Internet of Living Things | 136

Summary

Skip Montreux – Down to Business English

Episode 136: Internet of Living Things

Release Date: June 4, 2018
Hosts: Skip Montreux (Tokyo, Japan) & Des Morgan (Abu Dhabi, UAE)

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on the “Internet of Living Things”, expanding the widely known concept of the Internet of Things (IoT) to include the genetic sequencing and connectivity of living organisms—humans, animals, and beyond. Skip and Des explore how the rapid evolution of genome sequencing technology could impact medicine, business, public health, law enforcement, and even non-human lifeforms. The episode maintains an approachable, occasionally humorous tone while unpacking potentially world-changing technological trends and their ethical implications.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Internet of Things Refresher

• [01:05] Skip: Defines IoT as “any device with an on-off switch that can be connected to the Internet.”
• Devices extend far beyond smartphones—think “coffee makers, washing machines, headphones, lamps, any wearable device” ([01:22], Skip).
• Practical Examples:
  • Smart coffee makers responding to your alarm ([01:40]).
  • Cars using your calendar and traffic data to plan routes and send notifications ([02:02]).

2. Introduction to the Internet of Living Things

• [02:35] Skip: The focus isn’t just IoT—it’s the Internet of ALL LIVING THINGS.
• Des reacts with skepticism and humor: “What, am I going to connect my dog to the Internet and have Google take him for a walk?” ([02:44], Des).
• Skip clarifies this is about leveraging living organisms’ genetic data through technology.

3. Advancements in Genome Sequencing

• [03:30] Skip: Highlights the milestone of the first full human genome sequence (15 years ago, cost: $30 billion, 10 years to complete).
• Dramatic cost reduction: Now possible in minutes, for about $500, using devices like those from Oxford Nanopore Technologies ([03:55], Skip).
• How it works: A strand of hair is passed through a nanopore; the electrical signals are read and translated into a DNA sequence ([04:19]).

4. Uses of the Internet of Living Things

• Personalized Medicine
  • Doctors can tailor treatment to a patient’s DNA ([04:37], Des & Skip).
• Preventive Medicine
  • “The CEO of Nanosphere, Dr. Gordon Sangara, expects that within the next 10 years, everyone will get sequenced at birth.” ([04:46], Skip)
  • Early detection of genetic predispositions for diseases, enabling prevention ([05:08]).
• HR and Employment Applications
  • Genetic data could inform job assignments ("...advising workers to employment that's best suited towards their DNA." [05:49], Des).
• Combining with AI
  • “Medical science would be able to find a whole myriad of connections between genetic codes and the likelihood of contracting different diseases.” ([06:17], Skip)
• Law Enforcement
  • Quick-matching DNA evidence in databases for criminal investigations ([06:38]).
• Animal and Environmental Applications
  • Real-time DNA tracking of mosquitoes could anticipate and prevent mutation-driven epidemics like malaria ([07:33]).

5. Ethical and Societal Implications

• Des notes concerns: “It's all very interesting, but it's a bit sinister too. Imagine what governments could do with all that data.” ([08:51], Des)
• Skip acknowledges the complexity and infancy of applying genome data, quoting IBM's Laxmi Perida:
  • “...we underestimated the complexity of the relationship of genome to disease and health." ([08:20], Skip quoting Perida)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Opening Banter:
  • Des admits to being a bit “down,” setting a light yet honest mood ([00:18]).
• Simplifying Technology:
  • “Mobile phones? Those are so yesterday.” ([01:22], Skip)
• Bridging Humor & Skepticism:
  • “What, am I going to connect my dog to the Internet and have Google take him for a walk?” ([02:44], Des)
• On reducing genome sequencing costs:
  • “US$10 billion to just 500 in 15 years. Now, that is progress.” ([04:09], Des)
• Des’s Sarcastic Streak:
  • “Well, I have a disposition towards the use of sarcasm.” ([07:05], Des)
• Hope vs. Realism in Science:
  • “But as is usually the case, we underestimated the complexity of the relationship of genome to disease and health.” ([08:20], Skip quoting IBM’s Laxmi Perida)
• On potential dangers:
  • “Some of these developments sounded quite sinister.” ([13:19], Des)
  • Skip: “You worry way too much, Des.” ([13:40])

