Daily Archives: July 7, 2021

Summer of Sass: Where LGBTQ youth find summer jobs, safe haven – Wicked Local

Posted: July 7, 2021 at 2:50 pm

Youthrelocatefrom intolerant situations for summer of work, play, community

Summer of Sass participant Stacy Starr, 21, sings at Spiritus Pizza in Provincetown, Mass.

Stacy Starr, 21, sings Ed Sheerans The A Team outside of Spiritus Pizza in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Starr is in the Summer of Sass program.

Wicked Local

PROVINCETOWN "It gets better."

The decade-old messageaims topreventsuicide among LGBTQyouthby havingadults who have been on the receivingside ofbullyingandstigmatell stories of a beautiful and hopeful life ahead.

The Summer of Sass work program is meant to take the message one step further.

It'swhat "better" looks like,founder Kristen Becker said.

Stacy Starrcalmlystrumsherukulele while sitting on thestoopofSpiritus Pizza. It's been just a few weeks since she arrived atthe LGBTQ and artists "safe haven,"known asProvincetown, Massachusetts.

In between songs, people walkingby stopto chat, complimentingher performance.

"I found my confidence, the21-year-oldsaid.

Starr, wearing silver star-shaped earringsand pink star sunglasses, has let the transphobiashesbeen met with throughout her young life movepast her.

People really hate trans people, Starr said.Shewas nearly jumped on the street and chased down by a car when she moved to Buffalo, New York. She moved to Buffalo after her parents kicked her out of thehouse, she said.

Growing up in Farmville, Virginia, "Ispent so much time worrying about a lot of the things I wasnt allowed to do," she said.

The Summer of Sassprogram invites LGBTQ young adults, usually between the agesof18 to 20,torelocatefrom oppressive areas in the United States for a summer of work and play, community and independence.

Another "sasser," 18-year-old EthanJackson, grew up in a religious environment in Defiance, Ohio. His first night in Provincetown, he had the realizationhehadnever seen two people of the same sex hold hands in public.

Ive seen that in movies,pictures and stuff,but never in person.Butyou see that everyday around here. That is the norm. Its great,Jacksonsaidbefore smiling.Even now, Im seeingsomeone,and we walked down the street holding hands.

Leaving Spiritus Pizza after a long workday at Gale Force Bikes, Jackson stops to compliment a street performer outside, saying that he appreciates when he sees others chase their dreams.

Jackson himself likes to sketch and sing. He's thinking about being a storyteller and possibly going to college.

Becker, a comedian,founded the programin 2016, following her 20thhigh school reunionin Shreveport, Louisiana.

While there, she read a story in the local paper about a gay teenager who had to graduate high school early because he was bullied so much.

I was just like 20 years have gone by and its still the same thing. That was my motivation for starting the program, she said.

When Becker left Louisiana herself to pursue acomedy career, she realized that the worldwas notloaded with shame everywhere and that there were places "queer people can be themselves.

The teenager she read aboutin the newspaper,TeddyLowery, became the first participant of the program the following summer.

"Everyone told me I was crazy, and I didnt know what I was doing, and they were 100% correct, Becker said.

Despite her doubts,she pushed on: raising money for housingand travel, connecting withactivistorganizationsin the Southand talking with local businesses that often face worker shortages during the busy summer season.

This year marks the fourthSummer of Sass group to come to town. Groups usually range from three to six participants.Noone came last year due to the COVID-19 virus threat.

Each season, Beckercatersthe programs to the needs of the youthparticipating, learning as she goes, she said.Weekly group outings will include anything fromgoing on a whale watch to counseling.

In thefirst few years of the program, Provincetown Compacta local non-profit working to advance the year-round communitywas the program's fiscal sponsor. In 2020, the program became its own registered non-profit with a board of directors.

Participants often learn about the program from connections Becker has made with advocacy organizations throughout the South. Youth across the countrycan also apply on the Summer of Sass website. Becker hasonly ever had to turn two people away because there wasn't enoughspace, she said.

"Normally, they come to me when I need them," she said. "I always seem to have enough. I don't have to work too hard for that part because there's an abundance of kids living in bad areas for being gay."

Participantsin the program pay rent weekly, but its subsidized, Beckersaid.

I make up the difference for what a youngqueercan afford and what it costs to be here, she said. So,there is a sense of responsibility and I think thats really important. Its not a free ride.

About twenty years ago, Provincetown attracted many young queer people, Becker said.But with a rising real estate market, it has become a lot less feasible for a group of queer friends to rent a place for the summer, she said.

Its very clear that were getting priced out, she said.Local businesseslike Sals Place restaurant, Provincetown Brewing Company andGreg SalvatoriGalleryhave been a big help with fundraising efforts, she said.

'Sass'growth

We have a huge social media campaign were going to launch this summer, she said.

The number one priority is obtaining a permanent house, Becker said. That way agroup of eight to ten peoplecan come to town and some who would stay year-round.

Ideally,the nonprofitcould raise $1 million for a town propertythat can bebought and paid off, Becker said.

"I don't know how to sustain this, truthfully, without it," she said.

It has been rewarding to see the growth of the program's participants throughout the years, Becker said. A group ofsassers, now a few years older,recently moved to New Orleans together. Anotherfirst-yearparticipant, KhloeMitchell, got a nursing certificate and is a performer in town.

