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Last day for early-bird tickets to TC Sessions: Robotics + AI 2020 – TechCrunch

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

Todays your last day to score early-bird pricing on tickets to TC Sessions: Robotics + AI 2020, which takes place on March 3. If you want to keep $150 in your wallet, beat the deadline and buy your ticket here before the clock strikes 11:59 p.m. (PT) tonight!

Our one-day conference dedicated to robotics and AI the good, the bad and the challenging features interviews, panel discussions, Q&As, workshops and demos. Join roughly 1,500 experts, visionaries, creators, founders, investors, researchers and engineers. Rub elbows, network and engage with current and aspiring leaders, as well as students poised to drive future innovation.

We have a stellar line up, and just because were biased doesnt mean were wrong. I mean come on assistive robots, ethics and AI, the state of VC investment and robot demos. And thats just for starters. Here are a couple of specific examples (peruse the full agenda right here):

And in case you havent heard, weve added Pitch Night, a mini pitch-off, into the mix this year. Were accepting applications until tomorrow, February 1. This is no time for fence-sitting! Apply to compete in Pitch Night now. TechCrunch editors will review the applications and choose 10 startups to pitch at a private event the night before the conference. A panel of VC judges will select five teams as finalists. Those founders will pitch again the next day live from the Main Stage. Its awesome exposure that could take your startup to the next level.

If you love robots, you need to be at TC Sessions: Robotics + AI 2020 on March 3. And theres no point paying more than necessary. Todays the last day to buy an early-bird ticket. Buy yours before the deadline expires at 11:59 p.m. (PT) and save $150.

Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at TC Sessions: Robotics + AI 2020? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.

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Last day for early-bird tickets to TC Sessions: Robotics + AI 2020 - TechCrunch

Coronavirus is the latst target of the robotics industry – Medical Device Network

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

]]> Quarantines in major cities in China, especially in Wuhan where the virus originated, pose serious logistical challenges. Credit: Shutterstock.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared a global emergency after a new coronavirus causing severe lung disease emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan and began to spread across the country and internationally.

The new addition to the coronavirus family causes a fever, followed by a dry cough and shortness of breath. Only one in five cases are thought to be severe and generally healthy people can expect to make a full recovery from infection, but the young, elderly and immunocompromised may not be so fortunate. Nearly 500 people have died in China since the initial outbreak of the disease in December, which has been codenamed 2019-nCoV.

Confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV have now bypassed 24,000.

The new virus is moderately infectious, with each infected person expected to pass it onto two or three other people. As such, the main way to prevent people who have become infected from spreading the virus to others involves limiting their movement and treating them in isolation.

As such, many patients suspected to have 2019-nCoV have been placed under quarantine to minimise the spread of the disease. China has taken the decision to restrict travel in and out of cities in Hubei province, of which Wuhan is the capital.

Doctors in the US have been using a telehealth machine to treat the first person in the country admitted to hospital with 2019-nCoV. The man is currently being held in a specially designed two-bed isolated area at Providence Regional Medical Center in Washington.

The room was set up five years ago during the Ebola crisis, but this is the first time its ever been used. It is away from other units at the hospital and even has a separate air filter. There is only one entry point for the unit which is guarded by security officers and visitors are required to wear full-body protection including a controlled air purifying respirator helmet.

Using a robot equipped with a camera, microphone and stethoscope, the patient has been able to consult with clinicians without coming into direct contact with them.

Providence Regional Medical Center chief of infectious diseases Dr George Diaz told CNN: The nursing staff in the room move the robot around so we can see the patient in the screen, talk to him.

This isnt the only robot thats being used to interact with quarantined people. A hotel in Hangzhou is being used to isolate more than 300 people suspected to have the virus, and has been using a robot to deliver food to their bedrooms. The hotel guests were on the same flight as travellers from Wuhan, and will remain in the hotel for two weeks as a precautionary measure.

Multiple food delivery robots have been deployed on all 16 stories of the hotel.

Likewise in Guangzhou City, at the Guangdong Provincial Peoples Hospital, autonomous delivery robots are being used to transport drugs around the hospital. The robots are loaded up with medicines and given instructions of where in the hospital to go to, and then head to their destination unaided. Theyre able to open and close doors and take the lift without any human assistance.

One robot is able to carry out the delivery tasks of three people, making the entire drug delivery process faster and reducing the risk of clinical staff contracting 2019-nCoV and spreading it throughout the hospital.

As well helping to minimise the potential spread of infection, robotics are being used for disinfection purposes.

Xenex robots, which are manufactured in San Antonio, use pulsed xenon ultraviolet-C (UVC) light to wipe out pathogens. The company says its devices are currently being used to clean hospital rooms where there have been suspected cases of the new coronavirus. The robot can clean a room in as little as five minutes.

Speaking to Forbes, Xenex spokesperson Melinda Hart said: Our science team has been on the phone non-stop with hospitals to discuss protocols for disinfecting rooms and areas where suspect patients have been and are being treated. Weve also been in contact with government contacts in China and the US to explore how quickly we could export robots to China.

Meanwhile LA-based Dimer UVC Innovations, which has developed a germ-killing robot designed to sanitise aeroplanes, has offered its services to three US airports to address the coronavirus outbreak.

Known as GermFalcon, the robot also uses UVC light to kill viruses and bacteria. Its designed to be pushed down the aisle of an aeroplane and has wings which hang over the seats to expose all surfaces to the light. GermFalcon is now being used at the Los Angeles International Airport, San Francisco International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport as part of their emergency response efforts.

Noble though these efforts are, theres a chance they might not all be entirely necessary. Many of the people quarantined, such as those in the Hangzhou hotel, arent displaying symptoms of the disease.

The jurys still out on whether 2019-nCoV can spread before a patient is symptomatic. Previous epidemic coronaviruses like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) could not be spread by a carrier of the disease before they began to feel unwell. However, a woman from Shanghai on a business trip to Germany is believed to have passed the disease onto her European colleagues, despite not becoming ill until she was on her flight home.

Even if the coronavirus can be spread by people with no symptoms, who may be infected for two to 14 days before they start to feel sick, people who are sneezing and coughing are far more likely to spread the disease. Quarantining people for weeks on end who may not be ill, and going so far as to have a robot deliver their meals, may be a recipe for social tension.

Additionally, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) note that health workers interacting with 2019-nCoV patients should be able to protect themselves with a gown, gloves, eye protection and an N95 face mask. Isolating patients within hospitals makes perfect sense, but the risk of a clinician contracting coronavirus is minimal and casts Guangdong Provincial Peoples Hospitals drug delivery robots in a slightly different light. Technology can be lifesaving, but its overuse can breed fear and misunderstanding among patients and clinicians alike.

