AI vision testing

 I wondered whether AI could provide new testing methods to replace standard eye exams.

Here's what ChatGPT has to say, starting with where to find such new exams:

1. Search Online for Specific Companies and Products

• Look for the companies and tools mentioned earlier, such as:
  • EyeNetra: Offers smartphone-based autorefractors.
    • Visit EyeNetra
  • EyeQue VisionCheck: Provides at-home vision testing tools.
    • Visit EyeQue
  • AEYE Health: Specializes in AI retinal imaging diagnostics.
    • Visit AEYE Health

2. Consult an Optometrist or Eye Care Provider

• Many optometrists now integrate advanced diagnostic tools like AI-enhanced wavefront aberrometers or retinal imaging systems. Call local eye clinics and ask if they use AI-powered or digital vision testing technologies.

3. Check for FDA-Approved or Cleared Devices

• Look for devices or systems with regulatory approval to ensure safety and efficacy. You can check:
  • FDA’s Medical Device Database

4. Telemedicine Platforms

• Explore online eye care services that use AI for remote testing:
  • Simple Contacts and Warby Parker offer online vision tests for prescription renewals.
  • Simple Contacts
  • Warby Parker Virtual Vision Test

5. Retail Chains Offering Advanced Vision Testing

• Larger chains like LensCrafters and Visionworks may already incorporate AI diagnostics into their services. Call local stores to inquire about available technology.

6. Search Through Research Centers and Universities

• Universities often partner with startups to test innovative vision technologies. Search for clinics or research programs at institutions like Stanford or MIT that focus on digital health.

7. Use Directories for Eye Health Professionals

• Websites like Zocdoc or VSP can help locate professionals offering cutting-edge diagnostic options.

8. Online Marketplaces

• For self-administered tools, check e-commerce platforms like Amazon or specialty stores for products like EyeQue VisionCheck or other AI-based tools.

Here are explanations of the services:

Yes, several AI-driven methods are currently being employed to revolutionize vision testing and the prescription of glasses:

1. AI-Powered Autorefractors: Devices like EyeNetra's NETRA utilize smartphones to perform automated refraction tests. By guiding users through interactive procedures, these tools measure refractive errors and assist in prescribing corrective lenses.

Eyenetra

2. Smartphone-Based Vision Testing Applications: Applications such as EyeQue's VisionCheck 2 enable users to conduct self-administered vision tests at home. These apps employ AI algorithms to analyze user inputs and generate eyeglass prescriptions, enhancing accessibility to vision care.

American Academy of Ophthalmology

3. AI-Enhanced Visual Acuity Tests: The Stanford Acuity Test employs Bayesian adaptive algorithms to refine visual acuity measurements, offering more precise assessments compared to traditional eye charts.

ArXiv

4. Autonomous AI for Retinal Imaging: Companies like AEYE Health have developed FDA-cleared AI systems capable of autonomously diagnosing conditions such as diabetic retinopathy from retinal images. These systems facilitate early detection and intervention without the immediate need for specialist review.

TIME

5. AI in Teleophthalmology: AI-driven platforms are being integrated into teleophthalmology services to assess image quality and provide instant feedback during remote eye examinations, thereby improving diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes.

ArXiv

These advancements demonstrate the significant impact of AI in enhancing the precision, accessibility, and efficiency of vision testing and eye care services.

Bolsonaro's Comeback in Brazil

https://www.wsj.com/world/americas/bolsonaro-trump-comeback-brazil-fd5c8e26 

By Samantha Pearson

Updated Nov. 29, 2024 7:24 am ET

BRASÍLIA—Jair Bolsonaro, former president of Brazil, wants to return to power and said he believes U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will help make that happen, possibly by using economic sanctions against the current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Banned from running for office until 2030 and facing criminal charges for allegedly plotting a coup, Bolsonaro said he sees Trump’s election as a game-changer for his future and politicians on the right in Latin America. Leftists have recently won presidential elections in Mexico and Uruguay and govern most large countries in the region. 

“Trump is back, and it’s a sign we’ll be back too,” Bolsonaro said in an interview this week with The Wall Street Journal from his party headquarters in the capital, Brasília.

