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Lego unveils Facebook chatbot Ralph to drive Christmas sales
 Lego has embraced a Facebook Messenger chatbot to help engage fans and aid consumers with gift indecision in the run up to Christmas.

Ralph the giftbot has been created as a guide through the notoriously stacked back catalogue of Lego kits. He was built to capitulate upon Christmas indecision around gift-making and to give Lego an ecommerce foothold on the social network.

James Poulter, senior manager, digital consumer engagement at Lego, said: “We are continuously searching for new and fun ways to engage with our consumers and shoppers. Chat bots are increasingly being used by brands to engage in the digital space, and in turn to drive sales. The Lego Group is one of the first in the toy industry to embrace this concept.”

The bot has been developed as a streamlined experience where user inputs are limited to answering questions via on-screen prompts. Ralph the Robot asks users questions like their age, budget, and the type of sets they are interested in. A few seconds later and a slew of kits have been coughed up for purchase, complete with free shipping.

This controlled environment has been designed where user inputs are limited, meaning that Ralph’s responses will be solely created to reduce friction from potential purchases on the social network. The tone is broken up with numerous Gifs of the bot in action.

Genelle Holton, UK digital marketing manager, stated that Facebook’s market reach made it a desirable platform to host the bot on. Ricardo Caetano, global creative strategist at Facebook Creative Shop, added: "The Messenger Platform enables businesses to build experiences that facilitate connection with customers, create meaningful interactions and ultimately drive results."

Try the bot out here. It is featured in UK, US, Canada, France, Germany and Poland.

Output: Lego has deployed a chatbot on Facebook's Messenger service to help drive Christmas sales. Ralph will help customers in the UK, US, Canada, France, Germany and Poland find their ideal gift through a series of questions about age, budget and the type of set required. Ralph is also aimed at giving the Danish toy manufacturer a foothold in the digital e-commerce space.


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Amazon UAM header bidding test throws down ad gauntlet to Google
 Amazon is testing a header bidding solution called Unified Ad Marketplace with select publishers, according to three sources close to the product.

UAM, which is in a limited test, is a header bidding container that lets other exchanges or supply-side platforms bid on the same display ad inventory concurrently. Amazon UAM doesn’t work with Prebid.js — an open-source header bidding solution that the likes of AppNexus and Rubicon Project have adopted — so publishers will need to set up a separate line item for UAM if they use it along with Prebid.js solutions, said two publishing executives interviewed for the story.

One midsize publisher said his team started testing UAM this month. Although his team hasn’t yet received much information on UAM’s performance due to its novelty, he sees many upsides. For instance, a big value-add is Amazon’s “unique ad demand” — Amazon has users’ email, credit card and shopping data that other SSPs don’t have, so it can tie every data point together and serve very targeted ads, said this person. Meanwhile, UAM reacts to a bid request fast as it’s cloud-based, and Amazon pays publishers every 60 days based on CPMs, while most SSPs pay publishers every 90 days, said this publishing executive.

“As a publisher, I don’t have much bargaining power with SSPs on payment terms, so it’s great that Amazon helps us reconcile billings with SSPs and pays us quicker,” said this person. “Amazon also has safe demand — UAM doesn’t provide in-banner video and mobile redirects that we found in lots of open exchanges.”

By creating another ad tech product, UAM helps Amazon become a more serious threat to Google’s programmatic dominance. Amazon already has the industry’s most popular server-to-server wrapper in the industry, according to ServerBid. And its DSP business has grown considerably over the past year. UAM will help Amazon penetrate the market for smaller and midsize publishers’ ad tech, which is a market that Google has had a stranglehold on.

UAM runs first-price auctions, and Amazon offers publishers auction-level data, meaning that publishers are able to confirm that they are getting the highest available rate for their inventory, according to a source familiar with UAM’s development. But that doesn’t seem to be enough for publishers.

The executive from the above midsize publisher believes a big downside of UAM is that Amazon’s reporting is very basic. “You can’t take bidding data outside of Amazon,” said the executive. “Publishers usually take reporting from SSPs and use data tools to visualize that information, but UAM doesn’t offer reporting API [application programming interface].”

Another executive from a major publisher, who also doesn’t want to talk about UAM on the record, agreed that the data Amazon provides is the “bare minimum.” This person added that Amazon will soon make UAM self-serve.

Amazon UAM is free of charge for publishers, but Amazon takes a cut of ad impressions sold. Digiday obtained Amazon’s UAM instructions for publishers, which say that “UAM charges a 10 percent transaction fee by deducting 10 percent from SSP bid prices prior to conducting a first-price auction.”

Of course, UAM is not Amazon’s first foray into header bidding. Amazon introduced a header bidding wrapper called Transparent Ad Marketplace last December. UAM and TAM function in similar ways and are both part of Amazon Publisher Services, but the former seems to be developed for publishers — mainly small to medium-sized ones — that don’t necessarily have partnerships with major exchanges, while the latter serves big publishers that want to manage exchanges they are already working with through Amazon, according to publishing executives.

“We are not big enough for [Amazon] to open up TAM for us, but I know that some publishers smaller than us use TAM,” said the first publishing executive. “So [TAM] is probably like many coveted ad tech integrations, and it is about who you know, not always your volume.”

Output: Amazon looks set to challenge Google in the programmatic ad space as it tests header bidding solution Unified Ad Marketplace (UAM) with a select group of publishers, according to anonymous insiders. Invitation-only, cloud-based programme UAM enables supply-side platforms to bid on inventory, while also offering access to Amazon's vast swathes of consumer data, enabling hyper-targeted ads. However, critics have argued the data provided is the "bare minimum". The development of UAM follows last December's launch of Transparent Ad Marketplace.


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YouTube introduces new guidelines to protect children from harm
 YouTube says it's trying to make the video site safer for kids.

After recent criticism that YouTube is not doing enough to crack down on disturbing and exploitative videos aimed at children, the Google-owned video service on Wednesday announced a five-point plan to "toughen" its approach on family-friendly content.

The new guidelines are:

Tougher application of community guidelines and faster enforcement through technology

Removing ads from inappropriate videos targeting families

Blocking inappropriate comments on videos featuring minors

Providing guidance for creators who make family-friendly content

Engaging and learning from experts

The rules follow reports earlier this month that exposed flaws in YouTube's algorithms and screening policies. The controversy stemmed from YouTube Kids, designed as a more child-friendly version of the video site. The service's filters failed to recognize or pull down some videos that feature disturbing imagery but are aimed at children -- like Mickey Mouse laying in a pool of blood, or a claymation version of Spider Man urinating on Elsa, the Disney princess from "Frozen."

Watch this: YouTube sets rules for terrorism gray-zone videos 01:40

Videos featuring children doing innocuous activities like exercising are also riddled with predatory or sexual comments from viewers, something YouTube is attempting to curb with its new guidelines.

And more recently, the company took down several videos that featured children in abusive or vulnerable situations only after BuzzFeed brought the videos to the company's attention.

The new guidelines come as tech giants find themselves under intense scrutiny from Congress for the power and influence they have over what billions of people see online. Earlier this month, Google, Facebook and Twitter testified in marathon Senate and House hearings over the way Russian trolls abused their platforms to meddle in last year's US presidential election. Lawmakers grilled the tech companies over accountability for the algorithms they used.

Regulating family-friendly content isn't the only thing YouTube is working on. Earlier last week, Google said it's cracking down on terror videos in an effort to fight against online extremism.

Those extremist videos have landed YouTube in hot water before. Earlier this year, advertisers boycotted YouTube after their ads appeared next to extremist and hate content because of YouTube's automated advertising technology. Major brands, including AT&T and Johnson & Johnson, ditched advertising on the platform. But Ruth Porat, Google's CFO, said on an earnings conference call last month that most of the advertisers that boycotted have returned to the platform.

