Category Archives: Technology

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically disrupted the transportation industry. During a time when many companies opted to hunker down amid great uncertainty, some saw this as the perfect time to try something new.

The pandemic challenges proved to be too much for the antiquated transportation management system that Concept Logistics had in place.

Desiring to better manage capacity with increased visibility and automation technology, the Buffalo, New York-based nonasset freight brokerage turned to the leading capacity management platform Parade and Tai Software to chart its digital future.

In a recent case study, Parade and Tai showcase how Concept Logistics perfected its technology stack during the height of the pandemic, proving that anytime is perfect for a technology upgrade.

Greg Finnerty, VP of operations at Concept Logistics, wasnt interested in making a lateral move with his next technology investment. Rather, he wanted a solution that would actually help the company reach its full potential.

I dont just want to automate; I want to elevate, Finnerty said.

Concept Logistics seamless transition to Tai TMS, a web-based transportation management system designed for both truckload and less-than-truckload shipments, immediately provided end-to-end automation from posting to booking and dispatching to tracking that the brokerage needed to navigate the changing freight landscape.

The timing couldnt have been better, as supply chain disruptions proved to be most turbulent from 2020 through 2021. Concept Logistics knew that through these uncertain times, the ability to maintain trust between its partners and customers would be paramount. So, in 2021, it added Parades capacity management platform to its tech repertoire to further automate the brokerages freight matching, carrier outreach, quoting and booking.

Brokerages have traditionally honed their relationships with shippers, but smart brokers know that strengthening ties with carriers is also important, as carrier relationships provide more access to capacity and perhaps even better rates.

The case study notes, [When] Concepts team can offer shippers better rates while delivering fair rates for their carriers, its a win for everyone.

With Parade and Tai, Concept Logistics has enabled one of its customers to be almost completely self-sufficient. An individualized client portal into the TMS allows shippers to book their own loads through Tai since available carriers are sent directly from Parade to Tai.

Concept Logistics reps can now interact with carriers more smoothly than before, as carrier profiling used to involve pen and paper and the strength of the brokers memory. But with Smart Rules, Parades automation makes it easy to keep track of a carriers preferences and networking capacity, allowing Concept Logistics reps to share carrier insights to help book better loads.

With the capacity insights that Parade funnels through Tai TMS, Concept Logistics reps have access to a broader view of capacity that allows them to cover loads earlier and keep more off the spot market. They can easily see rates from Parade in their TMS, allowing them to compare data between systems to find issues early to ensure each load is rated properly.

Rather than making 50 10-second phone calls to try to get a load covered, reps can make one 15-minute call where they connect with the carrier and learn where theyre going to have trucks later and not just right now, Finnerty said.

As a user of Parade, Concept Logistics can review its analytics to confirm its strategy is on track.

Recent data shows its reuse rate to be 60% over the past 90 days for carriers hauling more than four loads. Whats more, the brokerage has 746 carriers that take 20 or more loads per month.

Concept Logistics weathered the worst part of the pandemic well and has managed significant growth since, recording 54% growth last year alone.

Its cool to see the growth in shipment volume you get when you take an extremely well-run organization like Concept and add the innovative technology partnership of Tai and Parade to help maximize the in-house talent of their brokerage, said Sean McGillicuddy, Tais vice president of sales and marketing. Those guys have a great team; Tai and Parade together have empowered Concept to scale their most talented team members.

The brokerage anticipates 60% growth by years end, with similar results predicted in 2023 even as projections call for a softer freight market. Regardless of the ever-changing freight landscape, Concept Logistics believes it is well equipped to take on any freight challenge with Parade and Tai and perhaps strengthen broker-carrier relationships along the way.

Click for more FreightWaves content by Jack Glenn.

More from Parade:

Never miss a quote again

Never forget a carrier again

Parade equipping freight brokers with digital blueprint

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Anytime is the right time to perfect your technology stack - FreightWaves

Backin 2020, KEF announced that its loudspeaker designers had been working with anorganization called Acoustic Metamaterials Group on a new engineering toolcalled Metamaterial AbsorptionTechnology, or MAT. The companyexplained that it would be using metamaterial in this case, anintricately-designed acoustical device to work as a sound absorber inside aspeaker cabinet on an upcoming product. KEF described MAT as a highlycomplex maze-like structure, where each of the intricate channels efficientlyabsorbs a range of specific frequencies. When combined, the channels act as anacoustic black hole, absorbing 99% of the unwanted sound, eliminating theresulting distortion and providing a purer, more natural acoustic performance.At the time of this announcement, no hint was given as to which KEF productwould first be employing this breakthrough tech, but I assumed it would be thecompanys Blade speaker, which is a technological tour de force, and serves asKEFs de facto flagship design (even if the $225,000 Muon technically holds thetop spot). Or perhaps, I thought, KEFs venerable Reference series would befirst to get the metamaterial treatment. Instead, the diminutive and wildlypopular KEF LS50,along with its active, wireless/streaming counterpart, became the worlds firstspeaker to employ metamaterial. While I was surprised that a relativelyaffordable speaker was chosen over KEFs top offerings to receive such acutting-edge update first, I can understand why the decision was made. Theoriginal LS50 was such a ubiquitous, well-known speaker that it would be veryeasy for audio reviewers and potential customers to do a side-by-sidecomparison and hear for themselves the difference that metamaterial could make.Now that reviews of the LS50 Meta are plentiful (and overwhelmingly positive),the audio world knows that Metamaterial Absorption Technology isnt just a gimmick; its a realstep forward for loudspeaker engineering. With that established, the folks atKEF are ready to launch the latest update to their high-end Blade and Referencespeakers.

