Category Archives: Technology

This will continue to be important as countries focus their efforts here. To make renewable energies more resilient in the United States, the Biden administration made a plan to spend $2 trillion over four years to escalate the use of clean energy in the transportation, electricity, and building sectors, creating economic opportunities and strengthening infrastructure while also tackling climate change. Skycatch is also rapidly expanding across Asia and the Pacific Islands. The company plans to collaborate with ADB Ventures and its partners in Japan, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand to make infrastructure projects including those for renewable energy more resilient and leverage those solutions throughout the region.

"Asian Development Bank (ADB) aims to play a catalytic role to enable technology in infrastructure projects, which result in reduced carbon footprints and increased safety and operational efficiency," said ADB's Daniel Hersson in a recent TechCrunch article."The enterprise-grade Skycatch technology for capturing, processing and analyzing high accuracy 3D drone data is a critical part to accomplishing that mission."

Skycatch's drone-based computer vision platform for the construction and mining industries reduces more than 30% of the rework by preventing design inconsistencies and providing complete transparency of projects.

"Companies can use digital twin technology to help detect and prevent mistakes from happening during the building process to minimize waste," said Sanz. "At Skycatch, we're on a mission to revolutionize operational and cost efficiency in infrastructure-related projects worldwide through our drone-based 3D computer vision technology."

Skycatch recently closed its Series C round funding, culminating in $25 million raised, led by ADB Venturesand Wavemaker Labs. Other new investors include I2BF Global Ventures, Falkon Ventures, and Gaingels.

"ADB's Sydney-based team is already piloting Skycatch drone-based technology in a project to create highly accurate digital twins of an infrastructure upgrade project during its construction phase,"said Lotte Schou-Zibell, regional director of the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) Pacific Liaison and Coordination Office in Sydney. "This has the potential to use the technology throughout the entire life cycle of an infrastructure project, enabling project implementation that is safer and more efficient while avoidingrework and reducing the overall project carbon footprint."

About SkycatchSkycatch is a drone data company based in the Bay Area founded in 2013 to provide aerial data capture, processing, visualization, and analysis tools to the world's largest companies on their most demanding work sites. Over 10,000 construction and mining sites in more than 20 countries, including Japan, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Australia, Canada, and the United States, use Skycatch's solutions. For more information, visit https://skycatch.com/.

About ADB VenturesSet up by the Asian Development Bank, ADB Ventures is its venture arm that supports and invests in early stage technology companies tackling large unsolved problems in emerging Asia. ADB Ventures typically invests across seed and early stages, providing leading technology companies with risk capital, deep insights, and networks.For more information, please visit https://ventures.adb.org/.

About Wavemaker PartnersWavemaker Partners is an early stage venture capital firm with dual headquarters in Los Angeles and Singapore. Wavemaker is one of the most active early stage investors in Southern California and Southeast Asia and has invested in more than 360 companies over the past 17 years. For more information, please visit https://wavemaker.vc/.

For more information, please contact Maddie Hirsch, Senior PR Strategist at Influence & Co., at [emailprotected].

SOURCE Skycatch

https://skycatch.com/

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Skycatch Announces New Technology Initiatives to Achieve Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Globally - PRNewswire

SAN CARLOS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--JetBlue Technology Ventures (JTV), the venture capital subsidiary of JetBlue Airways (Nasdaq: JBLU), today announced its investment in Universal Hydrogen, the company fueling carbon-free flight, as part of its $20.5M Series A funding round. The financing allows Universal Hydrogen to accelerate the development of its hydrogen logistics network and regional aircraft conversion kits, and bolsters its burgeoning commercial activities.

JTVs primary goal is to better position JetBlue with startup-led innovation set to disrupt the travel industry, ultimately helping JetBlue chart a path toward net zero emissions. JTV supports JetBlues ambitious sustainability strategy and targets by investing in technology focusing on advanced methods of measuring and reducing emissions, improved environmental protections, and game-changing transportation. In 2020 JetBlue became the first U.S. airline to achieve carbon neutrality for all domestic flying, today primarily through carbon offsets while the industry builds up lower-carbon technologies to reduce direct emissions.

