Engagement in STEM through robotics, mechatronics, cybersecurity and more

 

Discovery With NSF funding, Summer of STEM at NYU Polytechnic supports and encourages students and teachers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics High-school teachers and Fellows work together in the SMART summer program. Credit and Larger Version July 9, 2015 NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering kicks off its Summer of STEM today. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics are the focus, with both teachers and students gaining new opportunities for learning and development. Many of the projects announced today are funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Susan Singer, NSF's director of the Division of Undergraduate Education, joins NYU School of Engineering President and Dean Katepalli R. Sreenivasan and other officials to announce a number of efforts that make up the Summer of STEM. "It is a priority for NSF to invest in research that will engage students in STEM and give their teachers new tools for deepening their knowledge and integrating STEM topics into their students' learning," said Singer. "We at NSF are excited about the new and ongoing work at NYU Polytechnic." Some highlights: Discovery Research for Teachers: Four teachers--from P.S./I.S. 109 The Glenwood Academy of Science & Technology and Park Place Community Middle School 266, both in Brooklyn--will spend three weeks at the NYU School of Engineering as part of a comprehensive year-round STEM development program. Ultimately, 44 teachers from 22 New York City middle schools will participate in the new program, funded by a $2.5 million grant from the NSF Discovery Research K-12 program. NYU will field a team of interdisciplinary experts in robotics, engineering, education, curriculum design, and assessment to make robotics central to and sustainable in the city's science and math classrooms. Science and Mechatronics Aided Research for Teachers with an Entrepreneurship expeRience (SMARTER): This program pairs middle- and high-school teachers with faculty and graduate students in the NYU School of Engineering laboratories for two weeks of advanced STEM workshops and four weeks of research. Starting with the premise that kids cannot resist STEM subjects when robots are involved, SMARTER adds the excitement of entrepreneurial explorations. Twelve teachers engage in high-level research projects and curriculum development, then return to their schools capable of establishing engineering programs and facilities. SMARTER is funded by the NSF Research Experience for Teachers (RET) Site program. Cybersecurity for Teachers RET: Home of one of the oldest and most recognized cybersecurity programs in the country, the NYU School of Engineering hosts training and research opportunities for 10 high-school teachers, particularly those from schools with diverse and economically disadvantaged student bodies. The program aims to engage students in hardware and software security and digital forensics, thereby opening up high-demand career paths to the students. Sponsored by the NSF RET (Research Experiences for Teachers) Site program, the summer programs sends teachers back to their own schools with the knowledge, curriculum, and hands-on demonstrations to launch programs there. Teachers will also prepare their students to participate in the NYU School of Engineering's annual Cyber Security Awareness Week (CSAW)--the nation's biggest set of student challenges in hacking, protection, and digital forensics. Cybersecurity for College Instructors RET: A similar NSF-funded camp educates 10 college instructors and prepares them to develop information security programs for their community colleges and four-year institutions. AMPS/CBSI: Applying Mechatronics to Promote Science, which is funded by NSF and the Central Brooklyn STEM Initiative, sends NYU School of Engineering students into Brooklyn elementary, middle and high schools throughout the year to challenge students to design, build and operate robotic devices, teach science, math and engineering, and provide training to advance teachers' understanding of STEM subjects. The results are significant: From 2009 to 2012, 70.8 percent of the more than 3,000 participating students increased their STEM grades by a half or full letter grade. This summer, up to six elementary-, middle-, and high-school teachers are training alongside NYU School of Engineering graduate fellows and preparing to take STEM knowledge back to their schools. GenCyber: Computer Science for Cybersecurity: With an extra session added this year, the program introduces 75 high-school girls to role models, programming, virtuous hacking and digital forensics during three intensive and supportive two-week-long programs designed to encourage them to pursue educational opportunities in cybersecurity--a field that is growing at more than 10 times the overall job market but is notoriously bereft of female professionals. GenCyber also prepares young women to participate in the popular NYU School of Engineering CSAW High School Digital Forensics Contest. More information is available in NYU Polytechnic's press release. -- Maria C. Zacharias, (703) 292-8454 mzachari@nsf.gov Investigators Nasir Memon Ramesh Karri Justin Cappos Vikram Kapila Benjamin Esner Noel Kriftcher Orit Zaslavsky Catherine Milne Magued Iskander Phyllis Gail Frankl Related Institutions/Organizations New York University Locations New York , New York Related Programs Graduate K-12 CyberCorps(R) Scholarship for Service Related Awards #0741714 New, GK12: Applying Mechatronics to Promote Science (AMPS) #1241568 Building Cyber Security Capacity in Two Year and Four Year Colleges #1241653 ASPIRE: An SFS Program for Interdisciplinary Research and Education (Renewal) #1132482 RET Site: Science and Mechatronics Aided Research for Teachers with an Entrepreneurship expeRience (SMARTER) #1407161 RET in Engineering and Computer Science Site: Research Experience and Training in Cyber Security for Pre-College Teachers #1417769 DR K-12: Teaching STEM with Robotics: Design, Development, and Testing of a Research-based Professional Development Program for Teachers Years Research Conducted 2008 – 2018 www.nsf.gov

Hubble Looks at Stunning Spiral

 

 

This little-known galaxy, officially named J04542829-6625280, but most often referred to as LEDA 89996, is a classic example of a spiral galaxy. The galaxy is much like our own galaxy, the Milky Way. The disk-shaped galaxy is seen face on, revealing the winding structure of the spiral arms. Dark patches in these spiral arms are in fact dust and gas — the raw materials for new stars. The many young stars that form in these regions make the spiral arms appear bright and bluish.

