Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:36 PM on Wednesday, January 15th, 2020
SPONSOR: CardioComm Solutions (EKG: TSX-V)
– The heartbeat of cardiovascular medicine and telemedicine. Patented
systems enable medical professionals, patients, and other healthcare
professionals, clinics, hospitals and call centres to access and manage
patient information in a secure and reliable environment.
Current And Future Doctors Are More Than Ready to Use mHealth Wearables
A Stanford Medicine survey finds that doctors, residents and medical
students are finding value in data drawn from mHealth wearables – and
they’re using them as well. But they aren’t getting the training they
need or want.
Current and future physicians are eager to use self-reported data from patients with mHealth wearables
In fact, they’re using wearables themselves to track health concerns. Â
January 14, 2020 – Current and future physicians are eager to use
self-reported data from patients with mHealth wearables – in fact,
they’re using wearables themselves to track health concerns.
That’s one takeaway from Stanford Medicine’s 2020 Health Trends Report,
which finds that physicians are ready to use mHealth and telehealth
tools even if they aren’t getting the right training to use new
technology. Instead, they’re looking for the help they need to apply
connected health concepts to healthcare.
“We found that current and future physicians are not only open to new
technologies but are actively seeking training in subjects such as data
science to enhance care for their patients,†Lloyd Minor, MD, Dean of
the Stanford University School of Medicine, said in a press release.
“We are encouraged by these findings and the opportunity they present
to improve patient outcomes. At the same time, we must be clear-eyed
about the challenges that may stymie progress.â€
The survey shows an eagerness among those practicing medicine (or
getting ready to enter the field) to use connected health technology,
including consumer-facing mHealth wearables, even as questions remain on
their reliability and some payers are reluctant to cover their use.
According to the survey, which gathered the thoughts of more than 700
physicians, residents and medical students around the country, 83
percent of physicians and 79 percent of students and residents see value
in self-reported data from patients using wearables. Almost 80 percent
say that data holds value in clinical care management.
And they know from experience. Roughly half of those surveyed are
using wearables, with 60 percent of students and residents and 71
percent of physicians saying they use digital health data to inform
their own health decisions.
That said, those surveyed don’t think they’re getting the right training on how to use the technology.
Only 18 percent of students and residents said the education they’re
now getting is “very helpful,†while 44 percent of physicians said their
training was either “not very helpful†or “not helpful at all.†This
should put pressure on teaching hospitals to improve curricula and
training programs.
It’s also compelling current and future physicians to find new
sources of information to prepare them for a digital health workplace –
at a time when stress and burnout is high in the medical ranks.
According to the survey, 73 percent of medical students and 47
percent of physicians are seeking additional training, primarily in how
to use digital health data. Roughly a third are looking for help on how
to use artificial intelligence tools.
“The rise of the data-driven physician represents an opportunity to
positively transform medicine and improve health outcomes by bringing
new technologies and insights to the patient bedside,†Stanford Medicine
officials said in the press release. “However, as it stands today,
medical professionals still feel insufficiently trained to do so.
Moreover, promising medical talent is being held back by challenges such
as achieving work-life balance and student debt.â€
Tags: EKG, mhealth, small cap stocks, stocks, tsx, tsx-v Posted in CardioComm Solutions | Comments Off on Current And Future Doctors Are More Than Ready to Use #Mhealth Wearables – SPONSOR: CardioComm Solutions $EKG.ca – $ATE.ca $TLT.ca $OGI.ca $ACST.ca $IPA.ca
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 1:05 PM on Wednesday, January 15th, 2020
SPONSOR: Datametrex AI Limited
(TSX-V: DM) A revenue generating small cap A.I. company that NATO and
Canadian Defence are using to fight fake news & social media
threats. The company announced three $1M contacts in Q3-2019. Click here for more info.
Instagram begins to hide retouched images
With the desire to stop the images that convey fake news on its
platform, Instagram is starting to hide pictures that have been
artistically retouched.
In order to fight fake news, Instagram announced some new features
last month. Like content considered offensive, Instagram now blurs
images that convey false information. The social network further limits
the scope of the suspicious publication and does not make it appear in
the Explorer menu, or via hashtags. If the war on fake news starts with a
good intention, it would seem that the algorithm of the social network
works a little too well. Certain artistic photos retouched in a significant way have thus been assimilated to fake news and have been hidden on the social network.