Universal Hydrogen is building a fuel distribution network that connects hydrogen production directly to the airplane using modular capsules that are transported using the existing freight network, avoiding the need for costly new pipelines, storage facilities, and fuel trucks. The company is also developing conversion kits to retrofit existing 40-60 passenger regional airplanes with a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain.

Our investment in Universal Hydrogen is highly aligned with JetBlues environmental objectives, and this partnership allows the airline a seat at the table in the fast-developing hydrogen for aviation sector and provides valuable insight into the options, progress, and viability of hydrogen to help decarbonize aircraft operations, said Jim Lockheed, Investment Principal at JTV.

Universal Hydrogen was founded in 2020 by aviation industry veterans Paul Eremenko, John-Paul Clarke, Jason Chua, and Jon Gordon. First commercial flights are planned no later than 2025, with operating costs equivalent to those of conventional hydrocarbon-burning airplanes and decreasing rapidly thereafter.

We see the near-term decarbonization of regional aviation as a first step and catalyst, setting the whole industry on a path to meeting Paris Agreement emissions targets. Hydrogen is today the only viable fuel for getting to true zero emissions in commercial aviation, and our goal is to de-risk the decision for Airbus, Boeing, and COMAC to make their next new airplane in the 2030s a hydrogen-powered one, said Paul Eremenko, Universal Hydrogen co-founder and CEO.

The financing was led by Playground Global, and other investors include Fortescue Future Industries, Coatue, Global Founders Capital, Plug Power, Airbus Ventures, Toyota AI Ventures, Sojitz Corporation, and Future Shape.

About JetBlue Technology Ventures

JetBlue Technology Ventures invests in and partners with early stage startups innovating in the travel, transportation, and hospitality industries. The company prioritizes investments that advance the seamless customer-centric journey; technology powered customer service; the future of operations and maintenance; distribution, loyalty, and revenue management; and evolving regional travel. Founded in 2016, JetBlue Technology Ventures is a wholly-owned subsidiary of JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) and is located in Silicon Valley, California. For more information, visit http://www.JetBlueVentures.com.

About Universal Hydrogen

Universal Hydrogen is making hydrogen-powered commercial flight a near-term reality. The company takes a flexible, scalable, and capital-light approach to hydrogen logistics by transporting it in modular capsules over the existing freight network from green production sites to airports around the world. To accelerate market adoption, Universal Hydrogen is also developing a conversion kit to retrofit existing regional airplanes with a hydrogen-electric powertrain compatible with its modular capsule technology.

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JetBlue Technology Ventures Invests in Universal Hydrogen to Support the Airline's Ambitious Sustainability Strategy - Business Wire

