Jan 15, 2018 - When trying to come up with a new idea, untangle an existing one or solve a problem we all have times when we get stuck. But according to research by behavioral and learning scientist Marily Oppezzo, getting up and going for a walk might be all it takes to get your creative juices flowing. In this fun, fast talk, she explains how walking is not just for your physical well-being but a mental resource. 

Jan 11, 2018  -  Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg remains a popular figure on the social media platform. He posts regularly about a variety of activities, including his work with the philanthropic Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative and his ongoing work on the Facebook platform. A recent post drew unusual levels of attention, though, and it has to do with the company's potential involvement in the hottest trend: cryptocurrencies.

Zuckerberg previously explained via a Facebook post that he aims to learn something new each year, and a post for the new year explained that his challenge for 2018 would focus on exploring how technology can "give people the power," according to Futurism. (See also: Zuckerberg Studying Cryptocurrency to 'Fix' Facebook.) Some are interpreting his post as a suggestion that Facebook may add a cryptocurrency service.

Centralization vs. Decentralization

"One of the most interesting questions in technology right now is about centralization vs. decentralization," he wrote. "A lot of us got into technology because we believe it can be a decentralizing force that puts more power in people's hands."

Zuckerberg explained his view that the potential for technology to help empower individuals has been subverted by a number of big tech companies as well as governments.

He explained that the use of technology as a monitoring system is contrary to this empowering process. One way to continue the push toward decentralization, though, is cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.

"I'm interested to go deeper and study the positive and negative aspects of these technologies, and how best to use them in our services," Zuckerberg explained, according to Futurism.

Practical Impact

The major question following Zuckerberg's post has to do with the practical impact of these musings. Will Facebook add a cryptocurrency in 2018 A Facebook spokesperson declined to comment.

Companies of all kinds have added digital currency components (See also: Kodak to Launch Cryptocurrency: Stock Soars on ICO News.) A cryptocurrency linked with a social media platform as powerful and widespread as Facebook would have enormous potential.

Yonatan Ben Shimon, the CEO and founder of cryptocurrency/social activity company Matchpool, indicated that this plan has potential. "In order to do it right, they [Facebook] have to be with a partner from the crypto space that understands how to build it in a decentralized way," Shimon said.

If Facebook did enter the cryptocurrency space, it could be a major force in the widespread mass adoption of the industry around the world. Given that Facebook has roughly 2 billion active monthly users, the reach of a Facebook digital currency would be game-changing.

Investing in cryptocurrencies and other Initial Coin Offerings ("ICOs") is highly risky and speculative, and this article is not a recommendation by Investopedia or the writer to invest in cryptocurrencies or other ICOs. Since each individual's situation is unique, a qualified professional should always be consulted before making any financial decisions. Investopedia makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy or timeliness of the information contained herein. As of the date this article was written, the author owns bitcoin. It is unclear whether he owns other bitcoin forks.

| An Investopedia release  ||  January 10, 2018   |||

Jan 10, 2018  -  DS Smith’s UK packaging division has partnered with The Amazing Chocolate Workshop once again to develop and test new e-commerce packaging.  The mission of the Amazing Chocolate Workshop is to ‘take the boundaries of chocolate to a whole new level’ – creating a world of mesmerising, mind-boggling and quirky chocolate creations. Its chocolate products are hand-made to look exactly like everyday objects such as tools, cameras, kitchen utensils and other paraphernalia.

Jan 9, 2018  -  A bristol Freighter aicraft is to be restored in the city where it was built more than 60 years ago.  Shipped from New Zealand, where it had been in storage since last flying in 1977, it will be restored at Aerospace Bristol.  

Jan 9, 2018  -  When aircraft manufacturers today are faced with a problem in a plane that has been in service for many years, they encounter a significant challenge “ tracing the history of the suspected part or component and chronology of events surrounding it to find the right fix. These could be issues or damages fixed right from the manufacturing process, flight test observations, customisations by lease operators, maintenance observations and changes, damages due to in-flight incidents such as a hard landing or bird strike and pilot logs from in-flight observations and issues.

All this data is spread out in multiple systems across organisations in the supply chain, and data gathering and reconciliation becomes an extremely challenging exercise. Some airlines spend as much as 90% of the time and effort finding and organising the data chronologically, and only 10% of time in finding the fix. And the aircraft are grounded during this time - massive revenue loss for an industry with high asset utilization targets.

