(taken from the internet)
One old man was sitting with his 25 years old son in the train.
Train is about to leave the station.
All passengers are settling down their seat.
As train started young man was filled with lot of joy and curiosity.
He was sitting on the window side.
He went out one hand and feeling the passing air. He shouted, "Papa see all trees are going behind".
Old man smile and admired son feelings.
Beside the young man one couple was sitting and listening all the conversation between father and son.
They were little awkward with the attitude of 25 years old man behaving like a small child.
Suddenly young man again shouted, "Papa see the pond and animals. Clouds are moving with train".
Couple was watching the young man in embarrassingly.
Now its start raining and some of water drops touches the young man's hand.
He filled with joy and he closed the eyes.
He shouted again," Papa it's raining, water is touching me, see papa".
Couple couldn't help themselves and ask the old man.
"Why don't you visit the Doctor and get treatment for your son."
Old man said, “Yes, We are coming from the hospital as Today only my son got his eye sight for first time in his life".
Moral: "Don’t draw conclusions until you know all the facts".
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
always be calm
Why Do We Shout In Anger?
A saint asked his disciples, 'Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?'
Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, 'Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.'
'But, why to shout when the other person is just next to you?' asked the saint. 'Isn't it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice? Why do you shout at a person when you're angry?'
Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the saint.
Finally he explained, 'When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.'
Then the saint asked, 'What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small...'
The saint continued, 'When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that's all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.'
MORAL: When you argue do not let your hearts get distant, do not say words that distance each other more, else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.
A saint asked his disciples, 'Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?'
Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, 'Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.'
'But, why to shout when the other person is just next to you?' asked the saint. 'Isn't it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice? Why do you shout at a person when you're angry?'
Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the saint.
Finally he explained, 'When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.'
Then the saint asked, 'What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small...'
The saint continued, 'When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that's all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.'
MORAL: When you argue do not let your hearts get distant, do not say words that distance each other more, else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.
great tips
Five ways to de-stress at work
On top of the daily stresses of work, you may have been facing additional worries lately with the economic downturn. News of employee layoffs, salary and hiring freezes and increasing workloads might be piling on the stress.
By Heart and Stroke Foundation
http://ca.lifestyle .yahoo.com/ health-fitness/ articles/ body-mind/ heartandstroke/ healthy_eating- five_ways_ to_de-stress_ at_work_/ 2
On top of the daily stresses of work, you may have been facing additional worries lately with the economic downturn. News of employee layoffs, salary and hiring freezes and increasing workloads might be piling on the stress. If your life is full of stress, it can be difficult to lead a healthy lifestyle. Instead of being physically active to relieve stress, some people respond by overeating, eating unhealthy foods, consuming too much alcohol or smoking – reactions that can increase the risk of developing heart disease and stroke. Recent research from the American Journal of Epidemiology has found that people who already have a high body mass index (BMI) may experience additional weight gain if they report stress from personal relationships, work, life constraints or finances. But there are ways to cope in your workplace and at home to help you stay calm throughout your day.
Dr. Brian Baker, a Heart and Stroke Foundation researcher and specialist on the health effects of stress, says that job strain basically comes down to two definitions: either there are too many demands with too little control over your work or there is too much effort compared to the rewards you get back. With that in mind, he shares some of his top tips for making work as stress-free as possible.
Keep an open dialogue with your manager or employer. Dr. Baker says that it can be stressful if you have a bad relationship with your boss or don't feel comfortable voicing concerns. "When a supervisor is riding someone and giving that person a hard time, that employee can start to freeze up and get anxious at his or her workplace," he says. "But most employers want their employees to be happy. It leads to better productivity and a more positive workplace." He suggests trying to speak to the person above you to try to develop more flexibility in your job demands. "Assertiveness is a very important skill. Use a logical but firm approach and be polite. You can't offend the people in charge of you, but you can stay calm, ask for a slight adjustment in workload – just don't be aggressive."
Get support from co-workers. Whether you are asking for help with your workload or simply want someone to relax with at lunch time, co-workers may lend a hand to lessen your stress. "It helps to have a support network – especially if you find yourself sensitive to social stresses. This can be support from colleagues, supervisors or friends at the office," Dr. Baker says.
