by Erik Sass, Wednesday, May 30, 2007 7:45 AM ET
SOMETIMES IT'S GOOD TO BE two-dimensional. Take the new generation of technologies that are shrinking video screens to the width of a vinyl poster--or even thinner. In the coming decades, these new displays promise to revolutionize a variety of media beyond television, including outdoor advertising.
The newest entrants to the field came from rivals Sony and LG Philips, which both demonstrated flexible, paper-thin video screens at the Society for Information Display industry expo in California last week. Although the companies only gave attendees a glimpse of the technology in operation, their new video screens appear to function even while being bent into non-linear shapes--far exceeding the current capabilities of both liquid crystal and plasma screen displays.
Of course, the new technologies are also attracting the interest of outdoor advertisers. In general, digital displays offer the possibility of multiple message displays, allowing billboard owners to charge more for high-traffic day-parts--and to modify or remove ad copy quickly and cheaply, as required for client objectives.
According to Stephen Freitas, the chief marketing officer of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America, the industry is keen on new display possibilities--but is also taking its time in considering all available options. "Right now, the most mature technology is still the LED displays," Freitas said, "but we're looking at all the new technologies currently in development."
Indeed, the new technologies may cut the legs out from under LED displays. In a 2006 interview, Clear Channel Outdoor boss Paul Meyer said the company was experimenting with a new kind of digital sign technology called MagInk that could drastically reduce the cost of digital billboards.
MagInk billboards use plastic tiles coated with helix-shaped molecules one micron long to produce ultra-thin images, which can be changed up to 70 times a second, holding out the possibility of video-like animation. Once it appears, each new image does not require a continuous power supply to be visible; it will remain until another electrical charge substitutes a new image.
A 10-foot by 20-foot MagInk display currently costs around $50,000 to install--about five times the cost of a conventional display, but far less than the $500,000 price tag of an equivalent LED screen. And once the display is up, it obviates further expenditure on paper, printing and labor costs--yielding huge savings for advertisers and the proprietors of signage infrastructure. Because their power consumption is low, the MagInk billboards also save costs on cooling systems.
The new OLED technologies from Sony and Philips, the electroluminescent displays, emit their own light without the need for extra power. Most of their power consumption goes to animating the displays. Japanese cell phone manufacturers have incorporated ultra-thin, flexible video displays into a new generation of mobile handsets. It's not hard to imagine potential applications for consumer electronics, including televisions that double as wallpaper or pull down from the ceiling like movie screens. Sony's first ultra-thin TVs are said to be ready for commercialization in Japan. In Taiwan, researchers may use the technology in personal-identification cards.
The OLED also has some things in common with MagInk, including ultra-thin displays and relatively low power consumption. However, MagInk probably has a leg up for outdoor advertising, as it has already been commercialized for use in billboards in Europe. What's more, the OLED displays are also still quite small--measuring just a few inches on a side, although it's not clear how long it will take to scale them up enough in size (and down in cost) to make them viable for use in poster or billboard-sized displays.
But what if the outdoor advertising category grew to include, say... clothing? Sony's reps at the California expo speculated about incorporating OLED video displays into clothing, which would effectively make wearers into walking video platforms. It's not farfetched in a world where consumers gladly advertise brands on clothing already. Here, the flexibility of the new OLED technology would be crucial for the comfort of the displays, er, people.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
New technologies may help in the early detection of glaucoma
PARIS — New functional and structural tests can allow an earlier and more accurate diagnosis of glaucoma, helping prevent the silent progression of undetected glaucomatous damage, according to a specialist speaking here at the French Society of Ophthalmology annual meeting.
"We can now go beyond the limitations of standard automated perimetry and use more sensitive, sophisticated technologies," said E. Bluwol, MD, of the Hôpital Saint-Antoine, Paris.
Dr. Bluwol and colleagues conducted a prospective study including 84 patients with ocular hypertension and 51 patients with preperimetric glaucoma. In all cases, investigators performed Humphrey Matrix frequency doubling technology perimetry (Carl Zeiss Meditec), blue-yellow perimetry and retinal nerve fibers analysis with GDx VCC scanning laser perimetry (Carl Zeiss Meditec).
"Blue-yellow perimetry and FDT Matrix allowed an early differentiation between ocular hypertension and preperimetric glaucoma. The association with GDx VCC increased their diagnostic sensitivity. On the other hand, the association of FDT Matrix and GDx seemed to be the most effective in the early diagnosis of ocular hypertension," Dr. Bluwol said.
Measuring corneal hysteresis using the Reichert Ocular Response Analyzer can also provide useful diagnostic data for the early detection of glaucoma, according to a study presented by N. Fayol, MD, of the Fondation Rothschild, Paris.
