Category Archives: Technology

This week,U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announceda new three-year consortium intended to accelerate the development of cadmium telluride (CdTe) technologies by lowering the cost and increasing the efficiency of the thin-film solar cells.

CdTe is the second most common photovoltaic (PV) technology in the world, after silicon. The thin-film technology has achieved a record 22.1% cell efficiency in converting sunlight into electricity and can be manufactured at costs that are competitive with silicon solar panels. Commercially produced CdTe panels also have the lowest carbon and water footprints and the fastest energy payback times of panels available today.

The CdTe Accelerator Consortium (CTAC) will work to enable cell efficiencies above 24% by 2025 and above 26% by 2030, while steadily reducing the per-watt cost of manufacturing.

The 22.1% record efficiency was achieved by First Solar in 2016. First Solar reported an average commercial module efficiency of approximately 18% at the end of 2020.

CTAC will work to enhance U.S. technology leadership and competitiveness in CdTe PV and bring together leading organizations to impact the entire domestic CdTe supply chain, said Nancy Haegel, director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratorys (NRELs) Materials Science Center.Research, manufacturing, and deployment of CdTe PV technology is a U.S. success story. CTAC investment and innovation will encourage future growth.

CTAC will be led bythe University of Toledo,First Solar,Colorado State University,Toledo Solar Inc., andSivananthan Laboratories.

The consortium leadership was selected through a competitive solicitation released by NREL last year. The solicitation was for a CdTe technology developmentconsortium that would expand domestic CdTe PV material and module production,support the domestic CdTe supply chain,and enhance U.S. competitiveness.

NREL will oversee the consortium, acting as a resource, support, and technical analysis center. The laboratory also will support CTAC in launching additional research efforts to meet targets set by the consortiums technology road map.

A combined $20 million is going to support CdTe research, with $17 million going toward the consortium. The funding is provided byDOEs Solar Energy Technologies Office, which works to lower costs, improve performance, and speed the deployment of solar energy technologies. Investing in solar technology is key to achieving DOEs goals of cutting the cost of solar energy by 60% within the next 10 years, improving performance, and paving the way for a clean energy future.

Learn more about theCdTe Accelerator Consortium.

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Cadmium Telluride Accelerator Consortium Aims To Reduce Costs, Speed Deployment of Low-Carbon Thin-Film Solar Technologies - CleanTechnica

Under the auspices of the Brahmaswarup Pramukh Swami Maharaj Centenary Celebrations, Gujarat Technological University (GTU), Ahmedabad, in association with AARSH Research Institute, Swaminarayan Akshardham, Gandhinagar, organized a seminar on the topic Fusing Creativity, Spirituality and Technology: From the life of Pramukh Swami Maharaj in the GTU conference hall.

The seminar highlighted Pramukh Swami Maharajs unique service of imparting the ancient and profound knowledge of the Upanishads and other Indian shastras to the young generation through the medium of modern technology.

The seminar was chaired by Chancellor of the Gujarat Technological University, Prof. Navinbhai Sheth.

Following inaugural prayers and the traditional lighting of the lamp, a video highlighting Pramukh Swami Maharajs exemplary planning, decision-making and foresight was shown.

In his speech, Shri Kalpeshbhai Bhatt, Assistant Professor in Asian Religions at the University of Mary Washington, highlighted that Pramukh Swami Maharaj made effective use of modern technology to infuse spirituality in the younger generations. It was Pramukh Swami Maharajs belief that technology, if used prudently, could be advantageous. He employed modern engineering sciences in the construction of the Swaminarayan Akshardhams in Gandhinagar and Delhi. Eminent personalities all over the world who have visited Swaminarayan Akshardham in Delhi have commended Pramukh Swami Maharajs visionary work.

He further spoke about the special aspects of the Mystic India large format film, whose shooting was completed in a mere 13 weeks with the help of modern technology. He also mentioned details about the remarkable Sahaj Anand Water Show in Swaminarayan Akshardham, Gandhinagar, which beautifully depicts the story of Nachiketa from the Kathopanishad. Thus, Pramukh Swami Maharaj harmoniously worked with all and skillfully used modern technology for the spiritual upliftment of society.

