With amazing technological progress being the staple of our generation, it’s only natural for both well-established companies, as well as start-ups to introduce students to new ways of learning. This list contains the 10 most promising technology trends that will improve education as we know it.

Artificial Intelligence has been slowly improving other fields, and education is up next. With the help of AI, teachers will be able to realize their shortcomings of their ways in order to improve themselves and adapt to the learning style of each class. There are certain online tutoring websites, such as Third Space Learning, who have successfully implemented AI into their systems. Therefore, whenever a student seems to misunderstand a new subject based on their answers, the system warns the tutor early on in order for them to be able to prevent any further misunderstandings.

Another great way of using AI in education is to create virtual teachers, which could hold a lot of information on subjects that they have studied, as they couldn’t possibly be subjective, therefore providing students with the cold, hard facts. These virtual teachers could be easily implemented in apps, virtual reality or even in real life, through holograms made possible by augmented reality headsets. Additionally, AI could help classrooms all over the globe be inter-connected by tracking each classroom’s data, then creating useful statistics for the other ones.

For example, data from one teacher’s session on teaching a certain lesson can be used by another teacher who is yet to teach that lesson, and can see which were the high and low points of the lesson. In this way, not only could lessons be made more exciting, but also more efficient.

Perhaps one of the most natural evolution in the classroom is the transition from paper-based textbooks and notebooks to e-books and text editing software. This transition is not only friendly to the environment, as no more paper needs to be wasted by students and publishing companies, but also extremely efficient: students are able to easily edit what they have already written, can work together on tasks using online software, and don’t have to carry around heavy bags of books, while publishing companies are able to cut down on their printing costs and edit textbooks online, so as to reflect the most recent and accurate information.

Another huge problem that is seemingly solved by digital textbooks is the outrageous cost of paper-based textbooks in the United States, which are paid by students who are already deep in debt after having to pay for university. By allowing students to rent digital copies of textbooks, companies are not only securing themselves a place among digital publishers, but are also saving students hundreds of dollars yearly.

Fortunately, it seems that this transition is taking off at a rapid pace on a global scale, as schools find it better to lend students designated tablets, or let them bring their own devices. It seems that the majority of people are agreeing with this transition, as proponents of devices over textbooks claim that they are not only more convenient in every way, but they also improve standardized test scores. On the other side, there are the “purists”, who claim that they will always enjoy the feeling of an actual book over holding an e-book reader.

While far from a new trend in technology, cloud computing has been rapidly extending, to the current point where most people are storing their files on at least one such service, with at least 95% of respondents to a survey using some sort of cloud-based service. This technology creates the basis for a functional online classroom, as students now have access to their digital textbooks from any location, using any device.

Teachers can also use this technology in order to upload important learning material such as videos or manuals and share them seamlessly with their students, thus reducing costs by removing the need for printing and copying.

Another great example of cloud computing is Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), which most people use without even knowing. Microsoft’s free Office Online, as well as its paid Office 365 counterpart are shining examples of SaaS, allowing people to access, share and work on their documents from a large variety of devices.

While there are many advanced uses for cloud computing that can be applied to education in order to improve the lives of teachers and students alike, one cannot overlook the most basic one: storing files on free services such as Google Drive, which offers 20 GB of storage for free, saves people money, as they do not need to purchase external hard drives.

While not exactly a household term, Big Data has a powerful impact on all aspects of our lives, even going as far as enabling doctors and researchers to understand mental illnesses. The term sounds extremely intimidating, but what exactly is Big Data?

Big Data is the entirety of data created by the usage of technology. This data is then processed by companies, creating relevant statistics. This allows teachers to properly identify the strengths and weaknesses of each student in order to change their methods, if needed, and to create balanced work groups for projects.

Gamification is a unique item on the list, in that it is not exactly a technology trend, but rather a trend born from technology. As its name suggests, it stems from gaming, which is perhaps one of the most popular hobbies among students.

The way it works is easy to understand and apply: instead of simply using grades to motivate students, teachers come up with various challenges that, when completed, give the student access to more advanced challenges, as well as a sense of fulfillment. Often, teachers will also choose a certain reward for each completed challenge, meaning that students also have a tangible reward to look forward to. Leaderboards may also be used in order to encourage students to do their best and to train their competitive side.

There are certain mobile apps that help track students’ progress and their already unlocked challenges, granting them achievements that they can show off on their profile.

Another fancy term that’s yet to become viral, mind mapping is actually similar to brainstorming, except for the fact that instead of ideas, it’s facts that are written down. There’s also a rhyme and reason to everything that is written down, as information is broken down into different, color-coded categories that take up different sides of the surface, making every bit of information easy to process and memorise.

Mind mapping is not a new concept, but it has been enjoying a surge of popularity in the recent years due to many mind mapping programs appearing on the market. Both paid and free, these programs allow teachers to effortlessly create mind maps for every lesson, which ensures their students’ success.

