Quaternium Technologies has broken its own record for the longest drone flight, with its hybrid drone staying in the air for 10 hours, 14 minutes.
Drones are an increasingly important component for many industries. Real estate agents use them to take pictures of properties, photographers use them to capture that perfect shot, and Amazon and other companies are preparing to use them for deliveries. Some people are even using drones to fish for tuna.
Quaternium’s latest development will open up all-new possibilities, as their latest test flight achieved 10 hours, 14 minutes by using hybrid technology.
Marketed as a “long-endurance drone,” the commercial version of the Hybrix 2.1 currently provides 4 hours of operational time. Even with a full payload, it can stay aloft for over 2 hours. The company markets the drone as the perfect option for surveillance, first response, inspection, mining, agriculture and mapping.
It’s a safe bet Quaternium will use the lessons it learned from its record-breaking flight to improve the flight time of its commercial variants even more.
Uber and Lyft have been dealt a major blow, as an appellate court has ruled the injunction against them was appropriate.
Uber and Lyft have been locked in a battle with California over the status of their drivers. California is trying to force the two companies, and other similar gig economy businesses, to treat their workers as employees, rather than independent contractors. This would provide them with benefits which, in turn, would significantly raise the cost of doing business.
In August a judge issued an injunction against the two companies, prohibiting them from operating until they had complied with the new regulation. The companies used the 10-day window they were granted to appeal, but the First Appellate District Court in San Francisco has ruled the injunction was appropriate.
“Not only is this a victory for the tens of thousands of Uber and Lyft drivers working to put a roof over their heads and food on the table, this ruling is about fairness, making it clear that these companies must stop shifting their costs onto the taxpayers while their CEO’s profit,” said Mike Feuer, Los Angeles City Attorney, according to Business Insider.
This makes the Proposition 22 ballot the best hope for the companies to continue doing business as they have. It’s a safe bet that should Proposition 22 fail, other states may look to follow California’s example.
Hyundai is working together with engineering firm Autodesk to design and create “Elevate,” the first Ultimate Mobility Vehicle (UMV).
The UMV was first shown last year at CES, and represents Hyundai’s ongoing efforts to innovate beyond basic car designs. The company is working with Uber to create aerial ridesharing vehicles and is increasing its investment in electric vehicles.
The Elevate platform is designed to combine automobile and robotics technology to create a vehicle that can go where no traditional vehicle can. The Elevate can drive on standard roads, or elevate itself on robotic arms for walking and climbing.
Elevate Mammalian Mode
Elevate is aimed at addressing a wide array of situations where traditional vehicles fall short, such as search and rescue, exploration, transport on uneven ground and transportation for mobility impaired individuals.
Elevate Exploration
“When a tsunami or earthquake hits, current rescue vehicles can only deliver first responders to the edge of the debris field. They have to go the rest of the way by foot. Elevate can drive to the scene and climb right over flood debris or crumbled concrete,” said John Suh, Hyundai vice president and head of Hyundai CRADLE. “This technology goes well beyond emergency situations – people living with disabilities worldwide that don’t have access to an ADA ramp could hail an autonomous Hyundai Elevate that could walk up to their front door, level itself, and allow their wheelchair to roll right in – the possibilities are limitless.”
Elevate Mobility Impaired Transport
Hyundai created New Horizons Studio in Silicon Valley to develop the UMV, and has partnered with Autodesk to make the concept a reality.
“More than 10 years ago, we identified the pain points, rework required and loss of valuable information when projects move from one phase to the next and the associated files don’t play nicely in the heterogenous environments organizations so often use,” says Srinath Jonnalagadda, vice president of design and manufacturing at Autodesk. “Creating a design and engineering platform that helps remove those hurdles, while also putting advanced capabilities such as generative design tools at the fingertips of designers, has been our North Star for a decade. The Elevate project is a showcase of how leaders like Hyundai can now enjoy the fruits of that vision.”
While it may look like something straight out of science fiction, it’s unique abilities will likely make it a hit with its target market.
GM has announced it is investing at least $2 billion to increase production of its electric vehicles.
The company plans to transition its Spring Hill, TN factory to electric vehicle production, making it the third one equipped to do so. The all-new, electric Cadillac LYRIQ will be produced at Spring Hill, along with the Cadillac XT6 and XT5. The facility will continue to build a blend of traditional and electric vehicles.
The company is also investing in five of its Michigan plants, investments that will help with future pickup and crossover production, as well as Cruise AV production. With this announcement, GM joins the list of automakers doubling down on an all-electric future.
“We are committed to investing in the U.S., our employees and our communities,” said GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra. “These investments underscore the success of our vehicles today, and our vision of an all-electric future.”
“The impact of the pandemic to us in the broader market is rides being down about 50% now,” says Lyft co-founder and President John Zimmer. “They were down 75%. So we are halfway recovered across the board. That impacts individual drivers as well. If you look at how some drivers have shifted, we actually have higher driver earnings now per hour than even pre-pandemic.”