It's been a lot of growth. They really do thrive, Becker said.

The program opens up LGBTQ youth to see their own potential, wherethere's a whole community of queer peopleliving in million dollar houses, Becker said.

Its a visibility theyve never had before," she said. "It changes what you believe about yourself and it changes what everyone has told you about yourself."

For Jackson, sitting at an outside table at Spiritus Pizza, he compares the isolation he felt as one of the onlyqueer people in his Ohio hometownto the freedom he feels now.

Its refreshing to know theres a whole community of us," Jackson said. While moving to somewhere he's never been before was frightening and took abig leap of faith, it was necessary for his personal growth, he said.

Ive also learnedtonot be soafraid," Jackson said.

Outside the popular pizza shop, Starr smiles beforesingingher original song entitled "Tripped Wire." The song reflectswhatshe's learned as she's become a young adult.

Im living on a tripped wire. Im walking on a line. I cannot be defined for who I am. Im not a good actress. I do not know my lines," she sings. "I do not tell the lies that you want to hear,wannahear. Cause if we live on eggshells, can we ever be ourselves?Were cracking from the pressures of the lectures forced on us.

INFORMATION

Learn more about Summer of Sass:https://www.summerofsass.org.

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NSA’s spying on Tucker Carlson is an attack all Americans – Washington Times

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ANALYSIS/OPINION:

In March 2017, I received a tip from a friend in the intelligence community that the British Government Communications Headquarters, or GCHQ the United Kingdoms domestic and foreign spies had been asked by the CIA to spy on candidate Donald Trump during the 2016 U.S presidential election campaign. He elaborated that Trumps claim that someone tapped my wires was essentially true. The tip was potentially explosive, so I ran it past two other friends in the intelligence community, and they confirmed it.

When I went public with this, all hell broke loose in my professional life. The British spies denied spying on Trump, who by then was the president of the United States. Former Obama administration folks denied asking the Brits to do this and denied that it was done.

I was accused of fabricating this so as to make Mr. Trump look good. The prime minister of the U.K. had one of her deputies call my bosses at Fox News and demand that I recant what I had said or be fired. Fox asked me to lay low for 10 days, which I did, but Fox backed me when I explained the verifications conducted by my sources.

My source spoke to British agents who confirmed that their colleagues had spied on Mr. Trump.

When I went back on the air, my colleague Bill Hemmer asked if I stood by my revelations. I told Bill that getting beaten up in the press is the price one occasionally pays for challenging those in power. Two months later, four GCHQ agents told The Guardian newspaper of London that my revelations were true, and my professional life returned to normal.

During one of my meetings with my sources, they told me that the National Security Administration, Americas 60,000-person strong domestic spy apparatus, was listening to our conversations and monitoring our texts and emails.

It is utterly terrifying to realize that your daily communications are being scrutinized by the government without probable cause and without a search warrant, both of which are required by the Fourth Amendment. It gives you pause before communicating; pause that churns the stomach; pause that is profoundly un-American.

Last week, my Fox colleague Tucker Carlson had a similar experience when an NSA whistleblower revealed to him that the NSA was monitoring his communications. He reported this on his Fox television show, and it is safe to say that the NSA became furious.

Tucker, like me, believes that the Constitution means what it says. The rights it protects are both man-made, like the right to vote; and natural, like religion, speech, the press, self-defense, travel and privacy. The late Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis called privacy the right most valued by civilized persons.

The point here is that the CIA folks who triggered the spying on Mr. Trump and the NSA folks who spied on Mr. Carlson and me have all taken an oath to uphold the Constitution. Thus, when they spy without warrants or have foreign colleagues do it for them, they are not only subverting natural and constitutionally protected rights, they are also committing the crimes of computer hacking and misconduct in office.

The whole purpose of the Fourth Amendment is to be an obstacle to the governments appetite for information about us. The amendment was written while memories of the British use of general warrants which permitted agents to search wherever they pleased and seize whatever they found were still fresh in the minds of those who fought the Revolution and wrote the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

On Dec. 4, 1981, 20 years before 9/11, President Ronald Reagan signed Executive Order 12333. This directed the military the NSA is in the military to begin spying on Americans whose communications presented a danger to national security, and to do so without search warrants. The NSA relies on this unconstitutional executive order for authority to engage in mass warrantless surveillance or targeted, individual warrantless surveillance.

Subsequent presidential executive orders have been written with the mindset that the president as commander in chief can operate outside the Constitution.

This perverse rationale has brought us where we are today a place that Reagan himself could never have recognized and of which he would never have approved. Today, the NSA captures all data communicated into, going out of and within the U.S. That includes the content of all text messages, emails and phone calls, as well as financial, legal and medical records the list is endless. This data consumes 27 times the contents of the Library of Congress every year.

All this is far too much for the NSA to read and digest, which is how the hijackers and killers who perpetrated 9/11, and how domestic mass murderers and their confederates, have slipped past them.

But when the NSA targets a specific person, as it did to me in 2017 and does to Tucker Carlson today, it is sure to examine in near real time whatever it has gathered.

This should provoke outrage across the political spectrum. The NSA was after Mr. Carlson and me because, as libertarians defending privacy and believing that the Fourth Amendment means what it says, we have been harshly critical of it. But the NSA is part of the government. Can the government use its powers to chill the free speech rights of its critics? Of course not.

