Nutrition

Nutrition is the fuel that we put into our bodies — but, unlike a car, all fuels aren’t the same. Some are better for us, and some are worse. And whatever doesn’t get used up right away gets stored in long-term storage, better known as fat. Last time we covered water and it’s importance in filtering the body and powered many metabolic processes. We also talked about how to make a change — even one healthy meal can start the self-repair process.

Again, I’m reviewing portions of the book that changed my life. Last year, I lost a lot of weight by following the plan in “Transcend: Nine Steps to Living Well Forever” by Ray Kurzweil and Terry Grossman, MD. If you haven’t read it, I suggest you do so – the supposition is that, with advancing medical and nanotechnology, we may be able to defeat aging as a species. The nine steps outlined give the reader a road map for sticking around until death is possibly cured.

We’re chatting about maximizing health through nutrition, step #4 in the Plan. Last time I covered proper hydration and the conundrum of fat.

Protein

Proteins are literally the building blocks of life. All proteins are assembled from amino acids in a complicated process known as biosynthesis. The body requires a constant and external source for these amino acid building blocks to continue to operate. While it is possible for the body to create some of these, there are eight essential amino acids that must be obtained from external sources — namely, in the diet.

Consuming complete protein from sources such as meat, milk, and vegetable products provides the body with all eight essential amino acids. But, as they say in Transcend (I’m on page 233, if you’re following along), “you don’t need to consume complete proteins as long as you eat all eight essential amino acids over the course of each day, not necessarily at each meal.”

What exactly does that mean? Well, protein, including those obtained from animal sources, are a primary building block for the human body. And while many of those animal-based proteins can be obtained from other, non-animal sources, it is crucial that SOME form of protein/amino acids be ingested daily.

How Much Protein?

According the National Institutes of Health, most healthy adults need 50 grams of protein daily, plus another 10 grams for each 60 minutes of exercise. Sources can include meat (a 4-ounce serving of meat, fish or poultry contains 25 grams), beans (15 grams per cup), milk (10 grams per cup), of eggs and nuts (5 grams per egg or handful of nuts).

And while it might be tempting to want to eat three steaks a day to get your protein, mix it up. Vegetable proteins allow you to avoid the saturated fats, cholesterol, and additives (hormone, pesticides and antibiotics) found in some meats.

Next time, we’ll talk about carbs.

About the Column

This column is not about “healthy” living but “healthier” living, which is more attainable. Send feedback or questions to healthier@gregenslen.com or use the “Contact” page on Greg’s website. Greg is a Dayton-based writer interested in improving his overall health. But he’s not a doctor, so for real medical advice and direction, consult a physician.

What is a Bit Coin?

Bitcoins are a virtual or digital currency, a method of spending and tracking “money” that doesn’t actually consist. Confused? Oh, I’m just getting started. Computers create Bitcoins out of thin air. A computer, running a particular program, creates or “mines” the Bitcoins by solving complicated mathematical formulas. These “miners” work for hundred (or thousands) of hours to “create” one Bitcoin.

There will be a maximum number of Bitcoins – the total is set for 21 million. But all of them are not in circulation — only around 11 million have been “found” at this point. The computer programs set up to create the Bitcoins are essentially “discovering” or mining those missing coins. In the end, there will be 21 million total – after that point, no more can be created.

What Are They Worth?

Well, that depends on a curious aspect of all currencies, real or pretend. Money is really only worth what a group of people “thinks” it is worth — for example, the U.S. Dollar is worth one dollar of goods or services, right? But what is a “dollar?” It’s a piece of paper, backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government. They back the dollar with their power.

If the American government went away tomorrow, that dollar might become worthless, much like the “value” of currency of the southern Confederacy became much less valuable after the end of the civil war. So, money is worth what everyone collectively thinks it’s worth.

As of May 13, the value of one Bitcoin was about $115.83. Bitcoins, stored in virtual “wallets,” are growing in popularity — according to a recent Wall Street Journal article, some 60,000 transactions per day are being carried out using the currency. While it is contained to the high-tech portions of society, people are using Bitcoins to pay for products and services, and the article points out one person who is even receiving his paychecks in Bitcoins.

