Blossom: A Handmade Approach to Social Robotics from Cornell and Google – IEEE Spectrum

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As excited as we are about the forthcoming generation of social home robots (including Jibo, Kuri, and many others), it's hard to ignore the fact that most of them look somewhat similar. They tend to feature lots of shiny white and black plasticky roundness. Thats foradmittedly very good reasons, but it comes at the cost of both uniqueness and visual and tactile personality.

Guy Hoffman, who is well known for the fascinating creativity of his robot designs, has been working on a completely new kind of social robot in a collaboration between his lab at Cornell and Google ZOO's creative technology team in APAC. The robot is called Blossom, and we'd describe it for you, except that it's designed to be handmade out of warm natural materials like wool and wood so that every single one is a little bit different.

Blossom is not the first soft robot designed to interact with people, and also not the first to use materials that emphasize touch. Robots like Keepon, Tofu and Mochi, and Romibo all encourage tactile interaction through things like squishiness and fluffiness, deliberately avoiding hard plastics wherever possible. Blossom, however, is perhaps the first robot to be soft both inside and outside, using a compliant internal structure to enable movements that give the robot a somewhat imperfect (and therefore much more organic) personality.

The outside of Blossom can be equally organic and imperfect, especially if you're not very good at crocheting or woodworking, since Blossom's exterior is very much do-it-yourself. Most DIY-type robots rely on 3D printing, which is usually reasonable for the sorts of people who decide that they want a DIY-type robot, but Blossom is designed to be accessible and engaging for people who might be more comfortable with traditional crafts that don't necessarily rely on the latest technology. As Guy Hoffman explained to us, we were asking ourselves:How can we involve the whole family in building technology for the home?And the idea of crafts like knitting, sewing, and traditional woodworking came out of that question.

Blossom's overall aesthetic is, in some ways, a response to the way that the design of home robots (and personal technology) has been trending recently. We're surrounding ourselves with sterility embodied in metal and plastic, perhaps because of a perception that tech should be flawless. And I suppose when it comes to my phone or my computer, sterile flawlessness is good.But for personal home robots, it makes personality so much harder to achieve. As notoriously flawed humans, we have an easier time bonding with things that aren't perfect, yet while we occasionally see this leveraged in the programming of a social robot, very rarely is it an integral part of the physical design. It's this inherent imperfection that's part of what we like so much about Blossom. We asked Guy Hoffman where he got the inspiration for it:

IEEE Spectrum: How did you conceptualize the design for Blossom?

Guy Hoffman: Looking at the design of the huge number of social robots revealed in recent years, there are a lot of repetitive features: white shiny plastic with metal or black accents, glass screens and smooth, rounded lines and edges. The overall shape and metaphor of these robots always reminds me of miniature or child-sized astronauts.With Blossom, I wanted to reject almost all of this common wisdom of domestic robot design.

Interestingly, in the design world outside of robotics, as we buy more and more shiny plastic and glass devices, there is an opposite trends towards handcrafted objects and experiences. From craft beer to craft light bulbs, it seems that the more accelerated and digital our culture becomes, we gain a new appreciation for the slow, inefficient, and one-of-a-kind process of traditional crafts. I wanted to bring some of that sentiment to social robot design.

Can you explain what is so unique about Blossom's aesthetic?

Guy Hoffman:Blossom is made out of soft, handcrafted materials, so its external shape is neither sleek nor smooth. The robots shape is not even well-defined, and instead folds, creases, and shifts as the robot moves. The materials are warm and natural, including wool, cotton, and wood. When you look at Blossom and touch it, you are met with organic textures and even the scents of natural materials.

At one point, when I was crocheting one of the shells for the robot, a coworker of mine noticed me and said that she loves crocheting. She literally pulled the hook and yarn from my hands, and ended up finishing the robot for me, much faster and with a much nicer knot pattern than I could have ever done myself. And thats another point of a handcrafted robot: people who would never consider building a robot can participate in the design of their own family robot.

This also makes this personal robot more deeply personal. You can imagine someone making a robot for a loved one, just like people used to make ragdolls and pass them on between generations. In that sense, Blossom attempts something thats often promised with social robots: "bringing people together." But Blossom does that in an indirect way by having one person craft the robot for another.

Is it intentional that your design for Blossom doesn't have a face?

Guy Hoffman: Personally, I am not a fan of robot faces, and in particular robot eyes. Eyes are a strong indicator of a sophisticated sensory organ and an even more sophisticated brain behind that organ. People who see eyes need to accept a proto-social illusion in which the robot can really see them, and understand them. There is something deceptive about robot eyes and faces, and that makes me uncomfortable.

However, Blossom having no eyes or face is one of the most common critiques I have heard about the design so far, and I am willing to accept that it might be a minority choice and a pet peeve of mine. The good news is that Blossom is customizable! Adding eyes is as simple as stitching on two buttons or doll-eyes (it would freak me out if someone did that, though). Thats exactly the power of a handcrafted robot: you can really make it your own.

Blossom moves very organically. Can you describe what's going on inside the robot to make that possible?

Guy Hoffman:In the first few prototypes, the interior of Blossom was designed using standard practices of rigid links attached to servo motors. However, the soft exterior demanded an equally soft interior. My lab is next to Rob Shepherds Organic Robotics Lab, and I am continuously inspired by the advances in soft robotics.

The breakthrough came from my students Michael Suguitan and Greg Holman, who found the right balance between soft actuators and handmade/customizable mechanisms. The soft components give the robot a physical compliance which make Blossom move in an imperfect, lifelike way, and would be impossible to recreate with rigid components. Having worked on expressive robots for many years, one of the biggest challenges of expressive social robots is to make a rigid, hard, and digitally controlled device move in a way that seems lifelike to the viewer. Blossom achieves this goal in part through its physical and mechanical structure, with a lot of softness built into the materials used to drive the robot.

The Blossom project is a collaboration between Hoffman's lab at Cornell and the team at Google ZOO's creative technology team in APAC. Miguel de Andrs-Clavera is the Head of Creative Technology at Google Asia Pacific, and he shared some details with us about what the near-term goal is for Blossom:

IEEE Spectrum: Why is Google interested in partnering with Cornell to build a new kind of social robot?

Miguel de Andrs-Clavera:The idea of Blossom is to provide developers with a platform they can use to create smart social companions. It's still very early stages, but we're excited about exploring meaningful and creative applications of machine learning together with Cornell. It has been great to work with Cornell and Guy's research lab. He is at the leading edge of HCI [human computer interaction] and has done incredible work in robotics. His mission of engineering empathy by bringing more meaningful interactions between us and machines during our everyday interaction with them is really exciting.

How will Blossom help you leverage machine learning to do something uniquely useful?

Miguel de Andrs-Clavera:Machine learning promises to improve people's lives in many different ways we are already using it in most of our productsand are making AI accessible to developers, researchers, and companies through our Cloud Machine Learning APIs and TensorFlow, our open-source machine learning framework. Social robotics is an area that we believe can have a huge positive impact on fields like education or even therapy.

One project we're working on is using Blossom to create a social companion for kids in the autism spectrum. Our research specifically explores how smart companions can help with social learning through showing empathetic responses while watching videos together. We're excited about the results that we've seen with Blossom so far, and are now looking to develop it further with partners that wish to make this social learning platform for children in the spectrum more widely available to schools and families.

Essentially, Blossom's first job in research is as a media companion.The robot will watch YouTube videos with you, physically reacting to their content, adding another layer or dimension to the experience, pulling that experience out of the screen and into the real world,says Hoffman. Think MST3K, except without the snarky commentary, but still offering an independent perspective of sorts thats on the side of the viewer rather than something internal to the video.

This may not seem like it would accomplish much, but there's been a substantial amount of research on the effects that co-watching can have on viewers: for example, people experience racially or gender charged videos much differently depending on who they're sitting next to. A robot viewing companion will elicit different reactions to different things, of course, but Hoffmans research has shown that sharing an experience (like watching a video or listening to a song) with a robot can, in fact, shape your own experience: If the robot seems to like what it's seeing or hearing, you're more likely to enjoy it as well, even if the robot isnt interacting with you directly. As it turns out, that shared experience also results in a more positive opinion of the robot, too.

The way that Blossom interacts with videos at the moment relies on a special type of caption file that must be hand-coded, but the broader concept is that eventually, TensorFlow will enable Blossom to automatically identify features like emotions that it sees or hears in a video and autonomously react to them in real time. This could be enormously helpful to children with autism, who may be able to use Blossom's reactions to help them understand the social and emotional aspects of what theyre watching. To be clear, the researchers don't know whether this will actually work or not, but Miguel de Andrs-Clavera tells us that Google is excited to develop Blossom further with partners that want to make it more widely available to children on the Autistic spectrum, their schools, and their families.

