Category Archives: Technology

Robotic process automation, or RPA, is a technology with an identity problem. The name is both dry enough to make the eyes glaze over and confusing enough to obscure precisely what it is or might do.

As a result, very few people outside of the IT industry are familiar with the concept. Yet this is a technology expected to have a colossal impact on the working lives of pretty much all office-based employees, and at least an indirect impact on everyone else.

According to the latest projections from analyst house Gartner, the RPA market is set to be worth almost $2 billion this year - and many times more than that by the middle of the decade. And by the end of 2022, 90% of large companies will have deployed the technology in some way or form.

The sell is very simple: RPA is supposed to help businesses reduce the amount of time and money spent on repetitive manual tasks and, in turn, liberate employees from tedious administration. So, whats the catch?

Although RPA has been around for two decades now, the industry has experienced a major surge over the last few years, catalyzed by the need to drive efficiencies during the pandemic. The largest pure-play vendor right now is UiPath, with a revenue of $607 million in fiscal 2021, followed by Automation Anywhere and Blue Prism, but other IT firms are building RPA functionality into their products too.

In the simplest terms, RPA is about programming software to complete tasks by following a set of instructions. These units of software are referred to variously as digital workers, software robots and automation assistants.

A software bot is a configurable software designed to perform a task by learning, mimicking, and then executing rules-based business processes. It interacts with other applications and software systems to complete these business processes, just like a human would, explained Prince Kohli, CTO at Automation Anywhere.

In theory, RPA allows employees to spend less time punching data into Excel spreadsheets, processing documents and pulling information from CRM systems, and more time fulfilling the aspects of their roles that computers are (currently) unequipped to handle. These bots enable employees to take the robotic out of their work, Kohli added.

Although its easy to imagine how all businesses could benefit from the ability to automate tasks in this way, the earliest adopters have typically been large enterprises hailing from sectors required to perform the most repetitive administration, such as insurance, utilities, financial services and healthcare.

More recently, however, with the addition of artificial intelligence (AI) and low-code solutions to the mix, RPA deployments have become easier to configure and smart enough to handle more difficult assignments. Paul Maguire, Senior VP EMEA & APAC at software firm Appian, says these kinds of supporting technologies will create new use cases and bring RPA to a wider audience.

While RPA is great for task automation, its not appropriate for everything, he told us. This is where hyperautomation has a role to play, by combining technologies with people in a single workflow.

Implemented alone, RPA bots can be fast and relatively inexpensive, but they cannot handle exceptions or change. AI is a powerful tool to help collect and analyse information. It can also turn unstructured content into structured data to sort, prioritize, and make suggestions on best next-step actions for better decisions.

Nonetheless, however, RPA companies are to some extent struggling to communicate the benefits of their services to workers and businesses, who have learned to be suitably suspicious of grandiose promises.

The most common fear is that RPA will make a proportion of the workforce redundant, by automating functions currently fulfilled by human workers. Unsurprisingly, RPA vendors say this is a misconception, a product of pop culture representations of robots and AI, but it could be argued that the vendors themselves are equally to blame. Automation is almost always pitched as a way to free up staff to deliver value in new and creative ways, but the message is rarely more specific than that.

It is widely accepted that the rise of automation will change the configuration of the workforce and the day-to-day activities of employees, but there is some debate as to the extent of this change.

The picture painted by the vendors is that RPA will play a supporting role. Instead of eliminating jobs, RPA will shoulder all the loathsome manual tasks and reduce error rates by removing human fallibility from the equation, they say.

When we hear talk of employees being replaced by robots, it is often about unattended robots. The purpose of an unattended robot is to take a process and execute it by themselves, and no human is needed, explained Oded Karev of NICE, which deploys RPA in a call center context.

Attended robots, however, rely on man working with machine. The robot is installed on the employee desktop and becomes something akin to a virtual assistant to help boost performance.

Asked for specific examples that illustrate how RPA will change the lives of employees, the companies we spoke to explained the technology can be applied in any situation in which information is siloed or employees are burdened with data-handling tasks.

For example, Gavin Mee, MD Northern Europe at UiPath, says RPA allows accounting professionals to spend less time on bookkeeping and data gathering, and more time on deep analytics and advisory activities. And in a human resources context, software bots can handle tasks such as approving annual leave and logging sick days, while staff focus on relationship building and critical problem solving.

The customer services sector is also considered well-primed to benefit from RPA. The main role of agents is to engage with customers, but too much time is currently wasted seeking out and inputting information across multiple disparate systems, something a software bot can handle with relative ease.

While its plausible that increased efficiency will allow businesses to operate with leaner teams, leading to job cuts, all of these types of roles will still be held by human workers. The most significant change will be that their range of responsibilities will be quite drastically different.

Its also true that RPA will create a need for a number of brand new jobs. Namely, more IT staff will be needed to handle the configuration and maintenance of RPA systems, because its not quite as simple as setting up a software robot and letting it run free.

Although low-code solutions are making it easier for non-technical employees to deploy software robots, additional programming expertise will be required to configure bots for more complex workloads, monitor the performance of deployments and manage any errors and anomalies.

A recent survey conducted by UiPath suggests the majority (77%) of RPA professionals expect their organizations to hire more developers within the next year. A research report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) came to a similar conclusion, that automation will result in a net increase in 58 million jobs, albeit jobs with a higher average skill requirement.

In spite of their vested interests, the vendors we consulted all concede that businesses will encounter friction on multiple levels when it comes time to deploy RPA at scale. And the problem is as much cultural as technological.

One of the greatest barriers to widespread RPA adoption is the misunderstanding or even fear of the technology, explained Mee. Thanks to Hollywood blockbusters, the word robot often conjures up negative imagery, and when this is compounded with fears of redundancy, businesses can face resistance when embarking on an RPA journey.

Its a natural response; we tend to fear what we dont know, and a technology that promises to revolutionise the way we work forever is almost inevitably going to cause confusion and apprehension at first.

Mee and others say solving this problem is about approaching deployment in as transparent a way as possible; clearly communicating the intentions and ambitions behind the introduction of RPA, as well as the business benefits.