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Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | Content Summary | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:05 | Defining IoT | Skip explains IoT's broad device inclusion | | 02:35 | Introducing Internet of Living Things | Sets up main episode theme | | 03:30 | Human genome sequencing advances | Technological/milestone context | | 04:46 | Preventive medicine and cost reduction | Oxford Nanopore example & future prediction | | 05:29 | Genetic data in employment and healthcare | Disease predisposition, HR implications | | 06:17 | AI and genetic data | Future possibilities for medical science | | 06:49 | Law enforcement use case | Forensics and DNA databases | | 07:33 | Animal/genome tracking example | Mosquitoes, malaria, predictive treatments | | 08:20 | Complexity & infancy of the science | IBM’s Laxmi Perida quote, potential vs. challenges | | 08:51 | Ethical/sinister implications | Des highlights data privacy/government risk | | 09:38 | Vocabulary segment starts | Teaching business English with words/expressions from episode |

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Vocabulary & Language Focus

• To be so yesterday ([09:38]): Outdated; "Mobile phones? Those are so yesterday." (Skip)
• To broaden your horizons ([10:32]): To consider new ideas or be open to new experiences.
• Disposition ([11:31]): A person’s nature or tendency, especially in terms of genetics or personality.
• Susceptible ([12:29]): Easily influenced or at risk; e.g., susceptible to disease or influence.
• Sinister ([13:19]): Something that seems scary, harmful, or threatening.

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Tone and Style

Throughout, Skip is enthusiastic and slightly formal, tasked with laying out the potential of the Internet of Living Things, while Des plays the skeptical everyman, using humor and sarcasm to question and probe the concepts. Their playful banter makes complex technology approachable.

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Summary of Takeaways

• Technological progress has made genome sequencing accessible, opening the door to the Internet of Living Things.
• Potential benefits abound: Personalized and preventive medicine, AI-driven insights, efficient law enforcement, improved epidemic containment in both humans and animals.
• Ethical challenges are significant: Data privacy and possible misuse by governments or corporations.
• We stand at the beginning: As impressive as the progress is, full integration and understanding are still in early stages.

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“The potential for the Internet of Living Things and for developments in medicine and human health have really cheered me up.”
— Des ([14:43])

Transcript

[A]

From Tokyo, Japan and Abu Dhabi, uae, this is down to Business English Business news to improve your business English with your hosts Skip Montreux and Des Morgan.

[B]

Hi Des. Good to be speaking with you today.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, I guess so. Not really in the mood to talk today.

[B]

Well, I am sorry to hear that. Destination. You know, you have been down quite a bit recently. The last time we spoke you were having trouble remembering things. What's up?

[C]

A lot of things to be honest.

[B]

Anything in particular?

[C]

I'm just busy, to be honest. You know, nothing special.

[B]

Well, try to shake it off. We do have a show to do.

[C]

Okay, I'll try.

[B]

You know, I've been reading a lot about the Internet of things recently. Maybe that's what the problem is.

[C]

The Internet of things? Well, some of the problems I'm having are on the Internet. But I'm not sure what you mean by the Internet of things.

[B]

According to an article I was reading in Forbes magazine, any device with an on off switch that can be connected to the Internet can be considered as part of the Internet of things.

[C]

You mean like my PlayStation or my mobile phone?

[B]

Mobile phones? Those are so yesterday. No, I mean things like coffee makers, washing machines, headphones, lamps. Any wearable device. Well in fact, almost anything you can think of.

[C]

Yeah, but why would I want to connect my coffee maker to the Internet?

[B]

Well, just think about it. Your alarm goes off in the morning and sends a signal to your coffee maker that you had a late night and are really in need of coffee very fast.

[C]

Yeah, okay, but I could just put a clock on the coffee maker.

[B]

Oh come on. Open your mind a bit Des. Broaden your horizons.

[C]

Okay, I'll try.

[B]

Okay, how about this example? As you are on your way to a business meeting, your cars GPS could have access to your calendar and know instantly the best route to take. And if the traffic is heavy, it might send a text message to the other party notifying them that you are going to be late.