As spotted PetaPixel , Toby Harriman, a photographer based
in San Francisco, realized this while browsing his Instagram feed. He
explains that he fell for the first time on the famous screen indicating
that the hidden publication would be false information. Curious, the
photographer still tried to click, before realizing that it was only a
photo of a man from behind surrounded by mountains of all colors.
We understand the reason why Instagram considered that the image
conveyed false information, since it was heavily retouched in order to
change the color of the mountains. It is clear, however, that the author
of the photo had an artistic approach here and did not seek to convey
false information. Officially, Instagram recognizes that its fake news
detection system uses “a combination of user feedback and technology†.
The verified photo is then sent to independent fact-chekers, who
determine whether the photo distorts reality. If so, Instagram will
limit the scope of the post, and hide it from the users’ news feed.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, January 15th, 2020
SPONSOR: BetterU Education Corp.
aims to provide access to quality education from around the world.
The company plans to bridge the prevailing gap in the education and job
industry and enhance the lives of its prospective learners by developing
an integrated ecosystem. Click here for more information.
Matrix Partners backs edtech startup Toddle
Educational technology startup Toddle has raised its first institutional funding round, led by Matrix Partners India.
Better Capital and angel investors such as Swiggy co-founder Rahul Jaimini also participated in the capital raising, Deepanshu Arora, cofounder of Toddle told ET, without disclosing the funding amount.
Educational technology startup Toddle has raised its first institutional funding round, led by Matrix Partners India.
Better Capital and angel investors such as Swiggy co-founder Rahul Jaimini also participated in the capital raising, Deepanshu Arora, cofounder of Toddle told ET, without disclosing the funding amount.
Bengaluru-based Toddle, which helps teachers streamline curriculum planning, documentation, parent communication and analytics, was founded last year by Arora and Parita Parekh.
Arora and Parekh earlier ran a network of pre-schools in Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Hyderabad. Toddle says it has more than 10,000 teachers on its platform.
“Today’s teachers are very tech-savvy and use technology for a variety of needs. The struggle is that they have to juggle between multiple tools to solve for these needs. Our goal is to simplify the entire teaching and learning cycle with one seamless and intuitive solution,†Arora said.
The company plans to use the money to cater to more educational segments.
“Having been educators themselves, the Toddle team has built a product that is revolutionizing the way teachers plan, interact and collaborate with other teachers, students and parents,†said Rajat Agarwal, Director, Matrix India.
The Indian ed-tech market is expected to reach $2 billion by 2021, according to a report by KPMG and Google.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:43 AM on Wednesday, January 15th, 2020
SPONSOR:ThreeD Capital Inc. (IDK:CSE)
Led by legendary financier, Sheldon Inwentash, ThreeD is a
Canadian-based venture capital firm that only invests in best of breed
small-cap companies which are both defensible and mass scalable. More
than just lip service, Inwentash has financed many of Canada’s biggest
small-cap exits. Click Here For More Information.
Storming the Gates: How ‘Crypto Davos’ Became a Thing
In recent years the WEF Meeting has come under fire as a place where wealthy elites gather to discuss solutions to problems they helped create and perpetuate – problems many blockchain startups are working to solve.
But the reality of Davos lies somewhere between these two extremes.
This is part of a series
of op-eds previewing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
CoinDesk will be on the ground in Davos from Jan. 20–24 chronicling all
things crypto at the annual gathering of the world’s economic and
political elite. Follow along by subscribing to our pop-up newsletter, CoinDesk Confidential: Davos.
Sandra Ro is the CEO of the Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC), which is organizing the four-day Blockchain Central Davos event.
The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), renowned as a
place where business executives, government officials, entrepreneurs and
NGO leaders convene to create positive change, is days away.
In recent years the WEF Meeting
has come under fire as a place where wealthy elites gather to discuss
solutions to problems they helped create and perpetuate – problems many
blockchain startups are working to solve. But the reality of Davos lies
somewhere between these two extremes.
So why engage? Why do we keep going back?
