Category Archives: Technology

Highland Principal Chris Trostad asks that parents call the school ten minutes before their arrival so they can provide "customer service" by bringing the devices out to them to limit exposure.

Highland Elementary School will be handing out technology Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for students upcoming distance learning, Highland Principal Chris Trostad told the Times during an interview Monday. Crookston High School and Washington Elementary School are also planning for the same days and times for their students.

So, how will that work exactly? Trostad said hes sending a letter home to Highland families and will do an instant alert to parents as the schools have been working on trying to get devices ready after sending out a technology survey to all the parents. Those parents that need a device for their child, and every child needs their own device as they dont want multiple kids sharing one computer, the schools will provide a device check-out Wednesday through Friday and teachers will be communication with parents if there is a class packet to pick up.

If a parent doesnt need a device and the teacher emails them and says they dont have a packet, then you dont need to come to Highland, Trostad explained. For device pick-up, if they could please call Highland (281-5600) about ten minutes before theyre going to come so we can provide that customer service and have it ready at the door so as soon as you show up there is a technology form that has to be signed and then well give you the devices and the packets. Hopefully we can keep parents outside and eliminate that exposure and try to make it very quick for the parents.

Trostad said any students that will have packets to pick up for their class, they will be offering pick up next week and into the future.

Another thing he pointed out was kids attending the designated child care at Highland (for health care and essential workers), distance learning will be done at the school during the day so parents dont have to handle that once the child is picked up and goes home.

A big piece that Id like to get out to parents, too, is that our teachers are preparing to teach the kids, Trostad added. I think theres a little bit of misunderstanding from a couple community members Ive talked to thinking that the parents job is to teach the kids and its not the parents job its the teachers job to teach the kids.

Were in this eight-day shutdown to prepare how thats going to look, he continued. We may need parents to help kids log in to a Gmail which then links to a Google Classroom or a Seesaw, so weve tried to limit it to just two different programs. Theres so many programs out there and we need to simplify this for kids and parents.

Theres a lot of applications that kids are using every day in school like IXL and Epic, theres some different ones; Teachers were using them and Im fine with that, but were really trying to limit it to two programs, Trostad explained. Google Classroom, which every student at Highland has a Gmail account, well be sending some information home and trying to do some video tutorials for parents on Facebook and (the) web page, and once parents can help the kids log into their Gmail account there will be links right to the Google documents for Google Classroom and then also to Seesaw; well be helping parents with a tutorial, step-by-step instructions on how to get your kid into Seesaw. Once you get in there, a lot of kids have been using them in class, theyre probably going to be teaching a lot of parents things.

Trostad said Highland is trying to do as much electronic education information training and then, also, electronic methods coming back to where students and parents would simply take a picture of the (completed) assignment and send it in as they dont want a lot of papers coming back to the school that they will have to quarantine. Theyd prefer not to send packets home, he added, but there may be more packets for younger students. GRADE-BY-GRADE DISTANCE LEARNING

Trostad said preparing for distance learning has been a challenge, especially for teachers of younger students like kindergartners. He says they cant expect younger students to work solely online, so there will be packets available for those students.

With Seesaw, the teacher will actually record lessons and information for the students and the assignments will be right there, Trostad explained. If parents have questions, call the teacher. Our teachers are also on the clock from 7:45 a.m. to 3:35 p.m. at the elementary levels. Those teachers will be communicating their schedules with parents and teachers will be available on the telephone, through email, live chat request.

Our teachers will be expected to teach the students and hopefully parents can help them get in and guide them a little bit to get them going, he added. At that point we really want the daily interaction to be between the teacher and the student. We still need to take attendance and will be primarily based off of are the kids interacting with the teacher. In some situations, you might see the teachers do in Google Classroom where all the kids log in at the same time and the teacher teaches. If the student has a question they can put in a live chat request with the teacher to make sure they can communicate directly with the teacher.

