In Crittenden County, Arkansas many resident are still without power spending the day outside clearing debris.

CRITTENDEN COUNTY, ARKANSAS, Ark.

It'sanother hard blow on top of the already stressful pandemic.

All throughout the city of Earle, you'll see downed wires, poles, and trees as a result of Friday's storm It left many residents in shock.

It came like a domino effect.

"All I could say was thank you God. Thankyou, God. It was got that brought us through that, said Stephanie Warren, an Earle, Crittenden County resident.

Tree after tree fell on each other during Fridays storm.

One tree fell directly on Warrens home.

"We were just frantic. It wasreally indescribable. I really can't say how I felt at that moment, but it was something that shocked me, said Warren.

She and her family were trapped inside.

"My neighbor got the window up and he was able to get us out,"said Warren.

Meanwhile blocks away, winds struck hard on Earle Elementary School.

The Superintendent was there Saturday totake a lookat the damage.

"The roof was blownoff ofour annex, which is next to our new elementary school. A piece of that roof flew into our new building, punctured the roof and we sustained water damage. You can see daylight from the inside of the new building, said Tish Knowles, Earle School District Superintendent.

Thankfully, no one was in the building.

"Ohmy goodness. You know if it had been a normal school day with children at school without COVID-19, we would have had people at the end of the day, said Knowles.

As many are without power, debris and wires scattered throughout the streets, the unity in this community remains intact.

"I'm very thankful for the people in my community. Earle, we've always been that close net," said Warren.

"Many of our community members are affected by this, so as we do in our small communities across the delta, we pull together and we just do what we need to do to stick together. It's who we are. It's part of our culture. It's part of our community, said Knowles.

The Superintendent said crews will be out over the next couple days clearing debris and water from buildings.

Many residents are still withoutpower butare leaning on each other for support.

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Friday's severe thunderstorm left major damage in areas across the Mid-South. - WATN - Local 24

If you live close to a source of water, then you have probably had an encounter with beaversat some point. These large rodents are pure bliss to watch as they go about their busy day. So often is the satisfaction they bring to observers that we often forget what they really are pests. Beavers, although cute, are highly destructive and territorial. Once they set up shop in your property, getting them to leave becomes a problem. They will chew any material they can find to build their dams and homes.

Beavers are semi-aquatic animals. They build their houses on water but since theyre also mainly vegetarians, they need to return to land now and then to feed. They use the dams they build as a sort of bridge connecting their homes to their source of food. The process of feeding and building a fort causes the destruction of structures around them as they chew and cut down trees to build their dams. The destruction that they cause is unsightly and costly to repair. It is no wonderthatno one wants them on their property. Knowing howto get rid of beaversis how you can keep your home safe. Below are some things to do to make sure that beavers stay clear of your property.

Beaversfeed off of branches, twigs, and leaves. Although they live on the water, they need to travel to land to get their food. They use excess food to fortify their homes. They will chew on trees on your property as well as any vegetation they can find. Depriving them of food by blocking any means of getting it is one way to make sure they stay away from your property. Beavers rarely travel far in search of food. If its not around, they pack up and leave.

Each year, property owners spend so much on repairs from havoc wrecked by beavers. Much of the destruction caused is used to build dams. These dams are mainly composed of tree branches, twigs, rocks, or anything they can find. Depriving them access to these raw materials will make them pack up and leave. If you have trees and other vegetation around your property that can potentially serve as raw materials, then you can protect them by wrapping them in wire gauge. The beavers will not be able to break through the barriers causing them to abandon. If you are concerned about aesthetics, you can paint the trees instead. Your local store will have something vaguely similar to the tree color that can be used. The beavers will not be able to chew on the trees because the paint repels them.

Although repellents are not very effective, they can still be used to discourage beavers from chewing on vegetation. They have to be sprayed at intervals as the beavers will resume chewing at the vegetation once the odor stops. So far there are limited repellents available that are approved by the FDA, therefore, the scope is really narrowed.

