posted by admin on Oct 2

Imagine seeing a crack in a 5000 year old building that’s only 1 cm wide!

Technology could well have advanced right now to the point of being able to map any structure (young or old) – or any size (from Rosslyn Chapel to the whole of Angkor Wat) – all down to the scale of a dot every half a centimetre!

It could be a great way not only to study such antiquities and historical sites in immense detail – but also a way to spot any flaws, damage, non-contemporary repairs or alterations.

However, it could also be the perfect way to keep an exact record of such structures incase they are lost to use forever – like the Bamian Buddhas in Afghanistan which were destroyed recently as a result of war.  And this destruction was actually the reason for setting up the non-profit company who developed and applied this technology: CyArk.

They hope that with such detailed images – humanity could help recreate or at least have a perfect ‘hard copy’ of the architecture, design and sheer scale of some of the Worlds great wonders.

Who Are They?
CyArk was formed when retiree engineer Ben Kacyra thought up another use for his laser-mapping tool which he had previously invented for engineering and industrial purposes.

He sold that invention in 2001 and now works with his wife to image ancient buildings rather than new-builds.

In the not-to-distant future, they hope to be able to superimpose real graphics on top of these geospatial images to create a perfect digital models for everyone to access online.

How They Work:
Well, it’s not just a matter of moving around the world taking pictures of everything of any interest at all, or anything over a certain age – they have a plan.

Firstly, they assess possible sites of international importance, it significance to human culture, human interest and the risk of losing the site, then set to work.

They use a variety of data recording equipment including scanning, specialist photography and other traditional surveying techniques to get as much information about the site as possible – all of which can be used and combined in such a way as to create an amazing digital 3D image!

Obviously once stored in CyArks archives, they can be used again and again – and by anyone!

How Does It Work?
Basically, their equipment is based on using portable 3D laser scanners – which create a unique high resolution image – consisting of up to 100,000,000 bits of data!

The pulsing lasers collect returning beams to create a floating map of the structure – with a recorded dot almost every .5cm of the structures surface.  It also records the colour and brightness of the surface as well – which can then be displayed as false colour.

This allows the resulting image to show which materials a structure is made from, the different or replacement materials used through the ages – and most importantly whether there are any faults or cracks within a structure that may not yet be visible to the eye, allowing remedial works to be considered and implemented as necessary.

You can take a look at some of their already collated data and images online on their website: CyArk and see for yourself what this technology can do today.

And maybe give you an ides of what it could do in the future!

posted by admin on Sep 16

Another month has passed and another million pages and articles have appeared online!  So lets get a look at some of them right here……..

So, let’s get straight to business with a light look at the new Google search engine – and what it has to offer both the business and the searcher! Follow Hudson Horizons with their ‘explain all’ article: Keeping Up with Google Caffeine and How the New Platform Affects SEO.

Then lets jump to the short but strange GPS Underwear from Good News Weekly presents – I mean; why underwear and not pets, car keys or something more important?

Leslie Yoelson offers up a new branch of science with this brief article with 7 Ways to Learn About Informatics.

And this starts us of with the whole ‘numbers game again’. Science people love lists of resources! So furst up is Adam Park with Top 20 Tech Blogs, closely followed by Zach Macias’ concise list of only 5 Excellent iPad Apps to Learn About the Human Body.

Up next is Natalie Thomas with a plentiful Top 50 Twitter Feeds to Follow Tech News and finishing with Olivia Davis and her helping hand for teachers of all ilks: 20 Amazing iPad Apps for Educators.

Saved by the bell!

posted by admin on Aug 16

Hello Again – and what a great time to be at the fore-front of the latest inventions and technology!

Almost every day, there is an announcement about something great to advance our thinking or challenge our current ways of thinking – the future looks so different – if only we would make the change!

Looking back over time Adam Park takes us through his top 10 Tech Milestones That Changed The World for a glance at the past – and hopefully they can take us places in the future!

Add to this some of the following technological information here from Susan, as she details her best 25 Startups Revolutionizing Biotechnology. Even small things can make a huge difference!

Staying with the prefix ‘bio’ – take a look at the amazing advances and technology involved with Mike’s great article on: Massive Future MRI Machine Promises to Unravel the Secrets of Human Biochemistry! Great stuff!

Moving on to inventions today – read on if you want to know about something new: Coming Soon to a Classroom Near You: 10 Things To Know About Robot Teachersby the converted Erin Lenderts! Now I’m not sure if these will ever really take over in mainstream schools – but the idea for smaller groups or adult learners could really be a good thing!

And, if you ignore all the adverts at the top – scroll down to a very thorough article by Rick Cole as he reviews the difference between to very similar in-car technologies: Garmin vs TomTom. Worth a peak if you are considering a sat nav in the future.

And finally – How to use Twitter in a way I hadn’t really thought off: Sharons719 offers us 50 “Healthy” Ways to Use Twitter. Very interesting!