Other dignitaries present included Registrar of the Gujarat Technological University, Dr. K.N. Kher, and Sandeepbhai Modi.

The seminar was broadcast live on the universitys website.

Continue reading here:

Seminar on 'Fusing Creativity, Spirituality and Technology: From the life of Pramukh Swami Maharaj' - BAPS

UEFA has announced that it will start using the new Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) from the Champions League group stage this season.

It will also be in place for the UEFA Super Cup when Real Madrid play Eintracht Frankfurt on April 10, with Premier League referee Michael Oliver appointed to the game.

The Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based system will replace the VARs manually linking lines across the pitch to players and selecting when the ball has been kicked. It is intended to make decisions quicker and more accurate while also providing improved visualisation for fans.

- Will semi-automated offside be the big fix many hoped for?

A sensor will be placed in the centre of match ball, recording data 500 times a second to detect when the ball has been kicked. All players will be mapped to create an AI model of their position -- a similar method to goal-line technology.

The time needed to make a VAR offside decision should be reduced from an average of 70 seconds to 25, while fans inside the stadiums and viewers watching on television will be provided with a 3D animation to clearly show the offside.

FIFA announced on July 1 that the technology had been approved for use and it was expected that World Cup would be the first major competition that would feature it. FIFA trialled it in its competitions for the last three years, culminating in live tests at the Club World Cup in Qatar in February when Alameri Zayed of Al-Jazira was the first player to have a goal disallowed using SAOT.

At the same time, UEFA has carried out a total of 188 tests since 2020, including all matches in last season's UEFA Champions League, the knockout stage of the UEFA Women's Champions League and the Women's Euro 2022.

"UEFA is constantly looking for new technological solutions to improve the game and support the work of the referees," said Roberto Rosetti, UEFA's chief refereeing officer. "This innovative system will allow VAR teams to determine offside situations quickly and more accurately, enhancing the flow of the game and the consistency of the decisions.

"The system is ready to be used in official matches and implemented at each Champions League venue."

Offside decisions should only take longer than the average of 25 seconds if they involve multiple offside elements, or if there is a more complicated subjective aspect such as the attacking player interfering with play.

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Champions League to use Semi-Automated Offside Technology from the group stage - ESPN

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.

Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.

Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels.

Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Information Technology sector:

These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table.

For AAPL AAPL, we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, is expiring today. Parties traded 487 contract(s) at a $165.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 22 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.2K, with a price of $58.0 per contract. There were 25056 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 114327 contract(s) were bought and sold.

For FSLR FSLR, we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 133 day(s) on December 16, 2022. This event was a transfer of 50 contract(s) at a $120.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.0K, with a price of $620.0 per contract. There were 52 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 5123 contract(s) were bought and sold.

Regarding EPAM EPAM, we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 14 day(s) on August 19, 2022. Parties traded 1000 contract(s) at a $480.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $330.0K, with a price of $330.0 per contract. There were 1 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1685 contract(s) were bought and sold.

Regarding PYPL PYPL, we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 168 day(s) on January 20, 2023. Parties traded 24 contract(s) at a $110.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 8 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $46.6K, with a price of $1945.0 per contract. There were 5129 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1006 contract(s) were bought and sold.

Regarding ZS ZS, we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 14 day(s) on August 19, 2022. Parties traded 22 contract(s) at a $155.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $27.2K, with a price of $1240.0 per contract. There were 1430 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 533 contract(s) were bought and sold.

For TEAM TEAM, we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, is expiring today. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $250.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $185.0K, with a price of $1850.0 per contract. There were 328 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 388 contract(s) were bought and sold.

For AMAT AMAT, we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 168 day(s) on January 20, 2023. This event was a transfer of 62 contract(s) at a $130.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 15 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.8K, with a price of $516.0 per contract. There were 3335 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 332 contract(s) were bought and sold.

