AMD Launches the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT GPU

Just not too long after NVIDIA pushes their latest GeForce RTX 3060, AMD answered with their latest AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT. Before we go on though, we are not going to be doing many comparisons between the two. This is a good one though.

AMD touts the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT graphics card to be your 1440p gaming buddy. 1440p as in the display resolution, if you did not get it. In that case also, the RX 6700 XT might be the best value for money card AMD can offer with RDNA 2 and Smart Access Memory features out of the box. Considering that Smart Access Memory function is now available for AMD’s Ryzen 3000 series processors, this could be time for you to upgrade your GPU to an RX 6000 series.

Source: AMD

The headline numbers are 7nm process technology, 12GB of RAM, 40 compute units, clock speeds up to 2581 MHz (Boost), 196 bit of memory interface, and 96 MB of infinity cache. All this at a maximum power draw of 230W. You can undervolt the card as well to optimise heat management and reducing power draw.

All this results in supposed gains in 1440p resolution gaming. In that sense, the RX 6700 XT is really made for the most popular gaming segment in the PC gaming industry. The best-selling gaming monitors are 1440p gaming monitors at this point and that has not come with a lot of surprise given the value that 1440p monitors offer for their prices.

AMD claims to boast more than 165fps consistently in selected esports titles. You do need every inch of advantage when it comes to eSports and you can really appreciate the extra fps whenever you get into an intense battle with another player. A few fps could be the difference to winning that battle, or losing your cool. But of course, there is also AMD’s Radeon Anti-Lag feature to really boost your advantage in eSports.

Source: AMD

The AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT will be available 18th March 2021 onward from board partners like ASRock, ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, PowerColor, SAPPHIRE, and XFX. The card should start at US$ 479 (MYR 1,942*). Of course, prices and stock availability varies from each board manufacturer. There are no official word yet on local availability from the board partners but we assume that they will make some form of announcement closer to the release date later this month. More information on the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT is available through their website.

*Approximate conversion based on US$ 1 = MYR 4.05 as of 04/03/2020 on xe.com

Volvo Autonomous Solutions forms Partnership with Foretellix


TEL AVIV, Israel, March 4, 2021 — Volvo Autonomous Solutions has signed an agreement with verification experts Foretellix to jointly address the challenges of large-scale verification of autonomous driving solutions on highways and confined areas, such as mines.

Volvo Autonomous Solutions has formed a partnership with Foretellix to jointly create a Coverage Driven Verification solution for autonomous driving solutions operating on both public roads and in confined areas. The solution will enable massive scale testing of millions of different scenarios, which will validate autonomous vehicles and machines dealing with anything they might encounter within their specified Operational Design Domain (ODD).

The partnership will focus on providing high levels of safety and productivity of Volvo Autonomous Solution vehicles and machines. The ability of the solution to orchestrate large scale simulation and conduct the big data analysis required will lead to a substantial reduction in costs and time to market, ensuring faster operational readiness and the ability to safely scale up the system across multiple sites and ODDs.

Intelligent automation and analytics tools

Foretellix is a pioneer in the commercialization of coverage-driven methodologies for automated driving systems verification. Foretellix developed a novel verification platform that uses intelligent automation and big data analytics tools that coordinate and monitor millions of driving scenarios, to expose bugs and edge cases, including the most extreme cases.

Volvo Autonomous Solutions will jointly adapt Foretellix’s verification system for both highways and confined area applications, such as mines and quarries.

Volvo Autonomous Solutions and Foretellix will use the Open Measurable Scenario Description Language (M-SDL) created by Foretellix. M-SDL simplifies the capture, reuse and sharing of scenarios, and can specify any mix of scenarios and operating conditions, to identify previously unknown hazards.

"Volvo Autonomous Solutions believes in a collaborative verification concept, one that uses open standards," says Magnus Liljeqvist, Global Technology Manager Volvo Autonomous Solutions. "The partnership with Foretellix gives us access to the state-of-the-art verification tools and accelerating our time to market."

"We are very proud to partner with Volvo Group. This partnership is a significant milestone for the industry as it is the first time that large scale Coverage Driven Verification will be used for verification of ADS in confined areas. Our partnership will combine the expertise of the two companies and set a new standard in the verification of automated driving systems, boosting both safety and productivity," says Ziv Binyamini, CEO and co-founder of Foretellix.

In 2020 both companies conducted a successful pre-study that evaluated the Foretellix portfolio and its potential value in confined areas.

For further information, please contact:
Anna Arbius, Head of Marketing & Communications, Volvo Autonomous solutions, +46 739022993.
volvoautonomoussolutions.com/news

Volvo Autonomous Solutions is a separate business area of the Volvo Group. Incorporated in January 2020, its mission is to accelerate the development, commercialization and sales of autonomous solutions for our defined segments in the on-road and off-road space. In such segments, autonomous transport solutions can create value for customers by contributing to improved flexibility, delivery precision and productivity.
Visit www.volvoautonomoussolutions.com.

Foretellix provides a revolutionary development lifecycle verification platform for enabling mass deployment of autonomous driving systems. Foretellix is using proven approaches from the semiconductor chip industry utilizing hyper automation, big data analytics and AI. The platform orchestrates and manages the massive scale of testing required to ensure safety, reduce development cost, and shorten time to market of ADS deployment.
Visit www.foretellix.com.

