Daily Archives: April 13, 2022

RoboBurger was the brainchild of CEO Audley Wilson, who officially co-founded the company in 2019, along with partners Dan Braido and Andy Siegel. His idea for a robot chef in a plug-in vending machine, however, goes back much farther. "I started RoboBurger in my garage 17 years ago," Wilson said via PR Newswire. "Now there couldn't be a better time to bring it to life and have everyone experience it. RoboBurger gives everyone freshly grilled, delicious burgers while ensuring a safe, contactless experience. RoboBurger always comes out piping hot and is never pre-cooked and kept warm."

The company is headquartered in Newark, New Jersey, but is currently looking for retail partners in Philadelphia, per Biz Journals. If the concept gains traction, the vending machines could soon be installed in dorm rooms, hospitals, and airports, as well as other spaces where hot food options may not be readily available.

Read the rest here:
The Futuristic Way Philadelphians Will Soon Be Able To Grab A Burger - Tasting Table

Co-artistic directors Rob Neill and Kyra Sims and the award-winning New York Neo-Futurists (NYNF), a diverse collective of writer-director-performers now in their 18th season of writing and performing original work rooted in non-fiction, announce the expanding of the ensemble with five new artists: Jake Banasiewicz, Rudy Ramirez, Chan Lin, Jackson Bird, and Mike Manship. These new Neo-Futurists will start working with the company immediately and will each have initial individual five-week runs in The Infinite Wrench at the Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street, NYC) now through August of 2022. Photos of the actors here.

"We are thrilled to have such smart, dynamic and deeply engaging individuals join our company. These five new ensemble members have already breathed such new artistic energy into the ensemble, and they are just getting started", says Sims. "We are excited to welcome these five vibrant artists to the company, and we look forward to the new plays, new collaborations, and the evolution of what we all do together", adds Neill.

Jake Banasiewicz (he/him) is a NYC-based actor/playwright originally from North Carolina. Jake graduated with a BFA in Acting from Marymount Manhattan College in 2019. As an actor, Jake has been seen in the immersive show ZeroSpace and Makes Sense Theatric's Imagination Row. As a playwright, Jake's play Blinking, Or The What Play was presented at Dixon Place in February 2019 and his play F!SH T@C0 was presented virtually by First Kiss Theatre in 2021.

Rudy Ramirez (they/them) is a Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist, writer, arts educator, and facilitator. Ramirez is a lead teaching artist with Ping Chong + Company and has served similarly at other organizations like Seattle Children's Theatre, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Childsplay, Center for Arts Education, and others. As a performer, Rudy is a member of Actors' Equity, and has performed across the US in various regional and touring productions. Most recently, they served as Co-Consulting Director of Antiracism Initiatives for Theatre for Young Audiences/USA. Additionally, they were a founding member of the BIPOC in TYA Advisory Board, project curator for Anti-Racist & Anti-Oppressive Futures for Theatre for Young Audiences: An Interactive Guide, and also authored its subsequent Accountability Report. They are a member of Theatre CG's 2021 Rising Leaders of Color NYC Cohort. Rudy is an Arizona transplant and Arizona State University alum.

Chan Lin (she/her) is a Fujianese-American multimedia artist living in Queens, NY. As a queer first generation immigrant from China who spent much of her childhood in rural Florida, Chan believes in advocating for and sharing the narratives of underrepresented voices. Since graduating from NYU in 2013, Chan has worked in film and television as a graphic designer and is a member of United Scenic Artists Local 829. She is also a ceramic artist, a matchmaker for the queer community, and a cyclist. Whether she is working in design, photography, theater, writing, or clay, she creates with a keen awareness of race, place, history, and language.

Jackson Bird (he/him) is a writer and internet creator whose work revolves primarily around transgender advocacy and the pursuit of offbeat knowledge. A TED Resident and GLAAD Rising Star Digital Innovator, Jackson is also the host of the daily podcast Cool Stuff Ride Home. In addition to sharing his and others' stories on YouTube for the past fifteen years and serving as a YouTube Creator In Residence, Jackson pivoted to slow media in 2019 with his debut book, Sorted: Growing Up, Coming Out, and Finding My Place. His writing has also appeared in The New York Times, Vulture, The Advocate, and more. Jackson is a former nonprofit communications director and current Senior Fellow with the Annenberg Innovation Lab at the University of Southern California. Raised in Texas, Jackson has spent over a decade in Queens, where he hosts weekly pub quizzes and grows too many plants on his patio.

