Tag: Tech update Online

Want a laptop as good as a Macbook? Check these out!

Apple’s MacBook has set some definitions in the world of laptops. Nevertheless, major tech giants around the world have risen to the challenge and have produced some of the best laptops in the market. If you are looking for a quality laptop but don’t want to opt for a MacBook, check out these alternatives:

1. Dell XPS 13

Dell wanted to create a laptop that will not only match the MacBook’s aesthetics, but pose a serious competition with its performance. Enter the XPS 13. It is based on tenth-gen Core i5 and i7 processors, unlike the MacBook Pro. It also gets a lighter screen than the MacBook, with the same 13.3-inch resolution. Hardware includes 16GB of RAM and up to 2TB of storage. It also gets features that MacBook misses on, such as two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a microSD card slot and a 3.5mm audio jack. However, it carries a suitable price tag of Rs 1 lakh+, while offering a weight of 1.2 kg.

2. ThinkPad X1 Carbon

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon offers more than the MacBook Pro as it comes with a larger screen than the current 13.3-inch MacBook Pro and is available in seven set configurations. Buyers can choose from eighth and tenth generation Intel CPUs combined with IPS screens with Full HD, QHD or UHD resolutions. Compared to that, the MacBook Pro offers a maximum resolution of 2880×1800 pixels. Its price depends on the model selected also falls in the Rs 1 lakh+ range.

3. Asus VivoBook 14

Asus has created one of the most affordable alternatives to the MacBook, with the VivoBook 14. It is priced under Rs 50,000 and offers an ultra-thin 14-inch display. It is powered by an 8th gen Intel Core i5 procesor and gets 8GB of ram and 512GB Solid State Drive (SSD). It also gets a microSD card reader, a USB Type C connector, two full-size USB ports, and one HDMI.

4. HP Envy 13

The HP Envy 13 has a 1.5cm thickness and a weight of just 1.2 kg, making it a considerable alternative to the sleek MacBook. The Envy 13 gets Intel’s 8th gen Core i5 processor, along with 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. It is also equipped with three full-size USB connectors, one USB Type C connector, a microSD card slot, and a micro SD card reader. HP has priced the Envy 13 at a reasonable Rs 70,000 price range.

5. Surface Laptop 2

Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 2 is probably the most potent competitor to the Apple MacBook. It is exquisitely designed with unique colours and gets a premium Alcantara textile finish around the keyboard and trackpad. It gets a 13.5-inch display that has a resolution of 2256×1504. The display also has a 10-point multi-touch input options, giving it a significant upper hand over the MacBook. The laptop runs on an Intel 8th gen Core i5 processor with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage and is priced around Rs 75,000.

This is how robotics will influence future medicine.

It is no secret that robots are being extensively researched upon and their influence in our daily life is increasing considerably. What were earlier mere objects of humour and ridicule are now full-fledged artificially intelligent entities. While robotics is a vast subject, its knowledge is applied across various other branches of science.

Among those branches is medicine. It has seen the increased involvement of robotics both on the macro and micro scale. While there are sophisticated machines that perform complex surgeries without mistakes, there are also nanorobots that can be embedded in a body for certain enhancement. While that sounds a little fantasy-like, there is no denying that robotics is fast becoming an integral part of medicine.

As mentioned earlier, micro- and nanorobots are being developed to be used as a faster treatment method. As per sciencemag, Micro- and nanorobots are small, motile devices that convert chemical or/and physical energy into mechanical actuation and have the potential to enable minimally invasive treatment and targeted drug/cell delivery with high precision. For active drug delivery strategies, these machines can locally concentrate therapeutic payload around pathological sites to reduce the dose of administrated drugs and their systemic side effects. Simply put, they intelligently target the affected area and deliver the dose without side effects.

Image: defense.gov

Another kind of robots used in medicine are called ‘telepresence’ robots. These robots emulate the presence of a doctor or surgeon, who is on call via the robot. He can the remotely answer questions and help share his knowledge and experience with others. There are also surgical robots that can be controlled remotely via a console to help the surgeon perform even better.

Prosthesis also has a bright future in robotics. Amputees were earlier restricted to wearing fake replicas or look-alike of their limbs. However, modern medicine has allowed robotic prosthetic to be grafted to amputees, helping them to not only regain their lost abilities but enhance them considerably.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) states that there are also rehabilitation robots. These robots can be programmed to adapt to the condition of each patient as they recover from strokes, traumatic brain or spinal cord injuries, or neurobehavioral or neuromuscular diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

Robotics is an ever-evolving subject and it is surely going to improve the medicinal scenario significantly. It remains to be seen if robotics can be (or will be) used to enhance physical capabilities or add prosthetic limbs to the natural ones. If that day comes, it will mark the beginning of Superheroes on this planet! Come to think of it, somebody can create an exosuit like Doctor Octopus, Black Panther or even Mysterio! The possibilities of human enhancement with the help of robotics is practically endless.

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