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LONDON (AP) — Engine maker Rolls-Royce said Wednesday it plans to cut some 9,000 jobs globally as it grapples with the collapse in air travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The company based in Derby, England, employs 52,000 people overall, and didn't specify which regions would take the hardest blow. CEO Warren East said most of the cuts will take place in the civil aerospace business, where two-thirds of U.K. employees work. Negotiations are set to begin with unions. “Being told that there is no longer a job for you is a terrible prospect and it is especially hard when all of us take so much pride in working for Rolls-Royce,’’ East said. “But we must take difficult decisions to see our business through these unprecedented times.” The company immediately came under criticism, however, since it has furloughed some 4,000 workers under a government program to pay some of the wages of people affected by the crisis. The unions insisted taxpayers deserved a more responsible approach to a national emergency. “The news that Rolls-Royce is preparing to throw thousands of skilled, loyal, world-class workers, their families and communities under the bus during the worst public health crisis since 1918 is shameful opportunism,’’ said Steve Turner, assistant general secretary of Unite. “This company has accepted public money to furlough thousands of workers.’’ The reorganization will lead to cuts resulting in some 700 million pounds ($856 million) in savings with an overall aim of 1.3 billion pounds in annual savings. The cuts at a big supplier for the aviation industry are a dark signal for Britain’s overall economy. Thousands of jobs in a wider pipeline support operations at Rolls-Royce. It also suggests that government efforts to cushion the COVID-19 blow won’t be enough for aviation. Leaders in the sector have been appealing for help. Airlines around the world have grounded their fleets amid pandemic restrictions on travel and received government-backed rescue loans. Carriers and planemakers like Boeing are cutting jobs heavily as they expect lasting damage to aviation. Rolls-Royce warned earlier this month that flying hours for its engines dived by 90% in April. “This is not a crisis of our making. But it is the crisis that we face and we must deal with it,’’ East said. “Our airline customers and air-frame partners are having to adapt and so must we.’’ MANUFACTURING.NET

DARMSTADT, Germany - January 25, 2019 - TE Connectivity (TE), a world leader in connectivity and sensors, will take part in the Automation Technology Expo (ATX) West from February 5-7, 2019 in Anaheim, CA, to showcase its industrial machinery, material handling and robotics portfolios. Robotics - As industrial manufacturing develops, robotics will be at its heart. But even the best robots are only as good as the connectivity solutions that transfer and manage their signals, power and networking capacity. Servo Drives - maximizing data volumes involved in communication with the servo drive requires highly dependable transfer connections that operate at the best possible speeds. Control Cabinets to Prevent Downtime - TE's new design for control circuit wiring decreases machine maintenance costs and helps restrict downtime.Industrial Machinery - The TE Intercontec connectors offer reliable and easy to install solutions to connect power, signal or data - or all combined - these connectors provide a custom solution for customer applicationsThis article is originally posted on TRONSERVE.COM

HDC Hyundai Development Co.'s planned acquisition of Asiana Airlines Inc. has been delayed to the second half due to the new coronavirus' impact on the airline industry, industry sources said Friday. In December, the HDC-Mirae Asset Daewoo consortium signed a deal to acquire the country's second-biggest airline from Kumho Asiana Group, with a plan to complete the acquisition by June 27. Early this month, Asiana's main creditor Korea Development Bank (KDB) demanded that the HDC-led consortium notify the state lender of its intent to complete the deal by the initially scheduled date. In response, HDC called for renegotiations with Asiana creditors over the acquisition terms, describing the ongoing virus crisis as a "never expected and very negative factor" that will affect its planned acquisition of Asiana Airlines. HDC also cited snowballing debts of the airline as another reason for renegotiations, noting that debts are "damaging the acquisition value of the carrier." Asiana's debts jumped by 4.5 trillion won from July last year to March this year, and its debt-to-equity ratio skyrocketed by 16,126 percent during the same period. HDC has demanded renegotiations with the KDB through written documents, but the policy bank asked the company to hold face-to-face talks. The two sides have yet to set the date for renegotiations. "We once again sent a letter to HDC last week to ask the company to have a face-to-face meeting to discuss the renegotiations. But we haven't received any response from the company yet," a KDB spokesman said over the phone. HDC said Friday the company is "in talks with Asiana's creditors and will continue negotiations with them to proceed with