Perhaps one of the most bizarre items on the list for someone used to the public education system, flipped learning is a new way of teaching made possible by the widespread of technology among citizens. The concept has been successfully applied in several private academies, and continues to spread worldwide.

In a flipped learning environment, students learn new lessons at home, watching video lectures and studying online materials, then go to school in order to do their homework with teachers. In this way, not only are students able to feel more comfortable and relaxed while studying, as the concept is similar to watching educational YouTube videos, but they are also able to ask for help immediately when encountering roadblocks in their homework.

The fact that the teacher is no longer the lone knowledge keeper also plays a huge part in the proper education of students, as they are no longer taught from a subjective point of view. Instead, they are now able to create their own points of view on the subjects after extensive research.

Virtual reality has been one of the most popular tech subjects in the last few years, as it finally made its debut into the homes of consumers with the release of Google Cardboard, Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive. While people at home are mostly concerned with how much fun these headsets may provide, the technology is able to create useful virtual workspaces that will act as training grounds for students. This means that future surgeons will be able to improve their skills using virtual patients and tools by taking the role of chief surgeon, which is more effective than simply standing in the operating theater, watching someone else work.

But training isn’t the only education application of virtual reality. Google, among many other companies, have uploaded virtual tours of museums, which may, in time, substitute the costly and lengthy road trips. Creativity can also be stimulated through virtual reality programs such as Google’s Tilt Brush, which places players into a simulated room with complex 3D paint brushes, allowing them to create colorful 3D paintings.

Costly as it may be in the present, virtual reality has a real future in the classroom, as schools will most likely invest large sums of money in order to provide students with the most advanced learning environments. With the success of Rec Room, a game that simulates social environments through virtual reality, it may not be long before students gather in simulated classrooms.

Unlike virtual reality, augmented reality hasn’t had a great development process. The first time augmented reality became a popular subject was with the failed Google Glass, which boasted a high buy-in price to be a tester, and then was silently pulled back for more development. Microsoft apparently saw something in this market, and went on to produce the Hololens, which took the world by storm when it was first unveiled in January 2015.

While the Hololens and many other augmented reality headsets still have a long way to go before they are usable and affordable to consumers, their potential in the classrooms is not lost on anyone. One demonstration video is enough to make you imagine students sitting in a classroom and being amazed at a hologram of the human body appearing in front of the class, enabling them to study anatomy with simple gestures and voice commands.

Voice recognition software is all the rage in the mobile market right now, with every big company investing large sums of money so that their virtual assistant understands most phrases. This is, of course, a welcome improvement to every smartphone, but Amazon has been paving the way for the use of voice recognition in the classroom, and it certainly is promising.

The Amazon Echo, Amazon’s home device which contains the virtual assistant, Alexa, has slowly been infiltrating households and workplaces. Thanks to its useful features, it seems to also be finding its place in classrooms, as several teachers found it enhancing their classes. By simply saying “Alexa”, and then continuing with your request, the Amazon Echo can serve as a true assistant to every class: it can search for terms and data on the Internet, calculate quickly, provide synonyms, set timers and so on. What is more, the fact that the assistant has a name means that students can look at Alexa as a friendly person who makes classes easier and more fun.

Teachers not satisfied with Alexa’s capabilities can teach her new skills and answers to certain questions, customizing every classroom’s experience.

The post 10 Education Technology Trends and How They Will Change Learning | Classroom Technology 2017 appeared first on ChipIn.

The MOVE series is the epitome of devices for the on-the-go user lifestyle, offering the ultimate in portability and functionality without compromise.

“Aiptek i120 MobileCinema is the ideal ally, side-kick, assistant, companion and definitely the most powerful mobile projector for the modern traveling businessperson or user with an active lifestyle.” says Frank Sheu, CEO, Global Aiptek Corporation. “i120 brings the concept of sharing media anytime, anywhere, to the next level.”

The device is constructed with an exterior housing that features a sophisticated fusion of a seamless metallic finished frame for rigidity and a hard-coated glossy polycarbonate body, that results in a solid yet striking aesthetic.

Aiptek i120 provides an unprecedented number of wireless connectivity options for work and play. Screen mirroring of device content is compatible with all major mobile operating systems, namely iOS, Android, and Windows, thus enabling a unified and cable-free experience. Additionally, dedicated apps for media streaming, displaying browser content and an audio-out jack, further extends i120’s practicality.

The integrated HDMI ports are highlighted by its impressive capability to equip any HDMI Television with a robust wireless streaming platform for content to be inputted wirelessly on a shared Wi-Fi network. This highly intuitive feature is smartly designed to be plugged in and streamed effortlessly without the need for users to purchase an Apple TV unit or Google Chromecast dongle.

With the DLP projector brightness rated at 120 lumens, i120 is capable of creating imagery with bright, vivid, sharp and precise color tones from the source of FHD/HD image at a native resolution of 854 x 480 pixels. Projected screen size can beam content up to 120 inches (305 cm) ensuring users can enjoy a viewing experience with cinema quality familiarity that can be used to deliver business presentations, hosting movie nights, gaming or camping outdoors.

