ConnectedLife - Show 33 Baby Tech
ConnectedLife is all about babies. We visit UBC’s Baby Cognitive Lab, look at some popular baby gadgets and learn about a new study that says babies and TV shouldn’t mix. Stop crying - this is ConnectedLife.
Baby Tech
In 2006, tech-savvy, gadget-crazy North Americans spent $2.9 billion on baby goods with $337 million going towards things like video monitors, digital thermometers and wireless surveillance cameras. Technology is everywhere, even the baby’s room.
If emailed photos just won’t do, you can now get video phones to share exciting moments with relatives. In a similar vein, baby monitors - the must-have piece of gadgetry for every parent – are now available with video. Love your iPod? Now so can your baby, the iCrib speaker dock straps to the crib with Velcro and features a slot for your iPod or other mp3-player. Many MP3 players let parents record soothing messages for when they are away.
Having trouble figuring out what's bothering your newborn? The “Why Cry baby-cry analyzer” will translate wails into five expressions--hungry, bored, annoyed, sleepy or stressed--by measuring volume, frequency and crying intervals.
And remember, if technology can’t provide you with the answer – try a hug.
History Bytes - April 24th, 1962
Children all over the world watch cartons that come from satellite signals. On April 24th, 1962, scientists working for M.I.T. and the U.S. Air Force successfully bounced television signals off the Echo I satellite. The signal was sent from an M.I.T. lab in California and was picked up in Massachusetts, 2,700 miles away. The TV signal simply consisted of the word "M.I.T.," written in block letters.
Babies and Television
Do “so-called” educational baby videos really work or are they brain junk food? Studies at the University of Washington suggest that not only do they not make your kids any smarter - they may actually hinder language and attention development, particularly in the first two years. Babies who watched videos scored 17 percent worse on language-skills assessments than babies who didn't. The UW findings are the latest in a growing body of work that questions the use and effect of television on young children. In fact, growing evidence led the American Academy of Pediatrics to issue its recommendation in 1999 that no child under two years old watch any television.
Green Tips
With over 50 million going into landfills every day, diapers are a serious environmental problem. Consider using eco-friendly alternatives like cloth diapers, or greener disposables from Nature Babycare, Moltex, Tushies, or GDiaper. The outer part of the GDiaper is flushable and is made of viscose rayon instead of plastic, with an inner part made from wood pulp. Whichever method you choose, you’ll be helping to keep nasty diapers out of our landfills.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
Going Green Show 32
Going Green
ConnectedLife is going green as we take a look at some amazing inventions at the Green Living Show and Globe 2008. We’ll also talk with Ed Begley Jr. Get green with envy, this is ConnectedLife.
Green Tip
According to Statistics Canada, many Canadians still get rid of dead batteries, old medication, and computer equipment by throwing them in the trash. As a result, dangerous chemicals and more than 275,000 tons of consumer electronics end up in landfills every year. Remember to return obsolete computers and batteries to municipal depots, and always take old medicines back to your pharmacy.
Tech Bytes
On April 10, 1849, prolific inventor Walter Hunt patented the decidedly low tech safety pin. Invented with the desire to pay off a fifteen dollar debt, he later sold the rights for the measly sum of four hundred dollars. His brainstorm went on to make millions for the patent holder and had a profound influence on fashion...
Quote
There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed.
~Mohandas K. Gandhi
ConnectedLife is going green as we take a look at some amazing inventions at the Green Living Show and Globe 2008. We’ll also talk with Ed Begley Jr. Get green with envy, this is ConnectedLife.
Green Tip
According to Statistics Canada, many Canadians still get rid of dead batteries, old medication, and computer equipment by throwing them in the trash. As a result, dangerous chemicals and more than 275,000 tons of consumer electronics end up in landfills every year. Remember to return obsolete computers and batteries to municipal depots, and always take old medicines back to your pharmacy.
Tech Bytes
On April 10, 1849, prolific inventor Walter Hunt patented the decidedly low tech safety pin. Invented with the desire to pay off a fifteen dollar debt, he later sold the rights for the measly sum of four hundred dollars. His brainstorm went on to make millions for the patent holder and had a profound influence on fashion...
