Russia’s Rosneft Finds Offshore Oilfield in Eastern Arctic – Fortune

Posted on by

MOSCOW, June 18 (Reuters) - Russia's largest oil producer Rosneft said on Sunday it had found its first oilfield in the Laptev Sea in the eastern Arctic, making a breakthrough in the search for hydrocarbons in the harsh and far-flung region despite Western sanctions.

Rosneft and its partners plan to invest 480 billion roubles ($8.4 billion) in developing Russia's offshore energy industry in the next five years, part of a drive to boost output from new areas.

The company has sought tie-ups with several global oil players to develop Russia's offshore regions. But a deal to work in the Kara Sea in the western Arctic with U.S. company Exxon Mobil was suspended in 2014 after the imposition of Western sanctions against Moscow.

"The result of the drilling at the Khatanga license block allows Rosneft to be considered the discoverer of (oil) fields in offshore Eastern Arctic," the company said in a statement.

Most Russian oil output comes from western Siberia, where fields are depleting, pushing producers to look for new regions. Sanctions complicate the process, barring Western companies from helping with Arctic offshore, deepwater and shale oil projects.

The Arctic offshore area is expected to account for between 20 and 30 percent of Russian production, one of the world's largest, by 2050.

Rosneft owns 28 blocks in the Arctic offshore area with combined estimated resources of 34 billion tonnes of oil equivalent.

There is only one offshore platform in the Russian Arctic, Prirazlomnoye, operated by Gazprom Neft, which plans to produce 2.6 million tonnes (52,000 barrels per day) this year.

Analysts say oil production in the region - apart from Prirazlomnoye - is years away and may start only in the mid-2020s

Rosneft has been working in the Laptev Sea since 2014. It values the hydrocarbon resources of the sea at around 9.5 billion tonnes of oil equivalent. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Mark Potter)

Read the original:

Russia's Rosneft Finds Offshore Oilfield in Eastern Arctic - Fortune

European commission to crack down on offshore tax avoidance – The Guardian

Posted on by

The EU commissions proposals include member states regularly sharing information. Photograph: Franois Lenoir/Reuters

Banks, accountants and law firms that facilitate offshore tax schemes face a Europe-wide crackdown, according to a leak of draft legislation.

Brussels will publish proposals this Wednesday to force financial intermediaries to automatically disclose any new cross-border tax schemes offered to clients. Those designing and promoting aggressive avoidance structures will have five working days to file details with their local tax authority, according to a leaked version of the proposals, drawn up by the European commission.

The clock will begin ticking as soon as the scheme has become available to a client. Where there are several intermediaries in the chain, one will be made to take responsibility for disclosure. And where all intermediaries in the chain are based outside European member states, the obligation to disclose will fall to the client.

The ultimate objective, according to the commission, is to design a mechanism that will dissuade intermediaries from designing and marketing such arrangements.

The new rules will come into force in 2019 and are aimed at cross-border schemes that involve more than one country, so long as one of the jurisdictions involved is within Europe.

Since 2004, UK statute books have had legislation forcing those who market tax schemes to report them to Revenue & Customs. Portugal and Ireland have similar rules. However, the commissions proposals would further tighten the screw on British-based intermediaries.

This is because all European member states will be obliged to share with each other, every three months, details of the tax schemes disclosed. A central directory of avoidance schemes will be created, to which all member states will have access.

It is possible the regulations will never be adopted by the UK. However, if Britain negotiates to remain part of the single market, it would be subject to the same tax and financial regulation as full members of the union.

Research shows that globally, the majority of intermediaries are based in Hong Kong, the UK and the United States. A study of the ICIJ Offshore Leaks database, which contains data from the Panama Papers and previous leaks, identified 140 intermediaries linked to offshore entities. Nearly 90% of them have an office, a subsidiary or an affiliate in Europe.

The most active facilitators were the Swiss banks UBS and Credit Suisse, which were linked to 24,500 offshore entities between them, according to the report, which was commissioned by the Green and European Free Alliance groups in the European parliament.

Trident Corporate Services, which has offices in Londons Portland Place and was linked to 8,500 offshore entities, is the third largest and the first in a string of middlemen whose names are largely unknown outside the world of offshore companies.

If we go for a softer Brexit, as now seems more likely, these rules would apply in the UK, said a Green MEP for south-west England and Gibraltar, Molly Scott Cato. We call on member states to adopt the proposal as soon as possible and to scale up resources in their tax administrations.

Go here to read the rest:

European commission to crack down on offshore tax avoidance - The Guardian

Offshore drilling would begin with a literal bang – Cherry Hill Courier Post

Posted on by

Dan Radel, @DanielRadelAPP 12:25 p.m. ET June 18, 2017

Terry Bernard was one of about 75 people attending a January Hands Across the Sand event in Cocoa Beach.(Photo: MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY)

The new oil rush in the Atlantic has officially begun.

With an executive order, President Trump in April rolled back a ban on oil and gas exploration in the Atlantic Ocean.

Now, energy companies are in a race to figure out whats under the oceans floor.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Monday it is considering five permits that are essential to allowing the industry to conduct seismic tests in the Atlantic Ocean.

Environmentalists opposing the presidents action worry about another Deepwater Horizon a calamity in which 11 offshore oil rig crew members were killed and 4 million barrels of crude spewed into the Gulf of Mexico.

After all, a half-million Shore jobs are supported by tourism and another 50,000 by fishing. Those two industries, which would be devastated by an environmental disaster at sea, account for about one in every eight employed people statewide.

But ocean advocates have another concern ahead of any drilling the possible harm to marine life caused by seismic surveying.

The equipment used to find subterranean oil reserves requires repeated discharges of piercing sound, which can confuse sea creatures and damage their hearing.

I think it has an effect on the communication between juvenile marine animals and their mothers, said Bob Schoelkopf, executive director of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine. The interference could separate a whale from its calf, which depends on the mother for nursing purposes.

Fishermen worry

Commercial fishermen say seismic testing could disrupt their livelihood.

They need to find a better way to test for oil reserves other than seismic testing, said Captain Jim Lovgren, who sits on the board of directors of the Fishermens Dock Cooperative in Point Pleasant Beach. The loud decibels of sound created by it absolutely scatter our fish population.

Meanwhile, the oil industry, some researchers and government regulators all say the mapping can be done responsibly by following carefully considered rules to protect marine mammals and fish populations.

We do have concerns about how these types of activities may hurt marine mammals but also we believe that we put measures in effect that will allow us to offset them, said Jolie Harrison, chief of the Permits and Conservation Division in the NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources.

Whats happening?

The applicants all companies that provide geophysical data to the oil and gas industry are seeking access to a survey area that stretches from the Delaware Bay south to Cape Canaveral in Florida.

Seismic surveying, sometimes called seismic testing, is a method of using sound and science to create a picture of whats below the surface of the seabed.

Oil and gas exploration requires this kind of intelligence in order to know where to drill.

Before youre going to do anything else youre going to need the results of those seismic surveys, said Marty Durbin, executive vice president and chief strategy officer of the American Petroleum Institute, during a conference call last week.

The problem

During seismic testing, there is the potential for injury to marine mammals or the disruption of their behavioral patterns caused by the testing, which is performed with an instrument called an airgun, said the NOAAs Harrison.

This is referred to as a take.

A take would include a mortality, which we certainly do not anticipate here at all, she said. It includes an injury. When we think of injury from the impact of sound we typically think of hearing impairment, which there is a small potential for here.

Airguns are towed in an array behind a ship and fire off a pulse of sound toward the sea floor at regular intervals. Different frequencies penetrate deeper and deeper and then the echoes bounce back to sensors that surround the airguns.

The speed by which the different frequencies return creates a comprehensive image of whats below the surface.

To achieve this, the volume of the airgun can be loud, sometimes the equivalent of a jet taking off from 1,000 feet away.

To safeguard marine mammals, independent observers are positioned on the deck of every ship performing seismic tests. A device is also used to monitor animals below the surface of the water.

If a protected animal, such as a whale, is detected within 5 kilometers of the ship, testing is stopped until they are out of range for at least 30 minutes.

Just a couple years ago, Rutgers Professor Greg Mountain found himself in the middle of a firestorm over seismic testing off the coast of New Jersey.

Mountain, a geologist who is also a researcher with Columbia Universitys vaunted Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, was trying to gather evidence on the ocean floor of rising sea levels from 30 million to 40 million years ago information that could further our understanding of climate change.

Mountain says he was under constant criticism for seismic testing from all corners environmentalists, fishermen, even Gov. Chris Christie.

He was compared to infamous Nazi Dr. Josef Mengele at one point, a charge that Mountain said almost brought me to my knees.

Mountain, who said he feels a close connection with the environment, spent months at sea performing these tests and never once have I seen a harmed animal never once. No animal floated to the surface, dazed or injured. Nothing. Nada. Zip.

The future

While seismic testing might be the battle, the war is offshore drilling.

Trumps plans for seismic testing along our coast are not only environmentally damaging on its own, but it will lead to offshore drilling that could threaten our coasts even more, said Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, in a statement.

Oil spills dont need to be of the magnitude of the BP Gulf spill to be damaging.

Schoelkopf, of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, recalled the effects of a February 2004 tanker leak of a few hundred gallons of oil that slicked 60 miles along the New Jersey coastline and left globs of tar balls on the beach.

Being a coastal state just about any amount of an oil spill will have an effect on the ecosystem, Schoelkopf said. I remember answering calls after an oil barge that leaked oil. It mixed with sand and made tar balls on Brigantine beaches. They were like cement boots for the birds. They couldnt fly.

One hundred and sixty-nine birds were affected; 114 died.