Underpinning the Aiptek i120 Projector is a built-in 3600 mAH (3.7V) rechargeable battery which supports 80 minutes of continuous projection. It can also function as a power bank to charge mobile devices that feature a micro USB port.

With dimensions of only 118 x 121 x 24 mm, weighing at just 260 grams, i120 provides ultimate portability that is so compact and lightweight, it conveniently fits into your pocket, briefcase, carry bag or backpack for on the go portability.

Aiptek i120 MobileCinema will be available in March 2017 at an SRP of €369.

Stay tuned for an in-depth Review of the product in March.

Founded in October 2015, Global Aiptek Corp.is a spin-off company created from the demerger of the highly successful ‘Pico Projection’ business unit of Aiptek International Inc. – a renowned technology innovator with many “World 1st” accolades, competitive patents in digital imaging, wireless video, and audio products.

GAC subsequently acquired Aiptek’s largest international subsidiary–Aiptek International GmbHfounded in 1999 in Willich, near Düsseldorf in Germany – to collectively strengthen the support and service functions in order to operate effectively in the EMEA market. The German office coordinates the supply to Europe. In March 2016, the ‘GAC USA’ subsidiary, located in Chicago IL, began operation to serve and focus on growth in the North American Market.

Global Aiptek Corp strives to be at the forefront of mobile and interactive projection technology.

We are in the era where the demands of an active and on-the-go lifestyle require our devices to move with us without compromises. This signals the essential need for mobility and portability in our devices and to complement our unique lifestyles. At GAC, we craft innovative mobile solutions with a purpose: create visual and aural experiences that can empower, inspire, entertain and enrich the lives of our customers. Our unwavering dedication to the GAC design philosophy ensures we deliver a superior user experience, build quality, portability and performance in all our products.

The post AIPTEK i120 MobileCinema Projector – The Road Warrior Companion appeared first on ChipIn.

The new technology will transform the world radically because it will make it possible to create simulations at the atomic level.

A quantum computer would exhibit significantly greater computing power than IBM’s current supercomputer Watson, possibly millions of times.

This is the technology that many scientists, big businesses, and entrepreneurs expect to provide a quantum leap into the future.

The pioneer organization that hits the market first is also likely to enjoy amazing profits owing to the possibilities of quantum technology, which is perhaps why companies are collaborating with universities to accelerate the development of quantum chips.

. What is quantum computing?

According to Rainer Blatt a physicist and quantum expert in Austria, the “century of quantum technology” will revolutionize the economy and society, and scientists have only begun to understand the impact of this “revolution of possibilities”.

It is understandable that non-physicists may find it hard to comprehend the implications of this leap. So, here is a description of quantum computing:

A quantum chip comprises superconducting metals (IBM uses niobium) that require quantum suitable algorithms and benefit from the superposition phenomenon: standard chips comprise transistors in either on or off position (1 or 0), while the quantum chip exhibits both states at the same time. This is just one of the strengths of a quantum chip.

The smallest unit into which computer data is broken down is called a bit that can be either a “1” for on or “0” for off. The computational power of a classic or normal computer depends on the number of binary transistors (minute power switches) contained within its microprocessor.

To bring some meaning to these numbers: the first Intel processor created in 1971 had 2,300 transistors. Today, Intel produces microprocessors with over 5 billion transistors for the fastest processing available with classical computers today.

But with quantum computers, the bits or qubits offer more options because of the uncertainty of their physical state.

It is this mysterious aspect of quantum physics that introduces the concept of superposition, where qubits can be 0 or 1, or 0 and 1, as opposed to classical computers that can only be either 0 or 1.

With superposition, it is possible to perform two equations simultaneously, but with exponential expansion. So, one qubit can perform two equations; two qubits can perform four; three qubits can perform 8; and so on.

This translates to some inconceivably large numbers and mind-boggling working concepts if a quantum computer can have the same bits as the 1971 Intel processor – leave alone the modern ones.

.First quantum processor?

The quantum processor developed by IBM operates at nearly Absolute Zero (-273 degrees Celsius), kept within a white cylinder that is cooled by a helium pump.

It is like a large refrigerator operating in a vacuum. The chip is positioned at the middle of the cylinder with measuring instruments and displays all around it and needs a skilled technician to operate it.

This chip has to be in this super-cooled environment to maintain the coherent quantum activity of superposition and entanglement.

D-Wave Quantum Processor

The qubits are connected by quantum mechanics irrespective of their position in space. Any heat or light that penetrates this space could interfere with process and effectiveness of the computer.

It is interesting that quantum physics has to adhere to fiction-like rules for it to succeed.

At this level, it is only capable of performing simple tasks, which is still a major step according to Jerry Chow, a Yale graduate and senior scientist leading one of the major research groups at IBM.

IBMs supercomputer project is expected to not only advance artificial intelligence but also mark the advent of a new era in information technology.

Every year, IBM invests millions of dollars in new technology, most of which is directed to expanding Chow’s team to ensure that IBM releases the first marketable quantum processor.

