Scientists from the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University (IKBFU) and National University of Science and Technology "MISiS" have studied how magnet nanoparticles affect cancer cells in the human liver. In the authors' opinion, this research will help to treat oncology. The research results were published in the "Nano Convergence" Scientific Journal.

Because of their unique properties, magnetic nanoparticles can be used for therapeutic diagnostics and personalized treatment of cancer diseases, as well as be an effective contrast agent for MRI examination and imaging of tumors.

It is known that human cancer cells can absorb magnetic nanoparticles. This property can be used in cancer therapy in at least three ways: local heating of a tumor when exposed to a variable magnetic field (magnetic hyperthermia), targeted drug delivery, or selective cytotoxic effects of nanoparticles on cancer cells.

Scientists from the IKBFU Laboratory of Novel Magnet Materials studied the peculiarities of nanoparticles' influence on cell organelles and got acquainted with the peculiarities of intracellular processes in detail by using different lines of liver cancer cells. Small objects such as nanoparticles can be easily "eaten" by cells, but this does not always happen - in some cases, nanoparticles can damage the structure of a cell, penetrate it and kill it. By adding iron oxide nanoparticles of various shapes to the nutrient medium of cells, scientists were able to check the degree and nature of the changes in cell culture.

According to the authors of the study, the behavior of cancer cells depends on the concentration of nanoparticles in the solution and, most importantly, the type of cancer. The fact is that different cells respond differently to the same particles. This makes it possible to create an instrument based on nanoparticles, selectively suppressing cancer cells while keeping healthy cells intact.

Scientists have carried out experiments on how cancer cells in the human liver react to various types of magnet nanoparticles. They found that iron oxide nanocubes and nanoclusters are capable of activating certain genes that give a "self-destruct command" to liver cancer cells. This discovery sheds light on the mechanisms that regulate cell death caused by the cytotoxicity of nanoparticles.

Maxim Abakumov, co-author of the research, head of NUST "MISiS" Biomedical materials Laboratory said: "The mechanism of toxic effect is associated with the progressive permeability of lysosomal membranes in hepatocytes, which provokes the processes of apoptosis and autophagy, basically, "cell death".

According to Valeria Rodionova, the Head of the IKBFU Novel Magnet Materials Laboratory, the results of the research may be used for cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Valeria Rodionova told to RIA Novosti: "This interdisciplinary project brought together scientists from different fields: physics, chemists, and biologists. Our joint work allowed us not only to synthesize unique types of nanoparticles but also to analyze the mechanisms of specific cellular signaling pathways that they activate in the cell".

Cooperation in the scientific world often proves to be decisive in research. Thus, microscopic studies were carried out in the laboratory of biophysics, underthe supervision of Dr. Oleg Lunov, head of the laboratory (Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences). Scientists of the Mendeleev Russian University of Chemistry and Technology also took part in the study.

Reference: Levada, et al. (2020) Progressive lysosomal membrane permeabilization induced by iron oxide nanoparticles drives hepatic cell autophagy and apoptosis. Nano Convergence DOI:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40580-020-00228-5

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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Understanding How Magnet Nanoparticles Affect Cancer Cells in the Liver - Technology Networks

The Pentagons top technology official and his deputy are resigning next month,a Defense Department official confirmed on Tuesday.

Mike Griffin, the Pentagon's first undersecretary of research and engineering, and his deputy, Lisa Porter, will leave July 10, the official said.

The resignations were first reported byInside Defense.

Griffin, who took on the role in early 2018, and Porter said in a letter to staff that a private-sector opportunity has presented itself to us, offering an opportunity we have decided to pursue together,Defense News reported.

It has been a pleasure leading this great team over the past few years. We greatly appreciate your hard work, diligence, integrity, and devotion to technical excellence and technical truth in furtherance of the R&E mission, the two wrote, according to the outlet. We wish you all the very best.

Defense Secretary Mark EsperMark EsperTrump administration to extend troops at the border through 2021 Overnight Defense: Army to drop photos from soldier records to reduce racial bias | House defense bill backs B pandemic preparedness fund | Bill targets potential troop drawdowns House defense bill targets potential troop drawdowns in Africa, South Korea MORE on Wednesday confirmed the resignations and praisedGriffin and Porter's work.

"During their tenures, Dr. Griffin and Dr. Porter advanced critical work on the departments modernization priorities," Esper said in a statement. "They leave an office with a legacy of excellence in the research and development of technology that ensures American military advantage on land, at sea, in the air and in space. Mike and Lisa have my sincere thanks for their dedicated service to the department and the nation, and I wish them the very best as they enter this new chapter of their lives.

The two are the third and fourth officials to announce their resignation in the last week.

Kathryn Wheelbarger,the acting assistant Defense secretary for international security affairs,submitted her resignation on June 17,fivedays afterPresident TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump administration calls for Supreme Court to strike down ObamaCare Trump says there will be 'retribution' for those who deface monuments White House task force tracking coronavirus spikes even as Trump says virus is 'going away': report MOREpulled her name as the intended nominee to bedeputy undersecretary of Defense for intelligence.

And Elaine McCusker, the Pentagon's acting comptroller who questioned the Trump administration for its withholding of aid to Ukraine last year,submitted her resignationa day earlier after the White House in early March pulled her nomination for the official comptroller role.

--This report was updated on June 24 at 4:07 p.m.

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Pentagon's top technology officials resign | TheHill - The Hill

The messaging service Viber, the fifth biggest with more than a billion users around the world, is severing all ties to Facebook as part of a growing boycott of the company by commercial partners.

The campaign, initially started in the US after Facebooks refusal to take action against posts from Donald Trump which critics said incited violence, has now grown to become an international movement.

Viber, owned by the Japanese conglomerate Rakuten, has its largest markets in eastern Europe, south-east Asia, and north Africa, and the companys chief executive, Djamel Agaoua, said the move to cut ties was prompted by Facebooks poor judgment in understanding its role in todays world.

On Wednesday, Viber pulled all advertising from Facebook and its sister app Instagram. Now, the company has begun the more labour-intensive process of removing all Facebook technology from Vibers own apps.

The company uses a number of Facebook tools, Agaoua said. Facebook Connect enables a login with Facebook button, common in apps and on websites across the world, while Viber also integrates with Giphy, an animated gif search engine that Facebook bought in May.

Its something that will hurt some of our users [who] like to use the Facebook Connect solutions to log in. Its hurt some of our marketing strategies, because they wont be able to use Facebook advertising to promote their campaigns. Its not an easy decision. Its not going to kill Viber, but it hurts, Agaoua said.

We are not the arbiters of truth, but the truth is some people are suffering from the proliferation of violent content and companies must take a clear stand.

Vibers decision comes as the advertising boycott which started the movement has also spread internationally. The UK arms of The North Face and Patagonia have both signed up to pull all advertising from the social network for the month of July.

For too long, Facebook has failed to take sufficient steps to stop the spread of hateful lies and dangerous propaganda on its platform, a Patagonia spokeswoman said. From secure elections to a global pandemic to racial justice, the stakes are too high to sit back and let the company continue to be complicit in spreading disinformation and fomenting fear and hatred.

Ben & Jerrys, the ice-cream brand known for its strong support for social justice, has also pulled its advertising from Facebook. But parent company Unilever, based in the UK, told the Guardian that while it supports Ben & Jerrys move, it has not yet committed to do the same.

As a global company, our approach has been and will continue to be to work in partnership to identify issues, offer solutions, and push for meaningful actions, a spokesperson for Unilever said.

While we have had some success and recognise the interventions our digital media partners have put in place such as establishing clearer community standards, comprehensive policies, protocols and third party audits, we know there is much more work to be done and we will be working with and pushing our partners to deliver the change that is needed.

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Exclusive: Viber severs ties with Facebook in growing boycott - The Guardian

A common food additive, recently banned in France but allowed in the U.S. and many other countries, was found to significantly alter gut microbiota in mice, causing inflammation in the colon and changes in protein expression in the liver, according to research led by a University of Massachusetts Amherst food scientist.

I think our results have a lot of implications in the food industry and on human health and nutrition, says lead author Hang Xiao, professor and Clydesdale Scholar of Food Science. The study confirmed a strong linkage between foodborne titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) and adverse health effects.

Along with colleagues at UMass Amherst and in China, Xiao published the research in Small, a weekly, peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary journal that covers nanotechnology.

Gut microbiota, which refers to the diverse and complex community of microorganisms in the gut, plays a vital role in human health. An imbalance of gut microbiota has been associated with a range of health issues, including inflammatory bowel disease, obesity and cardiovascular disease.

