Helios Wire, a satellite-enabled IoT connectivity company, announced today that its Pathfinder II satellite is scheduled to launch aboard Spaceflight's SSO-A SmallSat Express mission, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Nov. 19, 2018, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. This is the first satellite in a constellation of up to 28 smallsats that will provide global IoT coverage.

"This is undoubtedly an exciting leap forward for us and a foundational component of our future constellation. We expect it will shake up the way people think about IoT connectivity, in terms of application types that can be layered on top of the network, specifically analytics and blockchain," explains CEO and co-founder, Scott Larson. "We're very grateful to our team and partners for helping us reach this milestone and we remain focused on expanding our market opportunities and completing our next group of satellites."

By 2020, the IoT market is expected to be worth US$581B for information and communications tech-based spend, according to a 2018 McKinsey report. (With a compound Annual Growth Rate ranging between 7 and 15%.) The report anticipates that industries related to manufacturing, transportation and logistics, and utilities will spend $40B each on IoT platforms, systems and services. While IoT sensors become cheaper thanks to design innovations, IoT security, another pain point, can also be improved by combining blockchain capabilities.

"The IoT industry is very much in a growth phase. For Helios, the goal isn't only to connect devices and aggregate data, it's also to improve the applications and services that can be layered atop the network. The ability to allow for not only machine-to-machine communication, but also machine-to-machine transactions using the blockchain, is very intriguing. It is the economy of machines and the service offering will add very real value," says Larson.

Truly global connectivity has yet to be fully addressed economically by traditional providers, and with a space-based system, connectivity and data become even more secure and accessible. Ledgers and data can be backed up in space, while small data bursts can be leveraged by both small and large organizations operating across land and sea.

"The key is finding the sweet spot in a system that is robust enough to offer the types of data rates that meet the needs of industrial applications, but also at a price point that actually allows for adoption by a wide range of customers."

Helios intends to scale to 28 microsatellites over the next five years.

Learn more at www.helioswire.com.


SOURCE Helios Wire
Related Links

http://www.helioswire.com

The 20th China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF 2018) is being held from November 14-18 at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center with the theme "New Development Concept for High Quality Growth." This year's CHTF consists of exhibitions, forums, professional meetings, supporting activities, talent exchange meetings and overseas fairs, and features advanced manufacturing, next-generation information technology, AI, life sciences, new materials, new energy, as well as integration of real economy and future industries.


Here are some of the highlights of CHTF 2018:


Themed areas focusing on industry hotspots

The IT exhibition presents themed areas like AI, smart manufacturing, smart automotive, sports technology, big data, cloud computing, IoT and blockchain; the environmental exhibition highlights new technologies for water control; the advanced manufacturing exhibition has special areas for laser exhibition, smart manufacturing and industrial robots.


Application of innovative technologies in different scenarios
CHTF 2018 showcases the most exciting new technologies for business, daily life, education and entertainment scenarios, such as the AI face recognition system, the 3D fitting room, the level 4 automated driving system, the AI early learning robot and the underwater drone.


Chinese unicorn enterprises

In addition to global leading companies such as Microsoft, Tencent and Baidu, CHTF 2018 also gathers many unicorn companies in the AI industry, including Cambrian, Horizon Robotics, SenseTime, iQiyi and Royale, to impress the visitors with an "AI Technology Moment."


Platform for global start-ups

A technology start-ups exhibition is also being held during the fair to provide a platform for communication and cooperation between technology start-ups and venture capital institutions.

In addition, China Hi-Tech Forum 2018 is also being held concurrently on November 14-16. Focusing on "innovation drives quality development," "disruptive innovation technology" and "science and technology lead a better life," the forum invited many influencers from Nobel laureates to company executives and government officials to discuss a range of issues that will shape the future, such as the technological revolution, global industrial transformation, quantum communication, 5G era, automated driving, and more. More details: http://www.chtf.com/english/Conferences/ChinaHTF/

SOURCE CHTF Organizing Committee Office
Related Links

http://www.chtf.com/english/

Ocean Infinity, the seabed exploration company, confirms that it has found ARA San Juan, the Argentine Navy submarine which was lost on 15 November 2017.

In the early hours of 17 November, after two months of seabed search, Ocean Infinity located what has now been confirmed as the wreckage of the ARA San Juan. The submarine was found in a ravine in 920m of water, approximately 600 km east of Comodoro Rivadavia in the Atlantic Ocean.

