Is Robotics a Solution to The Growing Needs of the Elderly?

Robots – Nurses/Caretakers for Elderly

At the reception of Institute of Media Innovation, at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, you will find a smiling brunette receptionist known as Nadine.One would not find anything unusual with regards to her appearance but on closer scrutiny you will get to know that she is a robot. Nadine is said to be an intellectual robot with the potential of autonomous behaviour and for a machine, her appearance and behaviour tends to be amazingly natural.

 She has the tendency of recognizing people together with their emotions and utilises her knowledge database, her thought in order to communicate. They have still been fine-tuning her receptionist skills, at IMI and shortly Nadine could be the nurse for your grandma. Study in the use of robots as nurses or caretakers have been mounting and it is not difficult to know the reason. Global population is getting old which is being a strain on the systems of healthcare.

 Though most of the elders in the age of 80 may need a companion to chat with or someone to take care of them in case they tend to stumble and fall, more and more of the elderly tend to suffer from serious disorder namely dementia.

Quality Care – Needs of Elderly

Several experts are of the opinion that robots could be the solution in providing the much needed quality care in addressing the needs of the elderly. Nadine is being designed by a team which is headed by Prof Nadia Thalmann who have been working on virtual human research for several years. Nadine is said to exist for three years.

According to Prof Thalmann, she seems to have human like potential in recognizing people, emotion while simultaneously remembering them. She will automatically adjust to the person as well as situations she may tend to deal with thus making her perfectly suitable in looking after the aged, according to Prof Thalmann.

Moreover, the robot is said to monitor the wel lbeing of the patient and in case of an emergency can call for help. Besides this, she can also chat, read stories or even play games. Prof Thalmann commented that the humanoid is never tired or bored and it will just do what it is devoted for.

IBM Multi-Purpose Eldercare Robot Assistant

However, Nadine is not perfect and tends to have trouble understanding accents. Her hand co-ordination is not the best. Nonetheless, Prof Thalmann states that robots could be caring the aged within 10 years. IBM, the US technology giant is said to be occupied with robo-nurse research in association with Rice University, in Houston, Texas who have developed the IBM Multi-Purpose Eldercare Robot Assistant – Mera.

 It is said that Mera can monitor the heart and breathing of a patient by analysing video of their face. Moreover it can also view if the patient had fallen and convey the information to caretakers. But not all would be prepared for a robot caretaker, admits Susann Keohane, global research leader of IBM, for the strategic initiative on aging.

 This opinion has been supported by research by Gartner which had found `resistance’ to the usage of humanoid robots in the care of the elderly. Kanae Maita, principal analyst in personal technologies innovation at Gartner Research had commented that people did not seem to be comfortable with the idea of their parents being cared by the robots, in spite of evidencethat it provides value for money.

What to Consider When Choosing SA Mobile Phone Service Provider

There are different cell phone providers in the UK and most of them are similar in lots of ways, but at the same time, unique in others. Here are some facts that you should consider when choosing the mobile phone provider you need.

Coverage in your region. 

Each service provider has their own exclusive network and the coverage varies in each one. Take a look at the service provider’s coverage map to ensure that you will have reception where you are likely to use your phone.

You can look at the coverage of your potential service provider by logging into the website of the provider and looking at their coverage in your area. It is always available online.
Another option is to go directly to the nearest store and ask for a brochure or pamphlet that has a map that shows the coverage in your country. This will show you the areas that are covered and those that aren’t. You also get to know what services you will be able to get. Internet services, text messaging and/or voice coverage.

Network coverage.

If you are a person who travels a lot, you don't want to be restricted to making or receiving calls at a certain location and having no signal in another location. Be aware of how far or near the network of your service provider goes.

Take note that a good service provider should not have roaming charges.
Currently, 4G LTE networks are something that should be considered when selecting a mobile phone service provider. So, if the potential service provider has a 4G LTE network, take a look at the network that your service provider is offering and compare it with the rest.

The length of the contract. 

Getting a good cell phone and a good deal that goes with it isn’t so hard. The tricky part about these deals is the fact that you may have to sign a contract that goes for 3 years or more.

The catch is, the moment you try to get out of them before time, there are harsh financial penalties involved.

A good mobile phone service provider will give you a good deal with a contract that isn’t really hard to get out of. There shouldn’t be a hidden agenda in a good deal.