John Zimmer, co-founder and President of Lyft, discusses the impact of the pandemic on Lyft, noting that daily rides are still down by half since March 2020:
Lyft Rides Still Down 50%
Drivers 4 to 1 want to remain independent contractors and want to retain flexibility. Depending on the market, 80 to 90% drive less than 20 hours a week. We think there is a much better way forward than saying (in California) that everyone should become employees. That way forward is to say let’s retain the flexibility and let’s add more protections and benefits like we are pushing for in California.
The impact of the pandemic to us in the broader market is rides being down about 50% now. They were down 75%. So we are halfway recovered across the board. That impacts individual drivers as well. If you look at how some drivers have shifted, we actually have higher driver earnings now per hour than even pre-pandemic. There’s equilibrium between demand and supply, between riders and drivers.
Impact Of Lockdowns And The Virus Is Real
The impact to the broader economy and the impact with lockdowns and the virus is real for our business. Transportation is directly tied to people’s movement and the broader economy. That said, we’ve continually week over week seen incremental improvements going from negative 75% to now above 50%.
We see markets like Toronto back to 80% of where we were before. As countries get better and as states get better at living with the conditions we have because of the virus I see continued improvement. Driver earnings per hour are higher today than they were pre-pandemic. We are looking right now for more drivers.
Regulation Has Been Part Of Our History From Day One
Regulation has been a part of our history from day one. We are as much in the transportation business as we are in the technology business and transportation historically has been a regulated industry. Within our first year of operation, we worked with California regulators to create a new category for regulation.
It’s been part of our business and will always be part of our business. It’s part of how we think about the path to profitability but we are just moving forward on that path despite anything that is going to change around us in terms of regulation.
Largest Bike-Share Program In North America
We also have a diversified set of transportation that we offer. We have the largest bike-share program in North America with City Bikes in New York City and Bay Wheels in the Bay and Divvy in Chicago. Our bike systems are in many cases above where they were pre-COVID. They are a great way to get around and get some fresh air and not be next to someone else.
Lyft Co-Founder John Zimmer Says Rides Are Still Down 50%
Lucid Motors has unveiled the Lucid Air, an electric luxury sedan aimed as a competitor to Tesla.
The electric vehicle market is heating up and taking off with virtually every manufacturer planning on releasing electric vehicles. While Tesla has a dominating lead, there are a number startups poised to challenge the company in the all-electric market.
Lucid Motors is one of those companies. Its CEO and CTO is Peter Rawlinson. Rawlinson formerly served as Tesla’s VP of Engineering, giving him a wealth of experience in the industry.
It’s clear that Lucid’s goal is to provide a better version of what Tesla is offering. It’s high-end models have some 1,080 horsepower, are the first electric sedans to achieve quarter-mile times of under 10 seconds and will have a range of 517 miles.
In addition, the company’s DC Fast Charging Network will allow owners to charge at the rate of 20 miles per minute.
“Lucid Motors is driven to make the electric car better, and by doing so, help move the entire industry forward towards accelerated adoption of sustainable mobility. The goal of this relentless approach to developing the world’s most advanced electric vehicle is to benefit all mankind with sustainable, zero emission transportation, and to also attract new customers to the world of EVs,” said Rawlinson. “With the Lucid Air, we have created a halo car for the entire industry, one which shows the advancements that are possible by pushing the boundaries of EV technology and performance to new levels.”
Deliveries of the Lucid Air will begin in the spring of 2021.
“I don’t think we are ever going to see a return to the old New York,” says New York resident and entrepreneur James Altucher. “Sixth Avenue is empty. Something like 30-50 percent of the restaurants in New York City are probably already out of business and they’re not coming back. The offices in Midtown where most of the millions of workers go to work in New York City, why are they empty?”
James Altucher, author, podcaster, entrepreneur, and angel investor says that New York City isdead forever. Altucher discusses how the forced business closures have permanently altered how business is done making it unnecessary for employees to remain in this high cost and highly taxed city:
Manhattan Offices May Remain Empty Permanently
Sixth Avenue in Manhattan is empty. Something like 30-50 percent of the restaurants in New York City are probably already out of business and they’re not coming back. The offices in Midtown where most of the millions of workers go to work in New York City, why are they empty? They are allowed to be open but most companies now are encouraging workers to be remote. Citigroup, JPMorgan, Google, Twitter, and Facebook, they want employees to be remote for maybe years or even permanently.
This completely damages not only the economic ecosystem of New York City, the restaurants, transportation, office buildings, and commercial real estate but what happens to your tax base when all of your workers can now live anywhere they want in the country? And not even just in the suburbs either. They are going to go to all of the cities like Nashville, Miami, Austin, and Denver. They are leaving the city because they can work in places that have a cheaper cost of living and a lower tax basis.
What happens to the tax revenues of New York at the same time that deficits are soaring? All of these numbers and apocalyptic statistics what’s going to reverse that? It’s only going to get worse.
