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Daily Archives: January 17, 2022
Top Five Best Technology Stocks to Buy for the Long Haul – Analytics Insight
Posted: January 17, 2022 at 8:44 am
This article features the top five technology stocks to buy and invest on January 17, 2022
The technology sector is composed of businesses that sell goods and services in electronics, software, computers, artificial intelligence (AI), and other industries related to information technology (IT). Technology stocks are ruling the stock market over the past decade. Tech investors have plenty to ponder as they head into 2022. Technology stocks are often a leading indicator for the economy and the stock market. Here are the five best technology stocks to buy on January 17, 2022.
Analytics Insight provides a list of the 5 best technology stocks, according to Yahoo Finance.
Current Price: US$136.88
Market Capital: US$165.298 billion
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. operates as a semiconductor company worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Computing and Graphics; and Enterprise, Embedded, and Semi-Custom. Its products include x86 microprocessors as an accelerated processing unit, chipsets, discrete and integrated graphics processing units (GPUs), data center and professional GPUs, and development services.
Current Price: US$269.42
Market Capital: US$671.395 billion
NVIDIA Corporation operates as a visual computing company worldwide. It operates in two segments, Graphics and Compute & Networking. The Graphics segment offers GeForce GPUs for gaming and PCs, the GeForce NOW game-streaming service and related infrastructure, and solutions for gaming platforms; Quadro/NVIDIA RTX GPUs for enterprise design; GRID software for cloud-based visual and virtual computing; and automotive platforms for infotainment systems.
Current Price: US$167.00
Market Capital: US$148.382 billion
Applied Materials is a leader in materials engineering solutions that are used to produce chips and advanced displays virtually around the globe. The companys expertise lies in modifying the atomic levels and providing the best services on an industrial scale.
Current Price: US$254.74
Market Capital: US$35.684 billion
Zscaler is an American cloud-based information security company headquartered in San Jose, California. Two of the products produced by the company are Zscaler Private Access which provides secure access to locally hosted applications, and Zscaler Internet Access which provides secure access to external applications.
Current Price: US$138.28
Market Capital: US$43.146 billion
In North America and abroad, Datadog, Inc. delivers cloud-based monitoring and analytics platform for programmers, IT operational processes, and business users. To enable real-time observability of customers technological stacks, the companys SaaS platform unifies and automates network monitoring, application performance analysis, log management, and security management.
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U.S.-Iranian citizen accused of sending U.S. technology to Iran – Boston.com
Posted: at 8:44 am
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A man with ties to Massachusetts has been charged with conspiring to illegally export U.S. goods, technology, and services to end-users in Iran,including the government of Iran, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, according to a statement from federal officials.
Kambiz Attar Kashani, 44, a dual citizen of the United States and Iran, was arrested Thursday in Chicago, Illinois, according to the statement.
The arrest was announced by Breon Peace, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, assistant attorney general of the Justice Departments National Security Division, and Joseph R. Bonavolanta, special agent-in-charge of the FBIs Boston field office.
Kashanis arrest underscores the unrelenting resolve of this office and theDepartment of Justice to prosecute those who seek to profit by compromising our national security,Peace said.
Peace alleged that Kashani orchestrated an elaborate scheme to evade federal export laws and use the U.S. financial system in procuring U.S. electronic equipment and technology for the Central Bank of Iran, which has been designated by the federal government as acting for or on behalf of terrorist organizations, according to the statement.
According to officials, Kashani allegedly used two United Arab Emirates companies as fronts to procure items from multiple U.S.technology companies, including a company in Massachusetts.
We believe Mr. Kashani profited financially by strengthening the economy of one of the worlds most infamous state sponsors of terrorism, while circumventing critical U.S. lawsdesigned to protect our national security interests, Bonavolonta said.
As set forth in the complaint, according to the statement, Kashani conspired to illegally export goods and technology to the Central Bank of Iran.
The Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control has classified CBI as a SpeciallyDesignated National (SDN) signifying that CBI is acting for or on behalf of a terrorist organization, according to officials.
According to the U.S. government, CBI has materially assisted, sponsored, and provided financial, material, or technological support, goods, or services to LebaneseHizballah, a terrorist organization, and to the Qods Force of Irans Islamic RevolutionaryGuards Corps (IRGC).
The IRGC is a branch of the Iranian armed forces and represents the primary means of the government of Iran to direct and implement its global terrorism campaign, according to the statement.
Kashani allegedly perpetrated the illegal transshipping scheme through two separate United Arab Emirates (UAE) front companies for which he acts as principal, officials said.
From around February 2019 through June 2021, Kashani and his co-conspirators used the two UAE companies to procure electronic goods and technology from multiple U.S. technology companies for end-users in Iran, including CBI, without obtaining the required export licenses, according to the statement.
Officials allege that Kashani and his co-conspirators intentionally concealed from the U.S. companies that they intended to send the items to Iran, falsely claiming that the UAE front companies would be the ultimate end users.