Pricing. 

You could be under a really tight budget, meaning you have to be careful about how much you are going to spend on your mobile phone bill. Do your research on the available cell phone providers and look all the plants they have. The minutes available, what’s included in the package, and what the monthly prices are. With most mobile phone service providers, you will have to sign a contract of about two years unless you select a prepaid mobile phone provider. Companies like Vodafone have prepaid packages. This way you avoid getting locked up into a contract and avoid paying a penalty if you have to move to a place where there is no coverage, or out of the country to a place where your current provider won’t be efficient. However, with a prepaid option, your choices could be limited.

Company reputation. 

If a company has been in the market for so long, then it is probably because it has a good reputation. If it didn’t, then it wouldn’t have been in the market for that long. Therefore if they have been on the market for long, their service is probably really good.

Good customer service. 

One way or another, you will need some assistance from your service provider. This means you will have to call customer service for help. There is nothing more annoying that calling customer service and being made to wait on the line for long periods of time. Find a mobile phone service provider that provides customer friendly services and makes customer satisfaction a priority.

Devices. 

If or when you decide to buy a new phone, you want to have a chance to buy the best cell phone (that your money can buy) from the world's biggest brands. However, not all service providers have a large selection of phones and if do, maybe the deals are not so attractive. This is also something to keep in mind.

Howard University Opens a New Campus at the Googleplex

It is an unaltered reality that novice and emerging minds have always exposed top-notched versions of technology that comes up with a lot of dynamism enrapt in it. Previously, almost a decade ago there was hardly any attempt was made in the field of the technology but, one must remember that it is an undenied fact that it is rigorously imperative to reflect that how innovative the working groups of Howard University are, which is generally termed as the Black institution since time immemorial.

It is the time to feel proud of one’s institution that has groomed us to stand at the position where we are. Students who pursued their undergraduates from Howard University in Computer Science, are being recruited by a renowned tech support organization i.e. Googleplex.

The unhindered service that they have received from the students of Howard have enforced them to recruit more employees from Howard West which has now become the central zone of Google to employ extraneous Black Software Engineers from different institutions like the esteemed colleges and Universities. Besides, providing them with thehighest order of perks and pays; they also ensure that the employees are given the best working environment so that they feel at home, though physically far away from it.

Peter Drucker, a consultant at the managerial post said that the only way by which one can predict their future is by creating it, and this is what the students from Howard University is bent proving it. The students are the harbingers of values loaded with diversity and Google has taken the initiative to include diversity in its curriculum.

They are thriving to develop an another version of campus Googleplex that was till now denoted only to the physical space, but now the students on campus can mingle and coordinate with several creative and innovative minds across the universe on this unique platform provided by Googleplex. This initiative to bring the entire world to a single space is sure to churn the whirlwind by enfolding every new aspect of creativity that was undoubtedly not thought before.


The Googleplex program is designed in such a manner that everyone whether a junior or a senior from Howard University pursuing Computer Science will get the opportunity to be a part of it by attending the program for a period of three months, but only for once. An added advantage to all the participants would be that they would be supervised by Senior Google Engineers and Faculty members from Howard University.

They will always be there s instructors so that they can provide their best support to all the emerging talents. The program is said to have been started in summer this year and they are also thinking of incorporating students from other Black Universities who would be the perfect example of best minds travelling across space and geographical boundary. This is a revolutionary initiative taken by Google which would definitely give a proper platform to the fresh and emerging talents.

Looking for the Next Boost in Rechargeable Batteries

An Alteration to Lithium-Sulfur Battery

The USC researchers have come up with a solution for rechargeable batteries. In the January issue of the Journal of the Electrochemical Society, which had been published by Sri Narayan and Derek Moy of the USC Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, outlines how they had designed a modification to the lithium-sulfur battery which could be more competitive with the industry standard lithium-ion battery.

The lithium sulphur batter which was presumed to be better in energy storage ability than the well=known lithium-ion counterpart had been vulnerable due to its short life span. The lithium=sulphur battery, presently can be recharged 50 to 100 times, unreasonable as an alternative energy source in comparison to 1,000 times, for several rechargeable batteries in the present day market.

The solution planned by Narayan together with lead author and research assistant Moy is what they call the `Mixed Conduction Membrane’, or MCM. This is a small piece of non-porous invented material inserted between two layers of porous separators, soaked in electrolytes which are placed in the midst of two electrodes.