The Supreme Court has ruled many times that chilling government behavior that gives one pause or fear before speaking freely about the government is a direct violation of the natural and constitutionally protected right to the freedom of speech.

Tucker Carlson and you and I can say whatever we want about the government and it cannot legally or constitutionally chill or prevent that. If it could, then our rights are just empty claims.

Why have we reposed the Constitution for safekeeping into the hands of those who subvert it?

Andrew P. Napolitano, a former judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey, is an analyst for the Fox News Channel. He has written seven books on the U.S. Constitution.

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AiM Medical Robotics to Present and Exhibit at 18th Annual World Congress of Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics (SBMT) – PRNewswire

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., July 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --AiM Medical Robotics, a leading developer of MRI-safe intraoperative robotics for neurosurgery, today announced that they will be presenting and exhibiting at the prestigious 18th Annual World Congress of Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics (SBMT), which will be held in Los Angeles on July 8th - 11th. The program will be featuring state-of-the-art science and technology in the field of neuroscience and neurosurgery, and it will have close to 900 presenters and 10 keynotes.

The co-founders and inventors of AiM Medical Robotics, Dr. Greg Fischer of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Dr. Julie Pilitsis of the Albany Medical Center, will be presenting the latest updates on their NIH-funded research for brain tumor ablation during the SBMT scientific sessions.Additionally, Bob Cathcart, President & CEO of AiM Medical Robotics, and Dr. Jonathan Sackier, Director, will be meeting with clinicians and industry leaders during the Company's exhibition at the Congress.

"SBMT brings pioneers of neurosurgery and trailblazing companies together with game changing policy makers in order to rapidly fast track diagnostics, devices and therapeutics for patients with neurological, spine and neuro-psychiatric disorders; AiM Medical Robotics is one of the leaders in the emerging field of artificial intelligence-guided therapy" said, Dr. Babak Kateb, founding chairman of the board of directors & CEO of SBMT, President and Scientific Director of the Brain Mapping Foundation, Director of National Center for Nano-Bio-Electronics, and Director of Brain Technology and Innovation Park.

Bob Cathcart commented, "We are extremely excited to have been asked to participate in this outstanding gathering of world leaders inNeurology. SBMT is at the forefront of discovery for the diagnosis and treatment of brain disorders. We are honored to have Dr. Fischer and Dr. Pilitsis participate in the scientific sessions to share their enthusiasm and the accomplishments that we have seen with our paradigm-shifting technology. Our MRI-compatible robotic system will give surgeons the ability to utilize MRI guidance for complex neurosurgical procedures. By combining the Real Time feedback of the MRI and the precision and accuracy of the robot, surgeons can confidently reach targets deep in the brain the first time every time."

About AiM Medical Robotics

AiM Medical Roboticsis a privately held biotechnology company currently focused on the development of MRI-compatible advanced robotics that are precision-focused and portable. You can follow AiM at http://www.aimmedrobotics.com and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/aim-medical-robotics.

Forward Looking Statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements may include but are not necessarily limited to statements that relate to the advancement and development of the company's robot or technologies, when used herein, words such as "anticipate", "being", "will", "plan", "may", "continue", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements or information that refer to expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, performance or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking. All forward-looking statements are based upon AiM Medical Robotics' current expectations and various assumptions. AiM Medical Roboticsbelieves there is a reasonable basis for its expectations and beliefs, but they are inherently uncertain. AiM Medical Roboticsmay not realize its expectations, and its beliefs may not prove correct. Actual results could differ materially from those described or implied by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which reflect management's view only as of the date hereof. AiM Medical Roboticsundertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Contacts: Bob CathcartChief Executive OfficerAiM Medical Robotics, Inc.(862) 703-0253[emailprotected]

Investors:Doug Nissinoff Corporate CommunicationsAiM Medical Robotics, Inc.(954) 204-6745[emailprotected]

[www.aimmedicalrobotics.com]

SOURCE AiM Medical Robotics

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AiM Medical Robotics to Present and Exhibit at 18th Annual World Congress of Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics (SBMT) - PRNewswire

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Lafayette robotics team aims to take bike kit inspired by 5-year-old amputee to market – The Advocate

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A group of Lafayette high school students is hoping to take a bicycle adaptation kit for people with disabilities they created for an international robotics competition to the open market, inspired by the indomitable spirit of the 5-year-old boy who sparked the project.

Lafayettes Team 3616: Phenomena robotics teamcompeted at the 2021 FIRST Global Innovation Awards against 19 other international teams in the FIRST Robotics Competition Innovation Challenge at the end of June. FIRST, or For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, is an international nonprofit that promotes students exploration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics through robotics.

While they didnt win, the local teens are charging forward with their invention in the hopes of bringing it to market.

Ivy Sonnier, an Ovey Comeaux High School rising senior, said the Pheno Advance 3616 kit can be added to any existing bicycle to make it accessible for riders with a leg prosthesis or compromised leg. The kit includes a low-speed assist button, sensors, a motor and a specialty pedal for comfort and security for a prosthetic leg, she said.