 

Related Links :

https://www.foretellix.com

Fine Fragrance RE│IMAGINED: Firmenich and Central Saint Martins Project the Future Role of Fine Fragrance


GENEVA, March 4, 2021 — Firmenich, the world’s largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company, has teamed up in an exclusive collaboration with world-renowned arts and design college Central Saint Martins in London to reimagine the future of fine fragrance. Twenty-one projects provide a unique, "fragrance forward" vision for game-changing uses of fine fragrance, from heat relief, water conservation, and community empowerment, to mindful eating and scent travel.

Scent Fountain, one of the concepts created for the 14th edition of Firmenich’s Olfactive Design program in collaboration with students at Central Saint Martins. © CSM
Scent Fountain, one of the concepts created for the 14th edition of Firmenich’s Olfactive Design program in collaboration with students at Central Saint Martins. © CSM

"Firmenich is empowering a positive future for fine fragrance," said Ilaria Resta, President, Global Perfumery, Firmenich. "Through both RE|GENERATION and Olfactive Design, we are writing a new story including creation, distribution points, distribution methods, and physical or digital experiences, to reinvent the value of fine fragrance. Perfume becomes a social intermediary, identity marker and mindful catalyst."

"These inspirational projects with the talented next generation of designers are nourished by science and art. They represent both the future of luxury and the ultimate essence of fine fragrance," added Mehdi Lisi, VP, Global Fine Fragrance, Creation, Development and Innovation (CDI), Firmenich. "We are proud to share this work, co-created with Central Saint Martins."

The 14th edition of Firmenich’s Olfactive Design program is an unique collaboration with students in the Master of Arts of Narrative Environments and of Material Futures at Central Saint Martins. Partnered with Firmenich Fine Fragrance perfumers, students worked collectively to imagine seven future worlds with both utopian and dystopian attributes: Hope & Re-Enchantment, Danger/Chaos/Risk, Circularity, Generations & Memory, Hybrid Experiences, Identity and Pleasure & Wellbeing. Together, teams co-created prototypes, installations and bespoke fragrances inspired by the students’ work to show how fragrance will impact our world in the years to come. 

Bethany Shepherd, Professor of MA Narrative Environments at Central Saint Martins said: "This is the first time our students have worked with perfume. With the rise in popularity of immersive experiences and meaningful interactions, students were keen to explore how scent can link both personal and cultural memory, and how olfactive experiences connect people to better understand each other and their environments."

  • Global warming has formed urban heat islands in heavily populated areas and cities worldwide, where natural land is replaced with buildings and surfaces that retain heat (such as pavement). Manmade heat affects humans in many ways, from creating additional stress to amplifying illnesses. Looking at the theme of Danger/Chaos/Risk, student Lars Dittrich provides a counterbalance to these islands. As a solution, he created a Fragrance Ventilator that captures hot air as it rises, humidifies and cools the air in a tube, and then releases jets of fragrance from vents as cool, scented breeze. Senior Perfumer Dora Baghriche imagined a scent to emphasize a refreshing sensation, with a green accord to emulate the relieving sensation of vegetal freshness and a mineral facet to suggest an implicit petrichor effect of fresh rain. She also added a touch of Freezestorm®, a breakthrough technology, delivering a long-lasting cooling sensation that reinforces the hyper-sensoriality of the project.
  • Addressing the theme of Pleasure & Wellbeing, student Alessia Yu created a program to help individuals temper emotional eating habits at a time when eating disorders are on the rise. Her Mindful Dining experience proposes to restore a person’s full awareness of what he or she is tasting, therefore bringing more joy and wellbeing to the individual’s life. Olfaction contributes as much as 80-90% to the taste of one’s food, thus scent is a powerful tool to engage a person’s senses and create a more pleasurable food experience. The dining adventure begins with a customized dessert subscription, delivered with a scent box diffuser and audio-guided meditation. As a person begins the guided, mindful journey, they are introduced to each ingredient and layer of the dessert they’re about to eat via fragrances emitted from the diffuser box as well as imagery on screen. This exercise amplifies smells and textures to better appreciate taste. In this example, Firmenich Perfumer Alexis Grugeon brought the dessert experience to life with an addictive banana bread fragrance. Using Smell The Taste™ technology transporting the individual to thoughts of home-baked goods, he mixed the rich creaminess of banana with notes of walnut, wrapped in a refined orris trail.
  • With the feeling of Hope & Re-Enchantment as a guide, student Aliza Ruzavina created a communal Scent Fountain to help local communities take ownership of the future of their neighborhoods. The fountain lives at the center of each town, and features opinion polls about community issues, such as new building development, industrial changes, traffic density and natural park spaces. When voting, people smell scented tubes around the fountain containing different fragrances related to different outcomes of the poll. Each scent relates to a unique characteristic of what the community could smell like if a change is made. Once a person has smelled all of the options, they cast their ballot by pushing a button. Principal Perfumer Hamid Merati-Kashani imagined a fragrance that argues in favor of positive and eco-conscious communal behaviors, using notes of pink pepper, an exclusive NaturePrint® magnolia scent, and biodegradable and renewable Sorbettolide® musk as key ingredients. Each of these elements recall the existence of nature in the midst of a city, helping empower the community and people who live there to make healthy and eco-friendly decisions.

The impressive, thought-provoking prototypes were showcased in a live, day-long, closed-door exhibit held at Central Saint Martins in London in December 2020. Students walked attendees through their concepts, constructions and fragrance creations. Access to the projects is now available exclusively on Firmenich’s RE|GENERATION website so that customers and consumers can view the intricate works via images and video footage of each project. Additional content will be added bi-weekly, covering new themes, projects and insights.

