Category Archives: Technology

Lauren Dudley is a research associate in Asia Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

China has worked aggressively in recent years to upgrade its domestic innovation system as technology plays an increasingly significant role in great power competition. These measures, including a range of industrial policies to develop industries like artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, high-end manufacturing, new-energy vehicles, and 5G, seek to establish China as the global technological superpower by 2049. But while China is beginning to lead in some of these industries, misguided research incentives in Chinas innovation ecosystem have limited its innovation potential to date. Quantity crowds out quality.

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Technology and Innovation

The Chinese innovation ecosystem suffers from its quantity-based evaluation system, which informs how research grants, promotions, bonuses, and other professional awards are distributed. Researchers are judged on the quantity of papers they publish, SCI credits and impact factors (which measure the impact of scientific work based on the number of citations) they receive, and patents theyre awarded. These are imperfect measures of creativity and originality, and the focus on output consequently discourages researchers from taking on risky projects that are more likely to lead to significant technological breakthroughs.

Digital and Cyberspace Update

A bimonthly newsletter featuring expert commentary from the Digital and Cyberspace Policy program on cybersecurity, digital trade, internet governance, and online privacy.

Chinese patent application data clearly represents this phenomenon. Because Chinas evaluation system rewards researchers who have the most patents, researchers are incentivized to submit patent applications for slightly modified versions of existing technologies or processes, known in China as utility patents. These modifications often only reflect small changes in the product but take less time, have a faster patent application processing time, and are more likely to receive a patent than more innovativeand time-consumingresearch projects. Domestic patent data for basic electric elements, processes that involve a single technical step like drying or coating, reflects this. In 2018, 79 percent of scientists who applied for a utility patent in basic electric elements received a patent. On the other hand, only 30 percent of applicants received invention patents in the same category.

Quantity-over-quality research incentives also explains why China lacks strong results in basic researchthe pursuit of discoveries that radically change our understanding of existing scientific conceptsdespite the Chinese governments recognition that basic research has become central to international competition, opened new fields, and led to many new innovations. Researchers who must publish or perish are unlikely to take on high risk, high reward basic research projects. As a result, only 5 percent of Chinas R&D funds are spent on basic research.

The Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and Ministry of Education (MOE) have found that in part as a result of these incentives in Chinas research system, there is a lower level of innovation in China than in other countries. This presents a major problem for China as it seeks technological supremacy in strategic industries. In response, the MOST, MOE, and other science-related Chinese government offices have released a series of policies in the past two months to realign research incentives and improve Chinas innovation ecosystem.

In February, the Chinese government published a plan to begin a one-year trial to improve the science and technology research evaluation system. This policy aims to shift the emphasis away from the quantity of researchers achievements and reorient it towards the quality, contribution, and impact of their findings. It will also reward researchers who contribute to Chinas strategic goals. While the policys language is broad and its proposed system unclear, it states that evaluation systems should be adjusted so that projects with important applications gain 10 percent relative to other projects, projects with strong academic impact gain 30 percent, and projects that make important contributions to Chinas economic and social development or national security gain 50 percent. And if universities do not reverse their tendency to focus on essays, job titles, academic qualifications, and awards when evaluating people and teams, the Chinese government threatens to suspend their access to national science and technology project funds.

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Technology and Innovation

Authorities also laid out similar changes to the patent evaluation system. Noting the tendency of Chinese researchers to submit many patent applications for insignificant changes to existing technologies or processes, the Chinese government has instructed universities to continually evaluate projects throughout their lifecycle so that their results are oriented towards outstanding transformations and changing capabilities.

Finally, for researchers to achieve these outstanding results, the Chinese government has called on universities to better encourage basic research. A work plan released by a group of Chinese government departments calls on universities to increase their support of scientists that have the courage to challenge the most cutting-edge scientific problems [and] come up with their own unique innovations. Beyond promoting basic research, the policy also calls on universities to encourage free exploration, give researchers more academic autonomy, and create a research environment that is brave enough to tolerate failure. With this mantra in mind, the Chinese government will expand financial support for research in basic disciplines such as mathematics and physics and strategic technologies including AI and smart manufacturing.