For TWLO TWLO, we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 21 day(s) on August 26, 2022. This event was a transfer of 68 contract(s) at a $85.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 10 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $38.7K, with a price of $570.0 per contract. There were 3 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 204 contract(s) were bought and sold.

Regarding SQ SQ, we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 224 day(s) on March 17, 2023. Parties traded 186 contract(s) at a $92.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $330.1K, with a price of $1775.0 per contract. There were 34 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 187 contract(s) were bought and sold.

Regarding MA MA, we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 42 day(s) on September 16, 2022. Parties traded 82 contract(s) at a $370.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 28 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $53.3K, with a price of $650.0 per contract. There were 500 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 137 contract(s) were bought and sold.

Options Alert Terminology- Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract.- Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract.- Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it.- Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract.

For more information, visit our Guide to Understanding Options Alerts or read more about unusual options activity.

This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

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10 Information Technology Stocks With Whale Alerts In Today's Session - Benzinga

It is only through technology that India can become economically strong, says Satheesh Reddy

It is only through technology that India can become economically strong, says Satheesh Reddy

The time has come for the country to lead in the new areas of technological race rather than just be a follower by developing technologies already brought out by other countries. It is only through technology that the country can become economically strong, said DRDO Chairman, and Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development,G. Satheesh Reddy, on Friday.

The follower concept should change and we should strive to become a leader through a collaborative approach between academic institutions and the industry. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is already showing the way with its rocket technology and various missions. Our anti-satellite tech is another such technology, he told scientists during the foundation day lecture of the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), celebrating the 79th year.

The country can become self-reliant only when it can have complete design capability and ability to make in large numbers with sustained quality with constant upgradation and life cycle maintenance in any field, he said, and pointed out that the percentage of indigenous content has gone up by several notches in the defence sector in recent years.

Several steps have been taken to encourage private sector participation in not only making missiles but also bombs with the technology development funding increased from 10 crore to 50 crore with 60 industries already being the beneficiaries, said Dr. Reddy.

The country does have a capability in R&D and production as was exemplified during the COVID pandemic when more than 500 industries have come up to make PPE kits, diagnostic kits, ventilators and others from nothing in a span of few months and even exporting, he pointed out.

The DRDO chief hailed the contribution of CSIR-IICT in making key component for the COVID vaccine and in repurposing anti-viral drugs, recalling that the institute had worked with DRDO in making navigational optical sensors used in ships and aircraft.

DST secretary S. Chandrasekhar urged scientists to start practising zero discharge concept and said this practice at lab level will automatically find a place in industry, once the technology transfer takes place.

CSIR-IICT director D. Srinivasa Reddy also spoke on the occasion.

Awards were given away to the following on the occasion - principal scientist Pavuluri Srinivasu, senior technical officer C. Chandrasekhar; Young scientists award to Punna Nagender and Andugulapati Sai Balaji; Dr. R N SarmaBest JRF award to Triya Mukherjee; Gopalkishanrao Vepachedubest SRF award to Jadhav Sandip Bhagwan, Dr. A. K. Singh Memorial Best Thesis Award to Debiparna De; Dr. A. K. Singh Memorial Young Scientist Award to principal scientist Dr Rambabu Chegondi, etc.

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Lead in technology, and shed the follower concept, says DRDO chairman - The Hindu

Bavarian Nordic was contracted to develop a safer smallpox vaccine for the US in the early 2000s, amid fears that smallpox could be used as a bioterrorism weapon against the country, says Srensen. The company has produced and stored Jynneos for the country in the years since.

Srensen denies there has been any bottleneck in the supply of the vaccine so far. The company has fulfilled every request it has received since the start of the outbreak, he said on July 28which includes requests from every affected country.

We have not seen any requests so far that are exceeding our current capacity, says Srensen. We have heard from multiple sources that there is a limitation, but we think its a ghost really.

The ability to deliver these doses has, to a large extent, been down to luck, says Srensen. When the outbreak came, we had really by coincidence, equivalent to 2 million doses in bulk of our own vaccine [in addition to that owned by the US], and that was converted into vials immediately, he says. And that was what we started to sell.