Oliver Plunkett, Ocean Infinity's CEO, said:

"Our thoughts are with the many families affected by this terrible tragedy. We sincerely hope that locating the resting place of the ARA San Juan will be of some comfort to them at what must be a profoundly difficult time. Furthermore, we hope our work will lead to their questions being answered and lessons learned which help to prevent anything similar from happening again.

We have received a huge amount of help from many parties who we would like to thank. We are particularly grateful to the Argentinian Navy whose constant support and encouragement was invaluable. In addition, the United Kingdom's Royal Navy, via the UK Ambassador in Buenos Aires, made a very significant contribution. Numerous others, including the US Navy's Supervisor of Salvage and Diving, have supported us with expert opinion and analysis.Finally, I would like to extend a special thank you to the whole Ocean Infinity team, especially those offshore as well as our project leaders Andy Sherrell and Nick Lambert, who have all worked tirelessly for this result."

Ocean Infinity used five Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) to carry out the search, which was conducted by a team of approximately 60 crew members on board Seabed Constructor. In addition, three officers of the Argentine Navy and four family members of the crew of the ARA San Juan joined Seabed Constructor to observe the search operation.

Ocean Infinity had committed to conduct the search operation for up to sixty days, and to take on the economic risk of the search, only receiving payment if the submarine was found.

Ocean Infinity's permanently mobilised ocean search capability is the most technologically advanced in the world. Their AUV's are capable of operating in water depths from 5 meters to 6,000 meters and covering vast areas of the seabed at unparalleled speed. The AUVs are not tethered to their host vessel during operations, allowing them to go deeper and collect higher quality data for the search. They are equipped with a variety of tools including side scan sonar, a multi-beam echo-sounder HD camera, and synthetic aperture sonar. In addition, from the host vessel, Ocean Infinity is able to deploy two work class ROVs and heavy lifting equipment capable of retrieving objects weighing up to 45T from 6000m.

Additional information on Ocean Infinity is available at oceaninfinity.com

SOURCE Ocean Infinity

Green Car Journal has selected the Ram 1500 as its 2019 Green Truck of the Year™. The announcement was made today at the 50th annual San Antonio Auto & Truck Show in San Antonio, Texas.

Green Car Journal editors consider all potential truck models in the U.S. market, weighing environmental attributes alongside traditional criteria that define what makes a great pickup, such as capability, versatility, safety, value and style. The winner was selected from five finalists by a Green Truck of the Year jury, comprised of automotive experts and Green Car Journal staff.

"The all-new 2019 Ram 1500 is a no-compromise pickup leading in efficiency, technology and durability, and our new eTorque mild hybrid system is proof that fuel economy and capability can coexist," said Reid Bigland, Head of Ram Brand. "We are thrilled to receive The Green Truck of the Year award, affirming our technological leadership in the truck market."

The eTorque mild hybrid system is one of several changes made to the 2019 Ram 1500, including upgraded TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmissions, strategic weight reductions and aero improvements. The eTorque mild hybrid system replaces the traditional alternator on the engine with a motor generator unit and 48-volt battery pack to perform several functions, including quick and seamless stop/start function, short-duration torque addition to the engine crankshaft and brake energy regeneration, which improves responsiveness and efficiency.

"The new Ram 1500 makes a bold statement with its overall design, functionality, lighter weight, and notable efficiency for a full-size pickup," said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of Green Car Journal and greencarjournal.com. "Plus, its use of electrification through eTorque mild hybrid technology in both the 3.6-liter V-6 and 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 is compelling in today's pickup market. It is clearly a deserving winner of the title 2019 Green Truck of the Year™."

2019 Ram 1500 

The newest version of the popular Porsche Macan sport utility vehicle will make its North American premiere during the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show.

XPENG Motors, a frontrunner in China's smart electric vehicle market, is to launch its commercial model, the XPENG G3, on December 12, 2018.

The pure electric 5-seat compact SUV presents an impressive combination of intelligent features and configurations in its debut at the Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition 2018, China's A-class auto show.

Tailored for the vast and fast growing tech-savvy young consumer base in China, the XPENG G3 is priced at a range between RMB200,000 to RMB280,000 before government subsidies, offering customers attractive value.


