QUADRUPED A1 – Four-legged robot combines artificial intelligence and sophisticated motion sequences

The newly founded company QUADRUPED Robotics is the first and currently the only German company to introduce fully modifiable multi-legged robots to the European market. In doing so, this form of robot represents a novelty: the four-legged robots combine artificial intelligence with new motion sequences and individually customizable equipment.
The A1 robot in the QUADRUPED line is based on the Robot Operating System (ROS.org) and can thus be adapted to its environment and requirements. However, even the basic equipment enables a wide range of applications.

By means of an AI-controlled and depth-sensing smart camera, HD recordings can be transmitted in real time and to a terminal device. At the same time, the integrated multi-eye camera offers real-time tracking of objects in sight, gesture recognition and target tracking following specific movement patterns.

The basis for the development of an environment map is the visual SLAM. QUADRUPED A1 calculates paths, obstacles, routes and navigation points. This leads to vision-based autonomous obstacle avoidance. In addition, QUADRUPED A1 also recognizes obstacle shapes and an adjustment of the body position takes place. If an impact or fall does occur, the advanced dynamic balancing algorithm allows balance to be quickly restored. Further measurement data as well as more dynamic behavior can be achieved by integrating additional sensor technology, such as that of a 3D LiDAR or further camera modules.

The QUADRUPED A1 incorporates the unique patented sensitive foot contact. Each of the four feet can be controlled individually. The smart actuators provide precise footing as well as different gaits. The system is based on a low-level control developed by QUADRUPED Robotics, which can read out the position including torque and current consumption at any time. The foot end is waterproof and dustproof and can be easily replaced after wear.
The A1 impressed with its latest measured top speed of 11.8 km/h (3.3 m/s), which is unique for a robot of this type. It can also carry loads of up to 5 kg.

For simplified maintenance work, the robot was designed with a stable and lightweight body structure. The A1 has an external 24 V power input and 5 V-/12 V-/19 V power supply, which enables the use of additional external devices. Other external interfaces include 4 USB, 2 HDMI, 2 Ethernet ports.

It is equipped with a powerful redundant control system: low-level control for CAN communication with the smart actuators and NVIDIA Xavier for calculation or measurement data evaluation. The current runtime of approx. 1.5 hours varies depending on the application.

Additional equipment is available from QUADRUPED Robotics and can be delivered with implemented software packages on request. Due to in-house research and development, the end customer can order a finished and tested product. Another service is the provision of complete documentation on the website www.docs.quadruped.de. In addition, complete simulation environments based on Webots & Gazebo are also made available for download there, which can be used for application testing.

QUADRUPED Robotics is a spin-off of MYBOTSHOP uG, which emerged as an established sales and development partner in the fields of robotics, sensor technology and automation technology. Company founder Daniel Kottlarz draws from the potential of four-legged and autonomous robots the opportunity to relieve humans in particularly dangerous areas of operation and situations and to ward off dangerous situations by means of the autonomous robots.

QUADRUPED A1 – Vierbeiniger Roboter vereint künstliche Intelligenz und ausgereifte Bewegungsabläufe

Das neu gegründete Unternehmen QUADRUPED Robotics führt als erstes und derzeit einziges deutsches Unternehmen voll modifizierbare mehrbeinige Roboter in den europäischen Markt ein. Dabei stellt diese Form der Roboter eine Neuheit dar: die Vierbeiner kombinieren künstliche Intelligenz mit neuen Bewegungsabläufen und einer individuell anpassbaren Ausstattung.

Der Roboter A1 der Linie QUADRUPED basiert auf dem Robot Operating System (ROS.org) und lässt sich somit auf seine Umgebung und Anforderung anpassen. Doch auch schon die Grundausstattung ermöglicht einen breiten Anwendungsbereich.
Mittels KI-gesteuerter und tiefenerkennender Smart-Kamera lassen sich HD-Aufnahmen in Echtzeit und an ein Endgerät übertragen. Gleichzeitig bietet die integrierte Mehraugen-Kamera die Echtzeit-Verfolgung von Objekten in Sichtweite, Gestenerkennung und auf bestimmte Bewegungsmuster folgend die Zielpersonenverfolgung.
Grundlage zur Erarbeitung einer Umgebungskarte ist das visuelle SLAM. QUADRUPED A1 berechnet Wege, Hindernisse, Strecken und Navigationspunkte. Dies führt zu einer visions-basierten autonomen Hindernisvermeidung. Zusätzlich erkennt der QUADRUPED A1 auch Hindernisformen und es erfolgt eine Anpassung der Körperposition. Sollte es doch zu einem Aufprall oder Sturz kommen, ermöglicht der fortschrittliche dynamische Balancier-Algorithmus das Gleichgewicht schnell wiederherzustellen. Weitere Messdaten sowie dynamischeres Verhalten können durch die Integration zusätzlicher Sensorik, wie die eines 3D-LiDAR oder weiterer Kameramodule, erreicht werden.