There are very few of those doses left now, but the company has scaled up production, he adds.

Hopefully. In addition to the bulk vaccine stored by Bavarian Nordic, the US Strategic National Stockpile, an emergency store of medicines and medical supplies, includes millions of doses of ACAM2000 and thousands of doses of Jynneos.

More countries are thought to have stockpiles of smallpox vaccine. I dont think its really known which countries have stockpiles and how much vaccine they have, but its not only the US, says Heymann.

The WHO has called on nations that have the vaccine to share doses with those that dont. Some scientists have pointed out that the monkeypox vaccines have not been made available to the African countries where the virus is endemic.

I think we all have to be concerned about equitable access to vaccines, says Heymann. But he highlights the fact that these vaccines were developed for stockpiles to begin with. They were sold to countries for stockpiles in the event that smallpox would be used as a bioterrorist weapon, he says.

Without the drive to create vaccine stockpiles, we wouldnt have Jynneos. Its a real Catch-22, isnt it, says Hermann. Its a complicated issue. We need [incentives and financial support to make] these vaccines, but at the same time we need them to be shared as widely as possible.

More:

Everything you need to know about the monkeypox vaccines - MIT Technology Review

An image sent back to planet earth from the James Webb Space Telescope.

Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA &STScl

All writers in Op Ed are here to inform and acknowledge issues of importance to our communities, however these writings represent the views and opinions of the authors and not necessarily of The Advertiser.

By Robert Scott

One of the most momentous scientific events of our lives happened last month, with the first images sent back to planet Earth from the James Webb Space Telescope. As the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) website says, The dawn of a new era in astronomy has begun as the world gets its first look at the full capabilities of NASAs James Webb Space Telescope, a partnership with ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency).

Thousands of galaxies, galaxies not that different from the Milky Way galaxy in which our own sun is located, can now be seen for the first time.The photograph on this page is an infrared image (the red shift of light from distant objects requires infrared images) of a slice of a patch of sky approximately the size of a grain of sand held at arms length, and you can see all the galaxies in that tiny patch. The Space Telescope can see a similar number no matter what direction it points. How many of those may have intelligent beings on them, perhaps looking back at us?

A telescope, in a sense,isalso a time machine. A light year isa measure not of time but ofdistance, the distance that light travels in oneearth year. Looking at an object one light year away does not show us an image of the object right now, but rather what it looked like one year ago, when light left the object headed toward us. The objects in the picture are 4.6 billion light years away;we are looking that many years into the pastinviewingthis image. If they are looking at us, they are seeing our galaxy before the solar system even formed not at a populated Earth, at all.

Science and technology can explain pictures and facts like these, and those facts are true. At the same time,images like these are awe inspiring in aprofoundway that mere science and technology cannot fullyrelayto21stcentury mortals like you and me. One of the Vicars of myEpiscopalChurch in years past explained thatscientificfactsaretrueand religionistrue as well, butthey are truein different ways. There is a profoundtruththat we are seeing in these images, a truth that illustrates what Saint Paul alluded to in his letter to the Philippians two thousand years ago:the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding. The Book of Common Prayer in oneof its manyattempts to describethe ineffable, calls God the Ruler of the Universe and, in addressingHim in prayer, states this: At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home. Science and technology, in the guise of the James Webb Space Telescope,arehelping us all to understandour universe, and to understandnotonlythe facts. They arealsohelping usin our efforts tograsp,in a profoundway,the truth.

Have a great week!

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Space, Technology, and Religion The Edgefield Advertiser - Edgefieldadvertiser

In his new role, Chadi will support WSPs global Information Technology function and lead various global transformation initiatives. He will also oversee global business solutions and sourcing.

Chadi has garnered over 25 years of international experience as a senior technology and business transformation executive through his previous roles at CGI, Desjardins Group, and Rio Tinto Engineered Products. He holds a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering from McGill University and an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business. In addition to serving on several boards, Mr. Habib shares his expertise in technology as a public speaker. He is also involved in several initiatives focused on women and diversity in technology.