The galaxy sits in a vibrant area of the night sky within the constellation of Dorado (The Swordfish), and appears very close to the Large Magellanic Cloud  — one of the satellite galaxies of the Milky Way.

The observations were carried out with the high resolution channel of Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys. 

Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, Acknowledgement: Flickr user C. Claude
Text credit: European Space Agency

Last Updated: July 10, 2015

Editor: Ashley Morrow

Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning Prevention

 

When power outages occur after severe weather (such as hurricanes or tornadoes), using alternative sources of power can cause carbon monoxide (CO) to build up in a home and poison the people and animals inside. Every year, at least 430 people die in the U. S. from accidental CO poisoning. Change the batteries in your CO detector every six months. If you don't have a battery-powered or battery back-up CO detector, buy one soon. CO is found in fumes produced by portable generators, stoves, lanterns, and gas ranges, or by burning charcoal and wood. CO from these sources can build up in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces. People and animals in these spaces can be poisoned and can die from breathing CO. How to Recognize CO Poisoning The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. People who are sleeping or who have been drinking alcohol can die from CO poisoning before ever having symptoms. CO Poisoning Prevention Tips Click here for Important CO Poisoning Prevention Tips in 16 Additional Languages. Never use a gas range or oven to heat a home. Never leave the motor running in a vehicle parked in an enclosed or partially enclosed space, such as a garage. Never run a generator, pressure washer, or any gasoline-powered engine inside a basement, garage, or other enclosed structure, even if the doors or windows are open, unless the equipment is professionally installed and vented. Keep vents and flues free of debris, especially if winds are high. Flying debris can block ventilation lines. Never run a motor vehicle, generator, pressure washer, or any gasoline-powered engine less than 20 feet from an open window, door, or vent where exhaust can vent into an enclosed area. Never use a charcoal grill, hibachi, lantern, or portable camping stove inside a home, tent, or camper. If conditions are too hot or too cold, seek shelter with friends or at a community shelter. If CO poisoning is suspected, consult a health care professional right away. CO poisoning is entirely preventable. You can protect yourself and your family by acting wisely in case of a power outage and learning the symptoms of CO poisoning. For more information, please visit the Carbon Monoxide Poisoning website .  source : www.cdc.gov

Wellness at Work

 

Your health is important wherever you go. And now that many people are spending most of their day sitting at a desk or inside an office, implementing health programs inside the workplace has become a vital piece of a healthy lifestyle.  Chronic Disease at Work Chronic diseases such as depression and hypertension can lead to a decline in the overall health of employees in a workplace, contribute to an increase in health-related expenses for employers and employees, and lead to lower productivity and/or days of work missed. Many businesses have realized the benefits of health promotion, and to curb the costs of rising health care offer workplace health programs to their employees. Ideally, the office should be a place protecting the safety and well-being of employees while providing them with opportunities for better long-term health. In a study published January 2014 in CDC's Preventing Chronic Disease, Bonauto and colleagues looked at data from 37,626 employees in Washington State and found that the overall incidence of obesity among workers was 24.6%.1 The authors also note that obesity rates varied by job type. For instance, only 11.6% of those in health-diagnosing occupations, for example doctors, dentists, and veterinarians, were obese. On the other hand, 38.6% of truck drivers, who spend most of their days sitting, were obese. The authors of this study acknowledge the importance of physical activities and their availability at the workplace in preventing obesity. Although chronic diseases like obesity are among the most common and costly of all health problems, adopting healthy lifestyles can help prevent them. A workplace health program aimed at keeping employees healthy is a key long-term human asset management strategy. Workplace health programs include policies intended to facilitate employee health, including allowing time for exercise, providing on-site kitchens and eating areas, offering healthful food options in vending machines, holding "walk and talk" meetings, and offering financial and other incentives for participation. What is a Workplace Health Program? A workplace health program is a health promotion activity or organization-wide policy designed to support healthy behaviors and improve health outcomes while at work. These programs consist of activities such as health education and coaching, weight management programs, medical screenings, on-site fitness programs, and more. Workplace health programs also include policies intended to facilitate employee health, including allowing time for exercise, providing on-site kitchens and eating areas, offering healthful food options in vending machines, holding "walk and talk" meetings, and offering financial and other incentives for participation. Effective workplace programs, policies, and environments that are health-focused and worker-centered have the potential to significantly benefit employers, employees, their families, and communities. Need a Workplace Health Program at Your Office? Ask your employer if they offer a wellness or health promotion program. If not, suggest implementing one at your office. If you are an employer looking to start a program of your own, read the CDC's Worksite Health ScoreCard and other materials for recommendations on implementing a health promotion program at your workplace. References Bonauto DK, Lu D, Fan ZJ. Obesity Prevalence by Occupation in Washington State, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Prev Chronic Dis 2014;11:130219. DOI.. Gerteis J, Izrael D, Deitz D, LeRoy L, Ricciardi R, Miller T, Basu J. Multiple Chronic Conditions Chartbook.[PDF - 10.62 MB] AHRQ Publications No, Q14-0038. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2014. Accessed November 18, 2014. source – www.cdc.gov