Pursuit of quality and speed

He Xiaopeng, Chairman and CEO of XPENG Motors, elaborated the company's prudent, user-centric approach to quality control, safety standards and the pace of delivery. "We made a deliberate decision to go through an extensively stringent testing and vigorous validation process to ensure the XPENG G3 offers its best to our customers," said He.

"It's a challenge for any new EV manufacturer to ramp up production and meet delivery targets. Quality has not been compromised in our pursuit of speed. It is not a race. There's no shortcut. It's about gaining consumer confidence in our products and services and building a solid reputation for the EV sector in China," he added.

XPENG Motors was the first among new EV manufacturers in China to receive the China Compulsory Certification by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in July 2017.

About 1,000 units have been produced for temperature, altitude and CNCAP crash tests and validation, accumulating a total of 10,000,000 kilometers or 100,000 hours of road testing.


Direct sales and service network

XPENG Motors is expanding its end-to-end direct sales and service platform, which meets the major user demands throughout an EV's lifecycle from online and offline sales, post-sales services, charging, auto financing to insurance.
15 direct sales and service stores in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hangzhou to open before the Chinese New Year in Feb. 2019.
70 stores across nearly 30 cities expected to open in 2019 to service the cities where XPENG Motors vehicles will be sold.
The first new EV manufacturer to open a T-Mall shop with approximately 400,000 online visitors at the recent "11.11 Singles Day".


Charging network

It is the first auto manufacturer to operate a network of Super Charging Stations in China, having invested a significant amount of capital and resources.
100 Super Charging Stations in more than 10 tier-1 and tier-2 cities will be contracted by the end of 2018.
30 Super Charging Stations will be in full operation in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Huangzhou before the Chinese New Year in Feb 2019.
200 Super Charging Stations across 30 cities to start operation in 2019.
1,000 Super Charging Stations to be contracted over the next three years.
Users have access to 100,000 third-party charging piles located in major cities adjacent to main roads via XPENG Motors' App.


Auto finance and insurance solutions

Through XPENG Motors' auto finance and leasing subsidiary and its partnerships with financial institutions such as Bank of China, China Merchant Bank, Pacific Insurance and AXA Taiping Insurance, XPENG Motors will provide tailored and effective financing and insurance solutions to customers.

"We have a very supportive shareholder and investor base and a long term strategy to navigate through the challenges in this fast evolving and growing market. Our unique DNA and a prudent, nimble and innovative culture enable us to stay at the forefront of the market," He said at the auto exhibition.

NASA and the Departments of State and Commerce have submitted a report to the National Space Council outlining future opportunities and challenges for human spaceflight in low-Earth orbit (LEO), and its potential economic contributions to the broader field of exploration.

The National Space Council requested NASA lead an interagency effort to produce the report, entitled 'A Strategy for Human Spaceflight in Low Earth Orbit and Economic Growth in Space,' during its February meeting.

The report details four overarching goals for human spaceflight in LEO that were developed in collaboration with NASA's interagency partners:
To achieve a continuous U.S. presence in LEO – both NASA astronauts and private citizens – in order to support the use of space by U.S. citizens, companies, academia, and international partners and to maintain a permanent American foothold on the nearest part of the space frontier.
To create a regulatory environment in LEO that enables American commercial activities to thrive.
To conduct human spaceflight research in LEO that will advance the technology and systems required for long-duration spaceflight systems, including systems for interplanetary travel and permanent space habitation.
To expand and extend commercial opportunity though international partnerships and engagement.

These goals are among the priorities of NASA's exploration plans for the coming years. NASA will continue to work with its interagency partners to achieve these objectives and milestones with commercial crew and advancement of long-duration human spaceflight systems.

The report is for intra-governmental use only, due to the inclusion of sensitive information. However, an executive summary is available online at:

https://go.nasa.gov/2TdKjpN

For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov

SOURCE NASA
Related Links

http://www.nasa.gov

ZAPINAMO (pronounced ZAP-IN-A-MO), a Coventry based Electric Vehicle [EV] Charging infrastructure innovations company, has developed a patented EV Charging system utilising Battery Stored energy to 'Power Boost' a nominal Grid supply into a rapid or ultra-fast charge unit. This reduces the amount of time it takes to replenish the EV battery. Typically, a home charge unit will provide 4 miles of charge per 30 minutes into the EV battery, whereas a ZAPINAMO HUBZ unit power boosts it to 50 miles in 30 minutes from a domestic supply.