The angle from which organizations approach RPA is also important. Many large firms find it difficult to know where to begin, while others come looking for quick wins to help meet short-term productivity objectives, which can become a problem when scaling up deployments later on. The intermingling of RPA with other automation technologies, like AI and business process management (BPM), only adds further complexity.

As pointed out by Optiv Security, there are also cybersecurity risks associated with rushed or superficial RPA rollouts. Ultimately, RPA expands the attack surface, introducing many ways in and many ways out, says Optiv, which means implementation needs to be careful and considered.

In the end, however, the decision to lean into RPA or not may be taken out of the hands of business leaders, made practically compulsory by market conditions and the changing expectations of employees.

If there is a leader that is hesitant, I would ask them to consider what their knowledge workers would invent or improve if they had more time, and the business value that would immediately provide. And whether they face an existential risk if they do not provide that kind of support and experience to their customers and employees, said Kohli of Automation Anywhere.

In this scenario, the question is no longer whether it is right to forgo RPA in order to preserve jobs that can feasibly be automated, but whether businesses can afford to.

Link:

RPA: Why you need to care about this totally unsexy technology - TechRadar

The outcry for a better way to spot footballs and determine if a ball has crossed the goal line intensified in Week 7, after there were several instances of tricky goal-line decisions in the Cowboys game at New England, with players and the ball being lost in the pile. But, there is no immediate solution on the horizon.

The NFL has been studying different mechanisms to attempt to be more precise with such matters for years, and spent a considerable amount of time determining if the laser technology used in professional tennis spotting might apply, but to this point there is no quick solution on the horizon. There is certainly support within the Competition Committee and the league in general to implement more calculated means of tracking the ball and determining first downs and other critical decisions, but much work remains to be done.

"As with all changes related to game administration, there is a process," Troy Vincent, the NFL's head of football operations, told me. "Ball-placement technology, along with other considerations for the sideline of the future, is under study, and will be tested, analyzed and discussed as to the impact of the game. At this time there is no definitive date for implementation."

At some point a change of this magnitude would likely begin with the NFL working in conjunction with another football entity (CFL, NCAA conference, perhaps even high school) to study the results in real time and hash out which technology works best, but even that doesn't seem to be particularly close.

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NFL still not close to introducing ball-placement technology, following another week of controversial calls - CBS Sports

As an investor, knowledge of the past can help you understand the future. That may sound counterintuitive, but history tends to repeat itself in subtle ways. For instance, innovative technologies have changed the world on dozens of different occasions, acting as catalysts for productivity and economic growth.

In the last century alone, personal computers, the internet, and mobile devices have been inflection points that completely changed the way we live. Looking forward, I think several burgeoning technologies have the same potential, but none more so than artificial intelligence (AI). In fact, research from McKinsey & Co. suggests that AI could boost economic output by $13 trillion by 2030.

Building on that idea, let's look at two companies that are shaping the future of autonomous technology.

Image source: Getty Images

Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA)is a chipmaker that specializes in accelerated computing. Its core product is the graphics processing unit (GPU), a chip that can perform thousands of calculations simultaneously. When Nvidia invented the GPU in 1999, it revolutionized the gaming industry with ultra-realistic computer graphics. But GPUs have since become a gold standard in the data center, where they are used to accelerate intensive workloads like scientific computing, data analytics, and artificial intelligence.

In fact, Nvidia holds over 90%market share in the supercomputer accelerator industry, and it has consistently set records at the MLPerf benchmarks, a standardized testing event that compares the performance of AI technologies. Most recently, Nvidia set records in the inference trials in September, the part of AI where computers are used to make decisions and predictions.

Beyond industry-leading performance, Nvidia also benefits from a broad portfolio of products. It acquired Mellanox in 2020, adding high-performance networking to its repertoire. The company has diversified into software over time, and it now provides a range of frameworks that help developers build AI applications, such as Merlin for recommender systems, Metropolis for smart cities, and Isaac for autonomous machines.

Not surprisingly, Nvidia has seen strong demand in both its gaming and data center businesses, and that has translated into a strong financial performance over the past three years.

Metric

Q2 2020 (TTM)

Q2 2022 (TTM)

CAGR

Revenue

$10.2 billion

$21.9 billion

45%

Free cash flow

$2.4 billion

$6.7 billion

65%

Data source: YCharts. TTM = trailing-12-months. CAGR = compound annual growth rate.

Looking ahead, Nvidia is well positioned to grow its business. Management puts its data center market opportunity at $100 billion by 2024. Moreover, technologies like self-driving cars, smart cities, and autonomous robots will only become more common in the future, and Nvidia's platform brings those technologies to life.

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is undoubtedly one of the most controversial stocks on the market, but it's also one of the most innovative companies on the planet. In 2008, Tesla produced its first electric vehicle (EV), while the prestigious automakers of Germany laughed at the idea. As it turns out, Tesla saw the writing on the wall before the rest of the industry.

Since then, Tesla has parlayed its first-mover status into a more substantial competitive advantage. In 2017, it launched the 2170 battery cell, the cheapest and most energy-dense cell on the planet, according to CEO Elon Musk.

Why does that matter? Tesla pays far less to build battery packs (the most expensive part of an EV) than other automakers. And the energy density of 2170 cells means that Tesla's four different vehicles -- the Models S, X, Y, and 3 -- are the top four EVs in terms of range.

Not surprisingly, strong demand has helped Tesla maintain its leadership position. Through the first half of 2021, the company captured 15.2% market share, selling 386,100 vehicles. In turn, Tesla has posted impressive financial results over the last two years.

Metric

Q2 2019 (TTM)

Q2 2021 (TTM)

CAGR

Revenue

$24.9 billion

$41.9

30%

Free cash flow

$1.4 billion

$2.6 billion

36%

Data source: YCharts. TTM = trailing-12-months. CAGR = compound annual growth rate.

However, I think Tesla's best days lie ahead. With over 1 million autopilot-enabled vehicles on the road, the company had collected over 3 billion miles of real-world driving data by February 2020, far more than any other automaker. Some estimates even put that figure well over 5 billion miles today.