Im QUADRUPED A1 ist der einzigartige patentierte sensible Fußkontakt verbaut. Jeder der vier Füße kann einzeln und individuell angesteuert werden. Durch die smarten Aktuatoren sind präzises Auftreten sowie verschiedene Gangart geboten. Das System basiert auf einem von QUADRUPED Robotics entwickelten Low-Level-Control, das zu jedem Zeitpunkt die Position samt Drehmoment und Stromaufnahme auslesen kann. Das Fußende ist wasser- und staubdicht und kann nach Abnutzung leicht ausgetauscht werden.
Der A1 überzeugte durch seine zuletzt gemessene Höchstgeschwindigkeit von 11,8 km/h (3,3 m/s), welche für einen Roboter dieser Art einmalig ist. Zudem kann er Lasten bis zu 5 kg tragen.

Für vereinfachte Wartungsarbeiten wurde bei dem Roboter auf eine stabile und leichte Karosseriestruktur geachtet. Der A1 verfügt über einen externen 24 V Stromeingang und 5 V-/12 V-/19 V-Spannungsversorgung, die den Einsatz zusätzlicher externer Geräte ermöglicht. Weitere externe Schnittstellen sind 4 USB-, 2 HDMI-, 2 Ethernet-Anschlüsse.
Ausgestattet ist er mit einer leistungsstarken redundanten Steuerung: Low-Level-Control zur CAN-Kommunikation mit den smarten Aktuatoren und NVIDIA Xavier für die Berechnung bzw. Messdatenauswertung. Die aktuelle Laufzeit von ca. 1,5 Stunden variiert je nach Anwendung.

Zusatz-Equipment ist bei QUADRUPED Robotics erhältlich und wird auf Wunsch mit implementierten Software-Packages ausgeliefert. Durch die hausinterne Forschung und Entwicklung kann der Endkunde ein fertiges und getestetes Produkt bestellen. Ein weiterer Service ist die Bereitstellung der vollständigen Dokumentation auf der Website www.docs.quadruped.de. Darüber hinaus werden dort auch vollständige Simulationsumgebungen auf Basis von Webots & Gazebo zum Download bereitgestellt, die zu Anwendungstests genutzt werden können.

QUADRUPED Robotics ist eine Ausgründung der MYBOTSHOP uG, die als etablierter Vertriebs- und Entwicklungspartner in den Bereichen Robotik, Sensorik und Automatisierungstechnik entstand. Firmengründer Daniel Kottlarz schöpft aus dem Potenzial der vierbeinigen und autonomen Roboter die Chance, den Menschen in besonders gefährlichen Einsatzbereichen und Situationen zu entlasten und mittels der autonomen Roboter Gefahrensituationen abzuwehren.

New MAKEBLOCK mBot2 educational robot can even be controlled by facial expressions

The mBot2 programming robot replaces the globally successful mBot1 after 8 years and inspires with cutting-edge sensor technology, new motors and a brand-new AI control board in a familiar design. For kids, teachers and tinkerers who want to learn more about computer science, STEM, IoT, AI and block-based coding while playing.

Ubstadt-Weiher, 29.04.2021 – Over the past eight years, MAKEBLOCK’s educational robot mBot has not only playfully taught millions of children, students, teachers and budding programmers worldwide about complex STEM (mathematics, computer science, natural science, technology) subjects, but also put a smile on their faces after completing successful missions. And the success story continues with the new mBot2: under the carefully modified shell, which is now made of robust aluminum, is packed concentrated state-of-the-art technology that enables countless new programming and application possibilities.

The most striking feature at first glance is the next-generation ultrasonic sensors, which look at you in brilliant blue. Who can resist that seductive look? But the blue „eyes“ are not just for precise distance measurement, they also convey emotion with the help of controllable ambient lighting. The mBot2 is virtually looking for eye contact with the little programmers, because the AI image recognition allows, for example, the speed to be controlled via facial expression.

Weiterlesen

Artificial Intelligence Platform Ludo Revolutionizes Games Creation

Ludo AI, available now in open beta, gives developers access to the world’s first AI platform for games concept creation – accelerating and democratizing games creation



Seattle, USA. AI (Artificial Intelligence) games creativity platform Ludo has announced its open beta, following a deeply successful closed beta and attracted participation from independent studios across the globe. Games creators tasked with delivering the next hit game to emulate the success of the likes of Call of Duty, Among Us, Fortnite and Fall Guys, now have the answer in Ludo – the world’s first AI games ideation tool.

