Category Archives: Technology

Last week, it was announced police in South Wales and Gwent would be the first in the UK to deploy real-time facial recognition technology (FRT) in a mobile app.

The app allows police officers to rapidly identify a person of interest even if the individual provides false or misleading information. This in turn reduces the risk of mistaken identity and unnecessary trips to the police station to confirm an individuals identity.

Read more: Facial recognition technology is expanding rapidly across Australia. Are our laws keeping pace?

Globally, police agencies are either adopting or trialling various forms of FRT to assist in law enforcement.

In the US, the FBI has used facial recognition technologies to identify individuals involved in the 2021 Capitol riots. In the UK, Londons Metropolitan Police are using FRT in real-time (or live) CCTV cameras to identify people on police wanted lists.

In Australia, there has been a lack of transparency about which agencies are using facial recognition technologies and how these are being used. While all Australian policing agencies are reportedly using or trialling these technologies, New South Wales Police officially acknowledge it on their web page. They have reportedly used the technology to help identify lawbreaking protesters.

The Northern Territory Police have even won an award for their face recognition project, which reportedly identifies suspects in under ten seconds at their watchhouse.

Facial recognition technology offers police a quick, efficient and less subjective way of identifying persons of interest. Police capture a persons image using devices such as CCTV cameras, body-worn cameras, or smart glasses.

Once your image is captured, the unique biometric features of your face can be matched to an existing police database. These databases are usually created from mug shots and publicly available data (such as social media posts).

The technology allows for individuals to be tracked across multiple locations and times. Interestingly, the technology can also correctly identify a single person in a large crowd.

Taking the human perspective out of the equation also helps to reduce the potential for inaccuracies in memory and misidentification that can occur in more traditional ways of identifying persons of interest.

However, the technology is not always accurate. Indeed, an independent study found the FRT used in a trial by Metropolitan Police was inaccurate 81% of the time.

The police use of FRT also raises consent and privacy issues. One study found over 60% of the public valued being able to go about their business and run errands without always being photographed.

Read more: Why the government's proposed facial recognition database is causing such alarm

Most Australians do not often come into direct contact with police and, therefore, have little first-hand knowledge of policing practices. Consequently, the main source of information about police comes from the media, and social media in particular. How the media frame a story can shape our opinions of the topic.

Our study of 203 YouTube videos examined how YouTubers were discussing police use of facial recognition technology and the emotions evoked by the language being used in the posts.

It found the majority (61%) of posts were positive about both the technology and the police.

When the sentiment was negative, it was focused on corporations supplying the technology to police, rather than the police themselves.

In our other study, we dug deeper to examine the public commentary posted to the YouTube videos. Despite the positive message being delivered, we found viewers were raising a number of concerns.

They tended to be sceptical of police using the technology before a crime has been committed (for example, surveilling crowds in public spaces). More specifically, they worried this could lead to police overreaching into private citizens rights and freedoms.

On the other hand, viewers were mostly supportive of police using facial recognition technology after a crime has occurred (for example, to identify offenders in the Capitol riots or to find missing persons). They talked about this in terms of the technologys ability to protect public safety.

Overall, the public tend to be wary of any new technology introduced by the police, and facial recognition is no exception.

However, police and authorities can easily address some of these concerns by being transparent and accountable when using facial recognition technologies and communicate policing practices to the public as part of this transparency.

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Information is key to public support for police use of facial recognition technology - The Conversation AU

BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) The Academy of Careers and Technology in Beckley hosted its annual Festival of Trees Tuesday, December 14, 2021.

Kids in each program work together to decorate a special tree that represents tools and skills theyll use in their future careers. Principal Charles Pack Jr. said its a tradition that allows students to use what theyve learned in a fun and creative way.

Each program here at ACT builds a tree that sort of reflects the skills and materials they use in their every day class for what ever skill theyre learning, explained Pack Jr. The electrical program built a house, wired it up with full junction boxes, and the electricity works and controls the lights. Our masonry program built one out of block and brick and cement decorated up to look like a tree.

You can vote for your favorite tree starting Wednesday, December 15, 2021, on ACTs website.