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Crookston Public Schools technology pick-up will start Wednesday - Crookston Daily Times

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What impact is technology having on our daily lives, and how will it continue to evolve?originally appeared onQuora:the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

AnswerbyAlan Mclean, Digital Wellbeing Product Designer at Google, in theirSession:

Obviously technology is part of almost every aspect of daily life now. A lot of the change to how we live our lives is pretty incredible and I couldnt imagine not having it. We can connect with family remotely with ease or work from home and collaborate and communicate with colleagues in real-time. We have unparalleled access to information and can connect with other people that share our interests. However, that potent role in our daily rhythms, the ability to do so much at almost anytime, can lead to feelings of tech not always aligning with the complete picture of our needs.

Just a couple of the top issues that come to mind when thinking about this tension:

Steve Jobs used to call the computera bicycle for the mindwhich makes me wonder... was our brain designed for this kind of exercise? Many people now report they feel burnt out by always being online. When it comes down to it, our needs are changing throughout the day, but our tech is not.

I believe were at a turning point; to retain a healthy relationship with our users, tech will need to expand its circle of concern and consider the cumulative effect of not just its own products, but the other ones people are using. I try to do this in my work on digital wellbeing. Going forward, I envision a future where the digital products we use enable us to establish boundaries around our tech use. Right now, for example, I can take my work home with me every day. Im always available and often dont think twice about sending an email or text, regardless of the priority. Its up to me to ignore that email and spend time with my family in the evening. But placing that choice on us for every single email or message isnt sustainable or even just good design. Id expect going forward the digital products we use will make it easier to disconnect by having a better understanding of what matters, when it makes sense for me, and when to engage with it.

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How Will Technology Continue To Impact Our Everyday Lives? - Forbes

These are trying times we will remember for decades to come. And its important to acknowledge the human tragedy as the world deals with this crisis. Consequently, sentiment soured to extremes on Main Street as well as Wall Street.

Social distancing and quarantine measures have created a colossal problem for businesses all over the world.All gross domestic product (GDP) estimates until this point are now useless. The forecast went from growth to recession in the blink of an eye.Technology stocks have shown some relative resilience, but after alls said and done, no business will avoid suffering big losses this year.

Nevertheless, in todays write-up we share some upside potential in technology stocks. Rather than scraping the bottom of the proverbial barrel, its more constructive to concentrate on the top three competitors in their industries. When the recovery rally comes, these stocks will lead the way.

Although, I can confidently say that we are in a bottoming process, this is not the same as picking the bottom. This wont be a point in time but rather an effort to stabilize, and this starts by having less volatile days in the stock market. Clearly we are not there yet.

Swinging from +5% to 5% in mere minutes cannot be the end of this correction. Investors need the pendulum to slow down and volatility to abate. This return to stability will only come with increased information on the virus front.

Now that countries are accelerating Covid-19 testing, infection numbers are ballooning. Hopefully death rates will slow welcome news for a weary-eyed society. As it stands, the medical community is making great headway in developing a Covid-19 vaccine and therapeutics to treat the disease.

After all the medical reading the public has done lately, weve nearly earned a degree in virology!

With a light ahead in the tunnel, there are a few opportunities to consider in the market, such asMicrosoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Salesforce(NYSE:CRM) and Alibaba (NYSE:BABA).

These have been the best technology stocks of the recent past and will continue to be in the future. Investing in them on giant dips makes sense right now, but I would still advise against giant size trades.

We still have too many unknowns in the market, so minimizing risk is paramount until more answers emerge. The market still has plenty of potential to be violent.

Source: Charts by TradingView

There will be good to come out of the coronavirus crisis. For decades the world has been striving to increase remote work. Now with many local governments issuing stay-at-home orders, the process will force a giant leap forward in that direction. Specifically, it will kick into high gear the migration to the cloud campaign and Salesforce is there. In its early days, it battled the behemoth Microsoft and beat it. Since then it has been setting growth records under the leadership of Marc Benioff. This is important to note because he is now back as sole CEO of CRM after a brief interruption last year. So the company is back in the hands of its best general.