To read more about safeguarding YouTube, check out CNET's guide to make YouTube safer for your children.

First published Nov. 22 at 1:18 p.m. PT.

Update at 1:58 p.m. PT: Adds more background.

The Smartest Stuff: Innovators are thinking up new ways to make you, and the things around you, smarter.

Special Reports: CNET's in-depth features in one place.

Output: Google-owned video sharing site YouTube is looking to crack down on disturbing or suggestive content aimed at, or including, minors. The goal is to ensure such content doesn't make it to the website. The company has released a five-point plan, including blocking inappropriate comments on videos featuring children and disabling ads from inappropriate videos aimed at families. The move follows instances of content including disturbing imagery going unrecognised by YouTube's algorithms. Videos featuring youngsters in abusive or vulnerable situations were also reported to the site by Buzzfeed.


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UK lenders told to extend open banking to e-wallets, cards
 The UK's Open Banking project is being expanded to embrace all payment account types - including credit cards, prepaid cards and e-wallets - covered by PSD2.

In a bid to boost competition and innovation, last year the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) told the nine largest current account providers in Great Britain and Northern Ireland to set up a body to build common API standards to let customers share their financial data with non-bank providers.

With the core set of requirements coming into force in January, the CMA and UK Treasury is already looking ahead to expanding the project to let bank customers using credit cards, e-wallets and prepaid cards take advantage of open banking services through a programme of releases over the next two years.

Imran Gulamhuseinwala, trustee of the Open Banking Implementation Entity, says: "Key to any innovation is the process of discovery and it became clear through the second half of 2017 that there is much more the OBIE could do to drive adoption of Open Banking and create a richer environment for new services.

"These enhancements should give even greater confidence to the fintech community to seize the opportunity to participate fully in the financial services ecosystem. They will create standards for future dated, recurring and international payments as well as all the payment and product types covered by PSD2."

Output: The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has requested the nine biggest UK lenders extend   open banking provisions to e-wallets, credit cards and prepaid cards. It's urged the banks to create a governing body for common standards on application programming interfaces (APIs), software bridges that enable the sharing of customers' financial data with non-banking firms. The project has been extended to coincide with the API requirements' initiation in January, with a release programme due over the next two years.


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Yoox creates 15-second fashion ads to generate sense of urgency
 Fashion brand Yoox has created a video campaign in which buyers can ‘save’ the ‘endangered’ fashion items buy buying them only within the 15 seconds ad format, before they are gone forever, from both the ad and from the Yoox website.

Yoox and Google create shoppable 15 second video ad

The items are actually then shown to someone else, giving them the chance to buy the item instead, in a campaign that hopes to create a sense of urgency around the 15 seconds video ad format.

Output: Stink Studios and Google have collaborated on a campaign for fashion brand Yoox, creating 15-second video ads that Google is calling "brandformance at its best". The ephemeral ads, which will run until mid-December, aim to instill a sense of urgency in consumers, who have only the duration of the video to buy an item before it "vanishes" from the Yoox site. The innovative format uses Stink Studios' RITA technology, which shows videos in real time and allows them to change in response to user preferences.


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Facebook reveals plans for two digital training schemes in India
 Facebook continues to intensify its Indian operations as it has unveiled two programmes designed for individuals and startups, with the aim of training more than five million people on digital skills by 2020, to keep up with the Indian government's Digital India initiative.

Facebook India unveils two programmes to provide digital training to entrepreneurs and SMB's

The two India-exclusive programmes are Facebook Digital Training, which will offer free social and content marketing training (not just limited to Facebook) and Facebook Startup Training Hub, which will aim to help entrepreneurs and small and medium businesses (SMB) to digitise their business, as reported by gadgets 360.

Output: Facebook will launch two initiatives in its Indian market aimed at giving up to five million people digital skills by 2020. Facebook Digital Training offers free social media and content marketing education, while the Startup Training Hub looks to bring digitisation to entrepreneurs, as well as small and medium-sized businesses. The personalised learning schemes, offered via mobile in English and Hindi, also support the government's Digital India initiative. It has been estimated that the country will have a digital economy worth $1tn by 2022.


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Brexit to cost UK £72bn by 2021: Office for Budget Responsibility
 The latest update of our forecasts was published on the 22 November 2017 in the November 2017 Economic and fiscal outlook. Read the overview.

In Chapter 2, we begin by looking at the main developments since our last forecast and the latest external forecasts for the UK economy. The latest outturns give us a starting point for our forecasts.

Chapter 3 sets out our forecasts for the economy over a five year horizon. We cover our assumptions regarding the UK’s exit from the EU, our latest forecast changes in light of recent developments and the effect of policies announced in the Budget.

Chapter 4 sets out our forecasts for receipts and public spending over a five year horizon. We also explain our loans and other financial transactions forecasts. All this, together with new policy decisions, builds the outlook for borrowing and debt.

In Chapter 5, we assess the Government against its fiscal targets. We examine whether the Government has a better than 50 per cent chance of meeting them on current policy. We also test the sensitivity of our fiscal forecasts in an alternative economic scenario.

Annex A covers the Autumn Budget 2017 policy decisions and Annex B explains the UK’s EU contributions in our spending forecasts.

Watch the presentation

Output: The impact of Brexit will cause the UK economy £72bn in lost economic activity by 2021, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility's economic and fiscal outlook. This equates to GDP being 3.4% smaller in 2021 than originally estimated in March 2016, before the referendum took place.


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Brexit to cost UK £72bn by 2021: Office for Budget Responsibility
 Brexit will cost Britain £72 billion in lost economic activity annually, according to an analysis of government figures.

Leaving the EU is already dragging down the British economy.

The UK is now growing more slowly than Japan or Italy.

LONDON — Chancellor Philip Hammond's annual budget, presented yesterday, has finally given Britain the first concrete numbers on the cost of Brexit.

The government's Office for Budget Responsibility published revised GDP growth numbers based on data following the June 2016 referendum. Those new estimates suggest that Brexit will cost Britain £72 billion in lost annual economic activity by 2021, according to an analysis by the Resolution Foundation.

Previously, the best estimate of the economic damage leaving Europe will inflict on the UK came from a private estimate by one of Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis's advisors, of about £22 billion per year, mostly from extra trade tariffs and barriers.

Here are the new GDP charts from the OBR.

They show other major economies such as the US, the EU, and Canada all growing faster now than they were in the six months prior to the Brexit referendum in 2016. Only in the UK has growth slowed, as the pound lost value and investors hit the pause button. Even Japan, an infamous economic basket case hobbled by years of stagnation, is doing better than the UK:

OBR

In terms of sequential GDP growth through Q3 2017, Britain now lags France and debt-ridden Italy, too. This chart comes from Pantheon Macroeconomics:

Pantheon Macroeconomics

This next chart shows how much we are forecast to lose in GDP activity every year, based on the difference between the OBR's previous estimate in March and its new estimate, from updated post-referendum data:

OBR

The Resolution Foundation says the gap will represent a loss of £72 billion in 2021:

"The economy is now expected to be roughly £42 billion smaller at the start of 2022 than was thought back in March. This downgrade comes on top of the deterioration pencilled in after the Brexit vote of June 2016. As such, the latest GDP projections point to an economy that will be £72 billion (or 3.4 percent) smaller in 2021 than had been projected in March 2016."

That's £72 billion in lost jobs, revenues, consumer spending, and so on.