Transactions are carried out “in the open” – all financial transactions are encrypted and shared will all the other connected computers, so there can be no secret transferal of Bitcoins from one person to another. With all transactions public, it creates a transparency that, while maintaining privacy through encryption, increases trust in the virtual currency.

So, Why?

The mysterious creators of the Bit Coin concept were trying to create a democratic currency that could not be manipulated. If the U.S. Government chooses (as they often do), they can simply go out and print more dollars. It injects more money into the system and can help avoid things like inflation. But it also decreases the “value” of each other dollar bill floating around out there.

This works well because people around the world trust the “solidity” of the American financial system and, therefore, put their trust in the American dollar. But if something were to happen to decrease the level of trust in the American dollar, investors and others might stop holding that currency and switch to another.

Bit Coins can also be manipulated — one buyer could purchase a large group of them, thereby making all the other outstanding bit coins more “valuable.” But, again, they are only worth what everyone in the bit coin community agrees they are worth. The big difference here is that there are a limited number of coins – that helps to keeps the value stable. For more information, please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitcoin.

Next Time

If you enjoyed this article and would like to see more, drop me an email at this NEW email address, techcorner@gregenslen.com or use the “Contact Me” page on my website.

Regular TV

My DVR gets a pretty good workout. And it seems like I’m constantly deleting things to make room for other things. A few weeks ago, I took some time off from my exercise routine to finish up my latest novel, and the DVR filled up pretty quickly. And few things make me more angry then getting ready to sit down to watch something and that “100% Full” warning comes up. Dang-it!

The Amazing Race - one of the Enslen family favorites, this perennial “race around the world” never disappoints. We watch it as a family, learning about exotic destinations and the value of teamwork – and perseverance. It amazes me how excited the kids can get about this show, rooting for their favorite teams during the challenges and LITERALLY jumping up and down in their seats to find out who will make it to the weekly “pit stop.” This show, which regularly wins Emmys, has fantastic production values — though I’m glad I don’t have to cart those HD cameras to all those distant, exotic locations.

American Idol – oh, you used to be so good! Where have you gone? I tried to watch this season, but I really don’t like any of the three new judges. Keith Urban and Mariah Carey are all right, but they aren’t very exciting and don’t seem to bring a lot to the table. And Nicki Minaj is so completely and utterly annoying that I cringe every time she opens her mouth. I miss Simon Cowell — actually, I don’t miss him. I miss having someone honest on the panel. I’ve read that they will be doing a clean sweep, with all new judges next year. The three new judges were let go, and then long-time judge Randy Jackson announced that he would be leaving, as well. Do you think they’ll hold a competition to pick the new judges? Who would judge that?

Craig Ferguson – I watch this nightly talk show, although sometimes I miss a few and have to catch up. I’m always interested to hear Craig’s opinion on current events and topics in the news. He has a comedic bent that I love, but it’s not appropriate for the kids — or anyone who might be offended by Ferguson’s gay robot skeleton sidekick, Geoff.

Cable TV

And while free TV is great, there are a lot of shows we watch on cable TV.

Robot Combat League – The first season of SyFy’s robot fighting show just wrapped up, and I already miss it. Twelve fighting robots, operated by two humans each, faced off in a grungy warehouse somewhere in Los Angeles and duked it out for the title of champion. And while this first generation of robots could be a little clunky and hard to maneuver, the producers of the show figured out how to get my family to root for nine-foot-tall metal fighters with names like “Scorpio” and “Crash.” A lot of fun, and the kids really enjoyed it. And I’m for anything that makes kids interested in math or science — or building giant robots.

Justified — another great show that just ended their season, I love the writing on Justified. Raylan Givens is a U.S. Marshall who, after years of working in other parts of the country, returns to his roots in Harland County, Kentucky. He’s a modern-day cowboy, a concept that doesn’t sit well with his superiors, but he (nearly) always gets his man.

Next time, I’ll share what I’m watching in the movie realm – and why Netflix is so crucial to my exercise routine.

