Tesla Cybertruck: The Cyberpunk Lookbook That Inspired Its Styling (Probably) – Automobile – Automobile

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If we could hack into the minds of the designers behind the Tesla Cybertruck and download their inspiration for its angular, futuristic design, these are (probably) some of the scenes we would see. Take a look at Rick Deckard's sedan from Blade Runner, or the Warthog from the Halo video games, or even the Johnny Cab from Total Recall, and while they're as different from each other as they are from the Cybertruck, it's clear that they're all of the same kind.

So to help us all get the movie cars the Cybertruck reminds us of off the tip of our visual tongues, we've put together a quick overview of some of the cyberpunk vehicles (and a couple of other things) that make up our collective consciousness of cars in the (very likely dystopian) future.

But it's not just the look that gives the Cybertruck its cyberpunk cred. It's also the feature sheet, which includes things like 9mm-bulletproof sheetmetal that's made from the same stainless steel as Space X shipsand if there's anything more cyberpunk than a bulletproof truck that's related to a spaceship, well, we haven't seen it yet.

Deckard's sedan, Blade Runner

Lotus Esprit submarine, The Spy Who Loved Me

Lambda-classImperial Shuttle, Star Wars

Custom movie car, Total Recall

Police sedan, Blade Runner

Armadillo van, Blade Runner

Custom Ford Probe, Back To The Future 2

Pontiac Fiero Concept, Back to the Future 2

Moon Patrol video game, Atari

Modified Hunslet ATT77, Aliens

Modified DeLorean DMC-12, Back to the Future

Robert Q. Riley Towncar, Total Recall

Cyberpunk wraparound sunglasses

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Tesla Cybertruck: The Cyberpunk Lookbook That Inspired Its Styling (Probably) - Automobile - Automobile

Crypto Fans Often Clash on Twitter Now, They Can Battle in a Game – Cointelegraph

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Everyone has an opinion on which cryptocurrency represents the future the one that has the most utility or the one that has the most promise. Now, a new game is being built for fans of these crypto projects giving them a chance to settle their differences once and for all.

Whether a player is Bitcoin versus Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum versus EOS, or EOS versus Tron, Chain Clash hopes to create an engaging environment where clans of crypto fans can battle it out in 3D fights. Avatars represent the members of each clan, and they can either have a human or an android appearance. Influencers and celebrities like Brock Pierce, Roger Ver and Crystal Rose are also getting on board tasked with representing the cryptocurrencies and communities theyre passionate about, and fighting to give them an upper hand.

The goal is to feature the most recognizable people from the crypto space over time which can be collected and trained by the users, thus demonstrating the potential of their respective communities, the team adds.

According to Chainwise and DNA Block the companies behind Chain Clash cutting-edge scanning and rendering technology is being used to represent real-world people during the 3D fight scenes throughout the games. The platform also says that its avatars are collectibles that can be traded freely and better still, they continually improve. Chain Clash is set to be the first of a series of games featuring these avatars, with an interactive fighting game in the works and set to make its debut next year.

According to the developers behind Chain Clash, a common question is this: Why should players care if their favorite crypto isnt in the game yet? To begin with, five coins are going to be battling it out with their own clans: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, EOS and Tron. It doesnt necessarily mean that other digital currencies arent going to be added in the near future and the team says a lot of debate went into deciding the clans thatll be available at launch.

Each clan will be adorned with its own colors and logo prints and as time goes on, more advanced, sophisticated and specific looks for clan avatars will develop. This is going to be coupled with unique genetics that will determine future development whenever new experience is accrued. As a Medium blog post explains: Their fundamental predisposition to gain strength, resilience, agility or wisdom strongly depends on the attributes of the clans blockchain. Think of it this way: Can you imagine a Bitcoin avatar being very agile and speedy? Really? Think again.

The team notes that there are different fight moves of which the effectiveness depends on the respective attributes and the fight strategy the opponent has chosen. Luckily, the two fundamental mechanics leveling and training allow players to strengthen their avatars. When an avatar gains more experience, it will reach a new level and increase its attributes. Besides this, an avatar can go through training and be boosted through a variety of available in-game items, which users can earn or buy from the market.

With crypto fans constantly clashing on Twitter about the pros and cons of the coins on the market, Chain Clash says it wants to bring these rivalries into the game space and figure out which community enjoys the most support overall.

A private beta helped to shed some light on the state of play at the moment. Although there were some fluctuations in the levels of support, Bitcoin dominated activity with 37.8% of clashes, followed by Tron and EOS on 22.5%.

A presale is set to begin on Nov. 4, and it will run all the way until Dec. 3. Avatars are going to be available in five varying levels of rarity common, rare, epic, legendary and mythic. Super-rare celebrity avatars are being thrown into the mix, along with in-game items.

Disclaimer. Cointelegraph does not endorse any content or product on this page. While we aim at providing you all important information that we could obtain, readers should do their own research before taking any actions related to the company and carry full responsibility for their decisions, nor this article can be considered as an investment advice.

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Learn about Bitcoin before your grandmother does – Yahoo Finance

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Yuri Cataldo and Steve Good co-hosts of The Coin Chat podcast were doing the rounds in Malta earlier this month.

Their candid YouTube show on all things cryptocurrency and finance has hosted some of the industrys biggest names from John McAfee to Roger Ver.

They also interviewed US presidential candidate Andrew Yang about his thoughts on blockchain, Bitcoin, and the general economy.

Now theyve taken their years of combined experience in financial services and blockchain to help explain it to the masses in the form of a new book that demystifies the complex world of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.

The books title, Be Left Behind, was presumably chosen to instil some kind of FOMO in potential readers. However, the pair explain that many people are curious about cryptocurrency and want to find out more, but because it feels like an incomprehensible world, they give up before getting started.

Worse than that, says Yuri, they feel that the cryptocurrency craze has already passed them by, that theyve missed the boat. Somehow, they got left behind. Were here to tell people that its not too complicated to learn and nothing has passed them by.

He laughs, They also need to start learning about it before their grandmother does because its going to be really important for their future.

Steve nods his head, Were here to tell people to read this book and stick with us, just like thousands of our followers do. If you do, not only will you understand these concepts, but youll learn how you can invest and how to keep your coins safely stored.

They say that if people have questions, such as what is Bitcoin?, how do I get started?, or even is Bitcoin safe?, they had the very same doubts in the beginning. Everyone has to start somewhere, says Yuri, we were beginners once too.

Be Left Behind is currently available for pre-order and is set to be released soon.

The manuscript is done and signed off, the book cover is done, all the quotes are done. We have quotes from Tim Draper, from Tom Lee from Fundstrat, and many more, which lends the book social proof from our peers, says Steve.

Weve had overwhelming support from industry leaders willing to put their names on the book and give their amazing support and feedback.

In fact, Tim Draper, a key influencer in the cryptocurrency space and founder of Draper Associates, said:

This book will help you understand the basics of Bitcoin and will pay for itself again and again. Steve and Yuri answer the $250,000 question on why you dont want to be left behind.

This book is for the Bitcoin curious, Steve continues. Its the foundations that tell you what is a wallet, whats a cryptocurrency, what is a blockchain, how do I keep my coins safe, how do I keep my data privacy safe in general, how do I buy it, how do I sell it?

Steve explains that they also go a bit further to explain to people how they should safeguard their identities online and the best way to protect their data and passwords and improve their cyber habits.

We talk some more about the danger of being loose with your data and how people should be more aware of the risks as companies use data points to manipulate consumers.

We need more educational material to help get more people on board. We have to make it easier for them, to know what it is, how to get started, and whether its for them. Be Left Behind is an unbiased source, so we dont recommend that anyone use a particular exchange or wallet or provider.

I ask Steve and Yuri what motivated them to write the book and host their podcast in the first place. They say that initially, it was their friends telling them they should do it because people need to learn about this stuff.

So, for people who want to take their first steps into cryptocurrency, Be Left Behind has been written as a go-to source for all their questions. And according to Crypto Beadles, Brock Pierce, Thomas Lee, and many more, this is a good place to start.

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Learn about Bitcoin before your grandmother does - Yahoo Finance

Video: Bruce Fenton on the Bitcoin Foundation, Satoshi Roundtable… – Bitcoin Magazine

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Bruce Fenton is definitely a distinct personality in the Bitcoin space. After working as a stock market broker for about two decades, he chose to walk away from his Wall Street career and take a leap of faith with Bitcoin.

Its been a wild ride, I wouldnt trade it for the world. In my opinion, Bitcoin is the most powerful and important open-source project out there, said Fenton, an enthusiastic superhero fan.

As he spoke, he sat next to a large Batman action figure that points to the duality of his own work. Much like Bruce Wayne, Fenton lives a double life. He works as the director of his own companies, Atlantic Financial and Chainstone Labs, during the day. However, its at night that he puts on his mask to defend sound money, freedom of transactions and privacy.

