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As higher education costs remain to rise, students bear the ultimate burden of picking the right school, major, and delivery format to maximize post-graduation success. Not like previous generations, millennials and adult learners are searching for alternatives to full-time, on-campus programs, and universities are eager to offer non-traditional routes to a degree.Distance learning programs have actually existed since the 1980s, but technological innovation, content scalability, and widespread mobile adoption have made possible the online degree program to become a competitive option for aspiring students. Long gone are the days of aggressive marketing tactics and empty promises made by degree mills and unaccredited for-profit universities. Today, a learner can enter in competitive bachelor's and master's programs at U Penn, Columbia, Johns Hopkins, NYU, and more. Usually, the virtual programs can pass tuition savings of 25-50% to enrolled candidates.Take, for example, the Georgia Institute of Technology. An elite public institution, Georgia Tech boasts proud figures of #35 for national university rankings and #8 for best computer science programs. Backed by a $2 million investment from AT&T and a craving to democratize education by enlarging beyond physical class sizes, Georgia Tech spun up a Master of Computer Science degree provided asynchronously in a virtual environment. The total price tag? ~$7,000 USD.Georgia Tech just isn't all alone. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign suspended their on-campus MBA program to move into an iMBA online, enrollment in individual online courses is tracking upwards year-over-year, and 25% of universities are predicted to fail in the next 20 years due to heavy losses incurred by pricy facilities and declining student registration.The acceleration of online-based learning has its positive factors, but it is not a silver bullet. Nevertheless, a set of next-generation improvements facilitated by artificial intelligence (AI) stands to completely change the virtual experience.The AI AdvantageTo augment the current teaching model in which the teacher is the source of knowledge and the student is the recipient, we need to fundamentally reimagine the role of an educator in the university system. Advances in automated assignment grading and remote monitoring services (e.g. Proctorio) allow instructors to forego repetitive, time-intensive tasks and rather dedicate their saved time to higher-value work. For students that do not thrive in the normal classroom setting, AI-enabled learning management systems (LMS) can utilize surveys to categorize individuals into distinct learning buckets (e.g. visual, auditory, text), that can provide effective and targeted content that fits with each preferred learning style. Beyond just identification of preferences, the platforms can also break down long-form lectures and reading assignments into smaller, atomic components that are conveniently digestible.  For international students, the language barrier may complicate progress, but cutting-edge research in text translation and machine learning strives to create deep-learning systems that can change English lectures into the student’s native tongue. Similar technologies in voice recognition and text summarization can transcribe the entire lecture with stunning accuracy and lessen paragraphs of text into just the relevant bullet points for review. Machine learning algorithms can in a similar way be deployed over a course curriculum to flag areas of bias, complexity, and ambiguity for closer review by the instructor. The climb is slow, but students, teachers, and administrations will no doubt gain the benefits of AI as it evolves and matures over the next decade. The question of whether this field will be disrupted by a tech company, university, or research organization is still up for debate.FORBES

(Reuters) - Vodafone’s broadband services joint venture with Hutchison Telecommunications (Australia) Ltd has partnered with Nokia to roll out 5G services in Australia, the companies said on Monday.The 5G drive comes as the joint venture is caught in a legal appeal process against an antitrust regulator’s move to block its proposed A$15 billion mega-merger with TPG Telecom Ltd . In a joint statement, the companies said Vodafone Hutchison Australia, the 50-50 joint venture, would kick off its 5G rollout in the first half of 2020 with Nokia as the network vendor.“They (Nokia) presented a compelling roadmap that aligned with our 5G objectives and will help us to continue improving our 4G network for our customers,” Vodafone Chief Executive Officer Iñaki Berroeta said in the statement. The Finnish telecom network equipment maker has already built a test network to demonstrate its 5G technology, and those sites will become the first area of commercial coverage for Vodafone’s 5G network.The partnership was the final step in a long process, Vodafone’s Berroeta said, following the security guidance given by the country’s federal government in August 2018.Australia expanded its national security rules to exclude telecommunication equipment suppliers that it believes have ties to foreign governments, a move that disallowed Huawei Technologies Co Ltd from the country’s 5G rollout.Nokia has been a beneficiary of restrictions in Western nations on market access to Huawei over allegations that China could use its equipment for espionage, a charge that Huawei has repeatedly denied. Most recently, Spark New Zealand Ltd abandoned plans to rely on Huawei exclusively for the rollout of 5G services, choosing the 5G rollout with Nokia instead.VODAFONE

