Smart Glasses May Help the Blind Move Around

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. aid [eyd] (v.) – to provide assistance or help

Example: Reading glasses aid people with sight problems read with ease.

2. indicate [IN-di-keyt] (v.) – to show or to signal something

Example: The icon on the computer screen indicates that there is a problem in the system.

3. minute [mahy-NOOT, -NYOOT, mi-] (adj.) – very small in size

Example: The hidden camera is so minute that nobody ever notices it.

4. static [STAT-ik] (adj.) – stays in one place; not moving

Example: The computer showed static images instead of videos.

5. overlay [oh-ver-LEY] (v.) – to put one thing on top of another

Example: The sunglasses are overlaid with UV filters.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

A recent project called ‘Assisted Vision’ is developing smart glasses that could hopefully aid blind people move around on their own. A team headed by Stephen Hicks from the University of Oxford designed the smart glasses. It will be capable of collecting visual information using sensors, which will relay the information back to the user through OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) screens and headphones. Two cameras embedded in the glasses create the effect of stereoscopic vision, or the ability to see things using both eyes simultaneously, and determine the user’s distance from surrounding objects. The glasses also contain a gyroscope [JAHY-ruh-skohp] that indicates the wearer’s movement, a compass that reveals the user’s direction, and a minute GPS tracker that provides the user’s exact location. The distance of the objects is indicated by brightness—brighter objects mean they are closer to the user. The cameras, on the other hand, capture images that tell whether the objects are moving or static. Also, gyroscopic information indicates the user’s movement in relation to his or her surroundings. The user can see all the processed information as it is displayed on a set of transparent OLED screens overlaid on the glasses. Furthermore, smart glasses are equipped with headphones that use text-to-speech software to provide spoken assistance. These headphones work with the GPS to dictate navigation instructions. The developers have made these smart glasses very accessible as surgery or training is not needed for people to use the product. In addition, affordable USB webcams and Microsoft Kinect make the glasses more inexpensive.   For now, the team is planning to add more features and make the smart glasses ready for the market.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

         If you were blind, would you be willing to purchase a pair of these smart glasses? Why?

         What do you think are the disadvantages of using the smart glasses?

Discussion B

         How important do you think is your sense of sight? Explain.

         How can you take care of your sense of sight?

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Speaking More Than One Language Delays Dementia, Study Says

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. dementia [dih-MEN-shuh, -shee-uh] (n.) – a condition of not being able to clearly think, remember, or understand

Example: Her grandfather no longer remembers his wife’s name because of dementia.

2. bilingual [bahy-LING-gwuh l] (adj.) – can speak two languages

Example: Rose is bilingual because she can speak both Filipino and English.

3. stimulate [STIM-yuh-leyt] (v.) – to excite or activate

Example: I enjoy solving puzzles because it stimulates my brain. 

4. immigrant [im-i-gruh nt] (n.) – a person who moves into another country to live there permanently

Example: Immigrants are bilingual because they can speak their mother tongue and the language of the country they moved into. 

5. illiterate [ih-LIT-er-it ] (adj.) – lacking the ability to read and write

Example: People who have not gone to school are usually illiterate.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

A study reveals that speaking more than one language delays dementia. Together with his colleagues, a neurologist at the University of Edinburgh [ED-n-bur uh], Scotland named Thomas Bak conducted the study. They reviewed the medical records of 648 dementia patients from a clinic in the city of Hyderabad, India. Co-author Suvarna Alladi, a neurologist in Hyderabad, said that many people in India usually speak multiple languages. They speak an official national language, a local dialect, and English. More than half of the recorded patients were bilingual or multilingual. Researchers also found that these people started showing signs of dementia at an average age of 65.6, which is a bit later than the 61.1 average age in patients who spoke only one language. The experts have also observed these results in various types of dementia. Bak said that mental activity protects people from dementia. Switching between languages also stimulates the brain. Previous studies have also claimed that bilingualism delays dementia. Brian Gold, another neuroscientist, showed in his studies that bilingual seniors also excel at certain skills such as quickly sorting colors and shapes. Gold also said that Bak’s study is more convincing than the previous ones. He said so because Bak’s study involved bilingual people raised in the same country and culture, while other studies mainly involved immigrants. This latest study also has the largest scope. Its result is consistent both among literate and illiterate people, proving that formal education does not explain this discovery. However, further study is still needed to observe the effects of dementia on bilingual people compared to others.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

         Do you agree that speaking another language may delay dementia? Why or why not?

         What other activities do you think can help delay dementia? Please explain briefly.

Discussion B

         What do you think is the importance of learning another language? Explain.

         What are the disadvantages of speaking more than one language? Kindly explain.