Robots are flashy and advanced, and if they can help contribute to stopping a global outbreak of a serious disease then their contributions should be welcomed. But doubling down on practices like handwashing, and reinforcing the importance of clear international communication, will be more important to stopping 2019-nCoVs spread than all the UVC light in the world.

The rest is here:

Coronavirus is the latst target of the robotics industry - Medical Device Network

Nike integrates robots from Geek+ into its Japan warehouse – Robotics and Automation News

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

Nike, the worlds largest sportswear company, has integrated robots from Geek+ into its Japan warehouse. (See video below.)

Geek+, a provider of smart logistics solutions, has powered same-day delivery for Nike in Japan, providing advanced robotics solutions to Nikes new distribution center in Chiba.

The installation uses more than 200 robots from Geek+s goods-to-person P series robot range.

The smart robots carry Nike products and packages directly to the warehouse worker, reducing costs, increasing picking efficiency and making daily work easier on the warehouse operators.

With the rapid growth of e-commerce, labor shortage in the logistics industry has become a serious economic issue.

Although warehouses globally are still mainly manually operated, the need for automation and new robotics technologies is fast increasing in order to meet demand and challenges brought by the massive growth of online platforms.

Major retailers such as Nike are introducing robots to meet that increasing demand and transform their logistics operations.

Smart robots guarantee lower cost, efficiency, flexibility and safety in the warehouse, says Geek+.

With Geek+, Nike has been able to introduce same-day delivery to its Japan customers.

Geek+ provides logistics solutions that are tailored to customer operations and contribute to solving operational problems in various industries, from retail and apparel to manufacturing sites.

Heroes off to international robotics contest – The Elkhart Truth

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

ELKHART A local robotics team that is part of the ETHOS Innovation Center and Granger Exploration and Robotics Studio has punched its ticket to compete in an international tournament this spring.

In December, seven local ETHOS teams competed in Indianas FIRST LEGO League State Championship in Fort Wayne. One of those teams, 31195 Heroes, placed second out of 48 teams made up of students between the ages of 9 and 14.

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Heroes off to international robotics contest - The Elkhart Truth

Stanfords Doggo quadrupedal robot and siblings Pupper and Woofer are coming to TC Sessions: Robotics + AI – TechCrunch

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

Animal-like, four-legged robots have been a crowd-pleaser since Boston Dynamics BigDog, and Stanfords Doggo shows how the technology can be made open source, accessible and educational. Doggos creators will bring the diminutive robot, plus its smaller and larger siblings Pupper and Woofer, to TC Sessions: Robotics + AI on March 3.

P.S. Early-bird ticket sales end this Friday book your tickets today and save $150.

We first heard of Doggo last year when the Stanford Robotics Club showed off the highly capable design, which uses mostly off-the-shelf parts and can be assembled by anyone as long as anyone has considerable experience building robots and a couple thousand dollars to spend.

Still, a couple thousand is an order of magnitude or two lower than most quadrupedal robots go for, and project lead Nathan Kau told TechCrunch theyve seen a ton of interest.

I had no idea how many people were going to pick it up, he said. Its complicated! But I get emails every day from people building this thing, from all over. The first team to get it running, to my knowledge, was in Sri Lanka.

In order to further push the lower bounds of who can build and experiment with a robot like this, the team is building a smaller, even less expensive robot called Pupper. They hope to get the cost down to the level where even high school clubs can afford one.

Its less than $500 in development materials if you make it by yourself, said Kau. We imagine that if it becomes a kit and we have a partnership with the part manufacturers, it could be much less. We built it as a platform for learning, so it uses a Raspberry Pi and everything is programmed in Python. Its about as complicated as building a drone, Id say.

Youll be able to see Doggo and Pupper in action at the event, and theyll be joined by one more robot: Woofer, a jumbo-sized step up from the others. Its earlier in development than the other two, but to keep things simple it shares much of its codebase with the others.

Grab your tickets to the show today and get to see these awesome robots in person and hear from todays leading minds in the industry. Early-bird tickets expire this Friday, January 31, so book yours today and save $150 before prices go up.

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Stanfords Doggo quadrupedal robot and siblings Pupper and Woofer are coming to TC Sessions: Robotics + AI - TechCrunch

‘More than human’: How neural implants, robotics and artificial intelligence are redefining who we are – Genetic Literacy Project

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

When you hear the word cyborg, scenes from the 1980s films RoboCop or The Terminator might spring to mind. But the futuristic characters made famous in those films may no longer be mere science fiction. We are at the advent of an era where digital technology and artificial intelligence are moving more deeply into our human biological sphere. Humans are already able to control a robotic arm with their minds. Cyborgshumans whose skills and abilities exceed those of others because of electrical or mechanical elements built into the bodyare already among us.

But innovators are pushing the human-machine boundary even further. While prosthetic limbs are tied in with a persons nervous system, future blends of biology and technology may be seen in computers that are wired into our brains.

Our ability to technologically enhance our physical capabilitiesthe hardware of our human systems, you could saywill likely reshape our social world. Will these changes bring new forms of dominance and exploitation? Will unaltered humans be subjected to a permanent underclass or left behind altogether? And what will it mean to be humanor will some of us be more than human?

Initial answers may be closer than we think.

Physicist Max Tegmark, MIT professor and president of the Future of Life Institute, considers the recent advances in artificial intelligence and technology through an evolutionary lens to imagine us as more than human. He categorizes all life into three levels. In his view, the vast majority of lifefrom bacteria to mice, iguanas to lobstersfalls into what he calls Life 1.0. These creatures survive and replicate, but they cannot redesign themselves within their lifetime. They evolve and learn over many generations.

Moving up, somewhere between Life 1.0 and 2.0, Tegmark classifies animals such as some primates, cetaceans, and corvids that have the ability to intermesh biology and culture. These animals are able to learn complex new skills, like how to use tools. Humans take this to an extreme, and Tegmark categorizes humans as Life 2.0. Through extensive language, social intelligence, and culture, Life 2.0 individuals can jump into new environments independently of genetic constraints. (If you missed it, we wrote about how body modification, as one example, makes us more socially human in part I, Your Body as a Map, of this pair of posts.)

