CSB#4: Using Nanodots to Store Data

Definitions:

•  Nanodots: single, defect-free crystals that create magnetic sensors that are put directly into a silicon electronic chip to store information. These nanodots, which can be made uniformly as small as six nanometers in diameter efficiently store information in small areas. 
• Chips: Computer Chips; Silicone-based technology that have circuits and allow computers to function. The particular chip in this article deals with computer memory technology.

Summary: 
         A North Carolina State University researcher created a computer chip that can store enough data to hold an entire library’s worth of information on a single chip composed of nanodots. The reason that this chip can store so much information in such a small place is that it uses the newly developed nanodot; they are so efficient that they can store up to one billion pages of data on a one square inch chip. These nanodots, can allow programmers to read and write data to the chips. The best part of this new chip is that it can made in a cost-efficient way, thus average people can actually use it. The next step for the scientists to actually sell the product to the public is to create a reading and writing system that utilizes something like laser technology in order to let people get their data on and off these chips. 
Discussion: 
       I chose this article, because this is a huge breakthrough in the field of data storage. My whole life I have been amazed by how scientists have been able to store so much data in such small things, like ipods and laptops. As the research on this project develops and the chip becomes more reliable, it will totally change technology as we know it. Products will get thinner and thinner and be more powerful; this will make storing data so much easier. The chip will help large online companies like Amazon and Ebay to store their online data in smaller areas. I think it is really cool how the public can afford this and not just big companies. This product would help many; instead of having to carry around a large portable drive in a backpack, people would be able to carry the same amount of data in their pockets.

Questions:

1. How long would it take to develop a reading and writing system for the chip?
2. How long will it take for the chip to be integrated into technology, like computers? 
   

Resources:
National Science Foundation. "Click here to find out more! Nanodots Breakthrough
     May Lead to ‘A Library on One Chip’." US News . US News, 27 Dec. 2010. Web.
     9 Jan. 2011. <http://www.usnews.com/science/articles/2010/12/27/
     nanodots-breakthrough-may-lead-to-a-library-on-one-chip.html>.
Picture: http://courses.ece.ubc.ca/493/Picture/computer-chips.jpg

CSB#3: The Smarter Navigation System

Definitions:

1. Navigation Systems (GPS): A device that uses map information in order to give the user information about how to get to the inputted destination. Newer navigation systems are able to account for traffic using some variables like sports events, weather conditions, and accident reportings.
2. Traffic: When there are many cars packed into a small area, thus the cars must slow down or take caution of their surroundings.   

Summary:

One of the biggest problems that many face every year, traffic, can be shortened through using efficient navigation systems. A 2007 study showed that in the United States alone, drivers spent 4 billion hours in traffic that year itself; those delays cost nearly $90 billion in fuel and lost productivity. Currently, our high-tech GPS systems are not able to predict traffic, rather they just tell people about traffic after it starts. The difficult thing is that creating such a system requires assimilating vast amounts of historical and real-time data on traffic oh all relevant roads — about 4 million miles' worth. Only a minuscule fraction of highways are currently monitored. Navteq, a division of Nokia, is trying to monitor this traffic through using cell phones. The cell phones would give off the speed of their movement to Navteq and in turn they  would collect this data and use it to make a better Navigation System. Moving forward, whenever Navteq realizes that a car is slowing down, their navigation systems would question drivers on whether they are in traffic and how congested it is. Although some people will still get stuck in traffic, a majority of citizens will avoid this problem. 

Discussion:
As a person who is usually stuck in traffic for about an hour a day, I can say that this breakthrough would be revolutionary. Over the course of a year, it would save a lot of oil, which is essential as we run low on this black gold.  In addition, we would it would help our economy as it would open more time for people to work and earn money. Ultimately, it would make our country much more effective and on time. Overall, the lives of many will be helped with this product.

Questions: 

1. How long will it take to collect this data?
2. How will they be able to collect this data and effectively convey it to the navigation systems?
   

Resources:
Freedman, David H. "EBSCO: Future Tech." EBSCOhost. 2010. EBSCOhost. Web. 19
     Nov. 2010. <http://puffin.harker.org:2092/ehost/
     detail?vid=11&hid=17&sid=459209ea-54a7-40f8-8b95-c2cd1a339a86%40sessionmgr104&bda
     ta=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=sch&AN=52887083>.
Picture: http://www.automotive-access.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/2010-range-rover-navigation-system.jpg

CSB#2: The New Surgeon

Definition:

• Diagnostic Imaging: A type of medical imaging that is used to find information on a disease in one's body; they are used to diagnose a disease.
• Endoscopic Capsule: A capsule used in order to take a picture of one's digestive tract. 

