Category Archives: PR Newswire

Zepp Health Unveils Zepp OS 3.5 with Zepp Flow™, Powered by Large Language Model AI, Pioneering the Next Generation of Wearable Intelligence Devices at MWC Barcelona 2024


MILPITAS, Calif., Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Zepp Health Corporation (“Zepp Health”) (NYSE: ZEPP), a global leader in smart wearables and health technology, today announces a significant stride in wearable intelligence with the introduction of Zepp OS 3.5, featuring Zepp Flow™. This revolutionary enhancement brings a whole new level of interaction to wearable devices, marking a pioneering advancement in the industry, making Zepp Health’s Amazfit smartwatches the first to have a fully integrated Natural-Language User Interface (LUI) powered by LLM AI in its operating system.

Zepp Flow™, the centerpiece of Zepp OS 3.5, represents much more than just a voice assistant; it embodies a paradigm shift in user experience. Inspired by the concepts of balance and harmony, the name “Flow” encapsulates the smooth and intuitive nature of user interaction. Much like the effortless movement of water or the focused energy experienced in a state of “flow,” Zepp Flow™ facilitates a seamless connection between users and their devices, allowing for natural, uninterrupted interaction.

Designed to understand natural language, Zepp Flow™ eliminates the need for predefined commands or keywords, enabling users to express their intentions freely. By intuitively interpreting user requests, whether it’s initiating a workout or managing daily tasks, Zepp Flow™ streamlines the user experience, making it more intuitive and effortless than ever before. This breakthrough represents a significant leap towards a future where artificial intelligence seamlessly integrates into everyday life, particularly in health, fitness, and productivity domains.

A Future of Connectivity and Intelligence

With a global presence spanning over 90 countries and a user base exceeding 42 million, Zepp Health, through its renowned brands like Amazfit, is committed to redefining the way individuals approach their health and wellness. By harnessing advanced technology and fostering collaboration across its brand portfolio, Zepp Health is at the forefront of innovation, shaping the future of wearable technology.

Through Zepp Flow™, Zepp Health continues to push the boundaries of wearable technology, empowering users to seamlessly integrate smart devices into their daily lives. Zepp Flow™ represents a significant milestone in wearable intelligence, embodying the seamless integration of AI into people’s everyday lives. “With dedicated R&D teams across North America, Europe, and Asia, we are committed to driving innovation and delivering unparalleled user experiences, to bring intelligent healthcare solutions empowering people to take control of their well-being,” said Wayne Huang, CEO of Zepp Health. He added, “Zepp Flow™ epitomizes our dedication to unified connectivity and intelligent functionality throughout our ecosystem. Expanding its reach from the Zepp OS on smartwatches to the Zepp App on smartphones, and integrating with natural language processing, Zepp Flow™ asserts itself as the omnipresent AI within our system. Whether it resides on your smartwatch, earbuds, our app on your phone, or in the cloud, Zepp Flow™ guarantees a seamless and intuitive experience across all platforms.”

How Zepp Flow™ Works

Zepp Flow™ boasts several key features that redefine user experience:

  1. Natural Conversation: Unlike traditional voice assistants, Zepp Flow™ allows users to express themselves freely without requiring specific command phrases.
  2. Efficient Recognition: Zepp Flow™ rapidly and accurately recognizes user speech, ensuring a smooth and responsive interaction.
  3. Precise Understanding: Users need only describe what they want, and Zepp Flow™ will recognize their intent and provide the most appropriate response.

Availability

  • Zepp OS 3.5 and Zepp Flow™ will be supported on the Amazfit Balance in the US, Canada, United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, via a firmware update on February 26th.
  • Amazfit Balance users in France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Switzerland, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, and San Marino will be able to upgrade to Zepp OS 3.5 on May 1st.
  • The Amazfit Cheetah series, Amazfit Falcon, and Amazfit T-Rex Ultra will receive this update on a rolling basis, starting from May 28th through until June 11th. The Amazfit Active will be upgraded on June 20th.

