Category Archives: Technology

Thousands of roads across Baltimore County will be scanned by workers with a 3D laser for the first time to better understand roadway conditions. The county expects to use the data to target the roads in the worst condition for upcoming repairs. The move is to ensure the county is prioritizing roads in an objective way instead of simply driving along to gauge the quality of roads.

But Baltimore County Council members still want a say over which potholes are ultimately filled and whether roads get repaved.

Each year, county workers typically take a long drive and rate the condition of roadways based on their experiences.

Kristina Lewis, a contract specialist with the countys office of information technology, told the county council that approach is subjective and using the 3D laser will change that.

This analysis will allow the county to prioritize spending and pave the most critical areas first, Lewis said.

Council members hear plenty from constituents complaining about county roads. They have referred to it as the bread and butter of local politics. So Democratic Council Chairman Julian Jones made it clear to Lewis that they dont want to be cut out of the process.

We all know our roads better than anyone and we will be more than happy as we always do to tell you where you need to pave first and quickly, Jones said.

Republican Councilman David Marks added, We are elected to represent our constituents who have many opinions on roads that need to be improved. So I would hope that this administration and future administrations would continue to take those opinions.

Marks also asked the administration to add ratings assigned to roadways on the countys website in addition to details of the long-term resurfacing program.

I certainly do agree that getting an appropriate estimate of life cycle costs for the entire road network is an admirable goal, Marks said.

The county is hiring the firm OConnell & Lawrence Inc., an engineering and consulting firm in Olney, Maryland to assess the roads. It will cost the county as much as $520,000. The county council is expected to vote on the contract at its September 6 meeting.

According to the companys website, it can collect road data and images while traveling up to 60 miles per hour which allows us to safely collect images at highway speeds without disrupting traffic.

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Baltimore County will hunt for the worst potholes with laser technology - WYPR

The executive chairman and former CEO of MicroStrategy, Michael Saylor said the companys developers are working on solutions that would allow a lot of people onto the Bitcoin Lightning network, to an audience at the Baltic Honeybadger conference on Saturday in Riga, Latvia.

Saylor described Lightning as the most important thing going on in the world in technology while addressing the audience via video call.

The Baltic Honeybadger conference is the biggest European Bitcoin-only conference to date which gathered 600+ attendees & 70+ speakers.

Last month, Michael Saylor swapped his role from CEO to Executive Chairman of MicroStrategy. As the Executive Chairman, Saylor focuses on advancement and long-term organization techniques.

During the video call, Saylor noted, MicroStrategy has got some R&D projects going on right now where were working on enterprise applications of Lightning: enterprise Lightning wallet, enterprise Lightning servers, enterprise authentication.

MicroStrategy, according to Saylor, is searching for solutions that would enable businesses to roll out Lightning to a hundred thousand employees every day or open Lightning wallets for 10 million clients overnight.

Also Read: What is the Bitcoin Lightning Network? Secret behind Its massive adoption

Its still early in the process, and Michael Saylor said its too soon to tell if any viable items would result from it.

Saylor added, but in Lightning, you can move much more aggressively developing functionality and take more risks with the applications than you can with the underlying bitcoin layer.

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Saylor Calls Bitcoin Lightning "Most Important Technology In The World Right Now" - Crypto Times

ReportLinker

The market growth is accredited to the increased adoption of artificial intelligence and automation, the rising usage of SLAM technology in AR applications, and the growing demand for service robots.

New York, Sept. 05, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "GLOBAL SLAM TECHNOLOGY MARKET FORECAST 2022-2030" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06317745/?utm_source=GNW

MARKET INSIGHTSSimultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), also known as synchronized localization and mapping, is the process of mapping a certain area while maintaining track of the devices location inside the area.Automation in the manufacturing sector has drastically changed factory floor operations and minimized costs across several industries.Accordingly, the recent advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotics, including SLAM technology, enable robots to execute certain jobs better than humans.

Robots aid in executing repetitive tasks, whereas the incorporation of AI helps offer repetitive data analytics to make more informed decisions. This can be achieved using SLAM technology.This is because SLAM enables robots to simultaneously locate and map their working surroundings.As a result, the growing automation need has raised the demand for SLAM technology, given its advantages like decreased labor costs, minimal time, and increased efficiency.