Another way to keep beavers away from your property is to install a fence. Fences will ensure that they are trapped on the other side of your property. Fences can be made from galvanized wires. Ensure to check the fenceregularly for signs of damage and mend appropriately.

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How to keep Beavers away from your property - The Southern Maryland Chronicle

PITTSBURGH, May 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- "I'm an electrician and I wanted to create a faster and more reliable way to pull cables through conduits," said an inventor, from Bronx, N.Y., "so I invented the EZ CABLE SYSTEM."

InventHelp Logo (PRNewsfoto/InventHelp)

The invention provides an improved method of pulling wires in conduits. In doing so, it offers an alternative to traditional tools and methods. As a result, it saves time and effort and it increases convenience and efficiency. The invention features a compact size that is easy to use so it is ideal for electrical and wiring contractors. Additionally, it is producible in design variations.

The inventor described the invention design. "My design provides added convenience for electricians and others working with wires."

The original design was submitted to the Manhattan sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 18-MTN-2610, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/inventhelp-inventor-develops-improved-way-to-pull-wires-in-conduits-mtn-2610-301055718.html

SOURCE InventHelp

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InventHelp Inventor Develops Improved Way to Pull Wires in Conduits (MTN-2610) - Yahoo Finance

Working at home, what was once a preference has now become a necessity for many due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Several professional offices and businesses have begun taking safety measures, one of which was social distancing and working from their homes. However, despite the lack of travelling and insufferable morning traffic, working from home is not for everyone. And with a multitude of distractions, it can be hard to stay creative. So here is a small guide on how you can keep yourself creative at home during these trying times.

By Marianna Piccolo, founder, MY PICK ONE

1.Switching up your location

Humans are creatures of habit. Every morning, you go to your office to proceed to work at your dedicated space. Your brain knows specific spaces are for creative work, therefore setting one up will allow you to focus better and get work done faster. Therefore, to help your brain focus, you should set up a dedicated space where you will work. This dedicated space will act as your office and should be the perfect balance between an isolated and public room. If you have rooms that are not in use, transform it into your new office space. Or if you have a house with different floors, you can commit an entire floor for office tasks if it helps stimulate your creativity.

2.Good lighting

When choosing the right place for your desk, it is always important to consider the lighting. Try to work in areas of your house that have ample lighting, whether it be artificial or natural. Light helps keep your body awake and makes you feel more active as you work. Of course, there is also a matter of personal preference. If you feel more comfortable working in less light, a backlit keyboard and lamp should be enough for your office setup.

3.Office specific furnishings

As appealing as it may seem to sit around different parts of your home working, this can greatly hinder your creativity. Hence, its best to work in a dedicated room or your own floor. Nonetheless, you need office-specific equipment to focus better on your work. A good office chair can do wonders for your back and can make it significantly easier for you to work from home. Moreover, with the help of a well-planned work table, you can work in a clutter-free and well-organised environment. And when looking to get a new worktable, opt for one with ample space to accompany a laptop or desktop along with a few other frequently used items. You should also look into an ergonomic standing desk if you are getting tired of sitting around as you work.

4.Prepare your table

Setting up your table goes much further than placing it in one of your rooms. You will also have to adjust and set up all sorts of wiring and connections. A major goal with your home-based setup is that you spend more time on your desk working than going about your house for items essential to your work. So make sure that wherever you place your desk, you get proper wifi signals. You can also set up a separate router nearby to ensure your connection is never interrupted.

5. Storage and shelving

It is also essential to have ample storage and shelving around your desk, according to your most common job tasks. The quarantine might not end for at least a month. Therefore, you should have just enough space for your files and other essential items.

6. Listen to your favourite music

Finally, keep your playlist ready for when you are working. The opinion around listening to music while working is very subjective; some people prefer listening to it, whereas others do not. However, it is very common for your house to get a little noisy when you are working, especially if you have children or live with roommates.