the deal." HDC has reiterated its plan to acquire Asiana, dismissing speculation that it may have difficulties in taking over the company due to the economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak. Regulators in the United States, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey and South Korea approved HDC's planned takeover of Asiana. Russia is the only remaining country that is still reviewing the integration. HDC and Kumho Asiana Group will have six more months to close the deal by Dec. 27 as HDC has to receive approval from all countries to which it flies, the KDB spokesman said. The HDC consortium signed the deal to acquire a 30.77 percent stake in Asiana from Kumho Industrial Co., a construction unit of Kumho Asiana Group, as well as new Asiana shares to be issued and Asiana's six affiliates, for 2.5 trillion won ($2.2 billion). Asiana has suspended most of its flights on international routes as more than 180 countries have strengthened entry restrictions amid virus fears this year. As a result, its net losses for the January-March quarter deepened to 683.26 billion won from 89.18 billion won a year earlier. To help Asiana stay afloat, the country's two state lenders -- the KDB and the Export-Import Bank of Korea -- plan to inject a combined 1.7 trillion won into Asiana. Last year, the two banks extended a total of 1.6 trillion won to the cash-strapped carrier. In its latest self-help plans, Asiana has had all of its 10,500 employees take unpaid leave for 15 days a month since April until business circumstances normalize. Asiana's executives have also agreed to forgo 60 percent of their wages, though no specific time frame was given for how long the pay cuts will remain in effect. (Yonhap) THE KOREA HERALD

Continental needed a high capacity system capable of rapid inspection cycles combined with fast surface scanning and accurate feature measurements, the aim being to gain more comprehensive insight into the company’s products. The range includes electronic and hydraulic brake and chassis control systems, wheel and engine speed sensors, airbag electronics and electronic air suspension systems. Renowned for expertise in driving safety, the firm’s quality department plays a pivotal role in its success. Day to day tasks in the measurement laboratory include feature and surface inspection, linear dimension measurements and GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing) analysis to monitor production quality from the shop floor and assist in new product development. The quality department processes approximately 1,600 inspection reports per year, each consisting of around 20 measured parts, but they needed to gain quicker, more comprehensive insight and obtain more information per report.The two ALTERA 8.7.6 CMMs installed in the measurement laboratory at Continental- Chassis & Safety, Veszpren, Hungary.The quality department processes approximately 1,600 inspection reports per year, each consisting of around 20 measured parts, but they needed to gain quicker, more comprehensive insight and obtain more information per report.Multi-sensor metrology paves the way for faster inspectionIn Continental’s measurement laboratory, a single CMM with touch probes was handling most of the inspection. Measuring technician Peter Somogyi advised that the main limitation of the pre-existing CMM was its slowness and hence low capacity. Quality engineer Tamas Brunner added that the software was not up to their standards in respect of automated inspection and the latest GD&T. With so many measuring tasks to process, the CMM was unable to keep up with throughput using touch probe inspection, let alone provide the level of insight necessary. Mr. Tamas calculated that they needed to halve inspection cycle times.Before beginning the search for a new solution, the quality department outlined its desire to utilize multi-sensor technology in the reorganization of the facilities. After consulting several CMM vendors, an ALTERA 8.7.6 CMM from LK was identified as the ideal solution. The decision was made to install two of them, each providing multi-sensor capability complemented by LK CAMIO software. In addition to a Nikon LC15Dx digital laser scanner, the new CMMs include a Renishaw TP200 tactile measuring probe. An ACR3 change rack ensures smooth, automated exchange between tactile and non-contact probes, controlled by the CAMIO acquisition and processing software.As all measurement data is stored and available for reprocessing or further analysis, the new inspection system serves as an important tool in handling potential customer claims. The quality of the new inspection process has introduced increased insight into critical dimensions, cavities and functional features of parts, enabling faster corrective action.Laser scanning the plastic body of an ABS (automatic braking system) speed sensor using a digital laser scanner.Tactile probing the ABS sensor body.The direct benefits, such as faster inspection cycles and increased productivity as well as quick and easy report generation, are allowing Continental to meet its goals. Mr. Somogyi said, “The multi-sensor CMM allows almost all types of measurements to be completed on one machine, whereas previously we needed to use multiple inspection facilities such as tactile probe, microscope, projector and conturograph.”Tamas Brunner pinpointed the software as an important benefit. He confirmed, “The graphical reporting is quick and easy to understand. Parts need to comply to many different tolerances and the reports provide clear information.”Since the twin, multi-sensor CMMs were installed in the quality department, the new equipment has provoked interest from Continental’s Molding Competence Centre, which is evaluating how optical inspection can speed pre-production and development cycles.MULIT-SENSOR INSPECTION