The governments case is being handled by the Offices National Security and Cybercrime Section.
Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon andMeredith A. Arfa are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by TrialAttorney S. Derek Shugert of the Justice Departments Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant United States Attorney Shawn McCarthy of the Northern District of Illinois.
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Archaeologists stunned by Ancient Greek device: ‘Have to rethink history of technology’ – Daily Express
Posted: at 8:44 am
The ancient Greeks lived from 700 to 480 BC and are known for the many breakthroughs they oversaw in the arts and sciences. Perhaps one of their lasting creations is what is known as the polis or city state, which became a permanent feature of Greek political life for hundreds of years. This period of time came shortly after the 'Greek Dark Ages', which saw people living scattered across the land in small farming communities.
But slowly, these villages grew in size, expanded, built walls and organised cohesive communities, later developing governments and drawing up what we today would see as a constitution or common set of laws.
A number of relics from this time have turned up across not only Greece but the wider empire, which at its peak included parts of modern-day Italy, France, Spain, Turkey and North Africa.
Many have left researchers awestruck, but none more so than the Antikythera: a 2,000-year-old hand-powered orrery a mechanical model of the Solar System described as the world's oldest instance of an analogue computer.
Archaeologists first found it at the turn of the 20th century, in 1901, off the coast of the Greek island Antikythera.
The device was found among a wider treasure trove which included marble statues, elegant vases, glistening jewellery and ancient coins.
The mechanism itself, researchers first believed, was some sort of corroded metal, perhaps an ancient dictionary, that no one knew what to do with.
In 1902, archaeologist Valerios Stais identified a gear inside the piece, but it was not until some 70 years later when Professor Tony Freeth and his team from University College London (UCL) conducted extensive research on the model and carried out its first-ever X-ray.
This decisive research suggests that the ancient Greeks would once have used it to predict astronomical positions and eclipses decades in advance.
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"It's brought back the history of technology to a much earlier time.
"It is completely astonishing that the ancient Greeks firstly had the conception of making this technology, and secondly the ability to actually physically make it.
"We've had to rethink the history of technology completely as a result of this single object."
While Prof Freeth's work has allowed researchers to understand the workings of the device, the 'why' question remains.
He believes the answer to this is that it was conceived in order to calculate the Greeks astrological theories.
While being able to predict the patterns of the night sky is today something taken for granted, Prof Freeth noted: "In those days, the idea that your scientific theories could be mechanised was absolutely astonishing."
Today, the Antikythera mechanism is kept in a museum in Athens and is split into 82 fragments with much of it missing.
On finding the inscriptions inside the device, Prof Freeth revealed a world of secrets: a "user guide" to the mechanism through instructions embedded into the folds of corroded bronze.
It is from this finding that nearly all subsequent research breakthroughs about the Antikythera mechanism have been made.
Prof Freeth and his team are now taking their theoretical model and will use Greek techniques to build a physical model of the mechanism.
It is hoped that modern technology added on top of this creation may reveal "more secrets" of the ancient world.
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The technology products that hit and missed at CES 2022 Hotel Designs – Hotel Designs
Posted: at 8:44 am
Quiet floors, a lack of international travellers and it all coming to close a day early due to the organisers facing pressures from travel restrictions and the Covid-19 crisis: is this really the same CES that dominated the worlds attention every January with the biggest tech show on earth? Well, the answer is no but for good and healthy reasons for the hotel technology sector.
Regardless of physical numbers many visitors and exhibitors opted to host or attend virtually the hardcore travel-sanction-avoiding tech ninjas among our community who were able to make the trip to Las Vegas last week were promised great things. And, we would argue strongly that the event delivered a true, somewhat stark, reflection of where hotel technology is heading.
Before we go into the physical robotics and telecommunication devices that hit and missed this year, to paint a clean picture, lets start by looking at some of the key movements that emerged to the surface throughout the show.
The most obvious trend was the lack of hotel tech. Dont be alarmed, though, as this was to be expected. For years, modern travellers have demanded for hidden tech within luxury and lifestyle hospitality. More recently, that demand has mutated into insistence for tech-free spaces, amplified somewhat by a rise in wellness trends. Given what was on display at CES 2022, I think its safe to say that tomorrows hotel will be judged less on the technology it offers and instead more on whether the hotel can support consumer software and hardware.
When it comes to buzzwords, there was one that roared loudest in Las Vegas in early January. The metaverse, which in its currently state is swinging somewhere between impossible and inescapable, is fast transforming from Mark Zuckerburgs dream into reality. For an industry like hotel design and hospitality that has long strived towards authentic, one-off travel experience, the thought of a 3D, interconnected virtual space that allows users to feel the real world is terrifying and seems equally unrealistic. However, so did Facebook once upon a time. If the metaverse does take off, which it looks like it will sooner rather than later, then it will undoubtedly impact the behaviours of modern travellers.
What hit and what missed at CES 2022?