Human exposure to foodborne TiO2 NPs comes primarily from a food additive known as E171, which is made up of different-size particles of TiO2, including one-third or more that are nanoscale. E171, which makes products look whiter and more opaque, is found in such food as desserts, candy, beverages and gum. E171 exposure is two to four times higher in U.S. children than in adults, one study has found.

Smaller than 100 nanometers, foodborne nanoscale particles may have unique physiological properties that cause concern. The bigger particles wont be absorbed easily, but the smaller ones could get into the tissues and accumulate somewhere, Xiao says.

In their study, Xiao and his team fed either E171 or TiO2 NPs to two populations of mice as part of their daily diet. One population was fed a high-fat diet similar to that of many Americans, two-thirds of whom are obese or overweight; the other group of mice was fed a low-fat diet. The mice fed a high-fat diet eventually became obese, while the mice on the low-fat diet did not.

In both the non-obese mice and obese mice, the gut microbiota was disturbed by both E171 and TiO2 NPs, Xiao says. The nanosized particles caused more negative changes in both groups of mice. Moreover, the obese mice were more susceptible to the adverse effects of TiO2 NPs, causing more damage in obese mice than in non-obese ones.

The researchers found TiO2 NPs decreased cecal levels of short-chain fatty acids, which are essential for colon health, and increased pro-inflammatory immune cells and cytokines in the colon, indicating an inflammatory state.

To evaluate the direct health impact of gut microbiota disrupted by TiO2 NP, Xiao and colleagues conducted a fecal transplant study. They gave mice antibiotics to clear out their original gut microbiota and then transplanted fecal bacteria from the TiO2 NP-treated mice to the antibiotic-treated mice. The results support our hypothesis that including TiO2 NPs in the diet disrupts the homeostasis of the gut microbiota, Xiao says, which in turn leads to colonic inflammation in the mice.

The study also measured levels of TiO2 in human stool samples, finding a wide range. Xiao says further research is needed to determine the health effects of long-term such as life-long and multigenerational exposure to TiO2 NPs.

ReferenceFoodborne Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Induce Stronger Adverse Effects in Obese Mice than NonObese Mice: Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis, Colonic Inflammation, and Proteome Alterations. Xiaoqiong Cao Yanhui Han Min Gu Hengjun Du Mingyue Song Xiaoai Zhu Gaoxing Ma Che Pan Weicang Wang Ermin Zhao Timothy Goulette Biao Yuan Guodong Zhang Hang Xiao. Nano, Micro, Small, 09 June 2020, https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202001858.

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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Common Food Additive Shown To Cause Adverse Health Effects - Technology Networks

When equity partner David Jones recently led a management buy-in at Glaisyers Solicitors, he was acutely aware that the firms age profile, from 16-year apprentices through to septuagenarians, would impact his plans for the organisation.

He had decided to introduce a cloud-based customer relationship and case management system that would transform the way some people worked. We couldnt not do it. But for some of our older workers, the change probably hastened their retirement, Jones concedes.

For many chief executives, the parallel emergence of five generations in the workplace, plus the need to implement technological change, will inevitably see stereotypical views about the age of workers and the way they respond to communication technology rise to the fore.

And you dont need to look hard to see the reams of data that purports to prove it: how a fifth of workers aged 25 to 34 regularly use WhatsApp and Skype at work, but just 5.6 and 6.8 per cent of those over 55 do, according to Maintel report Bringing order to communications chaos. While the Gen Z UK report by Nintex finds Generation Z are extremely familiar with artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, and 62 per cent believe it enhances the workplace. But only 18 per cent of baby boomers say they feel informed and confident about new communication technology, according to a YouGov report on multi-generational working.

Stereotypes like these would matter less if they didnt then become self-fulfilling prophecies, but evidence seems to suggest they do. The same YouGov report finds half of companies do not have policies, particularly technology-based ones, that confront how different age groups collaborate.

There is still a lag in mindset. Older generations in the workforce tend to think tech is harder than it really is to deploy

Rufus Grig, chief strategy officer at Maintel, says: Technologies are entering the workplace creating the potential for truly connected businesses. However, demographic differences can make it difficult for organisations to implement the most appropriate collaboration and communication. So are businesses really at a crossroads?

Its naive to think younger people dont consume technology differently, says Jenny Perkins, former non-executive director at Investors in People, now head of engagement at transformation consultancy Cirrus. But as a coach to older executives on how to have digital mindsets, the stereotype that older people cant collaborate through technology often isnt right. I poll them and find senior people often have more apps on their phones than younger people because theyre taking what they already do into the digital space.

Where I think a problem does lie is in the fact there is still a lag in mindset. Older generations in the workplace tend to think tech is harder than it really is to deploy. It might have been in the past, but isnt now. They also want it to be perfect, while younger people are more willing to run with imperfect technology and just get on with it.

An often-ignored fact is younger people need just as much tutoring. Stephen Isherwood, chief executive at the Institute of Student Employers, which looks at how young people transition into workplaces, says: The technology people find at work is often much different to the slick consumer tech theyve been used to growing up. Where theres sometimes a disconnect is that employers expect new young entrants to be more tech savvy than they actually are.

For this reason, enlightened employers go for a more nuanced approach. Jones at Glaisyers Solicitors says: What we actually found is that change, at any age, is difficult. Weve realised that its only when technology is allowed to stagnate that it becomes an issue, because it requires greater adoption. Staff here in their 50s, whove witnessed incremental change, were much more able and willing to adapt when we brought new collaboration and communication technology in.

Fear of technology, and fear bosses might show hesitancy towards them with it, is something older generations do genuinely seem to feel though. Jon Addison, vice president, Europe, Middle East and Africa enterprise sales, talent solutions at LinkedIn, says: Our 2020 Opportunity Index finds age is considered the number-one barrier to job opportunity by UK adults. But, while the 50s are experiencing more change in the workplace than any other generation, 78 per cent say they are willing to embrace it, which is an attitude much greater than Gen Z and millennials, according to the data.

Perhaps they do so because they feel pressure to prove their adaptability. I think older people feel stigmatised that if you say theyre rubbish with tech, they will be, says Jones.

Its a view shared by Helen Matthews, chief people officer at Ogilvy UK. Its perhaps pressure they might put on themselves, to show theyre not being left behind, she says. Were going through a transition to Microsoft Teams because ultimately we do believe technology has the power to create connected businesses and connect the generations.

Employers simply need to be more understanding. Older generations will be more entrenched in their working styles. I still default to email when we are moving away from it. The key is providing information about why and not assuming everyone will find it easy, says Matthews.

Steve Haworth, chief executive of new company 99&One, which helps businesses get the most from their technology, says tech can absolutely be the bridge between generations in the workplace. But firms too often take it for granted that learning and development is needed. Thirty-five per cent of people we polled aged 55-plus do use cloud-based team collaboration tools, compared to almost half (49 per cent) of those aged 25 to 34. But when asked if they have received any additional training, 47 per cent of those aged 55-plus said not, he reports.

Theres one crucial message many appear to be in agreement with. Brian Kropp, Gartners chief of human resources, says: The key thing here is to think less about how older generations in the workplace adapt to new technology, but when. Its not that older folk wont adapt, but that they do so at different times.

The real issue is when different generations use different platforms, like young people using Slack and older people using Messenger and so on, thats when people wont respond to each others messages. Theres an argument here for rolling out a single platform all at once to nullify this.

And whatever communication technology is introduced, it must be simple. As Simon Aldous, global head of channels at Dropbox, concludes: The future of the intergenerational workspace must be one that adopts emerging technologies, such as AI and automation, but which gives us more time to focus on impactful work.

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Communication technology: fit for all generations in the workplace? - Raconteur

China is set to release an ambitious 15-year blueprint that will lay out its plans to set the global standards for the next-generation of technologies.

The move could have wide-ranging implications for the power Beijing wields on the global stage in areas from artificial intelligence, to telecommunications networks and the flow of data, experts told CNBC.

"China Standards 2035" is set to be released this year after two years of planning. Experts said it is widely seen as the next step, following the "Made In China 2025" global manufacturing planbut this time, with a much larger focus on technologies that are seen as defining the next decade.

"The diagnosis is, we are entering an era that will be defined by new technological systems and networks and technologies and the leaders in those are yet to be determined and this gives China the opportunity to determine that," Emily de La Bruyere,co-founder of consultancy Horizon Advisory, told CNBC in an interview.