Make use of employee health programs. If your company partially or completely covers the cost of a counsellor or massage therapist in its benefits program, take advantage it. You may also want to check into your benefits plan or ask Human Resources if employee counselling programs for stress or debt management are available.
Talk to your spouse or friends outside the office to gain additional support. Gossiping about office politics is not helpful. Instead, discuss your problems with your best friend, family or spouse to avoid consequences. In fact, a study from Heart and Stroke Foundation researchers Dr. Sheldon Tobe and Dr. Baker has shown that supportive marriages are key. "We found that people who had a supportive spouse at home were more immune to the effects of job strain overall," Dr. Tobe says. In particular, they found that women are less likely to experience the blood-pressure- raising effects of a stressful job when their spouses were supportive. Other studies have found that men also benefit from the stress-reducing benefits of marriage, whether or not they rate it as a good marriage. Support of friends or family members can also reduce stress.
Look for the rewards in your work. When work is stressful, it can be challenging to see the positive. But Dr. Baker says it's really helpful if you can focus on the other benefits from your job besides a paycheque. "You need a balance between the effort you put into work and the rewards you get back," he says. So, look for ways that your work rewards you. Do you learn something new every day? Do you use it as a way to make new friends? Do you help people with the work you do? Take advantage of social situations at work and try to focus on the parts that make you happy.
In extreme cases of job strain, getting a new job may be the best solution, but in the meantime, Dr. Baker says, you still have to get the job done so you just need to find the ways that make your situation the best it can be. "Maybe you can get in early, leave early and avoid people who cause problems or you can try relaxation techniques like meditation. If you've been really bothered, talk to your doctor if the stress is becoming overwhelming. "
On top of the daily stresses of work, you may have been facing additional worries lately with the economic downturn. News of employee layoffs, salary and hiring freezes and increasing workloads might be piling on the stress.
By Heart and Stroke Foundation
On top of the daily stresses of work, you may have been facing additional worries lately with the economic downturn. News of employee layoffs, salary and hiring freezes and increasing workloads might be piling on the stress.
By Heart and Stroke Foundation
http://ca.lifestyle .yahoo.com/ health-fitness/ articles/ body-mind/ heartandstroke/ healthy_eating- five_ways_ to_de-stress_ at_work_/ 2
On top of the daily stresses of work, you may have been facing additional worries lately with the economic downturn. News of employee layoffs, salary and hiring freezes and increasing workloads might be piling on the stress. If your life is full of stress, it can be difficult to lead a healthy lifestyle. Instead of being physically active to relieve stress, some people respond by overeating, eating unhealthy foods, consuming too much alcohol or smoking – reactions that can increase the risk of developing heart disease and stroke. Recent research from the American Journal of Epidemiology has found that people who already have a high body mass index (BMI) may experience additional weight gain if they report stress from personal relationships, work, life constraints or finances. But there are ways to cope in your workplace and at home to help you stay calm throughout your day.
Dr. Brian Baker, a Heart and Stroke Foundation researcher and specialist on the health effects of stress, says that job strain basically comes down to two definitions: either there are too many demands with too little control over your work or there is too much effort compared to the rewards you get back. With that in mind, he shares some of his top tips for making work as stress-free as possible.
Keep an open dialogue with your manager or employer. Dr. Baker says that it can be stressful if you have a bad relationship with your boss or don't feel comfortable voicing concerns. "When a supervisor is riding someone and giving that person a hard time, that employee can start to freeze up and get anxious at his or her workplace," he says. "But most employers want their employees to be happy. It leads to better productivity and a more positive workplace." He suggests trying to speak to the person above you to try to develop more flexibility in your job demands. "Assertiveness is a very important skill. Use a logical but firm approach and be polite. You can't offend the people in charge of you, but you can stay calm, ask for a slight adjustment in workload – just don't be aggressive."
Get support from co-workers. Whether you are asking for help with your workload or simply want someone to relax with at lunch time, co-workers may lend a hand to lessen your stress. "It helps to have a support network – especially if you find yourself sensitive to social stresses. This can be support from colleagues, supervisors or friends at the office," Dr. Baker says.
Make use of employee health programs. If your company partially or completely covers the cost of a counsellor or massage therapist in its benefits program, take advantage it. You may also want to check into your benefits plan or ask Human Resources if employee counselling programs for stress or debt management are available.