Thenew Blade and Reference lines have also been updated with KEFs other recentacoustic innovations, including a new high-end version of the brands 12th-generation concentric Uni-Q driver, which placesa 1-inch aluminum dome tweeter (with MAT, and KEFs proprietary tangerinewaveguide) in the center of a 5-inch aluminum midrange driver. For both series,the crossover has been fully reworked with new, low distortion components,according to the company. KEF says that the result of these innovations anddevelopments for both Blade and The Reference is that the Uni-Q with MATreproduces more transparent and life-like sound than previously possible.KEFs less expensive speakers, including the LS50 range, are made in China, butthe Blade and Reference rangesare assembled by hand in the companys Maidstone, England production facility,by master craftsmen. Impressively, each pair is measured to ensure that thespeakers match both to each other, and to the laboratory-maintained linestandard within 0.5dB.

TheBlade began as a concept back in 2006, but wasnt revealed to the public until2009. The final, market-ready Blade launched in 2011. The smaller Blade 2,which was scaled down in size but not in performance, came out in 2014. Now,just over a decade since the first Blade was released, KEFs engineers havemanaged to improve upon a design that was still considered state-of-the-art.The original Blade has been replaced by the Blade One Meta ($35,000/pair),which looks nearly identical, standing the same 62.5 inches tall, and weighingin at the same 126 pounds as its predecessor. (The slightly smaller Blade TwoMeta costs $28,000 per pair.) At $35K, The Blade One Meta is competing with thetop offerings from fellow British brands Bowers & Wilkins and MonitorAudio, newcomers like PerListen and PS Audio, and the usual suspects from Wilson,Magico, YG, and many others. To some people, this might sound like an absurdsum to spend on a pair of speakers, but its a popular and crowded segment ofthe high-end audio market. What sets the Blade One Meta apart from its rivals?At its heart, the Blade One is the most complete realization of KEFs SingleApparent Source technology, which extends the inherent point-sourcecharacteristics of the Uni-Q driver all the way down to the deepest bassfrequencies, while delivering immense dynamic output. As KEFs Head ofAcoustics Jack Oclee-Brown puts it, the whole audio spectrum appears toemanate from a single point in space.

TheBlades low end is provided by four side-firing, force-cancelling 9-inchwoofers. Two woofers are placed on each side of the speaker, allowing thedrivers to be braced against each other in pairs, thus cancelling out vibrations that would otherwise excite thecabinet. KEF claims that you can balance a coin on top of the Blades cabinet,and that it wont fall (or even move), no matter what ear-assaulting bass youpump through the speakers. Each pair of woofers is located in its own chamber,reducing the potential for interference between the drive units, while alsoreducing the need for damping, which can have a deleterious effect on bass quality. The woofers are positionedsymmetrically relative to the Uni-Q driver, and the crossover ensures perfecttime alignment. The result of this design is that low, mid, and highfrequencies all appear to radiate from one point, and all reach the listenersears at the same time. This makes the speaker incredibly coherent, with moreprecise imaging than other multi-driver speakers, according to KEF. The icingon this cake is the Metamaterial Absorption Technologybehind the Uni-Qdriver, which absorbs the tweeters backwave to prevent resonances that wouldotherwise color the sound. The massive, damped cabinet is formed fromhigh-density polyurethane (which, according to KEFs longtime brand ambassadorJohan Coorg, provides a huge sonic upgradecompared the composite of carbon fiber and balsa wood used in the earlyprototypes of the first Blade). The speakers unusual, sculptural shape employsparabolic curves to minimize diffraction. Although its over 5 feet tall, theBlade One Meta is only moderately large compared to some super-speakers, andlooks rather slender at 14.3 inches wide and 21.2 inches deep. But if thosedimensions wont work in your room (or if youre concerned that the Blade OneMeta would overload your smaller listening room with bass), you might insteadchoose the slightly smaller Blade Two Meta, which is designed to deliver thesame experience in smaller spaces. The Blade Two Meta employs 6.5-inch woofersin place of the Blade Ones 9-inch woofers, and its cabinet is smaller, at 57.5inches tall, 13.3 inches wide, and 18.7 inches deep. Both Blade models areavailable in four standard finishes:Piano Black & Grey, Arctic White & Champagne,Charcoal Grey & Bronze, and Frosted Blue & Blue.Fourspecial-orderfinishes are also available:Piano Black& Copper, Frosted Blue & Bronze, Charcoal Grey& Red, and Racing Red & Grey. KEF will be offering custom finishes aswell, starting in June.

Ifthe Blade is the result of KEFs engineers being given a clean slate, theReference series can be seen as the result of decades worth of audio evolution.The Reference DNA can be traced back to the Model 104, which was the first KEF speaker tocarry the Reference tag back in 1973. But it was the ReferenceSeries Model 105, whichdebuted in 1977, that really made waves in the loudspeaker industry, thanks toits radical-looking,form-follows-function design and its high standard of precision imaging andtonal accuracy. Not long after the first Uni-Q driver array appeared on KEFsC35 loudspeaker in 1988, the Reference Series embraced that technology, markingthe start of a new, modern era for the Reference. All of that was a bit beforemy time in the audio industry, but I remember very clearly reading JohnAtkinsons 2008 Stereophile review of the $20,000 KEF Reference 207/2, which hesaid was, to all intents and purposes, without flaw. These days, theReference speakers aim to deliver as much of KEFs engineering prowess aspossible in more traditional-looking (rectangular box) designs that fit wellinto contemporary home environments.