TWO international tech firms will work together on the artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem in South-east Asia, under a pact announced on Thursday (Dec 5). Chinese tech giant Huawei’s cloud services unit and the regional arm of San Francisco-based startup Skymind plan to offer strategic and technical expertise on smart city innovations, starting with projects in Indonesia and Malaysia, although they did not specify a timeline or what kinds of urban solutions their joint working group aims to provide.According to the firms’ announcement, the two companies will tackle regional infrastructure and talent development, such as through AI training schemes for local industry workers. “The combined expertise and technical capabilities of the two companies will provide a strong foundation to position South-east Asia as an AI innovation hub,” Shawn Tan, chief executive of Skymind AI, said in a statement, while noting that the memorandum of understanding could also support his company’s expansion in the region.Lim Chee Siong, vice-president of Huawei Cloud South Pacific Region, added that Huawei’s cloud and AI capabilities could enable local developers and facilitate work with other partners, such as universities - which he said has “the ultimate goal of making AI more inclusive”. Earlier this year, Huawei had announced the launch of a 5G-ready cloud and AI lab in Singapore, which was officially opened on Nov 22 with a three-pronged approach to developing talent, fostering industry innovation, and connecting tech ecosystems in China and Singapore.AI ECOSYSTEM IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA

Years ago, Marvin Minsky coined the phrase “suitcase words” to refer to terms that have a multitude of different meanings packed into them. He gave as examples words like consciousness, morality and creativity.“Artificial intelligence” is a suitcase word. Commentators today use the phrase to mean many different things in many different contexts. As AI becomes more important technologically, economically and geopolitically, the phrase’s use—and misuse—will only grow.Like all suitcase words, artificial intelligence is notoriously elusive to define precisely. To make headway here, it is helpful to start by trimming one word and considering how to define the term “intelligence”.There is no one dimension, metric or capability that encapsulates human intelligence. On the contrary, what we reductively call “intelligence” is in fact a constellation of capabilities spanning perception, memory, language skills, quantitative skills, planning, abstract reasoning, decision-making, creativity and emotional depth, among others.Given that human intelligence is vastly multi-dimensional, it stands to reason that artificial intelligence likewise cannot be reduced to any one specific function or technology. After all, AI is ultimately nothing more than humanity's effort to replicate its own cognitive capabilities in machines. This leads us to perhaps the best one-sentence definition that we can hope for: AI is best thought of as an entire field of study oriented around developing computing systems capable of performing tasks that otherwise would require human intelligence.Over the years and to the present, initiatives falling under the broad auspices of artificial intelligence have included computer vision, speech recognition, natural language processing, language translation, manipulation of physical objects, navigation through physical environments, logical reasoning, game-playing, prediction, long-term planning and continuous learning, among many others.An important related point is that the definition of artificial intelligence is a moving target. Practitioners refer to this phenomenon (sometimes with frustration) as the “AI effect”. In general, society finds it most natural to label a given capability as “AI” only when it has not yet been solved. Once researchers prove that a machine can accomplish a given feat, that feat begins to seem too pedestrian to be “real AI”. This has played out over and over again in recent years, with activities including language translation, chess, driving and Go.As roboticist Rodney Brooks put it, “Every time we figure out a piece of [AI], it stops being magical; we say, ‘Oh, that's just computation.’” Douglas Hofstadter summed it up even more succinctly: “AI is whatever hasn't been done yet.”The term “artificial intelligence”, then, defies straightforward definition by its very nature. No clear boundaries exist between AI and less exalted pursuits like statistics or computation. The entire inspiration for the field of AI is human intelligence, and