"That means power in the world is up for grabs."

Technologies and industries around the world have standards that define how they work and their interoperability around the world. Interoperability refers to the ability for two or more systems to work together.

The telecommunications industry is a good example. New networks such as 5G aren't just turned on. They take years of planning and development. Technical standards are created through collaboration between industry bodies, experts and companies.

Those technical specifications are adopted and integrated into what becomes known as standards. That ensures that standards are as uniform as possible, which can improve the efficiency of network rollouts and ensure they work no matter where you are in the world.

Technical standards is not a topic that is simply abstruse but a concrete way to shape the playing field and landscape for the future of these technologies.

Elsa Kania

Center for a New American Security (CNAS)

Standards are behind many of the technologies we use every day, such as our smartphones.

Major American and European technology companies, such as Qualcomm and Ericsson,have been part of standards setting across various industries. But China has played an increasingly active role in the past few years.

In March, Beijing released a document which translates as "The Main Points of National Standardization Work in 2020."

Bruyere and Horizon Advisory co-founder Nathan Picarsic said this gives us an insight into what might be found in the final blueprint for China Standards 2035, particularly when looking at Beijing's plans internationally.

Some of the points in the plan from March include a push to improve standards domestically across various industries, from agriculture to manufacturing. But one section of the document highlights the need to establish a "new generation of information technology and biotechnology standard system."

Within that section, there is a focus on developing standards for the so-called Internet of Things, cloud computing, big data, 5G and artificial intelligence (AI). These are all seen a crucial future technologies that could underpin critical infrastructure in the world.

The document also outlines the need to "participate in the formulation of international standards" and that China should put forward more proposals for international standards.

One expert said the move is a dual play to strengthen standards domestically and boost the economy, and to have influence globally.

"China domestically is trying to up its standards game. One of the big weaknesses in the economy is the fact that nothing happens in a standard normalized way across time, distance and space.You have different requirements in this city, different requirements from day to day from month to month," Andrew Polk, partner at Beijing-based research and consultancy firm Trivium China, told CNBC.

"(China Standards 2035) is a combination of domestic exigencies and the need to improve their own economic performance and efficiency and their desire to set the standards, literally and figuratively, abroad."

As Beijing began researching for China Standards 2035, an official reportedly said it was the country's opportunity to "surpass" the rest of the world.Dai Hong, director of the second department of industrial standards of China's National Standardization Management Committee, was quoted bystate-backed publication Xinhua as saying at that time that many of the patents and technical standards for next-generation technologies had not yet been formed.

China Standards 2035 gives the country a new impetus but over the past few years, the influence of the world's second-largest economy was already growing.

"5G is a prominent example in so far as, 5G is the case we have seen the most aggressive companies not just to set standards at home but to actively shape global standards setting," Elsa Kania, adjunct senior fellow with the technology and national security program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), told CNBC.

5G refers to next-generation mobile networks that are seen as critical in supporting future infrastructure.

Chinese firm Huawei, one of the leading players in 5G networking equipment, has also been a key player in standards setting. It has the highest number of patents related to 5G, and is ahead of its closest European rivals Nokia and Ericsson,according to intellectual property analysis firm IPlytics.

In addition, it has been a key part of forming the technical specifications for 5G via an industry body known as 3GPP.Also known as 3rd Generation Partnership Project, it brings together standards organizations that seek to develop global standards for cellular networks.

"Technical standards is not a topic that is simply abstruse but a concrete way to shape the playing field and landscape for the future of these technologies," Kania said. "The decision made on standards can have commercial consequences while also shaping the architecture to the advantage or disadvantage of companies."

China's national standards push is already underway.Beijing has already formed a new committee focused on creating standards for blockchain technology.

The world's second-largest economy is looking tobecome a leader in the nascent spaceafterPresident Xi Jinpinglast year urged the country to "seize the opportunities" presented by the technology. Some of China's major technology companies including Huawei and Tencent are part of that committee.

Launched in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a massive infrastructure project that seeks to link more than 60 countriesfrom Asia through to Africa and Europe in a complex network of roads, rails and ports.

But last year, Xi expanded the scope of the BRI to include technology. The BRI is also seen as one way China is able to spread its standards and influence.

The more technical and technology standards are defined by Beijing, the more associated data will become subject to the Chinese government's various data localization and access policies.

Nathan Picarsic

co-founder, Horizon Advisory

"The PRC (People's Republic of China) makes diplomatic agreementssuch as memorandums of understanding incorporating PRC technical standards extensively within the BRI realm as a major policy component of its action plans,"Ray Bowen, senior analyst at Pointe Bello, said in a written testimony last month to theU.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

Adam Segal, director of the digital and cyberspace policy program at the Council on Foreign Relations, noted in a testimony to the same committee that standards have been written into memorandums of understanding with a number of nations.

Developing economies such as Vietnam andIndonesia are likely to adopt those Chinese standards because "they are cheaper than Western alternatives and the draw of the Chinese market," Segal said.

As China's influence on global technology grows, more and more questions about its access to data will emerge.

"China's standards play overlaps with and intends to expand its strategy of asymmetrical access to data," Horizon Advisory's Picarsic said. "The more technical and technology standards are defined by Beijing, the more associated data will become subject to the Chinese government's various data localization and access policies."

Some legislations in China appear to compel any company to comply with government requests for help with vaguely-defined "intelligence work."

This is one reason that the U.S. and other countries have raised concerns about Huawei. They feel that should Huawei be allowed in their 5G networks, data running through those pipes could be accessed by Beijing. Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei has repeatedly said that Huawei would never hand customer data over to the Chinese government.

Standards are certainly on the agenda right now in Washington.

The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission is due to hold a hearingon Monday titled "A 'China Model?' Beijing's Promotion of Alternative Global Norms and Standards." It had to be postponed because of the coronavirus.

But in general, there is no unified effort from the U.S. to this point. President Donald Trump has even proposed funding cuts to theNational Institute of Standards and Technology.

"Standards, it's probably the least sexy thing you can think about," Trivium China's Polk said. "And it takes sustained long term effort, attention and investment. That is why you worry about western governments being behind the ball on this and having the capacity to have as sustained focus (as China) on these issues."

The coronavirus pandemic has also distracted governments from this issue. While China may be able to balance dealing with the fallout and their long-term focus on standards, it may not be as easy for the U.S.

"It seems like the Chinese are preparing themselves to try to walk and chew gum at the same time, in terms of addressing the short-term challenges and keeping their long-term goals in check. I don't see the balancing of long-term and short-term objectives as much in the U.S.," Polk said.

China may have big ambitions, but dislodging the dominance of the U.S. and Europe won't be an easy task.

"While increased Chinese participation and government involvement has created some procedural challenges, it has not created undue influence or tipped the competitive scales in favor of the Chinese,"Naomi Wilson, senior director for policy in Asia at the Information Technology Industry (ITI) Council, said in a written testimony last month to theU.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

"In fact, U.S. and multinational companies are still largely regarded as the most influential participants in ICT-related standards bodies based on their technical leadership and expertise, deep understanding of standards processes and rules, quality of contributions, and consistent participation over time."

The ITI represents over 70 global information and communications technology companies.

China will also need to boost the quality of the companies contributing to global standards. The country will need to develop companies that are able to do what Huawei is doing, butin a variety of different technology sectors, according to Polk.

"These standards are set by industry bodies through companies that participate in them. Usually the companies want the best, the highest standards, and the best tech usually wins out. That is why the U.S. and Europe have the incumbent advantage. They have highly advanced companies," Polk told CNBC.

"They (China) won't be able to get away with dominating standards regimes in various areas with subpar technology. They have to have Huaweis in other areas."

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Power is 'up for grabs': Behind China's plan to shape the future of next-generation tech - CNBC

DUBLIN, April 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) Technology Market: Focus on Mapping, Type, Platform, and End User - Analysis and Forecast, 2020-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The SLAM technology market is currently witnessing a high growth rate owing to the growing usage of SLAM technology for augmented reality (AR) applications, the rise of new digital technologies such as automation and artificial intelligence and rising demand for service robots for domestic applications.

However, technical complexities in the implementation of SLAM act as major challenges for the market. The increase in the demand for autonomous drones for BVLOS operations and the emergence of self-driven vehicles are expected to create viable opportunities for the global SLAM technology market.

