Daily Archives: January 13, 2022

YPSILANTI To expose students and faculty to industry leaders, Eastern Michigan University GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology will host TechTalk featuring Reuben Sarkar, president and CEO for the American Center for Mobility at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 26.

EMU TechTalk, a series that launched last fall, offers students and faculty an opportunity to hear from established and up-and-coming leaders in the engineering and technology fields. Additionally, this event offers a networking environment to explore internships, careers, and research opportunities at the College.

This initiative spotlights industry leaders who are making a difference in their chosen fields, said Mohamad Qatu, dean of GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology. EMU students learn from these leaders, who give them the willpower to want to advance in their studies and ultimately achieve their career goals.

Sarkars talk will focus on the importance of shared-use smart mobility test centers as a key enabler for the cost-effective validation of new mobility technologies as well as the state of technology readiness and trends in mobility technologies.

According to Qatu, the TechTalk series also presents an opportunity to introduce EMU faculty to these companies and bridge connections towards possible research opportunities. It's a great benefit for everyone," he added.

Visit EMU Today for more information on how to participate. If you have any questions, contact Rebekah McDow at rmcdow@emich.edu.

More about the speaker:

Reuben Sarkar serves as the President and CEO of the American Center for Mobility. He has more than two decades of experience in transportation innovation in corporate, government, and entrepreneurial roles. Formerly, he was deputy assistant secretary of Transportation for the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), where he established EEREs focus on mobility systems. He has held leadership roles in multiple start-up companies including Forge Nano and Proterra. He was also the lead engineer on the 1st generation electric drive for the Chevy Volt. He holds both bachelor's and master of science degrees in chemical engineering, as well as an MBA with high distinction from U-M in Ann Arbor.

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 16,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral, and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences, and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors, and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and, its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more

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GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology to host TechTalk event Jan. 26 - EMU Today

Adedolapo Adedokun has a lot to look forward to in 2023. After completing his degree in electrical engineering and computer science next spring, he will travel to Ireland to undertake an MS in intelligent systems at Trinity College Dublin asMITs fourth student to receive the prestigious George J. Mitchell Scholarship.But theres more to Adedokun, who goes by Dolapo, than just academic achievement. Besides being a talented computer scientist, the senior is an accomplished musician, an influential member of student government and an anime fan.

Q: What excites you the most about going to Ireland to study for a year?

A: One of the reasons I was interested in Ireland was when I learned aboutMusic Generation, a national music education initiative in Ireland, with the goal of giving every child in Ireland access to the arts through access to music tuition, performance opportunities, and music education in and outside of the classroom. It made me think, Wow, this is a country that recognizes the importance of arts and music education and has invested to make it accessible for people of all backgrounds. I am inspired by this initiative and wish it was something I could have had growing up.

I am also really inspired by the work of Louis Stewart, an amazing jazz guitarist who was born and raised in Dublin. I am excited to explore his musical influences and to dive into the rich musical community of Dublin. I hope to join a jazz band, maybe a trio or a quartet, and perform all around the city, immersing myself in the rich Irish musical scene, but also sharing my own styles and musical influences with the community there.

Q: Of course, while youre there, youll be working on your MS in intelligent systems. Im intrigued by your invention of a smart-home system that lets users layer different melodies as they enter and leave a building. Can you tell us a little more about that system: how it works, how you envision users interacting with it and experiencing it, and what you learned from developing it?

A: Funny enough, it actually started as a system I worked on in my freshman year in 6.08 (Introduction to Embedded Systems) with a few classmates. We called it Smart HOMiE, an IoT [internet-of-things] Arduino smart-home device that gathered basic information like location, weather, and interfaced with Amazon Alexa. I had forgotten about having worked on it until I took 21M.080 (Introduction to Music Technology) and 6.033 (Computer System Engineering) in my junior year, and began to learn about the creative applications of machine learning and computer science in areas like audio synthesis and digital instrument design. I learned about amazing projects likeGoogle Magentas Tone Transfer ML models that use machine learning models to transform sounds into legitimate musical instruments. Learning about this unique intersection combining music and technology, I began to think about bigger questions, like, What kind of creative future can technology create? How can technology enable anyone to be expressive?

When I had some downtime while being at home for a year, I wanted to play around with some of the audio synthesis tools I had learned about. I took Smart HOMiE and upgraded it a bit made it a bit more musical. It worked in three main steps. First, multiple people could sing and record melodies that the device would save and store. Then, using a few pitch correction and audio synthesis Python libraries, Smart HOMiE corrected the recorded melodies until they fit together, or generally fit inside the same key, in music terms. Lastly, it then would combine the melodies, add some harmony or layer the track over a backing track, and by the end, youve made something really unique and expressive. It was definitely a bit scrappy, but it was one of my first times messing around and exploring all the work that has already been done by amazing people in this space. Technology has this incredible potential to make anyone a creator Id like to build the tools to make it happen.

