Category Archives: Technology

New VirtuAlarm Universal Alarm App, for Both iOS and Android

Kirkland, WA, April 05, 2024 –Kirkland, WA, during its recent dealer meeting, VirtuAlarm announced to partners and customers the deployment of its newest revised App for iOS and Android.

The App features VirtuAlarm’s proprietary false alarm reduction processing platform as well as remote camera viewing, DIY monitoring with authority connect, and remote arm disarm capability for multiple alarm systems.

The False Alarm Reduction Platform allows Alarm Dealers, IOT providers and end users multiple communication methods allowing remote confirmation or cancellation of any alarm event, prior to any monitoring center receiving the signal. When an alarm event is received by the platform, either by PSTN, IP, Cellular or even by email using their exclusive AlarMail® services, push notifications are sent to the end user’s App and to as many friends, family members, or employees as needed. At each step, any user receiving the notification can either cancel, hold, or confirm the alarm for immediate dispatch. The App allows the end user to place the alarm on hold, allowing time to provide investigation of the alarm cause, including using a video view option, prior to requesting cancellation or dispatch of the alarm. This entire process can take less than 15 seconds, based on the variable settings available. The new VirtuAlarm® App reduces alarm processing time based on pre-screening before dropping to any monitoring center, worldwide.

Blaze Group Nominated for Best in AI

Oakland, CA, April 04, 2024 –Blaze Group announced today that it has been nominated for Best in AI, Metaverse & Virtual – Business & Technology in the 28th Annual Webby Awards. Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards, presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet. IADAS, which nominates and selects The Webby Award Winners, is comprised of Internet industry experts including Marian Croak, VP of Engineering – Responsible AI & Human Centered Technology, Google; Sarah Harden, CEO, Hello Sunshine; Tobe Nwigwe, Artist & Actor; Shigetaka Kurita, Artist & Father of Emojis; Severin Hacker, Cofounder & CTO, Duolingo; Law Roach, Image Architect; Yann LeCun, VP & Chief AI Scientist, Meta; Roxane Gay, Host, The Roxane Gay Agenda; Quinta Brunson, Writer, Director and Actor; Questlove, DJ and Producer; Todd Kaplan, Chief Marketing Officer, Pepsi Co; Ashley Murphy, VP Global Consumer Marketing, Rare Beauty; Nelly Mensah, VP of Digital Innovation, Global Head of Web3 and Metaverse, LVMH; Jim Habig, Vice President Marketing, LinkedIn; and Tonya Custis, Director of AI Research, Autodesk.

Blaze Group, Inc. is an AI-based startup that bridges the gap between education and personalization for Black women entrepreneurs. With an engaged audience of more than 110,000 entrepreneurs and partners across the globe, Blaze Group makes it easy, affordable, and enjoyable for early-stage founders to access AI business advisory.

“Nominees like Blaze Group are setting the standard for innovation and creativity on the Internet,” said Nick Borenstein, General Manager of The Webby Awards. “It is an incredible achievement to be selected among the best from the nearly 13,000 entries we received this year.”

“With Black women creating 42% of all net new women-owned businesses launched each day in the United States, space must be made to absorb this bulging segment of the economy,” says Blaze Group Founder Casey Ariel Thobias. “It is no longer a question of entrepreneurs keeping pace with the environment. To remain relevant, industries and solutions must keep pace with Black women entrepreneurs. Blaze Group understands this and we leverage research and intelligence to fuel cutting-edge AI business advisory solutions for Black women.”

As a nominee, Blaze Group is also eligible to win a Webby People’s Voice Award, which is voted online by fans across the globe. From now until April 18, Blaze Group fans can cast their votes at: vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2024/ai-metaverse-virtual/general-virtual-experiences/business-technology

Winners will be announced on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, and honored in a star-studded show at Cipriani Wall Street. Winners will have an opportunity to deliver one of The Webby Awards’ famous 5-Word Speeches. Past 5-Word Speeches include: SZA’s “The Internet Scares Me. Thanks.” Steve Wilhite’s “It’s Pronounced ‘Jif’ not ‘Gif'” and NASA’s “Houston We Have A Webby.”