Plans to install a new outdoor gym at Lafayette Middle School are moving forward and the schools principal is using the momentum to jumpstart

When the rider first mounts the bike, they can use the low-speed assist button to engage the motor at a low speed while they gain their balance, then begin to pedal for themselves. The rider will pedal with their good leg, while sensors track the motion and engage the motor for a 180-degree rotation to make up for the impaired leg, keeping the pedaling cycle unbroken while still allowing the child to exercise, Sonnier said.

The teams invention received a warm reception when presented during the innovation challenge, she said.

Its unexplainable watching something go from an idea to something tangible and having people around the world in high positions looking at it and seeing what we see, Sonnier said.

Woodvale Elementary parents are cheering the prospect of fifth-graders joining the school community in permanent classroom space after the Laf

The bike kit was inspired by 5-year-old James Boquet, grandson of Southside High School teacher Kellie Boquet. The educator worked alongside faculty leader and head mentor Lisa Ranney at Comeaux High for years and kept her updated on her grandsons development. James was born without the femur and fibula bones in his left leg. At 1, his foot was amputated and he received a prosthesis, she said.

James is a normal 5-year-old -- he loves to hunt and fish with his dad, hes outdoorsy, fearless and a natural people person -- he just does it all with a prosthetic leg, Boquet said. Since hes never known differently, it was a harder and scarier adjustment for the adults in his early years than for James.

We were the ones scared, he was never scared or doubting himself. He was never worried about himself, she said.

Faced with an expanding inventory of campus technology and a shortage of skilled hands to handle repairs, St. Martinville Senior High School b

Even with his can-do spirit, there are some things James is hindered from doing, like riding a bicycle with his older sister and cousin. While he has electric substitutes, he wants to exert himself and feel the joy of propelling himself on the bike, his grandmother said. Boquet said seeing how far the Phenomena students have taken their work has been thrilling.

At first I just didnt have any words. I was so humbled that they picked him and our situation...God has a plan and if James plan can extend to someone elses plan that God has given them then thats a win-win for everyone, Boquet said.

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Sonnier said the team spoke with James and his father, Brent Boquet, over video to learn how his prosthesis functions and his needs, then consulted with an orthopedic surgeon, engineers and a paralympic bike mechanic while developing their product. The project began as Sonnier and two other girls focus in January, then became an all hands on deck endeavor around April when it became clear the product could go all the way in competition, she said.

There were challenges, the 17-year-old said, both technically and working as a group. They learned the importance of good communication through trial and error, and problem solved as the bike kit became increasingly more advanced, considering needs like initial stability and a fail safe release for the pedal in case of injuries.

Fifteen-year-old Allison Aucoin has issued a challenge to fellow girls and young women in Scouts BSA in Acadiana after becoming the first fema

It was stressful but it was rewarding. It was like, youd go through the stress and youd leave but youd want to come back the next day because you saw it improving, Sonnier said.

The team was supported by a group of professional mentors, including first time mentor William Ness, the chief information officer for the Lafayette Economic Development Authority. Ness said he helped the team develop the business plan for the Pheno Advance 3616, looking at production costs, production partners, sale price, selling channels, marketing and other elements.

I left every day from here so much more energized than when I got here. The kids were amazing to work with, Ness said.

There arent many siblings like the Halls. In just four years, KiAra, Tyreke and Maleke Hall have all graduated from Acadiana High School as

Ranney said the group has a functioning prototype of their kit and theyre taking steps to secure a provisional patent on the invention. From there, theyll continue testing, building on the 2,000 data points theyve so far collected to advance the kit. Theyre also developing an app companion for parents to monitor their childrens progress on the bike, she said, while making plans to hopefully bring the finished product to market.

Phenomena, in its 12th year, is a Lafayette Parish Public School System sponsored robotics team open to high school students from the Acadiana region, from all schools and parishes, Ranney said. The Comeaux High educator launched the program with a $6,000 grant from JCPenney and seven students, and today the team has 20 members and has been invited to FIRSTs global championships five times.

It brings a lot of joy to see these students grow, she said.

Mays Teacher Awards event was the first public nod to the impending merger between the Lafayette Education Foundation and the United Way of A

Recent Southside High graduate Cody Carter, on path to attend LSU this fall, participated in Phenomena all of high school, but has been unofficially involved since middle school when his older brother was a team member. Carter said hes grown more confident, strengthened his technical abilities, learned to be a leader and accountable partner, and built lasting friendships.

Ending his Phenomena experience by helping a boy with local ties is a satisfying end, he said.

Just imagining what hes going through -- having feelings that he cant be like a regular kid because of his prosthetic leg -- that really hurts me, Carter said. The fact were giving something thats going to make him feel more normal to regular kids, thats what we do it for.

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Portland West robotics club scores in world competition – The Portland Sun

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Portland East Middle Schools Panther Tech robotics club sent three teams to the VEX Robotics World Competition recently. The club is under the leadership of PEMS Guidance Counselor Dale Sadler, who began the club two years ago.

The club began with two teams and during the 2020-2021 school year, it grew to nine.

PEMS had the first VEX IQ club which is for grades 5 through 8. Sadlers influence spread across Sumner County with all middle schools now having a team with the exception of a specialized school. White House High School had the first VEX VRC team which are large metal robots designed for high school students.

The teams build robots from VEXIQ kits designed for grades 5-8. The kits contain plastic interlock pieces similar to Legos. Teams design the body structure and program the hard drive which becomes the brain of the robot.

