TRAVEL GEARS( Accessories)

What is travel gear?

Sweatshirts & Pullovers | Travel Cases | Backpacks | Men's Jacket & Cheater | Laptop Backpacks | Men's Shirts & T-shirt | Rucksacks | Daypacks | Men's Tracksuits | Shoes | Sandals | Duffle Bags | Duffle Trolley | Women Shirts & T-Shirt.

Welcome to geekaytss,   Your source for insightful articles on travel,luxury resorts,and AI tools and technology

Our Blog and especially this blog post is for travellers and technology enthusiasts who want to learn and explore.

     

Welcome to geekaytss, your source for insightful articles on travel, luxury resorts, and AI tools and technology. Our blog is for travelers and tech enthusiasts who want to learn and explore. We provide tips, reviews, and guides to help you on your journey.

Where Travel Meets Technology: Enhancing Your Adventures in the Digital Age

In an era where technology pervades every aspect of our lives, it's no surprise that the travel industry is experiencing a transformative shift. From planning and booking to exploring and experiencing, technology has become an indispensable travel companion. Whether you're a tech-savvy traveler or someone just beginning to embrace the digital world, here's how technology is reshaping the way we explore the world.

Planning and Booking Your Trip

Gone are the days of visiting travel agents or flipping through glossy brochures. Today, planning a trip is as easy as a few taps on your smartphone. Travel apps and websites offer a wealth of information at your fingertips. Here are some key tools:

1. Travel Apps: Apps like Skyscanner, Hopper, and Kayak allow you to compare flight prices, find the best deals, and book tickets effortlessly. Similarly, Airbnb and Booking.com provide endless accommodation options, from luxurious riverside resorts to cozy forested cabins.
2. Virtual Tours: Before you book, why not take a virtual tour? Many destinations offer 360-degree views of their landmarks, hotels, and even entire neighborhoods, helping you make informed decisions.

1. AI Travel Assistants: AI-powered assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa can help you with everything from finding flights to recommending the best local restaurants.

Enhancing the Travel Experience

Technology isn't just for planning—it enhances the travel experience itself. Here are some ways it can make your journey more enjoyable:

1. Augmented Reality (AR): Apps like Google Lens and Snapchat offer AR features that can translate signs, provide historical information about landmarks, and even guide you through unfamiliar streets.
2. Language Translation: Language barriers are a thing of the past with apps like Google Translate, which can translate text, voice, and even live conversations in real-time.
3. Digital Maps and Navigation: GPS and mapping apps like Google Maps and Waze make getting lost a rarity. They provide real-time traffic updates, alternative routes, and even suggestions for points of interest along the way.

Staying Connected

Staying connected while traveling has never been easier. Here’s how technology ensures you’re always in touch:

1. Wi-Fi Hotspots: Portable Wi-Fi devices and international SIM cards keep you connected wherever you go, ensuring you can share your adventures with friends and family in real-time.
2. Social Media: Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok are not only great for sharing your journey but also for finding travel inspiration and connecting with fellow travelers.
3. Travel Communities: Online forums and communities, such as Reddit’s travel subreddits and Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree forum, provide a wealth of information and advice from experienced travelers.

Safety and Convenience

Traveling with technology adds an extra layer of safety and convenience to your trip:

1. Digital Payments: Apps like Apple Pay, Google Wallet, and various mobile banking apps allow you to make secure, cashless transactions anywhere in the world.
2. Emergency Services: Many travel apps offer features that can quickly connect you with local emergency services or your country's embassy.

1. Health and Wellness: With health tracking apps and telemedicine services, you can monitor your well-being and seek medical advice no matter where you are.

Future Trends in Travel Technology

As technology continues to evolve, so too will its impact on travel. Here are some trends to watch:

1. Artificial Intelligence: AI is set to revolutionize travel, from personalized itineraries to AI-powered customer service bots that can assist you 24/7.
2. Virtual Reality (VR): VR is poised to become a major player in travel, offering immersive previews of destinations and virtual travel experiences for those unable to travel physically.
3. Sustainable Travel: Technology is also helping to promote sustainable travel, with apps that calculate your carbon footprint and suggest eco-friendly alternatives.