A circular connector is a coupling hardware built with a circular interface and cylindrical contact housing which comes with a huge variety of materials, sizes, contact layouts & types, and coupling designs. These circular connectors are commonly utilized for data, signal and power connections in the automation, manufacturing, military, aerospace and transit industries thanks to their rugged mechanical performance and ease of connectivity. They are also very versatile & flexible because of a wide range of contacts, voltages, and currents that can be easily featured based on the necessities of the applications.Mencom is the leading manufacturer of circular connectors and their rugged solutions are engineered for secure performance under the most serious use in harsh environments. Mencom features a complete line of circular connectors, including but not limited to, M8, M12, 1/2”-20 and M23 threads and MINI-Change connectors (MIN) with 7/8″, 1”, 1 1/8” threads. For the higher voltage (600V) applications, Power Distribution PMIN series with 1” 3/8 thread is also available. According to their recent product announcement, the coupling nuts and housings of the cord-sets for 1” and 1 1/8” threads have recently been redesigned to deliver the better connectivity and stability. In extension to the power and signal connectors, Mencom offers M12 and 7/8” threads circular connectors for the industrial Network solutions such as DeviceNet, Ethernet, Foundation Fieldbus, Profibus, and Profinet.Due to the many advantages of the circular connectors, it comes as no surprise that the military has manufactured the MIL-Spec 5015 series to meet the most tight requirements to withstand the toughest environments. Although the MIL-Spec 5015 circular connectors were initially designed for aeronautical and tactical service applications, they are becoming more commonplace in industrial applications that need the ruggedness of the MIL-Spec style, but do not need the military principles. In order to meet the strong desire from various industries, Mencom has designed and offers a MIL-Spec 5015 Equivalent connector series with size 10SL (0.625”-24NEF), 14S (0.875”-20UNEF), 16S (1”-20UNEF) and 18(1.125”-18UNEF). Mencom circular connectors are UL listed and IP67 rated to supply the utmost protection and quality for harsh environments. Multiple pole configurations and cable jacket materials including PVC, PUR and TPR are available for over-molded connectors along with a full line of accessories such as field wire-able plugs, T-connectors, closure caps and plugs to name a few. Mencom has the largest variety of mounting styles for the mating circular receptacles.  Also, all the circular connectors are adjustable upon inquiry with fast turnaround at low-cost costs. The range of the customization is from small changes to custom terminations and assemblies. Rugged armor options for extreme manufacturing environments are available for 7/8”, M12 and M8 circular connectors.This article originally posted on MENCOM.COM

7 + 1 ways to kickstart your business online, PART 1You’ve thought of the great idea. You’ve spotted a golden opportunity that only you can fix with your product or service. You can see yourself selling this to thousands, no, millions, across the globe, through the enigma that is online e-commerce shopping.But how does one start doing business online? In this blog, I’ll go through some of the ways one can begin to flourish as an online entrepreneur, and succeed in starting an online business.Doing your homework A business plan is achieved when an entrepreneur (such as yourself!) finds a niche to fulfill, and a business proposition. By knowing the target market of the product or service one is seeking to get into, it makes it much easier to dip one’s toes into the industry. Many businessowners can confidently claim that their ignorance in understanding their audience demographic has led to some embarrassing oversights, costing them their revenue and reputation.Besides that, knowing the big players in the market can help one to come up with suitable content strategies and promotions to compete with rivals. How can you come up with products or services your competitors are not offering? How can you entice customers that are on the fence, or are leaning towards companies that have had their feet in the industry for longer? All good questions that should be taken into consideration before starting any business.Besides that, coming up with a unique name is important, too. The name of one’s brand sets themselves up for success or failure in the long run, and some not-so-well thought out names have led to some unfortunate, awful trademarks. A good rule of thumb for a brand name is to see that it is easy to read, easy to understand, and represents the essence of your business. The power of a simple email list Customer retention is one of the greatest ways for businesses to succeed. With a locked in source of revenue, potential for legendary word-of-mouth advertising, and a foundation for customer loyalty to the brand, having a few dedicated consumers is just as good as having many consumers that swap and switch out every few months. This is why some business consultants say that it costs “between 6 to 7 times more to get a new customer vs. keeping the customers you already have.” Have an email listing of customers that have signed up on your website and use the opportunity to send out new blog posts, business announcements, and new listed products you think they might enjoy. The emails that come from signees indicate an interest to your brand, which a shrewd entrepreneur can use to their advantage to get messages to customers and keep them coming back.Furthermore, email allows for messages to be passed between the customer and you, so any grievances found are hard to ignore. Having a speedy and effective customer service starts with communication between buyer and seller, and a quick resolution to a frustrating issue can lead to trust progressing in leaps and bounds. In a binary world, which seller would you prefer: one with cheap products liable to break with no customer service, or one with products that could break, but with a seller that keeps personal contact with customers and ensures their products are replaced quickly and inexpensively? In a world of transactions, trust is king. Keeping in touch with your customers is a surefire way to boost their trust in your brand, and boost your sales!Get social! Social media is an inescapable part of our daily lives. As explained from other blogs, social media also has a great potential to increase viewership to get one’s name out there, leading to more views and clicks on one’s site. Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube are notorious for having tailored advertisements play before some of their sites’ content loads, which can lead to millions of eyes on your product or service.However, advertising does cost quite a hefty sum. For example, Google’s Adsense charges advertisers per view, ranging only a few cents, but this can quickly add up (Google’s Adsense does allow for a budget cap, so the advertisements don’t take out too much money from your account). For a starting company with a minimal advertising budget, this may not do. That’s where social media influencers come in! With a following of thousands, becoming a social media influencer can become a full-time job. Simply reach out to an influencer who posts content that complement your brand, and marketing deals can be struck, such as putting up a post of your content, or setting a “story” to be broadcasted and automatically deleted after 24 hours.Influencers with followings of millions can charge a lot for their viewer’s eyes, but budding social media influencers that are just starting out are more than willing to negotiate and come to agreeable terms. Indie clothing brands have been noted to sponsor influencers with their trendy clothes, in exchange for them to wear them in their social media content. A pretty good deal, if you ask me!Set up a website Having a unique name also comes with it’s perks. Besides being brandable and memorable, a unique name is more likely to have their domain available when creating a website.Almost 1.92 billion customers do their shopping online. Yet, 50% of businesses don’t own a single website. Where will prospective customers go to contact you? To see your products or services? To know more about what you can offer them, before they turn their eyes to another more prominent brand?One can own a website through website hosters or website builders, which run their own sets of subscription packages and features. Website builders are becoming more preferred among the young, tech-savvy entrepreneur generation, due to its simplicity to be set up, and the flexibility for it to be edited on-the-go. Restaurants that need quick changes to their menu, or a blogger that has to fix a disastrous typo can both make edits in mere minutes. These require one to own their own domain, which can be bought along with the subscription packages for website hosters and builders.A good rule of thumb for a website is that it must be user friendly, updated well, and fast. Nothing turns off customers more than a landing page that takes hours to load. More facts will follow in the next blog post!Meanwhile, why not have a website that’s quick, easy to set up, and reliable against all odds? Make one with Tronserve today.

Until a decade ago, the only option people had to reach out to a company was to call or email their customer service team. Now, companies offer a chat team to provide better round-the-clock customer service. According to a Facebook-commissioned study by Nielsen, 56% of people would prefer to message rather than call customer service, and that’s where bots come into play.Bots are revolutionizing the way companies interact with their customers. A decade ago, bots were considered a passing tech fad. However, that debate has been put to rest now as major companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook and others have started deploying bots in almost every area of their business. The new debate brewing in the bot community is about the choice between rule-based bots or AI bots. Which one to choose? Which one is better? These are the questions on the minds of business leaders intending to utilize bots in their organizations. There are many factors that contribute to the efficiency of bots for different applications, and understanding these factors can help businesses make informed decisions as to choosing between rule-based versus AI bots.Deciding between rule-based bots and AI botsBuilding and deploying bots is now on most companies’ to-do lists, if they’re not already deployed. Nevertheless, most are confused about whether they should go with rule-based bots or AI bots. Let’s evaluate the pros and cons of each.Advantages of rule-based botsRule-based bots can answer questions based on a predefined set of rules that are embedded into them. The set of rules can greatly vary in complexity. Building such rule-based bots is much simpler than building AI bots. Rule-based bots are generally faster to train. The bots are built on a conditional if/then basis, which makes them simpler to train. The rule-based bots can take action based on the outcome of the conditional statements. Easy training of rule-based bots simultaneously reduces implementation cost. The rule-based bots are highly accountable and secure. These bots cannot learn on their own and will provide the answers that the companies want them to provide. Since rule-based bots cannot self-learn, this ensures that they will provide consistent customer service. Rule-based bots can professionally hand over the conversation to a human agent if the customer asks something that is absent from the database. The practice to handover the conversation to the human agent