Basically it is a pair of glasses that have a video camera (Google glasses next gen maybe). The picture from the camera is then being converted to electrical impulses that is being sent to a chip in the eye/brain and transformed to signals that the brain can understand. This allows a blind user to get from not being able to see anything to suddenly being able to detect contours and differences between dark and light areas. And as said in the video it really helps to navigate by being able to see the difference between the road and the grass on the side.

Take a look at the video below.

30 people with different visibility impairments could bike on a 150 meter long track by there own. On the bike there is a device that sends out ultrasound which in return is reflected back to the bike. It will measure the distance to obstacles in the bikes way and send vibrating signals to the rudder handles telling the person driving the bike how much to turn the rudder. The vibration varies in intensity depending on how much to turn.

I read that one of the persons testing the bike quickly learned to trust in the technology and that he quickly felt a part of the bike. Personally I feel this sound a bit scary but still very interesting if it can help blind people using things like bikes more easily. I wonder if it would be helpful to install this device into a cane that blind people use. The company creating the bike is called Sound Foresight Technology and have a cane for blind people with ultrasound. It is called Ultracane, http://www.ultracane.com/. I would guess it works similar to how the bike works, gives the user some indication of obstacles in advance and maybe increasing the range of above the ground.

The creators of the bike says that the aim was to offer visual impaired and blind users the option to discover the world in a new way with the help of technology. Offer a sense of freedom and not being dependent on others, specially in a bike environment where tandem bikes are used often.

How do you think this would work in real life? On the event where the bike was tested, they had a special track to follow. But can this be something to bring out anywhere?

Announcing this new investment, Larry Page, Google CEO said: “Illness and aging affect all our families. With some longer term, moonshot thinking around healthcare and biotechnology, I believe we can improve millions of lives. It’s impossible to imagine anyone better than Art—one of the leading scientists, entrepreneurs and CEOs of our generation—to take this new venture forward.” Art said: “I’ve devoted much of my life to science and technology, with the goal of improving human health. Larry’s focus on outsized improvements has inspired me, and I’m tremendously excited about what’s next.”

Art Levinson will remain Chairman of Genentech and a director of Hoffmann-La Roche, as well as Chairman of Apple.

Commenting on Art’s new role, Franz Humer, Chairman of Hoffmann-La Roche, said: “Art’s track record at Genentech has been exemplary, and we see an interesting potential for our companies to work together going forward. We’re delighted he’ll stay on our board.”

Tim Cook, Chief Executive Officer of Apple, said: “For too many of our friends and family, life has been cut short or the quality of their life is too often lacking. Art is one of the crazy ones who thinks it doesn’t have to be this way. There is no one better suited to lead this mission and I am excited to see the results.”

Read More:

http://googlepress.blogspot.se/2013/09/calico-announcement.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2424992/Google-Apple-join-forces-Calico-extend-human-life.html

The Nov2k symposium ‘Future of Science and Medicine’ is approaching on 21.-22. November at Novum research park at Huddinge campus. The event, arranged by KI’s PhD students and post-docs, features again many interesting speakers (Ivan Oransky, Miguel Nicolelis, Daniela Cutas and Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren to name a few) and the theme for 2013 is Creativity.

The first day of the two-day event is free for students to participate, so be quick to secure your seat! I recommend the event it warmly – it was one of the most interesting things I attended during my first semester as a HI student.

For more information, check out http://www.nov2k.com -site.

For the next month, October, we are organizing two new events under the frame of Uncharted Waters: navigating the unknown. For this special occasion there will be a combo ticket for the two events for only 400kr. Or in case you cannot attend both, there are also available tickets for each event. Be quick, first come first served!

http://tedxstockholm.com/

Attached is an invitation which you are welcome to forward to all your colleagues.

oppet_hus_inbjudan

The day starts at 8.30 in Tomtebodavägen 18A at Widerströmska building and will offer several inspiring talks and coffee breaks to mingle with students and speakers. We hope that as many as possible want to take the opportunity to come to this student created day for students. We will serve free coffee for all that participate and listen. The day will end at 12.00 to let students move on to their different courses and classes.

Speakers for the day are for example Isabella Scandura from DOME project in Uppsala, project on Deployment of Online Medical records and eHealth devices. Malin Hollmark from CTMH, about Clinical Innovation Fellowships program and Mikael Berglund – youtube for medical imaging. Maybe more speakers will come, so keep an eye out.

Hope to see all students on this day, it is great opportunity to be inspired about what you can work with in the future.
And please sign up on the event at facebook here. It helps us know how much coffee we should order etc.