This ardent advocacy may stem from Fentons origins with the original cryptocurrency. When he first entered the Bitcoin space, the same kind of financial incentives that exist today were not apparent.

I worked with some of the wealthiest organizations in the world, and when I got into Bitcoin I went from a very high income to basically no income, he explained. And it wasnt like now, with lots of startups. Coinbase and BitPay were some of the early ones which appeared several months after I started.

According to Fenton, it was the intellectual brilliance of the early Bitcoin community that first drew him into the space. To him, the journey has been truly exciting and transformational.

I think what attracted me at first was the electric excitement of going to these Bitcoin events, he said. The first couple of events that I attended were life-changing because I found this weird eclectic mix of strange people: hackers, anarchists and real geniuses. I could quickly tell that they knew their stuff and they were excited about it, and that got me excited about it too.

Fentons biggest adjustment has been that of switching from a hierarchical and authority-driven background to a whole new world which eliminates statuses and tries to build a fairer system.

I came from a world where everything was about authority, so I kept trying to find out whos the leader, he recalled. Then I realized that Bitcoin belongs to everybody and that was a big mind shift in my previous job I was dealing with kings, cabinet ministers and billionaires all the time.

Experience has taught Fenton that attempts to centralize power and influence in Bitcoin are anathema to its very DNA and will end up as failures. Nonetheless, he spoke fondly of the Bitcoin Foundation, a nonprofit Bitcoin advocacy group that he led from 2015 to 2016.

The Foundation is an interesting animal because it evolved a lot over time, Fenton said. In the early days, people were trying to make it an official organization thats in charge. We didnt have people like Andreas Antonopoulos to do public speaking and raise awareness, the media was confused and looking for spokespeople, so the Foundation was convenient at the time.

Highlighting just how misunderstood Bitcoin was during the Foundations earlier days, Fenton recalled some humorous moments from his time there.

The Foundation got a lot of crazy letters in the early days: they got a Cease and Desist from the State of California which said stop all bitcoins just because they didnt know better and thought the protocol can be controlled by this centralized entity, he said. People would call the Foundation and say someone hacked me, I want my coins back. But now you no longer make these mistakes because even the media knows that you have no centralized power over the protocol.

But despite his history of advocacy work, Fenton explained that hes not interested in representing Bitcoin in a public debate with regulators or legislators. However, he did take a moment to step into the shoes of a public speaker who advocates for the freedom enabled by Bitcoin, making a short and concise argument for free code and exchange of ideas.

If I were to testify in Congress about Bitcoin, I would define it as an idea which is expressed in code, Fenton explained. People have the right to write down ideas, express them in code, give them away and run them on a computer. Nobody has any authority to mess with this.

But for all of his own strong views, Fenton did point out that he enjoys listening to different perspectives and tries to remain friendly despite great differences in opinions.

In my nature, I try to make more friends than enemies, he said. This extends to the Bitcoin space and I hope is something for which Im known.

That being said, Fenton considers himself a Bitcoin maximalist. Its a label regularly applied to him by altcoiners, though other Bitcoin maximalists often dismiss him as an altcoiner. Nonetheless, Fenton believes that maximalists are the reason why Bitcoin is so successful and keeps on getting more robust at the protocol level and in price.

Maximalists might not be that diplomatic, but theyre also protecting my bitcoins because I know theyll never compromise, he said. I know that Im not going to lose sleep at night worrying about the price or about the code being changed.

The sixth Satoshi Roundtable event, an annual gathering established by Fenton, is set to take place between February 7 and February 10, 2020. According to its website, 175 leading Bitcoin industry members will be attending. However, the events selectivity and focus on privacy are controversial within the community.

One misconception is that its closed, Fenton explained. Its just limited in space, due to the reality of logistics. We only have a couple hundred seats. The main purpose is to not do something like Consensus, which is noisy and busy.

Fenton added that community members who want to participate in the Satoshi Roundtable for the first time can simply reach out and try to get a seat, particularly those whove been there before and havent pitched some kind of scam.

As a way of proving the open and inclusive nature of the gathering, Fenton pointed to one unlikely guest who nonetheless garners a lot of enthusiasm in the Bitcoin space.

We never kicked anybody out to make room for someone else, but we always tried to make room for the people who can add the most to the conversation, he said. William Shatner is coming this year. He doesnt have some huge street cred when it comes to Bitcoin code, but he has an interesting life and hes a celebrity.

In regards to the secretive nature of the gathering and the fact that the outside world doesnt find out much about whats being discussed, Fenton nodded to the fundamental need for privacy.

We try to respect the privacy of participants, which sometimes gets misinterpreted as secrecy, he said.

Between 2015 and 2017, Fenton took various stances regarding the scalability of Bitcoin. But regardless of his preferences and biases, he kept an open mind and an open door for debate.

Further Reading: The Long Road to SegWit

I think I was successful in not being too strong in taking a stance, he said. I was definitely open minded to the point of annoying people. At the time, I was arguing for both sides of the issue. In hindsight, I mostly argued on the corporate NYA/SegWit2X side.

Interestingly, despite spending some time arguing in favor of the block size increase via SegWit2X, Fenton did not sign the New York Agreement (NYA) and merely participated in the discussions.

I didnt support the NYA, but I did argue for it because I was still learning for myself. I think that one of my strengths is to be a debater type of person. So I think that I have a strength in taking peoples opinions and putting them in a way that makes me argue a case for somebody else, he added.

In his transition from arguing for bigger blocks to understanding why Bitcoin shouldnt be changed, Fenton has received a lot of support from other community members who understood that security is a greater priority than cheap transactions. Correspondingly, he went on to thank some of the industry leaders who helped him change his mind.

Adam Back is probably the best example, as he was kind enough to spend a lot of time with me and people like me, he recalled. I remember one time we spoke on the phone for three and a half hours. All the time he tried to explain to me and convince me whats different about open source and why this works. Eric Lombrozo, Nick Szabo and Jameson Lopp really informed my opinion too Thank God I never signed that New York Agreement!

According to Fentons recollection of the early days, many people came into Bitcoin and had misconceptions about free and fast transactions.

It was all about merchants and convincing them to accept Bitcoin, he said. And then Roger Ver gave a speech in which he said, If this continues, then were going to pay 30 cents for a fee, and some people listening were appalled.

Fenton is also convinced that both sides of the debate were acting in good faith and wanted what they genuinely thought was best for Bitcoin. In the end, he concluded that the Bitcoin maximalist understanding is the point of view which he also favors. However, he maintains a diplomatic stance in relation to big blockers.

Now I agree with the Bitcoin maximalists that security is most important and the base layer shouldnt be changed, but I respect the people on the other side too, he said.

Fenton believes that the existence of Bitcoin Cash as a divisive project which onboards big block advocates is a net positive, but he dislikes the way in which the fork tries to call itself Bitcoin. He doesnt regard chain forks as evil creations that should not exist, but natural consequences of the open-source environment that can be educational.

"Forks are great because thats the nature of open source, he said. And I do believe that all of these projects help Bitcoin because we learn what doesnt work and there will always be a minority group that just wants to do something different. The nature of the software license is that anybody can do anything with it, and they can try to run their own code. If its something that becomes successful and has market value over time, then that will be good. Otherwise, its just a learning experience.

In regards to Bitcoin privacy, Fenton believes that its very important. However, hes convinced that many of the technical discussions regarding the right implementation of this privacy should be left to the engineers.

From an overall priority standpoint, I think that privacy should be way up there, he said. Security must always be first, but privacy should be second or third.

Philosophically speaking, Fenton takes his views about privacy from his reading of cypherpunk literature, calling A Cypherpunks Manifesto the origin and ethos of what Bitcoin is.

But even though he appreciates the cypherpunk values, Fenton is against a hard fork that might force additional privacy measures and appears to be open to second layers that fulfill privacy requirements more easily.

"I believe in a base layer that cant be changed and is as close to immutability as can be, and also enables people to build privacy on top of it, he clarified.

Fenton also believes that privacy should exist by default for all users, and it shouldnt just be an optional feature which reduces the anonymity set of everybody involved and doesnt really solve problems. In order to make his case for private data protection, he told a short story about his early days in stock brokerage.

When I became a stock broker in 1992, I could open an account over the phone just by getting a name and an address, he explained. It wasnt until later that they added social security number and ID requirements. The government just slammed its fist down to add extra verification, and now roughly 20 years later, its like the government has some birthright to do complete KYC/AML. The economy worked just well for decades before this, most of the stuff has no economic value and is put in place for extra control.

He also argued that mandatory KYC/AML requirements havent really brought the expected results and crime still exists in spite of them.

Imagine if you didnt have all these arbitrary rules for money transmitting in bitcoin, he said. The industry would be a lot bigger, it would be easier for people to move money around.

All told, Fentons history, opinions and current involvement in Bitcoin make him one of the most captivating figures in the space. As the technology grows, theres little doubt that his own story will follow along with it.