Next Time

Feel free to drop me an email at ramblings@gregenslen.com or use the “Contact Me” page on my website if you’d like to let me know about what you think about Children’s Hospital or share your lifehacks with me. And hopefully I’ll talk to you soon!

A listing of upcoming events in Tipp City, OH and other local events of interest.

Tipp City Board of Zoning Appeals

When: Wednesday, May 15, 7:30 pm

Where: City Government Center, 260 S. Garber Drive, Tipp City, OH

Streetscape Construction Update

When: Thursday, May 16, 9 am

Where: Monroe Township Building basement, 4 East Main Street, Tipp City, OH

Description: The weekly Streetscape construction progress meeting.

Dayton Hamvention Amateur Radio & Electronics Show 2013

When: Friday, May 17 – Sunday, May 19

Where: Hara Arena, 1001 Shiloh Springs Rd, Dayton, OH 45415

Description: The world’s largest amateur radio gathering. Dayton Hamvention®, one of the world’s largest amateur radio gatherings, returns to Hara to celebrate its 62nd show. It is expected to bring over 25,000 people from all over the world to the Miami Valley over the three-day weekend. Possibly nowhere on earth can one experience first-hand the incredible diversity and worldwide reach of amateur radio as during this event. Admission is $20.00 in advance and $25.00 the days of the show. Hamvention bus tickets are $8.00. Admission and bus tickets are valid for all three days. For more information and a full forum schedule, please visit the Dayton Hamvention® website at www.hamvention.org

Friday Activities: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Outside Exhibits open. Forums and scheduled bus service available (all buses are scheduled to pick up passengers to arrive at HARA by 8 AM). Programs available at all ticket selling points; 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Inside Exhibits open, prizes on display, hourly drawings.

Saturday Activities: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Outside Exhibits open. Bus service available; 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Inside Exhibits open, forums, exams, scheduled activities; 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m Hourly prize drawings.

Sunday Activities: 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Outside Exhibits open; 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Bus service available; 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Inside Exhibits open; prizes on display; 9:00 a.m. – noon. Hourly prize drawings; 9:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Forums and scheduled activities; 1:00 p.m. Prize Drawings: unclaimed hourly prizes followed by main prizes. Schedule subject to change.

Strawberry Festival Soccer Invitational

When: Friday, May 17 – Sunday, May 19

Where: Various Parks in Troy

Description: It’s Strawberry Soccer time again! This is a fully sanctioned U.S. Youth Soccer tournament, which only caters to League Teams. This year, we hope to host 300 teams for a great soccer weekend. The Tournament is held at four sites in Miami County. Call for more information 937-477-4748 or www.StrawberrySoccer.com.

Piqua Taste of the Arts

When: Friday, May 17, 5 – 9 pm

Where: Downtown Piqua, OH

Description: A Feast for the Senses! Enjoy delicious taster size portions of popular menu items from local restaurants while enjoying live music, children’s activities and fun for the whole family. Artists demonstrate a wide variety of artistic expression from watercolor painting to pottery and more. This event is held in Piqua’s quaint historic downtown district, surrounded by wonderful shops open late for festival goers! Contact Main Street Piqua 937-773-9355 for more information, or visit www.mainstreetpiqua.com.

Mead and Cider Tasting

When: Friday, May 17, 6 – 9 pm

Where: Miami Valley Wine and Spirits, 943 W. Main St., Tipp City, OH

Description: Miami Valley Wine and Spirits cordially invites you to join them for a tasting. For more information, call 937-667-3614.

Hard Hat Shop Hop!

When: Saturday, May 18, all day

Where: Downtown Tipp City, Ohio 45371

Description: Spring merchandise, raffles, special deals — and a chance to get ‘get your ticket punched’ and win wonderful, uniquely Tipp City prizes!! Stroll the streets, enjoy our restaurants and explore our shops. We are OPEN FOR BUSINESS! Get special carry bags and hard hats as our merchants embrace the street improvements!