Originally posted here:
Tips: How to stay creative while working from home - DESIGNME

A commercial drone fell from the sky after a flight across a railway line threw its internal compass into confusion.

The Aerialtronics Altura Zenith ATX8 craft crashed into bushes next to a railway line in October 2019, according to a recent Air Accidents Investigation Branch report.

The craft's operator started its flight from a road bridge over an electrified railway line. A subsequent investigation by the manufacturer discovered that the quadcopter's onboard magnetic compass reading "had varied through about 60 within a couple of seconds of takeoff". Its full flight lasted just 13 seconds.

Operators reported that when it reached a height of 16ft (5 metres), the drone "started to drift to the west" while still climbing. At about 30ft above ground level, it "suddenly accelerated to the west and began to lose altitude" before crashing out of sight.

Network Rail found the drone in trackside bushes, having been immediately alerted by the operators, who spotted that it came to rest away from the rails themselves.

After takeoff the drone's compass stabilised but the craft continued drifting to the west. The day after the crash, the operator went back and carried out an RF spectrum analysis of the takeoff site as well as using a handheld compass to check for magnetic interference. Deviations of up to 140 were immediately apparent "over localised regions of the bridge below which the railway track's overhead high-voltage wires were being ducted".

Overhead wires for trains carry AC current at 25kV. Current draw runs into the hundreds of amps when a train is passing by.

Ian Hudson of drone blog UAVhive told The Register: "A drone shouldn't crash from a compass error. Good software should detect a compass error and switch to manual."

More modern designs, said Hudson, incorporate multiple levels of redundancy in key sensors, hopefully to mitigate the effects of malfunctions. It is unclear whether three similar magnetometers would have been immune to the strong electromagnetic field generated by a passing train.

Hudson also pointed out that Aerialtronics boasts on its website that its Altura Zenith product line is "TV tested to guarantee operations [fraught] with electromagnetic interference" and joked: "Clearly not well enough!"

Electromagnetic interference has been blamed for a number of unforeseen problems in electronic devices over the years, including smart meters delivering fictional utility readings to home Wi-Fi interference thanks to unshielded mains wiring. It seems drones flying near power lines is something to add to that list.

Sponsored: How to simplify data protection on Amazon Web Services

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Railway cables overpowered errant drone's compass and flung it back to terra firma - The Register

Issued on: 23/05/2020 - 20:53

Berlin (AFP)

Bayern Munich cruised to victory once more as Borussia Dortmund kept within touching ahead of next week's top-two showdown but there were still plenty of unusual sights and sounds in the Bundesliga this weekend.

AFP Sport looks at some of the most notable moments from the second round of matches since football's restart in Germany:

Moment of reflection for victims

-- A minute's silence is being observed ahead of all games in Germany's top two tiers this week and next in memory of COVID-19 victims worldwide. Over 8,200 people have died from coronavirus-related causes in Germany, which has reported more than 175,000 cases. Players are also wearing black armbands in tribute. "The spread of the coronavirus has already taken many lives throughout the world. German professional football would like to express its condolences," German league chief executive Christian Seifert said this week.

Cut it out!

-- Borussia Moenchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer was pictured seated next to his partner, Alina, among the home fans as 13,000 cardboard cut-outs 'watched' the team in Saturday's 3-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen. An initiative launched by a Gladbach supporters' group has attracted plenty of interest, with fans jumping on the chance to have life-sized images of themselves in the stands. Thousands of people have taken up the offer, where they pay 19 euros to have their cut-out placed inside Borussia Park. Season ticket holders can even have their lookalike allocated to their regular spot. "It looks great, doesn't make any noise, but creates a certain atmosphere," said Gladbach defender Stefan Lainer. "It's definitely a great idea and I'm glad that so many took part."

