The documentary on Imelda showed me the different side of the ex-first lady, Imelda Marcos. Originally, I thought Imelda Marcos was just an ordinary first lady of Ferdinand Marcos, an ordinary mother to her family, and ordinary Filipino woman. However, the case was very different. Imelda Marcos showed her different personalities in the documentary, her political, economic, and socio-cultural side.
Imelda, as a the first lady, helped her husband "lead" Philippines. Opposite from what the people thought of her, she was not just beauty, but also contained brain. She was able to construct different health institutions here in our country such as the Heart Center and Kidney Center. She was also the ambassador of the Philippines for different nations. Finally, she was also the governor of Manila during that time. Who would have thought that a girl like her would be able to do all of those things.
From the documentary, I also learned that Imelda was also some kind of economist, but a weird one. She believes that poverty is just a state. Once you make the people happy, poverty will be eliminated. She said that this is the reason why she always dresses up elegantly, to give the Filipinos a role model. She also said, "When I am happy, the Filipinos are happy." I guess that is also the reasons why the Marcos started stealing from the people, "when I am rich, the Filipinos are rich". WTF.
Finally, Imelda was a very complicated type of person. She was a great fan of European Art and philosophy. She collects very expensive paintings from different parts of the world. She also writes books discussing the relation of art and life. At the same time, we can also say that Imelda is one of our modern contemporary philosophers. In the documentary, it was shown that she was writing different weird, non-sense philosophies in her pad paper. This truly proved that she did not only have beauty, but also brain, a weird brain though.
"I always say you can never be extravagant with beauty. Beauty is God made real. Beauty is life." - Imelda Marcos
Marco Ragaza
2013-59623
STS THX
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Ghost Heart: The Cure to Broken Hearts; STS THX E-One Group Project
Ghost Heart: The Cure to Broken Hearts
According
to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases are the
top killers globally. By 2030, it is predicted that the number of
people who die because of heart diseases will reach up to 23.3 million
(WHO 2013). From these statistics, it can be seen that the heart is very
crucial because once it collapse, it will lead to death. The heart is
source of life. Without it, life will cease to exist.
Because
of this, the search for the technology to replace a broken heart is
still on. For the past few years, through different breakthroughs in
medicine, doctors and scientists discovered that the heart of a deceased
person can still be used. Because of this, they learned to transplant
the heart from a dead body, to the sick person. Nonetheless, there are
still problems involved in this kind of surgery. Since the heart is
still another person’s organ, rejection (the body rejecting the
transplanted organ) will occur; Because of this, the patient will be
forced to use immunosuppressants which will reduce the strength of
his/her immune system, which will eventually lead to a lot more
complications.
However,
recently in 2007, scientists was able to discover a technology that
involves the use of animal heart and stem cells (Derbyshire 2011). The
goal is to use the animal’s heart, and convert it into a new usable
human heart. This concept is called the Ghost Heart.
The
process starts by extracting the animal heart.
Then, special detergents
are pumped into the heart to clean and remove all the heart cells.
After this, the heart will then become whitish in color. What is left is
the heart’s “skeleton” or scaffold.
Finally, stem cells from the human
patient will be injected into the “ghost heart”, which will then adapt
and transform into new human heart cells. Because of this, the old
animal heart will become a new heart that humans can use.
When
put into the body of the human, the ghost heart will not experience
rejections because it already contains cells that originated from that
same body. (Derbyshire 2011)
With
the ghost heart, life will be free of heartaches. Life will be free of
rejections, and life will be free of complications. With just the use of
a simple animal heart, someone with a broken heart will be able to
experience again the exciting complexities of life.
Sources:
Derbyshire, David 2011. Live human heart grown in lab using stem cells in potential transplant
breakthrough. DailyMail.Co. Retrieved from:
m-cells-potential-transplant-breakthrough.html. March 20, 2014.
Maher, Brendan 2013. Tissue Engineering: How to build a heart. Nature.com. Retrieved from:
World Health Organization 2013. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). World Health Organization.
Reaction Paper: Nightfall
Isaac
Asimov's Nightfall tells the story of Lagash, a planet that never had
a sunset, the people had never seen the stars, the beauty and
coldness of night. It also tells the story of people never inventing
light bulbs or lamps or anything that would produce light.
This
story revolves around the branch of science, astronomy and
psychology. Atronomy because the writer focused more on what the
night would be like with all the stars and the heavenly bodies seen.