The new era of hotel TV and projector technology HIT
Every year at CES, the latest TVs are unveiled, which is always met with a gasp from tech enthusiasts. 2022 lived up to the same expectation, with the likes of LG, Sony, TLC and Panasonic unveiling QD-LED, OLED Evo, micoLED and even miniLED. But, aside from impressive render displays, it was in fact a projector that stole the show. With its compact design that looks more like a spotlight than a portable screen, the Samsung Freestyle is a powerful and compact projector, smart speaker and ambient lighting device all rolled into one lightweight package that weighs just 830 grams. The product would be ideal for hotel guestrooms and suites, transforming F&B spaces into sensory experiences or for last-minute outdoor cinemas.
The space hotel HIT
With the increased awareness around sustainability and materiality, the days of pop-up hotel have somewhat been erased in hospitality history. However, when it comes to forward-thinking technology at CES, exhibitors have their vision fixed on the future. Looking the farthest forward by a long way this year was Sierra Space, which displayed a series of giant inflatable houses on the moon. It sounds far-fetched (and it is) but the launch of LIFE Habitat got us thinking about folded up hotels that could, if consciously designed, offer an extraordinary travel experience that can continuously evolve.
The smart door MISS
Image credit: M-Pwr Smart Door
We are all for hotel concepts that challenge conventional approaches to hospitality here at Hotel Designs. And by our judgement of the smart door, we are not saying that we dont rate the contactless hotel we do! However, the idea of a smart door, for us, is one gimmick too far in an era when hoteliers and designers are striving for paired-back approach to technology. Having said that, we cant argue that the M-Pwr Smart Door is not a clever evolution from the smart doorbell.
Sci-fi baths HIT
Image credit: Kohler
Kohler is never a brand to disappoint at CES. Following the Amazon Echo shower that was unveiled a few years ago, the bathroom brand that is always ahead of the curve when it comes to hotel and bathroom technology, arrived at CES 2022 with its answer to the future of wellness in residential and hotel design. Available in a variety of sizes, the Infinity Experience Freestanding Bath comes complete with LED lighting effects, and relaxing fog that has been inspired by Japanese hot springs. The bath is surrounded by a hinoki wood base and uses PerfectFill technology that maintains the ideal temperature and water level.
Humanoid robots HIT and MISS
Image credit: Engineered Arts/Ameca
Robots have long been a contentious topic among hoteliers globally Aloft robot butler called Botlr that showed up in 2014 threatened taking away the human interaction in hospitality and therefore never really landed. Since then, other robots have tried and failed to takeover hotel technology. Challenging the opinion that robots will never replace face-to-face service is Engineered Arts. The company have launched a new robot called Ameca, which first made contact with the public at CES 2022 with its surprisingly vivid and emotive facial expressions using no less than 17 motors inside its head.
Ameca, with a grey non-human metal and plastic body that is deliberately genderless, has been designed with eerily lifelike mannerisms, but goes down as a miss from us as it cant yet walk or move around, making it null and void for todays hospitality landscape (phew).
In-room robot vacuums HIT
Notwithstanding our tasteful dissing of the hotel robot, one android we do believe has a place in at least the boutique hotel environment is the robot vacuum, which has developed extensively since becoming popular domestically in recent years. The S7 MaxV Ultra moves a step close to being sufficient. And with 30 per cent faster charging, reliable coverage, compact docking and detailed 3D mapping, the technology is becoming more and more relevant for hotel commercial use during a time when housekeeping is at a minimum due to social distancing.
The Amigami Ham Ham MISS
Image credit: Yukai Engineering
We seem to be the only media platform that is not giving its thumbs-up to Amigami Ham Ham, the cuddly animal robot that melted hearts at CES 2022 with its ability to nibble fingers (we are not making this up). The unusual product uses play biting as a method of providing comfort. If we are really pushed to offer some credit, we are impressed by the soft toys ability to automatically engage its motor and algorithm (or hamgorithm) so that no bite feels the same. Well leave how this would possibly be utilised in a hotel setting down to you.
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Main image credit: Engineered Arts/Ameca
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How Some Developing Nations are Leading the Charge in Tech Innovations – Devdiscourse
Posted: at 8:44 am
When you think of tech innovations around the world, you think of global superpowers such as America and China creating the newest and highest quality technology for people around the world. While there is certainly some truth to that, it is often forgotten how many developing nations provide for the tech world. From iGaming innovations to other ways of changing the world, the hottest tech is coming from all corners of the planet. The scale of the gambling industry can be seen by the vast amount of sites offering slot games and other gambling services. However, trends and attitudes around the world towards igaming are certainly still mixed. Many developing countries are embracing gambling as a way to make revenue, and Turkey is a prime example of a developing nation that has done this. Esports and e-gaming have become a massive market in the country, and according to research from 42Matters, Turkish game publishers have an average of more than 796,650 downloads, despite only making up about 2% of the overall market. This is higher than the download average of all mobile games at only 483,320. Furthermore, Turkish publishers use a higher percentage of ads and in-app payments to increase their revenue. As mobile internet becomes more widespread across the globe, trends like this will continue, where the share could well be better spread across the globe.