We Are Never Going To See A Return To The Old New York
I was born here and I’ve lived here for my whole adult life and I have five kids in New York City. But yes, I don’t think we are ever going to see a return to the old New York. The good news is that this means financial, creative, and artistic opportunities are going to be dispersed for the first time throughout the entire country now. It is not going to be isolated to just a few spots like New York, San Francisco, or L.A. Everybody is going to have opportunity.
What makes this different is bandwidth is ten times faster now than it was in 2008. People really can work remotely now and have an increase in productivity.
We Are Never Going To See A Return To The Old New York – James Altucher
We will have to essentially shut down Uber until the voters decide.
Reclassifying drivers from contractors to employees is unfortunate.
You would just get a much smaller service at much higher prices.
The vast majority of our drivers don’t want to be full-time workers.
Really unfortunate at a historical time of unemployment in California.
It would put vast swaths of our drivers out of work.
It would take away transportation from hundreds of thousands of Californians.
Our labor laws are hopelessly outdated.
It’s essentially how Uber started, kind of a black car service with few cars.
We can’t go out and hire ten of thousands of people directly overnight.
We would focus on the center of cities versus smaller cities or suburbs.
“We think the ruling by a California judge was unfortunate on reclassifying drivers from contractors to employees,” says Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. “We think we (already) comply with the laws. But if the judge and a court finds that we are not and they don’t give us a stay to get to November then we will have to essentially shut down Uber until the voters decide.”
Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, discusses a court ruling requiring Uber to classify Uber drivers as full-time workers. Khosrowshahi says that this will force Uber to become a much small black car service focused on city centers and with much higher prices for rides. Essentially the service would no longer exist in California suburbs and rural areas:
Vast Majority of Uber Drivers Want To Remain As Contractors
We think the ruling (in California) was unfortunate (on reclassifying drivers from contractors to employees). We obviously respect the law and the judge. We do have about eight days now where there is a stay. We are going to go back to the court and appeal the ruling and hope that the court reconsiders. If the court doesn’t reconsider then in California, it’s hard to believe we will be able to switch our model to full-time employment quickly, so I think Uber will shut down for a while. Really, the big question is in November with Prop. 22, we have a proposition out there that puts forward what we believe is the best of both worlds.
The vast majority of our drivers, a 4-1 ratio, want flexibility, and don’t want to be full-time workers. With Prop. 22 drivers can continue to have the flexibility that they have but they can enjoy the protections, benefit fund, an earning standard so that they have the protections that many people associate with full-time work. We are hoping that in November the California voters can speak. We are confident that this better way which is kind of the best of both worlds will be the way going forward for California.
We Will Shut Down Until The Voters Decide In November
In California, we have changed our model substantially. For example, riders in California pay drivers directly. Drivers can set their own price as an independent contractor would. Drivers have all the flexibility to decide whether or not they want to take a ride or not. We think we (already) comply with the laws. But if the judge and a court finds that we are not and they don’t give us a stay to get to November then we will have to essentially shut down Uber until the voters decide.
It would be really unfortunate at a historical time of unemployment in California. It would put vast swaths of our drivers out of work without the opportunity to earn. It would take away transportation from hundreds of thousands of Californians. It would be really really unfortunate. Obviously we would look to comply with the law long-term and we’re hoping the law gives us the best of both worlds. Our labor laws are hopelessly outdated. You’ve got the haves and have-nots and you can have actually a better way.
Smaller Service, Higher Prices, Only Focused On Big City Centers
Hopefully, the courts will reconsider. By no means do we want this to happen. If they don’t we are going to have to work to move to a full-time model. It’s essentially how Uber started, kind of a black car service with very few cars on the road and much higher prices. So we will look to flip to a full-time model but this is a model that we built over ten years. We can’t go out and hire ten of thousands of people directly overnight. It would take a significant amount of time to switch over. We have teams thinking about it and working on it. We don’t think it’s the likely outcome by the way and we would look to get back on the road as quickly as possible.
You would just get a much smaller service, much higher prices, and probably a service that’s focused on the center of cities versus a bunch of the smaller cities or the suburbs that we operate in right now. That’s the reality. It’s not a game of chicken or one way or the other. It’s really up to the courts and we are going to comply with the law. We will look to get going but it will be a very very different service once we get going.
Uber CEO: Will Shut Down In California Until Voters Decide
Lyft has begun testing its autonomous vehicles on California roads again.
When the pandemic caused people to stay at home, Lyft’s public testing program was suspended. As California has eased restrictions, however, the company has resumed its testing program.
“We’re excited to announce that our autonomous vehicles (AVs) are back on the road — and that during the shelter in place we continued to make progress by doubling down on simulation,” reads the company’s blog post. “Simulation is an important part of our testing program, enabling us to test beyond road miles.”
At the same time, the company downplayed any impact the temporary hiatus had.