Ludo, Latin for ‘I Play’, uses machine learning and natural language processing to develop game concepts 24 hours a day. The platform is constantly learning and evolving. Ludo is built on a database of close to a million games and is agile and supremely intelligent. When asked to find a new game idea, based on intuitive keyword searches, Ludo returns almost immediately with multiple written game concepts, artwork and images that developers can rapidly work on to take the next stage (concept presentation, MVP or accelerated soft launch).

AI has never before been used at the start of the games creation process: In a 159.3 billion* dollar industry, the pressure to release new hit games is relentless: And coming up with new exciting and sticky games is the Holy Grail. Ludo is set to revolutionize game creation enabling developers by arming them with unique games concepts within minutes of their request being processed. Furthermore, as Ludo’s powerful capabilities are within the reach of any size of studio, the creation process has been democratized.

Games publishers and developers must deliver hit new games at a pace: The industry landscape is changing as it grows in value: Large, acquisitive publishers are constantly on the lookout for growing independents, with great new games and creative ideas, to absorb as they, in turn, need to deliver value to their stakeholders.

“Creativity is the new currency in the games industry,” said Tom Pigott, CEO of JetPlay, Ludo’s creator. “The next hit game could be worth millions and you never know where it will spring up from. With Ludo anyone can come up with a great new game idea without having to waste hours on the process and then invest even more time in researching what is already out there and how successful any similar games have been. Ludo does it all for you: Ludo brings the playfulness back into the game creation process, increases the probability of coming up with a great new game, and saves time and money.”

Since the global pandemic the games industry has seen exponential growth and it is estimated to be worth $200 Billion by 2023. Every developer is under pressure to create a viable pipeline and now with so many ways of testing games quickly ( a large percentage being rejected before they get through the gates) the appetite is at an all time high for new games ideas and concepts.

Ludo has been created by a small outstanding global team of AI Ph.D.’s and the brainchild of seasoned entrepreneur Tom Pigott, CEO of Jet Play, the developer of Ludo. The new open beta follows a highly successful closed program that saw a select group of studios harness the creative power of AI. Now, with an open beta, games developers can try the platform free of charge for a trial period.

„We’ve been extremely pleased by the feedback and the usage of our platform by the game makers that were part of the closed beta,“ said Pigott. „AI, when used as part of the creative process, delivers great results. It is easy to use, working intuitively with keyword searches, and those involved in our closed beta have already proved that amazing things can be done, and all without detracting from their development or marketing time. Very soon Ludo will become an integral part of every studio’s games ideation process.”

The Ludo open beta program offers an opportunity to enjoy all the benefits of early adoption, giving a head start on a mobile game creation approach that works. Due to the tremendous interest there is a waitlist: those interested in joining the Ludo open beta can apply or find out more here.

Blaize Delivers First Open and Code-free AI Software Platform Spanning the Entire Edge AI Application Lifecycle


El DORADO HILLS, CA — December, 2020 — Blaize today fully unveiled the Blaize AI Studio offering, the industry’s first open and code-free software platform to span the complete edge AI operational workflow from idea to development, deployment and management. AI Studio dramatically reduces edge AI application deployment complexity, time, and cost by breaking the barriers within existing application development and machine learning operations (MLOps) infrastructure that hinder edge AI deployments. Eliminating the complexities of integrating disparate tools and workflows, along with the introduction of multiple ease-of-use and intelligence features, AI Studio reduces from months to days the time required to go from models to deployed production applications.



“While AI applications are migrating to the Edge with growth projected to outpace that of the Data Center, Edge AI deployments today are complicated by a lack of tools for application development and MLOps,” says Dinakar Munagala, Co-founder and CEO, Blaize. “AI Studio was born of the insights to this problem gained in our earliest POC edge AI hardware customer engagements, as we recognized the need and opportunity for a new class of AI software platform to address the complete end-to-end edge AI operational workflow.”



“AI Studio is open and highly optimized for the AI development landscape that exists across heterogeneous ecosystems at the edge,” says Dmitry Zakharchenko, VP Research & Development, Blaize. “With the AI automation benefits of a truly modern user experience interface, AI Studio serves the unique needs in customers’ edge use cases for ease of application development, deployment, and management, as well as broad usability by both developers and domain expert non-developers.”



The combination of AI Studio innovations in user interface, use of collaborative Marketplaces, end-to-end application development, and operational management, collectively bridge the operational chasm hindering AI edge ROI. Deployed with the Blaize AI edge computing hardware offerings that address unserved edge hardware needs, AI Studio makes AI more practical and economical for edge use cases where unmet application development and MLOps needs delay the pace of production deployment.



“In our work for clients, which may include developing models for quality inspection within manufacturing, identifying stress markers to improve drug trials or even predicting high resolution depth for autonomous vehicles, it is vital that businesses can build unique AI applications that prove their ideas quickly,” says Tim Ensor, Director of AI, Cambridge Consultants. “AI Studio offers innovators the means to achieve this confidence in rapid timeframes, which is a really exciting prospect.” Cambridge Consultants, part of Capgemini Group, helps the world’s biggest brands and most ambitious businesses innovate in AI, including those within the Blaize ecosystem.

