Spermbot, a new hopes for infertile couples

Millions of couples struggling to have children, and a common cause of infertility mostly afflict women; for example egg quality is not good, uterine disorders, and age. However, approximately 20 percent of documented cases is 'sole male factor,' such as sperm in low numbers, abnormal shaped, or sluggish.

Motorized ‘spermbot’ helps sperm reach egg (of cattle). (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1evalx)

This is the 'Spermbot,' a magnetically controlled tiny motor like a corkscrew threaded to help propel lethargic sperms toward the target. Spermbot circling at the sperm tails, then pushed toward-and ideally into the eggs. (This happens in the privacy of medical clinics, instead of bedrooms.) 

In the future, this tiny motor developed by the German scientists team can play an important role in artificial insemination. So far, the spermbot only tested on sperm and egg cells of cattle (as in the picture) and have not managed to achieve fertilization. 

"The concept is interesting. But I admit I still skeptical," said Robin Fogle, an reproductive endocrinology expert and researcher at the Atlanta Center for Reproductive Medicine.

Head of research as well as the spermbot technician Oliver Schmidt admitted that the motor is not efficient and there are still many things to do before it's ready for human testing. However, with further improvement, he said, spermbot could give hope the pregnancy for infertile diagnosed couples. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES |SCIENCEMAG]

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Perhaps you need it at home

Technology innovation today is constantly creating new things that often make us wonder. Imagine how once we still have to bother to send a letter to the Post Office and also wash manually until our hands felt rough and irritation. Now? The communication becomes easier, as well as the clothes washing matters.

Yes, a washing machine can help us wash easily has long existed. But that's not going to be good news today. Because soon, not just to wash affairs that successfully handled by the technology, but also the ironing and folding clothes matters.

FoldiMate, a robotic laundry folding machine. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1evhR1)

An American company has now launched a robot laundry folding machine with a height of approximately one meter which can help us to ironing and folding clothes are already dry after washing called 'FoldiMate'.

How it works is very simple. First, the robot will 'swallow' the various types of creases clothings into the machine. Within a few moments, the machine will 'pull out' those clothes with the state already folded, smooth and fragrant.

In doing so, this robot has a series of trays, each of which can clamp the clothes that are outside the machine. After pulling the clothes into the machine, the robot will detect the entered clothing type. Then a series of robot arms will start to fold the clothes. Not only in the folding course, FoldiMate also clever in smoothed the wrinkles by giving the steam when the clothes are processed out of the machine.

According to the company, it only takes approximately ten seconds to fold the clothes and can save between 15-20 pieces of clothing at the same time. As the final part, the clothes are processed to be pulled out from the machine within a neat pile.

In performing its duties, nothing is perfect so the FoldiMate. One of the drawbacks of this moment, the machine can not be folded several specific types of clothing, such as underwear and large-sized fabrics such as linen.

Basically the FoldiMate itself have a simple concept, and developed by a researchers team of robot experts who already have experience over the years. In 2014 ago, the commercial version of this engine was already there, but pre-orders for the household version will be released next year.

According to the company site, this machine will be sold at a price range of US. $700 to $850 or equivalent Rp.9.3 million to Rp.11.3 million. Although it will be released next year, there are now more than 15,000 people who lined up in the pre-order list. WOW!!

How about you? Are you interested to have this machine, too? Please get in the queue..! *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | FOLDIMATE]

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This tiny Estonian house can be taken anywhere

Good news for anyone who missed the comforts of home while traveling. The Estonian designers managed to create a tiny house with complete functions like a shelter in general. But this 'house' can be dismantled, packed and taken anywhere.

As quoted by news.com.au on Friday, October 14, 2016, the 'house', named Koda, measuring 23 square meters and can be built independently. Inside is consisted 1 bedroom, 1 main room, kitchen, bathroom, terrace and a stair leading to the upper floor.

The tiny house is designed for easy assembling and dissembling. (Pictures from: http://adf.ly/1eu3C2)

Uniquely, this house already has the point connections for water, electricity, and waste disposal. This product also designed to produce and store energy independently when it was built in remote areas. According to the Kodasema (the company where the Koda's designers band together), almost all concrete structures of this tiny house can be disassembled in less than 7 hours.