As with the new Blades, the new Referencespeakers feature an updated 12th-generation Uni-Qdriver, with a new motor system and spider to improve linearity, andMetamaterial Absorption Technology to absorb the tweeters backwave.Surrounding this is what KEF calls a Shadow Flare, which the company describesas a specially proled trim ring that extends the waveguide effect of Uni-Qdriver array, resulting in improved clarity, particularly when it comes to thesubtle nuances of plucked strings and other percussive sounds. It achievesthis by reducing the negative effects of diffraction, allowing Uni-Q todeliver a beautifully wide and accurate soundstage, according to KEF.Vibration is addressed with constrained layer damping, while tuned internalchambering prevents standing waves. Adjustable, flexible ports make chuffing athing of the past and allow the user to tweak the speakers bass to better fitthe room. The Reference speakers use more conventional front-firing woofers,with a massive, vented magnet assembly paired with a huge aluminum voice coiland a stiff, yet cleverly damped alloy cone (to ensure that) the Reference isfully capable of achieving pipe-organ depths.

Reference 1 Meta and Reference 5 Meta

Thenew Reference series comprises five models with easy-to-remember names: TheReference 1 Meta, The Reference 2 Meta, The Reference 3 Meta, The Reference 4Meta, and The Reference 5 Meta. But its not quite as simple as it seems. TheReference 1 Meta, 3 Meta, and 5 Meta are free-standing speakers, meaning theyare intended to be used in a stereo pair, away from room boundaries. TheReference 2 Meta and Reference 4 Meta are designed to be used as center-channelspeakers in home theater environments, or as left and right speakers wherebookshelf or cabinet mounting is required. Lets look first at thefree-standing speakers. The Reference 1 Meta ($9,000/pair) is a 3-waystand-mounted speaker that combines the Reference Uni-Q with a single 6.5-inch woofer in a rear-ported cabinet. Its fairlylarge for a stand-mount, at 17.3 inches tall, weighing 40 pounds each. The Reference1 is intended for use in smaller listening rooms, where they would benefit fromroom gain (and where larger speakers might produce an excess of bass). The new S-RF1($1,200/pair) is a dedicated floor stand for the Reference 1 Meta, featuringbolting points and cable management. The Reference 3 Meta ($15,000/pair) is thesmaller of two floorstanders, at 47.5 inches tall, and weighing a substantial113 pounds each. It employs a pair of 6.5-inch ported woofers, one above andone below the Uni-Q. As you might guess, its designed for use in medium-sized rooms.Larger spaces might be better served by the Papa Bear of the range, theReference 5 Meta ($22,000/pair), which places a pair of 6.5-inch woofers above the Uni-Q, and another pairbelow it, delivering an in-room bass response reaching down to 25Hz (-6db). TheReference 5 Meta stands just over 55 inches tall, and weighs about 133 poundseach.

Ifyoure an old-school 2-channel audiophile, you can stop there. But the hometheater crowd will surely be interested in the Reference 2 Meta ($6,000 each)and Reference 4 Meta ($8000 each), which will serve as center-channel speakers,or LCR speakers, depending on the requirements of the system and the room. Thedrivers in both of these models are symmetrically arranged, so that thespeakers can be used either horizontally or vertically with no change to tonalbalance and no undesirable effects. However they are oriented, these speakersare optimized for use either in free space or positioned close to roomboundaries, such as a wall or entertainment center. They include adjustmentsfor bass and treble balance to help compensate for changes in their sound thatmay result from proximity to the wall behind them, or from being mounted behinda projection screen. The Reference 2 Meta is a sealed-cabinet design, with asingle 6.5-inch woofer on either side of the Uni-Q. The larger Reference 4 Metaemploys a pair of woofers on either side of the Uni-Q, and is a ported design,so it does require a bit more clearance in order for the port to work properly.The Reference series is available in three standard finish options: SatinWalnut & Silver, High-Gloss White & Champagne, and High-Gloss Black & Grey. Thereare also two special-order options: High-GlossWhite & Blue, and High-Gloss Black & Copper.

Withthe addition of Metamaterial Absorption Technology, new drivers, and newcrossovers, this new generation of KEFs high-end offerings packs a lot ofengineering into familiar-looking packages that might easily be mistaken forthe older models. That said, both the new Blades and the new Reference speakerscan be had in a variety of extremely stylish color combinations, and thecompanys approach to industrial design makes sense to me. If you wantsuper-modern looks and extreme performance, go with the Blades. Meanwhile, theReference series offers nearly the same level of technology in a wider range ofsizes and configurations, all packaged in a more traditional design that willwork in more living spaces. Would you choose the flashy, hardcore Blades, orthe more timeless, elegant Reference speakers for your own system? Share yourthoughts in the related forum thread below.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.

gene posts on July 29, 2022 03:19

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Read: KEF Metamaterial Absorption Tech in Blade & Reference Speakers

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KEF Updates Flagship Blade and Reference Speakers With Metamaterial Absorption Technology - Audioholics

Its Time to End Spreadsheet Culture Heres HowThe investment banking front office needs technology partners that offer flexible solutions rather than one-stop-shop platforms.

By: Dean McIntyre

Bad technology breeds frustration and dissatisfaction at work. Nearly two-thirds of employees (62%) report the software they use at work prevents them from reaching their full potential, while one in eight say they have left a previous job over a software mismatch.