Then, a few months ago, management debuted the D1 chip, the custom-build semiconductor that will power Tesla's Dojo supercomputer. The D1 chip is custom built for AI, and it will make Dojo the most powerful AI training machinein the world. In summary, Tesla has more data and better technology than its peers.

To that end, Musk said: "About three years from now, we're confident we can make a very compelling $25,000 electric vehicle that's also fully autonomous." He made that statement roughly a year ago, and if taken at face value, Tesla is much closer to producing an autonomous car than any other automaker.

Finally, Tesla recently launched a car insurance product in Texas, where it will rely on its AI-powered "safety score" to determine premium prices. Here again, the company's fleet of connected cars and its prowess in the field of AI have opened a new market opportunity. That's why this company is shaping the future of technology.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the official recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium advisory service. Were motley! Questioning an investing thesis -- even one of our own -- helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer.

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These Stocks Are Shaping the Future of Technology - Motley Fool

?New technologies can radically change IP management practices by eliminating the lack of transparency, reducing enormous costs for services and providing all market participants with an unprecedented level of flexibility.

Theres hardly any area in entrepreneurship today that deals with innovation more than intellectual property rights protection in fact, cutting edge technology and inventions are at the core of the IP industry. However, this doesnt necessarily mean that the real-life practices, processes and management in the industry are as technologically advanced its actually quite the contrary, or, at least, has been until recently.

Following the footsteps of tech and service companies, the IP management market has also been exposed to the global digitization and automation trends. Just like the transportation market was dramatically transformed after the emergence of Uber, new technologies can radically change IP management practices by eliminating the lack of transparency, reducing enormous costs for services and providing all market participants with an unprecedented level of flexibility.

This article will provide an overview of how IP management has changed over the past decades and what it might look like in the future.

Intellectual property management is a relatively young discipline. The role of an IP manager has long been viewed from a risk management angle, since patents were mostly used to secure a companys products or avoid violating other companies intellectual property. Patent professionals were therefore primarily occupied with the invalidation of patents or opposing someone elses patents.

With the subsequent sophistication of the innovation market and globalizing economies, intellectual property rights have become a potentially more valuable asset than extensive manufacturing facilities. Besides, IP rights for an invention or technology are much easier to deliver worldwide than the actual products or technologies.

All these changes created additional work for IP managers since they now have to deal with international law norms and practices, complicated contracts and an increased number of patents.

Today, global companies need to protect their IP rights in multiple geographies with various regulatory practices. So, they normally hire local IP attorneys or agencies to help them apply for patents or trademarks and enforce their rights, if needed.

One might liken these agents to taxi drivers before the Uber era with non-transparent pricing that can vary a lot for the same services provided, mashed-up business processes, and the fact that the customer does not have full access to the IP-related data, so its hard to prevent costly mistakes.

However, the situation is now changing slowly, allowing for a more civilized way of doing business globally not in the least thanks to IT technologies. Even though artificial intelligence cant be listed as an inventor on patents (at least, not in the United States), AI-powered solutions can, for example, speed up and cheapen patent search.

Like in other industries where theres a constant need for qualified professionals, online marketplaces and recruiting platforms are emerging in the IP rights industry. This makes a search for a highly experienced attorney or IP rights manager a much easier task than it used to be. We are also seeing a rise in IP management platforms that enable businesses to better manage their IP assets, processes, tasks and related communications. After all, its only logical that the market dealing with innovation in essence should be innovative itself.

In my view, we will see more and more businesses in the market choosing to commercialize their intellectual property and even making that their primary line of business. In which case, IP assets will increasingly serve as currency in this new knowledge economy and, therefore, add more value to standard business practices.

What is definitely not going to happen is a throwback to old-fashioned methods of IP management. When powered by technology, and with the help of top professionals, it radically transforms the way businesses store, manage, develop and distribute their IP assets. Luckily, we can be both spectators of and participants in this landmark shift.

Image Source: Deposit PhotosAuthor: tashatuvangoImage ID: 64811725

Alex Levkin is Chief Executive Officer of IPNOTE, a streamlined platform for managing and securing intellectual property. Alex aims to make the intellectual property market transparent and technologically advanced for every business. He has been working in the field of intellectual property for more than 10 years. Having witnessed the field firsthand he realized how outdated it is and decided to change it, bringing iPNOTE on the market.

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How Technology is Reshaping the IP Management Industry - IPWatchdog.com

ActivePure Technology is Added to Health and Safety Protocol at Six Malaysian Properties Amid the Pandemic

DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / October 22, 2021 / ActivePure, the global leader in active surface and air purification technology, announced today that its disinfection systems are installed in several high-profile locations throughout Malaysia. ActivePure provides an extra layer of protection against the coronavirus, an airborne virus that easily spreads in enclosed spaces.

ActivePure partnered with local distributor Agrow Healthtech Sdn Bhd to install its products, namely the Aerus PureCloud, Induct 2,000, Induct 500 and the Aerus Pure & Clean. Agrow Healthtech is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Agrow Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of OCB Berhad, a publicly listed group in the KL Stock Exchange. OCB Berhad is a Malaysia-based investment holding company. The company's segments include building materials, bedding products, consumer foods and others. OCB Berhad's subsidiaries include Dreambed (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Bedco Sistem (M) Sdn. Bhd., Kingkoil Corporation (M) Sdn. Bhd. and Acrowyn (M) Sdn. Bhd. Locations in Malaysia that have installed ActivePure include the following:

The Sunway Group, one of the largest conglomerates in Malaysia with significant operations in property development, construction, retail shopping malls, education facilities, hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing, and IT services, has installed Aerus Pure & Clean powered by ActivePure in twelve of their property sales galleries. Sunway Property is the property arm of Sunway Group, established in 1974, and is now one of Malaysia's top multinational property-construction corporations, with businesses in 50 locations worldwide across 12 industries.

The Toyota Service Centers in Kuala Lumpur have Aerus Pure & Clean powered by ActivePure units in their service centers. Additionally, Aerus Mobile powered by ActivePure is also available for installation in customers' vehicles through Agrow Healthtech, which has partnered with Toyota Service Centers.