Conclusion

Technology has undeniably transformed the way we travel, making it more accessible, convenient, and enjoyable. As a travel agency that embraces these advancements, we are committed to offering you not just a trip, but a seamless, tech-enhanced adventure. So, whether you’re booking a stay at one of our luxurious riverside resorts or exploring a forest retreat, let technology be your guide to a remarkable travel experience.

100 Reasons are there why we write Blog Articles

100 Reasons are there why we write Blog Articles

Writing is said to be an art form.Good writing is a blend of skill and intelligence.There are born writers who own these qualities by birth. And there are People who are transformed as writers as they grow up and acquiring these abilities from education, reading, and experience of life.Once we are engaged in our job we experience and learn too many things and knowingly or unknowingly we happen to be an expert in that field. To acquire knowledge there are so many ways.The first thing we learn is from our mother and that is about her love which is purely a spiritual knowledge because love cannot be considered as a physical quantity.A physical quantity is something visible and measurable(not always).And that knowledge is Material Knowledge or External Knowledge.But mother’s love, affection etc:- are quantities which are not visible and measurable.We can only experience it internally.Such piece of knowledge is known as Internal Knowledge
or Spiritual Knowledge.
The Knowledge we get from reading is internal and the act of reading is external.A good writer has both these bit of knowledge gained by birth or from experience of life.

Enough of that stuff. I will come to the topic.Writing and writers were there for long.The term blog writing or blogging (in other words web-logging) is rather new to the human community.Present day Bloggers are either writing from their skill or experience as there are no born Bloggers to my knowledge.All that stuff was gained from their work experience or learned from other bloggers.

Passion, experience, knowledge can give out good content whereas inexperienced and lack of knowledge about the topic will bring out undesirable write up’s.The Internet is a huge media where all these people meet. There are good contents and relatively bad contents available through the web media.It is very difficult to filter out good articles from this ocean of literature.

Let me some up for today.Passion and love, deep topic awareness, experience, and selflessness, and service mentality creates excellent content writers who give away knowledge to others, educate and empower the needy.That is the most sort of stuff.

thank you and I will come up with a new topic next time when we meet.

HOW TO ADD YOUR COMMENTS TO MY BLOG POSTS

TO FIND OUT COMMENT BOX IN MY BLOG POST

  Just click on the No comments Link beneath the BlogPost .A new window with the Blog Post will be open and you can find out the comment box beneath the Blog Post .Just click inside and Type your comment in the comment box .If you want to see the preview  just press the preview button . What you are typed is correct ,  then just press the Publish button and your comments will get published.
                                             Thanks and Regards .Have a Great Time.

INTRODUCING A NEW PAGE : WHAT ' S NEW

FOUR EXCELLENT ARTICLES TO READ                                                                                                                                   [READ IT HERE OR VISIT PAGE : " WHAT ' S NEW" ]

THIS PAGE GIVES UPDATES OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT IN ALL  FIELDS.MOST OF THE TIME THESE MAY BE SHARED ARTICLES FROM THE TOPICS READ BY US .SOMETIMES NEW IDEAS GENUINELY  FROM THE AUTHOR HIMSELF MAY BE PUBLISHED .HOWEVER WE HOPE THAT THE TOPICS COVERED WILL BE RELEVANT AND USEFUL  FOR THE READERS.

TOBACCO USE - DEMERITS AND ADVERSE IMPACT ON HUMAN LIFE

LET ME SHARE THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR INFORMATION                                         

HAI FRIENDS PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE AND PLEDGE TO FIGHT AGAINST THIS IF YOU ARE HUMAN

Tobacco Facts and Figures

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable illness and death in the United States. It causes many different cancers as well as chronic lung diseases such as emphysema and bronchitis, heart disease, pregnancy-related problems, and many other serious health problems.

Who smokes?

·         Each day, more than

NOBLE THOUGHTS

Noble Thoughts

  Great Leaders / Thinkers say : Let noble thoughts from all over the world come to us.

" Let us exist together work together   , move together , Progress Together" .No hatred .No circastic words .No cursing   . Love Mercy Trust Respect .Truth Responsibility Justice Kindness ||.Platforms are many||. Adapt all if you can afford it .

Learn to become intelligent and wishful.           { http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/wishful}

Work to become resourceful.

                                   

  You can be rich in 

                       ||  Education.

