In this blog post, we’ll examine the impact of “additive-free” food marketing on consumers and the food industry—focusing on the example of synthetic sodium nitrite—not only from scientific and biological perspectives but also from ethical and social ones.   With the launch of “THE Healthy Ham” in 2010, an “additive-free” craze began sweeping through South Korea’s processed food industry...

In this blog post, we’ll examine the causes and symptoms of hallux valgus, the risks associated with certain lifestyle habits, and methods for prevention and treatment—and explore what you should focus on to protect your foot health in your daily life.   With the widespread use of high heels and pointed-toe shoes, feet—regardless of gender—are under a great deal of pressure. In addition, as...

In this blog post, we’ll explore the principles behind wireless charging—which emerged as a solution to the inconvenience of cables—as well as the characteristics of magnetic resonance and magnetic induction methods. We’ll also examine the potential of wireless charging technology as it expands beyond smartphones to encompass a wide range of electronic devices and everyday environments.  ...

In this blog post, I’ll explore why people feel compassion and discomfort when they see someone hitting or kicking a robot, and discuss how we should think about ethical standards for treating robots in comparison to our ethical feelings toward animals.   How is kicking a robot—which is neither human nor animal—any different from kicking a soccer ball? Even though we may think of them as...

In this blog post, we’ll examine the evolution of speech recognition and synthesis technologies and explore the challenges robots must overcome to understand human speech and engage in natural conversation.   “I’m sorry, Dave. Unfortunately, I cannot carry out that command.” Anyone who has seen Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ will likely remember this line...

In this blog post, we’ll examine the journey of drones—which were originally developed for military use—to their current applications across various fields, as well as how they work, their utility, and the technical and social challenges that need to be addressed in the future.   Recently, the global logistics company Amazon announced plans to implement drone-based deliveries. The plan is to...

In this blog post, we’ll examine how the size and shape of the pupil are regulated, how the pupil’s shape affects the light entering the eye, and, as a result, how the pupil’s shape contributes to an animal’s survival.   Animals gather visual information through their eyes. In particular, the pupil and iris—which are responsible for the first stage of visual information processing—play...

In this blog post, we’ll examine the positive effects and ethical issues surrounding animal cloning and consider the direction in which animal cloning research should proceed.   Long ago, Dr. Ian Wilmut of the Roslin Institute in Scotland introduced “Dolly,” the world’s first animal cloned from a somatic cell, to the world. Since then, South Korea has also succeeded in animal cloning...

In this blog post, we will examine the concept and value of the urban mining industry—which recovers metals and rare resources from electronic waste—as well as the current state of the industry in South Korea and the challenges that lie ahead.   The urban mining industry (hereinafter referred to as “urban mining”) refers to the industry that recovers and recycles resources from various types...

In this blog post, we’ll explore the meaning and value of data mining—one of the leading methods for analyzing big data—as well as its real-world applications and limitations.   The term “big data” has been circulating everywhere for quite some time. A good example of big data’s popularity is that, at one point, a Google search for “Big data” returned approximately 280 million results. Does...