Taking the Sting Out of the Needle - The microneedle technology used in Hewlett-Packard's patented process for its inkjet cartridges could soon be used in transdermal patches to deliver time-controlled release of drugs to patients. Still at the prototype stage, the patch will likely be 25 mm square in size and 3 mm thick. It will incorporate an array of microneedles that are between 75 and 100 microns, which will penetrate the top dry layer of the skin to deliver drugs. [more]

Smart Signals for Dumb Drivers - A new, "smart" traffic signal could help motorists make better decisions and avoid collisions, especially at intersections that lack lights or signs altogether. Right now, the Smart Junction team is evaluating the smart signal at a four-way urban intersection in Tel Aviv by measuring the number of "almost accidents" with and without the device. [more]

Now You're Speaking My Language - Beijing tourism authorities estimate Beijing will host at least 550,000 foreign visitors during the Olympic Games. But how will they find what they're looking for when they don't speak the language and can't read the signs? Beijing will be the first city in the world to extensively offer a multi-lingual computerized information service. The Thinkit Speech Laboratory has developed an embedded multi-lingual speech recognition engine which picks up acoustic features of human speech, coverts sound signals to bytes, compares discourses of speakers with various syllables in different languages, and optimizes match-ups from algorithmic processing. In a matter of seconds, speakers could get response from the system. [more]

That's One Small Step and One Really Big Check - Recently Google announced that it will award $20 million to the first private team to put a robot on the moon. This is a joint venture with the X Prize Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to spurring innovation through public competitions that promise big payouts to the winners. [more]

A New Kind of Rocket Science - An artificial arm that uses rocket propellant to power motorized muscles is being touted by its developers as the closest thing yet to a bionic limb. Weighing in at about 4 pounds and able to move in 21 directions, the Vanderbilt Arm works remarkably similar to a human arm, which weighs about 7 pounds and can move in 26 directions. The idea is to eventually hardwire the prosthetic to a person's nervous system for thought-controlled motion. [more]

RFID Chips for Alzheimer's Patients? - VeriChip is chipping 200 Alzheimer's patients for a two-year RFID VeriMed trial. The chips are designed to manage the records of the patients and their caregivers, and VeriChip is confident that it'll be growing into other "high-risk patient categories" soon. [more]

And on a Related Note - A recent report from the Associated Press details how numerous studies on RFID implants in animal test subjects, starting in the mid-1990s, revealed that the implants led to a significant increase in malignant tumor growth. The findings were reviewed by top cancer specialists, who found the results disturbing. They cautioned people that these tests were performed on animals, so that they were not necessarily applicable in humans, however, most felt additional research was necessary. [more]

Their Nose Knows - Two black Labrador retrievers have become a DVD counterfeiter's worst nightmare. The pups just returned from Malaysia where they assisted officers on 35 raids, leading to the arrest of 26 people and the discovery of about 1.9 million pirated discs and 97 burner towers, authorities said. [more]

Life in the Funny Papers - A friend of mine has a quote in the signature of her e-mails that always strikes a bittersweet chord with me: Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, 'Where have I gone wrong?' Then a voice says to me, 'This is going to take more than one night.' Charles Schulz wasn't talking about the IT Industry when he wrote it, but he might as well have been. Nearly all companies have failed investments in software initiatives--many in the six and seven figure range! The good news is that the leading causes of these failures can be avoided by applying Menlo's High-Tech Anthropology^® practice. Join us for the next FREE 90-minute presentation on October 18th to learn how our approach creates the right software for the right application.

Putting Thoughts into Action - A US company recently demonstrated a new motorized wheelchair that moves when the operator thinks about particular words. The wheelchair works by intercepting signals sent from the brain to the voice box, even when no sound is actually produced. [more]

One Giant Leap for Space Fashion - In the years since humans have been traveling into space, spacesuits have changed very little. Now a new spacesuit from an MIT design team promises a sleek new design. Using mechanical counter-pressure instead of using gas pressurization, the new suit affords greater mobility and flexibility than traditional space suits. [more]

The New Class War? - MySpace or Facebook? MySpace used to rule the roost when it came to social networking sites for teens. But since Facebook opened registration to the general public in September, score of teens have been leaving MySpace and heading there. What first seems to be the work of fickle teenagers actually proves to be evidence of a split along class lines. Affluent kids from educated, well-to-do families have been fleeing MySpace for Facebook, while working-class kids still flock to MySpace. [more]

But Does it ROFL? - Despite all the advances in computers, they still have problems with informal communication and the subtleties of natural language. But now a group of researchers have equipped a computer with a "sensor of humor." The technology could lead to programs that can solve problems that are informally stated, as well as to robots that are able to interact with humans more naturally. [more]