More generally, Blossom could use these video interpretation skills it's developing to provide commentary, emotional reactions, or even be an additional character outside of the screen,Hoffman says. "Imagine how you would experience a football game with the robot rooting for the other team, or whether you might find the Emmy awards more satisfying with the robot providing a snobby commentary track to whatever is happening on the screen.

No matter what functionality Blossom ends up with in the future, Hoffman hopes that its design will have a tangible influence on the way that roboticists (and consumers) think about what a robot can, and should, look like: if robots are truly going to enter our day-to-day lives, we want a broader and more inclusive definition of their aesthetics.It's fortunate that many of those aesthetics are based on end user crafting, which should make Blossom more accessible. The complicated and expensive bit is the core, but the researchers are working on redesigning it to make it as affordable as possible. If Cornell and Google can get Blossoms out there in the wild, that's when we'll begin to understand its true potential, Hoffman tells us: I am really curious to see what people imagine blossom to be like, look like, and move like, once it gets in the hands of designers of all ages and walks of life.

Blossom is a collaboration between Cornell and Google ZOO's creative technology team in APAC, withGuy Hoffman, Michael Suguitan, Greg Holman, James Redd, and Emma Cohn from Cornell; Miguel de Andrs Clavera, Rosa Uchima, Gene Brutty, Alex Chia, and Mandy Vu from Google.

IEEE Spectrums award-winning robotics blog, featuring news, articles, and videos on robots, humanoids, drones, automation, artificial intelligence, and more. Contact us:e.guizzo@ieee.org

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Blossom: A Handmade Approach to Social Robotics from Cornell and Google - IEEE Spectrum

China’s Robot Revolution May Affect the Global Economy – Bloomberg

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China is installing more robots than any other nation, and that may affect every other nation.

Shipments jumped27 percent to about 90,000 units last year, a single-country record and almost a third of the global total,and will nearly double to160,000in 2019, the International Federation of Robotics estimates.

The blazing pace hasnt dented Chinese wages yet but it might influence the global economy, according to a reportthis week by Bloomberg Intelligence.

Automation may drive productivity gains and export competitiveness, but the rising use of robots also threatens to exacerbate domestic income inequality, undermining consumption. And that could spill out beyond the countrys borders, economists said.

By turbocharging supply and depressing demand, automation risks exacerbating Chinas reliance on export-driven growth threatening hopes for a more balanced domestic and global economy, BI economistsTom OrlikandFielding Chenwrote.

Pay gains are intact. Domestic manufacturingworkers with a high-school education sawwages rise 53 percentfrom 2010 to 2014, according to China Household Finance Survey data cited by BI.

Increasing use of robots should be bad news for medium-skilled workers, especially those in sectors where routine work means scope for automation, Orlikand Chen said.Yet wage growth in China remains rapid, and if anything medium-skilled workers conducting routine work are doing better than average.

Robots are at the core of the governments sweepingMade in China 2025plan to upgrade factories to be highly automated andtechnologically-advanced. Replacing assembly-line workerswill also help it to offset a shrinking working-age population.

And while China is catching up to global leaders like South Korea and Singapore, saturation is nowhere in sight and its density of robots is below the world average, according to the IFR.

China also is buying more and more of its own robots. Under Made in China 2025 anda five-year robot plan launched last year, Beijing plans to focus on automating key sectors like car manufacturing, electronics, appliances, logistics, and food.

Therobotrevolutionproposed byPresident Xi Jinpingin 2014will also raise fears of greater inequalityas the benefits of productivity gains are skewed toward the owners of capital, at the expense of workers, according to BI. Such an outcome would be bad news for household spending and might delay the shift toward a consumer-driven economy, Orlik and Chen said.

The government also wants to increase the share of Chinese-branded robots in the countrys $11 billion market to more than 50 percentof total sales volume by 2020 from 31 percent last year, and aims to produce 100,000 robots a year by 2020, compared with 33,000 in 2015.That means competition will intensify for foreign firms that supply 67 percentof Chinas robots, such as JapansFanuc Corp.and Yaskawa Electric Corp., according to BI.

The combination of a massive domestic market, policy-driven technology transfer from foreign to domestic firms and government funding often proves brutally effective.

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China's Robot Revolution May Affect the Global Economy - Bloomberg

Robotics: A changing frontier in modern medicine – University of Virginia The Cavalier Daily

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By Nisha Dabhi | 08/22/2017

The idea of robotics-like technology is not a relatively new idea. While the concept of using robotics comes from classical times, it was during the 20th century that research into the design, building and potential uses of robotic technology grew in areas such as industry, military and science. For industrial operations such as those within the automobile industry robotic technology carries out tasks such as welding and painting quickly and safely. In aerospace, robotic orbiters, landers and rovers are able to collect samples on the moon and other planets. In the medical field, such technologies play a role from patient intakes through recovery helping with blood testing, imaging, taking vitals, surgery and rehabilitation. These are a summary of major robotic advances that have impacted the healthcare industry over the past year.

Taking Vital Signs

The Belgian company BeWell created a robot kiosk called the Wellpoint system to assist healthcare professions in admitting patients. The robot measures vital signs such as heart rate and pulse oximetry and is able to upload the information to digital medical records at a rate four minutes faster than humans. As such, the Wellpoint system minimizes the time needed to take vitals and frees up nurses and doctors to spend more time assisting and talking to patients.

Testing Blood Samples

Besides taking vitals, nurses and doctors also often draw patients blood to be sent to testing centers. Blood testing offers crucial information about a patients health such as mineral content, cholesterol levels and potential diseases. However, since humans often perform manual blood testing using different techniques, a lack of standardization exists even within a single company. Robotics can help with standardizing such blood testing. The University Medical Centers Clinical Core Lab utilizes an automated line system that transports samples to different areas of the lab depending on the type of testing. An automated system does everything the same way every time, while one person might do something different than another person, Core Lab senior manager Randall Vandevander said. So once the sample goes on the automation line, it does everything the same way for every sample. Additionally, since analyzers read patient information from barcodes, the technology minimizes potential for testing the wrong patients sample. While this technology eliminates the need for lab technicians to touch or move test tubes to conduct sample processing, the lab still offers a major role for technicians. Before, they spent so much time in the physical testing process but now they have more time to do more of the quality checking, Vandevander said.

Da Vinci: Assisting in Surgery

The use of robotics technology also exists in other complex areas of medicine, such as surgery. Since 2000, the da Vinci Surgical System has been used by hospitals across the United States and Europe for a wide range of surgeries such as hysterectomies, prostatectomies and gynecological surgeries. da Vinci robots consist of a console and four interactive robotics arms. The jointed wrist design of the robotic arms allows for greater flexibility than a normal human hand. Surgeons still control the system, but since the robot offers greater reach and flexibility, incisions can be smaller, more precise and less invasive. According to da Vinci manufacturer Intuitive Surgical, between 2007 and 2009 the number of such systems installed in U.S. hospitals grew by about 75%. However, critics note that there may be some risks involved with using the da Vinci system. Surgeons report that there is a steep learning curve to using this technology, and during the training phase operations can take twice as long as traditional surgery. This setback keeps operation rooms unavailable and leaves patients under anesthesia for longer.

Helping in Other Procedures

Other fields, such as interventional cardiology, have only just begun to utilize some robotics systems such as Corindus Medical a robotic system that aids cardiologists in procedures such as coronary stenting and ballooning. Coronary stenting and ballooning places a device in the arteries of the heart to keep them open and allow blood to pass through. Corindus Medical aids physicians by robotically delivering the guidewires and devices required throughout the procedures. The main advantage is that [Corindus Medical] allows the operator to be out of the radiation field, Director of Interventional Cardiology Michael Ragosta said in an email to The Cavalier Daily. It also may improve precision of the stent delivery for lesion coverage and that might reduce the number of stents we use per procedure. However, according to Ragosta, the current technology in use is cumbersome and is only in the very early stages of implementation. It is far from ready for prime time and broad application, Ragosta said.

Aiding in Recovery

Robotic technology can also help patients who have lost limbs or need to improve mobility. Advanced prosthetics like brain-controlled bionic limbs allow amputee patients to move their prosthetic limb when their brain thinks about a movement, transmitting that signal to the affected limb through sensors embedded in muscle tissues. Though in some cases insurance companies cover such expenses, often patients are left with the bill for these robotic solutions and prosthetics generally come with a high price tag. For example, a prosthetic leg can cost up to $50,000 and may need to be replaced every five years. As a result, many patients cannot afford these devices unless they are made more affordable in the future. Nonetheless, the availability of such technologies demonstrates the expanding role of robotics not only in diagnosing, surgery and treatment but also in overall patient care and recovery.

Helping to Thoroughly Disinfect

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 out of every 25 patients will get an infection on any given day in a U.S. hospital, and about 1 out of 9 of those infected die as a result. Although personnel regularly clean and disinfect hospitals, robotics may offer a more effective and efficient solution. The Texas company Xenex has created disinfection robots that have a Xenon-containing light bulb that kills 99.9% of viruses and bacteria. The market for these robots has been growing over the last few years and is expected to continue to grow. By 2020, the industry for disinfection robots is predicted to grow to $2.8 billion.