WEF 2020
2020 is special: It’s the 50th anniversary of the WEF, a non-profit
foundation created in 1971 to engage society’s foremost political,
business and cultural leaders to shape global, regional and industry
agendas.
This year’s WEF theme is “Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World.â€
Some of the broad questions to be asked: What does “stakeholder
capitalism†mean? Is it tracking progress towards the Paris Agreement
and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? How does
technology fit in?
“With the world at such critical crossroads, this year we must
develop a ‘Davos Manifesto 2020’ to reimagine the purpose and scorecards
for companies and governments,†said Klaus Schwab, founder and
executive chairman of the WEF.
If the world is at a crossroads, what is the role of
cryptocurrencies, digital assets and blockchain? And who gets to shape
and influence this future?
In short, should “Crypto Davos†collaborate with the established elites?
Crypto Davos, four+ years in the making
Crypto pioneers set up shop with Davos side events four or five years
ago. These were modest gatherings to discuss the future of
cryptocurrencies. Very few elites knew what this was, or paid it much
attention.
Just as bitcoin and ethereum began as organic grassroots initiatives,
Crypto Davos grew mainly by group chats and word of mouth. However, by
2018, Crypto Davos reached peak excess, coinciding with the boom of
ICOs. This was followed by muted numbers in 2019 with the bust, and now,
in 2020, a mix of Crypto Davos stalwarts are returning alongside
mainstream corporations that are ahead of the curve in embracing
blockchain and, sometimes, cryptocurrency. (Unfortunately, the mantra of
“blockchain good, crypto bad†lingers in certain corporate and
government circles, though it is dissipating over time.)
What happens at WEF’s official gathering is important, but most who
have attended Davos previously know that “the Promenade†is a beehive of
activity around cryptocurrencies, blockchain, AI, cybersecurity and
other emerging technologies. Many crypto people who attend Davos never
step foot inside the main event and do not hold a coveted “white badge.â€
Instead, they hang out on the Promenade and participate in a myriad of
panels, networking events and meetings, mixed with late-night partying
and bonding.
The Promenade blockchain events are in high demand and considered
cutting edge, thereby attracting some high-profile leaders who might
seem out of place under normal, stodgier circumstances. Seeing rock
stars, actors, CEOs, billionaires, social-impact entrepreneurs and
developers together is not unusual at Crypto Davos.
Where else do you see both Jamie Dimon and Jamie Oliver walking down
the same block within meters of each other? Or Michael Douglas walking
into an MIT-hosted lunch on AI and blockchain? (Seriously, that happened
back in 2017.)
So why did a bunch of crypto people start coming to Davos in the
first place? Switzerland’s crypto-friendly environment partially
explains the attraction.
But the secret sauce of Davos is not just about discussing important ideas.
Once you make it to this normally sleepy town, you are jumbled
together with 30,000 influential people on a few blocks of a “main
street.†It makes for an intense and rewarding four days of networking
and deal-making, which sets the tone for the rest of the year.
Crossover appeal
Crypto Davos, despite its outsider status, has influenced and changed the course of mainstream Davos.
Just look at 2020’s big thematic on “stakeholders in a cohesive and
sustainable world,†which covers everything from economics to climate
change to technology, and includes topics like digital identity, digital
asset regulation and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).
In 2020, many, if not most, corporations participating at Davos have
internal blockchain projects and/or are members of digital asset groups.
Five years ago, the CEOs of these same corporations probably did not
know blockchain existed.
Crypto Davos has profoundly influenced the interest and growth of
digital assets and blockchain technology among some of the most elite
institutions, governments and world leaders.
Not bad for a bunch of outsiders.
Selling out?
To the cynics and anti-establishment crowd, we debate every year why
we pay exorbitant rates to put together an event at Davos. The high
costs, occasionally not-so-subtle hostility from the mainstream,
increasingly strict town council rules and the general logistics
nightmare are enough to deter most.
However, we return, because our supporters love attending. Why?
Because we have met some of the most awe-inspiring people at Davos, from
rocket scientists to world leaders to humanitarians.
With a combination of bright, motivated people, ideas turn into
action here: from investments to business deals to project launches. No
matter how great the tech, we are humans who make connections by meeting
each other, spending time with each other and, ultimately,
collaborating with each other.