TipRanks

The stock market pulled back from all-time highs this week, as investors paused to consider just whats been goosing stocks and what the future may hold. A flood of stimulus cash, unleashed by the Biden Administrations big spending bills, is set to push GDP growth to 9% for 3Q21, but next year looks like it will slip back as the spending runs its course. Economists are predicting 5.5% GDP growth next year. This bodes poorly for cyclical stocks, which tend to reflect macro volatility. As Morgan Stanleys chief US equity strategist Mike Wilson said, Peak rate of change on economic data and earnings revisions... are all contributing to the deterioration in lower-quality, smaller-capitalization, and the more cyclical parts of the market. Dividend stocks, however, are more stable than the cyclicals, and while their average returns are lower, they offer the advantage of a steady return regardless of economic conditions. B. Riley analyst Matthew Howlett has been looking into the real estate trust segment, a group of stocks long-known for dividends that are both high and reliable. Howlett pointed out two stocks, in particular, that are showing dividend yields in excess of 7% and deserve a 'buy' rating. Ladder Capital Corporation (LADR) Well take a step into the real estate investment trust (REIT) niche, with Ladder Capital, a specialist in commercial mortgages. Ladder has operations in 48 states, and 475 cities. The average loan size is $19 million, and the company has securitized or sold a cumulative total of $16.7 billion commercial loans. Operations are backed by companys $5.9 billion in assets. Ladder Capital has seen a series of headwinds in the past year. The corona pandemic, of course, was the major crisis but for a commercial mortgage lender, the problem was broader. Loan customers were taking their own hits, and finding themselves unable to meet payments. As a result, Ladder saw its quarterly results in 2020 show deep declines, and greater volatility, when compared to 2019. On the positive side, Ladder finished the year 2020 with $1.25 billion in cash and cash equivalents. The final quarter of 2020 saw top line revenues of $77.9 million, compared to $135.4 million in the prior years Q4. Distributable earnings, however, came in at $4.9 million and the company declared a dividend of 20 cents per common share, which was paid out on April 15. This marked the fifth quarter in a row with the dividend at this level. The current payment annualizes to 80 cents per share, and gives a yield of 7%. Despite the challenging economic environment, LADR shares are up an impressive 79% over the past 12 months. B. Riley's Matt Howlett expects the momentum to continue, and sees Ladder with a firm foundation to move forward. [The] companys loan originator has been a top CMBS loan contributor since the 2008-2009 financial crisis and is well positioned to contribute to LADRs earnings growth as the conduit market rebounds post-pandemic, Howlett noted. Howlett especially likes the companys cash position, noting that it should allow the company to accelerate growth of its core investment portfolio." The analyst sees "upside potential to the dividend (forecasted to increase to $1.05 in 2022) as originations ramp steadily and legacy higher cost debt (Koch/legacy CLO) pays down. Backing these comments with a Buy rating, Howlett sets a $14 price target to suggest room for 21% growth in the next 12 months. (To watch Howletts track record, click here) Overall, Ladder gets a Moderate Buy rating from Wall Streets analysts, based on 6 recent reviews that include 5 Buys but also a single Sell. LADR shares are currently priced at $11.58, with an average target of $12.58 pointing toward 9% upside potential this year. The real attraction for investors here is the strong dividend yield. (See LADR stock analysis on TipRanks) Cherry Hill Mortgage (CHMI) The second stock were looking at, Cherry Hill, is another REIT, this one with a focus on the residential markets. Cherry Hills portfolio includes mortgage servicing rights, mortgage backed securities, and other mortgage assets in the residential market. After a steep earnings drop in the first quarter last year, to a loss of $2.80 per share, Cherry Hill has seen sequential growth in the past three quarters. The fourth quarter of 2020 saw EPS return to positive values, with a print of 37 cents per share. Like most REITs, Cherry Hill pays out a reliable dividend. The company has been maintaining the payments since the fourth quarter of 2014, adjusting it when needed to keep it in line with income. For the most recent quarter, the dividend was declared at 27 cents per common share, or $1.08 annually. At this rate, the dividend yields an impressive 11.5%. CHMI's strong defensive characteristics and attractive dividend yield drew it to the attention of B. Rileys Howlett. [We] believe the portfolio is better insulated against basis risk and would perform better in a rising rate environment We believe that CHMI's strong liquidity profile puts it in strong position to deploy capital accretively during 1H21," Howlett opined. The analyst continued, "We expect: 1) slower prepayment speeds and 2) declining servicing costs in 2H21 to be key drivers of higher core ROEs going forward. Our 12.5% ROE forecast for 2022 should allow the company to increase its quarterly dividend to $0.30 based on our model. In line with his upbeat outlook, Howlett rates Cherry Hill a Buy. His $11.50 price target implies that the stock has room to gain 21% in the next 12 months. CHMI has slipped under most analysts radar; the stocks Moderate Buy consensus is based on just two recent ratings; Buy and Hold. With shares trading at $9.43, the $10.75 average price target suggests room for a 14% upside. (See CHMI stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for dividend stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

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Apria Healthcare Collaborates with Rackspace Technology to Leave the Data Center Resulting in Improved Customer Experience and Increased Savings -...