Flanked by two congressmen allies in a tightly secured office plastered with photos of recent rallies, Bolsonaro said he and his lawmaker son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, had been in close contact with the incoming U.S. administration since the Nov. 5 election. “I was up the whole night rooting for the big orange guy,” he said, using the affectionate Portuguese term for Trump, “Laranjão.”

Da Silva’s leftist government, which considers Bolsonaro an authoritarian figure, declined to comment on the former president’s assertions. A spokesperson for Trump’s incoming administration didn’t respond to a request for comment. 

Bolsonaro, who was president of the world’s fourth-most populous democracy from 2019 through 2022, has been one of Trump’s closest foreign allies. Sharing similar views on the culture wars and scorn for the political left and the media, the two men deepened ties when their presidencies overlapped in 2019 and 2020. The two presented a united front against Venezuela’s authoritarian leader, Nicolás Maduro. 

Still wildly popular with swaths of Brazil’s social conservatives, as well as parts of the business community, Bolsonaro would narrowly win an election against da Silva if the vote was carried out today, according to a survey this week by Brazil’s Paraná Pesquisas polling institute. Bolsonaro would get 37.6% of the vote, while the leftist would receive 33.6%, it found.

Bolsonaro has also sought to firm up regional and global ties on the right with leaders such as Argentine President Javier Milei and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, he said, even awarding them with his infamous weighty “Bolsonaro Club” medal. It sports a slogan in Portuguese that roughly translates as “immortal, virile, and not to be screwed with.”

After police seized Bolsonaro’s passport earlier this year, his son Eduardo, a friend of former Trump aide Steve Bannon, acted as a go-between, Bolsonaro said, joining Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort for the U.S. presidential election.

“It’s time for MAAGA—Make All Americas Great Again,” said Bolsonaro, proudly displaying a book published last year that Trump gave him with the inscription “Jair—You are GREAT.” 

Bolsonaro, dubbed the Trump of the Tropics by Brazil’s press, has never needed his U.S. counterpart more, though it’s unclear how much assistance he could receive and in what form, if any. 

Brazilian police last week accused Bolsonaro and 36 of his allies of plotting a coup to stop da Silva from taking office after Bolsonaro narrowly lost the 2022 election. The allegations include plans to assassinate the leftist leader. The charges stem from a Jan. 8, 2023, uprising in which several thousand Bolsonaro supporters stormed the presidential palace, Congress and the Supreme Court in Brasília before police fended them off.

Brazil’s electoral court also has effectively banned him from running in the next presidential election in 2026. The court ruled last year that he had undermined confidence in the country’s electoral system by accusing da Silva of stealing the 2022 election, without presenting sufficient evidence.

Bolsonaro denies any wrongdoing, saying he is the victim of a witch hunt by da Silva and left-leaning judges. 

“They don’t just want me in jail, they want me dead,” said Bolsonaro, who is 69 years old. He lifted his shirt to show a giant scar across his disfigured belly, the result of a near-fatal stabbing on the campaign trail in 2018. A judge later ruled the attacker was mentally ill. 

Since his first presidential campaign in 2018, Bolsonaro has cast himself as a political underdog. In the interview, he broke down in tears as he spoke about his mother’s struggle to care for him and his five siblings while working as a maid on a farm. Like Trump, he has sought to brand himself via a stream of merchandise, recently launching his own aftershave. Bolsonaro beer is next, he said.

Bolsonaro plans to register his candidacy ahead of the 2026 vote despite the ban, he said, banking on pressure from Trump on Brazil’s judges to delay enforcement of the 2023 ruling just long enough for him to run. The former Brazilian army officer suggested that Trump could level economic sanctions against da Silva’s government to help him.

“As long as the electoral court doesn’t turn down my registration, it’s valid,” Bolsonaro said. “They can just put it off as long as possible…until the election is over.” 

By coincidence, a Bolsonaro-nominated Supreme Court judge, Kassio Nunes Marques, is scheduled to preside over Brazil’s electoral court in 2026. Marques voted against the decision last year to ban Bolsonaro from office.