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Academy of Careers and Technology hosts 22nd annual Festival of Trees - WVNS-TV

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., December 15, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW), a leader in space infrastructure for the next generation space economy, is launching four payloads on SpaceXs 24th cargo resupply services (CRS) mission for NASA to the International Space Station (ISS) focused on advanced materials manufacturing and plant science experiments in low-Earth orbit. SpaceX CRS-24 mission is scheduled to lift off on Tuesday, December 21 at 5:06 a.m. EST from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

"The Redwire capabilities launching on this mission signal an exciting opportunity to increase the throughput of in space manufacturing and life sciences R&D in space," said Andrew Rush, President & COO of Redwire. "Over the past 15 months, weve launched four new manufacturing capabilities to the space station and are launching three plant biology experiments on this mission alone. Redwires expanded capabilities are working to accelerate technology development and scientific discovery that will improve life on Earth and drive a space-for-Earth economy."

Redwire will host an in-person "Launch & Learn" media luncheon at 1 p.m. EST Monday, Dec. 20 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to discuss the companys four payloads launching on this mission. Media will have the opportunity to learn more about the Redwire technology being launched and speak with subject matter experts. Media wishing to attend the luncheon must contact Tere Riley at: Tere.Riley@redwirespace.com.

The Redwire technology launching on this mission includes in-space manufacturing technology and plant biology experiments from the companys latest acquisition, Techshot, which demonstrates the breadth of Redwires on-orbit capabilities to accelerate more scientific discovery and deliver more beneficial products to Earth.

Turbine Superalloy Casting Module

Redwire will be launching the Turbine Superalloy Casting Module (TSCM), a commercial in-space manufacturing device designed to provide proof-of-principle for polycrystalline superalloy part manufacturing in microgravity for terrestrial use. Applications for this technology include turbine engines in industries such as aerospace and power generation. TSCM was developed in partnership with NASAs ISS Research Integration Office at Johnson Space Center.

Story continues

MVP-PLANT-01

MVP-PLANT-01 is an investigation launching on SpaceX-24 that will use Redwires Multi-Use Variable-Gravity Platform (MVP) to profile and monitor shoot and root development of plants in microgravity to understand the regulatory mechanisms involved in plant responses to a novel environment. MVP-PLANT-01 can contribute designing plants to withstand extreme terrestrial environments and long-duration spaceflight. The investigation will also validate Redwire MVP Phytofuge experiment modules for future plant investigations on the ISS. The Phytofuge module is one of several different experiment modules developed for use in conjunction with the MVP facility. The modules were developed by Redwire engineers to enable early-stage seedling plant growth in a variable gravity environment.

Veggie PONDS-03R

Also launching on SpaceX-24 is Veggie PONDS-03R, a technology demonstration that explores how plants respond to microgravity and demonstrates technology for reliable vegetable production on orbit. This flight will also validate the Passive Orbital Nutrient Delivery System (PONDS) hardware, which was originally developed by Tupperware Brands and validated by recently acquired Techshot. The PONDS hardware is designed for flight inside NASAs Vegetable Production System (Veggie) facility. PONDS can grow a wide variety of plants in space and requires far less monitoring and maintenance time from flight crews than other passive plant growth devices.

Unlocking the Cotton Genome to Precision Genetics

Also as part of the SpaceX-24 mission, Redwire is working with researchers from Clemson University to support the Unlocking the Cotton Genome to Precision Genetics (Plant Habitat-05) investigation, which will utilize the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH), an automated plant growth facility managed by Redwire that is used to conduct bioscience research aboard ISS. The investigation will cultivate several cotton genotypes from cotton plant tissue cultures exposed to spaceflight. This project is sponsored by the ISS National Lab and stems from a previous Cotton Sustainability Challenge. The knowledge gained from the investigation could enable the growth of cotton plants that more efficiently use water and adapt to changing environments.

To learn more about the science and technology that Redwire is launching on SpaceXs 24 cargo resupply mission, visit: http://www.redwirespace.com

About Redwire

Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW) is a leader in space infrastructure for the next generation space economy, with valuable IP for solar power generation and in-space 3D printing and manufacturing. With decades of flight heritage combined with the agile and innovative culture of a commercial space platform, Redwire is uniquely positioned to assist its customers in solving the complex challenges of future space missions. For more information, please visit http://www.redwirespace.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211215005560/en/

Contacts

Media Contact:Tere RileyTere.Riley@redwirespace.com 321-831-0134ORInvestors: Michael Shannoninvestorrelations@redwirespace.com 904-425-1431

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Redwire Will Launch Superalloy Manufacturing Technology and Plant Science Experiments to Space Station Aboard SpaceXs 24th Cargo Resupply Mission -...