Being a Companion

Reportedly affecting 300 million people globally, depression has a number of risk factors. According to the American Psychological Association, one of those factors is loneliness. Robot companions such as Jibo, Pepper, Paro and Buddy can act as social partners and alleviate mental health issues. Some of these robotic companions have touch sensors, cameras and microphones that enable communication and can improve patient health.

Beyond applications in surgery, clinical assessments and everyday life, the expanding robotics market is expected to bring changes across the workforce as well as allow for better accuracy and efficiency in the healthcare industry by decreasing the incidence of human error and limitations. The research firm Forrester predicts that cognitive technologies such as artificial intelligence and automation will replace 7% of U.S. jobs by 2025. Nevertheless, as the realm of robotics continues to grow it will create new jobs such as data scientists and automation specialists in the healthcare industry and beyond.

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Robotics: A changing frontier in modern medicine - University of Virginia The Cavalier Daily

Home robots can be easily hacked to spy on and attack owners, say researchers – The Verge

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Its going to be a long time before robots are genuinely useful around the house, but when they get there, well need to be sure theyre safe. A cybersecurity firm has proved this with a new report today demonstrating how to hack a number of popular robots including Pepper, a humanoid greeting bot built by Japanese company SoftBank.

The researchers from Seattle-based IOActive show how the machines can be turned into surveillance devices, sending audio and video of their owners back to the hackers, or how they can be remotely controlled in ways that might harm humans. You can see this demonstrated in the video below, where an Alpha 2 robot (built by China-based UBTech Robotics) attacks a tomato as best it can with a screwdriver.

Now obviously, a bot like Alpha 2 isnt going to cause much damage to anyone capable of just moving a foot away from it. But home robots like this are only going to get more capable and more powerful as technology progresses. Plus, IOActive also proved that even bigger, industrial robots are not immune to attacks.

As well as hacking Pepper, the Alpha robots, and Nao (another SoftBank creation), the researchers were able to compromise industrial robot arms made by a company called Universal Robotics. These arms are designed to work alongside humans, but the researchers were able to override their safety protocols.

This required the hijackers to have access to the same network as the robot (or to be able to physically tamper with it), but being able to control such a bot could have disastrous effects. As IOActive told Bloomberg, Universal Robotics creations are powerful enough that, even running at low speeds, their force is more than sufficient to cause a skull fracture.

Reports like this arent necessarily technically impressive or that surprising, but they prove that we take the security of many connected devices for granted. Last year, an army of hacked IoT devices cameras, light bulbs, thermostats was formed into a botnet and used to take down the internet. Think of the damage an army of actual robots armed with screwdrivers could do instead.

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Home robots can be easily hacked to spy on and attack owners, say researchers - The Verge

SA warned on lack of coding and robotics at schools – Business Day (registration)

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Valter Ado, chief digital and innovation officer at Deloitte Africa, agreed with Nxasana.

"If we get our kids to start understanding embracing this [coding and programming], they will ... pick it up," Ado said.

The basics of work in the future were going to be about data and the ability to develop smart algorithms, which children in some private schools were already learning to do.

Internet access in schools had been universally achieved in the majority of European and other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, a report by the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development and the International Telecommunication Union showed.

Connectivity remained an issue in most developing countries and was still below 10% in countries from all developing regions including Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa, it said.

Nicholas Haan, director of global grand challenges and team project leader at Singularity University, also said price and connectivity continued to be limiting factors in providing access to connectivity. The democratisation of technology meant that anyone, anywhere could gain access and anyone could be an innovator.

However, unless Africa dealt with corruption "it would always swim upstream" with development and exponential technology, he said.

SAs relative rule of law, financial capital, education institutions and a vibrant banking sector incentivised investment into technology, Haan said.

Intellectual property regulation was a hindrance and government policy could at times deter entrepreneurial development that would potentially benefit education and health.

"The answer lies in open source. Elon Musk open-sourced Tesla and allowed entrepreneurs to access his information to replicate that product," he said.

gumedem@businesslive.co.za

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SA warned on lack of coding and robotics at schools - Business Day (registration)

Sears Canada files for bankruptcy – Jun. 22, 2017

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Sears Canada, which has more than 200 stores and about 17,000 employees, was spun-off as an independent company in 2012. But the filing is still bad news for Sears Holdings (SHLD), which owns both the Sears and Kmart brands in the United States. Sears Holdings still owns 12% of its shares.

Sears Holdings CEO and principal shareholder Eddie Lampert, who has been struggling to keep the company afloat amid its own mounting losses, owns a total of 45% of Sears Canada both personally and through his hedge fund.

The bankruptcy filing was not a surprise. Sears Canada said a week ago that it was in danger of running out of the cash it needed to fund operations. Thursday's filing said that it expects to remain in business.

Related: Retail bloodbath - Bankruptcy filings are up

Sears Canada said that recent changes to its stores are starting to resonate with consumers, but it had to file for bankruptcy to give it the time it needed to let those changes take hold. In the last quarter alone, Sears Canada burned through about 30% of its cash and maxed out its existing credit lines. It said it had planned to borrow 175 million Canadian dollars to fund operations, but after negotiations with lenders it found it could only secure only C$109 million in additional loans.

Sears Canada said it hoped to be able to restructure and emerge from bankruptcy later this year. It did not give any details about store closing plans or staff cuts it might make as part of its restructuring.

In March, Sears Holdings also issued a warning about there being "substantial doubt" it could stay in business. But that warning, as serious as it was, did not paint the dire picture of a company running out of cash in the near term as did Sears Canada's warning last week.

Sears and Sears Canada are hardly the only struggling retailers. In the United States, retail bankruptcies are up about 30% so far this year, according to BankruptcyData.com. Well known names including RadioShack, Gymboree, Sports Authority and Payless Shoes have all filed for bankruptcy within the last year. Total store closings across the U.S. are likely to reach record levels this year.

By some estimates, 25% of U.S. malls could close within the next five years. Department stores have shed 46% of their workers since 2001, a greater percentage of their jobs than coal mines or factories have lost over the same period.

CNNMoney (New York) First published June 22, 2017: 8:41 AM ET

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Sears Canada files for bankruptcy - Jun. 22, 2017

Bankruptcy | Wex Legal Dictionary / Encyclopedia | LII …

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Overview

Bankruptcy law provides for the reduction or elimination of certain debts, and can provide a timeline for the repayment of nondischargeable debts over time. It also permits individuals and organizations to repay secured debt--typically debtwith real estate orpersonal property like vehicles pledged as collateral--often onterms more favorable to the debtor.

Federal bankruptcy law is contained in Title 11 of the U.S.Code. Congress passed the Bankruptcy Code under its constitutional grant of authority to "establish... uniform laws on the subject of Bankruptcy throughout the United States." See U.S. Constitution Article I, Section 8. States may not regulate bankruptcy, butthey may pass laws that govern other aspects of therelationship between the debtor and creditor. A number of sections of Title 11 incorporate the debtor-creditor law of the individual States.

Bankruptcy proceedings are supervised by and litigated inBankruptcy Court, which is part of the Federal District Court system. Congress established the U.S.Trustee Programto oversee theadministrationof bankruptcy proceedings, and authorized the U.S. Supreme Court to promulgatethe Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure.

Chapter 7 provides for the discharge of unsecured debt, such as debt from credit cards and personal loans. Secured debt is typically unaltered, meaning that the collateral securing the debtremains in the debtor's possession as long as timely payments aremade.Chapter 7 is always available to corporations and individuals with primarily business debt. Otherwise, individuals cannot file a Chapter 7 petition unless they meet certain income requirements.

Chapter 9 governsthe reorganization of municipalities and related local entities, such ascounty-owned hospitals and school districts. Individuals and corporations cannot file for bankruptcy under Chapter 9.

Chapter 11 is the most comprehensive chapter of the Bankruptcy Code; it provides myriadoptions to reorganize debt, e.g.by repaying some debts, discharging others and restructuring the remainder. Although individuals may file for Chapter 11 relief, the relatively high filing fees and administrative costs lead most individuals to favor Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings.

Chapter 12 provides for the restructuring of debtfor family farmers.Only family farmers (as defined in Sec. 101 of Title 11)are eligible and, though not analogous, it shares many characteristics with aChapter 13proceeding.

Chapter 13 permits the discharge of some debt, as well as the repayment of otherdebtover a period of three to five years.It may also permit a reduction in principal owed on secured debt, or the elimination of these debts altogether. It can also be used to structure a repayment plan for debtthat cannot be discharged in bankruptcy. Only individuals may file under this chapter, and there are some limited income and debt qualifications.

Typically, recent tax debtas well as child support, criminal restitution, and student loans will not be discharged in bankruptcyunless they are repaid in full by the debtorduring the course of the proceeding.

