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Taken from http://latest-fashion-hairstyles.blogspot.com/
What is the brain computer interface (BCI)?
BCI encompasses a wide range of technological ideas that allow our brains to directly communicate and control external devices via a computer. It is well-established that our brain transmits signals via electrical impulses (whether it be signals that control limb movement or signals that encode the color of a flower). These electrical impulses are recorded by electrodes placed either on the scalp or within the brain tissue, and converted into binary signals that can be interpreted by computer programs. These computer programs use the decoded signal to control a wheelchair, a mouse on a computer screen or even a robotic arm that can grasp objects. Alternatively, the BCI can work in the opposite direction. Signals generated by a computer can be converted to electrical impulses and sent to the brain. The brain then interprets these impulses as a smell, a color, a movement or even a visual outline. Either way, the BCI is the first technology to directly utilize the electrical signals generated by the brain tissue to control external devices and vice versa.
The importance of BCI devices
At first thought, spending large amounts of money for a device that can be thought of as an interactive video game may seem superfluous. However, this technology may afford severely disabled persons the opportunity to communicate while simultaneously restoring their independence and mobility. Conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or more commonly Lou Gehrig’s Disease), muscular dystrophy and spinal cord injury often leave individuals without the ability to move, while their cognitive function is unaffected. Persons with ALS, muscular dystrophy and spinal cord injury are still capable of creating motor plans within the cerebral cortex, although the signals are not transmitted to the muscles. Scientists are working to capture the signals created in the cortex and utilizing them to control external devices.
BCI – where are we now?
Although the concept has been around for nearly 40 years, scientists have made significant advancements in BCI technology over the past 10 years. BCI technology has recently been used to drive a robotic arm for self-feeding in a monkey. The animal was initially trained using a joystick to control the robotic arm. The joystick was eventually weaned and motor activity from the cortex was recorded via an implanted electrode. Signals from the cortex were decoded in real-time to control the movement of the robotic arm. The monkey was then able to feed himself via the robotic arm, using only his conscious thought.
While these trials are impressive, they are not the focus of the majority of BCI research. The next most important step is creating devices that improve functional ability in humans with disabilities. Researchers at Brown University are currently conducting clinical trials in humans with the ultimate goal of restoring “the communication, mobility and independence of people with severe paralysis.” BCI devices that acquire signals through EEG technology or implanted invasive techniques are currently being used by disabled individuals to control wheelchairs, type on a computer and even send text messages.
While the media has glorified the use of BCI devices, there are many limitations to the current BCI technology. In order to make BCI devices a tangible reality for a large portion of persons with disabilities, specific roadblocks need to be passed. The current technology permits only a few words per minute to be “typed” using BCI devices. The speed and accuracy of the decoding and signal analysis would need to be greatly enhanced to permit real-time communication. The current technology is also limited the BCI control of robotic extremities to small movements in a confined space. For a practical real-world application, the methodology and timing of signal extraction would need to be improved vastly beyond the present day possibilities. To date, much of the BCI devices are operated in research settings, with few practical devices being used outside of the laboratory. The goal of many scientists working on the technology is to create user-friendly devices that can be operated in an individual’s home without supervision. Presently, there are very few of these types of devices available.
The future of BCI
The future for BCI technology is boundless. This technology will offer future generations with disabilities the ability to communicate and interact with their environment in ways that we have viewed as impossible for millennia. In addition to restoring mobility to disabled persons, the technology also offers a potential method to overcome blindness, deafness and other sensory-affected conditions. In a world that is continually more “plugged in” day after day, the exchange of information has become nearly completely digital. This environment fosters the development of BCI technology and continues to expand the possibilities of BCI applications.
Many people do not realise that there is a difference between a costume plate and a fashion plate. Fashion plates promote and publicize possible future fashions. Fashion plates are always intended as an idea of a how a new possible fashion might be worn. Some of the suggested fashions may never in reality ever be worn. They are a drawing of a designer's idea and often deliberately provocative. So fashion plates can and do often show an air of fantasy. You can read more about fashion plate history in my special new section soon where you will see images and read about names of typical fashion periodicals that carried fashion plates.
Costume plates are different in that they technically show costume as it was worn in the past especially everyday past fashions as an historical costume record. Such records of costume almost always include national or theatrical dress. Costume plates are about the fashions of the past and fashion plates are about fashion ideas in the here and now or the future.
If you want to collect fashion or costume plates some knowledge of the names of the original sources is useful and you will soon be able to read more about the first costume plates.
The late James Laver, fashion historian also noted that fashion plates were already becoming scarcer by the 1940s. Once moving film and movies arrived Hollywood and other film company costume departments began to snap up fashion and costume plates to enable them to reproduce costumes more accurately.
Today, it is still possible to find good fashion plates in antique shops, but more and more of us are buying our plates from internet shops such as those found at eBay which is an incredible resource for this format. It still amazes me how many have survived and the internet has opened up this easy to collect treasure for enthusiasts. In the main I feel sales of fashion plates are one of the things eBay does well with treasures to be found worldwide. It should be noted that fashion plates are different from trade plates, which were just advertisements which gave ideas on how to make up the fabric products sold by a manufacturer.
Hand Coloured Engraving from 1831 La Belle Assemblée |
Prices vary and are dependant on the quality and rare value of the print. Here above and below I show two examples of fashion plate engravings bought from eBay in March 2005, through a respected UK seller known as Cabrio4. They cost me £15 for the two. Of course if many others had been bidding that day, my purchase may have cost me much much more or I may have abandoned buying the prints altogether. However these were both a very fine purchase and are in a timeframe worth collecting. The detail is exquisite. On other occasions I've paid much less or much more for a print.
One word of warning with bidding for these at eBay - don't get too carried away until you know what you are bidding on. Fashion plates can be like buses. You don't see many for a week or two and then just like buses dozens appear. My advice is that to begin collecting you just watch eBay sales of these for a few weeks if you are interested in starting a collection. Then use your knowledge to gauge the going rate noting the differences between types of plate and the variety available.
This pursuit can be an interesting and related alternative to collecting vintage clothing. It may be used as well, to enhance a clothing collection by helping you become more knowledgeable about style differences in fashionable dress.
I will be adding some more of Cabrio4's plates to the site in due course. If you want to learn more about fashion and costume plates please visit my new section on this topic in due course where more historical periodical naming information can be dealt with more fully.