"Olfactive Design encourages us to think about the future of fine fragrance through new uses and application techniques. As the world changes, from climate issues to political and cultural unrest, so does our perfumery. Our industry has the ability to course correct current and future concerns, as fragrance plays a critical role in the wellbeing of future generations," said Associate Perfumer Alexis Grugeon.

Since 1998, Firmenich’s Olfactive Design program explores a thematic from artistic and sensorial standpoints. Each edition offers a unique experience engaging our senses as well as our imagination. This exclusive immersion takes us on an olfactive journey showcasing the creativity of our Fine Fragrance perfumers from Paris, New York, Sao Paulo and Dubai, who work with full creative freedom.

Launched in July 2020, celebrating Firmenich’s 125-year legacy and leadership in Fine Fragrance, RE|GENERATION is a global call-to-action embracing the radical optimism of change and examining how it will shape the future of the fine fragrance industry. The movement invites the fragrance community, customers, consumers, artists and influencers to work together to innovate, rejuvenate and drive the transformation of Fine Fragrance. @FirmenichFine #FragranceIsCulture #RegenerationReset.

For more about Olfactive Design and RE|GENERATION, please visit: https://regeneration.firmenich.com/.

About Firmenich
Firmenich, the world’s largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company, was founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1895, and has been family-owned for 125 years. Firmenich is a leading business-to-business company specialized in the research, creation, manufacture and sale of perfumes, flavors and ingredients. Renowned for its world-class research and creativity, as well as its leadership in sustainability, Firmenich offers its customers superior innovation in formulation, a broad and high-quality palette of ingredients, and proprietary technologies including biotechnology, encapsulation, olfactory science and taste modulation. Firmenich had an annual turnover of 3.9 billion Swiss Francs at end June 2020. More information about Firmenich is available at www.firmenich.com

About Central Saint Martins University

Central Saint Martins, UAL is globally renowned for the creative energy of its students, staff and graduates. Its educational reputation across art, design and performance is demonstrated by alumni who shape the world including Grace Wales Bonner, Matty Bovan, Terence Conran, Michael Fassbender, Antony Gormley, Craig Green, Tom Hardy, Isaac Julien, Jean Jullien, Christopher Kane, Helen Marten, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Morag Myerscough, Sandy Powell, Laure Prouvost and Raqib Shaw among many others. Central Saint Martins is part of University of the Arts London (UAL), an international center for innovative teaching and research in arts, design, fashion, communication and the performing arts. www.arts.ac.uk/csm 

 

Related Links :

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Macronix Provides Advanced Ultra-High-Performance OctaBus Flash Memory to STMicroelectronics’ Latest STM32 Microcontrollers

512-Mbit OctaBus Memory Enables Fast Response Time, Easy Software Updates in ST’s New STM32H72x/73x, STM32L5 and STM32U5 MCU Discovery Kits, Evaluation Boards

HSINCHU, March 3, 2021Macronix International Co., Ltd. (TSE: 2337), a leading integrated device manufacturer in the non-volatile memory (NVM) market, today announced that STMicroelectronics (ST) is using Macronix OctaBus™ flash memory for several STM32 microcontroller (MCU) platforms, including the STM32H72x/73x, STM32L5 and the recently announced STM32U5. Macronix’s MX25 OctaBus family is providing the high-performance memory on select STM32 Discovery Kits and Evaluation Boards.

"Finding an external memory solution that allows our STM32 devices to demonstrate the full range of their exceptional performance and features is key to the success of our industry-leading family of MCUs," said Daniel Colonna, marketing director, Microcontroller Division, STMicroelectronics. "By helping developers exploit the full capabilities of the STM32 MCUs, Macronix, with its OctaBus non-volatile memories, is a member of the ST Partner Program and a contributor to the extensive STM32 ecosystem."

"We’re pleased to continue our valuable partnership with STMicroelectronics and to deliver innovative solutions that unleash the exceptional performance of the wide STM32 offering," said F.L. Ni, vice president of marketing at Macronix. "STM32 family is designed to cover the full spectrum of performance, high memory integration and power savings for smart, connected products."

The highly advanced STM32 devices embed up to two Octal SPI ports supporting the OctaBus interface, which comprises Macronix’s octaflash 8 I/O NOR and OctaRAM™ memories. OctaBus memory devices have been designed to meet current and emerging trends of demanding applications that require extremely high performance, reliability and an enhanced user experience.

The MX25LM/UM OctaBus memories meet the growing demand for "instant-on" performance and real-time system responsiveness for external memories in automotive, industrial and consumer applications. The ultra-high-performance OctaBus memory products can perform up to an operational frequency of 250MHz with 500MB/s read throughput, which is the industry’s fastest. The OctaBus memory devices enable system architects to meet customers’ demanding expectations for systems with a rich graphical user interface and achieve ultra-fast response times.

The MX25LW/UW OctaBus memory family has exceptional features for efficient management of over-the-air (OTA) software updates and data logging. Those features of the MX25LW/UW family are also a natural extension as execute-in-place (XIP) memory for STM32 MCUs. OctaBus memory offered in densities up to 2Gb can support the most advanced graphical user interfaces.

