Making WiFi Faster

If you are using cloud services, there is really nothing more annoying than really slow internet. It is not always your service but the WiFi. Here are a couple tips to make your WiFi faster and you less stressed. Sometimes, just changing the channel on your router can make a world of difference, particularly if you live in an apartment building with lots of interference from other Wi-Fi signals. Other technologies like cordless phones and microwaves can interfere with Wi-Fi as well. Try channels 1, 6 or 11. If those don't work, go to 2 or 10 next. Hunt and peck until you feel like your speeds are improving. A tall shelf in the middle of a room is the best place for your router.Also make sure that there are no thick walls or concrete that the signal has to go through. New routers have smart technology that can send signals directly to devices (instead of beaming signals randomly around a room).

Telepathy: Sci-Fi or Not Anymore?

What if our brains could directly interact with each other, bypassing the need for language? The idea isn't quite so far fetched, according to a recent University of Washington study in which researchers successfully replicated a direct brain-to-brain communication between two people. the researchers repeatedly were able to transmit signals from one person’s brain via the Internet, and used these signals to control the hand motions of another person within a fraction of a second. The study tested three pairs of participants (each with one sender and one receiver) who were seated in separate buildings on the Washington campus, roughly half a mile apart. They were unable to interact with one another, except for the link between their brains. The researchers believe that there could one day be potential therapeutic applications for people with brain injuries or disorders.Taking it one step further, you could even put mobile applications and certain software development as the interface and the possibilities seem endless. The downside, as always is the case with anything that is connected to the internet, is someone hacking the system and being in control of the person's movements. That is a very large nest of wasps.

Improving Health By Doing What We Alredy Do

What if life could be made better just by what we already do? First of all, many of us that sit for prolonged periods of time with computers and software development projects are at huge risk for some serious health problems. The solution to this is an adjustable desk that lets you shift from sitting or standing which will decrease your total sitting time. The best thing about the desk, he says, is that you can easily transition between sitting and standing throughout the day. Not getting sleep can make you feel cranky as well as put your immune system at risk. It’s worrying, then, that by some estimates over 50 percent of the U.S. adult population is chronically sleep deprived. A concept to create a solution is to make a bed that takes into account a person's biometrics such as weight, height, and preferred sleeping position. It is a bed that can be individually customized. It will also be able to help you relax before going to sleep so that your mind can hit the off switch and really improve sleep quality.

In The Moment

I am sure that you have heard about all the wonderful benefits of meditation but never really got around to it. It is somewhere on the to-do list but there is just too much to do. Of course there are many mobile applications that aim to help with calming the mind but there are several tricks that you can do right now. One of the best things to do is to breathe. We take thousands of breathes each day but rarely pay attention to it. Pausing to focus on what it feels like to breathe in and then breathe out can instantly snap your mind back to attention. Try and take something that is normally a waste of time and be aware of it. No one likes to be stuck in traffic or in line so use that time to pay attention to the sights and smells around you. Taking in your surroundings can really help get you in the moment. The key is to recognize those small, daily moments that inherently grab and engage your senses and that generally make you feel a sense of pleasure, such as listening to music or washing your hands in warm running water. Then pay extremely close attention to them.

Tracker for Your Car

The FIXD sensor is a device that connects your car to your smartphone via Bluetooth and delivers updates on everything from when you need an oil change to when you need to replace your air filter. By connecting the FIXD device to your car's OBD-II (On Board Diagnostics-II) port, just underneath the steering wheel and then pairing it with your smartphone, you're immediately given vital diagnostic data that allows you to track your car's wellbeing. Unlike so many other tracker devices, this one doesn't need to be constantly recharged since it is charge by the car's battery. The device can also tell you when the car will need more coolant and how many miles until a certain problem might require your attention. As far as the cost of the repairs, the company wants to use data from all the customers and pool it into a cloud service and then give an average. There might be risks involved with attaching such a device that uses the internet to cars because it could be a loophole for hackers. 

Superintelligence

Computing power and software development has really taken off in the past decade. The growth of technology has been exponential but it is still hard to predict just when we will be able to development artificial intelligence. Some experts feel that it could be achieved in the next forty years. The question becomes just how we will get there. One of the idea is that we will get inspiration from biological systems. In short we would be plagiarizing nature The circuits now look strangely similar to the connections that are seen in the brain. We also have somewhat of an understanding of the way that the brain learns. Another option in this field is that there could be some sort of mash up of both biology and technology where the tech can significantly alter and add to the biological abilities. We are well on that path already. Another option is to use pure mathematics where the AI would be worked out using the basic math principles.

Big Data and Health

Here are some stats to think about:
More than 50% of doctor's offices now handle patient records electronically.
Nearly 75% of hospitals do so as well.
45% of hospitals exchange the data they gather with each other on a local and regional level.

If we are putting all of the data in an information system, just imagine the possibilities. First of all it will not take too much software development to figure out a program that is able to quantify trends as well as analyze what if going on. Taking it one step further, there is the possibility of even prediction and determining probabilities. This is the age of smarter medicine and treatment. Doctors will have a much better picture of the patient and the illnesses. It will also reduce the time and effort needed to maintain records because much of it will be automated. Not to mention that it will significantly reduce costs. At first there will need to be an investment in the computerized data structure but over time, the saving will be showing up. How have your experiences been with these electronic medical records?