                          Wealth

                          Nobleness 

                          Great thoughts 

                          Technology

                           Science

                           spirituality 

                           Leadership Quality

                           Influence

                           *********

                           ********* ||

WHATEVER YOU HAVE : YOU ARE THE CUSTODIANS OF THEM FOR SOME TIME AND ARE RETURNABLE TO THE UNIVERSE

                       SHARE  A PORTION OF WHAT YOU HAVE EARNED AND LEARNED FROM THIS UNIVERSE  WITH THE TRUE DESERVING : PEOPLE ? PLANTS ? ANIMALS ?

                       EARN SOMETHING WHICH MONEY CANNOT BUY. 

                       

                    ||  Peace of mind  

                        Happiness

                        knowledge

                        *********

                        ********* ||

Study of PHYSICS states that ENERGY CAN NEITHER BE CREATED NOR BE DESTRUCTED.

If everything Belongs to some form of Energy ,  all what you have earned and learned , also belongs to that energy.Is It? Then how can one refrain from sharing back to that energy(Doing service to a human ,plant , animal , or any other living or non living thing or even to the earth itself).                   

Make the path to eternity smooth and lighted up.

" Your thoughts and comments are most welcome.Let me know something which I do not know "

                                                                                                           bliss to all
                                                           
 
   Find Meaning of Bliss Here: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/bliss

WEB DESIGNING

Features 

A state of the art technological design 

• Within specified time limits
• Economical Using Template Design
• Customer Oriented
• Interactive Design
• Web Hosting on demand
• Custom Built Designs Also to Match your Specifications

  

KNOWLEDGE FOR GREATNESS AND KNOWLEDGE FOR IMMORTALITY

HAI EVERY BODY,
  20/11/2015.
        ACQUIRE SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE TO ACHIEVE A GREAT LIFE.USE IT TO AVAIL A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS LIFE
        ACQUIRE SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE TO ACHIEVE A GOOD LIFE .BE A GOOD HUMAN BEING.USE IT TO ATTAIN IMMORTALITY.
                             
                 WISH YOU ALL TO ACHIEVE A GREAT AND IMMORTAL LIFE.
                        THANK YOU ALL.MAY ALL STAY BLESSED.

EXTERNAL KNOWLEDGE ? INTERNAL KNOWLEDGE ?

HAI EVERYBODY,
  20/11/2015

         MAY I SHARE A LITTLE PIECE OF KNOWLEDGE WITH YOU TODAY.

  THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE IN THIS WORLD.

    1.EXTERNAL EXPERIMENT ABLE SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE.

                 VIZ : KNOWLEDGE RELATED TO ALL BRANCHES OF SCIENCE.THIS CAN BE PROVED BY EXPERIMENTS AS TRUSTWORTHY 

             2. ETERNAL EXPERIENCE ABLE SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE.
                 VIZ : MOTHERS LOVE TOWARDS HER BABY :- IT CAN NOT BE MEASURED OR EXPERIMENTED TO PROVE.ONE HAS TO EXPERIENCE IT TO BELIEVE IT .
                          YOUR TRUST TOWARDS YOUR WIFE OR YOUR BELIEF ABOUT ANYTHING.ALL THESE PARAMETER CAN NOT BE MEASURED OR EXPERIMENTED WITH TO PROVE IT.
                          THERE IS ONLY ONE METHOD TO PROVE IT .JUST EXPERIENCE IT AND ENJOY IT TO BELIEVE.
                                       SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE IS THAT BRANCH OF SCIENCE WHICH TEACHES YOU ABOUT YOUR INNER ENGINEERING.
                                        THANK YOU ALL AND HAVE A GOOD LIFE.

MESSAGE-HAPPY BLOGGING

Hai All,

     Happy blogging timehttp://www.geekaytss.blogspot.com to all

SURFER CONTOURING AND SURFACE MAPPING

Surfer contouring and surface mapping software

Surfer 11 was released July 11, 2012. Click on New Features in the column on the left for details about the new features, including unicode support for international alphabets, watershed calculation, labeling data and map attributes, interactive map profiles, measuring distance and bearing, polyline to polygon conversion, XLSX support, import and export new file formats including vector GeoPDF, and more. Watch the videos.