In 2014, the NOAAs Office of Response and Restoration was called to 117 oil spill sites.

Because of ocean currents, a spill wouldnt need to be off the coast of New Jersey in order to effect the Shore.

If they drill off the South Carolina coast a spill might not reach New Jersey, said Captain Lovgren, who pilots a trawler called the Sea Dragon, but anything north of Cape Hatteras will get into the Gulf Stream and be carried to us.

Russ Zimmer: 732-557-5748, razimmer@app.com; Dan Radel: 732-643-4072; dradel@gannettnj.com

Read or Share this story: http://on.cpsj.com/2sEffo7

See the rest here:

Offshore drilling would begin with a literal bang - Cherry Hill Courier Post

Plastic Ocean Project hosts offshore cleanup competition – StarNewsOnline.com

Posted on by

Executive Director Bonnie Monteleone saw the event as an opportunity for participants to learn about the effects plastics have on the ocean.

BEAUFORT -- The Wilmington-based nonprofit Plastic Ocean Project Inc. held what it hopes will become the first of many Fishing 4 Plastic events on June 3 in Beaufort.

The idea came from Executive Director Bonnie Monteleone as an opportunity for participants to learn more about the effects that plastics have on the ocean environment. It was also intended as a way to get the fishing community involved and working in partnership with Plastic Ocean Project to help preserve fish life and habitats.

The event, hosted at the N.C. Maritime Museumin Beaufort, allowed participants to form teams and venture offshore in order to collect trash, plastic and seaweed near the Gulf Stream.

The event was sponsored by the Blockade Runner Beach Resort in Wrightsville Beach, and awards were given out for various amounts of trashand types of trash collected.

We will have prizes for most plastic foundby weight and number, most unusual piece, most useful piece, and most languages found, said Jessica Horne, a UNCW graduate student who had been working on the event over the past semester.

Horne said the event was a success, with six teams -- a total of 36 to 40 people -- who ventured offshore to collect floating trash. One team accumulated about 80 pounds worth of trash, including a 60-pound wooden pallet that was floating in the ocean.

A lot balloons were found,Horne said, probably since it was graduation season. One team brought back balloons that had been in the water so long they had lost their color. That is really scary and dangerous, Horne said, because turtles mistake the floating balloons for jellyfish and try to eat them.

The cleanup competition was not the event's only draw. If folks wanted to stay on land, the event had entertainment and activities at Beaufort's Maritime Museum, including a community art project and games forkids. There was also a beach cleanup at Radio Island.

Around 200 pounds of trash were collected in the offshore and beach cleanups. And the museum saw a lot of foot traffic.

It was a beautiful day, Horne said. We also talked to locals who seemed very excited with and interested in what we were doing. Overall, it was areally successful event and we had a great day.

The hope is that this tournament will bean educational opportunity for people to learn more about the effects that plastics have on the oceans and fish habitats, Horne said. After participating in the event, we hope that people will be more conscious about using plastics or finding alternativesfor using plastics.

Monteleone hopes the event will become an annual event occurrence and expand to other areas.

The mission of the nonprofit Plastic Ocean Project is to reduce plastic pollution through outreach, art, research and education.

Our vision is to rid the oceans of plastic," said Tammy Bleier, a board member. "For this purpose, we work with and for the next generation to find sustainable solutions, because we realize the plastic pollution problem willoutlive us.

The University of North Carolina Wilmington has a Plastic Ocean Project chapter called Little POP, which offers support and volunteers.There is also a chapter in Charleston and another one starting in Raleigh.

For more information or to get involved, visit Plastic Ocean's Project website http://www.plasticoceanproject.org.

Story idea? Contact the StarNews Community News desk at Community@StarNewsOnline.com or 910-343-2364.

See the original post here:

Plastic Ocean Project hosts offshore cleanup competition - StarNewsOnline.com

Singularity RDK – Home

Posted on by

Announcement: A new major release, RDK 2.0, is now available! Download source code or a bootable ISO at the Releases tab, or retrieve the latest Source Code from the repository at the Source Code tab.

Project Description

The Singularity Research Development Kit (RDK) is based on the Microsoft Research Singularity Project. It includes source code, build tools, test suites, design notes, and other background materials. The Singularity RDK is for academic non-commercial use and is governed by this license.

About Singularity

Singularity is a research project focused on the construction of dependable systems through innovation in the areas of systems, languages, and tools. We are building a research operating system prototype (called Singularity), extending programming languages, and developing new techniques and tools for specifying and verifying program behavior.

Advances in languages, compilers, and tools open the possibility of significantly improving software. For example, Singularity uses type-safe languages and an abstract instruction set to enable what we call Software Isolated Processes (SIPs). SIPs provide the strong isolation guarantees of OS processes (isolated object space, separate GCs, separate runtimes) without the overhead of hardware-enforced protection domains. In the current Singularity prototype SIPs are extremely cheap; they run in ring 0 in the kernels address space.

Singularity uses these advances to build more reliable systems and applications. For example, because SIPs are so cheap to create and enforce, Singularity runs each program, device driver, or system extension in its own SIP. SIPs are not allowed to share memory or modify their own code. As a result, we can make strong reliability guarantees about the code running in a SIP. We can verify much broader properties about a SIP at compile or install time than can be done for code running in traditional OS processes. Broader application of static verification is critical to predicting system behavior and providing users with strong guarantees about reliability.

See also: Singularity: Rethinking Dependable System Design Singularity: Rethinking the Software Stack Using the Singularity Research Development Kit

Read more here:

Singularity RDK - Home

Why Interstellar Travel Will Be Possible Sooner Than You Think – Singularity Hub

Posted on by

The term moonshot is sometimes invoked to denote a project so outrageously ambitious that it can only be described by comparing it to the Apollo 11 mission to land the first human on the Moon. The Breakthrough Starshot Initiative transcends the moonshot descriptor because its purpose goes far beyond the Moon. The aptly-named project seeks to travel to the nearest stars.

The brainchild of Russian-born tech entrepreneur billionaire Yuri Milner, Breakthrough Starshot was announced in April 2016 at a press conference joined by renowned physicists including Stephen Hawking and Freeman Dyson. While still early, the current vision is that thousands of wafer-sized chips attached to large, silver lightsails will be placed into Earth orbit and accelerated by the pressure of an intense Earth-based laser hitting the lightsail.

After just two minutes of being driven by the laser, the spacecraft will be traveling at one-fifth the speed of lighta thousand times faster than any macroscopic object has ever achieved.

Each craft will coast for 20 years and collect scientific data about interstellar space. Uponreachingthe planets near the Alpha Centauri star system, anthe onboard digital camera will take high-resolution pictures and send these back to Earth, providing the first glimpse of our closest planetary neighbors. In addition to scientific knowledge, we may learn whether these planets are suitable for human colonization.

The team behind Breakthrough Starshot is as impressive as the technology. The board of directors includes Milner, Hawking, and Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg. The executive director is S. Pete Worden, former director of NASA Ames Research Center. A number of prominent scientists, including Nobel and Breakthrough Laureates, are serving as advisors to the project, and Milner has promised $100 million of his own funds to begin work. He will encourage his colleagues to contribute $10 billion over the next several years for its completion.

While this endeavor may sound like science fiction, there are no known scientific obstacles to implementing it. This doesnt mean it will happen tomorrow: for Starshot to be successful, a number of advances in technologies are necessary. The organizers and advising scientists are relying upon the exponential rate of advancement to make Starshot happen within 20 years.

Here are 11 key Starshot technologies and how they are expected to advance exponentially over the next two decades.

An exoplanet is a planet outside our Solar System. While the first scientific detection of an exoplanet was only in 1988, as of May, 1 2017 there have been 3,608 confirmed detections of exoplanets in 2,702 planetary systems. While some resemble those in our Solar System, many have fascinating and bizarre features, such as rings 200 times wider than Saturns.

The reason for this deluge of discoveries? A vast improvement in telescope technology.

Just 100 years ago the worlds largest telescope was the Hooker Telescope at 2.54 meters. Today, the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope consists of four large 8.2-meter diameter telescopes and is now the most productive ground-based facility in astronomy, with an average of over one peer-reviewed, published scientific paper per day.

Researchers use the VLT and a special instrument to look for rocky extrasolar planets in the habitable zone (allowing liquid water) of their host stars. In May 2016, researchers using the Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (TRAPPIST) in Chile found not just one but seven Earth-sized exoplanets in the habitable zone.

Meanwhile, in space, NASAs Kepler spacecraft is designed specifically for this purpose and has already identified over 2,000 exoplanets. The James Webb Space Telescope, to be launched in October, 2018, will offer unprecedented insight into whether exoplanets can support life. If these planets have atmospheres, [JWST] will be the key to unlocking their secrets, according to Doug Hudgins, Exoplanet Program Scientist at NASA headquarters in Washington.

The Starshot mothership will be launched aboard a rocket and release a thousand starships. The cost of transporting a payload using one-time-only rockets is immense, but private launch providers such as SpaceX and Blue Origin have recently demonstrated success in reusable rockets which are expected to substantially reduce the price. SpaceX has already reduced costs to around $60 million per Falcon 9 launch, and as the private space industry expands and reusable rockets become more common, this price is expected to drop even further.

Each 15-millimeter-wide Starchip must contain a vast array of sophisticated electronic devices, such as a navigation system, camera, communication laser, radioisotope battery, camera multiplexer, and camera interface. The expectation well be able to compress an entire spaceship onto a small wafer is due to exponentially decreasing sensor and chip sizes.