This side benefits of accelerated cloud movement will directly benefit Salesforce.com for the longer term. Companies are scrambling to sign up with cloud services. While this may be a temporary necessity, it will create habits for many far past the threat of this contagion. Businesses will find ongoing uses for services like this and they will become part of daily mode of operation for ever. Meaning that out of necessity, corporations will finally be able to make the telecommuter concept a reality.

Even after this correction, CRM stock is not cheap nor will it ever be for as long as it continues to grow as fast as it does. Value is not an asset to it but rather how the company is able to continually beat its forecasts. So the 40% drop from $195 down to $115 is the argument of relative value but not in absolute terms. It still sports a nauseating price-to-earnings ratio. The simplest way to say this is that when the stock market recovers, CRM will be leading it up. So nibbling on some this week is a valid investment idea.

Source: Charts by TradingView

Microsoft is a dinosaur tech giant who has recently evolved and grew wings. Under the leadership of Satya Nadella they made the turn into the new cloud technology reality. It was touch-and-go for a long while but they finally committed and succeeded in adopting the subscription model for the future. Wall Street likes what it sees so they will give it the benefit of the doubt.

MSFT stock will recover in the next few months and it too can resume its rally. There are no intrinsic problems to it so I expect savvy investors to pick it up on the cheap. This is not to say that it cant get cheaper in the next few days. After an incredible rally that topped out in February, MSFT fell 30% so this puts the stock in stronger hands. Sharp corrections are sometimes necessary especially after an exponential upside explosion in price. Stocks need to shake out the weak hands before it can build further upside.

Steady rallies are generally better than what we had earlier this year, but for what ever reason investors bought stocks up in panic and this here is the flip side of of the phenomenon. COVID-19 headlines may have have been the trigger for the correction but the process was imminent. The ones who pay the costliest price are those who started chasing late and did not set proper stop loss levels.

This is important to note because when MSFT rallies back to the prior ledges like the one near $165 per share it will encounter selling pressure. The concept is the same for the other two stocks today.

Source: Charts by TradingView

Alibaba stock has held relatively well lately. This is because China suffered from covid-19 first and the effects hit BABA stock about a month earlier than MSFT and CRM. Investor perception is now that China is over the toughest part of this test so its stocks are behaving a little better. Only time will tell, but for now I can assume that Chinese tech stocks are just waiting to rip. Meanwhile Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma is making humanitarian headlines by helping fight the virus.

Case in point on Friday while U.S. markets fell 5% BABA stock closed in the green. Value is in the eye of the beholder and for now investors are sticking with it. Its not cheap because its still sells at 8.5 times its revenues and a 20 P/E. But thats not a reason to sell it especially when it shows strength in the face of adversity. This will attract investors because it is proving resilient in the toughest of times. Like the other two stocks, Alibaba management has also earned the benefit of the doubt so I dont see them committing unforced errors anytime soon.

The long term stock chart is still is constructive and in the hands of the bulls. It has been setting higher-lows for years so the trend remains intact while all other major market index trends have broken. Moreover it is now falling into support of a pivot zone dating back to 2017. More often than not these provide a strong base for a recovery rally.

We are still in mega-headline mode and they have been fantastic and they evoke extreme emotions. So caution is of the essence in any of these three technology stocks. It is not a good idea to take an entire position all at once for as long as we dont know exactly when and from what level sentiment well improve. This Thursday investors will face the first jobless claims report and it could be scary. I dont think Wall Street is ready to see three million new claims or more.

Nicolas Chahine is the managing director of SellSpreads.com. As of this writing, he did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. Join his live chat room for free here.

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3 Technology Stocks to Buy After the Covid-19 Crash - Investorplace.com

The electric EV3 that England-based Morgan unveiled at the 2016 Geneva auto show has been deep-sixed, but the company hasn't given up on electrification. It's now developing the technology in-house.

"We have two EV-trained technicians in our development team, which, without saying a great deal tells you a lot about our commitment to electric technology," Jonathan Wells, Morgan's lead designer, told Autoblog.