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How the technology behind deepfakes can benefit all of society – World Economic Forum

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Recent advances in deepfake video technology have led to a rapid increase of such videos in the public domain in the past year. Face-swapping apps such as Zao, for example, allow users to swap their faces with a celebrity, creating a deepfake video in seconds.

These advances are the result of deep generative modelling, a new technology which allows us to generate duplicates of real faces and create new, and impressively true-to-life images, of people who do not exist.

This new technology has quite rightly raised concerns about privacy and identity. If our faces can be created by an algorithm, would it be possible to replicate even more details of our personal digital identity or attributes like our voice or even create a true body double?

Indeed, the technology has advanced rapidly from duplicating just faces to entire bodies. Technology companies are concerned and are taking action: Google released 3,000 deepfake videos in the hope of allowing researchers to develop methods of combating malicious content and identifying these more easily.

While questions are rightly being asked about the consequences of deepfake technology, it is important that we do not lose sight of the fact that artificial intelligence (AI) can be used for good, as well as ill. World leaders are concerned with how to develop and apply technologies that genuinely benefit people and planet, and how to engage the whole of society in their development. Creating algorithms in isolation does not allow for the consideration of broader societal concerns to be incorporated into their practical applications.

For example, the development of deep generative models raises new possibilities in healthcare, where we are rightly concerned about protecting the privacy of patients in treatment and ongoing research. With large amounts of real, digital patient data, a single hospital with adequate computational power could create an entirely imaginary population of virtual patients, removing the need to share the data of real patients.

We would also like to see advances in AI lead to new and more efficient ways of diagnosing and treating illness in individuals and populations. The technology could enable researchers to generate true-to-life data to develop and test new ways of diagnosing or monitoring disease without risking breaches in real patient privacy.

These examples in healthcare highlight that AI is an enabling technology that is neither intrinsically good nor evil. Technology like this depends on the context in which we create and use it.

Universities have a critical role to play here. In the UK, universities are leading the world in research and innovation and are focused on making an impact on real-world challenges. At UCL, we recently launched a dedicated UCL Centre for Artificial Intelligence that will be at the forefront of global research into AI. Our academics are working with a broad range of experts and organizations to create new algorithms to support science, innovation and society.

AI must complement and augment human endeavour, not replace it. We need to combine checks and balances that inhibit or prevent inappropriate use of technology while creating the right infrastructure and connections between different experts to ensure we develop technology that helps society thrive.

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World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with our Terms of Use.

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Geraint Rees, Professor of cognitive neurology, University College London

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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How the technology behind deepfakes can benefit all of society - World Economic Forum

The Changes We Need: How Technology Could Improve Residential Real Estate – Forbes

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Being an architect with over 10 years of international experience in proptech has allowed me to witness the rapid changes that technology is bringing to real estate. Virtual reality, virtual home-staging and augmented reality have all made their way into the real estate industry by now. Technology can, and should, impact the way people find their place on Earth. But is what we have what consumers need?

From A Reactive Mindset To A Proactive One

Fun fact: I started my real estate career in New York working at Citi Habitats, and the company's president Gary Malin would always remind us just how important being proactive is. Clients get very frustrated when they reach out to a real estate agent and the agent doesn't follow up promptly. When renting or buying an apartment, time is of the essence. So, providing people with information and data that is critical in their decision-making process, and doing so effectively and proactively, is key to being a successful agent.

Currently, there are a couple of platforms available that allow users to access properties deeds or buildings' documents but they're not always accurate or updated. It'll be interesting to see as time goes by how new or innovative companies use technology to expedite and organize the process of due diligence and generate tools that allow real estate agents to be more proactive to the benefit of their clients.

Increasing Transparency And Honesty Within The Industry

A conversation I had recently with Andro Apacible of New York City real estate firm Mdrn Residential reminded me that often, it's managers and the people closest to customers who are best able to witness friction points from a more intimate perspective. As I often do, I visited a couple of brokerages to see what an agent's day-to-day looks like. Currently, brokers spend much time verifying and cross-referencing property information among several sources, so having one source that reflects the market in real time is what I believe the public needs to capture the fast pace at which we're currently moving.

One centralized platform that captures the most up-to-date inventory, verified listings, access, landlord requirements and broker/tenant incentives could significantly streamline a somewhat disjointed marketplace especially for small and medium-sized companies that often do not have their own tech team and rely on third parties. A platform that provides live and trustworthy data would create a new level of transparency, accessibility and more exposure for brokers, clients and owners.

Expediting The Closing Of Transactions

Any homeowner knows that there are a couple of migraines before the satisfaction of being a homeowner kicks in. In most cases, those migraines originate in the number of documents that need to be signed and reviewed, and all the necessary actions that need to take place before getting your new home getting pre-approved for a mortgage, submitting offers, hiring a real estate attorney, signing the contract, receiving a commitment letter from your bank, submitting a co-op board application and having the board interview, and that's all before closing day.

Can you imagine if you could do most of that online? Currently, there are a couple of companies that are making moves in allowing people to sign documents online, making that part of the process more efficient. But it will be interesting to see how innovative companies can expedite other steps of the process and wrap them up in a true one-stop shop.

Most of us love virtual reality. And on occasion, it could be beneficial to quickly show potential customers the spaces they can expect especially in new developments. However, in most scenarios, VR can still be considered a want rather than a need. While more progressive brokerages might be adopting VR as a form of competitive advantage, there are still a lot of opportunities for outside innovation to make its way into solving customers' problems by creatively using technology to offer more transparency, a speedier process and better education for the general public and real estate agents.

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The Changes We Need: How Technology Could Improve Residential Real Estate - Forbes

Mozilla and BMZ Announce Cooperation to Open Up Voice Technology for African Languages – Mozilla & Firefox

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Mozilla and the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to jointly build new alliance to foster open voice data and technology in Africa and beyond

Berlin 25 November 2019. Today, Mozilla and the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) have announced to join forces in the collection of open speech data in local languages, as well as the development of local innovation ecosystems for voice-enabled products and technologies. The initiative builds on the pilot project, which our Open Innovation team and the Machine Learning Group started together with the organization Digital Umuganda earlier this year. The Rwandan start-up collects language data in Kinyarwanda, an African language spoken by over 12 million people. Further languages in Africa and Asia are going to be added.

Kelly Davis, Head of Mozillas Machine Learning Group, explaining the design and technology behind Deep Speech and Common Voice at a Hackathon in Kigali, February 2019.

Mozillas projects Common Voice and Deep Speech will be the heart of the joint initiative, which aims at collecting diverse voice data and opening up a common, public database. Mozilla and the BMZ are planning to partner and collaborate with African start-ups, which need respective training data in order to develop locally suitable, voice-enabled products or technologies that are relevant to their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Mozilla and the BMZ are also inviting like-minded companies and identifying further countries interested in joining their efforts to open up language data.

The German Ministry and Mozilla share a similar vision and work towards the responsible use of automated decision-making and artificial intelligence for sustainable development on scale. Supporting partner countries in reaching the SDGs, today, the BMZ is carrying out more than 470 digitally enhanced projects in over 90 countries around the world. As part of the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, the Federal German Government has agreed to support developing countries in building up capacities and knowledge on opportunities and challenges of AI an area of expertise that the Mozilla Foundation has heavily invested in with their work on trustworthy AI.

Artificial Intelligence is changing and shaping our societies globally. It is critical that these technologies are both trustworthy and truly serve everyone. And that means they need to be developed with local needs and expertise in mind, diverse, decentralized, and not driven by monopolies, says Mark Surman, Executive Director of the Mozilla Foundation.

Innovating in AI poses complex technological, regulatory and ethical challenges. This is why I am very pleased to see multiple teams within Mozilla working together in this promising cooperation with the BMZ, building on our shared visions and objectives for a positive digital future, adds Katharina Borchert, Chief Open Innovation Officer of the Mozilla Corporation.

The cooperation was announced at Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Berlin and will be part of the BMZ initiative Artificial Intelligence for All: FAIR FORWARD. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at Mozillas headquarters in Mountain View on November 14.

From left to right: Bjrn Richter, Head of Digital Development Sector Program, GIZ, Dr. Andreas Foerster, Head of Division Digital Technologies in Development Cooperation, BMZ, Katharina Borchert, Chief Open Innovation Officer, Mozilla, Ashley Boyd, VP, Advocacy Mozilla Foundation, and Udbhav Tiwari, Public Policy Advisor, Mozilla

Mozilla believes that the internet is a global public resource that must remain open and accessible for all people, no matter where they are and which language they speak. With projects such as Common Voice and Deep Speech, Mozillas Machine Learning Group is working on advancing and democratizing voice recognition technology on the web.

