Technology  

Senior citizens did not always embrace technology, but a recent survey shows that this trend is becoming a thing of past. Here are few examples of the kinds of technologies available for seniors that are aimed at making their lives better and safer.

There was a time when senior citizens did not embrace technology, but a recent survey shows that this is slowly changing. It is estimated that 53 percent of seniors are now online, which is a step forward. Now, it is time to take the next step by embracing the following helpful technologies.

Smart Shoes

It might be difficult to convince some senior citizens to try a different brand of shoes, but thankfully, you do not have to with the GPS SmartSole. The technology is embedded in the insoles and can be worn with any shoe. This technology allows loved ones to set a perimeter that flashes a notification if it is breached. The GPS system also helps you find your loved one. This is an invaluable gadget, especially for seniors with Alzheimer's.

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Home Monitoring

Some seniors can still live on their own, but that does not mean that they should not have a few precautions in place. Home monitoring systems install sensors throughout the house that can monitor emergencies like falls or even report strange behavior. Some sensors can detect vital signs without invading your loved one's privacy.

Smart Watches

Many smart watches come with health monitoring technology. The watch can easily remind a senior citizen about a medication that needs to be taken or of an appointment that cannot be missed. The software can also help track vital signs or assist in sticking to a particular diet. The watch comes in different styles to accommodate a senior's style. Although this can be particularly useful if he or she is living on their own, it can also be of especially great if they were living in a facility—perhaps even an AZ assisted living community—so that their nurses could much more easily help care for them.

Car-Sharing

There is no doubt that the car-sharing idea has caught communities around the United States by a storm, but most associate car-sharing apps with younger generations when older generations can take advantage of this as well. Many senior citizens who do not drive might enjoy these smartphone applications. It should be noted that one application, called Lyft Hero, could be revolutionizing these applications even further. It is attempting to hire medical professionals and students to drive senior citizens for added protection. This application is not active yet, but it is worth monitoring.

These are just a few examples of the kinds of technologies available for seniors that are aimed towards making their lives better and safer. The key is to help your loved one be open to the technologies and patient about explaining their importance.

By  Hannah Whittenly	Embed
Author Bio - Hannah Whittenly is a freelance writer and mother of two from Sacramento, California.

Technology  

Technology continues to improve and expand.  Here are just a few examples of some of the key technological innovations that we enjoy today.

It is the nature of a human being to strive for better living conditions, and man has continually worked tirelessly for the cause of having a better life. Humans have made inventions that benefit society in many ways, and listed here are some technological inventions that have changed our way of life.

GPS

Global positioning system (GPS) first came into existence in 1978. The technology uses 32 satellites that help in its operations. GPS can point out your location with accuracy. GPS can be embedded everywhere not only in mobile phones, but also in cars and other wide range of devices. Many different organizations, groups and people have use for GPS, including the military, backpackers, the everyday traveler and many more.

Digital Cameras

In the mid-1970s, Steven Sasson built the first digital camera, and since then the technology has revolutionized. Invention breakthroughs would not have been possible without digital cameras, as the science would have no means of going into in-depth of various structures beyond the human eye. In the digital age, digital camera share photo in multiple platforms in real time and this has changed the way of life significantly.

Internet

According to internet world statistics, more than 3 billion people of the global population are using the internet today. It was developed in the 1960s. World Wide Web has influenced our life such that some people cannot live without it, or would not know life without the internet. The impact ranges from online shopping, searching instantly, and instant communication just to mention few.

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Computers

Computer invention is one of the most remarkable inventions in the history of humankind. They have affected human lives in numerous ways ranging from landing on the moon to daily transactions. In a modern world, computers are used almost in all life phases, and there is hardly any field, which has not benefited from computers. Today at the click of computer button a rocket is launched, instant communication is enabled, and ICU life support.

Lab Stirrer

For effective and efficient mixing required for crucial and diverse applications in modern laboratories, high-tech lab stirrer comes in hand. For critical experiments, lab process stirrer can provide not stop stirring of viscous liquids, where both directions stirring are possible. Arrow Engineering understands the importance of air stirrers in laboratories, and they offer quality products.

Smart pipes

According to a study conducted in 2005, The United States loses between $92 million and $12.5 million worth of clean drinking water due to leaking pipes. To make water use to be more efficient, smart pipe technology employs nanosensor to track water leakage in public water system, making water use of being more efficient. The tech invention that is yet to be fully implemented would help communities to detect and fix water leaks immediately.