“While road testing remains a critical aspect of our program, simulation allows us to leverage existing on-road data in many more ways, and multiple times over, to help improve and validate our software,” continues the blog. “With Lyft’s unique data and Level 5’s advancements in simulation, we believe we’re reducing the road miles needed by several orders of magnitude. Our focus on simulation over the last few months allowed us to maintain Level 5’s momentum toward our goal to improve access to safe and reliable transportation for millions of Lyft riders everywhere.”
This is good news for Lyft and the autonomous vehicle industry in general. Especially in view of the pandemic and social distancing, the demand for autonomous, driverless vehicles may see an increase for reasons few would ever have expected.
Tech giants reel in millions per year through big conferences, but COVID-19 has dramatically changed the global business event industry. As a result, business gatherings are going virtual. While industry experts are unsure whether or not the era of big conferences has ended, many have begun to embrace the concept of virtual summits. In fact, experts predict that video – including web conferencing – will account for over 80% of all Internet traffic by 2021. The remaining question is: what will the future of business gatherings look like post-COVID?
The global event industry is worth $1.5 billion; and businesses typically generate more than $1 trillion in direct spending each year. This includes airfare, hotel stays, dining, and transportation. However, canceled and rescheduled conferences are causing businesses to lose heaping amounts of cash. The lost attendance fees for those who haven’t gone virtual is one thing to take into account, but businesses are also losing money they’ve spent to put on their events.
For example, a business event’s budget is typically broken down into 4 categories. On average, businesses allocate 20% of their budget for venue coverage, 20% of their budget for catering, another 20% for equipment, and less than 5% for speaker fees and program creation. All of this money goes down the drain when a conference is canceled. Here’s how that looks on a financial level.
When Google canceled its annual Mountain View, CA I/O conference, they lost $20 million of current assets. The I/0 conference is streamed to 530 events worldwide, and welcomed 7,000 in-person guests in 2019. When the 2020 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) was canceled because of COVID-19, the Entertainment Software Association lost $75 million in direct assets. In 2019, the gaming organization welcomed 66,100 attendees, and the exhibition typically takes place in Los Angeles, CA.
On a larger scale, South by Southwest (SXSW) lost $350 million in sitting reserves. The annual conglomeration is held in Austin, Texas, and met with a crowd of 280,000 in 2019. By the same token, $480 million was lost after the Mobile World Congress (MWC) was canceled out of protection from COVID-19. The annual trade show welcomed 109,700 in 2019 and is held in Barcelona, Spain.
On a smaller scale, ILostMyGig.com has verified $4,285,037 in losses across local businesses as a result of canceled conferences and events. The website began tracking local business losses after SXSW’s massive loss went viral. The services fueling these numbers include caterers, photographers, musicians, film crews, and more. However, these numbers don’t include losses related to: profits for the business’ hosting each event, attendees’ spending at local shops and attractions, or business generated from networking at events.
Even when the massive losses are taken into account, organizations have an alternative with virtual conferences. In fact, attendees are seeming to enjoy virtual conferences. 40% of Americans were unable to cover an unexpected charge of $400, so traveling to conferences and events is often challenging for attendees. Virtual summits eliminate travel costs, lodging, and the price of admission.
Saying this, it’s still unknown if virtual summits will thrive after the pandemic is over. Local conferences could provide a better alternative. For more information on the future of virtual conferences, read more below.
Outside of medical, grocery, restaurant, and retail workers who are doing the hard work to ensure people get what they need during this pandemic, remote workers are keeping the world’s businesses going. Many had to make a shift to remote work suddenly and without much training on how to do it, and early on there were some highly-publicized issues with companies overstepping boundaries during the transition. For companies that have had remote work options for years, this change has not been a big deal because employees are already trained on protocols. But for companies that are new to remote work, the most important thing to remember is the importance of trusting your employees to do their jobs.
The History Of Remote Work
There has always been work that can be taken home with you, but the internet made it more accessible to more workers. Companies were initially reluctant to allow employees to work remotely, fearing espionage, security issues, and more. But as BYOD policies became the norm, the culture shifted to allow for the possibility of work-from-home during rare instances such as inclement weather. But there was still pushback about whether employees could work from home for other reasons or on an ongoing basis, and in some instances companies only begrudgingly agreed to allow it and sometimes even required pay cuts to be able to do so.
As of last year, one in ten Americans worked from home at least once per week, so it has gradually become mainstream. Those workers who work from home have experienced many advantages, including:
But until recently, working from home was reserved for the highest in the ranks and not for the average worker. Disability advocates have long advocated for work-from-home benefits for disabled workers because of office accessibility and transportation issues. In some instances working from home was seen as a prize that people would take a pay cut for. For everyone else, working from home was a luxury not extended to them. Until the pandemic hit, that is.
The Rush To Remote Work
When COVID-19 was first detected in the United States, many businesses began to make preparations to send people home to work. For businesses that had not had a remote workforce before then, the transition was jarring. Even for many businesses that did allow remote work under certain circumstances, the transition was less than smooth.