Other tech giants, including Google, Big Blue, Intel, and Microsoft are also in the race. But perhaps Google is their biggest competitor, following their announcement in December 2015 that they had built a quantum computer that is “hundreds of millions of times” faster than standard chips.

The EU Commission also announced in May 2016 that they would be investing one billion euros in the technology under a quantum master plan.

.What to expect from quantum computing

A successful quantum computer should surpass Watson’s computing power by a million times. Increasing the processing speed of computers will have a massive effect on the economy in the following ways:

1. Greater field of application

Quantum chips will not only be incredibly faster than traditional processors, but also more capable of solving complex problems due to their special properties, addressing challenges that even supercomputers like Watson cannot.

The field of application would be massive. Experts believe that a quantum computer would revolutionize the process of drug development, impact the finance sector, and facilitate the much-awaited breakthrough of artificial intelligence.

Even cryptographers believe that the quantum chip could crack encryptions that were previously considered the gold standard of IT security. Considering the complexity of a quantum code, it would physically impossible to decrypt it, making it incredibly safe.

The Chinese government has recently installed a 2,000 km long special cable between Beijing and Shanghai to allow the people to maximize on the field of quantum cryptography.

Generally, a quantum computer will be expected to perform a number of tasks, including:

• Reading secret messages communicated over the internet using complex technologies such as Diffie Hellman and RSA
• Conducting virtual experiments
• Modeling quantum systems
• Searching huge amounts of data

Still, this does not necessarily explain how quantum computers will be useful. Indeed, they will be much faster and capable of handling more computational tasks, from searching huge amounts of data to modeling. There should be more applications that are yet to be discovered.

2. Exemption of the semiconductor industry

The semi-conductor industry will also benefit from quantum chips, bringing about the quantum age of exemption. There has been a growing need for the chip industry to produce transistors for smaller chips in order to make computers faster and more portable.

The capacity of computer chips has been growing remarkably for decades, just as predicted by Intel co-founder, Gordon Moore, back in 1965. Moore claimed that the capacity of chips would double every 1-2 years, which has been fairly true owing to the company’s innovative strength.

But the prophecy has nearly reached its physical limit considering that manufacturers are having trouble developing smaller circuits than those currently available at 14 nanometers.

3. Collaboration with universities

The IT industry is in great need of a spurt in new growth that could become possible with quantum processors. Intel, for instance, has been struggling with its dwindling PC business, which led them to make a 50 million dollar partnership with the Technical University of Delft in fall 2015, to bring together quantum research specialists with Intel engineers.

Previously, Microsoft had formed a quantum liaison with the Dutch.

The possibilities of Quantum chips have presented companies with the opportunity to get into the technological revolution fairly early in the game.

Another company, D-Wave System, was formed as a spin-off of a local university in Burnaby, Canada, and is nearly at the same level as IBM in regard to quantum chip development.

4. Drugs and fighter jets

In 2011, a private company called D-Wave claimed to have the first commercial quantum computer ever with 1,000 qubits, but it was seriously questioned by experts.

Nevertheless, the company received multiple rounds of financing that saw it raise over $160 million venture capital from, among other investors, the CIA, Goldman Sachs, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

D-Wave System building a Quantum Computer in Canada

The US space agency NASA claims that D-Wave can help with the planning of its space missions by developing control software for its jets.

The success of the combat aircraft manufacturer can mean faster synchronization of millions of lines of code with more relevant scenarios. This is critical for an F-16, as the slightest error can mean a fatality.

D-Wave has not ordered an upgrade with each presentation of a new generation of chips in Burnaby. Many clients use the company’s own server park in Vancouver through the cloud.

5. Quantum annealing as a precursor

D-Waves is creating processors based on a technique known as quantum annealing or tunneling.

Compared to the intricate technologies on which other companies like Intel or IBM are based on, D-Work’s approach is quite simple with fewer tasks to arrive at a solution.

According to the lead in Processor Development, Jeremy Hilton, choosing a robust and scalable model was the best approach for the startup.

However, the D-Wave computer is not capable of simulating entire molecular chains, which is one of the most attractive features of the quantum technology.

In fact, the first demonstration by D-Wave of a 16-qubit device could only solve a Sudoku puzzle, which was quite unimpressive. This was back in 2007, and the company is now working on superfast quantum computers with more qubits.

At the very least, a quantum processor should be able to simulate realities at the atomic level, allowing physicists to test the theories of Erwin Schrodinger or Max Planck.

Quantum technology can make it possible to compute the highly intricate movement of electrons; or to design and test new drugs or materials on a screen, eliminating the costly trial-and-error process in the pharmaceutical industry.

Mark Ritter, a researcher at IBM, hopes to use quantum technology to discover a metal alloy that can transmit power without loss. Such a discovery could lead to massive savings, marking the beginning of a golden age for some industries.

6. Facilitate innovations or Moon Shots

Google, which has been using a D-Wave computer since 2013, recently informed NASA that they are convinced of the possibilities that the technology presents.