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Defending Against Electromagnetic Attacks

Tools for defending against electromagnetic attack (right to left): an antenna set (on tripod) for sensing the environment, a RF measuring device for conditioning the signals and a computer that calculates the relevant data. (Credit: © Fraunhofer INT)

We are all familiar with the power of electromagnetic attacks from the movies: in Ocean's Eleven, George Clooney's gang disables Las Vegas' power grid, and Keanu Reeves' henchmen hold off the enemy robot fighters from their spaceship in the Matrix Trilogy. The heroes in these films succeed by sending out a very strong electromagnetic pulse. This changes the voltage in the vicinity so that regulators, switches, and circuit boards in electronic equipment go crazy. You cannot smell, taste, or feel this radiation. Those affected by it do not know why computers or machines breakdown or from which direction the attack comes.

"What works on the silver screen is also conceivable in reality," confirms Michael Jöster from the Fraunhofer Institute for Technological Trend Analysis INT in Euskirchen, just south of Cologne, Germany. The researchers there are concentrating on the question of how these attacks can be detected. They have developed a measurement instrument for this purpose that is capable of determining the strength, frequency, and direction of electromagnetic attacks. The engineering requirements are steep: the detector must measure very high field strengths from very short pulses, yet not be destroyed or damaged itself.

Identifying the type, location, and duration of the attacks
Four specialized antennas make up the INT demonstration instrument that sample the environment around the subject device to be protected. Each of these covers a quadrant of 90 degrees and detects all types of electromagnetic sources.

A high-frequency module preconditions the signals for measurement and determines when the electromagnetic pulse started and stopped. 

A computer in a monitoring station connected via an optical conductor then calculates the values for the signal and presents them on a screen. "We identify the type and location of the source of the invisible attack as well as its duration as though we had a sixth sense. Those affected by the attack can use this information to mount a rapid and appropriate protective response," explains Jöster. 

The threat scenarios are real: criminals disrupt computer networks of banks, exchanges, and companies. They cause confusion in order to bypass monitoring points or overcome alarm systems, enabling them to penetrate into secure areas. Individual cases of these kinds of attacks have already been documented: thieves used electromagnetic waves to crack the security systems of limousines in Berlin. Their weapons are no larger than a suitcase. 

High-power microwave sources are suitable for those kinds of attacks, for example. Depending on the field strength, the attacker using these high-power microwaves can be located several meters from the target of the attack. "Located In the right position, it is enough to press a button to trigger the pulse. Just like in Ocean's Eleven or Matrix, the electronic systems nearby can fail or be damaged," as Jöster describes the danger.

Electronic devices can withstand a certain amount of radiation. This is measured in volts per meter (V/m) -- called the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). Otherwise, they would not operate reliably. Every device could interfere with others in its immediate vicinity. Depending on the category of usage, they therefore have to fulfill specific EMC requirements. These are significantly higher for industrial applications than for common things like Smartphones, televisions, or stereo equipment. One example where safety is important is automotive engineering. 

"The importance of electronic components will continue to increase in the future. Completely shielding individual devices from electromagnetic radiation would certainly be theoretically possible, but much too expensive though. Systems are needed that can detect these kinds of attacks. If you know what is attacking, you can also react correctly to it," according to Jöster.

*  *  *  *  *

Suggest reading ~ 

Writing Fantasy & Science Fiction: How to Create Out-Of-This-World Novels and Short Stories
by Orson Scott Card

How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy
by Orson Scott Card

Story based on materials provided by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft,(2013, December 2). Defending against electromagnetic attacks. ScienceDaily.

French Football Clubs Might Strike Against Super Tax

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. strike [strahyk] (n.) – a group effort to stop working in order to protest or make demands

Example: The employees went on a strike to demand for higher wages.

2. fixture [FIKS-cher] (n.) – a soccer game that usually lasts 90 minutes

Example: Soccer teams play a number of fixtures in one season.

3. tax residence [taks REZ-i-duh ns] (n.) – the permanent address where the person pays his or her taxes even when he or she leaves the country

Example: Mr. Kawashima has houses in different countries but his tax residence is still in Japan.

4. stand one’s ground [stand wuhns ground] (idiom.) – to maintain one’s opinions

Example: The female lawmaker stood her ground against violence on women.

5. collective [kuh-LEK-tiv] (adj.) – combined, as a whole

Example: The effective protest was a result of the collective efforts of the employees.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

French football clubs might go on strike to protest against the 75% tax on millionaire players. The executive committee of the UCPF (Union of Professional Football Clubs) has agreed to protest in some way against the super tax. It held a general assembly last October 24 to finalize its plans. The proposals include not playing in weekend fixtures. With the new policy, companies will pay the 75% tax rate for their employees with annual salaries exceeding one million euros. This tax policy was included in President Francois Hollande's [frans WAH ho LAHND] election proposals. It will be applied on earnings starting 2013 and will be part of the 2014 budget. Last September, Valerie Fourneyon, the sports minister, confirmed that the football clubs are not exempted from the super tax. Therefore, some football players are considering seeking tax residency in other countries like Belgium and Britain. With the new tax rate, football clubs will pay an extra 50,000 to 20 million euros depending on their size and members. Clubs say that they will be at the brink of bankruptcy after a year of losing around 80 million euros. Frederic Thiriez, a professional football league player, also says that France will lose its best players and its clubs' competitiveness in Europe will decline. Still, the government is standing its ground. Miss Fourneyon said that the country is recovering its economy and it should be a collective effort. Online polls on French news and sports websites also show that the general public was against any exemption.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

         Do you agree that the French football clubs should not be exempted in the tax increase? Why or Why not?