Psychology because the author wants to see the reaction of the people
in Lagash when they would experience night time.
The
only thing that came into my mind were questions 'What if this
happened to us?' 'What if we didn't know anything about night and
would only see eclipses?' 'What would our reactions be?'
Flores, Frances Marie G.
2013-49177
Reaction Paper: Imelda Marcos
When
we hear the name Imelda, the first thing in our mind is the first
lady and wife of late President Marcos. We also think of her as the
lady who owns many shoes, someone who doesn't wear the same shoes on
two different days, and someone who is rich.
Imelda
has done so many things when his husband was in the seat of
presidency. She promoted family planing, helped people in need and
other things. But people always see the negative side during the
Marcos regime. They would always say that the Marcos family is
corrupt, that they are the ones who ordered the assassination of
Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., that they make the people suffer
because of the martial law.
The
view on Mrs. Imelda Marcos differ from person to person. Some view
her as inspiration or a good person, others view her as someone who
is corrupt and spoiled. It all depends on a person's way of thinking
and viewing things.
Flores, Frances Marie G.
2013-49177
Reaction Paper: Music and Science
As
we all know, science plays a big part in our lives, even in music.
Yes, music and science is a bit off but it can be possible. An
example of this would be one of my favorite shows, The Big Bang
Theory. It is a science show that has a very catchy intro music. The
lyrics tell the history of the big bang theory. For people who watch
this show, including me, it educates us about science. We may not
notice it, but we learn things or stuffs about science like
scientists or inventions. Music helps in promoting science because
people like music. Since most people do not like science, music can
be a way to educate people with science.
Flores, Frances Marie G.
2013-49177
Reaction Paper: Rhetoric of Cancer
Cancer,
as we all know, gives people a high risk of death, but there are some
who survive it. In the podcast Rhetoric of Cancer, Andrew Graystone
says that "The
language of war dominates cancer discourse, so whether we want to
fight or not, people with cancer are conscripted into a battle
against the self. Our bodies made into war zones, with cancer as the
enemy, medical professionals as infallible heroes, and treatments of
search-and-destroy by any means possible.” In this line, he
associates cancer with war.
In
the podcast, Andrew is looking for the language appropriate to
cancer. He is doing this because he believes that language is
somewhat helpful in curing a person's illness. We all should not look
at the downside when we have illness because it will only make our
minds set on giving up, and it would consume us on really giving up
and loosing the fight with the illness and could lead us to death.
Flores, Frances Marie G.
2013-49177
Reaction Paper: Mind Museum, Mind Movers
Science
plays a big role in our society, everything around us connects to
science. Technology uses science, the plants, the food, everything
uses science. We may or may not know it, but science is used directly
or indirectly to everything we see, hear, smell, taste or feel.
When
the Mind Movers, people working at the Mind Museum, visited our
school and class, they presented something cool. Most of us, if not
all, were amazed with what they presented. It was about the five
states of matter. The activity was fun and interactive. Good thing,
at least everyone participated.
We
have learned or remembered something from our previous science
classes like during elementary or high school days. I've realized,
yes science is in everything around us.
Flores, Frances Marie G.
2013-49177
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Music and Science: Reaction Paper
Throughout the duration of the course, we’ve discussed the various ways in which science and technology are embedded in the different strata of society; we’ve seen how it affects and propels the development of civilizations, as well as the part it has played in the construction and curation of knowledge across space and time. In line with this is the part science has played in the history of music-- both as a mechanism for the improvements of music technology and as a source of inspiration.
One of the compositions we took up in class in relation to science and music is Gustav Holst’s seven-movement orchestral suite The Planets. Originally a duet for two pianos, it was inspired by Holst’s fascination with astrology and astronomy, with each movement symbolizing a planet (as discovered during that time period), with the exception of Earth. Another piece is Camille Saint-Saens’ Aquarium, with fluid melodies that call back to underwater life and movement. It is part of a 25-minute long larger piece called The Carnival of the Animals, which is supposed to represent the different animals that can be found in a zoo; each specific movement represents one habitat, with motifs that reference the actual animals.
As the decades and centuries progressed, the influence of science on music continued in other forms. Obviously without the advancements of science and technology, things such as extended plays, the mp3, and vinyl would not have existed today. Science as a subject matter is also readily apparent in different musical pieces and styles-- for example, the awe and fear towards space travel provides context and setting for David Bowie’s classic Space Oddity; artists such as Daft Punk take inspiration from electronic technology and data processing and use them as motifs in their music; even artists such as Janelle Monae build their performative personas around technology, which in Monae’s case involves robots.