Early on there were reports of outrageous behavior on the part of managers and companies in their instructions to their newly-remote workforce. It’s easy to understand why this would occur. For many workplaces remote work is uncharted territory. For many managers their success hinges on being able to report numbers to the higher-ups.
If we look at the problem from an abundance mentality, we can see that trusting employees to do the job you hired them for, regardless of the circumstances, should be the expectation. After all, why hire someone if you have to hover over them to make sure they are actually working? This extends to working from home. It shouldn’t matter where someone is physically sitting to do their work if they have demonstrated to you an ability to do that work already. Trusting remote workers just makes sense – as much sense as it makes to trust them when they are in the office.
The Psychology Of Trusting Remote Workers
Trust is a powerful tool for any business owner or manager. Trust is also something that has to be cultivated within an organization. Cultivating that trust can lead to amazing benefits, though, and it is an effort that is well worth it in the long run.
Rather than surveilling employees to ensure they are staying on task, offer them the tools and resources they need to be successful. People want to feel successful, and the choice employers are giving employees is between feeling like they are unable to accomplish their work without supervision or empowering them to figure it out and accomplish it on their own.
Encouraging self-direction can pay off well in the long run. Nearly half of employees would pass up a 20% raise for greater control over their work and how they get it done. What’s more, 76% of employees report that their best days at work are when they make progress toward their goals.
For the most part, achievement is its own reward. Sure, employees do need to be fairly compensated for their work, but outside of that there is greater value in trusting them to get their work done their own way instead of forcing them to do it in a way that doesn’t work for them.
If you want to have the best possible outcome in your workplace, trust your employees to do their jobs, empower them to do those jobs with whatever tools or training they need, and keep the lines of communication open so they can come to you with any needs or concerns.
Trust In Remote Workers Pays Off For Businesses, Too
Remote work doesn’t have to be a temporary setback. It can, instead, be an opportunity for growth as a company. Empowering employees leads to a more productive workplace, and many businesses are discovering that eschewing the office has its own set of perks.
Make sure that employees know they can ask for whatever tools or training they need to be successful. Offer resources for honing and learning skills and make sure employees understand they can take time out of their schedules to learn something new. As the old story goes, training employees just to have them leave for other jobs is a risk, but not training them and having them remain without growing is an even bigger risk.
To build a culture of trust, make sure management is approachable when there’s a problem and that blame is not part of the company vocabulary. Rather, empower employees to bring up problems in an effort to work together for a solution. Additionally, prioritizing work/life balance and acknowledging that people have lives outside of the workplace not only creates trust, but it also makes employees better at their jobs.
Even something as simple as letting employees know they can request a more comfortable chair or that you want to help ensure they have an ergonomic setup for their home office shows you care about them as a person and helps to build trust.
There are monetary benefits to having a remote workforce, too. Giving up office space means more money to pay for talent and grow a business. Even having fewer people in the office on a regular basis can lead to significant savings.
What’s more, embracing remote workers means that you no longer have to limit your potential talent-pool to your geographic area. Managing a team of remote workers can include remote workers from anywhere in the world where there is an internet connection. This also means that those workers aren’t confined to living in places where the cost of living is astronomical.
Workplaces with remote workers have reported not only increased morale but also increased productivity averaging 15%. In short, you don’t have to worry about measuring employee productivity if you cultivate trust and empower them to learn and grow in their positions.
Right Now Is An Opportunity For Growth
Change is always difficult. Many businesses and employees were thrust into remote work without warning during an already stressful time. But as everyone learns the ropes and the stress subsides, many will find that remote work isn’t anything to fear and many will instead embrace the shift, leading to better work/life balance and other benefits. But right now the times are still tough, and the only way to get through them is together. Build your newly remote team on a strong foundation of trust and watch the magic happen.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently voted unanimously to allow Ligado to deploy a low-power 5G network, and lawmakers are not happy.
In its initial ruling, the FCC authorized “Ligado to deploy a low-power terrestrial nationwide network in the 1526-1536 MHz, 1627.5- 1637.5 MHz, and 1646.5-1656.5 MHz bands that will primarily support Internet of Things (IoT) services.”
There was only one problem with the FCC’s decision: It was opposed by numerous organizations and agencies, including major airlines, the Departments of Commerce, Defense and Justice. The reason for the objection is the potential for Ligado’s network to interfere with commercial and military GPS equipment.
In an op-ed published in C4ISRNET, Sen. Jim Inhofe, Sen. Jack Reed, Rep. Adam Smith and Rep. Mac Thornberry lay out the case for why they believe the FCC made a mistake:
“The problem here is that Ligado’s planned usage is not in the prime mid-band spectrum being considered for 5G — and it will have a significant risk of interference with GPS reception, according to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA),” the lawmakers write. “The signals interference Ligado’s plan would create could cost taxpayers and consumers billions of dollars and require the replacement of current GPS equipment just as we are trying to get our economy back on its feet quickly — and the FCC has just allowed this to happen.”
