Revision of the Drone Code in the UK

Summary

The civil Aviation Authority (CAA) requires people who are given a drone as a gift to understand how to use it safely. According to the research by CAA, only 39% of drone owners know the regulations for safe-flying. The number of accidents caused by drones keeps rising. So now the CAA and NATS are providing the essentials for owners through the Internet and some organizations in Europe are calling for drone makers to equip “geo-fencing” systems with drones. Mr. Sage from NATS insists that drones are the fruits of advanced technology but it is quite important to use them safely.

Opinion

The UK’s drone code has been changed to the five terms whose initial letters are “DRONE.” I think this revision was well-devised to let drone owners remember how to fly it safely, but honestly, these five terms are not enough. I was very surprised to know that only 36% of buyers have got guidance for safe-flying when they bought drones. In the case of driving cars, we cannot get driving licence unless we go to driving school and learn to drive safely. Drones have risks of causing accidents, so it is necessary for drone buyers to get guidance and obtain licence same as the case of cars.

 

New satellite helps pilots avoid turbulence, but……

summary
In US, a new wheather satellite”GOES-R” that could help pilots avoid turbulence has launched into space. The satellite will beam clearer images of cloud waves, which contribute to turbulence, back to earth more quickly. Pilots have welcomed the advances, which are expected to be available from the second half of 2017.

Opinion
First I heard this topic, I think lastest technology is so great. For example, the new one can scan the skies five times faster than previous versions, I was impressed by the rapid development of technology. But on other hand, I feel a sence of danger. Certainly the technology is improving and become comfortable when the pilots steer the airplane, however their steering skill is not always improving. There was interesting data, the air accidents caused by natural disaster and machine malfunction are decreasing in recent years, but the accidents caused by human error are not decreasing. So no matter how the technology is improved, it is essential for drastic solution that steering skill of pilots is improved.
I also think pilot and operator combination is very important, but the above is most important for drastic solution, I’m sure.

Scientists say they’ve figured out how to remove fears from the brain

Summary
Scientists argue that they find a way to remove traumas and phobias from the brain. Now, in most treatments for traumas, phobias and PTSD, drugs or aversion therapy. But researchers say their technique which is called neurofeedback or DecNef is able to remove traumas and specific fears from the brain. This uses brain scanning and artificial intelligence.Firstly, implant a fear memory in brain under a specific condition. After that, change the memory into good memory under the same condition. By this operation, the fear memory is overwritten, and traumas or phobias are removed from the brain, researchers beleive.

Opinion
I think that removing bad memories from the brain is not necessarily good. There are two reasons. Firstly, we can grow larger as a human being by an existence of bad memories. I have experienced various hard things in my life. So, I have a lot of bad memories. But I could be stronger and learn a lot of things as often as I experienced hard things. Secondly, I think that this technique has a dangerous side. Indeed, removing bad memories from the brain is effective in reducing the pain of people who have traumas, phobias and specific fears. But this technique can be used for other purpose. For example, if it is used for operations of people’s thought, the user of it can exclude people who don’t agree the user’s opinion and make autocratic nation easily. Abuses of this technique may cause unhappiness of a lot of people. Thus, I think that removing bad memories from the brain is not necessarily good.

The truth or falsehood of information on the Internet

Mark Zuckerberg has outlined a series of measures that should help prevent fake news from being shared on Facebook. When the U.S. presidential election was held in November, misinformation was shared on Facebook. However, he think the idea that fake news on Facebook influenced the election in any way is a pretty crazy idea. His latest post makes clear that Facebook does not want to play the role of an editor. So, he did not say how quickly the measures would be in place. Facebook’s business model is to be used by fake news publishers.

Nowadays, not only mass communications but also SNSs are flooded with much information. However, the truth or falsehood of these information is dubios. As a matter of course, there is correct information, but there is mistaken information, too. So, we should have the ability to ascertain the truth of the information on SNSs. A recipient of information on the Internet need outstanding capacities.

Around the World in Virtual Reality Through Google Earth VR

Summary

According to the article, we will know virtual reality which built by Google has been using for viewing earth. Google is attempting to develop this program since a decade ago, and now this technique is more proven. The end of the essay said that people use virtual reality to discover the place that people hasn’t been there.

Personal opinion

As far as I am concerned, I think virtual reality is a double-edged sword, which means that technique has an advantage and drawback. I want to start with the advantage.
Firstly, I think virtual reality is a good technique for some sports game. Because it can offer a real situation which makes you think you are in the game, and I believe it will bring you a lot of fun that the past.
Secondly, I don’t think we will be satisfied when we use virtual reality to discover the earth. We enjoin discovering because of we will be satisfied by the true stuff or unexpectable situation. However, if you through virtual reality, you will never ever feel the happiness.
Thus, I think virtual reality technique is a double-edged sword.

Can hi-tech toys be fun and educational?

