Sunday, September 06, 2009 LONDON: A 'telepathic' microchip that enables paraplegics to control computers has been developed by Dr Jon Spratley, a British scientist. Dr Jon Spratley says his device could motor neuron sufferers such as Stephen Hawking, operate PCs and television by thought alone. The chip is implanted onto the surface of the brain, where it monitors electronic 'thought' pulses. While paraplegics may be unable to move their limbs, their brains still produce an electronic signal when they try. It means paraplegics, amputees or those with motor neurone disease, such as Stephen Hawking, could be able to operate light switches, PCs and even cars by the power of thought alone. The device picks up neural signals from the brain's motor cortex, and captures the moment a paralysed patient tries to move their limbs. This impulse is then transmitted to a relay station implanted in the skull, which in turn sends the signal to a receiver housed in simple computers. Tests have shown the technology to work in the laboratory, but trials are yet to begin on humans.
Sunday, February 28, 2010 HAVANA: Hundreds of wealthy merchants and cigar aficionados from all parts of the world gathered in Havana this week to bid high stakes for humidors full of premium cigars. Cuba's annual Habanos festival ended on Friday night with an auction of ornate humidors of cedar and mahogany stacked with hand-rolled stogies that raised 800,000 euros ($1.09 million dollars). Habanos S.A. executives this month said cigar sales fell 8 percent to $360 million in 2009, so they have created the Julieta, a smaller, milder version of the Romeo y Julieta cigar, aimed specifically at female smokers. Women now make up only 5 to 10 percent of customers for Habanos. But even with the creation of the Julieta, Garcia said Habanos has only modest hopes for 2010 sales, due largely to a weak economy in Spain, the biggest market for Cuban cigars. The flavor of premium tobacco relies on the soil and climate in which it is grown. The western province of Pinar Del Rio, famous fo...
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