Just think about how our ability to learn a new language within our lifetime is a bit like adding a software package to a computer. We can add an infinite number of self upgrades during our lifetime and pass our knowledge on to future generations. We also can manipulate other life forms to our own ends on a grand scalefrom cattle farming to harnessing bacteria in the preparation of fermented foods like cheese.

But with the leaps were seeing in artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and biotechnology, our concept of animal and human could compete with the most imaginative Hollywood film. Life 3.0 doesnt yet exist on Earth, but Tegmark argues that in the future, we will see a technological life-form that can design both its hardware (which neither 1.0 or 2.0 can do) and its software (which currently only 2.0 can do).

Even in the near future, humans may be somewhere in between life-forms 2.0 and 3.0. In 2016, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, co-founded Neuralink, a company that aims to develop a braincomputer interface. Musk says his goal is to help human beings merge with software and be in sync with advances in artificial intelligence.

Whether people will volunteer to have a robot insert wires into their brain that are attached to a tiny chip implant remains to be seen. But humans across cultures have embraced a variety of technologies in surprising ways.

Today over 5 billion people have access to mobile phones. By 2025, around 71 percent of the worlds population is expected to be connected. The thought that virtually every aspect of a persons day might be influenced by a smartphone or something like it once seemed like science fiction. But as the number of digital natives grows, our relationship with technology does too.

Some of us readily anthropomorphize our gadgets and give our apps and devices names such as Siri or Alexa. We talk to them, allow them to control our surroundings, finances, shopping, and schedules. Yet many hesitate when it comes to embedding technology in our bodies if we are otherwise physically healthy.

Take, for example, microchips inserted under the skin, which can be used to pay for your shopping as well as a bus ride home. This is little different from a credit card in your back pocket, save for the convenience of not having to remember to take it with you.

Our resistance may be influenced by the yuck factor of new or different technologies or cultural shifts. But over time, what we think of as disgusting or offensive may become normalized. Lab-grown meat, for example, has gone from being a scientific and economic fantasy to something that might well be in stores by 2022. Similarly, eating insects, for those unused to the idea in the West, has become more accepted as a sustainable source of protein.

Even if more of us grow to accept the idea of implants, is Life 3.0 a genuine possibility? For now, mindcontrolled prosthetics are the closest innovation that hints at a Neuralink-type future. Such prosthetics are still in relatively early stages of development and not universally available. Nonetheless, as far as Musk is concerned, many of us are already cyborgs, with an indepth digital version of ourselves in the form of social media, email, and much more. His team, or others, may well inch us toward a version of Life 3.0.

Other early signs of how technologically integrated lives might function and impact our individual lives and societies are visible in places such as Scandinavia, where checks and cash are on their way out. In Denmark, for example, the majority of citizens make payments using their mobile phones. The absence of cash has had a direct effect on homeless people. Without smartphones of their own, homeless individuals were unable to receive payments for the newspapers they sold to earn money.

The solution was to provide homeless people with smartphones (and thus mobile payment methods). No longer a luxury, mobile phones became a basic tool vital for anyone engaging in modern society in Denmark.

As soon as we move into the idea of integrated technology as a social essential, we recognize a thorny possibility: a world where a new path to social or class dominance emergesperhaps a division between those who can and those who cannot afford to interface with technology. It begins to sound like the plot of the 20th-century dystopian novel Brave New World.

In that new world, would the Life 2.0 human without enhancements be relegated to a servile underclass? Perhaps this reflects a false dichotomy. After all, millions of people living in relatively remote regions around the planet have been able to fast-track to mobile technology, effectively skipping over earlier versions of the telephone and other communication technologies.

Nonetheless, developers of integrated technologies involving invasive surgery would be wise to consider the social ramifications of their work. Today we can accurately reconstruct the wealth distribution of an entire nation based on individual phone records. Can we predict the negative social impacts of a future Life 3.0? If contemporary clues are any answer, yes, we can. But whether we choose to ameliorate those impacts or not still lies within our control.

Matthew Gwynfryn Thomas is a data scientist and anthropologist working in the nonprofit sector in London, U.K. His current work combines machine learning and social science to address the needs of people in crisis. He has also written popular science articles for a variety of outlets, includingBioNews, SciDev.Net, and the Wellcome Trust Blog. Follow him on Twitter@matthewgthomas

Djuke Veldhuis is an anthropologist and science writer based at Monash University in Australia, where she is a course director in the B.Sc. advancedglobal challenges degree program. Her Ph.D. research examined the effects of rapid socioeconomic change on the health and well-being of people in Papua New Guinea. She has written for a series of popular science outlets, including SciDev.Net,Asia Research News, andNew Scientist. Follow her on Twitter@DjukeVeldhuis

A version of this article was originally published at the Conversation and has been republished here with permission.

Global Robotic Catheter Systems Market Expected to Grow in Value from $493.5 Million in 2018 to $656.8 Million in 2024 – ResearchAndMarkets.com -…

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Robotic Catheter Systems Market Research Report: By Type, Technology, Application, Component, End User, Geographical Outlook - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Witnessing a CAGR of 5.2% during the forecast period (2019-2024), the global robotic catheter systems market is predicted to grow to $656.8 million by 2024, witnessing a significant jump in its revenue from $493.5 million in 2018.

The major drivers of the market are the rising prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and reduced occupational hazards for cardiologists. These systems are medical robots that work through a joy stick or a remote to perform various diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, such as the stent implantation, myocardial biopsy, ablation, and coronary angiogram, among others.

The robotic catheter systems market is categorized into Middle East & Africa, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America based on region. In 2018, the highest revenue generator in the market was North America, and in the forecast period as well, it would continue to dominate the market, in terms of revenue. The major driving factors of the regional market are the high adoption of these systems for cardiovascular diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in hospitals and clinics and the large presence of key manufacturers.

The robotic catheter systems market is witnessing the trend of digitization of instruments, which has been a key factor in the evolution of integrated and automated cardiovascular interventional labs. The advancements in the robotic technology are taking place rapidly, which, in turn, is helping hospitals cut down on catheterization lab costs, particularly in remote areas. The operational efficiency of cath labs has massively improved due to the commercialization of such systems. Even though these systems are pretty expensive, they are being heavily deployed owing to the advantages they offer over conventional catheterization procedures.

One of the major factors driving the growth of the robotic catheter systems market are the reduced risk of occupational hazards for cardiologists. Many surgeons have reported suffering from occupational hazards while performing interventional cardiology procedures. The modem catheterization laboratories extensively use ionizing radiation in the form of X-rays, which put the practitioners at a risk of malignancy, including in the head and neck region. Even though they wear lead aprons, their long-term use may result in orthopedic injuries. To make conducting procedures safer for surgeons, robotic catheter systems are being deployed.

