3 QUESTIONS. 3 HINTS. 3 ANSWERS.
September 27, 2016
1. How are tech and disease coming together to provide insight into an incurable condition?
Hint:
Answer: Israel’s Teva Pharmaceuticals, in collaboration with Intel, has plans to develop and market wearable technology to study the progression of Huntington’s — a devastating neuro-degenerative disease. Individuals have a 50% chance of developing Huntington’s, if one parent has the genetically dominant condition. Sensing technology contained within a smartwatch and smartphone will accumulate and transmit data to an Intel-developed cloud-based platform. The idea, in part, is to be able to demonstrate the benefit of certain medicines to insurers which makes developing technologies with such potential attractive to pharma companies. Read more here.
2. After seeing the movie Snowden, what is the simplest thing one can do to protect one’s privacy?
Hint:
Answer: covering the computer webcam. According to one investigator, the best way to do so, based on ease, style, functionality and purpose is by using something called “washi tape” — a type of decorative tape. Read why it is preferable to a post-it note or duct tape here.
3. What technology may actually undermine intended benefits?
Hint:
Answer: a two-year University of Pittsburgh study recently revealed that fitness wearables may result in less weight loss. The study followed 500 people, split into two groups: those with activity monitors and those without. Those without a wearable monitor were required to log their activities as opposed to those whose activities were being logged by the device. While the differential between the two groups was only five pounds, it was enough to make scientists wonder why. Perhaps the lack of active logging was a factor in that responsibility and accountability was removed for those wearing a device . Read the story here.