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Beep and Local Motors gives 10,000 passengers shuttle rides at Yellowstone National Park

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Beep, a developer of multi-passenger, electric, autonomous mobility solutions, has released ridership results following the “highly successful” completion of Yellowstone National Park’s first-ever autonomous shuttle program.

The Electric Driverless Demonstration in Yellowstone (TEDDY), named as an ode to Teddy Roosevelt, gave a total of 10,000 passengers a lift in and around the national park, racking up 4,000 vehicle trips and 2,100 miles.

The shuttle pilot enabled the National Park Service to test the feasibility and sustainability of autonomous mobility in a national park. [Read more…] about Beep and Local Motors gives 10,000 passengers shuttle rides at Yellowstone National Park

Badger Technologies sends autonomous security robot to patrol US National Veterans Memorial and Museum

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Badger Technologies, a product division of Jabil and leader in retail automation, is collaborating with TrackTik Software, a leader in cloud-based security workforce management, to automate manual security checks at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, Ohio.

A pilot program is under way using Badger PatrolBot autonomous robot and TrackTik software to augment the museum’s 24/7 security team, safeguard world-class exhibits and offer an extra measure of protection to museum visitors and staff.

As the nation’s first and only memorial dedicated solely to telling the stories of veterans, NVMM is honoring the courageous women who have served their country by naming the robot “Deborah” after Deborah Sampson. [Read more…] about Badger Technologies sends autonomous security robot to patrol US National Veterans Memorial and Museum

Boston Dynamics and IBM partner to bring mobile edge analytics to industrial operations

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By Skip Snyder, senior partner, IBM Consulting and Mike Pollitt, chief sales officer, Boston Dynamics

The demand for AI-driven robotics is increasing in operations like those in manufacturing and warehouse settings to help organizations with data and analytics that identify problems in real time, improve decision making, and perform tasks more efficiently. But to experience the true benefits, these operations need AI as close to the origin of the data as possible.

According to an IBM Institute for Business Value survey, 56 percent of manufacturers have implemented AI-driven robotics to make autonomous decisions, while 83 percent agree intelligent automation will help their organization meet strategic challenges and improve business results. However, businesses point out that most edge and IoT devices today are stationary, inflexible and often incapable of responding to rapidly changing environments.

To address this challenge, IBM and Boston Dynamics have announced a new alliance focused on delivering data analysis at the edge to help industrial companies improve worker safety, optimize field operations, and boost maintenance productivity in environments like manufacturing facilities, power plants, warehouses and more. Enabled by AI and hybrid cloud innovations from IBM Research, IBM Consulting will develop edge payloads that integrate with Spot, the agile, mobile robot from Boston Dynamics. [Read more…] about Boston Dynamics and IBM partner to bring mobile edge analytics to industrial operations

Beep launches Yellowstone’s first autonomous shuttles in partnership with Local Motors

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Beep – a provider of multi-passenger, electric, autonomous mobility solutions – has launched what it says is Yellowstone National Park’s first-ever autonomous shuttle program, called TEDDY (The Electric Driverless Demonstration in Yellowstone), in partnership with Local Motors, a designer and manufacturer of autonomous vehicles.

The TEDDY project, an ode to Teddy Roosevelt, will enable the National Park Service to test the feasibility and sustainability of autonomous mobility and better plan for the future of transportation.

Joe Moye, Beep CEO, says: “Beep is proud to have been selected by the National Park Service to provide transformative mobility at the country’s first national park. [Read more…] about Beep launches Yellowstone’s first autonomous shuttles in partnership with Local Motors

US launches billion-dollar plan to establish quantum computing and artificial intelligence institutes

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The US government has launched a billion-dollar plan to establish quantum computing and artificial intelligence scientific research institutes.

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the US Department of Energy (DOE) will distribute the $1 billion in awards for the establishment of 12 new artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum information science (QIS) research institutes nationwide.

The $1 billion will go towards NSF-led AI Research Institutes and DOE QIS Research Centers over five years, establishing 12 multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional national hubs for research and workforce development in these critical emerging technologies. [Read more…] about US launches billion-dollar plan to establish quantum computing and artificial intelligence institutes

Foxconn moving operations out of China

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Foxconn, one of the most well known Chinese manufacturing companies as a result of its status as main supplier for Apple, is moving significant parts of its operations outside of China.

The company, which according to TechSpot reported almost $800 million net profit for the quarter ending in June, has already moved an additional 5 percent of its operations to countries other than China, bring it up to 30 percent, compared with 25 percent last year.

China is still overwhelmingly the main base for Foxconn’s manufacturing operations, representing some 70 percent of its production capacity, but the company is scouting many locations abroad. [Read more…] about Foxconn moving operations out of China

US manufacturing output reaches ‘all-time high’

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Manufacturing output in the US has reached an “all-time high”, signaling the industry’s strength, according to the National Association of Manufacturers.

For the past two years, manufacturers have been setting new records when it comes to manufacturing output, and through the first quarter of 2019, the industry has continued to reach new heights.

Four out of five manufacturers remain positive about their company’s outlook, according to the National Association of Manufacturers’ latest Outlook Survey, and new Bureau of Economic Analysis data find that manufacturers’ level of output hit an all-time high once again. [Read more…] about US manufacturing output reaches ‘all-time high’

‘Prawn day’ – it’s a thing

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US delivery firm Postmates, launched its first annual Prawn Day, offering two days of deals on select “prawn-related” merchants its service on 15-16 July.

Customers who visited the app found Prawn Day themed content and deals.

The company, which operates in more than 3,500 cities, added some of the most sought-after local and national restaurants, serving 70 of the top 100 restaurants in the US.

International System of Units agreement being commemorated today

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Intergovernmental organization BIPM outlines historic changes to the International System of Units, or the SI

Today, May 20, is World Metrology Day, commemorating the anniversary of the signing of the Metre Convention in 1875.

This treaty provides the basis for a coherent measurement system worldwide that underpins scientific discovery and innovation, industrial manufacturing and international trade, as well as the improvement of the quality of life and the protection of the global environment.

The theme for World Metrology Day 2019 is “The International System of Units – Fundamentally Better”. [Read more…] about International System of Units agreement being commemorated today

FEIMEC 2020 launches its new sales cycle as the ‘largest exhibition in the industry in Latin America’

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The third edition of the machinery and industrial equipment trade show FEIMEC will have even more exhibition space than in previous years. Its official launch occurs within a moment of positive expectations for the Brazilian market.

Within the marketplace’s positive expectations for economic growth, the third edition of FEIMEC 2020 – Brazil International Machinery and Equipment Exhibition has been launched.

The exhibition will take place in Sao Paulo on May 5-9, 2020 and will have 62,000 sq m of exhibition space, 700 exhibitors and will receive over 65,000 industry professionals.

[Read more…] about FEIMEC 2020 launches its new sales cycle as the ‘largest exhibition in the industry in Latin America’