Individuals are permitted to keep certain assets without regard to the type of bankruptcy sought. For example, Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)are protected under 522(d)of Title 11 and thus cannot be involuntarily used to repay creditors in a bankruptcy.Varying levels of home equity are also often protected, asarepersonal vehicles in varying amounts.

In Czyzewski v. Jevic Holding Corp., the U.S. Supreme Court held that "when a bankruptcy court orders a Chapter 11case dismissed, it can't also order the distribution of the debtor's assets in a way that contradicts the order of payment in a bankruptcy liquidation." This is an affirmation of the Chapter 11 absolute priority rule, which stipulates the order of payment in a liquidation. Compare to the 2009 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of General Motors, in which the absolute priority rule was not followed.

In Midland Funding, LLC v. Johnson, the Court ruled "that debt collectors can use bankruptcy proceedings to try to collect liabilities that are so old the statute of limitations has expired." This result, however, is dependent on state law. In this case, the relevant state law provides that a creditor has the right to payment of a debt even after the statute of limitations has expired, according to the Court's opinion.

Stern v. Marshall was a complex and high-profile case involving the estate of the defendant's late husband, and eventually her own bankruptcy. Anna Nicole Smith, a.k.a. Vickie Marshall, filed for bankruptcy in California while the estate case was open in a Texas probate court. The bankruptcy court's decision included a judgment on a counterclaim that Marshall made against the plaintiff, which was otherwise unrelated to the bankruptcy. Although state law allowed the bankruptcy court jurisdiction in this situation, the U.S. Supreme Courtheld that it was an unconstitutional exercise of jurisdiction. That is, bankruptcy courts have very limited jurisdiction.

TheSternprecedent was relevant years later in Executive Benefits Insurance Agency v. Arkison, in which the Court held that, underStern'sreasoning, it is unconstitutional for a bankruptcy court to enter a final judgment on a bankruptcy-related claim.It may, however,issue proposed findings of factand conclusions of law, which are to be reviewed de novo by the district court.

Last updated in June of 2017 by Stephanie Jurkowski.

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Battery storage manufacturer Alevo files for bankruptcy | Utility Dive – Utility Dive

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Alevo USA and Alevo Manufacturing filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy court protection late last week.

In the filing, with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, Alevo said it hopes to achieve an orderly liquidation of their assets and maximize value to pay their creditors.

Alevo is the second battery maker to file for bankruptcy this year after pinning its hopes on a novel technology. The battery storage developer made a $1 billion bet on a new technology that would grant longer life to enable lithium-ion batteries. The bankruptcy comes after another energy storage

In March, Aquion Energy, which was developing an aqueous hybrid battery based on salt water, filed for bankruptcy.

Alevo signed an agreement with Ormat Technologies early this year to jointly build, own and operate the 10 MW Rabbit Hill Energy Storage Project in Georgetown, Texas, about 10 miles north of Austin. And last year, the company began a project to build an 8 MW, 4 MWh energy storage system in Lewes, Dela., that would use Alevos GridBank technology.

This decision was driven by the formidable challenges of bringing a new technology into commercial production and lacking the financial wherewithal to continue on through repeated manufacturing delays. It is a sad day for our dedicated employees and partners, as well as for the promise of Alevos technology, Peter Heintzelman, chief financial officer at Alevo, said in a statement.

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Joe’s Crab Shack closings follow parent company’s bankruptcy filing … – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Joe's Crab Shack closings follow parent company's bankruptcy filing ...
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Joe's Crab Shack restaurant in Robinson has closed, making it the latest in a string of abrupt Crab Shack closings nationwide in recent weeks.
Joe's Crab Shack abruptly shuts down Pittsburgh area location ...Tribune-Review

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Joe's Crab Shack closings follow parent company's bankruptcy filing ... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Czech researcher speaks at UNL on Europe’s state of democracy – Daily Nebraskan

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Dr. Martina Klicperova-Baker, a senior researcher from the Institute of Psychology & Academy of Sciences in the Czech Republic, spoke at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on Tuesday, Aug. 22.

She opened her presentation on the state of democracy in Europe by referencing her own experience of living with, and losing, democracy in her own country.

Thank you for sharing with me your solar eclipse, Klicperova-Baker said. The day of the Soviet invasion [of the Czech Republic] in 1968 was the day of the eclipse. It is a day ingrained in our memory. It began an age of totality that lasted 20 years.

Klicperova-Baker was invited by the universitys Czech and Global Studies programs to utilize her specialties in the psychology of democracy, the transition to democracy and political psychology to discuss democracy in Europe.

She began the program by discussing the institution of democracy.

Quoting Madeleine Albright, Klicperova-Baker said, While democracy in the long run is the most stable form of government, in the short run it is the most fragile.

Despite the permanent tension of democracy, Klicperova-Baker said its the regime that best secures the rights and self-actualization of its citizens.

Democracies are killing fewer of their own citizens than other regimes, Klicperova-Baker said. And real democracies do not wage war with each other.

Klicperova-Baker pointed to democracies around the world, such as Canada and Australia, as examples of secular democratic systems in which citizens enjoy a high quality of life, yet conceded that, while democracy is imperfect, we dont have anything better.

The more we approach [an ideal democracy], the more it is running away from us, Klicperova-Baker said. It is always on the horizon.

Klicperova-Baker said the number of people living in democratic institutions around the world is growing, but the number of those in autocracies remains stable.

She attributed the difficulty of maintaining a healthy democracy as a reason autocracies remain prominent.

Humans are not necessarily naturally predisposed to a positive democratic coexistence, Klicperova-Baker said. The human psyche is, to a great degree, selfish and self-serving.

Klicperova-Baker then moved to the structure of democracy, breaking it down to its simplest values by alluding to the French Revolutions motto of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.

Liberty, or freedom, is exemplified by less frustration and, in turn, less aggression, Klicperova-Baker said. Equality, or vertical closeness, appears when the gap between the law and popular sovereignty is small. Fraternity, or horizontal closeness, is apparent in humanism, civic culture and civility.

Expanding on her final point of civility, Klicperova-Baker said, Civility is the most important aspect of democracy. Benevolence and respect: that is the cushion, that is the buffer to the permanent conflicts.

According to Klicperova-Baker, the Velvet Revolution and the Velvet Divorce are two events in Czech history that feature the importance of civility.

They were not even stepping on the grass, Klicperova-Baker said. It was a moral revolution, more like a cultural festival.

The Velvet Revolution was a number of peaceful protests in the late 1980s that ultimately led to the split that created the Czech Republic and Slovakia, also known as the Velvet Divorce.

Klicperova-Baker closed by examining the state of democracy in Europe, stressing the importance of looking at specific groups of people rather than entire nations.

To summarize her speech, Klicperova-Baker said, What is important? We found democrats, whether religious or secular, in every country. We cannot forget about the minority, the people who have it very tough in those countries.

How does one remember the minority? According to Klicperova-Baker, The democrats have to stand their ground; they have to fight for free and honest media.

To call this era post-factual or post-truth we must not accept that, Klicperova-Baker said. We cannot let that kind of language win.

news@dailynebraskan.com

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Joss Whedon fan site shuts down after ex-wife’s critical essay – EW.com

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After 15 years, Whedonesque is shutting down.

The popular Joss Whedon fan site announced Monday it is closing down and will become a read-only site at some stage in the future. The site was a discussion board hub for all things related to The Avengers director and Firefly showrunner, who has inspired a passionate and loyal fan community that few writer-producers in Hollywood can match.

Recently, Whedon who has supported and espoused feminist causes and created strong female characters throughout his career has been under fire among somefans after his ex-wife, Kai Cole, wrote a guest blog for The Wrap alleging her former husband is a hypocrite preaching feminist ideals.

The two were married in the 1990s, separated in 2012 and finalized their divorce in 2016. Cole accused her ex ofa secret affair on the set ofBuffy the Vampire Slayer, and claimed Whedon hid multiple affairs and a number of inappropriate emotional ones that he had with his actresses, co-workers, fans, and friends. Cole said she wrote the blogto let women know that he is not who he pretends to be. Whedon issued a statement sayingthe blog includes inaccuracies and misrepresentations, but also that he wont comment out of concern for his children and out of respect for his ex-wife.

Whedonesque owners were asked by readers if the site was shutting down because of the issue or for another reason.While no exact reason was given for the closure, one owner, Caroline van Oosten de Boer, didnt deny it might have been a factor, but stated, I have been toying with closing down the site for various reasons for the last five years or so.

On social media, van Oosten de Boer also tweeted about the site shut down (and alluded to Coles accusations):

Readers opinions were varied, many feeling that Whedons personal life shouldnt be an issue in continuing the fan site. Though as one reader put it: Seems the right decision to close the site, and a dignified last post. This site has felt like a kind of time capsule to me, the way it harks back to the golden age of Joss Whedon shows, and also the now antiquated site design. 🙂 It served fans of his work well over the years, but times change and its time to move on.Obviously, a sad way for things to end, but such is life. I guess heroes always turn out to be flawed and complex people, some more than others.