DUBLIN, Dec. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Anti-counterfeit Packaging Market (Mass Encoding, RFID, Tamper Evidence, Hologram, Forensic Markers), End-use Industry ( Food & Beverage, Pharmaceuticals, Electrical & Electronics, Automotive, Luxury goods), and Region - Global Forecast to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global market for anti-counterfeit packaging is projected to grow from USD 117.2 billion in 2021 to reach USD 211.3 billion by 2026, at an estimated CAGR of 12.5%.

The anti-counterfeit packaging market is driven by factors such as rise in counterfeit products in the market, increasing brand awareness, cognizance amongst buyers about product information, the growing e-commerce industry, developments in printing technologies, and concerns regarding the impact of counterfeit packaging on the brand image of products and consumer health. The growing pharmaceutical & healthcare sector is projected to be the fastest-growing end-use Industry in the forecast period.

Due to stringent laws & regulations enacted by the government and increasing importance given to package security by manufacturers, the demand for anti-counterfeit packaging technologies is projected to grow in this sector. Further, recent incidences of counterfeit medicines being caught in both developed and emerging economies have pushed for demand for anti-counterfeit packaging solutions. Emerging markets, such as the Asia-Pacific region, also contributed to an increase in the application of anti-counterfeit packaging. High set-up costs is the major restraint for the anti-counterfeit packaging industry.

RFID technology of the technology segment projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

The RFID technology from the technology segment is projected to grow at the highest rate between 2021 and 2026. The RFID technology reads and captures information stored on the tag attached to the product. RFID are used extensively in the packaging industry as they include tags, readers, and software services. By using tags and readers, products can be traced in seconds; this helps improve and track the supply chain process from production through distribution and retailing.

In terms of both value and volume, the Asia Pacific anti-counterfeit packaging market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

In terms of value and volume, the Asia Pacific region is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2021 to 2026 due to the strong demand from countries such as China, India, and Japan. Factors, including an increase in the demand for authentic products, awareness amongst buyers regarding banes of counterfeit products, developments in packaging technologies, and increasing counterfeiting activities, are expected to drive the market for anti-counterfeit packaging market in the Asia Pacific region.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

2 Research Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Premium Insights4.1 Developed Economies to Witness Higher Demand for Anti-Counterfeit Packaging4.2 Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market, by Technology4.3 Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market, by End-Use Industry4.4 APAC Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market, by End-Use Industry and Country4.5 Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market, by Key Countries

5 Market Overview5.1 Introduction5.2 Market Dynamics5.2.1 Drivers5.2.1.1 Laws & Regulations Enforced by Governments5.2.1.2 Increase in the Focus of Manufacturers on Brand Protection5.2.1.3 Track & Trace Technology to Maintain an Efficient Supply Chain5.2.1.4 Growth of the Parent Industry5.2.2 Restraints5.2.2.1 Existence of Technologies That are Non-Deterrent to Counterfeiters5.2.2.2 Huge Setup Cost5.2.3 Opportunities5.2.3.1 Growing Demand from Emerging Economies5.2.3.2 Remote Authentication of Products5.2.3.3 Surge in Sales of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Products5.2.4 Challenges5.2.4.1 Spreading Awareness Regarding Anti-Counterfeit Technologies for Brand Protection5.2.4.2 High R&D Investment5.3 Value Chain5.4 Yc, Ycc Shift

6 Impact of COVID-19 on Packaging Industry6.1 Introduction6.2 COVID-19 Forecasting, by Technology6.3 COVID-19 Forecasting, by Application6.4 Gainers, by Top End-Use Industries6.4.1 Healthcare6.4.2 Food & Beverage6.4.3 Personal Care6.5 Losers, by Top End-Use Industries6.5.1 Luxury Goods6.5.2 Electrical & Electronics6.6 Gainers, by Top Technologies6.6.1 Aseptic Packaging6.6.2 Intelligent/Smart Packaging6.7 Losers, by Top Technologies6.7.1 Non-Automated Technology6.7.2 Packaging Robots and Equipment for Bulk Packaging