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Mozilla and BMZ Announce Cooperation to Open Up Voice Technology for African Languages - Mozilla & Firefox

TSA testing new technology like "Innovation Checkpoint" and "digital dog nose" to speed up screenings – CBS News

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The Transportation Security Administration is bracing for a record number of people at airport security checkpoints around the country this Thanksgiving. Nearly 27 million passengers are expected to be screened during the holiday period, meaning travelers could face long security lines. But new technology being tested by the TSA could speed up screenings and address passenger complaints over electronics, liquids and taking off their shoes.

In a field outside Providence, University of Rhode Island researchers are working on new ways to detect and stop explosives popular with terrorists. They're partnering with the Department of Homeland Security on a sensor called a "digital dog nose" that will soon be the size of cell phone. Able to be mounted on a drone, it could can detect homemade explosives as well or better than a bomb-sniffing dog.

They've also created a gel called "Schmoo" that can surround an explosive or chemical agent and flash-freeze it so it can be safely removed from a transit hub.

"We think about how to detect and mitigate the threats for today, while we're still realizing that if we get really good about today's threats, there's going to be a different threat tomorrow," said professor Jimmie Oxley, of the university's Center for Excellence for Explosives Detection, Mitigation and Response. "What would that look like, and how would we attack it?"

About 2,700 miles away, at a new airport checkpoint in Las Vegas, the TSA's newest technology, in an area of Terminal 3 at McCarran International Airport, is being tested together for first time with real passengers. They call it their "Innovation Checkpoint."

"This is a glimpse into the future of what aviation security is going to look like," Jose Bonilla, the director of TSA's Innovation Task Force, told correspondent Kris Van Cleave. "What we're trying to do is, how do we make that a more seamless process for the traveling public, but not giving up on security capability? What you see here may not be here in a year. We may bring in new pieces of technology."

As passengers approach the innovation checkpoint, they'll see dynamic message boards. Next, new ID readers scan your license to quickly validate your identity and confirm you're flying that day, without needing to show officers your boarding pass

From there, carry-on bags go to a CT scanner. Electronics can stay in, and eventually the goal is liquids will, too.

The new scanners can more easily see through all the clutter in bags.

While it's not quite the scanner from "Total Recall," science fiction is coming alive with new walk-by body scanners. They display a generic male or female form and flag an area of the body where there may be a concern. The technology is also better at spotting non-metallic threats that a metal detector might miss.

"The improvement they really need to make for everybody is, don't take your shoes off!" said passenger Patrick Hinke.

"If they can speed it up a bit more, yeah. The ID thing was a little slow," said Keith Ross.

Deanna Sack said, "It's quicker. It definitely pushes people through a lot faster."

TSA hopes it can turn lessons learned at this Vegas checkpoint into reality around the country by 2022. Some of the technology, like the CT scanners, is already being rolled out at some airports.

TSA may also look to expand its use of facial recognition technology in the next few years.

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TSA testing new technology like "Innovation Checkpoint" and "digital dog nose" to speed up screenings - CBS News

CEO delves into why "technology is not the silver bullet" for insurance – Insurance Business

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Throughout his career to date, CEO of Charles Taylor InsureTech, Jason Sahota (pictured) has worn a wide variety of professional hats. Having spent the majority of his career in professional services, he has worked in a diverse range of roles from account manager to service delivery manager to head of sales to CIO of a FTSE 30 company and advisory.

Sahota views his key functional skill as business transformation with a major element of technology and when his present role became available, he seized the opportunity to build a technology company from scratch. Speaking with Insurance Business, Sahota touched on the essential questions of digital transformation in the insurance industry and the role of different entities in the current insurance environment.

The InsureTech arm was launched, Sahota said, with a view of bringing technology to really solve business problems not to be a software product provider. As part of the executive committee of the Charles Taylor Group, Sahota believes his experience on both sides of the table has given him an enhanced understanding of clients utilising technology to drive business value.

InsureTech has enjoyed substantial success in the market to date and Sahota credits this to the involvement of the business across every element of the value chain. Now working with multiple major brokers, carriers and other insurance entities across the value chain as its clients, InsureTech was awarded a five-country contract to implement a policy administration system, INSIS, as the core operating platform for Seguros SURA in Latin America in 2018. Last year it also acquired the insurance-focused technology consultancy and software provider Inworx in Argentina.

I said from day one that I didnt want us to grow as a business just as another London market player, said Sahota. A lot of businesses that grow up in London struggle to become global - I had global in mind from the start. So, I set up in London and I set up in Mexico City.

Being in Mexico City recently, he said, reinforced that this global focus was a good strategic decision. Developing economies have a greater need for insurance, he outlined, and with a greater need for insurance comes more transformation.

The appetite to change in the developing markets is quite a lot greater than the more mature markets in the US and Canada and Europe, Sahota said. While these developing markets still have legacy technology and legacy ways of working, change is not as complicated, both in commercial lines and personal lines.

The two key drivers in the market, as seen by Sahota, are the revenue side with its emphasis on customer retention and acquisition, and the operational cost and operational effectiveness side. He believes that to move the dial and build a successful business strategy, you need to utilize both. To really understand the business problem, you have to understand where the client is and where they want to go, and then question how do we help them get there?

The differentiating factor in every business, said Sahota, is the people. And we dont want everybody to be the same so that the change journey is different for every organization. But technology is not the silver bullet on its own.

On the subject of digital transformation, Sahota outlined what he believes to be the fundamental tenet behind why industry players, including brokers, may be slow to embrace such changes.

I dont think its just about digital transformation, he said. I think theres just the general underlying [principle] that human beings dont like change.

However, we live in a world where change is the norm, said Sahota, and businesses that are going to survive in any industry must be agile. Yet a source of confusion for many businesses, he said, is the mix-up between digital transformation and digitization.

Digitization, he explained, is when organizations use technology on an existing way of working and it does not change the underlying process being utilized. Digital transformation, on the other hand, is changing the way of working through the use of technology.

There is a big step change from one to the other, said Sahota, as people get used to the changes that are coming in technology,

Yet, while Sahota identified this transformation and highlighted the importance of continuing to talk about technology, he said the major change within the insurance sector is the move towards customer centricity. This shift in culture has already occurred in the banking industry, said Sahota, and insurance is not going through a different change, its just going through the change now.

It is difficult for an industry which is inherently and traditionally product-focused to emphasize the customer instead, Sahota said, but this is a fundamental adjustment required of and being embraced by the industry. Customer centricity, customer experience and the customer journey are the most essential considerations and should be at the heart of all transformation and strategy adjustments carried out in the insurance sector, he said.

Sahota additionally outlined how Charles Taylor InsureTechs innovative Tide solution for the standardization and simplification of data throughout the distribution system of a business has been designed with the customer experience in mind.

Many brokers engaged in coverholder business have opted to utilize this product which, through the standardization of the collection, validation, processing and supply of delegated authority data has allowed brokers to spend more time creating a valuable customer relationship, he said.

Between the digital transformation sweeping the insurance industry and the growing demand for the customer at the heart of the business, it seems there has never been a better time for innovative insurance solutions and Sahota is very happy to be a part of this brave new world.

To watch your ideas and visions become a reality and watch individuals achieve their potential [is] fundamentally what I do now, he said. I have the best role ever.

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CEO delves into why "technology is not the silver bullet" for insurance - Insurance Business

PG&E shutoffs highlight the usefulness and uselessness of technology in emergencies – Peninsula Press

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The texts kept coming.

Due to a weather forecast PG&E may turn off powerPrepare a plan.

Arriving once, sometimes twice a day until the shutoff hit, the texts referred customers to PG&Es website for updated information about the impending power shutoffs.

But just before the first shutoff on Oct. 9, 2019, many customers found that there was no website it had crashed under a high volume of traffic. And some customers stopped receiving texts because the shutoff had knocked out their cell service, as well.

PG&Es Public Safety Power Shutoff events left nearly one million customers across Northern California without power, and knocked out nearly 60% of cell towers in certain counties. It also highlighted critical gaps in communication infrastructure that local government agencies are now scrambling to address.

California Governors Office of Emergency Services spokesperson Bryan May emphasized that California residents need to develop a habit of turning on cell phone emergency alerts from both utilities and government agencies and checking public safety announcements posted on the internet.

The more redundancy you can build into your own notification plan, the better, said May.

Both state and local counties are trying to provide redundancy through social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. The need for redundancy is crucial, especially since the once-dependable landline telephone is no longer immune to power shutoffs.

During the devastating Tubbs fire in 2017, Santa Rosa resident Anthony Covarrubias turned to social media and found a trusted source of information in a local journalist.

She would tweet all through the nightshe would hardly sleep, said Covarrubias. I havent been on Twitter since probably October of 2017, but then during [the recent PG&E public safety power shutoffs] I was refreshing her Twitter feed all the time.

The Tubbs Fire also spurred the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office to install special emergency sirens, which alternate continuously between a high pitch and low pitch and are intended to alert residents of an emergency. The sheriffs department announcement of the new sirens on Facebook implored residents to to pay attention, turn on your social media.

