Friday, May 18, 2012

Top 10 Twitter Posts — Week 20: Job Postings, Thought-Powered Robots and a Free MIT Class



Credit: Technology Review
1. Moving Robotic Arms With Just Your Thoughts on Technology Review: There now exists a technology that allows quadriplegics to control robotic arms with just their thoughts. The article says this is the first study that uses a brain chip to allow paralyzed people to accomplish simple tasks, like lifting a coffee thermos from a table, to their lips. Sounds like this could go a long way in improving the quality of life for a lot of people.

2. Discovering the Academic Self Through FIRST Robotics on Produce Design and Development: Yay! We got an exclusive piece about a FIRST robotics mentor published in PD&D. Read about the guy who heads up one of the FIRST teams we sponsored this year. Super cool!

3. YouTube Video Countdown on YouTube.com: You guys, we're super close to reaching the big 200,000 views mark on our YouTube channel! Can you believe it?! We've come a long way in the few years since we created it. Check it out to peruse the archives of video we've posted since 2009. We've got lots of big thing in store for the rest of the year, too. So keep checking back every now and again!

3. Did You Know We're Hiring? on bwc.com: That's right — as our company continues to grow, we need to add some sales staff and an engineer. Want to delve into the world of linear slides, guides and rotary motion technologies? Check our our job listings for the latest openings. Can't wait to read your applications — send 'em on in!

Credit: Global Talent Strategy
4. Can the Manufacturing Sector Appeal to Generation Y? on GlobalTalentStrategy.com: Globalization, the exponential advancement of technology and shifting demographics, among other things, has dramatically changed modern manufacturing and created a significant talent shortage that could jeopardize the future of the industry. So how do we make the manufacturing sector more attractive to the current generation of young students? Here's an interesting look at the issue. What do you think?

5. Wallets Made From 70-Year-Old Baseball Gloves on GentleMint.com: So Father's Day is just around the corner ... and this nifty little number may make a good gift. Well, if you can afford to shell out $350, that is. Neat nonetheless.

6. Free Online MIT Course on Circuits and Electronics via MITx: We've mentioned before that a lot of top colleges and universities offer free online versions of the same courses other students pay tens of thousands of dollars to attend in person, right? Well, one of the more recent free online offerings through the Massachusetts Institutes of Technology is a class on circuits and electronics. You can drop in anytime. Way to be, MIT!

Credit: NASA
7. The Shake, Rattle and Roar of the J-2X Engine via NASA.gov: It lasted just seven seconds, byt the "shake, rattle and roar" of the J-2X engine test in south Mississippi brought the nation a step closer to a return to outer space, according to the agency. Awesome photo of the launch here!

8. In Eight Years, Facebook Changed All We Do Online via Fast Company: When you have something to share, do you email your friends or just post it on a social network? Odd are, you just update your Facebook status. And that's just one way the social networking giant changed the whole culture of online information-sharing. Interesting read.

9. A Forklift Ballet via YouTube: Who knew two forklifts could be so elegant? 'Nuff said. Just watch this one!

10. Biometrics App Raises Privacy Concerns on The Bay Citizen: Another example of technology outpacing the ethics to manage it. A company recently released an app that allows the user to scan faces in a bar crowd to mine for info online about them. Creepy, right? So better think twice if the stranger you just met on your night out wants to take a picture of you and your friends. It could be a chance to cyberstalk you. Yipes!