Mike Manship (he/him) is a writer / performer originally from Raleigh, NC, where he began his career improvising with ComedySportz. He has since performed with Zeitgeist Stage, Flat Earth Theatre, and Ghosts and Gravestones Tours (Boston); and with the Neo-Futurists, Barrel of Monkeys, Redmoon, and The Factory Theatre (Chicago, IL). As a writer, he is co-creator of the hit Boston show T: An MBTA Musical and the faux children's parody series The "What Ever Happened to . . ." Series (For the Young and Easily Influenced). In 2014, his short play, Card Trick, was accepted as one of eight winners from over a hundred submissions to The Goodman Theatre's New Play Bake-Off, and from 2016-2018, he served as the resident playwright for the Chicago-area company, Theatre-Hikes. His first novel, Cambridge Street, is available on Amazon.

The New York Neo-Futurists are a radically dynamic ensemble of multidisciplinary artists who write and perform original work rooted in the truth of our own lived experiences. We fuse elements of poetry, game, and performance art to create ever-changing theater and other artistic experiments to respond to the world around us. Since opening in Brooklyn in 2004 the New York Neo-Futurists have premiered over 6,000 plays and have become a downtown New York institution. In addition to performing The Infinite Wrench fifty weeks a year and producing Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind from 2004 until 2016, the New York Neo-Futurists have been a stalwart presence in the Off-Off Broadway community, having won numerous Innovative Theatre Awards and Drama Desk Nominations. The company was honored at The 2018 Fresh Fruit Festival Awards with the Honeyberry Award for Unrecognized Service to the LGBT Community. The Infinite Wrench unleashes a barrage of two-minute plays and while each one offers something different, be it funny, profound, elegant, disgusting, topical, irrelevant, or terrifying, all are truthful and tackle the here-and-now, inspired by the lived experiences of the performers.

Go here to see the original:
Five Diverse Artists Bring Their Talents To The Ensemble Of The New York Neo-Futurists - Broadway World

Upload is set in a near future where digital uploading is possible. Farnaz Khaki-Sadigh discussed with us what it was like creating costumes for that.

When a series or movie is set in the future, there is a little extra work thats needed to go into the costuming. After all, what we wear today isnt going to be what people wear 15 or 20 years in the future. Look at how fashion has changed over the last 20 years alone.

So,Farnaz Khaki-Sadigh certainly had some work to do. On top of that, there was the need to set the costumes for the individual characters, which meant sticking to particular styles but taking into account elements that werent necessarily told to us as the viewer.

Khaki-Sadigh discussed the creation of the costumes, especially when it came to the newer characters inUpload Season 2, the LUDDs. What work went into creating the costumes? What type of materials were used? And just where could we be in 15 years time when it comes to fashion?

Amazon Adviser:What process do you go through for the costumes of each character?

Farnaz Khaki-Sadigh:The first thing is going through the script several times and really getting a feel for the story, the story arc, and the characters. Then I start by asking some background questions that may not be obvious in the script such as their job, relationship status, their family, where did they grow up or come from, what is their motivation in life, what environment do they live in now, etc. I feel that it is really important to understand who the character is and what their motivation is before you really start to create their look and choose their costume. I think that our environment and background really influence our style.

From there I start conceptualizing my ideas, research and collect references and then meet with directors and the cast (if available) to see what their visions are and what they see for the characters. The last step is compiling all of that information to create the final concept for the character and their costume journey.

Upload season 1 Courtesy of Amazon Studios

AA: How did you come up with styles for the future?

FKS:Lots and lots of research. I really had to dig into what our world would be like 15 years from now, how the environmental changes would affect how we dress, what we use for materials, and how garments would be manufactured. I had to look at what the trends of technological advances were at the time I started Season 1 (back in 2019) and where they would be headed and how much these technologies might advance in the following 15 years.

I then had to dig into the fashion and trend cycles and how they had changed over the last 20 years and try and figure out how they could affect future fashion trends. It was really important to make sure that the future we designed was relatable and realistic and not too far-fetched.

We ended up incorporating a lot of 60s fashion influences into our future styles as I was really inspired by the 60s futuristic mod trends and their fascination with how they saw future trends.