Software to Support New SEC Climate Disclosure Rules

Spokane, WA, April 04, 2024 — Geoprise, a maker of enterprise resources planning (ERP) software, today announced general availability of the world’s first-ever commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) ERP software supporting the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) climate rule, which was recently finalized on March 6, 2024.

The new rule requires U.S. public companies, and foreign companies doing business in the U.S., to report their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions so investors are better informed about climate risks. According to industry analyst Diginomica’s Brian Sommer (March 2024), “Traditional accounting and other business application software (e.g., ERP) was not designed for an ESG or climate accounting world. Bolt-on tools may have to suffice for the time being but more software innovation is needed now.” Responding to this need, Geoprise is the first information technology provider ever to publicly announce the availability of COTS ERP software for this purpose.

The software products which Geoprise is making available from today natively embed new capabilities within the existing GM-X™ Accounts Payable, Fixed Assets, General Ledger, Inventory, Product and Shipment subsystems that fully incorporate Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP) cross-sector guidance and tools for Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions to achieve full compliance with the new U.S. climate disclosure rules while substantially lowering the cost of compliance.

“Our new software capabilities for climate disclosure effortlessly collect operational data such as fuel deliveries, vehicle mileage, delivery weights and electricity consumption, and apply them to emission factors in a fully GHGP-compliant way to overcome well-known issues with direct measurement of GHG emissions arising from the expense and difficulty of accurately measuring exhaust gas concentrations and flow rates,” said Geoprise CEO Nelson Nones. “No other ERP application on the market today has our built-in abilities to flexibly maintain a database of emission factors and automatically apply them to operational data reflecting the daily business activities of reporting companies,” he said.

As just one example, companies can use the GHGP location-based reporting method to account for Scope 2 emissions arising from the consumption of electricity at their facilities throughout the world. According to the GHGP, these represent the largest sources of GHG emissions for many companies. To minimize compliance costs, the GM-X Accounts Payable subsystem automatically records both the quantities and monetary values of electricity purchases from utility bills and links those quantities to specific facilities within climate reporting scope. Those facilities, in turn, are already linked in the GM-X database to the specific emission factors for carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide within the regions where those facilities are located. This approach makes it no more difficult to account for and report GHG emissions than it is to account for and report financial results.

Today’s announcement is the latest in a series of firsts for Geoprise and its GM-X application suite. In early 2018, GM-X was the first ERP application in the world (CIO Review magazine, November 2018) to combine proven blockchain technology with strong encryption for securing information assets, and it remains the only such ERP application suite on the market today. Later that year, Geoprise was first to market with a responsive mobile-first GM-X Web user interface allowing the entire GM-X application suite to run end-to-end on mobile as well as desktop and laptop devices.

Astute observers will note that despite its track record of being first to market with proven ERP innovations, Geoprise has refrained from jumping onto the artificial intelligence (AI) bandwagon and is specifically not claiming that its new climate reporting capabilities derive from AI technology. “To prevent so-called ‘greenwashing’ the SEC says that reporting companies can be liable under Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or Section 11 of the Securities Act, for materially false or misleading statements in their climate disclosures,” Nones said. “The well-known tendency of generative AI to hallucinate make it imperative for ethical companies to mitigate such risks by abstaining from using AI when accounting for and reporting GHG emissions,” he added.

Nones also noted that although the new SEC rule has already been challenged in court, most observers believe that affected companies will still initiate preparations for compliance, and some companies already provide climate disclosures though not necessarily in a standard way. According to legal analysts, some companies will have to supplement or replace their existing ERP or accounting software to function at a level which supports compliance with the new rules. “The climate disclosure capabilities of our GM-X software are available now, giving affected companies plenty of runway to comfortably adapt their systems by the time the rules take effect,” he said.

Human-Edge.ai and Autimatic Partner to Empower People with Autism

London, United Kingdom, April 04, 2024 — Human-Edge.ai, a leading innovator in generative AI solutions, and Autimatic, a specialist in providing meaningful careers for people with autism, today announced a groundbreaking partnership and release of an AI-powered chatbot designed to help individuals with autism explore their skills and potential career paths. This initiative will launch on April 2, World Autism Day, to raise awareness and support for neurodiversity in the workplace.