Elbow room at the top

-- Bayern Munich maintained their four-point cushion at the top ahead of Tuesday's trip to second-placed Borussia Dortmund with a 5-2 win over Eintracht Frankfurt. With strict health protocols in place to limit contact between players to a minimum, the elbow-tap celebration was dusted off several times at the Allianz Arena as in-form Bayern recorded their 12th league win in 13 outings.

Protest banners out in force again

-- A number of dissenting banners criticising the league's resumption without fans were again visible across stadiums in Germany. Millions tuned in last weekend to watch some live football, but a significant portion remained unhappy at the idea of games going ahead without the noisy backdrop provided by German supporters. "Silent faces, cardboard reminders: Football without fans is nothing! For Borussia, against games behind closed doors!" read a series of banners at Gladbach's Borussia Park. Another in Paderborn, where the hosts drew 1-1 with Hoffenheim, said: "Basic law number one: the Bundesliga is above everything."

All ears for Dortmund coach

-- Borussia Dortmund coach Lucien Favre said one of the rare benefits to playing behind closed was the ability to instruct his players with relative ease. "I think it's positive that the players can now hear me better in the stadium," said Favre, able to grab the attention of his players far more easily than usual. "Normally only my wide players can understand me." The absence of fans has negated home advantage since the league's return -- with just three wins in 15 matches through Saturday for the home side.

Rare Beckenbauer outing

-- German football great Franz Beckenbauer was in attendance for Bayern's behind-closed-doors game at home to Eintracht, after he was invited by chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as part of an eight-person delegation that included former club president Uli Hoeness. "I'm leaving my house for the first time in a long time," 74-year-old Beckenbauer told German daily Bild. Beckenbauer, whose health has deteriorated in recent years, had to wear a face mask and sit several seats away from others in the delegation. His trial on corruption charges linked to the 2006 World Cup ended without a verdict late last month.

2020 AFP

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Sights and sounds from the Bundesliga this weekend - RFI

Washington (AFP)

When his business was hit by a coronavirus lockdown, Josh Ellis saw a threat to his livelihood and a breach of the US Constitution. So he went on Facebook and called for protests.

The appeal "went viral instantly," said the 40-year-old, who set up a Facebook page called American Revolution 2.0 in early April.

The organization is now a driving force behind demonstrations against stay-at-home orders and compulsory closures of non-essential businesses -- and online planning is a central part of the campaign.

Ellis -- who is coordinating with various "reopen" groups, as well as militias and gun and religious rights advocates -- is in the middle of an issue dividing the United States: how can the economy reopen, and when can people return to work?

The debate reflects broader divisions in American politics that have only deepened this year, with the presidential election on the horizon.

The nation's coronavirus death toll is now approaching 100,000, but with more and more states loosening their restrictions in recent days, pressure appears to be paying off.

New demonstrations that Ellis said are set for Monday will be the result of online collaboration, as were dozens of protests on May 1 that were coordinated by American Revolution 2.0.

- 'Treason' -

"Facebook is handy but it's not, by far, our only means," the Illinois resident told AFP of his efforts, with Twitter, Telegram, and the American Revolution 2.0 website also playing a role.

Facebook groups advocating reopening, some of which have been shut down by the social network, have sprung up around the US.

While some consider protests -- which have involved armed demonstrators in states including Michigan -- as the way to pressure officials to change their stance, others have used Facebook to talk about a less confrontational exit from lockdown.

Ellis, though, is not changing course.

He wants restrictions lifted "immediately," telling of how roughly half his business -- home remodeling and working as a handyman -- was deemed non-essential.

He says his father-in-law's restaurant was "basically shut down," and his stepfather-in-law's work as a dentist stopped completely.

Ellis describes the measures as "extreme constitutional violations" that are tantamount to "treason."

He said he was recently given control of the My Militia website, which advertises itself as "An American Patriot Network" and is listed under "Our Friends and Affiliates" on American Revolution 2.0's site.

It's "kinda like the Google search of local militias," according to Ellis, who sees a role for them to play in ensuring the coronavirus restrictions end.

