Month: May 2023

The Brain-Computer Interfaces That Could Give Locked-In Patients a Voice | Innovation

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
HOME DECOR
brain-computer-interface-2-1.jpg

By recording activity of specific neurons in the brain, researchers aim to pick up signals of intended speech.
Knowable Magazine

In Alexandre Dumas’s classic novel The Count of Monte Cristo, a character named Monsieur Noirtier de Villefort suffers a terrible stroke that leaves him paralyzed. Though he remains awake and aware, he is no longer able to move or speak, relying on his granddaughter Valentine to recite the alphabet and flip through a dictionary to find the letters and words he requires. With this rudimentary form of communication, the determined old man manages to save Valentine from being poisoned by her stepmother and thwart his son’s attempts to marry her off against her will.

Dumas’s portrayal of this catastrophic condition—where, as he puts it, “the soul is trapped in a body that no longer obeys its commands”—is one of the earliest descriptions of locked-in syndrome. This form of profound paralysis occurs when the brain stem is damaged, usually because of a stroke but also as the result of tumors, traumatic brain injury, snakebite, substance abuse, infection or neurodegenerative diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

The Count of Monte-Cristo

In The Count of Monte-Cristo, Monsieur Noirtier de Villefort cannot move or speak but communicates with his granddaughter through words and letters in a book.

Project Gutenberg

The condition is thought to be rare, though just how rare is hard to say. Many locked-in patients can communicate through purposeful eye movements and blinking, but others can become completely immobile, losing their ability even to move their eyeballs or eyelids, rendering the command “blink twice if you understand me” moot. As a result, patients can spend an average of 79 days imprisoned in a motionless body, conscious but unable to communicate, before they are properly diagnosed.

The advent of brain-machine interfaces

… Read the rest

Home decor brand celebrates year in Ridgefield storefront

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
HOME DECOR

RIDGEFIELD — When it comes to home decor, it’s the little touches and details that can truly reinvent a space. Whether it’s a new set of curtains, a fresh pop of color on the walls, or a simple DIY project to add a bit of handmade love to an old room.

Rhonda Hallstrom believes with a touch of inspiration and a helping hand, everyone can have the perfectly decorated space of their dreams.

Here are five things you should always do to maximize your candle’s burn time and ensure you get value for money.

Hallstrom is the owner and creator of Hallstrom Home, an interior decor design brand and home goods store located at 4320 S. Settler Drive in Ridgefield.

While Hallstrom Home has only been a physical store for about a year, the brand itself goes back more than a decade.

People are also reading…

For 13 years, Hallstrom worked as an online influencer and blogger, originally starting Hallstrom Home as an exclusively online decor and home goods brand. The operation was successful, with Hallstrom’s custom products and collections being featured in publications like Vogue, Town and Country, House Beautiful, Real Simple and Southern Living magazines.

With her star rising, Hallstrom was even able to meet with Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV’s Fixer Upper fame.

With the online business thriving, Hallstrom didn’t see herself making the shift to a traditional brick and mortar store. However, when everything shut down back in 2020, Hallstrom found herself thinking back to her roots, rediscovering how she came to love interior design in the first place.

“My mother loved to host company,” Hallstrom said. “We had people over nearly every weekend when I was a kid. In our free time between visits, we would

… Read the rest

Pottery Barn, Sweet July by Ayesha Curry Debut Home Collaboration

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
HOME DECOR

Pottery Barn has tapped lifestyle label Sweet July by Ayesha Curry for a collection of barware, tabletop products, bath, bedding and home decor.

“I started connecting personally with Pottery Barn over a decade ago; we’ve been collaborating for years on all of our kids’ nurseries and playrooms. We’ve had a long-standing relationship and then I like to say we took it to the next level,” the restaurateur, chef, two-time New York Times bestselling cookbook author, entrepreneur and wife of NBA star Stephen Curry told WWD. “They were so gracious and offered for me to do a collection with them with my brand Sweet July. We’ve been working on this for well over a year now, and it’s finally being born into the world.”

More from WWD

Ayesha Curry with the Bocce Ball Set from her Sweet July by Ayesha Curry x Pottery Barn.

Ayesha Curry with the Bocce Ball Set from her Sweet July by Ayesha Curry x Pottery Barn.

For the Sweet July by Ayesha Curry x Pottery Barn collection, which launches Friday, Curry was inspired to create a robust selection of styles she hoped to see in her home and utilize for entertaining, she said.

“I genuinely and honestly based [it] off of the way that our house is designed right now, so I wanted to make sure I could implement every piece seamlessly into the home — that was the initial thought process. When it comes to being user friendly, we took a lot of what we’re putting our hands on every day. What can we make chicer, cuter and more fun from home?” she said, adding that when it comes to design ethos, she finds herself gravitating toward fusing the style of an Italian villa mixed with midcentury modern.

“Then we took into consideration when the line would be coming out and what is needed during that time. Everything drops on May 5

… Read the rest

How To Make a Gorgeous Fresh Rosemary Wreath

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
HOME DECOR

Growing herbs for their flavor and fragrance is a no-brainer. But these delicious garden additions can be a boon for home decor, too. A number of herbs make for beautiful accompaniments to flower arrangements and decorative wreaths. (Because what’s nicer than the scent of rosemary or lavender as you open your front door or walk past the dining table?) If you’re lucky enough to have an abundance of herbs, there are plenty of ways to enjoy them that don’t include consuming them. If you have lavender, bee balm or other pretty herbs, you can even display them all on their own.

When it comes to creating arrangements, some herbs will last longer than others, so choose accordingly. Avoid basil, for example, because it will droop and discolor within hours of picking. The best herbs for a wreath are hardy evergreens such as bay stems, sage, rosemary, lavender, and even some flowering thyme stems that will add a splash of color.

Herbs make a wonderfully rustic display when you dry them, too. Harvest on a sunny day when they are dry and tie them in bunches. You can start the process on a washing line before moving them inside. Make sure you hang them in a warm, dry place and wrap them in muslin to keep the dust away. Leave them alone for around 10 days before storing for use in your cooking.

Combining the lovely colors and textures of the many different herbs available can make a beautifully scented rustic arrangement in an old enamel bucket, for example, placed on your outdoor dining table.

Try making a romantic gesture with a heart-shaped wreath. Using a single herb for this project packs a big punch. Delicious rosemary works great as a fragrant and beautiful decoration both inside and out.

… Read the rest