Animal eyes inspire new technology
Researchers learn optics lessons from biology
By Kathleen Wren
Science
Updated: 11:28 a.m. ET Nov. 18, 2005
WASHINGTON - When nanotech researcher Luke Lee is looking for inspiration for the next generation of optical gadgets, he ponders the lobster. And the house fly. And the octopus.
Lee and other “bioengineers” are borrowing ideas from all corners of the animal kingdom to design artificial vision systems that could be used for high-tech cameras, motion detectors, navigation devices in unmanned vehicles, or perhaps even synthetic retinal implants.
Lee and his colleague at the University of Berkeley, Robert Szema, describe the latest progress on this front in an article in the November 18 issue of the journal Science, published by AAAS, the nonprofit science society.
Health
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Mobile users fear health problems
More than 40 per cent of regular mobile phone users are afraid of potential health problems, a survey has found.
The Mori poll, of also found that more than one in three occasional users were similarly concerned.
The survey, conducted earlier in May, was published as another scientist lined up to report a possible health risk from mobiles.
Dr Gerard Hyland said that current government regulations designed to protect users from an excessive intensity of microwave radiation were "fundamentally flawed".
Scientist Dr Gerard Hyland criticises current phone safety levels
Some current research has linked this intensity of microwave radiation to health problems but Dr Gerard Hyland said that manufacturers should be addressing the frequency of electromagnetic radiation from the phones instead.
His report, released at the Royal Society of Medicine in London, is another blow to the mobile phone industry in a week which also saw warnings aired on the BBC's "Panorama" programme.
Dr Hyland, a lecturer in physics from the University of Warwick, said that he believes that living cells are sensitive to the frequency of the radiation from mobiles, as well as its intensity, or the amount of heat it generates in human tissue.
Disruption to brainwaves
He said low frequency microwaves from mobiles could resonate with and disrupt brainwaves, which would account for the symptoms of memory loss, anxiety and lack of concentration that mobile users have reported.
He said: "The bottom line is that existing guidelines on electromagnetic radiation are totally inadequate and fundamentally flawed.
"They neglect to consider the fact that the objects being irradiated, namely ourselves, are alive."
The Mori poll was commissioned by a company which is marketing a device to product mobile phone users from electromagnetic radiation.
Currently 46 per cent of UK adults say they use a mobile phone at least once a day.
Research 'flawed'
The research aired on "Panorama" earlier in the week has been criticised as "flawed" by the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPD), a government advisory group which looks into health issues raised by radiation fields - such as whether electricity pylons close to homes cause problems.
The NRPD said that the study, which claimed to identify a higher risk of a rare brain tumour amongst mobile phone users, was "statistically imprecise".
But Dr Hyland said: "This evidence points to harmful effects on humans and shows that exposure to radiation from mobile phones can affect living tissue, and the nervous system of the human body, in particular."
Tom Wills-Sandford, a director at the Federation of the Electronics Industry, which represents the mobile phone manufacturers, said that any survey which showed that users were concerned was of great interest to them.
Of Dr Hyland's research he said: "We would welcome the publication of Dr Hyland's work in a peer reviewed scientific journal so that the scientific community can analyse his theories.
"The consensus among scientists as a whole is that there are no established health effects from using a mobile phone."
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MOBILE PHONES STORIES
The Most Expensive Download Of All Time
A world renowned mobile phone company recently reported charging a subscriber in excess of $66,000 for downloading three full length movies from the internet via his mobile phone.
The user was subscribed to the Vodaphone “Connect 600” service, offering “unlimited downloading”, which when reading the fine print actually meant 600 megabytes every two months!
As each movie was a massive 600-700 MB, it is easy to see why the Italian gentleman ran up a bill for $66,000! He has since appealed to the consumer authorities for assistance in paying his bill, but it is not clear whether any help has been forthcoming.
The moral of this story is, read the fine print.
Mobile Phone Saves Indian Man In Death Fall
Thirty year old Indian Tkamzalian had a miraculous escape after an accident while driving between Itanagar and Churachandpur, Manipur with his mother, sister and brother. Their the car was involved in a terrible 300 feet fall, although amazingly Tkamzalian managed to survive.
While the relatives of Tkamzalian had reported the family missing, police where unaware as to the location of the vehicle. It was then revealed that Tkamzalian’s mobile phone had remained active, and using cutting edge technology the police were able to find and retrieve the car.
Astonishingly Tkamzalian had survived 5 days without food, water or warm clothes, in the sub zero temperatures of Nagaland. After medical treatment, and a stint convalescing Tkamzalian has recovered from his ordeal. His mobile phone truly was a life saver.