Fashion Show For a Cure

When: Saturday, May 18, noon; after-party concert with Seventh Street Band

Where: Wellington Grille, 2450 Dayton Xenia Road, Beavercreek, Ohio 45434

Description: Future So Bright…You Gotta Wear Shades! 80′s themed attire HIGHLY suggested! Fashion Show For A Cure May 18, 2013 – Tickets $65 2013 in Beavercreek, Ohio at the Wellington Grille *Access to the Open House 12:00-1:30pm Drinks/Appetizers provided & last-chance raffle tickets *Includes Famous “Swag Bag” filled with LOTS of goodies *Admission to the Signtaure WaGW Fashion Event *After-Party Concert with Seventh Street Band! Memories to last a Lifetime Only 300 tickets available – ALWAYS A SOLD OUT SHOW!! For more information, visit http://www.wagwforacure.com/ or call 937-545-8278.

Tipp City Enrichment Program Board

When: Monday, May 20, 10 am

Where: Tipp City Enrichment Program site, Broadway Elementary School,

Tipp City, OH

Tipp City Council

When: Monday, May 20, 7:30pm

Where: City Government Center, 260 S. Garber Drive, Tipp City, OH

Tipp Chamber Business After Hours – Cedar Springs Pavilion

When: Wednesday, May 22, 6 – 7 pm

Where: Cedar Springs Pavilion – 7951 South County Road 25A, Tipp City

Description: The Business After Hours is a great way to connect with business people in our area. You may meet your next client or vendor, so bring lots of business cards. The event is open to the entire community and will include specialty appetizers from Cedar Springs and exciting door prizes, so bring co-workers, friends and family to join you! Join us! Call 937-667-8300 or email liz@tippcitychamber.org

Streetscape Construction Update

When: Thursday, May 23, 9 am

Where: Monroe Township Building basement, 4 East Main Street, Tipp City, OH

Description: The weekly Streetscape construction progress meeting.

Beer Tasting

When: Friday, May 24, 6 – 9 pm

Where: Miami Valley Wine and Spirits, 943 W. Main St., Tipp City, OH

Description: Miami Valley Wine and Spirits cordially invites you to join them for a tasting. For more information, call 937-667-3614.

Adidas Warrior Soccer Classic

When: Saturday, May 25 – Monday, May 27, all day

Where: Thomas Cloud Park, Huber Heights, Ohio

Description: 27th annual adidas Warrior Soccer Classic Memorial Day Soccer Tournament presented by Kettering Sports Medicine. The Warrior Soccer Club will be hosting and celebrating their 27th annual adidas Warrior Soccer Soccer Classic premier soccer tournament event. Players include under 8 thru adults in single age groups. Over 500 teams in attendance. Parking is free. Playing sites include..Thomas Clood Park, Vandalia Recreational Center, Oakwood Fields behind the Dayton Marriott, and Ankeney Complex. Enjoy this Midwest soccer event and bring the whole family!!

Market on the Miami, presented by the Miami East Chapter of the FFA

When: Saturday, May 25, 9am-Noon

Where: Tin Roof Restaurant, 439 North Elm St, Troy, Ohio

Description: “Market On The Miami” is a collaboration of local vendors who produce locally grown, homemade cottage foods and / or artisan items. The “Market On The Miami” vendors embrace the slogan “Eat Local, Buy Local” and currently will be offering a variety of locally based products for sale. Held 2nd and 4th Saturdays, February 9th through May 25th. For more information, visit http://marketonthemiami.com/ or www.ffa.org.

Tippecanoe Alumni Banquet

When: Saturday, May 25, 6 – 8 pm

Where: Tippecanoe High School, 615 E. Kessler-Cowlesville Road Tipp City, Ohio 45371

Description: This annual get-together is a wonderful way to renew old ties and meet fellow alumni from different years. Classes often use the banquet as part of the celebration of their special year. Contact information may be obtained at Tipp-Monroe Community Services, 937-667-8631.

Dayton Heritage Festival

When: Sunday, May 26, 11 am – 10 pm

Where: 1000 Carillon Boulevard, Dayton, OH 45409

Description: Head to Carillon Historical Park in Dayton for live music and more during an old-fashioned patriotic celebration – the Dayton Heritage Festival. The festival takes place from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at 1000 Carillon Boulevard. Come early to enjoy the Park’s exhibit buildings, special activities and local artisan booths. Then take a seat on the Town Greene for a patriotic concert by the Dayton Philharmonic and the grand finale fireworks display at dusk. There is no admission but general parking is $5. Watch for details on this festival at www.daytonhistory.org.