About Zepp Health Corporation

Zepp Health (NYSE:ZEPP), a global smart wearable and health technology leader, empowers users to live their healthiest lives by optimizing their health, fitness, and wellness journeys through its leading consumer brands, Amazfit, Zepp Clarity, and Zepp Aura. Powered by its proprietary Zepp Digital Health Management Platform, which includes the Zepp OS, AI chips, biometric sensors, and data algorithms, it delivers cloud-based 24/7 actionable insights and guidance to help users attain their wellness goals. To date, Zepp Health has shipped over 200 million units and its products are available in 90+ countries. Founded in 2013, Zepp Health has offices across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions. For more information, visit www.zepp.com. 

ViewSonic Leads 2023 Global Interactive Display Market


Sets Industry Benchmark with its Comprehensive Education Ecosystem

BREA, Calif., Feb. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual solutions, secured the top position in the global interactive display market (excluding China) in 2023 with a prominent 15.6% market share, as reported by Futuresource Consulting’s Quarterly Market Insights Track Reports. Despite challenging conditions, ViewSonic outperformed the market’s 2.6% year-on-year contraction, recording an impressive 10.4% growth over the period. This milestone underscores ViewSonic’s commitment to excellence in visual solutions and education, demonstrated through relentless innovation and an unwavering dedication to quality and customer satisfaction.

ViewSonic Leads 2023 Global Interactive Display Market
ViewSonic Leads 2023 Global Interactive Display Market

“Our commitment to ingenuity and quality has propelled us to this industry-leading position. The trust our customers place in our products is a testament to our team’s dedication and hard work,” said Clifford Chen, General Manager of the Presentation Group at ViewSonic. “Despite the overall market contraction, our strategic focus on quality, user experience, and attentive customer service, along with our innovative educational and corporate solutions, has enabled us to navigate and thrive in these challenging times. This milestone is just the beginning as we continue to strive for excellence and expand our offerings.”

ViewSonic’s Education Ecosystem of hardware, software, and services encompasses a wide spectrum of solutions tailored to the multifaceted needs of contemporary educational settings. Its cutting-edge hardware, available in various sizes, is meticulously designed to meet diverse requirements. For instance, the 105″ ViewBoard interactive display, with a 21:9 aspect ratio and impressive 5K ultra-high-definition visuals enhances multitasking and collaboration. Similarly, the 110″ 4K ViewBoard empowers dynamic presentations, while ViewSonic’s versatile Android EDLA-certified solutions expand the possibilities for classroom interactivity.

Developed to boost student engagement and enhance learning outcomes, ViewSonic’s powerful suite of software—including myViewBoard, ClassSwift, and “TeamWork“—seamlessly integrates with its hardware. Robust service offerings covering EdTech integration, support, and professional development complete the Education Ecosystem, creating collaborations that foster streamlined and conducive learning environments.

In its commitment to sustainability, ViewSonic’s ViewBoard interactive displays are developed with environmental considerations at the forefront. These models are EPEAT® certified and meet ENERGY STAR® 8.0 standards, featuring recycled materials in their construction, modular components for easy upgrading, and eco-modes for energy-efficient use. Complemented by a recycling program, ViewSonic strives to minimize the carbon footprint of ViewBoard® models across all stages of their lifecycle, from development through to responsible end-of-life disposal.

Looking forward, ViewSonic remains committed to pushing the boundaries of technology, expanding its comprehensive portfolio of visual solutions to enhance communication, collaboration, and sustainability across various markets.

About ViewSonic

Founded in California, ViewSonic is a leading global visual solutions provider, conducting business in over 100 countries worldwide. As an innovator and visionary, ViewSonic is committed to providing comprehensive hardware and software solutions that include monitors, projectors, pen displays, commercial displays, All-in-One LED displays, ViewBoard interactive displays, myViewBoard software, and its ecosystem. With over 35 years of expertise in visual technology, ViewSonic has established a strong position for delivering innovative and reliable solutions for education, enterprise, consumer, and professional markets and helping customers “See the Difference.” To find out more about ViewSonic, please visit www.viewsonic.com.

10T Tech Introduces My10T Smart Orchestration: Revolutionizing eSIM Management to elevate the digital subscriber experience for Mobile Carriers

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Feb. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — 10T Tech, a pioneering provider of consumer eSIM and eSIM orchestration platforms, proudly announces the launch of its latest innovation, My10T Smart Orchestration.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, mobile carriers face a myriad of challenges in harnessing the full potential of eSIM technology. With eSIM poised to become ubiquitous in mature markets in the coming years, mobile carriers must adapt or fall behind the competition in their digital transformation.