AA: The styles for some of the angels as their avatars seem to change compared to what they would usually wear. What made you make those choices?

FKS:The digital world was very fun for us to design because realistically anything is possible in the digital world despite your socioeconomic status and lifestyle in the real world. So the angels basically get to have the style and clothing that they wished they could have in reality but either cannot afford or would be too shy to portray in reality and instead have these alter ego personas portrayed in their avatars.

For example, Aleesha loves fashion and clothing but realistically she cant afford it in her real life and she has this bold personality that she keeps intact at work so she doesnt get fired. But as her angel look, she can create these super fun fashionista avatars that really showcase her vibrant and bold personality.

AA: Can you share the process for creating the costumes for the LUDDs specifically? They were only introduced this season.

FKS:The LUDDs were a group that is completely anti-technology and is anti-corporate future world. They feel this world has created a divide, making the rich richer and the poor poorer, so this group chose to live off the grid, live off the land, and not use anything that is produced or manufactured by technology, going back to a simpler life. We really wanted to incorporate that into their clothing as well.

We used recycled items, reused items that were found or available to them, and repurposed for their use. There are a lot of simpler silhouettes, fabrics, and a lot of natural fibers and textures for the LUDDs. We also really wanted to dress this group for their environment and what their daily routines were. It was really about function over fashion.

Upload Season 2 Courtesy of Liane Hentscher/Amazon Studios

AA: Some of the clothing was repurposed. Can you go into a little detail about that?

FKS:We wanted to keep the future fashion realistic and relatable but still have it stand out to show it is not present-day styles. The best way to do this was to take pieces from current fashion and change a few things on it or add to them to make them different.

We also wanted to add that 60s flair to the current fashion to keep that trend consistent throughout. We changed collars on suits, so they were narrower to reflect that 60s collar. We changed or added blazers and jackets to modify and update their style making them more futuristic (i.e. one side blazer jacket wrapped around and secured with a leather harness). We also modified shirt collars, combined shirts and or blazers in different fabric textures, added 3D elements to certain garments, and any other revisions that fit the character and story to create a new style.

AA: Is there anything youd love to do on the show that you havent had the chance to yet?

FKS: You know, this show really keeps me on my toes as there are so many elements to the story. Because of this, there is always something fun, weird, and interesting to design and create.

I cant say if there is anything specific I would want to do but I really look forward to seeing what else our creator Greg Daniels and the writers come up with in the future for maybe, fingers crossed, a possible UploadSeason 3 and I look forward to the challenge of making it real.

What did you think of the costumes inUpload Season 2? Which character costumes do you love the most? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Upload is available to stream on Prime Video.

Excerpt from:
Farnaz Khaki-Sadigh talks futuristic costumes and more in Upload Season 2 - Amazon Adviser

While hes not busy leading what is now being referred to as a genocide of the Ukrainian people, Russian president Vladimir Putin seems to be letting his imagination run wild about space exploration.

During a visit of the countrys Vostochny Cosmodrome on Tuesday, Putin said that we need to successfully stand up to the challenges of space exploration, as quoted by The Moscow Times.

According to Putin, the country is hoping to land an uncrewed spacecraft on the Moon some time this year. We will restore the moon program, he said during the announcement.

But to say thats an ambitious time line would be a huge understatement, especially given the greater geopolitical context and the countrys previous attempts.

Making announcements about landing on the Moon, a grand endeavor of nationalist pride, is certainly par for the course for a government actively shielding its citizens from hearing about the atrocities unfolding in Ukraine right now.

By the third quarter [of this year], the Luna 25 station must be complete, Putin asked Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Rogozin, as quoted by Russian state news agency TASS. Are we going to make it in time in the third quarter?

Rogozin, seemingly nonplussed by the suggestion, replied: It is expected.

But whether Russia will actually manage to land a spacecraft on the Moon within the next eight months is dubious at best. The Luna-25 mission has already faced significant delays for over half a decade, originally being scheduled to launch back in 2016.

The mission is now slated to launch from Vostochny on August 22 that is, if absolutely everything goes according to plan.

Delays aside, the countrys space program Roscosmos is also facing a wall of sanctions from international partners over the countrys invasion of Ukraine, with major partners, including NASA and the European Space Agency, rushing to find alternatives to Russian-made rockets for their upcoming missions.