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While we can’t print every event, we’ll strive to include as many as we can, but we reserve the right to refuse to print or publicize your event. Also, although we’re trying our best, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of these listings, so contact the referenced organization for more information and verification. If you have something to add or change, please email me at info@gregenslen.com. Thanks!

Calories

Nutrition is the fuel that we put into our bodies — but, unlike a car, all fuels aren’t the same. Some are better for us, and some are worse. And whatever doesn’t get used up right away gets stored in long-term storage, better known as fat. Last time we covered water and it’s importance in filtering the body and powered many metabolic processes. We also talked about how to make a change — even one healthy meal can start the self-repair process.

Calories come in four types: protein, carbohydrates, fats, and alcohol. And every year, the debate continues on how much of each we should be eating to achieve optimal health – a new theory comes along, and then, with it, a dozen new fad diets. But most scientists and food experts seem to agree that we need a variety of different types of foods, along with the vitamins and minerals that come along for the ride.

Fats

Fats are essential for life – without two fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6, you would die. And our ability to store excess food as fat makes us a hardier species, able to survive the “boom and bust” of harsh winters and living in deserts and going short periods of time without food as part of our hunter/gatherer nature.

Unfortunately, now it’s not “boom and bust” but simply “boom and boom”— we have so much access to cheap, plentiful food, we are rarely presented with an occasion where we don’t have enough to eat. Yet our bodies don’t understand this — instead of flushing away all that excess nutrition, it stores it away as a hedge against a drought or famine that will never come.

But the thinking has changed on dietary fat, the kind we eat. It’s now recognized that we need some fat in our diets — we need it for metabolic processes and to signal “fullness” so that we stop eating. Every notice how there are some “low-fat” foods that you can just keep eating and eating and never feel full? For me, rice cakes are like that. One reason is that they are extremely low fat, and fat in a food can signal satiety.

But there are good fats and bad – and fats contain a lot of energy. Fat contains 9 calories per gram, compared to 4 calories per gram for carbohydrates and protein.

Unsaturated fats, which are liquid at room temperature, are considered “good fats,” and must be consumed in the right balance to maintain good health. But the “bad fats,” the saturated fats, should be avoided as much as possible. These are solid at body temperature.

The newly-invented “trans fats” come from hydrogenated vegetable oil and should be eliminated completely — they were designed to extend shelf life by chemically altering unsaturated liquid vegetable oils to create something similar to saturated fats but far worse for us — the process strips out essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and other useful nutrients. They also use toxic chemicals during the process which can remain behind. As Nancy Reagan would say, “Just Say No” to trans fats.

Next time, we’ll talk about carbs and proteins.

About the Column

This column is not about “healthy” living but “healthier” living, which is more attainable. Send feedback or questions to healthier@gregenslen.com or use the “Contact” page on Greg’s website. Greg is a Dayton-based writer interested in improving his overall health. But he’s not a doctor, so for real medical advice and direction, consult a physician.

Streetscape Construction Progress Meetings

One good way to stay informed is to attend the weekly Construction Progress Meetings, which take place every Thursday morning at 9am, usually in the meeting room in the basement of the Monroe Township building. Representatives from the City and the contractor will be on hand each week to lay out their plans for the upcoming week of construction. They are also available to answer questions and work with property and business owners to arrange construction schedules and coordinate building access.

At the last meeting, they discussed installation of water mains and laterals. In the coming weeks, the contractor will need access to building basements to continue installing storm drains. Also discussed was street markings related to the ongoing Vectren work now being carried out on South Second Street.