SNT Global Logistics, a premier omnichannel fulfillment service provider in Southeast Asia that provides services for both online and offline retail businesses, has installed PureCloud units powered by ActivePure.

The Westports logistics facility in Port Klang, one of the three main ports in the Straits of Malacca, handles gateway and transshipment container cargo. The location is near the main shipping route along the Straits of Malacca. Units powered by ActivePure, include the Aerus Pure & Clean, PureCloud and Induct models, were installed in their Port Operations building.

Em Hub Kota Damansara is a unique e-commerce, retail and logistics hub featuring a drive-up ramp design. The design allows cars and lorries to enter the building, drive up to the designated floor, and load or unload goods before exiting. The building will feature Induct 500 units in all elevators, and all Phase one tenants will receive Pure & Clean powered by ActivePure units.

Amaya Saujana Condominiums, the first private, high-end condo project in Saujana, installed Induct 500 powered by ActivePure units in its residential elevators.

The installation of ActivePure's products has been met with overwhelming enthusiasm, especially from the high traffic facilities throughout the country. "We are delighted to see businesses and residences adopt a higher standard of indoor air quality with ActivePure," said Robert Wong, managing director of Agrow Healthtech Sdn Bhd. "We are proud to supply Malaysian businesses with ActivePure products and play a meaningful role in mitigating the spread of harmful surface and airborne pathogens."

Story continues

"Agrow Healthtech and their team in Malaysia have launched a business revitalization program to offer an extra layer of protection to businesses. We are extremely proud to partner with Agrow Healthtech in providing the industry best solutions for air and surface purification with ActivePure," said Anil Agrawal, vice president of international sales and operations of Activepure.

"As ActivePure expands in the international market, we are grateful to have partners like Agrow Healthtech who are committed to providing businesses and customers with the highest level of protection against airborne and surface contaminants," said Joe Urso, chairman and chief executive officer of ActivePure. "Our recent growth in Malaysia is a testament to the country's commitment to mitigating airborne spread and providing peace of mind during COVID and beyond."

ActivePure is a science-driven company that has developed a one-of-a-kind technology that works 24/7 to proactively inactivate pathogens, including mold spores and other bacteria and viruses known to cause healthcare-associated infections (HAIs.) ActivePure has received over 130 patents with 70 plus in the United States and 60 plus internationally.

With origins in the U.S. space program, ActivePure's patented technology releases thousands of submicroscopic particles that actively target pathogens in the air and on surfaces, inactivating them on contact and turning them into harmless byproducts.

For more information on ActivePure, go to ActivePure.com or call 1-888-217-4316.

ABOUT ACTIVEPURE:Privately held ActivePure has been the global leader in active, continuous surface and air disinfection systems for healthcare and educational institutions, commercial and public facilities, hospitality and residential applications since 1924. It is the only product in its class recognized by the Space Foundation as Certified Space Technology and included in the Space Foundation Hall of Fame. The ActivePure Medical Guardian is registered and cleared as an FDA Class II Medical Device. ActivePure has origins in U.S. space program research and has since evolved for use in consumer products to reduce exposure to many common pathogens, including RNA and DNA viruses, bacteria and molds, by up to 99.9% in the air and on surfaces. For more information, please visit ActivePure.com, or call 888-217-4316.

MEDIA CONTACTS:Jo Trizila, TrizCom PR on behalf of ActivePure Technologies Email: Jo@TrizCom.comOffice: 972-247-1369Cell/Text: 214-232-0078

Tonie Auer, TrizCom PR on behalf of ActivePure Technologies Email: Tonie@TrizCom.comOffice: 972-247-1369Cell/Text: 817-925-2013

SOURCE: ActivePure Technologies

View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/669351/ActivePure-Technology-Air-and-Surface-Disinfection-Systems-Installed-Throughout-Malaysia

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ActivePure Technology: Air and Surface Disinfection Systems Installed Throughout Malaysia - Yahoo Finance

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Ask a dozen people how they feel about technology and youll get a dozen answers. Some would say its kept them sane and connected throughout the craziness of 2020. Others would insist that without regular digital deprivation, tech wreaks havoc on mental health and social bonding. Regardless, though, tech is here to stay.

The key is figuring out how and where technology belongs in your personal and professional life. But to make that conclusion, youll probably want to get a broader understanding of how tech has changed and is continuing to change thehuman race. And youll find lots of insight from a decidedly offline source: books.

Related: 4 Reasons Every Entrepreneur Should Be Reading More

If youre interested in delving into technologys direction, pick up these noteworthy reads. Theyll give you a contemporary outlook on tech from unique and thoughtful perspectives.

Humans are curious creatures. They cant stop themselves from inventing and innovating. So is it any wonder that a futurist like Eric Pilon-Bignell believes our tenacity is bringing about the Fourth Industrial Revolution? Pilon-Bignell believes that whats happening today with the rise in digitization is causing a tsunami of disruption in every fabric of the culture. As a result, he invites readers to make a deliberate choice: Sit back and watch the waves coming or take the bold step and begin Surfing Rogue Waves.

If youve wondered how to deal with the fast-paced world of tech-focused advancements or are worried about the purpose of AI, this book belongs in your library. Youll enjoy not just a history lesson in how far weve come in such a short time, but a reminder that tomorrow is affected by whats done today. You may never see technology in the same light after seeing digital through Pilon-Bignells lens.

This isnt your average coming of age novel. Instead, its a memoir dedicated to author Brian Paes-Bragas journey to achieve financial freedom by age 30, a journey that nearly devastated him. In 8, he lays out an honest look at why turning an impossible dream possible doesnt always end up the way you planned.

Where does technology fall into the equation? For Paes-Braga, the digital world became both friend and foe. It allowed him to achieve his loftiest goals. And meeting those goals both thrilled and devastated him. Now, hes on a mission to help others learn how to use technology to revive their spirits and set personal missions that offer fulfillment and true satisfaction. Never settle for a future of personal bankruptcy. Check out 8 to boost your resilience.