The company planned to bring its battery-powered three-wheeler (pictured) to production but it put the model on an indefinite hiatus in 2018 due to issues encountered with its powertrain supplier. The setup consisted of a 21-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that zapped a 47-horsepower electric motor into motion. The EV3 featured fast-charging technology, and it offered up to 120 miles of driving range, figures that would have made it a fun, zero-emissions runabout. It also illustrated how Morgan could move its design language forward.

Canceling a project that's well on its way to production is never ideal it's a big waste of time and money but Wells explained the entire company learned a lot from it. The lessons drawn from the EV3 included how to manufacture an electric car, and how to ensure its dealer network is ready to service one.

"We learned a great deal from the EV3 program, and that's really fueling future project generations and future projects that are in play at the moment," Wells hinted without providing more specific details.

He nonetheless hinted Morgan developed a new, aluminum-intensive platform named CX in part to accommodate electrified technology. It's the chassis the Plus Six and the recently-unveiled Plus Four are both built on.

"Our previous platform would have required quite a lot of work to satisfy impending legislation, the drive towards alternative propulsion types, and safety systems that are coming online. We recognized we needed a new platform," he summed up. In other words, Morgan's cars aren't nearly as old-school as they might look.

"We're keeping an eye on the future, and we'll be ready for it when it arrives," Wells affirmed.

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Morgan EV3 is dead, but its electric technology will live on - Autoblog

Paul Brislen talks about the future of free and open access to content on the internet. Photo: 123RF

Yesterday everything changed.

The Detail had arranged an interview with technology commentator Paul Brislen late last week about working from home. At that time about 200,000 people were getting ready to do that - about 10 percent of the workforce. Now everyone is house-bound, except those needed for essential services.

Brislen talks about the social and technology challenges of working in lockdown. He's contracted to IT giant Datacom in Auckland, as it shifts all 6500 employees from their offices in four or five different time zones, to their homes.

The New Zealand-owned company is using shared services, Microsoft Teams, Skype - whatever has to be done to communicate with customers and keep the ship afloat. Thats quite a mission, says Brislen.

Being able to work remotely is the new black.

There is a range of issues the company has to consider, and cyber-security is one of them.

Brislen says employees and businesses need to ensure they have secure connections so any information or data they share is kept private - including payroll details.

Youre entrusted with customer data, normally youre working in an office and thats usually a fairly heavily policed environment from a cyber-security point of view. But when youre working from home of course everythings a little more lax.

And its not until you try to access that password you only use once a year that you realise its in the office. Brislen says a lot of companies, whose business continuity plans are enacted maybe once a year, are going to find out about these issues the hard way.

Finding out the hard way about what social isolation means happened to Newshub reporter Zac Fleming.

Today on The Detail he talks about shock of going into isolation and cutting face to face contact with friends and family.

Fleming flew to Hawaii last Wednesday to activate a US green card he had won in a lottery. Time was running out to get it stamped and he had no choice but to travel to a US port or lose the green card.

He knew he would have to return to live in isolation for two weeks but what he did not expect was the way he was treated when he returned home less than two days later.

The hotel he ended up in was well versed in health protections, but its protocols left him feeling like a leper.

Find out where hes hanging out and what his plans are on the podcast today.

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Technology and the big shift to working from home - RNZ

Precision Farming

In the Ploponnse region of southern Greece, some of the olive trees are a hundred years old and have been farmed via tried and tested methods over the decades; but these time-honoured approaches are now being augmented by Precision Farming.

This is a modern farming management idea, using the latest technology with the aim of increasing the quantity and quality of agricultural products. The system, also referred to as Smart Farming, uses methods such as GPS, soil scanning and data management to more precisely take the required action at the right moment and give the necessary care needed to ensure healthy and substainable farming.

In the Ploponnse region, the new techniques are being used to create the right balance between traditional methods and the enhancement of advanced technologies.