The new chatbot leverages Human-Edge.ai’s expertise in natural language processing and generative AI to create a tailored and supportive experience for individuals with autism. The chatbot will:

Assess Skills and Interests: Provide interactive questionnaires and assessments to help individuals identify their unique strengths and passions.
Match Potential Job Opportunities: Utilize Autimatic’s extensive knowledge base of autism-friendly employers and roles to suggest suitable job matches.

“We’re committed to harnessing the power of AI to make a tangible difference in people’s lives,” said Mohamed Anis, CEO of Human-Edge.ai.

“Partnering with Autimatic, we can provide individuals with autism the tools and resources to unlock their full potential and find careers they truly thrive in.”

Here’s Why – https://www.human-edge.ai/post/neurodivergent

Quote from Geert Pauwels, CEO of Autimatic about the importance of this initiative and the potential impact on the lives of people with autism:

“This collaboration is a game-changer, empowering individuals with autism to discover meaningful careers that align with their skills and interests. We believe that AI can break down barriers and create a more inclusive future,” said Geert, CEO of Autimatic.

Strategic Technology Solutions Attains SOC 2 Type

Torrance, CA, April 03, 2024 –– Strategic Technology Solutions (STS), a firm specializing in delivering Managed IT, Cloud and Cybersecurity services to the legal sector, proudly announced today, for the fourth year in a row, its successful attainment of the SOC 2 Type II Cybersecurity Compliance. This achievement distinguishes STS as one of the few managed service providers (MSPs) supporting law firms that possess this advanced security credential.

The SOC 2 Type II Compliance is a globally acknowledged auditing standard developed to evaluate and report on the effectiveness of a service organization’s internal controls over a specified period. It focuses primarily on aspects such as security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.

STS has consistently strived to adopt an ethical and responsible approach to its operations, ensuring its clients that their valuable and confidential content is safeguarded at the highest possible levels. James Waryck, the CEO and co-founder of STS, posed the question, “If we are not operating at a high level, why should our clients?” This statement underscores STS’ commitment to excellence and its dedication to protecting its clients.

STS, with being SOC 2 Type II Compliant, eliminates the “assumption-based” aspect of risk comprehension and provides a clear and complete understanding of the existing level of risk and exposure a firm has when using STS services. It also outlines the likelihood of a breach happening and how impactful the breach would be. STS applies this proactive approach to risk management to benefit Law Firms, underscoring STS’s commitment to its clients and their security.

Security Risk
The American Bar Association (ABA) reports that approximately 29% of law firms encountered a security breach in 2023, a slight increase from the 27% reported in 2022. Furthermore, some law firms experienced significant breaches in 2023, as per LegalTech News (LTN), resulting in the exposure of sensitive client and firm data. These incidents led to substantial ransom demands and class action lawsuits.

Third-party vendor risk is a genuine concern, and understanding the vendors you do business with is a critical aspect of a robust cybersecurity strategy. Law firms that invest in securing their IT environment and mitigating risk should also scrutinize the security practices of their third-party vendors to ensure alignment.

When an IT vendor lacks robust security controls, the law firm that relies on their services becomes vulnerable to supply-chain attacks. These attacks occur when a breach affecting a vendor or supplier cascades down to impact their clients.

Sam Sheth, CIO and co-founder of STS, raises a crucial question: “How will a Managed Service Provider (MSP) safeguard your law firm’s data, and do they have evidence demonstrating effective risk prevention?” Many IT providers and vendors claim compliance, but upon closer examination, they may not be directly compliant. Some base their security claims on using AWS or Azure-based environments, assuming that these cloud platforms’ security extends to their own operating systems and tools. However, this assumption is incorrect—the secure environment provided by AWS or Azure pertains to their infrastructure, not the specific tools used by MSPs or vendors for their business operations. Would you hire an attorney that didn’t pass the bar or visit an unlicensed doctor? The same concept applies when it comes to IT Security.

While the MSP industry is not currently mandated to be cybersecurity compliant, STS believes that pursuing such compliances is the right course of action. By voluntarily adhering to high standards, STS demonstrates its commitment to clients and their security.