ensures that no unnecessary information is conveyed to the customer.A rule-based approach also enables faster implementation of bots. Unlike AI bots, rule-based bots do not need to wait for years to gather data that can be analyzed by algorithms to understand customer problems and provide solutions. Rule-based bots can be easily implemented by embedding known scenarios and their outputs into them. These bots can then be embedded with more data according to new conversational patterns from new customer interactions. Although rule-based bots have many advantages, their limitations cannot be overlooked.Disadvantages of rule-based botsThe problem with predefined rule-based bots is that they need to be embedded with rules for performing every small to complex task. If anything that is out of the database comes their way, then the rule-based bots hand over the conversation to humans. It means that rule-based bots cannot operate on a standalone basis; they need human intervention at some point.Another limitation of rule-based bots is that of personalized communication. Chatbots can service different people speaking different languages. In addition, not only the languages, but the way of communication also varies from person to person. For instance, to book a flight to Paris one person may say, “I want to book a flight to Paris,” and another may say, “I need a ticket to Paris.” Both statements mean the same thing, yet if the rule-based bot is unable to understand that, it will pass the conversation to a human which may frustrate the customer.Rule-based bots can be embedded with information from conversational patterns as time passes. Nevertheless, it becomes a challenge for developers to embed every possible scenario into rule-based bots. Although rule-based bots can be quickly implemented, they are hard to maintain after a certain length of time.Advantages of AI botsAI bots are self-learning bots that are programmed with Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning. It takes a long time to train and build an AI bot initially. However, AI bots can save a lot of time and money in the long run. The use of AI bots works well with companies that have a lot of data as they can self-learn from the data. The self-learn ability of AI bots saves money, as unlike rule-based bots, they do not need to be updated after a certain interval of time. AI bots can be programmed to understand different languages and can address personalized communication challenges faced by rule-based bots.With the use of deep learning, AI bots can learn to read the emotions of a customer. These bots can interact with the customers based on their mood. For instance, a China-based startup, Emotibot, is helping to develop chatbots that can detect the current mood of the customer and respond accordingly. With constant learning, AI bots can help provide personalized customer service to enhance customer engagement. Since AI bots can handle customer queries from end-to-end without human interaction required, they can be deployed for round-the-clock customer service.Disadvantages of AI botsAI can make chatbots smart, but it cannot make them understand the context of human interactions. For example, humans can change their way of communication depending on with whom they are communicating. If they are communicating with small children they use simpler words and shorter sentences. In addition, when human employees communicate with clients they use a more formal tone. Since bots cannot understand the human context, they communicate with everyone in the same way, irrespective of age or gender. The self-learning ability of AI bots might seem helpful to businesses but it can cause trouble sometimes. AI bots do not possess an accurate decision-making quality, and thus can learn something that they are not supposed to. For instance, a chatbot named Tay started posting offensive tweets. The chatbot Tay got manipulated through social engineering tweets and started posting undesirable phrases like ‘Hitler was right,’ in a canned ‘Repeat after me….’ series of tweets.These advantages and disadvantages can help companies decide whether to use rule-based bots or AI bots, but only up to a certain extent. There are many other factors that enterprises should consider before implementing chatbots in their companies. Whether the bots will serve B2B or B2C, in what areas the bots will be deployed, and how the bots will be maintained are some factors to be considered. Rule-based bots and AI bots both have their own benefits and disadvantages, and both can be useful in their own ways. Enhanced customer service is king when it comes to the growth of a business. Understanding how different bots will improve their customer service ultimately helps them choose the best-suited bot for their business.FORBES

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Federal courts have delivered a string of rebukes to the Trump administration over what they found were failures to protect the environment and address climate change as it promotes fossil fuel interests and the extraction of natural resources from public lands. Judges have ruled administration officials ignored or downplayed potential environmental damage in lawsuits over oil and gas leases, coal mining and pipelines to transport fuels across the U.S., according to an Associated Press review of more than a dozen major environmental cases. The latest ruling against the administration came Thursday when an appeals court refused to revive a permitting program for oil and gas pipelines that a lower court had canceled. Actions taken by the courts have ranged from orders for more environmental analysis to the unprecedented cancellation of oil and gas leases across hundreds of thousands of acres in Western states. “Many of the decisions the Trump administration has been making are arguably illegal