Code-free assistive UI for more users, more productivity
The AI Studio code-free visual interface is intuitive for a broad range of skill levels beyond just AI data scientists, which is a scarce and costly resource for many organizations. “Hey Blaize” summons a contextually intelligent assistant with an expert knowledge-driven recommendation system to guide users through the workflow. This ease of use enables AI edge app development for wider teams from AI developers to system builders to business domain subject matter experts.

Open standards for user flexibility, broader adoption
With AI Studio, users can deploy models with one click to plug into any workflow across multiple open standards including ONNX, OpenVX, containers, Python, or GStreamer. No other solution offers this degree of open standard deployment support, as most are proprietary solutions that lock in users with limited options. Support for these open standards allows AI Studio to deploy to any hardware that fully supports the standards.



Marketplaces collaboration
Marketplace support allows users to discover models, data and complete applications from anywhere – public or private – and collaborate continuously to build and deploy high-quality AI applications.

AI Studio supports open public models, data marketplaces and repositories, and provides connectivity and infrastructure to host private marketplaces. Users can continually scale proven AI edge models and vertical AI solutions to effectively reuse across enterprises, choosing from hundreds of models with drag and drop ease to speed application development



Easy-to-Use application development workflow:
The AI Studio model development workflow allows users to easily train and optimize models for specific datasets and use cases, and deploy quickly into multiple formats and packages. With the click of a button, AI Studio’s unique Transfer Learning feature quickly retrains imported models for the user’s data and use case. Blaize edge-aware optimization tool, NetDeploy, automatically optimizes the models to the user’s specific accuracy and performance needs. With AI Studio, users can easily build and customize complete application flows other than neural networks, such as image signal processing, tracking or sensor fusion functions.



Ground-breaking edge MLOps/DevOps features
As a complete end-to-end platform, AI Studio helps users deploy, manage, monitor and continuously improve their edge AI applications. Built on a cloud-native infrastructure based on microservices, containers and Kubernetes, AI Studio is highly scalable and reliable in production.



Blaize AI Studio Early Adopter Customers Results
In smart retail, smart city and industry 4.0 markets, Blaize customers are realizing new levels of efficiency in AI application development and deployment using AI Studio. Examples include:

– Complete end-to-end AI development cycle reduction from months to days
– Reduction in training compute by as much as 90%

– Edge-aware efficient optimizations and compression of models with a < 3% accuracy drop

– New revolutionary contextual conversational interfaces that eclipse visual UI



Availability
AI Studio is available now to qualified early adopter customers, with general availability in Q1 2021. The AI Studio product offering includes licenses for individual seats, enterprise, and on-premise subscriptions, with product features and services suited to the needs of each license type.



About Blaize


Blaize leads new-generation computing unleashing the potential of AI to enable leaps in the value technology delivers to improve the way we all work and live. Blaize offers transformative computing solutions for AI data collection and processing at the edge of network, with focus on smart vision applications including automobility, retail, security, industrial and metro. Blaize has secured US$87M in equity funding to date from strategic and venture investors DENSO, Daimler, SPARX Group, Magna, Samsung Catalyst Fund, Temasek, GGV Capital, Wavemaker and SGInnovate. With headquarters in El Dorado Hills (CA), Blaize has teams in Campbell (CA), Cary (NC), and subsidiaries in Hyderabad (India), Manila (Philippines), and Leeds and Kings Langley (UK), with 300+ employees worldwide.

GrubTech and Wobot.ai join forces in the automation and digitization of restaurant & cloud kitchen operations

9th November 2020, Dubai, United Arab Emirates: GrubTech, the UAE-based tech start-up that is taking the foodservice industry by storm with the introduction of the world’s most technologically advanced digital commerce tool for restaurant and cloud kitchen owners, and India-based AI-powered video analytics powerhouse Wobot.ai are proud to announce a global strategic collaboration. The partnership brings together GrubTech’s native technology expertise in the foodservice landscape and Wobot’s state-of-the-art platform to curate an optimum experience for restaurateurs and cloud kitchen operators globally.

In this age of the technological revolution, rapidly evolving technology is expected to provide much-needed tailwinds to the foodservice business, as tech enablement is no longer a luxury, but a necessity to survive and succeed. The alliance between GrubTech and Wobot.ai establishes a comprehensive solution for restaurants and cloud kitchens, encompassing the digitization of everything from order capture and operations to compliance management and marketing.

GrubTech’s integration with food aggregators, points of sale and third party logistics providers, eliminates the need for the manual, error-prone and often cumbersome entry of orders into siloed solutions. Rather, it digitizes the order lifecycle, providing comprehensive visibility over sales and operations and resulting in reduced costs, increased efficiencies and shortened food preparation and delivery times, i.e. from click to doorbell in far less time.