Quote
There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed.
~Mohandas K. Gandhi
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Freaks, Geeks and Games Show 31
Freaks, Geeks and Games
ConnectedLife looks at the latest computer advances as we check out William Gibson, free online games from Electronic Arts, and Sony’s new Vaio computers. Plug in, this is ConnectedLife.
Flying Robot
Harvard University's Micro-robotics Laboratory claims to have created the first tiny micro-robotic fly able to generate enough thrust to take off. It has a wingspan of 3 cm and only weighs 0.06 grams. They plan to showcase it at New York's Museum of Modern Art in late February, 2008. The project received funding from DARPA, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which hopes to gain access to micro-miniature surveillance technologies.
Free Video Games from EA
Electronic Arts, the world's largest video games company, is releasing a free ad-supported online version of its popular Battlefield Heroes title. Selling ads within computer games has become big business in recent years, but EA's move is the first time a major gaming company has experimented with using advertising to pay for the game itself.
EA saw huge profits in South Korea by distributing its FIFA soccer title online for free, then charging a small fee (or micro-transactions) for character clothing and accessories. EA resorted to online distribution in South Korea in an attempt to fight rampant piracy that drove sales down from 250,000 in 2002 to only 10,000 in 2006. The new online version of FIFA soccer is harder to pirate and has been pulling in an average of $1 million per month, which is almost twice what it earned in its best retail sales year.
Unfortunately, in addition to micro-transactions, Battlefield Heroes will also include in-game advertising. And if the free version of Battlefield Heroes is successful, you can be sure that additional titles will follow this new business model.
ConnectedLife looks at the latest computer advances as we check out William Gibson, free online games from Electronic Arts, and Sony’s new Vaio computers. Plug in, this is ConnectedLife.
Flying Robot
Harvard University's Micro-robotics Laboratory claims to have created the first tiny micro-robotic fly able to generate enough thrust to take off. It has a wingspan of 3 cm and only weighs 0.06 grams. They plan to showcase it at New York's Museum of Modern Art in late February, 2008. The project received funding from DARPA, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which hopes to gain access to micro-miniature surveillance technologies.
Free Video Games from EA
Electronic Arts, the world's largest video games company, is releasing a free ad-supported online version of its popular Battlefield Heroes title. Selling ads within computer games has become big business in recent years, but EA's move is the first time a major gaming company has experimented with using advertising to pay for the game itself.
EA saw huge profits in South Korea by distributing its FIFA soccer title online for free, then charging a small fee (or micro-transactions) for character clothing and accessories. EA resorted to online distribution in South Korea in an attempt to fight rampant piracy that drove sales down from 250,000 in 2002 to only 10,000 in 2006. The new online version of FIFA soccer is harder to pirate and has been pulling in an average of $1 million per month, which is almost twice what it earned in its best retail sales year.
Unfortunately, in addition to micro-transactions, Battlefield Heroes will also include in-game advertising. And if the free version of Battlefield Heroes is successful, you can be sure that additional titles will follow this new business model.
Tiny Tech Show 30
ConnectedLife looks at tiny tech. We find out about UBC’s TRIUMF particle accelerator, learn about new Nano Tech brain surgery, and check out Sony’s new OLED TV. Let’s Get Small! This is ConnectedLife!
The Future is Nano
Nanotechnology refers to the fields of applied science and technology that deal with control of matter on the atomic and molecular level. Nano means "dwarf" in Greek and is shorthand for nanometer, or, one-billionth of a meter. To give you some perspective, a human hair is about 80,000 nanometers wide.
Nanotechnology is changing the world we live in because everyday materials often show new and interesting properties when they're cut down into nano-sized pieces of themselves. For instance, aluminum has been shown to explode when it is cut down to around 30 nanometers.
Nanotechnology is already helping to extend the life of our batteries and get more energy from solar power. New approaches to storing data could even lead to memory chips a hundred times smaller than today's devices but with even more storage capacity. Some researchers are working on nanotechnology that may one day deliver cancer fighting agents directly to the brain.
