Artificial Intelligence is finding its applications across industries and while big IT services providers have built their capabilities for providing AI solutions to its cliemts, its not an easty task for small-scale companies or freelance developers. Companies and developers are looking to infuse AI into their solutions and the reference kits contribute to that goal.

Intel, in partnership with Accenture, has released the first set of open source AI reference kits specifically designed to make AI more accessible to organizations in on-prem, cloud and edge environments. Intel has launched a series of trained AI reference kits to the open source community to help enterprises innovate and accelerate their digital transformation journey.

These kits enable data scientists and developers to learn how to deploy AI faster and more easily across healthcare, manufacturing, retail and other industries with higher accuracy, better performance and lower total cost of implementation.

The reference kits are open source, pre-built AI with meaningful enterprise contexts for both greenfield AI introduction and strategic changes to existing AI solutions.

This predictive analytics model was trained to help utilities deliver higher service reliability. It uses Intel-optimized XGBoost through the Intel oneAPI Data Analytics Library to model the health of utility poles with 34 attributes and more than 10 million data points.

Data includes asset age, mechanical properties, geospatial data, inspections, manufacturer, prior repair and maintenance history, and outage records. The predictive asset maintenance model continuously learns as new data, like new pole manufacturer, outages and other changes in condition, are provided.

The challenge with computer vision techniques is that they often require heavy graphics compute power during training and frequent retraining as new products are introduced.

The AI Visual QC model was trained using Intel AI Analytics Toolkit, including Intel Optimization for PyTorch and Intel Distribution of OpenVINO toolkit, both powered by oneAPI to optimize training and inferencing to be 20% and 55% faster, respectively, compared to stock implementation of Accenture visual quality control kit without Intel optimizations2 for computer vision workloads across CPU, GPU and other accelerator-based architectures. Using computer vision and SqueezeNet classification, the AI Visual QC model used hyperparameter tuning and optimization to detect pharmaceutical pill defects with 95% accuracy.

AI can automate the processing and categorizing of these documents for faster routing and lower manual labor costs. Using a support vector classification (SVC) model, this kit was optimized with Intel Distribution of Modin and Intel Extension for Scikit-learn powered by oneAPI.

These tools improve data pre-processing, training and inferencing times to be 46%, 96% and 60% faster, respectively, compared to stock implementation of Accenture Intelligent document indexing kit without Intel optimizations4 for reviewing and sorting the documents at 65% accuracy.

Intel has planned over 30 AI reference kits with trained machine learning and deep learning models for release to the open source community. Each kit includes model code, training data, instructions for the machine learning pipeline, libraries, and Intel oneAPI components.

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Intel, Accenture Released Free Open Source AI Reference Kits to Make Artificial Intelligence More Accessible - IndianWeb2.com

GREELEY On a sunny Thursday morning, a group of cyclists and riders gather in front of a large red barn at the head of the Poudre River Trail at Signature Bluffs Natural Area in Greeley.

The riders are from Envision, a Greeley-based program that provides creative support services to people with developmental disabilities. The cyclists are trained "pilots" from Cycling Without Age, an international program that gives bike rides to people who cannot ride themselves.

Pilots Ann Lahde and Keith Williams operate three-wheeled electric bikes called trishaws, which have a bench and two wheels on the front of the bike, where riders sit.

Before the Envision riders get stared, Lahde explains the rules. Riders must keep their arms and hands inside the trishaw throughout the ride, and they're encouraged to smile and wave to anyone they pass on the trail.

With rules explained, seat belts buckled and kickstands removed, Lahde, Williams and their passengers take off down the trail for a 15-minute nature ride. For many of the riders, its their first time on a bike.

Cycling Without Age was founded nearly 10 years ago in Copenhagen, Denmark, to allow people with mobility issues to experience what it's like to ride a bike.

Founder Ole Kassow discussed the program and its founding in 2014 at a TED Talk in Copenhagen.

The program was born out of a friendship Kassow had with an older man who missed being able to ride his bike. Kassow rented a rickshaw and started to give the man rides around the city. As their friendship grew, Kassow recalls gaining insight into his city through the eyes of his friend, who would tell stories as they rode. He also recalls realizing the power and freedom of personal mobility and being able to ride a bike.

Kassow ultimately turned this experience into Cycling Without Age. The program has expanded to 52 countries with more than 2,700 chapters, including a chapter in Greeley and Windsor. Northern Colorado founders hope to start their next chapter in Fort Collins.

Mike Ketterling said he was inspired after seeing Kassow's TED Talk and started looking at ways to open a chapter in Northern Colorado. As a board member for the Poudre River Trail, a nonprofit organization that maintains and improves the trail, Ketterling was able to fund the chapter through the trail's programming budget. The board bought two trishaw bikes and the program began in May 2021.