For the front-office workforce, spreadsheet culture the proliferation of manual spreadsheets is a symptom of software mismatch. Its a sign the platforms employees are using arent flexible enough to handle all the tasks they need to accomplish, resulting in lost hours spent managing spreadsheets.

At a time when employers are reassessing how and where employees work, you need to reevaluate your technology solutions to retain talent and remain competitive. Rather than relying on clunky one-size-fits-all systems and myriad spreadsheets, look to flexible analytics solutions and open workflows to level-up your operating processes.

Intelligent technology can streamline workflows across your organization, eliminate mundane tasks, and increase collaboration between teams delivering measurable improvements in both account performance and workplace culture.

A lot of our work wouldnt get done without spreadsheets, and theyll always have a place in the office. Theyre infinitely customizable, allowing us to analyze data to solve ever-evolving work challenges. However, spreadsheets inherent flexibility the reason we love and rely on them so much is also their Achilles heel.

But lets back up what led to spreadsheet culture in the first place? Financial technology and data companies love to tout one-stop shop platforms that can do it all. And to be fair, you need an easy-to-use tool that doesnt cost too much, so you sign the contract. But then you have a few years of growth and suddenly realize your asset and portfolio managers are drowning in Excel documents because that full-service solution couldnt keep up. It does most of what you need, but it leaves you on your own to fill in the gaps. Enter spreadsheets.

Unfortunately, spreadsheets dont have built-in safeguards to flag errors, making it easy for small mistakes to balloon, especially in situations where youre creating new spreadsheets based on bad data from old files. Similarly, human errors copy-and-paste mistakes, typos, accidentally deleted cells are unavoidable in high-pressure, fast-paced industries like asset management, even for your star performers. As time goes on, it becomes impossible to backtrack and figure out where things went wrong.

Spreadsheets have a negative impact on company culture, too. Most people dont want to work in spreadsheets all day for the reasons listed above. Spreadsheet culture slows productivity, limits transparency, and hinders collaboration. Creating and maintaining spreadsheets is a labor-intensive process, and everyone has their own method. As a result, its difficult for team members to open a document and take over if needed, leaving individual contributors and teams feeling siloed.

When you have the right tools and processes in place, getting work done isnt a struggle its motivating. The change happens when you replace compartmentalized tech products in the front office with advanced workflow solutions that allow you to rely less on spreadsheets and share information seamlessly. The result is big-picture decision-making, more time for strategic thinking, and a workplace characterized by collaboration.

Here are four tips to help you get there:

Everyone knows technology platforms impact team culture and work performance. Thats why its important to future-proof your organization with flexible, forward-thinking trade lifecycle workflows so you dont fall into the spreadsheet culture trap.

Ultimately, technologies that support open workflows, interoperability, and automation will make your firm more productive and profitable and free up your front office teams time for more strategic and fulfilling work.

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The Meshing of Technology and Human Interaction - Benzinga

Fast Facts

U.S. Customs and Border Protection uses facial recognition technology for identity checks at some border locations. As of July 2022, CBP had deployed this technology to 32 airports for travelers leaving the U.S. and all airports for travelers entering the country.

We testified that CBP's privacy signswhich inform the public about its use of this technologyweren't always current or available where this technology was being used.

Our previous recommendations included that CBP ensure its privacy notices are complete and available at locations using this technology.

Example of cameras and display screens used for facial recognition at the Port Canaveral Seaport

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has made progress testing and deploying facial recognition technology (FRT) at air, sea, and land ports of entry to create entry-exit records for foreign nationals as part of its Biometric Entry-Exit Program. As of July 2022, CBP has deployed FRT at 32 airports to biometrically confirm travelers' identities as they depart the United States (air exit) and at all airports for arriving international travelers.

Facial Recognition Technology in Use at an Airport

In September 2020, GAO reported that CBP had taken steps to incorporated privacy principles in its program, such as prohibiting airlines from storing or using travelers' photos for their own purposes. However, CBP had not consistently provided travelers with information about FRT locations. Also,, and CBP's privacy signage provided limited information on how travelers could request to opt out of FRT screening and were not always posted. Since that time, CBP has ensured that privacy notices contain complete information and is taking steps to ensure signage is more consistently available, but needs to complete its efforts to distribute updated signs to locations where FRT is used. Further, CBP requires its commercial partners, such as airlines, to follow CBP's privacy requirements and could audit partners to assess compliance. As of May 2020, CBP had audited only one airline partner and did not have a plan to ensure all partners were audited. In July 2022, CBP reported that it has conducted five5 assessments of its air partners and has three additional assessments underway. These are positive steps to help ensure that air traveler information is safeguarded. However, CBP should also audit other partners who have access to personally identifiable information, including those in other travel environments, vendors, and contractorscontractors and partners at land and sea ports of entry.

CBP assessed the accuracy and performance of air exit FRT capabilities through operational testing. Testing found that air exit exceeded its accuracy goals but did not meet a performance goal to capture 97 percent of traveler photos because airlines did not consistently photograph all travelers. As of July 2022, CBP officials report that they are planning to remove this requirementremoving the photo capture goal because airline participation in the program is voluntary and CBP does not have staff to monitor the photo capture process at every gate.

Within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), CBP is charged with the dual mission of facilitating legitimate travel and securing U.S. borders. In response to fFederal laws requireing DHS to implement a biographic and biometric data system for foreign nationals entering and exiting the U.S. In response, CBP has been pursuing FRT to verify a traveler's identity in place of a visual inspection of travel identification documents.

