Some Recommendations for Electric Vehicle (EV) Deployment

A major concern of EVs is lack of charging stations, time required to recharge batteries, and range anxiety. Easily replaceable battery packs can help reduce these concerns. Rather than wait to recharge the battery, an already charged one can replace the spent battery. Such a system would require that all car manufacturers provide a standardized battery replacement system built into each vehicle.

All charging locations and gas stations should transition to replaceable battery sites. These locations should be equipped to recharged spent batteries once collected.

There is a concern about fires in EVs. One way to remedy this fear is to provide EVs with a built-in foam fire extinguisher located under the hood that becomes activated when a fire is detected.

When an extended power outage occurs due to weather, people should be encouraged to work from home where possible. All homes should have a back-up power source to keep computers and cell phones operational.

F-35 Jet Crash Has Worrisome Implications

This accident remains under investigation and all details have not been released as of Sept. 26, 2023. One of the mysteries relates to why the pilot ejected and left the plane on autopilot. Apparently, he was unable to set the direction of flight over the Atlantic ocean and thereby reduce the potential crash site away from populated areas. It eventually crashed in an unpopulated rural section of South Carolina. 

A number of possible causes should be investigated: (1) system design failure resulting in a loss of control of the navigation system, (2) weather related incidents like lightning striking the jet, (3) a malicious laser striking the jet, and (4) a rouge signal designed to hack the jet's avionics. The latter two possible causes are especially concerning as any plane can be taken down, including passenger jets. The government should give this investigation its highest priority

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics on Medicine

In my blog entry of Sept. 11, 2012 (Some Predictions on the Impact of Technology on Society) I mention that medicine could utilize technology in many areas of practice. In another entry of Oct. 24, 2017, I recommended that every individual's medical record be stored in the cloud (Internet) where it can be accessed from anywhere at any time. In this entry I will discuss the potential benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics on the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses and injuries. AI can also improve the delivery of medical services while reducing cost. Telemedicine: Whenever a person feels ill or is injured a call would be made to a central notification agency. Once the patient's social security number is provided, the following sequence of events transpires: The caller is greeted by a chatbot (a computer program in the form of a virtual correspondent that can vocally engage in conversation with the caller). Connected to a program on the Internet, the chatbot would immediately determine the seriousness of the ailment based on the information provided. It will then request an ambulance if it is determined to be an emergency, or request the person be driven to the hospital for further diagnosis and treatment, or the chatbot can provide advice on home treatment if there is no need for immediate attention. The chatbot can even request medication if needed. [Note: The use of chatbots has a number of advantages over a human point of contact: (1) waiting is eliminated as response time is immediate; (2) determination of the nature of the case is quickly assessed as the chatbot is programmed to diagnose the problem based on the information provided by the caller; (3) medical records are automatically retrieved and updated, which can aid with the diagnosis and personalize the treatment based on the person's history; (4) The need for a doctor or nurse is minimized, freeing them to devote more time to patient care, and (5) costs are reduced as chatbots work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week without compensation.] Telepsychotherapy: Another use of chatbots is in the support it can provide to individuals with mental health or addiction problems. Conversing with a chatbot is. thanks to AI. very human sounding. The chatbot can determine if a caller is suicidal and request home intervention. The chatbot can deliver online psychotherapy at any time or place. Patients may be more willing to communicate with a non-judgemental robot than to a live individual. Finally, the cost of delivering this service is minimal compared to the cost of an hour's worth of counseling with a psychiatrist or a psychologist. Medical records: Every individual's medical history from birth onward can be stored on the internet. These records can be retrieved at any time from any place. These are password protected using the individual's social security number. Everyone should be reminded to always keep their number in their purse or wallet. Quick retrieval of this information can facilitate diagnosis and treatment. Diagnostics: Another area where AI can be applied is in improving the cost, speed, and accuracy of diagnosis. Blood analysis can be automated, heart function and other measures can be accessed, and x-rays can be read automatially and immediately. A diagnosis can be completed as soon as all inputs are entered. Surgery: Computers connected to various medical devices can be programmed to perform surgical procedures accurately. Treatment will be facilitated and cost reduced. Patient monitoring: The use of various sensors can monitor a patient's condition. Medical staff can be summoned if their condition requires attention. Dispensing medication: Robots can be programmed to provide patients with medication in a timely manner. Research: As a large pool of patient information is accumulated, AI can detect relationships between human practices and the occurrance of diseases. Also, AI can associate the effects of various chemical compounds and/or medical procedures on various disease processes, and recommend these as possible treatments.

The Work at Home Trend Can Have Far-Reaching Effects.

The recent COVID pandemic resulted in a work at home requirement for many employees. Once the pandemic abated, many workers continued to work at home. This trend has many implications both positive and negative. Positive changes include: (1) A reduction in the expense of operating and maintaining office buildings. (2) The need for office buildings could potentially be eliminated or reduced to a much smaller structure. Cost savings can be appreciable. (3) Meetings could be held online. (4) The time lost to commuting can provide workers with more time to devote to online work. (5) Employees could realize more income by reducing the cost of commuting and car maintenance. (6) A reduction in pollution as vehicles are used less. (7) A reduction in the price of gasoline as transportation to work places declines. (8) Abandoned or reduced use of office building space can be converted to much needed living spaces. Working at home could have some negative ramifications including: (1) A loss of property value as office buildings decline in need. (2) A decrease in the construction of new office buildings. (3) An increase in abandoned buildings where alternate uses are not found. (4) Loss of tax revenue when cities are faced with abandoned buildings. (5) Loss of revenue by retail establishments like restaurants and shopping centers as office workers no longer commute to cities. (6) Loss of jobs by those needed to operate office buildings and retail establishments. (7) A decline in mass transit (buses and trains.)

Laptop usage can automatically improve a student's vocabulary and grammar

As school districts transition to one laptop computer per student the need for dictionaries should decline. This assumes that all reading and writing takes place on a laptop. In the recent past, a student had to stop reading and resort to a dictionary when confronted with a word that was unfamiliar. Today's computers can contain a built-in dictionary. When the student clicks on an unfamiliar word, the definition appears automatically. Another advantage would be laptops that flag and correct grammatical and spelling errors as a student writes. Repeated corrections should ultimately help the student learn correct grammar and spelling. Schools should see to it that all their computers have programs that provide word definitions and spelling/grammar checkers. These programs can help improve a student's reading and writing.