„GrubTech provides restaurants, cloud kitchens and virtual brands with the first end-to-end management system, automating manual processes in order to drive operational efficiencies and improve the customer experience. Wobot’s AI-powered insights & business intelligence tools create a perfect synergy with our platform, setting us on course to completely revolutionise the global foodservice industry. We look forward to helping to drive future fit and profitable operations for our customers, as they strive to win in this ever-changing landscape” said Mohamed Al Fayed, Co-Founder and CEO of GrubTech.

Wobot.ai today powers 10,000+ units globally, helping them reduce their risk of non-compliance, cost of monitoring, and increases their customer NPS with its computer vision technology.

Mr Adit Chhabra, CEO of Wobot added „Our vision with the Wobot-GrubTech alliance is to create a seamless workplace optimized to deliver operational excellence in the hospitality industry with our combined technology platforms. Our service offerings tailored specifically for restaurants and cloud kitchens, offers the unmatched capability to deliver massive value for these businesses. Wobot’s platform monitors health, safety & operational checklists & helps you ascertain if you meet global foodservice industry standards“.

GrubTech’s solution is highly scalable and easily deployable remotely, and the company is in advanced discussions to deploy across a number of large enterprises and SME’s across the MENA region and beyond into SE Asia, and Europe. The agreement with Wobot.ai will significantly enhance the offering, as with heightened food safety requirements and increased restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, countries are frequently updating their compliance legislation creating an urgent need for an effective and multi-purpose operations platform.

Mayflower Autonomous Ship Launches

PLYMOUTH, England, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Ocean research non-profit ProMare and IBM (NYSE:IBM) have announced the completion and launch of the Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS) – an AI and solar powered marine research vessel which will traverse oceans gathering vital environmental data.

Following two years of design, construction and training of its AI models, the new fully-autonomous trimaran was today lifted into the waters off the coast of Plymouth, England ahead of its official launch tomorrow.

Designed to provide a safe, flexible and cost-effective way of gathering data about the ocean, the new-generation Mayflower promises to transform oceanography by working in tandem with scientists and other autonomous vessels to help understand critical issues such as global warming, micro-plastic pollution and marine mammal conservation. ProMare is co-ordinating the scientific studies working with IBM Research and a number of leading scientific organizations.

MAS features an AI Captain built by ProMare and IBM developers which gives MAS the ability to sense, think and make decisions at sea with no human captain or onboard crew. The new class of marine AI is underpinned by IBM’s latest advanced edge computing systems, automation software, computer vision technology and Red Hat Open Source software.

„Able to scan the horizon for possible hazards, make informed decisions and change its course based on a fusion of live data, the Mayflower Autonomous Ship has more in common with a modern bank than its 17th century namesake,“ said Andy Stanford-Clark, Chief Technology Officer, IBM UK & Ireland. „With its ability to keep running in the face of the most challenging conditions, this small ship is a microcosm for every aspiring 21st century business.“

To enable followers around the world to stay updated with MAS as it undertakes its various missions, IBM and ProMare have today launched a new interactive web portal. Built by IBM iX, the business design arm of IBM Services, the MAS400 portal is designed to provide real-time updates about the ship’s location, environmental conditions and data from its various research projects. Live weather data will be streamed from The Weather Company, as MAS is receiving forecast data and insight from the new IBM Weather Operations Center.

The portal even features a seven-armed, stowaway octopus chatbot called Artie, who claims to be hitching a ride on the ship. Powered by IBM Watson Assistant technology and created in partnership with European start-up Chatbotbay, Artie has been trained to provide information about MAS and its adventures in a lively, and accessible format.

„MAS400.com is one of the most advanced ocean mission web portals ever built,“ says Fredrik Soreide, Scientific Director of the Mayflower Autonomous Ship project and Board Member of ProMare. „Protecting the ocean depends on our ability to engage the public in important matters affecting its health. This MAS400 portal is designed to do exactly that and tell people where the ship is, what speed it’s travelling at, what conditions it’s operating in and what science we are conducting. Users can even help Artie the Octopus fish out surgical masks, cigarette butts and other increasingly common forms of ocean litter from a virtual ocean of facts and data.“

MAS will spend the next six months in sea trials and undertake various research missions and voyages before attempting to cross the Atlantic in Spring 2021. MAS’s transatlantic voyage will be based on a similar route and pioneering spirit to the 1620 Mayflower which made the same crossing 400 years ago.

MAS Facts:

Name: Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS)
Organizations and
companies behind it:   
ProMare, IBM and a global consortium of partners 
Mission:MAS and other autonomous ships and drones working in tandem with human scientists to collect vital oceanographic data
Humans on board:0
Autonomy level5 (can operate independently with no human intervention)
Sensors on board:30+
AI Cameras on board:   6
Octopuses on board:1
Science projects:Marine mammals, micro plastics, sea level height & wave patterns, oceanographic and environmental data collection
Length:15M
Width:6.2M
Max speed:10 knots
Weight:5 tons/4535KG
Equipment capacity:    0.7 tons/700KG
Hull design:Trimaran (central hull with two outrigger wings)
Power:Solar-driven hybrid electric motor
Software:IBM Visual Insights computer vision technology, IBM edge systems, IBM Operational Decision Manager automation software, IBM Maximo asset management software, data from The Weather Company        
Hardware:IBM Power Systems AC922, 6 Jetson AGX Xavier, 2 Jetson Xavier NX, 4+ Intel-based computers, 4+ custom microprocessor systems
Navigation equipment:Precision GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), IMU (Inertial Measurement Units), radar, weather station, SATCOM, AIS
Live mission portal:https://mas400.com
More information:https://newsroom.ibm.com/then-and-now
B-roll:  https://newsroom.ibm.com/mayflower-b-roll
Images:https://newsroom.ibm.com/mayflower-images

Bloomberg Media and Intelligence Squared U.S. present a new limited debate series “That’s Debatable” hosted by Award-Winning Journalist and Moderator John Donvan and featuring AI from IBM Watson

The one-hour program will premiere on Bloomberg Television on Friday, October 9 at 7:00 PMAudiences can join the conversation now by submitting their arguments at IBM.com/debatable on the first debate topic: “It’s Time to Redistribute the Wealth”

NEW YORK September 3, 2020 — Bloomberg Media today announced a new interactive debate series titled “That’s Debatable,” to debut on Bloomberg Television Friday, October 9 at 7:00PM ET. Presented in partnership with Intelligence Squared U.S. and hosted by four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, broadcaster and Intelligence Squared’s longtime debate moderator John Donvan, the program will feature industry leaders, economists, policy makers and public intellectuals debating some of today’s most pressing issues. “That’s Debatable” is sponsored exclusively by IBM.

Filmed in front of a live virtual audience, “That’s Debatable” will be conducted in the traditional Oxford-style format with two teams of two subject matter experts debating over four rounds. The live audience will select a winner via mobile, to be announced at the conclusion of the program.

The show will also demonstrate how AI can be used to bring a larger, more diverse range of voices and opinions to the public square and can help uncover new perspectives to enhance the debaters’ arguments. The general public is invited to submit a short argument for or against each episode’s position statement. During the debate, IBM Watson plans to use Key Point Analysis, a new capability in Natural Language Processing (NLP) developed by the same IBM Research team that created Project Debater, which is designed to analyze viewer submitted arguments and provide insight into the global public opinion on each episode’s debate topic.

“Bloomberg Media’s global audience regularly turns to Bloomberg Television as a critical source of news and information,” said Al Mayers, Global Head of Bloomberg Television and Radio. “By partnering with Intelligence Squared for ‘That’s Debatable,’ we will provide viewers with thoughtful discourse and insights into some of the most important subjects currently at the forefront of national and global conversation.”

“Globally, we are facing unprecedented and complex challenges,” said Intelligence Squared U.S. CEO Clea Conner. “In this era of seemingly endless soundbites and social media echo chambers, it is harder than ever before to truly engage with the other side of an issue. At this historic moment, we are calling for a return to civilized and substantive debate to help us navigate a rapidly changing world. Together with Bloomberg TV, and our exclusive sponsor IBM, ‘That’s Debatable’ will explore multiple viewpoints of the most important topics of our time — and give a voice to a global audience with Watson’s advanced AI analysis.”

The debut episode’s debate topic is: “It’s Time to Redistribute the Wealth.” As nations around the world face a reckoning on race and social justice and work to combat the economic impacts of the pandemic, “That’s Debatable” will take a hard look at the hotly contested question with leading experts on both sides of the argument.

Audiences can join in the discussion by submitting a short argument for or against the motion: „It’s time to redistribute the wealth“ starting today through September 14 at www.ibm.com/debatable. Then tune into “That’s Debatable” on October 9 to see a debate fueled in part by your submission.

„Our ambition for ‘That’s Debatable’ is simple — to showcase one of the many ways AI can be used for good by helping people understand nuanced viewpoints, discover and surface critical insights, and inform high stakes decision making,” said Daniel Hernandez, General Manager, IBM Data and AI. “What we learned from over 30,000 Watson client engagements inspired IBM Research to create cutting-edge innovation in language, automation and building trust, which will be demonstrated in the series and made available in Watson for all businesses to use.”

About Bloomberg Media:

Bloomberg Media is a leading, global, multi-platform brand that provides decision-makers with timely news, analysis and intelligence on business, finance, technology, climate change, politics and more. Powered by a newsroom of over 2,700 journalists and analysts, it reaches influential audiences worldwide across every platform including digital, social, TV, radio, print and live events. Bloomberg Media is a division of Bloomberg LP. Visit BloombergMedia.com for more information.

About Intelligence Squared U.S.:

A non-partisan, non-profit organization, Intelligence Squared U.S. was founded to address a fundamental problem in America: the extreme polarization of our nation and our politics. Their mission is to restore critical thinking, facts, reason, and civility to American public discourse. The award-winning debate series reaches millions of viewers and listeners through multi-platform distribution, including public radio, podcasts, live streaming, newsletters, interactive digital content, and on-demand apps including Roku and Apple TV. With over 180 debates and counting, Intelligence Squared U.S. has encouraged the public to „think twice“ on a wide range of provocative topics. Author and ABC News correspondent John Donvan has moderated IQ2US since 2008.

About IBM Watson:

Watson is IBM’s AI technology for business, helping organizations to better predict and shape future outcomes, automate complex processes, and optimize employees’ time. Watson has evolved from an IBM Research project, to experimentation, to a scaled set of products that run anywhere. With more than 30,000 customers, Watson is being applied by leading global brands across a variety of industries to transform how people work. To learn more, visit: https://www.ibm.com/watson.

To learn more about Natural Language Processing and how new capabilities like Key Point Analysis are designed to analyze and generate insights from thousands of arguments on any topic, visit: https://www.ibm.com/watson/natural-language-processing.

MOFLIN, a lovable Pet Robot with advanced Artificial Intelligence that replicates a living animal, launches in Kickstarter Campaign

2020-08-05 15:48:32 – Minato City – (PR Distribution™)

Japanese hardware startup “Vanguard Industries, Inc.” launches its newly developed AI Pet Robot that is not only soft and cuddly and interactive, but learns and evolves like a real pet.

Tokyo based Vanguard Industries, Inc (CEO: Masahiko Yamanaka) will launch a Kickstarter campaign on August 5th, 8:00pm (Japan Time) for its advanced AI Pet Robot MOFLIN that realizes an ambitious concept of creating a soft and lovable AI pet robot that can interact with its owner and evolve like a living animal.  It can thus give you the satisfaction of living with a pet that has its own unique personality cultivated by its interaction with you and its living environment.

Supporters of the campaign can make advanced purchases of MOFLIN. The campaign targets consumers in the US, Canada, the EU, and Japan. The funds raised through this campaign will be used for further product development, manufacturing, delivery, and preparation for entering the consumer market. 

Delivery of MOFLIN to supporters will start in Spring of 2021.


What is MOFLIN

MOFLIN was created from an entirely new and ambitious concept of a having a soft lovable pet robot with advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) that enables it to learn, evolve, interact, and create its own unique personality like that of a living pet. It has a soft warm fur coat, makes lovable sounds and adorable movements that will make you want to love it forever. We took a nature inspired approach and developed a unique algorithm that allows MOFLIN to learn and grow by constantly using its interactions to determine patterns and evaluate its surroundings from its sensors. MOFLIN will choose from an infinite number of mobile and sound pattern combinations to respond and express its feelings. To put it in simple terms, it’s like you’re interacting with a living pet. MOFLIN offers a simple user experience that can be enjoyed by a wide range of ages and provide a lovable partner to your everyday life.

In November 2011 Vanguard Industries presented for the first time, the MOFLIN concept, at the Web Summit 2019 that took place in Lisbon, Portugal. Web Summit is one of the world’s largest technology conferences and the live demonstration of the MOFLIN prototype received raving feedback from industry professionals.  Through the success of this Kickstarter campaign, we plan on developing MOFLIN even further.

Also, in parallel with this Kickstarter campaign, we will be exhibiting MOFLIN at the b8ta Tokyo – Yurakucho store in Tokyo, the first experiential store in Japan for b8ta. If you are ever in the area, please come and interact with MOFLIN in person. 

Kickstarter Campaign Details

Campaign Period: August 5th, 2020 – September 20th, 2020
Campaign days: 50 days
Funding Goal: 2,000,000 Yen (Approx. $US 19,000)
Funding Model: All or Nothing
Kickstarter Campaign Page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/vanguardindustries/moflin-an-ai-pet-robot-with-emotional-capabilities/


b8ta Tokyo – Yurakucho Store Details

Name: b8ta Tokyo – Yurakucho
Address: 1st Floor, Yuracho Denki Building, 1-7-1, Yurakucho, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
Business Hours: 11:00 – 19:30 (7 days a week)
URL: https://b8ta.jp/

Vanguard Industries, Inc.

Established in June, 2016, Vanguard Industries is a hardware startup that work mainly with Industry-Government-Acadamia open innovation projects. It specializes in the engineering, production, and market entry of innovative products created by partnerships between the R&D departments of large Japanese firms, small and medium sized manufacturing companies, and Universities. Our mission is to create innovation that contributes to the advancement of the Japanese manufacturing industry.

Accenture, Intel and Sulubaaï Environmental Foundation Use Artificial Intelligence to Save Coral Reefs

NEW YORK, SANTA CLARA, Calif., and MANILA, The Philippines; April 22, 2020 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN), Intel and the Philippines-based Sulubaaï Environmental Foundation have developed a new solution powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor, characterize and analyze coral reef resiliency. The solution — the work product of Project: CORaiL, an initiative the three organizations created in 2019 — has been deployed in a reef in the Philippines since last year.

Coral reefs are some of the world’s most diverse ecosystems, with more than eight hundred species of corals building and providing habitats and shelter for approximately 25% of global marine life. The reefs also benefit humans — protecting coastlines from tropical storms, providing food and income for 1 billion people, and generating US$9.6 billion in tourism and recreation annually. But reefs are being endangered and rapidly degraded by overfishing, bottom trawling, warming temperatures and unsustainable coastal development.

“Project: CORaiL is an incredible example of how AI and edge computing can be used to help researchers monitor and restore the coral reef. We are very proud to partner with Accenture and the Sulubaaï Environmental Foundation on this important effort to protect our planet,” said Rose Schooler, corporate vice president in Intel’s sales and marketing group.

A critical element of Project: CORaiL was to identify the number and variety of fish around a reef, which serve as an important indicator of overall reef health. Traditional coral reef monitoring efforts involve human divers manually capturing video footage and photos of the reef. In addition to being dangerous and time-intensive, this approach can disrupt marine life, as divers might inadvertently frighten fish into hiding.

Engineers from Accenture, Intel and Sulubaaï implemented an artificial, concrete reef — called a Sulu-Reef Prosthesis (SRP) — to provide support for unstable coral fragments underwater. The SRP was designed by Sulubaaï and placed in the reef surrounding the Pangatalan Island in the Philippines. Fragments of living coral were planted on it and will grow and expand, providing a hybrid habitat for fish and marine life.

The engineers then strategically placed intelligent underwater video cameras, equipped with the Accenture Applied Intelligence Video Analytics Services Platform (VASP), to detect and photograph fish as they pass by. VASP uses AI, powered by Intel Xeon, Intel FPGA Programmable Acceleration Cards and Intel Movidius VPU, to count and classify the marine life. The data is then sent to a surface dashboard, providing analytics and trends to researchers on the ground in real-time, enabling them to make data-driven decisions that will help the reef progress.

“The value of your data depends on how quickly you can glean insights to make decisions from it,” said Athina Kanioura, Accenture’s chief analytics officer and Accenture Applied Intelligence lead. “With the ability to do real-time analysis on streaming video, VASP enables us to tap into a rich data source — in effect doing ‘hands on’ monitoring without disrupting the underwater environment.”

Since being deployed in May 2019, the solution has collected roughly 40,000 images, which researchers have used to gauge reef health in real-time.

“Artificial intelligence provides unprecedented opportunities to solve some of society’s most vexing problems,” said Jason Mitchell, a managing director in Accenture’s Communications, Media & Technology practice and the company’s client lead for Intel. “Our ecosystem of corporate and social partners for this ‘AI for social good’ project proves that strength in numbers can make a positive environmental impact.”  

Engineers from Accenture and Intel are already at work on the next-gen Project: CORaiL prototype, which will include an optimized convolutional neural network and a backup power supply. They are also looking into infra-red cameras which will enable videos at night to create a complete picture of the coral ecosystem. Additional uses could include studying the migration rate of tropical fish to colder countries and monitoring intrusion in protected or restricted underwater areas.

About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services in strategy and consulting, interactive, technology and operations, with digital capabilities across all of these services. We combine unmatched experience and specialized capabilities across more than 40 industries — powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. With 509,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture brings continuous innovation to help clients improve their performance and create lasting value across their enterprises. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

About Intel
Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) is an industry leader, creating world-changing technology that enables global progress and enriches lives. Inspired by Moore’s Law, we continuously work to advance the design and manufacturing of semiconductors to help address our customers’ greatest challenges. By embedding intelligence in the cloud, network, edge and every kind of computing device, we unleash the potential of data to transform business and society for the better. To learn more about Intel’s innovations, go to newsroom.intel.com and intel.com.

About Sulubaaï Environmental Foundation
Created in 2012, Sulubaaï Environmental Foundation (SEF) is a Philippine-based non-profit organization dedicated to conserve, protect, and restore the natural resources of Palawan through environmentally sustainable practices and active ecosystems restoration. Its action is mainly focused on the island of Pangatalan and its surroundings in Shark Bay. To learn more, visit https://sulubaai-foundation.com/.