The ZAPINAMO HUBZ product range is created out of a modular system which can expand capabilities as the EV parc develops. www.zapinamo.com.

Being able to Power Boost a normal 3 or 7kW supply to enable delivery speeds of not just 50kW but upward of 350kW to meet the EV market's emerging high-speed charging needs and wants. ZAPINAMO HUBZ already deliver 50 miles of range in just 30 minutes from battery stored renewables and trickled grid supply.

ZAPINAMO WAS THE ONLY EV CHARGING COMPANY INVITED TO THE FIRST BRITISH ZEV SUMMIT

This is developed out of patent protected innovation in power electronics and battery storage with advanced processes enabled through InnovateUK and collaboration with industry and academic partners including WMG, at the University of Warwick, who is one of the founding consortium partners for the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre.

RAPID HOME CHARGING IS THE HOLY GRAIL

Until now, charging a large battery EV at home has been simply slow and impractical. Typically a home charger will provide about 4 miles of driving range for every 30 minutes it's plugged in claims ZAPINAMO However the ZAPINAMO HOMEHUBZ system aims to provide up to 50 miles of range in the same time.

The HUBZ base unit will Power Boost a normal household supply to provide increased power and also utilise a 'Community' energy model to collate and distribute energy when required.

ZAPINAMO hopes to also transform a kerb mounted 7kW Charge point in to a Rapid STREETHUBZ unit without further substation upgrade, support or planning, and will work well in commercial depots where substation upgrades can run into hundreds of thousands of pounds of unforeseen costs.

SAVES SPACE AS WELL AS TIME

The PARKHUBZ unit is ergonomically designed to 'fit' in to the corner of car parking bays without reducing vehicle access or taking more than a parking bay. This is typically a 20% reduction in a normal car park for traditional rapid charge units when implemented. With PARKHUBZ it's zero tolerance to oversized space consuming charge units.

ZERO TOLERANCE FOR AIR QUALITY

ZAPINAMO aims to improve air quality and therefore public health. As well as saving billions in healthcare costs.

The ZAPINAMO technology already in operation at HEATHROW Airport shows an estimated saving of over 22 tons of CO2emissions in the last 3 months and continues to power EV Private Hire and Taxis, all day every day.

The introduction of ZAPINAMO HUBZ provides the world with a healthy alternative to traditional EV charging. Extending the reach of renewable energy and even home and community distributed micro solutions through the most thorough connectivity developed for the EV world.

ZAPINAMO introduces EVIE™, the Electric Vehicle Information Exchange system which uses 'Herringbone' AI and ML techniques to reach the most distant of information sources to capture availability of energy and maximise it for the end user needs. Satisfying DNO, Commercial and Domestic users.



SOURCE ZAPINAMO HUBZ
Related Links

http://www.zapinamo.com

NASA will host a media teleconference at noon EST Monday, Nov. 19, to provide details about the Mars 2020 rover's landing site on the Red Planet.

The rover, currently under construction at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), will address high-priority science goals for Mars exploration, including key questions about the potential for ancient life on Mars. The rover's arrival also will set the stage for NASA's Mars exploration for the next decade by collecting samples and caching them on the surface for a future mission that could retrieve and return them to Earth for extensive study. Mars 2020 will also further aid in NASA's preparations for a crewed mission to the Red Planet.

The teleconference participants are:
Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate
Lori Glaze, acting director of NASA's Planetary Science Division
Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA's Mars Exploration Program
Ken Farley, Mars 2020 project scientist at JPL

For dial-in information, media must send their name, affiliation and phone number to JoAnna Wendelat joanna.r.wendel@nasa.gov no later than 11:45 a.m. Nov. 19.

Questions can be submitted via Twitter during the teleconference using the hashtag #askNASA.

Teleconference audio and visuals will stream live at:

https://www.nasa.gov/live

For more information about NASA's Mars 2020 mission, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/mars

SOURCE NASA
Related Links

http://www.nasa.gov

KT Corp. (KRX: 030200;NYSE: KT), South Korea's largest telecommunications company, successfully tested a self-driving bus at the country's largest international airport this week, the latest showcase of its autonomous vehicle technology and innovation.




