An updated and more automatic version of this technology is offered by a company I've been following for a while, PixelOptics, Inc., http://www.pixeloptics.com./ Since I'm part of the presbyopia-suffering-over-40 crowd I have a vested interest in something better than the reading glasses I currently wear. Although it's still vaporware at this point, they claim to have an electronically focusing lens that dynamically adjusts to current conditions. A short explanation of the tech involved is here... http://www.pixeloptics.com/pages/electro.html. I look forward to the summer of 2010.
From TFA..."with a reversing magnetic field comes a weakening in the Earth's ability to deflect cosmic rays. Our armada of communication and military satellites will drop from orbit, adding to the chaos on the ground. There will be social unrest, warfare, famine and economic collapse."
Fyi, here's a link to the full text (HTML, actually) TFA... http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/117902419/HTMLSTART?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0/.
IANANS (I am not a neuro scientist) but some of my friends are. While some information about brain activity and function can be gleaned from techniques such as deep brain stimulation, the technique can also be likened to tossing a screwdriver into the back of a television and trying to discern how TV broadcasts work by observing what functions of the set are "enhanced", or not.
Although it's impressive to see the extent to which the subjects were tested pre- and post-operatively, it seems a little early to jump to conclusions about enhancing memory function even in the short term.
An updated and more automatic version of this technology is offered by a company I've been following for a while, PixelOptics, Inc., http://www.pixeloptics.com./ Since I'm part of the presbyopia-suffering-over-40 crowd I have a vested interest in something better than the reading glasses I currently wear. Although it's still vaporware at this point, they claim to have an electronically focusing lens that dynamically adjusts to current conditions. A short explanation of the tech involved is here... http://www.pixeloptics.com/pages/electro.html. I look forward to the summer of 2010.
Additional obligatory comment:
Imagine a Beowulf cluster of them....
From TFA..."with a reversing magnetic field comes a weakening in the Earth's ability to deflect cosmic rays. Our armada of communication and military satellites will drop from orbit, adding to the chaos on the ground.
There will be social unrest, warfare, famine and economic collapse."
So..., what's new?
Additionally, here's a more informative article posted by Penn State. http://live.psu.edu/story/28853
Fyi, here's a link to the full text (HTML, actually) TFA... http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/117902419/HTMLSTART?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0/. IANANS (I am not a neuro scientist) but some of my friends are. While some information about brain activity and function can be gleaned from techniques such as deep brain stimulation, the technique can also be likened to tossing a screwdriver into the back of a television and trying to discern how TV broadcasts work by observing what functions of the set are "enhanced", or not. Although it's impressive to see the extent to which the subjects were tested pre- and post-operatively, it seems a little early to jump to conclusions about enhancing memory function even in the short term.