Quality Tale - News on Technology

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Mind-reading : A New Chapter of Technology

'Mind-reading' body scanner uses sensors to tell if a person has harmful intentions; could thwart terrorist attacks, and speed up security checks.

The Department of Homeland Security in the US is testing a body scanner for its efficacy in reading people's mind - an approach that can make it easy to nail terrorists who can wreak havoc.

The new system could be set up at entrances to stadiums, malls and in airports to make it very difficult for terrorists to carry out attacks. The technology could also speed up entry routes at checkpoints.

How it works:

As people walk through the scanner, called MALINTENT, sensors measure their body temperature, heart rate and respiration. The system uses this data to predict whether the person has plans to harm those around him.

The sensors do not even require any physical contact to carry out such tests - a reason why the system is also being hailed as an "X-ray for bad intentions".

The researchers are also incorporating micro facial scanning in the technology, which measures minute muscle movements in the face for clues to mood and intention.

The system recognizes, defines and measures seven primary emotions and emotional cues reflected in the contraction of facial muscles.

If the sensors identify that something is amiss, MALINTENT transmits the warning data to analysts, who then decide whether to flag passengers for further questioning.

The researchers recently conducted a field test: While the 144 test subjects thought they were merely passing through an entrance-way, they actually walked through a series of sensors that screened them for bad intentions.

The boffins also selected a group of 23 attendees to be civilian "accomplices" in their test.

Each of these participants was given a "disruptive device" to carry through the portal. Unlike the other attendees, they were conscious of being on a mission.

While the results of the experiment were not disclosed, the scientists called it a resounding success.

Fast Passage:

The entire security array - from scanners to screeners - is called Future Attribute Screening Technology (FAST) because it is designed to get passengers through security in two to four minutes, and often faster, the scientists said.

It also meets rigorous safety standards to ensure that the screening would not cause any physical or emotional harm.

As for errors, experts working on the project insist that even if a person sweats heavily by nature, the system is smart enough not to mistake him for one with criminal intentions.

MALINTENT addresses privacy concerns as well, by deleting all data regarding a person examined after the test.

Your data is dumped. The information is not maintained - it does not track who you are.

In the future, FAST may also incorporate biological, radiological and explosive detection. But the primary focus is still on identifying and isolating potential human threats, said the researchers.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Water Pollution : How we responsible?

Water is a vital resource for all living organisms and is also a habitat in its own right. Watercourses and seas have long been used as a convenient disposal area for wastes.

The effects of this use of water as a disposal route have been wide-ranging. For example, the Elbe, which flows from Czech Republic to East Germany is completely dead and the lakes and reservoirs in many Asian and Pacific countries tend to have nutrient levels ten to fifteen times higher than the world average.

Water pollution may occur from point sources, such as factories which discharge effluent according to a permit, or it may be from a non-point source, such as run-off of pesticides and fertilizer from agricultural land.

Pollution of groundwater is now also a problem, particularly where contamination with complex, long-lived organic compounds occurs. It is extremely expensive and difficult to clean up polluted groundwater.

In 1978 the Hooker Chemical Company was found liable for causing cancer in the community around Love Canal. Organic wastes, such as lindane, had been 'dumped by the company in an unmarked land-fill and seepage from the dumped waste polluted local sources of subterranean drinking water. However, it is not always so easy to identify the source of pollution and to attribute liability to those responsible. Where the person(s) responsible for the pollution cannot be found, it may be impossible for funds to be established to cover the cost of re-mediation.

Pollution of the seas and oceans is also a concern. Oil spills are the most high profile example of this. For example, the Exxon Valdez incident lead to the deaths of an estimated 33,000 birds.

Name Meaning : What is your name meaning?

Guys, if I ask you, what is the meaning of your name, then you suddenly reply me back for the same. But it happens often that many of us could not know his/her name meaning. Yeah! It is true. If someone asks him/her the meaning of his/her name then they could not able to reply it back instantly. But is it really get impacted on anyone's life? Off course! The reason behind is, names are not only the mirror of his/her life but also it represents one's personality and gives an unique importance through out the life. Just take a recent example of our beloved American President - Mr. Barack Obama. I am sure, a big portrait of the American President containing full of horizons immediately comes forward at everyone's eye. And naturally, all we sense the no boundaries of that particular name.

Actually, it is difficult to dig out the name meaning of our beloved one within a fraction of seconds. Naturally, we people look out the quick reference guide in hand to know more about names meanings. Here, the website named "NamesPedia.com" helps you to get ride of your problems. Just visit this website and find out your relatives or friends or even your new born kids names in any language at this website for e.g., African, Albanian, Arabic, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Basque, Breton and many more. So, just get yours name meaning by visiting this website.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Air Pollution : The Big Issue

While pollution of the upper atmosphere threatens the basic preconditions for life, pollution of the lower atmosphere is also a threat. Already it is estimated that one fifth of the world's population breathes air contaminated by pollutants in excess of World Health Organization (WHO) safety limits.