Nanotechnology is leading the way towards technological advances that may help us improve everything from modern medicine to energy consumption.
Nano Battery Tech
A battery that never needs recharging may be only a dream, but researchers at MIT are closer to making one that never loses its ability to hold a charge a reality. They cover the electrodes with nanotubes, which increases the surface area and allows the capacitor to store more energy. In tests, the batteries could be recharged many times over and recharged in seconds instead of hours. The commercial applications for a battery like this would be enormous.
Nano Brain Tech
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is teaming up with the City of Hope cancer center to develop a new minimally-invasive brain surgery that uses carbon nanotubes. Researchers hope that these sharp-tipped tubes, 50,000 times narrower than a human hair, will be able to deliver cancer-fighting agents directly to specific parts of the brain. Initial tests in mice were successful and the nanotubes proved non-toxic.
The Future is Nano
Nanotechnology refers to the fields of applied science and technology that deal with control of matter on the atomic and molecular level. Nano means "dwarf" in Greek and is shorthand for nanometer, or, one-billionth of a meter. To give you some perspective, a human hair is about 80,000 nanometers wide.
Nanotechnology is changing the world we live in because everyday materials often show new and interesting properties when they're cut down into nano-sized pieces of themselves. For instance, aluminum has been shown to explode when it is cut down to around 30 nanometers.
Nanotechnology is already helping to extend the life of our batteries and get more energy from solar power. New approaches to storing data could even lead to memory chips a hundred times smaller than today's devices but with even more storage capacity. Some researchers are working on nanotechnology that may one day deliver cancer fighting agents directly to the brain.
Nanotechnology is leading the way towards technological advances that may help us improve everything from modern medicine to energy consumption.
Nano Battery Tech
A battery that never needs recharging may be only a dream, but researchers at MIT are closer to making one that never loses its ability to hold a charge a reality. They cover the electrodes with nanotubes, which increases the surface area and allows the capacitor to store more energy. In tests, the batteries could be recharged many times over and recharged in seconds instead of hours. The commercial applications for a battery like this would be enormous.
Nano Brain Tech
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is teaming up with the City of Hope cancer center to develop a new minimally-invasive brain surgery that uses carbon nanotubes. Researchers hope that these sharp-tipped tubes, 50,000 times narrower than a human hair, will be able to deliver cancer-fighting agents directly to specific parts of the brain. Initial tests in mice were successful and the nanotubes proved non-toxic.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Back to the Future Show 26
ConnectedLife looks Back to the Future. We talk with Theory of a Deadman about their upcoming album, find out how technology is saving DaVinci’s paintings, and look at tech winners and losers. Get in the DeLorean. This is ConnectedLife!
http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-CA&brand=sympatico&vid=a13147e5-da3c-4844-92a7-c55aa822ee28
Technology Helps Save Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper"
The bad news is that Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece "The Last Supper" has not aged well. And, in order to protect it from outside pollutants, only a handful of viewers are allowed to see at one time. The good news is that technology may have come to the rescue; officials have uploaded a 16-billion pixel image of the painting for everyone with internet access to see. The resolution is 1,600 times stronger than an image taken on a standard 10 megapixel camera. The extremely high resolution will give experts and art lovers from around the world the chance to examine even the tiniest details of the 15th century wall painting. Bravo!
http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-CA&brand=sympatico&vid=a13147e5-da3c-4844-92a7-c55aa822ee28
Technology Helps Save Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper"
The bad news is that Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece "The Last Supper" has not aged well. And, in order to protect it from outside pollutants, only a handful of viewers are allowed to see at one time. The good news is that technology may have come to the rescue; officials have uploaded a 16-billion pixel image of the painting for everyone with internet access to see. The resolution is 1,600 times stronger than an image taken on a standard 10 megapixel camera. The extremely high resolution will give experts and art lovers from around the world the chance to examine even the tiniest details of the 15th century wall painting. Bravo!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
ConnectedLife: Modern Living Show 29
ConnectedLife looks at modern living. We find out how cell phones affect sleep, show you a new way to read your favorite books, and check out Sony’s Full HD. ConnectedLife is living large!
http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?from=inline&fg=gtlv2&mkt=en-ca&tab=s2&showPlaylist=true&playlist=videoByUuids:uuids:2d6e4679-8332-424a-99db-0b8db3563ce6
E-readers:
Reading while commuting has always been a great way to pass the time. And novel-reading on cell phones gained traction in Japan a few years ago when classic novels became available. In fact, popular, serial short novels written out on cell phones as text messages have recently made the jump from simple time-wasters to best-selling books.