Officials in other counties also use social media during emergencies. Ray Kelly, an Alameda County Sheriffs Office spokesperson, said social media is generally a boon to both residents and the local government.

After the first shutoff in early October, Kelly and his team asked customers to post on Twitter when their power was restored so that the sheriffs department could notify PG&E of lags in re-energization, if necessary.

When we asked people, Let us know when your power was back on, it [created] an interactive space that was taking place on social media between the community and between government, said Kelly. We were all working together for the same bit of knowledge.

But Kelly acknowledges that social media strategies are limited.

It is one of the best tools in our toolbox. But that being said, you cannot rely on it completely to be your entire strategy, said Kelly.

Plus, not everyone uses social media, like Oakland resident Diana Velez.

Im the older generation, said Velez. I would probably go to a website, but I wouldnt think about going to Twitter or Instagram. Social media is not my go-to for information.

Velez lived through the Oakland firestorm of 1991, and understands the need for the precautionary shutoffs. She appreciates the text messages that PG&E sent in advance of the three shutoffs that occurred throughout October. But Velez thinks the utility could have done a better job keeping customers updated with status changes.

If they would sayWere waiting to see what the weathers like right nowso were postponing [re-energization]we can plan around that, said Velez.

The instantaneous nature of electronic communication systems can also mean increased frustration when there is conflicting information.

The night before the second round of power shutoffs, Santa Rosa resident Anthony Covarrubias was woken up by his phone, which was buzzing.

Covarrubias phone was receiving alerts from the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office and the Santa Rosa Police Department via Nixle, a notification system that has been adopted by local governments and agencies across the US.

The alerts arrived in Covarrubias phone, first in English, then in Spanish.

More alerts in both languages followed about evacuations, fire progress and highway closures. They didnt end up affecting Covarrubias exact location, but they kept coming, including an advisory correcting what turned out to be an erroneous evacuation order.

I am an information overloaderwhile my husband shut off his phone, said Covarrubias.

With information being re-posted and cross-posted across platforms, Covarrubias relies most heavily on his countys sheriffs office for accurate information.

In Alameda County, Kelly reminds residents that sometimes the oldest technology is the best.

When all else fails, when everything goes down, we know that its likely our radio stations will be up and running, said Kelly.

Even if residents dont have a portable, battery-powered radio, you can get to a radio in your car and listen to AM radio, he said.

During emergency situations, Alameda County Sheriffs Office collaborates with KCBS, 106.9 FM and 740 AM, a local 24-hour, all-news radio station. Kelly says that during the first round of shutoffs the sheriffs office tested their ability to phone into KCBS and local TV stations.

He also admits that theres always more to do when it comes to keeping the public informed about best strategies.

Were due for a tweet or a message about tuning into the AM radio station if you are unable to communicate via cell phone, said Kelly.

But even as safety officials attempt to patch gaps in local infrastructure, the responsibility of seeking and remaining informed about alternative communication solutions falls to residents.

After Sonoma County lost cell service during the first shutoff, Covarrubias and his husband brainstormed alternative communication strategies.

Right after [the shutoff] we talked about getting radios, and I was like hell, maybe well go satellite, he said.

Covarrubias has never actually seen a satellite phone but knows that people use them in remote locations.

At the very leasta classic radio with batteries, or even a hand crank.

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PG&E shutoffs highlight the usefulness and uselessness of technology in emergencies - Peninsula Press

Tracking Emerging Technologies in the Medical Device Market: Infiniti’s Latest Blog Explains Why This Is Vital for Medical Device Manufacturers -…

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LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A well-known market intelligence company, Infiniti Research, has announced the completion of its latest article on the future of medical devices. This article covers:

MedTech has transformed the way doctors and patients participate and interact with each other. Obtaining real-time information, tracking past health records, identifying potential health issues, and devising a treatment plan indicates the gradual shift from traditional methods in the medical device industry to smart medical devices. The future of medical devices is influenced by technological trends and opportunities that promise to revolutionize the operations of healthcare providers and medical technology companies.

With the rapid pace of technological advancements in the healthcare industry, the future of medical devices looks promising, says a healthcare industry expert at Infiniti Research.

Today, the medical device market is driven by innovation, which has coerced medical device manufacturers to invest in research and development. Request a free proposal to know how we help companies in the medical device industry to identify new business models and implement effective market expansion strategies.

You may also like to read some of our recent articles on the medical devices industry:

Why medical device manufacturers should track the development of emerging technologies

Enhance existing product lines

By tracking the development of emerging technologies, med-device manufacturers can enhance existing product lines or create adjacent product categories, thereby offsetting the potential impact on existing product lines and categories.

Target new markets

Targeting new markets is the future of medical devices and manufacturing that allows companies to expand their market and devise market entry strategies for emerging markets. A medical device manufacturer can either enter a new product category or a new region. Companies can leverage the benefits of low-cost country sourcing and manufacturing, thereby reducing operational costs and providing the highest quality products at the best possible price.

Facilitate M&A activities

The emerging technology market space has witnessed a surge in M&A activities over the past years. Med-tech companies are participating in mergers and acquisitions to gain market shares and acquire patented medical technology. This allows companies to gain the first-mover advantage and operate in new areas.

Medical device manufacturers are seeking to develop and enhance product prototyping, minimize operation costs, and be responsive to product developments and latest market trends. If you are facing similar challenges, get in touch with an expert to know more about how our services can help your business.

About Infiniti Research

Established in 2003, Infiniti Research is a leading market intelligence company providing smart solutions to address your business challenges. Infiniti Research studies markets in more than 100 countries to help analyze competitive activity, see beyond market disruptions, and develop intelligent business strategies. To know more, visit: https://www.infinitiresearch.com/about-us

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Tracking Emerging Technologies in the Medical Device Market: Infiniti's Latest Blog Explains Why This Is Vital for Medical Device Manufacturers -...

Global AR and VR Display Markets, 2019-2024 – Emerging Micro-LED Technology Presents Massive Opportunities – ResearchAndMarkets.com – Business Wire

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "AR and VR Display Market by Device Type (AR HMD, VR HMD, HUD, Projector), Technology (AR, VR), Application (Consumer, Enterprise, Commercial, Healthcare, Aerospace & Defense), Display Trends, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The AR and VR display market is expected to grow from USD 1.6 billion in 2019 to USD 4.4 billion by 2024, at a CAGR of 21.8% during the forecast period.

Increasing adoption of AR and VR devices in various applications, increasing demand for OLED in AR and VR devices, rising technological advancement and growing use of microdisplays in AR and VR devices are the major factors fueling the growth of the overall market. However, the deployment of full-screen alternatives, competition from existing devices with traditional displays, and limited content availability are the major factors restraining the growth of the market.

VR HMDs to lead AR and VR display market during the forecast period

The use of VR HMDs in gaming and entertainment in the consumer space is the primary driver for the growth of the VR HMD panel market. New entrants in the form of local vendors coming in from APAC countries would be major consumers of VR HMD panels. The commercial sector is expected to grow at the highest growth rate owing to the use of VR HMDs on a large scale in tourism and sight-seeing, as well as in the retail sector. The realistic and interactive real-time environment offered by these devices makes them ideal for gaming and entertainment.

Enterprise application to lead the AR display market during the forecast period

AR is a cutting-edge technology involved in the Industry 4.0 trend. The use of AR devices helps minimize human errors, improves efficiency, and reduces expenses. The AR devices have a wide range of use cases, namely in operations for installation and assembly, maintenance and remote assistance, training, quality control, safety management, and for design and visualization. There is a growing number of use cases of AR HMD for maintenance and repair, allowing a worker to repair an engine by superimposing images and information in his actual line of sight. Complex procedural repairs can be broken down into a series of simple steps offering instructions at a glance. This would help enterprise applications to lead the AR display market during the forecast period.

APAC to register the highest CAGR in AR and VR display market by 2024

The presence of significant AR and VR display manufacturers in countries such as China, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan is the primary driver of the AR and VR display market. The majority of the demand for AR and VR displays is expected to derive from consumer, enterprise, commercial, and automotive applications. These applications offer huge potential for the AR and VR market because of the increasing awareness among consumers and the rising adoption of new technologies in various industries, especially in countries such as China, India, and South Korea. APAC will grow at the highest CAGR and is also expected to lead the AR and VR display market by 2024.

Market Dynamics

Drivers

Restraints

Opportunities

Challenges

Companies Profiled

Key Players

Key Innovators

Other Players

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/tb1qbx

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Global AR and VR Display Markets, 2019-2024 - Emerging Micro-LED Technology Presents Massive Opportunities - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Business Wire

SkinCeuticals CUSTOM DOSE Technology Named to TIME’s List of the 100 Best Inventions of 2019 – PRNewswire

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"L'Oral is using technology to unlock new consumer experiences that allow for deeper levels of personalization," said Guive Balooch, Head of L'Oral's Technology Incubator. "We are thrilled to see D.O.S.E scale internationally to reach new consumers around the world and are honored to be recognized on TIME's 100 Best Inventions List for 2019."