Mysteries of the Brain: Perceiving Brain

 

Sabine Kastner, a professor of neuroscience and psychology at Princeton University, is studying how the brain determines what information is most important in everyday scenes. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, Kastner is able to peek inside the brain and see what areas are active when a person sees a face, place or object. "Mysteries of the Brain" is produced by NBC Learn in partnership with the NSF.

Credit: NBC Learn and the National Science Foundation

Mysteries of the Brain: Brain-Computer Interface

 

Neuroengineer Rajesh Rao of the University of Washington is developing brain-computer interfaces, devices that can monitor and extract brain activity to enable a machine or computer to accomplish tasks, from playing video games to controlling a prosthetic arm. "Mysteries of the Brain" is produced by NBC Learn in partnership with the NSF.

Credit: NBC Learn and the National Science Foundation (NSF)

Para deleite dos extrovertidos pic_lovers

 

STL Files and 3D Printing

 

STL Files Image of STL / CAD file is a Creative Commons license: Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Image originally created by Wikimedia Commons User:LaurensvanLieshout.  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:LaurensvanLieshout The most common 3D printer file format is the .STL file. The file format is believed to have been created by 3D Systems from its STereoLithography CAD software and machines. (I share a bit of history in my What Is 3D Printing post.) Like many file formats, there are other explanations for how this file-type received its name: Standard Tessellation, which means tiling or layering of geometric shapes and patterns (more or less). An easy-to-understand definition of the STL file format explains it as a triangular representation of a 3D object. If you look at the image I have included, a CAD drawing shows smooth lines for the circles, where an STL drawing shows the surface of that circle as a series of connected triangles. As you can see in the photo/drawing, the full CAD file of a circle would look like, well, a circle, but the STL version would insert a collection, or mesh, of triangles to fill that space and make it printable by most 3D printers. This is also why you will hear people refer to or describe 3D printer drawings as mesh files – because it is not solid but made up of triangles creating a mesh or net-like appearance. 3D Printers work with the STL formatted files. Most 3D software packages, such as AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Pro/Engineer (which is now PTC Creo Parametric), among others, can create an STL file natively or with an add-on tool.   I should mention that there are several other major 3D printing file formats include .OBJ, .AMF, .PLY, and .WRL, to name a few in addition to .STL. For those of you who do not need to draw or create a STL file, there are plenty of free STL viewers or readers available. After you design your model in a CAD program, you have the option to save the file as an STL file. Depending on the program and the work you are doing, you may have to click Save As to see the STL file option. Again, the STL file format is rendering, or creating the surface of your drawing in a mesh of triangles. When you do a 3D scan of an object, with a laser scanner or some digital imaging device, you usually get back a mesh model and not a solid one, as you would if you had created a drawn-from-scratch 3D CAD drawings. CAD programs make most of this pretty easy, doing the conversion work for you, however, some 3D modeling programs will give you greater control over the number and size of the triangles, for example, which can give you a more dense or intricate mesh surface and thus a better 3D print. Without getting into the specifics of a variety of 3D software, you can change several factors to create the best STL file: Chordal Tolerance / Deviation This is the distance between the surface of the original drawing and the tessellated (layered or tiled) triangles. Angle Control You can have gaps between triangles and changing the angles (deviation) between adjacent triangles will improve your print resolution – meaning specifically that you have a better weld of two triangle surfaces. This setting enables you to increase how close objects are layered or tiled together (standard tessellation). Binary or ASCII Binary files are smaller and easier to share, from an email or upload and download perspective. ASCII files have the advantage of being easier to visually read and check. If you want a quick rundown of how to do this in a variety of software, visit RedEye’s STL File Format page. GradCAD Explains “What makes a ‘bad’ STL file?” “In short, a good stl file must conform to two rules. The first rule states that adjacent triangles must have two vertices in common. Second, the orientation of the triangles (what side of the triangle is in and what side is out) as specified by the vertices and normals must agree. If either of these two criteria are not met, problems exist in the stl file... "Often a stl file can be termed "bad" because of translation issues. In many CAD systems, the number of triangles that represent the model can be defined by the user. If too many triangles are created, the stl file size can become unmanageable. If too few triangles are created, curved areas are not properly defined and a cylinder begins to look like a hexagon (see example below).” You can read more about it: How to Convert STL Graphics To A Solid Model. Image of STL / CAD file is a Creative Commons license: Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Image originally created by Wikimedia Commons User:LaurensvanLieshout source : about tech – www.about.com