Such aspects drive the global SLAM technology market growth. However, the market growth is restrained by technical complexities associated with SLAM implementation.

REGIONAL INSIGHTSWith regard to geography, the global SLAM technology market growth analysis includes the regional analysis of North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Rest of World. North America has the largest revenue share in the global market, majorly attributed to the SLAM technology use in a vast range of applications, including military and household.

COMPETITIVE INSIGHTSApple Inc, Fetch Robotics Inc, Intel Corporation, Aethon Inc, etc., are among the leading companies in the market.

Our report offerings include: Explore key findings of the overall market Strategic breakdown of market dynamics (Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities, Challenges) Market forecasts for a minimum of 9 years, along with 3 years of historical data for all segments, sub-segments, and regions Market Segmentation caters to a thorough assessment of key segments with their market estimations Geographical Analysis: Assessments of the mentioned regions and country-level segments with their market share Key analytics: Porters Five Forces Analysis, Vendor Landscape, Opportunity Matrix, Key Buying Criteria, etc. The competitive landscape is the theoretical explanation of the key companies based on factors, market share, etc. Company profiling: A detailed company overview, product/services offered, SCOT analysis, and recent strategic developments

Companies mentioned1. AETHON INC2. AMAZON ROBOTICS LLC3. APPLE INC4. CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC5. FETCH ROBOTICS INC6. GEOSLAM7. GOOGLE LLC8. INTEL CORPORATION9. KUKA AG10. LOCUS ROBOTICS11. META PLATFORMS INC (FORMERLY FACEBOOK INC)12. NAVVIS13. PARROT SA14. SMP ROBOTICS15. THE HI-TECH ROBOTIC SYSTEMZ LTDRead the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06317745/?utm_source=GNW

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

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The global SLAM technology market is predicted to record a CAGR of 40.46% during the forecast period, 2022-2030 - Yahoo Finance

HiRain developed its own roadside V2X solution using InnovizOne LiDAR. The five-in-one sensor unit monitors traffic from a bird's eye view, collecting environmental data and sending it in real time to a high-performance computer, which then broadcasts the data to all surrounding trucks in order to avoid collisions.

"The global supply chain crisis is being made worse by labor shortages and higher levels of congestion at ports in China and around the world," said Omer Keilaf, co-founder and CEO of Innoviz. "The deployment of HiRain's autonomous vehicle and V2X systems using InnovizOne LiDAR comes at an especially opportune time, as it will greatly improve efficiencies and enable 24/7 operations."

Innoviz and HiRain began working together in 2018, and HiRain plans to integrate Innoviz's next-generation LiDAR sensor, InnovizTwo, into its platforms, to make port operations even safer and more efficient.

"LiDAR is one of the most critical technologies of our time and will play an outsized role in the development of not just autonomous vehicles, but also the infrastructure they require to communicate with one another," said Dr. Chengjian Fan, CTO & Deputy GM of Hirain Technologies. "We have very much enjoyed working with the Innoviz team to bring these products to market, and look forward to developing additional products using Innoviz's solutions."

About Beijing JingWei Hirain Technologies

Founded in 2003, HiRain focuses on providing electronic products, R & D services and overall solutions for high-level intelligent driving to customers in the fields of automobile and unmanned transportation. Headquartered in Beijing, HiRain has established modern production plants in Tianjin and Nantong, forming a perfect R & D, production, marketing and service system. Based on the concept of "value innovation and serving customers", the company adheres to the strategies of "professional focus", "technology leadership" and "platform development", and is committed to becoming a world-class comprehensive electronic system technology service provider, a full stack solution supplier for intelligent networked vehicles, and a leader in high-level intelligent driving MaaS solutions. For more information please visit:https://www.hirain.com/

About Innoviz Technologies

Innoviz is a global leader in LiDAR technology, working towards a future with safe autonomous vehicles on the world's roads. Innoviz's LiDAR and perception software "see" better than a human driver and reduce the possibility of error, meeting the automotive industry's strictest expectations for performance and safety. Operating across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, Innoviz has been selected by internationally recognized premium car brands for use in consumer vehicles as well as by other commercial and industrial leaders for a wide range of use cases. For more information, visit innoviz-tech.com

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Media Contact

[emailprotected]

Investor Contact

Maya LustigInnoviz Technologies+972 54 677 8100 [emailprotected]

Forward Looking Statements

This announcement contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding the services offered by Innoviz, the anticipated technological capability of Innoviz's products, the markets in which Innoviz operates and Innoviz's projected future results. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this announcement, including but not limited to, the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations, the ability to identify and realize additional opportunities, and potential changes and developments in the highly competitive LiDAR technology and related industries. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in Innoviz's annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on April 21, 2021, and other documents filed by Innoviz from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Innoviz assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Innoviz gives no assurance that it will achieve its expectations.