The key for Crypto Davos is to keep influencing and building bridges
with the establishment to yield the societal change we want. Blockchain
works best when it’s collaborative. The same holds true at Davos: Crypto
Davos can improve and scale with the resources of large institutions;
Establishment Davos can reimagine business models and government
services to create a more equitable and functional society.
This grand experiment works best if people collaborate across geographies and disciplines.
Long live Crypto Davos (at least until the next better version comes along).
BlackRock CEO says the climate crisis is about to trigger ‘a fundamental reshaping of finance’
In an annual letter to CEOs published Tuesday, BlackRock chief
executive Larry Fink said: “Climate change has become a defining factor
in companies’ long-term prospects.â€
“But awareness is rapidly changing, and I believe we are on the edge of a fundamental reshaping of finance,†he added.
BlackRock’s assets under management totaled almost $7 trillion in the third quarter of 2019.
The chief of the world’s largest money
manager believes the intensifying climate crisis will bring about a
fundamental reshaping of finance, with a significant reallocation of
capital set to take place “sooner than most anticipate.â€
In an annual letter to CEOs published Tuesday, BlackRock Chief Executive Larry Fink
said: “Climate change has become a defining factor in companies’
long-term prospects … But awareness is rapidly changing, and I believe
we are on the edge of a fundamental reshaping of finance.â€
Fink’s comments come as business leaders, policymakers and investors prepare to travel to Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum next week.
The theme at this year’s January
get-together, which is often criticized for being out of touch with the
real world, has been designated as “Stakeholders for a Cohesive and
Sustainable World.â€
“Climate change is almost invariably the
top issue that clients around the world raise with BlackRock. From
Europe to Australia, South America to China, Florida to Oregon,
investors are asking how they should modify their portfolios,†Fink
continued.
“And because capital markets pull future
risk forward, we will see changes in capital allocation more quickly
than we see changes to the climate itself.â€
“In the near future — and sooner than most anticipate — there will be a significant reallocation of capital,†he added.
‘Defining issue of our time’
Alongside 20 other young climate
activists, Sweden’s Greta Thunberg has called on all of those attending
the World Economic Forum in the Swiss Alps to stop the “madness†of
ongoing investments in fossil fuel exploration and extraction and
“completely divest†from fossil fuels.
In an op-ed for The Guardian,
published Friday, Thunberg — who was catapulted to fame for skipping
school every Friday to hold a weekly vigil outside Swedish parliament in
2018 — said global leaders must also “end all fossil fuel subsidies.â€
Protesting against political inaction
over climate change, the 17-year-old sparked an international wave of
school strikes — also known as “Fridays for Future†— with millions of
other children following suit in cities around the world last year.
The United Nations has recognized climate
change as “the defining issue of our time,†with a recent report
calling the crisis “the greatest challenge to sustainable development.â€
‘Climate change is different’ to other crises
“Over the 40 years of my career in
finance, I have witnessed a number of financial crises and challenges —
the inflation spikes of the 1970s and early 1980s, the Asian currency
crisis in 1997, the dot-com bubble, and the global financial crisis,â€
BlackRock’s Fink said.
“Even when these episodes lasted for many
years, they were all, in the broad scheme of things, short-term in
nature. Climate change is different.â€
“Even if only a fraction of the projected
impacts is realized, this is a much more structural, long-term crisis.
Companies, investors, and governments must prepare for a significant
reallocation of capital,†he added.
Australia has drawn global attention in
recent months, with the country currently experiencing one of its worst
bush fire seasons on record.
Record high temperatures and drought exacerbated by the climate crisis have ignited blazes that have killed more than two dozen people and destroyed 2,000 homes since September.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:09 AM on Wednesday, January 15th, 2020
PUREVAPTMÂ Gen2 reactor was modified to test if it could produce Nano-powders
A key milestone was reached when the proof of concept test successfully produced spherical nano-powders from silicon metal as raw material, with a primary size <500 nanometre (<0.5 µ)
GEN2 PUREVAPTM USED TO SYNTHESIZE SPHERICAL NANO POWDERS (SIZE <0.5 µ) FROM SILICON (Si)
The PUREVAPTM Gen2 reactor was modified to test if it could
produce Nano-powders. A key milestone was reached when the proof of
concept test successfully produced spherical nano-powders from silicon
metal as raw material, with a primary size <500 nanometre (<0.5
µ).
Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images taken of the spherical nano-powders produced by the GEN2 PUREVAPTM
SPHERICAL NANOSCALE SILICON POWDERS KEY TO HIGHER ENERGY DENSITY LI-ION BATTERIES
Spherical Silicon Metal Nano-Powders have been identified
as a key factor that will allow the manufacturing of high-performance
Li-ion batteries using Silicon Metal (Si) anodes needed to deliver on
the research
promises of an almost tenfold (10x) increase in the specific capacity
of the anode, inducing a 20-40% gain in the energy density of Li-ion
batteries. Current manufacturing methods for Silicon Metal Nano-Powders
are expensive, not very scalable and not commercially feasible with US$
30,000/kg1 selling prices. HPQ and PyroGenesis are working to change
that with our new approach.
MASSIVE ENERGY STORAGE DEMAND CANNOT BE MET UNLESS SILICON ANODES REPLACE GRAPHITE
The Li-ion battery is the dominant technology in energy storage while graphite, a fairly low energy density material compared to other anode materials, is the dominant anode material in for Li-Ion batteries.
Present anode technology limits the use of Silicon Metal (Si) powders to a blended form with graphite, resulting in less than 10 wt% Si in Li-ion batteries. This explains the limited performance improvement achieved to date.
A recent report
by Wood Mackenzie Power projects that energy storage deployments are
estimated to grow 1,300% from a 12 Gigawatt-hour market in 2018 to a 158
Gigawatt-hour market in 2024. This is why, even at these low content
levels, demand for Silicon Metal powders is estimated to represent an
addressable market of US $ 1B by 20222 expanding at a CAGR of 38.9% between 2019 – 2024.
HPQ AND PYROGENESIS WELL POSITIONED TO ASSUME FIRST MOVER ADVANTAGE IN THE MARKET
Building upon the success of the modified Gen2 PUREVAP™ proof of concept test, PyroGenesis is designing additional process improvements to the modified Gen2 PUREVAP™ Reactor
in order to demonstrate the commercial potential of the high yield, low
cost process we are developing to produce Spherical Silicon Metal (Si)
nano-powders for the Li-ion batteries markets.
This represents a unique multibillion-dollar business opportunity
that could subsequently lead to the wide scale adoption of our Material
in the battery market. If this occurs, HPQ and PyroGenesis would then
be well positioned to assume a dominant market position. In Q1 2020,
the plan is to have the fully modified Gen2 PUREVAPTM reactor
operational to validate that our approach both works and is scalable
while also producing samples for industry participants and research
institutions.
“PyroGenesis has a long the track record of taking
high-technology projects from proof of concept to global commercial
scalability, so if anybody has the knowhow to use the silicon metal
produced by HPQ PUREVAP™QRR and make spherical Silicon Metal (Si)
nano-powders for use as high-capacity anode materials in the next
generations Li-ion batteries, it is them,†said Bernard Tourillon, President and CEO HPQ Silicon. “Silicon Metal’s potential to meet energy storage demand is undeniable and generating massive investments, as well as, serious industry interest, so our timing could not be better.â€
“We are delighted by the PUREVAP™ Gen2’s recent test results from
which it has established a very important proof of concept for the
production of spherical nano powders for the Lithium-ion batteries
market,†said M. P Peter Pascali, President and CEO of PyroGenesis Canada Inc. “The
success of this testing paves the way for an interesting business
opportunity for both PyroGenesis and HPQ. The goal is to significantly
increase the performance of Li-ion batteries, currently in demand, using
silicon metal (Si) anodes, at a competitive cost. The potential from
the battery and energy storage markets alone is estimated, on first
review, to be quite significant.â€
About Silicon Metal
Silicon Metal (Si) is one of today’s strategic materials needed to
fulfil the renewable energy revolution presently under way. Silicon does
not exist in its pure state; it must be extracted from quartz, one of
the most abundant minerals of the earth’s crust and other expensive raw
materials in a carbothermic process.