Now imagine the savings that would be possible, if there were a system of records that brought together all of the information from all of these sources in one place, all organised in chronological order. With such a system, aircraft could be back in the air within just 20% of the time taken earlier. Enter blockchain!

By enabling all the parties to share their data on a common network as and when the data is generated, and using a common identifier for a part or component that lets the entire history be traced, blockchain could just be the solution to this challenge.

The manufacturing industry is experiencing significant transformation as blockchain streamlines processes and brings accountability among stakeholders. The technology is a powerful recorder of transactions enabling provenance tracking of goods and its movement through the supply chain.

Organisations today face challenges in coordinating with their stakeholders in the value chain, due to information asymmetry caused by silo-ed databases, resulting in inaccurate forecasts and delays due to insufficient inventory. In a globalised world, organisations procure and sell goods in different parts of the world. Their partners in the supply chain have increased exponentially, raising the need for a single source of truth.

Consumers also demand products that are crime-free, sustainable and of the highest quality. The ability to validate the ethical production of products and to trace its origin not only provides transparency, but also increases brand loyalty, brand value and revenue.

Blockchain has come to be recognised for its potential to create a fundamental, disruptive shift in the way information is processed, making them faster, accurate and tamper-proof. Organisations are recognising the inevitable force of this technology, and its ability to build an ecosystem that would transcend geographical barriers, its automation capabilities and the enormous cost benefit.

While Blockchain offers enormous potential, manufacturing companies need to leverage it in chosen business areas, where the impact of this technology is the most.

The aerospace industry is one of the sectors which stands to gain a lot from blockchain. Blockchain has various applications in the aerospace industry, such as supply chain management enabling stakeholders to trace the sub-components back to its manufacturers and access its quality details.

It also helps the stakeholders to streamline their inventory management by tracking the production of assets and the monitoring the inventory of their suppliers and customers. And as mentioned earlier, it can help quickly provide aeronautical engineers access to the history of the aircraft, and the damage and repairs to help accurately identify the problem and design the solution for the aircraft. Other Blockchain applications include:

Supply Chain Management

Inventory Management: OEMs procure goods from across the world to meet the demands of local customers, but stakeholders in the same city do not have the information required to plan their procurement and production activities.

Blockchain promises to end the struggle to coordinate between stakeholders in the value chain by bringing them on a single platform and creating a sole source of truth. Blockchain helps track products as they move along the supply chain providing real-time inventory updates to all the stakeholders. This helps manufacturers plan their procurement and production activities.

Provenance Tracking: Customer awareness has resulted in the need for organic food, crime-free and environmentally-sustainable products. Customers can use the blockchain to trace products and its constituents back to its origins. They can view quality certificates and certifications from third parties to verify the sustainability or ethical practices of the company.

The airline industry needs to track several components within a part or section of the plane. The ability to track components of a section and verify its presence is crucial for the airline industry. Blockchain helps the airline industry account for every component and assigns accountability among its suppliers for missing parts creating safe skies for all air travelers.

Counterfeit Prevention

Manufacturers struggle to stop the global supply chain fraud and leakage, which accounts for losses of over $300 billion per year. By tracking products through the supply chain, organisations can ensure counterfeit products do not enter the supply chain and provide customers a tamper-proof record of the product's lifecycle to verify authenticity.

Blockchain enables aerospace industry to track products through the value chain, thus preventing counterfeits from entering the market and enabling customers to verify the authenticity of the product.

Equipment Automation

Smart contracts on the blockchain can be used to automate payment to suppliers and service providers. They can also be used to automate equipment to perform functions at specific instances. Sensors on equipment can capture data which can be used to certify the quality of products or smart contracts can stop production of faulty products if an anomaly is detected.

Equipment Maintenance Tracking

By tracking equipment procurement and their breakdown, blockchain enables manufacturers to trace faulty components back to their suppliers and reduce the downtime of production facilities.

In the airline industry, for instance, blockchain could help track aircraft through production, servicing and its entire lifecycle tracking parts usage and damage history. Data can then be made available for damage detection, analysis and repair of parts.

The manufacturing industry is on the verge of a blockchain revolution. By connecting every company and every customer it helps create greater transparency and trust and enable businesses all over the world. As more and more companies deploy blockchain in their supply chain, an ecosystem free from information asymmetry and counterfeiting seems a real possibility.