Q: Youre a jazz instrumentalist yourself. Tell us more!

A: Ive always had an affinity for music, but havent always felt like I could become a musician. I had played saxophone in middle school but it never really stuck. When I got to MIT, I was fortunate enough to take 21M.051 (Fundamentals of Music) and dive into proper music theory for the first time. It was in that class that I was exposed to jazz and completely fell in love. Ill never forget walking back to New House from Barker Library in my freshman year and stumbling uponUndercurrent, by Bill Evans and Jim Hall I think that was when I decided I wanted to learn jazz guitar.

Jazz, and in particular improvisation, has taught me so much about what it means to be creative: to be willing to experiment, take risks, build upon the work of others, and accept failure all skills that I wholeheartedly believe have made me a better technologist and leader. Most importantly, though, I think music and jazz have taught me patience and discipline, and that mastery of a skill takes a lifetime. Id be lying if I said I was satisfied with where I am currently at, but each day, Im eager to take one step forward towards my goals.

Q: Youve focused in on music and arts education, and the potential of technology to bolster both. Is there a particularly influential class, technology, or teacher in your past that you can point to as a change-maker in your life?

A: Wow, tough question! I think there are a few inflection points that have really been change-makers for me. The first was in high school when I firstlearned about Guitar Hero, the music rhythm video game that started as a project in the MIT Media Lab attempting to bring the joy of music-making to people of all backgrounds. It was then that I was able to see the multidisciplinary outreach of technology in service of others.

The next I would say was taking 6.033 at MIT. From the first day of class, Professor [Katrina] LaCurts emphasized understanding the people we design for. That we ought to see system design as inherently people-oriented before we think of designing a system, we must first consider the people that will be using them. We must consider their goals, their personas, their backgrounds, the barriers that they face, and most importantly, the consequences of our design and implementation choices. I envision a future where music, arts, and the creative process are accessible to everyone, and I believe 6.033 has given me the foundation to build the technology to reach that goal.

Q: Youve also developed a passion for broadband infrastructure, which at first glance, people might not connect with music and education, your other two focuses. Why is broadband such an important factor?

A: Before we can think about the potential of technology to democratize accessibility to music and the arts, we first have to take a step back and think about accessibility. What communities have more and less access to the proper technology that we often take for granted? I think broadband is just one factor in the realm of the bigger problem, which is accessibility, particularly in minority and low-income communities. I see technology as being the key to democratizing access to music and the arts for people of all background but that technology can only be the key if the foundational infrastructure is in place for all people to take advantage of it. Just like I learned in 6.033, that means understanding the barriers of the people and communities with the least access and investing in crucial, basic technological resources like equitable broadband internet access.

Q: Between your work on the Undergraduate Student Advisory Group in EECS, the Harvard/MIT Cooperative Society, the MIT Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers, and of course all your research and many academic interests, many readers must wonder if youevereat or sleep! How have you balanced your busy MIT life and maintained a sense of self while accomplishing so much as an undergraduate?

A: Great question! Ill start by saying it took me a while to figure out. There were semesters where I had to drop classes and or drop extracurricular commitments to find some sense of balance. Its always difficult, being surrounded by the worlds brightest students who are all doing incredible and amazing things, to not feel like you should add one more class or an extra UROP.

I think the most important thing, though, is to stay true to you figuring out the things that bring you joy, that excite you, and how much of those commitments is reasonable to take on each semester. Im not a student who can take a million-and-one classes, research, internships, and clubs all at the same time but thats totally OK. It took me a while to find the things I enjoyed, and understand the academic load thats appropriate for me each semester, but once I did, I was happier than ever before. I realized things like playing tennis and basketball, jamming with friends, and even sneaking in a few episodes of anime here and there are really important to me. As long as I can look back each week, month, semester, and year and say Ive taken a step forward towards my academic, social, and music goals, even just the tiniest amount, then I think I am taking steps in the right direction.

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Q&A: Dolapo Adedokun on computer technology, Ireland, and all that jazz - MIT News

WATERTOWN, Mass., January 12, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Markforged Holding Corporation (or "the Company") (NYSE: MKFG), creator of the integrated metal and carbon fiber additive manufacturing platform, The Digital Forge, today announced a realignment of its technology teams as part of its ongoing evolution to accelerate its product roadmap and deliver on its mission to lead the future of distributed manufacturing. As part of a planned transition, David Benhaim, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, is stepping down from his role as Chief Technology Officer, effective today, and will remain with the Company in an advisory role through July 8, 2022.

