Augmented Reality and Its Applications for Education

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Augmented Reality (AR) has had a tremendous impact on education during the past few years. 

It started out as something really “cool” before developing into one of the most useful resources available for learners. 

What Exactly is Augmented Reality? 

Augmented Reality, which is also known as AR can simply be defined as the process of viewing or scanning a trigger image through a mobile device. This process would give life to a subsequent action. This action can be another image, a video, QR code, 3D animations, games or whatever you want it to be. Even a GIF image can be considered as an AR in action.

The Impact of Augmented Reality on Education

Imagine that you are a student who is sitting in a history class. The lesson you are going to learn is about Egyptian Temples. Augmented Reality has the potential to create a realistic 3D environment of the temple and you will be able to learn it in more of an interactive and appealing way without even leaving the classroom. You can view every corner of the temple and get a clear view of it. That’s the beauty of AR.

Augmented Reality can be used in education via many different methods. These include:

• Virtual Reality

Even though Virtual Reality mainly focuses on games, it can be used effectively in training and education as well. The immersive learning experience delivered by Virtual Reality has contributed a lot towards its popularity. A 3D immersive environment or a 360 degree video shot becomes useful when teaching new languages for students. A large number of learners will be able to get connected to the same virtual space as well which is particularly useful at a time of globalization and increased connectivity between countries via the internet.

• Virtual Reality Glasses

Virtual Reality glasses have also received a lot of attention in the recent past. More specifically, they have become particularly popular among students who are looking for a convenient method to learn marine biology. That’s because virtual glasses are in a position to immerse the students in a seabed environment and help them learn in an effective manner. This method of teaching is not associated with print books. A tablet is being provided to the student by the teacher and the student is asked to follow what appears on the screen. The students can then simply ask what animals are invertebrates and what vertebrates are. Then the students are asked to point them out by having a look. At the end of the lesson, the teacher would be able to know who has got it right and who has not.

• 3D Objects and Motion Capture

Offering training on 3D objects is not an easy thing to do. People who learn about these objects will not be able to get a clear understanding until they interact with the objects. That’s where 3D Objects and Motion Capture comes into play. This method is based on motion capture technology where the students will be asked to reposition the 3D objects that they see.

• Virtual Learning Environments

Virtual Learning Environments involve a platform where students and teachers can come together and collaborate with each other through an intranet. Teachers can use this network in order to create and send homework for their students. In addition, students can complete the assignments and submit them over the network themselves. In this way it is possible for the teachers to have the homework submitted and gathered in an organized manner, as well as being able to access useful statistics at the end of the day. Virtual Learning Environments have changed how traditional class sessions are managed and are thought of as a revolutionary way of e-learning.

Feedback and Monitoring Through Augmented Reality

Feedback and monitoring holds a prominent place in the education system. Otherwise, teachers will not be able to figure out whether they reach the educational objectives or not. Augmented reality creates an ideal platform to achieve this traceability. For example, the teachers will be able to get a clear understanding of what content is mostly viewed by the students and what assignments are completed by them. This type of information can be used in order to make important decisions respective to the students’ learning styles and performance.

Here is a list of some useful applications based on Augmented Reality, which can be used to enhance the quality of education:

1. HP Reveal (formerly Aurasma)

One of the most popular applications allowing to bring tagged images, objects and even physical locations to life. Using interactive digital content like video, animations and 3D scenes named Auras, Aurasma unfolds the amazing world of Augmented Reality with the ‘explore’ and ‘featured’ sections to retrieve the latest Auras. This app has been widely used in education since it allows the teacher and student to create their own interactive content. School displays come to life with this great tool!

2. Spacecraft 3D

This remarkable app created by NASA themselves and recently upgraded, as the name probably gives away, is more closely related to science or space teaching. Once you download Spacecraft 3D and print off the ‘markers’, it is possible to use your iPad’s camera to make a three dimensional spacecraft appear right before your eyes. There is also the option of taking a closer look to the structure of Rovers, Satellites and Telescopes while also looking at all angles of the technology since there are moveable parts on some of the crafts. These features can be quite engaging for children yet the app allows also to single handily bring a research lesson to life. Based on the content this app can be used in particular for students aged Key Stage 2 and 3.