Overall, I think the evidence for science’s role in the development of music across space and time is readily apparent, despite the assumed distance between the two fields. It shows that science permeates every aspect of our lives, even art, and that the empirical and objective can exist side-by-side with the artistic and subjective. It’s not necessary to dichotomize the two, simply because without the influence of one the other would not be able to exist. Looking at science in music is an interesting topic, and one I think should be further involved in a wider discourse of science’s place in our lives.
2011-02507
Luisa Narciso
Bride of Frankenstein: Reaction Paper
Bride of Frankenstein,
a 1935 film by James Whale, is a sort of sequel to the 1931 film based on
the novel by Mary Shelley. It details the aftermath of Frankenstein’s monster’s
early rampages, and the subsequent toll these rampages took not only on the townspeople
and Frankenstein, but on the monster itself. It deals primarily with some of
the questions that science (and social science) has struggled to answer for
centuries: mainly, what is human? What defines human? Does the search for
knowledge give us the moral imperative to manipulate life?
Perhaps my favorite thing about the movie is how it deals
with the concept of humanity and personhood.
Science in this film is not necessarily evil, but should be treated with
caution; even Dr. Frankenstein’s somewhat tempered approach led to death and
destruction, while Dr. Pretorious’ obsession with his work caused everyone
countless grief. In the midst of all this is Frankenstein’s monster itself, who
is lost in a world he has no place in. Dr. Frankenstein basically created him
and left him to roam free without any understanding of who or what or where he
is; can anyone really blame him for his search for meaning and companionship?
In terms of how the film looks at humanity, we are given to
sympathize with Frankenstein’s monster because we understand his alienation
from his surroundings and from his very self. Because of Dr. Frankenstein’s
irresponsibility in creating him and then abandoning him, the monster resorts
to violence in order to find and force Dr. Frankenstein to create a mate for
him to assuage his loneliness. However, even his intended mate finds him
horrific, and it is at that moment that Frankenstein’s monster realizes his
unnaturality and decides to put a stop to everything— even his very existence.
This film is mostly a cautionary tale. Science is not
science if it is not executed with humanity and responsibility; a lack of
either can result in untold suffering if left to go on untempered. As scientists
and human beings, we must work for the betterment of humanity. Knowledge for
knowledge’s sake is not evil in itself, but there needs to be an understanding
that we exist in a social world, and not in a vacuum. Every discovery we make has
consequences on the lives of other people, and we must be careful that our
research does more good than harm.
2011-02507
Luisa Narciso
Imelda: Reaction Paper
After watching the documentary Imelda, I could see why its namesake wanted the film suppressed. It
is a straightforward, unflinching look at the personal history of former First
Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos— from her “provincial” beginnings in the family
home in Leyte, to her journey to Manila, to her courtship and marriage to
former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, to her twenty years as First Lady of the
Philippines, and up to the present. It is not simply a biography, however;
interspersed with her recollections and the recollections of her close friends
and colleagues are interviews with journalists and the laity, as well as news
clippings and featurettes, which provide a brutal counterpoint to her story.
I won’t go into the particulars of Imelda’s life story,
because that is public consumption and well-known in the Philippines. Instead, I
will focus on what her life means for us as Filipinos and as a society. Her power
and influence as First Lady of the Philippines was incredible, and it cannot be
denied that she left her mark on the cultural, social, political, and
historical landscape of the country. But this mark is perhaps not the mark that
she intended: the documentary pits her obsession with beauty and perfection
together with the actual results of this obsession, which is the widespread
poverty, corruption, and structural violence that still plagues us until the
present day.
Initially I was confused as to what the documentary had to
say about science, technology, and society, but then I realized that it was
providing evidence of how things within society can be so interconnected. Imelda
may have not had anything to do directly with scientific breakthroughs, nor may
she have entered into the wider scientific discourse, but her actions
definitely had repercussions on the scientific community. The cycle of
corruption, for example, was not established by the Marcos family during their
stay in power (which, it could be argued, continues until the present, despite
their supposed fall from grace), but it was definitely perpetuated by them
regardless.