In effect, the Chinese government is realigning incentives so that more researchers will contribute to Chinas plan to develop core technologies, meet national strategic needs, and form first-mover advantage in emerging industries. If implemented as planned, China will be a step closer to becoming the global leader in emerging technologies, posing a significant challenge to the United States continued commercial success and national security.

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Brave Enough to Tolerate Failure: China Realigns Research Incentives In Pursuit of Technological Supremacy - Council on Foreign Relations

Her message is clear: We are not alone. Its important to social distance, but that doesnt mean were isolated and alone. God is with us, and God has not abandoned us, just as we havent abandoned each other, she said.

At First Congregational Church in Waterloo, the Rev. Scott Spence said Sunday services are being streamed online and posted on Facebook. On Wednesdays, a live streaming prayer service takes place. For most pastors Ive talked to, were all learning as we go and trying to figure it out day by day and using all the different social media platforms. With nursing homes and hospitals restricting access, were also checking in with folks on the phone.

Equally as important, Spence said, is reminding church members that while our buildings are beautiful and beloved, and we take a lot of pride and joy in being there, church is not just the building. The congregation extends beyond the walls and into the community.

The Rev. John Fuller, pastor at Prairie Lakes Church in Cedar Falls, said the church has been streaming sermons and conducting online services, as well as texting and using Facebook for a number of years. Employees use Zoom remote conferencing services so theyre all on the same page, but not in the same room.

We want to keep our focus on how we can serve others during this season. So many vulnerable people need our help, and were texting and Facebooking each of our local partners House of Hope, the Northeast Iowa Food Bank to find out their specific needs and where we can help. We have a hotline so if someone has a need, we will help if we can, Fuller said.

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Church leaders put their faith in technology to serve their congregations - WCF Courier

A particular neuronal circuit in the brains of bats controls their vocalisations. This was recently discovered by biologists at Goethe University Frankfurt. Based on the rhythm with which the circuit oscillated, the Frankfurt researchers were able to predict the kind of sounds the bats were about to make. These research results could contribute to a better understanding of human diseases in which language is impaired such as Parkinsons or Tourette syndrome.

Bats are famous for their sonar-based navigation. They use their extremely sensitive hearing for orientation, emitting ultrasound noises and receiving an image of their surroundings based on the echo. Sebas short-tailed bat (Carollia perspicillata), for example, finds the fruits that are its preferred food using this echolocation system. At the same time, bats also use their voices in a somewhat deeper frequency range to communicate with other members of their species. Sebas short-tailed bats employ a vocal range for this purpose that is otherwise only found among songbirds and humans. Like humans, they produce sound through the larynx.

Together with his team, neuroscientist Julio C. Hechavarria from the Institute for Cell Biology and Neuroscience at Goethe University investigated brain activity preceding vocalisation in Sebas short-tailed bats. The scientists were able to identify a group of nerve cells that create a circuitry from the frontal lobe to the corpus striatum in the interior of the brain. When this neural circuit fires off rhythmic signals, the bat emits a vocalisation about half a second later. The type of rhythm seemed to determine whether the bats were about to utter echolocation or communication vocalisations.

Since it is nearly impossible to make a prediction within half a second, the Frankfurt researchers trained a computer to test their hypothesis: The computer analysed the recorded sounds and the neural rhythm separately and attempted to make prognoses using the various rhythms. The result: in its predictions of echolocation versus communication vocalisations, the computer was correct about 80 percent of the time. Predictions were particularly accurate when considering signals from the frontal lobe, an area that in humans has been linked to action planning, among other functions.

The Frankfurt scientists argue that the rhythms they observed in the bat brain are similar to neural rhythms often recorded from the human scalp, and concluded that brain rhythms could be linked to sound production in mammals in general.

