Table of Contents
No Showmetech TRIO of the week (07/03/2022), let's talk about the starstim, a new brain stimulator that helps treat disease without the need for surgery. We will also talk about the Polestar O₂, a new sports roadster model that comes with a built-in drone. Finally, our last topic is about how the Ukrainian president's videos Volodymyr Zelenskyy are influencing the construction of the image of a “war hero”. Check out the main news of the week with us!
Starstim: brain technology without surgery
One of the procedures that most concern patients, despite all the current scientific and technological advances, are surgeries. In certain situations, surgeries are necessary to access places where the disease occurs, either to cure or treat it. Thinking of avoiding the wear and tear of the patient in having to undergo this type of operation, the neuroelectrics, a company in the field of technology and health of Ana Maiques, developed a kind of helmet with electrodes that uses light electrical impulses in his patients' heads to stimulate or inhibit neural activity in their brain. In this way, it is possible to treat diseases such as sleep disorders, autism and even seizures.
The technology aims to offer a non-invasive alternative, taking into that there are no cuts or accesses that obstruct the patient's body, using only this helmet with several electrodes and wires, which is very similar to some devices used in science fiction films. According to Neuroelectrics, Starstim sends the electrical impulses through a technology called Transcranial Electrical Stimulation.
Our company is ready to bring [your] platform to patients' homes. Now, more than ever, telemedicine, brain monitoring and brain stimulation at home are needed […] It's like stepping on the moon.
Ana Maiques, co-founder and CEO of Neuroelectrics, during a at Mobile World Congress 2022
In patients suffering from seizures, for example, Starstim uses its electrical impulses to ease the patient's anxiety levels in specific regions of the brain. In a test performed, 20 minutes of using Starstim for 10 consecutive days resulted in reduction of seizure episodes by half. In addition, it is possible to monitor the device's performance remotely, an ideal resource for moments of home confinement, such as those we face during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In its latest update, the federal agency of US Department of Health and Human Services authorized the company to carry out tests with Starstim in humans for the treatment of depression, another disease that is affecting more and more people daily and, again, also intensified with the COVID-19 pandemic.
If everything continues to go well with this new device, we will enter a new era in healthcare, as people's privacy and physical integrity will be much better preserved, even when treating such intrinsic diseases.
Polestar O₂, new drone concept car
One of the markets that never stop offering technologies to the world is the automobile market, and today we have even more news: the new sports roadster from Polestar, called Polestar O₂.
The model brings with it an elegant design, which aims precisely at futuristic models of convertible cars. Not only in the allusion offered in its name, the Polestar O₂ is also conceived with high levels of sustainability. All of the lighter components of its interior are recycled polyester in a variety of ways. Even the aluminum that covers the car was built so that its recycling is facilitated, preventing a new batch of aluminum from being used.
The strong point of this car is that there is a drone that accompanies it. Polestar, in partnership with aerofugia, a company specializing in aerial technology, came up with this concept of a drone with a car to promote a unique experience to s.
The drone located on the inside of the airfoil, which can be taken off and used to follow the car's journey. Working autonomously, the equipment follows the car at a maximum speed of 90 km/h and the pilot can still choose between atmospheric or action modes, according to the place he is ing through, avoiding possible obstacles for the small flying device.
After filming, the drone automatically returns to the car and the videos are sent directly to a 15-inch screen, included in the vehicle's dashboard as soon as it is parked. There are hopes that the companion drone will also be seen in the next few Polestar 4 and 5. Although some people already carry cameras in their cars, equipped behind the windshield, now there are also those who will record their trips by air. Too much right?
The impact of Volodymyr Zelenskyy's videos
Ending our compilation of news of the week, let's talk about one of the aspects that also drew attention in the sad situation faced in Ukraine: the position of the current Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy through videos on social networks.
From comedian to president, Volodymyr uses his natural ability to ask the world for help and, especially, the great world powers. With his simple iPhone, he records videos in which he shows his clear concern about the Russian invasion of the country while delivering unrehearsed and convincing speeches, usually showing the president alone or with a few people, but always in a humble way.
The most interesting of this is how the president managed to assume the image of “everyman turned war hero” with simple selfie videos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Thousands of people ended up sympathizing with the public figure.
From Everyman to War Hero
The first point of Volodymyr's tactic is the authenticity of your content, always showing a man in spontaneous places, that is, without much background production such as spotlights or sets. In one of his videos shown, for example, his only lighting comes from the light of a smartphone. Currently, the president has more than 15 million followers on Instagram, a social network that he has used as a weapon when it comes to his requests for help to the world.
Observing these situations, the public consequently connects more with the speeches of the Ukrainian leader, who influences and transforms public opinion in favor of his country, in addition to creating a sense of solidarity.
Furthermore, the level of urgency with whom he communicates through the videos shows that he will always stay within the country and alongside his people. This is the immediacy factor of the discourse. The Ukrainian president talks to his people and world alliances in the 'here and now' as Russia continues its attacks. This character of extreme involvement in the conflict helps Ukraine's image.
Social media platforms help shape how people understand the world and structure how they respond to news as it unfolds. Zelenskyy seems to intuitively understand the rules of engagement on social media, which makes sense considering his previous career as an artist. Her videos are short, between four and seven minutes, to the point, relatable and very personal.
anjana susarla, professor of Information Systems at Michigan State University, on how Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is acting on social media in relation to Russian attacks on Ukraine.
To get an idea, the hashtag #standwithukraine went viral and managed to raise $22 million worth of cryptocurrencies alone.
This is a common case where using social media as a discourse platform becomes very efficient. During all this chaos with Russia, while the war doesn't stop, Ukraine's social relations to the world ended up being stronger than those of its rival.
See also other features
Also check out other related content on Showmetech. And if you missed the latest issue of Showmetech TRIO, check it out now! He talks about a housing colony on Mars, the electric car from the movie Back to the Future and also a new electric hydrofoil speedboat.
Sources: Interesting Engineering and The Next Web [1] e [2].
