TechieTonics

Mummified Monk encased in 1000-year-old statue: At a higher state of Meditation

February 23, 2015 Pooja Kashyap

What supposed to be 11th or 12th century sitting effigy of Buddha is not a statue but mummified remains of a monk. A CT scan and endoscopy performed by the Netherlands-based Drents Museum at the Meander Medical Centre in Amersfoort made the astonishing discovery. Speculation holds that the mummy could be of Liuquan, a mentor of Lama Dashi-Dorzho Itigilov. Born in 1852, Lama Itigilov was a monk following Tibetan Buddhist tradition and was famous for the lifelike state of his body. Another equally startling discovery was surfaced when the scan…

Homo chippiens: Mimicking Human Body using networks of Simulated Organs

February 20, 2015 Pooja Kashyap

In an attempt to create a ‘body on a chip’, scientists are working towards fabricating minute working organs of human body on a set of inter-related plastic chips. They have already developed fingertip-sized lungs, guts and livers on the chips. For instance, researchers at Harvard University’s Wyss Institute are revamping ‘bone marrow on a chip’ for studying the effect of radiation.

Volvo Cars to share Slippery-Road Warning: Driving Safety Systems

February 19, 2015 Pooja Kashyap

During rough winters, drivers have to deal with icy patches themselves. Situation becomes critical during nights when they have to fight the patches while driving in a different zone. However, things might become different when cars start sharing the on-road conditions amongst themselves.

10 Photographs: Siphonophore’s Luminous Tentacles glowing brightly beneath the Waves

February 18, 2015February 18, 2015 Pooja Kashyap

Portuguese man o’ war or bluebottle is a jellyfish-like creature that floats on ocean surface. Being a siphonophore, it is not a single multicellular organism, rather a colony of specialized minute individuals called zooids that are connected to one another to an extent that each are inept of independent survival. These creatures carry painful stings because of which they are highly feared by swimmers and divers. However, Matthew Smith, 38, dared to face the agonizing encounters under the waves only to capture these beautiful creations of nature. He developed a waterproof lens dome…

Climate change catalyzes appearance of Infectious Diseases: War against emerging Epidemic

February 17, 2015February 17, 2015 Neha Shukla

Rise in the global temperature is going to promote the outbreak of deadly infectious diseases as Ebola and West Nile virus in new hosts and in new areas. Researchers caution humans to anticipate the breakout of new illnesses, in near future due to rapid changes in the climate that forces habitats to shift and thus bringing pathogens in contact with livestock, crops, humans and wildlife.

Building Products with Conviction than for Profit Making: Creating Legacy

February 17, 2015June 9, 2015 Pooja Kashyap

I have always been curious to know the one thing that led to Apple’s meteoric success, which today is 710 billion and counting. Couple of months back I read Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson and the same thing kept haunting me for quite a long time. Of course, there were some stereotypical answers like – he pioneered products with cutting-edge technology, innovation, market maturity for the products etcetera. Yet I was unsatisfied, there must be something more, something that might have resulted in these obvious repercussions.

Interview: Wei Gao, Research Scientist at University of California, Berkeley and LBNL

February 16, 2015September 21, 2022 Pooja Kashyap

It gives me immense pleasure to introduce today Dr. Wei Gao, research scientist at University of California, Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. His research areas include nanomaterials, flexible electronics, micro/nanomachines, nanorobotics, biosensors, electrochemistry, nanomedicine and MEMS. Dr. Gao has coauthored numerous scientific journals like: “Reversible Swarming and Separation of Self-propelled Chemically-Powered Nanomotors under Acoustic Fields” “Artificial Micromotors in the Mouse’s Stomach: A Step Towards In Vivo Use of Synthetic Motors” “Water-Driven Micromotors for Rapid Photocatalytic Degradation of Biological and Chemical Warfare Agents” “Self-propelled activated-carbon Janus micromotors for efficient water…

Parasitic Wasp stings Virus to control Ladybug’s Mind: Bio-Weapon turns them into Zombie

February 13, 2015February 13, 2015 Neha Shukla

Life of animals, either big or small is not easy. Those with the most advanced skill can only survive in the nature. Our nature is full of such examples where for the survival, some animals resolves to take up sexual cannibalism while other uses virus to control the mind of their host organism. Such animals that derive benefits at the expense of other animals are termed as parasites.

Electronics to morph into Bendable Devices: Future of Wearable Gizmos

February 12, 2015February 12, 2015 Pooja Kashyap

Scientists in South Korea are working towards creating spintronics based wearable devices. Spintronics also known as spin transport electronics is an emerging technology that exploits the basic intrinsic spin of the electron along with its associated magnetic moment and electronic charge. Based on this technology, the researchers have fabricated a thin film that has an ability of maintaining its electric as well as magnetic properties even when curled into a cylinder.

Robots to Run Futuristic Japanese Hotel: Kokoro’s Actroids

February 11, 2015February 11, 2015 Neha Shukla

A hotel run by humanoid robots is no more a far fetched dream, especially from a country that is famous for robotics and technological innovation, Japan. The Henn-na Hotel located in Nagasaki plans to recruit 10 humanoid robot also named as actroid androids. These lifelike bots would greet the guests with a smile and would assist the guests by carrying their baggage, prepare coffee and even clean their rooms. Actroid, woman robot of Japanese descent Kokoro is the robotics company that is developing theses actroid robots since 2003 that looks…

Samsung’s Smart TV to Eavesdrop on Conversation: The TV Phone

February 10, 2015February 10, 2015 Pooja Kashyap

South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co. has come up with a futuristic TV that can listen and share conversation taking place real time in its surrounding. Watching TV won’t be just a one sided affair now, it’s morphing towards becoming phone, just the camera is missing though. Period.

New Mobile Manipulator TIAGo: The Best Research Partner

February 5, 2015February 5, 2015 Pooja Kashyap

After the success of REEM humanoid, PAL Robotics, Spain has come up with TIAGo (Take It And Go). The bot is integrated with mobile manipulator system, which gives it an edge of mobile platform by extending the workspace of robotic manipulator arm.

Singapore’s First 3D-printed Concept Car: Coupé of the Future

February 4, 2015 Pooja Kashyap

Researchers at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have developed nation’s first urban solar electric car with cutting-edge 3D-printed body casing that is having nearly 150 parts. The two eco-cars, dubbed as NV8 and NV9, are racing in this year’s the Shell Eco-marathon Asia that is taking place in Manila at the end of this month.

Revering Aging Clock at Cellular Level: Extending the Telomeres

February 4, 2015 Pooja Kashyap

In an interesting research in the field of microbiology, experts at the University of Stanford have tried to explore the process that might lead to eternal youth by maneuvering the key that is responsible for making human cells old.

Buddhism Is Not What You Think by Steve Hagen

February 3, 2015February 16, 2021 Pooja Kashyap

Simple and free flowing book, Buddhism Is Not What You Think written by Steve Hagen talks about what reality is as per Zen Buddhism. The author resonates one central point in the entire book and that is, reality is about direct experience of the real time than mere feelings and thoughts, which happen to be in constant flux in conscious and subconscious level in human mind.