         Why is it important to pay taxes?

Discussion B

         Is going on strike an effective way to express one’s opinions? Why do you think so?

         What other ways can be used to express one’s opinions? Please explain briefly.

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Killing for Money: Does Crime Pay?

Perhaps surprisingly, contract killers are not as highly paid as you would have thought.

Publishing in the Taylor & Francis journal Review of Social Economy, author Samuel Cameron attempts to dispel the myths behind the economy of crime, paying specific attention to contract killings with his article "Killing for Money and the Economic Theory of Crime." (click on the title for the entire article)

No economist (and even very few criminologists or psychologists) has researched paid killing, adding to the importance of Cameron’s work in the field of economics. There is a wealth of literature on the economics of crime, although most attention is devoted to the deterrence of crime, rather than the contentious issue of contract killing.

Detailed research on this topic is long over-due – the last detailed analysis of contract killings was data taken during 1989-2002 in Australia. Cameron provides fresh evidence taken from a small sample of paid killing cases in the UK from data collected in June 2011 spanning offences from 1972 to 2011. Key sources have also been consulted, such as the Daily Telegraph, Guardian, Daily Mail, and the BBC.

The material and discussion presented in this article draw attention to the fact that the majority of paid killings take place for very small sums much lower than the economic value of life and lower too than what one would expect as compensation for efforts and risks of the contract killer.

Findings include:

• The total offer ranges from UK£200 up to a rather high offer of UK£1.5 million for an insurance claim case. Payment in perpetuity was offered only in one case at a rate of UK£400 every week for the rest of the life of the perpetrator.
• The vast majority of cases (86.7%) indicate that the body was simply left on the spot. In a few other cases, disposal of the body took place—none of them very far from the scene of the crime
• Hirers and paid killers operate in incomplete markets where it is not possible to write down enforceable contracts. A contract between a hirer and a hiree must by its very nature be implicit, as the individuals cannot form a legally binding contract which involves killing someone. This brings a number of risks - backmail, exploitation and failed performance, for example, but also, in case of failure, a crippled, maimed or injured target, as well as death or serious injury for the hiree from a target that fights back. Detection and punishment are risks for the hirer as well as the hiree.

*  *  *  *  *

Suggested reading:

Writing Crime Fiction: Making Crime Pay
by Janet Laurence

Story source:   Samuel Cameron. Killing for Money and the Economic Theory of Crime. Review of Social Economy, 2013

Man Finds Way to Get His Money Back

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. ingenious [in-JEEN-yuh s] (adj.) – characterized by new and original ideas

Example: The teacher was impressed with the students’ ingenious ideas for the new project.

2. catch one’s attention [kach wuhns uh-TEN-shuh n] (idiom) – to get a person’s interest or to be noticed by somebody

Example: The red letters written on the paper can easily catch people’s attention.

3. retiree [ri-tahy-REE, -TAHYUH R-ee] (noun) – a person who has permanently stopped working because of old age

Example: The retiree has stopped working last month.

4. take time off [teyk tahym awf ] (idiom) – to have a break from something, especially from work

Example: His father had to take time off from work because of illness.

5. mount up [mount uhp] (phrasal verb) – to accumulate or gather as time goes by

Example: The little money that I save every week has mounted up to a thousand dollars.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

A man found an ingenious way of getting back the dollars he spent—writing his name, address, and a note on the back of one-dollar bills. The note says “Please return this bill to me. I am very poor.” and is written in bright red to easily catch people’s attention. Gary, a 60-year-old legally blind retiree from Phoenix, Arizona, was the one who wrote the note in one-dollar bills. In 2003, Gary became ill and was forced to take time off from work. It was during this time that he thought of his “money-back” idea. He began to pay at the market, convenience stores, and gas stations using dollars with his name, address, and message on it. He said that he never expected people to send his dollars back. But the more they did so, the more encouraged he became to send out more dollars with his note. According to Gary, the money comes from as far as the Netherlands, Australia, and Alaska and mounts up to as much as thousands of dollars over the years. Gary keeps a record of the money that gets back to him. He says he normally receives $2 a day and sometimes even gets a bonus from anonymous people. At one point, he was able to gather $60 in one month and $94 in another month. However, Gary clarifies that getting his dollars back definitely doesn’t make him any richer but it sure helps him pay the bills.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

         Do you think that Gary’s idea of getting his money back is ethical? Why or why not?

         If you receive one of Gary’s dollars, would you send it back to him? Why is that so?

Discussion B

         How can a person ensure financial stability? Explain.

         What is the best way to help people who are experiencing financial difficulties? Tell your tutor about it.

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