This house is designed to be packed up and carted around as well as has a well-equipped bathroom. (Pictures from: http://adf.ly/1eu2qd)

"Most of our quality of life depends on the house and the proper location that fit our needs. When choosing a place to stay, there may be a risk in these two things. The house and the apartment in general can not be moved, but the Koda can. It stands alone, not embedded in the ground, and the design and structure allows the preparation and demolition many times." said Kodasema.

Quite a few people can fit inside. (Pictures from: http://adf.ly/1eu3C2)

The tiny house include four layers of window and vacuum insulated wall so that the temperature inside remains comfortable. These modular units can be combined to fill the wider region.

Now, the sales of Koda units are still limited in Estonia at a price of AU $126 thousand or equivalent to Rp.1,25 billion. Reportedly this product was nominated as the Best mini project in the World Architecture Festival 2016 to be held in Berlin in November to come. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | NEWS.COM.AU]

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The dangers lurk for those who go to Mars?

Maybe you need to think twice if you want to enroll into a travel package that offers a vacation to Mars. A recent study shows, a 225 million kilometer journey to the Red Planet is not only cause chronic jet lag, but there are great danger lurks behind it. In the study published in Scientific Reports found that levels of cosmic radiation exposure to the tourists can cause brain damage, anxiety, and chronic dementia.

The Red Planet, Mars. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eoqNM)

Though the United States is planning a trip to Mars in the next two decades. Last year, NASA released a three-stage plan of a journey to Mars, where sending humans to the Red Planet expected will be done in the 2030s. Although set foot on Mars sounds like fun, but there are a number of negative impact of the mission. Some scientists are also worried about the serious problem of black carbon.

As the research in 2010 was found that black carbon emissions from outer space travel will lead to an increase in temperature at the poles and estimated to threaten the Arctic, Antarctic, or even the Earth.

Sightings of Earth seen from space. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eoqNM)

However, these studies could not be concluded, even some companies repeatedly stressed that outer space travel provide a little threat to the environment. Even the Virgin Galactic said that the sub-orbital trip is more environmentally friendly than the New York to London flights.

Until now, no one person who knows exactly how to outer space travel would have an impact to the Earth. If the refrigerator can pose a threat to the environment, it seems is not excessive when one considers the outer space trip can be bad for the Earth. And there has been no spacecraft capable of carrying humans to travel seven months or longer. Not including the plan to bring them back to Earth, which is not yet known how.

Medical experts also are not sure what the physical consequences are experienced by people who are trying to travel in a high-radiation environment, in a long time. Furthermore, it remains unknown how humans could survive, eat, breathe, drink, on the barren planet, without water and oxygen.

Have we already deserve to go to Mars?

In the opinion column on CNN, the United States President Barrack Obama wrote, "We've been exploring in every planet in the solar system - something that can not be done any other nation." (What is meant by Mr. President is not the man who is sent to the planets beyond the Earth, but the spacecraft.)

A trip to another world or space travel indeed sound very luxurious and exclusive, although in fact there are many real problems that must be resolved on the Earth first. For example, people in Flint, Michigan, not all have access to clean water to drink, not to mention the suffering and poverty in underdeveloped countries.

CEO of SpaceX, Elon Musk looks down from the SpaceX's Dragon V2 space capsule during the inauguration in Hawthorne, California, in May 29, 2014. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eoqNM)

Not only the country's ambition to go to Mars. The founder of a number of technology companies are also competing to reach the Red Planet in advance. For example, recently Boeing's CEO has said that he believes his company rocket became the first to land on Mars. While it is Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, also claims his rocket is the best.

Even, Justin Bieber, Ashton Kutcher, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Katy Perry are a number of world's celebrities who have paid US $250,000 (approximately Rp.3.2 billion and listed to a sub-orbital space travel with the Virgin Galactic.

Currently the world is facing a real crisis, ranging from climate change, education, health, war, gender inequality, and a number of other crucial issues. But on the other hand, there are a handful of people spend a lot of money and focus to realize their ambition to reach the Mars, which is considered by many people is not the crucial thing. What do you think? *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | ]

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Human lifespan has been outlined up to 115 years

The age of humans have a limit. Recent research reveals that the age limits of human is 115 years old. Maybe there are people who can live more of that age, but it will be very little. Dr. Jan Vijg, a geneticist from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York conducted the research by analyzing the data of human deaths in 38 countries.

Researchers find That Human lifespan has a max limit. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1elbFG)

He and his colleagues found, with increased knowledge about nutrition and medical advances at the beginning of the industrial era, human lifespan is increasing rapidly. However, he also found that since 1980, the life expectancy of humans tend not to grow, survive in the figure of 99 years, although the medical technology continues to advance.