As previously announced in August 2021, John Howard joined the Company as the Vice President, Engineering with more than 30 years of experience in engineering and product design with prior leadership roles, including at Amazon and Apple. Howard now leads a fully integrated engineering team, combining hardware, software and materials development efforts under one leader to scale operations and enhance collaboration and innovation.

"Its been my great honor, and a privilege, to be a part of the Markforged team since its founding in 2013. I will always look back fondly on helping to build this company and working alongside such a fantastic group of talented and motivated people," said Benhaim.

"Davids contributions helped set the stage for Markforgeds future success and we are grateful for all of his efforts. We continue to enhance our management team, and we have an incredibly strong and deep engineering team in place," said Shai Terem, President and CEO. "Markforged is in an exceptional position to execute on our growth strategy."

About Markforged

Markforged (NYSE: MKFG) is reimagining how humans build everything by leading a technology-driven transformation of manufacturing with solutions for enterprises and societies throughout the world. The Markforged Digital Forge brings the power and speed of agile software development to industrial manufacturing, combining hardware, software, and materials to solve supply chain problems right at the point-of-need. Engineers, designers, and manufacturing professionals all over the world rely on Markforged metal and composite printers for tooling, fixtures, functional prototyping, and high-value end-use production. Markforged is headquartered in Watertown, Mass., where it designs its products with over 350 employees worldwide. To learn more, visit http://www.markforged.com.

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Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based on beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: "may," "will," "could," "would," "should," "expect," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "project," "potential," "continue," "ongoing" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding demand for Markforged product and services. Markforged cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements in this press release will prove to be accurate. These forward looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, among others, general economic, political and business conditions and other factors discussed under the header "Risk Factors" in the in Markforgeds most recent registration statement on Form S-1, Markforgeds most recent periodic report on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Markforged assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220112005979/en/

Contacts

MediaPaulina Bucko, Head of Communicationspaulina.bucko@markforged.com

Investorsinvestors@markforged.com

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Markforged Announces a Realignment of Its Technology Team - Yahoo Finance

Global Satellite Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Technology Market to Reach $8,817. 3 Million by 2031. Market Report Coverage - Satellite Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Technology

New York, Jan. 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Satellite Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Technology Market - A Global and Regional Analysis: Focus on Application, End User, Component, and Country - Analysis and Forecast, 2021-2031" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06219258/?utm_source=GNW

Market Segmentation

Application: Navigation, Positioning, Precision Timing, Geo-Location, GNSS Correction End User: Defense, Commercial, Government and Civil Component: Hardware, Software

Regional Segmentation

North America: U.S., and Canada Europe: Germany, U.K., France, Russia, and Rest of Europe Asia-Pacific: Japan, China, India, and Rest-of-Asia-Pacific Rest-of-the-World: Middle East and Africa, Latin America

Market Growth Drivers

Increasing Demand for Operational Efficiency of PNT Technology

Market Challenges

High Cost of Maintaining and Upgrading the Existing PNT Technology Country Regulations and Political Landscape

Market Opportunities

Emergence of Private Sector Offering PNT Technology

Key Companies Profiled

Garmin Ltd., Northrop Grumman Corporation, BAE Systems, Inc., Qualcomm Technologies Ltd., Hexagon AB, Novatel Inc., Raytheon Technologies, WR Systems, Saab Ab, Telespazio, Thales Group, Orolia Holding SAS, Booz Allen Hamilton, Safran

How This Report Can Add Value

This extensive report can help with: A dedicated section focusing on ongoing and upcoming PNT technology programs Qualitative analysis of PNT technology application and end user Analysis of regional and country-wise PNT technology growth scope

Product/Innovation Strategy: The product section will help the reader understand the different solutions for the global satellite position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology.It will also help the readers understand the global potential of different hardware and software solution markets.

The players operating in this market are developing innovative offerings and are deeply engaged in long-term agreements and contracts with space and government agencies.

Recent Developments in Satellite PNT Technology Market

In September 2021, Northrop Grumman Corporation received a contract worth $13.3 million for Phase 2 development of an advanced, software-defined positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) payload, with options to build units destined for space flight. In June 2020, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. acquired CPI ASC Signal Division, Inc. (ASC) from Communications & Power Industries LLC (CPI) for $35 million in cash. In August 2021, Saab AB company received a contract to develop and produce radars for the U.S. Navy. The delivery is scheduled for August 2023. In February 2021, BAE Systems Inc. received a contract worth $247 million from the U.S. Space Forces Space and Missile Systems Center to design and manufacture an advanced military M-code GPS receiver. Under the contract, the company would also focus on the certification of an advanced application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and the development of an ultra-small, low-power GPS module.