“I’m not obsessed with power, it’s actually rather tiring at my age,” Bolsonaro said. “There are also people more intelligent than me…but no one has thicker skin, nor the experience I have.”

Questioned about the nature of possible U.S. sanctions under Trump, Bolsonaro spoke of Washington’s oil sanctions on Venezuela. In his first term, Trump employed a “maximum pressure” campaign of economic sanctions and direct support for Venezuela’s opposition in a failed effort to unseat Maduro.

“Trump has also been very concerned about Venezuela and discussed with me ways in which we can return it to democracy,” said Bolsonaro.

Brazil’s right has also lobbied Trump to withdraw the U.S. visa of Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has led sweeping criminal investigations into Bolsonaro and his allies—a request that is viewed favorably by parts of the incoming U.S. administration, according to people close to the situation. 

Elon Musk, a close Trump ally, is already one of de Moraes’s biggest critics after the judge shut down Musk’s X social-media platform in Brazil for more than a month this year after it refused to block right-wing accounts accused of spreading hate speech. Musk, like Bolsonaro, has called de Moraes a “dictator.”

A spokesperson for de Moraes declined to comment. 

U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R., Fla.) called the Brazilian judge “the vanguard of an international assault on freedom of speech,” holding up a photo of de Moraes when she introduced a bill with Rep. Darrell Issa (R., Calif.) in September that would deny U.S. entry to any foreign authority found to have threatened freedom of speech.

Artificial Kidneys

I've been interested in the developments with artificial organs, stem cell treatments, and CRISPR gene editing. 

Below is the latest information about artificial kidneys from my inquiry with ChatGPT:

Artificial kidneys are innovative devices designed to replicate the essential functions of natural kidneys, offering potential alternatives to traditional dialysis and transplantation for individuals with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Recent advancements in this field include the development of implantable bioartificial kidneys and wearable dialysis machines.

Implantable Bioartificial Kidneys

The Kidney Project, a collaboration between the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, is at the forefront of creating an implantable bioartificial kidney. This device combines a hemofilter to remove waste products from the blood with a bioreactor housing cultured kidney cells to perform metabolic and endocrine functions. A key innovation is the use of silicon nanopore membranes, which allow for necessary molecular exchange while protecting the implanted cells from immune rejection, potentially eliminating the need for immunosuppressive therapy.

UCSF

In 2023, the team successfully demonstrated the feasibility of this approach in preclinical studies, showing that the bioreactor could maintain kidney cell viability and function without immunosuppression. The next steps involve scaling up the device and conducting longer-term trials to assess its safety and efficacy in humans.

UCSF

Wearable Artificial Kidneys

Another promising development is the wearable artificial kidney (WAK), a portable hemodialysis device designed to allow continuous treatment, thereby improving patient mobility and quality of life. The WAK utilizes dialysate-regenerating sorbent technology and is powered by batteries, enabling patients to remain ambulatory during treatment. Clinical trials have demonstrated its potential to effectively clear uremic toxins and maintain electrolyte balance over extended periods.

Journal of Clinical Investigation

However, technical challenges such as device miniaturization, ensuring reliable blood and dialysate flow, and preventing clotting remain to be addressed before widespread clinical adoption.

Challenges and Future Directions

Despite significant progress, several challenges persist in the development of artificial kidneys:

• Biocompatibility: Ensuring that materials used in these devices do not induce adverse immune responses is critical.

• Sustainability: Developing energy-efficient systems that can operate continuously without frequent maintenance or battery changes is essential for patient convenience.

• Scalability: Manufacturing devices that can accommodate the diverse physiological needs of patients with varying degrees of kidney failure is necessary for broad applicability.

Ongoing research in tissue engineering, nanotechnology, and materials science is crucial to overcoming these hurdles. The ultimate goal is to provide ESRD patients with artificial kidneys that closely mimic natural organ function, thereby reducing dependence on dialysis and addressing the shortage of donor organs.

For more detailed information, you may refer to the following sources:

• Can an Artificial Kidney Finally Free Patients from Dialysis?