With the technological advancements, the robotic catheter systems market would witness remarkable growth due to the extensive testing of these systems in the clinical trials. Catheterized cardiovascular procedures, such as catheter ablation, are popularly used in modern medicine, but robot-assisted catheterized procedures have not become as popular as their conventional counterparts due to the scarcity of skilled professionals. Companies, such as CorPath, Amigo, Sensei, and Niobe are commercializing robot catheterization systems, which may contribute in the demand for training people for operating the technology, thereby making them popular among patients and surgeons.

Hence, the market for robotic catheter systems is set to advance in the forecast period as the requirement for safer technologies for carrying out cardiovascular procedures is rising.

Key Topics Covered:

Chapter 1. Research Background

1.1 Research Objectives

1.2 Market Definition

1.3 Research Scope

1.3.1 Market Segmentation by Type

1.3.2 Market Segmentation by Technology

1.3.3 Market Segmentation by Application

1.3.4 Market Segmentation by Component

1.3.5 Market Segmentation by End User

1.3.6 Market Segmentation by Geography

1.3.7 Analysis Period

1.3.8 Market Data Reporting Unit

1.4 Key Stakeholders

Chapter 2. Research Methodology

2.1 Secondary Research

2.2 Primary Research

2.2.1 Breakdown of Primary Research Respondents

2.2.1.1 By region

2.2.1.2 By industry participant

2.2.1.3 By company type

2.3 Market Size Estimation

2.4 Data Triangulation

2.5 Assumptions for the Study

Chapter 3. Executive Summary

Chapter 4. Introduction

4.1 Definition of Market Segments

4.2 Market Dynamics

4.2.1 Trends

4.2.2 Drivers

4.2.3 Restraints

4.2.4 Opportunities

4.3 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

4.4 Regulatory Framework Analysis

4.5 Upcoming and Emerging Technologies

4.6 Pricing of Robotic Catheter Systems

Chapter 5. Global Market Size and Forecast

5.1 By Type

5.2 By Technology

5.3 By Application

5.4 By Component

5.5 By End User

5.6 By Region

Chapter 6. North America Market Size and Forecast

6.1 By Type

6.2 By Technology

6.3 By Application

6.4 By Component

6.5 By End User

6.6 By Country

Chapter 7. Europe Market Size and Forecast

Chapter 8. APAC Market Size and Forecast

Chapter 9. LATAM Market Size and Forecast

Chapter 10. MEA Market Size and Forecast

Chapter 11. Strategic Developments of the Key Players

11.1 Product Launches

11.2 Acquisitions

11.3 Agreement, Partnership, and Collaborations

Chapter 12. Company Profiles

12.1 Stereotaxis Inc.

12.2 Corindus Vascular Robotics Inc.

12.3 Catheter Precision Inc.

12.4 Hansen Medical Inc.

12.5 Intuitive Surgical Inc.

12.6 Magnetecs Corporation

12.7 Boston Scientific Corporation

12.8 Abbott Laboratories

12.9 Biosense Webster Inc.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ur7kvc

Food Robotics Market Size Is Predicted To Reach $3.35 Billion By 2025 | Key Industry Players, Demand, Emerging Technologies: Grand View Research, Inc….

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

Grand View Research, Inc. Market Research And Consulting.

According to report published by Grand View Research, the growing demand for packaged food, need for automation, increasing food safety regulations, and high labor costs are expected to drive the food robotics market.

The globalfood robotics marketis anticipated to reach USD 3.35 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The growing demand for packaged food, need for automation, increasing food safety regulations, and high labor costs are expected to drive the food robotics market.

The industry has witnessed increasing investments in R&D activities, since the past few years, for the development of technologically-advanced robotics and automated systems. The increasing labor costs are driving the packaged food producers toward the adoption of automation systems. The application segments of the market include palletizing, packaging, repackaging, picking, and processing.

The packaging segment is presumed to hold the highest growth rate over the forecast years. The market is witnessing increasing use of packaging automation solutions in food industries. The advantages bestowed by the technology include higher efficiency in food production and processing, increased production efficiency, and consistent quality of products.

The key market participants IN the food robotics market are ABB Group,Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.,Fanuc Corporation,Yaskawa Electric Corporation, and others. The vendors in the robotics and automation market are likely to witness increased demand for robotics solutions over the forecast years, owing to the increasing technological advancements.

Request a Sample Copy of the Global Food Robotics MarketResearch Report@ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/food-robotics-market/request/rs1

Further key findings from the study suggest:

Have Any Query? Ask Our Experts@ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/inquiry/4857/ibb

Grand View Research has segmented the global food robotics market based on types of robots, payload, applications, and regions:

Types of Robots outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 2025)

Payload outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 2025)

Application outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 2025)

Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 2025)

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Hydroponics Market: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/hydroponics-market

Artificial Intelligence Market: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/artificial-intelligence-ai-market

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. This U.S.-based market research and consulting company is registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco. Comprising over 425 analysts and consultants, the company adds 1200+ market research reports to its extensive database each year. Supported by an interactive market intelligence platform, the team at Grand View Research guides Fortune 500 companies and prominent academic institutes in comprehending the global and regional business environment and carefully identifying future opportunities.

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Food Robotics Market Size Is Predicted To Reach $3.35 Billion By 2025 | Key Industry Players, Demand, Emerging Technologies: Grand View Research, Inc....

Robots learn to sweat to stop overheating – The Verge

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

For the roboticist who has everything, heres something new: a soft robot hand that sweats.

Designed to handle scenarios where long operating hours might lead to a robot overheating and its performance degrading, this three-fingered gripper stays cool by borrowing one of humanitys greatest attributes: our sweat glands.

The ability to perspire is one of the most remarkable features of humans, material scientist T.J. Wallin, one of the grippers designers, told reporters during a briefing. Were not the fastest animals, but early humans found success as persistent hunters, using our ability to run and stay cool via sweating to physically exhaust our prey.

Hollow, pressurized reservoirs inside the fingers are filled with water and connected to the surface via ducts made of heat-reactive plastic. When the plastic hits a certain temperature, the pores open and water is pushed to the surface. There, it evaporates with a cooling effect more than twice as effective as those of the sweatiest beasts in the animal kingdom.

Details of the grippers performance are published in a paper in Science Robotics today.

But why sweat? Arent there easier ways to cool robots? Well, that depends.