In 2014, Google took up John Martinis, a quantum researcher from the University of Santa Barbara, and his group to develop an in-house laboratory for artificial intelligence based on a chip that is similar to that of IBM.

From self-propelled cars, robots, to herbs that treat cancer, Google has had a range of “Moon Shots”, and now it has the quantum computer project.

The success of quantum technology would speed up the training software and machine learning while offering an unprecedented degree of realism in simulations.

For software to be able to recognize faces of street signs, it must first go through millions of sample of images to make it reasonably reliable. The more detailed an image is, the higher the flow of data.

Google researchers are confident that they will introduce the first marketable quantum computer that is superior to traditional computers in about 2-3 years.

.How much further to realizing quantum computing?

The post The First Quantum Computer: Race Of The Top Tech Companies appeared first on ChipIn.

Make sure to leave your comments at the bottom of the page and let us know what you think about this medical breakthrough.

.What is CRISPR?

CRISPR refers to the odd DNA sequences that identify pathogens and fight them when they attack body cells.

The name – which is pronounced “crisper” – stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats.

Um weird, right?

You could be pardoned for thinking so, but if you took a second glance at the phrase you would realize that it is a brief description of the general structure of the DNA sequences.
Normally, they are clustered and occur at regular intervals. If labeled with letters, they portray palindromes that occur in near-perfect repetitions.

CRISPR was first detected back in the 80s by a group of scientists led by Francisco Mojica during a random study on bacteria and archaea.

UC Berkeley Infographic on how exactly Crispr Cas9 works

.So then CRISPR is just a DNA strand?

Well, you wouldn’t be wrong if you said it is but then again you wouldn’t be entirely right. It isn’t important either way.
What you need to know is that it has enabled gene editing, splicing, and experimentation and that is why it is a big deal.

By understanding its role in genomes and how it works to protect the body against disease-causing organisms you’ll get to know how it enables the said functions. I’ll give you a superficial idea.

An organism has to learn how to deal with a new disease just in case it happens more than once.
The CRISPR sequences study the virus and even steal a few strands from its DNA to familiarize with it.

If the disease is detected for the second time, the body attacks it with a premeditated enzyme or group of enzymes as the DNA seems relevant.
Just for the record, virus attacks DNA directly so there is no way an organism’s DNA can miss out on an incoming attack.
Cas is the name of the protein released by CRISPR to twine with viral DNA and weaken it during an attack. And that brings us to CRISPR Cas9.

.What is CRISPR Cas9?

CRISPR Cas9 is a super accurate technique through which medical practitioners can constructively modify the blueprint of targeted DNA.

So, yes, genetic engineers could now follow the same “telegraph” used by CRISPR to protect the body against viral infections to do the same.
In fact, they can do more with it; they can communicate right about anything from shutting down a gene to turning dormant genes on. And this is regardless of the gene’s nature. It can be viral or not.

CRISPR Cas9 was invented back in 2012 by researchers at the University of California but only burst into fame little over one year ago when scientists started applying it on human cells.

It is during that time when they announced having successfully used it to correct hepatitis-C-bearing cells in humans.

Also, there was the failed attempts to do away with a notorious disease-causing gene in the embryo.

This basically made for the first time ever anyone announced they were going to try genetic engineering on human embryos.
Plausibly, it drew outrage from ethicists and scientists who didn’t reckon there was enough reason to try on a human body a technology of unknown consequence over existing genetic engineering techniques.

To give you a clearer picture of what we are talking about, here is what we mean by genetics and genetic engineering.

Genetics – Genetics is a field of Biology which deals with genes, genetic variation, and heredity in living organisms.
Genetic Engineering – Genetic engineering, on the other hand, involves artificial modification of an organism’s genetic material (DNA) in a bid to add traits that the organism lacks.

Since discovering the CRISPR Cas9, the genetic engineering department has been on the go trying to find more control over the enzyme and even build RNA guides for them or supplemental enzymes called Cpf1 which can perform infiltration and extraction at zero mutation risk.
Even without those auxiliary tools, however, CRISPR Cas9 was already theoretically a way more superior technique of gene editing than its age-old counterparts.

.How CRISPR Cas9 Lines Up Against Its Rivals

Its two main genetic modification predecessors are transcription activator-like effector nucleus (TALENs) and Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFN).

It holds an edge over both of them thanks largely to its ease of use and exactitude. There is literally little to no chance of interfering with untargeted components of a DNA strand when using CRISPR/Cas9, according to experts.

While TALENs and ZFN have their upsides in the ability to recognize longer and more complex DNA sequences and higher specificity, they are outweighed in almost every other remaining aspect.

One of them is the fact that scientists have to custom design TALEN or ZFN each time they want to modify DNA. Also, they often have to create a couple of them – all of which they will try and find the one that works best, or works at all, for that matter.

With CRISPR Cas9, it’s way easier to come up with an RNA guide sequence, and one which is more likely to work.