Surfer is a contouring and 3D surface mapping software program that runs under Microsoft Windows. The Surfersoftware quickly and easily converts your data into outstanding contour, surface, wireframe, vector, image, shaded relief, and post maps. Virtually all aspects of your maps can be customized to produce exactly the presentation you want using Surfer's software tools. Producing publication quality maps has never been quicker or easier. http://www.rockware.com/product/overview.php?id=129

Surfer software tools. Top row left to right: surface map, contour map Bottom row: shaded relief map, image map, wireframe map Click on image to enlarge

COGNITIVE COMPUTING

Cognitive computing

Artificial intelligence meets business intelligence

What is cognitive computing?

Cognitive computing systems are systems that learn and interact naturally with people to extend what either man or machine could do on their own. They help human experts make better decisions by penetrating the complexity of Big Data.
Big Data is increasing in volume, speed and uncertainty. It comes in unstructured forms such as video, image and text. A new type of computing system is needed in order to understand, process and make sense of it.
Cognitive computers are not programmed to perform a function or set of tasks; rather, they use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms to sense, predict and, in some ways, think. This allows these systems to comprehend and draw insight from Big Data. In order to handle this type of processing, cognitive computers require new hardware innovations in which data processing is distributed throughout the system and memory and processing are more tightly integrated. Eventually, entirely new architectures will be modeled after the way the human brain processes information.
Cognitive computing isn't about the computer becoming the primary expert as much as assisting the human experts. By having deep domain expertise in fields such as healthcare, banking and commerce, and using data visualization techniques, cognitive computing helps humans to solve complex problems and make sense of big data. Cognitive computing systems get smarter the more they are used.
Read chapter one of "Smart Machines: IBM's Watson and the Era of Cognitive Computing" by Director of IBM Research, John E. Kelly III and IBM writer Steve Hamm

Director of IBM Research, John E. Kelly III discusses Watson and cognitive computing with Computer History Museum CEO John Hollar (1:18:23)

Learn more about this new era of cognitive computing (4:46)

IBM Watson: The Science Behind an Answer (6:43)

IBM Watson: The Face of Watson (5:26)

Announcing the IBM Watson Engagement Advisor (0:58)

Memorial Sloan-Kettering and IBM Watson to Advance Cancer Care (2:08)
The first cognitive computing system: Watson
The first cognitive computer was Watson, which debuted in a televised Jeopardy! challenge where it bested the show’s two greatest champions. The challenge for Watson was to answer questions posed in every nuance of natural language, such as puns, synonyms and homonyms, slang, and jargon.
Watson was not connected to the Internet for the match. It only knew what it had amassed through years of persistent interaction and learning from a large set of unstructured knowledge. Using machine learning, statistical analysis and natural language processing to find and understand the clues in the questions, Watson then compared possible answers, by ranking its confidence in their accuracy, and responded – all in about three seconds.
Newer generations of Watson are currently being trained in oncology diagnosis for healthcare professionals, and in customer service as a support representative.
At Cleveland Clinic, Watson is partnering with medical students using a visualization technology called Watson Paths
IBM Journal of Research and Development: This is Watson

Domain expertise
Unlike expert systems of the past which required rules to be hard coded into a system by a human expert, cognitive computers can process natural language and unstructured data and learn by experience, much in the same way we do. While they’ll have deep domain expertise, instead of replacing human experts, cognitive computers will act as a decision support system and help them make decisions, whether in healthcare, finance or customer service.

How machine learning can identify financial fraud cases

Using voice recognition to detect and provide treatment for dementia

Overview of the SyNAPSE project (5:16)
From programmable computers to cognitive computers
Computers today are just very large, very fast number crunchers and information manipulators. They can process lots of data, but they really don’t think. They’ve all adhered to the Von Neumann model, a method of constructing a computer by separating memory and processing and calculating a series of "if X then do Y" equations that have been prewritten.
Cognitive computing bypasses some elements of the Von Neumann model by drawing inspiration from the human brain. Humans can do things in parallel - memory and processing are intimately intertwined and there’s no program telling us what to do - all because of the way our brains are configured. In fact the human brain can perform complex tasks rapidly and accurately using the same amount of energy as a 20 watt light bulb in a space equivalent to a 2 liter soda bottle. It’s these functions and capabilities of the human brain that will enable cognitive computing.
IBM scientists are working on a project called SyNAPSE to reproduce the structure and architecture of the brain—the way neurons receive sensory input, connect to each other, adapt these connections, and transmit mental and motor output. The goal is to model computing systems that emulate the brain's computing efficiency, size and power usage without being programmed.

Computers that can sense the natural world
Even with the processing power and algorithms to make sense of a large volume of unstructured data, computers need a way to interact with the natural world to consume that raw data. Image recognition and speech recognition give computers the eyes and ears to understand our world. Through computer vision, natural language processing and text mining they process what they see and hear, allowing them to extract meaning and decode human expression.

Communicating complexity
Our brains are amazing – but when faced with processing an ever growing barrage of data surrounding us, our capacity suddenly seems very finite. Cognitive computing can help push those boundaries of human cognition. By using visual analytics and data visualization techniques, cognitive computers can display data in a visually compelling way that enlightens humans and helps them make decisions based on data. The same image recognition and speech recognition that allows a computer to make sense of unstructured data also allows it to interact more seamlessly with humans. It provides a feedback loop for machines and man to learn from and teach one another.

NANORODS TO DEFEAT FORGERY

Nanorods take down counterfeiters 

IBM scientists create nano-sized patterns to thwart forgeries
Last year, Operation Holiday Hoax II by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement unit netted 327,000 counterfeit items worth about $76.8 million1. The six-week sting that ended in mid-December seized all types of counterfeit goods including handbags, technology products and wallets.
The holiday season is prime time for counterfeiters looking to lure last-minute holiday shoppers with unbelievable deals, particularly on luxury goods. Although advances in technology for identifying authentic products, such as 3D holograms and electronic chips, have made it easier to identify fraudulent products, counterfeiters continue to keep pace, often by reverse engineering the theft-prevention techniques so their knock-off goods appear to be real.
IBM Research scientists in Zurich, however, have devised a new way to combat counterfeiting by bringing the technology to an entirely different scale — nano.
Earlier this year IBM scientists published a paper with the renowned university ETH Zurich demonstrating how they could precisely position gold nanorods, which measure 25 by 80 nanometers, on a surface using a simple printing process. As a point of comparison, the head of a pin is about 1 million nanometers wide.
In the demonstration they recreated the famous German Ampelmännchen®, which is known to Berliners and tourists alike, as it is featured on all crosswalk lights to help pedestrians cross the street. Except this version of the Ampelmännchen® was roughly 2,500 times smaller.
Scientists from IBM Research and ETH Zurich, arranged gold nanorods to display the STOP Ampelmann, which is 50 μm × 60 μm in size
IBM scientist Dr. Heiko Wolf explains: "We used the surface tension of water and a nano-sized template to orient the nanorods, which can then be printed on any surface using a nanoprinting process — similar to an old letterpress machine. We can then create any pattern, such as a corporate logo or a serial number, at the nanoscale to prevent counterfeiting." Unlike other technologies, it's impossible to reverse engineer.
IBM scientists have also patented a related nano-patterning technique using fluorescent spheres made of polystyrene, the same material used in coffee cups and packaging materials.
Heiko explains, "In addition to using nanorods, we can also create patterns using fluorescent spheres which emit red, green and blue light. What makes this particularly interesting is that they add another level of security, in that the order of the colors in which they arrange themselves is completely random. So not even I could replicate the pattern. We call it a physically unclonable function or PUF."
Both techniques can be used in conjunction to prevent the forgery of any high-end product, including diamonds, watches, famous works of art or even passports or priceless documents. Once the nanopattern is applied to a product or good, it can be viewed under an optical microscope to verify its authenticity.
IBM scientists are currently looking for opportunities to test the technique and believe it can be readily available in the consumer market within the next five years.

- collapse section

Learn how IBM is helping cities fight crime
View additional images
IBM Research - Zurich

Heiko Wolf
Research Staff Member,
IBM Research - Zurich
1 Knockoff: The Deadly Trade in Counterfeit Goods