The STM32 family of 32-bit microcontrollers, based on the Arm® Cortex®-M processor, is designed to offer new degrees of freedom to MCU users. It offers products combining very high performance, real-time capabilities, digital signal processing, low-power / low-voltage operation, and connectivity, while maintaining full integration and ease of development.

About Macronix

Macronix, a leading integrated device manufacturer in the non-volatile memory (NVM) market, provides a full range of NOR Flash, NAND Flash, and ROM products. With its world-class R&D and manufacturing capability, Macronix continues to deliver high-quality, innovative and performance-driven products to its customers in the consumer, communication, computing, automotive, networking and other market segments. Find out more at www.macronix.com.

OctaBus and OctaRam are trademarks of Macronix International Co., Ltd.

Related Links :

http://www.macronix.com/

Samsung Brings New Forms to MICRO LED & Neo QLED to Blend into Any Lifestyle

Samsung has, over the years, established itself as one of the leaders when it comes to display technology; not only in the homes but also in commercial settings. They have been pioneering new display technologies with Quantum Dot (QLED) and now they are pushing boundaries with new form factors, MICRO LED technology, and even projection.

MICRO LED Makes Its Way to Your Living Rooms

Samsung’s foray into MICRO LED started back in 2018 when they introduced “The Wall”. This year, the company is finally bringing their MICRO LED technology to homes. Their new MICRO LED equipped TVs will come in larger sizes starting from 76-inch all the way to 110-inch. The 110-inch and 99-inch sizes will see a global rollout starting at the end of March 2021 with an 88-inch model slated for fall 2021 and a 76-inch in the near future.

The new MICRO LED technology will enable users to get a deeper cinematic experience with deeper blacks, increased brightness and sharper image quality. The new inorganic LED technology prevents burn-in and is claimed to have an increased lifespan compared to QLED and OLED TVs.

Samsung’s new MICRO LED TVs will also be coming with 4Vue (Quad View) – a new way to experience content. The new 4Vue feature will allow users to maximize their visual real estate with up to four sources of content simultaneously. Yep – you’ll be able to watch four different content sources at the same time.

Neo QLED Becomes More Feature Packed

Building on the success of last year’s lineup of Neo QLED TVs, Samsung is making strides in addressing the evolving role that the TV is playing in a household. Of note was the increase in the number of TVs being used as a screen for fitness. Samsung’s Neo QLED TV lineup is getting a new improvement to the Samsung Health suite introduced last year. The new Smart Trainer in Samsung Health allows users to plug in a compatible webcam which will add an AI layer to help them up their fitness game. The new AI coach will send prompts to the user about their form and more while they exercise.

In addition to this, Samsung’s 2021 Neo QLED and QLED TVs also come with FreeSync Premium Pro certification. Thanks to their collaboration with AMD, the new generation of TVs will be able to hook up to PCs and consoles and take advantage of high dynamic range (HDR) for better colour saturation and reproduction for more realistic content. In addition, the new lineup gets a new Game Bar that allows users to monitor information while gaming. Users will also be able to use Samsung’s Super Ultrawide Gameview to access ultrawide aspect ratios previously available only on ultrawide monitors like Samsung’s Odyssey gaming monitors.

The new features come in addition to use of mini LED technology which is 1/40 the size of regular LEDs. The finer size allows for ultra-fine light control allowing the TVs to produce deeper blacks, brighter whites and finer control on an LED level. This paired with Samsung’s Neo Quantum Processor allows the TVs to upscale content and dynamically adjust to optimise content quality.

Samsung’s Neo QLED line up will come in 8K and 4K resolutions. The 8K models will be available in 65-, 75- and 85-inch models while their 4K line up will have a wider selection of sizes starting from 50-inch sizes.

Screens to Adapt to Any Lifestyle

Samsung has been on a recent bend of creating TVs that will accommodate any lifestyle. That’s not changing in 2021. With the introduction of The Frame, The Serif, The Sero and The Terrace over the years, Samsung has successfully created a new demand for adaptable TVs. This year, they are upping the ante with additional features and partnerships for The Frame and The Terrace while introducing a whole new experience with The Premiere.

The Frame is getting a refresh from the design up. This year’s The Frame comes in slimmer at 24.9mm with more options for customizations. The most notable being the introduction of My Shelf which allows users to create visually stunning areas around The Frame. The new accessory is compatible with the 55-, 65- and 75- inch versions. In line with the Frame’s original introduction, Samsung is partnering with NAVA contemporary and Etsy to bring even more stunning pieces of art to the screen. Storage on the Frame has also been increased from 500MB to 6GB in the 2021 The Frame.

The Premiere is Samsung’s first triple laser projector. It comes with 4K resolution and even built-in sound. Designed with minimalism in mind, The Premiere packs a stereo sound system with a built-in subwoofer in a sleek body. Those looking to get The Premiere need not fret for space as it only requires 5-inches from the intended projection surface.

The Terrace is also getting a slight bump in specifications. Introduced for the outdoors, the new version is coming with more features for the outdoors. This year’s model will come with Sun Protection which will allow it to last in the outdoors particularly in sunny conditions. Of course, the Terrace will still retain its IP55 dust and water resistance rating.

In addition to the TVs, Samsung also introduces a new Odyssey G9 gaming monitor which comes with Quantum MiniLED technology. The 1000R curvature allows users to get a more immersive experience from their gaming content with optimisations and features meant for gamers. Samsung is also bringing its Smart Monitor line up to the forefront. The new monitor brings all the features of a smart TV to a monitor and even includes DeX.