The lawmakers go on to highlight that no fewer than nine federal agencies and departments did extensive testing and came to the conclusion that Ligado’s network would interfere with existing GPS equipment.
“Considering the risks, it’s clear the FCC commissioners made the wrong decision regarding Ligado’s plan, which will set a disastrous precedent while impeding ongoing work on spectrum sharing,” the lawmakers continue. “The vulnerabilities to our national and economic security are not worth the risk, particularly for a band of spectrum that isn’t necessary to secure a robust 5G network.
“We encourage the FCC to withdraw its approval of Ligado’s application and take this opportunity to work with the NTIA and other federal agencies, including the Departments of Defense and Transportation, to find a solution that will both support commercial broadband expansion and protect national security assets. Moreover, we expect the FCC to resolve Department of Defense concerns before moving forward, as required by law.
“If they do not, and unless President Trump intervenes to stop this from moving forward, it will be up to Congress to clean up this mess.”
We will continue to monitor the story for the FCC’s response and whatever action is taken by either side.
Seeing people wear a mask in stores, on the street, public transportation, and more is becoming more prominent than ever. Originally, the WHO and the CDC both repeatedly were against many wearing face masks, but on April 3, 2020, the CDC reversed its decision and announced that healthy people should wear masks to help slow the spread and reduce risk of exposure.
In China, an estimated amount of more than 80% of infections with COVID-19 went undocumented and unnoticed. These undocumented cases, while none of the transmitters showed symptoms, still spread COVID-19 everywhere they went. These undocumented cases accounted for over 75% of total transmissions in China.
How Masks Slow the Spread of COVID-19
Masks are utilized to slow the spread of COVID-19 because they can trap contagious particles from an infected individual from spreading. In lab testing, it was found that wearing a face mask could prevent particles from getting through – confirming that a mask can protect others from the wearer.
The reason this works is that a large number of transmissions are passed through asymptomatic carriers. These masks, according to one study, combined with frequently using hand sanitizer, can reduce flu transmissions by up to 50% or more. COVID-19, being estimated at nearly 3 times more contagious, even a small decrease in infection rates could mean a huge difference. Since the creation of the N95 respirator, which proved to be very good at stopping the spread of tuberculosis and other viruses, very little research has been done on cloth masks.
Masks Are Not Worn For Social Reason In the U.S.
Wearing a mask, while becoming more common is still not worn by many for social reasons. “We need to change our perception that masks are only for sick people and that it’s weird or shameful to wear one… If more people donned masks it would become a social norm as well as a public health good” says Robert Hecht, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology in the Yale School of Medicine.
In countries where wearing a face mask is common, like China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, experts noticed that the oncoming spread of COVID-19 was much more controlled because face masks in those countries are more than recommended, they are culturally expected. In the U.S., people of color are afraid of wearing a face mask in public for fear of being mistaken as a robber. On March 18, 2020, a police officer kicked 2 black men out of a Walmart for wearing face coverings.
90% of U.S. Cities Report a Shortage of Face Masks
Nearly 90% of U.S. cities are reporting a shortage of face masks that are needed to protect emergency responders and healthcare workers. Making a face mask at home is a good way to not cut into that already dwindling supply. A study looking at the effectiveness of homemade masks showed that masks made with higher thread count fabrics, finer mesh gauze, and more layers were more effective at filtering particles in the air.
Taking on and off your mask safely is also important. Use hand sanitizer before putting your mask on and after you take it off and while wearing it, avoid touching it or adjusting it.
Learn more about how face masks might be helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19 here.
Uber is taking its battle against the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) over customer data to federal court.
While Uber already shares location data for its electric bike and scooter ride-sharing services with many cities it operates in, the LADOT has required that Uber share real-time, or near real-time, data with the agency. The data would include start and end points, as well as the route taken. Uber has fought the ruling and ultimately had its license for its scooter business pulled.
The company appealed the ruling, which was heard by David B. Shapiro, a lawyer who has handled multiple city departments appeals. Shapiro sided with LADOT, but noted that neither side had made very compelling arguments. Uber had not given evidence that real-time data was being abused, or that customers’ privacy was negatively impacted. At the same time, LADOT did not adequately show why it was so important to receive real-time data.
Now Uber is taking the next step, suing the LADOT in federal court. According to CNET, the company is continuing to claim that customer privacy will be negatively impacted.
“Real-time in-trip geolocation data is not good for planning bike lanes, or figuring out deployment patterns in different neighborhoods, or dealing with complaints about devices that are parked in the wrong place, or monitoring compliance with permit requirements,” states the lawsuit. “What it is good for is surveillance.”
The outcome of this lawsuit will likely have far-reaching repercussions for a variety of industries, and determine the degree to which local governments do or don’t have the right to require real-time location data.
U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, who serves as chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is convening a hearing to investigate 5G vendor security.
The hearing will investigate “the security and integrity of the telecommunications supply chain and efforts to secure networks from exploitation in the transition to 5G. The hearing will also examine the federal government’s role in mitigating risks to telecommunications equipment and services in the U.S. and abroad.”