just like human intelligence, artificial intelligence is multi-dimensional and cross-disciplinary. It is also dynamic across time: what industry observers consider “true AI” tends to be those capabilities that at that point lie just beyond the bleeding edge.This definitional complexity inevitably invites overuse and abuse of the term—from entrepreneurs looking to attract venture capital, from reporters looking to attract clicks, from politicians looking to attract attention.Yet in spite of all the hype, the term “artificial intelligence” remains useful, even essential (like all suitcase words). Even if its boundaries are blurry, there is value in having an overarching term to encompass and unify this family of conceptually related efforts. It facilitates communication and keeps us from getting bogged down every time we seek to discuss the topic.Perhaps the most noteworthy difference between artificial intelligence and human intelligence is that there is no discernible upper bound to AI. Rather, its boundaries continue to expand with every passing year. No one knows with certainty where this will lead. Alan Turing, one of the first and greatest AI thinkers, had a thought-provoking point of view. “It is customary to offer a grain of comfort, in the form of a statement that some peculiarly human characteristic could never be imitated by a machine,” Turing said in 1951. “I cannot offer any such comfort, for I believe that no such bounds can be set.”ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Benefits of Blogging for Businesses and Why You Should StartEver since the dawn of the internet, there have been people posting their experiences and opinions online for others to peruse. Bloggers opine and review products, explain the intricacies of software and computer errors, and provide fifty different ways to dress on a Saturday. As a compilation of thoughts, facts, and opinions, a lot of blogs provide the first half of the internet’s give-take relationship of information.Despite the trappings of other social media, blogs still remain as prevalent as ever. Chances are, if you are one of the 2.1 billion digital buyers in the modern age, you have benefited from the blogposts of reviewers and trial testers. In fact, almost 77% of internet users regularly read blog posts. That’s a lot of traffic floating around.As an entrepreneur, how can blogging benefit your business?Lead the room Putting up blogs about one’s products and services can lend a hand to establishing one’s authority. By sharing your experiences and knowledge about the goods you offer, this can lead to better trust between brand and consumer.Almost 61% of online users buy something after reading a blog. How many of those could be conversions from your blog posts? It’s highly likely a customer browsing your blogs are already interested in the products that you offer, and a great blog can turn them into a spending customer.Moreover, as an entrepreneur, knowing the finer details of the products you have as compared to the average customer is par for the course. Blog about it! Let the masses know about the intricate machinery that mass produce sinks, or how many hours designers spent on one of your more exquisite package designs. This can make consumers view your brand as not only an expert in your niche, but also as an approachable, transparent brand, which can open doors to more great opportunities.Boost your SEO Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is paramount to your online presence, especially as an entrepreneur in this digital age. Consumers find your website through a few methods:-Typing your website name into their browser. This is an audience that already knows who you are, and it certainly doesn’t bring anyone new to the table.-Through emails. Some entrepreneurs spend money on email lists, blasting emails that may get filtered into spam, and hope that some curious eyes will open and click through said emails. This is not cost efficient, and illegal (in some places!).-Through paid advertising in social media. Despite massive audience coverage, the fees are still costly, and the moment you run out of money, advertising and traffic stops just as fast. Blogging helps solve these problems! With a topic, an hour to spare, and Microsoft Word, any entrepreneur can begin drafting a blog. Tastefully adding keywords (we’re talking stuff like ‘benefits of blogging, blogging benefits, business blogging, and the like,) can help web crawler bots easily identify the content that you create, ranking your blogs higher in search engines. Best of all, it’s completely free.Spamming keywords are obviously discouraged, due to unprofessionalism, and Google can outright ban or lower one’s ranks on the search engines if the site is stuffed full of keywords with nothing of value added between them.Share and be shared Blogging, as a written piece of information, easily accessible and free to browse on the internet, is easily shared. Hyperlinked, attached to messages, sent as a copy-pasted link, a blog has great potential to be shared across the world wide web and reach thousands, if not millions.Since blogs tend to be written more personal and opinion-like, as compared to the polished, unapproachable sparkle that are