7 Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market, by Technology7.1 Introduction7.1.1 Serialization/Track and Trace Technologies7.1.2 Overt, Covert, and Forensic Features7.1.3 Tamper Evidence Feature7.2 Mass Encoding7.2.1 Barcodes7.2.2 Digital Mass Serialization7.2.3 Digital Mass Encryption7.3 Rfid (Radio Frequency Identification)7.4 Holograms7.5 Forensic Markers7.6 Tamper-Evident Technology7.7 Others

8 Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market, by End-Use Industry8.1 Introduction8.2 Food & Beverage8.3 Pharmaceutical8.4 Apparel & Footwear8.5 Automotive8.6 Cosmetics & Personal Care8.7 Electrical & Electronics8.8 Luxury Goods8.9 Others

9 Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market, by Region

10 Competitive Landscape10.1 Overview10.2 Competitive Leadership Mapping10.2.1 Star Leaders10.2.2 Innovators10.2.3 Pervasive10.2.4 Emerging Companies10.3 Strength of Product Portfolio10.4 Business Strategy Excellence10.5 Market Share Analysis10.6 Competitive Scenario10.6.1 Acquisition10.6.2 Expansion10.6.3 New Product Development

11 Company Profiles11.1 Key Players11.1.1 Avery Dennison Corporation11.1.2 Ccl Industries Inc.11.1.3 3M Company11.1.4 Sato Holdings11.1.5 Dupont11.1.6 Zebra Technologies Corporation11.1.7 Intelligent Label Solutions11.1.8 Sml Group11.1.9 Sicpa Holding Sa.11.1.10 Systech International11.1.11 Applied Dna Sciences Inc.11.1.12 Alpvision S.A.11.1.13 Savi Technology, Inc.11.1.14 Authentix, Inc.11.2 Additional Companies11.2.1 Ampacet Corporation11.2.2 3D Ag11.2.3 Tracelink Inc.11.2.4 Advanced Track & Trace11.2.5 Eluceda11.2.6 Impinj, Inc11.2.7 Trutag Technologies, Inc.11.2.8 Edgyn11.2.9 Microtag Temed Ltd.11.2.10 Agfa Graphics

12 Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/djt1hy

Media Contact:

Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [emailprotected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

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Anti-counterfeit Packaging Market by Technology, End-use Industry and Region - Global Forecast to 2026 - PRNewswire

Ongoing technological advancement is perhaps the single biggest force shaping the modern business landscape. Breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, cryptography, robotics, virtual reality, and countless other fields seem to happen every day, creating new business opportunities and altering consumer behavior in the process.

Given the ever-increasing pace of change, you must constantly scan the horizon for the next big tech trend as a business leader. However, many individuals place undue emphasis on the future without fully understanding how existing digital tools impact their organizations. If you haven't thought about how your company currently uses tech, you might need to reconsider the adoption process.

How to successfully adopt new technology

In 2011,Marc Andreessen predictedthat the leading companies of the future would be those that capitalized on innovative digital tools. This proved to be truejust look at today's most valuable companies for proof. But the ones that are falling behind aren't necessarily technology-averse. Rather, they might be investing heavily in digital transformation.

The problem is technology investments that aren't guided by a thoughtful strategy can create more issues than solutions. With that in mind, here are three tips you can use to ensure new technology investments truly benefit your business:

1.Audit existing workflows and consider what resources your teams need to do their jobs.

Data from arecent McKinsey & Co. surveyof global executives suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly accelerated enterprise technology adoption. Since the beginning of the crisis, the share of digital or digitally enabled products in company portfolios has advanced by about seven years. In theory, this means companies are operating faster and more efficiently than before. But in reality, the new technology could be hampering your employees' productivity.

According to research from Qatalog, a London-based startup,43% of employeesreport spending too much time moving between digital tools. Ryan OHara, vice president of growth and marketing at LeadIQ, cautions leaders against burdening their teams with more software.

"When companies start to look at each new tool against the backdrop of all the other technologies employees must learn and use, they begin to realize that theyre breaking a cardinal rule of technology design: Dont add too many steps for the end user,saysOHara. Its a lesson numerous startup founders have learned the hard way."