Despite the site closing, the Whedonseque Twitter account will remain active:

Whedon was previously criticized from a feminist perspective after his film The Avengers: Age of Ultron came under fire for its depiction of Black Widows storyline.

Next up for Whedon is Nov. 17s Justice League, where Whedon took over directing duties from Zack Snyder after the latter suffered a personal family tragedy.

For more on Whedon, check out our 2013 deep-dive interview with the director where he talks about his upbringing, inspirations, early career and more.

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This Chip Uses Electricity to Reprogram Cells for Healing – Singularity Hub

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It sounds like science fiction: with a light zap of electricity, a tiny stamp-like device transforms your skin cells into reservoirs of blood vessels or brain cells, ready to heal you from within.

Recently, a team of medical mavericks at the Ohio State University introduced a device that does just that. The technology, dubbed tissue nanotransfection (TNT), is set to blow up the field of organ regeneration.

When zapped with a light electrical jolt, the device shoots extra bits of DNA code from its nanotube arrays directly into tiny pores in the skin. There, the DNA triggers the cells to shed their identity and reprograms them into other cell types that can be harvested to repair damaged organs.

Remarkably, the effect spreads with time. The rebooted cells release tiny membrane bubbles onto their neighboring skin cells, coaxing them to undergo transformation. Like zombies, but for good.

So far, the device has already been used to generate neurons to protect the brains of mice with experimental stroke. The team also successfully healed the legs of injured mice by turning the skin cells on their hind limbs into a forest of blood vessels.

While still a ways from human use, scientists believe future iterations of the technology could perform a myriad of medical wonders: repairing damaged organs, relieving brain degeneration, or even restoring aged tissue back to a youthful state.

By using our novel nanochip technology, injured or compromised organs can be replaced. We have shown that skin is a fertile land where we can grow the elements of any organ that is declining, says lead author Dr. Chandan Sen, who published the result in Nature Nanotechnology.

In my lab, we have ongoing research trying to understand the mechanism and do even better, adds Dr. L. James Lee, who co-led the study with Sen. So, this is the beginning, more to come.

The Ohio teams research builds on an age-old idea in regenerative medicine: that even aged bodies have the ability to produce and integrate healthy, youthful cellsgiven the right set of cues.

While some controversy remains on whether replacement cells survive in an injured body, scientistsand some rather dubious clinicsare readily exploring the potential of cell-based therapies.

All cells harbor the same set of DNA; whether they turn into heart cells, neurons, or back into stem cells depend on which genes are activated. The gatekeeper of gene expression is a set of specialized proteins. Scientists can stick the DNA code for these proteins into cells, where they hijack its DNA machinery with orders to produce the protein switchesand the cell transforms into another cell type.

The actual process works like this: scientists harvest mature cells from patients, reprogram them into stem cells inside a Petri dish, inject those cells back into the patients and wait for them to develop into the needed cell types.

Its a cumbersome process packed with landmines. Researchers often use viruses to deliver the genetic payload into cells. In some animal studies, this has led to unwanted mutations and cancer. Its also unclear whether the reprogrammed stem cells survive inside the patients. Whether they actually turn into healthy tissue is even more up for debate.

The Ohio teams device tackles many of these problems head on.

Eschewing the need for viruses, the team manufactured a stamp-sized device out of silicon that serves as a reservoir and injector for DNA. Microetched onto each device are arrays of nanochannels that connect to microscopic dents. Scientists can load DNA material into these tiny holding spots, where they sit stably until a ten-millisecond zap shoots them into the recipients tissue.

We based TNT on a bulk transfection, which is often used in the lab to deliver genes into cells, the authors explain. Like its bulk counterpart, the electrical zap opens up tiny, transient pores on the cell membrane, which allows the DNA instructions to get it.

The problem with bulk transfection is that not all genes get into each cell. Some cells may get more than they bargained for and take up more than one copy, which increases the chance of random mutations.

We found that TNT is extremely focused, with each cell receiving ample DNA, the authors say.

The device also skips an intermediary step in cell conversion: rather than turning cells back into stem cells, the team pushed mouse skin cells directly into other mature cell types using different sets of previously-discovered protein factors.

In one early experiment, the team successfully generated neurons from skin cells that seem indistinguishable from their natural counterparts: they shot off electrical pulses and had similar gene expression profiles.

Surprisingly, the team found that even non-zapped cells in the skins deeper layers transformed. Further testing found that the newly reprogrammed neurons released tiny fatty bubbles that contained the molecular instructions for transformation.

When the team harvested these bubbles and injected them into mice subjected to experimental stroke, the bubbles triggered the brain to generate new neurons and repair itself.

We dont know if the bubbles are somehow transforming other brain cell types into neurons, but they do seem to be loaded with molecules that protect the brain, the researchers say.

In an ultimate test of the devices healing potential, the researchers placed it onto the injured hind leg of a handful of mice. Three days prior, their leg arteries had been experimentally severed, whichwhen left untreatedleads to tissue decay.

The team loaded the device with factors that convert skin cells into blood vessel cells. Within a week of conversion, the team watched as new blood vessels sprouted and grew beyond the local treatment area. In the end, TNT-zapped mice had fewer signs of tissue injury and higher leg muscle metabolism compared to non-treated controls.

This is difficult to imagine, but it is achievable, successfully working about 98 percent of the time, says Sen.

A major draw of the device is that its one-touch-and-go.

There are no expensive cell isolation procedures and no finicky lab manipulations. The conversion happens right on the skin, essentially transforming patients bodies into their own prolific bioreactors.

This process only takes less than a second and is non-invasive, and then youre off. The chip does not stay with you, and the reprogramming of the cell starts,says Sen.

Because the converted cells come directly from the patient, theyre in an immune-privileged position, which reduces the chance of rejection.

This means that in the future, if the technology is used to manufacture organs immune suppression is not necessary, says Sen.

While the team plans to test the device in humans as early as next year, Sen acknowledges that theyll likely run into problems.

For one, because the device needs to be in direct contact with tissue, the skin is the only easily-accessible body part to do these conversions. Repairing deeper tissue would require surgery to insert the device into wounded areas. And to many, growing other organ cell types is a pretty creepy thought, especially because the transformation isnt completely localnon-targeted cells are also reprogrammed.

That could be because the body is trying to heal itself, the authors hypothesize. Using the chip on healthy legs didnt sprout new blood vessels, suggesting that the widespread conversion is because of injury, though (for now) there isnt much evidence supporting the idea.

For another, scientists are still working out the specialized factors required to directly convert between cell types. So far, theyve only had limited success.

But Sen and his team are optimistic.

When these things come out for the first time, its basically crossing the chasm from impossible to possible, he says. We have established feasibility.

Image Credit: Researchers demonstrate tissue nanotransfection,courtesy of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

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This Chip Uses Electricity to Reprogram Cells for Healing - Singularity Hub

Why Empowering Women Is the Best Way to Solve Climate Change – Singularity Hub

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In April of this year, the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii recorded its first-ever carbon dioxide reading over 410 parts per million (ppm). This is a brand-new state of affairs, as humans have never existed on Earth with CO2 levels over 300 ppm. If carbon emissions continue their current trend, our atmosphere could get to a point it hasnt been at in 50 million yearswhen temperatures were 18F (10C) higher and there was almost no ice on the planet (meaning there was a lot more water and a lot less land).

Theres long been a consensus between multiple countries to try to limit the temperature change from global warming to two degrees Celsius. This is critical for many reasons, not least the effect hotter temperatures will have (and have already had) on food production.

But author and activist Paul Hawken says two degrees isnt enoughnot nearly enough, in fact. In a moving presentation at Singularity Universitys Global Summit last week in San Francisco, Hawken shared details from his recently-released book Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming.

The term drawdown refers to the point in time when the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere begins to decline on a year-to-year basis. To figure out how to reach that point, Project Drawdown brought together researchers in various fields from around the world to identify, measure, and model the 100 most substantive solutions to global warming. The book describes each solutions history, its carbon impact, its relative cost and savings, the path to adoption, and how it works.

We found that the mantra for global warming is all about energy, energy, energy, Hawken said. Those are critical solutions, dont get me wrong, but somehow we have this idea that if we get energy right then we get a hall pass to the 22nd centuryand nothing could be further from the truth.

Below are the top solutions from Drawdowns model. Its likely at least one will surprise you.

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) largely replaced ozone-damaging chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in refrigeration systems after the 1987 Montreal Protocol. While HFCs are better for the ozone, though, theyre a lot worse for the atmosphere, with 1,000 to 9,000 times the capacity to warm the atmosphere than carbon dioxide.

