TECHNOLOGY

Edible sensor helps TB patients

AN INGESTIBLE sensor that allows doctors to remotely monitor tuberculosis patients’ intake of medication has the potential to save millions of lives and revolutionise treatment for the world’s most deadly infectious disease, researchers said last Friday.
A randomised trial of 77 patients in California, published in the journal PLOS Medicine, found that 93 per cent of patients using the sensor were taking their daily treatment doses, compared with 63per cent who did not.
Around 10 million people contract tuberculosis annually, and in 2017 1.6 million people died from the chronic lung disorder.
Poor adherence to treatment regimes has long been associated with continued transmission and the emergence of drug-resistant strains of the disease.
The so-called Wirelessly Observed Therapy (WOT) involves a patient swallowing a small, pill-sized sensor and wearing a paired patch on their torso which transmits medication levels via Bluetooth.
Their physician can then track in real-time their medication intake using a phone app.
“If we are serious about eliminating TB, then we have to get some fundamental things right, such as increased support for patient care that efficiently helps patients complete all of their treatment,” said Sara Browne, Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of California San Diego, who led the trial.
The vast majority of TB deaths occur in developing nations, led by India.
Mark Cotton, professor of pediatrics and child health at Stellenbosch University, said the technology could have a profound effect on tuberculosis rates and deaths in high-risk countries.
“We must urgently evaluate the applicability of WOT in high-prevalence countries such as India and South Africa where adherence rates are often poor due to geographical barriers, stigma and poverty,” Cotton said.
“WOT could potentially be a lifesaver for millions.”
– AFP Relaxnews

Paralysed man walks again with brain-controlled exoskeleton

A MAN paralysed from the shoulders down has been able to walk using a pioneering four-limb robotic system, or exoskeleton, that is commanded and controlled by signals from his brain.
With a ceiling-mounted harness for balance, the 28-year-old tetraplegic patient used a system of sensors implanted near his brain to send messages to move all four of his paralyzed limbs after a two-year-long trial of the whole-body exoskeleton.
The results, published in The Lancet Neurology journal on Oct 3, bring doctors a step closer to one day being able to help paralysed patients drive computers using brain signals alone, according to researchers who led the work.
But for now the exoskeleton is purely an experimental prototype and is “far from clinical application”, they added.
“(This) is the first semi-invasive wireless brain-computer system designed… to activate all four limbs,” said Alim-Louis Benabid, a neurosurgeon and professor at the University of Grenoble, France, who co-led the trial.
He said previous brain-computer technologies have used invasive sensors implanted in the brain, where they can be more dangerous and often stop working. Previous versions have also been connected to wires, he said, or have been limited to creating movement in just one limb.
In this trial, two recording devices were implanted, one either side of the patient’s head between the brain and the skin, spanning the sensorimotor cortex region of the brain that controls sensation and motor function.
Each recorder contained 64 electrodes which collected brain signals and transmitted them to a decoding algorithm.
The system translated the brain signals into the movements the patient thought about, and sent his commands to the exoskeleton.
Over 24 months, the patient carried out various mental tasks to train the algorithm to understand his thoughts and to progressively increase the number of movements he could make.
Commenting on the results, Tom Shakespeare, a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said it was “a welcome and exciting advance” but added: “Proof of concept is a long way from usable clinical possibility.”
“A danger of hype always exists in this field. Even if ever workable, cost constraints mean that high-tech options are never going to be available to most people in the world with spinal cord injury.”
– Reuters