As you evaluate existing workflows, map out every single step and look for bottlenecks. You might find that these can be addressed through a process of subtractioneither by ditching unused tools or consolidating fragmented workflows onto one platform.

2. Talk to and get feedback from employees.

Tim Scott, head of product strategy and design at Frogslayer, says that getting feedback from employees who are essential to operations is the key to successful digital transformation efforts. Not only will your employees know exactly which tools are creating unnecessary friction, but they might also have ideas about how to replace problematic technologies.

They might have already built or obtained tools that allow them to be more productive at work (such as spreadsheets, third-party applications, etc.),saysScott. These tools can tell leaders what stakeholders really need and help them generate ideas for building technologies that unlock even greater productivity."

Too often, leaders invest in new technologies without first consulting the employees who will use them. Then, they spend the next several months trying to force the tool into existing workflows while lamenting the lack of proactive adoption. To avoid this scenario, you should communicate openly with employees before and after technology investments. Your goal should be to figure out and articulate why new tools are improvements over existing processes.

3.Be wary of data privacy regulations.

Regulations in Europe and California have created new frameworks for prosecuting companies that misuse consumer data, but theres still no universal privacy legislation. This means you must monitor several organizations and municipalities to ensure you're compliant with new mandates.

The easiest way to avoid issues is by making data privacy a core company value and business objective. By implementing policies that promote privacy by design, you can begin cultivating a culture of compliance. You can also choose to avoid collecting data altogether. Asokan Ashok, founder and CEO of UnfoldLabs Inc., advises leaders to carefully consider why they need to acquire data.

There are so many companies capturing all kinds of data without knowing if they really need it or will use it,saysAshok. I would recommend not going after big data. Rather, go after smart datadata that is really needed for the organization. By limiting the amount of information your company collects from its customers, you can limit your exposure to regulatory risk as well.

Too much technology can be a bad thing. If your digital transformation efforts don't have a purpose, you might end up complicating processes and hampering employees' productivity. But by following these three steps, you can ensure you're investing in and implementing the technology that will net you success.

Go here to read the rest:

How To Ensure Emerging Technology Will Benefit Your Business - Forbes

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How much has technology changed in the last 20 years? - Cyprus Mail

Anowa Quarcoo isnt the type to sit around and watch television when theres something anything else she could be doing. The 35-year-old, who currently works in strategy and planning at Loblaws, recently earned a dual masters degree in global affairs and business administration out of boredom. For me, Quarcoo says, boredom is often a signal that its time to learn something or try something different.

When shes not busy with her day job, Quarcoo spends her time working with others to find ways to use technology to improve civic engagement in Toronto. Having grown up in Kenya and Uganda, Quarcoo says her computer access was a privilege not enjoyed by everyone. I was also cognizant, she says, that the internet was not created for someone like me, who lived on the African continent, and who had a very different perspective and story.

Quarcoos own experience as well her desire to see more representation in city issues led her to civic hacking. Though hacking may conjure up images of 90s action stars in head-to-toe leather breaking into a computer mainframe, as Quarcoo explains, the civic variety is about using technology and human-centred design to solve problems.

Take the citys budget. How cool would it be if you could understand how your money goes into public coffers, she asks. How does that process work? If we make a tool that can allow you to do that, thats civic hacking.

Theres this saying in the civic technology community that no one is coming, its up to us, she says. So Quarcoo, founded Civic Tech Toronto six years ago with a few likeminded individuals. Since then, she has hosted more than 300 Hacknights, otherwise known as meetings.

One of Civic Techs first big projects the Budgetpedia, aimed to make the municipal budget accessible and meaningfully searchable, so citizens could participate in informed debate and advocate for change.

Taking inspiration from Chi Hack Nights, where Chicagoans gather weekly to create, share and learn in the service of the public good, Civic Tech Toronto meets every Tuesday night (except holidays). We are a mix of technologists, public policy [makers], comms, activists people from all sorts technology spaces, all with different perspectives, Quarcoo says. We arent a monolithic group.

Quarcoo recalls one Hacknight participant in her 70s who was passionate about creating an equitable city. And she was a treasure trove of information, Quarcoo says. So even though she didnt understand how to build the technology, she understood the issues and the players in a way that the developers might not. One of the conversations centred on city-owned residential buildings. What she brought was a good understanding of senior issues, including barriers that affected them says Quarcoo.