It "gives us more of the people who are going to show up and do something."

- Exchanging ideas -

Misinformation about the novel coronavirus and the COVID-19 disease it causes has circulated widely on Facebook and spread in some "reopen" groups, adding to mistrust about a public health emergency that remains more virulent in the US than any other country.

The viral "Plandemic" video -- which features a discredited researcher and makes various false or misleading claims -- is one example. It has been shared in multiple "reopen" groups and extensively elsewhere on Facebook.

While other protest movements in the US and elsewhere have previously used the internet to organize, the fact that social distancing guidelines have been in place posed a specific challenge for social media sites.

"Events that defy (a) government's guidance on social distancing aren't allowed on Facebook," said a spokesman for the company, while Twitter said it is working to remove coronavirus-related content urging action that could cause harm.

Cory Hedgepeth, a founder of REOPEN AMERICA, a Facebook group with more than 30,000 members, is taking a distinctly different approach to Ellis.

"We wanted to give people, liberals and conservatives, suffering from job and/or financial loss a place to share their thoughts," the 44-year-old Pennsylvania resident, who works in copywriting and digital marketing, told AFP, noting that the group is not organizing protests.

While REOPEN AMERICA relies on Facebook to help "raise awareness for American worker hardships," Hedgepeth also lamented its "troubling" dominant position in social media.

"We serve as a platform that allows people to exchange ideas and concepts," Hedgepeth said, but "we support those who protest safely and with good intentions."

- Divisive debate -

The divisions over reopening remain sharp, including within the US government.

President Donald Trump has urged people to "LIBERATE" Michigan, Virginia and Minnesota, but his top infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci, has been more cautious, warning of an uncontrollable new outbreak if the reopening process happens too quickly.

This could lead to "suffering and death that could be avoided," and "could even set you back on the road to trying to get economic recovery," Fauci told US lawmakers this month.

For Darrell West, author of "Divided Politics, Divided Nation: Hyperconflict in the Trump Era," the reopening dispute reflects broader fissures.

"Our polarization has built up over several decades," he told AFP, arguing that the protests come from "a rather small group... unhappy with their loss of personal liberty."

"People see COVID through their own partisan lens," West said. "Since Trump attacks experts, it is hard for them to trust scientific expertise."

Ellis dismissed fears that reopening could lead to unnecessary deaths as essentially saying that "Americans are stupid and incapable" of safeguarding their own health.

"We have to adapt as an American society to the conditions," he said. "Shelter-in-place orders have actually just stunted that by months."

2020 AFP

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Debate over reopening US plays out online and in the streets - RFI

WHEN MARTIN FURLONG flew home from New York to officially open thenew state-of-the-art gym in Tullamore GAA club in February, he knew in his heart it was going to be the last time he saw his close friend and longtime team-mate Paddy Fenning.

Furlong and Fenning are the only two All-Ireland senior football medallists from Tullamore. Both were part of Offalys 1971 and 72 victories, while Furlong won his third medal in 1982.

On the night the gym was opened, Furlong was presented with a framed picture of himself and Fenning from the team photograph taken before the 1972 All-Ireland final replay.

Furlong kept a clean sheet between the posts that afternoon and Fenning scored a famous goal from 50 yards to help Offaly past Kerry in Croke Park.

Tullamore chairman Tom Martin also presented Furlong with a second copy of the framed picture and asked him to deliver it to Fenning at his home on the Clara Road before he returned Stateside.

The club invited Martin Furlong back for the gym opening, hes a football legend really, Tom Martin told The42.

Furlong had already been home earlier in the year to support the launch of Fennings fundraising drive to raise money formotor neurone research and local homeless charities.

He came at the last minute, which was brilliant, continued the club chairman. I just said the club had to give Martin Furlong something, and we didnt want to give him a lump of crystal or money or anything like that.