Source:  Deccan Herald (The writer is Vice President and Head of Center for Emerging Technology Solutions at Infosys)  |  December 24, 2017   |||

ANZ subsidiary’s lending data trove vital to consumer-led economy thrust

Jan 1, 2018  -  China’s HNA pulled plenty of value out of UDC Finance without contributing a cent of the $660 million that it was said to be paying for the New Zealand plant financier.

As part of the acquisition scheme, an attenuated one, the Chinese would have discovered UDC’s key ratios in regard to things such as depreciation, defaulting, interest, and time terms.

Dec 27, 2017  - A young woman with plans to study engineering, specialising in mechatronics, has been awarded Rocket Lab’s inaugral scholarship.  Wairoa College year 13 student Arianna Ormond is rapt to have been granted the $20,000 scholarship.

Rocket Lab founder and chief executive Peter Beck said Arianna’s love for engineering throughout a rigorous application process gave her the edge to be awarded the scholarship to study a Bachelor of Engineering at the University of Canterbury.

She plans to specialise in mechatronics, an interdisciplinary engineering field that includes aspects of mechanical, computer and electrical engineering.

The Rocket Lab Scholarship was founded to encourage students from Mahia and the greater Wairoa region to pursue university studies in science, technology, mathematics and engineering.

The scholarship covers up to $20,000 of tertiary education fees for up to four years of study, and includes hands-on mentoring from Rocket Lab.

Arianna says the scholarship will give her the freedom to focus solely on her studies and pursue her passion for engineering.

“The scholarship will play a huge role in forging the kind of future I want for myself and hopefully help others in our area to do the same,” she said.

“My family are farmers in Mahia, so I’ve always been around heavy machinery. I also ride motorbikes a lot for mustering around the farm, and have to be aware of hydraulics, electrical and cooling systems too. I like learning how things work and improving them.”

Mr Beck said supporting the growth of science, engineering and technology careers in New Zealand is crucial to continuing a culture of innovation.

“Bright, dedicated and passionate students like Arianna are going to be the drivers behind tomorrow’s innovation. We’re proud to support and mentor students while they develop the skills for this future,” he said.

The Rocket Lab scholarship was founded in 2017 to support the community surrounding Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula. It is designed to foster continued excellence and innovation among New Zealand’s next generation of science, technology, mathematics and engineering leaders.

Applications for the annual scholarship open in term four each year at rocketlabusa.com.

Source: Gisborne Herald - RocketLab.com

Dec 21, 2017  -  Construction is one of New Zealand’s biggest industries and predicted to grow for some time to come. Large and increasingly sophisticated building projects need well trained and qualified staff to run smoothly and efficiently - or risk costly mistakes.  Ara Institute of Canterbury has responded to this increasing complexity in the construction sector by launching new qualifications that prepare graduates with the critical thinking skills and initiative to lead the way as construction managers and quantity surveyors. The new Bachelor of Construction, specialising in construction management or quantity surveying, and Graduate Diplomas in Quantity Surveying (QS) and Construction Management (CM) (Level 7) have been approved by NZQA and are awaiting final approval from TEC to commence in 2018. Programme Leader at Ara Keith Power has many years of experience in quantity surveying and in teaching. “The construction industry told us this is what they need,” he said. “Construction is changing very rapidly with new technology and systems. Construction companies are increasing their productivity on increasingly complex jobs. Staff need to be better equipped for the future.” “Most of the construction company employers, and a lot of their staff, have passed through Ara or its predecessor CPIT. We are trusted to train quantity surveyors and construction managers for the realities of the construction industry. Running a building site, or managing the cost of a project, means dealing with the materials, staff, sub-contractors and technology – it is increasingly innovative, and there are new ways of setting projects up from the very start. Our qualifications take graduates a step further to really future proof their work with courses such as advanced contracting and law, cost planning and BIM (Building Information Modelling), property development, plus elective choices that allow students to choose the specialised areas they would like to explore.” The new qualifications are flexible to allow for part time study while working by using a blended delivery approach with online learning and two-day block courses. Full time study is also available using work-integrated industry placements to provide students with experience in an industry setting. Ara will continue to offer the New Zealand Diploma in Construction and Power expects many diploma graduates to upgrade to the degree. Those qualified in other areas, such as civil engineering, can enrol in the graduate diploma to move into specialising in CM or QS. It worth investing in upskilling, he says. “There are excellent employment prospects in QS and CM. The construction industry has moved on from the boom and bust, cyclical nature of the past, to steadier workflows forecast for the future.” For more information go to www.ara.ac.nz or phone 0800 24 24 76.

| An ARA frelease  ||  FDecvember 21, 2017   |||

Dec 20, 2017  -  For anyone who has marveled at the richly colored layers in a cafe latte, you're not alone. Princeton researchers, likewise intrigued, have now revealed how this tiered structure develops when espresso is poured into hot milk.