Many carriers still struggle with feature differentiation and cumbersome onboarding processes, relying on outdated methods such as paper QR codes and expensive bespoke CRM solutions.

The emergence of new IoT eSIM standards also presents a pivotal opportunity for cellular IoT to realize its full potential, supported by 5G, cloud computing, security enhancements and low power consumption devices.

My10T Smart Orchestration offers the complete solution.

Full interoperability to complement and enhance your existing eSIM infrastructure

My10T Smart Orchestration offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to streamline and centralise eSIM management in a single control panel.

My10T Smart Orchestration is RSP agnostic, connecting to any GSMA-certified eSIM platform to enable an upgrade of eSIM management, digital subscriber journeys and customer support without replacing existing RSP infrastructure.

My10T Smart Orchestration also connects via standardized telecom APIs to CRM, BSS and VAS platforms to create a fully integrated, next generation eSIM management ecosystem.

“We are thrilled to unveil My10T Smart Orchestration, a game-changer in eSIM management for mobile carriers,” said Fredric Liljestroem, CEO of 10T Tech. “With its innovative features and capabilities, My10T Smart Orchestration empowers mobile carriers to navigate the complexities of eSIM technology with ease, driving operational efficiency and enhancing the customer experience.”

About 10T Tech:

10T Tech is a global leader of consumer eSIM and eSIM orchestration platforms, dedicated to empowering mobile carriers and enterprises to unlock the full potential of eSIM technology. With a focus on innovation and customer-centric solutions, 10T Tech is reshaping the future of connectivity and IoT device management. Since 2017 10T Tech has delivered eSIM solutions to over 70 mobile carriers globally and continues to be a leading innovator in eSIM ecosystem solutions.

M31 Launches PCI-SIG Certified PCIe 5.0 PHY IP, Partnering with SSD Storage Chipmaker InnoGrit to Advance the Next-Generation PCIe 5.0

HSINCHU, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — M31 Technology Corporation (M31), a leading global provider of silicon intellectual property (IP), today announced that the PCIe 5.0 PHY IP has obtained the official certification mark from PCI-SIG as a high-performance solution that complies with PCI-SIG standards. Additionally, the IP has been adopted by the globally renowned SSD storage chipmaker ­InnoGrit for use in next-generation SSD storage chips.

With the continuous improvement of processor performance, the demand for upgrading the read and transfer speeds of SSD storage chips has been driven by Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe), which is used for the data transfer of solid state drives (SSDs), graphics cards, and other hardware, playing a crucial role in data transfer within storage chips and has become the mainstream transfer interface. PCI-SIG, as an open industry standard PCI specification alliance, consists of more than 900 leading industry member companies to formulate industry standard specifications that meet the needs of its members, and PCI-SIG official certification serves as a benchmark standard adopted by the industry for PCIe products. However, obtaining official certification from PCI-SIG is no easy feat, as it requires rigorous adherence to PCI-SIG’s strict consistency standard tests to ensure compliance with PCIe standards and interoperability and consistency among various products.

The PCIe 5.0 PHY IP developed by M31 provides high performance, multi-channel functionality and low-power architecture for high bandwidth applications, and has already completed 12-nanometer silicon validation, with maximum speeds up to 32Gbps. This IP integrates high-speed mixed-signal circuits to support a full series of PCIe 5.0 Base applications, and can accommodate both consumer electronics and enterprise-level server computing at significantly higher speeds. In addition, the design and development strictly follow the international PCI-SIG interface specification, and further pass the official PCI-SIG rigorous standards test, formally listed in the official PCI-SIG integration list. Therefore, customers can rest assured that they can adopt M31’s officially certified PCIe IP to meet their application needs.

Founder and CEO of InnoGrit, Dr. Zining Wu, stated, “InnoGrit is dedicated to advancing storage technology. By collaborating with M31 to adopt PCIe 5.0 IP, InnoGrit has launched a new generation of PCIe 5.0 SSD storage chips, which can significantly optimize the storage chips and improve overall performance, and comprehensively support data storage and transfer applications in artificial intelligence and big data centers.”

