It has been an INTENSE but fulfilling week! I learned so much that I kind of feel like that emoji with the exploding brain, but I had so much Fun exploding it!
Tuesday’s presentation –Time of Flight Diffuse Optimal Tomography by Yongyi Zhao – was very informative. His research is on how to communicate without physical input. In other words, communicating without using a keyboard or any other devices that we use to physically input information. His research wants to avoid invasive operations and ingesting chemicals to use the brain to communicate. So, they are working to create a wearable neural imagery device using optical light to create optical imaging systems. 
Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) is used to penetrate the skull. When light tries to pass through the skull, it displaces or scatters. ToF (time of flight) helps with preventing the light from scattering. His research faces a problem similar to other research we have learned about, which is how light penetrates darker hair color versus lighter hair color. I wonder if the amount of hair, such as bald versus lots of hair will also affect light penetration.
This is exciting to me because it fits into my sci-fi idea of what it’s going to be like in the future. Will everyone have to wear apparel that is like a Onesie or a Catsuit with a hood to cover our head. I’m thinking of an episode in Star Trek or the Freman in Dune!
The presentation on Wednesday was – Lab on a particle technology, by Dino Di Carlo PhD. Research is on shrinking a lab to the size of a particle. It is believed that doing this would make it easier to combat viruses and/or diseases. Nano vials are like test tube for a single cell. Monoclonal antibodies (a way to prevent cells from being infected) is a form of lab on a particle. His research wants to be able to create Nano vials with equipment that is common to any lab. He wants to make this technology less expensive to create and use. It would make manufacturing and pricing less expensive. If his research is successful it could revolutionize the drug industry!
Before I go, The Youth Scholars at Rice University gave Fantastic presentations! I love seeing high school students display their knowledge! Kudos to Allen Antoine and The Youth Scholars!!