Luna 25 is putatively a stepping stone towards the future goal of establishing a lunar research station with China by the year 2035.

Rogozin and Roscosmos have their work cut out though, and thats putting it lightly. Softly landing on the surface of the Moon is no easy task, as demonstrated by countless attempts since the late 1950s.

Credit where credit is due, the Soviet Union was the first country in the world to reach or rather impact with the surface of the Moon back in 1959, with its Luna 2 mission.

But it has been 46 years since Russia last launched a mission to the Moon. Will 2022, a year marked by conflict and a subsequent dissolution of international cooperation, be the year of the countrys glorious return to our closest celestial neighbor? That certainly remains to be seen.

READ MORE: Russia Will Restart Moon Landings, Says Putin [The Moscow Times]

More on Roscosmos: In Change of Strategy, Russian Space Program Begs NASA for Help

Care about supporting clean energy adoption? Find out how much money (and planet!) you could save by switching to solar power at UnderstandSolar.com. By signing up through this link, Futurism.com may receive a small commission.

Read more:
Putin Says Russia Is Landing on the Moon This Year - Futurism

After almost exactly three years, the US government has confirmed a hypothesis by a pair of Harvardastrophysiciststhat an interstellar object crashed into the Pacific Ocean.

In a previously classified memo, US Space Command affirmed that a fireball seen off the coast of Papua New Guinea in 2014 was, in fact, the first interstellar meteor known to fall to Earth.

Although the Pentagons newest branch hasnt revealed much more than what the researchers suspected, it is the first admission of its kind, an otherwise momentous finding weighed down by bureaucracy and red tape.

Theconclusion itself isnt new, Vice reports, but was originally drawn by Harvard theoretical astrophysist Amir Siraj and his mentor Avi Loeb in a 2019 preprint study.

Since then the pair have struggled to get their study peer reviewed due to the red tape surrounding the object.

Much of the information about the small meteor believed to have crashed into the South Pacific remained classified, forcing Siraj and Loeb to work around the US government.

Loeb who has made a name for himself as Harvards resident UFO researcher after boldly suggesting [link] that interstellar object Oumuamua could be a probe sent by an alien civilization proposed for his protg Siraj to start looking through NASAs Center for Near Earth Object Studies database, which catalogues meteors and fireballs, to see if anything stuck out.

In this case, the uber-fast 2014 object that became the eventual subject of the pairs paper jumped out.

It was really fast, and so I was like: Oh my God, this could be an interstellar meteor,' Siraj told Vice. It was hiding in plain sight.

While this fabulous finding was undoubtedly exciting, the pair soon learned they couldnt get precise data on the velocity margin of error for the object, because some of the same high-tech sensors used to detect fireballs like this one are used by the US military to track potential nuclear activity, Vice notes.

This whole saga, as Siraj called it, resulted in the researchers making their way up and down the food chain to get confirmation about the objects velocity from the government.

Years later, as the paper languished without peer review following Loeb and Siraj submitting it to The Astrophysical Journal Letters, it ended up in the inbox of Joel Mozer, chief scientist of Space Operations Command at the US Space Force.

That hard-fought stroke of luck resulted in the first confirmation of its kind, when, at the Space Foundations annual Space Symposium, US Space Command deputy commander John Shaw announced that a previously-detected interstellar object was indeed an interstellar object in the now-declassified memo.

Siraj toldVice that he found out about the confirmation via the same tweet that announced it to the rest of the world, and is including this key piece of information in a renewed push to get the paper finally peer reviewed.

So there you have it, folks. It may be years late and incomplete but the government has confirmed that a rock from a different star system has made it all of the way here and fallen to Earth for the very first time in history a rare glimpse of all the interstellar treasures we have yet to find.

READ MORE: Secret Government Info Confirms First Known Interstellar Object on Earth, Scientists Say [Vice Motherboard]

Care about supporting clean energy adoption? Find out how much money (and planet!) you could save by switching to solar power at UnderstandSolar.com. By signing up through this link, Futurism.com may receive a small commission.

Read the original post:
US Government Confirms That Interstellar Object Crashed Into the Earth - Futurism

Do they cry when we eat them?Among Us

A scientist from the University of the West of England says the electrical impulses mushrooms send out may be a form of communication used to talk to each other.