3. Butterfly Fingers

Butterfly Fingers is one app that makes use of the Augmented Reality in combination with SEN. What the app does is that it places animated butterflies in the room while you look through the iPad’s camera. You might be stunned but this fluttering of butterflies can create a calming environment in the classroom especially when you have a very vivid student population. Importantly, the app does not require to be excellent in fine motor skills so it can be useful with children with special educational needs and all age groups.

4. Quiver

Whilst for many applications using AR, the user basically points the tablet’s camera at something and watch the effect, there is nothing physical about the endeavour. In contrast, Quiver is a fantastic app which allows you to physically customize the Augmented Reality object using coloring pages as triggers, and this video shows it in action. The way to do this is simply by downloading and print off markers which you can color and redesign yourself. Once the child (or adult) draws a picture and sketches its parts, pointing at the colored image using the tablet turns it into a three dimensional animation with moveable parts. There different markers, all enabling for creative and imaginative artistic learning. For example, the app can help a child visualize a character and stimulate more ideas for scripts, storyboards etc. 

5. AR Flashcards – Animals Alphabet

One extremely favourable app is AR Flashcards. The app is rather simple: there is a card for each letter of the alphabet, featuring one animated animal for every letter. You therefore realize that immediately the app allow you to play with twenty six Augmented Reality animals. There are more exciting stuff to do though, like using a huge number of dinosaur flashcards available for free. This creates endless educational potentials, ranging from phonics teaching and early language development, to topic-related learning such as using the dinosaurs which are pretty popular among children. Embedding these flashcards in your classroom teaching can therefore help with story writing, artistic endeavours, research projects and so much more!

6. Google Sky

A very interesting Augmented Reality app by the colossus focused on learning about astronomy in a fun and engaging way. Google Sky Map allows you to directly identify stars and constellations using a smartphone camera rather than through a book.

7. FETCH! Lunch Rush

A great educational game app to get elementary level kids to overcome their fear of Maths by learning, Fetch! Lunch Rush released by PBS KIDS uses printable cards as Augmented Reality pieces. Designed in 3D, the app uses the smartphone camera to place graphics in real-world surroundings. Specifically, there is a plot in the game where students help Ruff the Dog feed sushi to a movie crew by solving math problems. 

8. GeoGoogle

GeoGoogle is awesome when it comes to expanding students’ geography skills and help them measure distances to specific destinations, like latitude and longtitude by applying GeoGoogle to real-world surroundings. 

9. AugThat

One former teacher developed AugThat specifically targeting students that are not motivated to follow the classroom routine. Using the app's features, it is possible to create animated lessons in a variety of topics to engage students, including 360-degree virtual environments and 3-dimensional experiences.

10. Elements 4D

One of the most quality apps created by DAQRI, a powerful AR developer, is the application Elements 4D. As the name implies, this app brings elements of the periodic table to life to allow students of elementary, middle and high school level, see chemistry in action. The app work by printing out and assembling blocks that are used as trigger images for an AR experience. There are also lesson plans available for integrating Elements 4D at the DAQRI's website.

11. 4D Anatomy

Another amazing app by DAQRI, Anatomy 4D, allows teachers to design their own anatomy lessons by allows to view 3D images of the human body and heart. The app works by having teachers print off one of the target images and have students look at it through the app. This way they can learn about the different biological systems and bring the human body to life in a fascinating way, turning them "on" and "off" with the touch of a button.

12. Layar

This application employs Augmented Reality features to scanned print materials to enable a rich digital experience. Some of the app’s characteristics include seeing magazines come to life with videos on top of pages, browsing and viewing thousands of Geo Layers to find nearby stuff, enjoying interactice print with pop our content, and sharing your interactive print experiences without having to scan. Layar is thus one great app for use on a variety of learning projects. 

These are only a few Augmented Reality applications that are related to education. You can find a variety of similar applications that have taken the entire education system to a whole new level. Given this increased interest in Augmented Reality in the field of educational technology and technology enhanced learning, substantial empirical research has taken place in the past two decades to determine how this technology meaningfully engages students. 

Conclusion

The existing evidence so far suggests a variety of benefits from using Augmented Reality and similar immersive experiences during the lesson. More research however is needed before a conclusive argument is made, and what is certain, is that the use of Augmented Reality for educational purposes, like any other trending method, should be accompanied by a solid theoretical background while also addressing the individual needs of the particular classroom at hand.