A Complete Experience

Samsung’s experience wouldn’t be complete without a matching sound system. Together with their new displays, the company announced the availability of a new Q series lineup. This year’s lineup comes fully equipped with Q Symphony technology which they introduced last year. This technology allows the soundbar and the TV’s built-in sound system to work together in unison for a unique, immersive sound system. This year’s iteration of Q Symphony comes with an additional feature that allows the soundbar to dynamically measure and adapt to the room it’s in.

The company’s flagship Q950A is the first 11.1.4 channel soundbar which creates an even more immersive sound experience. It comes with Bass Boost for added oomph and Tap Sound to allow you to seamlessly connect to the soundbar from your mobile device.

All the announced products will be available soon across the globe with some countries already rolling out the product.

The DJI FPV – Redefining the Flying Drone Experience

You know those really impressive aerial footages you see on YouTube and such. There used to be a time where getting a video shot like that requires you to hire a helicopter, bring a video camera on-board, strap yourself in, and take off for 30 minutes at a time. It was a huge affair, and it was not cheap, as you might have guessed.

Flying drone technology though took all of the pains of aerial photography and videography away. It made aerial videos and photography way more affordable than before. It made them way simpler than before too. Basically the rise of the likes of DJI made aerial photography and videography accessible to the regular public.

For 15 years DJI has been the leader in consumer drone technology. For 15 years also they have innovated non-stop to make drone flying easier, safer, and even more affordable than before. For 15 years, they have stuck to the same recipe of multiple rotors and small electronic body housing the battery and camera package with their world renown 3-axis gimbal.

DJI - Introducing DJI FPV

Once again, DJI innovated and revolutionised consumer grade flying drones with their latest DJI FPV. As suspected, FPV stands for First Person View. This is a different breed of flying drones.

The DJI FPV shares more similarities in looks with the DJI Aspire professional filmmaker drones than the consumer level Mavic or even the prosumer level DJI Phantoms. But it is unlike any other drone that DJI has ever made. It even flies a little differently compared to DJI’s existing drones.

For one, the camera gimbal assembly is mounted a little differently compared to the regular DJI drone. The whole design concept allows for better aerodynamics to keep flight as stable and smooth as possible.

If you look at the marketing shots too, you realise that the drone looks like it is in a forward moving position, with its front propellers point toward the ground and the rear propellers pointing up. That is because this is default state it should be at, on the move.

What the marketing photos do not tell you though is how the new DJI FPV is modular. According to DJI, each part of the FPV, including the rotor arms, the outer shell housing, and camera gimbal is detachable and replaceable. That also means that servicing or fixing or even replacing parts on the drone is much cheaper and easier than before.

Of course, in-line with its name, the DJI FPV comes with DJI’s FPV Goggles V2 for an immersive flight experience. You can get video feeds at 1440 x 810 resolution at up to 120fps in 142o Field of View. Or you can get up to 150o field of view at 50fps. You can get your video feed at about 28ms latency. In wireless video feed mode, that is as close to instant as you can get. If you want, you can take on up to eight passengers on the flight too with audience mode.

You can even record your flights at 4K resolution at up to 60fps on its single-axis gimbal camera. While that sounds like you are going to get choppy videos, the DJI FPV features their RockSteady stabilisation technology to ensure that you get that DJI smooth video. You can even record videos at 1080p resolution at up to 120fps for 4x slow motion videos.

Of course, this would not be a DJI drone if it is not easy to fly. You can fly it in Normal (N) mode with all the flight assistance tool available to you like proximity sensors, smart flight modes, and even GPS. You can turn it to Manual (M) mode if you are a more experienced or confident flyer. There is also Sports (S) mode that sits in between both N and M modes. It offers the flexibilities and controls from M mode but retains the safety measures that N mode offers.

There is also a new way to fly the DJI FPV. You can now fly it with a single motion sensitive joystick instead of the traditional remote. Of course, that will take a little bit of practice still. You can practice with the drone with DJI’s Virtual Flight App too, to ensure that you are ready to take on the skies when you are out of your home. You would want the practice, this thing can fly at north of 100km/h.

The DJI FPV is available now in Malaysia from DJI’s local retailer. You can get your hands on one from both DJI’s official store on Lazada and Shopee as well. The price of this flying goodness is MYR 5,299 (US$ 1,299*). For that money you are getting your hands on the drone itself, a regular remote controller, a DJI FPV Goggles V2, additional replacement propellers and the usual chargers, cables, and battery pack. For more information on the DJI FPV, you can visit DJI’s website.

*Actual retail price in US$

Free People from Monotonous Work: OMRON Releases FH-SMD Series 3D Vision Sensor for Robot Arms

– Human-like Fast Detection and Flexibility for Automating Part Picking –

KYOTO, Japan, March 3, 2021 — OMRON Corporation based in Kyoto, Japan, announced the release in March of its new FH-SMD Series 3D Vision Sensor. The FH-SMD Series can be mounted on a robot to recognize randomly placed (bulk) automotive parts in three dimensions, enabling space-saving assembly, inspection, and pick & place, which are difficult with conventional robots, and improving productivity. OMRON continues to contribute to bringing innovation to manufacturing sites through total solutions combining robots and automation devices.