"We have compared the corneal hysteresis and corneal pachymetry data of 192 normal eyes, 43 ocular hypertension eyes and 119 glaucoma eyes," he said. "We have found that corneal hysteresis was significantly different in the three groups. It was lower in the eyes with ocular hypertension and even [lower] in glaucomatous eyes than in normal eyes. Pachymetry data were not equally significant in discriminating between the three groups."
"We can now go beyond the limitations of standard automated perimetry and use more sensitive, sophisticated technologies," said E. Bluwol, MD, of the Hôpital Saint-Antoine, Paris.
Dr. Bluwol and colleagues conducted a prospective study including 84 patients with ocular hypertension and 51 patients with preperimetric glaucoma. In all cases, investigators performed Humphrey Matrix frequency doubling technology perimetry (Carl Zeiss Meditec), blue-yellow perimetry and retinal nerve fibers analysis with GDx VCC scanning laser perimetry (Carl Zeiss Meditec).
"Blue-yellow perimetry and FDT Matrix allowed an early differentiation between ocular hypertension and preperimetric glaucoma. The association with GDx VCC increased their diagnostic sensitivity. On the other hand, the association of FDT Matrix and GDx seemed to be the most effective in the early diagnosis of ocular hypertension," Dr. Bluwol said.
Measuring corneal hysteresis using the Reichert Ocular Response Analyzer can also provide useful diagnostic data for the early detection of glaucoma, according to a study presented by N. Fayol, MD, of the Fondation Rothschild, Paris.
"We have compared the corneal hysteresis and corneal pachymetry data of 192 normal eyes, 43 ocular hypertension eyes and 119 glaucoma eyes," he said. "We have found that corneal hysteresis was significantly different in the three groups. It was lower in the eyes with ocular hypertension and even [lower] in glaucomatous eyes than in normal eyes. Pachymetry data were not equally significant in discriminating between the three groups."
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Motorola Showcases New Technologies At The Cable Show
In addition to the technology displays, five Motorola executives will join four panel sessions to share insights on how to deliver a more engaging, interactive and enjoyable experience.
Monday, May 07, 2007: Motorola, Inc. is demonstrating new technologies that enable media mobility for cable customers at the National Cable and Telecommunications Association’s The Cable Show in Las Vegas this week. The company will showcase solutions that enable cable operators to maximise bandwidth, resolve network issues and extend unique and innovation services to the customer’s living room.
In an on-demand world, ubiquitous, immediate access to entertainment is an essential component of any consumer service offering,” said Dan Moloney, president, connected home solutions, Motorola Inc. “Motorola’s strong heritage in innovation and industry-leading expertise in home entertainment and mobile communications enables us to bring media mobility solutions to the broadband cable operator.”
Motorola will also demonstrate the DCH series of digital cable receivers. Introduced earlier this year, Motorola’s set-tops deliver high-definition video, surround-sound audio, a hard drive for time-shifting of TV shows and storage of customer-created media, and advanced processing.
The DCH receivers also enable the Motorola Follow Me TV experience, which lets consumers place-shift video, pictures, music and more throughout the home and to compatible mobile devices.
The products support CableCARD technology, Motorola’s Linux-Java software platform and the Open Cable Application Platform (OCAP) initiative.Another attraction will be the first application on its Seamless Mobility Applications Server (SMAS) – Caller ID, which allows users to view incoming caller ID notifications and call logs on their television screens.
The Motorola SMAS enables seamless delivery of applications and services regardless of access type, network or device through a modular, scalable architecture.
Monday, May 07, 2007: Motorola, Inc. is demonstrating new technologies that enable media mobility for cable customers at the National Cable and Telecommunications Association’s The Cable Show in Las Vegas this week. The company will showcase solutions that enable cable operators to maximise bandwidth, resolve network issues and extend unique and innovation services to the customer’s living room.
In an on-demand world, ubiquitous, immediate access to entertainment is an essential component of any consumer service offering,” said Dan Moloney, president, connected home solutions, Motorola Inc. “Motorola’s strong heritage in innovation and industry-leading expertise in home entertainment and mobile communications enables us to bring media mobility solutions to the broadband cable operator.”
Motorola will also demonstrate the DCH series of digital cable receivers. Introduced earlier this year, Motorola’s set-tops deliver high-definition video, surround-sound audio, a hard drive for time-shifting of TV shows and storage of customer-created media, and advanced processing.
The DCH receivers also enable the Motorola Follow Me TV experience, which lets consumers place-shift video, pictures, music and more throughout the home and to compatible mobile devices.
The products support CableCARD technology, Motorola’s Linux-Java software platform and the Open Cable Application Platform (OCAP) initiative.Another attraction will be the first application on its Seamless Mobility Applications Server (SMAS) – Caller ID, which allows users to view incoming caller ID notifications and call logs on their television screens.
The Motorola SMAS enables seamless delivery of applications and services regardless of access type, network or device through a modular, scalable architecture.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Tech’s Black Hole
Pew report shows almost half of Americans are slow to the web.
May 7, 2007
By Leah Messinger
A Pew Internet & American Life Project report released today said 49 percent of American adults never or only occasionally use computers, gadgets, and cell phones, a sobering assessment that suggests many technology industry forecasts pointing to huge revenue growth may be far too rosy.
The report comes at a time when it seems almost everyone is connecting to the Internet or carrying around a cell phone. But it suggests that technology developers and marketers have yet to break through to a huge swathe of Amercian adults, who remain light users or are simply not interested in experimenting with new systems and devices.
About 30 percent of American adults interviewed for the survey were characterized as “light but satisfied” users or “off the network” adults. This group includes many women over 50 who are not likely to go online each day and are among the most likely to watch TV. Some in this group have neither cell phones nor Internet connectivity.
The study described 20 percent of those surveyed as “middle-of-the-road tech users” who are avid cell phone users, but infrequent Internet surfers. Many in this group find themselves overwhelmed by the huge quantity of information available online.
As many as 31 percent of Americans belong in the “elite tech user” category, which means they are rabid Internet users and carry feature-packed cell phones. These people likely form the bulk of the estimated 19 million people that research group IDC says go online each day to research products.
Analysts recognize that time alone will eventually bring many late adopters online, but they say that engineers and product designers still have a lot of work to do to overcome the poor design and functionality common in the industry. Designers need to “think about it from the user out, rather from the device in,” said Outsell analyst Ken Doctor.
In other words, product developers must consider how a user will approach a new technology from the moment he sits down at a desk or picks up a new gadget. “I don’t want to read a 400-page manual,” said Mr. Doctor. He added that Americans, in general, “want the simplicity of a radio and a television: when you turn it on, it works.”
Bill Moggridge, co-founder of Palo Alto, California design firm IDEO said designers can take a lesson from game developers who have mastered the art of making their products easy and fast to learn. “If it’s not five seconds, don’t bother with it,” Mr. Moggridge said.
The art of creating simple interfaces is especially important to attract the “light but satisfied” and “off the network” consumers. But the ubiquity of high-speed Internet connections will likely force marginal users to adapt to more sophisticated technologies. “Over time, it’s going to be difficult to get dial-up,” said John Horrigan, Pew Internet project associate director and the report’s lead author.
Mr. Horrigan added that there is not always a direct relationship between those who adopt high-level technologies and those who have good experiences with it. He said high-tech users aren’t always excited about fast connections, business social networking requirements, and having Internet access both at work and at home. For many hi-tech users, “It just kind of bugs them to be so available to people,” said Mr. Horrigan.
May 7, 2007
By Leah Messinger
A Pew Internet & American Life Project report released today said 49 percent of American adults never or only occasionally use computers, gadgets, and cell phones, a sobering assessment that suggests many technology industry forecasts pointing to huge revenue growth may be far too rosy.
The report comes at a time when it seems almost everyone is connecting to the Internet or carrying around a cell phone. But it suggests that technology developers and marketers have yet to break through to a huge swathe of Amercian adults, who remain light users or are simply not interested in experimenting with new systems and devices.
About 30 percent of American adults interviewed for the survey were characterized as “light but satisfied” users or “off the network” adults. This group includes many women over 50 who are not likely to go online each day and are among the most likely to watch TV. Some in this group have neither cell phones nor Internet connectivity.
The study described 20 percent of those surveyed as “middle-of-the-road tech users” who are avid cell phone users, but infrequent Internet surfers. Many in this group find themselves overwhelmed by the huge quantity of information available online.
As many as 31 percent of Americans belong in the “elite tech user” category, which means they are rabid Internet users and carry feature-packed cell phones. These people likely form the bulk of the estimated 19 million people that research group IDC says go online each day to research products.
Analysts recognize that time alone will eventually bring many late adopters online, but they say that engineers and product designers still have a lot of work to do to overcome the poor design and functionality common in the industry. Designers need to “think about it from the user out, rather from the device in,” said Outsell analyst Ken Doctor.
In other words, product developers must consider how a user will approach a new technology from the moment he sits down at a desk or picks up a new gadget. “I don’t want to read a 400-page manual,” said Mr. Doctor. He added that Americans, in general, “want the simplicity of a radio and a television: when you turn it on, it works.”
Bill Moggridge, co-founder of Palo Alto, California design firm IDEO said designers can take a lesson from game developers who have mastered the art of making their products easy and fast to learn. “If it’s not five seconds, don’t bother with it,” Mr. Moggridge said.
The art of creating simple interfaces is especially important to attract the “light but satisfied” and “off the network” consumers. But the ubiquity of high-speed Internet connections will likely force marginal users to adapt to more sophisticated technologies. “Over time, it’s going to be difficult to get dial-up,” said John Horrigan, Pew Internet project associate director and the report’s lead author.
Mr. Horrigan added that there is not always a direct relationship between those who adopt high-level technologies and those who have good experiences with it. He said high-tech users aren’t always excited about fast connections, business social networking requirements, and having Internet access both at work and at home. For many hi-tech users, “It just kind of bugs them to be so available to people,” said Mr. Horrigan.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Dundee joins £9.5M stem cell research collaboration programme
News release from ITI Life Sciences
ITI Life Sciences is very pleased to announce that it has reached its first technical milestone in its Stem Cell Technologies (SCT) R&D programme, and as a result Dundee University has joined the £9.5 million programme, which started in January 2007.
Dundee University will join the programme’s other research providers, Swedish biotech firm Cellartis AB and the University of Glasgow, in a collaborative effort to develop technologies that will enable automated processes to produce high volumes of high quality human stem cells. This capability does not exist anywhere in the world and its development will put Scotland at the forefront of stem cell research as well as bringing closer the use of stem cells as therapeutics.
The initial phase of the programme has focused on developing optimal conditions under which human embryonic stem (hES) cells can be tested (screened) for their ability to differentiate into specific cells. Having achieved this crucial step, ITI Life Sciences is now in a position to bring in Dundee University’s complementary screening expertise, which will be instrumental in developing additional technologies towards the programme’s ultimate objectives.
Dr Eleanor Mitchell, ITI Life Sciences’ acting CEO, said: “We are extremely pleased to have reached this milestone in our Stem Cell Technologies programme so quickly. This technical advance allows us to progress our programme quicker than expected and to bring in an additional excellent research provider in the form of Dundee University.
“Stem cell research offers huge potential for the life sciences sector in Scotland. Scottish academic studies in this field, as well as the location of a growing number of international stem cell players here means it is viewed as one of the country’s major strengths. The ITI programme aims to accelerate Scottish research and reinforce its prominence and reputation in this important area.”
Professor Julie Frearson, University of Dundee, said: “Novel technologies, such as these under development within the ITI programme, require expertise across a range of disciplines. The ITI programme provides a great opportunity for groups with such complementary skills to collaborate effectively in a situation that otherwise could not exist in any single emerging company or university.”
Professor Graeme Milligan from Glasgow University said: “We are delighted that progress on the Stem Cell Technologies programme has been rapid. This new phase means we can now begin detailed interactions with our new partner university in what is a very exciting project.”
Mr Mats Lundwall, CEO Cellartis AB, said: “We are delighted that the programme is proceeding to plan and welcome the addition of Dundee University to what is a very exciting programme.”
ITI programme
The ITI programme will use pre-existing hES cell lines (meaning that no new hES cells will need to be collected). This phase of the programme will be deemed a success if it results in a robust and standardised procedure for generating multiple human cell lines of interest to the pharmaceutical industry from undifferentiated hES cells.
Such cells will be extremely valuable tools for pharmaceutical companies, enabling them to test new drug candidates for activity (efficacy) and toxicity in biologically and disease-relevant human cells. For example, human heart cells may be used to test drug candidates designed for treating heart diseases, or human liver cells may be used to assess drug toxicity. ITI Life Sciences will own all intellectual property generated by the programme.
The market for cell-based tools within the pharmaceutical industry is large and rapidly growing: according to ITI Life Sciences’ foresighting analysis, it was worth US$1.4 billion in 2001 and has grown at a considerable rate ever since. Rapid growth is expected to continue in the future and stem cell based tools are forecast to capture a significant share of this market.
ITI Life Sciences
ITI Life Sciences is a unique and entrepreneurial organisation contributing to Scotland’s economic growth in life sciences; it aims to leverage Scotland's research excellence to develop new technologies targeting future market needs.
Publicly funded, but commercially driven, ITI Life Sciences funds and manages early stage technology research and development programmes in the life sciences arena. It selects programmes based on assessing future market needs, identifying technology opportunities, and responding to ideas, initiatives and proposals from the research and business communities. ITI Life Sciences works in collaboration with partners from industry, academia and the financial community.
ITI Life Sciences is one of three Intermediary Technology Institutes (ITIs) focused on important areas where Scotland has strong economic and business potential; the other areas are Techmedia and Energy.
ITI Life Sciences commenced full operations in April 2004. It plays a key part of Smart Successful Scotland, the Scottish Executive’s strategy for economic growth. ITI Life Sciences is based in Dundee, Scotland.