ROUGH Construction Schedule

Phase 3 is currently underway as they work to reconstruct the portion of Main Street between First and Third Streets. Phase 4 will follow, with the road being torn up between the railroad tracks and Third Street. The portion of Main between First and Third will be reopened by that time. The Streetscape project, which began work March 15, will be completed in four phases:

• Phase 1 – work on Main east of First Street (COMPLETED)
• Phase 2 – work on the intersection of First and Main (COMPLETED)
• Phase 3 – approximately 90 days of construction on the section of downtown between First and Third Streets
• Phase 4 – approximately 90 days of construction on the section of downtown between Third Street and the railroad tracks

Upcoming Dates

Downtown businesses and other interested parties are working together to keep the stores and restaurants busy throughout construction. May 4 saw a coordinated day of business “garage sales” and sales in back alleys. On Saturday, May 18, merchants will be holding their second Hard Hat Shop Hop. Here are the details: “Spring merchandise, raffles, special deals — and a chance to get ‘get your ticket punched’ and win wonderful, uniquely Tipp City prizes!! Stroll the streets, enjoy our restaurants and explore our shops. We are OPEN FOR BUSINESS! Get special carry bags and hard hats as our merchants embrace the street improvements!” Visit the Downtown Tipp City Partnership website for updates: www.dtcp.org.

DTCP Updates

For good information on the construction, keep an eye on the Downtown Tipp City Partnership and City of Tipp City web pages for updates. The streetscape has been a topic of conversation in our monthly meetings for a while, but if you’re interested in staying up-to-date on all goings-o around town, check out the website or attend a meeting. The next one is 5/21 at 9am above Community Services.

I’m spearheading the DTCP’s efforts to keep the downtown “in the loop” on the construction project. We’ve created a “Streetscape” page on our website at www.dtcp.org/wp/doing-business/streetscape-project/, and it includes links to the City site, a downtown parking map, and summaries of past meetings. There is also an FAQ section.

Next Time

Feel free to drop me an email at ramblings@gregenslen.com or use the “Contact Me” page on my website if you’d like to let me know about what you think about the streetscape progress. And hopefully I’ll talk to you soon!

3-D Printing Primer

Manufacturers often create prototypes or small models of different parts for testing or before scaling up to production. Often these models and prototypes have to be created somewhere else — CAD (computer aided design) files are created and sent to the manufacturer, who creates the prototype part and ships it back.

3-D printing is starting to change all of that. Over the past few years, desktop 3-D printing has really started to take off, growing out of a “do it yourself” DIY culture of creating things in workshops or in small studios. Now, with the advent of cheaper 3-D printers, small companies (and large) can “print” parts and create small objects and prototypes on-site in a short time.

Fascinating Projects

Projects and printing efforts are growing quickly as machines become cheaper and more easily available. Here are a few interesting projects, several of which I found from reading www.dvice.com:

International Space Station

Why fly replacement parts up to the space station when they could just print them out themselves? Made in Space, a 3D printer company based in Moffett Field, California, has been working for three years to perfect 3D printers capable of working in microgravity. They’ve tested their printer by flying parabolas, airplane flights that simulate zero gravity. According to CTO Jason Dunn, Made in Space will fly the first 3D printer in space next year aboard a SpaceX Dragon freighter, which will deliver it for use by astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Dunn told attendees at the Space Hacker Workshop in Mountain View, Calif., that this will be the first time that humans will conduct manufacturing operations off the Earth. The 3-D machine will allow astronauts to print parts and components on orbit instead of having to ship them up from Earth. For more information, see http://www.parabolicarc.com/2013/05/04/made-in-space-to-fly-3d-printer-to-iss-next-year/

Printed Skull

Oxford Performance Materials, located in Connecticut, recently recreated the missing portion of a patient’s skull by printing out a replacement. “3D printing technology has helped replace 75 percent of a patient’s skull with the approval of U.S. regulators. The 3D-printed implant can replace the bone in people’s skulls damaged by disease or trauma,” according to Oxford Performance Materials. The first U.S. surgical operation took place on March 4. For more information, see http://www.oxfordpm.com/news/article/2013-03-06_3d-printed_skull_implant_ready_for_operation

Emma’s “Magic Arms”