READ THIS NOW: The Potential of Blended Learning for Steering Education

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*by andreascy*

An Overview of the Human Genome Project

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Mapping human genome can be considered as one of the main endeavors of modern world bio scientists. They have been pursuing this for decades and so far have achieved some measurable results. In simple terms, human genome can be defined as a map of how the cells of human beings are made up. If human genome is properly documented and researched, it could deliver answers to a myriad of mysteries.

Human genome is significant as it can provide with answers to questions like why we age, what genetic markers are, what causes and cures illnesses and many more. As a result, finding answers for this scientific puzzle has become part of an interesting competition. Entrepreneurs who start working on this field will be able to learn a lot of new things.

History of the Human Genome Project

The National Institute of Health in United States has established a partnership with the British government in order to solve the mysteries that are associated with the human genome project. They have hired the finest bio-scientists from different parts of the world and have created excellent equipment and facilities to complete their work successfully. A substantial amount of funds were approved generously to contribute to this project by both governments. According to statistical information, the government of United States has spent about $3 billion on this project. The British government has spent even more. 

1998 was an important year for the human genome project. In this year, a scientist named Dr. Craig Ventner was going through some published papers of the project and figured out that a different approach can be followed in order to get quick results. This method also had the ability to deliver more accurate answers for the complex issues and therefore he decided to undertake a project on this area himself. Nevertheless, as Dr. Craig Ventner was in need of financial assistance, he sought to get help from capitalist funding sources. His efforts became successful and was able to make $300 million within a short period of time. This motivated Dr. Craig Ventner to start working on his unique approach in the human genome project. His venture was named as “Celera” and it was charged with mapping the human genome to commercialize the findings. 

The Main Objective of the Human Genome Project

The primary objective of the human genome project is to figure out the consequence of chemical base pairs that are responsible for making up human DNA. It also focuses on mapping the genes of human genome through a functional and physical standpoint. As mentioned earlier, a lot of parties are involved in this project. Therefore, it can be considered as the world’s largest collaborative biological project. It was declared complete during 2003. At the early stage of this project, the main objective was to map the nucleotides in human body to reference genome. The genomes that can be found in human beings differ from one another. Hence, mapping the human genome is an extremely complex process for which scientists involved in this project hoped to succeed to eliminate that complexity.

State of Completion

The human genome project was not focused in sequencing the entire DNA that can be seen in human body cells. It only focused on the euchromatic areas of genome. In fact, euchromatic areas make up about 90 percent of human genome. The remaining area of the genome was called as heterochromatic and they were not considered in this project. 

As mentioned earlier, the human genome project was completed in 2003. The initial draft of the human genome was available by 2000 and a working draft was completed one year later. The final consequence mapping took place in 2003. This project was completed with a success rate of 99.99%. However, further analysis is being carried out at the moment and researches are scheduled to be carried out on HGP. 

Proposed Benefits of the Human Genome Project

The findings of the human genome project can be used for a variety of applications. These applications in turn have the potential to deliver tons of benefits, which range from molecular medicine up to human evolution. For instance, these findings can help people gain a better understanding about diseases. In other words, people will be able to get a clear view of the genotyping process of specific viruses that can be directed to appropriate treatments. It can also be used to identify mutations that are connected to different types of cancers. 

On the other hand, the human genome project is being used to design medication in an appropriate manner while ensuring their accuracy. The effects of medication on different people can also be predicted based on this theory. Commercial development of genomics is another major advantage that is associated with the human genome project. Therefore, it can be considered as a multibillion dollar industry. 

The sequence of DNA figured out from this method is stored in a database. The database is then being uploaded to the Internet, so that anyone can access. This database is well known as GenBank and it is being managed by the United States National Center for Biotechnology Information. Some other organizations are contributing towards it as well. 

Summary

It becomes apparent that the human genome project is one of the most important and useful projects in the biotechnology industry. It is in a position to deliver a variety of benefits for every human being that exists on the planet. From this project, it has been identified that around 20,500 genes can be found in human beings. The same range of genes can be found in mice as well.

On the other hand, the human genome consists of a large amount of segmental duplications. These duplications are nearly identical and can be defined as repeated sections of DNA. Even though the human genome project is completed at the moment, more and more studies are yet to be conducted on the same field to discover additional benefits that can be reaped out of it.

YOU MIGHT LIKE: 7 Great Natural Pain Relievers

Keep in touch! We'll be very grateful to you. 