And on that note – get back outside and enjoy the nice weather before winter sets in!

posted by admin on Aug 10

Why cram your office full of old-fashioned phone technology – when the solution is to get rid of it all!

You don’t need a separate scanner and fax machine anymore (the 2 are combined), a whole room for your computers (laptops are shrinking) or even a computer to update your emails or write documents (a smart phone or iPad will do!).

So why are you still struggling to maintain and house your hired phone system in your office?

If you are thinking of improving your business – and the perception of your business - then VoIP for business could be just what you are looking for – so let’s learn more about what it can offer the small and large business – whatever your business!

VoIP Today:
This Internet-based communication system was first hyped up to get ‘free’ phone calls over the Internet by plugging a headset into your computer – but it has certainly come a long way now.

Your office phone system could be completely off-site – with no hiring, storage and maintenance of hefty or bulky equipment – basically you just have your own phones and your existing phone line – everything else is off-site and so there is nothing to worry about.

Basically, you can have all the services you currently have with your ground-based phone system with the constantly improving Internet-based VoIP.  Whether it’s conference calls, call divert or ansa-phone systems – it will all be exactly the same as before – only better!

Not only will it be better – but it will be quicker, easier and cheaper than your existing system – virtually guaranteed!

Business Benefits:
Well, the most obvious benefit will be the financial savings involved!  Not only are VoIP calls cheaper in the first place – you won’t be having to pay to hire any equipment to get started.

There will be no maintenance costs at all – as all the equipment is off-site, except your own phones and computers.  Any upgrades can be quickly and easily added to your account overnight via your IP rather than having to change software or hardware yourself (no doubt at an extra cost as well!).

There is also no need to sign a long term contract as these services are usually charged for monthly usage only rather than the huge investment you make by taking on a whole hardware system. 

And most businesses can save between 50-85% on existing calls – as you simply pay for each user, not the number of calls they make!  So no more paying extra to call during working hours – or waiting to the weekend to save a few pence a minute.  And think of that ‘free’ time on the phone to spend on talking to your new clients, or calling to update your existing clients and answer any of their questions.

You can be online with your new VoIP system in minutes rather than having to waste days fitting and wiring a contract system throughout your office – and of course there is no need to stay in the same office for the length of your contract to save moving it all and rewiring everything at your new office.  This system is totally phone-line based and is only fixed to a phone number – not a building or postcode!

And you don’t even need to give up your existing business numbers to sign up – they are totally transferable onto your business VoIP account!

I don’t know what you are waiting for!

posted by admin on Jun 12

Your searches may go up into space – but your local services and community can get the benefits.

I have used directory enquiries and service and product listings before on the Internet - but why not start using these to promote and recruit your local workers, friends and businesses – and maybe even yourself!

It’s all ‘eco’ this and ‘emissions’ that these days – so why not take advantage of the online services and websites that are trying to cater for these new lifestyles and get your business promoted closer to home – or find a great builder/plumber/handyman that you can trust!

Imagine if you could find a local builder down the road that everyone loves – or a babysitter around the corner that everyone trusts?  When you are new to an area, you can’t normally get your hands on this kind of information for months or even years.

Just Moved To Edinburgh?
I mean – say you just moved to a new city and needed a good car mechanic – you normally have 2 choices: 1) pick one at random that you live close to and hope for the best, or 2) trust a local you bump into in town to give you good advice!

However these days – you can check a website that has got years and years of recommendations on it – so you aren’t just down to guess work and good luck.  You can actually use a trusted source that has been regularly updated and improved over the years: so type in Edinburgh MOT into a website like TouchLocal.com (a local business online directory) for example, and it will come up with all the recommendations from past customers.

And of course you can have your say too.  Why not let everyone know that you received great service in a out-of-town restaurant?  Or that you got some great advice from a local shop owner in town.  Have your say and make sure other new residents get a fair deal too!

Is It All Listing After Listing?
No.  These days you can get information from all sorts of mobile sources – like the Twitter directory enquiry service that Touch Local also offer - to save you thumbing through giant yellow pages and the like. 

For example, you can just tweet something like Caterer In Chiswick or Edinburgh Accountant to their given Twitter account and instantly receive a contact name and number for what you want that second! No more searching for ages for 1 then finding 3!

Local doesn’t have to mean slow and old-fashioned these days.  Local means community spirit and loyalty.  And these great community supported sites are the way forward in today’s eco climate.

They also offer other services on their site to hold this all together like an ‘expert’ Q & A section where you can ask any questions to local ‘experts’ – or apply to become and expert yourself!  Also there is a messaging service and a sort of social networking area where you can stay in contact with other people in your community for advice or just chatting between friends and colleagues.

These types of sites could be great way to add eco credentials to your business as well as getting your services recommended to a wider audience of supporting and life long clients!

Think Business – Think Local