M31 CEO Scott Chang said, “M31 is pleased to have been working with InnoGrit on PCIe 4.0/3.0 IP for so long. We have now successfully integrated the latest PCIe 5.0 IP into InnoGrit next-generation SSD storage chips and have successfully mass-produced them. In the future, M31 will continue to work to build the PCIe 5.0 ecosystem together to support applications such as data centers, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence, providing customers with faster and more power-efficient solutions.

Wondershare Edraw Introducing Wondershare Office Bundle: Unlocking the Power of Office Productivity


VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Wondershare Edraw proudly announces the launch of its revolutionary five-in-one bundled membership – Wondershare Office Bundle. This comprehensive suite of intelligent graphic services is meticulously crafted to elevate productivity and propel professional endeavors for Wondershare software users.

Wondershare Office Bundle
Wondershare Office Bundle

With the Wondershare Edraw Bundled membership, users gain perpetual access to the top five Wondershare productivity software solutions: EdrawMax, EdrawMind, EdrawProj, PDFelement, and BoardMix.

EdrawMax, the cornerstone of this membership, offers unparalleled diagramming capabilities, enabling users to create intricate flowcharts, mind maps, and organizational charts with ease. EdrawMind provides a powerful mind mapping tool, empowering users to visualize their thoughts and streamline their ideation process.

For project management enthusiasts, EdrawProj emerges as the ultimate companion. With its comprehensive set of tools, users can efficiently plan, track, and collaborate on projects, ensuring seamless execution from start to finish. Meanwhile, PDFelement serves as the go-to solution for PDF editing needs. With its intuitive interface, users can seamlessly edit, convert, e-sign, and protect the PDF documents, saving valuable time and effort.

Wondershare BoardMix rounds out the suite, offering collaborative advantages through real-time whiteboarding and brainstorming sessions.

Iris Liu, Brand Director of Wondershare, underscores the significance of this launch: “Cost-effectiveness is crucial, which is why Wondershare Office Bundle offers exceptional value for money. By combining these five essential tools into one package, we’re empowering users to unlock their full potential.”

For a trial experience, please visit our official website or follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to learn more about Wondershare Edraw. 

About Wondershare:

Wondershare is a globally recognized software company committed to delivering innovative solutions for personal and professional use. With a focus on creativity and productivity, we have received prestigious awards from organizations such as The Shorty Awards, G2, and GetApp. Our mission is to empower individuals to pursue their passions and build a more creative world. With over 100 million users across 150 countries, we offer a wide range of software solutions for video editing, PDF editing, data recovery, diagram and graphics, and more. Together, we strive to provide high-quality, user-friendly software that enables individuals and businesses to bring their creative ideas to life.

China Medical University Hospital (CMUH) in Taiwan Upgrades Smart Healthcare with Gen AI

Establishing a comprehensive “AI-assisted Physician” using generative AI from Google Cloud, including MedLM

TAICHUNG, Feb. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — China Medical University Hospital (CMUH) in Taiwan announced its collaboration with Google Cloud in mid-December 2023. Using Google Cloud’s generative AI technology, including MedLM, which is a large language model built on Med-PaLM 2, CMUH has developed a comprehensive “AI-assisted Physician” system which aims to assist healthcare professionals in disease diagnosis, treatment planning, patient education, and medical research, etc. 

Superintendent Der-Yang Cho of CMUH announced a collaboration with Google Cloud to develop a large language model, MedLM, based on Med-PaLM 2. CMUH is the first medical center in Asia to adopt Med-PaLM 2.
Superintendent Der-Yang Cho of CMUH announced a collaboration with Google Cloud to develop a large language model, MedLM, based on Med-PaLM 2. CMUH is the first medical center in Asia to adopt Med-PaLM 2.

The collaboration between CMUH and Google Cloud will introduce assistive tools designed to support medical professionals in precision cancer treatment. These tools, including “Customized Cancer Treatment Guidelines” and “Cancer Therapy Q&As,” aim to reduce the time spent searching for information and enable the quick capture of accurate data. This can aid professionals in developing cancer treatment plans, offering personalized treatment-related information to patients, and providing responses to patient health education inquiries.

CMUH is one of the first university hospitals in Asia to test MedLM. Through its collaboration with Google Cloud, CMUH is dedicated to driving AI innovation in smart healthcare to shape the future of healthcare in Taiwan. MedLM will help facilitate CMUH in the timely access of accurate medical information to establish the best Healthcare AI models for the Chinese-speaking market in Asia.