*by andreascy*

3 Reasons the Hoverboard Is So Important

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

You may have heard rumblings in the past of companies trying to develop the first ever hoverboard. The company that manages to conquer the finer points of gravity in order to create a board that doesn't need wheels will be worth millions instantly. But any such invention could be decades away, if not longer. So why our fascination with the hoverboard?

It all goes back to Back to the Future II, a 1989 film and the second installment in a three-part series starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. The first film in the series has Fox's character traveling back to 1955; the second film has him traveling forward to 2015. It is in 2015 that the movie's main character, Marty McFly, sees and uses a hoverboard for the first time.

Aficionados of the Back to the Future series also know that McFly 'invented' skateboards when he traveled back to 1955. In order to get away from an unfriendly gang chasing him through the town square, McFly grabbed a homemade wooden scooter from a kid, pulled the handlebars off, and used it like a skateboard.

The prevalence of the skateboard in the film series is important from a cultural standpoint. Why? Consider the following three reasons:

1. Skateboarding Was Just Beginning

If you are younger than 40, you might assume that skateboards are a turn-of-the-century thing. They are not. Skateboarding goes back to the early 1980s; to an age when kids were looking for things to do in the absence of computers, cell phones, and most of the rest of the technology we take for granted today.

In those early days, skateboarding was about hanging out with your friends and learning to ride tandem down a steep hill without killing yourselves. Most people considered skateboards a fad the kids would outgrow. Yet the writers of the Back to the Future series thought otherwise. They saw skateboarding as something that would survive well into the future.

2. Skateboarding Technology Keeps Advancing

Introducing the hoverboard in the second film proved that filmmakers believed in the future of skateboards. And while we may not have the technology portrayed in the film yet, skateboarding technology continues to advance year after year. Boards are getting better, they are lasting longer, and skateboarding becomes more exciting and challenging by the day.

Any student of sports history knows that advances in technology tend to make a given sport better. That is certainly true in skateboarding. The things our parents were doing back in the 1980s seem so passé to us; the things we do on skateboards today they never would have considered on first and second generation boards.

3. The Skateboarding Culture Has Survived

The 2015 of the Back to the Future series is one in which punks and thugs use hoverboards to do what they do. In part, that might be a reflection of the 1980s mentality that believed skateboarders were troublemakers just looking to disrupt communities whenever they could. We certainly know that thinking is by no means true. More importantly, the skateboarding culture that grew out of our parents' love for boarding has remained intact for decades.

Today, the skateboarding culture is still about hanging out with your friends and having a good time enjoying something you all love. Futurist predictions and hoverboards aside, what many people thought was a fad has become a staple of American youth. Perhaps some of it is due to the iconic nature of the Back to the Future series. But most of it is because skateboards are just plain fun.

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*by andreascy*

The History of Voice Recognition Software

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

As you listen to your credit card company's automated phone voice asking you to describe your reason for calling, you probably don't care how the system originated. Why should you? The technology is ubiquitous these days. 

Concerning most technological innovations, the average person simply wants to use them. The newer the toy, the more they want to quickly avail themselves of its promised joy. For commercial entities, it's reduced to how much will the newfangled device contribute to a favorable bottom line.

Stepping Stones

The versatility in speech-recognition devices may be modern, but certain inventive thinkers in Austria, Russia and England were giving form to the concept of mechanical speaking machines as early as the eighteenth century.

For the purpose of voice recognition via electronic equipment, scientists experimenting at Bell Laboratories developed an electronic speech analyzer called a Vocoder in 1928. Homer W. Dudley, the lead scientist, further developed the Vocoder into an electronic synthesizer operated through a keyboard and dubbed it the Voder. Exhibitors from Bell demonstrated the device at the 1939 New York World's Fair. 

The rudiments of modern techniques for speech perception and recognition lay in a talking machine called the Pattern Playback. Built by Franklin S. Cooper and his collaborators at Haskins Laboratories in the late 1940s, the Playback could produce speech sounds from their frequency spectrum. 

The 1950s to the late 1970s saw the creation of the first formant synthesizer, the articulatory synthesizer and concatenative synthesis. These advancements permitted the phonetic quality of vowels to be determined, a major step. Additionally, continuous speech recognition -- eliminating the requirement to pause between words -- began during this period.