Image1: The FH-SMD Series mounted on OMRON’s collaborative robot recognizes bulk parts in three dimensions
https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M102197/202102251517/_prw_PI1fl_172Ee97O.jpg

Production workers are hard to come by these days, and labor costs have risen sharply. Manufacturers are now facing intense pressure to automate processes that rely on the senses of experienced human workers. Moreover, production workers now need to work harmoniously with machines to raise productivity amid the COVID-19 crisis. In particular, the automotive industry requires vision sensors as the eyes of robots that are indispensable for automation because it is difficult for machines to recognize positions and postures of various complex-shaped parts. However, conventional large 3D vision sensors take a long time to detect the status of targets as well as needing large spaces and large mounting equipment. These are barriers to installation into preexisting spaces and automation that provides human-level performance.

The new FH-SMD Series 3D Vision Sensor is small and light enough to be mounted on a robot arm, eliminating the need for special mounting equipment and thus saving space. This sensor can be moved to change viewpoints and easily recognize parts, reducing blind spots and providing reliable detection. In addition, the newly developed 3D measurement technology enables part detection in approximately 0.4 seconds (*1) regardless of the shape and location. Bulk parts assembly can be automated smoothly.

OMRON set forth a strategic concept called "innovative-Automation" consisting of three innovations or "i’s" — "integrated" (control evolution), "intelligent" (development of intelligence by ICT), and "interactive" (new harmonization between people and machines). By providing productive automation solutions combining the FH-SMD Series and robots, OMRON accelerates the creation of "interactive" manufacturing sites — key to the materialization of "innovative-Automation" — together with its client companies.

Note:
(*1) Total time for 3D measurement and 3D recognition under OMRON’s specified conditions.

Features

1. Fits in preexisting compact spaces

The new small and light 3D vision sensor for robot arms saves installation space. There is no need for big mounting equipment and a major layout change which are required for other 3D vision sensors.

Image2: Features
https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M102197/202102251517/_prw_PI2fl_NSJYPL0X.jpg

Examples of using FH-SMD with robot

Flexible part picking from multiple locations, easily transportable to where needed

Image3:
https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M102197/202102251517/_prw_PI3lg_ncgP8R6j.jpg

Image4:
https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M102197/202102251517/_prw_PI4lg_vW6G0S0B.jpg

2. Faster cycle time thanks to human-like speed and flexibility High-speed detection in approximately 0.4 seconds (*1) makes picking smooth.

High-speed detection is accomplished by 3D measurement technology to create 3D shape images and 3D recognition technology to identify the position and posture of targets.

(*1) Please refer to the previous note.

Image5: High-speed detection
https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M102197/202102251517/_prw_PI5fl_Z25mMez1.jpg

The camera changes the viewpoint to detect parts at high speeds, reducing blind spots.

Image6: Examples of using FH-SMD with robot
https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M102197/202102251517/_prw_PI6fl_87t22OzI.jpg

3. Easy setup without manuals

The wizards guide operators step-by-step by setting up a picking application, from camera setup to calibration.

Image7: Easy setup without manuals
https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M102197/202102251517/_prw_PI7fl_QP95ti35.jpg

4. System configuration

Image8: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M102197/202102251517/_prw_PI8fl_fnx8yXyn.jpg

5. Specifications

https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202102251517-O1-BF2dBqt9.pdf

About "innovative-Automation"

Recently, OMRON has developed a manufacturing innovation concept, called "innovative-Automation." With this concept, OMRON is currently committed to bringing innovation to manufacturing sites through three key innovations, or three "i’s." Through these innovations in the area of automation, OMRON aims to enable significant productivity improvements in manufacturing sites in order to achieve high-value-added manufacturing.

With the first "i," "integrated" (control evolution), OMRON will seek to advance automated control technology so that virtually any operator, even inexperienced operators, can effortlessly perform work that previously required the expert skills of experienced workers. With the second "i," "intelligent" (development of intelligence by ICT), OMRON seeks to create constantly evolving equipment and production lines. By adopting a wide range of control devices and artificial intelligence (AI), machines can learn through experience and maintain themselves in optimal condition. For the third "i," "interactive" (new harmonization between people and machines), OMRON pursues the development of a new harmonious relationship between human operators and machines; as they work together in the same workspace, machines will be able to assist human operators by recognizing human thoughts and behavior in a way that only OMRON, a specialist control equipment manufacturer who knows production floors inside and out, can realize.

About OMRON Corporation

OMRON Corporation is a global leader in the field of automation based on its core technology of "Sensing & Control + Think." OMRON’s business fields cover a broad spectrum, ranging from industrial automation and electronic components to social systems, healthcare, and environmental solutions. Established in 1933, OMRON has about 30,000 employees worldwide, working to provide products and services in around 120 countries and regions. In the field of industrial automation, OMRON supports manufacturing innovation by providing advanced automation technology and products, as well as through extensive customer support, in order to help create a better society. For more information, visit OMRON’s website: http://www.omron.com/

Related Links :

http://www.omron.com

Leading facial recognition technology provider Corsight AI announces expansion into the Asia Pacific region

SINGAPORE, March 3, 2021 — Corsight AI, a leading facial recognition technology provider, today announced that it has expanded its reach and offering throughout Asia Pacific and has appointed William Tan and Amit Sarkar to accelerate market growth and support the regional surge in demand for facial recognition technology. 

Rated highly by NIST and The US Department for Homeland Security, Corsight’s facial recognition technology is the only one on the market that allows for a more comprehensive, ethical and accurate detection of identifying individuals features, thereby driving down false positives and enhancing accuracy for users. This advanced technology exceeds the human brain’s ability to register and recognise faces in the most challenging environments — even with face masks that have become a significant part of our post Covid-19 reality.