Scientists operating in the area are part of a European research project. Drones with multi-spectral cameras allow the olive oil producers to more precisely monitor the growth stages of each of their trees.

A microscope in the air

Evangelos Anastaiou, an agricultural engineer and researcher from the Agricultural University of Athens said it's hugely helpful for keeping a close eye on the trees:

"Its like putting a microscope in the air. We can identify which trees are the most vigorous and healthy in comparison to others, then we can have targeted treatments for them all".

Another important aim is the better control of irrigation. The site also features a Smart weather station. This is connected to soil moisture sensors and allows the farmer to remotely trigger watering when needed. The farmer can use their phone to trigger it, without having to visit in person. This allows more precise watering, saving time, money - and of course fresh water.

Kostas Pramataris, a computer engineer with the high-tech company Synelixis, says the new technology can ensure that each area gets the amount of watering it needs, minimising waste:

"This device allows us to monitor the soil and to set some exact thresholds, so when the dryness of the soil goes below a specific level, it can start watering. It can then stop watering when the correct level is reached again".

Helping these processes is yet another Smart device, an electrical conductivity sensor. This shows the location and movement of water underground.

These technologies are currently still very expensive for farmers who are under financial pressure. But given the seriousness of the environmental stakes, many are keen to use them.

Targeting - and reducing - resource input

Antonis Paraskevopoulos, Director of Rural Economy for the municipality of Trifylia, is convinced of the importance of the new technology:

"These systems are going to help us to reduce the amount of resources we are using, which is one of our priorities. They are also aimed at producing safe products and increasing our production. But the most important thing is that the final product should be environmentally friendly. Considering those aims, we can't succeed without these new technologies."

Farming in Sweden

Smart Farming methods can also be seen working in a very different agricultural setting, far to the north of Greece. Sweden is one of the strictest countries in terms of animal welfare.

A farm here is also part of the Smart Farming project. One of the methods being pursued here to aid animal welfare is fixing a sensors to sows ears, measuring the animals' heartbeat.

Christophe Verjus is an engineer with the Swiss Research and Development Organisation CSEM. He says the device allows access to very useful information:

"Thanks to the heart rate measurement, especially if we know the regular heart rate of a given animal, we will know if the animal has a fever, if she is stressed or sick. We will know this before there are visible symptoms. The farmer will then be able to act take the right decisions quickly".

Monitoring sows' welfare during farrowing

This technology helps farmers during farrowing, the births of the sows' litters. This is the most crucial moment in the farming process. Sows need to stay in good health to take care of their babies.

Thanks to an alert system, farmer Jos Boterman and his son Frank can be aware quicker and react as soon as they know something needs to be done.

Frank agrees that the new technology is invaluable:

"When Im at home, I dont know whats happening in the stable. With this data, I can see from home if a sow starts farrowing. So it helps me in the morning".

All the data passes through an electronic terminal situated into the farm building, which works as a gateway. It also measures air quality and temperature.

Animals' improved welfare

Ander Herlin, Senior Lecturer at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, is co-ordinator of the project's Swedish operations. He believes the new technologies mark a big step forward:

"Each animal is very important; its valuable and has its own right of welfare. So we have to monitor each animal and this is the idea about precision livestock farming".

The global Smart Farming market is expected to double in the next five years and reach a value of 16 billion Euros.

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Smart farming: how technology is improving animal welfare and efficiency in agriculture - Euronews

CLEVELAND, Ohio On Friday night, University of Akron psychology professor Toni Bisconti and 55 friends attended a dance party. In an age of social distancing to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, though, the get-together took place entirely online and from the comforts of everyones home.

Bisconti, who specializes in adult development and aging psychology, also moonlights as a DJ. So she and her friends used the video conferencing app Zoom to dance together, even though they were apart.

The stay-at-home order that requires Ohio residents to remain mostly in their homes to limit the spread of COVID-19 means most people will have limited face-to-face interaction through at least April 6. Extroverts, in particular, might struggle in the coming weeks or months with a dramatic decrease in daily interactions, experts say.