Related: The 17 Habits of Millionaires Who Started Small and Retired Young

Ex-Morman. Ex-millionaire. Unfilled. When those are the adjectives youd use to describe yourself, you might end up taking chances. Thats exactly what happened for Doug Cartwright as he embarked on a series of adventures and adrenaline-filled journeys to find inner peace. Now a CEO, Cartwright peppers Holy Sh!t Were Alive with the wisdom hes gathered throughout his years of soul-searching.

If youve ever wondered what would happen if you stepped away from the grind, from the devices, from reality, this is your must-read companion. Be prepared to hear about Cartwrights use of mind-altering substances to help him see his former mistakes and avoid living anything but a purposeful life from this point forward. Though you might not want to repeat the choices he discusses in Holy Sh!t Were Alive, youll come away with a new appreciation for a different way of dealing with the expectations and burdens of living in a fast-paced, always-on society.

The Generation Z digital natives are coming of age and theyre leveraging technology in unprecedented ways. From using social media to rally for equity and justice to leveraging the Internet to raise consciousness and hold companies accountable, theyre a powerful cohort.AnneMarie Hayeks groundbreaking work, Generation We, outlines what makes Gen Z such an important force. Not only are they poised to inherit the earth, but theyre trying to save it as well.

As you pour over Hayeks work, youll learn more about Gen Zs vision and capabilities that represent what she calls their hardened realism. Not everyone is comfortable with what Gen Z brings to the international table, especially Millennials, Generation X members, and Baby Boomers who dont understand. After reading Generation We, youll experience a clearer view of the most unlikely generation of social warriors and youll understand why they need you as their ally both online and off.

Related: Stop Selling to Gen Z

Is technology wonderful? Or is it menacing? Nick Shevelyov lays out a passionate take on how technology can be used in myriad ways. Growing up in Russia, he saw technological means used against his father. Yet, he didnt push against technology or eschew all things digital. On the contrary, he embarked on a career in tech-related risk management.

Just when you thought that youd never understand cybersecurity, Cyber War ...and Peace is here to provide enlightenment. Through the work, youll enjoy a walk through historys most enduring battles and find out how they can inform our digital decisions now. Youll also hear how Shevelyov recommends that you begin building digital trust as an ethical entrepreneur.

Have you ever had the sneaking suspicion that your digital marketing efforts are leading to nothing but dead ends? Atul Minocha understands. For more than three decades, hes worked in the marketing field. In Lies, Damned Lies, and Marketing, he walks you through how to make the most of your online marketing dollars. Plus, he helps you finally crack the code and make your money work online.

Minocha pulls back the veil on some of the most misunderstood digital marketing concepts, from social media to creating content. Best of all, youll finally crack the Google code thats been holding you and your company back from seeing honest-to-goodness results. One final note: While Lies, Damned Lies, and Marketing spends a lot of time talking about tech-related marketing, it dives into traditional marketing approaches, too. Therefore, if your organization dabbles in all forms of advertising, youll appreciate this book doubly.

On the heels of his first book, The Private Equity Playbook, author Adam Coffey brings The Exit-Strategy Playbook to life. If you own a business today or plan on owning one soon, youll get a fast education on how to make your dream irresistible to buyers from day one. Youll also hear how Coffey has used a mixture of art and science to grow organizations that fetch millions down the road. One of his secrets involves investing in and keeping up with the latest tech advances to woo bigger and better bids.

Even if youre entirely in love with your business today, you never know when youll want a change of scenery. Having an exit strategy map on hand to inform your moves can help you sell fast and smart. Why lose all the value youve put into your company? Learn the insider details from someone whos bought and sold more than 100 businesses.

Technology is a tool, no doubt about it. But, like any other tool, you need to figure out how to make it useful for your needs. So put down your laptop and grab a great read. Your email can wait.

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These Authors Share the Good, the Bad and the Ugly about Technology's Role in Society - Entrepreneur

GUANGZHOU, China--(BUSINESS WIRE)--XPeng Inc. (NYSE: XPEV and HKEX: 9868) today revealed a series of crucial innovations at its annual 1024 Tech Day, including the latest and most sophisticated version of its in-house developed advanced driver assistance system XPILOT 3.5 and XPILOT 4.0, the design of new generation road-capable flying car, major supercharging technology breakthroughs, and robotic innovations, forming the key components of the companys smart mobility ecosystem.

Our exploration of more efficient, safer, carbon-neutral mobility solutions goes far beyond just smart EVs, and is the cornerstone of our long-term competitive advantages, said Mr. He Xiaopeng, Chairman & CEO of XPeng, at the 1024 Tech Day. We strive to implement cutting-edge mobility technologies in mass-production models for the benefit of our customers, Mr. He added.

XPILOT 3.0 achieved outstanding track record since launch

XPILOT has established a leadership position at the cutting edge of smart driver assist technology. Launched in early 2021, Navigation Guided Pilot (NGP) for highways, the core function of XPILOT 3.0, has assisted customers in driving for 11.98 million kilometers, with 60% NGP penetration rate for highway driving mileage in 3Q 2021. The usage data to date demonstrates strong customer adoption and broad recognition of XPILOTs multi-scenario driver assistance.

XPILOT 3.5 driver assistance system capable of handling city driving scenarios

In 1H 2022, XPeng will be rolling out XPILOT 3.5, extending XPILOTs driver assistance system to support Chinas complex driving scenarios in major roads in the city.

Man-machine co-pilot functions will remain critical for the foreseeable future. Our mission is to progressively transition from advanced driver assistance to full autonomous driving, with a clear roadmap to connect all driving scenarios. Our closed-loop data operation, fast software iteration and mass production capability all created in-house put us in pole position to significantly improve safety and resolve the industrys long-tail issues in China, said Dr. Xinzhou Wu, Vice President of Autonomous Driving at XPeng, at the Tech Day event.

XPILOT 3.5 incorporates the industrys first mass-produced quadruple perception fusion solution, with dual-camera-vision coverage, complemented by LiDAR and millimeter-wave radar sensors. Its visual perception network has been upgraded from 2D detection to 3D, with multiple-target recognition, classification and positioning. With the worlds first LiDAR perception system in a mass production model, XPILOT 3.5 will deliver deep information fusion in a 3D drivable space.