Key Questions Answered in the Report

How satellite position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology market evolve in the coming years? Which end user in the satellite PNT technology market will occupy the highest share over the coming years? What components are required for commercial and defense satellite position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology market application? What is the scope in the market for new original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and other players that wish to enter the global satellite position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology market? What are the drivers and challenges attributing to the growth of the global satellite position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology? Which application and end user segment are expected to lead the global satellite position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology by 2031? What was the market value of the regions in global satellite position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology 2020, and how is the market estimated to grow during the forecast period 2021-2031? What are the R&D initiative and investment scenarios in the global satellite position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology market? What are the key developmental strategies that are implemented by the key players to sustain the competitive market?

Satellite Positions, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Technology

Satellite PNT technology determines precise geographical location or position, navigates the route, and accurately tracks exact time. The position, navigation, and timing is derived from the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) onboard the communication satellite.

The primary function of PNT is to improve the performance of GNSS by providing information about the accuracy, integrity, continuity, and availability of its signals for geo-location and navigation applications.

Initially, the position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology was introduced to supplement military and defense operations. However, PNT technology has become crucial for commercial, government, and civil operations over the years.

Currently, government agencies and private companies operating in the global satellite position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology market are engaged in research and development initiatives to offer assured position, navigation, and timing technology (A-PNT).

Satellite PNT Technology Industry Overview

The global satellite position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology market is valued at $961.7 million in 2020 and it is estimated to reach $8,817.3 million by 2031, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.45% during the forecast period 2021-2031. The major factor driving the market growth is the need for resilient navigation, positioning, and timing data for everyday applications in the commercial and defense sector.

Market Segmentation

Satellite PNT Technology Market by Application

The navigation application is expected to dominate the global satellite position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology market as receiving accurate navigation data has become the backbone of the automotive, e-commerce, and transport and logistics industries on air, land, and sea. The navigation application has also become crucial for military, government, and civil end user for national security, special operations, research, rescue missions, and more.

Satellite PNT Technology Market by End User

The commercial end user segment is anticipated to dominate the global satellite position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology market. For the automotive, commercial aviation, financial industries, e-commerce businesses, the PNT technology is critical for everyday operations.

Satellite PNT Technology Market by Component

The hardware solution segment is expected to lead the global satellite position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology market. The growth of this segment is attributed to the critical hardware components such as atomic clocks and oscillators.

Satellite PNT Technology Market by Region

During the forecast period, North America is expected to dominate the global satellite position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology market. The significant presence of key companies highly engaged in developing and providing global satellite position, navigation, and timing technology solutions is a major factor attributing to the regions growth.

Key Market Players and Competition Synopsis

Some of the key players operating in the market include Garmin Ltd., Northrop Grumman Corporation, BAE Systems, Inc., Qualcomm Technologies Ltd., Hexagon AB, Novatel Inc., Raytheon Technologies, WR Systems, Saab Ab, Telespazio, Thales Group, Orolia Holding SAS, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Safran.

The companies profiled in the report have been selected following in-depth interviews with experts and understanding details around companies such as product portfolio, annual revenues, market penetration, research and development initiatives, and domestic and international presence in the space industry.

Countries Covered North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany France U.K. Russia Rest-of-Europe Asia-Pacific China India Japan Rest-of-Asia-Pacific Rest-of-the-World Latin America Middle East and AfricaRead the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06219258/?utm_source=GNW

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

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Satellite Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Technology Market - A Global and Regional Analysis: Focus on Application, End User, Component, and...

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Data is a business asset. Companies should recognize this and operate accordingly.In his 2017 study on the business of information, Infonomics, author and thinker Doug Laney, writes, Many senior executives talk about information as one of their most important assets, but few behave as if it is.Laney continues, They spend more money tracking their companys office furniture and PCs than their information assets.Perhaps this is so because managing physical assets is easy in comparison.Data is an asset that flows through and across organizations. As anyone who has been responsible for corporate data initiatives knows, managing and governing data is hard work.

The business of information continues to challenge leading companies.The ongoing struggle is reflected in the results of NewVantage Partners annual executive survey on data and AI leadership, published earlier this month. The good news is that 91.7% of organizations report that investment in Data and AI initiatives is increasing. Also, 92.1% of organizations report that they are realizing measurable business results from their investments in data.This is where the good news end. Far fewer companies are competing on data and analytics (47.4%) and are effective at managing data as a business asset (39.7%). Even fewer have created a data-driven organization (25.5%) or established a data culture (19.3%).

These findings reflect the ongoing challenge that companies face in the quest to deliver business value from data investments.Part of this gap can be explained by the relative immaturity of data leadership roles. Organizations with a Chief Data and Analytics Officer (CDAO) has risen from just 12.0% in 2012, a decade ago, to 73.7% in 2022. However, 59.8% report that the CDAO role is nascent and evolving. Given the newness of this leadership function, it should not come as any surprise that there is much work to be done.This should be seen as good news for data professionals, where demand can be expected to remain high.The demand for data professionals will only continue to grow.