Technology will continue to improve, and these are just a few examples of some of the most impactful intentions. Without tech growth, our lives, healthcare, living comfort and more would be much different than it is today.

By Anita Ginsburg

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Author Bio - Anita Ginsburg is a freelance writer from Denver, CO and often writes about business, finance, education and home. She graduated from Colorado State University in 2004. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family when she isn’t writing. 

 Electric Vehicles  

By developing a completely new way of using information from GPS and location data shown by GSM, the EU DATA SIM Project simulated the consequences of a massive switch to electric vehicles, and studied the impact on mobility and electricity distribution networks.

The technology behind the design of electric vehicles is ever improving and the European Union predicts that these vehicles could be in mass production by 2020. The forecasted large-scale uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) will have an impact on how we travel and on where and when we will make demands on the electrical grid.

Knowing what the knock-on effect will be once EVs are in general use is key to preparing the way for their uptake. The EU-FP7 project DATA SIM  carried out research to establish the consequences of a mass switch to EVs, in order to recommend actions to policy makers.

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Until now, researchers have used general criteria, such employment trends within a region, to map traffic flows. Road users kept diaries, logged their trips and answered questionnaires. Although helpful, this information was not totally reliable as people can be inaccurate or imprecise.

The project has developed a completely new, and highly detailed, time-space approach based on the use of vast quantities of data from GSM and GPS.

"If too many EVs are charged at the same time, is there a risk that the street lighting will go out?"

This new behavioral model can predict what would happen if we all started driving electric tomorrow.

"For example, you could compare how many people drive electric, for how long and how far, based on the current technology on the one hand, and how this evolves when technology improves, on the other," explains project coordinator, Professor Davy Janssens, based at Hasselt University in Belgium.

Working out what people are doing when they get behind the wheel, and how far they are likely to be going, also means researchers are able to establish what and where energy demands are probably going to be.

As Janssens says, "You can see whether there is a risk of energy shortages in certain zones when a given number of vehicles are being charged. For example, if too many EVs are charged at the same time, is there a risk that the street lighting will go out?"

These answers will provide useful information for policy-makers, to reinforce the network in those specific locations or to re-design the charging point locations.

One key challenge for renewable energy is its intermittency, with peaks and drops in its production. DATA SIM also studied the possibility that the EVs could be used to store the excess of generated energy in peak period, and extra energy stored in the car’s batteries can be fed back into the grid when needed (when the cars are parked).

Car sharing, car pooling, charging and driving – coordinating how we interact with our vehicles is central to making transportation greener.

"For the first time data mining, database management, complex systems, transport, energy and computer science have all come together to find practical solutions for mobility," says Janssens.

The project, which ran for three years and ended in August 2014, will continue to build on its achievements to find new solutions for the mobility market through the efficient use of large amounts of data. DATA SIM is considering the creation of two spin off companies, and plans are currently at the development stage.




SOURCE  Digital Agenda for Europe

By 33rd Square

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 Cars  

Technology is a double-edged sword when it comes to car accidents--some technology causes accidents, while other technology prevents them. This article discusses why and how technology contributes to car accidents or keeps them from happening.

Technology can be simultaneously our friend and foe; especially when we're behind the wheel. It's estimated that 660,000 people across America, at any given time of day, are using cell phones, radios, GPS, or some other form of technology while driving. So, while it is well established that technology does create distraction, it's also important to note that it can also help us be safer drivers when we're distracted. From special cell phone apps to autonomous vehicles, the potential for technology to keep us safe behind the wheel is endless. Keep reading to learn about the helpful and hurtful nature of technology while driving.

Accident-Causing Technology

Cell phones

Despite being in general use for decades, people are still ignoring the danger of cell phone use while driving. In fact, 25% of teenagers will text every time they drive. Only a decade ago, cell phone usage in the car wasn’t a main contributor to car accidents, and now it happens every day. Some technology now allows drivers to sync their smartphone to their car’s system so that they can talk on the phone hands-free, and even dictate texts to their phone. However, too many people are taking their eyes off the road to text, resulting in heinous and sometimes deadly accidents.

Music

Long gone are the days of merely turning on the radio to listen to music, or popping a CD in. Now with endless music delivery options from satellite radio, cell phones, and MP3 players, the potential for distraction is equally multiplied. While some technology has made it easier to get your favorite songs while you drive, the action of changing songs or using a device while driving is still causing accidents.