Safety is a core priority at XPeng. The Company has rolled out the industrys first fully integrated smart driver assistance safety test, setting clear boundaries for drivers before activating functions. Drivers will receive comprehensive safe driving knowledge education and safety tests through XPengs smart driving score system, in order to fully embrace a safer man-machine co-pilot experience.

XPILOT 4.0 full-scenario advanced point-to-point driver assistance

Planned for roll-out in the first half of 2023, XPILOT 4.0 is designed to deliver full-scenario driver assistance which can support point-to-point driving for customers. XPILOT 4.0 will be built on a comprehensive hardware upgrade, with 508 TOPS ECU computing power supported by two Orin-X autonomous driving SoC (System-on-the-Chip) units, 8-million-pixel front-view binocular camera and 2.9-million-pixel side-view cameras, and a highly integrated and expandable domain controller. The hardware upgrade will again significantly increase XPILOTs perception capability on top of its market-leading multiple-perception fusion platform.

High voltage supercharging technologies to significantly boost charging power and efficiency

The evolving smart mobility ecosystem depends on highly efficient and full-coverage power infrastructure. To deliver this goal, XPeng will introduce Chinas first 800V high-voltage mass-production SiC platform, with new-generation X-Power superchargers able to charge for a range of up to 200 km in just 5 minutes. To maximize the utility of the 800V SiC platform, XPeng will also roll out lightweight 480 kW high-voltage supercharging piles with IP67 protection, and safety monitoring, delivering a superior safe and convenient charging experience for customers. Supporting this supercharging network, XPeng will also launch power storage facilities in both piles and mobile vehicles.

XPeng currently has comprehensive supercharging network in China among all Chinese auto brands, with 1,648 free charging stations servicing 98.6% of its car owners, and 439 branded supercharging stations across China.

Unveils design of the next generation flying car, showcasing fly and drive conversion

At the Tech Day, XPeng unveiled the new generation flying car design developed by its affiliate Urban Air Mobility (UAM) company HT Aero. The new model will be built on HT Aeros successful record of 15,000+ safe flights completed to date, fully in-house developed R&D, and multi-level safety redundancy design.

Planned for roll-out in 2024, the new road-capable model will feature a lightweight design, and a foldable rotor mechanism for seamless fly-drive conversion.

Robotic technology designed to support superior autonomy

XPeng also presented another aspect of its smart mobility ecosystem, its robotics innovations, during its 1024 Tech Day. XPeng foresees smart robots becoming an intelligent platform for the integrated smart mobility ecosystem. Addressing far more complex challenges in autonomy, sensing and interaction than vehicles, the pony-style robot prototype will be able to perceive diverse environments and multiple targets with 3D route planning, and execute multi-mode user recognition through facial, body and voiceprint sensing.

The next generation of robotics technologies integrated into smart mobility will need advanced sensory and tactile interactions to navigate and interact with complicated and highly diverse environments. The robot will have a 360-degree peripheral camera module and LiDAR sensing system, with object recognition, sound field sensory capabilities. XPeng will explore increasingly diverse scenarios to support wider mobility, planning and man-machine interaction.

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XPENG 2021 TECH DAY LIBRARY

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About XPeng Inc.

XPeng is a leading Chinese smart electric vehicle company that designs, develops, manufactures, and markets Smart EVs that appeal to the large and growing base of technology-savvy middle-class consumers in China. Its mission is to drive Smart EV transformation with technology and data, shaping the mobility experience of the future. In order to optimize its customers mobility experience, XPeng develops in-house its full-stack autonomous driving technology and in-car intelligent operating system, as well as core vehicle systems including powertrain and the electrification/electronic architecture. XPeng is headquartered in Guangzhou, China, with main offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, San Diego and Amsterdam. The Companys Smart EVs are manufactured at its plant in Zhaoqing, Guangdong province. For more information, please visit https://en.xiaopeng.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company goals and strategies, expansion plans, future business development, financial condition and results of operations; the trends in, and size of, Chinas EV market; the Companys expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, its products and services, its expectations regarding its relationships with customers, contract manufacturers, suppliers, third-party service providers, strategic partners and other stakeholders; general economic and business conditions; and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

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XPeng 1024 Tech Day Unveils Smart EV Technologies and Mobility Ecosystem - Business Wire

Yarmouth Police Chief Frank Frederickson hoped body-worn camera technology would be up and running by September.

But because Massachusetts mandates a town vote for system leases going beyond three years, body-worn cameras wont find focus in the town until 2022.

We anticipated that we would be using them by now, Frederickson said. But as we entered into the procurement process, we found that it was more affordable to engage in a five- to 10-year contract, and that requires a vote at town meeting.

Yarmouth voters approved $50,516 at its May 18town meeting to outfit two full shifts of Yarmouth police officers with body-worn cameras at a time for one year. Another vote is set for Tuesday atspecial town meeting for the new camera systems program to move forward, said Bob Whritenour, Yarmouth town administrator.

The article will allow police technology to be leased for a period of up to 10 years, Whritenour said. Currently, under the state law, we are only allowed to finance that type of project for up to three years, unless the town adopts a longer standard.

Frederickson is expecting a favorable outcome at town meeting but said that nothing about thecamera systems will be set in stone until after the town meeting vote. The unforeseen delay will push paperworkand officer traininginto the next year, he said.

If approved, Yarmouth would be the second town police department on the Cape using body-worn cameras. The MashpeePolice Department startedits body camera pilot program in December 2020.

Dashboard-mounted cameras, which will be linked tobody-worn technology, will also need to be installedin every Yarmouth police cruiser, which pushes the timelineback even further, Frederickson said.

I would love to tell you it will take two weeks but that is not going to be the case, he said. It could take four months before we have everything installed and running at 100%.

With the town meeting vote pending, Deputy Chief Kevin Lennon is using the extra time to research technological bundles and packages through potential provider WatchGuard Technologies, which provides mobile video solutions for law enforcement. The Body Camera-as-a-Service program provides a pay-as-you-go option for law enforcement agencies looking to begin an all-inclusive body-worn program, Lennon said.