As companies think about how to manage data as a business asset, they should reflect on two fundamental and complementary dynamics of responsibility the business of data, and the technology of data. Organizations that are effective, harmonize their efforts to blur this distinction. Understanding what is meant by the business of data and the technology of data is prerequisite to managing this dynamic and achieving positive business outcomes.

The Business of Data

Companies are increasingly focused on driving business results from data.The mandate of the CDAO is to bring responsibility for data closer to business leaders and business decision makers. These line executives bear ultimate responsibility for making informed business decisions. Not surprisingly, introduction of a new C-suite executive role has not been universally well-received.Change is rarely welcome.

In a recently published article, CIOs Warm to the Chief Data Officer, Myles Suer, writes, It's taken some time, but CIOs and CDOs (chief data officers) now understand the need for a strong working relationship. Data has become the driver behind digital transformation and better business decision-making. For CDOs and CIOs to succeed, they must succeed together. It hasnt been a smooth evolution for many organizations.Suer continues, CIOs have historically viewed CDOs as an additional bureaucrat who would gum up the works. CIOs also claimed CDOs would not be accountable for a total solution, but instead would leave it to the CIOs and architects to do all the work. However, this attitude has changed as the twin force of self-service business intelligence and digital transformation have brought data to the forefront of the enterprise agenda.

My colleague John Ahrendt, who served for 16 years as head of consumer data and analytics at Wells Fargo Bank, has seen how ownership for the business side of data has become the primary responsibility of the CDAO, with a focus on analytics and business results.The technology side of data has been the historic domain of the CIO, with a focus on data extraction, data transformation, data management, data cataloging, and delivery of data for analysis on platforms such as data lakes and through the Cloud. Sometimes the delineation of responsibilities become fuzzy.

The Technology of Data

For organizations to succeed, the business and technology dynamic must work in tandem.Suer nicely elucidates the mindset and thinking that is required if companies hope to make their data initiatives successful.Suer notes, CIOs believe they should provide the infrastructure, the data stores, and the operations and support for data-centric IT. CIOs should be custodians of the data. CIOs believe a CDO's prime directives should include governance, citizen data science, cloud data management, DataOps, data quality, data security and data science.Given the complexity of capabilities and specialized expertise required to manage data, it should not be surprising that companies struggle to demarcate clear lines of ownership and responsibility.Suer concludes, CIOs want CDOs to have a broad mandate across organizations and functions to identify, gather and help place value on data.

Regardless of the lines of demarcation, and the division of responsibility between CDOs and CIOs, a few things are clear. A year ago, in a Forbes article, Why CIOs Have A Big Stake In Data Success, I wrote, Today, very few executives tell me that they view technology limitations as the principal barrier to becoming a data-driven organization. Rather, they describe ongoing challenges relating to organizational alignment, business collaboration, and common language and meaning.Not surprisingly, for the 4th consecutive year, over 90% of executives (91.9%) identified cultural factors as the greatest impediment to becoming data driven. Only 8.1% of executives pointed to limitations of technology.

Writing last year, I concluded, Although CIOs may no longer manage all aspects of corporate data programs, they will continue to have an enormous stake in the successful outcome of data transformation efforts.Suer echoes this sentiment, summarizing his perspective CIOs today have a big agenda in digitizing and integrating their companies. Having an expert data leader to take on the data agenda allows the CIO to become a critical change agent for digitalization. Appreciating the dynamic of managing both the business of data and the technology of data will be fundamental to realizing business success.

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The CDO/CIO Dynamic: The Business-Of-Data Meets The Technology-Of-Data - Forbes

Its been claimed that technology is the answer to the climate crisis. By eventually separating economic growth from its effects on the environment through improving energy efficiency, the argument runs, better technology promises to prevent catastrophic global warming.

But among the many things that this argument fails to consider is the reality that new technology has often encouraged extravagant forms of consumption: from private cars and planes to kitchens full of appliances and air-conditioning in countries with mild climates.

Technology has also caused whats called the rebound effect, where improving energy efficiency leads to cheaper energy and therefore higher rates of energy consumption. For example, buying a more fuel-efficient car will reduce your average fuel cost per trip and thus is likely to lead to more trips, taking away at least some of your anticipated energy savings.

A similar trend appears in architecture, where advances in artificial cooling, heating, and computer-aided design haverather than creating more efficient designsactually introduced wasteful building styles.

In my work, I call this phenomenon the architectural rebound effect. This effect becomes especially clear when we look at how building facades (the skin that covers buildings) have evolved over the past 100 years.