GPS

It is ironic, but global positioning systems that are designed to make driving easier are actually a big distraction. While on the road, drivers frequently try to enter their destination or search for near-by businesses without pulling over, and thus take their eyes off the road. Additionally, studies show that hands free devices for cell phones don't reduce the risk of an accidents since our attention is still taken away from traffic; the same principle applies to use of a GPS.

Accident-Preventing Technology

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Smart Phone Apps

While cell phones are frequently responsible for car accidents, applications available on select smart phones can actually help prevent accidents. The majority of these apps disable phones while the owner is driving, but some will actually read text messages or emails out-loud for the driver so that they can keep their eyes on the road. These apps can be extremely beneficial if you have teenage drivers.

Accident Avoidance Technology

Cars can increasingly park themselves, and soon they will even be able to talk to one another. This technology helps take out "human error" which is, no doubt, the cause of a vast majority of crashes. Many newer cars include features like lane correction technology that keeps the driver from distractedly drifting out of their lane. Other systems can survey the road ahead to notify the driver of any obstacles or dangers.

Autonomous Vehicles

While this sounds like something out of the sci-fi movie, self-automated cars are already on the road. While self-driving cars might not be on the road for a while, there are companies creating cars with automated features that take a lot of responsibility off of the driver. Many companies are following these pioneers' footsteps (or treads in this case), and are developing autonomous vehicles for themselves.

There's no denying it, our safety behind the wheel is crushed and bolstered by technology. It's been proven that we just can't resist the temptation of technology and thus regularly enter distraction; hopefully future advances will override the dangerous situations we can't help but put ourselves in.

By Dixie Somers

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 Self-Driving Car  

A team in Singapore has successfully developed their own self-driving car prototype at a much less of a cost than other versions.

The hype around driver-less cars intensifies with each passing day, with information on a new driver-less vehicle concept, new regulation initiative, or some advancements in autonomous driving technology coming up virtually every day, and it seems that it's not about to end any time soon. Google has no intention on slowing its efforts for launching a commercially available self-driving car by 2025, and Japanese car maker Nissan has similar plans, with BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Volvo, and other manufacturers expected to follow their lead.

The latest news involving autonomous vehicles is about a golf cart that is capable of driving itself, which could become available for purchase sometime in the near future.

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It was recently unveiled in Singapore, and it's a result of a collaboration between the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) and the National University of Singapore. It's basically an ordinary golf cart, that is equipped with a series of sensors and a computer, which allow it to move completely independently. There are two strategically positioned laser sensors that have a vision field of 270 degrees, which is much better than the human drivers' 100 degrees. The sensors, along with the on-board computer, make it possible for the cart to start, stop, and steer on its own, and be remotely controlled to pick up passengers at a specific location.

What this driver-less vehicldubbed SCOT (Shared Computer-Operated Transport), is lacking, when compared to other vehicles of its kind, is a navigation system based on GPS data. This is because its developers felt that GPS data is not precise enough to be used for self-driving cars, especially when driving in urban areas. “GPS data has a tolerance of 10 to 50 meters, which is not enough for urban environments,” said Dr Zuo Bingran, one of the creators of the SMART golf cart. Since it doesn't use GPS data, it has to rely on a series of pre-loaded maps, as well as live data provided by the sensors, which is supposed to help ease navigation through densely populated areas.

One of the main reasons why the people at Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology wanted to develop such a vehicle is that it could improve road safety to a considerable degree, since a car that is completely controlled by a computer reduces the risk of accidents substantial, considering that it's not susceptible to distractions, fatigue, or poor judgement, unlike human drivers. Another factor that motivated them to do this is the fact that driver-less cars could help long commutes much more bearable, allowing drivers to sit back and relax, letting a computer take care of steering and stopping. Also, traffic flow would be much faster, cutting travel times and helping reduce air pollution.

While Google's driver-less car cost more than $200,000 to build, which is obviously too much for it to be commercially viable, the SMART golf cart is incomparably cheaper, as it doesn't use the kind of equipment that Google's car does, such as a sophisticated laser radar system, so it has the potential to be widely adopted by future car buyers.



SOURCE  SMART

By Jordan Perch

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Author Bio - Jordan Perch is an automotive fanatic and “car tech” specialist. He is a regular contributor to a collaborative community for US drivers.