Countries are now aiming to phase out HFCs, too, starting with high-income countries in 2019. Natural refrigerant substitutes like propane and ammonium are already on the market.

Drawdown found that over thirty years, containing 87 percent of refrigerants likely to be released could avoid emissions equal to 89.7 gigatons of CO2with a projected net price tag of $903 billion by 2050

Wind turbines currently supply around 4 percent of global energy, and could account for up to 30 percent by 2040. In some areas, wind energy is already cheaper than energy from coal, and costs will continue to drop as the technology improves.

Drawdown research found that increasing onshore wind to 21.6 percent of global energy supply by 2050 could reduce emissions by 84.6 gigatons of CO2. The estimated cost is a hefty $1.23 trillion, but it would pay for itself several times over, as wind turbines could produce net savings of $7.4 trillion over three decades of operation.

Since winds not always blowing in most parts of the world, growing wind infrastructure needs to be accompanied by investment in storage and transmission infrastructure too.

One third of all the food thats grown or prepared gets thrown away. In a world where hunger is still a very real problem for millions of people, this is nothing short of absurd. And not only does the food itself get wasted, so do all the components that went into producing it, like water, energy, and human labor. Food production also generates greenhouse gases, and organic trash produces methane. Add up all these components, and food waste accounts for about eight percent of global emissions.

In poorer countries food waste tends to happen earlier in the supply chain, as when produce rots on farms or spoils during storage or distribution. This can be remedied by improving infrastructure for storage, processing, and transportation.

In wealthier nations, retailers and consumers reject food based on cosmetic imperfections, or throw it out when its expiration date passes. National policies against food waste like those enacted in France last year are needed to encourage change, as is a loosening of cosmetic standards for produce by both end consumers and retail chains.

After taking into account the adoption of plant-rich diets, Drawdown found that if 50 percent of food waste is reduced by 2050, avoided emissions could be equal to 26.2 gigatons of CO2. Reducing waste also avoids the deforestation for additional farmland, preventing 44.4 gigatons of additional emissions.

If cattle were their own nation, they would be the worlds third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. As of 2014, the UNs Food and Agriculture Organization found that 14.5 percent of all emissions stemming from human activity come from livestock.

Thats just one good reason to eat more plants. A plant-based diet is also healthier and in many cases more affordable than meat (especially if you consider the impact of government subsidies, such as those benefiting the US livestock industry).

Altering our diet is easier said than done, as peoples food choices are highly personal as well as culturalbut making plant-based options widely available and educating populations about plants health benefits are a good starting point.

Drawdown found that if 50 percent of the worlds population restricted their diet to a healthy 2,500 calories per day and reduced meat consumption overall, at least 26.7 gigatons of emissions could be avoided, plus another 39.3 gigatons from avoided deforestation from land use change.

Tropical forests once covered 12 percent of the worlds land, but now cover just five percent. Much of the clearing has been to make way for agriculture (either crops or livestock). These forests continue to be cleared in some parts of the world, but in others, theyre being restored.

As a forest ecosystem recovers, trees, soil, leaf litter, and other vegetation absorb and hold carbon, Drawdowns tropical forests page says. As flora and fauna return and interactions between organisms and species revive, the forest regains its multidimensional roles: supporting the water cycle, conserving soil, protecting habitat and pollinators, providing food, medicine, and fiber, and giving people places to live, adventure, and worship.

Forests can be restored by releasing land from non-forest use and letting nature do its thing. People can also cultivate and plant native seedlings and remove invasive species to accelerate the process.

Drawdowns model assumes restoration could occur on 435 million acres of degraded tropical land. Through natural regrowth, committed land could sequester 1.4 tons of CO2 per acre annually, for a total of 61.2 gigatons of carbon dioxide by 2050.

Women with more education have fewer children, and the children they do have are healthier. Maternal and infant mortality rates are lower for educated women. Girls who stay in school longer are less likely to marry as children or against their will, they have lower rates of HIV/AIDS and malaria, and their agricultural plots are more productive and their families better nourished.

Drawdown found that economic, cultural, and safety-related barriers prevent 62 million girls around the world from realizing their right to education, and lists these strategies as being key to change:

The UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization estimates universal education in low- and lower-middle-income countries could be achieved by closing an annual financing gap of $39 billion. This could result in an emissions reduction of 59.6 gigatons by 2050.

Drawdowns family planning page states 225 million women in lower-income countries say they want the ability to choose whether and when to become pregnant but lack the necessary access to contraception. The need persists in some high-income countries as well, including the United States, where 45 percent of pregnancies are unintended.

The UNs medium variant global population projectionof 9.7 billion people by 2050 assumes a decline in fertility levels in countries where large families are still common. To achieve this figure (as opposed to the high variant), improving womens access to reproductive health services and family planning is essential, above all in less-developed countries.

Drawdown modeled the impact of family planning based on the difference in how much energy, building space, food, waste, and transportation would be used in a world with little to no investment in family planning compared to one in which the 9.7 billion projection is realized. The resulting emissions reductions could be 119.2 gigatons of CO2. Half this total was allocated to educating girls.

Family planning and educating girls are closely linked in that the former is highly affected by the latterand theyre both key to managing global population growth. Drawdown realized the exact dynamic between these two solutions is impossible to determine, and thus allocated 50 percent of the total potential impact59.6 gigatonsto each. Their models assume these impacts result from thirteen years of schooling, including primary through secondary education.

The total atmospheric CO2 reduction of 119.2 gigatons that could result from empowering and educating women and girls makes this the number one solution to reversing global warming.

A girl who is allowed to be in school and come to be a woman on her termsmakes very different reproductive choices, Hawken said. And when we modeled this we modeled family planning clinics everywhere. Not just in Africa, but in Arkansas. Women everywhere should be supported in their reproductive health and well-being for their families.

Hawken concluded his talk with a perspective on climate change I had never heard before, and most of the audience likely hadnt either.

Global warming isnt happening to us. Its happening for us. Its a gift. Every system without feedback dies. This is feedback. Its an offering to re-imagine who we are and what we can create with our minds, our hearts, and our brilliance.

His presentation received a standing ovation.

Image Credit:Stock Media provided by nito/ Pond5

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12 Companies That Are Making the World a Better Place – Singularity Hub

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The Singularity University Global Summit in San Francisco this week brought brilliant minds together from all over the world to share a passion for using science and technology to solve the worlds most pressing challenges.

Solving these challenges means ensuring basic needs are met for all people. It means improving quality of life and mitigating future risks both to people and the planet.

To recognize organizations doing outstanding work in these fields, SU holds the Global Grand Challenge Awards. Three participating organizations are selected in each of 12 different tracks and featured at the summits EXPO. The ones found to have the most potential to positively impact one billion people are selected as the track winners.

Heres a list of the companies recognized this year, along with some details about the great work theyre doing.

LuminAID makes portable lanterns that can provide 24 hours of light on 10 hours of solar charging. The lanterns came from a project to assist post-earthquake relief efforts in Haiti, when the products creators considered the dangerous conditions at night in the tent cities and realized light was a critical need. The lights have been used in more than 100 countries and after disasters, including Hurricane Sandy, Typhoon Haiyan, and the earthquakes in Nepal.

BreezoMeter uses big data and machine learning to deliver accurate air quality information in real time. Users can see pollution details as localized as a single city block, and data is impacted by real-time traffic. Forecasting is also available, with air pollution information available up to four days ahead of time, or several years in the past.

Aspire Food Group believes insects are the protein of the future, and that technology has the power to bring the tradition of eating insects that exists in many countries and cultures to the rest of the world. The company uses technologies like robotics and automated data collection to farm insects that have the protein quality of meat and the environmental footprint of plants.

Rafiki Power acts as a rural utility company, building decentralized energy solutions in regions that lack basic services like running water and electricity. The companys renewable hybrid systems are packed and standardized in recycled 20-foot shipping containers, and theyre currently powering over 700 household and business clients in rural Tanzania.

MakeSense is an international community that brings together people in 128 cities across the world to help social entrepreneurs solve challenges in areas like education, health, food, and environment. Social entrepreneurs post their projects and submit challenges to the community, then participants organize workshops to mobilize and generate innovative solutions to help the projects grow.

Unima developed a fast and low-cost diagnostic and disease surveillance tool for infectious diseases. The tool allows health professionals to diagnose diseases at the point of care, in less than 15 minutes, without the use of any lab equipment. A drop of the patients blood is put on a diagnostic paper, where the antibody generates a visual reaction when in contact with the biomarkers in the sample. The result is evaluated by taking a photo with an app in a smartphone, which uses image processing, artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Egalite helps people with disabilities enter the labor market, and helps companies develop best practices for inclusion of the disabled. Egalites founders are passionate about the potential of people with disabilities and the return companies get when they invest in that potential.