Julio Hechavarria: For over 50 years, bats have served as an animal model for studying how the brain processes auditory stimuli and how human language develops. For the first time, we were able to show how distant brain regions in bats communicate with each other during vocalization. At the same time, we know that the corresponding brain networks are impaired in individuals who, for example, stutter as a result of Parkinsons disease or emit involuntary noises due to Tourette syndrome. We therefore hope that by continuing to study vocal behaviour in bats, we can contribute to a better understanding of these human diseases.

Reference:

Kristin Weineck, Francisco Garca-Rosales, Julio C. Hechavarra. Neural oscillations in the fronto-striatal network predict vocal output in bats. PLOS Biology, 2020; 18 (3): e3000658 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000658

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New Insights to How the Brain Controls the Voice of Bats - Technology Networks

MARKHAM, ON, March 23, 2020 /CNW/ - Pond Technologies Holdings Inc. (the "Corporation" or "Pond")(TSX.V: POND), (OTCQB: PNDHF) an ESG company addressing global sustainability challenges of climate change and nutrition, announces that it has, through its subsidiary, Pond Technologies Inc., signed a non-exclusive licensing agreement with London based Remediiate (UK) Ltd. (https://www.remediiate.com/) who intends to develop projects and sell solutions and algae in the UK and Europe focused on the animal feed and aquaculture markets.

Under the terms of the licensing agreement, Remediiate will have the non-exclusive right to use Pond's patents and know-how related to the growth of microalgae and cyanobacteria and related biomass in connection with the development, manufacture, promotion, marketing, advertisement, sale and distribution of certain licensed products of Pond, including its gas management skid, dosing/harvesting/conditioning skid and PLC programming, in the countries and principalities of continental Europe as well as the United Kingdom. Remediiate will also have the right to provide consultancy, installation and support services in respect of such licensed products in such jurisdictions. In addition, Remediiate has the exclusive right in such jurisdictions to sell or otherwise supply the licensed products to certain identified companies.

The term of the license is 5 years (or upon the earlier expiration of all the patents and where there is no possibility of any applications in the patents proceeding to grant) and is automatically renewable thereafter for an additional 5 years provided Remediiate is in material compliance with the agreement at that time.

As consideration for granting the license, Pond shall be paid a fee to be agreed upon, on a case by case basis, related to the separate agreements to be entered into between Remediiate and the end users. Such fees will be based upon, among other things, an hourly rate for Pond's consulting, installation and servicing fees, a percentage of the licensing fee charged to the end user, and Pond's standard list price for its licensed products. In no event will the fee be less than $500,000 per annum, payable quarterly, until December 31, 2021, and thereafter not less than $2,000,000 per annum.

Steve Martin, Pond's CEO, commented, "Europe is a key market for Pond with its forward-looking industrial emitters, tightening regulations and large players in the protein markets. We are delighted to be working with the team at Remediiate who share our belief in the value of algae to profitably utilize carbon emissions while simultaneously dealing with issues of climate change and sustainable food security."

Carlos de Pommes, Remediiate's CEO added "Partnering with an established technology provider has been critical to us in convincing European greenhouse gas emitters and feed providers that algae-based alternative protein has come of age. We can now cost-effectively deploy technology at scale. We are delighted to be working with PondTech who share our values."

About Remediiate (UK) Ltd.Founded in 2017, Remediiate's mission is: Clean the Planet | Feed the World. Remediiate is a UK-based, European-focussed CO2 abatement firm leveraging the power of nature's rock stars - algae - to solve simultaneously two of the world's greatest challenges; carbon emissions from major industrial emitters and the supply of alternative protein for the feed industry. Remediiate's leadership in lighting technology and algae biology enables us to produce on an industrial scale.