The cell phone novel idea still hasn’t really taken hold in North America, but the recent sold-out success of Amazon’s Kindle launch and their purchase of audible.com suggest that E-reading may be coming to North America in a big way. The Kindle, the Sony Reader, the CyBook and other E-readers let users download multiple books and read them on-the-go.
Philip’s ‘Readius’ combines the best of both worlds by acting as a cell phone and an E-reader. The fact that 5 of the top 10 novels in Japan were originally created as cell phone novels suggests that E-readers might become a staple feature in all future mobile devices.
http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?from=inline&fg=gtlv2&mkt=en-ca&tab=s2&showPlaylist=true&playlist=videoByUuids:uuids:2d6e4679-8332-424a-99db-0b8db3563ce6
E-readers:
Reading while commuting has always been a great way to pass the time. And novel-reading on cell phones gained traction in Japan a few years ago when classic novels became available. In fact, popular, serial short novels written out on cell phones as text messages have recently made the jump from simple time-wasters to best-selling books.
The cell phone novel idea still hasn’t really taken hold in North America, but the recent sold-out success of Amazon’s Kindle launch and their purchase of audible.com suggest that E-reading may be coming to North America in a big way. The Kindle, the Sony Reader, the CyBook and other E-readers let users download multiple books and read them on-the-go.
Philip’s ‘Readius’ combines the best of both worlds by acting as a cell phone and an E-reader. The fact that 5 of the top 10 novels in Japan were originally created as cell phone novels suggests that E-readers might become a staple feature in all future mobile devices.
Friday, February 22, 2008
All About Autos Show 28
In this episode, Connected Life looks at cars. We check out the advances in the electric car, we look into flex-vehicles, and we find out how India’s new ultra-low cost Nano car may cause more problems than it solves. Start your engines – this is Connected Life!
MIT City Cars
Smart Cities Group and MIT’s ambitious City Car Design Project envisions two-seater electric vehicles that weigh under 1,200 pounds and collapse and stack together like shopping carts. Drivers would be able to stack from six to eight cars into an average sized parking space. Although the interdisciplinary project is still under development, the project is designed as a system of shared cars with kiosks at locations around a city or small community.
Tata Motors
Indian consumers are cheering Tata Motors $2500 Nano, but critics are concerned that the inexpensive car will trigger millions of new sales and put additional strain on the country’s already clogged roads and mounting air pollution problems. By 2035, Indian vehicles are expected to release over 1,400 million tons of carbon dioxide, the leading greenhouse gas blamed for global warming.
Flex-fuel Cars
Just what exactly are flexible-fuel vehicles or FFVs? They are essentially dual-fuel vehicles that can use different sources of fuel, either mixed in the same tank or with separate tanks and fuel systems for each fuel. A common example is a vehicle that can accept gasoline mixed with varying levels of bio-ethanol (gasohol).
Flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) are designed to run on gasoline or a blend of up to 85% ethanol (E85). Except for a few engine and fuel system modifications, they are identical to gasoline-only models. FFVs experience no loss in performance when operating on E85. However, since a gallon of ethanol contains less energy than a gallon of gasoline, FFVs typically get about 20-30% fewer miles per gallon when fueled with E85. North America flex fuel ethanol is almost exclusively derived from corn, but in Brazil, where FFV’s make up 80% of vehicles sold – the ethanol comes from locally grown sugar cane.
FFVs have been produced since the 1980s, and dozens of models are currently available. Since FFVs look just like gasoline-only models, you may have an FFV and not even know it. To determine if your vehicle is an FFV, check the inside of your car's fuel filler door for an identification sticker or consult your owner’s manual.
Electric Car Update
When it comes to the electric car, reports of its demise have been greatly exaggerated. With the introduction of full Electric Vehicles and plug-in hybrids from the big players, everyone is going be talking about going electric.
And we’re starting to see some impressive stats to justify the excitement. While many plug-in hybrids have an electric-only range of 30-60 miles, they have an impressive extended range of between 400-700 miles. Phoenix Motorcars already has an all electric zero-emission Sport Utility Truck that can travel freeway speeds while carrying five passengers and a full payload. Other electrics on the horizon include the Tesla Roadster and the Aptera - scheduled for production in 2008. The Chevy Volt, the Mitsubishi’s iMiEV, and the Opel Flextream are all coming in 2010.
Although prices haven’t been confirmed for the Chevy Volt, it's expected to be affordable, have good power and a huge extended range. GM’s extensive experience with EVs from their EV1 test deployment should also help.Overall things are looking really good for the future of EVs. With so many large companies backing the technologies, we’ll soon be seeing more high quality vehicles at lower prices – and that’s good for everyone.
MIT City Cars
Smart Cities Group and MIT’s ambitious City Car Design Project envisions two-seater electric vehicles that weigh under 1,200 pounds and collapse and stack together like shopping carts. Drivers would be able to stack from six to eight cars into an average sized parking space. Although the interdisciplinary project is still under development, the project is designed as a system of shared cars with kiosks at locations around a city or small community.
Tata Motors
Indian consumers are cheering Tata Motors $2500 Nano, but critics are concerned that the inexpensive car will trigger millions of new sales and put additional strain on the country’s already clogged roads and mounting air pollution problems. By 2035, Indian vehicles are expected to release over 1,400 million tons of carbon dioxide, the leading greenhouse gas blamed for global warming.
Flex-fuel Cars
Just what exactly are flexible-fuel vehicles or FFVs? They are essentially dual-fuel vehicles that can use different sources of fuel, either mixed in the same tank or with separate tanks and fuel systems for each fuel. A common example is a vehicle that can accept gasoline mixed with varying levels of bio-ethanol (gasohol).
Flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) are designed to run on gasoline or a blend of up to 85% ethanol (E85). Except for a few engine and fuel system modifications, they are identical to gasoline-only models. FFVs experience no loss in performance when operating on E85. However, since a gallon of ethanol contains less energy than a gallon of gasoline, FFVs typically get about 20-30% fewer miles per gallon when fueled with E85. North America flex fuel ethanol is almost exclusively derived from corn, but in Brazil, where FFV’s make up 80% of vehicles sold – the ethanol comes from locally grown sugar cane.
FFVs have been produced since the 1980s, and dozens of models are currently available. Since FFVs look just like gasoline-only models, you may have an FFV and not even know it. To determine if your vehicle is an FFV, check the inside of your car's fuel filler door for an identification sticker or consult your owner’s manual.
Electric Car Update
When it comes to the electric car, reports of its demise have been greatly exaggerated. With the introduction of full Electric Vehicles and plug-in hybrids from the big players, everyone is going be talking about going electric.
And we’re starting to see some impressive stats to justify the excitement. While many plug-in hybrids have an electric-only range of 30-60 miles, they have an impressive extended range of between 400-700 miles. Phoenix Motorcars already has an all electric zero-emission Sport Utility Truck that can travel freeway speeds while carrying five passengers and a full payload. Other electrics on the horizon include the Tesla Roadster and the Aptera - scheduled for production in 2008. The Chevy Volt, the Mitsubishi’s iMiEV, and the Opel Flextream are all coming in 2010.
Although prices haven’t been confirmed for the Chevy Volt, it's expected to be affordable, have good power and a huge extended range. GM’s extensive experience with EVs from their EV1 test deployment should also help.Overall things are looking really good for the future of EVs. With so many large companies backing the technologies, we’ll soon be seeing more high quality vehicles at lower prices – and that’s good for everyone.
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