The committee hearing comes amid growing concerns about 5G and the role the technology plays in national security. The U.S. has banned Huawei, and pressured allies to do the same, alleging the company poses an unacceptable security risk. U.S. officials accuse the telecoms company of having backdoors in its equipment that can be used by Beijing to spy on governments and companies.
According to the hearing agenda, the planned witnesses include:
Mr. Steven Berry, President and Chief Executive Officer, Competitive Carriers Association
Mr. Rick Corker, President of Customer Operations for the Americas, Nokia
Mr. Jason Boswell, Head of Security, Network Product Solutions, North America, Ericsson
Dr. James Lewis, Senior Vice President and Director of the Technology Policy Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies
The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, March 4, 2020 and will take place at the Russell Senate Office Building 253.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has banned employees from using TikTok to create posts for the agency.
According to a report in Time, the policy change came after Senator Chuck Schumer wrote a letter to the agency’s head pointing out concerns over the app, given the allegations it poses a threat to national security. The Pentagon has already instructed military personnel to avoid the app and the company behind TikTok is facing a lawsuit in which the app is alleged to have secretly recorded and uploaded videos to China.
In view of those concerns, Senator Schumer told the Associated Press, “given the widely reported threats, the already-in-place agency bans, and the existing concerns posed by TikTok, the feds cannot continue to allow the TSA’s use of the platform to fly.”
TSA has said it never officially recommended or supported the app but, as Time points out, multiple TSA videos showed the TikTok logo. Since Senator Schumer’s letter, the agency has stated that a “small number of TSA employees have previously used TikTok on their personal devices to create videos for use in TSA’s social media outreach, but that practice has since been discontinued.”
Uber and Los Angeles have been fighting over a rule ordering scooter rental companies to share ride data with the city—a rule that was just upheld on appeal, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) passed a rule requiring scooter and electric bike sharing services to provide real-time data on riders’ trips, including start and end points, as well as the full route traveled.
Uber has argued that providing that degree of data would unnecessarily risk riders’ privacy and make it all too easy to personally identify individual riders, and “reveal personal information about riders, including where they live, work, socialize or worship,” according the LA Times. After six months of arguing, the city suspended Uber’s operating license.
Uber filed an appealed, which was heard “by David B. Shapiro, a lawyer who has handled appeals for multiple city departments, including the Los Angeles Fire Department and the Department of Cannabis Regulation.”
Although Shapiro sided with the city in saying it was within its rights to terminate Uber’s operating permit, he said both sides had made weak arguments. Uber failed to provide examples of data being used improperly, while Shapiro did acknowledge Uber’s concerns. At the same time, LADOT failed to make a compelling case as to how it could use real-time data to solve the problems it says are the reason for the rule. Uber has already said it is willing to provide near-real-time, aggregated data that would protect privacy.
Shapiro’s decision is a loss for privacy advocates and concerned citizens, but Uber has already promised to appeal.
It’s often difficult to comprehend how to get ahead of the competition – let alone adapt – when your business’ industry is constantly changing. Saying this, utilizing Enterprise AI can boost your business’ performance, quality, and position within the industry. However, if considering AI implementation, you must be serious from the beginning. Fewer than 1 in 3 businesses who pilot AI programs actually proceed to launching the technology; however, this is due to many reasons. Planning for the long-term and simply jumping in despite your lack of clarity can push your enterprise ahead of the game. It just takes a little planning.
If you believe AI isn’t right for your business, it’s time to reconsider. The majority of the top sectors consider AI pivotal to their achievements- including 70% of financial and insurance companies, 65% of retailers and technologists, and 55% of educators and manufacturers. Saying this, AI has been found to be professionally universal, applicable across many sectors: manufacturing, transportation, and even the supply chain and logistics. There are many different ways to utilize AI, making it an important part of technological advancement in any field.
More specifically, AI can enhance a business leader’s decision-making capabilities, help reduce waste, improve product quality, cement a business into their ever-changing market, lower energy costs, and meet rising demands. For example, AI can increase the time it takes for business leaders to come to conclusions on complicated decisions, while also strengthening the decision they make. AI can also increase production results, decrease overhead costs, and eliminate deadhead trips, wasted energy, excess expedites and inventory, and more. With this, 84% of the world’s business leaders consider AI to give them an advantage against their competition, strengthening the power of their business.
Moreover, many successful executives and business leaders have commented on their experiences with Enterprise AI. Paul Daughtery, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer says, “The playing field is poised to become a lot more competitive, and businesses that don’t deploy AI and data to help them innovate in everything they do will be at a disadvantage.”
In similar advice, Lee Blackstone (Founder of Blackstone+Cullen) noted, “You need to understand what you really need to automate and how it’s going to benefit you. How is AI going to change your business so that you can respond faster than your competitors?” Hence the reason getting started is the most important step in implementation.