"The structure formation in a latte is surprising because it evolves from the chaotic, initial pouring and mixing of fluids into a very organized, distinct arrangement of layers," said Nan Xue, lead author of a paper describing the findings in Nature Communications, and a graduate student in the lab of Howard Stone, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Princeton.

Honing techniques for yielding sought-after layers by flowing liquids into each other could reduce costs and complexity in a range of applications.

"From a manufacturing perspective, a single pouring process is much simpler than the traditional sequential stacking of layers in a stratified product," said Stone. "In one application of this study, we are exploring the physics behind making a whole layered structure with one step, rather than one-by-one stacking of the layers."

The inspiration for the research project came from an unsolicited, emailed picture of a layered coffee drink sent to Stone. With Xue looking for a project to take on as he started his graduate work, he initially investigated the concept by preparing lattes in the lab, using store-bought coffee and milk.

After several tries, it became clear to Xue that staying within only certain parameters, such as temperatures and pour rates, allowed for a characteristic café latte. These efforts hinted at the underlying, quantifiable physics that had to be involved in its liquid structure formation.

To control their model of latte layering with more precision, Xue and colleagues opted for a stand-in recipe that would make a barista shudder: dyed water substituting for the hot coffee, and salty, denser water for the warm milk.

A panel of light-emitting diodes and a camera then illuminated and captured the movement of fluids within the concoction. The researchers seeded the mixture with tracer particles, which scattered light from a green laser beam, to further track the faux-latte's internal dynamics, a technique called particle image velocimetry. Finally, numerical simulations were run to compare the collected data with various models of the evolving system of intermixing liquids.

The overall analysis showed that the primary mechanism behind the layering is a phenomenon known as double-diffusive convection. It occurs when stacked-up fluids of different densities, impelled by gravity to mix their contents, exchange heat through the movement of their constituent materials. Within a given mixture, denser, cooler liquids sink, while lighter, hotter liquids rise. This sinking and rising stops, however, when the local density in a region within a latte approaches an equilibrium. As a result, the fluid there has to flow horizontally, rather than vertically, creating distinct bands, or layers.

Through their experiments, the researchers examined how the velocity of the fluid injection of the warm milk matters as well. If poured too slowly, the denser fluid will mix too evenly as it flows into the less-dense fluid. A faster pour rate causes the former to punch through the latter and trigger the rapid movements that culminate in the desired layering when density equilibria are established.

Additional work needs to be done to characterize the layering effect demonstrated in lattes to extend control of it to other leveled liquids and semi-solids. But the preliminary findings from Xue and his colleagues already have shown how the activity within a common beverage could lead to uncommon insights. The same can be said for this engineering project focusing on cheese."This result shows the beauty of fluid mechanics and is very significant," said Detlef Lohse, a professor of fluid mechanics at the University of Twente in the Netherlands who was not involved with the study. "I think it will have bearing on various industrial flows and mixing procedures in so-called process technology, in which mixing of fluids with different densities by the injection of one into the other is omnipresent."

Lohse further pointed out how the Princeton research could help in better explaining heat- and salinity-dependent flows of water in Earth's vast oceans, a phenomenon that has key implications in climatology and ecology. "The most awesome finding may be that there is perfect analogy between the layering in a cafe latte," said Lohse, "and the known and extremely relevant layering of water with different temperatures and salt concentrations in the ocean."

For more coffee-related engineering, check out Adding Up the Perfect Cup.

Source: The Engineer Princeton University  ||  December 14, 2017   |||

Inventor’s son Duff Daysh became eminent financier

Dec 20, 2017  - The news that a hitherto unrecognised New Zealand dairy farmer Norman Daysh invented the mechanised milking machine and had the patents to prove it was officially revealed by the world leader in milking machines De Laval which took up these patents.

De Laval which is presumably aware of the problem that New Zealanders have in recognising achievements outside the sporting sphere platformed descendants of Norman Daysh who died at the relatively young age of 42 while demonstrating his invention at the Palmerston North Showgrounds.