Summary
The technology in science rapidly advanced, so today’s kids are growing up in a world which is filled with technology. Now, some hi-tech toys that is good for children’s education is developed and used at home. But playing with educational hi-tech toys need to be controlled. By the way, the traditional toys give social awareness to children and help them to build relationship among friends. So, parents must be responsible and make sure children are playing with more traditional toys too. People are able to create content that can change as the child develops by combining technology with traditional toys.

Opinion
I thought that parents should balance hi-tech toys and traditional toys. Certainly, traditional toys can help children to build relationship among friends, but we should respond to the changing times. By using hi-tech toys which is good for education, for example, it is easy to learn pronunciation, look realistic and experience realistic. But, I think that there is a problem that using it too much is bad for children’s eyes. So parents need to control times that using hi-tech toys. By balancing hi-tech toys and traditional toys, we can take advantage of the technology and children can be educated better.

The new technology removing fears from the brain.

Summary

Researchers invented the new technology named DecNef. It can remove phobias and PTSD from the brains using brain scanning technology and artificial intelligence. For the time being, drugs or aversion therapy are used for treatment, but they sometimes cause side effects or flashback. In that point, DecNef functions in patient’s subconscious that they don’t have any negative effects. An Japanese researcher hopes to put DecNef to practical use in the near years.

 

Opinion

The other day I saw the TV program about PTSD patient of 3.11, and I realized seriousness of such trauma once again. Thus I believe this kind of technology is useful especially for Japan. However, we should mind a risk of mind control. DecNef can remove our fears fundamentally and this mechanism is effective in therapy. But if it is abused by terrorists or government, there are possibility that cruel criminals won’t be arrested or a despotic state will establish. It is really dangerous. Therefore, I wish practical application of DecNef will be carefully proceeded.

Virtual reality video simulates drink driving car crash.

Summary
Alcohol maker Diageo has released a short virtual reality video to illustrate the realities of drunk driving. Featuring 3 main character groups, the VR video allows viewers to see the collision from a third-person point of view. Although the video looks promising for the campaign against drunk driving, some, like Carole Whittingham of CaDD believe that the imagery wasn’t enough. Using the “scare tactic” is becoming more effective as VR offers a realistic insight. The VR would hopefully emphasize the dangers of driving under the influence.
Opinion
I have very little tolerance to alcohol, so I know that just one beer is enough to keep me from driving. When I got my license, the prevention of driving under the influence was emphasized many times. I think people who drink and drive have that feeling of “I’m ok, I can take this” when really, they are not. I’ve never experienced virtual reality before, but seeing a realistic footage of a drunk driving accident would further deter those incidents. In the prevention of drunk driving, I think it’s important to hand out heavier punishment for it. I believe that driving while knowing you are drunk is attempted manslaughter. There should be more consequences even if you don’t hit anybody.

The World’s First Blue Wine

Summary

In Spain, a surprising new beverage showed up — a blue wine.  Wine is one of traditional industries in the country.  That blue wine, named “Gïk Blue”, is made from red and white grapes, organic pigments and flavors.  Co-creator Aritz López didn’t have a friend of an experienced wine maker, so he recruited some Human Resources from the University of the Basque Country, where as famous for a team of chemical engineering.  Literally, they tried to “merge nature and technology” by creating a blue wine.  Enhanced with non-caloric sweeteners, its resulting flavor succeeded to be a mellow, sweet, and slightly syrupy mouthfeel.  Of course, there are various opinions on this, from “I loved it” to “It is a terrible invention”.

 

Opinion

As I wrote above, it is a casual example of “merge nature and technology”.  I think this concept has both a good point and a bad point.  A good one is that technological improvement of something can make that more interesting.  In contrast, a bad one is that it may cause unknown risks.  For example, Genetic modification technology can be raised as an example which clearly has both side.  On one side, it is one of the effective ways to solve the food crisis with increasing mainly agricultural crops.  On the other side, it has risks to trigger human body’s problems like diseases or allergy, and to destroy ecosystem.  For that, “merging nature and technology” cannot be too careful and should be done with the most care.

(Sorry for late.)

Zuckerberg: Facebook will develop tools to fight fake news

Summary

Donald Trump has won in the American presidential election. Some people say that the false information shown on the newsfeed of Facebook had a huge effect on this result.
Zuckerberg said the idea that false news on Facebook influenced election is very crazy.
But he allowed false information had been shown on Facebook. Although Zuckerberg did not say how quickly the measures which detect incorrect news would be in place, he said that Facebook is making effort to improvement.

My opinion

Following the U.S. presidential election, I realized the power of media because Trump have gained public support through some media.
Today, we can easily post anything on the SNS. We always get various information in Facebook, Twitter, and so on. But it is difficult to judge whether the news are true.
Facebook should take effective measures against fake news as soon as possible because all informations have a possibility to have big influence. But it will be impossible to exclude all false information from the Facebook, so we must have media literacy. I think criticizing Facebook is irrelevance in this case. The people who couldn’t find out wrong information should be blamed.