Professor Andrew Adamatzky published his research yesterday in the journal Royal Society Open Science. Adamatzky put electrodes in soil that had mycelium, the root of the fungi, as well as into the fruiting body of the mushrooms themselves, which is the part that grows above the ground. He used enoki, caterpillar, split gill and ghost mushrooms, and analyzed the electrical activity each one gave off.He found evidence, he toldThe Guardian, of a mysterious mushroom language that could have as many as 50 words.

We speculated that fungal electrical activity is a manifestation of the information communicated between distant parts of the fungal colonies, Adamatzky wrote in the study.

Thats scientist speak for Adamatzkys hypothesis that the electric signals moving through the mushrooms could be them talking to each other or, in other words, the whole organism communicating with various parts of itself.

Adamatzky is open to the idea that mushrooms dont talk, too, and said the noises could simply mean nothing significant at all. Its similar to the ongoing study about talking dogs in which researchers are open-minded to feedback and skepticism, which makes it easier to trust someones findings.

Even without related interspecies communication studies though, we already knew mushrooms had electrical activity and that they can even be made to sing. The five-minute clip below depicts a person hooking up a synth to some pink oyster mushrooms and recording their funky, spacey beats.

So were still waiting for a solid verdict on whether mushrooms can talk, but we can still jam out to their fungal melodies in the meantime.

More on little plants doing big things: A Jumbojet Just Flew for Three Hours Powered By Used Cooking Oil

Care about supporting clean energy adoption? Find out how much money (and planet!) you could save by switching to solar power at UnderstandSolar.com. By signing up through this link, Futurism.com may receive a small commission.

Continue reading here:
Scientist Says Mushrooms Have a Language They Use to Talk to Each Other - Futurism

A short walk from Tokyos upmarket Ginza district stands a unique building that for decades has been a magnet for architecture fans and curious tourists.

Tokyos Nakagin Capsule Tower was designed by the late Kisho Kurokawa and built in 1972. The extraordinary structure is a rare example of Japans post-war Metabolism movement that combined modern architectural thinking with ideas of organic biological growth.

But in just a few days from now, the iconic building will be torn down.

The Nakagin Capsule Tower, which to some resembles a precarious stack of front-loading washing machines, has been showing its age in recent years, and despite the long-running efforts of preservationists to save it, work on demolishing the structure will begin on April 12.

The buildings 140 or so capsules, each measuring around 10 square meters, were built off-site and then bolted onto two concrete shafts. Kurokawa suggested at the outset that the capsules should be replaced with new designs every 25 years, but in the end none were removed.

Although it began life as an accommodation block, over the years, as the building became more outdated and harder to maintain, some of the capsules began to be used for storage and office space, as well as more offbeat activities befitting of its quirky design.

Some of the capsules have been modernized, while others retain their original features, including the technology that in the early 1970s wouldve been considered cutting edge.

Although the Nakagin Capsule Tower will soon cease to exist in its complete state, its architectural significance means that some of the capsules will be saved and put on display in museums in Japan and around the world. Many, however, are sad to see the structure go, all too aware that Tokyo and the world of architecture are losing something really rather special.

Here is the original post:
Tokyos once-futuristic Nakagin Capsule Tower to be demolished - Digital Trends

After launching late last year, NASAs revolutionary James Webb Space Telescope is finally getting ready to fixate its numerous golden mirrors on distant targets.

Intriguingly, though, one of its 13 early targets isnt so distant at all at least in the grand scheme of things. Itll be looking at Jupiter, the iconic gas giant in our own star system. Of course, we already know quite a bit about the planet already so why investigate it using the JWST if it can have a closer look at far more distant objects?

Weve been there with several spacecraft and have observed the planet with Hubble and many ground-based telescopes at wavelengths across the electromagnetic spectrum (from the UV to meters wavelengths), Berkeley astronomer Imke de Pater, leader of the Jupiter observation team, told Digital Trends, so weve learned a tremendous amount about Jupiter itself, its atmosphere, interior, and about its moons and rings.

But every time you learn more there are things you dont yet understand so you always need more data, she added.

For instance, we still dont know how an awful lot about the gas giants atmosphere, with massive storms roiling on its surface. The planets Great Red Spot, in particular, has fascinated astronomers since its discovery in 1830.Its a storm so massive, in fact, that you could easily fit the Earth in the area it takes up.