The first computer chips in the 1960s contained a handful of transistors. Thanks to Moores Law, we can now squeeze billions of transistors onto each chip. The first digital camera weighed 8 pounds and took 0.01 megapixel images. Now, a digital camera sensor yields high-quality 12+ megapixel color images and fits in a smartphonealong with other sensors like GPS, accelerometer, and gyroscope. And were seeing this improvement bleed into space exploration with the advent of smaller satellites providing better data.

For Starshot to succeed, we will need the chips mass to be about 0.22 grams by 2030, but if the rate of improvement continues, projections suggest this is entirely possible.

The sail must be made of a material which is highly reflective (to gain maximum momentum from the laser), minimally absorbing (so that it is not incinerated from the heat), and also very light weight (allowing quick acceleration). These three criteria areextremely constrictive and there is at present no satisfactory material.

Therequired advances may come from artificial intelligence automating and accelerating materials discovery. Such automation has advanced to the point wheremachine learning techniques can generate libraries of candidate materials by the tens of thousands, allowing engineers to identify which ones are worth pursuing and testing for specific applications.

While the Starchip will use a tiny nuclear-powered radioisotope battery for its 24-year-plus journey, we will still need conventional chemical batteries for the lasers. The lasers will need to employ tremendous energy in a short span of time, meaning that the power must be stored in nearby batteries.

Battery storage has improved at 5-8% per year, though we often dont notice this benefit because appliance power consumption has increased at a comparable rate resulting in a steady operating lifetime. If batteries continue to improve at this rate, in 20 years they should have 3 to 5 times their present capacity. Continued innovation is expected to be driven from Tesla-Solar Citys big investment in battery technology. The companies have already installed close to 55,000 batteries in Kauai to power a large portion of their infrastructure.

Thousands of high-powered lasers will be used to push the lightsail to extraordinary speeds.

Lasers have obeyed Moores Law at a nearly identical rate to integrated circuits, the cost-per-power ratio halving every 18 months. In particular, the last decade has seen a dramatic acceleration in power scaling of diode and fiber lasers, the former breaking through 10 kilowatts from a single mode fiber in 2010 and the 100-kilowatt barrier a few months later. In addition to the raw power, we will also need to make advances in combining phased array lasers.

Our ability to move quickly has...moved quickly. In 1804 the train was invented and soon thereafter produced the hitherto unheard of speed of 70 mph. The Helios 2 spacecraft eclipsed this record in 1976: at its fastest, Helios 2 was moving away from Earth at a speed of 356,040 km/h. Just 40 years later the New Horizons spacecraft achieved a heliocentric speed of almost 45 km/s or 100,000 miles per hour. Yet even at these speeds it would take a long, long time to reach Alpha Centauri at slightly more than four light years away.

While accelerating subatomic particles to nearly light speed is routine in particle accelerators, never before has this been achieved for macroscopic objects. Achieving 20% speed of light for Starshot would represent a 1000x speed increase for any human-built object.

Fundamental to computing is the ability to store information. Starshot depends on the continued decreasing cost and size of digital memory to include sufficient storage for its programs and the images taken of Alpha Centauri star system and its planets.

The cost of memory has decreased exponentially for decades: in 1970, a megabyte cost about one million dollars; its now about one-tenth of a cent. The size required for the storage has similarly decreased, from a 5-megabyte hard drive being loaded via forklift in 1956 to the current availability of 512-gigabyte USB sticks weighing a few grams.

Once the images are taken the Starchip will send the images back to Earth for processing.

Telecommunications has advanced rapidly since Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876. The average internet speed in the US is currently about 11 megabits per second. The bandwidth and speed required for Starshot to send digital images over 4 light yearsor 20 trillion mileswill require taking advantage in the latest telecommunications technology.

One promising technology is Li-Fi, a wireless approach which is 100 times faster than Wi-Fi. A second is via optical fibers which now boast 1.125 terabits per second. There are even efforts in quantum telecommunications which are not just ultrafast but completely secure.

The final step in the Starshot project is to analyze the data returning from the spacecraft. To do so we must take advantage of the exponential increase in computing power, benefiting from the trillion-fold increase in computing over the 60 years.

This dramatically decreasing cost of computing has now continued due largely to the presence of cloud computing. Extrapolating into the future and taking advantage of new types of processing, such as quantum computing, we should see another thousand-fold increase in power by the time data from Starshot returns. Such extreme processing power will allow us to perform sophisticated scientific modeling and analysis of our nearest neighboring star system.

Acknowledgements: The author would like to thank Pete Worden and Gregg Maryniak for suggestions and comments.

Image Credit:NASA/ESA/ESO

Link:

Why Interstellar Travel Will Be Possible Sooner Than You Think - Singularity Hub

Our Posthuman Future – Wikipedia

Posted on by

Our Posthuman Future: Consequences of the Biotechnology Revolution is a 2002 book by Francis Fukuyama. In it, he discusses the potential threat to liberal democracy that use of new and emerging biotechnologies for transhumanist ends poses.

From the back cover of the paperback edition:

A decade after his now-famous pronouncement of "the end of history", Francis Fukuyama argues that as a result of biomedical advances, we are facing the possibility of a future in which our humanity itself will be altered beyond recognition. Fukuyama sketches a brief history of man's changing understanding of human nature: from Plato and Aristotle's belief that humans had "natural ends" to the ideals of utopians and dictators of the modern age who sought to remake mankind for ideological ends. Fukuyama argues that the ability to manipulate the DNA of all of one person's descendants will have profound, and potentially terrible, consequences for our political order, even if undertaken with the best of intentions.

Publication history

Read the original:

Our Posthuman Future - Wikipedia

U.S. Navy reaches out to gamers to troubleshoot post …

Posted on by

Get today's popular DigitalTrends articles in your inbox:

Why it matters to you

The Maritime Singularity simulation is yet another example of real-world value stemming from playing video games.

The next time someone tells you that playing video games doesnt have real-world applications, you might be able to say that your gaming skills assisted the U.S. Navy. As originally reported by Engadget, the U.S. Navy has put out a call for participants for its Maritime Singularity MMOWGLI -(massively multiplayer online war game leveraging the internet).

Technological singularity hypothesizes that if and when artificial superintelligence is invented, it will set off a swift chain reaction that will change human society forever, and not necessarily for the better. As itdevelops strategies for dealing with the possibility of apost-singularity world, the U.S. Navy thinks that gamers are ideal for problem-solving the future.

Dr. Eric Gulovsen, director of disruptive technology at the Office of Naval Research, claimed that technology has already reached the point where singularity is in the foreseeable future. What we cant see yet is what lies over that horizon. Thats where we need help from players. This is a complex, open-ended problem, so were looking for people from all walks of life Navy, non-Navy, technologist, non-technologist to help us design our Navy for a post-singularity world, he said.

If Maritime Singularity is set up like the Navys previous MMOWGLIs, such as the recent effort to foster a more prosperous and secure South China Sea, participants will come up with opportunities and challenges pertaining to singularity and play out various scenarios.

If the Navys interest in singularity doesnt sound enough like dystopian science fiction already, the games blurb certainly sounds like it was ripped from the back cover of a William Gibson novel:

A tidal wave of change is rapidly approaching todays Navy. We can ride this wave and harness its energy, or get crushed by it. There is no middle ground. What is the nature of this change? The SINGULARITY. We can see the SINGULARITY on the horizon. What we cant see, YET, is what lies OVER that horizon. Thats where you come in.

Maritime Singularity is open for signups now, and will run for a week beginning March 27. For more information, check out the overview video above.

See more here:

U.S. Navy reaches out to gamers to troubleshoot post ...

Presidential Visions for Space Exploration: From Ike to Trump

Posted on by

By Mike Wall, Space.com Senior Writer | April 28, 2017 04:00pm ET

Credit: NASA

Kennedy's speech, which came just six weeks after cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person to reach outer space, had a huge impact on NASA and space exploration. It jump-started the agency's Apollo program, a full-bore race to the moon that succeeded on July 20, 1969, when Neil Armstrong's boot crunched down into the gray lunar dirt.

Kennedy, of course, isn't the only leader who had a vision for the nation's space program. Since NASA's founding in 1958, every president from Eisenhower to Obama has left his mark. Take a look at how each U.S. commander-in-chief helped shape and steer American activities in space.

Editor's note: This slideshow was updated on April 28, 2017.

Credit: NASA

However, Eisenhower didn't get too swept up the short-term goals of the space race. He valued the measured development of unmanned, scientific missions that could have big commercial or military payoffs down the road.

For example, even before Sputnik, Eisenhower had authorized a ballistic missile and scientific satellite program to be developed as part of the International Geophysical Year project of 1957-58. The United States' first successful satellite, Explorer I, blasted off Jan. 31, 1958. By 1960, the nation had launched and retrieved film from a spy satellite called Discoverer 14.

Credit: NASA

The Soviets had launched Sputnik I in 1957, and cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin had become the first person in space on April 12, 1961, just six weeks before the speech. On top of those space race defeats, the U.S. plan to topple the Soviet-backed regime of Cuban leader Fidel Castro the so-called Bay of Pigs invasion had failed miserably in April 1961.

Kennedy and his advisers figured they needed a way to beat the Soviets, to re-establish American prestige and demonstrate the country's international leadership. So they came up with an ambitious plan to land an astronaut on the moon by the end of the 1960s, which Kennedy laid out in his speech.

The Apollo program roared to life as a result, and NASA embarked on a crash mission to put a man on the moon. The agency succeeded, of course, in 1969. By the end of Apollo in 1972, the United States had spent about $25 billion on the program well over $100 billion in today's dollars.