Prof. Der-Yang Cho, Superintendent of CMUH, pointed out that MedLM is advanced in its ability to provide precise and rapid data analysis for drug guidelines, disease gene sequencing, and medical records, among other areas. Such capabilities can significantly accelerate the discovery of new treatments for difficult-to-treat diseases by medical teams and assist in the rapid development of treatment plans to help patients. “We are excited about this collaboration, which positions smart hospitals in Taiwan at the forefront of providing more precision- and safety-oriented support to healthcare professionals and patients alike,” Prof. Der-Yang Cho said.

CMUH was already recognized as the world’s third smart hospital by the US. Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) in their 2022 Digital Health Indicator (DHI) ranking. Additionally, Newsweek named CMUH as one of the World’s Best Hospitals for 2023 and one of the World’s Best Smart Hospitals for 2024. With its widespread recognition, CMUH is deeply committed to advancing the diversification and precision of smart healthcare services.

“Life sciences problems are fundamentally data problems, and this is where AI can fully unleash its potential,” said Kathy Lee, Managing Director of Google Cloud, North Asia. “Generative AI solutions from Google Cloud can help healthcare and life sciences organizations operate more efficiently and improve patient outcomes. In this remarkable era of gen AI, we are excited to collaborate with medical industry leaders that drive innovation through AI like CMUH, and partner with them to build the future of healthcare in Taiwan.”

Aashima Gupta, Global Director of Healthcare Strategy and Solutions at Google Cloud, shared that healthcare professionals are committed to delivering the best care for patients, and gen AI can be a crucial ally in reducing their workload. Gupta pointed out that this technology will ease the cognitive burden for staff and improve personal care for patients. Furthermore, it will allow healthcare professionals at CMUH to devote more time to tasks that require human judgment and expertise. She mentioned that ensuring the safety and effectiveness of gen AI is fundamental to these benefits.

Greg Corrado, a Distinguished Scientist and Senior Research Director at Google Research, discussed how MedLM is designed specifically for the healthcare industry and is part of the growing family of gen AI technologies that have the potential to significantly improve the healthcare experience for professionals and patients. Corrado emphasized the importance of collaborating with healthcare institutions like CMUH in testing and implementing new gen AI solutions, underlining it as a critical step towards developing safe and effective AI technologies.

Prof. Oscar K. Lee, Vice Superintendent of CMUH explained that among global generative AI large language models, Med-PaLM 2 stands out in model performance. It scored 85% on MedQA-USMLE (US Medical Licensing Examination), reaching a level of excellence comparable to professional physicians. This makes it a pioneer among the world’s medical AI models in terms of outstanding performance. By training the model to analyze treatment guidelines and care cultures from various regions, MedLM will become even better at addressing the medical and healthcare needs of local populations.”

Currently, the collaborative applications between CMUH and Google Cloud include “Customized Cancer Treatment Guidelines” and “Cancer Therapy Q&As”. The “Customized Cancer Treatment Guidelines” are developed based on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines and are integrated with MedLM, enabling clinicians to quickly capture accurate information based on the patient’s cancer staging, treatment methods, and risk assessments, etc. It can also generate cancer treatment plans and provide personalized treatment recommendations for clinicians to review, edit and use with patients. Focusing on health education for cancer patients, the “Cancer Therapy Q&As” application incorporated the cancer care-related health educational content of CMUH into the MedLM model for training and optimization, resulting in a system with extensive medical knowledge and Q&A capabilities. Such advancement not only diminishes the time healthcare professionals spend searching for information but also provides comprehensive treatment options. Furthermore, it contributes to enhancing overall clinical efficacy, improving patient understanding and engagement, and enhancing the quality of healthcare, thereby fostering warmer doctor-patient interactions and steering us collectively toward a healthier future.

In addition, in terms of new drug development, CMUH is leveraging Google’s unique AI accelerators, TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), to assist in calculations related to protein folding and the development of new drugs. Preliminary tests at CMUH have shown that utilizing these resources can reduce the computation time for related programs by over tenfold.

With its robust research and development capabilities, CMUH’s Artificial Intelligence Center has provided over 20 distinct AI medical services in recent years, assisting doctors in making fast and accurate medical decisions.