BREAKING THE BACTERIA BARRIER

BREAKING THE BACTERIA BARRIER

Breaking the bacteria barrier 
New hydrogel born from semiconductor research may help save lives
We are obsessed with cleanliness. From anti-bacterial cart wipes at the supermarket to individual sized packages of wipes and gels that we can carry in a pocket or a purse - you'd think we were winning in the war against germs.
But in hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities, the potential for infection still exists. Despite advanced sterilization and aseptic techniques, infections associated with medical devices and surfaces have not been eradicated, thanks to the increase in drug-resistant bacteria.
According to the CDC, antibiotic drug resistance in the U.S. costs an estimated $20 billion a year in healthcare costs as well as 8 million additional days spent in the hospital1. And hospital-acquired infections are among the top five leading causes of death in the United States and account for up to $11 billion in healthcare spending each year2.
And while personal anti-bacterial products exist on the market today in the form of the aforementioned hand gels and wipes, these products target very common germs and most contain ethanol as a key ingredient. Ethanol evaporates after a very short time after application and does not provide long-lasting protection.
Cleaning products that effectively destroy bacteria on surfaces, including alcohol and bleach, also break down and/or evaporate after a short period of time and are not transferrable for human application based on their toxicity.
Now imagine a long-lasting substance that is biocompatible and non-toxic, but also biodegradable. A substance that destroys specific types of bacteria but leaves healthy skin and cells alone – one that could be applied to medical facility surfaces, surgical and diagnostic instruments, and even – one day - medical implants.
IBM Research, in association with the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology in Singapore have taken a first step towards that future with the development of an antimicrobial hydrogel that can break through diseased biofilms and eradicate drug-resistant bacteria upon contact.

- collapse section

“ We were driven to develop a more effective therapy against superbugs due to the lethal threat of infection by these rapidly mutating microbes and the lack of novel antimicrobial drugs to fight them. Using the inexpensive and versatile polymer materials that we have developed jointly with IBM, we can now launch a nimble, multi-pronged attack on drug-resistant biofilms which would help to improve medical and health outcomes. ”
Dr Yi-Yan Yang, Group Leader, Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Singapore
It began with computer chips
The IBM nanomedicine polymer program began in IBM Research labs only four years ago with the mission to improve human health.
The program itself stems from decades of materials development traditionally used for semiconductor technologies. In earlier chip development research, IBM researchers identified specific materials that, when chained together, produced an electrostatic charge that allows microscopic etching on a wafer to be done at a much smaller scale.
This newfound knowledge that characterization of materials could be manipulated at the atomic level to control their movement inspired the team to see what else they could do with these new kinds of polymer structures. They started with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
The outcome of that experiment was the creation of what are now playfully known as "ninja polymers" – sticky nanostructures that move quickly to target infected cells in the body, destroy the harmful content inside, and can then disappear by biodegrading without causing damaging side effects or accumulating in the organs. As a bonus, all of this occurs without damaging healthy cells in the area.
The next step was to figure out how to apply this new capability to other applications to help fight harmful bacteria.
On the left is a mature and healthy MRSA biofilm. After the hydrogel is applied, the biofilm is destroyed as seen on the right. Photo Credit: IBN

Zipping molecules and zapping bacteria
Through the precise tailoring of polymers, researchers were able to create macromolecules - molecular structures containing a large number of atoms - which combine water solubility, a positive charge, and biodegradability. When mixed with water and heated to normal body temperature, the polymers self-assemble, swelling into a synthetic gel that is easy to manipulate.
“ This is a fundamentally different approach to fighting drug-resistant biofilms. When compared to capabilities of modern-day antibiotics and hydrogels, this new technology carries immense potential. This new technology is appearing at a crucial time as traditional chemical and biological techniques for dealing with drug-resistant bacteria and infectious diseases are increasingly problematic. ”
James Hedrick, Advanced Organic Materials Scientist, IBM Research
This capability stems from internal reactions that create a molecular "zipper" effect. Similar to how zipper teeth link together, the short segments on the new polymers interlock, thickening the water-based solution into moldable and highly malleable hydrogels.
When applied to contaminated surfaces, the hydrogel's positive charge attracts negatively charged microbial membranes, like stars and planets being pulled into a black hole. However, unlike other antimicrobials that target the internal machinery of bacteria to try to prevent it from replicating, this hydrogel destroys the bacteria by rupturing the bacteria’s membrane, rendering it completely unable to regenerate or spread.
The hydrogel developed by the team is comprised of more than 90 percent water, making it easy to handle and apply to surfaces. It also makes it potentially viable for eventual inclusion in applications like creams or injectable therapeutics for wound healing, implant and catheter coatings, skin infections or even orifice barriers. It is the first-ever to be biodegradable, biocompatible and non-toxic, potentially making it an ideal tool to combat serious health hazards facing hospital workers, visitors and patients.
By preventing infections before they happen, doctors, hospitals, patients and healthcare providers may one day all benefit from improved medical outcomes and lower healthcare costs. This jointly developed hydrogel may be a key that helps open that door to the future.
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IBM Research produces staph-killing polymers that leave healthy cells alone
Research originally published in the Angewandte Chemie International Edition of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker
View more hydrogel images and videos
Meet the researchers