An analysis of global demographic data published in Nature suggests that humans have a fixed shelf life, and that the odds of someone beating Calment’s record are low—although some scientists question this interpretation. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1elaqB)

Vijg also analyzed the data from the International Database of Longevity focused on those who broke the world record as the oldest man. He found that in Japan, France, Britain and the United States, the numbers of the oldest age increased rapidly in the 1970s and 1980s, but stands at 114.9 in the mid-1990s.

Based on these findings, Vijg analysis by considering genetic factors and technological advances. He then concluded that the limit of human lifespan is 115 years old. There may be people who live longer than that figure, but the amount is very small. Opportunities happened just one of 10,000 in any given year.

Jeanne Calment died in 1997 in France at the age of 122. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1elaRs)

"You would expect there's another Jeanne Calments (a French citizens who lived 122 years, she died in 1997), but it will not," said Vijg as quoted by Nature, on October 5, 2016.

The Vijg research sparked debates. James Vaupel of the Max Planck Institute for Demographic reserarch in Germany said the human lifespan continues to increase long in some countries such as Japan. 

Vaupel said the Vijg research did not consider all sides. Vijg itself admits that human life in Japan continues to rise, but the increase a little.

Aubrey de Grey of SENS Research Foundation of Mountain View in California who studied biotechnology ageless said, the Vijg research was not consider the future medical technology.

"The results of this research is true, but not yet incorporate potential future medical advances, medical only the present and the past," she said. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | THE NEW YORK TIMES | EXTREMETECH]

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Toyota present Kirobo Mini as a synthetic baby companion

Now technology developments doesn't inevitable, despite the focus on building vehicles, Toyota recently created a robot named Kirobo Mini, and the Japanese car manufacturer designed them as a synthetic baby companion.

Toyota Motor Corp's Kirobo Mini robot is pictured during a photo opportunity after a news conference in Tokyo, Japan, September 27, 2016. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eXGbb)

The robot measuring 4-10 cm can read the mood of the driver even understand of the driver's speech and gestures. By reading the driver's mood, Kirobo can give advice to the places that need to be visited, as well as routes that go through or the music needs to be played.

Toyota said that Kirobo Mini could help driving become a physically and emotionally transformative experience. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eXH3k)

In addition, Kirobo also can be connected to the car system and some other gadgets in the home, because the robot is also able to learn and track the whereabouts. These mini-sized robot was actually been introduced by Toyota in the Tokyo Motor Show 2015, but they launched it officially today.

"The robot is a little trained and designed like a baby who can only sit to accompany in the car," said Chief Design Engineer of Kirobo Mini, Fuminori Kataoka as quoted by Reuters on Tuesday, October 4, 2016.

About its availability, the robot will be available in Japan starting next year. While the price offered is around US $392 or about Rp.5 millions. Are you interested to have one? *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SLASH GEAR | REUTERS]

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Guessing the answers of longevity mystery

Some time ago, the world is shocked by the presence of Mbah Gotho in Sleman, Indonesia is very old. If the documentation of his was proved to be correct, then the 146-year-old grandfather was the oldest man on Earth. Beside that, Mbah Gotho known as heavy smokers, so the secret of longevity of his became a mystery. 

Mbah Gotho of Indonesia, a 146 years-old grandfather could be the oldest man on Earth if the documentation of his was proved to be correct. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eRJHP)

Are there other factors that determines the human's life expectancy? From an international study conducted by the researchers at University of California Los Angeles suggests that the life expectancy of most humans is influenced by genetic factors, regardless of a person's lifestyle choices.

The study was led by a geneticist named Steve Horvath of UCLA and worked together with 65 other researchers around the world. The study was conducted through the analysis of blood samples taken from 13,000 people.

As quoted of UCLA on Saturday, October 1, 2016, that the epigenetic 'clock' previously developed by Horvath used to calculate the aging of the blood and other tissues in the human body through the tracking of DNA changes in accordance with the passage of time.

These 'clock' is able to calculate the biological age of blood. According to scientists at UCLA, the biological age is superior than chronological age in terms of determining when the time of someone dies.

Exercise and eating right are beneficial to one’s health, of course, but life expectancy is also tied to our DNA, UCLA research suggests. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eRJNl)

The research results have been published in the Aging journal refers to the 13 sets of data. According to Horvath, a healthy eating habits combined with exercise had no impact on delaying death in some people.