Most robots are made from metal, which is an excellent conductor and therefore good at dispersing heat by itself. But soft robots, which are designed for delicate tasks like medical procedures and packing fruit, are made from rubber, a good insulator. If and when soft robots become commonplace, theyll need their own ways to stay cool.

There are other advantages to sweating, too. By building sweat glands into a machine, you can cool it below the temperature of its surroundings, something you cant achieve with environmental cooling like fans. It also means that the robot can operate independently, keeping itself cool in places where external coolants are unavailable.

The grippers creators, scientists from Cornell University and the Istituto Italiano di Technologia, say this could be essential for designing robots that operate untethered.

We believe [this] is a basic building block of a general purpose, adaptive, and enduring robot, said Robert Shepherd, associate professor of Cornells Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and co-author of the research, during a briefing.

Shepherd also noted that sweat glands could have a dual purpose in future. As well as releasing water for cooling, they could suck up liquid from the machines surroundings for analysis, similar to how space rovers collect soil samples on distant planets.

But as some nervous readers will know, there are downsides to sweaty hands as well.

One is that you need to top up your liquid supply. Humans do that by drinking, but sweaty robots would need a different method. Another is that sweat isnt helpful underwater, though in those scenarios the environment itself would aid cooling. But the biggest problem by far is that sweating causes performance issues of its own: reducing friction by lubricating the grippers fingers. Slippery hands arent necessarily safe ones.

The scientists have tried to compensate for this by modeling the range of temperatures in which the gripper performs best, and directing the robot to sweat sparingly to keep in that zone. Hopefully that means that the penalty we pay is not as debilitating, said Wallins.

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Robots learn to sweat to stop overheating - The Verge

Robots Instrumental in Stopping the Spread of Coronavirus – CMM

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

Robotics are an important innovation in the cleaning industry, providing autonomous floor cleaning and tackling other highly repetitive jobs to free up custodians for more thought-provoking tasks.

Robotics are also playing a role in infection control, as evidenced by a new device being used to help stop the spread of the new coronavirus that began in China, Forbes reports. The device, known as Vici, allows health care providers to interact with coronavirus patients through a screen instead of in person. A telehealth device on wheels, Vici can be transported from hospital rooms to airports and allows doctors and nurses to talk to patients and perform basic diagnostic functions, like taking temperatures. This device was recently used in a Washington state hospital to treat the first U.S. patient confirmed to have coronavirus.

Other robots are being used in China to deliver food and medical supplies to coronavirus patients, preventing delivery people from catching the virus.

To learn more about the role of robots in todays society, mainly the cleaning industry, sign up for a webinar on February 12, The Cleaning Robots Are Here, Now What?

To learn more about coronavirus, check out a special Media Alert released to the global cleaning by the Global BioRisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA. In addition, ISSA and GBAC have created a Tips Sheet on best practices for using personal protective equipment during a crisis. There is now an ISSAresource page for the coronavirus that will be updated with new information as it becomes available.

And dont forget about todays webinar Prepare, Respond, Recover: A Special Webinar on the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV). The webinar will featurea Q&A session with GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger and other members of the GBAC team, as they discuss prevention and contamination control measures for the current situation, and other biohazards. Even if you cant attend the live event, you can register anytime and you will be sent a link to the recording.

Robots Instrumental in Stopping the Spread of Coronavirus - CMM

A Robot Worm for Your Brain? Medical Robotics That Can Save Your Life – Parentology

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

Medical robotics has revolutionized how doctors diagnose and treat their patients. These tiny techno-wonders can retrieve tissue samples for biopsy, assist during surgery, spot disease and unclog arteries.Currently being developed in China: a micro-robot that can enter the brain to deliver drugs or other medical treatments.

The field of nanorobotics is hardly new. In 2018, scientists from Arizona State University (ASU) and the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST) published a study in Nature Biotechnologydemonstrating how nanobots treat tumor growth by starving it of its blood supply. In the demonstration, robots smaller than a human hair cut off the blood supply to breast cancer, melanoma, ovarian and lung cancer tumors in mice. After two weeks of treatment, researchers reported the tumor tissue was shrinking.

Perhaps one of the most promising applications for nanorobotics lies in drug delivery. Currently, scientists in Shenzhen, China are developing a magnetically-controlled micro-robot that could enter the recipients brain via blood vessels, and send signals directly to the brains neurons for the purpose of delivering drugs or other treatment systems.

Xu Tiantian, a lead scientist for the project at the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences says these brain worms will prove indispensable in the field of medicine. Tiantian told MSN News that delivering drugs to a targeted area, for example a tumor, limits the effect of the drug to the treated area, reducing side effects such as chemo sickness. Once the task is complete, the robot worm could exit the body.

Currently, brain implants can only be inserted via a surgical procedure and have a limited capability to integrate with the neurons, which means they can only perform a few simple tasks. However, robot worms are controlled by electromagnetic signals, so a patient could lie in a non-invasive, MRI-style machine that generates the magnetic field needed to control the robots.

Moreover, Tiantian says the new robots could work as an implant for brain-computer interface that would make it possible to communicate directly with a computer without needing a keyboard or even a screen. She explains that a transmitter would convert external signals into an electric pulse and connect with brain cells to stimulate activities that are not possible using current technology.

A series of videos released by the team show that the tiny intelligent robots nicknamed iRobots can hop over hurdles, swim through a tube or squeeze through a gap half their body width. Measuring only 1mm by 3mm, the iRobots are comprised of a head made from a neodymium-iron-boron magnet and a tail constructed from a special composite material.

In their study, published by Advanced Functional Materials in January, the team discusses how changing the magnetic fields allows them to twist the robots body to achieve a wide range of movements such as crawling, swinging and rolling. The worms body is made from a transparent, temperature-responsive hydrogel that allows it to change color in different environments.

The future of nanorobotics in the world of medicine certainly seems promising, with the potential for shorter hospital stays, less invasive procedures, reduced wait times and identifying illnesses before they become terminal. What remains to be seen is not how the technology will be applied, but when.

South China Morning PostFuturismFuturism (2)Nature Biotechnology

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A Robot Worm for Your Brain? Medical Robotics That Can Save Your Life - Parentology

Unity and Inclusion: Refugees and the Jordanian Host Community [EN/AR] – Jordan – ReliefWeb

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

Authored by Kareem Rosshandler, Lead Researcher at the North Africa-West Asia Institute, on Behalf of the MENA Civil Society Network for Displacement

1. Background to Unity and Inclusion

This report assesses to what extent refugees in Jordan are living in a state of unity and inclusion. Unity primarily concerns refugees ability to physically reunite with family members. Unity depends on legal and financial variables such as whether or not refugees are living in a country that supports family reunification or whether they are able to collect the funds to bring over family members. As for refugees already living with their family members, unity refers to their psycho-social unity. In other words, how do various social factors especially pressures affect the way family members behave towards each other? Inclusion concerns the extent to which refugees have been included in Jordanian society both in terms of their legal standings as well as their daily experiences with Jordanian neighbours and colleagues.

