Technology Effect

I N PICTURE:Javey’s team impressed a “C” for Cal on their e-skin From “When the Robots Sing ‘Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch-Me,’ the E-Skin Is Working,” on the DISCOVER blog Science Not Fiction:That’s right, e-skin. A group of scientists at UC-Berkeley devised a flexible mesh using nanowires to create a substance that reacts to pressure, and, as their paper in Nature Materials said, “effectively functions as an artificial electronic skin.” In the same issue, a team from Stanford University announced it had devised a kind of skin so sensitive, it can detect the weight of a bluebottle fly. All of which means for one shining issue, a scientific journal was a skin mag.That’s right, e-skin. A group of scientists at UC-Berkeley devised a flexible mesh using nanowires to create a substance that reacts to pressure, and, as their paper in Nature Materials said, “effectively functions as an artificial electronic skin.” In the same issue, a team from Stanford University announced it had devised a ...

YouTube introduced a new live video streaming service on Monday in a move that pushes the web’s most popular video site into more direct competition with traditional television.The Google-owned site said it would test the live video platform for two days before deciding on how to roll out the feature to users worldwide. “This new platform integrates live streaming directly into YouTube channels; all broadcasters need is a webcam or external USB/FireWire camera,” YouTube representatives said in a blog posting. “Included in the test is a ‘Live Comments’ module, which lets you engage with the broadcaster and the broader YouTube community.” The service will initially be limited to four YouTube partners, Howcast, Rocketboom, Next New Networks and Young Hollywood.The move comes as Google prepares to launch its Google TV product later this year, and amid reports that YouTube is preparing a pay-per-view section on its site, which until now has been totally free to viewers. YouTube ha...

Primary school children, who drink caffeine-packed energy drinks for breakfast are at risk of heart damage, doctors have warned. Students as young as 10 are snapping up at least two cans at a time on their way to school, lured by special offers at many convenience stores. Two cans of the energy drinks can have the same caffeine content as five cups of coffee.Just one energy drink can cause “serious heart conditions”. The Australian Medical Association has issued warnings for adults to limit their consumption. A recent health test performed in Sydney on 19 to 21-year-olds highlighted the massive jolt to the heart from these drinks. One 19-year-old had a resting heart rate of 82 beats a minute. Half an hour later, after consuming an energy drink, it hit 106.A Queensland Health spokeswoman said the effects of two energy drinks on a child weighing less than 30kg could be dangerous. “Current evidence suggests that 75mg of caffeine per day from all food and drink sources is the limit f...