Important Innovations

New Research: Not Everyone Benefits from Probiotics Israeli Study Finds Unequal  Benefits Many people take probiotics through food and supplements to boost their digestive health.  Israeli scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science have released a study that shows the so-called good bacteria benefits some people more than others. And in fact it sometimes can do more harm than good. Customized Probiotics The scientists suggest a new approach to the use of probiotics.  Their conclusion is that probiotics shouldn't be given out as a "1 size fits all supplement".  Instead they should be individualized based on the microbes present in the person's stomach to maximize beneficial results.  They also discovered that probiotics can have a potentially harmful effect if given after antibiotics. Their study was  published in the journal Cell.

Apple Just Unveiled its 4th Generation Apple Watch Apple Watch Series 4 What's News As always, the Apple Watch unveiling was on everyone's watch list.  They just unveiled it.  What's new:  Apple has increased the amount of info you can pull in on the display and they've significantly upgraded the health tracking capabilities. Upgrades for Apple Watch The face is slightly bigger but remains a square, minimalist model. The OLED display is larger to  capitalize on the slightly larger and thinner case size. Health Tool - Electrocardiogram Included This is just awesome.  Apple continues to pitch Apple Watch as a health tool.  The Series 4 has upgraded heart monitoring hardware to provide electrocardiograms showing the electrical activity of the user's heart even during vigorous exercise.  This can document for treatment abnormal heart rhythms and other conditions that can lead to a heart attack and possibly prevent it. Other Upgrades Th...

Satellite will Provide Vital Information on Climate Change's Impact Image of NASA's ICESat-2 ICESat-2 NASA will launch its ICESat-2 satellite that will track the Earth's melting poles and disappearing sea ice on Saturday Sept. 15.  It will document how ice sheets, glaciers and sea ice are changing. And the information will help to generate new insights into how the changes are impacting people, animals and the environment.  The data also will be used to forecast conditions going forward. NASA's Most Advanced Laser ICESat-2 is NASA's most advanced laser instrument. It measures the height of glaciers and sea ice by precisely timing how long it takes individual photons to leave the satellite, bounce off the earth and return to the sat.  The laser beam splits into 6 beams to cover more ground.  The mission will last for 3 years.

DARPA Protecting World Wide Web Goal:  Take Them Out Before They Take Out Your Website DARPA, the US Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency, has just launched a program that targets botnet hacking.  The goal is to develop tools to dismantle botnets before they destroy websites, companies and even nations. Contract Awarded DARPA just awarded a $1.2 million contract to the cybersecurity frim Packet Forensics.  Their mission is to identify and locate hidden online armies.  DARPA wants an arsenal of tools that troll the internet, identify and counter cyber adversary system programs before they attack. System Automatic & Undetectable The system DARPA wants to deploy would be automatic.  It would automatically spot botnet-infected systems and disable the malware without their knowing. To build botnets, hackers infect devices connected to the internet with malware that lets them do harm from a remote server.  The virus is dormant mo...

Could Hot Springs Be the Future of Agriculture? Pagosa Springs Geodesic Greenhouses Powered by Geothermal Energy A Grand Experiment: Geothermal, Renewable, Sustainable Farming A small Colorado town Pagosa Springs is using its hot springs to grow food for the community year round.  It's a 5 year experiment by the Geothermal Greenhouse Partnership, a non-profit, volunteer organization that's pushing innovation with great potential. Geothermal Energy 24/7/365 The group is turning the world's largest and deepest geothermal hot spring into a lot more than a tourist destination.  They're using the renewable energy source that's available 24/7/365 to grow food year round for the community. Geothermal Farming Geothermal energy is energy harnessed from the earth's heat.  Geothermal farming is something new,  different and very promising.  The reason is geothermal energy is abundant in the US and could provide a renewable energy source for farming.  The ...

Terrafugia's TF-2 & Future of Travel Plane and Ground Vehicle Terrafugia invented the world's 1st FAA and NTSB approved flying car, The Transition.  The TF-2 is a next generation concept design they're working on now.  It promises door to door service for 4 passengers and their luggage.  There's a detachable pod. It goes from a flight vehicle to a ground vehicle in 2 minutes. Going to Market The TF-2 will enter the market as a hybrid electric aircraft that will be flown by a pilot.  But as the technology they're working on matures, the plan is to go all electric and with autonomous systems.  At the moment the company says the maximum cruising speed is 240 km/hr.  The cost per hour of flight is $400.  No time frame for launch has been announced. China, Sweden & US  US based Terrafugia has a deep pockets parent company Geely of China and its "sister" company Volvo of Sweden is also owned by Geely.  As I blogged yesterday,...

Inspired by Ancient Egyptian Scrolls MagicScroll - a Rollable, Scrollable Screen It's called MagicScroll. The device was created by computer engineers in Canada and it's a first. It's essentially a high resolution display.  It can be rolled and unrolled around a 3D printed cylinder that has the device's computerized inner workings.  The developers were inspired by and created it based on ancient Egyptian scrolls. Canada Made for Many Uses like a Phone MagicScroll  was developed by researchers at Queens University Canada.  The device's light weight and cylindrical body make it easy to hold in one hand.  Importantly when rolled up, it fits into your pocket and can be used as a phone, dictation device or pointing device.   2 rotary wheels at either end of the cylinder allow the users to scroll thru information on the touch screen. Goal: Any Device Can Be a Screen  Here's the ultimate point of the research.  The researchers want to bring the...