In 1988, Apple Computer produced a futuristic video in which the practical application of speech with computers was envisioned. Set for realization in the early 21st century, it defined the ideas of a Speech User Interface and a Multimodal User Interface joined with the representation of intelligent voice-enabled agents.

One underlying contribution to voice recognition not to be overlooked is the Hidden Markov Model. Actually developed in the late 1960s, the HMM permitted researchers to unite diverse sources including language, syntax and acoustics into one probable model. While the technique wasn't sophisticated enough to encompass a wide range of human language characteristics, it did serve as the dominant speech-recognition algorithm during the 1980s. 

Stumbling Blocks

During most of the 20th century, the success of voice recognition researchers was hampered by unsubstantial computing power. Consider that the best available time-sharing system from 1964 to 1983 was the Digital Equipment Corporation's PDP-10, a 36-bit mainframe computer. Still, the system's interactive capability was highly advantageous toward the scientists' goals. The 1990s began to see some of those goals bear fruit.

Listen for It

Technological capabilities became more versatile. Computers were gaining in popularity with the consumer public. Manufacturers were trying to outdo each other in offering faster systems. A monumental development in speech recognition came from Carnegie Mellon University in 1992. Under the leadership of Xuedong Huang, a CMU research team created the SPHINX-11 system. Not only was the system capable of a 5,000 word speaker-independent recognition, it also boasted a mere five percent error rate.

During the 1990s, the first commercially successful speech recognition programs were also introduced. The typical system's vocabulary was more expansive than that of the average human. Dragon Systems was a leading technology with its multiple professional dragon products. It became Nuance via Scansoft's purchase in 2005. Initially, Apple licensed software from Nuance to give voice to its digital assistant Siri.

SEE ALSO: How to Easily Edit and Rename Voice Recordings in iOS

Advanced voice recognition is now commonplace in diverse channels. Its usage is a reality of the 21st century.

*by andreascy*

Furious 7: The Fast Boys Are Back With An Epic Trailer

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Hello guys. How are you? If you have been around for the last decade or so then you’ll probably remember a little film called The Fast and The Furious. Here we are 13 years later and the franchise is still going strong! 

Furious 7 has been one of this year’s most anticipated films. The fans are interested to see what new direction the producers are going to take the film, after suffering the loss of one of its main characters; Brian O’ Conner, played by Paul Walker.

Walker was killed in a high-speed car crash in November of 2013 and the producers, finished filming and wrapped up, despite his death. Walker’s brothers were enlisted to help with key scenes in the movie. One can’t help but think of the recent tragedy involving Heath Ledgers passing, during the production of The Dark Night. The cast and crew for Furious 7 has been together for so long and the Vin Diesel, one of the producers, often referred to the crew as "family". Paul, Tyrese and Vin were all very close; both on and off screen.

But... the show must go on right? Fans were treated to a trailer that can only be summed up in one word: EPIC. If the film promises to be as action packed as the preview, then get ready for a visual feast. The movie is set to hit theaters April 2015 and has already generated a huge buzz.

The Plot:

In this film, the team ends up in Tokyo after learning of their friend Han’s death. They meet Sean Boswell who was also friends with Han. Teaming up with Boswell and some extra allies, they set out to find the person responsible for murdering Han. Enter Ian Shaw, played by Jason Statham.

Jason Statham (the older brother of Owen Shaw, the bad guy from Fast 6) joins the Furious 7 entourage as, the new villain that the cast faces off against. As you may have guessed Shaw is hunting the crew down to avenge the death of his younger brother. Statham is a seasoned action movie star and should be able to hold his own when it comes to the action sequences.

Another addition to the cast is Kurt Russell. He is seen for a brief moment in the preview and has a somewhat ominous air about him. From the 3 seconds he’s in the preview, one can already tell that his character is hard to get a bead on. Russell has even said that his character is staged to be suspicious. He can be seen, kind of, mentoring Dominc Toretto in the preview, so the film may play out the misplaced trust notion. This is just speculation, no spoilers. 

With the passing of Paul Walker, one of the most asked questions by the fans is; what is going to be the fate of Brian O’ Conner? It turns out that O’ Conner will get fitting send off. 

Writer Chris Morgan and director James Wan are reworking the script and using previously shot footage of Walker, to give him a suiting farewell. This will still allow the franchise to continue and, if they want to risk it, they can maybe bring O’ Conner back for a cameo or still involve him with the story in some way. There has even been talk of bringing Paul’s brother Cody on, as a new addition to the crew. In the meantime Walker’s other brother Caleb will be filling in for Paul’s scenes.