At Incheon International Airport (IIA) on November 11, KT's driverless bus covered 2.2 kilometers at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour outside the airport's Terminal 1. The self-driving vehicle slowed down at traffic signals and changed lanes to avoid obstacles. Airport employees and officials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport watched the demonstration.

Last month, the Korean telecom leader signed an agreement with the Incheon International Airport Corporation to develop a new intelligent airport based on information and communications technology (ICT). The two partners plans to expand cooperation into the areas of fifth-generation (5G) mobile networks, artificial intelligence (AI), big data and Internet of Things (IoT).

To become a global leader in autonomous vehicle technology, KT is developing the 5GaVP (5G as a Vehicle Platform), a commercial self-driving platform using its innovative 5G technology. KT's 5G technology was demonstrated as the world's first pilot network service during the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games in February this year.

KT has also developed GiGA Drive IVI, a smart, voice-recognizing platform for connected cars. IVI, or in-vehicle infotainment, is a system that combines information and entertainment for drivers and passengers.

KT's IVI platform provides diverse information from directions to traffic conditions. Destinations can be set automatically by linking the vehicle with a mobile device. It includes an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), which alerts the driver to danger and uses next-generation intelligent transport system technologies to visualize driving information.


SOURCE KT Corp.
Related Links

https://corp.kt.com/eng

Wi-Charge, provider of long-range wireless power technology that can charge a phone from across the room, announced today an innovative Wireless Power Kit that transforms – within minutes – an existing wired Amazon Echo Dot or Google Home Mini smart speakers into a beautiful, fully functional, wire-free product. The transformed product can be placed and used anywhere without cables or proximity to a power outlet.

Once the smart speaker transformation is complete, there are no wires. Consumers are not asked to change the way they use the product. Instead, they gain dramatic new freedoms on placement options. Previously, one needed to place the speaker near a power outlet and then route or hide the power cord. With the Wireless Power Kit, that is no longer a problem. The smart speaker can be on a table, hang on a wall, or work practically anywhere in the room.


"Powered by Wi-Charge" OEM Program
Wi-Charge also announced today the "Powered by Wi-Charge OEM Program," a new program aimed at helping select partners bring wirelessly-powered products to market. Such products might be wireless smart home speakers, home security devices, phone charging solutions and many additional innovative products that were previously constrained by battery power or power cords.

"Our award-winning Wireless Power Kit demonstrates the possibilities of converting popular smart home devices into completely wireless products," said Yuval Boger, Chief Marketing Officer, Wi-Charge. "Our new 'Powered by Wi-Charge' OEM package includes, in our opinion, everything a partner needs to bring a wirelessly-powered appliance to market."

The "Powered by Wi-Charge" OEM Program includes:
Hardware: a wireless charger and wireless power receiver modules.
Documentation: detailed data sheets and reference design schematics.
Support: direct access to Wi-Charge engineers to support the partner in getting the product to market. This includes system engineering help, assistance with obtaining the required safety certifications, sharing of best practices and more.
No-cost upgrades: the option of replacing modules with future hardware versions.

To ensure the success of OEM partners in this program, Wi-Charge will be accepting a limited number of partners into the program at this stage. OEMs interested in participating can contact Wi-Charge for additional details, including costs and logistics.

The Wireless Power Kit is available as a reference implementation for manufacturers that seek to incorporate Wi-Charge long-range wireless power modules into their product line.

CES 2019 Innovation Award:
For a second year in a row, the company has been selected as an CES Innovation Award recipient. Recognized in the Home Audio/Video product category, Wi-Charge's Wireless Power Kit for Amazon Echo and Google Home will be on display in the Innovation Awards Showcase at CES 2019.

An annual program that celebrates outstanding product design, the CES Innovation Awards recognizes honorees across multiple product categories. A panel of judges, including designers, engineers and members of the tech media, reviews submissions based on design, functionality, consumer appeal, engineering and how the products compare with competition.


SOURCE Wi-Charge
Related Links

http://www.wi-charge.com

Sherpany is once again leading the market by introducing SoundProof for its Windows 10 App Sherpany Boardroom 3, the only Windows application in the market having SoundProof as a technology available.

Today, Sherpany announces a remarkable milestone for Windows 10 users. With the release of SoundProof for Windows 10 we introduce the most elegant and secure way to login with two-factor mechanism on Windows 10. With Sherpany SoundProof, users can benefit in more than one way: