1. One to help
This one is exciting. Spinal cord damage and paralysis are areas where medical science has made slow progress. A new approach where molecules are injected to connect and communicate with receptors, has the potential to make a huge difference.
Through this treatment, paralysed mice (yes the poor mice cop it again) regained the ability to walk 4 weeks after a single injection. And we’re not talking pie-in-the-sky stuff here, study leader Samuel Strop says: “We are going straight to the FDA to start the process of getting this new therapy approved for use in human patients, who currently have very few treatment options”.
The “dancing” molecules are injected as a liquid to the site of trauma or disease. These molecules then turn into a network of nanofibres that mimic the matrix of the spinal cord. They vibrate, dance and even leap to attract cells to the site of injury and facilitate repair.
As well as paralysis, the treatment may well benefit patients who suffer a stroke, ALS, Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. Definitely one to keep pushing on.
2. One to be wary of
Would you like fries with that?
Heads up: your kids may have a hard time getting part-time work after doing their homework. Companies are integrating AI into their day-to-day operations and we’re only just beginning to understand the ramifications.
McDonald’s has partnered with IBM to develop AI that will take over its drive-thru lanes. The next time you order, you might be surprised to talk to an AI instead of your usual crew. The current system claims to handle orders with 85% accuracy. I feel they still need some improvement if 15% of hungover people don’t get their thick-shake (I may have revealed too much about my life!).
However, more than missing your fries or receiving the wrong burger, the implications are far-reaching. Adopting AI will mean less need for human workers. While this is good for the company as it saves on operational costs, the question now is, where do the unemployed go? To make matters worse, people who need entry-level jobs or part time work are the ones most affected.
To be fair, McDonald’s isn’t the only company heading in this direction. But increasing adoption of AI could directly impact lives and we need to strike the right balance going forward.
3. One to amaze
Regular readers will be well aware of my frequent cries for the creation of a hoverboard and my keen interest in skateboarding (yes still at 45 years old).
What I find astounding is that our brains can handle the transition between different ways we travel. Walking: I got this one-leg-in-front-of-the-other thing. Riding a bike: Oh right, now we balance and circle our legs and control direction with our hands. Skateboarding: OK now I’m rolling and I push on my toes to turn one way and my heels to turn the other. It is mind-boggling how quickly the brain handles this stuff and it’s one of many things that haven’t been replicated outside of the human brain.
Check out this video though. The team at Caltech have built Leo. A robot that can walk, fly, skateboard and tightrope walk!
This ability to adjust and travel via many different ways has implications in search and rescue, transport, delivery and general working ability. Seemingly impossible roadblocks are being smashed by technology everyday.