It is this cycle of corruption that has led to a
deprioritization of educational funding, which in turn leads to a dearth of
scientific research conducted by and for the Filipino people. Despite Imelda’s
improvements in the increase in availability and proliferation of
contraceptives and sexual health education, the sheer lavishness and luxury of
her lifestyle at the expense of the nation counterbalances the so-called “innovations”
she instituted. To say that the corruption popularized by the Marcoses is a
stretch and an oversimplification, but definitely their actions have ripple
effects that continue until the present.
2011-02507
Luisa Narciso
The Rhetoric of Cancer: Reaction Paper
Probably what I found most interesting about the BBC podcast
‘Rhetoric of Cancer’ is the way Andrew Graystone used language as a framework
in order to come to terms with his illness. Cancer is perhaps one of the most
well-known, if not the most well-known,
diseases in mainstream media; it has shown up countless times in films, novels,
iconography, and in the lives of the most powerful politicians and the lowliest
mendicants across space and history. However, even with this level of
saturation, this podcast was the first time that I’d really heard anyone sit
down and discuss the language of cancer.
This was especially interesting for me because, as an
Anthropology major, I am trained to understand that language shapes a large
part of our actions and interactions. Eric Wolf summed it up best in his theory
of language shaping thought, which in turn shapes action; the terms we use
influence how we understand the concepts referred to. Thus, when Andrew Graystone expressed his
concern with how so much of the rhetoric of cancer centered around military
terms and associations, I ended up experiencing a kind of pseudo-lightbulb
moment. It’s almost impossible to go through life being constantly aware and
critical of our thoughts, words, and actions, but taking a moment to step back
and look at what you are doing and how you are doing it can often lead to
surprises, like what happened in this podcast.
One would think that the way we talk about cancer is a
hundred percent medicine and science-centered, but Graystone was right in
pointing out that we actually do use a lot of military terms in our discourse:
you “battle” cancer, you are a cancer “survivor”, chemotherapy “attacks” cancer
cells. This creates a kind of disassociation from cancer itself; it becomes a
foreign body, rather than being part of your own. While this can help a person
living with cancer in coming to terms with their illness and trying to get
well, it can also, as Graystone said, lead to increased frustration and
aggression when this “fight” against cancer fails. I also believe in the
possibility that this might be culturally-bound; perhaps cancer in other
cultures is not something to be fought against.
Basically, I found this podcast very interesting because it
was an intersection of science and culture. It showed that science is not just
something to be held at a distance and empirically observed, but is something
that shapes and is shaped by culture and society.
2011-02507
Luisa Narciso
Monday, March 17, 2014
Imelda|| Vanity In Vain
Imelda
Romualdez-Marcos, the former First Lady of the Philippines was portrayed in the
documentary film as a narcissistic and arrogant beauty. This may be due to the
fact that she was born to a rich and politically influential family of the
Romualdez and then married to a congressman who had later become the president
of the country, Ferdinand Marcos.
Having
beauty, talent and money, she utilized them to have everything she wanted. In
her youth, she even contested the judges’ decision in the pageant ‘Miss Manila’
where she only placed second resulting to her being given the honor to be named, albeit questionably, the ‘Muse of
Manila’.
In
politics, she campaigned for her husband’s presidency through singing songs and
reciting speeches. Apart from showing full support to her partner, these
tactics showcased her charm and charisma affecting not only the Filipinos but
also respectable delegates from other nations who she has befriended and
influenced throughout her diplomatic interactions as a First Lady and appointed
Ambassador.
Mrs.
Marcos was also a symbol of excessiveness and lavishness. From her multimillion-dollar
foreign estates and shopping sprees to the thousands of jewelleries and shoes,
one may think Philippines was not a third-world country. In her distorted
understanding that she must set an example for the poor to aim higher, she
spent fortune on unnecessary things and increased on the debts paid by the
Filipinos.
Even in
her construction projects such as the Folk Arts Theater and Cultural Center of
the Philippines, she had the administration’s good image and upstaging the
other countries in mind. She did not consider the difficulty and risks in
building the structures for a limited time only.
Reflecting
on the documentary film, it is not a bad thing to aim for the best, it is even
encouraged, as long as you learn how to balance it in consideration of the
collective interest of the people for you may not know when that vanity may all
be in vain.
Soliman,Karla L.