Credit: NASA

As Senate majority leader in the late 1950s, he had helped raise the alarm regarding Sputnik, stressing that the satellite launch had intiated a race for "control of space." Later, Kennedy put Johnson, his vice president, in personal charge of the nation's space program. When Johnson became commander-in-chief after Kennedy's assassination, he continued to support the goals of the Apollo program.

However, the high costs of Johnson's Great Society programs and the Vietnam War forced the president to cut NASA's budget. To avoid ceding control of space to the Soviets (as some historians have argued), his administration proposed a treaty that would outlaw nuclear weapons in space and bar national sovereignty over celestial objects.

The result was 1967's Outer Space Treaty (OST), which forms the basis of international space law to this day. The OST has been ratified by all of the major space-faring nations, including Russia and its forerunner, the Soviet Union.

Credit: NASA.

By the late 1960s, NASA managers had begun drawing up ambitious plans to set up a manned moon base by 1980 and to send astronauts to Mars by 1983. Nixon nixed these ideas, however. In 1972, he approved the development of the space shuttle, which would be NASA's workhorse space vehicle for three decades, starting in 1981.

Also in 1972, Nixon signed off on a five-year cooperative program between NASA and the Soviet space agency. This deal resulted in 1975's Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, a joint space mission between the two superpowers.

Credit: NASA

Ford also signed off on the creation of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in 1976. The OSTP advises the president about how science and technology may affect domestic and international affairs.

Credit: NASA

While Carter wanted to restrict the use of space weapons, he signed a 1978 directive that stressed the importance of space systems to national survival, as well as the administration's willingness to keep developing an antisatellite capability.

The 1978 document helped establish a key plank of American space policy: the right of self-defense in space. And it helped the United States military view space as an arena in which wars could be fought, not just a place to put hardware that could coordinate and enhance actions on the ground.

Credit: NASA

Consistent with his belief in the power of the free market, Reagan wanted to increase and streamline private-sector involvement in space. He issued a policy statement to that effect in 1982. And two years later, his administration set up the Office of Commercial Space Transportation, which to this day regulates commercial launch and re-entry operations.

Reagan also believed strongly in ramping up the nation's space-defense capabilities. In 1983, he proposed the ambitious Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), which would have used a network of missiles and lasers in space and on the ground to protect the United States against nuclear ballistic missile attacks.

Many observers at the time viewed SDI as unrealistic, famously branding the program "Star Wars" to emphasize its supposed sci-fi nature. SDI was never fully developed or deployed, though pieces of it have helped pave the way for some current missile-defense technology and strategies.

Credit: NASA

Bush had big dreams for the American space program. On July 20, 1989 the 20th anniversary of the first manned moon landing he announced a bold plan called the Space Exploration Initiative. SEI called for the construction of a space station called Freedom, an eventual permanent presence on the moon and, by 2019, a manned mission to Mars.

These ambitious goals were estimated to cost at least $500 billion over the ensuing 20 to 30 years. Many in Congress balked at the high price tag, and the initiative was never implemented.

Credit: NASA

According to the policy, the United States' chief space goals going forward were to "enhance knowledge of the Earth, the solar system and the universe through human and robotic exploration" and to "strengthen and maintain the national security of the United States."

This latter sentiment was consistent with other space policy statements from previous administrations. However, some scholars argue that the 1996 document opened the door to the development of space weapons by the United States, though the policy states that any potential "control" actions would be "consistent with treaty obligations."

Credit: NASA

Bush also dramatically shaped NASA's direction and future, laying out a new Vision for Space Exploration in 2004. The Vision was a bold plan, calling for a manned return to the moon by 2020 to help prepare for future human trips to Mars and beyond. It also instructed NASA to complete the International Space Station and retire the space shuttle fleet by 2010.

To help achieve these goals, NASA embarked upon the Constellation program, which sought to develop a new crewed spacecraft called Orion, a lunar lander named Altair and two new rockets: the Ares I for manned missions and the Ares V for cargo. But it was not to be; Bush's successor, President Barack Obama, axed Constellation in 2010.

Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

A year later, Obama announced his administration's space policy, which represented a radical departure from the path NASA had been on. The new policy canceled George W. Bush's Constellation program, which the Augustine Commission had found to be significantly behind schedule and over budget. (Obama did support continued development of the Orion spacecraft for use as a possible escape vehicle at the space station, however.)

In place of Constellation, Obama's policy directed NASA to focus on getting humans to an asteroid by 2025 and then on to Mars by the mid-2030s. This entails, in part, developing a new heavy-lift rocket, with design completion desired by 2015.

The new policy also seeks to jump-start commercial spaceflight capabilitites. Obama's plan relies on Russian Soyuz vehicles to ferry NASA astronauts to the space station in the short term after the space shuttles retire in 2011.

But over the long haul, Obama wants this burden shouldered by private American spaceships that have yet to be built. So Obama promised NASA an extra $6 billion over five years, which the agency would use to help companies develop these new craft.

Credit: Bill Ingalls/NASA

In March 2017, Trump and White House officials rolled out a 2018 "skinny budget" request that proposed a $19.1 billion budget for NASA, a slight decrease of 0.8 percent over 2017 funding levels. The budget request does call for the cancellation of NASA's Obama-era Asteroid Redirect Mission, as well as ending four Earth science missions, including the Deep Space Climate Observatory already in orbit. NASA's Education Office would be eliminated under that plan.

The White House is proposing an increase in spending on planetary science, $1.9 billion (up from $1.63 billion) to support NASA's 2020 Mars rover and Europa Clipper mission, but did not include funding in its proposal for a Europa landing mission.

More details on Trump's space policy plan are expected to accompany the White House's full 2018 budget request in May 2017.

In the meantime: See what the first 100 days of Trump's administration have meant for space exploration.

1 of 14

2 of 14

3 of 14

4 of 14

5 of 14

6 of 14

7 of 14

8 of 14

9 of 14

10 of 14

11 of 14

12 of 14

13 of 14

14 of 14

Michael was a science writer for the Idaho National Laboratory and has been an intern at Wired.com, The Salinas Californian newspaper, and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. He has also worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Mike on Google+.

See the original post here:

Presidential Visions for Space Exploration: From Ike to Trump

These ‘4D’ printed objects could make it easier to bring stuff to outer space – Mashable

Posted on by

Mashable
These '4D' printed objects could make it easier to bring stuff to outer space
Mashable
"That's the reason there's a heavy amount of interest right now in researching the use of tensegrity structures for outer space exploration," Paulino added. "The goal is to find a way to deploy a large object that initially takes up little space." This ...

Go here to read the rest:

These '4D' printed objects could make it easier to bring stuff to outer space - Mashable

Trance Dads who are absolutely killing it! – Trance Hub (satire) (press release) (blog)

Posted on by

Fathers happen to influence most of our choices, may it be a sport or a game or even our choice of music. Today, since we celebrate Fathers Day, we list down 6 trance dads who are absolutely slaying the trance game.

James Lynas

The famous trance dad who is better known for taking out his lovely kids for rave rides. He is a man who even managed to get a Dreamstate party home for his kids! Talk about dads being positive influences in terms of music choices, and James is a shining example of one. You keep slaying it James!

Armin Van Buuren

The God of Trance not only steals hearts while on stage, but is an doting dad to Fenna and Remy. Who can forget the moment at Tomorrowland when he had tears in his eyes while announcing the birth of his son? He regularly takes time out to play with his kids and has even had Fenna dancing while he performs on stage!

Ferry Corsten

The man who never fails to impress, especially with his new album Blueprint, also happens to be the father of a beautiful girl and a boy. Sharing a personal story which he happened to tell me when I met him at EDC in India, I asked him as to how he manages his hectic schedule. He told us about how he had to be back in Asia in two days again for an event, yet he took a flight home right after his performance here to even spend those two days with his kids. Could it get any more adorable?

BT

BT is the proud father of a lovely girl. He currently resides with her in Maryland. He even produced the track Skylarking as a lullaby for his daughter. Apart from that, he gets her quite often on stage when he performs.

Marlo

Marlo recently stepped into fatherhood. Father to River Hoogstraten, you can always see him uploading pictures of his son on Instagram and snapchat.

Gareth Emery

Gareth emery is an absolute darling when it comes to his daughter Sansa. He even named her after Sansa Stark from Game of Thrones. He has even produced a track for her. Now, he currently is on his way to become a father for the second time. Congratulations Gaz!

These are some of the trance dads whom we absolutely love! To all the trance dads out there, wishing you a very happy Fathers day!

Trance enthusiast. Armada Ambassador. Content writer. Im not afraid of 138! Making people give Trance a chance.

Next Post

While pop predecessor I Need You keeps going strong around the world, Armin van...

Read this article:

Trance Dads who are absolutely killing it! - Trance Hub (satire) (press release) (blog)

Snatcher Is Cyberpunk Noir At Its Best – Kotaku Australia

Posted on by

Satoshi Yoshioka's art from Sdatcher

Snatcher is a cult classic that should be experienced by both science fiction and Metal Gear fans. Even though it appears to "snatch" many of its influences and throw them together into a science fiction cornucopia, it actually explores the issues of humanity and existence in its own distinctive style.

Snatcher was the brainchild of Hideo Kojima and originally came out in 1988 for the MSX console, a computer format that was popular in Japan and Europe in the 80s. It was ported for the PC Engine (known as the TurboGrafx-16 in America) before reaching American audiences on the Sega CD in 1994, with upgraded graphics and an additional third act. Set in 2047, you play as Gillian Seed, an amnesiac Junker (Japanese Undercover Neuro Kinetic Elimination Ranger) who hunts down Snatchers in the hopes that it will help him to remember his past. The eponymous Snatchers are artificial life forms, or bioroids, designed to blend in with humans. The game takes place in the metropolis of Neo-Kobe, a vibrant melting pot with a whole lot of history and lore. Snatcher uses a text interface similar to the old PC point-and-click adventure games, but it streamlines controls to the point where it's considered one of the earliest precursors of the visual novel.