As research in February from The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) showed, there are a few developing nations that are showing stronger capabilities to use and adapt what they call "frontier technologies" than their per capita GDPs would suggest, according to an index of 158 countries in UNCTAD's Technology and Innovation Report 2021. As they put it, "Frontier technologies are those that take advantage of digitalization and connectivity. They include artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things, big data, blockchain, 5G, 3D printing, robotics, drones, gene editing, nanotechnology and solar photovoltaic." In first place is India, overperforming by 65 positions, in second place is The Philippines. This is due to their high ranking for industry, as they have had high levels of foreign investment in high-tech manufacturing, mostly in the electronics industry. The country has strong supply chains, a lot of pro-business policies, as well as a network of economic zones and a fairly highly educated workforce. On 21 April 2021, The country celebrated its first National Innovation Day and in April 2019, they signed the Phillippine Innovation Act, which placed innovation at the heart of the nation's long-term development strategy. With these long-term plans to continue the nation's development through tech, we could soon be seeing The Philipines becoming a world leader on the tech stage.
Tackling social concerns has been at the heart of Africa's tech innovations, and African nations are developing at an impressive rate. In the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kinshasa, Solar-powered robots have been created to control traffic. In the city, the traffic was seen to be out of control, where pedestrians were in danger of being hurt and the rules of the road were often ignored. Industrial engineer Thrse Izay Kirongozi was hired to develop humanoid robots and the first appeared in 2013 to aid pedestrians crossing one of the main roads in the city Boulevard Lumumba. This first robot, which stands at two-and-a-half meters tall, raises one robotic arm to regulate traffic and bends the other to allow people to cross the road.
In Kenya, a new rugged tablet is helping children by giving them access to digital learning. BRCK, a company that gained widespread praise for its router designed to give Kenyans good connectivity, came back with the Kio Kit, a digitalised classroom all in one tough, weather-resistant box. The kit contains 40 Kio tablets and headphones and a BRCK connectivity device and can be charged wirelessly. An innovator at BRCK in the launch video for the Kio Kit said: "One lesson that we learned from our earlier design iterations is that the tablet charging connection is the greatest single point of failure for devices used by children. So, we engineered the Kio not to require a cable for charging." So that the Kio tablets are suited to schools' educational requirements, the innovators at BRCK collaborated with the digital content provider, eLimu, who developed resources such as videos and educational games to put on to the tablets.
Some Latin American nations have been leading the charge in developing nations innovation on the tech frontier. In Chile, a company called BabyBe has developed technology that sets out to shorten the hospital stay of premature babies. The tech includes a system that turns the mother's heartbeats and movement of their lungs into a sensorial feeling for the baby. The creators said: "It gives premature babies the capacity to feel like touching their mother from the incubation machine." This was developed because many mothers of premature babies have to watch their babies from inside an incubation screen, and both mother and baby can't feel connected to one another. The creator, Camilo Anabalon said: "not only entails sentimental and emotional implications but also physical in the baby's body."
In Mexico, a Guadalajara based company called Emiti has created a smartwatch that helps take care of the elderly, monitoring their health and reacting in the case of an emergency. The device detects falls, cardiac rhythm anomalies and it features an emergency button and was chosen to represent Mexico at CES. The company's product includes 24/7 assistance and care service which detects if the user has suffered an accident.
While we may see China, Japan, Europe and The United States as huge tech innovators at the centre of the tech world, the developing world is coming with all types of tech innovation, whether it be for entertainment, health or to tackle social issues. It is extremely exciting to see how these nations continue to develop tech and continue to close the gap between them and the wealthiest nations.
(Devdiscourse's journalists were not involved in the production of this article. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Devdiscourse and Devdiscourse does not claim any responsibility for the same.)
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Need to re-visit technology choice – The Hindu BusinessLine – BusinessLine
Posted: at 8:44 am
Labour unions have always been at the forefront challenging the adoption of newer technologies on the grounds that they would lead to worker displacement. Take a simple example. As against one weaver working at a loom, the industrial revolution gave us power looms where one weaver could manage 10 looms. Employers fought the protests on grounds of productivity and sometimes even signed agreements with labour unions guaranteeing no worker displacement since the productivity gains more than compensated for the cost of carrying the labour.
Similar arguments at a macro level were provided by some economists who argued for and against the newer production technologies that were arriving at the shores of developing economies. Since many of the manufacturing plants are imported from the advanced economies, they come with a design that requires fewer workers. Certainly not appropriate for developing economies with surplus labor.
Apart from productivity, technologies that underlie machinery and plant design also address safety. For instance, workers close to chemicals, or heat generating activities are very susceptible to injuries and machineries that prevent these happening are to be welcomed.
This technological distinction was at the core of Gandhis attitude towards industrialisation. His Hind Swaraj makes his dislike for machinery very clear. He wanted the village to be self-sufficient, or at least self-reliant. One strain in his arguments was that large scale industrialisation was de-humanising. But the other strain was in the fine distinction he would make between machinery and technology that enhanced the human and supported the worker, versus the one that replaced or made the human irrelevant.