The Cit de Refuge residential building in Paris, designed by Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier in 1933, boasts one of the earliest examples of a facade made entirely out of glass. But with no windows or air-conditioning, its summer indoor temperatures reached up to 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 degrees Fahrenheit)making it a notable failure in architecture.

To fix this, the facade was fitted with external shading devices and about a third of its glass was made opaque. This strategy was mostly effective: Computer simulations have shown that the upgraded design reduced indoor summer temperatures to below 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit).

From the 1950s, fully glazed facades without shading devices began to dominate city skylines thanks to increasingly efficient and cheap air-conditioning systems that allowed temperatures inside these buildings to be regulated.

But these new glass boxes came with their own set of environmental problems. For instance, research has shown that office buildings built in Manhattan between 1965 and 1969 consumed twice as much energy per unit floor area than buildings erected between 1950 and 1954.

One reason for this is probably the difference in the window-to-wall ratio between these groups of buildings. While the later buildings had a ratio between 53% and 72%, the earlier buildings ratio sat between 23% to 32%. This means that more heat was allowed into and out of the former group of buildings during summer and winter, increasing their need for artificial cooling and heating.

[Photo: Iantomferry/Wiki Commons]Another problem with fully glazed facades is the excessive glare they cause inside buildings, which means that indoor blinds must be pulled down most of the time. This blocks occupants views to the outside and increases reliance on artificial lighting, increasing energy consumption even further.

These problems with fully glazed facades still plague buildings today. Parametrically designed shading devices are often used as a solution. Unfortunately, these tend to block outdoor views for those working inside while keeping the need for artificial light.

Should we prevent architects from exercising their aesthetic freedom in designing these extravagant buildings that harm our planet? One solution could be to set a maximum limit on the amount of energy a building is allowed to consume. This would require architects to use passive design strategiestechniques that enable humans to live in challenging climates without expending unnecessary energy.

For example, by the year 400 BC, Persians had devised an ingenious way to store ice during hot summer months using ice pits called yakhchals. These were vaulted reservoirs with a height of up to 15 meters and a depth of approximately 6 meters.By allowing hot air to exit through an opening at the top of the reservoir and burying ice deep in the earth, the base of the yakhchaland the ice insidewould remain cold throughout the summer.

An example from the modern era is the Inspector General of Police Complex building in Gulbarga, India, which uses a wind tower fitted with water sprays to create a comfortable environment in a hot and humid climate. Droplets from the sprays absorb heat from incoming air, reducing the airs temperature by up to 13 degrees Celsius before it enters the building.

Its vital to first decide how best to measure buildings maximum energy limit. In current building energy rating schemes, energy use intensity is often used, which refers to the amount of energy consumed per unit of floor area.But a flaw of this metric is that it allows overly large, grandiose buildings to be certified as low energy.

A more appropriate metric could focus on energy consumed in relation to the number of people using a buildingin other words, a buildings energy use per person.

A possible objection is that this could result in boring buildings with no aesthetic appeal. In this case, we could encourage architects to express their creativity through building structures that are not designed to house people and therefore would require little to no operational energy to run.This would considerably reduce the environmental impact of such architectural masterpieces. On average, 80% to 90% of a buildings carbon emissions arise from operating it, not building it.

Whats more, many iconic buildings have failed to function as they were designed to. Mies von der Rohes New National Gallery in Berlin suffered from cracking windows and heavy condensation, while Frank Gehrys Stata Centerat the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has leaky roofs and excessive mold. These buildings have not been demolished, however, but left standing as examples of top-quality design.

Perhaps if architects channeled their desire for daring aesthetic into sculpture-like structures rather than buildings designed for habitation, they could continue to keep pushing the limits of design without making the planet pay.

Bashar Al Shawa is a PhD student in architecture at the University of Bath.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Technology has made buildings far less efficient; it's time to find solutions from the ancient past - Fast Company

TSUKUBA, Japan, Jan. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A review article written by Katsuhiko Ariga of NIMS and colleagues published in Science and Technology of Advanced Materials in 2019 provides a comprehensive overview of recent progress of self-assembly in materials nanoarchitectonics. The review article was awarded the 2021 STAM Best Paper Award.

Outline of nanoarchitectonics concept: organization of nanoscale unit to functional materials and systems with some unavoidable uncertainties balanced harmonization of various factors. (Credit Ariga etal STAM)

Areas covered in the award winning STAM paper by Ariga and colleagues [1]

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14686996.2018.1553108

"Self-assembly has been widely researched in chemistry, specifically supramolecular chemistry, says Ariga. "I believe that self-assembly can also be the next main player for nanotechnology and materials science, that is, materials nanoarchitectonics."

Ariga adds that recent research on self-assembly had led to the development of "architecting living-creature-like highly sophisticated systems" with a wide variety of components working together with synchronous harmony.