Former Konami artist Satoshi Yoshioka, who designed many of Snatcher's characters and worked at Konami for nine years on titles like Batman and Robin and Policenauts, told me in an email: "I got a lot of inspiration from classic movies like Blade Runner, The Terminator, and Alien. I made the graphics used in the game with a great deal of respect to [these films]. I was especially interested in the Hollywood SFX [special effects] at that time, and I tried to honour their spirit."

This spirit is felt in many of Snatcher's designs, though their combination creates an atmosphere that has its own unique charm. Players get to know Snatcher's characters through complex dialogue branches with a surprising variety of options. Small comic book panels appear below the main visual window and give personality to each of the characters. The characters also react with appropriate facial expressions that help convey the game's somber themes. Unlike the protagonists in many noirish cyberpunk books and films, Gillian Seed is expressive rather than following the trope of being stoic and subdued. His strong personality goes from melancholy amnesiac to driven investigator and even womanizer (though he gets almost universally rejected). He's a likable character, even with his flaws. He's visually inspired in part by Rick Deckard from Blade Runner, but also the more humorous Lupin the Third from the eponymous animated series.

Yoshioka, who "created all the face graphics for the conversation parts," said that drawing "the expressions of Gillian surprise, delight, and so on were the most challenging to me because of the complexity of the character. Gillian had an interesting mix of humour and seriousness. Kojima wanted to convey Gillian's witty and charming nature, even in some of the more intense moments, so that it would make him seem more 'human' in contrast to the robotic Snatchers." Designing the characters using Konami's custom drawing application, Yoshioka says he was always guided by "Kojima and was mindful of making the graphics as 'cinematic' as possible."

The high quality of the visuals emphasise the cinematic aspect by showcasing graphics that were closer to films than most gamers had seen before on a console. In the combat sequences against the Snatchers, especially one where a fellow Junker named Mika gets captured, the whole battle is framed as an interactive cutscene where you have to kill a villain who uses Mika as a human shield. In another sequence, Gillian's Turbocycle gets sabotaged and spins out of control. The film cuts play out like an action movie, with tense music pounding in the background.

Snatcher's themes of changing technology were present in the development of the game itself. While it'd be easy to say the advanced graphics were due to the increased power of the Sega CD, Yoshioka pointed out that part of what made the development of Snatcher and all its various ports so cohesive is that "Snatcher was developed by a small number of people. In comparison, it might be about half of the average number for a NES game development team at that time. So the developers in different roles could work in close proximity to each other. It enabled us to respond directly and quickly to any developing tasks."

He explained, "Kinoshita (Tomiharu Kinoshita, the original MSX designer) created the original character design. I took part in drawing the characters as a team member of the port for PC Engine CD-ROM (which in turn would be ported with only minor changes to the Sega CD). I could redesign the supporting roles like Chin Shu Oh relatively freely. So I designed them to suit my preference. I heard that in the earlier stage of the development, Kojima had directed the designer to make the game character a bit like Katsuhiro Otomo (the director of Akira)."

This small team had flexibility, but it also meant this small group at Konami had to figure out how development worked when it came to simple things like burning CDs. "When we wrote the data [for Snatcher], we used CD-R writers. It was the first time for us to use the devices. We couldn't inhibit some of the unidentified noises showing up in the game itself. The accident disturbed not only Kojima, but all the other members of the developer team. I was not well acquainted with the CD-R writers. I puzzled over the problem, and suggested not to shake it or to make noises when we used it, hahaha. We finally found that the disturbing noises were due to faulty wiring. Of course, we had amused smiles after we discovered the error was our own fault."

This also brought the team together, a spirit that infuses the game. There's one story Yoshioka shared that perfectly symbolized the unusual development of Snatcher: "I cannot forget that Kojima made strange lyrics for the song in the game, 'Creeping Silence.'" It's a track that effectively creates a creepy atmosphere, but the lyrics don't appear in the game. "He [Kojima] sang it quite often, so the other members remembered the lyrics. 'Spinner, spinner heeey,' and we'd iterate on that. We often sang it all together."

Ouch...

Technology can lead to moments of human bonding, but it's a double-edged sword that can also wreak destruction. The real life Terminator Conundrum a genuine issue debated by the Pentagon about how much autonomy AIs should be granted to kill seems straight out of Snatcher. One of the more shocking moments early in the game is when Gillian comes across the body of Junker Jean-Jack Gibson, whose head has been viciously cut off and lies between his legs. The violence punctuates the threat of the Snatchers and, as Yoshioka points out, "is the first murdered corpse that the players face. So the staff working on the scenes wanted to evoke a dramatic impact and decided to use the most brutal image." Snatcher doesn't shy away from its robotic violence, including a maggot-infested corpse and an animal whose entrails have been ripped out.

The game doesn't delve into Blade Runner's ethical ambivalence when it comes to the existence of Snatchers. They're a threat to be eliminated, not beings on the verge of self-awareness. The terror of that moment highlights the theme of humanity's fear of being replaced by technology as represented by the Snatchers themselves. The irony is that humanity's own self-destructive behaviour created a vacuum for the Snatchers to supplant them in the first place; the game's villain is motivated by his disgust with human behaviour. When I asked Yoshioka about the relationship between technology, art, and humanity, he stated: "In order to know the things of the present, I believe it's essential to know the things of the past. This is also true of arts. We tend to take for granted present technology and the arts. But all of these forms are based on past inventions, innovations, and discoveries."

This theme is also explored more humanely. Metal Gear Mk. II, based on the mechanical nemesis of the original Metal Gear, is Gillian's robot companion. It's been imprinted with a personality programmed by Harry, the engineer for the Junkers. In the game's big twist, you learn that Harry is actually Gillian's son. The reason Gillian and his wife suffered amnesia is that they were part of a secret effort fifty years ago to develop the Snatcher program and replace all the world's leaders. They were put into artificial sleep after the Lucifer-Alpha biological weapon went off. Harry lived on, oblivious to his parents' fate. So the whole game, you're interacting with him, asking about your equipment, and you don't even know who he really is until he dies. That makes your relationship to Metal Gear Mk. II all the more poignant, since he is in essence Harry's creation, your son by mechanical proxy. Metal Gear Mk. II is willing to sacrifice its life to save Gillian, and the implication is that there may come a day when humanity destroys itself and our legacy will only carry on through the technology we birth.

Yoshioka has considered the implications of Snatcher and the movies that inspired it: "There have been many SF movies and comics filled with fearful feelings about the progress of AI. I've got lots of inspirations from these kind of works. Of course, I fear watching and reading about them. But I've also loved AI robots since I was a child. In 1970, when I was just three years old, I saw several robots playing instruments in the Japan World Exposition at Osaka. I still clearly remember that scene and my feeling of wonder which still resonates. So I'm on the side of Metal Gear Mk. II-like robots being able to reach out and communicate with us. I'd prefer to believe in the dream of the emergence of robots that will be partners with humanity, instead of the kind of stories that portend destruction in the wake of AI progression."

Will the advancement of AI and biotechnology reach a point in 2047 where humanity can be replaced by something akin to a Snatcher? Or will the progress made possible by new tech save people from themselves in the face of a catastrophic disease or environmental disaster? It's the fact that there are no easy answers that makes Snatcher so compelling, reminding us that the investigation into human nature never ends. Yoshioka told me, "Though I regard myself to be a has-been, I'm trying to create some brand new impressions by remixing my works, which is my past. I hope the younger generation today realise they need to be aware of the classic and premier works and arts if they want to create something new."

Satoshi Yoshioka's interview was translated by Yoshihiro Tanigawa.

Please log in or register to gain access to this feature.

Of all the things I expected out of E3 2017, Atari announcing a new console was last on the list. Heck, it wasn't even on the list, more scratched in chalk on the tip of my shoe. But it is happening -- CEO Fred Chesnais confirmed with VentureBeat's Dean Takahashi the company's plans to get "back [into] the hardware business".

Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America, is at E3 in Los Angeles this week to promote Nintendo's latest resurgence and hype people up on the coming year of Switch and 3DS games. But he's also ready to field questions, and we had a bunch.

Continued here:

Snatcher Is Cyberpunk Noir At Its Best - Kotaku Australia

Political correctness divides the country – The Intelligencer

Posted on by

A photo recently posted on Facebook showed a white family of four with the caption, "Only white people can be racist."

As a white, 74-year-old male, I lived through the turbulent 1960s in inner city Philadelphia but did not encounter the white-on-black racism captioned in this Facebook photo. Ethnic slurs against people of different nationalities were more the norm than racial slurs against blacks, in my experience.

I played in the Sonny Hill Basketball League in the late 1950s and early 60s. The league was formed by Sonny Hill, a local mentor who offered inner city youth, predominately black, a place to develop character and skill sets that applied to both basketball and life. At no time were any of the players who participated in this league, black or white, subjected to ethnic or racial slurs. There was mutual respect among all players as engendered by the coaches, and leadership that benefited all.

Which is why I cannot understand the need for today's blacks to denigrate themselves with the use of the "n" word in daily conversation, music lyrics, etc. while vilifying a white person's use of the same word. It shouldn't be a part of our lexicon at all.

We see how Confederate-era statues are being removed from prominence throughout the South in an effort to remove the palpable "hate" felt by their presence. Yet the racial tensions that were present during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s seem much more volatile today. One would have thought the election of the first black president would have done much to positively empower the black community to aspire to greater things. Unfortunately, the opposite seems true. The destruction of black communities is not being done by whites. But the media would have the general populace believe otherwise.