3D Printers Under $1,000 Fully Assembled

 

Not in the mood for a do-it-yourself 3D Printer kit? These come assembled. New Matter MOD-t 3D printer.  New Matter The market for any technology product is always shifting, often in the form of lower prices. A few years ago, it would be difficult to find a handful of fully assembled 3D printers for under $1,000 (USD), but today, my list has just over 30 and I left  four or five off the list for various reasons. All of these machines are fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printers; you can read more on the method here, which is often called Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). Note : FDM is a term trademarked by Stratasys (owner of MakerBot, a popular desktop 3D printer). 1. Printrbot is one of the big names in desktop 3D printing and their successes on Kickstarter have helped that awareness. While I have not tested this Printrbot Simple machine (yet), I get good reports from my network on how well it works and the excellent support. Their assembled units range from $599 to $749. Excellent reviews on Amazon. Build Volume: 6″ x 6″ x 6″ (150mm x 150mm x 150mm) 216 cubic inches Print Resolution: 100 Microns Printing Material: 1.75mm PLA Filament (sample included) 2. Dremel, the folks who make the famous rotary tool, are now making a 3D printer called the 3D Idea Builder for $999. It sells online, of course, but you can also walk into many Home Depot retail stores and check it out. According to Make magazine, the Idea Builder is based on and made by the Chinese manufacturer that produces the Flashforge Dreamer, listed below. Build Volume: 9” x 5.9” x 5.5” (230 mm x 150 mm x 140 mm) Layer Thickness and Resolution: 4 mil | 0.004 inches 100 microns | 0.10 mm Printing Material: Filament: 1.75mm PLA (Biodegradable/Renewable) 3. Monoprice offers a dual-extruder 3D printer, which I wrote about at Forbes in mid-2014 here, has the unremarkable, but descriptive name: “Dual Extrusion 1.75mm ABS/PLA/PVA 3D Printer - Black Metal Housing (Rev.1)” which sells for $999.99, just getting in on this list. Build Volume: 8.9" x 5.7" x 5.9" (225 x 145 x 150 mm) Layer Thickness and Resolution: 0.1 - 0.5mm / ±0.10mm Printing Material: ABS/PLA/PVA Filament 1.75mm 4.  The New Matter MOD-t 3D printer is one of the more exciting, out-of-the-box, ready-to-print machines that I have seen (more precisely, that I have read about). Of course, at press time, these folks have just finished an IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign, so if you want one of their $399 machines, you’ll have a 16-week wait time. Build Volume: 6” x 4” x 5” (150 x 100 x 125 mm) Layer Thickness: In the horizontal plane, the nozzle diameter (0.4 mm) limits the resolution to approximately 0.5 mm. In the vertical axis, the minimum supported layer thickness is 0.1 mm. Printing Material: PLA Filament 1.75mm 5.  FlashForge Creator, as mentioned above, provides the base for the Dremel Idea Builder, and is a strong printer in its own right. With excellent reviews on Amazon and elsewhere, its dual-extruder technology is priced at $977. Unfortunately, at press time, it is out of stock.  Build Volume: 8.9” x 5.7” x 5.9” (225mm x 145mm x 150mm) Layer Thickness and Resolution: 0.004” Printing Material: ABS or PLA Filament 1.75mm 6. XYZprinting has the Da Vinci 2.0 Duo (with two extruders) for $549.99 on Amazon. I had difficulties getting to their website, but will update this page when that error resolves. Until then, you can use the Amazon sales page (not an affiliate link). Build Volume: 7.8” x 7.8” x 5.9” (150 x 200 x 200 mm) Layer Thickness and Resolution: 0.1 - 0.5mm / ±0.10mm Printing Material: ABS or PLA Filament 1.75mm 7. The ROBO 3D R1 is a fully assembled 3D Printer, from Robo 3D, and has a $799.99 price. This model will print ABS and PLA as well as more unique or creative materials such as T-Glase or Laywood. Strong reviews on Amazon, too.           Build Volume: 8" x 9" x 10" (203 x 229 x 254 mm) Maximum Resolution: 100 Micron Printing Material: ABS or PLA Filament 1.75mm I have approximately 15 more 3D printers under $1,000 that I'm adding to this list. Check back in a few more days. Source : about tech – www.about.com By TJ McCue - 3D Printing Expert

First of its kind robot is inspired by nature, capable of multiple jumps

 