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Interactive College of Technology (ICT) and DeVry University are partnering to provide a seamless pathway for ICT graduates who earn their associate degree to continue their academic journey towards a bachelors degree at DeVry. The transfer agreement also provides a complimentary course to prepare for college, tuition savings, and waived application fee for ICT alumni, faculty and staff in addition to the credit transfer pathway.

Since 1982, ICT has been committed to student success by offering a low student-to-instructor ratio, hands-on skills training, and industry certifications to help graduates achieve their goals.

Now more than ever, we are seeing companies embracing employees working from home, and in order for those entering the new virtual workforce to compete they will need training and technology skills, said Thomas Blair, ICT president. ICT has a rich history of reaching an underserved market to prepare students with the skills needed for this fast-paced changing world, and we believe DeVrys commitment to students mirrors ours.

Students who transfer to DeVry can earn a bachelors degree in accounting, business administration, computer information systems, healthcare administration management and technical management, either online or at their Alpharetta and Duluth locations. They are immediately assigned a Student Support Advisor who works one-on-one with students for course selection, academic planning, financial aid, and graduation requirements.

We are pleased to work in collaboration with ICT in making the academic transfer process seamless for students to continue their education, said Shantanu Bose, Ph.D. provost and chief academic officer at DeVry University. The partnership also invites ICT to engage in our talent development initiatives such as talent acquisition support, professional development and skills gap training.

The partnership with DeVry also allows five ICT managers the opportunity to enroll in DeVrys Accelerated Leadership Basics, a three-module program that provides strategic skills development to support their professional growth.

DeVry has transfer agreements with six other Georgia colleges and universities to offer students opportunities to pursue advanced degrees. Visit https://www.devry.edu/admissions/transfer-applicants/georgia.html for more information.

About Interactive College of Technology

Interactive College of Technology (ICT) is focused on providing the training required for emerging, in-demand careers, and strives to prepare students for careers that satisfy the needs of students and the community. Founded in 1982, the college offers associate degrees, diploma degrees, and English as a Second Language certifications both onsite and through hybrid delivery within five areas of study: Accounting, Business, Healthcare, Technology, and Trade Programs. The college has 7 campuses located in Georgia, Texas, and Kentucky, with the main campus located in Atlanta, Georgia, and is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education (COE, council.org). To learn more, visit http://www.ict.edu.

About DeVry University

DeVry University strives to close societys opportunity gap by preparing learners to thrive in careers shaped by continuous technological change. Founded in 1931, the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs onsite and online within six areas of study: Accounting, Business, Healthcare, Technology, Liberal Arts, and Media Arts & Technology. The university is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC, http://www.hlcommission.org/). To learn more, visit devry.edu.

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Interactive College of Technology and DeVry University Partner to Create Unique Academic Pathway to Offer Students Easy Transfer - Business Wire

SEATTLE, April 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Airbiquity, a global leader in connected vehicle services today announced the expansion of a multi-year technology collaboration with NXP Semiconductors to pre-integrate and demonstrate efficient, secure, and highly scalable automotive software updates and data management for intelligent connected vehicles. The latest integration effort between the two companies showcases essential vehicle-wide support for evolving software-defined vehicles using Airbiquity over-the-air (OTA) software update and data management services, a NXP service-oriented gateway serving as the primary ECU, and additional NXP automotive processing platforms serving as secondary domain ECUs.