This statement addresses the extent to which CBP has (1) incorporated privacy principles in and (2) assessed the accuracy and performance of its use of FRT. This statement is based on a September 2020 report (GAO-20-568), along with updates as of July 2022 on actions CBP has taken to address prior GAO recommendations. For that report, GAO conducted site visits to observe CBP's use of FRT; reviewed program documents; and interviewed DHS officials.

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Facial Recognition Technology: CBP Traveler Identity Verification and Efforts to Address Privacy Issues - Government Accountability Office

WASHINGTON A Republican senator is trying to repeal a provision in the infrastructure law passed by Congress last year that would require a passive technology to prevent drunken or impaired drivers from starting their vehicles.

The infrastructure law orders NHTSA to issue a final rule by November 2024 requiring new vehicles to be equipped with an advanced drunken-driving and impaired-driving prevention technology. Once the rule is issued, automakers would have two to three years to implement the technology as standard equipment in all new light-duty cars and trucks.

Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D. who previously sought to block the provision before the bill was enacted in November introduced legislation Wednesday to amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and reverse the requirement. Rounds' bill is supported by Sens. Mike Braun, R-Ind., and John Cornyn, R-Texas.

Automotive News has reached out to the three senators for comment.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving slammed Rounds' effort to reverse the measure, calling it "ill-advised legislation" that would "result in thousands of preventable deaths and injuries every year."

MADD National President Alex Otte said it's unclear why Rounds opposes the requirement and where the push is coming from.

"We know he filed an amendment before the IIJA was passed last year, and it did not move forward," she said in an emailed statement to Automotive News. "It's surprising that he would work against something with the potential to end drunk driving, especially when drunk driving deaths have spiked in South Dakota and 35 percent of all traffic deaths in his state are alcohol-related, which is higher than the national average of 30 percent."

Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, said Thursday that her group "strongly opposes" Rounds' bill and that it would "halt progress toward requiring this lifesaving technology as standard equipment."

Alcohol-impaired driving deaths represent roughly one-third of all highway fatalities in the U.S. each year. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, alcohol-detection systems that prevent impaired driving could save more than 9,400 lives annually.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade association that represents most major automakers, said last year that the industry has long been committed to supporting public and private efforts to address alcohol-impaired driving.

For its part, the industry has been working with NHTSA to develop the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety technology, which features a breath- and touch-based system to measure a driver's blood-alcohol level.

"We appreciate the efforts of congressional leaders and other stakeholders to advance a legislative approach that provides NHTSA the ability to review all potential technologies as options for federal regulation," John Bozzella, CEO of the alliance, said in August 2021 before the infrastructure bill became law.

In June, an independent group composed of auto safety experts and consumer advocates formed to assist with the development of a passive technology that could prevent drunken or impaired drivers from starting their vehicles.

The technical working group is co-chaired by Stephanie Manning, MADD's chief government affairs officer, and Jeffrey Michael, a former associate administrator at NHTSA.

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Senator introduces bill to block rule on impaired-driving prevention technology - Automotive News

LAWRENCE, Kan. The Kansas Football program has added a valuable resource to its disposal with The Seeker, the worlds first robotic quarterback, kicker and punter.

The new on-field technology will allow Kansas players to train alone for the first time and receive a multitude of extra game-like reps throughout the calendar year. The Seeker, developed by Monarc, is the latest example of Coach Lance Leipold looking to improve the Kansas program in every facet.

Coach Leipold is always looking for innovative and productive ways for our team to improve, and The Seeker will be an invaluable resource for our players, Kansas Offensive Coordinator Andy Kotelnicki said. This will allow our guys to get on the field and get more quality repetitions and improve their skills. This is a tool that will help players in all three phases of the game and will have an immediate impact on our program. Were very excited to begin using it and see the impact firsthand.

The Seeker is the worlds first technology that allows footballs to be thrown to receivers without the help of someone feeding the machine constantly. The Seeker also has the capability to track athletes positions on the field and throw the ball at a specific speed, at a specific location on the field and at a specific position on the players body.

The speed of The Seeker can reach up to 75 miles per hour.

The tool has been helpful for players on offense and defense. It increases in-practice reps and has also increased interceptions for defensive players due to better ball-skills.

The Seeker has a touchscreen interface, along with a six-ball magazine that allows users to throw, punt or kick up to six balls in 12 seconds with pinpoint accuracy, which eliminates wasted reps and increasing practice efficiency.

The Jayhawks will use the technology as they continue to prepare for the upcoming 2022 season, which opens at home on Sept. 2 against Tennessee Tech. Single-game tickets are officially on sale, as our season tickets.

See more here:

Kansas Introduces Cutting-Edge On-Field Technology in The Seeker - Kansas Jayhawks

On the occasion of the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, held every year on 30 July, the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) joins the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT) in calling on State Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings to counter the increasing use of technology to recruit, advertise and exploit victims of human trafficking, and to harness the great potential that technology can have in countering this crime (see joint statement).

GRETA President Helga Gayer said: Countries monitored by GRETA have reported an increased use of the Internet and mobile phones for recruiting and controlling victims of trafficking. Building knowledge and capacity of law enforcement officials, labour inspectors, prosecutors and judges, and enabling cooperation at all levels, is a crucial part of the response to cyber-trafficking.

In March this year, GRETA released a reportdetailing strategies, tools and good practices for overcoming existing challenges and boosting responses to online and ICT-facilitated human trafficking. The report provides evidence-based recommendations on how to enhance the detection, investigation and prosecution of technology-facilitated trafficking, co-operation with private companies, and international co-operation.