The whole process is a really fine line to tread. On the one hand there is a movie that needs to be finished, but in a way that leaves the fans satisfied. On the other hand, no one wants to disrespect the memory of Paul Walker. Giving him a “send off into the sunset” seems like a win-win for everyone.

Furious 7 kicks off with action and story right out of the gate. Two members of the crew are now dead and Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) is injured. Fans can only assume that the story is building up to O’ Conner’s farewell. Dark, would be going a bit too far to describe the tone of this movie, perhaps pensive is a bit better. The fans will get a sense that the family Dominic has worked hard to put together, isn’t as ‘bulletproof’ as they used to be.

Despite the passing of Paul Walker being a huge tragedy, the film looks as though it will not disappoint and be a fitting final role. I'm looking forward to this, for sure. Can't wait!

Have you seen all the movies on this list?

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*by andreascy*

5 Ways to Preserve Precious Family Photos

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

It's worse than a punch in the gut—that awful realization that your computer has crashed and your wedding photos are gone, your beach vacation photos are gone, and your baby's first birthday photos ... gone. 

You scold yourself for not backing them up, saving them to a disk, or leaving them on your memory card. You swear you'll never make that mistake again, but how can you prevent a virus from wiping out your priceless photos again? Here are a few ways to make sure they're stored safely and securely.

1. Keep them in the Cloud

Upload your precious photos to cloud storage where they'll be safely stored until you need them again. Accessing them at any time is easy, and you'll never again experience that sinking feeling that comes with knowing you've lost an entire year's worth of memories to one annoying computer crash. Different features and fee structures are available at the various providers, so do your research—decide what type of storage you need and research cloud storage rankings for dependability.

2. Save them to Disc

Another efficient way of saving your digital memories is to burn them onto a disc. According to the International Journal for the Preservation of Library and Archival Material, CD-R discs made with phthalocynine dye are the ones that stand the test of time. They're less likely to exhibit laser rot and deterioration over time. The fact that the disc is a CD-R instead of a CD-RW, also means you can't accidently copy over the photos you have stored.

If you choose this method of storage, it's still a good idea to have a backup system in place. Even the best CDs deteriorate over time, so have an alternative storage method.

3. Use an External Hard Drive

Although external hard drives can be susceptible to viruses, they're a good back up to discs and to the regular hard drive on your PC. External hard drives hold a ton of photos without slowing things down and they're easy to retrieve when you need them. PC Magazine recommends the top five external hard drives, which include: 

•  LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt (1TB SSD) 

•  LaCie Rugged USB 3.0 Thunderbolt (120GB SSD) 

•  Lenovo ThinkPad USB 3.0 Secure Hard Drive 

•  Seagate Backup Plus 

•  Seagate Backup Plus Portable Drive for Mac (1TB) 

4. SD Card

SD Cards are the small memory sticks that go inside your camera before you leave on a photo expedition. These are a viable option for storing photos, except that they have a size limit and can fill up quickly if you're not cautious of your volume of large file sizes. These are also not foolproof for life, but they'll do until you have a chance to upload your memories to the cloud.

5. Combination Storage

Of all these options, cloud storage is the safest file storage method of hanging onto precious digital files. Be extra safe, however, by using a combination of storage solutions. With more than one dependable storage solutions in place, your cherished memories will be safe and secure for years to come.

SEE ALSO: Keeping Your Treasured Photos Safe

We’ve shared our ideas, now we want to ask you – how do you preserve your family memories and not lose them forever? Share them with us in a comment below!

*by andreascy*

Looking for Leaders: The Crisis in Social Work

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Hey there, tiger. Here's some content you should probably share. No, really -- not just because we are saying so, but because it's pretty top-quality stuff from some really incredible sources, not all of which are original. 

The economic slowdown changes in the political landscape, and competition from other professions are threatening the future of human services. Did you knew that Social Work is the World`s Second Oldest Profession? Ever thought becoming a Social Worker?! Maybe you should start doing it! Why? Although the pay is not terrific : 

•  The demand for these services is increasing.

•  There is ample job opportunity for people who feel a calling to help. 

•  It’s cool to help others: Celebrities contribute to social programs! 