and in some cases blatantly so,” said Mark Squillace, associate dean at the University of Colorado Law School and a specialist in natural resources law. “They’ve lost a lot of cases.” Some of the most far-reaching rulings have come from U.S. District Judge Brian Morris, an appointee of former President Barack Obama posted in Montana. This month alone Morris canceled energy leases on several hundred thousand acres in cases that centered on potential harm to water supplies and greater sage grouse, a declining species. He also struck down the nationwide permitting program for new oil and gas pipelines in a lawsuit against the controversial Keystone XL oil sands pipeline from Canada. The The rulings brought cheers from environmentalists who have looked to the judiciary to check Trump’s ambitions. But Morris was denounced by oil and gas industry representatives and allies in Congress as an “activist judge” inserting his own agenda into cases. The ire directed at Morris, a former clerk for the late conservative U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist, appears to be politically driven, legal analysts said. Federal judges in other states — including appointees of both Democratic and Republican administrations — have also ruled against Trump. — In California, Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong, an appointee of George H.W. Bush, struck down the administration's attempt to repeal a rule meant to ensure companies pay fair value for oil, coal and other natural resources from public lands. —In Colorado, Judge Lewis Babcock, a Ronald Reagan appointee, sided with conservation groups and said the administration's review of 171 proposed natural gas wells didn’t look closely enough at the cumulative effect of drilling on climate change and the area’s mule deer and elk populations. —In Idaho, a magistrate judge canceled more than $125 million in oil and gas leases on public lands that are home to sage grouse, after determining the Trump administration illegally curtailed public comment. Administration officials said the courtroom setbacks had not stopped them from paring back burdensome regulations to create jobs and save taxpayer money while still upholding environmental protections and public health. “It is hardly surprising that these frequent-filer litigants can sometimes find forums to temporarily slow administrative actions," Interior press secretary Ben Goldey said. Kathleen Sgamma with the Western Energy Alliance, which lobbies for oil and gas companies, said a better measure of the administration’s success is the growth in U.S. energy production under Trump. The U.S. overtook Saudi Arabia in 2018 to become the world’s largest oil producer. “The big picture is the administration’s ’energy dominance' agenda has been hugely successful,” Sgamma said. Trump deserves praise for recognizing that regulations hampered the industry’s growth and needed to be eased, she said. In the Keystone XL case, Morris ruled the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had never justified use of a blanket environmental permit for construction of oil and gas pipelines through wetlands, streams and other waters. The Army Corps suspended the permitting program, affecting thousands of projects. U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte, a Montana Republican, called the ruling “a massive overreach by an activist judge” that went beyond the court's authority. Government attorneys filed an emergency appeal to block Morris' ruling, but the rejection of it Thursday by a two-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals means the issue could drag out for months before a final decision. A longtime colleague of Morris who served with him on Montana’s Supreme Court said his detractors should look more closely at his record. “He follows the rule of law,” said retired Justice Mike Wheat. Attorneys who sue on behalf of environmental groups have long sought out venues they believe favorable, but it hasn't always worked out. In March, an Obama-appointed judge in California upheld the Trump administration's repeal of a 2015 rule regulating hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking," for oil and gas. Last week, on the same day Morris canceled oil and gas leases on more than 300,000 acres of public lands in Montana and Wyoming, he ruled for the administration in a coal mining case brought by environmentalists and the Democratic attorneys general of California, New York, New Mexico and Washington. The judge had initially ruled against the administration and said its lifting of an Obama-era moratorium on coal sales was flawed. But he accepted Interior's subsequent justification that the move had a negligible impact on climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions. That case illustrates a growing frustration among environmental activists: While judges have ruled against Trump on climate change and other issues, that hasn't stopped the administration from issuing flawed or incomplete environmental analyses then pushing forward until challenged in court again. “It’s like they are creating a whack-a-mole game that we have to play,” said Jeremy Nichols with Wildearth Guardians. MANUFACTURING.NET

