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Technology Bit
Robots Play Soccer
David Beckham doesn’t have anything to fear from robot
players–for now.
At an indoor field in Tokyo, dozens of robots played soccer
while others danced to samba music to cheer them on.
For the contestants, most of the movements were, well, mechanical
and even a little clumsy, far from the acrobatic grace
of premier-league soccer stars.
Several small humanoid robots taking part in “Robot Athletic
Meet 2007” toppled over as they collided on the indoor
field, their every move buzzing with the sound of their
motors.
In most cases, the robots, some remote-controlled by their
owners and others pre-programmed to respond to the
ball’s
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Compiled by
Anna Kristine Valenzuela |
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Illustrations
by Carlo Cabrera
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movements,
were able to pick themselves up and carry on
with the match.
Ken Senoh, chief organizer of the event, said robots might
soon surpass humans with their physical prowess.
“Today’s robots are still toddlers, so to speak, in terms of their
physical capabilities,” said Senoh, a professor
of advanced science and technology at the
University of Tokyo.
“But it’s only a matter of time that they |
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Health Bit
Blood Test Might Spot Alzheimer’s Early
Researchers have developed a simple blood test that may be able to
predict whether mild lapses of memory could be an early
sign of Alzheimer’s disease.
In a study published on Sunday in the journal “Nature
Medicine”, an international team of researchers describe
18 cell-signaling, or communication, proteins found in
blood that predicted with 90 percent accuracy whether a
person would develop Alzheimer’s disease.
They said tests to detect changes in these proteins could be
used to predict the disease two to six years ahead of
its onset and may be useful in the search for
treatments.
“We show there are very interesting changes going on with
patients with Alzheimer’s disease. These changes occur
early on in the disease process,” Dr. Tony Wyss-Coray, a
researcher at Stanford University said.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative disease
that robs people of memory, reasoning and the ability to
communicate. According to the World Health Organization,
about 18 million people worldwide have the disease.
Currently, doctors diagnose Alzheimer’s disease by excluding
other potential causes of memory loss, such as stroke,
tumors and heavy drinking. They can also administer
simple paper-and-pencil tests.
Brain scans are also used, but the only definitive diagnosis
is an autopsy.
FDA Panel Recommends Ban on Cold
Medicines for Kids
Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines that have been widely
used for decades should not be given to children under 6
years of age, a U.S. advisory panel recommended last
October 19.
The panel said manufacturers need to conduct clinical trials to
show the medicines actually work for children.
Members said evidence from studies was lacking and it was
in-appropriate to keep
 relying
on adult data to suggest the medicines benefit kids.
“The studies that are available do not demonstrate efficacy,”
said panel member Dr. Robert Daum, a pediatric
infectious diseases expert at the University of Chicago
Children’s Hospital.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will consider the
advice as it weighs complaints from pediatricians that
the medicines do not work and can be dangerous for young
children.
A group of pediatricians and public health officials have
petitioned the FDA to restrict sales for children
younger than six years old. They are alarmed by reports
of deaths, seizures, hallucinations and other problems
in some children who took the medicines.
Makers said the products are safe and effective, when given
as directed, to children aged 2 and older. Last week,
major manufacturers voluntarily pulled 14 cough and cold
products for children up to age 2.
Although the drugs have been sold for decades, the FDA
generally has not required companies to prove they work
for children. Instead, data was extrapolated from
adults.
The products include versions of Wyeth’s Dimetapp and Johnson
& Johnson’s Tylenol and PediaCare. About 95 million
packages are sold in the United States each year,
according to the Consumer Healthcare Products
Association (CHPA), which represents nonprescription
drugmakers.
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Local Eye |
for the |
Foreign Guy |
When the Saints
Go Marching In
By Lex
Ledesma
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I think I am one of those rare, strange
people that hate it when work is
cancelled. I really like what I do
because I get to work with young,
energetic people all day and I honestly
look forward to what others call work.
Thus, I am really bummed that this
coming Monday was declared a holiday for
the Barangay elections, then come
Thursday, we are off to another long
weekend because of All Saints’ Day
(Nov.1) and All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2).
Last year, I recall writing about how Filipinos celebrate these
“holy holidays” with their deceased
loved ones. Cemeteries turn into
campsites where salu-salos (eating
together) and gambling take place. It is
really this time of the year when
departed relatives are intensely
remembered.
All Saints’ Day is somehow felt throughout the year though
with the numerous feast days of saints
commemorated by the Catholic Church. For
every problematic situation we Filipinos
get into, there’s a Saint who we can
always call on to bail us out. At the
very least they are supposed to provide
some moral support. Apparently any
dilemma has a Saint in charge, and these
men and women have a direct line to the
Big Man in charge.
For example, are you throwing a big outdoor party anytime soon? If
you offer eggs to St. Clare of Assisi at
her shrine in Monasterio de Santa Clara
located at Katipunan Avenue, Quezon
City, devotees swear on a mountain of
bibles that you will be showered with as
much sun as you request.
Can’t find your lost stuff in the Lost and Found department? It is
time to venerate St. Anthony de Padua so
your misplaced items will miraculously
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up
again. I actually had the opportunity of
visiting St. Anthony’s shrine where part
of his body is buried. What was
interesting as well was that the oldest
university in the world, the University
of Padua, is in the same area. This was
where Copernicus and Galileo received
their formal education.
Health-conscious people are sure to know of St. Peregrine. Before,
he was famed as the patron saint of the
sick. Now however it seems that he or
his disciples have decided to
specialize. Now St. Peregrine is known
specifically as the patron saint of
cancer patients.
Those desperate in love, passing an exam or whatever hopeless case
you deem hopeless, St. Jude of Thaddeus
is here to save the day. Impossible is
nothing for him, that’s why he is the
patron saint of the Impossible.
Thousands of (well…I suppose you can
call them desperate) people visit the
Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus
in Manila near Malacanang.
We also have our homegrown saint, San Lorenzo Ruiz. He is the first
and only Filipino saint. His shrine is
the Basilica Minore de San Lorenzo Ruiz
in Manila. To many, this is commonly
known as Binondo Church. He died a
martyr for refusing to denounce his
religion amidst torture.
These are just some of the “friendly saints” in our neighborhood.
Further research and or visits to your
local church will introduce you to the
rest of the gang. Regardless on who you
decide to call upon for intercession, I
believe it’s really the faith,
conviction and trust that Pinoys put on
these saints that makes miracles happen. |
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will catch up
with humans and eventually outrun us, just in
the same way personal computers, which were slow
and not up to par until just a few decades ago,
can now perform various tasks much faster than
humans.”
Dozens of “AIBO” robot dogs made by Sony Corp also took part
in the event, playing soccer and dancing to
samba music dressed in colorful samurai and
bikini costumes.
Environmental Bit
Human waste can help
save planet
A cheap system to recycle human waste into biogas and fertilizer
may allow 2.6 billion people in the world access
to toilets and reduce global warming, an Indian
environmental expert said Tuesday.
Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of the Sulabh International Social
Service Organization, said his group plans to
push the system at the seventh annual World
Toilet Summit to be held in New Delhi at the end
of October.
The organization is dedicated to providing toilets to nearly 730
million people in India who lack them.
“The Millennium Development Goals set in South Africa in 2002 aim by 2015
to cut by half the 2.6 billion people worldwide
who lack toilets and provide them to all by
2025,” Pathak said.
He said India’s contribution would be a toilet system that
organically breaks down faeces into trapped
biogas that can be burned to provide cooking
fuel and electricity, and convert urine into
fertilizer.
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