Left: the rigid top fractures on landing, while the top made of nine layers going from rigid to flexible remains intact. Credit: Jacobs School of Engineering/UC San Diego/Harvard University Engineers at Harvard University and the University of California, San Diego, have created the first robot with a 3D-printed body that transitions from a rigid core to a soft exterior. The robot is capable of more than 30 untethered jumps and is powered by a mix of butane and oxygen. Researchers describe the robot's design, manufacturing and testing in the July 10 issue of Science magazine. "We believe that bringing together soft and rigid materials will help create a new generation of fast, agile robots that are more robust and adaptable than their predecessors and can safely work side by side with humans," said Michael Tolley, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at UC San Diego, and one of the paper's co-lead authors with Nicholas Bartlett, a Ph.D. student at the Wyss Institute at Harvard, where the bulk of the work took place. Bartlett and Tolley designed, manufactured and tested the robot. The idea of blending soft and hard materials into the robot's body came from nature, Tolley said. For example, certain species of mussels have a foot that starts out soft and then becomes rigid at the point where it makes contact with rocks. "In nature, complexity has a very low cost," Tolley said. "Using new manufacturing techniques like 3D printing, we're trying to translate this to robotics." Soft robots tend to be slow, especially when accomplishing tasks without being tethered to power sources and other electronics, said Tolley, who recently co-authored a research review on soft robotics for Nature (Rus, Tolley, v. 521, pp. 467-475). Researchers hope that their work will allow rigid components to be better integrated within soft robots, which will then move faster without compromising the safety of the humans who would work with them. In the case of the robot described in Science, rigid layers make for a better interface with the device's electronic brains and power sources. The soft layers make it less vulnerable to damage when it lands after jumping. The robot is made of two nestled hemispheres. The top hemisphere is like a half shell, 3D-printed in once piece, with nine different layers of stiffness, creating a structure that goes from rubber-like flexibility on the exterior to full rigidity near to core. Researchers tried several versions of the design and concluded that a fully rigid top would make for higher jumps. But a more flexible top was more likely to survive impacts on landing, allowing the robot to be reused. They decided to go with the more flexible design. A challenging part of the process was designing around off-the-shelf materials available to 3D-print the robot, Tolley said. Specs provided by the manufacturers were not detailed enough, so he and his coauthors printed samples to test every single material they used. The data they collected allowed them to calculate the precise stiffness of the nine different layers in their robot's top half. They used this information to simulate the performance of the robot and speed up the design process. The bottom half of the robot is flexible and includes a small chamber where oxygen and butane are injected before it jumps. After the gases are ignited, this half behaves very much like a basketball that gets inflated almost instantaneously, propelling the robot into a jump. When the chemical charge is exhausted, the bottom hemisphere goes back to its original shape. The two hemispheres surround a rigid core module that houses a custom circuit board, high-voltage power source, battery, miniature air compressor, butane fuel cell and other components. In a series of tests, the robot jumped two and a half feet (0.75 m) in height and half a foot (0.15m) laterally. In experiments, the robot jumped more than 100 times and survived an additional 35 falls from a height of almost four feet. Tolley was a postdoctoral associate at Harvard when he did most of the work in this paper. He was hired at UC San Diego in fall 2014. In his lab at the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego, he borrows ideas from nature to design robots composed of soft materials; robots made by folding; and robots that self-assemble. He plans to further explore and expand the field of biologically inspired robotics in coming years. Videos available here: https://youtu.be/JhX5LxK4Gws  and  https://youtu.be/XnIeshlc4oM Story Source: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of California - San Diego. The original item was written by Ioana Patringenaru. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference: Nicholas W. Bartlett, Michael T. Tolley, Johannes T. B. Overvelde, James C. Weaver, Bobak Mosadegh, Katia Bertoldi, George M. Whitesides, Robert J. Wood. A 3D-printed, functionally graded soft robot powered by combustion. Science, 2015 DOI: 10.1126/science.aab0129

Graphene-based sensor is tunable and highly sensitive

 