Ariga and his colleagues decided to write this paper because they had previously published an "epoch making review in STAM Challenges and breakthroughs in recent research on self-assembly" [2] and wanted to publish an updated review on similar topics but with different perspectives after a 10-year interval.

The paper is open access with 349 highly relevant references and covers three main areas: general examples of self-assembly research as a background to the review; general overview of self-assemblies at interfaces; and finally, self-assembly processes at more specific interfaces.

On receiving the 2021 STAM Journal's Best Paper Award and views about STAM, Ariga says: "I feel deeply honoured. STAM is a professional and friendly journal to read."

References

[1] Katsuhiko Ariga, Michihiro Nishikawa, Taizo Mori, Jun Takeya, Lok Kumar Shrestha & Jonathan P. Hill (2019) Self-assembly as a key player for materials nanoarchitectonics, Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, 20:1, 51-95, DOI: 10.1080/14686996.2018.1553108

Story continues

[2] Katsuhiko Ariga, Jonathan P Hill, Michael V Lee, Ajayan Vinu, Richard Charvet & Somobrata Acharya (2008) Challenges and breakthroughs in recent research on self-assembly, Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, 9:1, DOI: 10.1088/1468-6996/9/1/014109

Fig. 1

Caption: Outline of nanoarchitectonics concept: organization of nanoscale unit to functional materials and systems with some unavoidable uncertainties balanced harmonization of various factors. (Credit Ariga etal STAM)

Further information about press release

Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (STAM) Headquarters Office, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)

Address: 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba 305-0047

EMAIL: stam-info@ml.nims.go.jp

About NIMS and STAM

NIMS and Empa Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology have jointed efforts to develop a flagship journal that provides highly-quality information on recent developments in materials science within an open access platform. The collaboration will strengthen the position of STAM in Europe.

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Science and Technology of Advanced Materials Research: Review article on self-assembly as a key player for materials nanoarchitectonics receives the...

ASHBURN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DXC Technology (NYSE: DXC) today announced that it will release financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2022 on Wednesday, February 2, 2022, at approximately 4:15 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

DXC Technology senior management will host a conference call and webcast on the same day at 5:00 p.m. EDT. The dial-in number for domestic callers is 888-330-2455. Callers who reside outside of the United States should dial +1-240-789-2717. The passcode for all participants is 4164760. The webcast audio and any presentation slides will be available through a link posted on DXC Technologys Investor Relations website.

A replay of the conference call will be available until February 9, 2022 at 800-770-2030 for domestic callers and at +1-647-362-9199 for international callers. The replay passcode is 4164760. A transcript of the conference call will be posted on DXC Technologys Investor Relations website.

About DXC Technology

DXC Technology (NYSE: DXC) helps global companies run their mission critical systems and operations while modernizing IT, optimizing data architectures, and ensuring security and scalability across public, private and hybrid clouds. The worlds largest companies and public sector organizations trust DXC to deploy services across the Enterprise Technology Stack to drive new levels of performance, competitiveness, and customer experience. Learn more about how we deliver excellence for our customers and colleagues at DXC.com.

All statements in this document that do not directly and exclusively relate to historical facts constitute forward-looking statements. These statements represent current expectations and beliefs, and no assurance can be given that the results described in such statements will be achieved. Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such statements, many of which are outside of our control. Furthermore, many of these risks and uncertainties are currently amplified by and may continue to be amplified by or may, in the future, be amplified by, the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and the impact of varying private and governmental responses that affect our customers, employees, vendors and the economies and communities where they operate. For a written description of these factors, see the section titled Risk Factors in DXCs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, and any updating information in subsequent SEC filings, including DXCs Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2021.

No assurance can be given that any goal or plan set forth in any forward-looking statement can or will be achieved, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements which speak only as of the date they are made. We do not undertake any obligation to update or release any revisions to any forward-looking statement or to report any events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events except as required by law.

Source: DXC TechnologyCategory: Investor Relations

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DXC Technology to Report Third Quarter 2022 Results on Wednesday, February 2, 2022 - Business Wire

This is a key milestone in building the future at Lloyds, which will see the insurance marketplace transformed from a largely paper-based, analogue set of processes to one that is data-focused, automated, and cost-efficient, Lloyds said in its statement. This will be the first time, in over 20 years that the technology infrastructure underpinning the London market will be completely transformed.

According to Lloyds, the agreement is predicated on three key changes: a core data record (CDR) with common data standards for policy, premium and claims, which translates digital processing; the automation of processes that support placement, policy creation, claims management, and accounting; and an agreement that market processing costs in the new digital world will reduce by at least 40% when compared to current services.

