The Facebook pile-on is in full swing: Will they survive?

As a former Facebook user, I was sad to see the direction and risk that the company was taking on when it began partnering with web sites to integrate their tool. Of course, Facebook has a long history of setting its own course and has suffered minor setbacks in the past as a result.

With the media hype coming down from the iPad, it appears from my vantage point that Facebook will continue its death spiral at a more rapid pace. The questions will be coming from all angles in the media, but I think there is more to learn than "violating trust is bad" from the Facebook model. Social networking as we know it has some very real benefits and constraints, and there are certainly some ethical boundaries that need to be addressed so that the data that exists on these sites are used only for its intended purpose.

Essentially, Facebook is the worst example of our best social networking community. As is the case in research and scholarly writing, we must continue to evolve, let the market forces play themselves out, and not only question, but apply the lessons learned to advance the technology.

For now, the question is simply... will Facebook survive?

New Research Project

I am beginning a research project today that will attempt to explore how humans can possibly use the kinetic energy that is transmitted through the body to charge and power Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs). With an average lifespan of 7 to 10 years, and the earlier onset of obesity that causes Chronic Heart Disease, these devices will need to be changed more frequently, with each surgery (however minor) resulting in independent game theory outcomes.

I am finding the convergence of biology and technology very fascinating, and while researchers like Kevin Hu are squarely focused on the security of these devices from malicious wireless transmissions, I am becoming particularly interested in the business applications of biotechnology.