As the automotive industry continues to evolve the importance of software and data is increasing along with the management challenges for automakers. Addressing these challenges requires a combination of a leading OTA software and data management solution combined with high-performance vehicle network processors optimized to handle high-speed data traffic.Airbiquity and NXP accomplish this by pre-integrating the most recent versions of the Airbiquity OTAmatic software update and data management platform with the NXP S32G2 vehicle network processor platform to provide centralized in-vehicle software and data management orchestration - including support for the Uptane automotive security framework. Additional NXP automotive processing platforms serving as secondary domain ECUs are an i.MX 8QuadMax platform for the head unit, an i.MX 6Quad platform for the instrument cluster, a S32K148 for body control, and a S32S247TV platform for EV/powertrain control.

"Airbiquity's OTAmatic solution was specifically designed to enable over-the-air software updates and data collection services for every ECU in a vehicle" said Keefe Leung, Airbiquity Vice President of Product Management. "We have simultaneously shown the flexibility of our solution to address all of our customers' needs and expanded our partnership with NXP, a leader in supplying processors for the automotive industry, by pre-integrating OTAmatic with a variety of their most popular platforms."

"NXP's latest collaboration with Airbiquity addresses the need to extend OTA services and data management across intelligent connected vehicles to help fuel today's software-driven automotive digital transformation" said Brian Carlson, Global Marketing Director for Vehicle Control and Networking Solutions at NXP. "With OTAmatic pre-integration across a wide range of NXP automotive processing platforms we can help accelerate vehicle-wide integration efforts and create more opportunities for automakers to bring new vehicle services to the market more quickly."

About AirbiquityAirbiquity is a pioneer in automotive telematics software technology and cloud-based connected vehicle service delivery. Always at the forefront of automotive innovation, Airbiquity concepts, engineers, and deploys the industry's most advanced connected vehicle solutions. Working with Airbiquity, automakers and automotive suppliers have realized highly scalable, manageable, and secure connected vehicle programs meeting the needs of their customers in over 60 countries around the world. Airbiquity's latest offering is OTAmatic for multi-ECU over-the-air (OTA) software and data management featuring vehicle and cloud-based software components and the Uptane security framework for comprehensive cybersecurity protection. Learn more about Airbiquity and OTAmatic at http://www.airbiquity.com or join the conversation @Airbiquity.

Media Contact: Zach Pickett [emailprotected]

SOURCE Airbiquity

http://www.airbiquity.com

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Airbiquity and NXP Expand Technology Collaboration to Address Automaker Challenges with Managing Software and Data for Intelligent Connected Vehicles...

ROCKY HILL, Conn., April 23, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Lumeda Inc., a medical technology company focused on applying Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) as an adjuvant treatment for lung cancer patients, today announced it has been selected for inclusion in the Hartford Business Journal's inaugural Tech 25. The list includes "companies to watch" from a wide range of industries that are making moves with new products, raising capital, or have a promising technology or drug that can generate revenue while also potentially saving lives and creating new jobs.

"We are pleased to have been selected by HBJ to join an impressive lineup of companies as part of the inaugural Tech 25 class," said Sandy Zinke, Lumeda CEO. "This recognition comes at a time of great momentum for Lumeda, on the heels of having closed our Series A financing in March and as we plan to complete a prototype of our DigiLum system in May for upcoming clinical evaluation."

Lumeda is advancing a medical device innovation demonstrated by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center for applying PDT to treat lung malignancies. PDT is a two-stage cancer treatment that involves a photosensitizer drug that preferentially collects within cancer cells and then produces cell death and tumor structural change upon light activation. PDT has been shown to significantly improve patient outcomes, however the adoption of PDT in treating lung cancer has been limited due to its manual and time-consuming method of administration.

Lumeda's new DigiLum system applies advanced photonics and proprietary Artificial Intelligence (AI) software to enable thoracic surgeons to control dosimetry, reduce treatment time and capture data for future treatment planning. Two Phase I clinical studies to evaluate safety and effectiveness are planned to begin at Roswell Park in 2021.