If given the correct geometry, graphene is able to focus the light on a precise spot on its surface and "hear" the vibration of a nanometric molecule that is attached to it. Credit: EPFL / Miguel Spuch / Daniel Rodrigo Many areas of fundamental research are interested in graphene owing to its exceptional characteristics. It is made of one layer of carbon atoms, which makes it light and sturdy, and it is an excellent thermal and electrical conductor. Despite its apparently limitless potential, however, few applications have been demonstrated to date. Scientists at EPFL's Bionanophotonic Systems Laboratory (BIOS) together with researchers from the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO, Spain) have now added another one. They have harnessed graphene's unique optical and electronic properties to develop a reconfigurable highly sensitive molecule sensor. The results are described in an article appearing in the latest edition of the journal Science. Focussing light to improve sensing The researchers used graphene to improve on a well-known molecule-detection method: infrared absorption spectroscopy. In the standard method, light is used to excite the molecules, which vibrate differently depending on their nature. It can be compared to a guitar string, which makes different sounds depending on its length. By virtue of this vibration, the molecules reveal their presence and even their identity. This "signature" can be "read" in the reflected light. This method is not effective, however, in detecting nanometrically-sized molecules. The wavelength of the infrared photon directed at a molecule is around 6 microns (6,000 nanometres -- 0.006 millimeters), while the target measures only a few nanometres (about 0.000001 mm). It is very challenging to detect the vibration of such a small molecule in reflected light. There is where graphene comes in. If given the correct geometry, the graphene is able to focus the light on a precise spot on its surface and "hear" the vibration of a nanometric molecule that is attached to it. "We first pattern nanostructures on the graphene surface by bombarding it with electron beams and etching it with oxygen ions," said Daniel Rodrigo, co-author of the publication. "When the light arrives, the electrons in graphene nanostructures begin to oscillate. This phenomenon, known as 'localized surface plasmon resonance,' serves to concentrate light into tiny spots, which are comparable with the dimensions of the target molecules. It is then possible to detect nanometric structures." Reconfiguring graphene in real time to see the molecule's structure There is more to it. In addition to identifying the presence of nanometric molecules, this process can also reveal the nature of the bonds connecting the atoms that the molecule is composed of. When a molecule vibrates, it does not give off only one type of "sound." It produces a whole range of vibrations, which are generated by the bonds connecting the different atoms. Returning to the example of the guitar: each string vibrates differently and together they form one musical instrument. These nuances provide information on the nature of each bond and on the health of the entire molecule. "These vibrations act as a fingerprint that allow us to identify the molecule; such as proteins, and can even tell their health status" said Odeta Limaj, another co-author of the publication. In order to pick up the sound given off by each of the strings, it has to be possible to identify a whole range of frequencies. And that is something graphene can do. The researchers "tuned" the graphene to different frequencies by applying voltage, which is not possible with current sensors. Making graphene's electrons oscillate in different ways makes it possible to "read" all the vibrations of the molecule on its surface. "We tested this method on proteins that we attached to the graphene. It gave us a full picture of the molecule," said Hatice Altug. A big step closer to using graphene for molecule sensing The new graphene-based process represents a major step forward for the researchers, for several reasons. First, this simple method shows that it is possible to conduct a complex analysis using only one device, while it normally requires many different ones. And all this without stressing or modifying the biological sample. Second, it shows graphene's incredible potential in the area of detection. "There are many possible applications," said Altug. "We focussed on biomolecules, but the method should also work for polymers, and many other substances," she added. Story Source: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference: Daniel Rodrigo, Odeta Limaj, Davide Janner, Dordaneh Etezadi, F. Javier García De Abajo, Valerio Pruneri, Hatice Altug. Mid-infrared plasmonic biosensing with graphene. Science, 2015 DOI: 10.1126/science.aab2051

A Cultural Center with a Spherical Void

 

Posted: 09 Jul 2015 02:00 AM PDT

Le cabinet d’architecture coréen Moon Hoon, que nous connaissons déjà pour les façades singulières de leurs constructions, ont imaginé un centre culturel en plein coeur de la ville d’Ilsan, dans le nord de Séoul. La façade a été creusée comme un vide sphérique et la structure du centre a été conçue en deux parties qui dialoguent entre elles avec un café, des espaces pour les événements, des jardins et une galerie d’art. Ils se sont inspirés du film Two Moon Junction, un thriller érotique, pour satisfaire le client qui désirait voir apparaitre « une charge érotique » en contemplant ce bâtiment.