STS, as an early innovator in the managed IT services industry, has taken a proactive approach by incorporating the Security Maturity Level Assessment (SMLA) process, methodology, and approach into its sales and onboarding procedures. Remarkably, few MSP’s —particularly those with a legal focus – have followed suit. By embracing the SMLA process, STS demonstrates its commitment to robust security practices and its dedication to safeguarding its clients’ valuable data.

Stringent Compliance Process
The SOC 2 Type II compliance indeed demands significant investment in terms of time, resources, and financial commitment. However, for the team at STS, this rigorous process holds immense importance. It serves as a powerful testament to their unwavering dedication in safeguarding both their own sensitive information and that of their clients.

STS Commitment to Security
At STS, cybersecurity isn’t an afterthought—it’s the bedrock. As an early innovator in the managed IT services industry leveraging the SMLA process, sets STS apart, especially within the legal vertical.

Here’s why it matters:
Experience and Expertise: Over several years, STS has achieved SOC 2 Type II compliance and honed its specialization in both cybersecurity and the legal industry. This dual expertise enables STS to focus sharply on safeguarding its clients’ interests.

Client Confidence:
Guiding law firms through their cybersecurity journey, STS provides assurance. Clients know that STS has walked the path, continues to invest, and understands the nuances of protecting “their house.”

Evidence-Driven Approach:
STS’s cybersecurity strategy isn’t based on assumptions. It assesses clients’ current cybersecurity maturity, identifies risks, establishes baselines, and charts a path forward. This approach draws from tangible evidence, guided by the Center for Internet Security (CIS) 18 and the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) frameworks.

James Waryck, CEO and co-founder of STS, sums it up: “Vision backed by evidence – providing the right information to make educated and informed decisions.” STS’ commitment to security isn’t just a promise; it’s a proven reality.

Key Components of STS’s Cybersecurity Approach:
· Identifies gaps in cybersecurity programs across people, processes, and technology.
· Determines your current security maturity level base and desired level for your firm.
· Compares and contrasts your security maturity level with other firms facing similar challenges and risks.
· Recommends and prioritizes opportunities to improve your cybersecurity maturity level while reducing overall risk.

New 2.4″ IPS TFT LCD Displays at Newhaven Display

Elgin, IL, April 03, 2024 –Newhaven Display releases six new 2.4” size, In-Plane Switching (IPS) displays to their LCD TFT product line. With IPS technology, these displays are capable of truer color reproduction, better optical characteristics, and better image consistency from any viewing angle. There are two different brightness options to choose from: a standard brightness model and a high brightness model with up to 1200 nits that’s sunlight readable. In addition to brightness options, there are two touchscreen options including resistive and capacitive touch. The capacitive touchscreen gives a more premium appearance when using this display in applications and will elevate user experience with multi-touch capability. Additional benefits of the capacitive touch model include a built-in I2C interface and durable cover glass.

These 2.4” IPS displays provide additional design improvements including built-in EMI shielding and a top bezel frame for added protection. They offer user-selectable parallel or serial interface modes for flexibility within multiple project requirements. This allows the displays to be compatible with multiple development platforms such as Arduino development boards. This new product line was engineered with compatibility in mind. The new design has the same mechanical footprint as the TN display, making them compatible with existing overlays, enclosures, and other assembly components of the TN display, allowing easy integration into your existing projects. Engineered to redefine excellence in a compact form, this new line of 2.4” displays will elevate any project.

Features
· 2.4” IPS screens
· 240×320 pixel resolution
· Sunlight readable, high brightness option
· Full viewing angles
· 8-bit/16-bit parallel or 3-wire SPI interface
· Capacitive, resistive or no touchscreen
· Built-in ST7789VI Driver IC
· Built-in EMI Shielding
· Compatible with 2.4” TN Models

Product Part Numbers:
NHD-2.4-240320AF-CSXP-CTP
NHD-2.4-240320AF-CSXP-T
NHD-2.4-240320AF-CSXP
NHD-2.4-240320AF-CTXP-CTP
NHD-2.4-240320AF-CTXP-T
NHD-2.4-240320AF-CTXP