The objective of this report is to bring to light the challenges facing refugee families in Jordan in the hopes of improving host country, third-country, and donor policies. Seeking beyond common material indicators, the report seeks to convey critical but often overlooked aspects of refugee life in Jordan.

The report draws on Jordans experience as a host country since the early 2000s, specifically in its reception of Iraqi, Sudanese, Somali, Syrian, and Yemeni refugees. Its findings are based on ten focus group discussions two from each of these five communities in July and August of 2019. 117 people participated in the discussions 60 women and 57 men. Almost all lived in households ranging from four to eight members. The conceptual backdrop to the study is the United Nations General Assemblys 2018 endorsement of the Global Compact on Refugees, an initiative spearheaded by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The Global Compact on Refugees represents the international communitys will to strengthen cooperation and solidarity with both refugees and host countries. Specifically, its objectives are to: (i) ease pressures on host countries; (ii) enhance refugee self-reliance; (iii) expand access to third-country solutions; and (iv) support conditions in countries of origin for return in safety and dignity. It represents a landmark in terms of global compacts; while the 1951 Convention on Refugees and its 1967 Protocol formulate the duties of host countries towards refugees, the Global Compact, in turn, establishes a framework for the international communitys duties towards host countries. By recognising the effects of displacement, not only on refugees, but also on the communities and states in which they have resettled, the compact affirms the principles of burden and responsibility-sharing.

The international communitys affirmation of burden and responsibility sharing principles comes as a welcome relief to Jordan, a country long considered a dependable but overstrained destination for refugees from the region and beyond. In light of this national context, this report encourages the nexus of refugees, host countries, and the international community. The first step in fostering effective cooperation between these links is to bring to light difficult situations experienced firsthand by refugees.

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Unity and Inclusion: Refugees and the Jordanian Host Community [EN/AR] - Jordan - ReliefWeb

Michael Jordan didn’t want to sign with Nike, didn’t like the shoes – Business Insider – Business Insider

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

Of all the sneakers in the Nike brand, Air Jordans are perhaps the most iconic.

The Jordan brand was born in 1984 from a deal between Michael Jordan and Nike, then an underdog in the sportswear world. When the NBA player was originally contemplating signing with Nike, he apparently didn't want to go ahead with the deal.

"He didn't want to go," David Falk, Jordan's sports agent, said recently on NBA player Kevin Durant and sports agent Rich Kleiman's interview series "The Boardroom." "He didn't know anything about it, didn't like the shoes, didn't want to go."

Falk, a prominent NBA agent, was a driving force behind the launch of the Jordan brand. In his interview on "The Boardroom," which was published on YouTube on Tuesday, Falk said that in the early 1980s, Nike was not the dominant brand it is today. That glory belonged to Converse, which had been the official shoe of the Olympic Games for over 30 years and had signed deals with major athletes like Magic Johnson.

"And Adidas had everybody else that mattered," Falk said. "And I thought that Nike was the hungriest for Michael, that they needed him the most, that they would do the most."

Despite Jordan's hesitation, the deal happened and the Jordan brand was born. The Air Jordan sneaker earned $100 million in 1985 for Nike, which went on to buy the Converse brand in 2003.

Today, Nike is the preeminent sports brand, and the Jordan brand is still iconic. Rare pairs of Air Jordans have sold for as much as $20,000 on resale marketplaces like StockX and Stadium Goods.

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Michael Jordan didn't want to sign with Nike, didn't like the shoes - Business Insider - Business Insider

Unreleased Air Jordan 4, Air Jordan 5 golf shoes revealed by Pat Perez – Golf.com

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

Go wild, golf sneakerheads! Theres more Jordan Brand coming to the linksland. Following a frenzied rush for Jordan 11s in the fall, Pat Perez teased out the latest unreleased kicks in a series of photos on Instagram of new Air Jordan 4 and Air Jordan 5 golf shoes.

AJ 4 golf shoe anyone? Once again killed it @jumpman23. My first Jordan ever has come to life for golf. Im amazed and humbled, Perez wrote on Friday in a caption of several photos of the Jordan 4s. He apparently walked out with a pair, which surfaced on his Instagram on Super Bowl Sunday. He showed off the iconic White Cement color as well as a pair of Air Jordan 5s. 4 or 5? he wrote in the caption, sparking envy from his 115,000 followers.

Word had spread last summer that the Air Jordan 5 Golf Fire Red would be released at select retailers and online atNike.comon February 15th, 2020, with retail price is set at $200. With February 15th right around the corner, its worth keeping your eye out for this drop.

If youre jonesing for Jordans in the meantime, its worth checking out the only pair of Jordan golf shoes currently for sale, the Jordan ADGs (available here). Or, of course, you could try snagging a pair of the original Jordan 4s or 5s, which date back some 30-plus years.

GOLF.com will have details on the release when they become available.

To receive GOLFs all-new newsletters,subscribe for free here.

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Unreleased Air Jordan 4, Air Jordan 5 golf shoes revealed by Pat Perez - Golf.com

Jordan Dance wraps up the season at sections – SW News Media

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

The Jordan dance team wrapped up its season at the Class 2A, Section 3 meet.

Competing for a chance at the state meet, Jordan finished in 10th place in the section jazz competition and in 12th place in the high kick competition on Saturday at Delano High School.

The top three finishers in each competition qualify for the state meet on Friday, Feb. 14 and Saturday, Feb. 15 at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

In the jazz competition, Jordan earned 292 total points and 40 ranking points to finish in 10th place.

Mound-Westonka finished in first place with 534 total points and four ranking points. Orono was second with eight ranking points followed by Marshall in third with 14 ranking points.

In the kick competition, Jordan scored 296 points and 46.5 ranking points to finish 12th. Orono, Mound-Westonka and Hutchinson earned the three state bids.

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Prior to the section meet, Jordan competed in the Farmington Invitational last Thursday.

Jordan finished in eighth place with 24 ranking points in the jazz competition and in ninth place with 27 ranking points in the high kick competition.