"It's truly an amazing program," Ketterling said. "I've been able to see people who were pretty guarded wherever they were living become more talkative. It really helps people open up."

In the spirit of the program's foundation, a majority of Northern Colorado's riders come from senior living communities. Ketterling said he's been trying to partner with communities throughout Greeley and Windsor but said one of the main difficulties for the program is getting riders out to the trail. Many of these facilities are facing staffing shortages and don't always have employees available to transport riders.

However, the program has had no issues attracting volunteers to pilot the trishaws.

Another early founder of the chapter, Tess Jones, trains new volunteers on how to operate the trishaws and safely load passengers. The international program doesn't have any specific training guidelines, so Jones started her own program.

"We focus most of our training on safety in loading the passenger so they feel confident with their pilots, which leads to a more enjoyable ride," Jones said.

A majority of the rides are anywhere from 30 to 50 minutes, and the trishaws go only about 8 miles an hour, which is "fast enough to feel the wind in your hair and slow enough to see plants or wildlife along the trail," Jones said.

Ashley Wyatt, one of the riders from the Envision group, said her favorite part of the ride was being able to feel the wind on her face.

The program has given roughly 140 rides so far this summer. Jones said she hopes to top last summer's total of 210. "Every single ride and conversation is so unique," Jones said.

Lahde and Williams live in Fort Collins and travel to Windsor and Greeley to give rides. They got involved in the program earlier this year after moving to the area.

"We wanted a volunteer opportunity as soon as we moved," Lahde said. "We didn't want to sit around and watch TV all day, that's just not us."

Lahde and Williams found Cycling Without Age and completed their pilot training in June. They have been giving rides since July. Lahde said they're hoping to see a chapter open up in Fort Collins soon.

For Jones, a Fort Collins chapter was her original plan, before COVID-19 shut everything down as she was building interest in the program.

"The Old Town area offers so many destinations for enjoying a trishaw ride," Jones said. From breweries to ice cream, coffee shops and bookstores, Jones said it's still her dream to take people on rides throughout Fort Collins, but she's had difficulty finding someone to help run the program and provide funds for another trishaw.

Jones and Ketterling continue to work toward expanding the program. Earlier this year, the Poudre River Trail bought another trishaw bike to offer more rides in Windsor.

In the meantime, Fort Collins residents can still participate in the Northern Colorado program.

Anyone interested in scheduling a ride can do so on the Poudre River Trail website, https://poudretrail.org/. Rides are available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and have to be scheduled ahead of time.

Anyone interested in becoming a pilot will have to wait until next year. Training occurs early in the group's season which goes from April to November, depending on the weather. Applications are also available at https://poudretrail.org/.

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International program Cycling Without Age offering bike rides wants to gear up in Fort Collins - Coloradoan

SEATTLE, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Registration is now open for Zillow's second annual HBCU Housing Hackathon for students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The program, in collaboration with United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and Amplify 4 Good, helps HBCU students develop critical tech and business skills as they compete for nearly $90,000 in cash and prizes, while also gaining the opportunity to interview for paid internships.

During the weeklong Zillow HBCU Housing Hackathon, beginning September 9, students will learn about the real estate industry, Zillow offerings, housing data, and various application programming interfaces. Then they will develop and pitch tech solutions to help consumers overcome obstacles on their journey to find a home. Student teams will present their ideas to Zillow and tech-industry leaders, with top teams receiving cash and prizes for themselves and their universities.

The first Zillow HBCU Housing Hackathon, in 2021, drew 150 students, representing 17 HBCUs. A team of four Morehouse College students won first place and a $20,000 prize for creating "Reliby," an app that uses machine learning to predict increases in rent and utility costs at a specific address over time, thus giving renters early warning about looming affordability challenges. Zillow also donated $25,000 to Morehouse College's computer science program as part of the first-place prize.

"The caliber of the tech solutions that the teams presented was impressive. Students leaned on their academic careers and life experiences to come up with some amazing ideas. It was great to be part of the program, and it made me excited for what's to come for our industry and tech as a whole with these future leaders," said David Beitel, Zillow chief technology officer. "We're thrilled to have the United Negro College Fund and Amplify 4 Good joining the event as co-hosts for the second year. Mentors from these organizations help our students further develop their skills through workshops, hands-on enrichment, mentorship and teamwork."

Teams can have as many as four members, and although registration is open to HBCU students in any degree program, each team must have at least two members enrolled in computer science, computer engineering or a related program. Students interested in participating in the Zillow HBCU Housing Hackathon should visit http://www.zillowhbcuhackathon.com to learn more and register.

At the end of the challenge, team finalists will pitch their solutions to a panel of judges. The first-place team will receive a $20,000 cash award, split among its members, and Zillow will donate $25,000 to its school's computer science program. Second- and third-place teams will receive $12,000 and $6,000 cash awards, respectively. Students from the top three teams also will receive new laptops and textbook gift cards. All eligible hackathon participants interested in a role at Zillow will have an opportunity to interview for an internship.

