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Feeling the way to better acoustics

Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

Dozens, if not hundreds, of studies have demonstrated the negative impact noise has on occupants. Yet, even with advances in materials and technology, noise continues to be a major challenge to designing today’s interior environments. Perhaps the solution lies deeper than controlling for noise. It may have to do with how we respond emotionally to the sounds around us. Much of the controversy concerning noise in interior environments has followed from the widespread adoption of open-plan and active space layouts.

Infographic: Mobile gaming and artificial intelligence

Brian Wallace Science & Technology

The world of mobile gaming is exploding at a record-breaking pace. By 2021, more than 1 in 4 people worldwide will be an active mobile gamer and consumer spending on mobile games will reach $90 billion. Check out this infographic to see the evolution of mobile games and how AI is enhancing game quality.

The return of whooping cough

Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied Healthcare

Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a highly contagious acute infectious disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. During the 1940s, before a vaccine was introduced, more than 200,000 cases of pertussis were reported annually. As a result of the pertussis vaccine, used since 2000, incidence has decreased more than 80%. The vaccine targets three antigens in the bacteria. However, despite vaccination, pertussis bacteria are becoming smarter at colonizing and feeding off unsuspecting hosts. Now, whooping cough is emerging as a superbug.

A new study could lead doctors to use a common diabetes drug to treat many…

Lisa Mulcahy Pharmaceutical

A brand-new study from the Salk Institute may change the way doctors treat their patients. A team of researchers looked at the second-most prescribed diabetes drug, metformin, to see the exact ways it controls blood sugar levels — information that has eluded doctors previously. As a result, the researchers think metformin could be used to target new cellular processes; therefore, a great number of patients dealing with other medical issues may benefit.

Risk management in the age of big data

Marconi Vieira Business Management, Services & Risk Management

There's no doubt that we're living in the age of big data. Of course, there are many risks associated with managing an organization and its projects in the age of big data. Risk is inherent in all human endeavors, and we need to identify and understand big data risks and know how to manage them effectively. Two risks currently appear to be the most critical, and they demand focused attention from any organization that is serious about surviving and thriving in the age of big data.

FAA seeks to take back the skies from rogue drones

Tory Barringer Transportation Technology & Automotive

For the past few years, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has had a growing problem with unidentified flying objects. Not the kind with little green men, but rather unmanned (and unregistered) aerial vehicles (UAVs) — "drones" for short. Originally designed for military applications, drones are now used widely for a variety of jobs, including aerial surveillance, bridge inspections, wedding photography and package delivery, among others. So how does the government keep track of more than a million remote-controlled flying machines? The answer, at least until recently, is "not very well."

CES 2020: Explorers in the era of 5G

Lark Gould Communications

This year at CES 2020, the placards, posters, headlines and lowlines all, somehow, kept coming back to some reference for 5G. Phones were given 5G signal bars. Exhibitors were hyping their products as 5G-ready. But for all the pomp and circumstance around this number/letter combo, few among the 200,000-strong tsunami of attendees could say exactly how 5G was working for them right now. For starters, what, exactly, is 5G? The term stands for fifth-generation cellular wireless and refers to standards set at the end of 2017. And from there it is a bit like wandering down the rabbit hole.

Investigational HBOT indications: Inflammatory bowel disease

Eugene R. Worth Medical & Allied Healthcare

It is time for the third installment of diseases that are considered "off-label" for hyperbaric oxygen...yet, these diseases have some evidence supporting effectivity and plausible pathophysiology for HBOT use. This blog installment will cover inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Like our cardiac pre-conditioning blog, there will be a number of papers to consider. We are in luck because there are several "review articles" that have taken the literature to that point and reviewed or attempted to classify the research by effectivity.

Trend alert: Social media communities are a powerful digital marketing…

Lisa Mulcahy Marketing

As a marketer, you want your audience to trust and respect the products and services you're offering. An excellent way to do this is by fostering an authentic sense of togetherness with your existing customers — and then inviting new and potential customers into the circle. Creating a brand-owned social media community is a lot easier than you think. How do you do it? With common sense and humanity. Begin with these key steps.

4 ways fully connected plants benefit your workforce

Tipton Loo Manufacturing

Nearly 50 years ago, a few caffeine-dependent students in Carnegie Mellon's computer science department built a light sensor and software to sense the availability of cold soft drinks in a Coke vending machine and connected it to the ARPANET, where they could see the status remotely, giving birth to the "internet of things." But few could have predicted how widespread the technology would become. It's only a matter of time before the internet of things transforms the industrial sector as well.

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