6 WAYS ULTRASOUND HEALS

For years ultrasound (sonic vibrations with frequencies beyond human hearing) has been used to noninvasively examine internal structures of the human body. One of the most common applications is viewing a developing baby within the womb. But ultrasound can also serve as a medical treatment, not just a diagnostic tool. Here are six examples (in no particular order) of such treatments.

1) Ultrasound has been used to break up kidney stones and gallstones into smaller, more manageable pieces.

2) Astonishing results have shown that ultrasound therapy is an effective way to improve the healing of broken bones. Treatments in Glasgow have mended injuries that doctors doubted would completely heal at all. 
 

3) Israeli scientists developed a way of using ultrasound to kill brain tumors. Sonic energy is transferred through the skull and focused on a tumor without cutting it open. This noninvasive, sonic surgery could be a great relief for both the surgeon and the patient.

4) Ultrasound can be used to enhance drug effectiveness. It makes targeted cells more receptive to absorbing chemicals that help fight disease, especially cancer.

5) Canadian researchers have invented a tiny ultrasound device for dental patients. Ultrasound applied to the jaws can cause tooth roots to regrow. This treatment is helpful for teeth that have fallen out or become loose from playing hockey or wearing braces.

6) DARPA is funding the development of a portable device that stops internal bleeding. Intended for soldiers on the battlefield, the Deep Bleeder Acoustic Coagulation (DBAC) project promises automatic detection of ruptured blood vessels using ultrasound. Once the site of bleeding has been located in 3D, the device will noninvasively cauterize the internal wound with high-intensity ultrasound.

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Featured Company - Boston Dynamics

Boston Dynamics, originating from MIT, is a current developer of cutting edge robotics. This company is known for its DARPA-funded research, and it continues to produce products that are likely to revolutionize military operations in the future.

Over the last several years, Boston Dynamics' most popular project has been BigDog, a four-legged robot designed as a twenty-first century pack mule for soldiers. Amazingly, this robot can walk over very uneven terrain and even stabilize itself when pushed sideways. BigDog can carry over 300 pounds of whatever a soldier needs: weapons, ammunition, communications equipment, maybe even a wounded soldier. While BigDog is impressive, DARPA wants even more capability for a final design, calling the desired product a Legged Squad Support System (LS3). Boston Dynamics is working on a prototype for the LS3 which it calls AlphaDog. The goal is a robot that can carry 400 pounds, function with minimal noise, and walk twenty miles without refueling.

The most impressive project today is definitely the PETMAN, or Protection Ensemble Test Mannequin. This humanoid robot is over five feet tall and about 180 pounds in weight. It was designed for testing military uniforms, but we all know how versatile the human body can be. Perhaps terminators and robot butlers are not so distant a possibility. After all, would it be so strange for people to prefer robots to fight wars rather than friends and family members? And might wealthy families invest in upgradable, tireless android servants instead of traditional domestic workers?

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Featured Company - AeroVironment

This company is based in California and was founded by Paul MacCready. AeroVironment specializes in flying machines, most notably unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and solar-powered airplanes. Innovation has been a prime goal of this company for something like forty years. This company created an all-electric, solar-powered airplane, named Solar Challenger, that successfully flew from France to England in 1981. No fuel! Think about that for a second: an international flight that used zero gallons of fuel. In the same decade, AeroVironment collaborated on the GM Sunraycer, a solar-powered car that won the first World Solar Challenge.

Two of the most significant projects that AeroVironment has today are Raven and Global Observer. The Raven is a UAV that is small enough to be launched by hand. Over 13,000 have been made, and many of them are used by the United States military (especially in Iraq). Various foreign countries also use the Raven, such as the U.K. and Netherlands. Once launched, the Raven can fly for over an hour, reaching speeds exceeding thirty miles per hour and altitudes around two miles up.

The Global Observer is still in development, but it is very promising. It is a high-altitude UAV that should become a versatile alternative to some space satellites. Soaring eleven miles above Earth, the Global Observer burns hydrogen to power its four motors for up to a week. When it runs low on fuel, it will be relieved by a second Global Observer and land for refueling. It may require two UAVs to take the place of one satellite, but flying on hydrogen is cheaper than launching a huge rocket into space. Some of the desired uses for the Global Observer include spying on terrorists, capturing real-time data on weather and natural disasters, and serving as as communication relay.

AeroVironment's latest innovation is called the Nano Hummingbird. This miniscule UAV is capable of flying in any direction and hovering, just like a live hummingbird. It has a built-in camera for surveillance and weighs less than one AA battery. Its wingspan is only six inches long! The DARPA-funded Nano Hummingbird is likely to generate controversy in the coming years. While such devices are great for spying on terrorists, the possibility exists of spying on local citizens (either by the government or other citizens). America has been struggling to find a satisfactory balance between security and privacy lately, and the Nano Hummingbird will not make that struggle any easier. But it will probably save some soldiers' lives and make their jobs a little safer.

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OLYMPIAN STAMINA FOR THE AVERAGE JOE

Heat is a major factor in muscle fatigue. Muscles produce heat as they are used, and overheating inhibits their function. Much of the body's excess heat is expelled through the head and hands. When this is not enough, sweat is produced to facilitate evaporative cooling. If our muscles produce heat faster than sweat can remove it, then we quickly tire out. A more efficient method of cooling would obviously allow muscles to work longer.

Scientists at Stanford University have found such a method. They are developing a device, dubbed the “cool glove”, that can increase someone's workout time by as much as 100%. The glove has an air-tight seal around the wrist and applies mild suction to the hand. The lower air pressure draws more blood into the hand than is usual. The surface in contact with the palm of the hand is cooled to about sixty degrees Fahrenheit with ice water. The temperature is crucial because the blood vessels contract and reduce blood flow if exposed to anything colder. The glove cools the blood in the hand through conduction, and the cooled blood flows back to the heart. This process can effectively decrease the body's core temperature to back to normal after a period of intense exercise. Imagine a long jog that leaves you hot and exhausted. After a few minutes of using the cool glove, you feel refreshed and ready for another session. Using this technology to extend workouts, you can drastically improve your strength and endurance.

In the future people will be able exercise two or three times as long but with roughly the same amount of fatigue. Physical fitness for some could reach astounding levels without the use of steroids. This technology also has a potential application for people in hot climates. Soldiers in desert environments could last much longer as their blood is kept at healthy temperatures. Perhaps the cool glove might become an alternative to conventional air conditioners, as well as an indispensable exercise aid.