Joint Chiefs nominee: Russia is the biggest threat to US security

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia poses the world's greatest threat to U.S. national security, President Barack Obama's nominee to lead the military's Joint Chiefs of Staff declared on Thursday. The White House quickly distanced the president from that blunt assessment. Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford told senators at his confirmation hearing, "If you want to talk about a nation that could pose an existential threat to the United States, I'd have to point to Russia. And if you look at their behavior, it's nothing short of alarming." The four-star general said there are other threats to the nation, which must be addressed in concert. He pointed to China with its expanding military capability and presence in the Pacific, North Korea with its ballistic missile capability and Islamic State militants. But he said, "My assessment today ... is that Russia presents the greatest threat to our national security." At the White House, press secretary Josh Earnest distanced Obama from the assessment, saying Dunford's comments reflected his own view and not necessarily "the consensus analysis of the president's national security team." Yet Earnest said that much has changed since 2012, when Obama mocked his GOP opponent, Mitt Romney, for calling Russia the top U.S. geopolitical threat. Earnest said Russia's destabilizing actions in Ukraine and "saber-rattling" over its nuclear program and military activities near borders with NATO allies have increased U.S. concerns. Relations between Russia and the West have sunk to post-Cold War lows after Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and its support for a pro-Russian insurgency in eastern Ukraine. The United States has responded with sanctions, but so far has refrained from providing lethal arms to the Ukrainian forces. Dunford's comment was exactly what Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Armed Services Committee and a frequent critic of Obama's foreign policy, wanted to hear. "In Europe, Vladimir Putin's Russia continues its onslaught in Ukraine," said McCain, R-Ariz. "But even as Russian troops and equipment execute this neo-imperial campaign to undermine Ukraine's government and independence, the United States has refused Ukraine the weapons it needs and deserves for its defense." Dunford agreed with McCain. "From a military perspective, I think it's reasonable that we provide that support to the Ukrainians," he said. "And frankly, without that kind of support, they're not going to be able to protect themselves against Russian aggression." REUTERS/Osman OrsalRussia's President Vladimir Putin gestures during a news conference after a meeting with Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul December 3, 2012. The general told the committee that Russia is a nuclear power that not only has the capability to violate the sovereignty of U.S. allies and do things that are inconsistent with U.S. national security interests, but is actually doing so. However, he also said he thinks it's important to maintain a military-to-military relationship with Russia to improve trust and mitigate the risk of either nation miscalculating the moves of the other. Dunford, who appeared in the hearing room with his wife and other members of his family, is expected to be confirmed this month. On another major international issue, Secretary of State John Kerry announced in Vienna — shortly after Dunford testified — that diplomats would miss a midnight Thursday deadline for reaching a nuclear agreement with Iran. The U.S. and its partners are trying to clinch a deal that would restrain Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. Dunford said a nuclear-armed Iran would pose a significant national security risk to the U.S., especially if Tehran also had the technology to launch intercontinental ballistic missiles. He said it would be reasonable to assume that Tehran would use revenue from any sanctions relief to further aid Shiite militias in Iraq, the Syrian government of President Bashar Assad and the Houthi rebels in Yemen. Even if there if is no nuclear deal, Dunford said, Iran will continue to be a "malign influence and the most destabilizing element in the Middle East today." Under questioning, Dunford said the U.S. has the military capability to destroy Iran's nuclear program. He said that by some estimates, about 500 U.S. troops have been killed because of Iranian activities in Afghanistan. Also on the subject of Afghanistan, he promised to recommend changes in the size and pace of the troop withdrawal there if security worsens. Dunford, who until last year had been serving as the top U.S. commander in the country, said that if the U.S. force in Afghanistan falls to 1,000 in 2017, the counterterrorism mission there would be significantly degraded and the U.S. would risk losing its eyes and ears along the border with Pakistan. On Syria, Dunford said the 60 trainees the U.S. has in a program to prepare and arm thousands of moderate rebels in the fight against IS militants is a much lower number than expected at this juncture. He attributed the low number to a rigorous vetting process. Associated Press Writer Josh Lederman contributed to this report. NOW WATCH: Take a tour of the $367 million jet that will soon be called Air Force One

It's Not What You Do, but How You Get Yourself to Exercise That Matters, study finds

 

Alison Phillips' study is the first to explore the importance of different habit components in predicting exercise frequency. Credit: Christopher Gannon, Iowa State University Developing any habit -- good or bad -- starts with a routine, and exercise is no exception. The trick is making exercise a habit that is hard to break. According to a new Iowa State University study, that may be easier to accomplish by focusing on cues that make going for a run or to the gym automatic. Some interventions designed to help people start and continue exercising may focus on the execution habit, or an exact routine to follow at the gym, said Alison Phillips, an assistant professor of psychology at Iowa State. However, Phillips' research, published in the journal Health Psychology, found that it's the instigation habit -- or cues that prompt people to automatically go to the gym -- that increases exercise frequency. "From a health perspective, we want people to engage in physical activity frequently, and so instigation habit is the type of habit to promote that to happen," Phillips said. "Regardless of the type of exercise you're going to do on a particular day, if you have an instigation habit, you'll start exercising without having to think a lot about it or consider the pros and cons." For example, Phillips says many people exercise after work. The end of the work day presents their cue to drive to the gym and workout instead of driving home. For others, the cue may be the alarm clock going off in the morning signaling that it is time to go for a run or a bike ride. Some research suggests that it may take a month or longer of repeated behavior before a cue reliably and automatically triggers a behavior; sticking with the same time of day might help initially, Phillips said. The most common cues used with interventions are external, she added. But what works best might vary from person to person. Internal cues, such as a feeling that you need to move after sitting for several hours at your desk, form the strongest habits, Phillips speculates, but are harder to train in people and must develop over time. The study is the first to explore the importance of different habit components in predicting exercise frequency. Phillips and Benjamin Gardner, King's College London, asked 118 healthy adults to rate their exercise instigation and execution habit strength. They then tracked how often they exercised over the course of the month. Approximately 25 percent of participants were overweight or obese. Around 5 percent reported not exercising, while nearly 50 percent said they had regularly exercised longer than 12 months. Finding a cue that works for you While the study found execution habit had no effect on exercise frequency, after controlling for instigation habit, Phillips stressed it still may be an effective option for some people starting a new routine. For anyone who is new to exercise or uncomfortable going to the gym, following the same routine can help build self-confidence at the activity and being active in general. However, for others the repetitiveness of sticking to a specific routine may be detrimental. "This study shows that you don't have to be afraid of trying new things. You can have an instigation habit and try new types of exercise without worrying about losing the habit," Phillips said. "It might be important for people just starting out to do the same thing until they realize they can do this, but in the long-term there does not seem to be a benefit of doing the same things over and over again." Phillips says more research is needed to determine what cues work best. "I would caution people to not draw too many personal conclusions from this research because it is so preliminary," she said. "This doesn't mean that one way is necessarily bad or this is the way you have to do it. It's really just the first clue that maybe what we have been doing isn't right for everyone. And, I think it's hopeful that the research shows you can keep up an 'exercise habit' without having to stick to the same boring activities over time." Story Source: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Iowa State University. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference: L. Alison Phillips, Benjamin Gardner. Habitual Exercise Instigation (vs. Execution) Predicts Healthy Adults’ Exercise Frequency.. Health Psychology, 2015; DOI: 10.1037/hea0000249