Talk to your spouse or friends outside the office to gain additional support. Gossiping about office politics is not helpful. Instead, discuss your problems with your best friend, family or spouse to avoid consequences. In fact, a study from Heart and Stroke Foundation researchers Dr. Sheldon Tobe and Dr. Baker has shown that supportive marriages are key. "We found that people who had a supportive spouse at home were more immune to the effects of job strain overall," Dr. Tobe says. In particular, they found that women are less likely to experience the blood-pressure- raising effects of a stressful job when their spouses were supportive. Other studies have found that men also benefit from the stress-reducing benefits of marriage, whether or not they rate it as a good marriage. Support of friends or family members can also reduce stress.
Look for the rewards in your work. When work is stressful, it can be challenging to see the positive. But Dr. Baker says it's really helpful if you can focus on the other benefits from your job besides a paycheque. "You need a balance between the effort you put into work and the rewards you get back," he says. So, look for ways that your work rewards you. Do you learn something new every day? Do you use it as a way to make new friends? Do you help people with the work you do? Take advantage of social situations at work and try to focus on the parts that make you happy.
In extreme cases of job strain, getting a new job may be the best solution, but in the meantime, Dr. Baker says, you still have to get the job done so you just need to find the ways that make your situation the best it can be. "Maybe you can get in early, leave early and avoid people who cause problems or you can try relaxation techniques like meditation. If you've been really bothered, talk to your doctor if the stress is becoming overwhelming. "
On top of the daily stresses of work, you may have been facing additional worries lately with the economic downturn. News of employee layoffs, salary and hiring freezes and increasing workloads might be piling on the stress.
By Heart and Stroke Foundation
Saturday, October 17, 2009
tips for parents
(received from email)
Media Management Tips
Parents have tough jobs. They must be cheerleaders and goalkeepers, fence builders and fence menders. Parents must do their best to keep their children safe, keep them well, open their minds … and remember to shut the back door. Managing children’s media diets – the content and its accessibility - is as important as making sure they eat healthy balanced meals. Leisure media time should be used as a snack, not a main course.
Following are ten simple Media Management Tips from Parents’ Choice:
1. The Right Time, The Right Place
Establish and follow ground rules about when and where small screen media – TV, DVDs, Software, Internet and Video Games - can be used. Schoolwork first, small screen media second. Make children’s bedrooms off limits to small screen media.
2. Make Play Dates With Children, Not Channels
TV should not serve as a child’s constant companion. Limit the daily dose of small screen time. For children under two, many experts and pediatricians say no screen time is acceptable. Unless a child is using the computer to research homework assignments, small screen media use should be limited to one - two hours per day.
3. Broadcast The Right Signals
Kids love to imitate. If your children see you spending hours as a couch potato or tethered to a laptop or PDA, the message will be “what’s good for the goose, is good for the gander.” Limiting your leisure media time will send the right signals to your children: that rules and limits apply to the whole family.
4. Media Is Not A Condiment
Do not use television to season a meal. Turn it off while eating.
5. What’s OK for 8 isn’t OK for 4
Children’s media selections should be age appropriate. Use guidelines, ratings and independent reviews as a starting point. Use your judgment and your family’s values to determine what is right for your children. Consult Parents’ Choice Foundation’s website for children’s media recommendations.
6. Ratings Exist For A Reason
Just as food labeling made us more nutrition-conscious consumers, ratings help identify age appropriate “nutritional” media content. Learning what the TV, Movie and Video Game ratings mean, will make you a better dietician for your children’s media.
7.Watch What Your Children Watch
Show your children that you enjoy the shows they like to watch. Use media time to talk about what you’re watching and ask questions. Watch, laugh and learn together.
8. Make Media Matter
Whether watching a show about friendship or fish, take your children to the library to find a book that further explores the program’s themes or subjects.
9. Join in the Fun
If your children ask to play a video game, play age appropriate video games with them. If they are old enough to use the computer, visit Internet sites together. Show them where they’re allowed to go, not just where they’re not.
10. Use the Tools
Parental controls help. Use filters to block Internet sites, the V-Chip to block inappropriate television shows, and use the impressive technology of TiVo KidZone to find and select good television choices for children.