The challenges posed by technology on the investigation of human trafficking cases include data encryption, large volume of data, lack of technical equipment and training, and inadequate legislative tools. This calls for investment in capacity building of law enforcement officials in the areas of Internet monitoring, cyber-patrols, undercover online investigations, and the use of Open-Source Intelligence, social network analysis and automatic searching tools to analyse evidence.

At the same time, the Second Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe Cybercrime (Budapest) Convention, opened for signature in May 2022, provides new tools for enhanced co-operation and a framework for obtaining electronic evidence more effectively.

Co-operation with private companies is crucial for combating trafficking in human beings, and should involve the development of co-operation protocols and data-sharing procedures for requesting evidence and taking down content related to human trafficking.

Technology-based policies to combat human trafficking need to be designed and applied with careful consideration for human rights, including the rights to privacy, freedom of expression and freedom from discrimination, added GRETAs President. The best interests of victims should be at the heart of any action.

ICAT Statement on the World Day against Trafficking in Persons 2022(PDF 192 KB)

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights statement:In times of crises, states should step up their efforts to prevent human trafficking and protect victims

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GRETA calls on states, civil society and tech companies to counter the use of technology to recruit and control victims of human trafficking - Council...

Published 7 hours ago

Submitted by CyberGrants

An innovative corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy can substantially improve employee participation and workplace pride. Yet cultivating experiences that allow participants to give back in meaningful ways requires a scalable and inclusive solution. What's the best way to launch and improve a CSR technology platform?

Last month, CyberGrants Rob Livada, SVP of Solution Architecture, and Sasha DeMarre, Director of Solution Architecture, sat down with independent journalist Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza to discuss launching a successful CSR strategy, meaningful ways to engage employees, and the importance of impact analytics. Check out the full webinar here!

Dont have time to view their full conversation? Weve got you covered. Explore key considerations and insights from their discussion below.

What is the first step in implementing an effective CSR strategy?

When you're planning to start your CSR programs, don't worry about going too big. Our most successful clients start very small and allow their CSR strategy to grow over time. Initiating something as simple as a volunteerism program is a great first step towards engaging your workforce in CSR. And that engagement factor is key to a successful and impactful program. Your organization should enable and cultivate a grassroots involvement within your employee base. By giving them a tool and a space to begin communicating and collaborating on community-based needs or local causes, you can scale your program from there. Employee engagement is crucial to an effective CSR strategy.

A common pitfall is to focus too heavily on budget and the monetary component of CSR like matching gifts and payroll giving. When youre just getting started, there are much simpler (and just as effective!) ways to break into the CSR space. Instead, lean into your employee base and uncover ways theyre already giving back and find out how your company can support those effortsthis is a great way to get your foot in the door.

Another key factor to consider is how your CSR strategy will tie into your companys mission and values. This will help you clarify the why behind your actions and help to foster more intentional CSR programs. By aligning corporate philanthropy with your company values, youll be able to hone in on where you want to direct your efforts. Is your company focused on clean energy? Food insecurity? Or childhood literacy? Once youve identified cause areas that align with your companys mission, itll be easier to get leadership and employee buy-in.

How do you recommend enabling employee-led CSR efforts?

At CyberGrants, we experienced how impactful employee empowerment can be firsthand. Each year, we host an annual pajama drive where employees donate pajamas to support Community Giving Tree and The Childrens Home Society of New Jersey. When this initiative began, it was organized by just a handful of employees. They communicated their initiative company-wide to drive participation, and with leadership buy-in and support, they were able to grow this program year after year. Today, it's a company-wide event where each individual is assigned a team with the goal of donating the most pajamas. A little friendly competition can go a long way and really drive participation as well as greater impact.

Were a relatively small company with around 200 employees but we were able to collectively donate nearly 4,000 pajamas last year alone. This really demonstrates the power of employee-led initiatives and how, when a company listens, it can have an incredible impact. So for those just starting out with a CSR program, listen to your employees, find out how theyre already giving back, and with company support, you can take their efforts to the next level.

For companies without dedicated CSR staff, who do you recommend to administer their initiatives?

This is a really common roadblock that we see every day. A prospective client will knock on our door and say, Hey, we need help but we dont have anyone to run with the program. We tend to start with HR professionals that manage benefits programs and recommend integrating your CSR offerings with specialty benefits. Just like you have PTO policies in place, you can just as easily offer Paid Volunteer Time Off (VTO) and manage and track those hours within your HR portal. The key to successfully doing so is communication. If your employees aren't aware you offer CSR benefits, they wont be able to participate.

Although we often see HR as that first point of contact, executive buy-in is key to scaling your programs. Leverage the power of your companys leadership team and encourage them to communicate giving opportunities across multiple channels, divisions, and markets. Pairing HR and executives can lead to a power couple for building a CSR program and encouraging participation.

Do you have any recommendations or best practices when making the case for an allocated CSR budget and resources?

You have to look at employee acquisition and retention. Were living in a very hot job market right now and for companies looking to grow, theyll need to be able to attract and retain their top talent. Being able to present your employees with a benefits package that goes beyond paid time off and encompasses employee giving is extremely compelling to existing and prospective employees. Theres a plethora of research to support the importance of social impact programs during the recruitment process. Over two-thirds of employees care about working for a socially responsible companyone that just doesnt put something on the website, but instills it in everything they do.

As more of our customers stray from a corporate-led CSR strategy and lean into employee-led efforts, increasing engagement and participation rates becomes simple. As a result, more and more of our customers have begun to engage their workforce in CSR from day one. As employees are being onboarded, their employers have begun to capitalize on this opportunity to engage them in conversations around giving and how or where they want to allocate their time and money.