About Pond Technologies Holdings Inc.:Located in Markham, Ontario, Pond is a technology company that provides profitable solutions to the global health and wellness challenges of climate change and nutrition. Pond's proprietary growth platform, including patented advanced photonics, optimizes key growth inputs in order to provide a controlled environment that maximizes the growth of algae and other organisms. This enables industrial emitters to generate new revenue streams from the transformation of underutilized CO2 to valuable algae-based products, such as protein for animal feed and nutraceutical products like Chlorella, Spirulina, and Astaxanthin for human consumption. For more information visit https://www.pondtech.com/.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Pond Technologies Holdings Inc.

Canada Newswire, source Canada Newswire English

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Pond Technologies Holdings Inc :. enters into non-exclusive Technology Licence Agreement with UK-based Remediiate, providing Pond with minimum payment...

Raman Singh

As the novel Coronavirus becomes a global pandemic, organisations across the globe have been looking at innovative techniques to keep business going while ensuring the safety and well-being of their employees. Remote working, social distancing, and work from home have emerged as the new buzzwords that everyone is talking of and relying on for seamless operations in these distressing times.

Technology and creative tech products are actually making these concepts a reality by allowing employees to perform their daily duties from the safety of their homes. Heres a quick look at the technologies that are enabling remote working while we wait for the situation to mitigate.

Technology to the rescue: How Cloud-enabled tools can drive remote working

Even before the outbreak of COVID-19, the tech-driven paradigm shift towards new-age business communication models beyond email, calls, and text messaging were already in full swing. According to market research, with the emergence of Cloud-enabled and mobile-optimized communication tools, the global percentage of people preferring to work from a remote working environment is expected to rise by 38 percent.

Despite the advent of advanced cloud-based enterprise tools, a majority of organisations are still using generic voice-centric implements (such as premise-based PBXs) to enable easy interaction within their company. Hence, to effectively drive greater business communication experience, enterprises need to leverage the power of collaborative, mobile-first Unified Communication as a Service (UCaaS)-based tools. Such tools can empower businesses to shift the telecommute traffic entirely to the digital realm, enabling them to provide their employees with a safe and secure working facility that is free from location constraints.

Such an approach can make a huge difference during times of crisis such as the current Coronavirus pandemic when practicing social distancing ought to be everybodys utmost priority. As organisations are rapidly taking cognisance of this fact, the following are some of the tech-enabled strategies that they can utilise to activate a seamless remote working environment for the benefit and safety of their employees and society at large:

Video conferencing as compared to in-person interactions

When people are being advised to go into self-quarantine to avoid getting infected or further spreading the virus the option to attend in-person meetings naturally goes out of the window. One option that professionals then have is to conduct meetings over call or text messages. However, this method too can be easily snubbed in favor of video conferencing which undeniably offers a more immersive experience than a simple phone-centric interaction.

Facilitating mobile PBX connection

Leading market players can enable an organisation to begin their journey towards the Cloud destination. One of the salient features of such a transformation is the virtual phone system that is seamlessly integrated with the existing PBX phone system in an organisation. Such a tool can empower employees to communicate with each other via the PBX system but by using their own mobile phones, irrespective of where they are located.

Integrating customised interactive voice response (IVR) system

Using this feature, organisations can customize an appropriate voice response greeting for any incoming calls that they receive. Besides, tech-enabled supplements can even facilitate the option of capturing the number and voice mails of a caller in case the user is unable to respond. This frees a professional working from home from the unnecessary hassle and compulsion of answering every incoming call under duress.

Although the pandemic threat has caused the global economy to be in free fall, it doesnt mean that organisations have to pause their operations and wait for the storm to let up before businesses can get back on track. Thanks to the intervention of Cloud-based tech tools, professionals no longer need to visit their offices to engage in business transactions.

By adopting the aforementioned strategies, organisations can now enable their workforce to do it from a remote working environment, including their homes. And this, now more than before, has emerged as the most appropriate option available to business leaders to ensure the safety of their employees in the face of the unfortunate disruption while keeping their business processes in a sustained motion.

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Business in the time of Corona: Technologies that organisations can leverage to enable a remote working environment - Moneycontrol

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Future Power Technology is now available on all devices. Read the new issue here.