This technology is becoming increasingly leveraged by organisations across Asia, even within markets that have been notoriously slow to approve such innovations, due to tight enforcement protocols. Facial recognition has been identified, along with edge computing, as a major trend[1] with the ‘Asia-Pacific Biometrics Market’ expected to grow from $5.39 billion in 2018 to $21.19 billion in 2025[2].

The appointment of William Tan to spearhead the expansion throughout Asia Pacific will significantly enhance Corsight’s operations and grow its market share. William Tan comes to Corsight AI from NEC Corporation, a multinational information technology and electronic company, where he served as Director for Global Face Recognition and Surveillance. Based out of Singapore, he will partner with Corsight AI’s new Regional Director of India, Amit Sarkar, as well as the Executive team to deliver on the company’s corporate and customer strategy.

Amit Sarkar will be specifically responsible for driving growth in India, as well as evangelising the ethical stance of facial recognition technology and its capabilities to be deployed as a force for good. This will be welcomed in a region that is harnessing facial recognition at scale, and rolling out one of the world’s largest government-operated facial recognition systems to keep people safe from real-time threats.

"This is the next stage in our growth plan and we are excited to expand our specialisms in emerging markets in Asia, including government agencies and companies in a variety of sectors, including law enforcement, tourism, hospitality, entertainment, among others." said Rob Watts, CEO of Corsight.

Watts continued: "The biometric market in Asia is maturing at pace, and we are delighted that William has joined us to drive strong regional growth. William’s extensive knowledge and experience working in the ICT industry, as well as his expertise in business development, channel partnerships, and strategic alliance sales and marketing, make him ideally suited as Asia Pacific’s Vice President. He has a proven track record and achievements in global product management of biometric and AI solutions, and I am confident that he will achieve great things in the region."

William Tan added: "It is a real privilege to work with such an innovative and experienced team and I look forward to contributing positively to Corsight’s growth plan, especially in Asia. Corsight’s product has proven itself to be a disruptive technology in multiple demanding industries. It is cutting edge and I can truly see its power as a force of good, with the many ways in which it can benefit societies."

Corsight AI will be expanding business in key regions in Asia including; Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea and India. For more information about Corsight AI, which is backed by over 250 patents, please visit www.corsight.ai.

About Corsight AI

Corsight AI, a leading facial recognition technology provider, is dedicated to creating a game-changing solution with unrivalled speed and accuracy. The technology is powered by Autonomous AI, the most advanced artificial intelligence system. Corsight AI works with government agencies and companies in a variety of sectors, including law enforcement, aviation, retail, entertainment, and more.

Corsight AI is jointly headquartered in the United States and UK, with R&D offices in Israel. For more information, please visit www.corsight.ai and follow us on LinkedIn.

[1] https://techwireasia.com/2020/10/facial-recognition-tech-will-boost-biometric-id-acceptance-in-sea/

[2] https://www.biometricupdate.com/201908/biometrics-market-in-asia-pacific-region-to-surpass-21b-by-2025

 

Mobility Leaders Prioritize Data Management, Protection, and Privacy While Enabling Users and Providers to Exchange and Monetize Their Most Valuable Digital Commodity

Technology and mobility leaders like DENSO, Ford, and General Motors (GM) join forces with MOBI to co-create industry-wide blockchain-based standards that enable the secure exchange of data for a smarter mobility future

SINGAPORE, March 3, 2021 What if cars could communicate with each other to avoid imminent crashes and use shared data to prevent future accidents while preserving the drivers’ privacy? What if you could use one app with a single payment platform to securely coordinate and integrate all of your daily commute needs? What if navigation apps need your permission to track your mobility preferences, or better yet, pay you? Mobility is becoming increasingly connected and intelligent, which in turn creates a nearly infinite amount of valuable data that, if shared securely, could save lives and improve mobility ecosystems at every level. Mobility Open Blockchain Initiative (MOBI) members, such as DENSO, Ford, and GM, are among many that teamed up to create standards for permissioning, validating, and sharing data in automation networks for connected mobility.

The MOBI Connected Mobility Data Marketplace (CMDM) Working Group releases standards today to enable a marketplace that could securely commodify mobility data and ensure data privacy for mobility users. The CMDM Standards include core services, logical schemas, and sensor identity/ownership certificates. These three components will enable frictionless data sharing to establish communication and collaboration between the data silos of Mobility Service Providers, while maintaining high standards of data privacy and security for all users.

"This framework gives mobility providers valuable guidance on how we can all work together to make transportation safer, smarter and more efficient," said Roger Berg, Vice President of North American Research and Development at DENSO. "Sharing data, securely and through common standards, can unlock a vast array of positive mobility outcomes, from accident reduction to privacy protection to improving traffic flow."  

The Working Group is co-chaired by DENSO and GM, with support from Accenture, AMO Labs, Cognizant, Constellation Network, Continental, CPChain, DMX, Fifth9, Filament, Ford, IBM, NuCypher, Ocean Protocol, RouteOne, ShareRing, Swedish Blockchain Association, and Toyota Insurance Management Solutions (TIMS).

Trust in data, its provenance, and chain of custody are essential for value creation in business ecosystems. Centralized databases, of the type that currently assign identities and rights on the internet, provide an attractive target for malicious actors and make networks vulnerable to attack and fraud, exposing individual and business data. Blockchain emerged as a solution to these issues and is being adopted by ecosystems such as connected mobility in order to securely share data and protect users’ data privacy.