"It's awesome to conceptualize a project that could help a lot of people and not only win the hackathon and receive prizes that are great for my team, but also help earn a donation for our college," said Paul Lockett, a member of last year's winning team and a 2022 Morehouse College graduate. "We had a plan, we executed on it and we are so happy we had this amazing opportunity to work and learn with Zillow."

Chad Womack, Ph.D., vice president of National STEM Programs and Initiatives at UNCF, will be on the panel of judges for the HBCU Housing Hackathon. Womack also co-founded Black Tech Ventures, a venture tech firm created to empower African American tech innovators and startup entrepreneurs, with a focus on fostering an entrepreneurial mindset on HBCU campuses.

"The UNCF is proud to be back for a second year, partnering with Zillow on such an impactful program for our students," said Womack. "Our HBCU campus connections allow us to reach students who may not otherwise consider such a challenge. We're working to diversify the talent within STEM industries, and programs like Zillow's HBCU Housing Hackathon help us do just that."

Womack will be joined on the judging panel by Zillow and tech-industry leaders, including Eric Bailey, Zillow vice president, Experience Design; Jennifer Butler, Zillow head of Government Relations and Public Affairs; Aldona Clottey, Zillow vice president, Corporate Social Responsibility; Tiffany Dockery, Etsy director of Product Management; Damien Peters, founder, Wealth Noir; and Jonathan Rabb, founder and CEO, Watch The Yard.

Registration for the hackathon closes Sept. 6. To learn more or register, visit http://www.zillowhbcuhackathon.com.

About the United Negro College Fund

The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) is the nation's largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students' education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 20% of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF annually awards $100 million in scholarships and administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at more than 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." Learn more atUNCF.org, or for continuous news and updates, follow UNCF on Twitter,@UNCF.

About Zillow Group

Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make it easier to unlock life's next chapter. As the most visited real estate website in the United States, Zillow and its affiliates offer customers an on-demand experience for selling, buying, renting or financing with transparency and ease.

Zillow Group's affiliates and subsidiaries include Zillow, Zillow Premier Agent, Zillow Home Loans, Zillow Closing Services, Trulia, Out East, ShowingTime, Bridge Interactive, dotloop, StreetEasy and HotPads. Zillow Home Loans, LLC is an Equal Housing Lender, NMLS #10287 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).

SOURCE Zillow

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Zillow and UNCF open registration for HBCU Hackathon - PR Newswire

The Bok Building in South Philadelphia is set to welcome its only sports-themed tenant this fall, as U90 Soccer Center prepares to open the city's first rooftop soccer field.

This is the company's first venture outside of New York, where it primarily focuses on its community sports center and retail space in Queens. When executive director Zac Rubin came to visit one of Bok's other tenants two years ago, he discovered a vacant space and knew he wanted to bring soccer programming to the city.

"When (looking for new cities), we looked at a couple different things," said Rubin. "One is space spaces can be so different that we wanted to find something dynamic and unique. The other is community, and where there's the most need as far as athletic and recreational space. South Philly and Bok fit better than I ever could have imagined."

The outdoor field will be installed on the Bok Building's 7th floor terrace, which means Bok Bar and Irwin's both on the 8th floor of the building will not be impacted. In addition to the rooftop field, U90 Soccer Center is also opening an indoor field, which will take over the former girls' gymnasium on the lower floors of the building.

There will also be a retail shop operated by sporting goods chain Soccer Post, which has locations throughout the country.

"We're creating a multi-faceted space to experience soccer," Rubin said. "To me, that means providing a place to be a player and creating space for people to play the game. It also means creating an experience where people are able to view, so fans of teams from around the world are going to be able to watch games. It's all going to mesh together in a really unique experiential space surrounding the world's most popular sport."

U90 Soccer Center has programming for people of all ages andRubin said he wants to ensure that there are no cost or opportunity barriers to using the soccer fields. He told the Inquirer that the company works on a model where they "within reason, never turn somebody away."

The New York location includes wheelchair soccer and other programs for children with cerebral palsy, stroke and traumatic brain injury. Rubin said he wants to bring all of that programming to the Philadelphia location, especially given the smaller-size fields.

"There are a lot of things in New York and Philly that are (similar)," Rubin said. "Even just the way that the populations are. We have a lot of employees from the Philly area and a lot of connections to the city, so we're excited. It's somewhere we feel we understand, kind of sticking close by on the East Coast."

While there is no official timeline for when the U90 Soccer Center will open, Rubin said that he's aiming to have the indoor portions of the project ready by September. He said the rooftop field may take a little longer, adding that the entire project should be completed by the spring.

