NECTEC and SIPA support digitisation

The Software Industry Promotion Agency (SIPA) has teamed up with the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (NECTEC) to set up the Digital Content and Creation Centre to develop and promote Thailand’s digital content.

SIPA president Dr.Rungruang Limchoopatipa said NECTEC would handle upstream content, while entrepreneurs would manage the downstream and SIPA would be a bridge between the two parties. The collaboration aimed to the boost the digital content industry which would help drive the overall software business to reach 100,000 million baht over next three years, he said.

He added that NECTEC was responsible for R&D while SIPA would help the private sector in marking.

NECTEC director Dr.Pansak Siriruchantapong said Thailand had a lot of digital content and someone should take care of it, making sure all content was up to the same standard.

Being responsible for upstream content, NECTEC would encourage everyone to transform their raw content into digital formats.

“We develop tools and create models as examples with a goal of making it eventually become a service,” Dr.Pansak said.

As an R&D organization, NECTEC has content management, digital archives, data mining, analysis, access and display technologies, Content in digital format, through a process of knowledge-based management, could be commercialized if the private sector did this by using terms of service, he said.

Thai lab to produce low-cost microtube gel test for hospitals

Singapore, Oct 13, 2008: Thailand’s National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) provided a research grant to Khon Kaen University in Thailand to research and develop Thailand’s first effective low-cost microtube gel test, BB Gel Test for local hospital use. The commercial licensing agreement was signed with Innov (Thailand) Limited on October 7, 2008.

“The decision to provide the research grant to Khon Kaen University is because the project meets all the criteria for a community impact initiated project” said Dr Kanyawim Kirtikara, Director of BIOTEC. Associate Prof Amornrat Rompruek, a researcher and Project Team Leader at Khon Kaen University said the need to initiate this project stems from the fact that Thai hospitals have to import microtube gel test worth $57,000 for every 100,000 blood samplings. This is a considerable amount of money for hospitals.

BB Gel Test work on the principle of controlled centrifugation of red blood cells through a dextran-acrylamide-gel. The advantage of the gel microtubes is that it is accurate and the results can be saved for later supervisory or peer review. The most important aspects of BB Gel Test is that it is effective and economical available for hospitals in developing countries.

MTEC unveils 'PolyTech Plastic' to help farmers combat effects of global warming and boost productiv

• ‘PolyTech Plastic’ for greenhouses reduces heat, as well as diffuses light, and eliminates ultraviolet and other unwanted rays

• Local development of ‘PolyTech Plastic’ reduces cost of high-tech greenhouse plastic by 75% compared to imported coverings; enables farmers to use high technology to improve crop yields and income

• MTEC aims to produce ‘Smart PolyTech Plastic’ within 2009

Bangkok (14 October 2008) – Thailand’s National Metals and Materials Technology Centre (MTEC), under the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), today (14 October) announced the development of a new type of plastic covering for greenhouses that reduces heat by up to three degrees Celcius to combat the effects of global warming. In addition, it offers farmers the other benefits provided by earlier prototypes, such as the reduction of ultraviolet rays. Branded ‘PolyTech Plastic’, the new greenhouse covering helps farmers improve crop yields, and was developed in partnership with Naresuan University and the Royal Project Foundation.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Werasak Udomkichdecha, the recently appointed Director of MTEC said that ‘PolyTech Plastic’, was developed to substitute for expensive imports that had put this advanced agricultural technology beyond the reach of Thai farmers.

“We have developed the technology to produce PolyTech Plastic locally and we can do it for 75% cheaper than the imported version. This will mean hundreds of thousands of Thai farmers will now be able to afford this new technology which will allow them to grow more expensive crops, improve their yields, as well as have the option to plant a wider range of crops and vegetables that need cooler temperatures and which may give farmers a better return,” he said.

“Being able to grow certain fruits and vegetables out of season can increase the prices that farmers can get for their crops by two or three times,” he noted.

“Currently, there are 1.24 million rai under vegetable and fruit cultivation in Thailand, of which only 650 rai are under greenhouse covering. Exports and domestic consumption of fruits and vegetables exceed 36,500 million baht, annually, which means the new technology has the potential to increase the value of our country’s agricultural output by around 10,000 million baht through wider use of greenhouse covering and improved productivity,” said Dr. Werasak.

“Also, Thailand is the world’s largest exporter of tropical orchids with exports valued at approximately 2,500 million baht and a 35% global market share. This gives PolyTech Plastic the potential, if properly commercialized, to increase the value of just our orchid exports by hundreds of millions of baht,” he said.