Its difficult to replace the feeling of seeing someone else, or the sense of touch from a handshake or a hug. Still, other forms of communication can help provide the human connection that people need, Bisconti said.

Theres a tangible, neurological benefit of being touched that I do not think can be replaced. However, for many of us as adults, well be alright for a few weeks or even a few months, she said. There are things we can do to limp along for a while, and we should.

The Ohio stay-at-home order discourages any excursions out of the home unless theyre necessary, such as trips to the grocery store or medical appointments. Other states, including California, New York and Illinois, enacted similar restrictions before DeWine announced Ohios stay-at-home order Sunday.

The isolation caused by the coronavirus has led many people to come up with creative ways to stay connected to their neighbors. In Dallas, Texas, residents recently gathered at their windows to sing Lean On Me together. The singalong was inspired by residents quarantined in Italy, who took to their balconies to sing and play music with each other.

On Monday afternoon in Avon Lake, people decorated their cars for a Honks for Hugs parade for residents at the Independence Village, senior living community. The sound of a car horn acted as a virtual hug, the organizers said.

While being able to touch another person is important, talking to someone and knowing they care about you can also have a significant impact, Case Western Reserve University professor and clinical psychologist Dr. Jane Timmons-Mitchell said.

People want and need to connect with others, so I think thats whats driving us to want to do things with other people, Timmons-Mitchell said.

Stay connected through audio and video chatting.

Perhaps the most common way that people will stay connected to each other is through phone calls and video chats. Services like Apples FaceTime and Skype have been available for years to help connect people via video, and apps like Zoom are helping a more significant number of people videoconference in groups.

Video and audio communication services are also helping people participate in group activities, similar to Biscontis dance party. Audio- and video-chat apps help people connect online to play tabletop-style games or video games, or play trivia. Timmons-Mitchell said a friend of hers is using video chat to schedule a meet-up with family members so they can tell each other jokes.

We need to be connected, Timmons-Mitchell said of the increased reliance on communication services. From the moment were born, we need it. It helps us grow and thrive.

Its unclear whether video conferencing can have a more significant effect than a phone call, experts said. But Bisconti noted that studies have suggested smiling is contagious, so seeing someone else smile over video could cause a person to smile and improve their mood.

Video chatting is also relatively novel, and kind of fun, Bisconti said.

Keep a routine and take a walk. It will help.

Using phone calls, video chats and social media to stay connected to others is not a foolproof strategy for navigating an extended period of isolation, experts said. Ohioans should take advantage of the exception in the stay-at-home order that allows them to go outside to take a walk, go on a hike, go for a run or take a bicycle ride.

Therapists typically advise people dealing with depression to get out of the house, so taking a walk could be beneficial for everyone isolated, Timmons-Mitchell said.

Even if youre walking by yourself and theres nobody around, it will help you heath-wise and make you feel better, Timmons-Mitchell said.

People should also keep a daily routine that includes getting dressed, bathing, making breakfast and compiling a list of tasks they hope to accomplish. Building a sense of structure into the day can also help maintain a sense of normalcy, experts said.

So many of us are treating this like a break, Bisconti said. It makes you feel like your day is separated from your lazy time.

Dont overreact if you argue with a loved one. Its normal.

Bisconti said the increased stress of a prolonged period in isolation could strain relationships, but its natural to argue with someone youre with all the time.

Being isolated is abnormal, so people should not take it as a reflection on their relationship, Bisconti said. If a fight is about something new rather than a long-simmering issue, theres a decent chance its related to being stuck at home.

Were not sure what to do when were stuck with each other, she said. So we have to realize that if were bickering, we might just be cooped up. I wouldnt take it as a sign of relationship doom.

Timmons-Mitchell said shes impressed by the ways people around the world have interacted online or through non-traditional means. That shows that people are resilient, and will support one another until they can return to a healthy life, she said.

I think the thing to keep in mind is this is only temporary. If we take this seriously, its only temporary, Timmons-Mitchell said. We will have an opportunity to do the things we want to do again.