marketing advertisements, one can engage existing and prospective customers through a way not possible through other marketing techniques. This can raise a brand’s online presence, or how “out there” you can be found by consumers.This allows for immense brand awareness, as blogs can be easily shared, one’s brand can be easily found plastered on many sharing platforms. A well written blog can go viral, bringing in exponential growth as more viewers read it, share it, and their recipients read and share it down their line of friends. Furthermore, as a blogger, it’s also easy to link other blogs with your own, asserting credibility and trust. Bloggers that frequently backlink to other blogs will find themselves more likely to be ranked higher in search engines, as the website crawler bots view reputable blogs connected to a trustworthy website as more valuable. Search engines aim to show the most relevant and highest quality results for any user’s searches, so a blog with a good handful of backlinks is a great tool for entrepreneur bloggers. Keep organic traffic Imagine the power your business can hold if more than 50% of your viewer base comes through your blogs that serve almost 99% of their questions. If the blogs still leave questions unanswered, comment sections below blogs allow for questions to be asked any time of the day, and you can get back to them at your own leisure (preferably quickly!). Moreover, active members of your community can engage with said bloggers, allowing a budding community to grow. This is a prime example of organic traffic, and it’s a golden treasure in a digital world of spambots and AI clickers. Organic traffic creates a plethora of benefits, such as bringing in potential customers, increased reputation to new viewers, and even brings up your website through SEO as well! Blogging provides an opportunity to connect with the most important audience: your consumers. Without the mask of trying to close sales or front a false PR face, blogs allow for a more conversational way to bond with your consumers, creating a community. A strong community withstands the test of time and can begin through a few keystrokes posted online. It would be far too simple to imagine that pasting advertisements over Facebook, Google, social media sites, and forums will be enough to bring traffic to one’s site. However, if properly built, blogs can be made to last for the long term.Start a blog on your website with your own custom domain with Tronserve today.

From password logins to blockchain keys, many of us regularly store valuable information on our smartphones. While this enables us to enjoy more convenience, it also makes our mobile devices a target for malicious actors.We want users to enjoy our technology and innovations without a worry, which is why Galaxy devices come with a wide range of industry-leading security solutions to protect personal data. Samsung Knox protects, isolates, and secures data from the hardware chip up, while Secure Wi-Fi provides a safe environment for internet browsing on public wireless connections. And in case of loss or theft, the Find My Mobile service enables users to remotely locate the smartphone, as well as backup and protect data stored on the device. For the Galaxy S20, we continued to build on this solid security foundation. At the heart of the enhanced system is the secure processor, which is engineered to ensure your data is protected even against advanced hardware attacks. Enhanced Hardware Security Just like the way locksmiths can use tools to get past a locked door, malicious actors can manipulate components (physical attacks), provoke hardware errors (fault attacks), or analyze heat and electromagnetic emissions (side-channel attacks) to breach smartphone security. These attacks, also known as hardware attacks, can only happen if the hacker gets hold of the device physically. The Galaxy S20’s secure processor is Samsung’s solution to counter against hardware attacks. The component is a physical chip that provides an isolated space to protect confidential data in the device. In addition to the continuous scrambling and encrypting of confidential data, it employs a physical shield to guard against physical attacks. The component can also detect invalid voltage or temperature changes and is equipped with security algorithms to thwart side-channel attacks.An Extra Level of Protection for Your Data The secure processor protects a wide range of valuable data on your smartphone, starting from the lock screen. It ensures that your lock screen PIN, pattern, or password are not susceptible to guesses by making it almost impossible for attackers to reset the error counter, which monitors the number of failed unlock attempts. In addition to lock screen data, the secure processor can also process blockchain private keys, which are similar to banking passwords for crypto-currency wallets. The component even supports Strongbox Keymaster, meaning it provides hardware protection for private keys or sensitive data on third-party apps. As a part of Samsung Knox’s multi-layered security platform, the secure processor will not only keep your data protected on the go but also enable safer, more convenient mobile experiences in the future. For more information about the Galaxy S20, visit news.samsung.com/galaxy, www.samsungmobilepress.com or www.samsung.com/galaxy-s20. SAMSUNGNEWSROOM