He got Maurice Frydman, the Polish engineer, to apply his skills to improve the charka, and praised the sewing machine. Gandhi would stress that the economy and technology should be focused on the human being and not on the product. JC Kumarappa, who built on Gandhis principles of satya and ahimsa stressed that an economic exchange should not be seen as a material but as a moral one. Thus, decentralisation and stress on local consumption become natural derivatives from this stream of thought.
Research published in 2020 by economists Daron Acemoglu and Pascual Restrepo would seem to partly support Gandhi. They examine the falling share of economic output that goes as wages to workers and the increasing expenditure on software and machinery. In their study of the effects of automation and introduction of robots in particular, they show that robots have negative effects on employment and wages.
Using US data, they show that one more robot per thousand workers reduces employment by 0.2 per cent and wages by 0.42 per cent. Thus, increasing wage inequality. In other studies, they have argued that technologies like self-checkout kiosks at stores, and automated customer service replace workers without increasing productivity.
In a developing country context, one wonders what the effect of the technology is? Recall that toll booths here require three people per lane one to direct the traffic, one to collect from the vehicle and hand it across the counter to the person in the booth! Is technology being adopted only because that is what is available, or for saving employment, or to raise productivity?
Developing societies, and labor surplus ones in particular, have already seen waves of technological activity since the industrial revolution. We have the data to study their effects on society, both in terms of employment and wages, as also income inequality, and humanity. The microprocessor revolution, hidden microscopically deep in the recesses of everything we use are not as apparent as large machines but with even more far-reaching effects.
We are on the cusp of the effects of artificial intelligence on our lives. Hence, the question of what technology is relevant is an important broad societal question.
At the micro level, business considerations must clearly drive the decision. At the macro level, society needs to debate about what technologies are relevant and how can government policies through subsidies and taxation nudge innovation and adoption in a societally appropriate manner.
The writer is an emeritus professor at Suffolk University, Boston
Published onJanuary 17, 2022
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Brentwood Technology Director Retires After 35 Year Career | News – brentwoodtn.gov
Posted: at 8:44 am
John Allman celebrated his retirement with the City of Brentwood at an afternoon event at the John P. Holt Brentwood Library on Friday, January 14, 2022. Allman was hired by the City of Brentwood in 1986 as a firefighter. He was promoted twice, earning the rank of Captain with the Brentwood Fire & Rescue Department. In 1996, while simultaneously serving as Fire Captain, he began overseeing the development of technology systems in city operations. Three years later, in 1999, he officially moved from the Fire Department to become the Citys first and only Technology Director, for more than the past two decades.
City Manager Kirk Bednar said, from being a firefighter in the very first days of the Fire Departments existence, to single handedly starting the Technology Department and driving the implementation and expansion of our entire technology footprint here with the City of Brentwood, Johns career in Brentwood has been far reaching. He has also been the driving force behind numerous intergovernmental initiatives benefitting all of Williamson County and beyond. His departure means the loss of one of our truly foundational staff members, and he will be missed.
Brentwood City Commissioner Anne Dunn, who could not attend Fridays event, echoed those sentiments at Mondays regular City Commission meeting. I never envisioned the scope of what the Technology Department would be today. I dont know that we can ever give him enough credit for how its developed over the years.
Some of Allmans biggest achievements while at Brentwood include launching the technology department, implementing the citys first email system in 1991, installing a fiber optic network throughout the city, and managing the technology design for the new 55,000 square foot police headquarters and 911 center. Allman also served as the technical lead for the joint radio system project between Brentwood, Franklin, and Williamson County. Other major accomplishments include being the first city in the southeast to install mobile data laptops in police and fire vehicles. Allman has also deployed several times on disaster response to help with emergency communications and has led the city with its efforts in cybersecurity. While with the Fire Department, he received two awards. Allman received a Life Saving award for helping save someones life and a Medical Service award in 1994 for another life-saving rescue. (Photo: Allman is far right, in the back)
Allman said, I am excited about slowing down and spending more time with my family, including my children and grandchildren. He also plans to spend more time at his church helping with the audio- visual systems and at the Williamson County Emergency Operations Center as a reserve EMA.
Brentwood staff hired a technology consulting company to help recruit a new Technology Director. Sarah VanWormer, from the City of Battle Creek, Michigan, will start with the City of Brentwood on January 31, 2022. She is an experienced government leader with more than twenty years of City IT and GIS experience.
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The Ag Technology Gap: When Promises Fall Short Of Results – Agweb Powered by Farm Journal
Posted: at 8:44 am
Agriculture doesnt have an innovation problem, says Mississippi producer Chad Swindoll. It has an implementation problem.
Digital information is a realm of genuine opportunity for agriculture, but the shine of a new digital product often dulls in the rows. Boiled down, many growers believe there is a gap between what is offered in the ag data market and what is needed.