A typical Hacknight includes a guest speaker and a time for pitching proposals. Projects have included COVID-infection modelling homeless-shelter-capacity data-sharing and suburban-cycling advocacy.

One standout project for Quarcoo is Women and Color. Civic Tech Toronto helped the organization build their new website so it could work to address the lack of women and people of colour speaking at tech conferences. Women and Color makes it easy for people planning conferences to find subject matter experts and address the lack of gender and racial representation. Straight, cis, white men are not the only people working in technology, says Quarcoo.

When asked whats next, in the spirit of Civic Tech, Quarcoo took the question to the community at a meeting. In the next few months, we are exploring ways to try our hybrid event offerings, as everyone has a bit of Zoom fatigue, Quarcoo says. We are also thinking through how Civic Tech Toronto can include and interact with more communities beyond the physical postal-code borders of Toronto especially since people from all around the world have been able to join our virtual events.

As for Quarcoo, shes still keeping boredom at bay. She recently joined the CivicAction Leadership Foundations Emerging Leaders Network executive committee as a co-chair to help keep people engaged. People are passionate about civic issues, she says. Theyre passionate about living in a city that works well for others, that is equitable. At peoples core, regardless of what your vocation is, you want to live in a city that works well.

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Anowa Quarcoo leads a passionate group thats using technology to make Toronto a better and fairer place to live - Toronto Star

Oliver Wick, who works in BMWs Munich office, has a rather unusual job title of Technology Scout. He is responsible for scanning the exciting world of emerging technologies, and assessing which ones have the potential to improve or innovate, in his case, BMWs business model.

He is not alone in the company or in the world to do this. The automotive company has technology offices spread out across the world, where experts like Wick are tasked with identifying relevant innovations and generating trend reports for use cases ranging from car production to smart city services.

In BMWs case, these scout teams are equipped with a Tech Radar, custom-built software that collects and analyses data from R&D, patents, markets, venturing, and other sources, to gauge emerging technologies of interest and of their level of maturity.

Once a promising innovation has been identified, technology scouts are expected to network with startups and universities working in the field and to come up with proof of concepts.

BMW went one step further by also creating a Startup Garage to encourage smaller companies with a good idea to submit their pitch, with the promise of a contract with the automotive company for those selected.

Another example is energy manufacturer Enel,which currently boasts Innovation Hubs in 10 cities across the world, all designed to discover startups and small organizations whose technology could eventually serve Enels own business interests.

Form Energy, for instance, is a startup that is developing low-cost and long-duration batteries that can be combined with renewable energy sources and found in Enel an interested party to actively invest in the startup and provide it with guidance to grow its product.

What ROI is expected from this? A recent study carried out by the Harvard Business Review analysed data from a multinational oil companyto assess whether the firms efforts in R&D had paid off. After reviewing 7,000 drilling projects, examining the career history of over 30,000 engineers, and holding interviews with managers and executives, the researchers found that the company had spent billions of dollars on R&D every year and generated almost 10,000 patents. This led to drilling costs falling by 15%, saving an average $90 million per year per subsidiary.

The Tech tracker

JLL, a global real estate services firm, recently announced the outcome of an educational workshop with The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) culminating in the launch of the universitys revolutionary online web tool called theTech Tracker.

The MIT Tech Tracker scouts, analyzes, and predicts the future of technology within the built environment. The industry-first platform provides unparalleled insight into technologies that have the potential to make the biggest impact on the development, management, and configuring of property and space.

The Tech Tracker replaces gut feelings about whats hot with actual data and machine-learning algorithms. From augmented reality to 5G, and on to flying cars, plastics made from algae, Martian concrete, and more, the Tech Tracker has thousands of profiles for users to track whats keeping pace, cooling down, and on the rise.

The Tech Trackers top 10 techs identified as ofSeptember 2021are:

Energy tech scouts

Increasing urgency to address climate change is driving more money than ever into climate-related technologies. Global investments in the energy transition grew to$500 billion in 2020, up 9% year on year, even in the face of the pandemic.

For companies looking to invest, they need effective tech scouts to find the right investments, which with the right support can be commercialized and deployed at scale.