Study Comparing Windows 11 Pro Laptops with UFS and SSD Storage

Durham, NC, April 02, 2024 –When it’s time for schools and districts to purchase devices for students and staff, both budget and performance are top concerns. One way to cut on costs might be to configure devices with universal flash storage (UFS) instead of solid-state drives (SSDs), but how might this affect performance? To find out, PT put two sets of Windows 11 Pro laptops to the test: the Lenovo 100w Gen 4 and the Lenovo 300w Yoga Gen 4. In each pair, one laptop had a UFS card and the other had an SSD—otherwise, they were identical. When PT engineers timed how long it took the laptops to complete common education tasks, they found that the devices with UFS delivered performance on par with their SSD-equipped counterparts.

According to the report, “PT performance engineers hand-timed general productivity tasks—including boot times and Microsoft 365 app tasks—and tasks in CoSpaces Edu, Blender, and Labster. We saw that the Lenovo Gen 4 laptops with UFS storage delivered performance comparable to the same laptops with SSDs. Choosing UFS for education devices doesn’t have to mean a downgrade in performance: Our results indicate a consistent experience for learners and education professionals in a variety of scenarios, regardless of storage choice.”

Free Webinar: Release of Testwell CTC++ 10.1

Offenburg, Germany, April 02, 2024 — Verifysoft has released Testwell CTC++ 10.1 with the new feature Justifications. Missing coverage can now be justified, and these justifications transparently influence all coverage measures. Justifications can be stored in source code comments or in companion files. With a justification, a tag used for grouped presentation in overviews and an explanation are associated.

Register now to Verifysoft’s free webinar on Tuesday, April 16 2024 at 3:00 p.m. CET (Berlin).

In this webinar, Dr Sabine Poehler will introduce the latest improvements of this version.

The most important new feature in Testwell CTC++ version 10.1:
– Justifications, an integrated way to effectively explain missing coverage.

AAEON Brings Secure, Deployment-Ready, AI Solutions

Las Vegas, NV, April 02, 2024 — AAEON, a leading producer of AI and cybersecurity solutions, will hold both live and showcase demonstrations of their newest products across multiple platforms at the International Security Conference & Exposition – also known as ISC West.

ISC West is the leading comprehensive and converged security trade event in the United States. At the event projected to host thousands of security and public safety professionals, AAEON will present a broad selection of its products conducive to bringing cybersecurity and AI solutions to market.

Offering the combination of educational programming, product showcases, and networking opportunities all in one place, the expo will host the SIA Education@ISC program from April 9 – 11, with a packed exhibition hall full of event sponsors such as AAEON.

Date: SIA Education@ISC: April 9 – 11, Exhibition Hall: April 10 – 12
Booth: #34043
Venue: Venetian Expo, 201 Sands Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89169.

AAEON will showcase a collection of products from its Network Security Division, including desktop and rackmount network appliances, along with innovative server solutions. Among these will be the highly anticipated 1U Rackmount Network Appliances supporting both 12th and 13th Generation Intel® Core™ Processors – the FWS-7850 and FWS-7851.

Both systems and boards from across AAEON’s diverse product lines, including new and yet-to-be-released offerings from its BOXER-8000 and BOXER-6000 series, which bring the latest in both NVIDIA® and Intel® technology, respectively, will be on show. From its single-board computer range, AAEON will showcase new AI technologies on its UP, PICO, GENE, and EPIC product lines, as well as debuting its first edge system based on the de next board form factor.

AAEON’s will also display the FWS-2290, its first desktop network appliance supporting the Intel® Processor N-series platform. Alongside this will be the FWS-2370, which will support CPUs from both the Intel Atom® Processor C and Intel Atom® Processor P Series. Expected to enter mass production towards the latter part of Q2, both white box solutions will bring high-quality software-agnostic hardware capable of powering a wealth of functions such as SD-WAN, vCPE, wireless gateway, and network access control in deployment-ready platforms.