The SLAM technology market report provides detailed market information for segmentation on the basis of type, platform, mapping, and end user, and region. The purpose of this market analysis is to examine the SLAM technology market outlook in terms of factors driving the market, market trends, technological developments, and competitive benchmarking, among other aspects. The report further takes into consideration the market dynamics and the competitive landscape along with the detailed financial and product contribution of the key players operating in the market.

While highlighting the key driving and restraining forces for this market, the report also provides a detailed study of the different platforms, which include robots, UAVs, autonomous vehicles and, augmented reality, wherein the SLAM technology is used.

The SLAM technology market is segregated by region under four major regions, namely North America, Europe, APAC, and Rest-of-the-World. Data for each of these regions by country is also provided.

Key Questions Answered in this Report:

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

1 Market Dynamics

2 Competitive Insights2.1 Key Developments and Strategies2.2 Competitive Benchmarking

3 Industry Analysis3.1 SLAM Technology Outlook3.2 Comparative Analysis Between SLAM and Other Technologies3.3 Future Applications: Role of SLAM Technology3.4 Patent Analysis3.5 Product Assortment and Pricing Analysis3.6 Startups and Funding Scenario3.7 Value Chain Analysis3.8 Industry Attractiveness

4 Global Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) Technology Market4.1 Assumptions and Limitations4.2 Market Overview

5 Global Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) Technology Market (by Mapping)5.1 Market Overview5.2 2D SLAM5.3 3D SLAM

6 Global Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) Technology Market (by Type)6.1 Market Overview6.2 Extended Kalman Filter (EKF)6.3 Graph-Based SLAM6.4 FastSLAM

7 Global Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) Technology Market (by Platform)7.1 Market Overview7.2 Robots7.3 UAVs7.4 Augmented Reality7.5 Autonomous Vehicles

8 Global Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) Technology Market (by End User)8.1 Market Overview8.2 Robots (by End User)8.3 UAVs (by End User)8.4 Augmented Reality (by End User)8.5 Autonomous Vehicles (by End User)

9 Global Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) Technology Market (by Region)

10 Company Profiles

11 Report Scope and Methodology

12 Appendix

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/tsh5q1

About ResearchAndMarkets.comResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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Global SLAM Technology Market Report, with Analysis and Forecasts to 2030 - PRNewswire

Crowded art shows and galleries, auctions, and fairs seem a distant memory. The global COVID-19 pandemic has radically impacted many industries and art is no exception.

AFP via Getty Images

Its a pivotal moment, Frances Morris, director of Tate Modern told The Guardian. Were going to talk in terms of before and after. The virus will change a lot of things for art.

While the situation is grave for many, it also offers opportunities. Rather than talking about technology and how it can make art more accessible, people are being forced to embrace it.

Small private galleries all the way up to the internationally renowned Art Basel have launched online viewing rooms. Others have gone further and utilized immersive technology as a response to the current situation, but it should be adopted as a more long-term solution to open up the industry to the masses.

Frieze

With the physical New York art fair being canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, a virtual online version of the event is being held in its place. It will allow over 200 galleries to showcase up to 30 works each in individual Viewing Rooms from 8th-15th May.

The site is also using augmented reality to offer users the ability to view artworks, such as paintings or photographs, to-scale and upon their own walls. Audiences will also be able to view video art and narrative content and search for works by artist, price, medium, gallery, and section, amongst other fields.

Registration for the Frieze Viewing Room will be free and open to all once it opens. Keep your eyes on the Frieze website for information.

A peek at Frieze New York online.

Felipe Pantone

Spanish graffiti artist Felipe Pantone has turned to virtual reality to share his work during the COVID-19 lockdown. Felipe has shared videos on his Instagram profile of his artwork using VR graffiti simulator KingSpray Graffiti on an Oculus Quest, tagged GRAFFITI in times of CORONAVIRUS. The two videos posted on his page so far have seen a virtual wall and truck as the canvases for his unique geometric rainbow style, captioned with his ten facts and benefits to painting in VR:

1. Paint doesnt smell.

2. Theres no masking tape in VR.

3. The ladder seems to be more stable in real life.

4. Hands dont get dirty.

5. You can make every color metallic.

6. No need to wait for the paint to dry.

7. It never gets dark and it never rains.

8. Theres no undo button.

9. I can paint your truck during a pandemic.

10. No cops but crashes often do the same thing.

@felipepantone on Instagram

Vortic XR

Entrepreneur Oliver Miro is the founder of Vortic, an extended reality platform created to address the unique needs of art galleries and collectors, offering customized and sustainable solutions to exhibit works of art using AR and VR technologies. It is due to be released this month, alongside a presentation of works in collaboration with the David Zwirner and Victoria Miro galleries.

The platform will allow curators to create bespoke XR exhibitions and invite collectors to engage with works of art from any location using Vortic Curate, as well as see how 2D and 3D works will appear in-situ using augmented reality app Vortic Collect.

In addition, Vortic VR will enable audiences to fully immerse themselves in virtual reality exhibitions, private views, and art fair previews. Supported by Oculus VR headsets, the VR app will enable audiences to experience exhibitions in 3D and walk around a gallery space as though they were physically there.

Miro told Observer: We have prioritized the launch of the gallery app due to the current situation with COVID-19 but in the meantime, collectors will be able to use the apps AR function to view works of art in their own homes.

A mockup of the Vortic Curate App showing a VR representation or Grayson Perrys exhibition Super ... [+] Rich Interior Decoration at Victoria Miro.

All World

A newly launched platform called All World allows artists and designers to upload and sell their self-published works via AR. Users can visualize how the art will look in their own homes by selecting pieces and then previewing them via a See in AR toggle on their mobile phones.

Artists can create their own AR exhibitiona useful tool during the global COVID-19 crisisits also a way for investors to keep their collections stocked. Works include a Social Distancing Installation by Joe Doucet, Eric Cahan's "I'd kill for a Noble Peace Prize" graphic, and Irene Soyfer's line-drawn women. While All World is primarily a commercial platform, it also allows people to enjoy artwork while at home.

New York-based designer Sebastian Errazuriz developed the platform with fellow artist Zander Eckblad and a team of engineers. Sebastian believes AR is the future of the art world and will democratize art so everyone can have access to it. Speaking in a video on this Instagram page, he said: Augmented reality will disrupt the art and design world in the same manner as digital platforms disrupted the entire music industry, or the news media industry, or the film industry.

He goes on to talk about how technology will usher the next wave of creative expression, from interactive works to those that recognize the user.

Hauser and Wirths ArtLab

Mega-gallery Hauser and Wirth has announced a new technology and research division, ArtLab. The recent lockdown has enabled the gallery to pick up the project again, which was originally started in 2019.

Gallery co-founder Iwan Wirth told Artnet News,We accelerated it because of the current situation of being isolated, he said, adding, When? if not now?

ArtLab will be based in Los Angeles, and will launch its first project later this montha VR exhibition modelHWVR. ArtLab will also offer an artist residency and give the gallery artists opportunities to experiment with the technology in their own practices.

ArtLab is a longterm project. The ambition isnt to replace art fairs but redefine them and expand the audience.

ArtLab, Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles interior view, created in HWVR. Works pictured by Jack Whitten ... [+] and Louise Bourgeois.

Lisson Gallery

Lisson Gallery operates out of London, New York, and Shanghai. The gallery recently developed a platform with software company Augment, which allows users to place one of 100 available works into their home environments using augmented reality.

The platform launched on April 23rd, after a year and a half of development, and is Augments first collaboration with an arts organization. CEO of Augment, Dimitri Duffeleer, said in a statement: We are particularly excited about this creative collaboration with Lisson, as one of the most influential and innovative international contemporary art galleries in the world, it allows us to use this technologya democratic, self-service SAAS [software as a service] platformto make art much more accessible to a wider audience, available to anyone, anywhere in the world.

Initially, the app was going to be a licensed Lisson Gallery app, but with the current global crisis impacting the art world, the development was fast tracked to make the technology available to all, with a subscription.

Lisson Gallerys Executive Director Alex Logsdail said: Our hope is that Augment can be beneficial to the business beyond the current situation. In a time when galleries should be more conscious about our impact, it solves the problem of shipping works for approval, which can be expensive, complicated and wasteful.

Lisson Gallery

More here:

COVID-19 Is Accelerating The Art Worlds Adoption Of Technology - Forbes

Smart cities are regarded as an ecosystem of technologies driven by data and analytics to manage assets and resources efficiently. The idea of what a smart city is, and the technology that will be used to create it, is constantly changing. Were now seeing the idea of smart city solutions come to the fore, where localities can rapidly shape and customise user-specific applications to enhance public safety.