Well be looking for signatures of any chemical compounds that are unique to the [Great Red Spot] which could be responsible for the red chromophores, Leigh Fletcher, senior research fellow in planetary science at the University of Leicester in the UK, said in a 2018 NASA statement about the project, referring to particles responsible for the storms unusually red color.

If we dont see any unexpected chemistry or aerosol signatures then the mystery of that red color may remain unresolved, Fletcher added.

The JSWT will also take a closer look at Jupiters moons Io and Ganymede, the latter being the only known moon that has its own magnetosphere.

The space telescope is the ideal candidate for the job.

The biggest advantage is at the mid-infrared wavelengths, de Pater told Digital Trends. We can observe at some of these wavelengths from the ground, but the Earths atmosphere is so turbulent that what we get on the ground, we cant calibrate the observations very well.

Right now, the JSWT is still busy aligning its mirrors but soon, itllfinally be prime time.

In the first year of science operations, we expect Webb to write entirely new chapters in the history of our origins the formation of stars and planets, Klaus Pontoppidan, the Space Telescope Science Institute project scientist for Webb, said in a recent NASA blog post.

Before gazing at Jupiter, the observatorys Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) will have to be cooled to about 7 Kelvin, or about -447 Fahrenheit, to adjust to its frosty surroundings in deep space.

But once its ready, astronomers are already excited about what it will be able to see.

The imager promises to reveal astronomical targets ranging from nearby nebulae to distant interacting galaxies with a clarity and sensitivity far beyond what weve seen before, Alistair Glasse, Webb-MIRI Instrument Scientist at the Astronomy Technology Center in the UK, said in a recent post.

And considering its proximity, Jupiter should be childs play for the JWST.

Updated to correct an error in the temperature the James Webbs MIRI instrument will eventually be cooled to.

READ MORE: One of James Webbs first targets is Jupiter. Heres why [Digital Trends]

More on JWST: NASA Is Keeping the James Webb Telescopes First Target Secret

Care about supporting clean energy adoption? Find out how much money (and planet!) you could save by switching to solar power at UnderstandSolar.com. By signing up through this link, Futurism.com may receive a small commission.

Continued here:
The James Webb Space Telescope Is Going to Stare Straight Into Jupiter - Futurism

With every new seasonand the award shows that followour Instagram feeds and red carpets all boast a plethora of fresh beauty trends. Yes, our eyes tend to scan every makeup and hair moment that swans into our vision. But now, our attention is heading to the fingertips.

Enter: Mirror Manicures.

Thanks to the recent trip back to our beloved Y2K eraand its fascination with futurismtheres a new nail trend rising to the surface. Known for its chrome-style finish, the look is essentially like a mirror on your nail beds and gives off a dystopian aura to any look.

Celebrities and Instagram It-girlshello, Dua Lipahave all donned the trend in whether it be through their social media grid or when attending award shows, and the manicure trend looks to be going nowhere any time soon.

For most, the mirror manicure could come across as daunting, but lo and behold, your nails wont actually reflect an image. In fact, if youre less keen on a full-nail coverage, your digits dont have to be. The trend can be achieved in different ways, with iterations of the manicure ranging from a subtle chrome french tip to a dipped mirror effect.

And there arent any rules on colour either, you can opt for metal-like silver tones or a rich and decadent gold hue. The best part? While the less confident manicure mavens can head straight to their closest nail technician, this trend can actually be done at home.

First, the most important step in any manicure routine is to prepare your nails. Essentially, prepping your nails includes trimming, filing and shaping the nails how you prefer them. But dont forget to buff the nail bed back, since gel wont stick to shiny nails.

Next, apply your first coat of nail polish. For gel polish users, now is the time to apply your primer and set. Then, go in with your preferred base coat and cure with a UV or LED lamp until dry.

Once your polish is applied, heres where the chrome comes in. To apply your chrome pigment, which is what gives your digits the mirror-like shine youre after, reach for a brush, either the one the pigment came with or a firm eyeshadow brush youre happy to part with. Then, press the brush into the chrome pigment and swipe from the base of the nail to the tip, avoiding the cuticle and skin as much as possible.

When the chrome pigment begins to reflect light la a mirror, then the pigment has done its job. To finish off the look, apply your favourite top coat and let cure under your UV or LED lamp. Apply a nourishing nail oil to your cuticles and digits once dry, and voil!

And as we said, if creating your own mirror manicure isnt your strong suit, theres no shame in heading to your local manicurist.

