A friend of mine was given a pacemaker years ago. While he was grateful for the lifesaving device, he kept telling everyone that he would eventually have to replace the batteries by having a dangerous or complicated operation.
We didn’t know if we should be happy or sad for him. That conundrum may soon be gone forever, now that engineers at Dartmouth College said they have invented “a dime-sized piece of kit that turns the kinetic energy of the heart into electricity that could power a range of implantable devices.”
I’m not exactly sure how to explain this advancement, so I am quoting a post that appeared in Engadget.
They said, “By adding a thin piece of polymer piezoelectric film, called ‘PVDF,’ to existing devices, such as pacemakers, it converts even the smallest motion into electricity, as well as ‘recharging’ an implanted device, the same modules could also be used as sensors to collect real-time health data on patients.” That could possibly mean no more scary operations to recharge internal batteries.
Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, may have just found out, that he too, can’t make retail all better. A business friend of mine, Rob Stott, an editor at Dealerscope, a tech trade publication, just discovered in a recent Amazon sales report, that “its physical stores reached $4.4 billion during the fourth quarter, a 3 percent sales decline from the $4.52 billion they did last year during the same period.”
According to Stott, that 3 per cent figure includes sales at the company’s Whole Foods locations as well as its other physical stores like Amazon Go and the Amazon Bookstore locations that have been popping up around the country.
Amazon’s overall quarterly earnings report did have a lot of positive news. Sales are up 20 percent year-over-year, ending at $72.4 billion for the quarter.
Stott read the entire report and found the one little item that gave him a chuckle. “For what it’s worth, physical stores represent a tiny segment of the business that Amazon does as a whole. But the blemish they left on what was otherwise a pretty solid quarterly earnings report shows that even big, bad Amazon is at least somewhat struggling to find a way to make brick-and-mortar work for them. And while they’ve been busy expanding their physical retail presence, competitors are quickly catching up on the ecommerce side of the business.”
Thanks Rob for clueing us in. It’s nice to know that Amazon may be forced to figure out how to make traditional retail stores popular again.
I just bought several new pairs of glasses after having cataract surgery on both of my eyes this past summer. I thought I was done with my purchases until I heard about the Bose Frames. I may want to buy the company’s first pair of sunglasses that incorporate wireless audio. If these smart glasses get great consumer acceptance, then the future fashion trend will be to wear wireless audio without covering your ears.
The Bose Frames are now available for $200. However Cherlynn Low, tech writer for Engadget, explains why you shouldn’t rush out to buy them.
Here’s a quick synopsis.
Pros
• Convenient hands-free wireless audio
• Can take phone calls
• Helpful Siri or Google Assistant integration
• Light
Cons
• No bass whatsoever
• Not loud enough
• Mediocre battery life
• AR and gesture navigation not yet live
Cherlynn explains her reasoning. “I’m fascinated by the idea of the Bose Frames. We’ve seen companies try to do open-ear headphones before — whether it’s AfterShokz with bone conduction or Sony with its Xperia Ear Duo earbuds. The benefit is that you can hear your music without your ears being blocked and therefore stay aware of surrounding sounds. But no one’s nailed the audio quality nor the design for such devices yet. And Bose is no different. I do think the Frames are a step in the right direction though. Bose has a compelling take on the technology that uses speakers and inverse audio instead of bone conduction.”
Be sure to watch the video. It’s very entertaining. Here is the Engadget post.
If you have to ask the price of the new automated indoor dog toilet, then you can’t afford it. Okay, I will tell you. It’s $1,200.
The price to make your dog comfortable around the clock should be inconsequential to pet lovers. The fact that dogs can now relieve themselves when they get the urge, should be of great relief to owners who have to walk them several times a day.
Inubox of Austin, Texas, is the company that created the smart indoor dog toilet. The product was recently shown at CES 2019.
Inubox starts working when your dog steps off the platform. It senses if waste was left behind and closes the platform to start the cleaning process.