Media Management Tips
Parents have tough jobs. They must be cheerleaders and goalkeepers, fence builders and fence menders. Parents must do their best to keep their children safe, keep them well, open their minds … and remember to shut the back door. Managing children’s media diets – the content and its accessibility - is as important as making sure they eat healthy balanced meals. Leisure media time should be used as a snack, not a main course.
Following are ten simple Media Management Tips from Parents’ Choice:
1. The Right Time, The Right Place
Establish and follow ground rules about when and where small screen media – TV, DVDs, Software, Internet and Video Games - can be used. Schoolwork first, small screen media second. Make children’s bedrooms off limits to small screen media.
2. Make Play Dates With Children, Not Channels
TV should not serve as a child’s constant companion. Limit the daily dose of small screen time. For children under two, many experts and pediatricians say no screen time is acceptable. Unless a child is using the computer to research homework assignments, small screen media use should be limited to one - two hours per day.
3. Broadcast The Right Signals
Kids love to imitate. If your children see you spending hours as a couch potato or tethered to a laptop or PDA, the message will be “what’s good for the goose, is good for the gander.” Limiting your leisure media time will send the right signals to your children: that rules and limits apply to the whole family.
4. Media Is Not A Condiment
Do not use television to season a meal. Turn it off while eating.
5. What’s OK for 8 isn’t OK for 4
Children’s media selections should be age appropriate. Use guidelines, ratings and independent reviews as a starting point. Use your judgment and your family’s values to determine what is right for your children. Consult Parents’ Choice Foundation’s website for children’s media recommendations.
6. Ratings Exist For A Reason
Just as food labeling made us more nutrition-conscious consumers, ratings help identify age appropriate “nutritional” media content. Learning what the TV, Movie and Video Game ratings mean, will make you a better dietician for your children’s media.
7.Watch What Your Children Watch
Show your children that you enjoy the shows they like to watch. Use media time to talk about what you’re watching and ask questions. Watch, laugh and learn together.
8. Make Media Matter
Whether watching a show about friendship or fish, take your children to the library to find a book that further explores the program’s themes or subjects.
9. Join in the Fun
If your children ask to play a video game, play age appropriate video games with them. If they are old enough to use the computer, visit Internet sites together. Show them where they’re allowed to go, not just where they’re not.
10. Use the Tools
Parental controls help. Use filters to block Internet sites, the V-Chip to block inappropriate television shows, and use the impressive technology of TiVo KidZone to find and select good television choices for children.
Monday, August 31, 2009
leading tips
Nobody has articulated the precepts of good governance better than Hazrat Ali (RA) in his historic treatise in the form of a letter to Malik Ashtar, governor of Egypt. It is worth paraphrasing selected portions from the letter:
‘Be it known to you, O Malik, that people speak well only of those who do good. It is they who furnish the proof of your actions. Hence the richest treasure you may covet must be the treasure of good deeds. Keep your desires under control and deny yourself that which you have been prohibited. Develop in your heart the feelings of love for your people and let it be the source of kindliness and blessing to them.’
‘Bear in mind that you are placed over them, even as I am placed over you. And then there is God even above him who has given you the position of a governor in order that you may look after those under you and to be sufficient unto them.’
‘Maintain justice in administration and impose it on your own self and seek the consent of the people, for the discontent of the masses sterilises the contentment of the privileged few and the discontent of the few loses itself in the contentment of the many.’
‘Remember, the privileged few will not rally around you in moments of difficulty: they will try to sidetrack justice, they will ask for more than what they deserve and will show no gratitude for favours done to them. They will feel restive in the face of trials and will offer no regret for their shortcomings. It is the common man who is the strength of the state and of religion. It is he who fights the enemy. So live in close contact with the masses and be mindful of their welfare.’
‘Do not take counsel of the one who is greedy, for he will instil greed in you and turn you into a tyrant. The worst of counsellors is he who has served as a counsellor to unjust rulers and shared their crimes. So never let men who have been companions of tyrants or shared their crimes be your counsellors.’
‘Keep near to you the upright and the God-fearing, and make clear to them that they are never to flatter you and never to give you credit for anything that you may not have done. For the tolerance of flattery and unhealthy praise stimulates pride in man and makes him arrogant.’
‘Do not treat the good and the bad alike. That will deter the good from doing good, and encourage the bad in their pursuits. Give credit where it is due.’