There are other factors at play, of course. A big one is the UK's chronic lack of productivity, exacerbated by its refusal to allow in the young immigrant workers to generate the income tax receipts its ageing population needs to pay for the NHS and its state pensions.

But the OBR's downward revisions from March to November of this year all come in the post-Brexit-vote period, and the only thing of macroeconomic substance that changed between then and now was the realisation that the UK is headed toward hard Brexit rather than a trade deal that would keep the country closely tied to the single market.

Output: The impact of Brexit will cause the UK economy £72bn in lost economic activity by 2021, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility's economic and fiscal outlook. This equates to GDP being 3.4% smaller in 2021 than originally estimated in March 2016, before the referendum took place.


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Global firms used timber from firm linked to massacre: Greenpeace
 More than a dozen US and European companies have been importing timber from a Brazilian logging firm whose owner is implicated in one of the most brutal Amazonian massacres in recent memory, according to a Greenpeace Brazil investigation.

The first-world buyers allegedly continued trading with Madeireira Cedroarana after police accused its founder, Valdelir João de Souza, of ordering the torture and murder of nine people in Colniza, Mato Grosso, on 19 April, claims the report by the NGO.

The state attorney alleges de Souza organised the assassinations to gain access to the forest where the victims – all smallholders – lived. Since the indictment on 15 May, the suspect has been on the run.

During this period, the fugitive’s company allegedly sold products to foreign firms who shipped them to the US, Germany, France, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada and Japan.

Greenpeace alleges these shipments may be in contravention of the US Lacey Act, which bans trade in timber that violates any foreign law, and the European Union’s timber regulation, which obliges companies to conduct due diligence to ensure there is “no more than a negligible risk that it has been illegally harvested.”

It lists the 13 companies involved as Pine Products, Lacey Wood Products, Mid-State Lumber Corp, South Florida Lumber, Wood Brokerage International, Vogel Import & Export, Delfin Germany, Tiger Deck, Global Timber, Centre Import Bois Méditerranée, Derlage Junior Hout, Global Gold Forest and Houthandel van der Hoek.

Greenpeace activists set up crosses in Brasília in memory of people killed during conflicts in the Amazon. Photograph: Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters

Even before this year’s massacre, the report alleges these firms should have hesitated to do business with Madeireira Cedroarana because it had accrued about £130,000 in unpaid federal fines for stocking and trading illegal timber. There also appears to be evidence of widespread fraud, timber laundering and killings of forest defenders in Amazon states including Mato Grosso.

Greenpeace urged US and European authorities to consider Brazilian timber to be at high risk of coming from an illegal source, and thus to oblige companies to go beyond official paperwork and to carry out third-party field audits.

Output: Over a dozen European and US firms have imported timber from a Brazilian logging company owned by a man implicated in an Amazonian massacre, according to Greenpeace. Valdelir João de Souza, founder of Madeireira Cedroarana, was accused by police of ordering the murder of nine people in Mato Grosso in Brazil, in order to gain access to forest land, in April. Since his indictment, de Souza has been on the run, but his company has allegedly sold products to overseas firms. Greenpeace claims the transactions could contravene the US Lacey Act and the European Union’s timber regulation.


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Thames Water to stop using Cayman Islands subsidiaries
 Thames Water has appointed the former SSE boss Ian Marchant as chairman to spearhead a review of the business, including closing the company’s controversial Cayman Islands subsidiaries.

Britain’s biggest water and wastewater services company, which has not paid corporation tax in the UK for the past 10 years, said there was no tax advantage from its two Cayman subsidiaries and that they were created for the purpose of raising money through bonds to fund its infrastucture investment programme. But it is understood that management accepts that “it just looks wrong”.

The company said the subsidiaries “have always been fully registered in the UK for tax purposes but no longer serve their original purpose of enabling smoother access to the global bond markets”.

Thames Water has a complicated structure of nine companies and the new chairman has been tasked with simplifying it. Marchant, who ran energy firm SSE for more than 10 years and also chairs the engineering services firm John Wood Group, will join Thames Water’s board on 1 December and become chairman on 26 January.

Thames Water said it had been able to defer corporation tax because of its capital investment programme – which includes a £4.2bn, 15-mile sewer under the Thames.

But critics note that about £1.2bn has been taken out of Thames Water in the form of dividends in the past 10 years. Its owner over that period, the Australian investment bank Macquarie, which sold its final stake earlier this year, landed it with £10.75bn of debt financing. In March, Thames Water was fined a record £20.3m after huge leaks of untreated sewage into the Thames and on land.

Marchant succeeds Sir Peter Mason, who became chairman in 2006 and delayed his retirement last year to help the company through a transitional phase with the arrival of a new chief executive, Steve Robertson, and chief financial officer, Brandon Rennet, as well as new investors.

New shareholders include the Universities Superannuation Scheme, one of the UK’s largest pension funds, which has acquired a 10% stake and is pushing for an overhaul of governance arrangements and customer service. The biggest shareholder is Canadian pension fund Omers, followed by the BT pension scheme.

Thames Water was a public utility until it was privatised in 1989. In the mid-1990s it was sold to a consortium led by Macquarie.

Output: Thames Water, the UK’s largest water and wastewater services firm, will close its two Cayman Islands subsidiaries. The company has appointed former boss of energy company SSE, Ian Marchant, as chairman to review the entire business and to simplify the firm’s nine-company structure. Thames Water, which has not paid corporation tax within the UK for the past decade, said that the subsidiaries offered no tax advantage and were created to raise money for infrastructure investment through bonds. However, the company’s management has accepted that the use of the subsidiaries “just looks wrong”.


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Russians turn food waste into biofuel via 'hydrothermal liquefaction'
 In Russia, scientists from Skoltech and the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Joint Institute for High Temperatures proposed a new way to convert food waste into biofuel via hydrothermal liquefaction – a thermal depolymerization process used to turn wet biomass into oil. Other researchers use carbohydrates fermentation or fat transesterification for biofuel production but since only part of their respective biomasses are converted to fuel, the leftovers remain to be disposed of and doesn’t solve the food waste issue.

Trying to solve the food waste issue, Skoltech scientists theorized that hydrothermal liquefaction presented a uniquely energy-efficient and universal option. In particular, this method makes it possible to produce biofuel directly from wet biomass. Notably, it is best to convert the wet biomass before it dries, as the drying process consumes a considerable amount of energy. They experimented with various types of food waste, including parmesan cheese, ham and apples. Knowledge of the molecular composition of products obtained as a result of hydrothermal liquefaction will allow scientists to develop the most optimal methods for their subsequent processing to produce fuel suitable for powering cars.

Output: Scientists from Skoltech and the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Joint Institute for High Temperatures have used hydrothermal liquefaction to convert food waste into biofuel. The energy-efficient process converts wet biomass, including parmesan cheese, ham and apples into biofuel.


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UAE researchers produce biodiesel from date pits
 In the UAE, a group researchers led by UAE University found that date pits hold nearly 12% oil that is suitable for biodiesel production at about 90% efficiency. The study Biodiesel Production from Oils Extracted from Date Pits, appears in the journal Green and Sustainable Chemistry.

“It’s a waste material. It’s not a valuable material we’re looking at … We’re making use of it before we discard it … Anything we can get of value out of it will be a positive,” Dr Sulaiman Al Zuhair of UAE University told The National. The

When the date-based biodiesel is combusted, the research team said they detected methane and hydrogen produced, which could be captured for further use as energy. About 40 million date palms are planted around the UAE with most pits going to waste, though some are used to produce soaps and cosmetics but before then it was used as charcoal in ancient times.