The project comes just a few months after Philadelphia was named one of 11 American host cities for the 2026 World Cup. Rubin said he plans to host watch parties for the event, which starts in late November.

Though South Philly is home to the city's Sports Complex, Rubin told the Inquirer that through his conversations with members of the city's soccer community, the neighborhood is lacking in athletic facilities for kids and adults. Philly's official soccer team, the Philadelphia Union, plays its home games at Subaru Park in Chester, about 20 miles outside of the city.

Rubin told Axios he hopes to solve the problem by transforming portions of Bok into a community soccer center to celebrate the game as a whole, and support programming for people of all experience levels.

At its Queens location, U90 Soccer Center has programming for children, teens, and adults including open play for toddlers. Rubin hopes to include students from the neighboring Southwark School as part of its programming, and will utilize grant funding for people who can't afford to play.

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Bok Building to open rooftop soccer field with goal of increasing community sports centers - PhillyVoice.com

Delivering exceptional customer experiences that give consumers control comes down to the right tools and good data.

Customers today demand a personalized, seamless experience throughout their preferred channels and they want to control the narrative.

By using conversational artificial intelligence (AI) along with good data and analytics, brands can provide an exceptional customer experience based on the customers previous interactions and data from current sessions.

This article will look at the ways brands can create such an experience, along with the challenges that often come about during the process.

Conversational AI that uses natural language processing (NLP), automatic speech recognition, advanced dialog management, deep learning and machine learning (ML) is advanced enough that it's likely to pass the Turing Test. This test determines if a computer program can perform well enough to fool a human into thinking they are talking to another human. As such, conversational AI provides a much more realistic experience than traditional chatbots.

Evan Macmillan, CEO of Gridspace, a contact center automation platform, told CMSWire that conversational AI was not very conversational until recently, and that previously, brands had to program hard rules for every possible customer intent and response.

Today large, pre-trained language models cannot fully understand language, but they are extremely useful tools, said Macmillan. Instead of programming rules, brands can use these models to flexibly and accurately recognize meaning and converse in a more natural, less scripted way.

AI-driven chatbots can be predictive and personalized, with more complex, fluid responses that are similar to human decision-making. These AI bots have access to a customer's previous interactions, typically through customer relationship management (CRM) software, can observe user-specific traits (location, age, mood, gender), learn conversational styles from past interactions and even take actions using tools such as robotic process automation (RPA).

Whether or not conversational AI is right for a brand depends on each brands specific use cases. Conversational AI is just a tool, sometimes the right one and sometimes not, it all depends on the job to be done, said Macmillan.

Related Article:4 Ways Conversational AI Is Improving the Customer Experience

Customer trust in AI has been improving greatly over the past few years. A Capgemini report indicated that 54% of customers have daily AI-based interactions with brands, and 49% of those customers found their interactions with AI to be trustworthy.

The trust in AI isnt limited to customers either employees trust AI too. An Oracle and Future Workplace [emailprotected] report revealed that 64% of employees would trust an AI chatbot rather than their manager, and 50% have used an AI chatbot rather than going to their manager for advice.

It also appears the majority of people enjoy having conversations with AI chatbots 65% of employees surveyed said they are optimistic, excited and grateful about potentially having AI "co-workers" and almost 25% said they have a comfortable relationship with AI at their workplace.

When used appropriately, conversational AI can be an effective tool in a brands customer service toolbox. Customers want to be in control of their own narrative and prefer to solve their problems without having to speak to a live agent, provided that their issue is relatively minor.

Anthony Chavez, founder and CEO at Codelab303, a team of digital experience designers, engineers and producers, told CMSWire that conversational AI can be seen as a digital agent, a brand representative that is no less critical than a teammate working on-site in a brick-and-mortar location.

"Digital agents, albeit the meta equivalent of a teammate in a store, can also create hospitable, memorable and efficient interactions with guests and customers," he said.

Data can be bad if it is unstructured, inaccurate, inconsistent, incomplete or contains duplications. Because data comes from a myriad of sources some of which are siloed, while others are in different formats or databases and yet others are unformatted there is no consistency, and it must be brought together in a structured, consistent way to be useful.

Good data, within the context of conversational AI, means data that supports NLP, NLU (Natural Language Understanding) and ultimately intent identification that is to say, the machine needs to understand what the user is asking, and then provide a human-like answer that the user is looking for, explained Chavez.

To turn bad data into good data, it must be cleansed. Data cleansing is the process of fixing bad data in a data set, which involves identifying any errors and then updating, fixing or removing them, which improves the quality of said data.

Jory Hunga, business development manager at iPaydayLoans, an online payday loans provider, told CMSWire that most brands usually have a very large amount of customer data stored in their CRM systems, which is comprised of past interactions, transactions and chat and call session transcripts.

However, said Hunga, a huge amount of this data often comes in an unstructured format like verbatim comments that can often prove to be difficult for human agents to sift through for insight.