Iris.AI is an artificial intelligence system that reads scientific paper abstracts and extracts key concepts for users, presenting concepts visually and allowing users to navigate a topic across disciplines. Since its launch, Iris.AI has read 30 million research paper abstracts and more than 2,000 TED talks. The AI uses a neural net and deep learning technology to continuously improve its output.

Hala Systems, Inc. is a social enterprise focused on developing technology-driven solutions to the worlds toughest humanitarian challenges. Hala is currently focused on civilian protection, accountability, and the prevention of violent extremism before, during, and after conflict. Ultimately, Hala aims to transform the nature of civilian defense during warfare, as well as to reduce casualties and trauma during post-conflict recovery, natural disasters, and other major crises.

Billion Bricks designs and provides shelter and infrastructure solutions for the homeless. The companys housing solutions are scalable, sustainable, and able to create opportunities for communities to emerge from poverty. Their approach empowers communities to replicate the solutions on their own, reducing dependency on support and creating ownership and pride.

Tellus Labs uses satellite data to tackle challenges like food security, water scarcity, and sustainable urban and industrial systems, and drive meaningful change. The company built a planetary-scale model of all 170 million acres of US corn and soy crops to more accurately forecast yields and help stabilize the market fluctuations that accompany the USDAs monthly forecasts.

Loowatt designed a toilet that uses a patented sealing technology to contain human waste within biodegradable film. The toilet is designed for linking to anaerobic digestion technology to provide a source of biogas for cooking, electricity, and other applications, creating the opportunity to offset capital costs with energy production.

Image Credit: LuminAID via YouTube

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Freeze Frame: Lifting The Lid On Cryonics – Billionaire.com

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SLIDESHOW: Cryostats are insulated tanks for long term patient storage in liquid nitrogen.

An estimated 2,500 bodies around the world have been frozen in the hope of some future resurrection.

If you have around US$90,000 to spare and are of a gambling disposition, perhaps your final journey should be to Australia. A company called Southern Cryonics is looking to open a facility in New South Wales this year that will allow its customers to freeze their bodies after death in the hope of one day being resurrected. If it goes ahead, it will make Australia only the third country, after the US and Russia, where such a service is available.

But, especially for those of a futurist bent perhaps, its as valid a thing to do with ones body as burial or cremation. Last year, a terminally ill 14-year-old girl in the UK became the first and only child so far to undergo the cryonic process. This is technically not freezing but vitrification, in which the body is treated with chemicals and chilled to super-cold temperatures so that molecules are locked in place and a solid is formed. An estimated 2,500 bodies around the world are now stored in this condition.

Supporters concede that the technology to revive the infinitely complex interactions between those molecules may never exist, but are nonetheless hopeful, pointing to shifting conceptions of what irreversible death actually is. If, for example, cessation of a heartbeat used to define it, now hearts can be re-started todays corpse may be tomorrows patient. They point to experiments such as that announced last year by 21st Century Medicine, which claimed to have successfully vitrified and recovered an entire mammalian brain for the first time, with the thawed rabbits brain found to have all of its synapses, cell membranes and intracellular structures intact.

Its not just cryonics. Stem-cell research, nano-tech, cloning, the science just keeps plugging away towards a future [of reanimating] that may or may not come to exist, says an upfront Dennis Kowalski, president of the Michigan-based Cryonics Institute. His company was launched just over 40 years ago to provide cryostasis services. Lots of things considered impossible not long ago are possible today, so we just dont know how cryonics will work out. For people who use the service its really a case of theres nothing to lose.

Naturally, not everyone is hopeful that such processes will ever work out for those in the chiller. The problem with cryonics is that the perception of it is largely shaped by companies offering a service based on something completely unproven, says Joo Pedro De Magalhes, biologist and principal investigator into life extension at the University of Liverpool, UK, and co-founder of the UK Cryonics and Cryopreservation Network. Youre talking about a fairly eccentric procedure that only a few people have signed up to and into which little reported research is being done. That said, I think the people providing these services do believe theres a chance it may work one day, although I would have to say theyre optimistic.

But this is not to say that living longer wont, in time, prove possible as a result of some other method; just that arguably this is more likely to be based around preserving a life that has not experienced death, rather than the promise of reanimating one after its demise. The chasm between the two is all the more pronounced given neurosciences still scant ideas as to what consciousness or mind is, let alone how it might be saved and rebooted; would the warmed and reanimated you be the you that died, or a mere simulacrum? Your body may well not be the same: many of those opting for cryo-preservation go for the freezing of just their brains.

Certainly while cryonics specifically may remain a largely unexplored field, Google is now investing in anti-ageing science, an area that, as De Magalhes puts it, now has fewer crackpots and more reputable scientists working in it, with stronger science behind it too. Indeed, as Yuval Noah Harari argues in his best-selling book Homo Deus, humanisms status as contemporary societys new religion of choice, combined with technological advances, makes some form of greatly extended lifespan inevitable for some generation to come. Whether this will be by melding man and machine, by genetic manipulation, by a form of existence in cyberspace or some other fix can only be speculated at, but everything about our civilisations recent development points to it becoming a reality.

Advances in medicine, after all, have greatly extended average longevity over the last century alone. With this has come a shift in perspective that sees death less as the natural end point to a life so much as a process of disease that could, and perhaps should, be tackled like any other disease that threatens existence. De Magalhes points out that for many working in the field it is less about the pursuit of immortality as of improved health.

After all, its not self-evident that we all want to live forever, and there are philosophical arguments for the idea that death is good, that its necessary to appreciate life, he says. But it is self-evident that nobody wants Alzheimers, for example. If you focus on retarding the problems of ageing then inevitably were going to live longer. The longevity we have now isnt normal; its already better than what we had not long ago. Extrapolate that to the future and in a century the length of time we live now might be considered pretty bad. One can envisage a time when we might live, if not forever, then perhaps thousands of years so much longer than we live now that it might feel like forever.

That, naturally, would bring with it profound changes to the way in which we perceive ourselves and to how the world operates and all the more so if living considerably longer became a possibility faster than society was able to inculcate the notion. How would such a long lifespan affect our sense of self? Would institutions and mores such as lifelong marriage and monogamy remain the norm? When would we retire? How would our relationships with the many subsequent generations of our family be shaped? How would population growth be managed? How would such long lives be funded?

Such questions are, for sure, of no concern to those currently in cryostasis. These people tend to be into sci-fi, and into science too, suggests Kowalski, who has signed up himself, his wife and children for cryonic services when the time comes. I think for a lot of them its not necessarily about the fear of death. Its more a fascination with the future. Theyre optimistic about what it will bring. Theyre more Star Trek than Terminator.

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Freeze Frame: Lifting The Lid On Cryonics - Billionaire.com

For The First Time Ever, a Woman in China Has Been Cryogenically … – DeathRattleSports.com

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Cryonics is the practice ofdeep-freezing recently deceased bodies(or even justthe brains of thosewho have recently died)in the hopes of one day reviving them.

It has been the subject of serious scientific exploration and study as well as a fair share of pseudoscience, lore, and myth. Fictional accounts like Batmans Iceman, and the (untrue) rumours of Walt Disney being cryogenically frozen have cast a speculative shadow over the field of cryonics.

Butrecently, for the first time ever in China,a woman has been cryogenically frozen. Zhan Wenlian died at the age of 49 from lung cancer and her husband, Gui Junmin, volunteered her for the cryonic procedure.

Bothhe and his late wife wanted to donate her body to science to give back to society. He told TheMirror UKthat hewas initially pitchedthe idea of cryonicswith it being described as a life preservation project.

This procedure which has Wenlians body restingface downin 2,000 litres of liquid nitrogen was completed at theYinfeng Biological Group in Jinan.

This project is the collaborative effortof the Yinfeng Biological Group, Qilu Hospital Shandong University and consultants fromAlcor Life Extension Foundation, a nonprofit cryonics company based in the United States.

Even with all the faith many have in the procedure, the question remains: how scientifically possible is a project like this? Is this just an experiment to allow us to better understand human biology, orcould cryonics one day become a feasible option?

Cryonics isall about timing.The bodies of the deceased arecryogenically frozenimmediately after the heartstops beating.Freezing is a bit of a misleading term, because cryonic freezing is actually very specifically trying toavoidice crystal formation which damages the cells of the bodys tissues.

Rapid cooling, rather than freezing, is a more accuratedescription of the process.

A chemical cocktail of preservatives likeglycerol andpropandiol, in addition to antifreeze agents, are commonly used to get the body into a stable state where it wont be decaying, but also wont suffer damage from being stored at low temperatures for, conceivably, a very long time.

From there, the bodiesare given specific care that caters to the idea that death is a continuing process; one that can ultimately be reversed.

The aim of cryonic preservation would be to one day be able to thaw the bodies and reanimate them at a cellular level preferably without too many epigenetic changes.

I tend to believe in new and emerging technologies, so I think it will be completely possible to revive her.