Dundee University
The University of Dundee has powered its way to an internationally recognised position of excellence in life sciences and medical research with particular expertise in cancer, diabetes and tropical diseases. The University has both a 5* rated medical school and School of Life Sciences, with research expanding from “the cell to the clinic to the community”. It was voted in 2004 and 2005 as the best scientific workplace in Europe in an international poll by Scientist magazine, and is home to 1% of the world's most cited scientists. Since the completion of the £21m Centre for Inter-Disicplinary Research, the University has a larger medical research complex than the National Institute for Medical Research in London.
Cellartis
Cellartis AB is a Swedish biotechnology company focused on human embryonic stem (hES) cells for drug discovery, toxicity testing and regenerative medicine with the main objective to develop hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes from these cells. The company is the world’s largest single source of defined hES cell lines, and has developed more than 30 well documented cell lines. Two cell lines are listed on the NIH Stem Cell Registry and 20 in the UK Stem Cell Bank. In addition, Cellartis has successfully established and characterised the first truly xeno-free hES cell line, an important step towards the clinical use of hES cells. The company’s strategy is to accelerate product development by working in partnership with academia and industry. Cellartis focuses on quality and scale-up cell production, which are crucial factors for future growth. The company was founded in 2001, has 41 employees and is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden.
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is one of the UK's leading universities with an international reputation for its research and teaching and an important role in the cultural and commercial life of the country. The Institute of Biomedical & Life Sciences (IBLS) is an internationally recognised centre for research and teaching in the biological sciences. With 140 permanent academic staff, 200 contract workers and almost 300 research students, IBLS is one of the largest centres for biological research in Europe.
With almost 800 staff, the Faculty of Medicine is among the largest in the UK and is at the forefront of leading-edge clinical interventions and discovery.
ITI Life Sciences is very pleased to announce that it has reached its first technical milestone in its Stem Cell Technologies (SCT) R&D programme, and as a result Dundee University has joined the £9.5 million programme, which started in January 2007.
Dundee University will join the programme’s other research providers, Swedish biotech firm Cellartis AB and the University of Glasgow, in a collaborative effort to develop technologies that will enable automated processes to produce high volumes of high quality human stem cells. This capability does not exist anywhere in the world and its development will put Scotland at the forefront of stem cell research as well as bringing closer the use of stem cells as therapeutics.
The initial phase of the programme has focused on developing optimal conditions under which human embryonic stem (hES) cells can be tested (screened) for their ability to differentiate into specific cells. Having achieved this crucial step, ITI Life Sciences is now in a position to bring in Dundee University’s complementary screening expertise, which will be instrumental in developing additional technologies towards the programme’s ultimate objectives.
Dr Eleanor Mitchell, ITI Life Sciences’ acting CEO, said: “We are extremely pleased to have reached this milestone in our Stem Cell Technologies programme so quickly. This technical advance allows us to progress our programme quicker than expected and to bring in an additional excellent research provider in the form of Dundee University.
“Stem cell research offers huge potential for the life sciences sector in Scotland. Scottish academic studies in this field, as well as the location of a growing number of international stem cell players here means it is viewed as one of the country’s major strengths. The ITI programme aims to accelerate Scottish research and reinforce its prominence and reputation in this important area.”
Professor Julie Frearson, University of Dundee, said: “Novel technologies, such as these under development within the ITI programme, require expertise across a range of disciplines. The ITI programme provides a great opportunity for groups with such complementary skills to collaborate effectively in a situation that otherwise could not exist in any single emerging company or university.”
Professor Graeme Milligan from Glasgow University said: “We are delighted that progress on the Stem Cell Technologies programme has been rapid. This new phase means we can now begin detailed interactions with our new partner university in what is a very exciting project.”
Mr Mats Lundwall, CEO Cellartis AB, said: “We are delighted that the programme is proceeding to plan and welcome the addition of Dundee University to what is a very exciting programme.”
ITI programme
The ITI programme will use pre-existing hES cell lines (meaning that no new hES cells will need to be collected). This phase of the programme will be deemed a success if it results in a robust and standardised procedure for generating multiple human cell lines of interest to the pharmaceutical industry from undifferentiated hES cells.
Such cells will be extremely valuable tools for pharmaceutical companies, enabling them to test new drug candidates for activity (efficacy) and toxicity in biologically and disease-relevant human cells. For example, human heart cells may be used to test drug candidates designed for treating heart diseases, or human liver cells may be used to assess drug toxicity. ITI Life Sciences will own all intellectual property generated by the programme.
The market for cell-based tools within the pharmaceutical industry is large and rapidly growing: according to ITI Life Sciences’ foresighting analysis, it was worth US$1.4 billion in 2001 and has grown at a considerable rate ever since. Rapid growth is expected to continue in the future and stem cell based tools are forecast to capture a significant share of this market.