The Social Work degree center has prepared an excellent infographic, that provides very good information and interesting history facts about this profession as well of some of the today data. Check it out! 

Source: SocialWorkDegreeCenter

We recommend its review to all Social Workers and Social Service Case Managers. 

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*by andreascy*

5 Of The Worlds Biggest Metal Structures

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

The largest buildings in the world are not necessarily the tallest. Many of those with the largest square footage exploit the benefits of steel construction. Structural steel, according to the American Institute for Steel Construction, is not only the most cost-effective framing system, but the quickest to erect and one of the most easily recycled. Five of the world's largest buildings are prime examples of the possibilities of steel. 

Venetian Macao 

The world's sixth largest building is its most extensive casino, the 10.5 million square foot Venetian Macao built on reclaimed land in Macao. Designed as a "mega-resort," the facility is operated by the Sands, the famous Las Vegas resort. 

It's ornate murals and cornices, its arena, its pool and spa complex and even its network of canals with their gondoliers beneath a painted sky are all attached to a structural steel frame.

Dubai Terminal 3 

The second largest building on earth is now one of the international terminals of Dubai International Airport. Terminal 3's 18,440,000 square feet of floor space originally served only domestic travelers, but now handles international flights as well. 

Over 40 million passengers use the terminal every year. Completed in 2008, the building required 33,000 metric tons of structural steel. As if it were not big enough on its own, Terminal 3 is directly connected to Terminal 2 through a common transit area. 

Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer 

FloraHolland's auction facility in Aalsmeer in the Netherlands is the largest trading floor in the world at 10.6 million square feet and the fourth largest building overall. 

Originally erected in 1972, the building was expanded to its current size in 1979. Its steel roof members are plainly visible from the auction floor. 

Chrysler Headquarters 

The headquarters and main R&D facility for Chrysler LLC is a 5.3 million square foot tower in Auburn Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. 

The building's curtain walls hang from a steel frame, incorporating atriums and concourses that culminate in an octagonal skylight. The facade is designed to allude to the shape of an automobile, something not possible without steel frame construction. 

Abraj al Bait 

The most extensive building in the world is Abraj al Bait in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It includes a luxury hotel, a four level shopping mall, six residential towers for permanent residents, a conference center and two separate heliports and an intramodal transit station, as well as the world's largest clock tower.

While its exterior incorporates Islamic architectural motifs, particularly mosaics, the building's internal structure is a steel frame. 

Almost all the world's largest building's use structural steel framing. The one exception, the 6.6 million square foot reinforced-concrete Pentagon, was built during a time of steel scarcity. The contrast between its low, glowering facade and light, airy curtain wall structures is in itself an argument in favor of steel frame construction. The American Iron and Steel Institute maintains that steel offers economic and environmental advantages in addition to its "aesthetically beautiful" appearance. This makes it the medium of choice for contemporary architectural expression.

SEE ALSO: The Advantages of using Steel as a Construction Material

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Have You Ever Heard Of Manufactured Real-Estate?

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

A part of the world is banking on the success of artificially created real-estate, quite literally, since for some time now, developers have been smiling all the way to the bank. And artificial real-estate doesn’t refer to just buildings --- no, no --- we’re talking about man-made islands in the Persian Gulf where development incorporates natural habitat and ecosystems. This is referred to as terraforming; and the most outrageous whims can be developed and accommodated for those where money is no issue. 

Replicas of lost civilizations as well as breath-taking 5-star themed hotels, high-rise malls, a sea-world and exclusive retail outlets, jut outward, literally, over the Arabian Gulf waters, staking their unusual real-estate claims.

Tell Me More!

A world-class golf course lies among private homes, which are scattered throughout, flanked by fresh-water streams flowing alongside them. A myriad of architectural styles used for these homes reflect ancient designs from various areas of the world including the Orient, Middle-East, Mediterranean Africa, Europe or even quaint sea-village homes built on stilts. One has the option of designing one’s own home that would reflect a unique style indigenous to any culture of the world.

According to developers, the real-estate market is booming due to the Dubai government maintaining low interest rates and ‘low’ property costs to encourage foreign investment and residency. And supposedly, Dubai is having a difficult time keeping up with the demands from those who are financially able to take part in these outlandish real-estate projects.

