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.

Zuckerberg: Facebook will develop tools to fight fake news

Summary

Facebook has decided to fight against fake news being shared. Zuckerberg is taking responsibility as he believes that fake news on Facebook has influenced U.S. presidential election which is quite different from the comments he made last week. Facebook is working on technology to detect and classify misinformation more efficiently. 

Opinion

Nowadays individuals have more power to the society than past. Anybody can post whatever information they want on the SNS. So as a receiver, we are needed to select the information and do not believe all information they got from SNS. I try to figure out where the source is when I see the news on SNS, not believing all information without thinking.

The gender gap in e-sports

Summary

Competitive gaming, also known as Electronic Sports or e-sports, is rising in popularity sharply. Its regular global audience will likely top 150 million people. The physical advantages don’t exist in this sport. However, the women who play this sport often face harassment and a huge gender gap. Women think the game is for boys, so women don’t play the game much. The number of women in e-sports is as low as 5%. Online abuse has spread in the gaming community for years. A woman suggest the creating female teams and female-only tournaments to fight the gender gap. But, realizing that is not able to avoid controversy.
Opinion

The gender gap exists in every sports. There are the physical advantages between men and women. Although it looks that the gender gap doesn’t exist in e-sports, women who play e-sports suffers from harassment. The e-sport doesn’t need the physical attacks and power. So, I wonder at the gender gap exists in this sports. According to this passage, almost women thing game is for boys. But, I was an elementary school student, I often play games like DS and so on. Women also can enjoy playing games. More and more women notice the attraction of games and the number of women players increase, the situation of women in e-sports may become better. It is better that men should enjoy playing games with women than abusing women.

Pokémon Go players at risk of landmines in Bosnia

Summary

This artical is about the application, Pokémon Go in Bosnia.  Bosnia had a war in the 1990’s and there are still some landmines in the country. So the nongovernmental agency is warning the players of Pokémon Go not to enter these areas. They are warning the players because in other countries players made problems like falling off a clif and finding a dead body. In the case of Bosnia, there are not any accidents now. This means that many countries are moving to prevent problems happening.

Opinion

I have played Pokémon Go and enjoyed this game because this game is like playing in the world of Pokémon, because the Pokémons appear in the smart phone. When I was playing the game I usual looked at my smart phone. I tried to look around during the game but sometimes I could not look around because I was concentrating on the game. I think it is very hard looking around playing the game, so I think the manager of the game should make a tool for players not to enter dangerous places. This game is a innovative game. However there are still some problems that can be solved, so the managers should work hard to solve these problems.

Zuckerberg: Facebook will develop tools to fight fake news

Summary

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has outlined a serious of measures that should prevent fake news from being shared on Facebook. This was coming from accusations that a flood of fake news stories influenced the U.S. presidential election. He said that Facebook is working to develop stronger fake news detection, a warning system, easier reporting and technical ways to classify misinformation, but did not say how quickly the measures would be in place. He also said on Facebook that Facebook did not want to play the role of editor. This is Facebook’s ideal.

Opinion

I think that this news symbolizes “the influence of SNS” not only Facebook but also Twitter and so on. Mr. Donald Trump had taken  advantage of SNS to collect supporters and he won the presidential election. After the election, some newspapers said that many electors had  relied more on SNS information than on newspapers’ information, whether SNS information had been correct or not. In short, now SNS power is as same as some existing media’s one like news and newspapers. Therefore, administrators of SNS should be responsible for giving places to post people’s feelings or opinions and show “true or false” information. Plus, users should be responsible for posting and have a sense that “this news seems true, but that one seems false”.

VR to aid Auschwitz war trials of concentration camp guards

The prosecution of Nazi war criminals associated with the Holocaust which started on the 29th Of November 1945 is still continuing today with the help of virtual reality.
Although the Auschwitz version is yet to be used in court. This project led by Ralf Breker has been used in the prosecution of Nazi convict, Reinhold Hanning.
Senior Nazi members received justice shortly after the World War, but those of lower ranks weren’t held responsible. Germany’s Central Office for the Investigation of National Socialist Crimes established right after the war is still working to find the remaining Nazis.
Chief prosecutor Jens Rommel states emphasizes the importance of the state in prosecuting the defendants. The virtual models can describe what  involved would have done or seen. Thus helping the people now see what it was really like.
Mr. Breker is optimistic that the VR can be used in a variety of criminal cases, not just in Germany but also all over the world.

I’m very surprised by the new VR technology. Up until now, the reality of terrors that happened long ago were only imagined or remembered. This meant that we could not fully understand the tangible history of crimes. I think it would be a waste to just allow the VR to be used for crime prosecution. Everything in history, even those that aren’t pretty, have the right to be remembered, and the VR is just the thing we need. Many other tragedies around the world are begging to be left in the mind of people.

Disaster-hit Fukushima could host Olympic events

Summary

Recently,Tokyo metropolitan government and International Olympic Committee have reportedly agreed that some Tokyo 2020 Olympic events should be held in Japan’s earthquake-hit area, Fukushima. IOC president Thomas Bach told reporters, after having met with Japanese Prime Minister Sinzo Abe, that the area are one options and this will send a message of confidence and hope to the people there. Once decided upon, some of the baseball and softball games would be held in affected areas. Final decision will be made at Tokyo Organizing Committee in next month.

Opinion
Although the final decision is not yet made, I think holding some of the Olympic games in Fukushima is important not for people there but for all Japanese people. This is because revival of Fukushima for 5 years is really great and this revival is one of the symbol of Japanese high technology. Moreover, when people from overseas come Fukushima, they can directly feel that Fukushima is safety. This will make Fukushima more active. On the other hand, Fukushima’s hosting Olympic games will give all Japanese people opportunity of remember that day. As time passes ,the memory get thin. But we should not forget that disaster and for that holding Olympic games in Fukushima is meaningful for we Japanese.