Advancements in transport and energy sectors are expected to be the big drivers of smart city spending over the coming decade, with global spend reaching nearly $124 billion this year alone. The vision of a fully connected city through technological innovations have well surpassed what current infrastructure can provide. That said, some advancements in this sector are already playing a huge role in the safety of operations throughout Europe - UK, Germany, Belgium - to name a few.

From roadways, streets, and intersections, to buildings, critical infrastructure and public spaces, smart sensing solutions are becoming an essential part of the technology needed to improve the safety of public operations. These systems are already making a difference and are allowing us to visualise a future connected city based on situational awareness and data driven operations - but how can we tap into the technology and infrastructure already available?

Thermal imaging technology tracks heat movement, in any situation or condition, and extends the visibility of traditional cameras by up to four-times. This has been rolled out in many cities across the globe. By connecting cities through the implementation of intelligent transportation solutions like smart thermal and visible imaging systems that monitor traffic flow and detect incidents cities can better inform road users of hazards, delays and alternate routes to keep everyone moving.

Hamburg, one of the most congested cities in Germany, is building a reputation as the most innovative smart city in the country. Smart solutions provide resolution to the issue Hamburgs commuters face, with 113 hours a year being wasted to traffic jams - by providing a better picture of traffic dynamics. City authorities are installing thermal imaging technology to traffic and street lights by 2021 which will allow authorities to see data-points. These cameras are interconnected via a cloud-based system which allows for high-resolution and real-time information to be collected and analysed, resulting in fully comprehensive datasets from 420 intersections across Hamburg.

Traffic controllers are able to differentiate between pedestrians, vehicle types and cyclists allowing them to accurately count and process how busy the roads are, enabling them to adjust signals in real-time. The cloud-based system allows for the seamless transfer of information across the city, meaning that controllers can improve long-term planning and reduce blockages across the city, so traffic flow is adapted to minimise daily congestion.

Technological advancements in this sector are already playing a huge role in the safety of operations throughout Europe. In Durham, UK, city authorities recently deployed FLIRs thermal imaging sensors onto pre-existing road signs to build a unique collision avoidance system that reduced the number of collisions at the junction to zero. By putting electronic road signs that spur signalisation into action, upon the detection of a passing object, has helped prevent crashes and save lives. Over-time this can change driver behaviour through early-warning systems that prevent heavy breaking, allow drivers to adapt their speed accordingly and drive more economically.

Having this data to hand enables city authorities to analyse the information and utilise this to optimise infrastructure performance and make roads safer. By getting ahead of rush hour on busy arterials to posting travel-times on variable messaging boards, across the city, technology is enabling urban planners and dwellers to make smarter, safer transport decisions.

As city agency operators and first responders can share data and detect incidents in real-time, this also allows for more collaborative and efficient interactions, maximising safety. Working with a single platform to enable data sharing, inter-device connectivity and end-user infrastructures provides greater control for command centres to enhance public safety operations.

The dynamics and scalability of cloud platforms enables these solutions to be tailored to address specific needs and operate seamlessly within any city-level operation, management platform, and associated interface. Through one central node of communication, control centres are granted a unified access point with global displays and AI driven-data processing, allowing for a faster, more unified response across the city - and regardless of the scenario.

By connecting cities through intelligent transportation solutions like FLIRs smart thermal and visible imaging systems that monitor traffic flow and detect incidents we can better inform travellers of hazards, delays and alternate routes to keep people moving. These systems are already making a difference and allow for the visualisation of a future connected city based on situational awareness and data-driven operations. An upcoming webinar, on 19th May, focuses in on Hamburg is further developing and renewing existing infrastructure.

The concept of smart cities, and their possibilities, are constantly changing while their purpose remains centred on public safety. Communities are empowered by having greater capacity to shape and customise user-specific applications to meet their needs, while the vision of a fully connected city through innovation has exceeded what the current infrastructure can provide. As weve seen through city operations in Hamburg and Durham, its possible to transform existing infrastructure into part of an interconnected ecosystem of technologies. Through this, citizens are kept better informed of hazards, delays and alternative routes - keeping them moving and keeping communities safe.

Michael Deruytter, Director of Product, Intelligent Traffic Systems, FLIR Systems

Excerpt from:

Smart thermal: Using technology to enhance situational awareness & data-driven operations - ITProPortal

Social distancing measures and the subsequent shift to remote working, socializing and school led to questions about the technology available to us, namely Zoom, which was labelled a privacy disaster. Yet amid the challenges of implementing technology into our home lives, families are having to embrace technology to keep things normal, and finding increasingly creative ways to stay organized and educated online along the way.

People who never expected nor ever wanted to use digital technology to communicate or work now must, and so they are learning how, explains Sean Michael Morris, director of the Digital Pedagogy Lab at the University of Colorado Denver. We could look at this integration of technologies into family life in a positive light, in that the use of these technologies at home necessitates a new level of digital literacy for everyone, but theres an equally important downside to the movement of work-related technologies into home life, too. Technology is useful, but it is not a substitute for the classroom.

Where the gaps between classroom learning and homeschooling are most apparent a wave of apps aimed at supporting remote learning have risen to prominence. Seesaw, which allows students to build a digital portfolio of work to share with parents or teachers, has seen a tenfold increase in usage since US schools began to shut down in March.

There are two types of technologies that have been particularly powerful during this time, explains Seesaw Co-Founder Adrian Graham. The first is live video calling such as Zoom. The second is technology that supports activities that enable personalized attention for students, even in the midst of so many of our routines being disrupted. Often kids are parked in front of technology as a passive solitary experience, but I hope people start to see the immense learning potential that technology has to enable kids to express their thinking and then receive feedback from people who care about them.

Although technology that is specifically catered to remote learning such as Seesaw has seen significant interest, there has also been widespread repurposing of traditionally workplace-based technologies. The meteoric popularity of Zoom is one example, but Trello, a work management tool for organizing projects, also saw a 73% increase in sign-ups in March compared to last year. The company credits a substantial portion of this to its decision to provide free access to its premium package to educators in order to help combat the challenges of school closures.

Its important to remember that parents are now serving as the only direct touchpoint that teachers have with younger students. Trello is being used as the central hub to share assignments, attach proof of work and leave comments and questions, says Michael Pryor, founder and head of Trello at Atlassian. Weve heard from teachers that they started using Trello because they found themselves thrown into this situation, but they plan to keep it up in the long run.

Trello is already beginning to plan for a more multipurpose future, currently working on perfecting a new template gallery for teachers and parents, and adding integrations to enable users to customize lesson plans and workflow. For parents and teachers now communicating with their students digitally the rethinking of existing technology for use in an education setting is important, but questions remain about what remote learning can teach us about schooling more broadly.

If any time is the best time to reinvent school for the better, this time certainly has given us the impetus and rationale and taken away any excuses built on a narrative that this is how it has to be because this is the way weve always done it, says Sarojani S Mohammed, Founder of research group Ed Research Works. I think that theres an opportunity here to collectively see and experience how personalized learning and true learner-centered instruction can be accomplished. Parents should consider technology to be a tool for interactive learning, for socializing and for social-emotional health and wellbeing at this time. 2020 is illustrating to us what the true non-negotiables are in our conventional education systems, what our critical goals are for learners and alternatively where we do, in fact, have room to innovate.

The pivot to remote learning has surfaced inequalities that, though already present, were not highlighted by classroom-based education

Yet in addition to forcing educators and parents to consider how technology can better support education, the sudden shift to remote learning has also exposed profound problems. The expectation on parents to provide adequate time and technology to educate their children lays bare vast economic divides, and many families may be concerned by the impact of remote schooling on their childs educational development as well as their ability to focus on their own work.

If there are any technologies that will remain useful once we go back to the classroom, I think they will be those which helped us stay in touch with one another, and those that could best provide equitable access to the most marginalized, says Morris. Too many students are without internet at home, or adequate enough broadband to be able to participate in school. Too many families cant afford computers or mobile devices. The pivot to remote learning has surfaced inequalities that, though already present, were not highlighted by classroom-based education. I think the best technological innovation or change that should come next would come as a result of looking carefully at issues of equity and either redesigning existing technologies, or revisiting the whole endeavor.

For many, the future of technology in education does not rely solely on creating new, exciting and innovative tools, but in thinking about how technology can make digital learning safe, accessible and equal for all. The Covid-19 crisis has demonstrated how important technology can be in times of change and uncertainty. The next test for educators and technology companies will be utilizing and shaping digital tools to make the opportunities that they offer equally available to all, inside as well as outside the classroom.

Read the rest here:

We're embracing tech during lockdown but can it replace the classroom? - The Guardian

Exchange-traded financial productslike stocks, treasuries, and currencieshave had the benefit of a tremendous wave of technological innovation in the past 20 years, resulting in more efficient markets, lower transaction costs, and greater transparency to investors.

However, large parts of the capital markets have been left behind. Valuation of instruments composing the massive $500 trillion market in over-the-counter (OTC) derivativessuch as interest rate swaps, credit default swaps, and structured productslack the same degree of immediate clarity that is enjoyed by their more straightforward siblings.

In times of increased volatility, traders and their managers need to know the impacts of market conditions on a given instrument as the day unfolds to be able to take appropriate action. Reports reflecting the conditions at the previous close of business are only valuable in calm markets and even then, firms with access to fast valuation and risk sensitivity calculations have a substantial edge in the marketplace.

Unlike exchange-traded instruments, where values can be observed each time the instrument trades, values for OTC derivatives need to be computed using complex financial models. The conventional means of accomplishing this is through traditional Monte Carloa simple but computationally expensive probabilistic sweep through a range of scenarios and resultant outcomes- or finite-difference analysis.

Continue reading here.

Read more here:

Azure GPUs with Riskfuel's technology offer 20 million times faster valuation of derivatives - HPCwire

The University of Arkansas and its Office of Technology Ventures have endorsed guidelines that allow for rapid sharing of discoveries that will aid in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The U of A joins research universities such as Stanford, Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology as signatories to the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) COVID-19 Licensing Guidelines, which stipulate that innovations will be made accessible through "time-limited, non-exclusive royalty-free licenses, in exchange for the licensees' commitment to rapidly make and broadly distribute products and services to prevent, diagnose, treat and contain COVID-19 and protect healthcare workers during the pandemic."

The Office of Technology Ventures is working to make transfer of COVID-19 breakthroughs its top priority.

"The University of Arkansas, like other major research institutions around the world, is a rich source of intellectual property and know-how that companies could use to create the next COVID-19 diagnostic test, therapeutic, vaccine or personal protective equipment improvement, which could have a huge impact in our battle to overcome this pandemic," said David Snow, executive director of Technology Ventures. "The AUTM framework reiterates our commitment as a community partner to foster access to U of A technologies as quickly as possible."

Technology Ventures is a unit of the Office of Economic Development and works closely with the Office of Research and Innovation.

About the University of Arkansas Technology Ventures: The University of Arkansas Technology Ventures has initiated a program to commercialize a wide range of research tools, whether patented or not. Technology Ventures manages, protects and commercializes the intellectual property portfolio of the University of Arkansas. Technology Ventures serves the university's faculty, staff and students as well as external inventors and entrepreneurs to disseminate knowledge, technology and products to the public market to generate revenue and future research support. In this way, we also serve the public as it is our responsibility to enable public utilization of products derived from university research.

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U of A Signs on to Sharing Technology and Innovation to Respond to COVID-19 - University of Arkansas Newswire

With at least one in five British homes using smart speakers, the devices are becoming increasingly important in our day to day lives.

Welsh has long been one of the few languages that were not supported by Amazon Alexa.

The technical challenges of ensuring that the Alexa system was able to understand commands in Welsh were so herculean that its no surprise that no one has been able to achieve this feat, yet Swansea based Mobilise Cloud has managed to develop the technology that allows Alexa to understand the Welsh language: a world first.

The Welsh language content for the Alexa system was provided by Y Pod.

Y Pod (https://ypod.cymru/) is a service that brings Welsh podcasts together in one place. With over 70 podcasts on offer, it has something for everyone.

Amazon Alexas ability to understand Welsh has the potential of making technology accessible for 1000s of people who communicate in the language.

As an example of the application of the technology, S4C has launched a new skill for Amazon Alexa called Welsh Language Podcasts that allows people to search for specific content through the medium of Welsh.

As the name suggests, Welsh Language Podcasts is a collection of podcasts in Welsh. What makes it truly unique is that, once you open the skill, you browse by chatting to Alexa in Welsh

said Rhodri ap Dyfrig, S4C's Online Content Commissioner.

This is the first time such technology has ever been developed on the Alexa system, so it's something S4C, Mobilise Cloud Services and Y Pod are very proud of.

This innovative skill is available free of charge to anyone with an Alexa device, such as Echo or Dot. It works in a similar way to an app, so all you need to do is install the skill through Amazon.

James Carnie of Mobilise said:

After months of planning and trialling it's great to see Welsh Language Podcasts live,

We built a Welsh language interpretation model a while ago that works well on Amazon Lex allowing us to build Welsh language chatbots accessible by Amazons Connect telephony platform. This was the first time we have used the technology inside an Alexa skill

Hopefully people will use the skill to show that there is a demand for such services. It's exciting to think that this can trigger more voice technology developments in the Welsh languageadded James.

Aled Jones of Y Pod said:

My teenage son and daughter helped with testing they cant wait for their friends to have a go. As my wife and children are all fluent Welsh speakers, the conversation at home often turns to English for my benefit. This will be something we can all do together, in Welsh, and I will certainly be using it to practice and learn.

With more of us looking for entertainment as we stay at home, Podcasts that help with learning Welsh such as Welsh Word of the Day and Pigion (Highlights for Welsh learners) are proving really popular at the moment. Ffit Cymru and Clic or Archif are also in high demand.

All Y Pod content is available within the skill so you can access music sports, current affairs, comedy and much more. You can search by category or ask Alexa to choose something for you if youre feeling lucky.

Such a development is very timely, as the number of people using voice technology is expected to increase significantly because of coronavirus as it is more hygienic than touch-enabled devices.

If you have an Alexa device, this is a great opportunity to be part of something special and speak Welsh with Alexa. You can even do it through the Alexa app on your smartphone. It's surreal! Try it out, explore the great content on offer and make sure you rate it and leave a review says Aled.

Welsh Language Podcasts is available at https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0876JFYX8/

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Technology Developed to Allow Alexa to Understand the Welsh Language - Business News Wales

To suggest that this marks the end of the office as we know it is absurd, as face-to-face discussions are better for communication and the social aspect of the work environment cannot be overstated.

But people have adapted to home working and the systems are in place to make it happen. A balance of office and remote work is certain to be a feature of any post-recovery world.

This means that two of the major themes within the wider technology space are likely to be at the vanguard of sector beneficiaries namely cloud computing and cyber security. These areas of spending are not discretionary in the current environment.

Cloud computing essentially the centralisation of data on third-party severs that makes information available to many users over the internet will clearly be a winner. Of course, the whole point of thematic investing is to position investors in a trend for long-term returns, not just the current market circumstances.

Cloud computing meets these requirements, too, as the advent of 5G mobile services will continue to drive opportunities in the sector.

Decentralised working also means that cyber security is a must have, rather than a discretionary spend. Indeed, since the Covid-19 epidemic grabbed the headlines, there has been a leap in phishing emails from criminals trying to exploit it.

Link:

Why you need to be targeted when investing in technology - Telegraph.co.uk

ANN ARBOR, Mich. The streets are empty of cars in Ann Arbor, but robot traffic is up.

Refraction AIs robot restaurant food delivery service has seen demand increase by four times since the COVID-19 crisis shut down Michigan last month, and the companys engineers are working furiously to expand the companys small fleet of three-wheeled REV bots.

Refraction is part of a surge in robot activity as the U.S. economy struggles to get back on track while maintaining self-distancing and exposing as few workers as possible in the workplace. The virus is accelerating robotics trends from auto plant assembly lines to grocery store cleaning robots to security patrols and that is likely to have enormous implications for the jobs of the not-so-distant future.

This moment is a call to arms for robotics makers to really bring their technology to market that helps people. Particularly now in a time when there are so few options for doing tasks that we dont want to put people at risk for, said Refraction AI CEO Matthew Johnson-Roberson, an associate professor of engineering at the University of Michigan with 20 years of experience in the robotics field.

Refraction autonomous REVs (Refraction Electric Vehicles) began restaurant food deliveries at the first of the year from four restaurants to a small group of beta customers within a 2-mile radius in downtown Ann Arbor.

With the states closure of in-restaurant dining and subsequent shelter-in-place order, Refractions customer list has ballooned to 400, taxing the startups five robots which have been hustling to and fro along the edges of abandoned city streets.