Output: Date pits have been found to contain nearly 12% oil that is suitable for biodiesel production at about 90% efficiency, according to a team from UAE University. When the date-based biodiesel is combusted, methane and hydrogen was produced, which could be captured for further use as energy. About 40 million date palms are planted around the UAE with most pits going to waste, though some are used to produce soaps and cosmetics.


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Uber developing tech for non-smartphone users in India
 San Francisco-headquartered Uber is working on technologies that will allow people in India without smartphones or in low bandwidth areas to book a ride. On the cards are several innovations for India, which is the second-largest market for the ride hailing firm, Daniel Graf , vice-president and global head of product at Uber told ET in an interview.“We are making a big investment in India which could also help other markets with similar conditions… Many areas get 3G or 2G connectivity or even less than that. How do you make it work there? This is an android dominant market and many of the phones are 2012 or older, some folks don’t have a smartphone but they should be able to get an Uber too,” said Graf. He added that the company which already has 1,000 people in India is making a “strong commitment” to grow the talent in India.Graf who is on his first visit to the country, said Uber is investing heavily towards making the trips through the ride sharing app more reliable and affordable. In the works are technology changes that will make predicting the arrival time more accurate despite constant changes to the infrastructure and traffic bottlenecks along making the pricing more stable.“There are stakeholders for Uber — drivers and riders and we want to create a ride which is reliable and affordable. Reliable means low ETA, but that’s not always the case. We have a long way to go to make it more reliable,” said Graf. He added that apart from making it affordable, the company’s goal is to make the ride safer with the use of technology. He added that for instance, Uber has introduced features that can sense if a driver has not mounted the phone (that helps with navigation) and is holding it in his hand. “If the driver has accelerated or braked too aggressively, we can detect that too with the sensors,” said Graf.Despite the management reshuffle at Uber recently which led to its founder Travis Kalanick being replaced by Dara Khosrowshahi as its CEO, Graf said that India continues to be a focus market for the company. On being asked about SoftBank’s proposed investment in Uber which may create conditions for a merger with bitter rival Ola, Graf said, “It’s not about Ola or Uber, it’s about transportation in general. We are (ride sharing) at low single digit of the overall transportation opportunity, even if there were more players, there are so many opportunities in the market.”As far as some features offered by its rivals are concerned such as booking outstation trips or offering rentals is concerned, Graf said the company is currently focused on its priorities which is to make the rides more reliable, affordable and safer. “It always depends, at the end of the day, we want to give reliable transportation. There are so many things we can do, we experiment a lot, and then we decide where we are going to double down and where we are not. Maybe, (accurate) ETAs are more important than something else.”Graf who is credited with building Google Maps and Google Local at his previous stint at Google, said the company is investing heavily in its mapping technology in line with the complexities of India.The idea is to map destinations and pick up points accurately and match rides better on the pool (ride sharing) offering which will not just help riders and drivers but also cities as it may help in reducing congestion.

Output: The vice-president and global head of product at Uber, Daniel Graf, has said that the company is committing to reaching people in India with low connectivity - 2G, 3G or less - and those without a smartphone. Although he did not provide details of how this will occur, he acknowledged that there is a large consumer base with little access to internet and out-of-date phone software. He added that the company is striving to improve reliability issues caused by unpredictable traffic, bottlenecks and changing infrastructure. India "continues to be a focus market" for Uber, which has over 1,000 employees there.


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Mathematical model helps make wheat straw pellets for ethanol
 In Kansas, thanks to an international and interdisciplinary collaboration, faculty at Kansas State University’s Institute of Computational and Comparative Medicine and bioenergy researchers at Yangzhou University in China have marked a significant milestone for the production of ethanol fuel from wheat straw.

Their study, “Predictive temperature modeling and experimental investigation of ultrasonic vibration-assisted pelleting of wheat straw,” was recently published in Applied Energy, a top-tier journal in the field of energy. Their work examined factors that affect production of large-scale biomass during ultrasonic vibration-assisted pelleting.

The research team developed a computational and mathematical model to determine factors that impact temperature rise during a pelleting process of biomass. The condensed biomass, or pellets, can be easily handled and transported to make ethanol. Ethanol extracted from pellets can substitute for fossil fuels and mitigate accumulation of greenhouse gases.

By studying the entire pelleting process of biomass, the proposed mathematical model determines the key factors and delivers a new guideline for pellet production by avoiding unnecessary experiments.

Output: Researchers from Kansas State University and Yangzhou University in China have created a mathematical model that advances the science behind the production of ethanol from wheat straw. The model determines factors that affect temperature rise during the pelleting process that precedes the creation of fuel.


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TalkTalk Watchdog to bring in new rules on broadband speed in ads
 Internet giants are to be blocked from misleading millions of customers with bogus claims about how fast their broadband is.

At the moment, companies such as BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin advertise their broadband based on so-called ‘up to’ speeds.

However, few customers realise that the claims are allowed even if just 10 per cent of households can achieve those speeds.

The new rules, announced by the Committee on Advertising Practice (CAP), mean the firms will have to limit their claims to the average speed available to at least 50 per cent of customers at peak times.

Companies such as BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin advertise their broadband based on so-called ‘up to’ speeds but few realise the claims are allowed even if just 10 per cent of households can achieve those speeds

The current state of Britain’s broadband service has come under fire from families, businesses and consumer groups. Many feel misled over the claims about speeds, breakdowns in service and rocketing costs.

Some homes are paying more than £1,500 a year for packages which include pay TV, yet our broadband system is second rate compared to nations including Slovakia, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Romania.

This is largely because most UK services are carried along ancient copper telephone wires rather than hi-tech fibre optic cables. So, the further people are from telephone exchanges, the slower their service is.

CAP director Shahriar Coupal said: ‘When it comes to broadband ads our new standards will give consumers a better understanding of the speeds offered by different providers when deciding to switch providers.’

The rules will come into force in May next year and will apply to residential broadband adverts.

The Government’s digital minister, Matt Hancock, said: ‘Headline “up to” speeds that only need to be available to 10 per cent of consumers are incredibly misleading – customers need clear, concise and accurate information in order to make an informed choice.

Many feel misled over the claims about speeds, breakdowns in service and rocketing costs

‘We have been fighting for this for some time now, and it’s a great victory for consumers.’

Managing director of home products and services at consumer group Which?, Alex Neill, added: ‘Millions of households are currently experiencing broadband speeds that just don’t live up to their expectations and unrealistic adverts showing speeds you’re never likely to get don’t help.

‘It is good to see people may finally see the speeds they could achieve before they sign up to a deal.’

The telecoms regulator, Ofcom, which recently outlined a new compensation scheme for customers whose broadband service fails, welcomed the announcement.

Its consumer group director, Lindsey Fussell, said: ‘We’ve been backing this change, which will help close the gap between what broadband shoppers expect, and what they receive.’ Under Ofcom’s arrangements, compensation will be £8 per day for loss of service and £25 if a firm misses an appointment to carry out a repair.

And £5 per day will be paid if a firm fails to start a new service when promised. The fines will come into effect at the start of 2019.

Our broadband system is second rate compared to nations including Slovakia, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Romania

The crackdown comes after a Which? study found last week that broadband speeds in three in four homes are slower than those claimed by internet providers.

Families in 284 out of 390 local authority areas are typically getting slower speeds than stated.

Firms provide official estimates of their median broadband speed to Ofcom. Which? compared the latest figures to the median speeds that households are actually getting, based on 712,000 home tests. The median is the mid-point speed seen from all the tests in a local area.

The biggest gap was in Ashfield in Nottinghamshire where tests found the median download speed was 62 per cent slower than the figure claimed by broadband firms.

The actual figure was 15.1 megabits per second (Mbit/s) versus the official claim of 40 Mbit/s.