2013-09067
THX E-one
2013-09067
THX E-one
Wander to the Wonders
Science, with its different terms and concepts, has been taught to students from
Kindergarten to College. As we ascend from every year level, the difficulty of
the subject matter increases as well. With every new acquisition of scientific
knowledge injected to our minds, it feels like the brain is getting fried. Thus,
when there is a talk about science, students often slouch and sleep dismissing
the idea of listening to more scientific concepts as boring and stressful.
When we
have come to this stage, we have lost a valuable quality ingrained to us in
childhood – curiosity. It is the inclination to question how things come about
and the often irritating series of ‘why?’ our parents need to answer to satisfy
our young and ignorant minds. This is what the Mind Movers from the Mind Museum
intends to bring back to every individual, regardless of age.
They have
presented this mission in class by first pointing out the importance of
questioning everything we see. To clearly set an example, they prepared mind-boggling
paper activities with the colors of images where we see yellow and blue blocks
but once isolated are both gray in color. It felt like our life was a lie since
we saw how mislead we are in the concept as simple as color.
Afterwards,
the Mind Movers showed us some cool experiments that can be done with materials
found at home. Explaining surface tension, they put a 500-peso bill in flames
with 40% isopropyl alcohol. Even if everybody knows they won’t let anything
happen to the bill it is still nerve-wracking to watch them do it for a couple
of times. Another awesome experiment done is the fire rocket in the water
container where they discussed the concept of pressure. It is a wonder how
pressure can deform the container since it would take so much strength for a
person to do so.
For the
last activities, we did not need to use other materials apart from our bodies.
With rather cute and funny movements in tune with hilarious music, the class
showcased the states of matter namely solid, liquid, gas and Bons-Einstein condensate
under the guidance of the Mind Movers. Another concept introduced is the
planets’ relative distances from the sun in our solar system. The Mind Movers presented
this through counting steps away from a designated center which stands for the
sun. It is a marvel how large our solar system is and how much more in size the
universe may be.
In our
everyday life, we encounter science. It is up to us to venture in the concepts
behind these phenomena. With curious eyes open and minds hungry for knowledge,
take a step further to wander about these various wonders.
Soliman, Karla L.
2013-09067
THX E-one
THX E-one
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Individual Project|| Love So Sweet
February 2015
Cassandra
is seated in a comfortable couch reading a health magazine at the company
president’s receiving area waiting for Engr. Ryutaro Hirai, a young chocolate magnate
and chemical engineer rumoured so handsome that he makes all the ladies swoon.
Although thinking about it, she is not doing badly herself. After all, she is
the ‘It’ girl in Hollywood today. She is Cassandra Reeves. She is favourably blonde,
outstandingly smart, drop-dead gorgeous and sexy as hell. And for the same
reasons, she really dreaded this interview. Nonetheless, she has to do it as a
Valentine Special for her talk show.
The
interview will center about these low fat and low sugar chocolate products the
company, Amai Koi, has developed. Come
on, who would believe that nonsense? Even as a child, she steered away from chocolates
in a conscious effort to stay healthy. Knowing well that this is some kind of
lie to effectively market their products to the people, she is determined to
find a loophole with their products in this interview.
The sudden
ping of the elevator bell interrupted her reverie though she does not mind at
all. For emerging from it comes the hottest CEO she has ever seen.
The rumours have not done him justice. Those
deep blue eyes, charming smile and the low voice are more than any woman can
take. He is worth melting for.
“Miss
Reeves?”
“Yes..?”
He is just like a
dream. I would not want to wake up.
“Sorry
to have keep you waiting. There are some matters that needed my immediate
attention.”
OMG! He is offering
his hand! I have to grab on this opportunity.
“I hope
I’m also one of those matters.”
…So only I could have your attention now.
“Pardon?”
Oh, he is so cute when
smirking. But wait. Damn. What am I saying! This is not how an ‘It’ girl should
act.
“Uhm…
What I mean is shall we proceed to the matter of the interview now, Engr. Hirai?”
“Of
course, please have a seat Ms. Reeves.”
“Thank
you.”
See? I can behave
myself. Good job Cassie! Although I have no confidence as to how long I could
take his proximity without having a daydream about a date with him. Oh, come on
girl, you can do this!
“Mr. Hirai, is it true that
you made chocolates healthier with the new products you have developed?”