Samsung Electronics announced that it will be showcasing five innovative projects from its C-Lab Inside program as well as products from four start-ups participating in its C-Lab Outside program at CES 2020, the world’s largest consumer electronics exhibition. The C-Lab booth will be located at Eureka Park, Sands Expo, where upcoming start-ups across the globe will be featured from January 7 through 11.“We will actively support C-Lab to create products that reflect the latest market trends and customer demands and will showcase outstanding projects and startups of C-Lab in various global exhibitions,” said Inkuk Hahn, Vice President and Head of the Creativity & Innovation Center at Samsung Electronics.From C-Lab Inside Projects to Successful Spin-offsC-Lab Inside is an in-house idea incubation program that encourages and nurtures innovative ideas from Samsung employees, which began in 2012. This will be the fifth year C-Lab is participating in CES.The new C-Lab Inside projects being unveiled for the first time at this year’s event are focused on a convenient and healthy lifestyle. They include: SelfieType, a virtual keyboard solution using the front-facing camera; Hyler, a smart highlighter pen that digitizes text printed on paper; Becon, a home care solution for scalp treatment & hair loss prevention; SunnySide, window-shaped artificial sunlight; and Ultra V, an ultraviolet monitoring sensor and service.Since its inception, a total of 40 Samsung C-Lab alumni projects have launched as fully-fledged start-ups, independent from the company. And eight of these will be showcasing their latest innovations and products at CES 2020 at their own booths, seeking new opportunities to expand their reach. These successful spin-offs include Linkflow, Welt, Linkface, Lululab, Mopic, Monit, AnaloguePlus, and Luple.Linkface is notable in that it has been named as Innovation Honoree of CES 2020 for its ‘Dear’ headphone with a biosignal sensor to reduce the risk of hearing loss in children. Welt, Lululab and Linkflow also have been honored with industry awards for their respective innovations.Four Start-ups Accelerated Through C-Lab OutsideFour new start-ups from C-Lab Outside will also be featured alongside projects from C-Lab Inside at CES for the first time.Created in October 2018, C-Lab Outside began as a startup acceleration program to vitalize the start-up ecosystem and create more IT and technology-driven job opportunities in South Korea. Leveraging the successful experience of C-Lab Inside, C-Lab Outside expands the support to include ideas and innovations from outside the Samsung network. The start-ups selected for the C-Lab Outside program are provided with financial support, business collaboration, and opportunities to participate in global IT exhibitions alongside Samsung.At this year’s event, the following start-up innovations will be featured: Circulus, a companion robot that uses interactive technology; FITT, a healthcare data-based ICT service; Vtouch, a technology that controls objects with gestures using cameras; and Smoothy, a multi-party video call service that supports simultaneous video and voice.Samsung and the innovators behind these C-Lab Outside start-ups are looking forward to participating in CES 2020 and to have the opportunity to expand the market reach of their innovations. For more information about C-Lab at CES 2020, please visit the booth #51248~#51259 in Sands, Hall G (Eureka Park Marketplace) on January 7 – 10, 2020.In addition to supporting innovations and entrepreneurship, Samsung is committed to carrying out its vision “Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People” by empowering future generations to achieve their full potential through various education projects.Appendix 1. C-Lab Inside Projects1. SelfieType‘SelfieType’ is a virtual keyboard using the front-facing selfie camera. A proprietary SelfieType AI engine analyzes finger movements coming from the front camera, and converts them into QWERTY keyboard inputs. SelfieType requires no additional hardware and it is highly adaptable to various mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops.2. Hyler‘Hyler‘ is a smart highlighter that digitalizes analog texts from paper onto mobile devices. By highlighting with Hyler, users can simply collect the information and manage it with the app. When using ‘search mode’ in Hyler, it prompts the user with extensive search results, depending on various search engines or dictionaries linked to Hyler.3. BECON‘Becon’ is a scalp home-care service to prevent hair loss with the recommended solution based on scalp analysis. It consists of a hand-held device and a compatible app. The diagnostic device analyzes in real time ten conditions of the scalp such as hair follicle density, dead skin, sensitivity, temperature and humidity based on machine learning algorithm. It recommends the most suitable solution according to the result of the analysis to remedy the user’s scalp trouble. It also shows the trend of the scalp’s improvement through the app.4. SunnySide‘SunnySide’ is a window-shaped lighting device that produces artificial sunlight. It enables the user to enjoy the sunlight that changes by the hour by copying the full spectrum of the actual sunlight. It also helps users synthesize vitamin D from indoors or in places where there isn’t a sufficient amount of sunlight without worrying about skin aging or sunburn. It can be easily installed on the wall like a picture frame.5. Ultra V ‘Ultra V’ is a new type of sensor and service that records ultraviolet rays daily. The sensor has a wide incident angle which makes it easy to integrate into wearable devices. With Ultra V, users can monitor and manage their skin condition and Vitamin D production which are influenced by accumulated exposure to solar UV rays.Appendix 2. C-Lab Outside Startups1. Circulus (http://pibo.circul.us)Circulus showcases a humanoid robot, ‘piBo’ for single-person households. piBo provides guidance services such as simple conversation and news/weather/search information. It interacts with users based on emotional analysis of facial expressions and contents of conversations and gives appropriate responses with sayings, music and dance. Users are able to add new features and content which can be downloaded from its robot application store.2. FITT (http://www.fitt.kr)‘FITT’ is a PHR (Personal Health Record) healthcare data platform based on exercise tests. FITT provides three types of exercise tests; cardiorespiratory, posture