"We found that about 5 percent of the population gets old with higher biological speeds, so that life expectancy is shorter," Horvath said via a press release.

"An aging accelerated process to increase the risk of death by 50 percent of adults at any age level." But, the study leader added that the risky activities such as smoking still can accelerate the aging process, although genetics plays a much stronger role.

Horvath continued, "Although a healthy lifestyle could add to life expectancy, the aging process that is within preventing us continually outsmart the death. However, the risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, and high blood pressure are still strong predicting the death rate (mortality) compared to the speed of someone epigenetic aging."

Even with these findings, but the perpetrators of the medical profession looked at the ability to predict the life span by using epigenetic clock as something that is still uncertain. "Is the epigenetic changes caused by chronological aging directly cause of death on the older people?" said Dr. Themistocles Assimes of Stanford University.

Dr. Assimes, who is also the author of the research report, furthermore said, "Maybe the change was simply to encourage the development of some kind of disease or undermine the person's ability to resist the development of the disease after being exposed. There is still need of future research to answer those questions." *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | UCLA | LATEST TECHNOLOGY]

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An automatic integrated garbage system

Trash cans will be prohibited and the garbage will be distributed directly to the basement when the automatic rubbish system has been installed on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. These high-tech automated rubbish collection system was the first in Australia and will be part of the new central business district Maroochydore area of ​​53 hectares.

The Sunshine Coast Council Mayor, Mark Jamieson said the waste system will be installed gradually over the next decade, and will make the central business district Maroochydore to be the cleanest and greenest area in Australia.

The garbage chutes feed into underground pipes which suck the rubbish away. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eFK7H)

He said that compared to the trash can using, with this system the waste will be transported directly from commercial buildings and apartments with speeds up to 70 kilometers per hour through an underground vacuum pipe system along 6.5 kilometers.

The waste vacuum pipe system will be put under a new foundation of the central business district in Maroochydore. "Obviously this is a unique opportunity with a greenfield site to introduce such technology. It would be very difficult to retrofit this anywhere else," he said.

Furthermore he said that this automatic waste system will eliminate the bad smell of waste and vermin as well as the cost of daily streets cleaning would be reduced. The system uses three holes bins for organic, recycled and non-recycled waste.

These waste revolution means the city workers and inhabitants will not have to walk past the trash cans or waking up early in the morning by the sound of a garbage truck in the center of Maroochydore. The council followed the cities of Stockholm, Seoul, Barcelona, ​​London, Singapore and Beijing which already have the Envac waste collection system.

"All waste will be down to the respective inlet and will be stored in a closed compartment in the basement until the vacuum pump is turned on in the center of the waste facility, usually two times a day," he said.

As well as making more attractive the heart of city, this technology has a track record in improving the recycling rate, so that natural environment will benefit too. These waste system will cost $21 million, which will be fully paid back by the occupant's central business district over the life of the system.

Councilor Jamieson also said that the Envac system will serve the citizens start in their apartments, offices and people who use the public space or facilities. And half of the cost will be funded by the development company Sun-Central. The balance will be funded by the people who use the system in the future. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | ABC NEWS]

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An advanced technology touch could also pamper the toilet users

Apparently, rapid technological developments have penetrated into all aspects of human life, including the toilet.

Toto, the Japanese toilet manufacturer, applying cutting-edge technology in its product called 'Neorest 750.' The toilet that is valued of US. $9.800 (equivalent to Rp.130 million) have seats that can be heated, personal cleaning and drying technology, included the air purifying systems.

Toto Neorest 750. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eBQcw)

Neorest 750 also can clean itself, have sprinklers and automatic shutoff. The toilet bowl is coated with zirconium, which help expel the waste. With this technology, the Neorest detects when a person approached the toilet, and spraying the inside surface of the toilet with water to help prevent something sticking on it.

And when the toilet is not in use, the UV lamp will illuminate the inside of the toilet, to break down germs and other waste particles. The toilet also has an automatic night light. Although the outside lights off, we will no longer stumble in the middle of the night to find the light switch.

On the inside of the toilet, there is a cleaning wand that can spray the water and warmer air for the front and rear cleaning. Through this technology, the need for toilet paper can almost be eliminated.