We gave a presentation of flowers to his wife Katie. I went into Joe OSullivan (local photographer) and he picked up the photographs of the 71/72 teams. And he put in the words Furlong and Fenning. It was just a memento.

I gave Martin Furlong it as a present on the night but I also had a second one.

Furlong was clearly moved by the request. He had visited Fenning earlier in the day and knew his friends condition was quickly deteriorating.

He was very emotional about it.

It was more appropriate for Martin to give it to him. I said, Would you mind going back out before you go back to New York on Wednesday and present him with the memento? I knew this man wasnt going to last long.

Furlong delivered the picture to his old friend before returning to his New York base.

Martin Furlong was so chuffed to take another copy of the frame and bring it out to him.

Paddy and Furlong were fierce great friends. And he (Furlong) was fierce emotional that night at the gym opening, he was really upset. Because he knew he was going downhill fast.

Martin Furlong and Paddy Fenning reunited for a special presentation.Source: Tullamore GAA

The 69-year-old was an immensely popular figure. His achievements in life extended far beyond the football field, where in addition to his two All-Irelands he won four Leinster titles, a Railway Cup with Leinster and a pair of Offaly SFC titles with Tullamore.

The real measure of the man was seen in his contribution to the community of Tullamore. He selflessly drove countless projects, helping raise money to build a swimming pool, an arts centre for the town which will open shortly and 200,000to provide a CAT scan in Tullamore hospital in the 1990s.

He was involved in many events for charitable causes over the years. He set-up a fundraiser for Clara man Michael Nestor who was disabled following a work accident in the 1990s, and a golf classic for former Offaly team-mate Mick Wright who successfully fought leukaemia in the 2000s after getting a special transplant in Spain.

His impact on the Tullamore club was significant too, where he served as underage coach and president.

He did an awful lot for the club, said Martin. He was involved as an underage player, as an adult player where we won championships in 73 and 77. He trained underage teams, he took the minors and U21s, and he fundraised to clear the debt on the development of OBrien Park.

He also organised many club reunions and annual holidays with his former Offaly team-mates.

Paddy was a mighty organiser for trips away, golf trips, nearly every trip we ever did Paddy organised it, says Sean Lowry, who was part of the 71/72 teams.

Martin adds, He organised the famous club trip to America in 1985 and fundraised for that. That was a big thing. They met Ted Kennedy and travelled to America with all the club members.

That was a huge thing. Theres a great photograph of them with Ted Kennedy in Washington.

The Offaly football team before the 1971 All-Ireland final.Source: Connolly Collection/SPORTSFILE

Even when he contracted motor neuron disease, which has no cure, Fenning put together a local group with the stated aim of raising150,000 to fund research and services for the illness, in addition to homeless causes in Offaly.

In the final week of his life he was heartened to hear that over 50,000 had already been raised for the cause. A walk planned for 7 June was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but it will go ahead at a later date.

Last week, Fenning lost his battle with MND less than a year after his diagnosis.

In normal cirucumstances his funeral would have easily filled the local church, but social distancing measures meant only close family could attend.

The new reality brought about by Covid-19 means clubs and counties are forced to find new ways to pay their respects to fallen heroes.

When former Roscommon footballer Conor Connelly died in March, fans confined to their homes in his native county and adopted village of Ballycumber in Offaly displayed flags of primose and blue outside their houses to show their solidarity with his family.

Downs 1968 All-Ireland winner John Murphy was laid to rest yesterday. On the way to his grave, the funeral cortege poignantly stopped at Pairc Esler for a short tribute to his dedication to Newry Shamrocks and Down GAA.

Tullamore GAA made arrangements so former team-mates, clubmates and friends could pay their respects to Fenning. It was strictly a local affair due to the travel restrictions in place, but huge numbers turned out.

Two guards of honour took place on his final journey, one that walked either side of the hearse and a stationary guard of honour on both sides of the road that ran right through the town.