Photo -https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1891320/InnovizOne_LiDAR.jpgLogo -https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1496323/Innoviz_Technologies_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Innoviz Technologies

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Innoviz and HiRain Technologies Deploy InnovizOne Across Shipping Ports in China - PR Newswire

Ship Technology Global is back with a bumper edition, combined with our sister title Future Cruise, bringing all of our expert maritime analysis together in one place.

The UK Secretary of State for Defence and Shipbuilding Tsar, Ben Wallace has called for the UK to ramp up inward investment in order to increase global competitiveness, following decades of decline.

In our cover story, we look into the state of shipbuilding in the UK in both defence and commercial sectors finding out how some firms are taking an active step to future-proof their operations.

Elsewhere, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges is set to welcome the worlds first hydrogen-powered tugboat, built byCompagnie Maritime Belge. We profile the new vessel, finding out how it works and why the choice for hydrogen power was made.

Whether you are on a desktop, tablet or smartphone, you canread the magazinefor free online.

Looking to the cruise sector, Norwegian Cruise Line has launched its new Prima Class ship, which boasts an abundance of entertainment and leisure options for cruisers and a premium health & wellness programme. We report from the ships maiden voyage, learninghow the new vessels upscale-focused design could elevate the guest experience onboard.

As well as all of this, we look at the UK Governments five-year maritime strategy, analyse the Russia-Ukraine conflicts global impact on maritime trade, learn about Transcend Cruises ambitions for B2B river cruises with their new fleet of river ships, designed byTillberg Design of Sweden.

For all of this and a lot more, read on. And dont forget to stay up to date with everything at @ShipTechMagand @FutureCruiseMag.

Peter Nilson, editor

The UK shipbuilding industry has been urged to prove its competitiveness with inward investment, asRichardThomasreports.

Jasleen Mannexplores how a hybrid propulsion system can help make vessels flexible and able to adapt to future technology developments.

Jasleen Mannexplains how the strategy will enhance maritime technology, innovation and security while taking the environment into consideration.

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges is set to welcome the worlds first hydrogen-powered tugboat.AbiMillarprofiles the new vessel and looks at why Antwerp opted for hydrogenpower.

Jasleen Mannhighlights how the maritime industry has seen an increase in global vessel demand and the cost of shipping, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

Jasleen Mannexplores how the $30m investment in a new solar-powered integrated inspection facility demonstrates the possibilities for sustainable development.

Norwegian Cruise Lines new Prima Class ship boasts a plethora of options to challenge the cruise lines rivals.FrancesMarcellinreports from the inaugural voyage and finds out how the new vessels upscale-focused design could elevate the guest experienceonboard.

Jasleen Mannspeaks to Brintons design managerJodie Hatton to find out how the firm combines heritage and luxury carpet design for marine vesselinteriors.

Frances Marcellin speaks to Matthew Shollar, co-founder of Transcend Cruises, about how the operators ambitions to take on the B2B market with its new river cruise offering.

Candela has developed the 30-passenger Candela P-12 Shuttle, a hydrofoil electric ferry operating in Stockholm. Jasleen Mann profiles how the new vessels will benefit the cityslocals.

This summer, Japanese freight companies launched two of the worlds first fully autonomous container ships. The development is spearheaded by a consortium including the Japanese nonprofit Nippon Foundation and freight industry partners such as Mitsui Lines and Japan Railway Construction.

In our next issue, we profile Mikage, the autonomous container ship owned by Mitsui Lines, as well as the self-driving ship Suzaku, finding out how the technology behind the vessels works and asking what the ramifications of autonomous vessels will have on the maritime workforce.

In the meantime, you can stay up to date with everything at@ShipTechMag.

Would you like to be notified when a new issue of Ship Technology Global is out?Sign up for email alerts here!