The robot is controlled by a remote similar to a video game controller. The kits are very complex and cost over $300 each.

This year the teams competed in a county event hosted by Portland East Middle School and a competition at Valor Academy in Nashville. The teams then advanced to the state competition held at Brentwood Academy. Two PEMS teams earned the right to go to the VEX Robotics World

Competition.

A Team with Noah Scearce and Braden Buckner won first place and B Team with Colton Wink and Ethan Klotz placed second.

Team Z Dalton Simmons and Brody Dillard finished fourth and received the Sportsmanship award. Team Z was allowed to compete in the world competition because of its fourth-place finish in the state competition when a space opened up.

According to Sadler, the competition in the world event was tough and competitive. PEMS teams were in a division with teams from Paraguay, Australia, Russia, and Ecuador.

The PEMS teams made it to the finals in each of their divisions but were eliminated and didnt go beyond that. All 50 states competed in the world competition except Alaska and every continent was represented except Antarctica.

Sadler said, We had an exceptional year, and we are already planning for the next.

PEMS is an accredited State of Tennessee STEM School, and was the first middle school in the county to receive that recognition.

PEMS principal Jackson Howell said, Our robotics program has been an integral part in our STEM accreditation. The amount of work that Mr. Sadler and his team members put into having a successful program is unmatched. The transformation from a start-up program to the amount of success we have experienced is more than I ever would have imagined. It is a program that embodies our total learning community-teachers, students, parents, and community support.

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Integrity Implants and Fusion Robotics Merge to Form Accelus – GlobeNewswire

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PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., July 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Integrity Implants Inc., a privately held medical device company focused on Adaptive Geometry technology designed to enable MIS spine surgery, and Fusion Robotics, LLC, a privately held medical technology company focused on efficient and cost-effective navigation and robotic targeting solutions for spine surgery, today announced that they have consummated a merger combining the two companies. The combined company will be re-branded as Accelus and is uniquely positioned to accelerate the adoption of minimally invasive surgery as the standard of care in spine.

Accelus will create opportunities for wide-scale adoption of robotics in spine surgeryboth in hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs)by addressing previous constraints related to cost and efficiency, said Chris Walsh, who will serve as the CEO of Accelus. Both Fusion Robotics and Integrity Implants have built enabling technology platforms that create a force multiplier for spinal care. Our products and culture create accessibility to fit each patients anatomy, each surgeons preferred approach, and each healthcare facilitys space and budget limitations, embodying our core principle of access without compromise.

Although the benefits of MIS have been recognized for decades, broad adoption in the spine market is still constrained relative to other orthopedic and interventional procedures. The combination of Fusion Robotics efficient, compact and scalable robot with Integrity Implants unique Adaptive Geometry implants will enable the rapid acceleration of MIS adoption.

We believe Accelus is poised to be the next dominant player in the spine market, said Alex Lukianov, who will serve as Chairman of the companys Board of Directors. Accelus will uniquely accelerate penetration of MIS while fostering a culture of outstanding performance together with an unparalleled product development engine to continually simplify surgical procedures. Our growth prospects are tremendous. Onward and upward!

Integrity Implants flagship FlareHawk Lumbar Interbody Fusion Device received FDA clearance in 2016 and CE mark approval in 2021, and to date more than 10,500 FlareHawk devices have been implanted in more than 8,000 patients. Integrity Implants also holds FDA clearances for its LineSider Spinal System, FlareHawk TiHawkInterbody Fusion System and Toro-L Interbody Fusion System. Fusion Robotics received a 510(k) clearance for its initial product offering and started performing spine procedures in the U.S. market earlier this year.

"This combination of teams and technology represents a transformative opportunity to accelerate innovation in spine, said neurosurgeon Kevin Foley, M.D., Chief Robotics Officer of Fusion Robotics. The implant portfolio is complementary to the robotics platform, and with the rapid strides we are making in robotics developmentspecifically related to our fluoroscopy-based robotics systemthe synergies will become even more robust in the coming months."

Accelus corporate office, R&D, distribution and Accelus Clinical Education (ACE) surgeon training facility will be headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Additional ACE labs and R&D centers will be located in Boulder, Colo. and San Diego, Calif.

The companys Executive Management Team will consist of leaders from both Integrity Implants and Fusion Robotics, who bring decades of experience and leadership across spine, navigation and surgical robotics. Acceluss Board of Directors will be composed of Fusion Robotics founders Alex Lukianov and Brad Clayton; Integrity Implants founders Chris Walsh and Wyatt Geist; and current Integrity Implants Directors Nate Ward, Ned Lipes and Paul Birkmeyer.

The organizational synergies go beyond products and technology, as we are pulling together the A-team of spine, Walsh added.

Accelus will be showcasing its current product portfolio during the 2021 Spine Summit meeting in San Diego this July and the 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons in Orlando in August, as well as unveiling new product launches at the North American Spine Societys 36th Annual Meeting in Boston this fall.

About Accelus

Accelus is committed to accelerating minimally invasive spine surgery through its procedure-enabling technology with broad accessibility to previously underserved markets. Founded in 2021 through the combination of Integrity Implants and Fusion Robotics, the company is focused on providing its proprietary Adaptive Geometry technology with pragmatic and economical navigation and robotic solutions with broad clinical use in spine surgery.

Media Contact: Brandy CraigPhone: 305-676-1679bcraig@integrityimplants.com

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Clear Creek ISD students win awards at world and regional robotics competitions – KTRK-TV

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LEAGUE CITY, Texas -- Of the 13 student teams from across Clear Creek ISD that competed at this year's 2021 VEX Worlds Live-Remote Championship in late May, several earned distinctions and awards.

The multiday tournament, with the Guinness World Records recognition as the largest online robot championships, included the VEX Robotics Competition and VEX IQ Challenge events. This year's world championship was held virtually using newly developed streaming platforms that meant students were competing with over 1,600 other teams from 30 countries and 49 states.

RELATED: This All Girl Robotics Team Is Inspirational

From Westbrook Intermediate School, team 7421C Flaming Phoenix was recognized as a 2021 tournament subdivision finalist and winner of the middle school technology division design award. This is the second-highest award of the competition.

The team 1116X Rock-It-Bots Xtreme, a team of two sixth-graders also from Westbrook Intermediate, earned the third highest honor of the competition, an innovate award in the IQ middle school science division.

"We are proud of the dedication and hard work of these students and their sponsors to overcome the obstacles this year and come out on top to represent the district at the highest level of competition," said James Jobe, the district's robotics and engineering program manager, in a district press release.

Regionally, CCISD teams also earned various awards at the June 4-5 Space City Showcase. Flaming Phoenix won the excellence award in the middle school division, while Team 3118B Astrobots from Clear Brook High School likewise won the excellence award for their division. Westbrook Intermediate's Team 7421A Cyberbot took home an innovation award.

The showcase took place at the Learner Support Center in Clear Lake. According to Jobe, CCISD is currently the only district to have such a space specifically allocated for robotics events.

SEE RELATED STORY: Ball High School's robotics team is taking on the world

WATCH: This startup is building robotic tractors!

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Clear Creek ISD students win awards at world and regional robotics competitions - KTRK-TV

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People in Your Neighborhood: La Jolla student’s robotics passion reaps benefits for him and others – La Jolla Light

Posted: at 2:48 pm

Local high school student Michael Zeng is celebrating his passion for robotics and sharing that love with others, winning a national award in the process.

Michael, 17, an incoming senior at The Bishops School in La Jolla, is the co-captain of a local First Tech Challenge robotics team called The Clueless.

During robotics contests, the team is tasked with design, construction, programming and operation of a robot to compete against other teams robots.

The Clueless won the FTC San Diego regional championship this year after winning the Arizona regional championship and holding one of the five highest scores globally in 2020.

For his leadership and expertise with robotics, Michael won one of 10 national Deans List awards in the First Tech Challenge Robotics Competition during the FTC 2021 awards show in June.

The spirit of the Deans List award is getting other people engaged in what were doing, Michael said. In addition to demonstrating technical prowess, a big aspect of the Deans List award is really promoting the spirit of STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] in your community.

Michael said hes achieved this through his teams focus, which is not just building our own robots but helping other people build their robots.

One of our favorite events every year, he said, is when The Clueless hosts a summer camp for First Lego League, which is kind of like a younger version of First Tech Challenge.

During the weeklong camp, we recruit about 20 students from around the area and we teach them the basics of FLL mechanics and programming, Michael said. A majority of students go on to join school teams or even formed their own teams.

Michael himself is a former FLL student, having joined his elementary schools FLL team in fifth grade. Whats pretty funny about my story is that in my first-ever year of FLL and my first-ever competition, my team placed last at the qualifier, he said.

However, the disappointing finish spurred Michaels interest in robotics. That summer, I literally spent hundreds of hours just browsing YouTube and looking at what the best robots did, and I came back next year a lot stronger, he said.

In seventh grade, Michael started his own team and won for robot performance at the Southern California regional competition. He then started a YouTube channel inspired by the videos that ignited his interest.

My goal was pretty much to become one of the people that I thought was really legendary that inspired me once, he said. His YouTube channel, bit.ly/MZengYT, now has more than 1,250 subscribers and more than 360,000 views.

I really did achieve my goal with that channel, Michael said.

In pursuing his passion for robotics, Michael said he has built an arsenal of technical skills, including proficiency with computer-aided design, leading to his current position as the teams design lead.

Aside from mechanical and software skills, Michael said the most valuable thing that Ill be taking away is leadership. My team is currently 15 members and the season lasts 30 weeks, so its definitely not an easy task to be working with such a large team over such a long period of time.

Were trying to build a really competitive robot, he said. At the same time, we want to maintain good relationships with our coaches and mentors and sponsors and continue all our efforts outside of our own team, such as hosting the summer camp and other events throughout the year.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Michael also started a project called Print for the Cure (printforthecure.com), a web platform in which people who need personal protective equipment such as gloves and masks medical and other essential workers can fill out a form and request it.

Anyone with a 3-D printer can then sign on to the website and claim these requests and ship directly to these requesters, Michael said.

We actually built a website in about three weeks and launched it, Michael said. The teams own 3-D printers and those of others have collectively donated over 25,000 units, which includes things like door handles, face shields as well as the mask straps that alleviate pressure on ears.

It was a ton of work, he said, but really a rewarding and proud experience.

Robotics has definitely been a life-changing experience, Michael said. He added that he hopes his mentorship helps others cultivate a similar love of robotics that will open up a pathway for them in the future.

People in Your Neighborhood shines a spotlight on notable locals we all wish we knew more about. If you know someone youd like us to profile, send an email to robert.vardon@lajollalight.com.

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The lessons we learn from self-driving will drive our robotics future – VentureBeat

Posted: at 2:48 pm

Where does your enterprise stand on the AI adoption curve? Take our AI survey to find out.

Robotics is entering an exponential growth phase. There are increasingly new and diverse applications for robots, both the inspiring and the mundane. Just within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic response, robots have been deployed in novel ways disinfecting public spaces, handling infectious materials, and providing medical care to patients.

But the horizon for new robotics applications is ever expanding, and it is AV (autonomous vehicle) development that will further accelerate this growth. Why? Because the challenge that self-driving cars present is the same challenge that acts as a barrier for most other kinds of robots. The AV industry, with its concentration of talent, infrastructure, and capital, is primed to meet this challenge.

Even as the use of robots has become more widespread, its applications have remained somewhat limited. For decades, one-armed giants performed highly scripted tasks and were built for a single purpose, like spot welding or adding threads to the end of a pipe. They were not flexible enough to perform a variety of tasks or respond well in unstructured environments. Even when deployed in less structured environments, like those used in surgical settings or even aerial drones, robots have functioned primarily as a remote-controlled extension of a human actor, with limited autonomy.

AVs, on the other hand, inherently require a great deal of autonomy; there is literally no human being behind the wheel, and the stakes are high. AVs need the ability to sense, plan, and act in highly dynamic, unstructured environments such as the chaotic streets of San Francisco. They need to respond to humans other drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, that guy on a motorized skateboard and make collaborative decisions with them.

Consider one of the common yet more challenging traffic scenarios that humans regularly encounter: a four-way stop. Despite the laws that govern how drivers should stop and proceed in their turn, the reality is that most of the time, people navigate these intersections via nonverbal communication with each other. They make eye contact, nod, wave each other on. Without the capacity to communicate using these cues, an AV must still decipher the intent of other drivers and communicate its own for instance, creeping forward slowly to convey its intent to proceed through the intersection all while obeying traffic laws and making safety-critical decisions. This choreography cannot be scripted in advance. AV decision-making must conform to human-like social expectations in real time based on the current situation and potential evolution of all the relevant actors in the scene, including itself, for some time into the future.

The crux of the challenge involves making decisions under uncertainty; that is, choosing actions based on often imperfect observations and incomplete knowledge of the world. Autonomous robots have to observe the current state of the world (imperfect observations), understand how this is likely to evolve (incomplete knowledge), and make decisions about the best course of action to pursue in every situation. This cognitive capability is also essential to interpersonal interactions because human communications presuppose an ability to understand the motivations of the participants and subjects of the discussion. As the complexity of humanmachine interactions increases and automated systems become more intelligent, we strive to provide computers with comparable communicative and decision-making capabilities. This is what takes robots from machines that humans supervise to machines with which humans can collaborate.

As robotics has grown as an industry, costs have fallen, enabling adoption across a broad variety of contexts. In some cases, the technology is familiar but the application is novel. While drones arent new, companies deploying them to inspect power lines or to collect information for insurance claims is. Same for the one-armed giants now employed as hotel concierges or baristas instead of spot welders.

Commerce has benefited greatly from automation. Materials handling in particular has been ripe for automation via self-guided vehicles, largely because its such a dangerous sector for human workers. Robots equipped with lidar, cameras, and a bevy of other sensors like those that enable AVs perception systems can safely and quickly navigate loading docks and factory floors while avoiding collisions with workers. These robots, however, still rely on a fairly structured and predictable environment (markers on the ground help them navigate) and lack dynamic responsiveness. During the last few years, some have argued that injuries in some fulfillment centers have resulted from robots moving at a faster pace than the humans working alongside them.

Robotics in healthcare environments has become commonplace, too. Robot-assisted surgical systems like Intuitives da Vinci are used in 90% of prostatectomies instead of traditional laparoscopic tools. But robots are increasingly valuable not just in the operating room but throughout hospitals and nursing homes, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Robots are helping caregivers lift patients and performing other tasks as well as providing social interaction to the elderly. Robotics have increasingly been used with children as well, not just as trendy tech toys but legitimate STEM educational tools. Research into the treatment of children with autism using emotive robots has gained traction in recent years.

With more players in the field and increasing adoption, the $100+ billion global robotics sector has been growing by leaps and bounds, and according to IDC is expected to triple by the end of 2021. Much of this can be attributed to driver-assistance technologies now common in new vehicles, especially those at the higher end of the market. Companies developing fully autonomous technology, however, are poised to push the robotics envelope in the automotive industry and beyond.

As AV companies meet the challenge of human-robot collaboration at the level required to bring self-driving vehicles to market, the horizon for leveraging these solutions for other robotics applications only expands. Like a chess grandmaster, an AV must consider multiple possible moves and countermoves both for itself and other traffic participants and then make safety-critical decisions in a noisy and rapidly changing environment. It needs to take into account context like traffic laws and local norms; driving in a city like Houston is not the same as navigating Hong Kong. And a successful AV has to communicate its goals and its intent to humans in a way that feels natural and intuitive.