About HPQ Silicon
HPQ Silicon Resources Inc. (TSX-V: HPQ) is developing, with PyroGenesis Canada Inc.(TSX-V: PYR), a high-tech company that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma base processes, the innovative PUREVAPTM “Quartz Reduction Reactors†(QRR),
a truly 2.0 Carbothermic process (patent pending), which will permit
the One Step transformation of Quartz (SiO2) into High Purity Silicon
(Si) at prices that will propagate its considerable renewable energy
potential. The Gen3 PUREVAPTM QRR pilot plant that will validate the commercial potential of the process is scheduled to start during Q1 2020.
HPQ, working with PyroGenesis, is also developing a process that can take the High Purity Silicon (Si) made by the PUREVAPTM
and manufacture Spherical Silicon Metal nano-powders for Next Gen
Li-ion batteries. During Q1 2020, the plan is to validate our game
changing manufacturing approach using a modified Gen2 PUREVAPTM reactor to produce spherical Silicon Metal (Si) nano-powders samples for industry participants and research institutions’.
Concurrently, HPQ is also working with industry leader Apollon Solar to develop a manufacturing capability that uses the High Purity Silicon (Si) made with the PUREVAP™
to make Porous silicon wafers needed for solid-state Li-ion batteries.
The first Silicon wafer should be ready to be ship for testing to a
battery manufacture (under NDA) during Q1 2020.
Finally, with Apollon Solar, we are also looking into developing a
metallurgical pathway of producing Solar Grade Silicon Metal (SoG Si)
that will take full advantage of the PUREVAPTM QRR one-step production of Silicon (Si) material of 4N+ purity with low boron count (< 1 ppm).
All in all, HPQ focus is becoming the lowest cost producer of Silicon
Metal (Si), High Purity Silicon Metal (Si), Spherical Si nano-powders
for Next Gen Li-ion batteries, Porous Silicon Wafers for Solid states
Li-ion batteries, Porous Silicon Powders for Li-ion batteries and Solar
Grade Silicon Metal (SoG-Si).
This News Release is available on the company’s CEO Verified Discussion Forum, a moderated social media platform that enables civilized discussion and Q&A between Management and Shareholders.
Disclaimers:
The Corporation’s interest in developing the PUREVAP™ QRR and any
projected capital or operating cost savings associated with its
development should not be construed as being related to the establishing
the economic viability or technical feasibility of any of the Company’s
Quartz Projects.
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements,
including, without limitation, statements containing the words “may”,
“plan”, “will”, “estimate”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “intend”,
“expect”, “in the process” and other similar expressions which
constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of
applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the
Company’s current expectation and assumptions and are subject to a
number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited
to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the
market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the
capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research
and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new
product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory
approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the
Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks
and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the
Company’s on-going filings with the security’s regulatory authorities,
which filings can be found at www.sedar.com. Actual results, events, and
performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place
undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company
undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements either as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
For further information contact Bernard J. Tourillon, Chairman, President and CEO Tel (514) 907-1011 Patrick Levasseur, Vice-President and COO Tel: (514) 262-9239 http://www.hpqsilicon.com Email: [email protected]
1 Source: Quotation from a producer (Confidential), Media article 2 Source Marketandmakerts.com
Image A SEM X 75000 Resolution
Nano-powder picture taken with a SEM and a resolution X 75,000
Image B SEM X 100000 resolution
SEM Image of Nano-powders taken with X 100,000 resolution
IMAGE C – Energy density of anode materials
Graph representing The Energy Density of anode materials for batteries
Source: GlobeNewswire (January 15, 2020 – 8:00 AM EST)
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 1:01 PM on Tuesday, January 14th, 2020
SPONSOR: Datametrex AI Limited
(TSX-V: DM) A revenue generating small cap A.I. company that NATO and
Canadian Defence are using to fight fake news & social media
threats. The company announced three $1M contacts in Q3-2019. Click here for more info.
From the AI arms race to adversarial AI
The AI arms race is on, and it’s a cat and mouse game we see every day in our threat intelligence work
As new technology evolves, our lives become more convenient, but cybercriminals see new opportunities to attack users
The AI arms race is on, and it’s a cat and mouse game we see every
day in our threat intelligence work. As new technology evolves, our
lives become more convenient, but cybercriminals see new opportunities
to attack users. Whether it’s trying to circumvent antivirus software, or trying to install malware or ransomware
on a user’s machine, to abusing hacked devices to create a botnet or
taking down websites and important server infrastructures, getting ahead
of the bad guys is the priority for security providers. AI has
increased the sophistication of attacks, making it increasingly
unpredictable and difficult to mitigate against.
Increased Systematic Attacks
AI has reduced the manpower needed to carry out a cyber-attack. As
opposed to manually developing malware code, this process has become
automated, reducing the time, effort and expense that goes into these
attacks. The result: attacks become increasingly systematic and can be
carried out on a larger, grander scale.
Societal Change and New Norms
Along with cloud computing services,
the growth of AI has brought many tech advancements, but unless
carefully regulated it risks changing certain aspects of society. A
prime example of this is the use of facial recognition technology by the
police and local government authorities. San Francisco hit the
headlines this year when it became the first US city to ban the
technology.
This was seen as a huge victory – the technology carried far more
risks than benefits and question marks over inaccuracy and racial bias
were raised. AI technology is not perfect and is only as reliable and
accurate as the data that feeds it. As we head into a new decade,
technology companies and law makers need to work together to ensure
these developments are suitably regulated and used responsibly.
Changing the way we look at information
We’re now in the era of fake news, misinformation and deep fakes. AI
has made it even easier to create and spread misleading and fake
information. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that we
increasingly consume information in digital echo chambers, making it
harder to access unbiased information.
While responsibility lies with the tech companies that host and share
this content, education in data literacy will become more important in
2020 and beyond. An increasing focus on teaching the public how to
scrutinise information and data will be vital.
More Partnerships to Combat Adversarial AI
In order to combat the threat from adversarial AI, we hope to see
even greater partnerships between technology companies and academic
institutions. This is precisely why Avast has partnered with The Czech
Technical University in Prague to advance research in the field of artificial intelligence.
Avast’s rich threat data from over 400 million devices globally have
been combined with the CTU’s study of complex and evasive threats in
order to pre-empt and inhibit attacks from cybercriminals. The goals of
the laboratory include publishing breakthrough research in this field
and to enhance Avast’s malware detection engine, including its AI-based
detection algorithms.
As we head into a new decade AI will continue to impact and change
technology and society around us, especially with the increase in smart home devices. However, despite the negative associations, there’s a lot more good to be gained from artificial intelligence than bad.
Tools are only as helpful as those who wield them. The biggest
priority in the years ahead will be cross-industry and government
collaboration, to use AI for good and prohibit those who attempt to
abuse it.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 11:54 AM on Tuesday, January 14th, 2020
SPONSOR: BetterU Education Corp.
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The company plans to bridge the prevailing gap in the education and job
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Top edtech trends to rule India’s virtual learning space in 2020
Today’s educators are completely aware of the fact that the 21st-century student is no longer receptive to the practice of offline learning, which limits them to textbooks and classrooms
Rather, they prefer online channels that are easily accessible and give them a much wider choice of self-learning. According to a recent KPMG report, the online education industry is anticipated to gain a user base of 9.6 million by 2021 as compared to 1.6 million in 2016
By Akhand Swaroop Pandit, Founder and CEO, Catalyst Group, Online Learning Platform.
Since time immemorial, we have been acclimatised to attain our
educational goals through classroom-based learning, which is majorly
based on a theoretical exam-driven system. From the very childhood, this
archaic system pushes us to focus on scoring well, instead of
practically understanding the concepts. However, now that this belief is
changing with the advent of various online learning tools, educators
are rapidly adopting online learning pedagogies, which involve the right
mix of offline as well as online learning techniques.
Today’s educators are completely aware of the fact that the
21st-century student is no longer receptive to the practice of offline
learning, which limits them to textbooks and classrooms. Rather, they
prefer online channels that are easily accessible and give them a much
wider choice of self-learning. According to a recent KPMG report, the online education industry is anticipated to gain a user base of 9.6 million by 2021 as compared to 1.6 million in 2016.
In fact, the scope of online learning is not only limited to school
and competitive exams but has gone beyond these boundaries. A large
number of online players have forayed into upskilling – helping job
seekers acquire new skills and prepare for today’s evolving job market.