About Lumeda:

Lumeda Inc. is a medical technology company advancing photodynamic therapy (PDT) as an adjuvant treatment for patients with non small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and other thoracic malignancies. PDT is a two-stage cancer treatment that involves a photosensitizer drug that preferentially collects within cancer cells and then produces cell death and tumor structural change upon light activation. PDT has been shown to significantly improve patient progression-free and overall survival when applied intraoperatively following surgical lung cancer tumor resection. Lumeda's new DigiLum system applies advanced photonics and proprietary Artificial Intelligence (AI) software to enable thoracic surgeons to control dosimetry, reduce treatment time and capture data for future treatment planning. The multidisciplinary Lumeda team has decades of experience in the photonics industry, with expertise in systems engineering and commercialization of new medical technology. For more information, please visit lumedainc.com.

Media Contact

Paul E. Sanders, Lumeda Inc., 1 860 614-0849, pauls@lumedainc.com

SOURCE Lumeda Inc.

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Lumeda Selected as one of the 25 Technology Companies to Watch in the Greater Hartford Area - WFMZ Allentown

Through DNA technology, a Mineola man was charged earlier this month in connection with a sexual assault of a girl at an East Texas camp six years ago.

Caylon Whittington, 29, was booked into the Smith County Jail on Monday after police arrested him in Llano County on April 6 for allegedly inappropriately touching a girl while she slept at Sky Ranch Camp near Van in March 2015.

He has been charged with burglary of a habitation with intent to commit a sex offense and he remains in the Smith County Jail on a $250,000 bond.

The Smith County Sheriffs Office responded to the report of a sexual assault on March 8 six years ago. The report stated an unknown white male entered into a cabin at night and inappropriately touched the girl in the bed, and the male was seen by a female chaperone at the camp before he fled on foot.

The girl received a sexual assault exam and forensic interview at the Childrens Advocacy Center of Smith County, and she gave a detailed account of the assault and description of the suspect, the sheriffs office said.

Investigators spoke with several persons of interest matching the victims description and searched the area. Officers met with Whittington at that time, but he denied knowing anything about the incident at Sky Ranch. At that time, he lived near the camp and his address was about 1 mile from the cabin.

On Oct. 15 last year, a notification showed a DNA match from the sexual assault exam. The Combined DNA Index System, also known as CODIS, is a national database that includes DNA profiles of convicted offenders, profiles developed from evidence in unsolved crimes and profiles developed for the identification of missing persons.

The match appeared to be Whittington, and the Texas Department of Public Safety crime lab requested a sample from Whittington for further examination, the sheriffs office said.

After getting a warrant for the DNA sample, results from the DPS lab returned on April 1 this year showed Whittington as a match, according to police.

A warrant for burglary of a habitation with intent to commit a sex offense charge was then issued.

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DNA technology leads to arrest of man accused of sexually assaulting girl at East Texas camp - Tyler Morning Telegraph

Washington, DC, April 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- April 21, 2021 (WASHINGTON, DC) On eve of the 51st anniversary of Earth Day the Diesel Technology Forum issued the following statement:

President Biden has brought a new emphasis on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and tackling the climate challenge. Meeting this challenge will not have simple one-size fits all solutions, nor uniform timetables. Even under the most optimistic scenarios, transition to new fuels and technologies in the transportation sector will not be linear and will take considerable time to reach commercial scale and market acceptance. In the meantime, the further improvement and turnover to new generation of advanced diesel technologies and the expanded use of biobased diesel fuels will ensure steady progress in reducing both greenhouse gas and other emissions across wide sectors of U.S. economy, said Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum; a not-for-profit educational organization.

Diesel technology continues to evolve to further meet todays customer demands for more efficiency, greater performance and lower emission. As we move toward a low-carbon sustainable future, diesel technology is being defined by four trends: increasing energy efficiency, achieving even lower emissions, expanded use of biobased diesel fuels, and hybridization. Considerable progress in each area is happening today helping ports, cities, communities and the entire goods movement system meet climate and clean air challenges, noted Schaeffer.

Across the board, todays generation of advanced diesel technologies are more energy efficient and lower in emissions than previous generations, and remain the technology of choice in key sectors like commercial trucking, marine, agriculture, construction and freight rail applications. Coupled with growing success using biobased diesel fuels, diesel engines are contributing substantially already to low-carbon goods movement in America.

In California, the results of using low-carbon biobased diesel fuels in efficient diesel engines is clear: In 2019, Californias use of biodiesel and renewable diesel fuels eliminated 6.6 million tons of CO2. Meanwhile, use of electric cars and trucks in the state resulted in only 2.7 million tons of CO2 reductions in 2019 almost one third of the emissions reductions delivered by diesel engines using biodiesel fuels. Renewable diesel fuels contribution even edged out the reductions delivered by ethanol. Since the states Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program began in 2011, biodiesel and renewable diesel fuel have eliminated more than 25 million tons of CO2, according to the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

Even as manufacturers explore other fuels and technology options, continued investments in diesel are essential to meet customer demand and are strong indicators about the future for advanced diesel engines. Today, 13 states are home to heavy-duty diesel engine manufacturing, supporting $4 trillion in U.S. economic activity and more than 1.25 million American jobs. It is clear that diesel technologies are and will remain a key piece of the global transportation and goods movement systems for decades to come, said Schaeffer.

Today, diesel remains the dominant technology in long-haul trucking, powering 97 percent of Class 8 big-rig trucks in the United States. A growing percentage of diesel-powered commercial trucks rely on the newest-generation diesel technologies, which deliver near-zero emissions performance while using less fuel. Consider that since 2011, these more than 4.9 million new-generation commercial diesel trucks have already delivered reductions of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide (CO2)) in an amount equivalent to eliminating 26 million light-duty vehicles from the fleet or converting those to all electric vehicles. The use of new-generation diesel trucks has removed more than 18 million tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and 126 million tons of CO2, compared to previous generations.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimate that the Commercial Vehicle Fuel Economy and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Standards Phase 1 rules saved 270 million tons CO2 and 530 million barrels of oil between 2014 and 2018, and that the Phase 2 rules will save another 1 billion tons of CO2 and nearly 2 billion barrels of oil between 2021 and 2027. Research commissioned by the Diesel Technology Forum confirms that the majority of these significant benefits will be delivered by more efficient diesel trucks.

New diesel trucks are so clean that it would take more than 60 new-generation diesel trucks to equal the emissions from one 1988 model truck. Even further progress for lower emissions is on the horizon, as truck and engine manufacturers work with the U.S. EPA on the Clean Truck Initiative, developing tomorrows generation of diesel engines. From coupling with hybrid-electric technology and battery-storage systems, to pushing thermal efficiency boundaries, to advanced waste-heat recovery systems, to utilizing high-quality biobased diesel fuels, new-generation advanced diesel technology is uniquely suited to enable commercial trucking to contribute to our sustainable future.

Diesel engines are the workhorses of the global economy. In every corner of the world, diesel engines make progress possible today; the planting and harvesting of agricultural products, the movement of people and goods, the mining of essential minerals, the delivery of clean drinking water, or power demands for reliable back up power. For many of these applications, diesel engines are and will be the only practical solution for decades to come.

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About The Diesel Technology ForumCelebrating its 21st year, through research, collaboration and outreach the Diesel Technology Forum, a not-for profit educational association, is dedicated to expanding the understanding about the energy efficiency, environmental performance and unique capabilities of diesel engines, fuels and equipment across 15 sectors of the global economy and how it has transformed to play a key role in the low-carbon future. For more information visit https://www.dieselforum.org/.

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Accelerating Turnover to New Technology Diesel Engines, Increased use of Biobased Diesel Fuels Ensures Steady Progress on Carbon Reduction, Clean Air...

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., April 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) has announced that it has acquired Genamint, Inc., a software company that will help improve and scale the process by which PSA handles trading card submissions. Genamint technology analyzes each trading card in real-time and is able to provide diagnostics, measurements, and detect alterations or other changes made to a card's surface in an effort to assist human graders. It will also provide unique card identification or "card fingerprinting" by identifying the exact card in order to track provenance, resubmissions, condition changes and other attributes over time.

"Acquiring and integrating Genamint will allow us to grade more trading cards faster while improving accuracy," said Nat Turner, executive chairman of Collectors Universe, PSA's parent company. "The reputation PSA has established as the industry's card grading authority is important to protect and enhance. This acquisition is one of the first steps toward furthering PSA's capabilities as the foremost authority in grading trading cards.

"We're not eliminating humans from the grading process," he continued. "We're improving the process by adding technology."

Kevin Lenane is the founder of Genamint and the new VP of Product Management at PSA. He and the broader Genamint technology and operations team will be joining forces with PSA effective immediately. Kevin brings key experience to Collectors Universe as the former CEO and founder of Veenome, which was a market leader in the machine vision field. Veenome was acquired in 2015 by Integral Ad Science.

"I'm excited to start working with the team at PSA," Lenane said. "We expect to significantly enhance PSA's capacity by implementing our technology and taking PSA's grading process to the next level through our unique capabilities including card diagnostics."

Over the past 14 months, PSA has experienced an unprecedented surge in card submissions and demand for its services. To help facilitate the record number of submissions, PSA has made hundreds of new hires and more than tripled its operational footprint. Beyond the acquisition of Genamint, the company plans on making additional significant investments in technology and operational capacity.

About PSA

PSA is the world's largest trading card, autograph and memorabilia authentication and grading service. Since 1991, PSA has examined and certified over 40 million collectibles with a combined value of over $1 billion. For more information, visit http://www.PSAcard.com.

Media Contact: Terry Melia, 760-420-3511 (cell)[emailprotected]

SOURCE Professional Sports Authenticator

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Professional Sports Authenticator Acquires Genamint to Introduce Next-Generation Technology to Grading Process - PRNewswire

When Oklahomas weather turns severe, an early warning can mean the difference between life and death.

In just a few days, people in Oologah will mark the 30th anniversary of an F4 tornado that caused millions of dollars in damage. That weather event isnt remembered for the lives lost, but for the lives saved.

Keeping you safe has been part of News On 6s mission for more than 70 years. And that was never clearer than on April 26, 1991 when a powerful tornado cut through Oologah.

News On 6 had just launched new technology that gave everyone in the storms path a 43-minute warning.

This important tool made its debut on News On 6 just in time just one day before the Oologah tornado outbreak and would be put to the test in a big way.

David Oldham created Pathfinder.

"We used to track storms in the weather office with a grease pencil and a highway map," Oldham said. "My thought was, 'well, why can't we try it with something where we can point to the radar then extrapolate the position of the storm in the future and see which cities would be affected from there.'"

The storm produced an F-4 tornado and destroyed more than 60 homes. It caused $12 million in damage to the Oologah-Talala school buildings. Although the damage was extensive, no lives were lost.

It is, in part, because of Pathfinder and Oldham.

Pathfinder was working like a charm that night. It was just incredible, the amount of warning we were able to give people, Oldham reflected. After the fact, going out into the field and hearing people say, Jim Giles and Pathfinder saved my life [was] an incredible experience.

Related Story: Ahead Of The Storm: 30th Anniversary Of The Oologah Tornado Pathfinder

Almost three decades after the storms of April 26, 1991, Oklahomans still count on technology such as Pathfinder to stay ahead of the storm.

Its something Oklahomans deal with every spring, but they can have a little more certainty, Oldham stated. "It still gives me some pride that I was able to come up with the idea, develop it and get it implemented.

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When Seconds Count: The Technology That Saved Lives In Oologah's Powerful 1991 Tornado - News On 6