Through the use of conversational AI bots, brands are able to make use of advanced machine learning to quickly analyze their databases and find links between pieces of information much faster and more accurately than any human agent ever could.

Related Article:How to Prepare Data for Ingestion and Integration

Customer analytics begins with aggregating and unifying data from all possible sources, including websites, mobile apps, email, chat, social media, customer service tickets and in-store visits. Once brands unify and structure that data, they can use it to create a holistic 360-degree view of each customer.

Using analytics to determine whether a user finds the answer theyre seeking is the key to crafting the best experiences, said Chavez. The best sets of data for this purpose are a blend of quantitative metrics and qualitative metrics; after all, every user will have a unique fundamental opinion about having a conversation with a machine.

Companies can use customer analytics to create personalized customer experiences and assist with customer service inquiries. Real-time data can help funnel live inquiries to the most appropriate agents at the beginning of the interaction with the customer. By interpreting and analyzing this data, brands can make the next best decision in the customer journey.

Ben Hookway, CEO of UK-based Relative Insight, a text analysis software provider, told CMSWire that effective and efficient analytics are critical to ensure that brands are delivering experiences that consumers want.

"Conversational AI is a great leap forward but absolutely key to success is a willingness from businesses to leverage the untapped gold mine that is unstructured text data as a whole the likes of customer reviews, call transcripts and survey open ends, said Hookway, who added that its customer data that holds the answers to new engagement strategies.

With the ongoing and ever-increasing deprecation of third-party cookies, the effective use of first-party data is more important than ever.

To engage effectively with consumers in an increasingly competitive and noisy landscape, Hookway added, businesses need to look at the major repositories of data which they already have and which they are generating all the time.

Because third-party cookies will eventually be phased out, marketers are looking for innovative ways to understand their audiences, he explained. Theres no doubt that technology-driven analysis surrounding first-party data often in the form of conversations with your customers will be fundamental to future success.

Brands today want to stand out for the exceptional customer experiences they provide, so they must be able to monitor and improve experiences on a minute-to-minute basis. This real-time personalization creates an emotionally positive connection and shows the responsiveness of the brand.

That said, there are many challenges to creating such an experience, especially for companies using disparate technologies.

Tom Summerfield, retail director at Peak, a decision intelligence company, told CMSWire that hes seen a number of businesses that have been approaching these challenges by designing and procuring point solution tooling to enable scaled personalized messaging, i.e., content management systems, customer data platforms, apps, website search and merch toolings, etc.

All of these tools contribute to the modern customer stack, said Summerfield, but they arent integrated and they dont talk to each other. Theyre optimising channels in silos and, without a connected approach, risk enhancing one at the expense of another.

A much better solution for brands interested in creating a seamless experience is a connected approach to personalization. Thats achieved by adding an agile SaaS (software as a service) layer between incumbent backend systems of record and stacks of point solutions.

Increasingly, this is an AI/ML platform that can identify trends and add a layer of intelligence into those processes, explained Summerfield, who believes that this represents the future of CRM: a central, agile intelligence layer fueling automated segmentation and product recommendations via an application programming interface (API).

On the other hand, Hookway told CMSWire that brands can layer data and compare it, allowing them to get more value out of it and gain rounder and more accurate views of audiences.

Doing this successfully, however, is not easy. First up, he said, it calls for a rethinking of the labels of what is thought of as marketing data and what is customer experience data. It also requires a mindset change; a process of true collaboration with leadership ready to grasp and encourage the opportunities that effective data mining and analysis presents. We cant rely on any one tool to give us all the answers.

Given that there are multiple open-source and licensable tools for NLP, NLU and intent prediction that exist today, the technology has become the easy part, according to Chavez. Designing the experience, however, in a way that is differentiated and competitive, will always be a more nuanced and persistent challenge for businesses because, in essence, you are designing a brain.

Related Article:What's Next for Artificial Intelligence in Customer Experience?

Once marketers have cleansed, structured and optimized customer data, AI, ML and NLP can analyze and use it to enhance the customer experience.

Conversational AI enables brands to provide customers with digital agents that know their shopping, purchasing and service details, facilitating a personalized conversation while enabling live agents to handle more complex inquiries all while allowing customers to control their own narrative.

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Powering Customer Experience Through Conversational AI, Analytics and Good Data - CMSWire

The Maryland Robotics Center and Microsoft Corp. have announced a new strategic partnership focused on enhancing diversity and innovation in robotics and autonomy, helping to meet the growing demand for talent in engineering even as trends show a downturn in enrollment of students from diverse backgrounds in the field.

The Microsoft Robotics and Diversity Initiative is a one-year, $100,000 partnership starting in the Fall 2022 semester; it will support Ph.D. fellowships, a seminar series, an undergraduate course and student-led STEM diversity groups.

