Since the 1970s, scientists have been searching for ways to connect the brain with computers. Braincomputer interface(BCI) technology could help people with disabilities send commands to machines. Recently, two scientists, Jose Millan and Michele Tavella from the Federal Polytehnic School in Lausanne, Switzerland, show a small robotic wheelchair directed by a person's thoughts. In the laboratory, Tavella operated the wheelchair just by thinking about moving his left or right hand. He could even talk as he watched the vehicle and guided it with his thoughts. "Our brain has billions of body cells . These send signals through the spinal cord to the body part to give us the ability to move. But spinal cord injuries or other conditions can prevent these weak electrical signals from reaching the body part." Tavella says. "Our system allows disabled people to communicate with outer world and also to control machines." The scientists designed a special cap for the user. This head cover picks up the signals from the scalp and sends them to a computer. The computer finds meanings of the signals and commands the wheelchair with an engine. The wheelchair also has two cameras that tell objects in its path. They help the computer react to commands from the brain. Prof. Millan , the team leader, says scientists keep improving the computer software that finds meanings of brain signals and turns them into simple commands." The practical possibilities that BCI technology offers to disabled people can be grouped in two kinds: communication, and controlling objects. One example is this wheelchair." He says his team has set two goals. One is testing with real patients, so as to prove that this is a technology they can get advantages from. And the other is sure that they can use the technology for long. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Scientists have been searching since what year?
2. To find what?
3. Which technology could help people with disabilities?
4. Jose Milan and Michele Tavella are from what school?
5. Located in?
6. A small robotic what can be directed by a person's thoughts?
7. Where did Tavella test it?
8. He could even do what as he watched the vehicle?
9. Our brain has billions of what?
10. That send signals through what?
11. To give the ability to what?
12. What can prevent electrical signals?
13. Scientists designed a special what?
14. Which picks up what?
15. Then sends them to?
16. Which finds meanings of what?
17. The wheelchair also has how many cameras?
18. Which do what?
19. What two groups of technology can BCI technology offer?
20. How many goals have been set?
21. The first goal is?
22. The second goal is?
Answer: 1. the 1970s
2. how to connect brain to computers
3. Braincomputer interface
4. Federal Polytehnic School
5. Lausanne, Switzerland
6. wheelchair
7. with real patients
8. talk
9. body cells
10. the spinal cord
11. move
12. spinal cord injuries
13. cap
14. signals from the scalp
15. a computer
16. the signals
17. two
18. help the computer
19. communication, and controlling objects
20. two
21. testing with real patients
22. ensure that they can use the technology for long periods of time

CHAPTER XXI

THE PICTURE IN THE CARDCASE

"Who is it?" questioned Hans, trying to gain possession of the photograph, but instead of answering Sam started from the cabin.

"I must show this to Dick and Tom!" he cried. "Come along."

"Yah, put--" began the German boy, and then stopped, for there was nobody to talk to, Sam being already out of sight.

"Dick, look what I found," cried the youngest Rover, as he dashed into the pilot house.

"A fortune?" asked Dick, with a smile.

"No, a picture. Just look!"

Dick did as requested and gave a start.

"You found this on the yacht?" he cried. "Yes. In the pocket of a big coat hanging in one of the lockers. It was in a cardcase."

"This is certainly queer. It looks exactly like Harold Bird, doesn't it?"

"It certainly is Harold. I wonder--Oh, look!"

Sam had turned the picture over. On the back were these words, written in a strong, masculine hand:

To father, from Harold. Merry Xmas!

"Why, Harold must have given this to his father," said Dick, thoughtfully.--"And if so--"

"Do you think the coat belonged to Mr. Bird?" broke in Sam.

"Perhaps. Did you find anything else?"

"Ve titn't look," came from Hans, who stood in the doorway. "So dot vos a picture of Harold Pird, alretty! Dot vos kveer!"

"It is astonishing," said Dick. "Sam, see if you can find anything else."

Sam went back and Hans with him, and while they were gone Dick, through the speaking tube, acquainted Tom with the discovery made. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Who tried to get the picture?
2. Who was holding the picture?
3. Who did he want to have gaze at the picture?
4. Did he find the photo in the water?
5. What was it on?
6. And what was around the photo protecting it?
7. Who did it seem to be on the photo?
8. Did he have a last name?
Answer: 1. Hans
2. Sam
3. Dick and Tom
4. no
5. In a coat in one of the lockers.
6. cardcase
7. Harold
8. Bird

Manganese is a chemical element with symbol Mn and atomic number 25. It is not found as a free element in nature; it is often found in minerals in combination with iron. Manganese is a metal with important industrial metal alloy uses, particularly in stainless steels.

Historically, manganese is named for pyrolusite and other black minerals from the region of Magnesia in Greece, which also gave its name to magnesium and the iron ore magnetite. By the mid-18th century, Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele had used pyrolusite to produce chlorine. Scheele and others were aware that pyrolusite (now known to be manganese dioxide) contained a new element, but they were unable to isolate it. Johan Gottlieb Gahn was the first to isolate an impure sample of manganese metal in 1774, which he did by reducing the dioxide with carbon.

Manganese phosphating is used for rust and corrosion prevention on steel. Ionized manganese is used industrially as pigments of various colors, which depend on the oxidation state of the ions. The permanganates of alkali and alkaline earth metals are powerful oxidizers. Manganese dioxide is used as the cathode (electron acceptor) material in zinc-carbon and alkaline batteries.

In biology, manganese(II) ions function as cofactors for a large variety of enzymes with many functions. Manganese enzymes are particularly essential in detoxification of superoxide free radicals in organisms that must deal with elemental oxygen. Manganese also functions in the oxygen-evolving complex of photosynthetic plants. While the element is a required trace mineral for all known living organisms, it also acts as a neurotoxin in larger amounts. Especially through inhalation, it can cause manganism, a condition in mammals leading to neurological damage that is sometimes irreversible. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Will the world be destroyed in a nuclear holocaust with Manganese as the catalyst?
2. What's the symbol for Manganese?
3. What about its atomic number?
4. Is it found just floating about there in the wild?
5. What's it usually found in minerals with?
6. Is it more useful for industry or farming?
7. What depends on the oxidation state of the ions?
8. What type of Manganese ion is used as a cathode?
9. Is it used in batteries?
10. What is one of the uses of manganese phosphating?
11. What region did it historically originate in?
12. What country was that?
13. What color is it?
14. Who used it to produce chlorine?
15. Where was he from?
16. When was he messing about with pyrolusite?
17. Did he know there was a new element somewhere in there?
18. Who was the first to actually isolate an impure sample of manganese?
19. When?
20. What did he use to reduce the dioxide?
Answer:
1. No
2. Mn
3. 25
4. No
5. Iron.
6. Industry
7. Pigments of various colors
8. Manganese Dioxide
9. Yes
10. rust and corrosion prevention on steel
11. Greece
12. Greece
13. Black
14. Carl Wilhelm Scheele
15. Sweden
16. mid-18th century
17. Yes
18. Johan Gottlieb Gahn
19. 1774
20. Carbon