Digital Age
Remember remember…
You can now take yourself to a rehab centre for the mind! Make the most of whatever you’ve got going on upstairs.
The memory rehab website is all about memory but is particularly helpful for those who have suffered a stroke or head injury. This site could also be a real help if you or someone you love is in the early stages of dementia. It offers information, techniques and tips on keeping your memory strong, and you can also download a free, 26-page self-help booklet.
Memoryrehab website is easy to navigate and a simple but informative resource for those interested in, and needing to know more about, how memory can be improved – regardless of your medical history. Exercise your mind now.
Silent minds talk
Being paralysed and unable to communicate is distressing to say the least but now technology is unlocking the key to communication with those unable to speak for themselves.
The Medical Research Council’s Cognition and Brain Science Unit’s Dr Martin Monti, claims he has developed a means to communicate with those who are consciously aware but can’t produce movement. Presenting his research at the Organisation for Human Brain Mapping, Dr Monti highlighted the implications of medical diagnosis on whether to continue feeding those in a vegetative state.
Dr Monti’s research builds on a study in 2006, Assessing Cognition in the Vegetative State, by Dr Adrian Owen from the same unit, which is based in Cambridge, UK. This study showed a 23 year-old woman, who had been in a vegetative state for five months, imagining playing tennis and responding to commands.
Using Dr Owen’s idea to establish communication, reading the brain of a patient would be possible, using function magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Patients in a persistent vegetative state, neurologically show no signs of movement or consciousness but do experience moments of wakefulness and have been known to open their eyes.
By introducing this technology in to the diagnosis of patients who are unable to communicate, a better understanding of the treatment required can be gained. In addition, families may not need to feel the burden of making decisions, which could essentially end the life of a loved one.
For more information on this research and previous studies, visit the Medical Research Council’s Cognition and Brain Science Unit.
Digital Cameras
A digital camera is any device that allows you to take photos and then stores these images electronically. Traditionally cameras would store images on film. Digital cameras have many advantages over film cameras; the ability to view a photo almost instantly and rotate, zoom or delete that image, immediately. No longer will money be wasted on photos that don’t print properly. Digital cameras also have the ability to hold more photos than more traditional cameras. Thus has seen their popularity rise to the stage where digital cameras now outsell film cameras.
Here are some great sites to learn all about digital cameras:
- Wikipedia. This online encyclopedia is a great place to learn all about digital cameras.
Go there
- PCMAG.COM. Offers a comprehensive guide to buying digital cameras.
Go there
- PhotographyTips.com. Provides assistance for photographers of all levels take better pictures.
Go there
- MalekTips. Features help and tips on wildlife and pet photography.
Go there
Submit your photos
When you feel your photos are good enough you can submit them to websites for people to download, you even earn money on each download.
- Shutterstock. Earn US 25c every time one of your photos is downloaded.
Go there
- iStockphoto. A well organised and great looking site.
Go there
MP3 Players
MP3 players are portable music playing devices which are capable of storing an incredible amount of music. To load songs onto an MP3 player you will need a computer with either Internet access, to download music, or a CD drive. A CD drive is used to convert CDs from their current format into a format that can be recognised by the MP3 player; this process will not affect your CDs.
A mountain of web sites offer information about MP3 players and here is a list of some of the best.
- Yahoo! Answers. What does MP3 stand for? Find out exactly here.
Go there
- Dick Smith Electronics. Browse and order MP3 players online.
Go there
- Apple Ipod. Official site for the most popular MP3 player. Offers an online store to download music instantly.
Go there
- Winamp.com. An MP3 player for your computer that allows you to; convert files from CDs to MP3s, listen to your MP3s and copy your MP3s onto CD.
Go there
- Howstuffworks. Explains how MP3 players work.
Go there
Podcasting
MP3 players aren’t just about music though, you can also download a radio broadcast that is made specifically for MP3 players. They are called podcasts, and mean you can listen to your radio shows, ad free, whenever you like.
Here are some websites to get you on your way.
- ABC. A help page to get you started.
Go there
Also, here are some podcasts offered by the ABC.
Go there
- Podcasting News. A listing of various podcasts sorted into categories.
Go there