‘Select for your chief judge the one who is by far the best among the people, one who cannot be intimidated; one who does not turn back from the right path; one who is not self-centred and avaricious; one whom flattery cannot mislead or one who does not exult over his position.’
‘Never select men for responsible posts either out of any regard for personal connections or under any influence, for that will lead to injustice and corruption. Select for higher posts men of experience, firm in faith and belonging to good families. Such men will not fall an easy prey to temptations.’
‘Great care is to be exercised in revenue administration, to ensure the prosperity of those who pay the revenue to the state, for it is on their prosperity that the prosperity of others depends; particularly the prosperity of the masses. Indeed, the state exists on its revenue.’
‘You should regard the proper upkeep of the land in cultivation for revenue cannot be derived except by making the land productive. He who demands revenue without helping the cultivator to improve his land, inflicts unmerited hardships on the cultivator and ruins the state. The rule of such a person does not long last.’
‘Adopt useful schemes for those engaged in trade and industry and help them with wise counsels. Visit every part of the country and establish personal contact with this class, and inquire into their conditions. But bear in mind that a good many of them are intensely greedy. They hoard grain and try to sell it at a high price; and this is most harmful to the public.’
‘Beware! Fear God when dealing with the problems of the poor who have none to patronise, who are forlorn, indigent and helpless. Among them are some who do not question their lot in life and who, notwithstanding their misery, do not go about begging. For God’s sake, safeguard their rights.’
‘Meet the oppressed and the lowly periodically in open conferences, and be conscious of the divine presence there. Never for any length of time keep yourself aloof from the people. The ruler is after all human, and he cannot form a correct view of anything which is out of sight.’
‘It is imperative on you to study carefully the principles which have inspired just and good rulers who have gone before you’.
‘Be it known to you, O Malik, that people speak well only of those who do good. It is they who furnish the proof of your actions. Hence the richest treasure you may covet must be the treasure of good deeds. Keep your desires under control and deny yourself that which you have been prohibited. Develop in your heart the feelings of love for your people and let it be the source of kindliness and blessing to them.’
‘Bear in mind that you are placed over them, even as I am placed over you. And then there is God even above him who has given you the position of a governor in order that you may look after those under you and to be sufficient unto them.’
‘Maintain justice in administration and impose it on your own self and seek the consent of the people, for the discontent of the masses sterilises the contentment of the privileged few and the discontent of the few loses itself in the contentment of the many.’
‘Remember, the privileged few will not rally around you in moments of difficulty: they will try to sidetrack justice, they will ask for more than what they deserve and will show no gratitude for favours done to them. They will feel restive in the face of trials and will offer no regret for their shortcomings. It is the common man who is the strength of the state and of religion. It is he who fights the enemy. So live in close contact with the masses and be mindful of their welfare.’
‘Do not take counsel of the one who is greedy, for he will instil greed in you and turn you into a tyrant. The worst of counsellors is he who has served as a counsellor to unjust rulers and shared their crimes. So never let men who have been companions of tyrants or shared their crimes be your counsellors.’
‘Keep near to you the upright and the God-fearing, and make clear to them that they are never to flatter you and never to give you credit for anything that you may not have done. For the tolerance of flattery and unhealthy praise stimulates pride in man and makes him arrogant.’
‘Do not treat the good and the bad alike. That will deter the good from doing good, and encourage the bad in their pursuits. Give credit where it is due.’
‘Select for your chief judge the one who is by far the best among the people, one who cannot be intimidated; one who does not turn back from the right path; one who is not self-centred and avaricious; one whom flattery cannot mislead or one who does not exult over his position.’
‘Never select men for responsible posts either out of any regard for personal connections or under any influence, for that will lead to injustice and corruption. Select for higher posts men of experience, firm in faith and belonging to good families. Such men will not fall an easy prey to temptations.’
‘Great care is to be exercised in revenue administration, to ensure the prosperity of those who pay the revenue to the state, for it is on their prosperity that the prosperity of others depends; particularly the prosperity of the masses. Indeed, the state exists on its revenue.’
‘You should regard the proper upkeep of the land in cultivation for revenue cannot be derived except by making the land productive. He who demands revenue without helping the cultivator to improve his land, inflicts unmerited hardships on the cultivator and ruins the state. The rule of such a person does not long last.’