We will only use your email address to let you know when a new issue is available. Ship Technology Global is published quarterly.

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The future of shipbuilding: Ship Technology Global 83 - Ship Technology

VOLGA, S.D. (KELO) At South Dakota State University, the use of drones is not a new concept. However, the curriculum is growing, and researchers are working on ways to collect more data sooner so that the data can be used by farmers to assess things like crop diseases, water stress, nutrient deficiency and more.

Its kind of very exciting because normally we use moderate resolution or like low resolution satellite data so you can not see too much of the data quality is not that good, but with the drone you can really collect very good spatial resolution data, Ph. D student Shahid Nawaz Khan said.

I think this is like very important for precision agriculture, like farmers, producers, trying to apply at a specific amount of for example nutrients or chemical spreads for disease or pest control at specific locations, at specific times, to reduce the costs of those management practices or chemical spreads or those nutrients, said Maitiniyazi Maimaitijiang, an assistant professor in the Department of Geography and Geospatial Sciences.

Ag tech companies do provide farmers with services like these via satellite, but it takes time to get that information to farmers.

Theres a lot of challenges with the accuracy of these maps, how early can they provide this. Maybe these maps collected were generated weeks ago, but maybe after two or three weeks all that data changes a lot, said Maimaitijiang.

Once SDSU completes the research, they are hoping to create a way to get the drone maps to farmers in a timely manner.

Its important in the context that they can increase their yield, they can save their crops from further diseases or something. Like they can intervene at the stage where it is really important they can save their crop from those kinds of things, said Khan.

A concept researchers believe is not far away.

I think its not that far for this to become common in use for farmers, said Khan.

This technology will not only be useful for farmers, but crop breeders, too.

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Drone technology reaches new heights at SDSU - KELOLAND.com

Amidst all the economic and political challenges Pakistan faces, it has earned bragging rights for its public awareness campaigns, including the National Action Plan campaign to drive Covid-19 vaccinations and, most recently, a campaign to warn the public about the undeniable dangers of climate change. How did these government awareness campaigns succeed? Pakistan, a country of over 220 million people, has a high mobile phone penetration, which the government is now using to its advantage.

Despite its meager resources and chronic economic problems, including rising import bills and increasing inflation, Pakistan has managed the Covid-19 pandemic relatively well. It returned to normalcy relatively quickly by employing a multi-pronged policy centered around an effective communication strategy, thanks to its high mobile phone use.

Utilizing Pakistans 175.62 million mobile phone users, the government first educated the public about Covid-19 prevention by sending targeted text and voice messages that appealed to peoples self-preservation. Every time a mobile number was reached, a message prompted the caller to protect their loved ones from Covid-19, appealing to their altruism. In the second phase, it successfully countered vaccine hesitancy through voice messages to the same individuals. The government is now using the same strategy to mobilize and educate the masses about how to protect themselves from climate deterioration due to severe floods and heat waves. And this could not have come at a better time: today, one-third of Pakistan is flooded with a high volume of water attributed to climate change.

Effective communication strategies, such as timely repetitive messaging and language that support individual self-efficacy, are crucial to the success of any public outreach campaign. Studies suggest that carefully written SMS messages sent to patients before their primary care appointments boosted vaccine adoption. For example, reminding patients of vaccination via two SMS messages increased vaccination adoption by 11 percent.

While Pakistan ranks extremely low on the environmental performance index, the country is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events, as evidenced by the recent floods and heat waves impacting millions of Pakistanis. Pakistan, undoubtedly, faces a severe climate change crisis!

While Pakistans previous government had taken some steps to alleviate environmental deterioration, increase its climate change adaptation, and educate a public gravely unaware of the imminent climate crises, the effective mobile phone communication strategy is certainly praiseworthy. The strategy relies on an automated message delivery system to mobile phones in Pakistan giving users directions on how to protect themselves and their loved ones from climate disasters.

Finding a way to directly engage key stakeholders in climate change adaptation is a significant accomplishment in a developing country where climate change is overlooked as an imminent danger. This policy will benefit the government by increasing public trust and public self-efficacy. In the future, the government may tweak messages focusing on climate change mitigation to educate the masses on how to prevent climate deterioration in the first place.