We are a nation of immigrants, arriving at different times and under different circumstances, but we should all want to be Americans ... without hyphenation. It's that "hyphen" that divides us unnecessarily, both racially and ethnically. I am of Italian descent, but I do not refer to myself as an Italian-American, just an American. My grandfather came here with his family to become Americans. He suffered ethnic slurs, as did his children and grandchildren, but we were undaunted in our pursuit of the American dream for our family through assimilation.

My children, however, were raised as I was, to be Americans, to be accepting of all races and ethnicities. Political correctness is not a necessary component in our lives. The PC culture has done more to divide this country along racial/ethnic lines than anything else. I believe that as long as we adhere to the PC mindset, we as a country will remain divided.

Leonard Vigna

Warminster

Read more:

Political correctness divides the country - The Intelligencer

The Evolution of the NBA Draft – New York Times

Posted on by

New York Times
The Evolution of the NBA Draft
New York Times
Greg Oden, after being selected No. 1 over all by the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2007 N.B.A. draft. Injuries limited him to just 105 games. Credit Jason DeCrow/Associated Press. Ten years ago, the big question before the 2007 N.B.A. draft was ...

and more »

Go here to see the original:

The Evolution of the NBA Draft - New York Times

The evolution of Minnesota businesses’ agenda for effective early learning – Minneapolis Star Tribune

Posted on by

Jerry Holt jgholt@startribune.com A 2003 research project concluded that for every $1 the state invests in the life of a child, it gets back $8 in value. Within months of that reports release, Minnesota Business for Early Learning was founded as a resource to fight for the cause. It was backed by leading businesses and various chambers of commerce.

It was in the early 2000s that the Minnesota business community began getting serious about a most unlikely education cause.

Businesses and their various foundations and employee giving programs had long sponsored college scholarships for those most in need. In the mid-1980s, the business community began a serious effort at reforming the K-12 system under the leadership of 3M CEO Lewis Lehr and his colleagues at the Minnesota Business Partnership.

Forming an unusual alliance with DFL Gov. Rudy Perpich, such reform ideas as postsecondary enrollment options for high school students (earning college credits along the way), open enrollment, student/parent choice of schools and careful measurement of student performance were the result of several years of significant policy advocacy.

Read the original here:

The evolution of Minnesota businesses' agenda for effective early learning - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Orphan Black Season 5 Episode 2 Review: Clutch of Greed – Den of Geek US

Posted on by

ThisOrphan Blackreview contains spoilers.

Now that's what I'm talking about. Clutch of Greed has all the elaborate cloak and dagger techniques, moments of levity, and the final dagger to the heart that we've come to expect and love from Orphan Black. Last week felt like a bit of a slog, but this week we had both the thriller and character-driven moments in perfect sync.

This is a show that originated with a similar vibe as the Bourne movies. Orphan Black's first few seasons always put the audience and the protagonists back on their heels, in a race to resolve questions like what is Sarah Manning, are there more, and who is after them. That makes this episode feel like not only a return to form, but a reunion, going home. Little touches like Clone Phones (5.0, natch) and seeing the alley by Felix's place only adds to that.

Cosima meets PT Westmoreland

Cosima wisely advises her charge not to eat the Soylent Green--er, vitamin seaweed, and gets to meet the mysterious PT Westmoreland, who was apparently friends with Darwin and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I know Darwin himself wasn't into social Darwinism, but is anyone else getting vague eugenics vibes from old PT? I feel like this guy has a century's worth of skeletons in his creepy closet.

I'm glad Cosima isn't taken in, even when he uses her favorite, "I follow the science," line, which is so spot on, perhaps someone fed it to him? Someone should tell this man he's not the first guy to offer Cosima a lab and the chance to study herself, her sisters, and all the coolest genetics in the world.

Helena goes on the lam

Helena and Donnie will always be an excellent pairing, and Donnie doing Helena's voice is an absolute gem. In a bit of foreshadowing, one of Helena's self-healing babies (because of course they are) has a sternum puncture. It's been a while since we've seen Helena's more feral side, especially directed at innocent bystanders. Lately, it has been at known enemies, or her suspicions are later vindicated. Will that doctor turn out to be someone who actually wanted information about (Helena voice) her babies? Or is she just a very unfortunate woman doing her job?

I love any time we get to see the Leda sisters doing actual normal activities that stay normal, so the idea of the word "neonatal" freaking out Helena and Donnie trying to soothe her is a joy. Pregnancy is already fertile ground for discussion of women's bodily autonomy, from the way strangers touch pregnant women and state attempts at control to religious dogma and medical interventions (or lack thereof). I would love to see the show dive into these a bit more, and Helena's fish out of water naivet could be an excellent vehicle for it.

MK makes the ultimate sacrifice and Kira chooses Rachel

Finally, the best part of this episode from both a story and craft perspective. The first act has the audience in the same position as Sarah: not believing what we were seeing, and thinking everyone has gone mad for suddenly trusting the Neos. And yet, the gambit played out for just long enough, and the trade-off (Kira, some element of peace and freedom) is just convincing enough that it had me going for a minute. Could S really agree to this? Of course not. Siobhan has a hit list and PT Westmoreland is on it, but that opening is excellent, and sets up a fantastic, tightly paced episode of everything that makes Orphan Black great.

After so many years, I'm glad someone on this show is finally directly acknowledging that Kira is special, and not just because she colors inside the lines. Watching Kira choose Rachel (which is unfair, but ultimately how Sarah experiences it) is the second-most brutal part of the episode.

MK's death is brutal, like all of Ferdinand's kills, made all the worse by how little we knew her, and how removed she felt from the world after surviving Helsinki and living on the run. It is a little weird how in denial Sarah was, and how easily she accepts that MK would stay behind. She has to know that the swap would end that way. Maybe she just wants to escape with Kira at any price? If that's the case, I hope we see her grapple with that choice.

A big part of the success of this episode is keeping other storylines - like Cosima's, Alison's, and to a lesser extent, Helena's - lean so this episode could play out like a very tightly plotted heist movie, but with Kira as the goods. For next week, we can look forward to a bit more out of the hooks that are dropped in this episode. Ira is headed off to the island in service to Clone Club, to avenge his beloved Susan. Meanwhile, Delphine makes an unexpected (and secret from everyone - including the Leda Sisters) visit to Siobhan. Allison, of course, is still stuck in her craft closet, and Helena is headed to her secret hideaway.

I'm also looking forward to see how long Rachel manages to keep Ferdinand away, since that cockroach will probably outlive and outthink PT Westmoreland at this point. The only thing worse than Ferdinand is a disenfranchised Ferdinand, as we saw this week, so buckle up and hold to your babies, sestras.

Link:

Orphan Black Season 5 Episode 2 Review: Clutch of Greed - Den of Geek US

Robohub | news, views and everything robotic

Posted on by

1

ICRA 2017

Location: Sands Expo and Convention Centre, 1 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018971

May 29, 2017 - June 3, 2017

http://www.icra2017.org/

ICRA is the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society's flagship conference and is a premier international forum for robotics researchers to present their work. The 2017 conference will be held from May 29 to June 3, 2017 at Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

The conference will include plenary sessions, contributed paper sessions, workshops and tutorial sessions, an industrial forum, a government forum, an ASEAN & emerging country forum, exhibitions, and robot challenges.

AUVSI Intelligent Ground Vehicles Comp

Location: Rochester, MI, USA

June 2, 2017 - June 5, 2017

http://www.igvc.org/objective.htm

The IGVC offers a design experience that is at the very cutting edge of engineering education. It is multidisciplinary, theory-based, hands-on, team implemented, outcome assessed, and based on product realization. It encompasses the very latest technologies impacting industrial development and taps subjects of high interest to students. Design and construction of an Intelligent Vehicle fits well in a two semester senior year design capstone course, or an extracurricular activity earning design credit. The deadline of an end-of-term competition is a real-world constraint that includes the excitement of potential winning recognition and financial gain. Students at all levels of undergraduate and graduate education can contribute to the team effort, and those at the lower levels benefit greatly from the experience and mentoring of those at higher levels. Team organization and leadership are practiced, and there are even roles for team members from business and engineering management, language and graphic arts, and public relations. Students solicit and interact with industrial sponsors who provide component hardware and advice, and in that way get an inside view of industrial design and opportunities for employment.

ICRA 2017

Location: Sands Expo and Convention Centre, 1 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018971

May 29, 2017 - June 3, 2017

http://www.icra2017.org/

ICRA is the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society's flagship conference and is a premier international forum for robotics researchers to present their work. The 2017 conference will be held from May 29 to June 3, 2017 at Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

The conference will include plenary sessions, contributed paper sessions, workshops and tutorial sessions, an industrial forum, a government forum, an ASEAN & emerging country forum, exhibitions, and robot challenges.

AUVSI Intelligent Ground Vehicles Comp

Location: Rochester, MI, USA

June 2, 2017 - June 5, 2017

http://www.igvc.org/objective.htm

The IGVC offers a design experience that is at the very cutting edge of engineering education. It is multidisciplinary, theory-based, hands-on, team implemented, outcome assessed, and based on product realization. It encompasses the very latest technologies impacting industrial development and taps subjects of high interest to students. Design and construction of an Intelligent Vehicle fits well in a two semester senior year design capstone course, or an extracurricular activity earning design credit. The deadline of an end-of-term competition is a real-world constraint that includes the excitement of potential winning recognition and financial gain. Students at all levels of undergraduate and graduate education can contribute to the team effort, and those at the lower levels benefit greatly from the experience and mentoring of those at higher levels. Team organization and leadership are practiced, and there are even roles for team members from business and engineering management, language and graphic arts, and public relations. Students solicit and interact with industrial sponsors who provide component hardware and advice, and in that way get an inside view of industrial design and opportunities for employment.