Media contact: Carolyn Chen, 100709@tool.caaumed.org.tw

The Royal Thai Police, Supported By ACE, Shut Down Major Torrent Website

Simultaneous raids take place in Bangkok, Surin Province and Surat Thani.

BANGKOK , Feb. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Royal Thai Police’s Economic Crimes Department (ECD), with support from the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), has raided four locations in Bangkok, Surin Province and Surat Thani. Four Thai nationals have been taken into custody and are expected to be formally charged with copyright offenses in the coming days.

Siambit.me was the largest torrent tracker site in Thailand with average monthly visits of 5.5 million, and which provided access to a huge range of Hollywood, International and Thai content. The site had been in operation since 2005 and is known to regularly change its domain to avoid detection. According to statements by the Royal Thai Police, Siambit.me had over 100,000 VIP members and the operators were making an estimated 1.5 million baht (USD$41,000) on a monthly basis.

“We commend the ECD for their continued collaboration with ACE and for taking enforcement action against this large torrent site,” said Jan van Voorn, Executive Vice President and Chief of Global Content Protection for the Motion Picture Association and Head of ACE. “Illicit torrent sites put consumers around the world at risk of unwittingly downloading malware such as spyware, remote access trojans and even ransomware. The ECD’s action helps protect the livelihood of Thai and international creators and distributors, and it helps shield consumers from such malware.”

Suebsiri Taweepon, President of the Intellectual Property Association of Thailand (IPAT), said, “We would like to commend the professionalism of the ECD and ACE in taking down this large torrent tracker site. Piracy sites such as Siambit undermine local and international investment in our country’s content sector, reduce tax contributions to the government, and stifle creativity.”

About The Allliance for Creativity and Entertainment

The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) is the world’s leading coalition dedicated to protecting the dynamic legal market and reducing digital piracy. Driven by a comprehensive approach to addressing piracy through criminal referrals, civil litigation and cease-and-desist operations, ACE has achieved many successful global enforcement actions against illegal streaming services and sources of unauthorized content and their operators. Drawing upon the collective expertise and resources of more than 50 media and entertainment companies around the world and reinforced by the content protection operations of the Motion Picture Association, ACE protects the creativity and innovation that drive the global growth of core copyright and entertainment industries. The current governing board members for ACE are Amazon, Apple TV+, NBCUniversal, Netflix Studios LLC, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Paramount, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, and Warner Bros. Charles Rivkin is Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association and Chairman of ACE. For more information, please visit www.alliance4creativity.com.

Creative Learning Platform Skillshare Helps Creative Professionals Maximize the Highly Anticipated Animation App Procreate Dreams™ with New Partnership and Exclusive Content from its Top Teachers


Skillshare Top Teachers have created custom classes to help audiences expand their creative skills with the new animation software, Procreate Dreams 

NEW YORK, Feb. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Skillshare, the world’s largest online community for creatives, has teamed up with the new animation app Procreate Dreams to develop a customized series of content that teaches students how to use and optimize tools from the highly anticipated animation software.

As part of the collaboration, Skillshare has enlisted a group of top teachers to create content, both free and for subscribers, focused on how to utilize the software to create 2D animation and expressive video, and leverage powerful storytelling techniques.

Amongst the participating teachers, Danni Fisher-Shin, Mimi Chao, Smitesh Mistry, Lisa Bardot, Marie-Nöelle Wurm, Priscilla Adei-Cardwell, Rich Armstrong, Simon Ip, Iva Mikles and Siobhan Twomey, span expertise across illustration, animation, film and video production, and content creation. Each Skillshare teacher brings their own unique style and engages an audience of creative professionals and hobbyists who want to expand their creative skills.

“This partnership underscores the powerful synergy between Procreate and Skillshare, both dedicated to bringing creative education and exploration to the fore,” comments Alicia Hamilton-Morales, SVP of Content, Community and Marketing with Skillshare. “Together, we aim to empower individuals to explore and enhance their skills with the newly released app, Procreate Dreams. Procreate has been a highly popular subject on our platform for years and we’re excited about how Procreate Dreams will spark even more creativity among our students. Our goal is to demystify creative disciplines like animation by inviting students to explore classes taught by our exceptional teachers and ignite their passion for learning something new and innovative.”

