stolen patented technology.

In response, Apple countersued in December 2009, followed by a second round of legal action from Nokia.

Apple is also being investigated by the ITC following a complaint by camera manufacturer Kodak. The firm alleges that the iPhone uses technology for previewing pictures that infringe Kodak patents.

Survivor of Two Atomic Blasts Dies

When looking at unlikely and impossible feats of luck both good and bad, one of the hallmark figures is Tsutomu Yamaguchi.  The story of Yamaguchi's survival and subsequent danger is so incredible that many list it as a case of fate intervening even as an entire city is destroyed around him.  This story is even more incredible than the cases of plane crashes where there is only one survivor as Mr. Yamaguchi survived not one, but two nuclear attacks on Japan in 1945 before dying just this month of stomach cancer.

Yamaguchi's incredible story that began in Hiroshima would later end in Nagasaki, but not due to either atomic blast he survived.  His journey would see him through ground zero of the most intense war Japan would ever face, and his story would be retold years after the events.  The first bomb struck just as Yamaguchi was arriving in Hiroshima to work as an engineer when suddenly a tremendous boom shattered one of his eardrums and a bright flash blinded him temporarily.  Though he was burned badly on his upper body he did eventually recover while staying with his family in Nagasaki.

Unfortunately, Nagasaki was the last place on Earth Yamaguchi should have been.  Working as an engineer, Yamaguchi realized he would have a considerable task with recovering the lost city of Hiroshima.  Luckily those fires were far away.  For a moment Yamaguchi felt safer.  After that a second blast destroyed his home city of Nagasaki.  And somehow he survived that as well.  In his life he would make a full recovery and even live to the age of 93.  Though the bomb had taken away the will to live for many survivors, Yamaguchi was not among them.  In 2005 he would begin speaking publicly about the horrors of nuclear war and attempt to find ways to bring attention to the horrors following a nuclear blast.

Whether it's a stroke of incredible fortune to survive two unlikely attacks using an experimental weapon more powerful than anything previously seen on Earth or an act of incredible misfortune to witness it entirely, the real question becomes one of human will.  How can someone witness something so awe inspiring and terrible and yet find a way to turn around and live life normally?  The power of the mind in this case is certainly inspiring, but it's also an extremely intense matter of intellectual curiosity.  Many of those who witnessed even one of the bombs were thrown into intense depression and post traumatic stress, often living in congregations and incapable of undertaking anything more than simple tasks to care for themselves.

So was there something more to Mr. Yamaguchi's survival than mere luck?  In his later years he did provide the world an incredible service by becoming a spokesman for the horrors of nuclear war and why they needed to be avoided in the future.  When one looks at it, it seems he was afterward fighting against the end of life on Earth.  Does that make this unlikely case of luck into something else?  Perhaps only time will tell.

Apple reveals new iPhone features (Friday, 9 April 2010)

Apple has shown off some of the 100 new features to be included in the iPhone operating system later this year.

The update includes a mobile advertising platform called iAd that will be used to place adverts in applications made by third parties.

Apple founder Steve Jobs also showcased a long-awaited multi-tasking feature, which will allow users to run more than one program at a time.

The feature is already included in many other smartphones.

iAd marks Apple's first foray into a potentially lucrative new market, and pits it directly against Google's search engine advertising model.

Apple will allow external developers to pocket 60% of ad revenue from iAd.

The Apple boss said the iPhone OS 4.0 update will be released first for the iPhone and iPod touch, and then the iPad, later this year.

'Ad-sense'

Mr Jobs gave a demonstration of the multi-tasking feature showed the online radio station Pandora running in the background playing music while a user could either read news online or deal with e-mail.

"We weren't the first to this party but we're going to be the best," he said.

Some of the other features unveiled at the presentation at Apple's headquarters in California include being able to create specific folders to store third party applications downloaded from iTunes, enhanced mail, which will gather e-mail from multiple accounts into one "unified" inbox and iBooks, which is already on the iPad.

Mr Jobs said mobile users spend more time inside applications than searching the internet.

Therefore it made sense to have adverts within the applications - or apps as they are commonly known.

"It's very clear that [Mr] Jobs believes that ads in the context of apps makes more sense than generic mobile search," said Tim Bajarin at consulting company Creative Strategies.

Mobile sales

Apple's move into mobile advertising was widely expected after it bought Quattro Wireless mobile advertising network for almost $300m (£196m) in January.

Analysts say revenue from mobile advertising will jump dramatically this year.

"It has huge potential to really change mobile commerce," said Van Baker, Vice president of research at Gartner.

"The evidence so far is that very few transactions really happen in this space. Mobile is used to compare prices, find restaurants, movie times and the like but very little in the way of commerce."

Apple bought mobile ad company Quattro after failing to buy the market leader AdMob, which was purchased by Google.

In a slight to the search giant, Mr Jobs said "Google came in and snatched them (AdMob) because they didn't want us to have them".

Google's deal is currently being investigated by US regulators.

iPad demand

During the packed press event, Mr Jobs revealed that to date Apple has sold 50m iPhones. That number rises to 85m when the iPod touch is included.

Mr Jobs also gave an update on the iPad, which went on sale in the US only at the weekend. It is expected in stores in the UK and part of Europe, as well as Canada and Australia at the end of the month.

Apple said it had sold 450,000 iPads as of 8 April. Mr Jobs added that 600,000 electronic books and 3.5m applications had been downloaded for the iPad in the previous five days.

"We're making them as fast as we can," Mr Jobs said. "Evidently we can't make enough of them yet so we are going to have to try harder."