A bunch of new restaurants have said we have to have delivery now. The big limiting factor is the number of robots we have, said Johnson-Roberson, 36. Weve been working to expand to groceries, which is the more important need of the moment than takeout food.

Johnson-Roberson says the shutdown has accelerated customers acceptance of robots as fear of COVID-19 has drawn them to technologies think of the Zoom chat revolution that they were unaware of before.

It really changes consumer behavior across the board, he said. A lot of what were getting help with here is people getting comfortable with robots.

That comfort has been reinforced with strict safety guidelines to mitigate virus spread. The robots are wiped down between every delivery; upon food delivery, customers can open the 5-foot tall robots door by phone instead of keypad; and the company has installed UV lights a coronavirus killer in the interior to disinfect the compartment and food.

With the added demand, the 15-person autonomous startup is looking to hire in these job-lean times. Some of its new employees come from the hard-hit restaurant industry.

Weve always thought about robotics as to how to improve peoples lives. It can do things people dont want to do like bomb disposal robots, nuclear inspection robots, said the robotics professor. Theyve figured out a task thats unpleasant for human beings and can do it better.

One of those unpleasant tasks is cleaning grocery aisles after hundreds of patrons have filed through in a typical COVID economy day.

San Diego-based Brain Corp. is the worlds largest maker of autonomous navigation software for robotics giants like Minuteman, Tennant and Karcher. Its business has expanded as grocery retailers like Walmart have brought in more cleaning robots.

As retailers are required to clean more frequently and deliver more cleaning coverage, BrainOS-powered autonomous floor care robots are providing 8,000-plus hours of daily work over 250,000 hours over the next 30 days that otherwise would have to be done by an essential worker, said a company spokesperson. This allows workers to focus on other tasks that are essential during this health crisis.

Walmart is one of Brain Corps biggest clients and 110 BrainOS-powered robots are in service across Michigan in retail, grocery, and education applications.

Security robots are also in demand as companies have abandoned workplaces and employees work from home. For example, autonomous Cobalt Robotics bots are patrolling Metro Detroit businesses.

The U.S. auto industry is not likely to be immediately impacted with more robots in part because it is already heavily automated to reduce costs. Today, humans are scarce in giant assembly plants except at the assembly-line tail and are therefore spaced safely. Stamping, painting, and body welding departments are crowded robot zones.

But with the enormous travel restrictions caused by COVIDs spread, industry insiders say the auto supply chain is going to change drastically and robots will play their part. In pursuit of lower costs, the supply chain in recent decades has expanded to China, Vietnam, and elsewhere.

Now, we see huge risk of the supply chain when something like this happens, said Doug Betts, a manufacturing veteran and president of J.D. Powers auto division. The management of risk will reel the supply chain back in to the U.S. Labor costs are going to be high and that supply chain is likely to be established here with more robotics than whats used in other markets.

Example? A paint supplier abroad might use the cheaper labor of local people to spray paint onto parts. As those jobs move back to the U.S., they will be filled more by robots than people for safety, environmental and cost reasons.

Says robotics expert Johnson-Roberson: Part of what were talking about is job displacement and that is something that is a concern. We want to be careful that whatever we are doing here is making life better on the whole.

Amidst the coronavirus business devastation in Ann Arbor, he says robotics can help provide job and health security.

People who run restaurants arent sure they can come through this, said the Refraction CEO. The fear that 25-to-50% (of) restaurants will go away is terrifying to me. And the jobs from dishwashers to bus people to caterers to line cooks their livelihoods depend on their customers. If (the COVID crisis) goes on for six months with one wave after another we have to come up with a sustainable way to do this.

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Robots on the rise in the COVID-19 economy | Technology | gmtoday.com - Greater Milwaukee Today

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Wave Energy Market by Technology (OSW, OBC, & Overtopping Converters), Location (Onshore, Nearshore, Offshore), Application (Desalination, Power Generation, and Environmental Protection), and Region - Global Forecast to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The wave energy market is projected to reach USD 107 million by 2025, at a CAGR of 19.3 % from 2020 to 2025.

Rising adoption of renewable energy generation and other applications is helping manufacturers to invest more in R&D leading to the growth of the wave energy market.

The power generation segment is expected to be the fastest-growing market during the forecast period.

The wave energy market, by application, is segmented into desalination, power generation, and environmental protection. Power generation segment of the wave energy market is growing rapidly because of the widespread adoption of renewable energy generation. Renewable and non-conventional sources of energy generation have gained momentum in recent years in line with several countries that are focusing on reducing their carbon footprint from power generation activities.

The nearshore segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2020 to 2025.

Wave energy market, by location, is segmented into onshore, nearshore and offshore installations. Nearshore segment is expected to be the largest and fastest-growing wave energy market, by location, during the forecast period. Nearshore installations have been happening in almost all the regions and is a preferred choice by manufacturers owing to the fact that these installations offer better efficiency than onshore ones and easier installations when compared with offshore locations.

Europe is expected to lead in the global wave energy market.

Europe is both the largest and the fastest-growing wave energy market, followed by North America and the Asia Pacific. It is expected in Europe that there will be maximum adoption and implementation of wave energy conversion devices owing to the presence of a large number of companies working in the research and development of wave energy converters. Major countries in this region include Germany, the UK, Spain, the Nordic Countries, and the Rest of Europe. Rest of Europe includes Ireland and Italy. The European region experiences cold ambient temperatures throughout the year simultaneously having high buying power. Both these factors lead to an increased demand for power, ultimately increasing the demand. To reduce carbon emissions from power generation activities, the countries are emphasizing on renewable technologies for power generation.

Market Dynamics

Drivers

Restraints

Opportunities

Challenges

Companies Profiled

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/lcvanm

Link:

Wave Energy Market by Technology, Location, Application, and Region - Global Forecast to 2025 - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Business Wire

Two years ago, I sat in an OpenShift Container Platform boot camp to better understand container technologies. During our break, the instructor asked if we had read the yellow book, and I wondered what the shuffling around the room meant. Someone had gotten up to the front of the room to pull the book out of their bag. Yeah, Im reading it now.

Good, you should all read this book, the instructor announced. He called it the bible of DevOps. There were nods of approval. Im pretty sure I almost jumped out of my seat. Bible? Before I knew it, training ended, and I had The DevOps Handbook (by Gene Kim, Jez Humble, Patrick Debois, and John Willis) in my hands.

SEE ALSO: Setting up a secure DevOps pipeline in 7 easy steps

In a short amount of time, I came to learn about DevOps and the practices surrounding the core concept that by working together, Developers and Operations teams could drive the delivery of business value through software. I came to understand DevOps as a combination of People, Process, and Technology.

Admittedly it took me quite some time to learn how these three areas played into each other. One challenge was diagnosing the dynamics of a winning team verse a failing team. It often came down to the leadership of the group, and it shaped the teams practices and culture around people, processes, and technology.

Through the opportunities I had to facilitate and work with different teams, I was able to note critical observations and recommendations for improving DevOps practices. In that spirit, here are three lessons learned from the field for leaders on their DevOps journey.

Ive come to realize that things can go very wrong in any endeavor where the outcomes are not clearly defined and prioritized. Artifacts are significant; we produce them in design thinking sessions, feature building, and discovery sessions. Theyve often required outputs for leaders to track KPIs. They live in the form of documents, diagrams and or code. However, these artifacts quickly depreciate in value when teams misunderstand their goals.

The critical point here is not to confuse outcomes with outputs. You shouldnt run a design sprint to produce a backlog for your developers to develop off of; this is an example of focusing on the output. An example of an outcome is having your critical stakeholders, including your developers, understand the problem space to begin developing the solution. If youre running a session or event and have artifacts and checkboxes to produce, thats great. This ensures a role and responsibility to be handled. These responsibilities should be a separate agenda handled by that role.

Teams that align with the same outcome get better value and results. Accelerate is an excellent book that talks about this within organizations adopting DevOps. Targeting outcomes ensures processes involving tech and people align with your business needs.

Safe environments are essential to maintaining the health of your organization. Employees do their best work when they feel empowered. The key takeaway here is maintaining a safe environment for everyone to contribute.

If you are maintaining a healthy team, excellent, you are probably meeting your target outcomes, driving value across the organization or group regularly, and have lessons learned. Great feedback often causes a desire to further improve or experiment with current processes.

If you are struggling with delivering value and meeting your target outcomes, there are few practices to help enable learning from your team, like retrospectives. Dare to Lead is a personal favorite of mine for rumbling with conflicts and complexity within an organization.

