Miss Mimi’s Inspiration: A Sobering Realization.
A moving blog that mentions how film technology can change your perspective on simple everyday objects.
Category Archives: Medical
Rest in Peace Steve Jobs
I hardly believed my ears when a friend of mine told me. I hadn’t been able to get online all day because of classes. My heart sank at the thought, not that I ever knew the man, but because an innovator of historic proportions had been lost…and a human life as well. Today history lost one of its greatest designers and revolutionaries of technology. Despite how much you support or even like Apple we cannot neglect to acknowledge it’s greater impact on the world and how it changed our views of technology. May Steve Jobs rest in peace.
A few articles I found a couple weeks ago I was meaning to put up because of the amazing perspective they gave on the impact of Steve Jobs (in light of his resignation). I feel it is appropriate now because of its name: A World Without Jobs. Little did we know that the world without Steve Jobs would be so soon…and permanent. A man holding over 300 patents to his name and an empire of technology that connected the world bringing us all closer. Funny how something designed so well could become a new symbol…an unexpected symbol.
A quote from this article that resonated with me:
Technological progress is the fruit of countless scientists, inventors, engineers, and firms. But Apple has done one thing almost no one else does: put the fruits of insanely complex engineering into accessible form. Before the rise of Apple, advances in computing technology largely meant a daunting increase in complexity and the length of the manual accompanying the device. The 1990s were the age of Microsoft, when geeks ruled the world . . . because we were the only ones who knew how to get it to work.
Apple made technology safe for cool people—and ordinary people. It made products that worked, beautifully, without fuss and with a great deal of style. They improved markedly, unmistakably, from one generation to the next—not just in a long list of features and ever-spiraling complexity (I’m looking at you, Microsoft Word), but in simplicity. Press the single button on the face of the iPad and, whether you are five or 95, you can begin using it with almost no instruction. It has no manual. No geeks required.
For more information about the man who changes secular culture forever and his patents follow these links:
To send well wishes follow this link:
Cyborgs Unite!: The Not so Distant Future
I remember that day almost like it was yesterday. I was 9 years old listening to a doctor explain to me how my life was never going to be the same. “Type one diabetes” rolled off his tongue like an eternal judgment. Like a curse. I know better now that diabetes is a very common and treatable disease, but at the time having to take shots 5 times a day seemed like a horror story. Today I only need to take one every three days thanks to my insulin pump and many other advances in medical technology.
I’m amazed at some of the advances that technology has made for the medical field.When I was first diagnosed insulin pumps were still in the prototype phase and had age requirements. Today, children as young as 4 can have them and use them like it wasn’t even a big deal. Mechanical limbs, insulin pumps, and vaccines are some of the technologies that have changed our world, but there is a new era that sits on the fence of medical approval: the age of cyborgs.
cy·borg/ˈsībôrg/
Noun: A fictional or hypothetical person whose physical abilities become superhuman by mechanical elements built into the body. (thanks Wikipedia)
I’ve been reading the book Nuromancer by William Gibson (an interesting cyberpunk book to add to your reading list). An age of leaving the “meat” and allowing cybernetics to become the new normal. Perfectly average organs and limbs are replaced with superhuman cybernetics and in most cases their functionality serve questionable purposes. It’s an interesting concept. Taking organic matter and making it into something that can integrate with technology. I can understand making medical advances, but there are just some advances that I can’t see being useful in the future. I found this article entitled 9 Implants That Make the Healthy Human Body Even More Useful. Really? Making HEALTHY Human bodies more useful?
Some say that these implants do have very convenient and useful applications in our daily lives. Items like the heath sensor and bionic limbs are important for those who are in need of them. But LED implants? I have nothing against body art or tattoos, but under what circumstances is it logical to do so? I’m sure somewhere there is a cybergoth sitting looking at these implants and ruining their wireless computer keyboard as their saliva drips out of their mouths. Yes, the applications are possible and endless, but should we really apply such technologies simply because we have them? I have always had the theory that science cannot live knowing they made something that couldn’t be used, even if it seems sketchy.
Are we really that attached to our tech that we can’t live without it attached to our person permanently? Of course there is always a risk of not being so healthy after the implant because of complications and bodily rejection. Not to mention the obvious: human’s haven’t had a very good track record of making good decisions for themselves. I read this interesting article from The Center of Bioethics and Human Dignity about Nanotechnology being a means for improving human life. The article is entitled From iPods to iHuamns: What will Nanotechnology do to Us?. In this article I found one particular section to be interesting:
While many exciting ideas were being proposed, I raised questions about the ethical implications of some of these devices. Many agreed they knew little about the potential hazards of the nanomaterials they were manufacturing or using. Yet universities and governments around the world are investing heavily in nanotechnology for its economic return. All sorts of useful devices are being developed, but others want to use nanotechnology to enhance people all the way to the posthuman – a new species with capabilities far beyond those of humans.
Technology has made some wonderful advances. I live with one of them and have been grateful for the convenience it has brought to my life, but in some instances I feel we need to look more closely at what we’re doing and why.
Innovative American Medical Technology…Being Sent Over Seas First?
A recent news report came across my desktop the other day giving a new insight to current technological developments in health.
The issue: Newer medical technology is being sent overseas before being able to be perchased in America (regardless of whether or not it was developed in America or not).
The reason: Because the FDA’s regulations for medical products use makes marketing new innovations in America more difficult and perhaps are unnecessary all together. Europe has been more willing to purchase and fund such innovations and has made the medical market turn to them first.
Now this information is still tentative because it was taken in regards to a Northwester University survey, and in many cases surveys are biased and therefore must be taken with a grain of salt (any survey can be worded to make a desirable outcome). However, the fact that this survey was even taken is interesting and brings up a very interesting question about whether our FDA’s regulations are necessary and if it’s jeopardizing our medical field in America when there could be a more innovative way. I’d love to hear more in depth info as to why this may (or may not) be happening. But, I was only able to find this little bit of information.
Full article found here: http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/MED-FDA_5196994/MED-FDA_5196994/
Here is a video I found that explains things a bit further.
Cell Phones and Cancer: New Alarming Studies (and why I’m using speaker phone from now on)
I was watching a CNN broadcast done by Anserson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta about cellphone use and cancer. I’ve always been skeptical about this kind of research, but they brought up some very good points.
Have you ever read the warning label that came with that nice Blackberry? If you were to look at the warnings that come with your cell phone, you would notice most companies recommend that you do not hold your cell phone close to your body. Why is this you may ask? Old research has shown that cell phones actually are seeing radioactive frequencies into your brain (knew that already), new research shows in the long term (10 years plus) that cellphones can cause serious health issues especially for excessive use. Most of this research is being done on adults, but when you think about young adults and teenagers using cell phones and their thinner developing skulls….this could lead to much more and more quickly. Despite research done earlier that has said cell phone use was considered safe and do not cause cancer, the fact is cancer can take a decade or more to actually develop, and the results of longer studies has shown startling results. To be perfectly honest, cell phones had not been around long enough to get accurate results, but as time goes on, more and more is beginning to unfold, and not in favor of cell phone usage.
Dr. Oz gives some helpful tips.
While researching this I also found a video interviewing Dr. Gupta about cell phone use in hospitals. If they can be this damaging to electronics, then how much more can they be to us physically?
Mind you more research is being done, but it’s interesting to see this sudden shift from “it’s fine” to “be careful” and in only a few years time. As for me…I’m keeping my phone on speaker.
cybergothpandas 