Monday, August 18th, 2008

Researchers at Drexel have created a game that lets players control the action merely by concentrating, according to an article on LATimes.com.

The game is called Lazybrains and uses a technology that measures oxygen levels in the frontal cortex and uses the numbers to determine neural activity. The player can perform various actions on the screen, such as moving objects, using their brain.

The technology is called functional near-infrared imaging and measures the oxygen levels in various portions of the brain by projecting infrared light on to the brain using a simple headband.

The School of Biomedical Engineering initially developed the device as a way to detect when patients under anesthesia were conscious but unable to move.

There is also a press release on Drexel.edu regarding the new technology.

Photo source:  LATimes.com.

The Powelton Court apartments on 3500-3540 Powelton Avenue have been sold for $22.35 million, according to an article on Costar.com.

University Communities LLC was the company which purchased the apartments from David Stern Management Corporation. There were 167 apartment units, so the sale totalled $133,832 per apartment unit.

The property consists of three restored Victorian-era buildings constructed in 1910 with apartments ranging from studios to two-bedrooms. It’s primary residents are Drexel and UPenn students.

Photo source:  Costar.com.

Councilmembers Bill Green and Bill Greenlee will announce legislation to mandate using only hands-free cellular devices while driving in Philadelphia so that drivers are paying full attention to the road and not their phones. According to the councilmember’s, every G7 country except the US has banned non-hangs free mobile usage and some states have already enacted their own laws.

They are doing this to reduce the number of accidents and acknowledge that a distracted driver is a dangerous driver.
According to a study, dialing a cell phone increases the risk of accident by 180 percent.

The bill is looking to ban calls (unless using a hands-free device), text messaging and web surfing while driving. The legislation will be introducing on September 18, 2008.
Green and Greenlee are also concerned for the growing numbers of bikers on the road and pedestrians in the city.

Photo source:  Virginialord.files.wordpress.com