“Not
necessarily. Even before, there are health benefits we can get from chocolates since
their main ingredient is cocoa. Cocoa surpasses even green tea with its antioxidant
properties in threefold. Notably, it has an anti-depressant property which
observably elevates one’s mood when eating chocolates. Also, it has properties
related to anti-aging and anti-inflammation. It is more likely to say that we treat the
side effects of their consumption --high levels of saturated fat and sugar.”
“In
what way did you treat these side effects?”
“For
the problem with sugar, we went with the usual dark chocolate products which
contain 85% cocoa solids and less of the normal sugar.”
“Wouldn’t
that upset the buyers since it will taste bitter than normal chocolates?”
“That is
where diacylglycerol comes in.”
“Diacylglycerol?
What is that?”
“Diacylglycerol
is a special fat synthesized to substitute normal fats called tricylglycerols
present in chocolate production. During substitution, the synthesized fat
dilutes the bitter taste from the cocoa mixture. Moreover, with one fatty acid
group less than the normal fats and a different molecular structure, they need
not to be stored in the fat cells. This treats the high level of saturated fat.
”
“Amazing,
I cannot believe that it is really possible! Maybe now, I can eat chocolates
without the feeling of guilt for my health.”
“Do not
tell me you still haven’t tasted any chocolate?”
Is it that weird? I am
always thinking about my health and my figure to dare.
“Not
that I remember.”
“You
have not changed at all, Cassie. You’re very funny.”
How did he know my
nickname? I don’t think that is a public knowledge. Only my family and friends
know to call me that.
“I
believe health is a serious matter to be concerned with. And please do not call
me Cassie. I am not closely associated with you.”
“What?
You still don’t recognize me? 15 years must really be a long time. Does the ‘dragon’
ring a bell?”
Dragon?...15 years ago…Ryu…
Happy Valentine’s Day
Cassie!!! Here, my gift for you.
Chocolates? Are you
kidding? I would never eat those. They’re unhealthy! They are more fitted in
the trash!
“Dragon…Ryu!!!
It is you!”
“Finally,
you remember me!”
“You’ve
changed a lot.”
In a way so good to be
true. Why did he grew up this handsome???
“Maybe. Change is good if it’s
for the better although there are things and feelings that won’t change.”
“What
do you mean?”
“Happy
Valentine’s Day Cassie! Here, please accept this modified chocolates I made
especially for you.”
THE END
References:
[1] Anonymous, 2010. Cocoa, The Health Miracle. Medicine
Hunter. http://www. medicinehunter.com/cocoa-health-miracle. March 9, 2014
[2] Potty, V.H., 2011. Towards “Healthier” Chocolates – New Developments.
Food Technology. http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/2011/12/towards-healthier-chocolates-new.html.
March 9, 2014.
Soliman, Karla L.
2013-09067
THX E-one
2013-09067
THX E-one
Individual Project | Sleep Number X12
“I love sleep. My life has the tendency to
fall apart when I'm awake, you know?” ― Ernest Hemingway
“I don’t know if you’ve ever felt like
that. That you wanted to sleep for a thousand years."
- Stephen Chbosky,
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
“Sleep is my lover now, my forgetting, my
opiate, my oblivion.”
― Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveler's
Wife
"The nicest thing for me is sleep,
then at least I can dream."
- Marilyn Monroe
"Sleep is the best meditation."
- Dalai Lama
Come
to think of it, we really do love to sleep, don't we? We are all required to do
it anyway. Our body eventually becomes exhausted after a day's work and we have
no choice but to rest. Sleep is beneficial, it restores our energy. A good
night's sleep makes us feel ready to take on the world and face another day.
Lack of sleep however, impacts our health, safety, and longevity.
There
are many factors that can affect the quality of our sleep. Some of which are
the light's effect, jet lag and shift work, pain, anxiety, medical conditions,
medications and other substances (Harvard Medical School). The bedroom can also
have a substantial effect on our sleep. This environment includes light, noise,
temperature, and our very beds. A good bed, basically, means a good sleep.
Meet
Sleep Number X12, "the most technologically advanced bed in the world"
(Sleep Number Corporation).
Launched
by Sleep Number, a known manufacturer of beds and mattresses, last January 7,
2014 at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), this bed was
selected as an honouree in two categories: Home Appliances and Health and
Fitness. As of now, it can be considered as the best bed in the world.