The basic data framework is a company builds software and sells the product on a subscription, fee or standard one-time transaction. But for the grower at the end of the chain, the promises can be paralleled by pitfalls.
When the focus is on a tool, rather than a result, something is out of kilter, Swindoll says.
In Tallahatchie County, Miss., Swindoll grows corn and cotton and owns consulting firm J19 Agriculture. Prior to J19, he worked for several years as a field representative for a precision ag tech company and encountered a consistent request from growers: Can you help me with my data?
I turned down requests all the time, he says. They had been told or heard that data is useful, but just didnt know how or where to start.
Most ag data revenue models are built around products, and not customer success, Swindoll contends.
Its like being in a store, he says. You go in and buy a product and you pay the company; the deal is done. The problem for a farmer is not about a lack of tools. Instead, the problem is finding someone with a financial incentive to make the tools work.
In Bolivar County, Miss., Adron Belk grows corn, rice and soybeans. He gleans university data for management help but is resolute in obtaining data directly off his own ground.
For the past five years, Belk has placed 50% to 75% of his land in strip trials. He tests variety, fertilizer placement, fungicide, irrigation and more.
Belk generally runs three major company platforms, and the interchange can be a major tangle.
Crossing boundaries is not simple, he says. All three companies help me with their products, but the interchange is a different matter. At end of day, I want to farm not wrestle data.
Agribusiness and farmers are still discovering what data information is worth, Swindoll explains.
There remains a segment of growers who adhere strictly to farm history to interpret what happens in the rows. For example, Farmer Joe looks across a particular field and tabulates the oral traditions of his forefathers, along with his own field experiences, and accounts for all the good and bad spots. Therefore, the case is closed.
Summed from a slightly different angle: Knowledge of the gar-hole locations sustained his family in the past: therefore, the knowledge is ample for his family in the future. Swindoll dents the armor of the I-know-my-own-ground attitude with legitimate questions.
There is a world of difference between knowing something is bad and knowing precisely how bad it is, he says. Question: What is the exact impact of a gar hole? You cant force against a weve-always-done-it-this-way mentality, but you can ask questions that make people think critically.
Trey Brower grows corn, cotton, soybeans and sweet potatoes in Calhoun County, Miss. He is new to ag data analysis, and 2020 was his first year to get serious. The biggest data issues for Brower are implementation and compatibility.
Thats a big gap to me, Brower says. I know my good areas and bad areas of each field, but I want to know the why of what I cant see. I want to nail down exactly why and develop mapping data. Data is knowledge.
One of the best data actions a farmer can implement is the organization of field records. One of Swindolls go-to questions to ask a grower: Can you tell me what you planted on this field on this day population and variety? He often receives muddied answers.
Its 2022, and many farmers dont know the real numbers, he says. The information is being held captive on a computer in a tractor sitting on a farm lot somewhere. Nobody wants to say it, but weve got producers who dont know how to effectively use yield monitors because they havent been taught or taken the time to learn.
Despite the data hitches, the road ahead is wide open, paved with many high-performing products, Swindoll says.
Things will continue to get cheaper and improvements in cellular capability will take data from field to office at even more incredible speeds, he says.
No matter the future of ag data, a human touch will always be needed to weave the patchwork together.
People dont want to get a long chain of data; they want to know three things they can act on right now and why, Swindoll adds. Its like the old saying: Dont tell me how to build a watch, just tell me what time it is.
Swindoll frequently receives two blunt questions from farmers. The first: I use brand X software. It is good? The second: What should I buy?
His answer requires a peek over the near horizon: I tell guys, If it works for you, then keep using it, but you must have an exit strategy. Companies continue to get bought and sold at a fast pace, but if you ask almost anybody in farming, Will ag data will be more or less important in 10 years? Theyll answer: more. Therefore, we have to be more methodical on who we partner with to handle data.
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The Ag Technology Gap: When Promises Fall Short Of Results - Agweb Powered by Farm Journal
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Conveyor technology: designing for the future by innovating the present – International Mining
Posted: at 8:44 am
Higher production demands across all bulk handling segments require increased efficiency at the lowest cost of operation, in the safest and most effective manner possible, R Todd Swinderman, CEO Emeritus of Martin Engineering, writes*.
As conveyor systems become wider, faster and longer, more energy output and more controlled throughput will be needed. Add an increasingly stringent regulatory environment, and cost-conscious plant managers must closely review which new equipment and design options align with their long-term goals for the best return on investment (ROI).
Safety is likely to become a new source of cost reduction. The percentage of mines and processing facilities with a robust safety culture are likely to increase over the next 30 years to the point where it is the norm, not the exception. In most cases, with only a marginal adjustment to the belt speed, operators quickly discover unanticipated problems in existing equipment and workplace safety. These problems are commonly indicated by a larger volume of spillage, increased dust emissions, belt misalignment and more frequent equipment wear/failures.