Tesla is building another tent structure at the Fremont plant to produce more Model Y. The end of this month will see a major upgrade including a short shutdown of the factory. Meanwhile, there are contradictory data on the number of coronavirus infections at Tesla.  But first to the Model Y: Rumours started already at the beginning of June that Tesla wanted to buy another “Giga Press” – now it seems clear where Tesla wants to use the big press for body parts. As can be seen from several registrations on the website of the city of Fremont, Tesla is planning several modifications and extensions at the “General Assembly 4.5”. This name was used for the tent structure where the Model 3 was built from 2018 on. Since this March, the assembly of the Model Y is taking place there. In the course of the “4.5 Expansion Rev 1”, a second tent is now apparently to be erected directly next to the existing structure, in which a further assembly line for the Model Y is to be set up. The new “Giga Press” should also be used here. Elon Musk had already indicated a few months ago that a single component would replace a two-part cast aluminium structure in the rear of the Model Y. According to reports, the new press would be able to do this. After Tesla benefited in the second quarter mainly from the good production figures of Gigafactory 3 near Shanghai, the Californians are now preparing for an expansion of US production – in addition to the planned Cybertruck Gigafactory in Texas or Oklahoma. The Model Y for customers on the East Coast is also to be built there later. Until then, however, all Model Y will continue to come from Fremont. As Electrek writes, the production in Fremont will even be interrupted briefly at the end of July to carry out modifications in the hall and the first tent. Besides some production machines, the conditions for the workers in the tent will be improved. The working and production conditions have already been criticised earlier, and in times of the Corona pandemic, they are of particular importance. If there are problems or mass infections, the factory could be closed or, in cases independent of Tesla, tightened exit restrictions could be imposed in the county. However, it is unclear how strongly the coronavirus has affected Tesla. While an e-mail to employees mentions fewer than ten cases, Electrek cites internal data from the manufacturer, that more than 130 Tesla employees have tested positive and hundreds of test results are still pending. A total of 1,550 Tesla employees have had contact with infected persons. ELECTRIVE.COM

TOKYO--Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd has developed a stereo camera that enables Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) at intersections relying on stereo camera alone by combining distant object detection with wide angle view, and without millimeter wave radar.As automobiles continue to expand globally, there is a growing need for technologies that enhance driving safety, particularly at intersections. As of 2020, the NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) will include Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) among the criteria in their leading automotive safety performance assessment.Sensor technologies with horizontal, wide angle view are necessary to detect pedestrians to avoid accidents when an automobile turns at an intersection. To achieve this, it is essential to continuously detect vehicles ahead, and also required are a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) with consistently high pixilation, the camera sensor, or a combination of multiple sensors, including a radar which detects objects in the surrounding area or in the distance.With this newly developed stereo camera, Hitachi Automotive Systems has increased the range of detection by widening the horizontal range of the stereo camera relative to conventional stereo cameras, and has adopted a method to shift images detected by the left and right cameras. This delivers an angle of view three times wider compared to conventional stereo cameras, and enables Automatic Emergency Braking when turning at intersections while still maintaining the ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) which employs compatible distant object detection without the need for a large increase in the number of sensor pixels compared to conventional stereo cameras.The technology to change detection methods in the center and periphery parts of the detection range was developed in collaboration with the Hitachi Ltd R&D Group. Highly accurate detection and range estimation of pedestrians and cyclists improves safety at intersections while relying only upon the stereo camera, a minimal amount of components. This is achieved by seamlessly integrating a number of features including centralized binocular detection through binocular vision, three-dimensional object detection through time series image processing provided by monocular vision in the periphery, and storage of identification patterns using machine learning methods.HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE