Google is helping develope a car that can drive itself.
Technology continues to develop rapidly, and constantly pushes the boundaries of the possible. Over the last 20 years, technological breakthroughs in computers, cell phones and the Internet have altered societies around the world, and have helped to set the stage for further breakthroughs. Recent technological inventions in the fields of electronics, health, science and automobiles continue to advance human potential.
Electronics
From the mundane to the extraordinary, it seems every day a new piece of technology is released that promises to revolutionize the way people live. The Mind Lamp from Psyleron uses electron tunneling, a process that measures quantum-scale probabilistic events, to determine what color your mind is thinking about in order to shift the lamp to that color. For people who have trouble texting, the Android application "ThickButtons" anticipates which letters are most likely next when typing a text on a touch screen smart phone, and the program expands those letters to make texting easier. From the co-inventor of Twitter comes Square, an accessory that plugs into your smart phone that allows a mobile merchant to swipe a credit card anywhere they receive cell service.
Health
Thanks to advancements in the field of medicine, the quality and length of human lives continues to improve. Scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles have engineered mesoporous silica nanoparticles that successfully increase the percentage of cancer fighting drugs delivered to tumors during chemotherapy. A vaccine developed by Pfizer called CDX-110 causes white blood cells in the body to target and destroy cancer producing cells in the brain. Two studies released in "The New England Journal of Medicine" have proved that the asthma pills Singulair and Accolate work as successfully in preventing asthma symptoms as steroid inhalers. Each of these inventions offer a chance to ease the suffering of individuals afflicted with these conditions.
Science
Recent developments in scientific equipment have allowed scientists to continue uncovering the mysteries of the universe. A half-mile underground in Geneva, Switzerland, is the Large Hadron Collider, a particle accelerator designed to allow physicists to study the smallest known particles. Physicists hope to use the collider to recreate the conditions that existed immediately following the Big Bang. NASA's Gravity Probe B has confirmed two key predictions related to Einstein's theory of relativity by measuring the warping of space and time around a gravitational body, and how much a spinning object pulls space and time when rotating.
Automotive
Researchers from Google have developed a car that drives itself automatically using artificial intelligence software. The car's on board computer uses video cameras, radar sensors and laser guidance software, along with detailed maps, to navigate roads and traffic. The firefighting vehicle Amatoya has an insulated cabin that can withstand temperatures of more than 600 degrees, and is armed with dual high-powered water cannons that allow the vehicle's crew to fight fires from within.
Tags: smart phone, space time