[C]

Yeah, that sounds a bit more practical.

[B]

Well, these examples of the Internet of things are barely scraping the surface.

[C]

Ok, so is that our story today? The Internet of things?

[B]

Actually no Des, it's something somewhat more powerful than that. It is the Internet of all living things.

[C]

What, am I going to connect my dog to the Internet and have Google take him for a walk?

[B]

No, that's not what I'm talking about.

[C]

Then what do you mean by the Internet of all living things? I don't get it.

[B]

Well, don't worry. Let me set you straight.

[C]

Yeah, you can try.

[B]

OK, let's do it. Let's get D2B with the Internet of Living Things. What does it mean and how can it be used in practice?

[C]

Okay, Skip, you've piqued my interest. What is the Internet of Living Things?

[B]

Ah, I'm glad to hear you sound a little more enthusiastic.

[C]

Well, don't disappoint me.

[B]

Okay. Did you know that it was 15 years ago that the full human genome sequence was published for the very first time?

[C]

Oh, oddly enough, I didn't know that.

[B]

So you must not be aware that it took 10 years and US$30 billion to complete that first sequence.

[C]

No, I didn't know that either. It's much cheaper to do it now, though, isn't it?

[B]

Sure. In fact, there is a company called Oxford Nanopore Technologies that can do it for US$500 using a handheld device that gives the results in just a few minutes.

[C]

Wow. US$10 billion to just 500 in 15 years. Now, that is progress. How does that device work?

[B]

What it does is it takes a human hair and squeezes it through a tiny, tiny hole. As the hair is squeezed, the machine reads its electrical signals and translates them into the DNA sequence. This data can then be transferred over the Internet.

[C]

Ah, so a doctor could then use that data to better target medicine? Depending upon a patient's unique genetic makeup, yes.

[B]

That is one use case that is expected to expand rapidly over the next few years. But if you think more of preventative medicine, the CEO of Nanosphere, Dr. Gordon Sangara, expects that within the next 10 years, everyone will get sequenced at birth.

[C]

And what would be the reason for doing that?

[B]

Well, doctors would be able to assess whether a person had any genetic dispositions to particular diseases, and then take appropriate preventative steps.

[C]

So what you're telling me is that there could be a database of everyone's DNA in each country that doctors would have access to?

[B]

Not just doctors. Think about this. Scientists at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, used genetic data to show that people with a disposition towards diabetes were 44% more likely to get it if they worked Irregular shift patterns.

[C]

I get it. So, in the future, human resource departments could advise workers to employment that's best suited towards their DNA. If someone was susceptible to diabetes, then they would be advised not to work on the night shift.

[B]

Exactly. Do you remember the last show that we did des?

[C]

Our episode about the military applications of artificial intelligence?

[B]

Yes. D2B 135. Now, imagine combining AI and genetic data. Think about all of the patterns that could be discovered. Medical science would be able to find a Whole myriad of connections between genetic codes and the likelihood of contracting different diseases.

[C]

And of course law enforcement as well. Any DNA evidence that's found could very quickly be connected to the database containing genetic data.

[B]

Yes, that is another quite obvious application.

[C]

Oh, just a minute. Excuse me. Oh, great and scientific one.

[B]

I didn't mean to be condescending. All I meant that would probably be one of the first uses of a database of genetic information.

[C]

Well, I have a disposition towards the use of sarcasm.

[B]

Yes, you certainly do.

[C]

Alright, what about the Internet of living things as it pertains to non human life?

[B]

Good question. Returning to Dr. Gordon Sangara, he believes that his company's handheld devices can be used to create real time information on all living things, not just humans.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

For example, a good example would be diseases that are carried and spread by mosquitoes.

[C]

Like malaria?

[B]

Yes, like malaria. As you probably know, malaria can mutate over time, making vaccinations against it useless. But if mosquito DNA is recorded and uploaded in real time, these mutations can be predicted and preventative medicine can be developed.

[C]

Wow, you mean developing a vaccine for a disease before it actually materializes? That would be extremely beneficial to mankind since we can scan the DNA of all living things and record the data for future uses. Hey, why stop with humans?