Its exciting to receive this level of support and generosity from Microsoft to amplify our ongoing diversity initiatives, said Professor Derek Paley, director of the Maryland Robotics Center with a joint appointment in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and the Institute for Systems Research. This gift will especially support activities in robotics and applied autonomy, complementing our other ongoing efforts in AI and machine learning.

The partnership includes several components, starting with the Microsoft Diversity in Robotics and Autonomy Ph.D. Fellowships. They will support two Ph.D. students for one academic year as they conduct research in robotics and autonomous systems modeling, simulation and experimentation. The Maryland Robotics Center will leverage Microsofts support, funding tuition and benefits for these Microsoft Fellows.

The Microsoft Future Leaders in Robotics and Autonomy Seminar Series will enable Maryland students to learn from rising experts in robotics and autonomy, in a context celebrating diversity and innovation.

A hands-on undergraduate course in robotics programming will be part of the Robotics and Autonomous Systems minor program. Students use the open-source Robot Operating System and other tools to design, implement and test a robotic system. Microsoft will contribute to the cost of providing students with additional robotics programming devices.

The partnership also will provide support for student-led STEM diversity groups, supporting their missions and robotics-related activities for the academic year. They include the Black Engineers Society, the Society for Professional Hispanic Engineers, Women in Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Society of Women Engineers.

With the exciting future of robotics and autonomy in view, Microsoft enthusiastically supports the Maryland Robotics Centers efforts to foster the next generation of tech leaders, said Timothy Chung, senior director of robotics at Microsoft. We celebrate and embrace the positive benefits of diversity and inclusion as part of the broad robotics community.

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Microsoft, UMD Team Up for Diversity in Robotics - Maryland Today

At Quantum Quest, an all-girls quantum computing camp, 20 teenage female students recently stood on the precipice of a brand new technology: quantum coding.

(Scientists) use quantum computers, program manager Gabbie Meis said. (Quantum computers) actually use quantum mechanics to solve some of the worlds largest problems, like things with lots of data or simulations that our classical computers just dont have enough power to do. Instead of our classical computers, quantum computers are actually an entirely different type of machine that is still being developed today.

This kind of computer requires quantum coding and when programmed could be used to help solve problems like mitigating the impacts of climate change; transportation mapping, such as figuring out how to remap the entire country of Australia with more efficient roadways; or even biomedical research, such as protein folding for vaccine development or drug discovery research.

Back in 2019 Google ran a problem on their quantum computer that they estimated would take the most powerful supercomputer about 10,000 years to solve, Meis said. They said they got their (quantum) computers to solve it in less than two days.

During the camp, students learned the programming language, Qiskit, an open source (free) software development kit. Meis called it a Python-backed library, Python being a programming language. Qiskit allows the students classical computers the kind most of use at home to communicate with quantum computers. Ironically, although the students all had their laptops open, the learning was done on dry erase boards.

Quantum is interdisciplinary so theyre learning the basics in linear algebra, Meis said. Theyre learning computer science and how to code in Python, and theyre learning quantum physics, all wrapped in this single week.

The Coding School, located in Southern California, has a quantum coding initiative called Qubit by Qubit, the most basic unit of information in quantum computing. The initiative seeks to make quantum computing education accessible to students in K-12, because as it stands right now, according to Meis, students dont usually see quantum computing until they are graduate students.

To bring quantum coding to the masses, the school developed the Quantum Quest camp and partners with other organizations to offer it locally. For Tucson, they partnered with the University of Arizonas Office of Societal Impact and the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona (GSSA).

When this all came about it was the perfect marriage between the Coding School, the U of A and the Girl Scouts in trying to bring accessibility to this more advanced part of STEM, said Colleen McDonald, director of staff supported programs for the GSSA. As Girl Scouts we see ourselves as the connector. We want to make sure that all girls have access to it.

The Coding School has been offering this camp for some time this is its 10th camp but its the first time its been offered in Tucson. Camp topics included everything from foundational concepts that make up the quantum world such as entanglement and qubits, and end with teaching girls how to code real quantum computers.

Its all new science. These students are at the very foundation of quantum coding, according to Meis, and that is part of why it is so important to offer this to young women. One, they are introduced to quantum computing, but two, so they are not alone and do not feel alone in their interest in this field, Meis said.

This is a hard science, right? Meis said. We really want our students to feel that theres a place in this for girls. Were really trying to empower them now while theyre still in high school.

Ive worked with girls for two decades doing STEM with them and one of the biggest things I hear is they think that theyre alone in liking STEM, that they dont realize there are other girls who are also willing to push themselves, Michelle Higgins added. Shes the associate director of the Office of Societal Impact.

The lead instructor for this camp is herself an example to these students. Emily Van Milligen is a doctoral student at the UArizona department of physics. Her field of study is quantum entanglement and routing protocols. She noticed that not one student fell behind; they all listened.