• The Future of Artificial Kidneys

• 3D printable organs

• Genetically edited pig to human kidney transplant

Audio book on AI by Henry A. Kissinger, Eric Schmidt, Craig Mundie

Genesis Artificial Intelligence, Hope, and the Human Spirit By Henry A. Kissinger ,  Eric Schmidt ,  Craig Mundie 

https://www.audible.com/pd/Genesis-Audiobook/B0D4B9C9FB

For those wondering who is Craig Mundie

Article:  Kissinger’s final warning: Prepare now for ‘superhuman’ people to control Earth

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/nov/19/henry-kissinger-final-warning-prepare-superhuman-p/

Relate this post back to Eric Schmidt's development of AI drones via project White Stork.

https://fallowfields.blogspot.com/2024/11/eric-schmidt-calls-for-replacing-tanks.html

Chinese trade mega port in Peru

 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg79y3rz1eo

Here's the first article I saw and posted from January '24

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/china-widens-south-america-trade-110528223.html

...more on the state of China's Belts and Roads Initiative (BRI)

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-67120726

ChatGPT free desktop app

 https://openai.com/chatgpt/desktop/

DeepL real-time voice and video translation to text

 Still waiting for real-time audio...

https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/13/deepl-launches-deepl-voice-real-time-text-based-translations-from-voices-and-videos/

Quick prepper items

Emergency rations: 

Costco's in-store cost is $65. 

Amazon and Walmart also carry but are more expensive.

https://www.costco.com/readywise-150-serving-emergency-food-bucket-150-total-servings.product.100837131.html

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This solar phone charger is good for charging a phone and a Wi-Fi router.

$26.99

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T2NRK8G?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

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Solar-powered generator

The C1000 with the 200-watt panels charges faster than powering with a car charger; can power small appliances that the lower-end ones cannot, and doesn't depend on fuel. Priority on powering a phone/wifi router, and heating water. 

You'll pay an extra $100 for Home Depot - delivery might be sooner than the manufacturer if THD has them in their warehouse.

$899

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Anker-1800W-Output-2400W-Peak-SOLIX-C1000-X-Black-Push-Button-Start-Solar-Generator-w-200W-Solar-Panels-for-Home-RV-Outdoor-THDB1000/327172731

Manufacturer price is $749, but on back-order

https://www.anker.com/products/a1761?variant=43827729334422&ref=naviMenu_pps&_gl=1*1xm7g7b*_up*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQiA_qG5BhDTARIsAA0UHSKV2WBkE-CRaLgsxPCza0CtnEaOAcA60utVu2Kv1UFY3hh93RAeACwaAn-9EALw_wcB

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Cast iron burner -  $16.99

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09G99VMB7?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

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Other considerations:

• Water collection/purification
• First aid
• Protection

What's up with the Polymarket?

FBI seizes Polymarket CEO’s phone, electronics after betting platform predicts Trump win: 

https://nypost.com/2024/11/13/business/fbi-seizes-polymarket-ceos-phone-electronics-after-betting-platform-predicts-trump-win-source/

I'd never heard of it until seeing an interview with Mark Cuban:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYlLjRZM2VE

Then, I wondered about Elon Musk:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-advocates-crypto-prediction-072206636.html

And, here it is:

https://polymarket.com/

Trump vs Biden golfing debate

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8vujBzpnpd/?igsh=MWd6MmVobXVuN3FnNg%3D%3D

Eric Schmidt calls for replacing tanks with AI attack drones

Just in time for the election. I guess he's ready to make his money and become a general. 

So, would we be replacing U.S. tanks with drones abroad or in our own backyard?

https://www.theregister.com/2024/10/30/google_ceo_tank_ai_drones/

Quote from another article:

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/ex-google-ceo-eric-schmidt-144350819.html

Schmidt was the CEO of Google until 2011 and remained its chairman until 2015. A year later he became the chairman of the Department of Defense's Innovation Board, a position he held for four years, his website shows.

Here's my earlier post from January '24:

https://fallowfields.blogspot.com/2024/01/google-eric-schmidt-white-stork-ai.html