More than 250 unique skin types were considered in the research development of D.O.S.E to ensure the highest quality and deeply customized beauty experience. D.O.S.E has a production-quality compounder that operates at 1,200 rotations per minute to mix ingredients precisely, drop by drop. The machine uniquely combines active ingredients that have historically been unable to be mixed outside of a factory setting.

"CUSTOM D.O.S.E has opened the brand to not only be the leader in medical skincare, but a leader in technological innovation. Our physicians are able to provide a service from SkinCeuticals that is unique to them that grows and retains patients," said Christina Fair, Head of SkinCeuticals U.S.

To assemble the 2019 TIME Best Inventions list, TIME solicited nominations across a variety of categories from editors and correspondents around the world, as well as through an online application process. Each contender was then evaluated on key factors including originality, effectiveness, ambition and influence. The result: 100 groundbreaking inventions that are changing the way we live, work, play and think about what's possible.

See TIME's list of 100 Best Inventions of 2019 here:http://time.com/bestinventions2019and learn more about SkinCeuticals CUSTOM D.O.S.E here:https://www.skinceuticals.com/customdose.

About L'Oral USA

L'Oral USA is the largest subsidiary of the L'Oral Group, the world's leading beauty company. L'Oral USA manages a portfolio of more than 35 iconic beauty brands, including Garnier, Giorgio Armani Beauty, Krastase, Lancme, La Roche-Posay, L'Oral Paris and Yves Saint Laurent Beaut. L'Oral USA also serves as the international hub for the product development and marketing strategy for L'Oral's 22 American brands: AcneFree, Baxter of California, Carol's Daughter, CeraVe, Clarisonic, Color&Co, Dermablend, essie, IT Cosmetics, Kiehl's, Matrix, Maybelline New York, Mizani, NYX Professional Makeup, Pulp Riot, Pureology, Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Redken, Seed Phytonutrients, Softsheen-Carson, SkinCeuticals and Urban Decay. Generating more than $7 billion in sales annually, L'Oral USA is committed to growth through sustainable innovation, driven by the company's Sharing Beauty With All ambition for sustainable development across the Group's value chain. The company is headquartered in New York City, employs more than 11,000 people, and operates administrative, research, manufacturing and distribution facilities across 14 states, including Arkansas, California, Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas and Washington. For more information, visit http://www.lorealusa.com or follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @LOrealUSA.

SOURCE L'Oreal USA

http://www.lorealusa.com

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SkinCeuticals CUSTOM DOSE Technology Named to TIME's List of the 100 Best Inventions of 2019 - PRNewswire

Phoenix teacher uses technology to see clearer in the classroom – ABC15 Arizona

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PHOENIX Inside Ashley Ezell's fourth grade classroom at Saint Francis Xavier School in Phoenix, they're preparing for the holidays.

But between the markers and colored pencils, Ezell is using a special tool to see the pictures her students draw.

It looks just like a virtual reality headset and can zoom in on everything around her. It's called "IrisVision", a wearable device that transforms her vision from 20/400 to 20/30.

"I was diagnosed with Stargardt which is a form of macular degeneration," Ezell said.

While Ezell is legally blind, her diagnosis hasn't stopped her from teaching. A year and a half ago, the community and a local girl scout troop pitched in to buy her the device to make working in the classroom a little easier.

The first time she tried it on, Ezell says she was overcome with emotion.

"I just had tears rolling down because it was just the ease of knowing I can be present with my kids and not struggle or be embarrassed," she said.

Ezell says using the technology has also taught her students about acceptance and overcoming whatever challenges come their way.

"Advocating for myself, teaching my kids to show empathy and kindness to others, I think that's the way I can give back and thank everybody who did pitch in because there's no other way to say thank you," Ezell said.

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Phoenix teacher uses technology to see clearer in the classroom - ABC15 Arizona

Technology and tribulations in Sudan – News for the Oil and Gas Sector – Energy Voice

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Sudan has undergone a tumultuous 10 years, from the loss of much of its oil production with the breaking away of South Sudan, to the recent and dramatic change of government.

The country faces a number of challenges but perhaps its most pressing is its economy, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) putting inflation at more than 50% and with a shrinking GDP. The new government has a number of plans to tackle this but the appeal of increasing oil production is strong although difficult for a country that continues to be under US sanctions.

There have been political problems that have affected the sector Sharif Petroleum Operating Co.s exploration manager Tarig Abdelrahman Abbas told Energy Voice. As production volumes have fallen, the government has taken more of the crude for itself, rather than allowing it to be exported for the operators. As a result, companies have slowed down investment activity, with drilling falling from hundreds of wells per year to tens.

Sudanese production is now only around 70,000 barrels per day, Abbas said, which is below the countrys needs. The country has 6 billion barrels of resources, he continued, with primary recovery techniques this could produce around 600-700 million barrels. If you invested a little on this, you could easily get production of more than 100,000 bpd for many years but we dont have the money right now.

This gap, between production and consumption, is the single most important challenge facing Sudan, the official said. Most of the time, the central government they are lifting the whole production and they send it to the refinery, and they dont give the [producers] their share of the output. This has [driven] mistrust between the two sides.

Indias ONGC Videsh and Petronas have been working on arbitration against Sudan for more than a year over this issue. Khartoum owed ONGC around $400 million for failing to pay for the oil it takes for local needs, as of May this year.

While conversations are being held with a number of companies, who understand the potential and the technical challenges, but they require some sort of guarantee that if they inject $1, they can make it back. Its a political problem that the government is trying to resolve through the creation of more effective controls between the Ministry of Energy and Mining and the Ministry of Finance.

Improved controls in this regard would be very healthy. New companies will have to wait until this governance discussion has been completed.

On offer

Speaking to Energy Voice at the ADIPEC conference, Abbas said a number of companies had expressed interest in providing technology and helping solve some of Sudans problems. Historically, we havent done much in the way of enhanced oil recovery [EOR], we use only primary recovery. Some other places in the world go to 40%, 50% and even 60% recovery. Using new recovery technologies would allow much more in the way of the countrys resources to be produced, which some companies have expressed interest in providing.

There are a number of opportunities for companies to come and participate in exploration and production, the executive from the state-owned company said. Block 25, where a number of wells have been drilled but production not started, and gas and condensate discoveries in eastern Sudan.

Also, in the Red Sea, theres 700 km of coastline. If you looked at the shelf, theres 70,000 square km of basinal area and we have a proven discovery. There is also follow up work on wells drilled by Agip, around 50 years ago.

After the revolution, the image and perception of people outside Sudan is a bit different we have high hopes for a good transformation, with a move into transparency and civilian government. There is no hidden agenda and theres anti-corruption work under way. These are all grounds for a good business environment. We hope investors will realise this, Abbas said.

Sudan is eager to attract companies to invest in developing existing resources in addition to exploring for new. Drilling is cheap, the official said, with a 2,000 metre deep well costing around $2 million. The technology is there, the surface works and infrastructure are there and there is space in the [export] pipeline. The problem is getting the money.

Since the departure of Western companies, Sudanese opportunities have been dominated by Asian investors, such as Malaysias Petronas and China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC). US sanctions have made operations difficult for companies, such as Canadas State Oil. The door is open for everybody and we want to diversify our sources of investment. Our partnership model does not go just east or west.

The capacity for investment from other African companies remains limited, Abbas said, although some work has taken place with two Nigerian companies, Express and Misana. Investors may come from the Arab League, with discussions taking place with companies from the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

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The call for Submissions for the OCP Future Technologies Symposium has launched – PRNewswire

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Third OCP Future Technology Symposium to take place at the 2020 OCP Global Summit!

SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Open Compute Project (OCP) Foundation is pleased to announce that the third Future Technologies Symposium will be located at the 2020 OCP Global Summit, taking place on March 4 - 5, 2020 in San Jose, CA. The Symposium will be held on March 3, 2020 as a full-day track on day 0. All attendees for the Global Summit will receive free access to the full-day sessions. Both events will take place at the San Jose Convention Center, in San Jose, CA. Symposium will also continue as poster sessions throughout the Global Summit.

The objective of the OCP Future Technologies Symposium is to bring to the OCP Community a forward-looking funnel of technologies which focus on solving future problems facing the industry, and accelerate productization through partnerships and open source R&D. A secondary benefit exists to expose a generation of up-and-coming, best-in-class students to the professional community for purposes of research, training and recruitment. The Global academic, startup and venture communities are invited to participate, as well an industrial organizations performing cutting edge research related to date center technologies.