No matter the industry, there’s a way to incorporate AI into your five-year strategy. It can be used to decrease production costs, reduce waste in shipping, make predictions about changing markets, and more. It can help many industries reduce energy costs and make better predictions about consumer behavior. It can take data and extrapolate the next steps in actionable ways that businesses can act upon.
Data is more important than ever, and Enterprise AI can enhance the way your business’ data is processed. The steps to incorporating and expanding AI into your business are simple. Read more information on Enterprise AI below.
TechCrunch is reporting that New York City has made it abundantly clear autonomous delivery robots are not welcome.
FedEx, like Amazon and Postmates, has been experimenting with autonomous delivery robots, some of which were in NYC over the weekend to be previewed at the company’s Small Business Saturday event. After some of the bots—called Roxo—were spotted, Mayor Bill de Blasio and transportation officials wasted no time making their position known—again, despite the fact the bots were only there for a presentation and not actually delivering anything.
According to TechCrunch, “the mayor tweeted that FedEx didn’t receive permission to deploy the robots; he also criticized the company for using a bot to perform a task that a New Yorker could do. The New York Department of Transportation has sent FedEx a cease-and-desist order to stop operations the bots, which TechCrunch has viewed.
“The letter informs FedEx that its bots violate several vehicle and traffic laws, including that motor vehicles are prohibited on sidewalks. Vehicles that receive approval to operate on sidewalks must receive a special exemption and be registered.”
The bots use machine learning, in combination with an array of sensing technology and cameras to plot a safe route, while at the same time avoiding obstacles and obeying traffic or sidewalk rules.
While FedEx has been testing “the bots in Memphis, Tennessee as well as Plano and Frisco, Texas and Manchester, New Hampshire,” it’s a safe bet NYC won’t be seeing them anytime soon.
The Federal Communications Commission has authorized the commercial use of the mid-range 3.5GHz spectrum, according to a press release by the CBRS Alliance.
The 3.5GHz Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum is being marketed under the name OnGo. Up until this ruling, the spectrum was reserved exclusively for the Department of Defense (DoD) and used extensively by the Navy.
OnGo is a pivotal piece of the U.S. 5G rollout, as it sits squarely in what is considered mid-band spectrum. Low-band spectrum, such as that being heavily deployed by T-Mobile, has the advantage of offering long range and excellent building penetration, but offers only marginally faster speeds than 4G LTE. High-band, mmWave spectrum offers speeds measured in gigabits but has extremely poor range and penetration. This is what Verizon has primarily invested in.
Mid-range spectrum, such as OnGo, can be used to improve speed and signal strength, first on 4G and then on 5G. The spectrum will effectively help bridge the gap between the long-range but slower low-band and the high-speed, mmWave spectrum.
According to the press release, “consumers now have access to improved wireless connectivity through OnGo-compatible mobile devices, including the Google Pixel 4, Motorola’s 5G Moto Mod, Samsung Galaxy S10, Apple iPhone 11, LG G8 ThinQ, and OnePlus 7 Pro, all of which are on the market today. The OnGo ecosystem is vast and opens a brand-new market for wireless communications and 5G services in the United States, touching rural broadband via fixed wireless providers (WISPs), enterprise IT, hospitality, retail, real estate, industrial IoT, and transportation, among other sectors.”
Because of OnGo’s previous status as protected spectrum, it can still be used by the DoD in times of emergency.
“To ensure that the DoD has continued access to the band, Environmental Sensing Capability (ESC) networks have been deployed along the U.S. coast. The ESC networks operated by CommScope, Federated Wireless, and Google inform the SAS administrators to activate a protection zone and dynamically reassign users in the area to other parts of the band, thus protecting the incumbent’s use of the spectrum while maximizing availability of CBRS spectrum across coastal areas.”
The FCC’s decision is good news for consumers and businesses alike and will open up a wide range of wireless opportunities.
Wuhan may be known as the first place the new coronavirus was identified, but it’s also a center of transport and manufacturing. Now experts are concerned the former may have significant impacts on the latter, according to Bloomberg.
As of the time of writing, there have been nearly 2,800 cases of the virus across China and 15 cities have been put in lockdown. As the epicenter of the outbreak, “Wuhan itself has been effectively quarantined, with all routes in and out of the city closed or highly regulated,” according to CNN.
As Bloomberg points out, as “the capital of Hubei province, Wuhan is the biggest water, land and air transportation hub in inland China, according to the Ministry of Commerce. It’s also a major rail hub with multiple lines linking it to major cities, and a renowned education center.” The city has also been moving into high-tech industries, including chip-making and biomedicine.
With the city quarantined, experts fear it could have far reaching implications.
“Complicated supply chains and just-in-time production could mean that production outages in Wuhan factories have broader spillover effects,” Shaun Roache, Asia-Pacific chief economist at S&P Global Ratings, told Bloomberg.
With a world economy that is ever more connected, it’s too early to predict just how much impact the virus could have as more cities are quarantined or put in lockdown. But it’s a safe bet that the longer it goes on, the more the effects will be felt across industries.