They love it, Van Milligen said. They like the lectures Im giving, which is exciting because that means they enjoy the content. Im not doing anything that special.

One student, 18-year-old Sagan Friskey and future Pima Community College student, spoke enthusiastically about the camp.

I think its super interesting to learn about, especially since were at the very beginning of it becoming a part of something that you can learn about and work with, she said.

Gabriela Malo-Molina, 14, and a student at Catalina Foothills High School, said shes never seen this before but could be interested in looking deeper into it.

I think this is a very special opportunity, and that this field will definitely be more commonly used in the future, she said. And quantum computing in the future will be very helpful for discoveries, especially in the medical field.

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Coding the future | Business | insidetucsonbusiness.com - Inside Tucson Business

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Businesses rely on their network to keep critical data and systems safe from unauthorized access or attack. However, security on a network is frequently an afterthought until its too late. This comprehensive guide will show you how to get started with network security scanning, including the benefits and types of scanning available, so you can protect your business data and systems.

Network security scanning is the process of identifying weaknesses and vulnerabilities in a network in order to secure it against potential threats. You may detect and repair any flaws before they can be exploited by criminals by conducting regular network monitoring.

The use of advanced technology and data science to create a dynamic cloud-based environment has made network security more essential than ever. Cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated, and organizations must take proactive steps to protect their data and systems in order to meet the challenges they confront. Network security scanning may assist you in doing so. By detecting flaws and vulnerabilities in your network, you can act now to correct them before they are used by attackers.

Live hosts and computers, open ports, and the IP address of a target are all detected by network scanning. It aids in identifying any host computers services. It can identify the architecture of any target and the operating system. The strategy aids in the detection and identification of security vulnerabilities in a live host.

Scanners are used to check for open doors, which the hacker will be able to access. It attempts to figure out the path of the hacker in order to discover live hosts, the organizations operating system, and installed firewalls as well as network topology.

A hacker can use a port scanner to find out the IP address and ports of the intended victim organization. After obtaining the target companys IP address and ports using UDP and TCP, he may map the network and save it to his collection. A port scanner is a tool that helps with port scanning.

The vulnerability scanning approach is an automated procedure that helps to determine whether the network is safe or vulnerable. To do this sort of scanning, your computer must be hooked up to the internet.

Network security scanning can be used for a variety of purposes, including:

There are several best practices for minimizing network security risks, including the following:

Astra Security is a top-rated network security scanning business. Astra has a team of highly trained network penetration testers and security managers that are capable of conducting network vulnerability testing and managing network security.

Astra provides their clients with the most effective network vulnerability scanning and network security services available. They help you avoid harm by providing you with the appropriate combination of technologies and services. Their network vulnerability scanning services cover everything from network pentesting to network auditing to network monitoring, as well as other areas.

The Metasploit framework is a powerful tool that cybercriminals and ethical hackers may employ to scan for network and server vulnerabilities. Because its open-source software, you may readily modify it to work with most operating systems.

Metasploit can be used to pen test a network in order to search for weak spots. The pen testing team may use ready-made or custom code to launch a penetration test into an organizations network and look for vulnerabilities. Once flaws are discovered and recorded, the knowledge may be utilized to address system-wide issues while also prioritizing solutions.

Nmap is a popular command to scan IP addresses and ports on a network in order to discover installed applications. Nmap is a popular open-source Linux program that may be used to scan IP addresses and ports as well as detect vulnerabilities. It allows network administrators to identify which devices are operating on their network, check whether any ports or services are open, and assess cybersecurity risks.

Wireshark is a software application that captures packets from a network connection, such as between your computer and its home office or the internet. In an Ethernet network, the term packet refers to a discrete piece of data.

The process of detecting vulnerabilities on a network is known as network security scanning. The importance of network security scanning can not be understated, as it can help organizations meet compliance requirements, optimize network performance, and prevent data breaches. There are a number of different types of network security scans, and the best way to choose one is to consult with a network security expert.

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A Comprehensive Guide To Network Security Scanning And How To Get Started - Programming Insider

Washington, DCOn Saturday, July 30 from 9 amto 1pm, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will host the third Open Streets DC event of the year along Benning Road NE in Ward 7. During the event, 0.75 miles of Benning Road NE will be closed to carsallowing people to ride, bike, walk, socialize, and participate in fun programming. Beginning at the corner of Benning Road NE and Minnesota Avenue and ending at East Capitol Street NE, residents can stop by various city, transportation, health, and neighborhood programming.