Concentrated solar power (CSP) has many advantages over more established PV technologies, but the scale and complexity has driven a growing gap in costs between CSP and other renewable technologies. Is there still a place for CSP in the solar energy mix?

Also, we look at Aberdeens ambitions to transition into a clean energy leader, examine the rise and fall of attitudes to onshore wind, and report back from COP25.

Finally, we profile Japans renewable sector, hear from EcoHZ about electric vehicles success in Norway, find out about the worlds first digital twin of a hydroelectric power station, and speak to Statera about expanding the role of back-up energy in the UK.

Why thinking small could help reignite the concentrated solar power sector

Concentrated solar power accounts for only a fraction of the overall green energy market, but recent research suggests smaller-scale designs could help revitalise interest in the sector.Julian Turnertalks to Luis Crespo, president of Protermosolar, Spains solar thermal electricity association.

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A clean start: could Aberdeen become a destination for renewables?

As a gateway to the North Sea, Aberdeen has been pivotal to the success of the oil and gas industry, but much is now being made of the citys potential to become a clean energy hub using much of its existing infrastructure.Julian Turnertalks to Maggie McGinlay, deputy CEO, Opportunity North East.

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Understanding the public love-hate relationship with wind power

The public perception of wind power has shifted over the last four decades but understanding why that is has been a major challenge.Andrew Tunnicliffelooks back at how public concerns have shaped the sector and how they can be addressed.

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COP25: assessing progress in renewable energy policy

The COP25 UN conference held in Madrid in December 2019 aimed to tie up outstanding issues related to full implementation of the global climate change strategy.Yoana Cholteevaasks, how much is there still to do, and what role for renewables does their vision require?

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New laws and new targets: renewable power in Japan

Japan plans to increase its reliance on renewable power to 24% of its energy mix by 2030, more than double its current production. With new laws in place to encourage renewable projects,JP Caseyprofiles the countrys clean energy sources, and consider how realistic its 2030 goals are.

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EcoHZ on how electric vehicles found success in Norway

Electric vehicles have found a home in Norway, with the countrys Electric Car Association reporting that there were 230,000 registered electric cars on its roads by May 2018, and that battery and hybrid-powered vehicles held a 50% market share.JP Caseyspeaks toTom Lindberg,CEO of Norwegian energy solutions firm EcoHZ, about the countrys electric vehicle journey.

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Inside the worlds first digital twin of a hydroelectric power station

Technology provider Akselos is creating a structural digital twin of energy utility ESBs aging Turlough Hill hydroelectric power station in County Wicklow, Ireland. The project, a world first, hopes to extend the operational life of the colossal asset and help it find new modes of operation.Heidi Vellafinds out more

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In pursuit of alternative back-up energy: a closer look at power-to-gas technologies

Power outages could affect the energy grid at any time and cause severe damage, but what are the backup options capable of maintaining consistent energy supplies?Yoana Cholteevatakes a look at the power-to-gas method.

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As the cultivation and sale of cannabiscontinues to be legalised acrossNorth America and elsewhere, we ask whatthe implicationsare for energy grids.

Also, we consult experts to get the full story on the UAEs Barakah nuclear power plant, investigate whether coal has become uninsurable, and look at sustainable energypledges from across the tech sector.

Finally, we learn about constraint payments for wind farms, report on a team from Yales efforts with osmotic energy, speak to University of Bristol researchers about their plan for near-infinite nuclear power, and examine Turkeys solar power market.

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Wild is the wind: new issue of Future Power Technology out now - Power Technology

When disease strikes, it leaves in its wake a slew of socio-economic consequences. Response to this disease and in effect their consequences have historically been in one way or the other derived from science and technology. Today, much as these situations evolve in scale and magnitude, so also has the worlds response evolved. From novel preventive technology to effective and fast-acting contingency approaches, science and tech are changing how the world tackles the issueof disease.

A Molecular Approach

In combating situations like that brought on by the coronavirus, its important that researchers act with speed and agility to develop potent and, more importantly, safe vaccines. This is where novel solutions like mRNA vaccines come into the picture.