On one side of the funeral cortege were his team-mates from 1971/72 Offaly All-Ireland winning sides.

We had blazers that we got on our 25th anniversary (of the 71 victory), which is a good while ago now in 96, said Lowry. Paddy of course organised them so we all had the blazers. Its a funeral jacket no more than anything else.

On the other side were former colleagues and members of Tullamore GAA club who wore blue and white armbands.

Paddy Fenning on his final journey.Source: James Crombie/INPHO

The two Tullamore team captains from 73/77 led the moving guard of honour and the stationary guard of honour was the whole way up the town, explained Martin.

We organised contacting people in our club, we didnt want to let it out to the wider town because funerals are totally different now than before.

There was only 10 in the church, it was a family thing. We did a lovely blue and white flower arrangement from the club.

We walked to the cemetery and stopped at the gates, continued Martin, who was the same age as Fenning and knew him since they were young.

The people from the Arts Centre, who Paddy was involved with, and the people from the (MND) fundraiser he was doing, they all came out and did the same thing up High Street.

So there was a line the whole way up to the top of the town on both sides. They were all social distancing.

Then we did the static guard of honour from the church gates as far as the numbers would come up the town.

It was a strange experience for Lowry, who didnt get to catch up with any of his former team-mates or even enter the graveyard.

There were hundreds of people I didnt see because everyone was so far spaced out around the town that I didnt see them, he says. I just walked into my space and tried to keep away from everyone.

Then when it was over I just walked out and went home. I was at home before Paddy was in the graveyard. Which was very strange because you meet all these guys and youd go for a coffee or whatever.

You cant do that now its just strange times. Very, very strange times.

******

You can donate to Paddy Fennings fundraiser in aid ofMND research and Offaly homeless causes here.

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'I was at home before Paddy was in the graveyard' paying respects to GAA heroes in era of Covid-19 - Brinkwire

Issued on: 24/05/2020 - 06:18

Dubai (AFP)

From smart police helmets to research labs, the novel coronavirus has given Dubai an opportunity to test its technological and scientific clout as it shapes its approach to the pandemic.

A key part of the glitzy Gulf emirate's fight is its COVID-19 Command and Control Centre, set up to coordinate the efforts of Dubai's doctors, epidemiologists and other professionals.

It is hosted within the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) in Dubai's Healthcare City, also home to state-of-the-art hospitals, labs and research centres.

"For several years, Dubai has endeavoured to put in place solid digital infrastructure, and this has contributed to the fight against the coronavirus", said Amer Sharif, who heads the multidisciplinary centre.

It was established at the start of the health crisis by Dubai Crown Prince and social media star Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum.

In one room, young mask-wearing men and women sit at carefully separated desks crunching data on laptops and coordinating with workers on the ground.

The initiative includes a scientific team whose role is "to stay abreast of the latest advances in research and scientific evidence, both in the country and elsewhere in the world", team head Alawi Alsheikh-Ali told AFP.

- 'Data and science' -

The United Arab Emirates has carried out more than 1.6 million coronavirus tests, and has officially declared over 28,700 infections, including 244 deaths.

This high-tech approach, Sharif said, including "the complete digitisation of the health system", has prevented a greater spread of the virus and made the lockdown easier.

Tom Loney, associate professor of public health and epidemiology at MBRU, said the coronavirus was an opportunity for Dubai to put its capabilities to the test.

"It's the ability to react, to make quick decisions based on data and science" that sets Dubai apart, said Loney, who is also an adviser to authorities in the city-state.

According to him decisions were made by order of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, whose portrait is featured on the MBRU building.

Dubai is one of seven emirates in the UAE, a key Gulf state with big technological and scientific ambitions.

The emirate lacks the oil wealth of its neighbours, but has the most diversified economy in the Gulf, building a reputation as a financial, commercial and tourism hub.

The UAE sent an astronaut into space last year, and in July is set to launch the first Arab probe towards Mars, a project sponsored by the emir of Dubai.