Content began rolling out in November and will continue through 2024, including original content across participating teachers’ individual profiles, and the partnership homepage, alongside a series of free live sessions which can be accessed here.

Procreate CMO Nathan Clegg comments, “Procreate Dreams marks a major chapter for both Procreate and the animation industry. Over the past 5+ years we poured our hearts and souls into producing an animation app that is approachable for beginners and powerful for professionals. With an aim to unlock creative potential and empower the next generation of storytellers. We are thrilled to partner with Skillshare to help creatives get started and make the most out of Procreate Dreams.”

Procreate Dreams is available on the App Store for a single-time purchase of $19.99 USD. No subscriptions. procreate.com

About Skillshare:
Skillshare is the world’s largest online learning community for creativity. With more than 26,000 video-based classes exploring a wide range of creative disciplines from graphic design to photography to painting and illustration to interior design—taught by industry experts including Jonathan Van Ness, Aaron Draplin, Emily Henderson, Thomas Frank, Rebecca Minkof and Jeff Staple and more. Skillshare is both a publisher of original content and an open platform, where anyone who meets our standards and guidelines can upload a class and earn income. Skillshare’s mission is to build the world’s most valuable creative learning community. To learn more, go to: www.skillshare.com.

About Procreate® 
Procreate is dedicated to making exceptional creative tools for creative people by combining beautiful user experiences with high-performance engineering. Procreate for iPad is used by millions around the globe, has been the best-selling paid iPad app on App Store for the past six years, and has received two coveted Apple Design Awards. Procreate’s three apps — Procreate, Procreate Pocket, and Procreate Dreams — are placing more power in the hands of creatives, amplifying the company’s guiding principle: Art is for everyone. procreate.com

Follow @procreate on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X.

For all press enquiries, please contact:
Alicia Hamilton-Morales, Skillshare
press@skillshare.com

Sheila Lin, Procreate 
press@procreate.com 

University of Technology Sydney (UTS) collaborates with Vietnamese university researchers to create water monitoring solution for aquaculture

Thanks to a proven model of rapid technology transfer, an innovative real-time sea-water monitoring system is now supporting the aquaculture industry and environmental protection in Vietnam.

SYDNEY, Feb. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A groundbreaking collaboration between UTS, Vietnam National University and Ho Chi Minh University of Technology has led to the development of a real-time sea-water monitoring system in Xuan Dai Bay, Vietnam.

A water monitoring station in Xuan Dai Bay in Vietnam. Photo supplied.
A water monitoring station in Xuan Dai Bay in Vietnam. Photo supplied.

As the system is scalable and non-site specific, the technology has the potential to be used not just in further sites across Vietnam, but globally, and the team is actively seeking new partners to help them realise its full potential.

The project, funded by Aus4Innovation and part of UTS Rapido Vietnam, employs the latest Industry 4.0 technologies such as Internet of Things, data analytics, and mechatronics.

“Aquaculture is an important industry in Vietnam, generating an income of AUD$11 billion per year. But while it can have rich economic rewards for farmers and the regions they live in, it can be a precarious livelihood,” says Professor Eryk Dutkiewicz, the chief investigator of the project at UTS.

The system, launched in March 2020, monitors temperature, acidity, ammonia, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and turbidity, providing real-time data to farmers. The advanced technology withstands harsh conditions, offering alerts for timely decision-making. The monitoring stations, the first of its kind in Vietnam, are now permanent fixtures in the bay.

Mr Le Tan Ho is Vice President of Phu Yen province and was impressed with both the UTS team and the results of the project. He says the information it has provided has been invaluable for decision making.

“The data from the realtime seawater monitoring system allows the local government to assess and better plan aquaculture and other activities like tourism towards the sustainable social and economic development goals while protecting environment and coping with global climate changes, especially in coastal areas,” says Mr Le Tan Ho.

The research team hopes the application of IoT platforms for coastal water system management in Phú Yên will just be the start.

The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is one of the top 100 universities in the world and a leading public university of technology with global impact. Visit discover.uts.edu.au to learn more.