Dan Coady
Polymer Chemist,
IBM Research - Almaden

Amanda Engler
Post Doctoral Researcher,
IBM Research - Almaden

James Hedrick
Advanced Organic Materials,
IBM Research - Almaden
1 U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: Hospital-acquired infections dramatically increase trauma patients' risk of in-hospital death and hospital stay
2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Antimicrobial Resistance Posing Growing Health Threat

I B M RESEARCH 2

http://www.research.ibm.com/articles/5-in-5.shtml

I B M RESEARCH 1

http://www.research.ibm.com/articles/nano-counterfeit.shtml

N C S A - ILLINOIS EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS

http://www.ncsa.illinois.edu/Projects/mosaic.html

DICTIONARY OF PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES

http://users.erols.com/ziring/dopl.html

EAR BALANCING - INNER DISORDER

OUR  STOMACH  NEEDS  FOOD  TO  SURVIVE  AND OUR  BRAIN  NEEDS  INFORMATION(BRAIN FOOD)  TO  MAKE  THE  EXISTENCE  MEANINGFUL  .

HELPING TO RESTORE BALANCE AFTER INNER EAR DISORDER
Study makes first attempts to design and test a vestibular prosthesis to help restore balance for those with Meniere’s disease

Many disorders of the inner hear which affect both hearing and balance can be hugely debilitating and are currently largely incurable. Cochlear implants have been used for many years to replace lost hearing resulting from inner ear damage. However, to date, there has not been an analogous treatment for balance disorders resulting from inner ear disease. One potential new treatment is an implantable vestibular prosthesis which would directly activate the vestibular nerve by electrical stimulation. This prosthetic treatment is tested in a new study by Christopher Phillips and his colleagues from the University of Washington in Seattle, USA. Their findings are published in the Springer journal Experimental Brain Research.

Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can affect hearing and balance to varying degrees. The characteristic symptoms are episodes of vertigo, tinnitus, a feeling of pressure in the ears and hearing loss which tends to worsen as time goes on. Although there is medication which can help once an attack is underway, there is currently no long-term therapy which can resolve the disease completely.

Phillips and his colleagues have developed a vestibular prosthesis which delivers electrical stimulation to the fluid inside the semi-circular canals of the ear. In effect, the stimulation of the fluid makes the brain believe that the body is moving or swaying in a certain direction. This then causes a compensatory postural reflex to stabilize the posture thereby helping to restore balance.

For their study, this prosthesis was inserted into the ears of four subjects all suffering from long-term Meniere’s disease and differing degrees of hearing loss which was resistant to other management strategies. After a full evaluation of each participant’s vestibular function, their eye function was measured in response to electrical stimulation along with their postural response both with their eyes open and closed.

The researchers found that electrical stimulation of the fluid in the semicircular canals of the affected ear did result in a change in posture, the direction of which was dependent on which ear was stimulated. However, each subject had different sway responses to the stimulation given. The authors believe this could be caused by small differences in the location of the electrode between subjects. Thus fine tuning and individual calibration for each electrode implant would be required for it to be effective.

Overall the results illustrate that this type of prosthesis may eventually be a possible treatment for balance issues caused by Meniere’s disease. However, there are a large number of matters which would need resolving before it is ready for use. The lack of consistency in direction and magnitude of sway response would require further study to ensure that any prosthesis developed could give reliable results for different individuals.

The authors conclude: “Taken together, our findings support the feasibility of a vestibular prosthesis for the control of balance and illustrate new challenges for the development of this technology. This study is a first step in that direction.”

Reference:

Phillips, C. et al. (2013). Postural responses to electrical stimulation of the vestibular end organs in human subjects. Experimental Brain Research; DOI 10.1007/s00221-013-3604-3