By opening up these lines of communication during the early stages of employment, your workforce will be more excited about your social impact programs and more inclined to get involved. This is also the perfect opportunity to make employees aware of any existing programs you already have in place and how they can participate. During the onboarding process, share stories about how others within your organization give back. When employees see how their colleagues participate, theyll want to get in on all the social good too!

How do you implement a program that allows your workforce to respond rapidly when a disaster or crisis emerges?

The key to enabling employee giving during a disaster or crisis is constant communication. When an employee is first hired, you may inform them of your CSR offerings but if you dont continuously encourage employee participation or implement incentives, theyll likely forget this is even an option! For example, you may partner with NPOs or offer matching programs that would enable an employee to respond to a crisis. But if theyre not constantly reminded, your participation rates will plummet. Consider implementing recurring reminders via your company newsletter or something more in-depth like lunch and learns with your CSR software provider. Its certainly crucial to communicate how you enable employee giving during a crisis, but it also has to be multi-channel and ongoing if you want to achieve maximum social impact.

Another key way to ensure youre employees are engaged in rapid response is to offer multiple ways to give and flexible forms of giving. Historically, corporations could only respond if an emerging crisis was classified as a national disaster and the Red Cross was deployed. This is no longer the case. Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, our customers have developed agility in their giving programs and enabled more flexible ways to support causes. Prior to 2020, volunteerism was almost always defined as going out into the field and attending in-person volunteer events. Today, volunteerism can happen from anywhere and encompasses a broader range of activities, including skills-based giving. The resulting flexibility that weve seen from our clients has made it easier for them to enable programs in real-time when a disaster or crisis emerges.

There has also been a massive uptick in employees helping employees. In recent years, there has been a plethora of climate disasters that likely affected your very own. As a result, corporations have begun to implement Employee Assistance programs (EAPs) where those who are experiencing hardships or have been affected by a disaster are eligible to receive monetary support from their company. Oftentimes, these funds are comprised of employee donations. Instead of donating to a local nonprofit, your workforce has the option to donate to colleagues or community members who have been affected.

How do you reward or recognize employees who participated in your CSR program in a meaningful way?

When it comes to recognizing employees for their efforts, the majority of participants wont want anything in exchange. This would contradict what it means to be a philanthropist! Instead, your employees will likely want to divert the recognition to the cause they supported and shed some light on the nonprofit itself. To do so, consider creating a space for employees to share further information about the causes they support and how they give back. A great way weve seen our customers do so is by enabling a chat feed right within the CyberGrants platform. Similar to a social media channel, your employees can post photos, share stories, and engage with each other in an authentic and unfiltered manner. When it comes to recognition, prioritize spotlighting the causes, rather than individuals.

Similarly, when youre considering ways to reward or recognize employees, think about how you can award them in a way that enables further social good. A rising trend in the CSR space, charitable spending accounts, does just that! Through a charitable spending account, your organization can award a certain amount of money to each employee for donation to a nonprofit of their choosing. Unlike matching gift programs, theres no need to submit a matching request or record their participationits done immediately! Beyond funds, you can also allocate a certain number of paid volunteer hours (VTO). Many volunteerism activities take place during the workday, making it difficult to balance both giving back and collecting a paycheck. By rewarding your employees with VTO hours, theyll be able to enable more social good within their local communities.

How do you recommend companies leverage technology to engage their workforce in CSR?

The number one consideration should always be ease of use. We live in a digital world and if your corporate philanthropy programs rely on manual, multi-step processes, your employees wont want to participateitll be too complicated! This is where CSR software comes into play. By leveraging a single-platform solution that is accessible via mobile and web browser, easy to log into, and supports flexible forms of giving, your employees are sure to get engaged. Once you have this technology in place, the possibilities for CSR programs are endless! Here are a couple of tried and true ways to engage your workforce in social impact:

1. Matching Gifts: Amplify employee engagement initiatives with matching gifts and promote specific causes that matter to your employees.

2. Payroll Deduction: Give employees the chance to support causes they care about on a recurring basis with payroll deduction.

3. Credit Card Giving: Make it easy and convenient for your employees to give back by enabling credit card giving.

4. Virtual Opportunities: Display virtual volunteerism opportunities with featured organizations or let employees search for remote opportunities independently with skills-based filters.

5. Service Projects & Acts of Kindness: Track internal service projects or acts of kindness, like making and delivering cards for healthcare workers on behalf of your company.

When it comes time to evaluate your CSR programs, what kind of data should be collected, and which stakeholders should be involved?

In regard to stakeholder involvement, everyone should be included. Whether it's your employees, executive leadership team, or consumers, they all have a stake in how youre driving impact within communities. Communicating your CSR programs can help attract and retain top talent and new customers, so sharing the impact your organization is making is critical for everyone involved.

Once youre ready to collect CSR program data, it's crucial to be intentional with the data youre attempting to pull. Think about what you already know and what information youre missing, this will drive your data analysis. You already know that your workforce is giving and volunteering, but do you know what causes theyre aligned with? Who are they giving to? This is key in building your companys impact story. For example, if youre able to identify that 50% of the causes your employees support were environmentally oriented, you can align future programs with this cause area. Beyond that, how many hours are they volunteering? Whats the average gift size? Where are these nonprofits located? Once you have deeper insights into how and where your employees give, you can support their efforts and build your CSR programs around causes your employees care about. And if you can show your leadership team where employees want to give and how, theyll be more likely to offer additional support and resources.