Dr. Jittiporn Kruenate, Senior Researcher, MTEC, who is the leader of the team that developed PolyTech Plastic, said that, in field tests conducted with the support of the Royal Project Foundation, PolyTech Plastic was shown to reduce temperatures in greenhouses by up to three degrees Celsius, which can make a significant difference to the variety of crops that can be grown inside the greenhouses as well as improve their yields.

“This is particularly relevant to Thailand because of our hot climate. As a result of global warming, the temperature inside traditional greenhouses is getting too high and starting to damage crops and reducing overall yields. Farmers in Isan are especially vulnerable to this danger,” she said.

Dr. Jittiporn said that similar material is currently imported from Israel, France, Spain, and Italy, but that it is very expensive and unaffordable to most farmers, “typically costing four times greater than what we can now produce it for”.

In addition to reducing the amount of heat rays entering the greenhouse, PolyTech Plastic sheeting can also be custom-designed to reduce or eliminate other rays that can adversely affect the ability of a specific crop to grow.

According to Dr. Jittiporn, eliminating certain types of rays also helps prevent some plant diseases that need those rays to thrive. “This not only makes for healthier and better crop yields, it also means that farmers can reduce their use of insecticides by around 80% inside the greenhouse,” she said.

“Another breakthrough just made possible by PolyTech plastic is that we can now also control the proportion of different types of light entering the greenhouse,” said Dr. Thanasat Sooksimuang, Senior Researcher, MTEC, and a member of the PolyTech Plastic team. “This can increase the essential substances in herbs and plants. For example, it can make chili hotter, it can increase the antioxidants in some herbs. It can also boost vitamin content as well as improve the taste of some fruits, such as strawberries. All of this not only helps farmers improve the quality of their produce, but also helps Thai-grown fruit and vegetables compete better in global markets based on their taste and nutritional value,” he said.

Dr. Thanasat said that PolyTech Plastic, additionally, improves the diffusion of light inside the greenhouse, ensuring that an optimum amount of light reaches all crops wherever they are in the greenhouse and even in overcast weather, so that they can grow better.

PolyTech Plastic is the culmination of five years of research and development and began with early prototypes that were just able to filter ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Dr. Thammarat Panyathanmaporn, Senior Researcher, MTEC, and also a member of the PolyTech Plastic team, said that the depletion of the ozone layer was creating increased UV-B radiation.

“Staple crops, vegetables and fruits are essential for Thailand’s economy and food supply, and they are adversely affected by UV-B radiation. It’s not just people that are vulnerable to UV-B radiation. Plants are, too. UV-B radiation affects living organisms by damaging their cellular metabolism including inactivation of enzymes, disruption of membrane structure and the generation of “free radicals,” said Dr. Thammarat.

‘Smart PolyTech Plastic’ to be launched in 2009
Dr. Jittiporn said the next major step forward in the research and development process is to create ‘Smart PolyTech Plastic’. “Within 2009 we aim to have developed an even more advanced plastic for greenhouse covering. Currently, PolyTech plastic recognizes and eliminates harmful rays while also reducing heat. Next, we want to develop ‘Smart PolyTech Plastic’ that will recognize harmful rays and, rather than just eliminate them, it will be able to convert them into rays that plants need to grow better.”

Working Collaboratively
Prof. Dr. Werasak said PolyTech plastic was developed by MTEC and Naresuan University working together, and had also received the support of the Royal Project Foundation as well as the private sector.
“This is a good example of how a state research and development agency like MTEC, under NSTDA, can work collaboratively with academic institutions, such as Naresuan University, to leverage expertise anywhere it can be found, as well as harness the resources of the private sector to generate outputs that are directly relevant to the needs of agriculture, industry, as well as healthcare.”

He said that Quality Pack Printing 2000 Co., Ltd. provided the PolyTech Plastic research team with the equipment and operating knowhow to make the test batches of PolyTech Plastic sheeting.

According to Dr. Uthai Wichai of Naresuan University, the university’s Faculty of Science used its knowhow in synthesizing materials to reduce heat rays to help produce PolyPlastic.

Increasing local technological capability to substitute for expensive imports
Prof. Dr. Werasak said MTEC is working on other projects to create the technology to help Thailand produce other specialty materials to substitute for expensive imports.

“One of our current programmes includes the development of a prototype for a machine that produces customized artificial limbs and other prostheses for patients. We are also developing a specialty material that can be used as a replacement for bones as well as in dental work,” he said.

He said MTEC had already successfully developed locally produced dental implants that had substituted for imports and allowed more patients to access dental implant technology. Imported implants cost about Bht 15,000 baht a piece while the equivalent, domestically produced ones cost only Bht 5,000 baht a piece.