An
average adult sleeps 7.5 - 9 hours a day (Smith, 2013). Keeping that in mind,
we are merely spending 1/3 of our lives sleeping. Just imagine that! Probably,
that's the reason why sleep tracking has been a notable interest for consumers
nowadays. High tech sleep tracking gadgets, from smartphone apps to clocks,
crowded the market. However, Sleep Number isn't satisfied with all of those, so
they decided to make something more practical and beneficial.
“We’ve
given consumers the ability to better understand their sleep combined with
increased comfort and adjustability,” said Annie Bloomquist, Senior Vice
President and Chief Product Officer, Sleep Number. “The revolutionary Sleep
Number x12 with SleepIQ™ technology is the ultimate integrated sleep experience
that takes the mystery out of sleep and empowers consumers with the information
they need to improve their sleep, and therefore, their lives.” (Sleep Number
Corporation)
This
so-called SleepIQ™ technology is a revolutionary advancement that was developed
by Sleep Number and its partner labs. It enables the bed to precisely monitor
its user's sleep patterns. Over time, it finds trends in these patterns and
tells its user his Sleep Number setting - the level of comfort and support that
he needs to sleep most effectively. Moreover, it keeps track of its user's
movements, respiratory rate, and heart rate.
Additionally,
the Sleep Number X12 allow its consumers to adjust its mattresses, which means
you can control its air chambers according to your preference. Its upper and
lower part can also be raised independently for added comfort.
If
you're sleeping with somebody, you may find the comical feature of this bed
handy. The Partner Snore button on the wireless remote control, which you can
hit anytime your partner starts snoring, will tilt the head section of your
partner's side of the bed six degrees upward - which will eventually get them
to stop snoring.
Moreover,
this amazing bed can be controlled using simple voice commands or a remote. It
also has underglow lights which toggle on/off when you get in or out of the
bed. Tired from work or school? X12 can give you a full body massage.
Planning
to buy one? Of course, this one comes with a price. Sadly, it's a hefty one.
Prices start at $8,000. You might want to start saving money now.
Sources:
Harvard Medical School. (2007). External Factors that Influence Sleep. Retrieved
from http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/science/how/external- factors
Sleep Number Corporation. (2014). Sleep Number Unveils X12 Bed with Sleep IQ Technology. Retrieved from: http://www.sleepnumber.com/eng/Articles/sleep- number-x12.cfm
Smith, M. (2013). How Much Sleep Do You Need?. Retrieved from http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm
2013-45570
Jennylyn S. Cancejo
Individual Project: The WHs and How of Robotic Surgery
“Would you have surgery at the hands of a robot?” Well let me introduce the Robotic Surgery and have your answer after reading this.
WHAT is Robotic Surgery?
Robotic surgery is a type of minimally invasive surgery meaning instead of operating on patients through
large incisions, the use of miniaturized surgical instruments that fit through
a series of quarter-inch incisions are needed. In terms of technological
developments, robotic surgery is the use of robotic systems to aid in surgical procedure. So basically, “Robotic
surgery is
a method to perform surgery using very small tools attached to a robotic arm.
The surgeon controls the robotic arm with the use of a computer.”
WHEN did it all started?
Before we get to the current development of robotic surgery, we first
take a look on the origin of robots beginning with “the very word ‘robot’ which
is from the check word robota meaning
forced labor. Since that time, robots have developed from primitive machines
that could perform a variety of menial tasks to today where they can perform
very complex tasks. Robots are used in computers, in research, and in
manufacturing.”
And now, robots have also taken part to the world of medicine. Industrial
robots are now used for a variety of surgical techniques, are FDA approved,
and are marketed. “Robots were first introduced in 1987 with the first laparoscopic
surgery, a cholescystecotomy. Since then, numerous procedures have been
performed laparoscopically as technology and the skills of the surgeons have
developed. This surgery is known as minimally invasive as incisions are
smaller, there is less risk of infection, hospital stays are shorter, and
recuperation is reduced.” And because of the convenience these robots give us,
the involvement of NASA and US army are unavoidable making their further
studies about robots.
Not long after, Robotic surgery has been around in the early 2000s, but in certain
surgical fields it's already overtaken traditional open surgery, making great
changes in the world of surgery. Because of the after effects of using open
surgery like having often big, ugly scars and long recovery times. Robotic
surgery allows surgeons to perform complex surgical procedures using minimally
invasive approach.
It's also much more precise than even the most skilled doctor with the
steadiest hand.
HOW to perform robotic surgery?