In the challenging hybrid working environment forced upon businesses by COVID-19, the early efforts of the Lloyds and London market to modernize activities have been strongly demonstrated by the ability to operate digitally and remotely almost seamlessly, ensuring customers insurance needs are met and their claims are paid, said John Neal, chief executive officer of Lloyds. Now, with the respective commitments of DXC, Lloyds and the entire London market, we have the capabilities to transition to a single platform solution that will provide automated processing and accounting for the market, a substantial reduction in operating costs, and offer customers a much faster, better service.

Sheila Cameron, CEO of the LMA, added: "This is a significant step on the journey to digitize the Lloyds and London market. We look forward to working with our managing agent members, DXC, Lloyds and the wider London market, as we build a faster and more cost-efficient, data driven future for the market and its customers.

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Lloyd's confirms joint venture with DXC Technology and IUA to digitalize the market - Insurance Business

At the 2021 U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP26), coal, methane and CO2 took the spotlight. Yet there was a deafening silence around the fastest growing solid waste stream in the worldtechnology. In 2019 alone, the world generated 53.6 million tons of waste, which is approximately 16 pounds per person.

That same year, only 17 percent of that electronic waste got recycled. The rest of it was shipped out of sight to a landfill or sent offshores, often in the developing world, where mercury, arsenic and lithium are left to seep into the ground and data-bearing devices with sensitive information can be found and exploited.

Cardboard and plastic consumer recycling has become so mainstream that ignoring recycling bins seems unthinkable. However, our electronic waste, consisting of precious metals, dangerous chemicals and sensitive data, continues to find its way to the trash each time new technology enhancements are introduced.

It's time we realized that our trash bins are not a magical portal to the abyss. That's why 2022 should be the year that technology recycling goes mainstream. In fact, as we continue to deplete natural resources and more and more privacy breaches take place and data protection laws are enacted, 2022 not only should be the year technology recycling goes mainstream, it needs to be.

On Christmas Day all around our planet, millions of phones, tablets and laptops are unwrapped. Each year the total amount of electronic equipment grows by about 2.5 million tons. By 2030, the total amount of electronic waste is set to double yet again. It seems obvious that this growing waste stream should be recycled, yet only 5 percent of people say they would recycle their devices.

When simply thrown away, these discarded items are left to be digested by our ecosystem. While the Earth is incredibly efficient at decomposing organic materials like dead animals, fallen trees and food scraps, it simply cannot naturally absorb the highly-processed metals and manufactured compounds necessary in today's technology.

Our smartphones contain dangerous chemicals such as mercury, lead and even arsenic. These toxic substances dissolve into a sludge at the bottom of landfills, which then seep into the wider ecosystem. People and businesses need to start viewing e-waste as a form of hazardous waste so that it is properly disposed of and paid for ... for the sake of our planet.

One egg from a free-range chicken in Ghana's Agbogbloshie, one of the world's largest e-waste site, was found to have chlorinated dioxins at a level 220 times higher than the limit set by the European Food Safety Authority. If you wouldn't bury your old laptops in your own backyard, you shouldn't bury them in someone else's.

Old electronics also contain glass, steel, copper, plastic, aluminum, gold, silver and palladium, all of which are finite resources that should be recycled. Yet too many don't. In 2018, just from smartphones alone, 320 tons of gold and 7,200 tons of silver were discarded.

Another solution lies with the advancement of a circular economy. Manufacturers should be better incentivized to make the repair, reuse and recycling of hardware profitable. With the material value of the world's e-waste at $62.5 billion, more than the GDP of most countries, systems need to be put consistently in place to future-proof manufacturers' supply chains, ending concerns about the long-term availability of raw materials. A global mindset shift from a linear to circular economy for technology is critical.

Today, whenever you buy a new phone, many manufacturers provide a discount if you trade in your old device. Many companies offer money for second-hand tech including manufacturers and retailers alike. We simply must meet innovation with innovation and continue to be willing to harness technology to bring solutions so we can keep up with the innovations taking place at the other end of the device food chain and establish a circular economy that is a win-win for everyone.

In 2019, the amount of e-waste had increased by 21 percent from 2014. Clearly this upward trend must stop. In 2020, America threw away 25 percent more trash during Christmas than at any other time of the year. Despite the grave environmental and data security dangers of simply discarding e-waste not making headlines, action is being taken to make a change. However, education remains the most important hurdle to overcome.

COP26 was proof that the world is prepared to tackle its carbon emissions, plastic and fossil fuels. It was also evident that e-waste continues to slip under the radar. As technology is booming, so is the amount of electronic waste. That's why it's time to make recycling an old smartphone as easy and as socially expected as recycling Christmas wrapping paper.

John Shegerian is the chairman and CEO of ERI, the largest cybersecurity-focused hardware destruction and electronic waste recycling company in the United States.

The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.

Excerpt from:

2022 Needs to Be the Year that Technology Recycling Goes Mainstream | Opinion - Newsweek