and muscle strength. After a test, users receive an optimized and personalized exercise program catered to users’ health status compared to other people of the same age and gender. It also can predict possible diseases that the user may be exposed to such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, stroke, heart attack, cardiovascular disease, etc. and prescribes personalized exercise programs to prevent the risk of getting these diseases.3. Vtouch (http://vtouch.io/)‘Vtouch’ enables users to control devices without physically touching them by tracking the user’s eyes and fingertips with its patented computer vision and deep-learning technologies. It can be applied to various industries such as smart cars, smart homes and digital signage to control different devices. It can also keep displays clean and safe from germs or bacteria.4. Smoothy (https://smoothy.co/) ‘Smoothy’ is a group video chat application that can be accessed by up to 8 people at once. What makes Smoothy more special is that the video chat starts at silent mode when the call is first connected so that it allows users to answer the call anytime and anywhere. It also provides video calls using Samsung AR Emoji. Once users have their avatars, the AR Emoji can mirror facial expressions and motions in real-time which makes video calls more fun.SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS

(Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) and its Ring home security camera unit have been sued by an Alabama homeowner who said the cameras’ defective design leaves purchasers vulnerable to cyberattacks.In a proposed class action filed on Thursday, John Baker Orange said an unknown hacker recently accessed his Ring camera while his children, ages 7, 9 and 10, were playing basketball on the driveway, and through its speaker system encouraged them to move closer to the camera.Orange, who said he paid $249 for his camera in July, said the cameras work only when connected to the internet, and are “fatally flawed” because they do not protect against cyberattacks, despite Ring’s assurances of “peace of mind” and “smart security here, there, everywhere.” A spokeswoman for Ring said the Santa Monica, California-based company does not discuss legal matters.The complaint filed in Los Angeles federal court seeks unspecified damages from Ring and Seattle-based Amazon, as well as improved security for new and existing Ring cameras. It followed several reported incidents of hackers accessing homes through Ring cameras, including when a man repeatedly called an 8-year-old Mississippi girl a racial slur and claimed he was Santa Claus.“A company that sells a device that is supposed to protect occupants of a home shouldn’t become a platform for potentially endangering those occupants,” John Yanchunis, a lawyer for Orange, said in an interview.Ring’s main product is a doorbell that contains a security camera and lets homeowners monitor and communicate with visitors through a phone app even if they are not at home.Amazon has said it bought Ring in April 2018 for $839 million in cash.Orange, who lives in Jefferson County, Alabama, said he changed his “medium-strong” password and began using two-factor authentication for his camera after learning about the incident involving his children.“So many devices are tethered to the Internet, and consumers simply don’t have a realization of how that can be so easily exploited,” Yanchunis said.The case is Orange v Ring LLC et al, U.S. District Court, Central District of California, No. 19-10899.AMAZON'S RING CAMERAS

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Facebook employees are using Twitter and Facebook's internal communications tools to register their frustration over CEO Mark Zuckerberg's decision to leave up posts by President Donald Trump that suggested protesters in Minneapolis could be shot. Twitter flagged and demoted Trump's tweet about the protests when he used the phrase "when the looting starts the shooting starts." Facebook has let it stand, and Zuckerberg explained his reasoning in a Facebook post Friday. "I know many people are upset that we've left the President's posts up, but our position is that we should enable as much expression as possible unless it will cause imminent risk of specific harms or dangers spelled out in clear policies," Zuckerberg wrote. Angry demonstrations have spread across the U.S. over the past week, creating some of the most widespread racial unrest since the 1960s. The protests, which have been met by violent police action in many cities, were spurred by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after he was pinned to the pavement by an officer who put his knee on the handcuffed man's neck until he stopped breathing. Trump's comment evoked the civil-rights era by borrowing a phrase used in 1967 by Miami's police chief to warn of an aggressive police response to unrest in black neighborhoods. On Monday, dozens of Facebook employees staged a virtual "walkout" to protest the company's decision not to touch the Trump posts according to a report in the New York Times, which cited anonymous senior employees at Facebook. The Times report says dozens of Facebook workers "took the day off by logging into Facebook's systems and requesting time off to support protesters across the country." Workers also expressed frustration in other ways, including posting on Twitter, speaking to managers and writing on Facebook's internal communication network. Though virtual, this was the first time that Facebook workers have staged a walkout in the company's history. Employees at the social media giant have been less outspoken than their counterparts at other tech companies such as Google and Twitter. "I work at Facebook and I am not proud of how we're showing up. The majority of coworkers I've spoken to feel the same way. We