New atlas of the brain opens up alternative means for studying brain disorders

 

In red are two views of the same region in the new atlas. Credit: BioCruces The brain is a highly complex, dynamic system. It is made up of grey and white matter. The grey matter contains the neurons which are responsible for processing the information received from the sensory area and other parts of the brain. The white matter makes use of fibres and is responsible for connecting the various regions of grey matter of the brain so that they can communicate with each other efficiently and collaborate in complex, cognitive tasks (this map of fibres is like the brain's highways). The functional interaction between the various regions of the brain is essential for it to function properly: it is reckoned that 20% of the energy consumed by a person is used by the brain to establish and maintain these connections. Many studies have been carried out until now to understand how the brain functions and how it is organised structurally, but we still have much more to learn. A new study, led by Jesús M. Cortés, an Ikerbasque lecturer at the Biocruces Institute for Healthcare Research and an academic collaborator in the Department of Cell Biology and Histology of the UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country, has shed some light on this problem. The work has been published in the journal Scientific Reports and its lead author is Ibai Díez, a telecommunications engineer also attached to Biocruces. In actual fact, the study combines techniques at the cutting edge of three disciplines: neuroscience, image processing and network theory. In particular, the brain's structural (fibres) and functional data (the brain's functional activity) have been merged on a large scale to analyse how the brain is organised. This analysis has resulted in the "partitioning" of the brain into an atlas that follows a common functional and structural pattern. This is the first time that a brain atlas has been produced by combining structural and functional data; until now, the atlases used were purely structural ones (anatomical ones) or purely functional ones. Thanks to this new partition of the brain, the heavy dependence that exists between structural connectivity and the functional connectivity networks has been revealed for the first time. The atlas is robust and consistent across different individuals (it has been validated using data from other subjects and in different magnetic resonance imaging equipment). Many neurological disorders affect the central nervous system. A considerable number are of a structural origin, such as head injuries or neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzhiemer's or Parkinson's (which originate as a result of a significant loss of fibres). Others may have a functional origin, such as a simple headache, a migraine or even an epileptic fit. Structural damage is known to lead to a functional alteration (the loss of fibres in Alzheimer's causes memory loss, etc.) or the other way round (there are people who display neuronal loss in specific zones after numerous epileptic fits). So the structure-function relationship is closely related as alterations in one of them affect the other. The new atlas has been produced using data from healthy subjects Right now, alterations in each of these regions caused by aging or a moderate to severe head injury are being studied. So the study of the alterations in the different regions of the atlas may henceforth open up alternative avenues for understanding a range of disorders. The study has been led by the Computational Neuroimaging Group and the Platform for Quantitative Biomedicine of the Biocruces Institute for Healthcare Research and has had the collaboration of the universities of the Basque Country, Granada, Bari (Italy) and Tel Aviv (Israel). Story Source: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of the Basque Country. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference: Ibai Diez, Paolo Bonifazi, Iñaki Escudero, Beatriz Mateos, Miguel A. Muñoz, Sebastiano Stramaglia, Jesus M. Cortes. A novel brain partition highlights the modular skeleton shared by structure and function. Scientific Reports, 2015; 5: 10532 DOI: 10.1038/srep10532

Mixing New York and Paris in Old Photographs

 

Posted: 09 Jul 2015 08:00 AM PDT

Dans son projet intitulé Haussmanhattan, le photographe et architecte Luis Fernandes a eu l’idée de mêler l’architecture Haussmannienne de Paris à celle de New York, villes souvent comparées, en déplaçant les bâtiments au sein d’anciennes photos. Des photomontages habiles rendant hommage à ces deux architectures atypiques.

 

Scenes of Orange is the New Black in Real Locations

 

Posted: 09 Jul 2015 02:20 PM PDT

Âgée de 19 ans, Samantha Gardella est une grande fan des séries Netflix et tout particulièrement d’Orange is the New Black. Habitant à 25 minutes de Litchfield, elle a décidé de se rendre au Rockland Children’s Psychiatric Center à Orangeburg : un hôpital abandonné qui sert de lieu de tournage à la série. Elle a capturé des clichés de scènes de la série en les plaçant devant les vrais lieux : dans la cour, près des fameux murs en briques rouges et des grilles, sur les routes des environs et dans la serre illégale de Red.