What’s more, it can be used on any organism, which is quite a breakthrough on its own.

Since time immemorial, scientific experiments have been performed on only a set of laboratory animals whose systems scientists have studied for years, have grown fond of and can easily and successfully fiddle with.

Some of those organisms include fruit flies, rats, zebrafish, mice and a nematode known as C. elegans.

CRISPR Cas9 has theoretically enabled the genetic modification of any living creature that can fit in a lab.
Humans are no exception, but as I pointed out earlier, concerns over what the long-term effects of this technique of genetic editing have become a hindrance.

Since 2013, researchers have been trying to find and eliminate any associated side effect and of course make the technology more acceptable and practical, but definitely it will take longer than a few years to see genetically modified humans.

What we are likely going to see more are other genetically modified animals outside those reared for lab tests.

Combined with other biology tools, CRIPSR/Cas9 could soon become a vital component in ecology and conservation. For instance, there could be introduced genes that can gradually eradicate malaria-causing mosquitoes.
Recently, on a similar note, the FDA allowed Oxitec – a British biotech firm, to release genetically modified mosquitoes to fight the Zika virus in Florida.

This came after the government department itself conducted a research after the company’s proposal and found out that any toxic effects in humans caused by bites from the GMO mosquitoes could most likely be negligible.

The basic aim of the approach is to finish off the Aedes aegypti female mosquito (also known as the Yellow fever mosquito) which carries the Zika Virus by having them copulate with the GMO males whose genes have been edited to produce offspring that would not survive outside the lab.

The company guesstimated that it would have done away with 90 percent of the Zika carriers by the end of the first six months.

If this one goes through, then malaria mosquitoes – which are responsible for 600 million infections and one million deaths worldwide each year – could be lined up for the same fate.

And who knows?

Premature baldness, sickle cell anaemia, and albinism could be next!

. CRISPR Cas9 on Humans – Is it Possible to Edit Human DNA Now?

In June, a federal biosafety and ethics panel gave scientists from the University of Pennsylvania the green light to use CRIPSR to create genetically modified cells to combat three forms of cancer.

The problem is that the technology may not be applied on a real patient until 2017 as lab tests are still ongoing.

Also, the breakthrough technology seems to work only on some types of cancers mostly blood cancers such as Leukemia.

Plausibly blood cancers are the deadliest but then they may not be as prevalent as breast, prostate and lung cancers.

In China, there is an ongoing experiment http://www.nature.com/cr/journal/v25/n2/full/cr2014158a.html which may debut gene modification in humans if everything goes well.

Volunteering lung cancer patients will be injected with cells modified with CRISPR to kill off cancerous cells any time from August.

. So can we modify anyone’s DNA?

Apparently, as you may have realized, we are not yet there. It’s just this bunch of promising experiments and approvals from ethical authorities that our hopes rest on.

The closest we have come is the genetic modification in a pair of monkeys to rectify faulty genes that went down a success.
Well, there are several animal experiments out there that were similarly successful but this is special because it worked in a monkey/primate, which is usually considered a big deal.

. So, What Next Now for CRISPR Cas9?

CRISPR is an almost confirmed remedy for certain genetic disorders in humans and animals.

There are a a number of reasons why its use on humans has been pushed back for so long, with the main one being the numerous unknowns that may ensue.
For instance, scientists haven’t come up with any solid report showing the likelihood and frequency of off-targeting.

In all probability, they can’t predict it.

Also, there are ethical issues such as the prospect of giving rise to a genetically edited generation that wouldn’t be happy with the fact that they were embryonically modified without their consent/approval.
Perhaps the biggest fear thus far is the possibility of humans using CRISPR Cas9 to develop superior humans or what has been mostly referred to as designer babies.

While the better part of why it is a fear remains subjective, some concerns have shown that the world with designer babies is not a good prospect.

For one, it may create a massive social gap as designer babies will most likely be better looking, smarter, disease-resistant etc. with unmodified babies being considered inferior.
CRISPR Patent

Broad Institute the current owners of the CRISPR patent were in January 2016 rocked with an interference appeal from Emmanuelle Charpentier, the University of Vienna and the University of California who claim to have been the first to come up with the technology and not Broad Institute, MIT and Harvard.

Broad in a statement have maintained that they are indeed the rightful owners of the patent and believe that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will eventually refuse the appeal and uphold their initial decision.

In a new twist of events, however, a former Broad Institute employee, Shuailiang Lin, reveals in an email that Broad were not the inventors of the technology and that they used false proof to confuse USPTO into granting them the patent.

The email was sent back in 2015 by the junior Chinese scientist to a University of California, Berkeley professor in exchange for a job.

The information on the email has looked quite reliable to many not just because Lin is a former employee at Broad Institute but also because he is listed among the inventors in Broad’s initial filing of December 2012.

While this is irrefutably quite a notable issue, it remains purely a commercial battle which has almost no implication on anyone outside the claimant companies and firms such as Editas, to whom the technology has already been licensed.