Acid emissions, especially oxides of sulphur and nitrogen are one of the major culprits. These arise primarily from the burning of fossil fuels for industry, power-generation and transport. It is estimated that £11 billion worth of damage is occurring annually in the EU alone to buildings, pipework, forestry and agriculture as a result of acidification.

This is a trans-boundary air pollution issue. The UK exports acid emissions due to its dilute and disperse control methods, which rely on tall chimney stacks to remove pollutants from the locality. Norway on the other hand imports 96% of its acid deposition from elsewhere.

Soil acidification also releases toxic metals such as aluminium, which can then accumulate in groundwater.

Other local effects include the build-up of photochemical smog from a cocktail of gases including nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and ozone. This has been linked to an increase in respiratory diseases and asthma. Ozone is also implicated in $5.4 billion worth of damage to crops every year in the United States of America.

Volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), especially solvents used in industry are another health hazard. In Europe, stricter controls are being made on the use of VOCs but in many areas of the world, restriction on air emissions is limited to acid gases.

Waste incinerators are specifically implicated in the production of carcinogenic air pollutants such as dioxins. The point here is when we are going to think on Air Pollution?

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Get prestigious rare gold coins

Gold has been known and highly valued since prehistoric times. It may have been the first metal used by humans and was valued for ornamentation and rituals. Yeah! This precious metal has a space in everyone's life and that is the reason many of us are empowering in gold and rare coins of gold.

If the matter concerning to rare coins then it is sure that one can buys only the gold coin. Now a days, as all we have seen the scenario of market, it is the truth that the gold is on the top of its price. In fact, it is on the peak. If we think on rare coin, no doubt the requirement of such rare coins are touches to the sky. Many of us could not get such rare coins on the reasonable price. They are just searching in the market and the net but they never get trustful place to buy. While searching on this topic I come across trustworthy website named "ZoomCoin.com" who is the rare coin dealer where everyone can gets better price, better service and off course the important thing is the guarantee.

Here you can get certified American Buffalo Gold Bullion Coins, Ultra High Relief 24-Karat Gold Saing Gaudens $20 Double Eagles, NGC/PCGS-certified gold American Eagle Bullion Coing, Double Eagle ($20.00 GOLD PIECES) 1850-1933 and many more categories you wish to buy.

So, I think, the if you deal through this website then no doubt you are also a part of the Monex family of companies that provide the services to their customers worldwide from last 40 years. So, just dial 1-888-900-9948 and get your beloved and only one finest rare coin values in the World.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Depletion of the OZONE LAYER - A Serious Issue

The Earth is protected against harmful radiation from the sun by a layer of ozone gas in the upper atmosphere, which acts like a filter. This layer is constantly being created and destroyed in a dynamic cycle which has a natural equilibrium.

After many years of concern, in 1985 the British Antarctic Survey first reported ozone thinning over Antarctica. Since then the rate of thinning has increased over wider areas and a loss of about 6-8% in the Northern Hemisphere has been recorded.

Levels have become critical over populated areas in the Southern Hemisphere. The effects of ozone depletion are:

• human health effects such as increase in skin cancer and cataracts.

• effects on the ability of plants to photosynthesise - which may have far - reaching effects on agriculture and phytoplankton (which form the basis of the food chain).

Ozone depletion has been proven to be associated with a range of chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydro-chloro-fluorocarbons (HCFCs) and halons. These are artificial compounds, which were developed for a range of industrial uses. Initially these compounds were assumed to be completely safe, as they have no direct toxic effects. However, it is precisely their stability (which makes them non-toxic) that causes the problems in the ozone layer. The amount of CFCs and other ozone depleting substances (ODSs) in the upper atmosphere will continue to re-form and destroy ozone for many years.

The issue was addressed by the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer in 1985. This development was followed by the international agreement aimed at phasing out the use of certain ODSs by 2005. This is known as the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer of 1987, The most successful environmental treaty in history. The recovery of the Ozone Layer will take decades, but the progressively phasing out of ODSs is an encouraging example of how effective an international agreement can be. However, smuggling of CFCs is still happening in some regions like in Asia.

Pediatric Links - Must See

Pediatric Surgery
This blog describes various medical and surgical diseases in children.

Laparoscopic procedures
Laparoscopic surgery though require skill, it is less morbid, less painful, gives good cosmesis and avoids large scars.

Pediatric Cancer
It is an informative blog which describes various types of cancer in children, their clinical presentation,diagnosis and management written by a surgeon.

Atlas of Pediatric Diseases
It includes the exclusive pictures of various diseases in children. This is very useful site to remember the pathology in a glance. Especially for doctors as well as for persons who are interested in pediatric medicine and surgery. Disclaimer :The images in this blog are from real surgeries, and they might not be suitable for all readers.