Salute to the Science Convention

The 26th Army Science Convention took place this past month showcasing research and projects meant to make soldiers both more effective as well as safer.

Some of the most interesting projects included Extracellular Matrix or “magic dust” that could help the body regenerate digits or limbs.  Rebuilding missing or damaged bone was also a focus at the conference.

Robots were also displayed in great numbers at the convention.  The BEAR robot, for example, could assist in removing injured soldiers from battle zones.

It’s great to own a faster laptop or being able to prevent the flu, but beyond civilian applications science makes more sense than anything when applied to army initiatives and needs.

Google Flu Trends

I think we are just beginning to touch the power of Google. I heard a report on the radio a few months ago about the massive amounts of data that Google processes daily and what could be learned from it. Now it is starting to make small steps into reality. 

Enter Google Flu Trends. Google did an experiment tracking the rise in flu-related search terms and compared to it to CDC tracking reports. The results were strikingly accurate. Not only that–they were 2 weeks ahead of CDC reporting.  The idea is that the number of people searching for flu-related articles and information correlates with people who actually have flu or flu-like illness.

Flu Trends is part of Google.org’s Predict and Prevent initiative to support efforts to :

“identify hotspots where new infectious diseases may emerge, detect new pathogens and outbreaks earlier, and respond quickly to prevent local threats from becoming global crises. “

Now you can use Google’s power to keep an eye on flu trends in your state so you can keep you and your family healthier.