[B]

Although it's been 15 years since the human genome was first mapped, the technology and science behind it and its uses are still very much in their infancy. In the words of IBM's Laxmi Perida, the completion of the Human Genome Project held out much hope for the better understanding and treatment of diseases. But as is usually the case, we underestimated the complexity of the relationship of genome to disease and health.

[C]

It's all very interesting, but it's a bit sinister too. Imagine what governments could do with all that data.

[B]

True enough. But before we start to worry ourselves about that, I think it is time for us to get D2V down to vocabulary.

[A]

Down to Business English audio scripts are a great learning tool. Be sure to visit the D2B website and download your free audio script of Today's podcast. Downto businessenglish.com that's www.downtobusinessenglish.com.

[C]

I will start off vocabulary today with the fairly casual expression to be so yesterday. As you can imagine, it refers to an idea or a piece of information that's outdated. In the story, I asked Skip if my mobile phone or my PlayStation was an example of the Internet of Things.

[B]

So yesterday.

[C]

Well, as you can hear, Skip thinks that my idea was really outdated and the Internet of Things has really moved on or developed since then. Can you give us another example, Skip?

[B]

The idea that a school or a college could offer a course that did not have an online component is so yesterday.

[C]

Oh, very true. I can't think of a school that doesn't have some kind of online access for its students.

[B]

Next, I have the phrase to broaden your horizons. This idiom means to have new experiences or at least be open to new possibilities.

[C]

In the story, Skip advised me to broaden my horizons and look at more things, things that could be connected to the Internet.

[B]

In other words, DES needed to consider new ideas about what could connect to the Internet, not just the usual types of devices like mobile phones and video game consoles.

[C]

In difficult times, companies often need to broaden their horizons and move away from their core businesses into other areas. For example, one of the shopping malls here in Abu Dhabi is renting out its parking spaces to local businesses. It's not part of their core business model of managing a shopping centre, but it does generate some revenue for them.

[B]

It isn't that different renting a parking space and leasing a store property.

[C]

It's different enough, I suppose. Next, I'm going to discuss the noun disposition. A person's disposition refers to their character or their mental or physical qualities. In the story, Skip reported that a person's disposition, or in this case their genetic makeup, made it more or less likely for them to get certain diseases.

[B]

A person's disposition decides what kind of job they are good at. Some people work really well under stress, whereas others are unable to cope with it.

[C]

K and which type are you then? Skip?

[B]

Well, I'm motivated by deadlines and I think I do put in my best work under pressure. So I guess my disposition means I work best at the last minute. Now, a related word is the adjective susceptible.

[C]

Is that our next word?

[B]

Yes, it is. Susceptible means to be easily influenced by something. If you are susceptible to a disease, then you are more likely to get that disease than other people. In the story, DES commented that people who were susceptible to diabetes should work regular schedules. Can you give us another example of susceptible des?

[C]

Sure. Small technology companies are susceptible to being taken over by larger companies if they are developing new groundbreaking products. Google and Facebook are infamous for acquiring small startup companies.

[B]

Hey, maybe D2B will be taken over one day by CNN or BBC.

[C]

Well, if I get a corner office with a view, then it's all fine by me. Our last word for today is the adjective sinister, which is used to describe something that seems to be scary or harmful in some way. In the story I said that some of these developments sounded quite sinister.

[B]

Yes, you thought that a database with everyone's genetic code on it could be used against us. You worry way too much, Des.

[C]

Tell me something you find sinister then.

[B]

Well, the ways that Facebook has been using people's private data, that's pretty sinister.

[A]

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[B]

It was good talking with you today, Des. I hope you are feeling a little bit more chipper than you were at the beginning of the show.

[C]

I am. The potential for the Internet of Living Things and for developments in medicine and human health have really cheered me up.

[B]

That's very good to hear. Now, just before we finish today, I'd like to thank all of our D2B members around the world.

[C]

Yes, your support is appreciated and it helps a lot in producing this podcast.

[B]

And for you non members out there, please do consider becoming one. Remember, there are three benefits of being a D2B one. You get complete access to the entire library of down to Business English audio scripts.

[C]

2.

[B]

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[C]

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[B]

Thanks again Des. It was great talking with you and thanks for listening everyone. See you next time. Bye bye.

[A]

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