‘Adopt useful schemes for those engaged in trade and industry and help them with wise counsels. Visit every part of the country and establish personal contact with this class, and inquire into their conditions. But bear in mind that a good many of them are intensely greedy. They hoard grain and try to sell it at a high price; and this is most harmful to the public.’
‘Beware! Fear God when dealing with the problems of the poor who have none to patronise, who are forlorn, indigent and helpless. Among them are some who do not question their lot in life and who, notwithstanding their misery, do not go about begging. For God’s sake, safeguard their rights.’
‘Meet the oppressed and the lowly periodically in open conferences, and be conscious of the divine presence there. Never for any length of time keep yourself aloof from the people. The ruler is after all human, and he cannot form a correct view of anything which is out of sight.’
‘It is imperative on you to study carefully the principles which have inspired just and good rulers who have gone before you’.
Monday, August 17, 2009
new Braille technology
Braille Displays Get New Life With Artificial Muscles
Research with tiny artificial muscles may yield a full-page active Braille system that can refresh
automatically and come to life right beneath your fingertips.
Yosi-Bar Cohen, a senior researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif,
was inspired during a business trip to Washington, D.C., where a convention for people with
visual impairments was taking place.
Bar-Cohen came up with an idea to create a "living Braille," a digital, refreshable Braille device
using electroactive polymers, also known as artificial muscles. He wrote up a technology report
and included information in a related book that he published. His writings inspired other
scientists and engineers to create active displays using this technology, and prototypes are now
under development around the world.
"I hope that sometime in the future we will have Braille on an iPhone. It will be portable and
able to project a picture of a neighborhood popping up in front of you in the form of raised dots,"
said Bar-Cohen. "A digital Braille operated by artificial muscles could provide for rapid
information exchange, such as e-mail, text messaging and access to the web and other electronic
databases or archives."
According to the World Health Organization, about 314 million people are visually impaired
worldwide; 45 million of them are blind.
Recently, Bar-Cohen was contacted by the Center for Braille Innovation of the Boston-based
National Braille Press to reach out to the Electroactive Polymer community and take advantage
of his role in this field. The National Braille Press is a non-profit Braille printing and publishing
house that promotes the literacy of blind children through Braille.
Current Braille Display Technologies
The challenge for creating an active Braille display is in packing many small dots into a tiny
volume.
Unlike hardcopy Braille, a refreshable display requires the raising and lowering of a large number
of densely packed dots that allow a person to quickly read them. Currently, commercial active
Braille devices are limited to a single line of characters. A full page of Braille typically has 25
lines of up to 40 characters per line. Characters are represented by six or eight dots per cell,
arranged in two columns. To produce a page of refreshable Braille using electroactive polymers
requires individually activating and controlling thousands of raiseable dots.
Developing New Braille Technologies
Some of the leading-edge work in Braille technology was developed at SRI in Menlo Park, Calif.
Richard Heydt, a senior research engineer there who was involved in developing a prototype
says, "The electroactive polymer technology seems to be a natural fit for Braille and tactile
display applications."
The Braille display developed at SRI is based on activating a type of polymer consisting of a thin
sheet of acrylic that deforms in response to voltage applied across the film. The individual Braille
dots are defined by a pattern on this film, and each dot is independently activated to produce the
dot combinations for Braille letters and numbers.
In currently available active refreshable Braille displays, each dot is a pin driven by a small motor
or electromagnetic coil. In contrast, in the SRI display the actuators are defined regions on a
single sheet of film. Thus, while each dot is raised or lowered by its own applied voltage, there
are no motors, bulky actuators, or similar components. Since the system has far fewer discrete
components for a Braille dot array, it would be potentially much lower in cost.
"The contributions of the developers of electroactive materials to making a low-cost, active
Braille display would significantly improve the life of many people with visual impairments,
while advancing the field to benefit other applications" said Bar-Cohen.
Looking for the 'Holy Braille'
The Boston-based National Braille Press has recently established a Center for Braille Innovation.
They're looking for the "Holy Braille," a full-page electronic Braille display, at a low cost.
"We feel that the exciting field of electroactive polymer technology has matured to the point
where it can provide real solutions for Braille displays. We welcome and encourage anyone who
wants to take part in Braille innovation," said Noel H. Runyan, National Braille Press, Center for
Braille Innovation
In the spring of 2010, Bar-Cohen is including a special session on tactile displays at an SPIE
conference. SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics. Tactile displays will be
presented and possibly demonstrated at the conference. He hopes these baby steps may someday
lead to a full-page Braille system that will allow people to feel and "see" the universe beneath
their fingers.