Neorest also has a wireless remote. We can use the remote to control the cleaning wand. We can also adjust the water pressure and air temperature to control the drying process. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | TECHINSIDER]

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Special elecric folding bike of Peugeot

At the Paris Motor Show 2016 will take place on October 1 to 16, 2016, one of the French automotive manufacturers, Peugeot plans to introduce their new sports utility vehicle (SUV) 5008 and a number of other cars. Not only the four-wheeled vehicles, the Peugeot also called will also introduce an electric folding bike for the first time in the automotive exhibition.

Peugeot's new electric polding bike named eF01. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1dvHtw)

As reported Carscoops on Thursday, September 8, 2016, the electric folding bike was a result of the development of the Peugeot Design Lab. They gave it the nickname of 'Peugeot eF01.' The goal for the making of the electric bicycle is to facilitate a person who want to get around the city. It took just 10 seconds to fold and unfold the bike.

It took just 10 seconds to fold and unfold the bike.  (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1dvHtw)

And the eF01 power source comes from a small lithium-ion battery with the ability to cruise at 30 kilometers and a maximum speed of 20 km per hour. The battery can be recharged at home by using a conventional wall outlet as to electronic devices. It takes approximately 2 hours to charge from empty to fully charged condition.
After being introduced at the Paris Motor Show 2016, Peugeot plans to start selling its first electric folding bikes next year. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARSCOOPS]

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Is this the alien who live in the Proxima b?

European Southern Observatory made a surprise announcement last week. The space agency claims to have found the planet with size similar to the Earth named Proxima b and orbiting the Proxima Centauri parent star. While the Proxima Centauri is part of the Alpha Centauri system, which is about 4.2 light-years away from our solar system.

An illustration of the sights of Proxima b surface and its parent star Proxima Centauri. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1ddHwd)

In response to the discovery of Proxima b, currently the alien hunters reviewing the Cenos story that claimed to come from the Proxima Centauri star system and is said to have lived in the midst of human life.

The story comes from the recognition of a suspected creature of Cenos alien from Alpha Centauri named Hands. It is said that Hands hypnotized a woman to uncover his identity as an alien to a team of Californian psychologists in 1957.

This bizarre story comes from psychologists who claimed they spoke with a ‘lovable and childlike’ being that had eight hands and a body structure similar to a praying mantis known as ‘Hands’, which was claimed to have been spotted in Taiwan in 2012 (picture form news station). (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1dmIa0)

The creature claiming to be from Alpha Centauri star system. In the book titled 'Hands: The True Account - A Hypnotic Subject Reports on Outer Space' written by two psychologists also mentioned traits of Hands.

"Lovable and childlike, but large, has a body like a dome with eight hands, the intelligence may be between humans and dogs," explains the book.

Members of this community are revisiting the tale of the Cenos aliens from the Proxima Centauri star system that have not only been coming earth for thousands of years. It is claimed the creatures have eight hands (Picture shows what is said to be a Cenos aliens). (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1dmIa0)

As quoted by the Daily Mail on Friday, September 2, 2016, Hands also explained that he and the other eight hands aliens have some hearts and five times stronger than normal humans.

The book also depicts the spacecraft used by the aliens spinning like a tape recorder. Those vehicle used to visit the Earth during the World War II, built the Sphinx, the Mayan Pyramids, and a number of other monuments.

It is said that Hands used a woman under hypnosis to reveal himself as an alien to a team of California psychologists in 1957. The highlighted section depicts what some say resembles a praying mantis. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1dmIa0)

One of the latest sightings of Cenos alien occurred in 2012, when police near Lake Jaiming, Taitung, Taiwan caught a picture of one figure who claimed to be an alien. And then the Taiwan UFOlogy Society (TUFOS) has been made a public statement that mentions that the photo is a 'big alien, transparent, with webbed hands, walking in the distance.'

The leader of TUFOS, Huang Chao-ming said that the police gave the photos to the group to be investigated further. TUFOS also spent one year to determine the authenticity of the picture.

And the famous UFO watcher, Scott C. Waring, also respond to the appearance of 'alien' is.

"The experts of TUFOS said the authenticity of the photograph, the creature has a height of 250 cm, the shape of his head like a praying mantis, and look straight into the person who took the photo," he wrote in the UFO Sightings Daily blog.

"Locals in Taitung believe small round lake is the entrance of the the alien's headquarter. They also believe that a large mound was an ancient pyramid that used as the alien's communication device," he said. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | DAILY MAIL]

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