eSports a hard sell in grades-obsessed Singapore

IN A country highly focused on academic achievement, Singaporean Galvin Kang Jian Wen did something almost unthinkable – he stopped studying as a teenager to spend more time playing computer games.
He defied parental and social disapproval after his high school finals to pursue his dream of becoming an eSports champion, but believes the sacrifice has paid off as he heads with his national team to South-East Asia’s mini-Olympics.
Teenage gamers worldwide are shunning mainstream education in favour of spending hours tapping away on computers and phones, attracted by a booming eSports scene where prizes at major tournaments reach millions of dollars. But perhaps nowhere is the prospect of swapping textbooks for joysticks more daunting than in Singapore, which tops global education rankings and where striving for academic excellence is deeply ingrained in the national psyche.
Kang – who is his national side’s coach and competes in multiplayer battle game Dota 2 under the moniker “Meracle” – said his belief in his own playing skills was so great he had the courage to do what most would not dare.
“I stopped studying and went to pursue this passion of mine,” the 23-year-old told AFP at a South-East Asian Games boot camp in Singapore, which was organised by the tournament’s eSports partner, gaming hardware company Razer.
“Obviously (my parents) were not very happy about my decision because nobody wants their kids to stop studying.”
Education pressure
He is the exception, however, in a country known for a strict education system, a focus on getting good exam results and where a growing number of students go on to university or another form of tertiary education.

The pressure starts as early as primary school, and critics say it has contributed to the growing incidence of mental illness among the young, although the government is seeking to make things easier through steps like reducing exams.
The focus on education and a choice of well-paying jobs in the affluent country mean few are willing to pursue a career in the fledgling eSports scene – Singapore has only around 15 professional gamers.
“Singapore is very focused on study,” said the country’s eSports association president Ng Chong Geng, recalling how when he gave a talk at a university, not a single student expressed an interest in becoming a professional player.
“Now more or less everyone graduates with some sort of degree… If you try to be an eSports athlete you have to give up on a lot of other opportunities.”
Players also complain the country’s system of conscription – male citizens undergo two years of national service from the age of 18 – is a hindrance for promising gamers who need time to develop their skills.
But after retirement?
Kang is not alone among players heading to the Sea Games, taking place in the Philippines in November and December, in having chosen to focus on gaming rather than study.
“The thing that most changed me was quitting school so I can play for the whole day, play full time,” said 17-year-old Thai Dota 2 gamer Nuengnara Teeramahanon, who quit school aged 16.
“I just did not want to study any more, I just feel like it’s so boring.”
However, the lack of qualifications could be a disadvantage for players when they retire, which can come at a young age in eSports. In some games, players can be finished by 23 as their reactions slow. Players from nine countries will compete in six titles at the SEA Games – Mobile Legends, Arena Of Valor, Dota 2, Starcraft II, Tekken 7, and Hearthstone.
Supporters hope the tournament could be a step towards a spot at the Olympics although that seems unlikely any time soon, with the venerable institution so far unenthusiastic about the discipline.
Players who cut short their education and made a success of eSports say their families have, for the most part, accepted their choice – although they stress they are not encouraging other gamers to follow their lead.
Kang used to be part of a team in the United States, where his accommodation was paid for and he received a salary and prize money. He currently plays for a Thailand-based team.
“Eventually they (my parents) were convinced,” he said. “I could pay for my own food, live on my own.” – AFP

People are interested in robot cars

TECH-savvy youngsters and high-earners are keen on the prospect of self-driving cars, but older people are often wary and suspicious, according to a survey by car manufacturer Audi.
Market research institute Ipsos interviewed 21,000 people from China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Britain and the United States for a project called “The Pulse of Autonomous Driving”.
A total of 82 per cent showed interest in autonomous driving, with 62 per cent saying they were curious about the new technology. A further 53 per cent of respondents said they were keen to try out a self-driving vehicle.
The study found five car user types ranging from “status-oriented trendsetters” who look forward to autonomous driving through to the “suspicious driver” who prefer to take the wheel themselves.
Fans of robot cars tend to “tech-savvy” while the wary are usually older with a lower level of income and education, the study found.
The largest user group are the “open-minded co-pilots”, who are fundamentally open to autonomous driving as long as they can take control at any time.
Enthusiasm varied too. The Chinese are euphoric about self-driving cars and South Koreans take an above-average positive view of the technology, showed the survey.
The Spanish and Italians are the pioneers in Europe while Germans and the French are still cautious, along with Americans, the Japanese and the British.
The overall level of knowledge about autonomous driving appears to be low. Only 8 per cent of respondents said they could explain the subject.
– dpa