Anoka won the jazz title with three ranking points while Farmington won the high kick title with 4.5 ranking points.

Jordan Dance wraps up the season at sections - SW News Media

Where To Buy The Air Jordan 1 Hi 85 Varsity Red – Sneaker News

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

Heritage incarnate, the Air Jordan 1s newly revived 1985 shape is most certainly on everyones mind, and with All-Star Weekend just around the corner, so too is the models long-awaited release. From the New Beginnings pack, the silhouette jumped off with nostalgic influence, using the mythical Air Ship as yet another headline-worthy entry. Mixed in with Chicago-inspired themes, the pack effectively wipes the slate clean, going for the newfound instead of rehashing old-time classics. The next up, following closely behind the aforementioned, branches off from the coveted Banned colorway, tapping into an alternate reality where it comes as it does today. Black lines the unders of the sturdy leather constructions, only overlaid by the signature red tones: eye stays, toe caps, swooshes, ankle flaps, and the heel wrap all conform to the louder shade for something distinct though still reminiscent of the past from which it borrows. Grab a detailed look at these right here, and if youre like us and want a pair for yourself, tune into our constantly updating store list below.

Air Jordan 1 85 Varsity RedRelease Date: February 8th, 2020$200Color: Varsity Red/Summit White/Black Style Code: BQ4422-600

Make sure to follow @kicksfinder for live tweets during the release date.

Where To Buy

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Where To Buy The Air Jordan 1 Hi 85 Varsity Red - Sneaker News

Israeli Control of the Jordan Valley Is Good for Jordan – Mosaic

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

Unlike some previous proposals for the creation of a Palestinian state, the recent U.S. peace plan leaves the easternmost area of the West Bank under Israeli control. This arrangement also strengthens the security of the Kingdom of Jordan, writes Efraim Inbar, which has itself long seen the Palestinian national movement as a threat:

Israel and Jordan share various interests, including support for the American presence in the region, opposing pan-Arab and pan-Islamic movements and, of course, fighting the rise of radical Islam, Sunni or Shiite. Amman also sees eye to eye with Jerusalem on the issue of the Iranian threat. Israel assists Jordan by deterring extremists from threatening it, while Israel, for its part, sees Jordan as a buffer state between it and the extremist entities east of the kingdom.

Jordan is certainly not interested in a neighboring political entity that could develop another Hamas-controlled Gaza. Israeli military control of the Jordan Valley is convenient for Jordan, as it protects Amman from the west.

Since the [two countries] signed a peace agreement in 1994, Jordans dependence on Israel has increased. Israel supplies it with increasing quantities of water, far beyond its obligation under the deal, and it also supplies it with natural gas. . . . Moreover, it is hard to imagine that Saudi Arabia, other Persian Gulf countries, or Egypt will go to great lengths to prevent an Israeli annexation of the Jordan Valley.

Jordan says he will support McCarthy for Speaker if majority flips next year | TheHill – The Hill

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

Rep. Jim JordanJames (Jim) Daniel JordanThe Memo: Trump threatens to overshadow Democrats in Iowa Jordan says he will support McCarthy for Speaker if majority flips next year Collins Senate bid sets off game of musical chairs for GOP MORE (R-Ohio), a founding member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, pledged Thursday to throw his support behind House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthyKevin Owen McCarthyWhite House, Republicans blast Pelosi for ripping up copy of Trump speech Trump credits economic progress to environmental rollbacks Sunday shows preview: Lawmakers prepare for final vote on impeachment; 2020 Democrats make final push before Iowa causes MORE (R-Calif.) for Speaker if the House majority flips next year.

I think everyone understands that if we take [the House] back, Kevin is going to be the Speaker. The presidents been clear about that, Jordan told The Hill Thursday.

When asked specifically if he planned to support McCarthy, a one-time political rival, Jordan replied: Yeah, when you lead the team back, I think you deserve you earned it so thats understood by just about everyone.

The early and ringing endorsement comes as Jordan, the ranking member of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, is looking to jump leadership roles to the top GOP spot on the House Judiciary Committee.

Jordan is not hiding his interest in the post.

I would love that opportunity, but thats up to the leader and the steering committee, Jordan said.

Still, Jordans support marks how far McCarthy has come in converting a once vocal critic into a loyal supporter.

Jordan, who maintains strong influence in the conservative Republican group, previously ran against McCarthy for the role of minority leader after the 2018 midterms, losing the race with a 159-43 vote.

The conservative caucus, which has been a thorn in the side of GOP leader in the past, really showed its might in 2015 after the group forced then-Speaker John BoehnerJohn Andrew BoehnerJordan says he will support McCarthy for Speaker if majority flips next year Collins Senate bid sets off game of musical chairs for GOP A time for war, a time for peace and always a time to defend America MORE (R-Ohio) to resign and blocked McCarthy from taking over his role.

But now, Jordan is indicating that the Freedom Caucus will support McCarthy.

When you take back the majority, the person who's in charge of the team taking it back, I think that the team comes together, Jordan said Thursday, asked if the Freedom Caucus would also support McCarthy.

Kevin's done a good job of keeping the team together and this entire impeachment process so I think everyone appreciates him, he added.

Republicans arent expected to win back the House this fall.

The GOP lost 40 seats in the 2018 midterms and would need to gain roughly 20 seats to take back the majority.

If they do, it would be a huge political victory for McCarthy that would make him a difficult candidate to defeat in a leadership election.

Still, Jordans remark highlights how far the relationship between McCarthy and Jordan has blossomed since Jordan became the top Republican on Oversight at the start of the 116th Congress.

Jordan had initially sought to become the ranking member of the Judiciary panel at the start of this Congress, but he ended up getting the role on Oversight afterRep. Mark MeadowsMark Randall MeadowsLoeffler works to gain traction with conservatives amid Collins primary bid The Memo: Trump threatens to overshadow Democrats in Iowa Jordan says he will support McCarthy for Speaker if majority flips next year MORE (R-N.C.)suddenly dropped out of the race.

The Oversight role gave Jordan, a fierce defender of President TrumpDonald John TrumpDemocratstear into Trump's speech: It was a 'MAGA rally' READ: Speaker Pelosi's response to Trump's State of the Union address Pelosi hammers Trump's speech: 'A manifesto of mistruths' MORE, the platform to combat Democrats investigation efforts into the White House.

Since then, McCarthy also has given Jordan other opportunities to elevate his profile during the Democrat-led House impeachment inquiry.

McCarthy even had Jordan temporarily join the House Intelligence Committee as the panel conducted the fact-finding phase of their probe into Trumps contacts with Ukraine.