That said, the education system in India is surely reshaping by leaps
and bounds and is turning into a student-friendly ecosystem that
focusses mainly on fostering effective learning.
On the back of
this transformation, the education industry is witnessing several
trends, and this is just the beginning! Here’s an outlook on the top
trends that India is likely to witness in 2020:
Personalised learning
For ages, it has remained a challenge for educators to assess each
and every student in the classroom. Even the practice of parent-teacher
meeting has not been much of a success. However, players in the online
learning space are highly focused on addressing this challenge. With the
kinds of online tests these players conduct and the way they leverage
the digital footprints of users, it has become both easy and efficient
to cater to the needs of students as emphasising on their strengths and
weaknesses that they would need to work upon.
Artificial intelligence (AI)
Although not every new to the human ears, AI is certainly redesigning
the path of online education by automating and making the process more
engaging than ever. The integration of AR and VR in the online space
significantly adds an audio-visual factor to the overall learning
process with elements such as 3D designs, animations, and sign
languages, among others – making learning fun for both students and
educators. It is clear how education has come out of the textbooks and
is leaving digital imprints on the minds of learners, which was not the
case a few years ago.
Gamification
While video games were one of the major causes why children once got
scolded by parents, gamification has emerged as a new kind of learning
technique that is widely being adopted and accepted by educators. A
large number of players in this space are gamifying different concepts
that can help students enhance their problem-solving power, retain
information and improve their overall performance in a very engaging and
fun-learning manner. Even in schools, this technique has been adopted
by educators to teach valuable skills that they will need to fit into
future job roles.
Mobile-based learning
With smartphones becoming an all-time tool for students to gain and
collect information from the internet, edtech players are rapidly
developing mobile-based content and online study materials that are
easily accessible, anytime and anywhere. By leveraging tech advances,
these new-age educators are able to expand their reach even to the rural
geographies, where imparting education has majorly been an age-long
challenge.
Video-based learning
Gone are the days when coaching classes were only seen as offline
tutoring sessions. With mentors and educators coming online, students
are now enabled to access the same offline sessions through online
platforms, on their smartphones. The best part about video-based
learning is that it can be replayed an infinite number of times, which
naturally eliminates the probability of missing anything associated with
the subject. Not only do students get access to live online lectures,
but they also have the choice of watching a wide variety of rich and
well-researched videos related to their respective subjects.
With the rise of technology disruptions, the future of online
learning seems promising and filled with a barrage of opportunities for
edtech players to innovate further. Not only are these new-age platforms
ensuring quality education to student masses, but also making sure that
learning reaches to every corner of the country. The aforementioned
trends are gaining wider adoption and are already being implemented by
several educational institutions across the country. Besides, it is
anticipated that these advances will slowly but surely help India turn
into a digital-first nation and make its citizens smart enough to secure
future jobs, which would be largely driven by technology.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:54 AM on Tuesday, January 14th, 2020
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Visa to acquire crypto-serving fintech unicorn Plaid for $5.3B
Payments giant Visa is set to acquire Plaid, a crypto-serving fintech unicorn, for $5.3 billion.
Announced Monday, Visa said the acquisition would help it enter into new businesses and enhance its existing card business
The deal is expected to close in the next 3-6 months, pending regulatory approvals.
Plaid helps users to connect their bank accounts to apps, such as
PayPal’s Venmo, to conveniently share their financial information. The
startup also serves crypto firms, including Coinbase and Abra wallet.
Visa would pay $4.9 billion in cash and around $400 million of retention equity and deferred equity, according to a presentation deck. The payments giant is paying a significant premium over Plaid’s valuation which recently hit over $2.5 billion.
“The combination of Visa and Plaid will put us at the epicenter of
the fintech world, expanding our total addressable market and
accelerating our long-term revenue growth trajectory,†said Al Kelly,
CEO and chairman of Visa.
The deal has the potential to help Visa add 80-100 basis points to its revenue growth by 2021, per the deck.
Both Visa and Mastercard invested an undisclosed sum in Plaid recently. Founded in 2012, the startup has raised over $350 million in venture capital funding to date.