. Conclusion

Feel free to put in your two cents’ worth in the comment section below.

The post CRISPR Cas9: The Ultimate Gene Modification Tool appeared first on ChipIn.

But some kids are born with a unique outlook that goes beyond imagination, and in some cases, they are able to develop their strokes of luck, mistakes, frustrations, or big ideas into magnificent business opportunities and even life-long careers.

Here are some stories where creativity and ingenuity have proven to be an invaluable bonus, and in the process, redefining the meaning of thinking outside the box.

These young inventors will inspire you:

Kelly Reinhart (age 6)
and the T-Pak

During one rainy afternoon when six year old Kelly was stuck indoors, her parents challenged Kelly and her siblings to come up with an idea for an invention in the form of a picture. To spark their creative juices, the parents suggested that the best idea would be transformed into a prototype. Inspired by the concept of cowboy gun holsters, Kelly drew a thigh pack that would make it easier for kids to move around with their video games.

Together with her parents, Kelly sought suggestions from other children before making improvements to the design and patenting it in 1998. They went on to fabricate and sell the packs at trade shows and flea markets, creating more interest in their product.

Eventually, T-Pak International attracted an investor, and her father became a full-time employee for the company. He invested the profits in other companies and later sold the firm in 2001 – at the age of nine.

Abbey Fleck (age 8)
and Makin’ Bacon

Back in 1993 at just 8 years, Abbey became famous for her kitchen tool invention, “Makin’ Bacon”. This invention provided a rather clever way to cook bacon in the microwave in an upright position so it would not be soaked in its own grease.

The idea came to Abbey when she and her father finished cooking bacon only to realize that they had run out of paper towels to absorb the fat. As an alternative, the two improvised by using a section of a newspaper instead. At that moment, Abbey suggested that it would probably be more effective to simply hang the bacon while it cooks. This would not only eliminate the need for paper towels, but also make the bacon healthier.

After experimenting, the duo made a microwave-safe dish with three vertical bars on which users could hang bacon while it cooked. They patented the idea the following year and then struck a distribution deal with Walmart that sent Abbey to multimillionaire status.

Cassidy Goldstein (age 11)
and the Crayon Holders

At only 11 years, Cassidy was faced with a problem that has angered many other creative kids for generations: broken crayons pieces that are too tiny to hold onto. Without giving up, Cassidy searched through her supplies for arts and crafts until she came across a plastic tube used to keep roses fresh during transport.

She inserted one of the smaller crayon pieces into the tube, inadvertently creating her first crayon holder prototype. She designed her Crayon Holders and filed a patent in 2002.

Afterward, she got a licensing deal with Rand International assuring her of 5 percent royalties per sale. CNBC suggested that the invention earned Cassidy enough money to pay for college and even an apartment in New York after finishing school.

The Crayon Holders made it easier for kids to keep coloring with crayon fragments, and also help children with fine motor challenges to grip onto the wax pastels.

Cassidy was named Youth Inventor of the Year by the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation in 2006.

Kiowa Kavovit (age 6)
and the Boo Boo Goo

Although she was not the main developer of a product known as Boo Boo Goo, six year old Kiowa Kavovit was able to pitch it (together with her father) to the investors of the popular TV show “Shark Tank” in early 2014. She is the youngest ever participant on the show, and claims to have come up with the idea when she was only 4 years.

Based on the idea that children, and possibly adults as well, are tired of using adhesive bandages and would rather roll on the Boo Boo Goo – a patent-pending translucent paint on adhesive that acts as a bandage, looks like normal skin, and does not peel off until you decide to do it yourself.

Her product impressed the stern Kevin O’Leary who is usually very pessimistic of investments, and Kiowa left with a $100,000 investment. The idea took off remarkably and sales grew exponentially after its debut on the “Shark Tank”. Afterward, Kiowa became a millionaire.

Richie Stachowski (age 11)
and the Water Talkie

When 11-year-old Richie Stachowski went on holiday to Hawaii with his family in 1996, he was struck with a brilliant idea that led to the invention of the Water Talkie. In an interview, Richie said that he saw so many things underwater when he dived with his father, and wished that he could communicate and share the experience verbally under water.

Afterwards, he realized that there were no devices for this kind of sub-aquatic communication, and decided to start researching underwater acoustics while testing the prototypes in the family pool. Eventually, he created the Water Talkie – a conical device comprising a plastic membrane and blow valve that allows swimmers to talk with each other underwater from a distance of up to 15 feet.

With his new creation, Richie went to New Jersey to pitch his idea to Toys “R” Us and left the meeting with an order of 50,000 units. Stachowski and his mom registered a company called Short Stack LLC and went on to successfully invent other pool toys.

At the age of 13, in 1999, his company was bought by Wild Planet Toys for millions.

Kathryn K-K Gregory (age 10)
and the KK Wristies

Back in 1994 when 10-year-old Kathryn “KK” Gregory was playing in the snow in Massachusetts, she started to experience some pain in his wrists. Determined to keep playing without exposing her hands and arms to the cold and wet conditions during winter, she came up with the idea of Wristies – fuzzy “sleeves” that could be worn under coats and mittens.