More than1,200 climate tech startupshave launched since 2013, according to PwC. But successfully commercializing new climate technologies takes more than a sophisticated new concept and promising engineering. It also demands well-placed partners with deep expertise and strong connections in the right parts of the industry.

Conferences can be rich scouting environments as many startups see such events as perfect opportunities to present their solutions while partnering with accelerators is another way to meet and interact with early-stage start-ups.

Experienced leadership and a strong management team vastly increase the likelihood that a startup will be successful in developing and scaling its innovative technology.

The synergies between startups and teams scouting for them create better solutions faster than either organization could develop on its own.

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Tech scouts that track, assess, test emerging technology potential - AMEinfo

The supply-chain crisis and chip shortage have shed light on semiconductors as never before.

Seeing how we depend on semiconductors to function as a society has been exposed. This has been good for the semiconductor industry, or at least those able to manage supply constraints and swelling demand.

While the likes of Nvidia NVDA, -4.46%, AMD AMD, -4.43%, Intel INTC, -0.51% and Qualcomm QCOM, -0.29% are often among the first companies that come to mind for semiconductor investors, there are other players that have been growing, innovating and thriving amid the chip boom.

In a recent opinion piece, I pointed out four: Lattice Semiconductor LSCC, -1.59%, Micron Technology MU, -1.52%, Applied Materials AMAT, -0.45% and Marvell Technology MRVL, +17.68%. The first three have performed admirably this year, with returns between 12% (Micron Technology) to about 70% (Lattice Semiconductor and Applied Materials). Marvell, following its most recent quarterly results and subsequent share-price explosion, is on pace to perform better than all of them.

I firmly see Marvell Technologys strategy, which ties it to rapidly expanding secular trends like 5G, connected vehicles and cloud, as an indicator of its growth prospects and runway for short- and longer-term growth.

Thursdays earnings report showed record revenue of $1.21 billion, up 61% year-over-year, cementing the companys recent form as both consistent and encouraging, especially for Marvell investors.

Other noteworthy metrics for the quarter included 72% growth in earnings per share year over year, 109% growth for cloud and an exceptionally bullish outlook for its fourth quarter and fiscal 2023 periods. The company guidance is for 65% growth (at the midpoint), and more than 30% growth in its fiscal year ahead.

Marvell, based in Santa Clara, Calif., has now enjoyed six quarters of accelerated earnings and received several upgrades this year, including a notable revision from Citigroup.

The numbers that Marvell has delivered over this robust period of growth is the byproduct of a slate of wise strategic decisions that have been made by Matt Murphy and his leadership team since coming on board. When Murphy took over the company 5 1/2 years ago, it was in a delicate state, to say it nicely. The company, which had its most significant bets on the consumer space, was dealing with increased competition, margin compression and a lack of differentiation.

The pivot to delivering valuable innovation that correlates with some of the worlds most in-demand markets began with the acquisition of Cavium. This pivot from consumer was high-risk, high-reward, but has proven to be a stroke of genius, and the entry/expansion into high-growth areas including datacenter, edge, cloud, 5G and automotive has made the company not only increasingly relevant but a key growth name in these industries with notable upside due to its attachment to these in-demand trends, which are all seeing expanding total addressable markets (TAMs).

Beyond the right technology bets, the company has also made a series of strong acquisitions to strengthen its network and datacenter capabilities. First was the notable and largest-ever acquisition for Marvell of Inphi at $10 billion. More recently, the company acquired Innovium, which is set to add $150 million to the companys top line in 2023 but also added to its capabilities to deliver high-end ethernet switch ASICs, which instantaneously improved the companys position with hyperscale cloud providers as well as a growing number of edge use cases.

With a current market value hovering at around $60 billion, Marvell is quietly on its way to mega-cap status, something that could happen over the next two to three years if it continues to execute at its current rate. Concurrently, chip demand is slated to stay high for at least the next few years. However, I dont see secular trends in any of Marvells key segments reversing in the foreseeable future.

Add in the bullish guidance, calculated market selection and the strategic utilization of M&A, and we have what looks to be a winner in Marvell Technology. A company that bullish semiconductor investors simply cannot afford to ignore.

Daniel Newman is the principal analyst atFuturum Research, which provides or has provided research, analysis, advising, and/or consulting to Marvell, Qualcomm, Intel, Nvidia and dozens of other companies in the tech and digital industries. Neither he nor his firm holds any equity positions with any companies cited. Follow him on Twitter@danielnewmanUV.