Summary:
As the field of medicine expands rapidly, there has been an ever-growing aspiration in medical scientists to try to create robots that could possibly administer surgeries in hard to reach areas of the body, give medicines, and diagnose a disease. The first of these "super pills" came out in 1999 from an Israeli company, called Given Imaging, in order to obtain diagnostic imaging of the gastrointestinal tract; this is called an endoscopic capsule and is a commonly used item in medicine today. However, these pills were not very efficient in that they tend to miss problem areas in the body; scientists would like to take a step forward from this technology and create capsules that can be controlled and used more effectively. In order to do this, they must either move through using propellers, magnets, or a hybrid of both. A group at the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa, Italy was able to create a hybrid prototype of this capsule and successfully tested it on a pig, which has a similar intestine as a human. The capsule was controlled by magnets till the intestine, then, the scientists used the propellers on it to control it to the desired location. However, this prototype could not do very much other than take pictures. Moving forward, scientists plan to make the patients take 10-15 pills, which would connect magnetically in the stomach and be able to administer surgical procedures and diagnose diseases; after being used, the magnets would break apart and exit through the digestive tract. 
Discussion: 
This article is extremely important in that it can help prevent many deaths and diagnose diseases in early stages. I chose this article mainly because it presents a way in which cancer, the very disease that took the life of my great-grandfather, can be fought off more effectively. Doctors using this capsule will have a much better idea of what they are dealing with, and be able to help their patients much more effectively. In addition, doctors will now be able to administer surgeries in areas of the body that are extremely hard to reach. Through the use of endoscopic capsules, scientists will probably be able to understand the body better, thus leading to more breakthroughs in the field of medicine.

Questions:
When will these pills be available?
When the pills combine magnetically, how will they be able to fit in small, tight areas?
How will they be able to supply power for the huge capsule?

Resources:
1) Poalo, Dario, and Arianna Menciassi. "Robot Pills ." Scientific American Aug.
     2010: 62-65. Science Reference Center. Web. 14 Oct. 2010.
     <http://puffin.harker.org:2092/ehost/
     detail?vid=3&hid=119&sid=925de258-4301-485b-a073-73813caef69e%40sessionmgr4&bdata
     =JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=sch&AN=52112085>.
2) Picture 1: http://www.thelondonclinic.co.uk/images/holding_capsule%20-%20white_v_Variation_2.jpg 

CSB#1: Removing Carbon Dioxide from the Air

Definitions

• Sorbents: A solid or liquid material that chemically binds the CO_{2; it} leaves the nitrogen, oxygen and other elements in "air" alone.
• Global Warming: A natural process in which the temperature of on the planet increases at a certain rate. Our man-made pollution has recently added to this process, creating increases in temperature every year.

Summary 

• Continuing to pollute at current levels will eventually bring about catastrophic problems; in addition, renewable energies are pricey and inefficient with current technologies.
• The only remaining option would be to remove carbon dioxide from the air by capturing it through the use of machines that utilize sorbents; these machines, basically bind the carbon dioxide, collect it, and then send it to a vault where it is liquidized and stored for later usage. When created, these machines will have the potential to collect up to tens to hundreds of tons of CO2.
• Early prototypes have proven that wide-use of these machines would stop or reverse the rise of atmospheric CO2; in the future, if there are enough machines in use, we could decrease Carbon Dioxide levels in the atmosphere by 5 parts per million per year, which is greater than what we pollute. 
• In addition to helping the environment, this machine will also lead to profits. Every year, the people use 30 million tons of CO2 based products, such as dry ice; people could sell the Carbon Dioxide produced by this machine to meet the world's needs. 
• In the future, this carbon dioxide based materials could be used to create a synthetic gasoline and be a nutrient for the production of bio fuel, thus helping our environment more.
• However, similar to all products, there is a loophole, price. Originally, it will cost up to $200 to capture a ton of carbon dioxide; however, as technology and time progresses, this price will reduce to about $30 dollars per ton. 

Discussion:

• This article was particularly interesting because if this machine is produced, it could help the environment which is crucial to all that consider this planet home. 
• I think that it was amazing that the carbon dioxide that is captured could be sold or used in other ways that help the environment.
• I was particularly amazed to know that technology is advanced enough to bind carbon dioxide in large quantities and be able to turn it into a liquid. 
• Until I read this article, I was completely unaware of the fact that CO2 could be used in ways that will help the environment, like being the basis of synthetic gasoline. 
• I was astounded that the machine was going to only be the size of a 40-foot shipping container. I expected the machine to be the size of a gym or something to that extent.

Questions 

• How will this machine cost to maintain on a whole(after profits are accounted for)?
• How long will it take for the price of the capturing to decrease and what assurance do we have that the price will decrease?
• Where will we be able to fit 10 million machines if we want to the projected reduction of 5 parts per million?

Sources

• Article: Lackner, Klaus S. "Washing Carbon Out of the Air." Scientific American June
       2010: 66-71. Web. 23 Sept. 2010. <http://puffin.harker.org:2092/ehost/
       detail?vid=5&hid=106&sid=31118bc8-85d9-43d4-8965-570f1a3d48e6%40sessionmgr113&bda
       ta=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=sch&AN=50524949>. 
• Picture of smoking factory: http://www.plus961.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/zouk-electricity-factory-pollution.jpg
• Picture of Dry Ice: http://ny-icecream.com/images/p-dryice_yto9.jpg