JPL is managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
-end-
taken from internet
Research with tiny artificial muscles may yield a full-page active Braille system that can refresh
automatically and come to life right beneath your fingertips.
Yosi-Bar Cohen, a senior researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif,
was inspired during a business trip to Washington, D.C., where a convention for people with
visual impairments was taking place.
Bar-Cohen came up with an idea to create a "living Braille," a digital, refreshable Braille device
using electroactive polymers, also known as artificial muscles. He wrote up a technology report
and included information in a related book that he published. His writings inspired other
scientists and engineers to create active displays using this technology, and prototypes are now
under development around the world.
"I hope that sometime in the future we will have Braille on an iPhone. It will be portable and
able to project a picture of a neighborhood popping up in front of you in the form of raised dots,"
said Bar-Cohen. "A digital Braille operated by artificial muscles could provide for rapid
information exchange, such as e-mail, text messaging and access to the web and other electronic
databases or archives."
According to the World Health Organization, about 314 million people are visually impaired
worldwide; 45 million of them are blind.
Recently, Bar-Cohen was contacted by the Center for Braille Innovation of the Boston-based
National Braille Press to reach out to the Electroactive Polymer community and take advantage
of his role in this field. The National Braille Press is a non-profit Braille printing and publishing
house that promotes the literacy of blind children through Braille.
Current Braille Display Technologies
The challenge for creating an active Braille display is in packing many small dots into a tiny
volume.
Unlike hardcopy Braille, a refreshable display requires the raising and lowering of a large number
of densely packed dots that allow a person to quickly read them. Currently, commercial active
Braille devices are limited to a single line of characters. A full page of Braille typically has 25
lines of up to 40 characters per line. Characters are represented by six or eight dots per cell,
arranged in two columns. To produce a page of refreshable Braille using electroactive polymers
requires individually activating and controlling thousands of raiseable dots.
Developing New Braille Technologies
Some of the leading-edge work in Braille technology was developed at SRI in Menlo Park, Calif.
Richard Heydt, a senior research engineer there who was involved in developing a prototype
says, "The electroactive polymer technology seems to be a natural fit for Braille and tactile
display applications."
The Braille display developed at SRI is based on activating a type of polymer consisting of a thin
sheet of acrylic that deforms in response to voltage applied across the film. The individual Braille
dots are defined by a pattern on this film, and each dot is independently activated to produce the
dot combinations for Braille letters and numbers.
In currently available active refreshable Braille displays, each dot is a pin driven by a small motor
or electromagnetic coil. In contrast, in the SRI display the actuators are defined regions on a
single sheet of film. Thus, while each dot is raised or lowered by its own applied voltage, there
are no motors, bulky actuators, or similar components. Since the system has far fewer discrete
components for a Braille dot array, it would be potentially much lower in cost.
"The contributions of the developers of electroactive materials to making a low-cost, active
Braille display would significantly improve the life of many people with visual impairments,
while advancing the field to benefit other applications" said Bar-Cohen.
Looking for the 'Holy Braille'
The Boston-based National Braille Press has recently established a Center for Braille Innovation.
They're looking for the "Holy Braille," a full-page electronic Braille display, at a low cost.
"We feel that the exciting field of electroactive polymer technology has matured to the point
where it can provide real solutions for Braille displays. We welcome and encourage anyone who
wants to take part in Braille innovation," said Noel H. Runyan, National Braille Press, Center for
Braille Innovation
In the spring of 2010, Bar-Cohen is including a special session on tactile displays at an SPIE
conference. SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics. Tactile displays will be
presented and possibly demonstrated at the conference. He hopes these baby steps may someday
lead to a full-page Braille system that will allow people to feel and "see" the universe beneath
their fingers.
JPL is managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
-end-
taken from internet
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Conversation Starters
Practicing good parent-child communication is an excellent avenue for teaching social skills and communication skills, which young children will need more and more as they get older. Use these conversation starters to work with your child on active listening and communication.
Does your child copy your disciplinary style? Ask, “If your teddy bear makes a mess or tells a lie, how will you deal with it?”