With ourcurrent understanding and technology, this process of reversingdeath so completely is just not possible. The closest kind of revival we have are themoments after clinical death where patients are revived by something such as cardiac defibrillation.

Cryonics acts within this critical, albeit brief, period as well but works within the belief that death is a grey area. More of a processrather than a definite, final, event.

Just because we havent succeeded in reviving the dead yetdoesnt mean the field of cryonics isunnecessary or unimportant.This case inChina is a step forward for everyone researchingthe field of cryonics and those of us who hope to benefit from advancements in it.

We may not be able to reverse death just yet,but it doesnt seem outof the realm of possibility to imagine that, withsuch wild scientific advancements underway, technology could one day allow it to be possible.

Whether or not it does in our lifetimes, this most recent development is certainly an interesting one.

This article was originally published by Futurism. Read the original article.

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For The First Time Ever, a Woman in China Has Been Cryogenically ... - DeathRattleSports.com

Red heads get to enjoy Twycross Zoo for free for World Orangutan Day – Burton Mail

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Calling all red heads - Twycross Zoo is letting those with the striking hair to enjoy everything it has to offer for free.

The Leicestershire zoo is celebrating World Orangutan Day by letting anyone with red hair - whether it be natural, dyed or a wig - in for free on Saturday, August 19.

The idea behind this is to encourage the public to take action in helping to conserve this great ape species and raise awareness of the many threats they face.

Populations of orangutans in the wild have dramatically declined over the years. There are now only an estimated 14,600 Sumatran orangutans and 55,000 Bornean orangutans according to the International Union for Conservation on Nature, which lists both species as critically endangered.

While there are many factors, the crisis of the orangutan is above all linked to unsustainable farming of palm oil a popular type of vegetable oil that is derived from the African oil palm tree, which flourishes in climates that have abundant heat and rainfall.

The growing demand for palm oil leads to mass deforestation across Indonesia and Malaysia where the rainforest is slashed and burned to make way for plantations.

Orangutans, who make nests in trees and only occasionally descent to the ground, thus lose their natural habitat and many deaths are also caused as the animals are caught up in the deforestation process.

Loraine Miller, great apes deputy team leader at Twycross Zoo, said: "Since Twycross Zoo opened in 1963, orangutans have been a key species that we have cared for. They are among the most intelligent primates, using a variety of tools to forage and play and our visitors can witness this first-hand.

"World Orangutan Day is crucial to help us raise awareness about the declining orangutan populations caused by poaching, habitat destruction and the illegal pet trade. We want to offer our visitors a fun day out for all, but also encourage them to take action in preserving this amazing species."

Twycross Zoo has five Bornean orangutans and is one of only two zoos in the world to have welcomed two orangutan babies in the past year.

The oldest of the group, 40-year-old female Kibriah gave birth to the youngest group member, girl Kayan, born in June 2017. The older baby, boy Basuki, was born to Maliku in March this year and the group is complete with the boy's seven-year-old sister Molly and the male Batu.

During the World Orangutan Day keepers will be at hand to provide more details about the zoo's own group, highlight the plight of orangutans in the wild and explain what simple steps visitors can take to help save the species that could face extinction in the next 10 to 20 years.

Visitors can help the orangutans by joining the zoo's animal adoption scheme, which helps to support the conservation of endangered species, or by direct donation at the guest services. The zoo also uses the funding from entry fees and gift shop items to invest in and carry out conservation work, including breeding of endangered species, not just at the zoo, but around the world too.

Another way to help alleviate the pressures on orangutans is to choose products which use sustainably produced palm oil. Twycross Zoo is also working to help other types of great ape in the wild and has set up a mobile phone recycling scheme earlier this year to encourage recycling of precious materials in consumer electronics which reduces the pressure on natural resources and wildlife, including bonobos, gorillas and chimpanzees.

Visitors are asked to leave extra time to get to Twycross Zoo when coming for this event as it was very popular last year. It is open from 10am to 6pm and the offer is valid throughout the whole day, so even those arriving later can enjoy their free entry.

More information on Twycross Zoo is available by calling 0844 474 1777 or online here

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Red heads get to enjoy Twycross Zoo for free for World Orangutan Day - Burton Mail

Hedonism UK, the only truly national swingers club …

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Jenny Slate and Gillian Robespierre shine again in indie comedy ‘Landline’ – The University Daily Kansan

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From left: Abby Quinn, Edie Falco and Jenny Slate appear "Landline."

Jenny Slate and Gillian Robespierre are one of the best actor/director pairings in the industry.

Landline is writer/director Robespierres follow-up to Obvious Child, the 2014 gem of an abortion rom-com flick, which might have been the best independent release of that year. Both films have the same fearless sense of humor, and both are perfect vehicles for Slate and Robespierres working chemistry. As collaborators, the duo has an insatiable energy unlike anything else Ive seen on film. Writer Robespierre has found the perfect muse in actor Slate for her witty, tragic comedies about young adults who still havent figured out how to grow up.

In Landline, Slate plays Dana Jacobs, a misguided 20-something in the mid-1990s whos terrified of stagnancy in her healthy but unvaried engagement so much so that she has an affair with an old flame. Meanwhile, her younger sister Ali (Abby Quinn) and mother Pat (Edie Falco) are dealing with their own identity crises. Ali is a high school senior, a rebellious spirit who would rather party than apply for college. Pat is trying to sort through the aftermath of discovering her husband (John Turturro)is having an affair. Dana and Ali find comfort in each other, and later in their mother, as they struggle to figure out their place in the world.

The characters in Landline are easy to hate. Theyre insufferable, but in a magnetic sort of way. In some ways, its a movie about privilege. Why would middle-class Manhattanites who own a vacation home outside the city be so unhappy? Its a little infuriating to see the Jacobs family make decisions that they know are bad from the outset, but Robespierre also makes them sympathetic. Were reminded of Alis youth in the Rolling Stone covers of Hole and Winona Ryder above her bed. Dana has her sisters same immaturity and self-destructive tendencies, but shes also kind in a way Ali isnt yet. A child at heart, Dana may be, but she also wants to protect her sister from the infidelity around her.

Although Slates is the standout performance of Landline," the performances of her on-screen family are equally formidable. Danas arc is sandwiched between the frenetic angst of her younger sisters generation, which Quinn portrays with the necessary amounts of irritation and hedonism, and the calmer, more resigned one of her mother, depicted by Falco with an almost unnerving steadiness.

Theres a kind of desperation in Landline that isnt as apparent in Obvious Child. Landline is full of dark corners where its characters get lost in self-doubt. In one scene in which Dana voices her anxiety, we get a moment of soul-crushing reality:

Im just trying to figure out if the life I picked for myself is the life I want, she says. And I dont even know if Im allowed to ask that question. Ouch.

Robespierre is great at that kind of existentialism. She lures you in with witty one-liners, and then she breaks your heart. But you always walk out of the theater having learned something about yourself.

Edited by Danya Issawi

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Jenny Slate and Gillian Robespierre shine again in indie comedy 'Landline' - The University Daily Kansan

Hear Hellbound Glory’s Hedonistic ‘Sun Valley Blues #3 (Bloodweiser)’ – RollingStone.com

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After a six-year break from the recording studio, Hellbound Glory makes its return this fall, firing twin barrels of swampy country-blues and roots-rock hedonism on the band's upcoming fourth album, Pinball. Released Friday, October 13th, the record finds the group working with producer Shooter Jennings, another 21st-century outlaw with boots planted on either side of the country-rock divide.

On "Sun Valley Blues #3 (Bloodweiser)," frontman Leroy Virgil sings about the seedy underbelly of his adopted hometown, Reno. It's a city of extremes, filled with "well whiskey and hell-raising women" on one end and "sweet cocaine and high-dollar ladies" on the other. Bowers' narrator is half-lit and eager to explore it all, careening across town with "Bloodweiser running through [his] veins." Set to a soundtrack of slide guitars and blues progressions, the song is both driving and dangerous. (Listen to the song below.)

"Sun valley is a place between hell and heaven, where you could go either way," explains Virgil, who briefly toured under his own name before reviving the Hellbound Glory moniker for Pinball's release. "That's where the blues comes from. And when he's there, the only comfort a bluesman can find is in money, a woman, a bottle, or a song but sometimes, all you got is pinball."

Meanwhile, Jennings, whose label Black Country Rock is releasing Pinball, stars in a promotional video for the album's pre-sale. In the clip below, he's taken hostage by one of Bowers' henchwomen, who tells him, "You have until October 13th to deliver the record."

In reality, Jennings jumped at the chance to work with the band, telling Rolling Stone Country, "I've been a fan of Hellbound Glory from the minute I heard 'em. They're about the most shit-kicking band with Bukowski-worthy lyrics country music has ever seen." The band will play a special release show on October 4th at the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles, with Jennings also on the bill.

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Hear Hellbound Glory's Hedonistic 'Sun Valley Blues #3 (Bloodweiser)' - RollingStone.com