Draft papers will be reviewed by the OCP leadership and Foundation's technical advisory board, as well as OCP Project Leaders. Acceptance will be based on content and overall program balance. The authors of the accepted drafts will have the opportunity to submit a poster and present their work orally during at the OCP Global Summit in San Jose. There will be a $10,000 award paid to the winning submission.

When ready to submit, clickhereto create an account in Linklings. Once you create an account, it will allow you to submit your paper.

The deadline to submit is Friday Jan 10, 2020 at 5pm PST.

Previous submissions, winners and more information can be found here.

A webinar will be held for those interested in submitting papers on December 5, 2019 at 9:00 AM PST. It will be recorded, and available for view until the submission deadline for those who cannot make the live session. Click hereto register for the webinar.

#OCPSummit20

SOURCE Open Compute Project Foundation

https://www.opencompute.org

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The call for Submissions for the OCP Future Technologies Symposium has launched - PRNewswire

U.S.-based chip-tech group moving to Switzerland over trade curb fears – Reuters

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SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S.-based foundation overseeing promising semiconductor technology developed with Pentagon support will soon move to Switzerland after several of the groups foreign members raised concerns about potential U.S. trade curbs.

FILE PHOTO: Technology on display at Huawei's headquarters in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China May 29, 2019. REUTERS/Jason Lee

The nonprofit RISC-V Foundation (pronounced risk-five) wants to ensure that universities, governments and companies outside the United States can help develop its open-source technology, its Chief Executive Calista Redmond said in an interview with Reuters.

She said the foundations global collaboration has faced no restrictions to date but members are concerned about possible geopolitical disruption.

From around the world, weve heard that If the incorporation was not in the U.S., we would be a lot more comfortable, she said. Redmond said the foundations board of directors approved the move unanimously but declined to disclose which members prompted it.

Created in 2015, the RISC-V Foundation sets standards for the core chip architecture and controls who can use the RISC-V trademark on products, as other organizations do for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips. It does not own or control the technology.

More than 325 companies or other entities pay to be members, including U.S. and European chip suppliers such as Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O) and NXP Semiconductors (NXPI.O), as well as Chinas Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (BABA.N) and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd.

The foundations move from Delaware to Switzerland may foreshadow further technology flight because of U.S. restrictions on dealing with some Chinese technology companies, said William Reinsch, who was undersecretary of commerce for export administration in the Clinton administration.

There is a message for the government. The message is, if you clamp down on things too tightly this is what is going to happen. In a global supply chain world, companies have choices, and one choice is to go overseas, he said.

In a statement to Reuters, the U.S. Department of Commerce said its controls were designed to safeguard U.S. national security and to ensure bad actors cannot acquire technology that harms U.S. citizens or interests, while promoting innovation to fuel continued American technological leadership. The department said it meets regularly with private industry to gauge market conditions and the effects of its regulations.

Some Republican U.S. lawmakers said they are concerned the United States will lose influence over RISC-V chip architecture, which can be used to make microprocessors for almost every type of electronic device, making it a crucial building block of a modern economy. The technology came from labs at the University of California, Berkeley, and later benefited from funding by the Pentagons Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

The lawmakers warn that the foundations Chinese members could influence the technologys development to help Chinas semiconductor industry.

The Chinese Communist Party is trying to circumvent our export control system to support national security threats like Huawei - we cannot let it succeed, Representative Mike Gallagher, a Republican from Wisconsin, told Reuters.

Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton said moving the foundation to ensure it could retain Chinese members was short-sighted at best. He added that if American public funds were used to develop the technology, its also completely outrageous.

Redmond said in follow-up emails after speaking to Reuters that given the technology is open source and available to anyone, she does not see how the move could be against the U.S.national interest.

A DARPA spokesman told Reuters the agency intended for RISC-V work it funded to be publicly available to companies and academics around the world.

Morgan Reed, president of The App Association, which receives funding from major U.S. technology firms such as Apple Inc (AAPL.O) and Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) in Washington, likened the RISC-V Foundations work to efforts between U.S. and Chinese companies to jointly develop Wi-Fi chip standards.

The notion that China can be barred from participating in standards alongside the U.S. and the EU is simply not viable, Reed said. China is too important as a manufacturer and an end-market to ignore.

The RISC-V Foundation announced at a meeting last December it would seek a neutral country before making a formal decision to go to Switzerland earlier this year, a decision that got little public attention. Final approvals in Switzerland for the move are expected as soon as the end of November, Redmond said.

Chinese companies have had access to the RISC-V architecture, which is publicly available, since its creation, Redmond said.

Alibaba claimed in July it had developed the fastest RISC-V processor to date. The company declined to comment for this story.

The RISC-V Foundations move shows how U.S.-China trade tensions could make the United States a harder place to host technology standards groups, according to two attorneys who represent such groups.

The lawyers said it is unclear whether standards groups are allowed to work with Huawei. These groups are concerned U.S. authorities may decide that some closed-door technical discussions involve the transfer of sensitive technology to the Chinese or others on banned lists, said one of the attorneys, Brad Biddle, who works for several standards groups.

In June, more than two dozen standards groups - including those overseeing SD memory cards and Ethernet and HDMI cables - wrote a letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross asking for clarification of the rules on working with Huawei.

The groups warned Ross that the Huawei restrictions posed a serious risk that standards work could move out of the United States, which could end a long-held trend where U.S.-based groups set de facto standards for the rest of the world, they wrote.

The Commerce Department published an advisory opinion seeking to clarify the issue in August, but standards lawyers said the rules remain confusing.

The RISC-V Foundations Redmond does not yet see a credible threat to international collaboration. But were taking out an insurance policy against that type of action by moving our incorporation, she told Reuters.

The boards seven current members are all based in North America. After the move, the foundations board will be expanded and European and Asian members will be added, said Redmond. Reuters could not confirm whether any Chinese companies planned to join the board.

Andrew Updegrove, an attorney who does work for standards groups, said that U.S. restrictions on transferring U.S.-origin technology to Chinese companies will still apply regardless of where the RISC-V Foundation is headquartered.

At Netherlands-based NXP Semiconductors, which is a member of the foundation, customers have asked the company to detail where the technology in its chips comes from, said Lars Reger, its chief technology officer. The customers do not want to be cut off in future trade disputes, he said.

U.S. officials and some lawmakers have alleged Huaweis telecom equipment may enable surveillance by China. The resulting backlash has prevented it from making inroads into the U.S. market. Huawei has denied the claims.

In response to Reuters questions, a Huawei spokesman said: We support RISC-V Foundation identifying Switzerland as a neutral venue for open source development. Making open source as open as possible is important for the industry.

He said that RISC-V might fit well into Huaweis vision of this heterogeneous, open world.

(This story corrects paragraph 16 to reflect that Apple and Microsoft are sponsors of The App Association, rather than members.)

Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco and Alexandra Alper in Washington; Additional reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Martin Howell and Bill Rigby

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U.S.-based chip-tech group moving to Switzerland over trade curb fears - Reuters

Automation, laser technology and sustainability: innovation in concrete spraying – Mining Technology

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Concrete spraying is a cost-effective, mechanised technological solution to concrete construction and shaft lining in underground tunnels that improves safety and reduces the environmental impact of mining operations.

Spraying equipment allows workers to utilise innovative technology to carry out underground construction from a safe distance, requiring a smaller team of specialised staff for more efficient and sustainable construction methods.

Due to the diversity of spray concrete equipment, training staff in all process areas can be difficult. Automation technology makes operations easier for workers and helps to improve productivity. SmartSpray, developed by Normet, is designed to simplify the process for operators by automating the nozzle position. This process technology is available in three variations; Lite, Pro and ProPlus.

SmartSpray Lite allows operators to control a spraying nozzle, which maintains its position to spray the concrete at the target surface. Operations are controlled from a single joystick to simplify use. The SmartSpray Pro has an automated nozzle, meaning that operators need only to control the distance from the target and move between segments. The ProPlus calculates the path to automate the entire process, including distance and speed for optimal concrete layering.

Recent developments in 3D laser technology have improved the efficiency and safety of concrete spraying processes. Normets SmartScan is mounted on concrete spraying equipment and scans the targeted area before and after spraying in order to provide the user with a colour-coded visualisation of the thickness of the concrete and an overview of areas that are under or over-sprayed.

This technology improves efficiency and reduces wastage, as well as allowing operators to scan the areas where repairs may be required.

Accurate data secured by the laser and its associated software is uploaded to the cloud, allowing for introspective analysis in addition to instant concrete thickness reports.

Sustainability is becoming an increasing focus for industry innovators. Normets battery electric vehicle (BEV) technology, SmartDrive, is emission-free and designed for use in harsh environments. Hot gases and heat are not produced, improving air quality in confined spaces and reducing ventilation costs.

SmartDrive equipment can be charged from any underground AC socket, or using fast-chargers. The split module battery architecture also allows equipment to continue operating in the case of a malfunction as the faulty module will be isolated, reducing the risk of unplanned maintenance shutting down operations.