ITI Life Sciences
ITI Life Sciences is a unique and entrepreneurial organisation contributing to Scotland’s economic growth in life sciences; it aims to leverage Scotland's research excellence to develop new technologies targeting future market needs.
Publicly funded, but commercially driven, ITI Life Sciences funds and manages early stage technology research and development programmes in the life sciences arena. It selects programmes based on assessing future market needs, identifying technology opportunities, and responding to ideas, initiatives and proposals from the research and business communities. ITI Life Sciences works in collaboration with partners from industry, academia and the financial community.
ITI Life Sciences is one of three Intermediary Technology Institutes (ITIs) focused on important areas where Scotland has strong economic and business potential; the other areas are Techmedia and Energy.
ITI Life Sciences commenced full operations in April 2004. It plays a key part of Smart Successful Scotland, the Scottish Executive’s strategy for economic growth. ITI Life Sciences is based in Dundee, Scotland.
Dundee University
The University of Dundee has powered its way to an internationally recognised position of excellence in life sciences and medical research with particular expertise in cancer, diabetes and tropical diseases. The University has both a 5* rated medical school and School of Life Sciences, with research expanding from “the cell to the clinic to the community”. It was voted in 2004 and 2005 as the best scientific workplace in Europe in an international poll by Scientist magazine, and is home to 1% of the world's most cited scientists. Since the completion of the £21m Centre for Inter-Disicplinary Research, the University has a larger medical research complex than the National Institute for Medical Research in London.
Cellartis
Cellartis AB is a Swedish biotechnology company focused on human embryonic stem (hES) cells for drug discovery, toxicity testing and regenerative medicine with the main objective to develop hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes from these cells. The company is the world’s largest single source of defined hES cell lines, and has developed more than 30 well documented cell lines. Two cell lines are listed on the NIH Stem Cell Registry and 20 in the UK Stem Cell Bank. In addition, Cellartis has successfully established and characterised the first truly xeno-free hES cell line, an important step towards the clinical use of hES cells. The company’s strategy is to accelerate product development by working in partnership with academia and industry. Cellartis focuses on quality and scale-up cell production, which are crucial factors for future growth. The company was founded in 2001, has 41 employees and is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden.
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is one of the UK's leading universities with an international reputation for its research and teaching and an important role in the cultural and commercial life of the country. The Institute of Biomedical & Life Sciences (IBLS) is an internationally recognised centre for research and teaching in the biological sciences. With 140 permanent academic staff, 200 contract workers and almost 300 research students, IBLS is one of the largest centres for biological research in Europe.
With almost 800 staff, the Faculty of Medicine is among the largest in the UK and is at the forefront of leading-edge clinical interventions and discovery.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Sandia Computer Simulation Monitors Traffic In Contraband Nuclear Material
Science Daily — A Sandia National Laboratories researcher has developed a new technology, a simulation program designed to track the illicit trade in fissile and nonfissile radiological material well enough to predict who is building the next nuclear weapon and where they are doing it.
By using a cluster analysis algorithm coded into a program, this new technology," says Sandia researcher David York. "I evaluated those traffic patterns and routes in which thefts, seizures, and destinations of materials were reported. Data from these examinations were enough to allow me to retrospectively depict the A. Q. Kahn network before it was uncovered."
Kahn is a Pakistani scientist linked to the illicit proliferation of nuclear technical knowledge. Cluster analyses link data of common place, time, or material. Testing a computer simulation on a known past event is one accepted means of establishing the program's validity.
Sandia is a National Nuclear Security Administration laboratory.
In the Kahn analysis, York generated an analysis of networked routes indicative of a nuclear trafficking scheme between countries. In several verified incidents, inspectors seized uranium enriched to 80 percent, as well as dual-use items indicative of small-scale development of crude nuclear devices.
In the study, York collected and collated data from 800 open-source incidents from 1992 to the present, along with the movement of dual-use items like beryllium and zirconium. He plotted the incidents on a global information system (GIS) software platform. He came up with a network of countries and routes between countries indicative of an illicit nuclear and radiological trafficking scheme.
"The number of incidents and the quantity and quality of material seized is disturbing," York says, "particularly because this may represent a small percentage of the actual amount of material being trafficked."
The situation may be worse than it appears because much information about nuclear material traffic is classified, York says, to prevent embarrassment to countries through which a nuclear weapon or the materials to fabricate a weapon may have passed.
York presented his results in October at the International Safeguards Conference sponsored by the United Nation's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria. He has also been invited to present his methods and conclusions to the European Union's Illicit Trafficking Working Group at the June meeting of the IAEA.
