Oscillating Gel Acts Like Artificial Skin, Giving Robots Potential Ability to Feel

In relation to the research, "nonoscillating gel can be resuscitated in a fashion similar to a medical cardiopulmonary resuscitation". The research that was found through the research could sense a new way to sense mechanical stimuli and respond in a chemical manner. Through many hours of arduous Belousov-Zhabotinsky gel (BZ gel)a material that was initially made in the late 20th century and shown to pulsate without the presence of any external enivornment.

"Think of it like human skin, which can provide signals to the brain that something on the body is deformed or hurt,...This gel has numerous far-reaching applications, such as artificial skin that could be sensory -- a holy grail in robotics.

Through Belasz's studies, he found that the gels that were studied could serve as a small-scale pressure sensor for different vehicles to show the diagnostics for the impact on surfaces. This development are things researchers had been intrigued throughout childhood.

The article continues to explain the gel and allows the research of the professors to see the future of chemical engineering so that others can see their andvances in future technology.

Allen Institute Begins Project to Map the Human Perception

Although we currently have a relatively good idea of the macro anatomical structure of the brain, very little is known about its physiology--precisely how its components work and communicate at a microscopic level. The cerebral cortex, “the most organized piece of matter in the known universe,” is of particular interest to current researchers as it is the portion of our brain that plays a key role in memory, attention, perception, language and thought (Boyle).

Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft is pledging $300 million to establish a “series of ‘brain observatories’ at the Seattle research facility named after him, with the aim of mapping and manipulating the mouse brain.” In this projected 10-year-long effort, researchers hope to begin to understand the “roots of vision and decision-making by analyzing the billions of cells and synapses in the brain's cerebral cortex” (Hotz). If we can understand each of the individual building blocks that underlie brain function, their interconnections can be accurately mapped. This would provide not only a clearer understanding of the circuitry that drives our thought and behavior, but potentially could lead to clues in neural disease/dysfunction mechanisms as well. With this knowledge, conditions such as Alzheimers, Autism, Depression might eventually be treatable.

If successful, the findings from this preliminary mapping of the mouse visual cortex could be applied to the exploration of its other brain regions, and eventually to other mammalian brains — including the human brain. Allen says, “our dream is to uncover the essence of what makes us human. There is really no greater challenge with a potentially more huge impact than understanding how brains work.” The Allen Institute plans to begin this process by doubling its staff over the next four years, as well as directing funds toward the development of new “instruments and computer-modeling capabilities” (Boyle).

Sources:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303812904577295573865402682.html

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/21/10793463-billionaire-paul-allen-kicks-off-brain-observatory-effort-with-300-million

Viruses can be used to Attack Tumors

In the early 1900s, it was found that when tumor patients contracted certain viruses, the tumor would subside for awhile.  This was because viruses frequently target tumor cells.  Cancer cells can divide faster than normal cells, but they cannot fight disease as effectively as healthy cells.


Research for oncolytic viruses first started in 1904 but eventually ended with unsuccessful results.  Then in 1991, the herpes simplex virus was used to fight cancer.  It was injected in mice with brain cancer and although it cured them of cancer, most of them died of meningitis.  After that, more doctors worked to engineer a virus that spared healthy cells and targeted only cancer cells.  Oncolytic viruses are more long lasting and effective than chemo because they also produce immune responses that fight tumors.  There are some oncolytic viruses currently in trials.  A viral agent used to get rid of smallpox is being used to fight liver cancer, a herpes virus is being used to fight melanoma, and a reovirus is being tested against head and neck cancer.


This article was interesting because it involved integrating what researchers know about the way viruses attack cells and targeting those viruses to malignant cells.  This research will be very useful in the future as doctors continue to work for a cure for cancer.


http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/20/health/research/viruses-are-recruited-and-flipped-as-cancer-killers.html?_r=1&ref=research

Magnetic Resonance Force Microscopy

The MRFM is an imaging instrument that measures the force between a permanent magnet, and the spin magnetization. It uses a microfabricated cantilever to detect the interaction force between a magnetic field gradient and spins in a sample. They are currently trying to create ultrasmall cantilevers to further improve MRFM. The new cantilevers will allow for a much farther depth perception (current ones are very limited in seeing below the surface)



Since most of my classmates are in BioSolid Mechanics, the explanation of how it works won't be complicated. The magnetic field gradient is defined from the tip at the end of the detector. It defines the spins(fields) that will be probed by the instrument, The resonance frequency of a spin is proportional to the magnetic field it experiences. Allows us to probe only those spins whose resonance frequency matches the frequency w_o of the applied rf field. In other words, the slice we made in whatever "body".

With this technique, we can obtain a volume resolution 100 million times finer than conventional MRI which is really awesome. We can image very small biological "machines" much finer than we use to.MRFM can be used to image interesting biological samples including virus particles, proteins, functions and complex molecule. This new imaging system can provide us more insight into functions that we couldn't otherwise know exactly what was occurring(juxtaglomerular granular cells and nephron regulation)

http://www.its.caltech.edu/~hammel/mrfmpch.html