Jordans endorsement comes at a time when he appears to be a serious contender for the ranking member role on the Judiciary role that will be vacated since Rep. Doug CollinsDouglas (Doug) Allen CollinsLoeffler works to gain traction with conservatives amid Collins primary bid Senate Democrats outraise Republicans, but GOP has cash edge The Hill's Campaign Report: Four-way sprint to Iowa finish line MORE (R-Ga.), who currently holds the role, has announced he is running for a Georgia Senate seat in 2020.

It is not yet clear if McCarthy is supporting Jordan moving over to Judiciary, but his opinion on it will matter.

McCarthy controls four votes on the Republican Steering Committee. And while top Republican leaders and regional representatives make up the panel, it is also filled with allies of the California Republican.

Whoever McCarthy throws his support behind has a strong chance of gaining a particular committee seat or committee leadership role. In the coming weeks, the panel is expected to interview potential candidates and vote on who will replace Collins.

And the way forward for Jordan appeared even more clear Thursday.

One GOP lawmaker told The Hill earlier this week that Rep. John RatcliffeJohn Lee RatcliffeJordan says he will support McCarthy for Speaker if majority flips next year Collins Senate bid sets off game of musical chairs for GOP Hillicon Valley: EU pushes back against US on Huawei | Interior Department grounds drones over cybersecurity concerns | Warren releases plan to fight election disinformation | House ethics panel warns against posting deepfakes MORE (R-Texas) and Jordan appear to be the two horses in the race.

But when asked Thursday about whether he was eyeing the ranking member role, Ratcliffe replied: Im not interested.

Ive already told Jim that I hope he will consider pursuing it, the Texas Republican told The Hill as he was walking into the Senate impeachment trial.

Another potential contender, Rep. Mike JohnsonJames (Mike) Michael JohnsonWhite House, Republicans blast Pelosi for ripping up copy of Trump speech Jordan says he will support McCarthy for Speaker if majority flips next year Collins Senate bid sets off game of musical chairs for GOP MORE (R-La.), also threw his support behind Jordan.

Jim is a trusted friend of mine and one of the MVPs of our party. He has earned the position of ranking member, and I fully support him for the position, Johnson told The Hill.

If Jordan did ultimately jump to the Judiciary role, it could pave the way for Meadows to move to the top GOP role on Oversight.

Still, it remains unclear whether Collins will give up his role without a fight.

Collins, who formally announced his bid Wednesday, would have to relinquish his role under House GOP conference rules, which prevent chairs or ranking members from keeping their posts if they are running for higher office.

But there is a chance Collins could appeal to McCarthy for a waiver as he seeks to challenge Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), newly appointed to the seat, in a special election this November.

I have not filed for one I didnt know you had to file, Collins told reporters on Wednesday. Those are questions that we've been talking about before, and, you know look those will be handled very soon.

Scott Wong and Juliegrace Brufke contributed.

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Jordan says he will support McCarthy for Speaker if majority flips next year | TheHill - The Hill

Gary Payton explains what was his approach when guarding Michael Jordan in the 1996 NBA finals – Basketball Network

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

Michael Jordan is, without a doubt one of the greatest if not the greatest offensive players in NBA history. There was a particular factor of fear involved among players who had to guard him, but one of the rare ones that were able to slow him down was Gary Payton. That was especially evident during the 1996 NBA finals when the Seattle Supersonics played the Chicago Bulls. Despite the fact, Bulls won that series, Paytons defense on Jordan was a topic for discussion.

In an interview for Sonicsgate, Payton talks about the preparation and the mindset he had when going up against Jordan during that series. Unfortunately for the Sonics but also all the NBA fans, Sonics head-coach George Karl didnt let Payton guard Jordan until game four because of a calf injury. Karl didnt want to risk it even though he knew Payton is his best defender, and it was Payton who had enough courage to confront his coach and said he would gladly take that assignment upon himself. The Sonics were down 0-3 in the series, and they had nothing to lose.

I went to his office, and I said, look, we dont have anything else to lose. Whether you gonna let me guard him or not, I will switch every play that you do anyways that go off him. He said, do what you gotta do.

Payton tried to do everything that was in his power to slow down Jordan, who was averaging over 30 points per game in the first three wins for the Bulls, and he was relatively successful. In the next three games, Jordan averaged only 21 points shooting extremely poor from the field, but fortunately for the Bulls, they had several other players who stepped up at the right time.

I tried to frustrate him as much as possible. Its not easy because I knew I couldnt frustrate him; he is the greatest basketball player that ever played to me. I think what I did was tire him out. I made him work for it a little bit more. He wasnt really used to working so hard to get the basketball, and after you get the ball with about 8 or 9 seconds, you still got somebody right into you, and the referees werent calling the calls. They were letting us play.

Jordan averaged only 27.3 points per game for the entire series, which was his lowest scoring output in all of the six finals he played in. Despite the fact Payton was relatively successful in guarding Jordan, the Sonics couldnt secure game seven, and even if they did, chances of them winning that series werent great. Payton said defending Jordan was an incredibly hard task but a great challenge which he appreciated. Even though he known as a great two-way player, it was after those finals against the Bulls people started to recognize Payton as a great defender.

It was a great challenge for me, and I loved it, and that is when everybody really started recognizing that I was a great defensive player. It also happened I won the defensive player of the year award that year.

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Gary Payton explains what was his approach when guarding Michael Jordan in the 1996 NBA finals - Basketball Network

Pat Perez Reveals An Air Jordan 4 And Air Jordan 5 Outfitted With Golf Spikes – Sneaker News

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Danzig

Basketball and golf may not have too much in common at a quick glance, but if you dial into some of MJs favorite pastimes, youll find that the star athlete spent quite a bit of time on the green. And as the Nike umbrella continues to turns its own classics into golf staples, its fitting that Jordan Brand do the same. Revealed only earlier, two pairs were caught by way of Pat Perez: a Jordan 4 in the iconic White Cement and an Air Jordan 5 in Fire Red. Though of a years separation, both share similarly reconfigured soles the AJ5, however, the most resemblant of lifestyle with its icy blue tread. Adjacent, the AJ4 spikes to a much more aggressive degree, mostly forgoing its bottoms traditional color blocking as well. Grab a good look at these here, and sit tight if youre looking for a release as theyve yet to be confirmed for retail.

Source: @patperezgolf

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Pat Perez Reveals An Air Jordan 4 And Air Jordan 5 Outfitted With Golf Spikes - Sneaker News

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