See on Scoop.it - Cyborg LivesSaffron Unveils Enhanced, Cognitive Computing Platform-
CARY, N.C., May 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ — Saffron Technology, Inc., the leading global provider of cognitive computing platform solutions for anticipatory sensemaking, today announced the release of…
Chasing Art, Adding Artists with @joshuabgeyer
Want to learn more about street art in NYC? Be sure to follow Joshua @joshuabgeyer and artists @jr, @aakashnihalani, @alicepasquini, @oleknycand @kennyscharfon Instagram
Since modern graffiti first appeared on the subways in the 1970s, New York City has been a hub for street art. In the past, many of the artists behind these works chose to protect their identities and remain anonymous for fear of consequences, but the tide is changing as the art form gains more popular acceptance.
New York photographer Joshua Geyer (@joshuabgeyer) unveils the layers of anonymity with Instagram. Committed to visually documenting the city’s street art, Joshua uses Instagram and his knowledge of the street art community to connect his followers with artists. “Just seeing and photographing the art wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to know who did this piece, who put that sticker there, or how long did that mural take, etc…I became obsessed with learning as much as I could,” he explains. “And I always add context to my pictures so others can learn from me and know the artists behind the work.”
By adding artists on Instagram to his photos and mentioning them in his captions and comments, Joshua’s followers can discover new artists and the artists themselves can source photos of their work from the Instagram community. “I am a strong believer of giving credit where credit is due,” he explains. “My followers love seeing new work from new artists and the artists love having new people appreciate their gifts. It really is a win-win situation and it makes me happy to be able to help make that connection.”
Chasing Art, Adding Artists with @joshuabgeyer
Want to learn more about street art in NYC? Be sure to follow Joshua @joshuabgeyer and artists @jr, @aakashnihalani, @alicepasquini, @oleknycand @kennyscharfon Instagram
Since modern graffiti first appeared on the subways in the 1970s, New York City has been a hub for street art. In the past, many of the artists behind these works chose to protect their identities and remain anonymous for fear of consequences, but the tide is changing as the art form gains more popular acceptance.
New York photographer Joshua Geyer (@joshuabgeyer) unveils the layers of anonymity with Instagram. Committed to visually documenting the city’s street art, Joshua uses Instagram and his knowledge of the street art community to connect his followers with artists. “Just seeing and photographing the art wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to know who did this piece, who put that sticker there, or how long did that mural take, etc…I became obsessed with learning as much as I could,” he explains. “And I always add context to my pictures so others can learn from me and know the artists behind the work.”
By adding artists on Instagram to his photos and mentioning them in his captions and comments, Joshua’s followers can discover new artists and the artists themselves can source photos of their work from the Instagram community. “I am a strong believer of giving credit where credit is due,” he explains. “My followers love seeing new work from new artists and the artists love having new people appreciate their gifts. It really is a win-win situation and it makes me happy to be able to help make that connection.”
Sound stimulation during sleep can enhance memory
Slow oscillations in brain activity, which occur during so-called slow-wave sleep, are critical for retaining memories. Researchers reporting online April 11 in the Cell Press journal Neuron have found that playing sounds synchronized to the rhythm of the slow brain oscillations of people who are sleeping enhances these oscillations and boosts their memory. This demonstrates an easy and noninvasive way to influence human brain activity to improve sleep and enhance memory.
“The beauty lies in the simplicity to apply auditory stimulation at low intensities—an approach that is both practical and ethical, if compared for example with electrical stimulation—and therefore portrays a straightforward tool for clinical settings to enhance sleep rhythms,” says coauthor Dr. Jan Born, of the University of Tübingen, in Germany.
Dr. Born and his colleagues conducted their tests on 11 individuals on different nights, during which they were exposed to sound stimulations or to sham stimulations. When the volunteers were exposed to stimulating sounds that were in sync with the brain’s slow oscillation rhythm, they were better able to remember word associations they had learned the evening before. Stimulation out of phase with the brain’s slow oscillation rhythm was ineffective.
“Importantly, the sound stimulation is effective only when the sounds occur in synchrony with the ongoing slow oscillation rhythm during deep sleep. We presented the acoustic stimuli whenever a slow oscillation “up state” was upcoming, and in this way we were able to strengthen the slow oscillation, showing higher amplitude and occurring for longer periods,” explains Dr. Born.
The researchers suspect that this approach might also be used more generally to improve sleep. “Moreover, it might be even used to enhance other brain rhythms with obvious functional significance—like rhythms that occur during wakefulness and are involved in the regulation of attention,” says Dr. Born.