See original here:
The Mirror Manicure Is the It-Girl Approved Nail Trend to Give Your Digits a Futuristic Upgrade - Elle Canada

The dichotomy of Indian agriculture is unique. India ranks second in terms of global food production and, at the same time, is home to the worlds largest undernourished population. Agriculture provides livelihood to more than 50% of the population, yet contributes less than 20% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Even after seven decades since independence, Indian farmers continue to battle low productivity and profitability. Considering the complexity of Indian agriculture, a single policy or technology cannot reform the agricultural sector.

However, consistent digital transformation efforts along with government incentives and intervention can strengthen the agricultural model in India. In the past few years, the agriculture landscape in India has witnessed a spike in innovative inventions, use of technology and improved farming models. An influx of investments, AgriTech startups and innovation are bent on changing the dynamics of Indian agriculture and paving the way for a futuristic model.

Farm diversification for supplementing income

The state of small and marginal farmers in India has been dismal, struggling with inadequate farmlands, low incomes and mounting debts. As per the stats 100 million farmers out of 140 million own less than an acre of land, while many others own less than 2 acres. These farmers depend on mono-crop culture, wavering weather, informal lenders and fluctuating output prices. And farmers who seek to venture into aquaculture or animal husbandry dont have appropriate investments, marketing channels and knowledge.

But with the advent of AgriTech startups and digital tools, many Indian farmers are supplementing their income with farm diversification. These startups are empowering farmers to integrate livestock rearing and aquaculture into their existing operations with micro-farm installation requiring minimum space and labour. Non-crop diversification is helping farmers increase and earn round-the-year income, improve productivity and profitability and adopt sustainable farming systems.

Improving digital & market connectivity

Before the internet and smartphones, farmers could only access their local or closest markets, often suffering low returns for their produce. Moreover, due to a lack of storage infrastructure, farmers were forced to sell their produce at the first price offered. However, with ever-increasing internet and smartphone penetration, digital connectivity is reaching Indian villages. As a result, farmers can access a slew of information about farming inputs, climate conditions and market prices. It has further improved the market linkage of farmers, who can now sell their produce at higher prices. Many AgriTech startups are increasing awareness among the farming communities and connecting them to a network of traders, retailers and exporters willing to buy their produce at higher prices.

Availability of affordable & innovative farming inputs

Currently, the market for farming inputs in India is highly unorganized and a majority of farmers have to deal with middlemen to procure materials. Thus, they end up paying premium prices or borrowing money for farming inputs. However, technological improvements and competition among private companies have led to a surge in the supply of quality and affordable farming inputs. Consequently, farmers can order innovative inputs, better seeds and fertilizers, customized farm machinery and feed for animals online at cost-effective prices. Technological advances in supply chain platforms have also resulted in the supply of high-quality live input materials to farmers engaged in livestock rearing and aquaculture.

Formal Credit Inclusion

For ages, Indian farmers have been stuck in a vicious loop of low income, piling debts and lack of formal credit, thereby resorting to high-interest rate charging moneylenders. But with the emergence of Fintech and AgriTech startups, the lending landscape of the country is changing. Previously underserved small and marginal farmers can now secure loans from formal institutions at low-interest rates. A plethora of easy financing options and government initiatives have alleviated the burden of interest on farmers. With accessible and affordable credit, farmers can adopt entrepreneurial strategies.

The road to digital agriculture

The initiation of the Digital Agriculture Mission by the government is set to pave the way for a new and futuristic farming model in India. The use of technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), remote sensing, drones and robots can improve agriculture production, profitability and sustainability. A unified AgriStack platform will provide farmers with end-to-end services and timely technological and data interventions. A robust digital infrastructure can help revolutionize Indias agricultural landscape. By arming farmers with information and technology, India can achieve twin benefits of profitability and sustainability.

Wrapping Up

With a burgeoning population, climate change and a looming food security crisis, the need for Indian agriculture to transition from the traditional industrial model into a new futuristic and sustainable model has never been more pressing. Small but consistent changes in the agricultural sector can propel Indias farming community to the next level. Greater support for AgriTech firms, digital infrastructure and innovative technologies can usher in a digital and green agricultural model.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

END OF ARTICLE

Read more:
How the changing dynamics of agriculture in India is paving the way for a new futuristic model - Times of India