MTEC has 127 projects in varying stages of development and is staffed with 345 researchers, engineers, and scientists.

NSTDA is Thailand’s top science and technology organisation. MTEC, which operates under NSTDA, is a centre focused on developing ways to improve materials so that they can do more or perform better in their applications in industry or daily life. MTEC does that through research and development and by working collaboratively with other government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector.

Thai Scientists crack first genetic code - put Thailand in 'genomics' era

Thai Scientists crack first genetic code - put Thailand in 'genomics' era

• Thai scientists put Thailand into exclusive club of nations that have successfully sequenced a genome

• Thai scientists become first in the world to crack the genetic code of a water organism called ‘spirulina platensis’

• New know-how to help improve productivity in agriculture, shrimp farming, and animal husbandry

Bangkok (29 October 2008) – BIOTEC, Thailand’s centre of expertise for biotechnology, today announced that Thai scientists have successfully cracked their first genetic code – of a blue-green algae – and aim to complete sequencing the organism’s genome early next year.

The landmark achievement is Thailand’s first-ever genetic sequencing project and puts the country among the world’s exclusive club of nations that have sequenced a genome.

The accomplishment is also the first time in the world that the organism ‘spirulina platensis’, a single-cell algae that thrives in warm freshwater, has had its genetic make-up decoded.

Dr. Kanyawim Kirtikara, Director of BIOTEC, said, “Our newly-gained ability to sequence genomes has the potential for many useful applications for Thailand’s agriculture, such as in crop improvement, as well as in healthcare. In aquaculture too, for example, our genome sequencing ability can help us find ways to successfully domesticate broodstock of black tiger shrimp.”

Dr. Kanyawim said the project was conducted in partnership with King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Chiang Mai University, and Kasetsart University.

“This is a collaborative victory for Thai biotechnologists. It exemplifies how scientists working together from different institutions can pool their knowledge and resources to help Thailand make big breakthroughs,” said Prof. Dr. Morakot Tanticharoen, the pioneer of biotechnology in Thailand who initiated the project three years ago, and is the recipient of the 2008 ASEAN Science and Technology Meritorious Service Award.

The project team working on the decoding of the spirulina platensis genome comprised 18 researchers and six scientists, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Supapon Cheevadhanarak of King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, and included Dr. Somvong Tragoonrung, a researcher at BIOTEC, as well as Asst. Prof. Jeerayuth Chaijaruwanich of Chiangmai University.

Dr. Somvong said, “We chose to decode the genetic sequencing of spirulina platensis because of its complexity which had caused problems for teams in other countries. Also, Thailand is the world’s third largest producer of spirulina which means we may be able to make good commercial use of our understanding of its genetic make-up.”

Both NASA and the European Space Agency have proposed spirulina as a possible food source for long interplanetary missions, such as to Mars, because of its high concentration of protein. More commonly, it is used as a natural food dye, most famously in ‘blue’ ‘Smarties’ chocolate candies.

“We have completed sequencing 90% of the spirulina platensis genome, which has around 5.8 million base pairs, and have already begun our next challenge, which is to sequence the genome of a plant. A plant, typically, has around 1,000 million base pairs,” he said.

“Biotechnology is the next wave of the knowledge-based economy after the IT revolution of the last twenty years. It is revolutionising life sciences and health care, as well as agriculture and other sectors. The development of our capabilities in biotechnology is fundamentally important to helping Thailand integrate into and benefit from the global life sciences revolution,” said Dr. Somvong.

BIOTEC is a member of the National Science and Technology Development Agency. It conducts research in biotechnology as well as supports collaborative programmes with other government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. This year, BIOTEC celebrates its 25th year of founding.
NSTDA is Thailand’s top science and technology organisation.

Royal opening of BIOASIA 2008

Royal opening of BIOASIA 2008

BioAsia 2008 “Well Being for Human Race” was officially opened yesterday morning by HRH Chulabhorn Valayalaksana at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. The conference will run from November 25-27, 2008. Prof. Emeritus Dr. Pornchai Matangkasombut, President of TCELS presented the Conference Report and introduced the two keynote lecturers for this auspicious event: • Dr. Juan Enriquez, the Founding Director of the Harvard Business School Life Science Project, and author of the global bestseller ‘As the Future Catches You’. • Prof. Dr. Harald zur Hausen, 2008 Nobel Laureate (Medicine) presented a lecture on “Novel Vaccines for Cervical Cancer” Included at BioAsia 2008 is an exhibition on the latest discoveries by research institutions and private sector. Registration fee is required for the scientific conference. Registration fee IS NOT EQUIRED for the exhibition area. The venue is open from 09:00 18:00 hrs. http://www.nstda.or.th

Local TV News Competitors Join Forces

Local TV News Competitors Join Forces

There was no shortage of blogs predicitng the loss of revenue that would plague local TV stations after the election, largely because political ads were keeping them afloat.
Well, there's a major cost saving measure underway between Fox and NBC that will allow both to eliminate fewer jobs by pooling resources.
It's a new vidoe sharing arrangement or "news service" that will make video of non-enterprise stories available to interested local media outlets in each market, including TV and radio, newspapers and digital.