Any new technology could use a heart-warming story, and the story of Emma and her “magic arms” goes a long way to explaining the potential for the technology. Emma was born with arthrogryposis, a condition that means she can not move her arms on her own. A traditional prosthetic would have been quickly outgrown, so researchers created “magic arms” for her using 3D printing – her prosthetic arm supports can be easily made longer and continue to support her mobility by replacing portions of the prosthetic with new, printed components. For more information, see the study at http://www.stratasys.com/resources/case-studies/medical/nemours

Kidneys

From the TED website: “Surgeon Anthony Atala demonstrates an early-stage experiment that could someday solve the organ-donor problem: a 3D printer that uses living cells to output a transplantable kidney. Using similar technology, Dr. Atala’s young patient Luke Massella received an engineered bladder 10 years ago; we meet him onstage.” See http://www.ted.com/talks/anthony_atala_printing_a_human_kidney.html

Bioprinters and “Bio Ink”

Researchers in Iowa are developing a “bio ink” that can be used to print human organs. “One of the most promising research activities is bioprinting a glucose-sensitive pancreatic organ that can be grown in a lab and transplanted anywhere inside the body to regulate the glucose level of blood,” says AMTecH co-director Ibrahim Ozbolat, assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering. See http://phys.org/news/2013-03-3d-printer-bio-ink-human-video.html

Next Time

If you enjoyed this article and would like to see more, drop me an email at this NEW email address, techcorner@gregenslen.com or use the “Contact Me” page on my website. And past columns are available at www.gregenslen.com.

Google Glass is Coming

Over the next year, Google will be rolling out a new technology — Google Glass. Unlike a cell phone or tablet computer, this new piece of technology will be worn by the user — in fact, the Google Glass device looks like a strangely-thick pair of glasses. The user will wear the “glasses” around in their daily lives, but the wearable computer will be available at all times to take photos, respond to spoken questions, and search the Internet instantly.

The glasses display what looks like a small computer screen in one corner of the user’s vision — the small screen can display photos, directions, emails or anything else that a user might see on their cell phone — but instead of looking down at their screens, users of Google Glass will see the text or directions “floating” in the air at the edge of their vision.

Google has been testing the technology forover a year and has recently been allowing testers to try out the technology. The camera is interesting — photos are taken by speaking directly to the device and are obviously hands-free, so photos can be captured instantly instead of fumbling for your phone, then turning it on, then selecting the photo app, then snapping the photo. This should capture more candid photos and photos of activities that require both hands — one memorable test photo was of a user swinging his child around in the air, a photo that would be impossible to take with a standard camera.

Of course, alway-on wearable cameras raise all kinds of privacy issues that will need to be addressed — in fact, some places area already banning Google Glass wearers, even though the glasses aren’t even really out yet. Google has released an “Explorer Edition” to select beta testers willing to pay $1,500 to try out a test unit. Public availability will follow, probably in 2014. For more information, see www.google.com/glass/start/.

New Versions of Xbox and Playstation Coming This Year

Video gamers are having quite an exciting time of late: first, the newest Nintendo system was released last November, and the Playstation 4 was recently announced from Sony and should be out by Christmas.

Now, Microsoft has announced that the planned new iteration of Xbox will be revealed at an event on May 21. Rumors abound, but it sounds like the new (and as yet unnamed device) will be available at two price points: a $499 retail version and a $299 version that will require a two-year subscription to Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade service.

Other rumors include news that the system may not be backwards compatible (or just the more expensive version will be), and that all the new versions will require an always-on Internet connection. Still no confirmation on a release date, but expect the unit to be in stores well ahead of Christmas 2013.

And some Tech Tidbits:

Samsung and Apple are duking it out with new products and services – Samsung is planning to launch a new eight-inch tablet, while Apple is reportedly creating its own Pandora/Spotify-style music streaming service…a set of Android-powered cell phones was recently launched into space by NASA…gamers can now order Pizza Hut directly from their xboxes…and users on Facebook recently collaborated to solve the 45-year-old mystery of the hit-and-run death of Carolee Ashby in 1968. For more information on these items, hit up the Google.

Next Time

If you enjoyed this article and would like to see more, drop me an email at this NEW email address, techcorner@gregenslen.com or use the “Contact Me” page on my website.