Unlike the typical vaccine development protocol, which relies on inactivating the pathogen or purifying specific components from it, mRNA vaccines take the pathogen completely out of the picture. To develop an mRNA vaccine, scientists, using genetic engineering, synthesize specific proteins associated with the virus external coat. These proteins are capable of initiating an immune response when introduced into the body, of course without eliciting the disease conditions caused by the active virus. That immune response persists and grants the subject immunity from subsequent infections. Aside from reducing the risks associated with vaccination, turning to mRNA vaccines greatly expedites the time taken from disease outbreak to deployment of a viable vaccine.

MRNA vaccines are yet to be deployed in the real world setting as part of a broad-scale intervention. That said, a handful of clinical trials have shown just how effective they can be. From a biomedical standpoint, they represent one of the most important preventive/therapeutic outlets that can be leveraged in keeping up with the onset of disease.

Synergy On A Global Scale

Whendealing with disease, its important that the intervention is launched on as broad a scale as possible -- and fast. Orchestrating such a broad-scale intervention requires the collective effort of all key players, including both government authorities and independent actors.

Consider the coronavirus situation as an example. Since the outbreak, the Chinese government, itself made up of several national and subnational institutions, has partnered both local and international actors to curb its spread. A team of researchers working in Wuhan was responsible for sequencing the virus genome. Another team based in Australia was the first to successfully grow a live culture of the virus in a laboratory setting. Collaboration and coordination at this level require a systemic aggregation of available resources, in addition to the seamless integration of all relevant authorities. Technology is a critical player in this regard.

This is especially apparent from the epidemiological perspective of managing disease where things like situational awareness come into the fray. Technology disrupts the conventional barriers of communication and coordination, giving health authorities the chance to act swiftly, with agility and heightened efficiency. As is often the case this ability could be the difference between a disease halted at the local level and one that breaks the shores to transform into a global problem. In the wake of the 2003 SARS situation, it was discovered that just a one-week delay in effecting control measures could have escalated the magnitude of the outbreak to about three times what was experienced, in addition to prolonging its duration by four weeks.

Its important to note, however, that while technology has indeed fostered faster, more efficacious responses, theres still room for massive improvement. A case in point is the current situation as it concerns testing suspected cases for the coronavirus.

Technology is what allows for the swift transportation of samples from suspected victims to testing centers. It is also what allows for testing to be carried out and results shipped back, but what if a rapid diagnostic test kit was developed? In theory that would effectively obliterate the time lag between confirming cases, generally improve patient prognosis and cut down the risk of transmission from suspected cases that are actually positive to suspected cases that turn out negative (both housed in the same containment facility), among other things.

Predicting The Future

Advances in computational technologies now mean diseases can be run in a simulation even before they get the chance to play out. These simulations utilize demographic data, individual data, and data about mobility patterns and commuting networks to model the pattern/dynamics of a given situation.

The models derived thereof provide a comprehensive framework for assessing both past and future diseases. Particularly, they help in predicting the likely start points, risk factors, progression and risk populations for future situations. For governments and health authorities, these insights are a start point for the development of pragmatic action plans aimed at preventing the onset of a disease.

Different disease models also come in handy in effecting contingency interventions. It is well known that the trajectory of disease progression is inherently linked to the available short- and long-range mobility networks. As weve seen in many cases, long-range mobility networks, typically in the form of air travel, are directly correlated to the spread of a disease on a global scale. Short-range mobility networks, on the other hand, primarily drive the diffusion of disease in local populations. Computational models provide an avenue to actively track these modes of dispersion with a view of creating a viable containment protocol. The accuracy of these models, however, remains a major concern. That concern can be addressed through significant investments in the research and development of better simulators.

So, What Next?

As both the science and technology industries continue on their never-ending path of evolution, they promise even better methods for identifying, managing and preventing disease on a global scale. Thats good news for government and health professionals -- and even better news for key players in both industries. For businesses with the specialization, plugging into this evolution and deriving purpose-fit solutions for preventing and containing global disease is an outlet thats well worth the consideration.

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Dealing With Disease: The Joint Responsibility Of Science And Technology - Forbes

KIRKLAND, Wash. The Lake Washington Institute of Technology will be closed for the rest of the week after a faculty member tested positive for novel coronavirus.

The college reopened Wednesday morning after being closed for two days for sanitization after a group of students and faculty visited the Life Care Center in Kirkland. The nursing facility has seen an outbreak of COVID-19 cases, and eight of the ten deaths in Washington state are linked to the facility, officials said.

A statement issued Wednesday evening by LW Tech President Dr. Amy Morrison says the campus was closed again as of 5:30 p.m. and it will remain closed through the weekend.

We made this decision swiftly, to continue disinfecting the college while no students, faculty and staff were on campus, and to provide us time to get a clear sense of who could have been exposed, Morrison said.

Morrison says that the faculty member, as well as 21 other students, faculty and staff, have been self-quarantined after the recent visit to Life Care.

She said a student who was also tested is negative for COVID-19 and that those quarantined are reporting to us that they are all doing well.

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Lake Washington Institute of Technology closed through weekend after faculty member tests positive for COVID-19 - Q13 News Seattle

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has a long-standing tradition of innovation and technological development in space. Who can forget the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS), more familiarly known as the Canadarm, which was essential to the Space Shuttle program? How about its successor, the Canadarm2, which is a crucial part of the International Space Station and even helped assemble it?

Looking to the future, the CSA intends to play a similar role in humanitys return to the Moon which includes the creation of the Lunar Gateway and Project Artemis. To this end, the CSA recently awarded a series of contracts with private businesses and one university to foster the development of technologies that would assist with national and international efforts to explore the Moon.

Specifically, the CSA has awarded 7 contracts worth a total of $4.36 million to 5 companies and one university to produce concepts that will advance Canadas efforts to conduct landings and science operations on the surface of the Moon. The specified concepts include nano-rovers, micro-rovers, and autonomous science instruments.

Funding for these projects was made through theCSAsLunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP), which is tasked with preparing Canadas space sector for the coming decade of lunar exploration. To this end, LEAP has earmarked a total of $150 million that will be distributed over the next five years to stimulate innovation in the fields of artificial intelligence, robotics, health, and other associated technologies.

As the Honourable Navdeep Bains the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry remarked:

Our Government is positioning Canadas space sector to reach for the Moon and beyond. This investment will help Canadian businesses bring their technologies to market, creating opportunities for them to join the growing space economy while supporting Canada to achieve world firsts in space science and exploration.

Of the contracts and funding that have been awarded so far, the largest share was secured by the Canadensys Aerospace Corporation, located in Caledon, Ontario. This company, which specializes in space systems and services, will receive two contracts worth a total of $1,099,366 for the sake of designing and developing technologies and prototypes for two different classes of small lunar science rovers (the nano- and micro-rover).

Another Ontario-based company that was awarded a contract is Bubble Technology Industries Inc, which specializes in radiation-related applications. In exchange for the $698,321 they will receive, Bubble will develop a spectrometer that can search for hydrogen autonomously, thus allowing future missions to detect the presence of water and ice near the lunar surface.

Quebec-based aerospace developer ABB was also awarded a contract for the development of autonomous technology. In exchange for the $693,193 they were issued, they will design, build and test a prototype for an autonomous infrared spectrometer. This device will act as a mineral mapper, giving future robotic missions the ability to remotely measure and the composition of the Moons surface.

Magellan Aerospace the global developer of aerospace technologies headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario was issued a contract totaling $607,258 to develop a lunar impactor that will deliver instruments to the surface of the Moon. These will include sensors designed to detect water within the permanently shadowed regions around the southern polar region of the Moon.

Rounding out the companies, Mission Control Space Services Inc. (from Ottawa, Ontario) was awarded a contract worth $573,829 to develop two software packages. These will consist of an Autonomous Soil Assessment System (ASAS) that will study the composition of lunar regolith and an AI-based science support tool that will help rovers navigate the challenging lunar terrain.

And then theres Western University in London, Ontario, which was awarded a contract totaling $690,123 to develop the Integrated Vision System. This system will be designed by Westerns Institute for Earth and Space Exploration (aka. Western Space) and will be used for surface operations to identify lunar geology and assist in rover navigation.

These and other related technologies are essential to what space agencies have planned for the coming decade, not the least of which will be the creation of a lunar base in the southern polar region. Looking even farther, these kinds of partnerships not only between space agencies but between government, industry, and academic institutions as well will be essential to humanity becoming an interplanetary species.

In short, when astronauts set foot on the Moon and Mars in this decade and the next, their success will be the result of collaborative efforts. We can also expect that several flags will be flying there!

Further Reading: Parabolic Arc

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Beyond Robotic Arms. Canada Funds Technology for Space Exploration - Universe Today

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Emerging Technologies in Retail - An IT Decision Maker Perspective, 2019" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Retail has entered a new era where eCommerce and technology bellwethers like Alibaba, Amazon, Apple, Baidu, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Tencent have raised consumer expectations.

This research service provides an IT decision-maker perspective on the use of emerging technologies in retail as survey results highlight that retailers are embracing the Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain/Digital Ledger Technologies (DLT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deliver business impact. These three technologies stand out amongst the emerging technologies of today and will have an increasingly transformational impact on organisations in the retail sector over the next few years. They have already started to do so in highly interdependent and synergistic ways.

Distributed computing will expedite IoT deployment. The expectation of 60 billion connected devices by 2024 goes hand in hand with a need for lower latency, greater cost efficiency, falling silicon costs, and demand for processing and analytics power at the edge. IoT can help level the playing field for physical stores and enable the provision of an eCommerce-like personalised experience, by establishing the critical physical-digital link.

The IoT also constitutes an essential source of quality data for AI to become able to address specific use cases of which there is a continually growing number across industries and value chains, from customer-facing through core operational processes to the back-office. AI and ML are by far the most disruptive forces across the economy, the enterprise, and society at large. In retail, AI and ML will revolutionise planning, operations and fraud detection and enable personalisation at all levels. The technologies will enhance customer experience and efficiency. AI is the next general-purpose technology.

It will transform the way humans interact with computers, regardless of the physical form factor. As the archetypal consumer-facing industry, retail will be at the forefront of this. DLT can provide secure storage, and validation to ensure security and drive efficiency through automation. This interdependence highlights the importance of a carefully planned digital strategy wherein deployment takes into account dependencies between technologies. The findings reflect the progress made by retailers and their keenness to continue to make investments relating to digital technologies as these promise to enable personalisation, human-machine interaction, automation and friction reduction, support greater efficiency, and the delivery of better user experiences.

While not the primary value-adding case, the fact that the number of retailers accepting digital currency has grown into the hundreds of thousands shows the adoption momentum. Blockchain/DLT can help tackle many retail challenges, starting from supply chain transparency, to provenance/proof-of-origin, and secure consumer identity and privacy management. DLT-based micropayments can make loyalty programs more efficient.

Key Topics Covered

1. Executive Summary

2. Research Scope and Methodology

3. Technology Status, Trends, and Use Cases

4. Harnessing IoT, Blockchain and AI to Deliver Business Impact - Business Objectives and IT Investment Drivers

5. Progress in Digital Transformation Journeys

6. Benefits Already Seen

7. Reasons for Investing in Key Emerging Technologies

8. Key Concerns Relating to Top 3 Emerging Technologies

9. Investment Plans

10. The Last Word

Companies Mentioned

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Emerging Technologies in Retail: 2019 IT Decision-Maker Perspective - Technology Status, Trends, Use Cases, and More - ResearchAndMarkets.com -...