Open Streets supports community and local businesses along the corridor and encourages residents to experience their streets in an enjoyable new way. Several sponsored activation zones on the route will host hourly programmed classes and demonstrations including yoga, live music and performance by Black Alley, double dutch, traffic gardens, pop-up bike lanes, learn to scoot/roller skate classes, Capital Bike Share e-bike demonstrations, childrens foam party, dancing, a youth traffic safety town hall road show, and more. Additionally, local businesses along the route will provide extra space for outdoor dining and other activation activities to showcase their business in the parking lane as the Taste of Ward 7 returns to the corridor.

Open Streets in Your Neighborhood kicked off earlier this year with an event in Ward 8 and in June, DDOT hosted an event along 7th Street NW in Wards 2 and 6. Upcoming Open Streets events are scheduled in Ward 5 on August 27, Wards 1 and 4 as the Georgia Avenue Signature Open Streets Event on October 1, and in Ward 3 on November 11.

For details on all the planned activities and performances, visit openstreets.dc.gov.

Social Media:Mayor Bowser Twitter:@MayorBowserMayor Bowser Instagram:@Mayor_BowserMayor Bowser Facebook:facebook.com/MayorMurielBowserMayor Bowser YouTube:https://www.bit.ly/eomvideos

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Ahead of Saturday's Ward 7 Open Streets, Mayor Bowser Announces Dates of Upcoming Open Streets | mayormb - Executive Office of the Mayor

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Penetration testing, often referred to as pentesting, is a process of identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in a computer system or network. Pentesting can be performed on individual systems, networks, or applications. There are several different types of penetration tests, each with its own set of goals and methods. In this blog post, we will discuss the different types of penetration tests, the tools used for pentesting, and how you can get started with penetration testing.

Penetration testing software is essential since it allows firms and organizations to discover and repair holes in their computer systems and networks before they are attacked. By identifying these vulnerabilities, penetration testing can help prevent data breach, financial loss, and reputational damage.

A penetration testing device is a piece of hardware or software that is used to test the security of a computer system or network. Scanners, firewalls, and honeypots are just a few of the many types of penetration testing devices.

Software (Operating systems, services, applications), Hardware, Networks, Processes, and End-user behaviour are also parts of a penetration testing device.

Penetration tests are typically conducted in four stages: reconnaissance, scanning, exploitation, and post-exploitation.

The Astra Security product, the Astra Pentest, is based on one fundamental idea: making the pentest process as simple as possible for clients. Its rather unusual to see Astra putting out efforts to make self-serving solutions while also remaining always accessible and on schedule with support. Making detecting, exploring, and resolving flaws as easy as performing a Google search is something that Astra has done.

The user is provided with a dedicated dashboard to see the vulnerabilities, read CVSS scores, contact security personnel, and get remediation assistance.

Astra has added a number of new clients over the last year, including ICICI, UN, and Dream 11 to an already impressive list that includes Ford, Gillette, and GoDaddy.

The term Nmap refers to a popular network exploration and scanning program. It uses port scanning and other techniques to scan ports, detect operating systems, and produce a list of devices with the services running on them as part of its mapping process.

NMAP generates different-shaped packets for various transport layer protocols, which include IP addresses and other data. You may use this data to discover hosts, develop a fingerprint of the OS, discover services, and conduct security monitoring.

Nmap is a versatile tool that can map large networks with hundreds of ports.

Metasploitable is a great example of a vulnerable web application that has been exploited in the wild. Metasploit is both utilized by hackers and security professionals to identify widespread vulnerabilities. Its a powerful platform with elements of fuzzing, anti-forensic, and evasion tools included.

Installations are simple and can be done on a variety of operating systems. Its popularity among hackers is due in part to this fact. That is one of the reasons why Metasploit is considered such a valuable hacking tool.

Metasploit now includes nearly 1677 exploits in addition to around 500 payloads, which include command shell payloads, dynamic payloads, meterpreter payloads, and static payloads.

A popular open-source tool for protocol analysis, WireShark is a well-known brand. You may observe network activity at a subcellular level using this software. Its flexibility, ease of use, and features make it one of the best pentest tools available. Hundreds of security experts from all over the world contribute to its development, making it one of the most advanced pentesting tools available.

Its vital to remember that WireShark isnt an intrusion detection system or IDS. It can show you where there are problems, but it cannot sound the alarm if there is any malicious behavior on the network because a protocol analyzer may not disclose this information.

Intruder is a powerful vulnerability scanner that identifies cybersecurity flaws in your digital assets, assesses the risks and guides you through the process of fixing them before a breach can occur. Its an excellent tool to automate your penetration testing activities.

Penetration testing is the process of detecting and exploiting security flaws in a system in order to gain access to sensitive information or systems. It is important because it helps organizations to find and fix security weaknesses before they can be exploited by attackers.

Tools like Astras Pentest, NMAP, Metasploit, WireShark, and Intruder can help you conduct penetration tests more effectively.

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Penetration Testing: What It Is, Importance, Types, & Top Tools - Programming Insider