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Marvell Technology breaks away from the pack, joining the list of must-own semiconductor stocks - MarketWatch

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In the largely forgotten 2003 John Woo film Paycheck, an amnesiac Ben Affleck has to piece together his memories to stop a machine he built for evil industrialist Aaron Eckhart from destroying the world. But given that it was an adaptation of a Phillip K. Dick short story, the twist is much smarter than the film around it: The machine in question isnt a weapon, but a device capable of seeing into the future. The machines predictions of war and plague convince policymakers to make decisions that precipitate exactly those outcomes.

Here in 2021, we thankfully do not have such a machine (though perhaps Ben Affleck wishes hed had one before agreeing to star in Paycheck). But in keeping with my practice of trying to extract interesting ideas from mediocre films, I found myself thinking about the prediction machine (the film, sadly, never gives it a catchier name) because it is hard to ignore the feeling that the odds of a major war in the near future are increasing. Russian forces are massing by the border of Ukraine while Belarus foments a migrant crisis on its border with Poland. Meanwhile, China continues to threaten Taiwan, while observers sound increasingly urgent alarms that a confrontation between Beijing and its neighbors which might well draw in the U.S. is growing more likely.

With that increasingly threatening background, the question that occurred to me is: How can we get better at understanding the actual risk of war? And can better understanding translate into a lowered risk?

This isnt a new question. Political scientists and analytical units in governments have tried to create more accurate, more rational, and more systemic ways to assess the risk of war (or other violent collapse) for decades. Obviously, given what we know about physics and the linear flow of time, a machine that can literally peer into the future is much closer to a science fictional trope than to reality. But like elections analysts, meteorologists, and sports fans, policymakers and political scientists can turn to the increasingly vast stores of data available about the world and try to parse it using sophisticated algorithms.

It is important to be clear about what the outputs of such systems are and arent. While colloquially called predictions, the actual outputs tend to be ranges of estimates based on a combination of historical data and assumptions about correlation and causation. Turning that into policy is a complex, nuanced, and fallible process. Solving the technical problems of accessing, parsing, and analyzing data and producing a more specific, more accurate forecast an enormous task, to be clear does nothing to decrease the procedural, institutional, and political challenges of translating that into better decisions.

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But being able to provide an assessment whether couched in numerical probability terms or not of the likelihood of a war and identifying the exact circumstances and timing under which it will start are completely different things. After all, few people were surprised when World War I broke out, but no one predicted that the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo would be the precipitating factor. Similarly, the idea that Japan and the United States would come to blows in the Pacific was not itself a surprise but the attack on Pearl Harbor very much was, and its tactical success largely predicated on the unpreparedness of the Pacific Fleet early on that specific Sunday morning.

Technology, to be fair, has made it much harder to hide the material preparations for war. It is impossible to hide the movement of large numbers of troops, aircraft, armored vehicles, or warships from the constellation of observation satellites operated on behalf of both governments and non-governmental entities, while open-source analysts can pick up and broadcast - other tells from photos, videos, and social media.

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Material preparation, however, is a necessary but not sufficient condition for war. A buildup and demonstration of forces followed by a quiet drawdown is a far more common occurrence than a buildup followed by actual combat. External factors the balance of forces, the economic and political backdrop, even the weather or the season account for some of the difference, and to some extent can be taken account of in sophisticated models.

But ultimately, the decision to go to war is made by a different group of human beings with a fundamentally different perspective, even if they are looking at the exact same set of military and non-military factors. That difference of perspective is far harder to model than any number of complex observable factors. After all, the last two decades saw any number of optimistic claims that technological connectivity would produce greater understanding between people and nations and cultures but the reality has been far less optimistic. And, of course, simulations of human behavior, no matter how sophisticated, are always going to be shaped by the biases of their own designers.

Humility is not, by itself, a useful analytical tool. But it is a fundamentally human conceit, and a necessary condition of sound decision-making; the awareness that ones awareness is limited and that the game looks very different from the other side of the board. As predictive systems become more embedded into decision-making structures, perhaps the role of humans will be to embrace that uncertainty and accommodate it.

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Can Technology Predict War? The Diplomat - The Diplomat