Although the existing Covid-19 communication strategy consisted of blanket messaging across all regions of Pakistan, the government should adopt a more precise and targeted approach to environmental degradation programs since different areas face distinct challenges. For example, some regions require planting more trees while others require efficient water use. In other words, geo-mapping users is essential for sending localized climate change messages.

Pakistan offers a success story of raising awareness among a widely undereducated population about climate change adaptation through an effective technology-based communication strategy. However, it could certainly improve these efforts by integrating content on mitigation and prevention as well as tailoring messages to regional needs. With any luck, other countries in the region might emulate Pakistans example to increase awareness about climate change as well.

Muhammad Salar Khan, Ph.D., is Don E. Kash Postdoctoral Fellow in Science & Technology Policy at Schar School of Policy & Government, George Mason University. He tweets at @salarppolicy. Farah Latif, Ph.D., is a strategic communications practitioner. She also serves as a Fellow at the Center for Media and Public Affairs at George Mason University. She tweets from @FARAHLATIF.

Image: Reuters.

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How Pakistan Is Using Technology to Save Lives - The National Interest Online

United States, Rockville MD, Sept. 05, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This new Fact.MR study currently places the global 3D body scanners market at US$ 131.5 million. Over the next five years, worldwide sales of 3D body scanners are estimated to increase at an astronomical CAGR of 14.9%.

An increasing per capita disposable income has led to a notable rise in consumer spending potential, which has subsequently favored growth in the retail sector. Rising technological proliferation has promoted the use of advanced 3D body scanning technology in the retail sector, which is expected to drive demand for 3D body scanners over the years to come. The growing popularity of video games and the flourishing video game development industry have also favored 3D body scanners market growth. 3D scanners are crucial in the 3D motion tracking technology that is being used extensively in video game development.

For Critical Insights on 3D Body Scanners Market, Request a Sample Reporthttps://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=7673

This trend is common in the 3D body scanners marketplace as well, and new companies are creating innovative 3D body scanners to enhance their market presence in the industry landscape. These upcoming companies are also adopting different strategies to further bolster their market stance among the established market players.

3D body scanner suppliers are expected to focus on partnerships, collaborations, mergers, and acquisitions to increase their global market presence and bolster their revenue generation capacity.

Why is the U.S. an Attractive Market for 3D Body Scanner Companies?

Rapid Adoption of Advanced Technologies & High Spending Potential in the U.S.

The United States 3D body scanners market is anticipated to exhibit highly lucrative opportunities owing to the rapid adoption of novel technologies and the presence of key 3D body scanning equipment suppliers.

At present, the U.S. 3D body scanners market is valued at around US$ 33 million. High consumer spending makes this country a lucrative retail market and this is expected to favor 3D body scanner sales over the coming years.

The presence of developed digital infrastructure, technological advancements, and rising demand for 3D modelling and analysis are also expected to drive 3D body scanners market growth in the U.S. through 2027.

To learn more about 3D Body Scanners Market, you can get in touch with our Analyst at https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=AE&rep_id=7673

Key Segments Covered in the 3D Body Scanners Industry Survey

Competitive Landscape

3D body scanner manufacturers are focusing on product innovation and launching new products to bolster their sales potential.

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Key players in the 3D Body Scanners Market

Key Takeaways from 3D Body Scanners Market Study

Explore Fact.MR's Coverage on the Technology Domain-

Digital Therapeutics Market- Digital Therapeutics was valued at US$ 4.25 Bn in 2021, and is expected to increase by 24% Y-o-Y to US$ 5.27 Bn by the end of 2022. The industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 26.5% from 2022 to 2032, reaching US$ 56.41 Bn.

Video Streaming Market- The video streaming market is likely to garner a market value of US$ 50 Billion in 2022, expected to register a CAGR of over 17% from 20220-2032, accumulating a market value of US$ 241 Billion.

Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) Market- The global unmanned traffic management (UTM) market is expected to expand at an impressive CAGR of around 18% over the next ten years, with drone operators being the largest end users across the world.

Personal Assistance Apps Market- Newly-released personal assistance app industry analysis shows that global demand enjoyed year-on-year (YoY) growth of 17.8% in 2021, to reach a value of above US$ 3.1 Bn. Mobile apps displayed negative growth of 4.1% to a reach a value of US$ 1.37 Bn in 2020, while smart device apps were up by 18.3% to record a value of US$ 1 Bn.

5G Services Market- The global 5G services market size is anticipated to procure a market value of US$ 48 Bn in 2022 and is likely to reach US$ 3,827.64 Bn while expanding at a CAGR of 55% from 2022 to 2032.

Blockchain Technology Market- The blockchain technology market has garnered a market value of US$ 7.36 Bn in 2022, anticipated to register a positive CAGR of 84% in the forecast period 2022-2032 and reach a value of US$ 3,273.83 Bn.

Digital Remittance Market- The digital remittance market has garnered a market value of US$ 18.16 Bn in 2022, anticipated to register a positive CAGR of 13.5% in the forecast period 2022-2032 and reach a value of US$ 64.43 Bn.

Neobanking Market- The global sales of neobanking garnered a market value of US$ 45 Bn in 2021, and is expected to reach US$ 67 Bn by 2022. From 2022 to 2032, the market is likely to register a CAGR of 44.15% by accumulating a market value of US$ 2,595 Bn through the assessment period 2022-2032.

Vehicle Tracking System Market- The global vehicle tracking system market is projected to grow steadily at a CAGR 13.7% value, during the forecast period 2022-2032. In the year 2022, the market cap is expected to be worth US$ 21.7 Billion.

Enterprise Video Market- The global enterprise video market is anticipated to hold a value of US$ 17.3 Billion in 2022. Increasing application of enterprise video solutions across various organizations to grow collaboration among their global workforces is likely to boost the market at a CAGR of 10.93% during the forecast period while amassing a market value worth US$ 48.8 Billion by 2032.

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Rising Use of 3D Motion Tracking Technology in Game Development Boding Well for 3D Body Scanner Manufacturers, Says Fact.MR - GlobeNewswire

In a recent Premier League game, Manchester United went 2-0 up when striker Marcus Rashford ran on to a pass and slotted the ball past Liverpools goalkeeper, Alisson Becker. The game was then held up briefly while the video referee checked whether Rashford was ahead of the last defender, Joe Gomez, when the pass was made. The difference between onside and offside between goal or no goal can be tiny:

Indeed, the margins can be so small that simply placing the camera at a slightly different angle could make a big difference. This problem of camera angles, and how they affect our perception of offside calls, is what encouraged me to use my expertise in 3D motion capture technology to explore the accuracy of video refereeing systems.

Video assistant referee (or VAR) technology was first introduced in 2018 to help referees review decision for goals, red cards, penalties and mistaken identity. Since then the total number of fouls, offsides and yellow cards has decreased.

On the other hand, VAR has increased the total match time while reducing the effective playing time. The final VAR outcome is determined by a human operator in an office far from the stadium who may of course be prone to human error before being relayed to the on-pitch referee.

Yet another VAR controversy arose recently as the on-pitch referees accepted Newcastle United and West Ham goals against Crystal Palace and Chelsea respectively, only for those goals to be disallowed after VAR reviewed them. These decisions were heavily criticised in the media and now PGMOL, the referees body, has promised to fully co-operate with a Premier League review of the incidents.

Law 11 of association football states that a player is in an offside position if any of their body parts except their hands and arms are in the opponents half and closer to the opponents goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent (the last opponent is usually, but not necessarily, the goalkeeper).

Referees and assistant referees need to identify the exact moment the ball was kicked and check the position of often fast-moving players at the same time. If in doubt, they can review the video footage of the incident. These videos are often recorded at 30 frames per second, yet the video may still become blurred because the players move so quickly.

It is therefore unclear whether the current video replay technology is accurate enough to deal with the narrowest offside situations. To find out, I used optical motion capture technology which records the position of the players and the ball in 3D and with higher accuracy, and so can be used to validate the outcomes of 2D video systems.

I created some offside scenarios in a laboratory and asked volunteers to act as the players and the VAR. In each scenario, one player passed the ball to their teammate who was standing next to an opponent.

I placed reflective markers on the players and the ball and recorded their 3D positions with a motion capture system. I also recorded the scenes with video cameras placed at different viewing angles. Then I asked ten college students to watch the pre-recorded events, and to determine the ball-kick moment and identify whether the player was offside.

My results were recently published by the International Society of Biomechanics in Sport. I showed that people on average judge the offside moment as being later than the actual moment the ball was kicked by 132 milliseconds, or 0.13 seconds.