ICRA 2017

Location: Sands Expo and Convention Centre, 1 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018971

May 29, 2017 - June 3, 2017

http://www.icra2017.org/

ICRA is the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society's flagship conference and is a premier international forum for robotics researchers to present their work. The 2017 conference will be held from May 29 to June 3, 2017 at Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

The conference will include plenary sessions, contributed paper sessions, workshops and tutorial sessions, an industrial forum, a government forum, an ASEAN & emerging country forum, exhibitions, and robot challenges.

AUVSI Intelligent Ground Vehicles Comp

Location: Rochester, MI, USA

June 2, 2017 - June 5, 2017

http://www.igvc.org/objective.htm

The IGVC offers a design experience that is at the very cutting edge of engineering education. It is multidisciplinary, theory-based, hands-on, team implemented, outcome assessed, and based on product realization. It encompasses the very latest technologies impacting industrial development and taps subjects of high interest to students. Design and construction of an Intelligent Vehicle fits well in a two semester senior year design capstone course, or an extracurricular activity earning design credit. The deadline of an end-of-term competition is a real-world constraint that includes the excitement of potential winning recognition and financial gain. Students at all levels of undergraduate and graduate education can contribute to the team effort, and those at the lower levels benefit greatly from the experience and mentoring of those at higher levels. Team organization and leadership are practiced, and there are even roles for team members from business and engineering management, language and graphic arts, and public relations. Students solicit and interact with industrial sponsors who provide component hardware and advice, and in that way get an inside view of industrial design and opportunities for employment.

AUVSI Intelligent Ground Vehicles Comp

Location: Rochester, MI, USA

June 2, 2017 - June 5, 2017

http://www.igvc.org/objective.htm

The IGVC offers a design experience that is at the very cutting edge of engineering education. It is multidisciplinary, theory-based, hands-on, team implemented, outcome assessed, and based on product realization. It encompasses the very latest technologies impacting industrial development and taps subjects of high interest to students. Design and construction of an Intelligent Vehicle fits well in a two semester senior year design capstone course, or an extracurricular activity earning design credit. The deadline of an end-of-term competition is a real-world constraint that includes the excitement of potential winning recognition and financial gain. Students at all levels of undergraduate and graduate education can contribute to the team effort, and those at the lower levels benefit greatly from the experience and mentoring of those at higher levels. Team organization and leadership are practiced, and there are even roles for team members from business and engineering management, language and graphic arts, and public relations. Students solicit and interact with industrial sponsors who provide component hardware and advice, and in that way get an inside view of industrial design and opportunities for employment.

6

CES Asia

Location: Shanghai, China

June 7, 2017 - June 9, 2017

http://www.cesasia.cn/

Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and co-produced by Shanghai Intex, CES Asia is the premier event for the consumer technology industry, showcasing the full breadth and depth of the innovation value-chain in the Asian marketplace. Key global businesses come to this new event to grow and reinforce their brand by showcasing the latest products and technologies to consumer tech industry executives, foreign buyers, international media and a limited number of consumers from China. Attendees have exclusive access to some of the largest brands from China and around the world, while celebrating the innovation that defines the consumer technology sector. CES Asia 2017 will return to Shanghai June 7-9, 2017 as the only industry event focused on the Asia-Pacific market. Learn more with CES Asia 2016 Attendee Audit Summary and CES Asia 2017 Fact Sheet . CES Asia Granted Official Trade Fair Certification CES Asia 2016 was granted an Official Trade Fair Certification by the U.S. Department of Commerce (USDOC). This partnership opens the door for U.S. companies, exhibiting at CES Asia, to gain access to export assistance, trade counseling and opportunities to help expand into and/or grow their

CES Asia

Location: Shanghai, China

June 7, 2017 - June 9, 2017

http://www.cesasia.cn/

Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and co-produced by Shanghai Intex, CES Asia is the premier event for the consumer technology industry, showcasing the full breadth and depth of the innovation value-chain in the Asian marketplace. Key global businesses come to this new event to grow and reinforce their brand by showcasing the latest products and technologies to consumer tech industry executives, foreign buyers, international media and a limited number of consumers from China. Attendees have exclusive access to some of the largest brands from China and around the world, while celebrating the innovation that defines the consumer technology sector. CES Asia 2017 will return to Shanghai June 7-9, 2017 as the only industry event focused on the Asia-Pacific market. Learn more with CES Asia 2016 Attendee Audit Summary and CES Asia 2017 Fact Sheet . CES Asia Granted Official Trade Fair Certification CES Asia 2016 was granted an Official Trade Fair Certification by the U.S. Department of Commerce (USDOC). This partnership opens the door for U.S. companies, exhibiting at CES Asia, to gain access to export assistance, trade counseling and opportunities to help expand into and/or grow their

CES Asia

Location: Shanghai, China

June 7, 2017 - June 9, 2017

http://www.cesasia.cn/

Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and co-produced by Shanghai Intex, CES Asia is the premier event for the consumer technology industry, showcasing the full breadth and depth of the innovation value-chain in the Asian marketplace. Key global businesses come to this new event to grow and reinforce their brand by showcasing the latest products and technologies to consumer tech industry executives, foreign buyers, international media and a limited number of consumers from China. Attendees have exclusive access to some of the largest brands from China and around the world, while celebrating the innovation that defines the consumer technology sector. CES Asia 2017 will return to Shanghai June 7-9, 2017 as the only industry event focused on the Asia-Pacific market. Learn more with CES Asia 2016 Attendee Audit Summary and CES Asia 2017 Fact Sheet . CES Asia Granted Official Trade Fair Certification CES Asia 2016 was granted an Official Trade Fair Certification by the U.S. Department of Commerce (USDOC). This partnership opens the door for U.S. companies, exhibiting at CES Asia, to gain access to export assistance, trade counseling and opportunities to help expand into and/or grow their

10

11

12

Unmanned Cargo Innovation Ground Vehicle Conf

Location: Maaspoort, 6001 Weert, Netherlands

June 13, 2017 - June 14, 2017

https://unmannedcargogroundvehicleconference.com/

The Unmanned Cargo Ground Vehicle Conference is part of the first global multimodal unmanned cargo systems event a two-day event (June 13-14, 2017) that includes 4 dedicated conferences and an exhibition:

Cargo Innovation Conference Unmanned Cargo Ship Conference Unmanned Cargo Ground Vehicle Conference Unmanned Cargo Aircraft Conference Smart Logistics Expo

During the conference we host our Smart Logistics Expo, a dedicated and focused business and research platform. This exhibition brings together leading global companies from the unmanned cargo supply chain. It is a unique opportunity to exchange ideas and network with this pioneering community of unmanned cargo researchers, engineers, business developers and end-users.

Scope: Automated driving and unmanned transport systems are about to bring massive disruptions the road transport sector. Organisations active in this industry have to adapt their organisation accordingly in order to optimize operations and revenues. Unmanned Cargo Vehicles will offer solutions for many of the challenges the transport industry is facing: improved traffic flow and road safety, fuel consumption reduction and reduced CO2 emissions. The conference also addresses the benefits of unmanned vehicles for military purpose such as unmanned transport of goods in

Unmanned Cargo Innovation Ground Vehicle Conf

Location: Maaspoort, 6001 Weert, Netherlands

June 13, 2017 - June 14, 2017

https://unmannedcargogroundvehicleconference.com/

The Unmanned Cargo Ground Vehicle Conference is part of the first global multimodal unmanned cargo systems event a two-day event (June 13-14, 2017) that includes 4 dedicated conferences and an exhibition:

Cargo Innovation Conference Unmanned Cargo Ship Conference Unmanned Cargo Ground Vehicle Conference Unmanned Cargo Aircraft Conference Smart Logistics Expo

During the conference we host our Smart Logistics Expo, a dedicated and focused business and research platform. This exhibition brings together leading global companies from the unmanned cargo supply chain. It is a unique opportunity to exchange ideas and network with this pioneering community of unmanned cargo researchers, engineers, business developers and end-users.

Scope: Automated driving and unmanned transport systems are about to bring massive disruptions the road transport sector. Organisations active in this industry have to adapt their organisation accordingly in order to optimize operations and revenues. Unmanned Cargo Vehicles will offer solutions for many of the challenges the transport industry is facing: improved traffic flow and road safety, fuel consumption reduction and reduced CO2 emissions. The conference also addresses the benefits of unmanned vehicles for military purpose such as unmanned transport of goods in

15

16

17

ICAPS Robotic Track

Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

June 18, 2017 - June 23, 2017

http://icaps17.icaps-conference.org/robotics-track

ICAPS will run a Robotics track as part of the main conference, following the successes of the 2014, 2015 and 2016 edition. The Robotics track will emphasize the opportunities that emerge from integrating the fields of AI planning and autonomous robotics. The ICAPS-2017 Robotics track provides an opportunity for the AI planning and scheduling community to respond to the challenges that robotics applications pose, and to contribute to the advancement of intelligent robotics. This is also an opportunity for the robotics community to propose integrated solutions, discuss challenges related to planning for autonomous robots (deliberative, reactive, continuous planning and execution, etc.), and to showcase the use of planning and scheduling technology in robotics applications.

The robotics track welcomes work on task, motion, and manipulation planning, plan execution, execution monitoring and failure recovery, task-level coordination of robots, and planning for perception. Submission of work that has been demonstrated on actual robot systems is specifically encouraged.