The figure in Surrey Heath was 58 per cent below expectations and in Havant, Hampshire, it was 57 per cent slower. Cambridge, Gloucester and St Albans in Hertfordshire were all 56 per cent lower than stated.

Output: Telecoms companies will be required to change how they advertise broadband speeds. Research has found that households in 284 out of 390 local authorities are typically getting slower speeds than promised. Under new rules from the Committee on Advertising Practice, providers will have to base speed claims in advertisements on the average speed that is available to at least 50% of customers at peak times rather than the "up to" speeds. "It is good to see people may finally see the speeds they could achieve before they sign up to a deal," said Alex Neill of consumer group Which?.


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TalkTalk Customers unhappy in West Midlands as TV boxes fail to record
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Talktalk customers have been left fuming after their Youview boxes failed to record.

Numerous viewers from across the region have been plagued by the issues this week.

Scores took to Twitter to vent their fury, with the firm receiving dozens of complaints.

Customers who contacted Talktalk have been told to book in an engineer - but it now has emerged that the problem was not with the hardware.

The issue, which has been restricted to customers across the West Midlands, is due to the signal, Talktalk has revealed.

In a post on a help forum the company said: "We want to thank you all for your patience while we’ve been investigating the recent issues you’ve been reporting to us with your recordings.

"Thanks to your feedback, we’ve discovered this to affect a proportion of our customers that happen to be in and around the West Midlands area.

"The majority of issues experienced were caused by some changes to the way regional transmitters were broadcasting TV channels that had an adverse effect on our TV boxes. The changes are being rolled back today, so your service should resume to normal again by this evening but you may need to reboot your box once more for this to take effect. We’d like to apologise for the inconvenience caused during this time.”

The issue had left customers infuriated as there seemed to be no reason for their boxes to suddenly stop working.

One customer said: "I was advised to do a factory reset. This means all my old recordings were lost. Now it seems like it was nothing was wrong with the Youview bvox. It's a shame Talktalk didn't put two and two together earlier."

Another said: “So my recordings have failed FOUR NIGHTS IN A ROW. I reboot STB as instructed, everything looks fine then I come home at 2 am to find it supposedly recording something from several days ago...and Scheduled showing I have nothing scheduled. Check my recordings for that evening and every single one has failed. So I reboot and everything looks OK..then same old Groundhog Day.”

A talktalk user added: “I had a new TV box in September and it started to play up about 3 weeks ago. It now stops recording in the middle of programmes, it won’t ad hoc record, it loses recordings, it won’t delete, it sticks, and I have reset it at lease twice a day since Thursday.”

Output: TalkTalk has been beset with complaints from its customers in the West Midlands region after their YouView boxes failed to record. In an apology statement, TalkTalk confirmed that the issue was caused by a signal problem rather than any faults with hardware. "The majority of issues experienced were caused by some changes to the way regional transmitters were broadcasting TV channels that had an adverse effect on our TV boxes", said the company. Many customers were advised to perform factory resets of their YouView boxes during the incident, which erased their recorded content.


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Driver assistance systems installed in Revv's rental cars
 Indian self-drive car rental startup Revv has partnered with Mobileye to equip their cars with Mobileye's Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS). Mobileye, an Intel company, specialises in on-road image sensing and providing crucial data to aid assistive and autonomous driving technology. The ADAS system is a set of advanced safety features that Mobileye can retrofit in production cars to make them safer and smarter, and it is this very set that will be present in Revv's cars, going forward.

The Mobileye ADAS unit includes — forward collision warning (FCW) by gauging acceleration, braking and trajectory of the car ahead, headway monitor and warning (HMW) to gauge proximity from the car ahead, pedestrian and cyclist collision warning (PCW) to avoid accidents (only works during day), lane departure warning and speed limit indication. The retrofitted technology will include Mobileye's own camera and sensor units, which enable computer vision to process environment data while travelling. Revv, notably, is the first Indian company in the commercial commuting and ride sharing space to avail and equip its fleet with the advanced assistance technology.

While the switch towards autonomy has been evident for a while, the nascent steps are only being taken now. With Revv adopting Mobileye's ADAS technologies, more players in the ride sharing and commercial commuting space, which are often prone to accidents, will move to equip their fleet with similar technologies. Revv reportedly carried out on-road tests of the 30 ADAS equipped cars (out of its fleet of 800 cars) and drove for over 4,00,000kms. Mobileye, meanwhile, has been one of the most noted companies working on advanced autonomy, and will be using Revv's platform as an effective way to gauge the tricky Indian roads and improve the systems.

Output: The Mobileye-powered Advanced Driver Assist System (ADAS) has been installed into the cars of Indian automobile rental company Revv. The ADAS system includes a forward-collision warning which gauges proximity to the car ahead, has headway monitor warning, pedestrian and cyclist collision warning, lane departure warning and speed limit indicator. Mobileye is testing the software on India's "tricky" roads to refine and improve its systems.


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TalkTalk TalkTalk announces multiscreen feature in new app
 Sky, Virgin Media and BT all offer their customers ways to watch TV beyond the living room. TalkTalk has an app for its rental and purchase store -- formerly Blinkbox, you might recall -- but otherwise it's fallen behind the pack somewhat. The company is changing that sometime in the first few months of next year, though, when it'll launch new apps that take TalkTalk TV truly multiscreen for the first time.

Quite simply, the new app for iOS and Android will put TalkTalk's live TV and on-demand library on mobile devices. Subscribers will be able to watch Freeview and any of their paid channel bundles anywhere, so it's not limited to devices on the same home network as the set-top box. The apps support Chromecast too, so you can push TV to another bigger screen elsewhere, and exactly the same experience will be available in browsers, should a laptop or PC be your second screen of choice.

There is one limitation. While you can be logged in to the TalkTalk app on up to 4 devices, you can only stream to one at a time -- in addition to whatever's playing on your home set-top box, of course. That won't strictly be true for TalkTalk's fibre broadband customers though, as next year they will also be able to add another set-top box to their package to create a multiroom situation at home. The one additional device rule will still apply here, though technically that means there can be three active screens at any one time, including the two set-top boxes. TalkTalk isn't sharing how much an additional box will set you back just yet, but for everyone, the new multiscreen feature of the service will be free and not a paid perk.

To make multiscreen happen, TalkTalk built its new mobile apps and web interface from scratch so users can get at all their live and on-demand TV in the same way they can on their set-top boxes. It has a different look, of course, since navigation isn't bound to a remote. The apps sport a more visual, card-like UI highlighting popular live and on-demand content, as well as the newest releases in the movie and boxset purchase and rental store. This is in addition to a traditional EPG view of live TV for quick-browsing. For anything that isn't live -- so, anything on a catch-up service or something you've rented, for example -- you can pause on one device and pick up where you left off on another.

TalkTalk also throws some curation into the mix within the "My TV" section of the app, which is what the company calls a "safe space." What's meant by that is recommendations will only come from channels and such you already own, so it won't suggest things you need to buy or sign up to another channel bundle in order to watch. Multiscreen is still a few months away for customers at this point, but when it does launch next year it'll see TalkTalk close the distance on its main rivals with this important value-adding feature.

Output: TalkTalk TV looks set to finally catch up with the likes of Sky, Virgin Media and BT with the launch of its multiscreen streaming app in 2018. Available on iOS and Android, the app will enable subscribers to watch TalkTalk's live TV and on-demand library anywhere on mobile devices. However, content can only be streamed to one device at any given time. The app will also feature a curation service called "My TV", and will be free for all existing TalkTalk customers.