I see you had a problem with your teacher today. Tell me what happened and let’s see if we can work together on a way to clear up the problem.
I think you made a great drawing. Tell me why you picked the colors that you did. How did you think to draw that?
I’d like you to play on a neighborhood team this summer. What kind of team would you like to play on?
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Is there someone you know whom you would almost always be willing to do what he or she says? Who is that person?
Let’s do something fun tomorrow. What do you think would be fun?
Let’s go for a walk around the neighborhood and see how many doors we can count. You can practice riding on your bike while I walk.
Let’s play copycat. You do everything I do. Later I’ll copy everything you do. What did I do that you had the most fun copying? Why? What else do I do that you do?
Let’s play with clay today. What do you like to make with clay?
Our church is having a picnic tomorrow night and the whole family is going. Can you be in charge of getting together things to play with, like flying discs or a baseball?
Tell me about a time you felt (happy, sad, afraid, angry) during the day today.
Tell me about one person you met or played with today.
Tell me about one thing that happened today.
Tell me one good thing that happened at school today.
Tonight, we’re going to have a family meeting to talk about taking care of the dog. Everyone will sign up for feeding and walking the dog during the week.
What are our family rules? Why do we need them?
What are some of the rules in Grandma’s (or another family member’s) house?
What do you like best to do with (a member of the family)? Why?
What do you want to be when you grow up? What makes you want to be that?
What is a rule?
What is your favorite thing to do?
What is your favorite thing to eat?
What makes you angry? What do you do when you’re angry?
What rules do you follow at school? Why?
What scares you? What do you do when you’re scared?
What should happen if you break a rule?
What three words would you use to tell another person about yourself? Why those three words?
What would you like to help me make for dinner tonight?
When do you feel bored? What do you do to stop being bored?
Which would you rather do—play ball or play cards? Why?
Who is your favorite character on TV or in a book? What makes them your favorite? Would you like to be like the character? What would you copy?
Who’s your favorite friend?
(taken from internet)
Practicing good parent-child communication is an excellent avenue for teaching social skills and communication skills, which young children will need more and more as they get older. Use these conversation starters to work with your child on active listening and communication.
Does your child copy your disciplinary style? Ask, “If your teddy bear makes a mess or tells a lie, how will you deal with it?”
I see you had a problem with your teacher today. Tell me what happened and let’s see if we can work together on a way to clear up the problem.
I think you made a great drawing. Tell me why you picked the colors that you did. How did you think to draw that?
I’d like you to play on a neighborhood team this summer. What kind of team would you like to play on?
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Is there someone you know whom you would almost always be willing to do what he or she says? Who is that person?
Let’s do something fun tomorrow. What do you think would be fun?
Let’s go for a walk around the neighborhood and see how many doors we can count. You can practice riding on your bike while I walk.
Let’s play copycat. You do everything I do. Later I’ll copy everything you do. What did I do that you had the most fun copying? Why? What else do I do that you do?
Let’s play with clay today. What do you like to make with clay?
Our church is having a picnic tomorrow night and the whole family is going. Can you be in charge of getting together things to play with, like flying discs or a baseball?
Tell me about a time you felt (happy, sad, afraid, angry) during the day today.
Tell me about one person you met or played with today.
Tell me about one thing that happened today.
Tell me one good thing that happened at school today.
Tonight, we’re going to have a family meeting to talk about taking care of the dog. Everyone will sign up for feeding and walking the dog during the week.
What are our family rules? Why do we need them?
What are some of the rules in Grandma’s (or another family member’s) house?
What do you like best to do with (a member of the family)? Why?
What do you want to be when you grow up? What makes you want to be that?
What is a rule?
What is your favorite thing to do?
What is your favorite thing to eat?
What makes you angry? What do you do when you’re angry?
What rules do you follow at school? Why?
What scares you? What do you do when you’re scared?
What should happen if you break a rule?
What three words would you use to tell another person about yourself? Why those three words?
What would you like to help me make for dinner tonight?
When do you feel bored? What do you do to stop being bored?
Which would you rather do—play ball or play cards? Why?
Who is your favorite character on TV or in a book? What makes them your favorite? Would you like to be like the character? What would you copy?
Who’s your favorite friend?
(taken from internet)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