The cleaning cycle removes waste from the platform and restores it to a clean surface for the next time. The waste is processed by Inubox and put into a closed bag. Now there is no chance of smell or spills.
Watch the video to see how it works. If you want to learn more about Inubox, check out Kickstarter. The company wants to raise more money for marketing campaigns.
My skin doctor, Dr. Steve Mandy, just told me about a new invention that is going to help take dark spots off my face. I’m thrilled. Every year new spots appear, probably to remind me that I’m no longer a spring chicken.
The Opte Precision Skincare System from Proctor & Gamble actually debuted at CES. It’s still being tested by women all over the country. It should be available in the next few months for around $1,200. That may seem like a lot of money, but not when you compare it to other remedies. Like all other new methods of improving your appearance, please check with your doctor before using.
The official press release said that the Opte incorporates the best optics, proprietary algorithms, printing technology, and skincare in one device.
P&G said most women only need treatment on approximately 10 percent of their skin. Opté’s proprietary technology treats only the small areas that need correction. It provides a natural, flawless look that makeup and professional treatments are unable to achieve.
Opte is comprised of a Precision Wand and Precision Serum that work together to provide immediate coverage and long-term benefits.
I know that most of you are in freezing weather right now, but apparently iRobot thought the timing was right to announce the company’s new Terra Robotic Lawn Mower.
Let’s hope the warmer weather will get here soon because mowing your lawn is going to get a lot more fun. The manufacturer unveiled a robotic mower that uses a wireless detection system to mow your lawn and keep it within the yard’s borders.
It’s called the Imprint Smart Mapping technology. All you have to do is place wireless beacons around your yard and then let the robot find the perimeters. One time around, the Terra will learn where to mow. If you have a large yard, the Terra will return to its base to recharge the battery, and then finish the job.
Homeowners can select the desired grass height and when to schedule the mowing job.
Price has not been established.
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Here’s a funny……..
Physicians were unable to reach a consensus: Should the U.S. build Trump’s Mexican Wall? The Allergists were in favor of scratching it, but the Dermatologists advised not to make any rash moves.
The Gastroenterologist’s had sort of a gut feeling about it, but the Neurologists thought Trump had a lot of nerve. Meanwhile, Obstetricians felt certain everyone was laboring under a misconception, while the Ophthalmologists considered the idea short-sighted.
Pathologists yelled, “Over my dead body!” while the Pediatricians said, “Oh, grow up!” The Psychiatrists thought the whole idea was madness, while the Radiologists could see right through it.
Surgeons decided to wash their hands of the whole thing and the Internists claimed it would indeed be a bitter pill to swallow.
The Plastic Surgeons opined that this proposal would “put a whole new face on the matter.” The Podiatrists thought it was a step forward, but the Urologists were pissed off at the whole idea.
Anesthesiologists thought the whole idea was a gas, and those lofty Cardiologists didn’t have the heart to say no. In the end, the Proctologists won out, leaving the entire decision up to the assholes in Washington !
Don’t get too excited. The eye drops will not be ready for general use for a few years. If you have cataracts, I advise you to see your doctor to talk about having the surgery. You don’t want to waste any time not seeing everything you possibly can.
According to Futurism.com, a science and technology site, scientists in the United States, just created eye drops that dissolve cataracts.
Twenty-two million Americans over 40 have cataracts.
The drops were very successfully tested on animals, and are now moving on to humans. They are basically being tested for any uncomfortable and painful side effects. Let’s hope it goes well. It’s going to change people’s lives.
Lesson number one: always check your bill after you leave your Lyft or Uber. Lesson number two: double check your charges again a few hours later.
Word has it that your bill may have been adjusted upwards while you were not looking. Watch the video to see what happened to a guy who was taken for a ride.
Here’s a hint. Don’t complain to the driver. That’s the worse thing you can do.
DigiDame 