How We Know A Dog Is A Dog: Concept Acquisition In The Human Brain

How We Know A Dog Is A Dog: Concept Acquisition In The Human Brain

  10:35:00 AM    Science Lover

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A new study explores how our brains synthesize concepts that allow us to organize and comprehend the world. The research, published by Cell Press in the September 24th issue of the journal Neuron, uses behavioral and neuroimaging techniques to track how conceptual knowledge emerges in the human brain and guides decision making.

Although two dogs can look very different, the human brain recognizes them as particular instances of the concept of a dog. (Credit: iStockphoto/Annette Wiechmann)







The ability to use prior knowledge when dealing with new situations is a defining characteristic of human intelligence. This is made possible through the use of concepts, which are formed by abstracting away the common essence from multiple distinct but related entities. "Although a Poodle and a Golden Retriever look very different from each other, we can easily appreciate their similar attributes because they can be recognized as instances of a particular concept, in this case a dog," explains lead study author, Dr. Dharshan Kumaran from the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging at University College London.

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Hi-tech walking stick brings wind-up torch and alarm for elderly

Hi-tech walking stick brings wind-up torch and alarm for elderly

  12:23:00 AM    Science Lover

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The new Slik-Stik walking stick is fitted with a torch, one-button alarm, and a magnet, and is powered by simply winding up a crank in the handle (inset)

A walking stick that uses wind-up technology to power a built-in torch and safety lights has been unveiled by a 70-year-old British inventor.

Developed by Trevor Baylis – who invented the wind-up radio almost two decades ago – the lightweight ‘Slik-Stik’ carries a personal alarm, can collapse to become tiny, and has a magnet to solve the tricky issue of picking up dropped keys.

His firm, Trevor Baylis Brands, recently launched the walking stick at an exhibition in London.

The Slik-Stik is the brainchild of Baylis’ 44-year-old protégé Denise Anstey, a disabled lady who was dissatisfied with the poor ergonomics and basic function of conventional walking sticks.

“When I was walking, I felt very vulnerable – a walking target. I thought it would be good for the elderly to have something they could immediately press to alert people to help,” she said.

The hi-tech walking stick is fitted with an induction generator system, with which a minute’s winding of the retractable handle is sufficient to provide several minutes of emergency illumination.

The front of the ergonomic hand-grip incorporates an LED torch light which shines a forward beam, and a foot-fall floodlight to ensure safe footing at night. The rear of the handle is fitted with a built-in panic alarm that can be activated to alert for help.

Finally, one further frustration for Denise has been addressed by the handy inclusion of a strong pick-up magnet in the handle. So in case she drops a set of keys, all she needs to do is flip the stick around.

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