Robots Helping the Disabled

For the past three years, Professor Charles Kemp and Johnathan Glass have been working together on a robot that could potentially help the disabled fetch the necessities they need at home. The robot, called El-E, is 5 feet tall and moves around on wheels. With one robotic arm, it can pick up anything from a water bottle to handing the elderly their vitamins. The El-E is not yet able to pick up cell phones or other small devices but Kemp and his colleagues are still working hard to make this robot the best it can possibly be. Along with the robotic arm, the incredible robot has other human-like features such as, two eyes. I believe this is a great use of technology. I think that these robots can help many people around the world. For some people it may seem like an easy thing to reach out for the television clicker but for some it is extremely difficult. I think the robot will make many peoples life easier. Finally, I believe this is more of what we need in this world. People using their smarts to create robots or aids for people who really need it.

I got my information from:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/12/01/robot.health.aide/index.html

Symbiosis: A Relationship Between A Vine and Tree

Above, the vine wrapped around the tree is a relationship known as parasitism. Parasitism is a relationship where one living thing benefits while the other is harmed. While this picture might look like an innocent tree with leaves gently laid around it, the vine is actually choking the tree. There are many reasons to explain this unique relationship. First, the vine grows in the canopy of a tree and blocks the process of photosynthesis by covering and killing the trees leaves. When the vines become too heavy they also cause the tree to topple and die. Secondly, competition comes into play. The vines compete with the tree's roots for necessary elements, such as nitrogen. This is important to nature because vine seeds, such as ivy, can spread to other forests where it can strangle native vegetation and injure other trees. Often what needs to happen in order for the trees to live in vine covered areas is for a few trees and vines to be cut back. If this does not happen, entire forests could be blighted.

This website helped me get my information:
http://www.treesatlanta.org/vines.html
The picture I originally found was deleted so I got this tree from:
http://www.larryhester.com/tree-vines-s.jpg