MCM – Essential Movement of Lithium ions

The membrane acts as a block in decreasing the transporting of dissolved polysulfides among anode and cathode. This is a process which tends to increase the type of cycle strain makes use of lithium-sulfur batteries for the purpose of energy storage an experiment.

The MCM enables the essential movement of lithium ions, imitating the procedure as it takes place in lithium-ion batteries. This innovative membrane solution tends to preserve the high-discharge rate ability together with energy density without losing the capacity over a period of time. The researchers had discovered that the lithium-sulfur batteries which have a tendency to make use of MCM at several rates of discharge, had led to 100% capacity retention and had around four times longer life in comparison to batteries without the membrane.

According to Narayan, senior author and professor of chemistry at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Science had stated that this progress removes one of the major technical barriers to the commercialization of the lithium-sulfur battery, enabling them to realize improved options for energy efficiency.

Lithium-Sulfur Batteries/Lithium-ion Batteries

It is said that lithium-sulfur batteries tends to have a lot of advantage over lithium-ion batteries and are made with plenty and cheap sulphur. They are two to three times denser making them both smaller and better at storing charge.

According to researchers, lithium-sulfur battery could be appropriate in saving space in mobile phones as well as computers. Moreover, it would also reduce weight in the forthcoming electric vehicles inclusive of cars, together with planes thereby further reduction in reliance on fossil fuels. The real MCM layer developed by Narayan and Moy is said to be a thin film of lithiated cobalt oxide but future alternate materials may produce much improved effects.

Any alternative material utilised as an MCM, according to Narayan and Moy should satisfy some vitalstandards. The material should be non-porous and should have mixed conduction properties and it should be electrochemically inactive.The research had been financed by USC together with the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute.

A Future With Robots as Companions Could Be Closer Than You Think

Robot Companions
Robot & Frank the 2012 movie had defined a `near future which would enable us to spend our golden years living `co-dependently independently’ that would be fulfilled by robot companions which would watch for loss of balance and falls, encouraging us to perform constructive household chores such as gardening as well as tend to be something like like best companions. The future could be something we could speculate on or something what the USC Professor Maja Mataric has in mind. After much testing and researching, the progressive effects socially assistive robots could have on helpless population, Mataric visualizes how she could help in speeding this technology into the living rooms and care services.

At the onset in that walk, The vice dean of research of the USC Viterbi Scholl of Engineering and USC Interaction Lab director co-founded the Pasadena company Embodied Inc. that had been functioning in the development and bringing about reasonably socially assistive robots to market. The first `Embodied robot’ would start its testing during the year for consumers. Mataric, a professor of computer science, neuroscience and paediatrics at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, had stated that she would prefer to take the robots out of the lab.

Motivating/Brightening Days of Patients 

She further added that this was essentially important since the users she intends to focus on have special need and the faster they are inclined to help them, the better. The research robots of Mataric had already begun motivating and brightening the days of the patients in the cardiac ward of Los Angeles County + USC Medical Centre, which is the autism clinic at the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles and the Alzheimer’s care unit at Silverado Senior Living together with the special education together and public elementary schools and Be Group retirement homes.

The living presence of a robot - `Embodiment’ is said to be the main difference between the assistive technology Mataric seemed to have designed together with various screens which tend to include our prevailing machine aided lives. The research of Mataric has portrayed that with the presence of human like robots but not so human taking us into `weird areas’, could be adequate in encouraging the elders in exercising in a way which they would not with screen prompts. Moreover it could also be a discussion section which would enable children suffering from autism in relating better to their peers.

Social Element – Make People Change Behaviour

Mataric had informed a recent national gathering for the American Association for the Advancement of Science – AAAS, that social element is said to be the only object which tends to make the people change their behaviour. It makes them lose weight and recover faster.

There is a possibility that screen tend to make us less and not more social and it is here where robotics could make a difference – the fundamental embodiment. The AAAS appearance of Mataric signified something of a target, which came almost 10 years since she had been inducted as a fellow and 20 years after she had stated at USC.

Socially assistive robotics as created by Mataric together with her then graduate researcher David Feil-Seifer 12 years ago, tends to represent a type of mixture of two other areas of development in robotics namely assistive robotics, robots which tend to assist the disabled through direct physical interaction and social robotics which socialize with people.