Such a delay may not seem a lot, but in fast-paced games like football, it could be enough to put players in another location and therefore make them offside. For example, assuming that a player is moving at about 8 metres per second, a delay of just 0.13 seconds could correspond to about 1 metre.

When viewing videos taken from 0 and 90 degree angles (from raised positions in line with the players and behind the goalkeeper), participants were more likely to be accurate. At a 45 viewing angle and when the image of the attacker is to the left side of the defender, sometimes the attacker appeared to be closer to the goal line, resulting in wrong offside judgments.

Similarly, when the attacker was on the right side of the defender, even when he was offside, sometimes he appeared to be next to the defender. It seems that these wrong decisions are the results of relative optical projections of the two players at this camera viewing angle.

As there is still a human element to VAR, it seems impossible to remove all potential errors and biases and achieve 100% accuracy. Nonetheless, there are several things we could do to reduce these biases further. These include higher frame-rate cameras that could determine ball contact and offside moment in slower motion.

For marginal offside decisions, VAR should replace its current one-pixel line with thicker lines to represent the uncertainty zone. Where the lines overlap, those situations could be deemed as onside.

Finally, in case a parallel or perpendicular view of the event is not possible, VAR should be checked with other camera angles. In the longer term, VAR could use volumetric video that captures the scene in 3D and can be viewed on flat screens as well as in 3D displays or VR goggles.

These technologies might not ever completely resolve the question of whether or not Rashford was offside football fans, players and managers love a good argument. But it should not be over millimetres.

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VAR: I used motion capture technology to show why the Premier League gets tight offside decisions wrong - The Conversation

Minister for Education, Shawn Edward is hopeful for the upcoming school year which began on Monday, September 5, 2022.

In a recent address to the nation, the Minister mentioned setbacks during the last two years and his hope for the new academic year.

"The promise of the new year is steeped in the experiences and lessons learnt from the impact of COVID-19 on our education system. In some measure, it can be said that COVID-19 provided a silver lining for education, as it was the catalyst needed for pivoting our approach to instruction and learning. Navigating the rough tides associated with the harrowing experience and impact of the pandemic, highlighted and demonstrated our resilience and adaptability as a system, as education administrators, as teachers, as parents and as students.

As we transition back to the normalcy of our pre-covid existence, we will be including in our instruction and learning repertoire the knowledge and skills acquired over the past two years. "

According to Edward, the intent of the Ministry of Education is to ensure that students become competent and creative in a digital environment with the integration of Information and Communication Technology in Education. For this reason, students from various secondary schools will be issued devices for their continued learning.

"Primary schools will also benefit from over 2000 devices and smart classrooms in the coming months, as the Ministry has invested in transforming some of our classrooms into SMART spaces. Also, at the primary level, we have undertaken a pilot with Grade 3 students at select primary schools, where the instruction and learning will be mainly interactive through the use of technology."

The Education Minister also noted serval other initiatives for the 2022/23 academic year which include;- The introduction of the Mandarin Pilot Programme in two secondary schools, alongside the eventual inclusion of the Creole language- The provision of welfare support systems and psychosocial services for students- A continuation of the school feeding programme

Edward also offered his gratitude to the relevant stakeholders including Trade Union Organizations, The NPA, NYC, National Students' Council, RSLPF, Ministry of Health, the School Boards and the staff and students.

With the recent changes to the COVID-19 protocols effective September 5th, 2022, a number of large group activities are expected to make a return to the academic calendar, such as sports and science fairs.

"At this juncture, the Ministry of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training expresses gratitude to school leaders and teachers for their unwavering commitment to all our students at all strata of the education system. The teaching profession has become increasingly challenging in an ever-evolving technological environment. With this in mind, I applaud your efforts for first, accepting the training offered to enhance your delivery through the use of technology and secondly, for the passion exhibited towards elevating and empowering our students to unlock their full potential."

In an event dubbed "PRESENT- Proudly Representing Each School" teachers will be encouraged to wear the uniform of their alma matte to work, in an expression of gratitude for the commitment and innovation displayed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the exception of one school on island, all educational instruction will be held face to face, five days a week.

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Edward touts COVID silver lining technology pivot in new school year | Loop St. Lucia - Loop News St. Lucia