‘The World’:

This is only one of many themed real-estate pieces; and it is located 2.5 miles off the coast of Dubai and is made up of 300 individual islands shaped like the earth’s continents - England, Shanghai, Tasmania and many more--with micro-versions of each continent’s unique offerings such as castles, an African game preserve, full-scale, replicated Caribbean ships, etc., created for private ownership. And if you have a yearning to possess your own island, have your checkbook handy since there are still some available for sale.

Official water patrols provide security; and posh water taxis continually ferry guests between each ‘water world’ environment day and night.

A Sinking Dream?

It needs to be stated, however, that financial experts maintain that development has slowed down due to the 2008 financial crisis. Local developers deny that assertion inspite of the fact that property values on Dubai’s mainland have fallen 58% from their peak in the fourth quarter of 2008. It is, also, being alleged the synthetic islands are slowly sinking into the sea. This has been confirmed by geological surveys and many homeowners, living in this once-unquestioned piece of paradise, are furious regarding this sinking revelation. And any sinking issues may or may not have anything to do with the unarguable fact that many investors have reconsidered and backed out and some have asked for, and have received, investment reimbursements. Some argue for the more familiar real estate investments as seen on Dunhill Homes.

Whether this manufactured real-estate is losing value or whether islands are truly sinking, as of mid-July 2012, properties have continued to open - but one has to wonder: For how long?

SEE ALSO: 3 Best Tools For Construction Project Management

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The 5 Most Dangerous Buildings In The World

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Mankind has achieved innumerable architectural marvels over thousands of years. The cutting edge technology used in construction today has not always been required to construct buildings that inspire awe and stagger the mind. However, many great building achievements are as dangerous as they are innovative. In many cases, the element of danger is what provides the construction with such thrilling intrigue. The following buildings are equal in their engineering accomplishments and elements of danger that they present to any visitors who dare enter. 

License: Creative Commons

Cliffside

China is home to the Hanging Temple. This building has stood for more than 1,400 years since the reign of the Northern Wei Dynasty. It faces a sheer drop of nearly 246 feet at the base of Mount Heng. This structure is actually the only temple in existence that serves as a place of worship for three individual religions: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. The temple is constructed of wood and contains 40 individual halls. Beams have been inserted into hand-chiseled fitting in the rock surface. Visitors brave enough to enter the temple will find over 80 Buddhist statues throughout the structure.

License: Creative Commons

A Stone Tower

At 817 meters above sea level, Lichtenstein Castle in Germany is another structure that seems to totter on the side of a cliff. This castle was not the first to rest on this site. Previous structures had been built and fallen to ruins dating back to about the 1200's. Lichtenstein Castle was commissioned by Duke Wilhelm of Urach in 1840. Although the castle is still under royal ownership, the doors are open to the public that dare to make the trip skywards. Most visitors come for the view and to gaze at the collection of historic German weaponry and armor. Various castles on this site have utilized the popular architectural stylings of their day throughout the years. Lichtenstein adds to its allure high in the sky by employing Neo-Gothic traditions throughout its design.

License: Creative Commons

A Delicate Balance

The Takasugi-an in Japan is perhaps the strangest and most insecure structure ever to be executed. The name literally translates to “a teahouse too high.” It was designed by its architect for his own private use. Built off-site, the one-room building was transported and installed at the top of two chestnut trees. It is constructed primarily of bamboo and plaster, and it can only be accessed by using a single, free-standing ladder that must be propped against the side of one of the supporting trees.

License: Creative Commons

Working on an Incline

As though they were taking a cue from the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Puerta de Europa or in English, Gate of Europe, in Madrid, Spain features two buildings that lean towards one another at a 15 degree incline. Each tower stands 374 feet tall and features 26 floors. The identical towers hover ominously over pedestrians and drivers who can travel beneath their shadows. The project was completed in 1996 as a joint effort between an American and Spanish architectural firm.

License: Creative Commons

An Icon of Architectural Mistakes

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is yet to collapse. This building is actually a bell tower for a central cathedral that went terribly wrong. It was five years after its initial construction in 1173 that it began it's unintended tilt to one side. The lean is due to the lack of solid ground resting beneath its foundation on one side. This side of the structure sinking into the ground is now submerged by over five feet, giving the 16,000 ton building less than stable footing.

Many of these structures are appealing to visitors for their unique qualities and dangerous appearance. While more adventurous people will flock to these as points of interest in their travels, those people who do not have thrill-seeking tendencies will be much happier enjoying photos from a safe distance on a stable foundation.

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