You can buy cameras outright and own them or do a service plan that gives you the camera, mounting system and unlimited access to the communications central program with off premises storage, Lennon said. We are opting for the pay-as-you go service plan.

Andres Lacambra, senior director for Mobile Video and Motorola Solutions, saidthat WatchGuard,which was acquired by Motorola Solutions in 2019, offers body-worn camera programs built from an understanding of challenges associated with being a police officer. Because the wireless in-car system is connected to the camerasand the dispatch radio, for example, wearablecameras begin recording as soon as an officer is dispatched to an incident, and the cruiser siren and lights are activated.

Officers often have to think about a lot of things at the same time whenever they find themselves in front of an incident, he said. We try to make it as simple as possible, so officers have as much time to focus on a mission and not worry about technology. At the same time, they can avoid getting into situations where they forget to capture something that is important.

The off-site computer storage, which Lacambra said is a cloud-based system kind of like iTunes is for music that transfers the video collected, or original evidence, from an officers shift to an evidence management system. A record of what happened at any given time is documented: when it was uploaded, who has seen itand whetherits been edited, exported or compromised.

That solution provides the agency with the means to organize all videos. They have the ability to manage content and classify it based on different types of incidents, Lacambra said. It also provides tools for officers to redact and share evidence with the judicial system share it with prosecutors.

Much of the technology will remain consistent and pretty straight forward across police platforms, Lacambra said, but its the actual procedures and policies such as privacy, warrantsand length of data collection, that will differ from state to state.

There are all of the procedures and policy dealing with content that the agency needs to put in place, he said. That is in each police departments hands.

To tackle policies associated with the new technology, an internal committee composed of Lennon and six to eight Yarmouth officers convened twice in the last six months to hammer out procedures governing the use of police body-worn cameras, including when they must be turned on, when video can be viewed and by whom, and how long videos are stored in the cloud. By largely modeling Yarmouth policies after Massachusetts State Police guidelines,and conferring with the Cape and Islands District Attorneys Office, Lennon said Yarmouth procedures are 85%done.

A lot of the language between policies is extremely similar so we need to tweak certain things to fit Yarmouth based on our chief, command staff and the union, Lennon said. The policy is a work in progress, but we should have a final stamp of approval by December.

Policies will also depend on evolving legislationon body-worn technology, as well as the police reformbill signed by Gov.Charlie Baker in December 2020. The state law, spurred by the killingof George Floydin 2020 when he was restrained by Minneapolis police,, createsa standardized licensing and training process for police accountability and transparency.

As laws grow and change on evolving law enforcement technology, Frederickson said, there will be much more to come.

Its an evolving area, he said. I think as time goes on there will be more guidelines and policies. Gray areas will become clear one way or another.

As Yarmouth police presspause on body-worn cameras until after the town meeting vote, wearable camera technology for the Mashpee Police Departments pilot program will be extended into June 2022, Police Chief Scott Carlinesaid. By lengthening the program, he said the state can further advise on future mandates for body-worn cameras under the new reform law.

Id like to get all the information I can from what the state is looking at before we implement any policies, Carline said. Regardless, we are receiving constant positive feedback from the officers involved and I couldnt be happier in the direction this program has gone.

The pilot program, which was initially slated to run for one year has gone so well, Carline said, that Mashpee police bought two additional wearable devices, bringing the total to five body-worn cameras that are shared by officers.

For training purposes, we monitor the cameras every day and the evidence these bring are extremely eye opening, Carline said. Its one thing to read a report and get a picture of what happened, versus actually seeing what happened on video. Its brought a much higher level of professionalism to our overall patrol operations.

For Frederickson, the success that police agencies like Mashpee has enjoyed using wearable technology has further demonstrated thatbody-worn cameras will help Yarmouth police build credibility within the community.

We want to make sure our community is being protected in a way they think they should be, he said. Hopefully the evidence will showa tremendous amount of professionalism is taking place. There are many reports that say otherwise but we are confident this will be a positive addition to the department.

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Yarmouth police look to move forward with body-worn cameras, pending town meeting vote - Cape Cod Times

On a chilly afternoon in December 2010, an officer and his dog discovered the first of ten sets of human remains on New Yorks Long Island, setting off the hunt for an elusive serial killer or killers whose atrocities shook a quiet beachfront community to its core.

More than a decade later, with no arrests made in the case, investigators are relying on new, cutting-edge technology to solve a mystery that has stumped even the most experienced detectives.

They may be close.

"We are making progress," Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy Sini told Fox News.

Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old escort from Jersey City, N.J., disappeared from Oak Beach, N.Y., in May 2010. The police search to find her led to the discovery of ten sets of humans remains and set off the hunt for a serial killer or killers.

"We are looking for someone who is sophisticated, particularly someone who knows how to evade detection," he added.

Nine of the ten victims whose remains were found along Ocean Parkway in Suffolk County are believed to have been sex workers. Four of the victims advertised as escorts on Craigslist. Police said the killer used burner phones to contact these women. The suspect also used a cell phone belonging to one of the victims to make taunting phone calls to a family member short calls that pinged from busy cell towers near Times Square and Penn Station, according to investigators.

Sini, a former federal prosecutor with a background in cold case investigations, has invested more than $300,000 in advanced technology to analyze old phone data in the case.

"Cell phone work is critical to solving this case," he said. "There is an incredible amount of data were talking over five million data points. The human brain cannot analyze that data in any constructive way."

"We're trying to collect dots but then the key is to connect the dots, so we realized we had to invest in hardware and software to appropriately analyze that data," said Sini, who has assigned 23 people in his office to work on the investigation since taking office in early 2018.

Sini noted that while the killer used a burner or "throwaway phone" to contact victims, the killer likely also carried a regular, traceable cell phone.

"Imagine the ability to track where the killer was by utilizing the bad guy phone and figure out exactly where that bad guy phone was and then compare it to the different victims and see if there is a number that pops that's common to those different times in different areas," he said.