- 'Own model' -

Many tech options were already at Dubai's fingertips when the pandemic struck, and the emirate was quick at putting its technology to a variety of uses during the virus crisis.

Police wear smart helmets that take the temperature of passers-by while laboratories make protective masks using 3D printers.

When a night-time curfew begins, Dubai residents -- 90 percent of whom are expats -- receive a reminder message on their mobile phone in Arabic, English or other languages.

The UAE has regularly announced research advances into the COVID-19 illness, developing several apps to help manage the pandemic.

One of them, Alhosn, which the government has encouraged residents to download, helps track people who are infected with the virus or who may have come in close contact with confirmed cases.

But the use of technology to fight the pandemic has raised concern across the world over government surveillance and privacy risks.

Tech experts and the media have highlighted this issue in the UAE, where some foreign websites and applications are already blocked.

But Sharif pushed back against scepticism.

"Dubai and the Emirates respect privacy, whether it is a question of patient records or smart applications", he said.

The emirate was creating its "own model" of responding to the health crisis, Sharif added, though authorities were also looking at countries such as South Korea, seen as a positive policy response to the crisis.

"We must follow the developments... but also add to them," he said.

2020 AFP

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Pandemic gives Dubai chance to put tech to the test - RFI

Scientistscant yet rebuild someone with bionic body parts. They dont have thetechnology. But a new artificial eye brings cyborgs one step closer to reality.

Thisdevice, which mimics the human eyes structure, is about as sensitive to lightand has a faster reaction time than a real eyeball. It may not come with the telescopicor night vision capabilities that Steve Austin had in The Six MillionDollar Man television show,but this electronic eyepiece does have the potential for sharper vision thanhuman eyes, researchers report in the May 21 Nature.

Inthe future, we can use this for better vision prostheses and humanoidrobotics, says engineer and materials scientist Zhiyong Fan of the Hong KongUniversity of Science and Technology.

Thehuman eye owes its wide field of view and high-resolution eyesight to the dome-shapedretina an area at the back of the eyeball covered in light-detecting cells.Fan and colleagues used a curved aluminum oxide membrane, studded with nanosizesensors made of a light-sensitive material called a perovskite (SN: 7/26/17), to mimicthat architecture in their synthetic eyeball. Wires attached to the artificialretina send readouts from those sensors to external circuitry for processing,just as nerve fibers relay signals from a real eyeball to the brain.

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Theartificial eyeball registers changes in lighting faster than human eyes can within about 30 to 40 milliseconds, rather than 40 to 150 milliseconds. Thedevice can also see dim light about as well as the human eye. Although its100-degree field of view isnt as broad as the 150 degrees a human eye can takein, its better than the 70 degrees visible to ordinary flat imaging sensors.

Intheory, this synthetic eye could perceive a much higher resolution than thehuman eye, because the artificial retina contains about 460 million lightsensors per square centimeter. A real retina has about 10 millionlight-detecting cells per square centimeter. But that would require separate readingsfrom each sensor. In the current setup, each wire plugged into the synthetic retinais about one millimeter thick, so big that it touches many sensors at once.Only 100 such wires fit across the back of the retina, creating images thathave 100 pixels.

Toshow that thinner wires could be connected to the artificial eyeball for higherresolution, Fans team used a magnetic field to attach a small array of metalneedles, each 20 to 100 micrometers thick, to nanosensors on the syntheticretina one by one. Its like a surgical operation, Fan says.

The researchers current method of creating individual ultrasmall pixels is impractical, says Hongrui Jiang, an electrical engineer at the University of WisconsinMadison whose commentary on the study appears in the same issue of Nature. For a few hundred nanowires, okay, fine, but how about millions? Engineers will need a much more efficient way to manufacture vast arrays of tiny wires on the back of the artificial eyeball to give it superhuman sight, he says.

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A new artificial eye mimics and may outperform human eyes - Science News