http://www.blogtalkradio.com/fastforwardradio/2008/05/19/FastForward-Radio

Check out this Blogtalk Radio - there is even a blog radio network. They were discussing nanotechnology and it's long term effects.

Links of the Week
Breakthrough: Killing Kid's Tumors

Story: Beyond Biology

Computer Science CS855 class assignment - predict a futuristic reality 10 years out.

Prediction: Based on the current state of research efforts, I predict that radio waves will be successfully applied to humans to fire up nanotubes embedded in tumors and destroying liver cancer in humans in the next ten years. (See excerpt from real article below describing the current state of the research in this area)
http://www.media.rice.edu/media/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=10217
11/02/2007
Radio waves fire up nanotubes embedded in tumors, destroy liver cancer
BY SCOTT MERVILLE

Special to the Rice News

Cancer cells treated with carbon nanotubes can be destroyed by noninvasive radio waves that heat up the nanotubes while sparing untreated tissue, a research team from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and Rice University found in preclinical experiments.

In a paper now posted online and to be printed in the December issue of the journal Cancer, the scientists show that the technique completely destroyed liver cancer tumors in rabbits. No side effects were noted. However, some healthy liver tissue within 2-5 millimeters of the tumors sustained heat damage due to nanotube leakage from the tumor."These are promising, even exciting, preclinical results in this liver cancer model," says senior author Steven Curley, professor in M.D. Anderson's Department of Surgical Oncology.

"Our next step is to look at ways to more precisely target the nanotubes so they attach to, and are taken up by, cancer cells while avoiding normal tissue."Targeting the nanotubes solely to cancer cells is the major challenge to advancing the therapy, Curley says. Research is under way to bind the nanotubes to antibodies, peptides or other agents that in turn target molecules expressed on cancer cells. To complicate matters, most such molecules are also expressed in normal tissue.

Curley estimates that a human clinical trial is at least three to four years away....

Ted Talks about Human Centered Design

David Kelley: The future of design is human centered.
IDEO filmed Feb. 2002

Designing behaviors and personality into products - previously, designs were presented using 3D models and 3D rendering, but now there is more focus on internal video production to produce high quality demos for the customer.

Prada wanted a new kind of store with a cultural role, so now everything has rf tags, so you can scan an item and view a model wearing the item. Magic mirrors with a 3 second display allow customers to view themselves in a full turn to see what the clothing looks like from the back.

A ubiquitous heart defibrillator is saving lives and the spyfish camera allows boat riders to see the creatures underneath the both without getting into the water using wireless remote control, graphics and ambient sounds.

Imagine that, designing something with the user in mind.

Foxtail Island

Foxtail Palms are usually found in southern Florida in the Miami area, as they prefer a subtropical climate. Over the past few months, I've managed to acquire and plant 5 in the front and 10 in the backyard overlooking the pond. The view from the screened lanai is very peaceful, tropical and feels very much like a foxtail island.

Sand hill cranes visit often for handouts of fresh baked french bread from the bakery. Tree frogs awake in the sunset before dusk and begin the journey from the pergola to the pond. It's quite a leap - like a leap of faith - I've counted 14 so far.

When the pond has a glassy surface, like right now, you can watch the ducks making wakes through the water - one large one and seven little baby wakes. as the turtle slides out of view just under the surface.