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Graphene 'could provide limitless energy'
 Researchers at the University of Arkansas, led by professor Paul Thibado, have found strong evidence that the internal motion of 2D materials could be used as a source of clean, limitless energy. The team has reportedly taken the first steps toward creating a device that can turn this energy into electricity, with the potential for many applications. A patent has recently been applied on this invention, called a Vibration Energy Harvester, or VEH.

The team studied the internal movements of carbon atoms in graphene and observed two distinct features: small Brownian motion and larger, coordinated movements. In these larger movements, the entire ripple buckled, flipping up and down like a thin piece of metal being repeatedly flexed. This pattern of small random motion combined with larger sudden movements is known as Lévy flights. This phenomenon can be observed in a variety of contexts, such as biomedical signals, climate dynamics, and more. Thibado is claimed to be the first to have observed these flights spontaneously occurring in an inorganic atomic-scale system.

while other researchers have theorized that temperature-induced curvature inversion in graphene could be used as an energy source, Thibado’s work is unique thanks to his discovery that graphene has naturally occurring ripples that invert their curvature as the atoms vibrate in response to the ambient temperature. This is the key to using the motion of 2D materials as a source of harvestable energy, Thibado said. Unlike atoms in a liquid, which move in a random directions, atoms connected in a sheet of graphene move together. This means their energy can be collected using existing nanotechnology.

Such a VEH device would involve a negatively charged sheet of graphene suspended between two metal electrodes. When the graphene flips up, it induces a positive charge in the top electrode, and when it flips down, it charges the bottom one, creating an alternating current.

The pieces of graphene in Thibado’s lab measure about ten microns across, so tiny that more than 20,000 of them could fit on the head of a pin. Each Levy flight exhibited by an individual ripple measures only 10 nanometers by 10 nanometers, yet could produce 10 picowatts of power. As a result, each of these micro-sized membranes has the potential to produce enough energy to power a wristwatch, and they would never wear out or need charging.

The team will also be experimenting with other 2D materials, in addition to graphene. Ironically, it was found that the superior conductivity of grapheneâa characteristic that that allows it to excel as a material for creating tiny electric circuits in other contextsâmakes it less than ideal for this purposes. His VEH device yields more energy if the active material is not conductive, because if electrons move too easily across it, this lowers its efficiency. The researchers are studying other 2D materials to determine if they could produce energy more efficiently than graphene.

A VEH technology could have significant implications on the effort to connect physical objects to the digital world, known as the Internet of Things. This self-charging, microscopic power source could make everyday objects into smart devices, as well as powering more sophisticated biomedical devices such as pace-makers, hearing aids, and wearable sensors. Self-powering enables smart bio-implants, explained Thibado, which would profoundly impact society.

Output: There is strong evidence that the internal motion of 2D materials could be used as a source of clean, limitless energy, and a device to prove the concept is under construction, according to researchers at the University of Arkansas. The team has applied for a patent for the Vibration Energy Harvester, which makes use of the internal movements of carbon atoms in graphene. The so-called Lévy flights have been observed in a variety of contexts, such as biomedical signals and climate dynamics, but never before in an inorganic atomic-scale system. The technology could be used to power small, digital objects, such as watches, pacemakers and internet of things devices.


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Drivezy builds own currency to allow users to crowdfund vehicles
 4 hacks on how to raise funds by the believer in blockchain technology to fuel world economy

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

The ride for this startup is picking up.

From being a pioneer among Indian companies to allow the use of cryptocurrency in operations to addressing bottlenecks that challenged the scalability of its platform in less just two years of operations, Drivezy is nothing short of exemplary.

Formerly called JustRide in 2015, the car-sharing aggregator transformed into a peer-to-peer marketplace for self-drive cars and two-wheeler rentals last year and is now venturing into cycle rental services.

What's fuelling their growth? In its latest feat, the company has raised $10 million, part equity from Das Capital, and existing investors Axan Partners and IT-Farm. Part debt funding has been made by Mahindra Finance, ICICI Bank, Shriram Finance and Cholamandalam Finance.

Road To RentalCoins

Embracing technology could be the road ahead for innovation in India.

Quick to imbibe this, Drivezy built RentalCoins, a cryptocurrency that allows users to crowdfund a fleet of vehicles that would cater to everyone's needs.

People invest only what they can afford. By lowering the barrier to entry, this system is expected to allow a greater segment of the Indian population to invest in a shared fleet of vehicle that generates monthly returns.

According to Ashwarya Singh, CEO and Founder of Drivezy, investors from across the globe will be able to directly invest in shared vehicles for the first time in India.

"We aim to raise $20 million through two private ICO's to fund 2,000 vehicles that shall ply across the country. The initial phase of the project will be a proof of our concept and shall be open to accredited investors only. We shall convene a public ICO in 2018 which would allow everyone to participate," Singh told Entrepreneur India.

Singh believes blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies are the missing links that could unite individual sharing markets like vehicle sharing, ride sharing, co-working spaces etc into a true sharing economy.

The amalgamation of blockchain and sharing economy will give rise to a new economic paradigm where nobody buys anything, but everyone owns everything, said Singh. The company's RentalCoins can potentially create almost 10 lakh micro-entrepreneurs, who can supplement their household income by renting their assets Singh claims.

Drivezy is aiming to leverage the power of the blockchain to build a secure and transparent technology to globalize the Indian car sharing marketplace via its upcoming Initial Coin Offering (ICO).

How Do You Get Investors Interested in Your Vision

Starting up your own business is not easy, especially if you're doing it for the first time. There are a multitude of factors at play when you look to raise funds for your startup and a successful fundraise entails striking the right balance. Here's how Singh thinks is required to get the first (or next) round of funding.

Figure out the Problem: A common advice that does rounds in start-ups is always aiming to solve real-world problems to build great products. The irony is that you cannot build a great product unless you figure out what the actual problem is.

"Our initial idea was to build a seamless self-drive car rental service as more than 90% Indians don't own a car. However, initially we had neglected a crucial piece of the puzzle; the people who did own a car, used it for less than a few hours each day," Singh said.

Seek Mentors, Not Investors: There's a wide variety of potential seed investors out there, and very few of them are known to public. Because of this, it's important to think about fundraising not in terms of pure cash but rather in terms of relationships and value. Your early-stage investors are the cornerstone for your future fundraises. They provide credibility to your idea and help build your network for the next round.

"When we raised our seed investment back in 2015, we looked for people who could guide our business and believed in us and our vision. There are bound to be ups and downs so choose wisely. If you have figured the right problem to solve, then startup accelerators can offer excellent guidance," Singh said.

Hire the Right Team: Hiring amazing talent is both the most difficult thing founders will ever do and the most transformative for their start up. Don't just hire the best; but hire the people who match your culture and management style. If you hire a smart set, and provide them the right environment, the team will collectively work towards the common issue your company is trying to solve.

Start Small, Think Big and Scale Fast: No matter how valuable you think your idea is, your product must be market-fit. Find a value hypothesis that compels people to use your product. You cannot create a great product overnight. Building a great product is a painstaking iterative journey. You can start local, but once you've served the first hundred customers, figure out how you can scale your idea to cover the next hundred moving toward thousand. Above all time is the key. If you're too slow to figure it out, someone will surely pip you to the finish line.

Output: Indian car rental company, Drivezy, has created a cryptocurrency called RentalCoins, which allows users to crowdfund its fleet of vehicles. Formerly named JustRide, Drivezy is a technology aggregator for self-drive cars and bike rentals. The company has raised $10m and has been backed by Google, DAS Capital and Axan Ventures, amongst others. The company is now looking to raise $20m through a public ICO in 2018 and two private ICOs previously.