Energy recuperation technology allows SmartDrive vehicles to regenerate and store braking energy during deceleration and downhill driving. A number of Normets products utilise SmartDrive technology for concrete spraying equipment, as well as other mining construction applications, including but not limited to the Spraymec 8100 SD and Spraymec MF 050 VC SD.

Normet offers a broad portfolio of wet concrete spraying equipment for mining and tunnelling applications, including the Spraymec range comprising the NorRunner 140 DVC, Alpha 1430 PC, Alpha 30, LF 050 DC, MF 050 VC, SF 050 D and 8100 VC, as well as its dry concrete spraying products; the Normet Piccola and Normet GM.

It also supplies the Minimec 2, a mechanised concrete spraying manipulator designed for smaller-scale construction in escalator and tunnel shafts, small diameter tunnels or locations that large machinery cannot access.

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Automation, laser technology and sustainability: innovation in concrete spraying - Mining Technology

‘Maximize the positive’ from new technologies, for our digital future, Guterres urges – UN News

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"New technologies, and particularly digital technologies, are already having a major impact on the world, affecting all our work on international peace and security, sustainable development and human rights, Secretary-General AntnioGuterres told the first meeting of the Group of Friends on Digital Technologies in New York.

He pointed out that while it took 50 years for electricity to reach the first 50 million users worldwide, it has taken half that time for digital technologies to reach three billion across the planet. And while the UN is engaged in many important initiatives, Mr. Guterres maintained that they are not enough, and they are not coordinated.

Our thinking and action are not keeping pace with the challenge, he asserted.

He said that the High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation aimed at strengthening coordination between Governments, the private sector and international organizations emphasized the need, among other things, to close the digital gap, recognize human rights in digital contexts, build cyber trust and security and agree on a new global architecture.

The UN is currently finalizing small groups of champions for each of these recommendations who will lead key groups, including from the Organization, governments, industry and civil society to ensure tangible action with real impact.

Beyond these immediate priorities, the UN chief urged the Group of Friends to pursue a long-term vision.

We, the international community, urgently need to broaden and deepen our engagement to ensure that we are making maximum use of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, cyber tools, blockchain and robotics, while mitigating risks, he spelled out.

Noting that digital technologies are easily accessible and have very serious cross-border impacts, Mr. Guterres maintained that decisions taken at the global level will help determine whether they are used in ways that are harmful or beneficial, and how risks and benefits are distributed across the world.

We cannot allow digital technology to undermine our human rights and fundamental freedoms, he spelled out. Nor can we allow it to reinforce and amplify existing inequalities based on gender, income, ethnicity, region, development status or any other factor.

He said as national and regional measures often lag behind innovation and international cooperation is giving way to isolationism and populism, joint action is vital to mitigate risks and ensure that systems are interoperable and inclusive, providing access across sectors and borders.

Fragmented regulation of digital space puts a free, secure internet at risk, and will fail to provide adequate guardrails, he warned.

Success depends on our ability to work together across disciplines and stakeholder groups, across nations and political divides UN chief

Success depends on our ability to work together across disciplines and stakeholder groups, across nations and political divides, he underscored.

And harnessing digital technology is essential to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

While the Global South stands to gain or lose the most from new technologies, he highlighted that affluent countries have a disproportionate input into regulatory discourse.

I urge this Group of Friends to address these discrepancies, he said. Unless we do so, the high price of access and the centralization of digital infrastructure and capacity could lead to monopolization by mature economies.

Calling the Group of Friends a formidable global force for inclusivity and diversity, he encouraged them to seize the initiative, address the biggest questions, and to cross political and regional boundaries.

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'Maximize the positive' from new technologies, for our digital future, Guterres urges - UN News

Why the electric-car revolution may take a lot longer than expected – MIT Technology Review

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Dont expect electric cars and trucks to get as cheap as their gas-powered rivals anytime soon.

A new report from the MIT Energy Initiative warns that EVs may never reach the same sticker price so long as they rely on lithium-ion batteries, the energy storage technology that powers most of todays consumer electronics. In fact, its likely to take another decade just to eliminate the difference in the lifetime costs between the vehicle categories, which factors in the higher fuel and maintenance expenses of standard cars and trucks.

The findings sharply contradict those of other research groups, which have concluded that electric vehicles could achieve price parity with gas-powered ones in the next five years. The lingering price difference predicted by the MIT report could stunt the transition to lower-emission vehicles, requiring governments to extend subsides or enact stricter mandates to achieve the same adoption of EVs and cuts in climate pollution.

Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse-gas emissions in the US and fourth largest globally, so theres no way to achieve the reductions necessary to avoid dangerous levels of global warming without major shifts to cleaner vehicles and mass transit systems.

The problem is that the steady decline in the cost of lithium-ion batteries, which power electric vehicles and account for about a third of their total cost, is likely to slow in the next few years as they approach limits set by the cost of raw materials.

If you follow some of these other projections, you basically end up with the cost of batteries being less than the ingredients required to make it, says Randall Field, executive director of the Mobility of the Future group at MIT. We see that as a flaw.

The numbers

Current lithium-ion battery packs are estimated to cost from around $175 to $300 per kilowatt-hour. (A typical midrange EV has a 60/kWh battery pack.)

A number of commercial and academic researchers have projected that the costs of such batteries will reach $100/kWh by 2025 or before, which many proclaim is the magic number where EVs and gas-fueled vehicles reach retail price parity without subsidies. And they would continue to fall from there.

But reaching the $100 threshold by 2030 would require material costs to remain flat for the next decade, during a period when global demand for lithium-ion batteries is expected to rise sharply, MIT's "Insights into Future Mobility" study notes. It projects that costs will likely fall only to $124 per kilowatt-hour by then. At that point, the total cost of ownership between the categories would be about the same, given the additional fuel and maintenance costs of gas-fueled vehicles. (Where these lines cross precisely depends heavily on local fuel costs and vehicle type, among other factors.)

But the sticker price of an EV with 200 miles of range would still run thousands of dollars more than a comparable gas-fueled vehicle in many areas. While closing the gap on total cost of ownership would be a solid step for electric vehicles, the average consumer is very sensitive to the upfront price tagand what it equates to in monthly payments.

Costs are likely to continue to improve as, among other things, companies reduce the level of pricey cobalt in battery components and achieve manufacturing improvements as production volumes rise. But metals mining is already a mature process, so further declines there are likely to slow rapidly after 2025 as the cost of materials makes up a larger and larger portion of the total cost, the report finds.

Deeper cost declines beyond 2030 are likely to require shifts from the dominant lithium-ion chemistry today to entirely different technologies, like lithium-metal, solid-state and lithium-sulfur batteries. Each of these are still in much earlier development stages, so its questionable whether any will be able to displace lithium-ion by 2030, Field says.

Gene Berdichevsky, chief executive of anode materials maker Sila Nanotechnologies, agrees it will be hard for the industry to consistently break through the $100/kWh floor with current technology.

But he also thinks the paper discounts some of the nearer-term improvements well see in lithium-ion batteries without full-fledged shifts to different chemistries. By 2030, Berdichevsky expects, battery packs will be able to store significantly more energy and last many more miles on the road, which can cut costs, improve performance, and otherwise boost the relative appeal of EVs.

Driving forward

The good news is a growing number of manufacturers around the world are moving into EVs, rolling out different models at different price points.

On Sunday, Ford unveiled an electric SUV set to hit showrooms next year, dubbed the Mustang Mach E. Audi, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, and Tesla have all introduced battery-powered SUVs as well, catering to consumers tastes for larger vehicles.

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But the MIT study notes that achieving deep reductions in transportation emissions will require a parallel overhaul of the electricity systems used to charge EVs.

Currently, US carbon emissions per mile for a battery electric vehicle are on average only about 45% less than those from a gas-fueled vehicle of comparable size. Thats because fossil fuels still generate the dominant share of electricity in most markets, and the manufacturing process for EVs generates considerably higher emissions, mainly related to the battery production.

EVs in some US regions, notably including coal states like West Virginia, could generate nearly the same level of emissions as standard vehicles over their lives. In parts of India and China with particularly dirty electricity systems, EVs may even generate more emissions than gas-fueled vehicles, says Emre Gencer, a research scientist who worked on the study.

If EVs cant compete directly on price in the marketplace, public policy will need to play a larger role in driving EV adoption and cutting transportation emissions.

The MIT study projects that the share of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids will rise in any scenario, reaching 33% of the global vehicle fleet by 2050 as prices slowly decline, even with no additional climate polices. But a strong set of additional regulations, including a global carbon tax set high enough to prevent 2 C of warming, would push that figure to 50% by midcentury.

That would add up to hundreds of millions of additional low-emission vehicles on the roads, and prevent 1.5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide from reaching the atmosphere.

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Why the electric-car revolution may take a lot longer than expected - MIT Technology Review