I've worked in local TV news in Cleveland, Tampa, West Palm Beach and Ft. Lauderdale and the competition is fierce. I'm sure it will seem a bit odd sharing video, particualrly on breaking news. I'll be watching to see how it all works out.

You can read more about this new arrangement here.

-Angela Connor

posted by Angela_Connor | 0 Comments

The rise of social media and the demise of newspapers

The rise of social media and the demise of newspapers

I remember a kind of panic going through the newspaper industry -- around 1989.

Young people weren't reading newspapers, and there was a great amount of money being spent trying to figure out how to change that.

"How are we going to get the next generation to read the newspaper?" publishers asked. They spent a lot of money making youth-oriented sections for newspapers that went unread.

Now we know the answer to that question: We're not. But we were asking the wrong question. The question should have been: How are we going to get information to the next generation? If we'd asked that in 1989, someone in the news industry might have developed Facebook, MySpace or Twitter. Instead, journalists are left to catch up with social networking -- the tool that's being used to pass information.

To succeed in that arena we have to be social. Patrick Thornton guides us with on Beatblogging.org dealing with how have have to stop hiding behind bylines and put ourselves out there.

“I don’t think social media will really work for journalists, unless we are willing to share a little bit about ourselves and our personalities,” Thornton quotes journalism professor Carrie Brown from a video.

Meanwhile, newspapers may be disappearing faster than we can Twitter about it. Editor & Publisher blogger Mark Fitzgerald says we could begin seeing the first cities beginning to lose their newspapers next year, according to the Fitch Ratings service.

"Fitch believes more newspapers and newspaper groups will default, be shut down and be liquidated in 2009 and several cities could go without a daily print newspaper by 2010," the credit ratings firm said in a report on the outlook for U.S. media and entertainment.

posted by RonSylvester | 0 Comments
Filed Under: Twitter, Social networking

Technology

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"Advanced technology" redirects here. For the Advanced Technology form factor, see AT (form factor).

By the mid 20th century, humans had achieved a mastery of technology sufficient to leave the surface of the Earth for the first time and explore space.

Technology is a broad concept that deals with an animal species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects an animal species' ability to control and adapt to its environment. Technology is a term with origins in the Greek "technologia", "τεχνολογία" — "techne", "τέχνη" ("craft") and "logia", "λογία" ("saying").^[1] However, a strict definition is elusive; "technology" can refer to material objects of use to humanity, such as machines, hardware or utensils, but can also encompass broader themes, including systems, methods of organization, and techniques. The term can either be applied generally or to specific areas: examples include "construction technology", "medical technology", or "state-of-the-art technology".

The human race's use of technology began with the conversion of natural resources into simple tools. The prehistorical discovery of the ability to control fire increased the available sources of food and the invention of the wheel helped humans in travelling in and controlling their environment. Recent technological developments, including the printing press, the telephone, and the Internet, have lessened physical barriers to communication and allowed humans to interact on a global scale. However, not all technology has been used for peaceful purposes; the development of weapons of ever-increasing destructive power has progressed throughout history, from clubs to nuclear weapons.

Technology has affected society and its surroundings in a number of ways. In many societies, technology has helped develop more advanced economies (including today's global economy) and has allowed the rise of a leisure class. Many technological processes produce unwanted by-products, known as pollution, and deplete natural resources, to the detriment of the Earth and its environment. Various implementations of technology influence the values of a society and new technology often raises new ethical questions. Examples include the rise of the notion of efficiency in terms of human productivity, a term originally applied only to machines, and the challenge of traditional norms.

Philosophical debates have arisen over the present and future use of technology in society, with disagreements over whether technology improves the human condition or worsens it. Neo-Luddism, anarcho-primitivism, and similar movements criticise the pervasiveness of technology in the modern world, claiming that it harms the environment and alienates people; proponents of ideologies such as transhumanism and techno-progressivism view continued technological progress as beneficial to society and the human condition. Indeed, until recently, it was believed that the development of technology was restricted only to human beings, but recent scientific studies indicate that other primates and certain dolphin communities have developed simple tools and learned to pass their knowledge to other generations.