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Graphene additive doubles life of road surfaces
 Directa Plus has announced its collaboration with Iterchimica, am Italy-based producer and distributor of specialized additives for asphalt. The collaboration with Iterchimica is focused on developing a graphene-enhanced asphalt additive, which is patent-pending, that can significantly improve the durability and sustainability of asphalt road surfaces.

The new additive incorporating the Directa’s Graphene Plus (G+) has been launched by Iterchimica as "Eco Pave". As per reports, the success of laboratory and small-scale trials convinced Iterchimica to conduct a pilot test where Eco Pave will be used as an additive for asphalt covering several kilometers of road surface.

The Company anticipates receiving an initial order for G+ before the year-end for the pilot test. The presence of G+ reportedly produces a technically-advanced, sustainable additive that significantly enhances the performance of asphalt used for road surfacing. In particular, due to the thermal management properties of G+, the asphalt is less susceptible to hardening and cracking in cold temperatures as well as to softening in warm temperatures. It increases the elasticity and strength to reduce the wear, particularly with high loads, which is especially beneficial for maintenance purposes such as repairing potholes.

In addition, road surfaces built with asphalt containing Eco Pave will be recyclable with up to 100% of the milled asphalt being repeatedly re-used to build a new pavement, which avoids the landfilling of the exhausted material as well as the extraction of new bitumen.

Based on their research, Iterchimica estimate that the addition of Eco Pave will extend the life of an asphalt road surface from the current average of 6-7 years to 12-14 years. Thanks to the joint R&D process undertaken by Directa Plus and Iterchimica, the parties have been able to produce Eco Pave at a commercially viable selling price. As a result, asphalt containing Eco Pave could significantly reduce maintenance costs.

Output: Directa Plus has collaborated with Italy-based Iterchimica to create a patent-pending graphene-enhanced asphalt additive that can significantly improve the durability and sustainability of road surfaces. Iterchimica's Eco Pave incorporating Directa’s Graphene Plus (G+) can extend the life of an asphalt road surface from the current average of 6-7 years to 12-14 years, it said. The asphalt is less susceptible to hardening and cracking in cold temperatures, and to softening in warm temperatures. Iterchimica also claims that road surfaces built with asphalt containing Eco Pave will be recyclable with up to 100% of the milled asphalt being reusable.


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Redrow Two more Redrow show homes open at Amington Green in Tamworth
 Tamworth buyers are green with envy

The grass is always greener on the other side and with even more to see at Amington Garden Village that’s sure to be the case for Tamworth house hunters.

Work on the landmark new community is progressing well with two more Redrow show homes now open at the Amington Green phase in addition to the four that have been wowing visitors to Amington Fairway since the summer.

Combining traditional Arts & Crafts inspired architecture with interiors designed with how real families live today, Redrow’s Heritage Collection homes offer the best of old and new.

Pauline Turnbull, sales director for Redrow Homes (Midlands), explains: “It’s almost six months since we launched Amington Garden Village, a flagship scheme to create hundreds of much-needed new homes in Tamworth. It wouldn’t be practical to have a show home for every property style we’re building but with six professionally styled and fully furnished examples available to view, buyers can gain a real insight as to what it could be like to live in a brand new Redrow home.”

The new show homes at Amington Green are an Oxford Lifestyle, a surprisingly spacious home with all three bedrooms boasting an en-suite, and a four-bedroom Shrewsbury style property. Both are detached designs.

“At Amington Fairway the show homes are very much designed with family living in mind, but we also recognise that there’s a demand from the over 55 market including downsizers or rightsizers as we prefer to call them,” Pauline adds.

“Not everyone whose children have flown the nest will want a smaller home, they might just want a property that’s easier to manage and more in keeping with their lifestyle. Our research has revealed a growing number of people don’t necessarily want lots of bedrooms but bigger bedrooms and well planned living space. The Oxford Lifestyle at Amington Fairway is a prime example as all of the bedrooms have an en-suite with the master also featuring a dressing area; while downstairs there’s an inviting and sociable open plan kitchen and dining room, with adjoining utility, complemented by separate lounge with feature bay window.”

The ground floor of the Shrewsbury is similar in that there’s a combined kitchen and dining room, with handy utility and cloakroom to the rear of the property, and lounge at the front. Journey upstairs and there are four bedrooms, including master with en-suite, plus the family bathroom.

Along with building new homes on the former golf course site, Redrow will invest around £14 million to help ensure Amington Garden Village is sustainable for the benefit of the wider community. This includes contributions towards the cost of building a new primary school, creating a new community woodland, extending the Hodge Lane Local Nature Reserve and funding improvements to sports facilities.

For more information about Amington Fairway see redrow.co.uk/amington.

To find out more about Amington Green see redrow.co.uk/amingtongreen.

Output: UK housebuilder Redrow has opened two show houses as part of the Amington Green phase of its £14m ($18.6m) Amington Garden Village development in Tamworth, Staffordshire. They add to the four show homes from the Amington Fairway phase that are already open to the public, and include family homes, as well as properties pitched at the 55+ market.


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Nomad Health opens online marketplace to telehealth freelances
 Nomad Health’s online freelance marketplace for healthcare professional staffing now includes postings for telehealth positions alongside traditional healthcare roles.

With the updated service, doctors interested in telehealth practice will be able to view and apply to open position listings from several telehealth service providers, including American Well and First Stop Health. Current telemedicine openings include specific areas such as tele-urgent care, teledermatology, and telepsychiatry, according to a statement from the company.

“Thanks to modern technology, doctors are returning to their roots and seeing patients at home. The comfort of easy access to high quality care is leading to extraordinarily high satisfaction for telemedicine doctors and their patients,” Dr. Alexi G. Nazem, CEO and cofounder of Nomad Health, said in a statement. “Telemedicine is a win-win, and Nomad is so pleased to help drive this medical technology revolution forward.”

Sam Toole, strategic sales manager at Nomad, explained that much of the infrastructure and interface developed for the telehealth postings were similar to those already in place for in-person positions. Still, he said that Nomad “worked closely with all of our clients” through an early limited release of the functionality, and incorporated the telemedicine providers’ feedback into the final system.

“On the telemedicine side it’s more of just making sure that the platform worked well in terms of their model and how they hire doctors,” Toole told MobiHealthNews. “It’s a little bit different, obviously, than bringing in a full-time doctor to be working in a hospital, so we just worked with our early clients to make sure that we built the system in a way that was easy and intuitive for them to use, for both in tracking of time they were working with doctors and then posting those jobs so it was clear to the clinician what the opportunity was.”

Now that the telehealth posting functionality has been fully released, Toole said that the service is enjoying a warm reception from employers and jobseekers alike.

“We see that the providers on Nomad are extremely excited about these roles, and it is evident in terms of the activity the jobs do get when they are posted on the platform,” he said. “It is very common for telemedicine roles to be posted and get a massive amount of interaction, excitement, number of applications, inquiries about the role very quickly. So as we on-board telemedicine companies around the United States, we continue to see the providers be very, very excited.”

The inclusion of telemedicine is the latest in a stream of service expansions for the company, which was founded in 2015 and initially served the east coast. After raising $4 million for the platform from First Round Capital, RRE Ventures, and .406 Ventures last year, the platform opened its doors to nurses in July and has steadily introduced itself to a number of new states including Texas, Florida, North Carolina, and California. Last month, Nomad’s platform was also officially endorsed by the Texas Hospital Association.

Output: Nomad Health has added listings for freelance telehealth professionals to its online portal, according to a company statement. Strategic sales manager Sam Toole said telehealth roles posted so far had received a "massive amount of interaction, excitement, number of applications and inquiries". The addition of telehealth positions follows the inclusion of nurses in June and an official endorsement for the platform from Texas Hospital Association last month.