KK tried out her invention on her Girl Scout troop, and then worked with her mother to start a business around the product. In an interview, Kathryn said that she enjoyed the initial business activities a lot, including the meetings with the patent lawyer, shopping for fabrics, and meeting with companies like Turtle Fur to write sales agreements and license.

Three years later, in 1997, Kathryn got the opportunity to appear on the QVC Network to promote her Wristies. This made her the youngest person ever to promote a product on the network, and made $22,000 in sales in only 6 minutes.

She continued with her studies and passions, majoring in humanities at the Southern New Hampshire University, discovering rock climbing, and traveling the world. She also got a job as a videographer for several years before returning to Wristies Inc. in 2010 to serve as the CEO (16 years after her invention).

Hart Main (age 13)
and the ManCan

The start of the ManCan online empire is quite intriguing. The business concept was born in 2010 when 13-year-old Hart Main made fun of the girlie-scented candles that his sister intended to sell at a school fundraiser, teasing her that she should try creating some with more masculine scents.

When his parents overheard his comment, they encouraged Hart to try creating the product himself. So, Hart took up the challenge and used the $100 that he had earned from his newspaper route and started experimenting. He bought wax and scents online and used recycled soup cans to make his ManCan candles. The aromas that he started with were Coffee, Cut Grass, Bacon, and New Mitt.

To make his man candles, Hart has to recycle the soup cans. Basically, he buys the filled soup cans, donates their contents to soup kitchens in Ohio, cleans the recycled cans, and then uses them to create his candles. After two years of operation, the business was still steady and growing, so much so that he decided to rent warehouse space and hire five part-timers to cover his orders.

Today, the company has grown so much that they have had to outsource the production to a larger candle manufacturer. He has donated over 100,000 cans of soup so far, and his dedication to his business has earned him the title Young Entrepreneur of the Year, 2015.

Sarah Buckel (age 14)
and the Magnetic Locker Wallpaper

After finishing eighth grade, 14-year-old Sarah Buckel got the idea for magnetic locker wallpapers. Many teens are passionate about decorating their school lockers, but they also dread having to scrape them clean at the end of the year.

So when Sarah’s father became the chief operating officer at MagnaCard, she asked him to make a magnetic wallpaper for her. He was fascinated with the idea and particularly liked that it was refreshing for their little company with rather boring products.

Buckel took an active role in designing and creating the product, helping to identify suitable patterns and age-appropriate accessories that a huge impact on the success of the product. The magnetic locker decorations were sold at Staples, Target, and Rite Aid, and within the first year of operation, Sarah’s invention had made over $1 million in sales.

Leanna Archer (age 9)
and the Leanna’s Hair company

Many nine-year-olds barely know anything about responsibilities, but Leanna Archer was already trying to make money with her Haitian great-grandmother’s special recipe for hair pomade which she used to make hair care products.

Her Haitian grandmother would send Archer’s family homemade hair care products that Leanna shared with her friends, who liked them a lot. Soon enough, people started to show up on her doorstep with money to purchase the products, all of which are entirely organic.

So, she decided to start her own beauty care Product Company called Leanna’s Hair. She started a line of oils, conditioners, and hairdressing based on the recipe. Her products are all-natural, they yield results, don’t damage the hair, and have no known health concerns associated with many chemicals.

By age 17, in 2013, she handled about 350 orders online every week and generated $100,000 in revenue annually. Unsatisfied with the status of teen CEO with a six-figure company, Archer decided to start a charitable organization called the Leanna Archer Education Foundation, which provides poverty-stricken children in Haiti with food and education. Currently, the foundation supports about 200 children in Haiti.

Leanna is currently majoring in Political Science in college and hopes to get a position in the government where she can make the most impact economically and socially.

Robert Nay (age 14)
and the Bubble Ball Game

New mobile gaming apps typically get a few hundred or thousand (if they’re popular) downloads in the first few weeks after launch.

The 14-year old computer prodigy programmed a physics puzzle game app (Bubble Ball) that got over 1 million downloads within two weeks of launching, knocking the smash hit game Angry Birds out of Apple’s App Store top spot of the most popular free apps. In the process, Apple made $2 million in revenue, and Robert became a millionaire.

Nay says that he got the idea when some of his friends suggested that he make an iPhone app, and he decided to give it a try. Without any prior coding experience, Robert went to the public library to find information about how he could build his game. The idea for the game was his, though he says that other games he enjoyed and suggestions from people influenced the final result. It took him one month of reading books and 4,000 lines of code to complete the Bubble Ball. The only money he spent on the project was $1,200 which he got from his parents to buy a new Macbook and get legit software licenses.

Robert’s company, Nay Games, launched the iOS version of the game on December 29, 2010. A few years later, the app has been installed on over 16 million devices, making the young entrepreneur very successful. He still develops games under his brand.

. Final Note

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