How does the method work? "One begins by conducting cluster analyses on the GIS platform for material or activity similar to the incident in question. This gives the analyst an idea of corridors used by potential smugglers. It also indicates where the material might have come from and where it is," says York. "If the trafficker has only a certain amount of time to reach a destination and you have that information, one can ask what is the shortest route from point A to point B, or find major highways needed to accommodate a large shipment."
For the tool to be effective, "Enough information must be collected under a cooperative international framework," York says. "Then info must be analyzed to separate patterns from noise, essentially creating intelligence."
Nation-states that reuse nuclear fuel through reprocessing can create and ship dangerous materials that previously were confined to the more industrialized world.
"We're trying to develop a market niche for this kind of tracking program," says Sandia manager Gary Rochau, "and I think we're ahead of everyone's headlights."
The method can be used to track other materials, such as drugs. "We have a lot of interest from a lot of agencies," says Rochau.
Trafficking may be engaged in by amateur smugglers trying to feed their families in a post-Soviet era. It may also be practiced by those involved in organized crime who find a lucrative market in moving illicit materials, and by terrorists interested in the potential devastation and psychological effects of the use of nuclear materials.
York developed the program as part of his master's thesis while a student intern at Sandia.
By using a cluster analysis algorithm coded into a program, this new technology," says Sandia researcher David York. "I evaluated those traffic patterns and routes in which thefts, seizures, and destinations of materials were reported. Data from these examinations were enough to allow me to retrospectively depict the A. Q. Kahn network before it was uncovered."
Kahn is a Pakistani scientist linked to the illicit proliferation of nuclear technical knowledge. Cluster analyses link data of common place, time, or material. Testing a computer simulation on a known past event is one accepted means of establishing the program's validity.
Sandia is a National Nuclear Security Administration laboratory.
In the Kahn analysis, York generated an analysis of networked routes indicative of a nuclear trafficking scheme between countries. In several verified incidents, inspectors seized uranium enriched to 80 percent, as well as dual-use items indicative of small-scale development of crude nuclear devices.
In the study, York collected and collated data from 800 open-source incidents from 1992 to the present, along with the movement of dual-use items like beryllium and zirconium. He plotted the incidents on a global information system (GIS) software platform. He came up with a network of countries and routes between countries indicative of an illicit nuclear and radiological trafficking scheme.
"The number of incidents and the quantity and quality of material seized is disturbing," York says, "particularly because this may represent a small percentage of the actual amount of material being trafficked."
The situation may be worse than it appears because much information about nuclear material traffic is classified, York says, to prevent embarrassment to countries through which a nuclear weapon or the materials to fabricate a weapon may have passed.
York presented his results in October at the International Safeguards Conference sponsored by the United Nation's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria. He has also been invited to present his methods and conclusions to the European Union's Illicit Trafficking Working Group at the June meeting of the IAEA.
How does the method work? "One begins by conducting cluster analyses on the GIS platform for material or activity similar to the incident in question. This gives the analyst an idea of corridors used by potential smugglers. It also indicates where the material might have come from and where it is," says York. "If the trafficker has only a certain amount of time to reach a destination and you have that information, one can ask what is the shortest route from point A to point B, or find major highways needed to accommodate a large shipment."
For the tool to be effective, "Enough information must be collected under a cooperative international framework," York says. "Then info must be analyzed to separate patterns from noise, essentially creating intelligence."
Nation-states that reuse nuclear fuel through reprocessing can create and ship dangerous materials that previously were confined to the more industrialized world.
"We're trying to develop a market niche for this kind of tracking program," says Sandia manager Gary Rochau, "and I think we're ahead of everyone's headlights."
The method can be used to track other materials, such as drugs. "We have a lot of interest from a lot of agencies," says Rochau.
Trafficking may be engaged in by amateur smugglers trying to feed their families in a post-Soviet era. It may also be practiced by those involved in organized crime who find a lucrative market in moving illicit materials, and by terrorists interested in the potential devastation and psychological effects of the use of nuclear materials.
York developed the program as part of his master's thesis while a student intern at Sandia.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Electric Car Pioneer ZAP Prepares to Move to Next Level with Lotus Engineering
SANTA ROSA, Calif., April 30 PRNewswire-FirstCall — Alternative transportation pioneer ZAP (OTC Bulletin Board: ZAAP) held automotive talks over the weekend at its headquarters in Santa Rosa with the management team of Lotus Engineering, including CEO Albert Lam, Project Manager Steven Woolley, and West Coast Operations Manager Rexford Park.
Lotus Engineering came to Santa Rosa to explore the next steps in the development of a new generation of electric vehicles with ZAP. The team of ZAP and Lotus Engineering has targeted new technologies and technology suppliers with the goal to create the most advanced electric cars in history. Representatives from these other companies were invited to the meeting and ZAP CEO Steve Schneider expects to announce more developments soon.