Developing the kind of decision-making needed for AVs to succeed will unlock complex critical thinking for other robotic applications, allowing a greater degree of autonomy and human-robot collaboration in both new and familiar use cases. Physical agents that can autonomously generate engaging, life-like behavior will lead to safer and more responsive robots. The shift from humans supervising robots to collaborating with them is the way forward for both AVs and the sector at large.

Rashed Haq is Vice President of Robotics at Cruise.

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The lessons we learn from self-driving will drive our robotics future - VentureBeat

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Robotic Warriors team benefits in education and technology – ECM Publishers

Posted: at 2:48 pm

Editor, The Caledonia Argus

An interest in technology and education benefits team members on the Robotic Warriors team 5914, and that benefit goes just a little farther with a donation made from a local family whose husband and father enjoyed those two topics.

Caledonia resident Sharon Hein and her family recently made a $1,050 donation in memory of Norlin, who had a great interest in technology.

Hein remembers her husbands interest fondly. He worked at the University of Missouri, helping to get computers in the offices when computers were just becoming common office equipment. After earning his PhD at the University of Minnesota, Hein moved to Columbia, Missouri where he was an agricultural economist at the university.

He worked with farmers that had computers on the farm. He was interested in getting youth back to the farm, returning to the farm program, Hein said. He was very interested in education, educating farmers, people and technology.

The donation stems from funeral memorials that families did not specify a place where money should go to, so Hein and her family decided memorials that they give will go to a program that benefits future technology. Robotics was the perfect fit.

The funds will benefit the whole team, coach Mike Konkel explained. Robot parts, upgrading technology, competition entry fees, hotel rooms for competitions can all benefit from the donation. It costs about $4,000 to $5,000 to enter the competitions. It costs about $40,000 per season with all expenses added up.

If the team makes it to the world competition, it can cost about $5,000justto attend. The team also has to ship the robot, travel, pay for room and board, bringing the total to about $15,000 to $20,000. The team has made it to that level of competition for the past three out of four years.

People like Sharon and our community support, Eitzen and Brownsville, is phenomenal for what it has done, he said, grateful for the donations.

Robotics opens up a lot of doors for kids, including those in athletics and not in athletics. Its not just the robot driving part that kids benefit from, but theres also a building team, electrical team, design team, computer programming team and business team that all have a part to play. More girls are starting to join the team as well. Kids from Spring Grove Public Schools are also welcome to join the team.

The Covid-19 pandemic also halted much of the teams activities. Recently, the team had an obstacle course driving day at the fairgrounds, and with the help of groundskeeper Craig Welch, the team had fun driving the robot under and around objects.

Other fundraisers and events throughout the year include demonstrations at local events, such as the Houston County Fair, Caledonia Founders Day and other community celebrations. The team also has an event with Big Boar BBQ that allows them to raise funds and show off the robot. Driving the robot at events is often a big hit with young kids.

People from this community are so generous, Konkel said. There are so many people involved that do so much for us.

Its not just the generosity of the community that has team members and mentors coming back for more each season, its helping kids learn.

Mentor Larry Basegio said the team is a positive thing.

Its a great bunch of kids, he said. It makes me feel good that I can contribute. Teaching kids to solder was interesting.

Mentors also help at competition events, which is an opportunity to teach time management to kids. After the first few events, team members become more independent with getting to events on time.

Mentor Mike Woyczik agreed and said the kids take the lead at events, talking to other teams about strategizing and coopertition (a cross between cooperation and competition). Coopertition is helping other teams out, and still having a competitive edge.

Woycizk said he likes seeing the kids grow in their abilities and teaching them life skills, such as how to use a power drill. He also enjoys the camaraderie with the team.

We just have a lot of fun hanging out ... getting the personality of how they are, he said. My fondest memory was at playoffs and we finished the game. We finished second at the event, we were second [place] twice, and it was amazing.

The FIRST organization that oversees competitions, rules and regulations also donated $83 million in scholarships so far to its worldwide roster of teams. Any student that is on a robotics high school team, that plans to go onto an engineering program can automatically get a scholarship for just being part of the program, Konkel added.

There is no star player. You have the drive team, theyre in the spotlight, but theres so much behind the scenes that kids contribute to, Konkel said.

Kids interested in joining robotics can talk to a current team member, coach or mentor. People interested in donating to the team can contact Konkel or a mentor or booster club member.

Booster club members include Dana White, Wendy Woyczik, Sheila Schroeder, Kristi Nolte, Jenny Standish, Linda Konkel, Leah Peterson, Deb Augedahl, Tria and Sean Meier, and Patty Stehr.

Additional mentors include: Jeff Babinski, Angela Denstad-Stigeler, Willy Hoskins, Jeffrey Denney.

Team members include: Dylan Schroeder, Lynzie Woyczik, Kole Woyczik (graduate), Dominick Konkel (graduate), James White, Drew Standish, Elijah Nolte, Jacob Woyczik, Brady Augedahl, Kaden Peterson, Malakai Jandt, Noah Stigeler, Jeremy Stehr, Linda Hang, Jack Babinski and Samantha Molling.

Check out the team on their Facebook page, at Caledonia Robotic Warriors FRC Team #5914.

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Robotic Warriors team benefits in education and technology - ECM Publishers

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