Such a selection of advanced secure networking solutions illustrates AAEON’s continued dedication to providing premier embedded hardware that is both deployment-ready and compatible with the evolving demands in both networking and cybersecurity in recent years. Most prominently evidencing this dedication is AAEON’s partnership with flexiWAN, which has certified a number of AAEON’s network appliances, such as the FWS-2280, FWS-2365, and FWS-7541, as compatible with their innovative SD-WAN platform.

flexiWAN is on a mission to disrupt and democratize the SD-WAN & SASE markets by offering a different and open approach to networking. This is demonstrated by its “3 World Firsts”: First open-source SD-WAN & SASE; first SD-WAN & SASE applications store; first SD-WAN & SASE SaaS business model.

Live demonstrations will be shown from AAEON’s Rugged Mobile Devices line, including two panel PCs, the OMNI-2215-ADP and ACP-1108, which are scheduled for release later in the year. Joining these is the RTC-1020, a 10.1″ Rugged Tablet Featuring 11th Generation Intel® Core™ processors.

With a strong focus on connected IoT solutions, AAEON will also showcase offerings from across all of its product lines, but of particular note are the upcoming RISC-based IoT Gateway SRG-AM62, which will feature Texas Instruments™ AM62x Sitara™ Processors and give a preview into AAEON’s roadmap based on RISC architecture, which is set to expand throughout 2024.
Register here for complimentary exhibit hall registration and make sure to visit AAEON at Booth #34043 for a showcase of the latest cybersecurity and IoT platforms.

SMC Presents Secondary Battery Solutions at NAATBatt

Noblesville, IN, April 01, 2024 — In line with this focus, SMC presented on a variety of solutions for applications in the industry. SMC’s standard pneumatic and electric products play a crucial role in the advanced battery industry as they are well suited for automating cell assembly. SMC products are utilized across various advanced battery applications, including raw material mining, battery cell manufacturing, battery pack assembly, EV manufacturing, EV component recycling, and related EV services. As lasers have become more common in the cell assembly industry, SMC’s chillers have offered temperature control solutions for these applications, too.

Furthermore, SMC contributes significantly to the advanced battery industry through products specifically tailored for secondary battery environments. SMC’s 25A Series product line is designed using material compatible with secondary battery applications and is engineered for use in low dewpoint environments. These specialized products eliminate copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) material where possible. The 25A Series products are used in battery manufacturing applications including the following:

· Electro production: mixing and kneading machine; coating and rolling; slitting
· Cell assembly: winding; attaching tabs; welding cell lid and pouring electrolytic solution; pre-charging and welding infusion plug; punching electrodes; stacking; tab welding and lamination; sealing
· Inspection and packaging: charging/discharging and aging; packaging

In addition to presenting at the conference, SMC leaders had the opportunity to gain deeper insights into the current landscape of the industry. Mike Shillito, the National Sales Manager in New Energy Systems at SMC Corporation of America, reflected on his experience, stating, “One big takeaway for me is that the battery industry has vast potential for growth. There is a wide array of chemistries such as Li-cobalt, Li-Phosphate (LFP), NMC, NCM, and cutting-edge technologies like solid state, semi-solid, and electrolyte to explore.” Shillito further elaborated on market dynamics, noting the absence of a clear favorite among these technologies. He emphasized, “Preferences will be driven by considerations such as charge efficiency, safety, scalability, and recycling. Recycling is very important in this circular industry, and the effective, safe, and profitable recycling of these materials will be crucial for long-term success.”

Building upon these insights, Gary Heinonen, Global Automotive Industry Manager at SMC, shared how SMC is actively preparing to meet the demands of this expanding market, both in North America and globally. Heinonen stated, “There continue to be huge investments from government entities, such as the Department of Energy, into the industry. Even with the ‘softening’ of EV car sales, the battery infrastructure is moving full speed ahead. I believe this will trigger more US machine builders (OEMs) to pivot toward producing battery equipment as more US content is being required. SMC definitely has a focused approach to the growing secondary battery market: while Asia and Europe are well ahead of the US market, we are aligning our strategies globally to ensure we are prepared to meet the challenges in the US market.”

In preparation for this expanding market, SMC released 16 new products for the secondary battery industry in 2023, had 7 new products in production, and 11 new products in design.