Read more cleveland.com stories:

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Battling coronavirus loneliness? Youre not alone. Experts urge using technology to stay connected with famil - cleveland.com

By Sindhu Gangadharan

Throughout history women have been denied their share of voice due to their gender. But over time, through sheer grit and boldness, women have challenged this and have pushed their way to rise to the top in the society.

Several studies have proven the economic benefits that organizations and the society can reap through gender parity. A gender-equal workplace benefits employee, customers and partners, and that is why we at SAP became the firstmultinational IT Company to achieve the Economic Dividends for Gender Equality (EDGE) certification.

McKinseys The Power of Parity report, points out thatIndia wouldeconomically benefit the most by achieving gender equality, provided we work towards a comprehensive change.

It is gratifying to observe that several women are taking up STEM education today, as these would contribute to quickly raising thelevels of women employees in technology companies, which today is as lowas 26 percent.

While a lot is being done by corporates to increase the share of womens voice in their companies, women too need to step up and take challenging roles. Today, theopportunities for women to raise in the ranks in technology companies are numerous.

In my 20 years of experience with SAP, I have had many opportunities come my way -some because I put in effort to constantly enhance my skill and did not shy away from embracing challenges.

A lesson I learnt early on in my career is something that is still close to my heart. In 2001, when I moved to Germany from India, I realized that in order to break barriers and understand the culture, it was important to learn the language. Doing this helped me feel inclusive and I gained a deeper understanding of the society and the people.

I have been able to break barriers and face challenges because I believe in perseverance, setting goals and working hard to achieve them. If you forge ahead towards your aspirations, you will realize them when the time is right.

Many women acquittance who are in various stages of their career, have told me in external meetings that they notice a perceivable change in the body language,especially when they are the sole women in that meeting. My suggestion to them is that such prejudice caneasily be demolished by the value of content one brings to the table. It is therefore important for women to drive the change and take control of the narrative when faced with biases.

People in Germany used to ask if it was any different for me, growing up in India, and I always said it wasnt. Growing up in Bengaluru, my mother had the same expectations from me that she had of my two brothers.

Women are evolving away from compartmentalization. Our focus should be to achieve a flow between all aspects of our lives. Often, I hear from women and male colleagues that an ideal work life balance is central to a successful life.I, however do not subscribe to this view. Work and family are not disjointed but integral parts of our lives. Both can be managed smoothly if one learns to prioritize work, manage time and enjoy what they do.

I would advise women to constantly keep pushing the envelope, not box themselves with small range of possibilities, but rather look to taking on bigger goals. A workplace that provides equal opportunity to everyone is not just beneficial to women but the society at large.

Technology companies today are much moreopen and welcoming towardswomen leaders. In all aspects of the society, women have driven thechange and can further dothis through our leadership.

(Disclaimer: The author of this article is the Senior Vice-President and MD of SAP Labs, India, and the views expressed herein are her own)

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Demystifying the Role of Women in Technology - CXOToday.com

Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) is one of the marquee features for Nvidias RTX video cards, but its also one people tend to overlook or outright dismiss. The reason for that is because many people equate the technology to something like a sharpening filter that can sometimes reduce the jagged look of lower-resolution images. But DLSS uses a completely different method with much more potential for improving visual quality, and Nvidia is ready to prove that with DLSS 2.0.

Nvidia built the second-generation DLSS to address all of the concerns with the technology. It looks better, gives players much more control, and should support a lot more games. But at its core, DLSS 2.0 is still about using machine learning to intelligently upscale a game to a higher resolution. The idea is to give you a game that, for example, looks like it is running at 4K while actually rendering at 1080p or 1440p. This drastically improves performance. And, in certain games, it can even produce frames that contain more detail than native rendering.

For DLSS, Nvidia inputs a game into a training algorithm to determine what the visuals are supposed to look like at the sharpest possible fidelity. And this is one of the areas where DLSS 2.0 is a significant leap forward. Nvidia originally needed a bespoke training model for every game. DLSS 2.0, however, uses the same neural network for every game. This means Nvidia can add DLSS support to more games at a more rapid pace.