At MWC Barcelona 2024, O-RAN ALLIANCE Participants Showcase Advanced Solutions to Improve RAN Performance


  • 41 demos of latest O-RAN technology and solutions to be showcased at MWC Barcelona or the O-RAN Virtual Exhibition
  • Intelligent RAN solutions demonstrate capabilities aiming to improve the RAN performance
  • Latest O-RAN-based products feature improved interoperability, security and efficiency
  • Increasing maturity of the O-RAN ecosystem reflected in many demos focusing on O-RAN integration and testing enhancements

BONN, Germany, Feb. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — O-RAN ALLIANCE participants will present 41 demos of latest improvements to open and intelligent Radio Access Networks (RAN) throughout MWC Barcelona 26-29 February 2024 and at the O-RAN Virtual Exhibition.

The showcased intelligent RAN solutions demonstrate capabilities aiming to improve the RAN performance in traffic steering, energy savings, service quality, spectrum efficiency and network management. Examples include machine learning models for network load balancing, orchestrating applications’ requests for network resources, and private network management.

The latest products and components, based on O-RAN specifications and presented by companies at MWC, demonstrate improved efficiency, security, interoperability, and vendor diversity for mobile network operators.

Many demos illustrate the increased maturity of the O-RAN ecosystem, focusing on O-RAN integration and testing enhancements for RAN Intelligent Controllers (RIC), energy efficiency, security, and testing automation.

O-RAN demonstrations are being delivered by: Acentury, AMD, Anritsu, Artiza Networks, AsiaInfo, Asia & Pacific OTIC in Singapore (APOS), Auray Technology, Azcom, Calnex Solutions, Capgemini, CommScope, EANTC, Ericsson, Fujitsu, EURECOM, Future Connections, Groundhog, HCL Technologies, Innowireless, Intel, ITRI, Juniper Networks, Keysight Technologies, Lenovo, LitePoint, LITEON Technology, Malaga University, Metanoia Communications, Net AI, Picocom, Quanta Cloud Technology, Rimedo Labs, Rohde & Schwarz, SageRAN, Samsung, Shabodi, Simnovus, Spirent Communications, Supermicro, SynaXG Technologies, Singapore University of Technology and Design, VIAVI Solutions, Viettel, VMware by Broadcom, Wiwynn, and WNC.

Learn more about the demos here.

O-RAN ALLIANCE plans to publish an interactive map of O-RAN demos at MWC to allow easy navigation to the demos at the exhibition. Many of the demos will also be included in the O-RAN Virtual Exhibition, expected to be available at the start of MWC.

“Companies and institutions in the broad O-RAN ecosystem focus on different areas of RAN, from specialized aspects to end-to-end solutions,” said Paul Smith, Director – RAN Technology, AT&T and Co-Chair of O-RAN ALLIANCE’s WG1. “O-RAN’s open architecture enables partnerships; encourages innovation by leveraging know-how to develop, test and integrate advanced O-RAN solutions on commercial scale, and helps fulfill the O-RAN ALLIANCE’s mission to transform Radio Access Networks to be open, intelligent, virtualized and fully interoperable.”

O-RAN ALLIANCE will hold its O-RAN ALLIANCE Summit on Wednesday, 28 February 2024 from 8:30 to 13:00 CET in MWC hall 8, theatre 5, and also online. Summit attendees will learn about the latest updates and progress of O-RAN. The summit will discuss how O-RAN intelligent solutions bring benefits to operators in such areas as Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), energy efficiency, automation, agility, security, system integration, certification, and improved overall economics. O-RAN members, contributors, media and analysts, and others interested in the state of Open RAN are invited to attend. Attendees need to have an MWC access pass and register through the event website, which also has the agenda and speaker lineup. The event will also be webcasted to the interested public through the O-RAN ALLIANCE website.

About O-RAN ALLIANCE

The O-RAN ALLIANCE is a world-wide community of more than 300 mobile operators, vendors, and research & academic institutions operating in the Radio Access Network (RAN) industry. As the RAN is an essential part of any mobile network, the O-RAN ALLIANCE’s mission is to re-shape the industry towards more intelligent, open, virtualized and fully interoperable mobile networks. The new O-RAN specifications enable a more competitive and vibrant RAN supplier ecosystem with faster innovation to improve user experience. O-RAN based mobile networks at the same time improve the efficiency of RAN deployments as well as operations by mobile operators. To achieve this, the O-RAN ALLIANCE publishes new RAN specifications, releases open software for the RAN, and supports its members in integration and testing of their implementations.

For more information, please visit www.o-ran.org.