are making our voice heard," tweeted Jason Toff, a director of product management at Facebook who's been at the company for a year. Toff, who has a verified Twitter account, had 131,400 "likes" and thousands of retweets of his comment. He did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on Monday. "I don't know what to do, but I know doing nothing is not acceptable. I'm a FB employee that completely disagrees with Mark's decision to do nothing about Trump's recent posts, which clearly incite violence. I'm not alone inside of FB. There isn't a neutral position on racism," Facebook design manager Jason Stirman tweeted. Stirman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. Sara Zhang, a product designer at the company, tweeted that Facebook's "decision to not act on posts that incite violence ignores other options to keep our community safe. The policy pigeon holes us into addressing harmful user-facing content in two ways: keep content up or take it down." "I believe that this is a self-imposed constraint and implore leadership to revisit the solution," she continued. Zhang declined to comment to The Associated Press. "We recognize the pain many of our people are feeling right now, especially our Black community. We encourage employees to speak openly when they disagree with leadership. As we face additional difficult decisions around content ahead, we'll continue seeking their honest feedback," Facebook spokeswoman Liz Bourgeois said in a statement Monday. Facebook moved a weekly employee question and answer session with executives to Tuesday from this coming Thursday to respond to workers' concerns. Late Sunday, Zuckerberg again posted on Facebook, pledging a $10 million donation to racial justice groups. But he made no mention of Trump's posts. Instead, he highlighted Facebook's role in the spreading of the video of Floyd's death. "We need to know George Floyd's name. But it's clear Facebook also has more work to do to keep people safe and ensure our systems don't amplify bias," Zuckerberg wrote. Twitter has historically taken stronger stances than its larger rival, including a complete ban on political advertisements that Twitter announced last November. That's partly because Facebook, a much larger company with a broader audience,targeted by regulators over its size and power, has more to lose. And partly because the companies' CEOs don't always see eye to eye on their role in society. Over the weekend, Twitter changed the background and logo of its main Twitter account to black from its usual blue in support of the Black Lives Matter protesters and added a #blacklivesmatter hashtag. Facebook did the same with its own logo on its site, though without the hashtag. THE MAINICHI

The number of international companies that believe compelled to hand over technology in exchange for Chinese market access — an issue that sparked President Donald Trump's tariff fight with Beijing — has doubled since two years ago regardless of official promises to end such pressure, a business group reported Monday.The European Chamber of Commerce in China's report outlined enduring complaints about "forced technology transfer" that China's trading partners say violate its market-opening commitments despite denials and promises of change.European leaders have slammed Trump's tactics in combating with Beijing over its technology ambitions but echo U.S. criticisms.One in five companies that participated to a survey in January, before the most current round of U.S. and Chinese tariff hikes, said they felt compelled to hand over technology, up from 10% in a 2017 survey, the European chamber said."It is not something that is back in history. It is still happening now," a chamber vice president, Charlotte Roule, revealed reporters ahead of the report's release. She said ending that "should be a priority."The share of companies that said they felt compelled to transfer technology was higher in some fields — 30% in petroleum and chemicals, 28% in medical devices, 27% for pharmaceuticals and 21% in the auto industry. One-quarter of those companies said transfers were happening at the time of the survey.The review provided no details of the reasons why companies felt compelled to hand over technology. But the seriously regulated economy gives Chinese regulators leverage over companies, and business groups say they sometimes give orders in secret.Trump started elevating tariffs on Chinese imports last July over complaints Beijing steals or pressures foreign companies to hand over technology. Europe, Japan and other trading partners reply U.S. complaints that such practices breach Chinese commitments to open its markets and handle foreign companies equally in substitution for access to their markets."China's lagging reform agenda not only holds back economic development but it has also driven global tension," said Roule.Chinese authorities disavow foreign companies are demanded to hand over technology. But companies in auto manufacturing, electronics and other industries that would like to operate in China are obligated to be minority partners in ventures with state-owned partners, which forces them to share technology and expertise.A law implemented in March by China's ceremonial legislature tries to reassure foreign investors by prohibiting use of "administrative measures" to compel technology transfer. Business groups welcomed that but said Chinese officials still have extensive leverage in the heavily regulated economy.Tech transfer was considered one of a series of complaints the European chamber said prompts pessimism among companies about whether the ruling Communist Party will follow through on promises to open its markets.One-third of companies interviewed remarked they don't expect ever to see a "meaningful opening" of Chinese markets.This article is originally posted on manufacturing.net