"For connected mobility data to be efficiently shared, there must be a functioning marketplace for discovery, permission, exchange, and pricing," said MOBI Co-Founder and COO, Tram Vo. "The standards from the MOBI CMDM Working Group lay the foundation for a secure and viable market."

Maximizing passenger safety and transportation efficiency requires that vehicle-to-anything (V2X) data be shared and processed locally in near real-time at the "edge" of the network. Edge computing has been a large focus for the distributed computing community, and MOBI believes that the widespread growth of connected and autonomous vehicles represents one of the most exciting and impactful opportunities for a data marketplace, providing speed, cost savings, and new revenue opportunities.

The Working Group explored practical use cases that center around vehicle data generation, ensuring data provenance, and securely sharing data with peers (such as other vehicles and infrastructure). These use cases include:

  • V2X data exchange 
  • Geo-location cross validation
  • Multimodal trip planning through easy, interoperable, and secure sharing of data
  • Coordination between autonomous vehicles, big data, and edge computing that would increase traffic safety and efficiency

CMDM Standards are the first step to ensure data privacy in data exchange and efficient data marketplaces for mobility ecosystems. The standards do not prescribe governance models, but instead prescribe functionalities that can be applied to many governance models in a decentralized marketplace. All MOBI Standards are intended to be GDPR compliant. We do not prescribe specific aspects of GDPR and other privacy regulations such as California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which are left up to the application developers. MOBI and its members hope that the CMDM standards, together with other MOBI standards for blockchain applications in mobility, will promote data privacy, reduce frictional inefficiencies, improve mobility services, and enable new business models.

About MOBI
MOBI is a nonprofit alliance of many of the world’s largest vehicle manufacturers, along with startups, NGOs, transit agencies, insurers, toll road providers, smart city leaders, and technology companies working to accelerate adoption and promote standards in blockchain, distributed ledgers, and related technologies.

MOBI is creating simple blockchain-based standards to identify vehicles, people, and businesses in order to securely exchange and monetize data, and pay for mobility services, with the goal of making transportation more efficient, affordable, greener, safer, and less congested.  MOBI itself is technology and ledger agnostic.  For additional information about joining MOBI, please reach out to Griffin Haskins (griffin@dlt.mobi) or visit www.dlt.mobi.

Media Contact:
Kelly Clark, MOBI Communications Manager
Email: Kelly@dlt.mobi | Twitter: @dltMOBI

Related Links :

https://www.dlt.mobi/

http://mobi

Glory Star Develops In-Vehicle Interactive Content Application for New Energy Vehicles

BEIJING, March 2, 2021 — Glory Star New Media Group Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: GSMG) ("Glory Star" or the "Company"), a leading mobile and online digital media and entertainment company in China, today announced that its independently developed in-vehicle audio and video interactive content application (the "Application") for its CHEERS video platform has entered the internal testing stage of development. Once officially released, the Application will allow both drivers and passengers to access interactive audio and video content and services on the Company’s CHEERS video platform, to be made available through the global mainstream in-vehicle user interfaces of new energy vehicles.

The CHEERS video platform’s technical team developed the Application. The Application utilizes the Company’s AI smart recommendation engine to integrate with Glory Star’s content ecosystem and will be capable of providing users with an audio and video entertainment experience that is personalized, immersive, and diverse.

The development of in-vehicle interactive content is a very important part of the Company’s business strategy. Such development will provide both drivers and passengers with a more diverse set of in-vehicle internet services, create smarter driving experiences for users of the Application, and enhance users’ connections to the Company’s CHEERS platform. In addition, the development of in-vehicle interactive content will further expand the range of opportunities for mobile applications on the Company’s CHEERS video platform in the 5G era. With the iteration of new electronic equipment installed in new energy vehicles and the widespread adoption of the Internet of Vehicles, the market for in-vehicle interactive content has already displayed huge potential.

About Glory Star New Media Group Holdings Limited

Glory Star New Media Group Holdings Limited is a leading mobile entertainment operator in China. Glory Star’s ability to integrate premium lifestyle content, including short videos, online variety shows, online dramas, live streaming, its Cheers lifestyle video series, e-Mall, and mobile app, along with innovative e-commerce offerings on its platform enables it to pursue its mission of enriching people’s lives. The company’s large and active user base creates valuable engagement opportunities with consumers and enhances platform stickiness with thousands of domestic and international brands.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements made in this release are "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words "estimates," "projected," "expects," "anticipates," "forecasts," "plans," "intends," "believes," "seeks," "may," "will," "should," "future," "propose" and variations of these words or similar expressions  (or the negative versions of such words or expressions ) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside the Company’s control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, are: the ability to manage growth; ability to identify and integrate other future acquisitions; ability to obtain additional financing in the future to fund capital expenditures; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions; costs or other factors adversely affecting our profitability; litigation involving patents, intellectual property, and other matters; potential changes in the legislative and regulatory environment; a pandemic or epidemic; and other factors listed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2019 and in other filings made by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Such information speaks only as of the date of this release.

Contacts

Glory Star New Media Group Holdings Limited
Yida Ye
Email: yeyida@yaoshixinghui.com

ICR LLC.
Sharon Zhou
Tel: +1 (646) 308-0546
Email: gsnm@icrinc.com