First
the patient is given a general anesthesia for him/her to fell asleep and
pain-free. The surgeon then sits at a computer station and directs
the movements of a robot. So basically even though the robot is operating the
surgery it’s still the human who directs the action. Then small surgical tools
are attached to the robot's arms.
- The surgeon makes small cuts to
insert the instruments into the body.
- A thin tube with a camera
attached to the end of it (endoscope) allows the surgeon to view enlarged
3-D images of the body as the surgery is taking place.
- The robot matches the doctor's
hand movements to perform the procedure using the tiny instruments.
WHY the need for robotic surgery?
Surgical cuts
are smaller than with traditional open surgery since minimal incisions
were made making the patient benefit the following:
ü
Faster recovery time
ü
Less pain and bleeding
ü
Less risk of infection
ü
Shorter hospital stay
ü
Less trauma on the body
ü
Minimal scarring
References:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007339.htm
- March8,2014
Jessa Ann F. Belderol
2013-26908
STS THX
Jessa Ann F. Belderol
2013-26908
STS THX
Individual Project: Wheels (Simple Machine)
Al Francis Masallo
Al Francis Masallo
2013-10197
“Mother of All Inventions”
One of the main problems during the
ancient times was the inability of people to move and to carry massive objects
without exerting too much effort and time. Even with a number of people,
pushing a chunk of rock using bare hands would be totally impossible. What
eliminated this difficulty was the creation of simple machines, such as lever,
inclined plane, and wedge. Despite these innovations that helped people on
their daily tasks, it was clearly not enough. These so-called machines can only
generate ten (10) to twenty (20) times the exerted force (Anderson 1914). What
changed everything was actually the creation of wheel and axle, commonly known
as wheels (simple machine). But what made wheel so special? This simple
machine, as defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, is a mechanical device
consisting of a grooved wheel turned by a cord or chain with a rigidly attached
axle as for winding up a weight. It can generally multiply the exerted force up
to 40 times depending on the size and objects used (Anderson 1914). But today,
technology has provided us more complex machines capable of increasing the
exerted force more than 100 times. This raises the question “What is with wheel
that it was considered to be the greatest invention of all time?”
The first characteristic of wheels
is that, among the simple machines, it is the greatest multiplier of force. Aside
from multiplying force, wheels dramatically reduces the force resisting the
relative motion of solid surfaces when sliding against each other, also known
as friction (Chiu 2010). So, when you want to move an object by either pushing
or pulling it, putting them in a container with wheels, such as push carts,
will lessen your work. In addition to this characteristic, wheels can be
especially designed to incorporate new functions. For instance, a water wheel
is a machine utilizing the free energy coming from flowing or falling water to
create power by means of a set of paddles attached around a wheel (About.com).
This type of wheel is also used to help in irrigation
The next and more important
characteristic of wheels is that it can be attached to different objects,
expanding it applications. For example, ergonomically designed wheels grouped
together are the main components of a clock, an invention that gave us a
clearer concept of time. Another example is that wheels combined with other
mechanical tools are the primary reason for the creation of train and steam
engine, important inventions considered to be the initiators of change in the
world. As some say, “put a railway
station and you’ll turn a dead land into a city”. Another by-product of this
simple machine is the automobile. Automobile raised the bar in what people know
as transportation. It enabled people to travel and to interact with others.
In conclusion, the reason why
‘wheel and axle’ is considered to be the best invention of all time is because
it is a great multiplier of force, minimizing our effort and maximizing our
time. Furthermore, its nature of being a
simple machine makes it easier for people to use it in creating more complex
machines such as steam engine, automobile, and turbine engines. (Paul, 2005) The
concept of wheels is the main inspiration of scientists in modelling new
inventions that could, just like any other invention, change our way of living.
Definitely, its flexibility gives wheel and axle the right to be called mother of
inventions.
Steam Engine
Water Wheel
Turbine
Automobile
Door knob
Clock parts
References:
1. Anderson, William Ballantyne (1914). Physics for
Technical Students: Mechanics and Heat. New York, USA: McGraw Hill.
2. Chiu, Y. C. (2010). An introduction to the History of
Project Management, Delft: Eburon Academic Publishers
3. Paul, Akshoy; Roy, Pijush; Mukherjee, Sanchayan (2005).
Mechanical sciences: engineering mechanics and strength of materials, Prentice
Hall of India
4. Bellis, Mary.Waterwheel. About.com. http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blwaterwheel.htm
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