"This was an important meeting because ZAP and Lotus Engineering are working to bring new technologies to bear that could change the auto industry forever," said Schneider. "With Lotus Engineering's capabilities, and ZAP's vision and entrepreneurship, we are building a world-class team to tackle this important endeavor."
Lotus Engineering has been behind the design and construction of some of the most successful cars in history and is one of the world's premier automotive consultancies with engineering centers in Asia, North America and Europe. CEO Albert Lam said the venture with ZAP is a "fantastic" opportunity for Lotus Engineering to be a leader for green automotive technologies.
"The venture with ZAP is a dream come true because we are creating the most advanced electric vehicles in history," said Lam. "Lotus Engineering is very happy to be associated with ZAP in bringing this vehicle to market. The technology is ready for electric vehicles so they don't have to be slow, they can have a long range, and they can be exciting to look at."
ZAP automotive dealers, who were in Santa Rosa on Friday for electric car service training, received an exclusive presentation from Lotus Engineering on ZAP's future projects. Lotus Engineering also toured ZAP's manufacturing and distribution facilities for the XEBRA electric car and truck.
Earlier this year, ZAP and Lotus Engineering entered into a feasibility study to explore the development of innovative electric vehicle designs, including a crossover electric SUV called ZAP-X, based on Lotus Engineering's award-winning APX aluminum chassis technology. In the past few months, officials from ZAP and Lotus Engineering have held meetings in Norwich, England and Santa Rosa, California, "to take the venture to the next level," said Schneider.
About ZAP
ZAP has been a leader in advanced transportation technologies since 1994, delivering over 90,000 vehicles to consumers in more than 75 countries. At the forefront of fuel-efficient transportation with new technologies including energy efficient gas systems, hydrogen, electric, fuel cell, ethanol, hybrid and other innovative power systems, ZAP is developing a high-performance crossover SUV electric car concept called ZAP-X engineered by Lotus Engineering. The Company recently launched a new portable energy technology that manages power for mobile electronics, like cell phones and laptops. For more product, dealer and investor information, visit http://www.zapworld.com.
Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, continued acceptance of the Company's products, increased levels of competition for the Company, new products and technological changes, the Company's dependence upon third-party suppliers, intellectual property rights, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE ZAP
Lotus Engineering came to Santa Rosa to explore the next steps in the development of a new generation of electric vehicles with ZAP. The team of ZAP and Lotus Engineering has targeted new technologies and technology suppliers with the goal to create the most advanced electric cars in history. Representatives from these other companies were invited to the meeting and ZAP CEO Steve Schneider expects to announce more developments soon.
"This was an important meeting because ZAP and Lotus Engineering are working to bring new technologies to bear that could change the auto industry forever," said Schneider. "With Lotus Engineering's capabilities, and ZAP's vision and entrepreneurship, we are building a world-class team to tackle this important endeavor."
Lotus Engineering has been behind the design and construction of some of the most successful cars in history and is one of the world's premier automotive consultancies with engineering centers in Asia, North America and Europe. CEO Albert Lam said the venture with ZAP is a "fantastic" opportunity for Lotus Engineering to be a leader for green automotive technologies.
"The venture with ZAP is a dream come true because we are creating the most advanced electric vehicles in history," said Lam. "Lotus Engineering is very happy to be associated with ZAP in bringing this vehicle to market. The technology is ready for electric vehicles so they don't have to be slow, they can have a long range, and they can be exciting to look at."
ZAP automotive dealers, who were in Santa Rosa on Friday for electric car service training, received an exclusive presentation from Lotus Engineering on ZAP's future projects. Lotus Engineering also toured ZAP's manufacturing and distribution facilities for the XEBRA electric car and truck.
Earlier this year, ZAP and Lotus Engineering entered into a feasibility study to explore the development of innovative electric vehicle designs, including a crossover electric SUV called ZAP-X, based on Lotus Engineering's award-winning APX aluminum chassis technology. In the past few months, officials from ZAP and Lotus Engineering have held meetings in Norwich, England and Santa Rosa, California, "to take the venture to the next level," said Schneider.
About ZAP
ZAP has been a leader in advanced transportation technologies since 1994, delivering over 90,000 vehicles to consumers in more than 75 countries. At the forefront of fuel-efficient transportation with new technologies including energy efficient gas systems, hydrogen, electric, fuel cell, ethanol, hybrid and other innovative power systems, ZAP is developing a high-performance crossover SUV electric car concept called ZAP-X engineered by Lotus Engineering. The Company recently launched a new portable energy technology that manages power for mobile electronics, like cell phones and laptops. For more product, dealer and investor information, visit http://www.zapworld.com.
Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, continued acceptance of the Company's products, increased levels of competition for the Company, new products and technological changes, the Company's dependence upon third-party suppliers, intellectual property rights, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE ZAP
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