Higher volumes of cargo on the belt can produce more spillage and fugitive material around the system, which can pose a tripping hazard. According to the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), slips, trips and falls account for 15% of all workplace deaths and 25% of all workplace injury claims. Moreover, higher belt speeds make pinch and sheer points in the conveyor more dangerous, as reaction times are drastically reduced when a worker gets clothing, a tool or a limb caught from incidental contact.
The faster the belt, the quicker it can wander off its path and the harder it is for a belt tracker to compensate, leading to spillage along the entire belt path. Caused by uncentred cargo, seized idlers or other reasons, the belt can rapidly come in contact with the mainframe, shredding the edge and potentially causing a friction fire. Beyond the workplace safety consequences, the belt can convey a fire throughout the facility at extremely high speed.
Another workplace hazard one that is becoming progressively more regulated is dust emissions. An increase in the volume of cargo means greater weight at higher belt speeds, causing more vibration on the system and leading to reduced air quality from dust. In addition, cleaning blade efficiency tends to decline as volumes rise, causing more fugitive emissions during the belts return. Abrasive particulates can foul rolling components and cause them to seize, raising the possibility of a friction fire and increasing maintenance costs and downtime. Further, lower air quality can result in fines and forced stoppages by inspectors.
As belts get longer and faster, modern tracking technology becomes mandatory, with the ability to detect slight variations in the belts trajectory and quickly compensate before the weight, speed and force of the drift can overcome the tracker. Typically mounted on the return and carry sides every 70 to 150 ft (21-50 m) prior to the discharge pulley on the carry side and the tail pulley on the return new upper and lower trackers utilise innovative multiple-pivot, torque-multiplying technology with a sensing arm assembly that detects slight variations in the belt path and immediately adjusts a single flat rubber idler to bring the belt back into alignment.
To drive down the cost per tonne of conveyed material, many industries are moving toward wider and faster conveyors. The traditional troughed design will likely remain a standard. But with the push toward wider and higher-speed belts, bulk handlers will need substantial development in more reliable components, such as idlers, impact beds and chutes.
A major issue with most standard chute designs is that they are not engineered to manage escalating production demands. Bulk material unloading from a transfer chute onto a fast-moving belt can shift the flow of material in the chute, resulting in off-centre loading, increasing fugitive material spillage and emitting dust well after leaving the settling zone.
Newer transfer chute designs aid in centring material onto the belt in a well-sealed environment that maximises throughput, limits spillage, reduces fugitive dust and minimises common workplace injury hazards. Rather than material falling with high impact directly onto the belt, the cargos descent is controlled to promote belt health and extend the life of the impact bed and idlers by limiting the force of the cargo at the loading zone. Reduced turbulence is easier on the wear liner and skirting and lowers the chance of fugitive material being caught between the skirt and belt, which can cause friction damage and belt fraying.
Longer and taller than previous designs, modular stilling zones allow cargo time to settle, providing more space and time for air to slow down, so dust settles more completely. Modular designs easily accommodate future capacity modifications. An external wear liner can be changed from outside of the chute, rather than requiring dangerous chute entry as in previous designs. Chute covers with internal dust curtains control airflow down the length of the chute, allowing dust to agglomerate on the curtains and eventually fall back onto the belt in larger clumps. And dual-skirt sealing systems have a primary and secondary seal in a two-sided elastomer strip that helps prevent spillage and dust from escaping from the sides of the chute.
Faster belt speeds can also cause higher operating temperatures and increased degradation of cleaner blades. Larger volumes of cargo approaching at a high velocity hit primary blades with greater force, causing some designs to wear quickly and leading to more carry back and increased spillage and dust. In an attempt to compensate for lower equipment life, manufacturers may reduce the cost of belt cleaners, but this is an unsustainable solution that doesnt eliminate the additional downtime associated with cleaner servicing and regular blade changes.
As some blade manufacturers struggle to keep up with changing production demands, industry leaders in conveyor solutions have reinvented the cleaner industry by offering heavy-duty engineered polyurethane blades made to order and cut on site to ensure the freshest and longest lasting product. Using a twist, spring or pneumatic tensioner, the primary cleaners are forgiving to the belt and splice but are still highly effective for dislodging carry back. For the heaviest applications, one primary cleaner design features a matrix of tungsten carbide scrapers installed diagonally to form a 3D curve around the head pulley. Field service has determined that it typically delivers up to four times the service life of urethane primary cleaners, without ever needing re-tensioning.
Taking belt cleaner technology into the future, an automated system increases blade life and belt health by removing blade contact with the belt any time the conveyor is running empty. Connected to a compressed air system, pneumatic tensioners are equipped with sensors that detect when the belt no longer has cargo and automatically backs the blade away, minimising unnecessary wear to both the belt and cleaner. Additionally, it reduces labour for the constant monitoring and tensioning of blades to ensure peak performance. The result is consistently correct blade tension, reliable cleaning performance and longer blade life, all managed without operator intervention.