While Sini would not say whether authorities have a suspect in the serial murders, he confirmed to Fox News that investigators have identified certain phone numbers of interest in their investigation.

Crime Scene investigators using metal detectors to search a marsh for the remains of Shannan Gilbert on Dec. 12, 2011, in Oak Beach, New York. (AP Photo/James Carbone, Pool, File)

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"The more we put into the software and the more we study the results, we are getting a clearer picture of what happened during the time these women were murdered," he said.

In the pre-dawn hours of May 1, 2010, 24-year-old Shannan Gilbert, an escort from Jersey City, N.J., disappeared from Oak Beach, a secluded, gated community on the South Shore of Long Island. The police search to find Gilbert led to the discovery of ten sets of human remains in thick brush off Ocean Parkway, which traverses a narrow strip of barrier beaches.

Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, disappeared in July 2007. Her remains were found in 2010 at Gilgo Beach.

In December 2010, the skeletal remains of Melissa Barthelemy, 24; Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25; Megan Waterman, 22, and Amber Lynn Costello, 27, were found wrapped in burlap and placed 500 feet apart from each other in the bramble at Gilgo Beach. The four young women, who disappeared at different times, had advertised as escorts on Craigslist.

FOX NATION'S GRIM TIDE INVESTIGATES HUNT FOR LONG ISLAND SERIAL KILLER

A more extensive search of the area with the assistance of the FBI yielded more human remains: the skull, hands and forearm of 20-year-old Jessica Taylor, whose torso was found in Manorville, N.Y. in 2003; the skull, hands and foot of 24-year-old Valerie Mack, who was identified through genetic genealogy and whose torso was also found in Manorville in 2000, and the skeletal remains of an unidentified Asian male dressed in womens clothing. Those findings were quickly followed by more grisly discoveries: an unidentified female toddler, bones of a woman believed to be her mother and a skull linked to a torso found in 1996 on Fire Island.

Valerie Mack, left, is seen in an undated photo with her sister, Amanda. For years, Mack was known as "Jane Doe No. 6." Her naked torso was found in Manorville, N.Y., in 2000 and the rest of her dismembered remains were found in 2011 along Ocean Parkway in Long Island. In 2020, authorities announced that they had positively identified the remains as Mack through the use of genetic genealogy.

"I vividly remember the discovery of those sets of remains," said Stuart Cameron, the acting Suffolk County Police commissioner who oversaw the ground searches as the commanding officer in 2010.

"It was very troubling to the police officers involved in the search that they had found a toddler," he said.

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Authorities eventually found the skeletal remains of Gilbert in a marsh near Oak Beach in December 2011. The Suffolk County Medical Examiner ruled her cause of death as undetermined, a finding that has been called into question by the Gilbert family attorney, John Ray.

One question befuddled investigators from the beginning: Were they hunting for one serial killer or more than one killer? Theories diverge on the answer. A source close to the investigation told Fox News the murders are likely the work of one killer whose behavior and methods evolved over time.

Amber Lynn Costello, 27, disappeared in September 2010 from Babylon, N.Y. Her remains were found three months later at Gilgo Beach.

Others, like Cameron, do not believe the evidence is definitive enough to draw a conclusion.

"I can see the validity of both theories," he said. "But when you're engaged in an investigation, especially a serial killer investigation, you have to keep an open mind. To lock in one theory would be, I think, misguided."

In addition to new phone technology, Sini has also employed the help of an M-VAC system to collect DNA from porous or rough objects as well as to retest physical evidence that has been preserved for a decade.

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On a September afternoon in the Suffolk County crime lab, Clyde Wells, a forensic scientist working on the case, offered a rare look at the technology to demonstrate how the system works by suctioning particles from a rope and then releasing them into a testing solution.

"It's satisfying because we know we're close," Wells said of the technology. "We think it's only a matter of time."

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In Long Island serial killer investigation, new phone technology may be key to break in case - Fox News

Instead of tuning out when confronted with a smartphone or social media account, senior citizens can learn a few basics to take away the fear and confusion. Whether you need to learn how to turn the computer on and off, or just need to make sense of a few things, theres a learning path for you.

Theres no going back to the pre-technology days, and seniors need to get with the program or prepare to be left behind. If you dont learn some technology, you will have an increasingly hard time doing basic things like making a phone call or paying a bill. And you will miss out on the speed, efficiency, and other attractive capabilities of these new methods.

Once you learn the basics, youll be able to find many helpful free tools. Valuable programs, from calorie counters to financial management systems, are available free online. For instance,OneLaunchprovides a handy but unobtrusive dashboard for you to access your favorite items.

Learning to use computer technology lets you find information online: Is the post office closed on Monday? Whats the capital of Iowa?

It also lets you access services. You can renew your drivers license, sign up for a social security account, pay your bills, and peruse your medical records. You can receive a daily wellness check phone call, get your groceries delivered, and be reminded to take your medicine.

Your computer or smartphone keeps you in touch. You can zoom your grandkids, email friends and business contacts, share items of interest on social media, network with your book club members, or chat with friends.

You can take professional-quality photos and videos and share them. You can shop. You can play games for fun and to keep your brain sharp. You can indulge the writer in you and start a blog. You can indulge the artist in you and learn to draw and paint digitally.

Your computer is an entertainment center. You can watch shows and movies when and where you want. Tens of millions of songs are available at a click.

If you learn well from books, there are many available to help seniors become computer literate. Browse at a library or online until you find the one(s) that speak to you.

If you can make it onto the internet, youll find many online tutorials for seniors about computer and smartphone basics. For instance, this nonprofit organization offers afree how-to guidethat covers how to set up your computer, get on the internet, avoid viruses, troubleshoot problems, and move files around. If you want to know what an operating system is or what the cloud is all about, its all here. You can also find free or inexpensive computer classes at your local senior center or community center.

You never know when youll come across a piece of information that transforms your relationship to technology. Learning keyboard shortcuts, for instance, can make using computers immensely easier than relying on the menus. If your first attempts at computer literacy fall flat, dont give up just try a different learning path.

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Why and how seniors should learn to use technology - AZ Big Media