ICAPS Robotic Track

Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

June 18, 2017 - June 23, 2017

http://icaps17.icaps-conference.org/robotics-track

ICAPS will run a Robotics track as part of the main conference, following the successes of the 2014, 2015 and 2016 edition. The Robotics track will emphasize the opportunities that emerge from integrating the fields of AI planning and autonomous robotics. The ICAPS-2017 Robotics track provides an opportunity for the AI planning and scheduling community to respond to the challenges that robotics applications pose, and to contribute to the advancement of intelligent robotics. This is also an opportunity for the robotics community to propose integrated solutions, discuss challenges related to planning for autonomous robots (deliberative, reactive, continuous planning and execution, etc.), and to showcase the use of planning and scheduling technology in robotics applications.

The robotics track welcomes work on task, motion, and manipulation planning, plan execution, execution monitoring and failure recovery, task-level coordination of robots, and planning for perception. Submission of work that has been demonstrated on actual robot systems is specifically encouraged.

ICAPS Robotic Track

Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

June 18, 2017 - June 23, 2017

http://icaps17.icaps-conference.org/robotics-track

ICAPS will run a Robotics track as part of the main conference, following the successes of the 2014, 2015 and 2016 edition. The Robotics track will emphasize the opportunities that emerge from integrating the fields of AI planning and autonomous robotics. The ICAPS-2017 Robotics track provides an opportunity for the AI planning and scheduling community to respond to the challenges that robotics applications pose, and to contribute to the advancement of intelligent robotics. This is also an opportunity for the robotics community to propose integrated solutions, discuss challenges related to planning for autonomous robots (deliberative, reactive, continuous planning and execution, etc.), and to showcase the use of planning and scheduling technology in robotics applications.

The robotics track welcomes work on task, motion, and manipulation planning, plan execution, execution monitoring and failure recovery, task-level coordination of robots, and planning for perception. Submission of work that has been demonstrated on actual robot systems is specifically encouraged.

ICAPS Robotic Track

Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

June 18, 2017 - June 23, 2017

http://icaps17.icaps-conference.org/robotics-track

ICAPS will run a Robotics track as part of the main conference, following the successes of the 2014, 2015 and 2016 edition. The Robotics track will emphasize the opportunities that emerge from integrating the fields of AI planning and autonomous robotics. The ICAPS-2017 Robotics track provides an opportunity for the AI planning and scheduling community to respond to the challenges that robotics applications pose, and to contribute to the advancement of intelligent robotics. This is also an opportunity for the robotics community to propose integrated solutions, discuss challenges related to planning for autonomous robots (deliberative, reactive, continuous planning and execution, etc.), and to showcase the use of planning and scheduling technology in robotics applications.

See the original post here:

Robohub | news, views and everything robotic

Robotics program taps young innovators in Medway – Wicked Local Medway

Posted on by

By Christian Yapor Daily News Staff

MEDWAY - Tapping away at laptop keyboards, about 20 participants in the 4-H youth science workshop learned basic coding skills to bring robots to life Saturday in the Medway Public Library.

Youth learn early Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) skills in 4-H, which is a youth development program.

"Two of the things we are trying to teach these kids are engineering and computational thinking," said Kim Pond, extension director for 4-H."There is science in everything we use every day, and through programs like this, we are encouraging kids to think about how things work, as well as prepare them for the work force."

The robots, which were made using Lego Mindstorms, were equipped with infrared sensors, color detection sensors, touch sensors, gyroscopes and ultrasonic sensors. Programming the functions of these sensors, the children worked together in teams to tell their robots how to navigate certain obstacles such as weaving through poles, and going up and down a ramp.

We are making robot commands so that it can act like a pet, said Jackson Alessandri, 12, of Medway. It's a lot of fun because I like building things.

"I am looking forward to controlling the robot and making it do special commands," said Jason Huff, 11, of Franklin.

"These robots are designed for younger kids that want to get their feet wet," said Nathan Shepherd, 18, of Franklin, who volunteered to help at the workshop. "The programming consists of simple drag-and-drop functions."

Shepherd said he started working withrobotics in Middle School when he himself was a participant in the 4-H program. In high school he entered competitions and worked with robots that were a lot more advanced. This fall he will attend Boston University to study mechanical engineering and continue working with robotics.

I think it's the process of getting something to work, and the end goal will be having something that works that appeals to these kids, said Shepherd.

"Building a robot and programming a robot are both equally hard, but keeping it stable so that it is not falling apart is important," said Hunter Ross, 9, of Medway.

"Actually, putting the robot together, coding it and bringing it to life is a lot of fun, and each robot is very unique," said James O'Connell, 10, of Holliston.

Shepherd said a lot of trial and error takes place when you're building and programming a robot.

You might not get it at first and it might frustrate some people, but you need to keep working at it."

"The hardest part is knowing what wires go in what holes," said Jeffrey Cadorette, 9, of Fitchburg as he worked on building his team's robot.

"It's such a great accomplishment when it's done," send Joshua Brennan, 9, of Franklin.

Most of the children who participated in the workshop have high hopes of working with technology in the future.

"It's a lot of fun and I want to build a robotic cat, or build a robot so small it can kill a disease," said Wyatt Uhe, 8, of Medway.

Christian Yapor can be reached at 508-634-7521, or at cyapor@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChristianYapor.

Read more:

Robotics program taps young innovators in Medway - Wicked Local Medway

The Collaborative Robots & Advanced Vision Conference welcomes: – Robotics Online (press release)

Posted on by

Agenda

Conference sessions will be listed here soon! Please check back.

Robot Tracks

Stuart Singer

Schneider Optics, Inc.

Advanced Optics for Vision - CVP-Advanced Certification

Designed for the engineering professional, this course concentrates on real world techniques for putting together optic systems that work. Youll learn how to select proper lens components, optomechanical layout, including system bends, and mounting techniques. Prior attendance at a Basic Optics course is encouraged, but not required.

Vision Tracks

Stuart Singer

Schneider Optics, Inc.

Advanced Optics for Vision - CVP-Advanced Certification

Designed for the engineering professional, this course concentrates on real world techniques for putting together optic systems that work. Youll learn how to select proper lens components, optomechanical layout, including system bends, and mounting techniques. Prior attendance at a Basic Optics course is encouraged, but not required.

Read more:

The Collaborative Robots & Advanced Vision Conference welcomes: - Robotics Online (press release)

Students put robots through the metal paces – Warren Tribune Chronicle

Posted on by

WARREN Local residents interested in robots got to see some up close Saturday.

The sixth annual FIRST Robotics Day was noon to 4 p.m. at the Packard Museum, featuring robotics teams from Warren, Champion and Austintown middle and high schools. Students demonstrated how their robots shoot balls, climb ropes and hang gears.

Travis Hoffman, adviser and lead engineer for the Warren G. Harding Delphi ELITE Team 48, said it was important for students to get involved in the robotics teams because the activities use many of the skills potential employers seek.

If you get that information hands-on before college, it really gives you a step up, Hoffman said.

Andy Yantes, lead technical mentor for the Austintown Fitch Falco Tech 3193 team, said schools have decreased technology classes in recent years, relegating such training to career centers.

We can teach the kids how to do programming, electrical wiring, public speaking, writing scripts, essays. Theres so many different aspects, Yantes said.

Jacob Scheidegger, 18, of Warren, serves as the captain of the project and management team, which includes behind-the-scenes tasks such as writing awards, helping with general management and fundraising. Initially beginning with an interest in STEM science, technology, engineering and mathematics Scheidegger learned after four years on the team he liked business and management, which gave him an idea of what he wanted to do after school.

Scheideggers fellow teammate Alex Richards, 14, of Warren, in his first year, is more direct as the human player on the drive team, which involves operating their robot, Xtremachen20, as well as other duties including assembly and fixing the robot.

I plan to be on the team until I graduate, Richards said.

Although they are technically robotics teams, Barb Hummel, a mentor with the Champion High School Lightning Bots, said the groups draw in students for much more than robotics or technology. She compared the team to a business requiring the students to be able to manage many facets such as public relations and financing aside from the obvious technological aspect of the team.

Kids build the robot, but we also have graphic design, photography and finance, Hummel said. We utilize all skills.

Lightning Bots team member Cole Engle, 17, of Champion, corroborated Hummels statement, saying he participated in a lot of sports before joining the team four years ago. Now he works on the electronics for their robot, the Ironclad.

The best moment is when were building the robot and you see the new kids get involved, Engle said. You can see them getting excited.

Elise Yantes, 15, of Austintown, was operating Falco Tech 3193s robot the Talon Hydra. Elise, who spent three years on the middle school team and three years on the high school team, said her role is co-captain of the support team. This includes working on awards, presenting the awards, outreach and helping on the robots.

The team environment is the best thing, Elise said. I met my best friend in my first year on the team, theres a lot of camaraderie.

For anyone interested in seeing more of what the robotics teams can do, Hoffman recommends attending the Mahoning Valley Robotics Challenge, which will feature at least 24 local robotics teams, Sept. 23 at Warren G. Harding High School in Warren.

ddye@tribtoday.com

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY 99 years ago in 1918: The first Warren boy to suffer injuries in action fighting on ...

BRACEVILLE Trumbull County MetroParks is applying for a $43,000 state grant to rehabilitate the historic Ellis ...

BRACEVILLE State Route 82 at state Route 5 will be closed Monday through Friday for minor bridge repairs. ...

WARREN One of Americas most famous and liveliest presidents will live again, thanks to Gene Worthington, who ...

NILES An unexpected refund from the citys water supplier may help the city repair its hydrants or water ...

See the original post:

Students put robots through the metal paces - Warren Tribune Chronicle