Systems designed to operate at high speeds over considerable distances are generally powered only at vital locations such as the head pulley, disregarding adequate power for autonomous smart systems, sensors, lights, accessories or other devices along the length of the conveyor. Running auxiliary power can be complicated and costly, requiring transformers, conduits, junction boxes and oversized cables to accommodate the inevitable voltage drop over long runs. Solar and wind can be unreliable in some environments, particularly in mines, so operators require alternative means of reliable power generation.
By attaching a patented mini-generator to idlers and using the kinetic energy created by the moving belt, the accessibility obstacles found in powering ancillary systems can now be overcome. Designed to be self-contained power stations that are retrofitted onto existing idler support structures, these generators can be employed on virtually any steel roller.
The design employs a magnetic coupling that attaches a drive dog to the end of an existing roller, matching the outside diameter. Rotated by the movement of the belt, the drive dog engages the generator through the outer housings machined drive tabs. The magnetic attachment ensures that electrical or mechanical overload does not force the roll to stop; instead, the magnets disengage from the roll face. By placing the generator outside the material path, the innovative new design avoids the damaging effects of heavy loads and fugitive material.
Automation is the way of the future, but as experienced maintenance personnel retire, younger workers entering the market will face unique challenges, with safety and maintenance skills becoming more sophisticated and essential. While still requiring basic mechanical knowledge, new maintenance personnel will also need more advanced technical understanding. This division of work requirements will make it difficult to find people with multiple skill sets, driving operators to outsource some specialised service and making maintenance contracts more common.
Conveyor monitoring tied to safety and predictive maintenance will become increasingly reliable and widespread, allowing conveyors to autonomously operate and predict maintenance needs. Eventually, specialised autonomous agents (robots, drones, etc) will take over some of the dangerous tasks, particularly in underground mining as the ROI for safety provides additional justification.
Ultimately, moving large quantities of bulk materials inexpensively and safely will result in the development of many new and higher capacity semi-automated bulk transfer sites. Previously fed by truck, train or barge, long overland conveyors transporting materials from the mine or quarry site to storage or processing facilities may even impact the transportation sector. Stretching vast distances, these long bulk handling networks have already been built in some places with low accessibility but may soon be commonplace in many areas around the world.
*This story was written by R Todd Swinderman, CEO Emeritus of Martin Engineering
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Conveyor technology: designing for the future by innovating the present - International Mining
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Last week’s biggest retail technology deals at a glance – Retail Technology Innovation Hub
Posted: at 8:44 am
Toolstation is adding Ecospends Open Banking payments technology to its e-commerce offering.
It says that the move will allow its trade account customers to significantly improve their cash flow, while also providing flexible credit limits and making their online account management much more efficient.
The tech will be integrated into Toolstations customer app and website.
Pentland Brands, owner of the Speedo, Berghaus, Canterbury of New Zealand, Endura, ellesse, SeaVees and Mitre brands, has adopted the Infor Nexus supply chain platform.
It says the technology will help to improve visibility of inventory, enhance collaboration with suppliers, automate the procure-to-pay process, and accelerate the onboarding of new suppliers and partners.
Contentstack, BigCommerce and Like Digital have teamed up to deliver a global digital platform and e-commerce capabilities to La Perla Beauty, the cosmetics and fragrance subsidiary of Italian lingerie brand La Perla.
La Perla Beauty will launch multiple storefronts on Contentstack and BigCommerce, with build and implementation from Like Digital.
Blackhawk Network has announced a deal with Carrefour Group to manage its branded third-party gift card programme across France, Belgium, Poland, Italy, Spain, Romania, Argentina and Brazil.
Carrefour will offer gift cards from a range of international and local brands, including high street retailers and gaming and entertainment providers such as iTunes, Google Play, Sony, Nintendo, Zalando and Ikea.
Blackhawk Network will be delivering the branded gift card programme as a fully managed service across all eight regions, including supply chain, operations and customer service.
Italian luxury footwear brand, Aquazzura, has selected the Cegid Retail unified commerce and Point of Sale platform to manage its stores.
Fourth has announced partnerships with Holland & Barrett and the Theo Paphitis Retail Group (TPRG), which includes the high street brands Robert Dyas, Ryman, and Boux Avenue.
This partnership will see Fourths workforce management technology implemented in over 1,000 stores across the UK for almost 10,000 employees of Holland & Barrett and TPRG.
This will help them manage the full employee lifecycle from hiring and onboarding, through to scheduling, paying, engaging, and ultimately retaining employees.
AI nutrition technology startup Spoon Guru has partnered with US supermarket chain Schnucks to develop and launch a new healthy eating platform.
Launched on 1stJanuary, Good For You is free to all members of Schnucks Rewards.
Shoppers who choose to opt into the programme will be entered into sweepstakes to win Schnucks Rewards points and will have access to a fitness library and wellness tips via an app.
The platform has been developed using Spoon Gurus technologyalongsidea nutritionist led categorisation of products according togovernment guidelines.
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Last week's biggest retail technology deals at a glance - Retail Technology Innovation Hub
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