We are pleased to welcome Chadi to WSP, said Alain Michaud Chief Financial Officer of WSP. "As a technology executive with over 25 years of experience and a proven track record in delivering operational excellence across a variety of global projects, Chadi has the right profile to lead WSPs strategic transformation initiatives."

"I am honoured to be joining a company that is as dynamic and fast-growing as WSP, said Chadi Habib. I look forward to contributing to WSPs digital transformation and driving innovation in every aspect of my role from overseeing business solutions and sourcing to digital enablement, he added.

See the original post here:

Appointment of Chadi Habib as Chief Technology Officer and Head of Business Solutions - WSP

Water Damage Restorations US has launched their vastly expanding site which allows for same day emergency water damage & HVAC responses using their call & location transfer system. This technology allows the caller to immediately get in contact with a local professional who is available to help that same day.

This system is available throughout the entire United States & their website is vastly expanding with their new city-focused webpages. This allows google searchers, who reside in or near these cities throughout the US, to be aware of this expedited, one of a kind service.

Water Damage Restorations US understands the urgency needed around issues caused by water damage in the homes of hard working Americans. Water spreads and weakens the infrastructure of a home. It can even be dangerous for families to be inside their home when such problems arise. They may not have the time to research different local companies, call 5 or 6 to see whos available, just to end up scheduling an assessment appointment in one to two business days. Water Damage Restorations US handles everything by pinpointing the location of the caller and transferring them to a Water Damage Restoration professional in their area who is available right then and there.

This technology will save everybody their much valued time and allow them to get a proper assessment of their home immediately so they can go on with their daily life without the stress of the situation on their shoulders.

Floods, clogs and other water damage causing using issues always happen on your busiest days & at the most inconvenient times, which is why we incorporated this system. Stated Water Damage Restorations USs Founder.

Expanding outside of water damage into HVAC Services was another great call to help that busy mom or dad who has enough on their plate. No heat in the winter or no AC in the summer while waiting for your HVAC service appointment is not something that should still be happening in 2022 Stated Water Damage Restorations USs Founder.

And thats exactly what Water Damage Restorations US is here for, eliminating stress & wasted time for busy American families.

Water Damage Restorations US

Evan Valenti

United States

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Water Damage Restorations US & Their Location-Transfer Technology Expedites Response Times In Emergency W - Benzinga

Posted by Megen Davis, Director, Strategic Planning, Information Resource Management Center, Office of the Chief Information Officer in Technology

Jul 28, 2022

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is driven to lead the way in customer-centered, data-driven service delivery across the Federal Government. It is our goal to accelerate the use of modern technology and digital tools that our internal and external customers expect in every aspect of their lives. We have made significant strides in advancing technology capabilities, including establishing the Office of the Chief Data Officer (CDO) and the Office of Customer Experience (OCX). The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) through the IT Modernization initiative, has made major progress in modernizing our information technology (IT) infrastructure to what it is today.

While these advances are a promising start, to achieve USDAs vision, we need to continue our efforts of developing innovative solutions delivery that supports and strengthens American farmers, ranchers, foresters, producers, and consumers. The recently released USDA IT Strategic Plan (PDF, 19 MB) identifies the goals, objectives, and strategies we will use to continuously improve the Departments services to the American public. This IT Plan adds to the FY 2022-2026 Departmental Strategic Plan (PDF, 9.6 MB) to collectively focus on significantly improving life and livelihoods across America.

Both plans seek to establish a new standard of excellence in customer experience and service. When the American public interacts with USDA, they will get a simple, seamless, and secure customer experience that is on par with top consumer experiences. USDA customers should be able to:

We are committed to accelerating and expanding upon those innovations to improve USDAs services to our customers. Through the processes and approaches we propose, USDA can make major strides to enable modern service delivery, enhance data-driven decision-making, eliminate duplication of effort, reduce costly and error-prone manual processes, upskill our IT workforce, and ensure the continued strengthening of the USDA cybersecurity posture.

More:

USDA Leveraging Modern Technology and Digital Tools to Improve Customer Service - USDA.gov