Ready to launch a CSR program within your organization? Discover how CyberGrants can help and book a demo with us today!

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CyberGrants is a leading provider of software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions for corporate social responsibility management. CyberGrants mission is to provide innovative software and services in the most secure and efficient way to help companies manage all CSR initiatives from employee volunteer programs to the entire grants lifecycle. With nearly 20 years experience, CyberGrants has delivered grants management software and corporate philanthropy program software to many of the largest companies and foundations in the world, including more than 50% of the Fortune 100. For additional information on CyberGrants, visit http://www.cybergrants.com.

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Global Drone Technology Market in Education Sector 2022-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The drone technology market in education sector market and it is poised to grow by $499.16 mn during 2022-2026 progressing at a CAGR of 17.53% during the forecast period. The market is driven by the increased emphasis on STEM education, adoption of BYOD policy, and government initiatives and campaigns promoting drones in the education sector.

Additionally, this study identifies the increased adoption of online retail channels for purchasing educational products as one of the prime reasons driving the drone technology market in education sector market growth during the next few years. Also, the incorporation of thermal-imaging features in drones to improve learning in the dark and new product launches in the market will lead to sizable demand in the market.

The drone technology market in education sector market is segmented as below:

By Application

By End-user

By Geographical Landscape

Key Topics Covered:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Five Forces Analysis

5 Market Segmentation by Application

6 Market Segmentation by End-user

7 Customer Landscape

8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Vendor Landscape

11 Vendor Analysis

12 Appendix

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/w96vwe

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Global Drone Technology Market in Education Sector Report 2022-2026: Increased Emphasis on Stem Education, Adoption of BYOD Policy, and Government...

Recent scenes of bumper-to-bumper traffic and queues of lorries along the roads leading to the English ports of Dover and Folkstone could become a fixture of UK travel reports without the right technological and diplomatic solutions.

The port of Dover was forced to declare a critical incident as people waiting to board ferries faced up to 11-hour wait times on Friday 22 July, the start of the busiest weekend for UK travel. The time to clear passport control was down to an hour by the following Sunday, but port authorities and ferry companies are anticipating another busy weekend ahead.

With summer holidaymakers eager to make up for lost time during the pandemic and freight traffic also increasing again post-COVID, the chance of continued congestion in and around UK transport hubs will be high for some time. At stake is not just missed connections and ruined holidays, but travellers stuck in traffic for hours without food and water and access to toilets. This is also a major challenge for freight moving from the UK to EU to export items including fresh produce that is at risk of spoiling if delayed.

Of course such scenes have become an increasingly familiar site on UK screens and front pages in recent years. The Brexit travel arrangements and cross border checks came into effect after the transition period ended in December 2020.

But this change was really only felt by the freight industry and to an extent passenger transportation sector in January 2022 as increased post-pandemic travel coincided with school holidays. P&O Ferries decision to suspend services following mass redundancies last Easter also had a similar effect.

If this was simply an operational issue it could be addressed with better resourcing and management, but there are also indications that its a structural and political issue resulting from Brexit. In this case, a combination of solutions will be needed to address the problem and reduce the risk of disruption for UK holidaymakers and freight transport.

There are several theories about why this disruption is happening. Resourcing is clearly an issue. UK passport-holders now require a stamp and a check on the reason for travel to EU and this requires extra time with passport officials.

Further, UK reports claim France provided only six border control officials for the 12 available booths at the Dover checkpoint, while French authorities cited a travel incident in the Channel Tunnel that delayed their inspectors. Ongoing discussions over who should pay what for staffing passport controls have not helped the situation.

Brexit also features quite highly as a major reason for the travel disruption, but the exact reasoning depends on political views. In the UK, Brexiteers blame French government not providing the appropriate support, while remainers and French officials point to this as another reason why the UK should not have left the EU.

Any solution to this travel disruption will involve addressing the twin challenges of resourcing and post-Brexit UK-European relations. More French resources at the UK border will help handle the increase in paperwork processing needed as a result of Brexit. But this will require a political solution, both in terms of mutual collaboration and appropriate financing.

And even as we accept this new normal in terms of movement, weather challenges on the channel could cause further havoc. In 2019, Storm Gareth caused a seven mile-long queue of lorries as channel crossings were stopping due to the weather conditions. Tackling this issue will require both governments to improve infrastructure around their ports to hold passenger and freight traffic when ferries have been cancelled or delayed due to bad weather

Technology will also play a key role in easing some of the processing delays. Digital apps for congestion monitoring and the ability to book document processing windows may also help. But

The UK governments goods vehicle movement service (GVMS) is a portal for freight transportation that provides a wallet for all the paperwork required for customs. This will help, but it is not the same as free movement and it will still entail processing delays compared to pre-Brexit. Small and medium companies may also need support and training to use of these digital tools for both import and export of goods between UK and EU.

From September, an EU requirement for biometric processing of all visitors to the EU from the UK (freight and passenger) will come into effect. This could cause processing delays for cars or lorry drivers at ferry or train terminals as it may require people to leave their vehicles for checks. The introduction of the EUs UK Visa waiver programme (ETIAS) in 2023 may offset some of this increase in border processing times, however.

While there are plenty of technical solutions that can address these ongoing issues for UK freight and tourist travel, such efforts must be underpinned by greater cross-border collaboration. Politicians on both sides of the Channel must work together to identify solutions to alleviate further travel chaos.

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Why Englands port chaos could get worse and why technology alone isnt the answer - The Conversation