Regardless, we can not predict chaos so, within execution cycles, its often necessary to pivot. Changing current outcomes and processes across your organization can be difficult especially concerning team morale and team dynamics. If these changes cause unmet deliverables this also lead to dissatisfaction and blame.

Some indicators of lowered team morale include feelings of frustration that things arent working, push back, and an increase of questions. Here are some tips for pivoting if you are experiencing mid-sprint or mid-execution pivots that are hurting your team:

Maintaining a safe environment will help grow a culture where individuals gain autonomy, allowing value to scale.

SEE ALSO: DevOps report card: Security must be part of the software delivery cycle

Organizations see the need to adapt and innovate to stay competitive and current in their markets. With the increased adoption and emergence of technology (there are 1,200 Cloud Native Computing Foundation projects now, wow!), team members across the organization must understand the technology landscape of your company.

Ensure documentation is current and available regarding the architecture of your application.

If you do not have any architecture diagrams, take the time to work with your team to produce, at a minimum, a big picture diagram that spans across your environments. Present this to your organization and ensure everyone understands how each tool and framework within your environment interacts.

With reference diagrams, your developers can understand the software application and point out any missing details concerning current work in progress. Getting the big picture also allows you to determine better which areas that will most benefit from the adoption of technologies.

Understanding how your tools and technologies benefit your software development life cycle accelerates your software delivery.

And there you have it. Three DevOps lessons learned about People, Process and Technology. Understanding these concepts has made me a better communicator and leader in my teams and projects, I hope it will for you too. If you are looking for more guidance on leading DevOps journeys check out this piece on the 8 habits of successful DevOps team leaders.

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DevOps lessons learned from the field: People, process and technology - JAXenter

What if coronavirus is the beginning of a new age for tech companies? With self-isolation and travel restrictions, the shutters have gone down on many types of business but for some companies in the tech sector, COVID-19 has provided a chance to really prove the benefits of their technologies. Marius Ribokas from Invest Lithuania: Information Technology team takes a closer look at the prospects for the tech sector after the crisis. Read his text below.

There is huge amount of information covering different aspects of current pandemic. As it is part of my daily job crunching through all those articles and reports I would like to share some of my insights on the effects to the technology companies based on the newest available information.

Davos 2020 the World Economic Forum (WEF) took place at the end of January. This was right after the World Health Organization had released its Novel Coronavirus situation report that listed the few countries that had confirmed cases at that time. The US also confirmed its first case the same day. The WEF brings together several thousand business and political leaders each year to predict and tackle wider global issues. Among the topics covered this year were climate change, long-term debt, technology war, empowering people with skills over the next decade, resolving global conflicts(1) but there was nothing on the official schedule concerning the possible outcomes of a pandemic. This clearly shows how unprepared the world was and how unexpected the covid-19 outbreak was especially in terms of the effects it is having on the global economy.

Currently, the biggest issue facing the market is the uncertainty around how long the pandemic is going to last. The duration of the pandemic will no doubt impact how long it will take the economy to recover. Stock markets are fluctuating wildly trying to determine the new value of listed companies. Central banks around the world may deviate when it comes to their forecasts, but there is one point they all agree on the worlds economy will shrink due to covid-19. The recently released McKinsey report suggests a few different scenarios that might emerge due to the pandemic, and states that Covid-19 U.S. impact could exceed anything since the end of WWII:

Even though companies in the technology sector, are in the main, the best suited of all businesses to operating in quarantine conditions, it is during the aftermath of the quarantine that most of the problems will appear. That is why the majority of companies have switched from growth to survival modes. It cannot be compared directly, but the evolvement of the financial crisis of 200708 provides some knowledge of what to expect in the near future. It is clear that having enough cash to survive the next 6-12 months is essential now.

The bright side:

Getting funding:

There is one important point that cannot be overlooked when examining the dynamics inside companies. What is clear is that the tech world is never going to be the same. Although employees in the majority of tech companies previously had the ability to perform some of their work remotely, by the end of the quarantine, companies will have proved to themselves that they are able to execute all of their operations remotely without the need of an office. It is too drastic to say that there will be no more need for offices I am sure the companies will keep at least some of it, but once companies have had the chance to perfect their onboarding procedures, you will see dramatic changes in the employee market with the result that instead of hiring locally for talent, more and more technology companies will be able to hire globally, tapping into the best talent out there. And this will truly make a world of difference.

Want to talk business? Our team is ready. Challenge us: https://bit.ly/2RZdtKb

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Covid-19 pandemic: the big unknown. The technology sector - Invest Lithuania

UPS,partnered with Virginias Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) and drone technology companiesDroneUpand Workhorse Group,arein tests to determine how unmanned aerial systems can assist medical professionals inthefight to stop the spread of the Coronavirus.

The healthcare industryiscalling for technology solutions that can speed the pace of testing and treatment for patients. They also express concern for healthcare providers on the front lines who interact with potentially infected patientsdaily. Technology leaders see autonomous drones as a potentially valuable solution.

The tests in Virginia evaluated the commercial drone industrys ability to provide and scale small unmanned aerial systems to support the U.S. healthcare system.

Scott Price, UPS chief strategy and transformation officer, says,Drones offer a low-touch option for delivery of lab specimens and medical products that could make a significant impact in an urgent response application.

Data collected during thesimulation will be used to determine how private-sector drone operators can effectively supplement emergency response and certain patient care. The findings and recommendations will be included in a report to the White House, where leaders are considering what role theindustry could play in the Coronavirus response.

Tom Walker,DroneUpCEOsays,Rather than speculate, it is incumbent upon our industry to conductoperationally-based exercises that produce factual data and lessons learned to ensure we can respond safely, effectively and efficiently when called upon. Data collected now will impact our capabilities beyond the COVID-19 outbreak we are currently facing.

The test participants conducted exercises over three days on the vacant campus of St. Pauls College, in Lawrenceville, Virginia. The Brunswick County facility, which closed to the public in 2013, provided a safe, complex community environment to test package deliveries by drones under a variety of conditions.

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Drone delivery to hospitals being tested - Parcel and Postal Technology International

The Bitcoin SV ecosystem took a leap forward during one week in February, when 30 developers gathered in Lisbon, Portugal for entrepreneur Jack Lius second CambrianSV Bootcamp.

The first Bootcamp was in Bali towards the end of last year. In Lisbon, Jack suggested the theme of efficiency, challenging the developers of independent apps and projects to find ways to integrate with each others work, taking advantage of the ability of the Bitcoin SV blockchain to share data.

It was a theme echoed by speakers at the opening night dinner. Now were opening up the next phase of this book, said Jimmy Odom of Bittboard, so what can we each do inside of our own projects that we open ourselves up to a broader world?

For Ryan X. Charles of Money Button, it was a question of taking advantage of a really unique opportunity right now to create real businesses. And for Paul Martin of RelayX, a startup founded by Jack Liu, their work should be measured in terms of how you change peoples daily lives. Paul stressed the collaborative nature of the Bitcoin ecosystem, encouraging all the developers to see ourselves as working for Bitcoin Bitcoin the organism, Bitcoin the network.

There was a sense of the group as pioneers, setting out to change the world through Bitcoin projects. That was dramatised by a visit to the mouth of the Tagus river, to the monument to Portugals great explorers (above) who set sail from there in search of adventure and new prosperity.

Beneath the monument, Joshua Henslee of the Bitcoin Assocation said he had felt obligated to abandon the security of a regular job to work on this Bitcoin thing: I need to put my talents towards this I felt like I need to be out on the front lines, helping out.

Andrew Kondelin of Loggeru made a direct connection between the ancient explorers and todays BSV developers: imagine being the guy to go around the tip of South Africa and circumnavigate the world, or the guy that took Florida for Spain. These opportunities exist in Bitcoin SV right now. The massive land grabs that we can make right now, you cant make in any other place in technology.

After five days together, there was plenty to show from a productive week, developing and connecting products. For instance, there was a demonstration of a new integration between the image recognition software Bittboard and the advertising platform TonicPow.

But when it was time to go their separate ways, it was the intangible benefits of spending a week together in Lisbon that were celebrated. As Ardian Tola of Ataraxy put it: life is not about technology, life is about higher things. And the beauty of this technology that were working on is that its illuminating those higher things for us.

New to Bitcoin? Check out CoinGeeksBitcoin for Beginnerssection, the ultimate resource guide to learn more about Bitcoinas originally envisioned by Satoshi Nakamotoand blockchain.

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CambrianSV Lisbon: Working with technology that 'illuminates the higher things in life' - CoinGeek