Then using that deep-learning data, DLSS can then use the Tensor GPU cores on Nvidias RTX cards to process what a 1080p frame should look like at 4K. And this method is so much more powerful than sharpening because it is rebuilding from data that isnt even necessarily present in each frame. Heres the result:

MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries and Control are the first two games to support DLSS 2.0. They will get the benefit of the more efficient AI network. This version of the tech is twice as fast on the Tensor cores already available in RTX cards like the RTX 2060 up to the RTX 2080 Ti.

Nvidia has also added temporal feedback to its DLSS system. This enables the super-sampling method to get information about how objects and environments change over time. DLSS 2.0 can then use that temporal feedback to improve the sharpness and stability from one frame to the next.

But the advantages go beyond improved processing. DLSS 2.0 also turns over more control to the player. One of the disadvantages of DLSS in many games is that it was often a binary choice. Either it was on or off, and developers got to decide how DLSS behaved.

DLSS 2.0 flips that by giving three presets: Quality, Balanced, and Performance. In Performance mode, DLSS 2.0 can take a 1080p frame and upscale it all the way up to 2160p (4K). Quality mode, meanwhile, may upscale 1440p to 2160p.

But you dont necessarily need a 4K display to get the advantages of DLSS 2.0. You can use the tech on a 1080p or 1440p display, and it will often provide better results than native rendering.

Again, this is possible because DLSS 2.0 is working from more data than a native 1080p frame. And all of this is going to result in higher frame rates and playable games even when using ray tracing.

DLSS 2.0 is rolling out soon as part of a driver update for RTX cards.

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Nvidias DLSS 2.0 aims to prove the technology is essential - VentureBeat

HOUSTON, March 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sterling Group, a Houston-based middle market private equity firm, announced that its portfolio company, Tangent Technologies, completed the acquisition of Bedford Technology at the end of February. Headquartered in Aurora, Illinois, Tangent is a leading manufacturer of high-density polyethylene ("HDPE") lumber used for outdoor furniture, site amenities, structural applications, and marine decking. Bedford is a leading plastic lumber extruder in North America with excellence in structural and semi-structural product lines, primarily used in marine infrastructure projects, boardwalks, fencing, as well as a broad range of industrial applications.

In recent years, HDPE lumber has become a leading substitute for traditional building materials in outdoor furniture and other applications given its durability and aesthetics. Tangent and Bedford both use post-consumer recycled milk bottles as a primary raw material along with many other post-industrial recycled waste streams. Combining Tangent and Bedford creates a leading alternative materials innovation team and expands both business' plastic lumber product lines.

"We are excited to partner with Bedford and expand the combined plastic lumber product lines and solutions," said Guy DeFeo, CEO of Tangent. "With the addition of Bedford, we will build a broader facility footprint across North America as well as build one of the best alternative material innovation organizations for our customers."

"We are looking forward to increasing sustainable manufacturing capabilities and expanding our innovation capabilities through this partnership with Tangent," said Jeff Breitzman, CEO and President of Bedford Technology. "The talent and skills that both organizations are bringing to the table will enhance how the combined company serves its customers and will fuel many new growth opportunities," said Brian Larsen, Founder of Bedford Technology and former CEO.

About The Sterling Group

Founded in 1982, The Sterling Group is a private equity investment firm that targets controlling interests in basic manufacturing, distribution and industrial services companies. Typical enterprise values of these companies range from $100 million to $750 million. Sterling has sponsored the buyout of 56 platform companies and numerous add-on acquisitions for a total transaction value of over $10.0 billion. Currently, Sterling has over $2.0 billion of assets under management. For further information, please visit http://www.sterling-group.com.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results and all investments are subject to loss.

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SOURCE The Sterling Group

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Tangent Technologies, a Portfolio Company of The Sterling Group, Completes The Acquisition of Bedford Technology - Yahoo Finance