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Digital adoption is driving insurance prices down
 Insurers are focused on changing their processes in order to meet customer demands for a more digital experience, but that trend is having some unintended consequences, according to a new survey.

The efficiency and transparency realized by increased digitalization in insurance is driving prices down, consultancy Simon-Kucher & Partners discovered in its 2017 Global Pricing and Sales Study. The company interviewed 46 insurers around the world and found that 46% -- nearly half -- identified price pressure as the biggest barrier to revenue growth. Most planned price increases are slashed or not implemented at all -- a third of insurers said that they implemented 20% or fewer planned increases.

What's good news for customers, though, isn't good news for insurers. Implementing digital processes at the expense of growth impacts the long-term viability of a company. Specifically, digitalization is correlated with low-cost competition and increased price transparency, the two largest contributors to price pressure.

Insurers can't afford to put the brakes on digitalization though. So, Simon-Kucher suggests that carriers invest in "value selling" -- that is, training the sales staff and designing the digital customer acquisition experience to focus more on the value proposition of the product, and using data to identify the highest-value customers. That is, insurers need to think of digital in terms of how it delivers growth, not just how it cuts costs.

"Like many other industries, digital transformation is top of mind for the insurance industry. However, we find that most of the digitalization investments to-date are focusing primarily on process efficiency," says Wei Ke, head of the North American financial-services practice for Simon-Kucher & Partners. "The natural next step is to consider monetization opportunities through the digital channel, both at the point of sale and post-sale engagement."

Output: The adoption of digital initiatives by insurance companies is creating greater transparency, which in turn is driving pricing down, according to a survey by consultancy Simon-Kucher & Partners. Nearly half of global insurers responding to the survey said that pricing pressure is a barrier to revenue growth. The adoption of digital initiatives is also seen to be contributing to the commoditisation of services and greater negotiating power being placed into the hands of consumers, according to the insurers surveyed.


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Outdated laws hinder Crispr research in Canada, say scientists
 CRISPR, pronounced “crisper,” is a simple yet powerful tool for editing genomes. It allows researchers to easily alter DNA sequences and modify gene function. The protein Cas9 (or “CRISPR-associated”) is an enzyme that acts like a pair of molecular scissors, capable of cutting strands of DNA.

CRISPR and targeted genome editing have opened a new era in molecular biology. The technology has given researchers an efficient and reliable way to make precise, targeted changes to the genome of living cells, and this has been a long-standing goal of biomedical research.

CRISPR – revolutionary new tool to cut and splice DNA. Illustration courtesy of Jennifer Doudna/UC Berkeley

Canadian scientists have been left out of the conversation on CRISPR gene-editing, and that is a real shame. By the end of 2014, some 1000 research papers had been published that mentioned CRISPR.

The technology had been used to functionally inactivate genes in human cell lines and cells, to study Candida albicans, to modify yeasts used to make biofuels and to genetically modify crop strains. CRISPR can also be used to change mosquitoes so they cannot transmit diseases such as malaria.

The two faces of CRISPR technology

CRISPR is one of the most exciting yet controversial technologies in health sciences today. On the one hand, it has the potential to alter the genetic content of cells, potentially preventing inherited diseases. Research was done in 2015 at Canada’s Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, where researchers used CRISPR technology to correct the mutation that causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Sooam Biotech clones many animals, including cattle and pigs for medical research and breed preservation, but is best known for its commercial dog service Jung Yeon-Je, AFP

Yet, on the other hand, there is the fear the technology will be used to create genetically enhanced humans, The potential of the technology is huge and the theoretical risks this could play into creating designer humans also bring up the distasteful case for eugenics and cloning.

However, despite fears of the technology being used in the wrong way, on November 8, one major Canadian science group announced it wants the country’s law on CRISPR gene-editing changed, calling on the federal government to lift the prohibition and allow researchers to alter the genome of inheritable “germ” cells and embryos.

Canada’s Assisted Human Reproduction Act

Even though CRISPR technology is allowed to be used in the United States, it is still illegal to use gene-editing techniques to make genetic alterations that can be passed on to future generations. This is an important distinction because, in the U.S., scientists are still allowed to conduct experiments that include genetically altering embryos – as long as those embryos never become babies.

However, in Canada, under the federal AHRA law, even basic research that could be categorized as “gene-editing” is illegal, with penalties of up to 10 years in jail. The focus by scientists and ethicists is one a key provision of the 13-year-old AHRA that makes it a crime to alter the genome of a cell or embryo that’s capable of being transmitted to descendants.

The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada used CRISPR technology to correct the mutation that causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Hospital for Sick Children

“Scientists here feel left behind,” Vardit Ravitsky, a University of Montreal bioethicist, told Gizmodo. “They have the technical capacity to do this research and they have these good research questions. The only reason they’re not doing it is legal.”

“The main logic here is a slippery slope logic. If you allow us to genetically alter an embryo for research, what’s next?” said Ravitsky. “But embryos don’t fall by chance into a uterus. By banning research you are banning research that is not just about making babies. This research can promote our understanding of reproductive development, of the development of diseases. It makes no sense to say no to research.”

Ravitsky thinks Canada should have a law closer to the one in the U.S. where research is allowed, but altered embryos are not allowed to be implanted into the uterus. “In a few years, if we decide it’s safe and we want to move ahead with the first gene-edited pregnancy, we can decide then,” she said. “We don’t have to decide now.”

Output: Scientists in Canada have called for a 13-year-old law preventing the use of gene-editing systems such as Crispr to be re-evaluated, claiming they are being left behind in the field. Researchers have pointed to the US as a model, where Crispr research on embryos is permitted, as long as they do not develop into babies. Researchers want a similar law in Canada, where the Assisted Human Reproduction Act bans all gene-editing work, even when it does not make genetic alterations that could be passed on to future generations.


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ABB unveils digital pilot projects for hydrocarbon industry
 With an investment of US$24 million, the first wave from some 20 digital pilot projects emerge from ABB, targeting maintenance cost reduction and data in-sights across oil, gas and chemicals facilities.

ABB is investing in a series of pilot projects aimed at bringing new digital products, services and solutions to industry. All projects are built using the ABB Ability platform, which, by using digitally enabled industry solutions, collects, stores, searches, finds, views and analyses data. The data is then presented as useful information in different contexts and timeframes.

The pilot projects extend from agile manufacturing, cloud-based collaboration and energy grid of the future to cyber asset management, digitally enabled process performance services and condition-based maintenance. Three projects specifically targeting the oil, gas and chemicals sectors, address the un-tapped potential of condition based maintenance, servicing of rotating equipment and fine-tuning process performance of installed control systems.

The first project targets maintenance, one of the most significant and untapped areas of cost savings in oil, gas and chemical facilities. With maintenance budgets accounting for some two-thirds of annual net profit, it is the largest single controllable expenditure. One leading oil operator estimates that about 63% of maintenance labour results in no action. This is because maintenance that is not needed is sometimes performed on perfectly functional equipment, thereby introducing unnecessary cost and risk.

ABB is investing in a series of pilot projects aimed at bringing new digital products, services and solutions to oil, gas and chemical facilities.

The project provides customers with the services, tools and information needed to capture, trust and act upon data and online information generated by todays installed condition monitoring systems. It ensures electrical equipment maintenance is only performed when necessary and not on an arbitrary schedule, eliminating needless interruption to production and reducing expenditures.

“Our approach provides the vital piece of the puzzle in the transition from a scheduled maintenance ap-proach to one that’s predictive – regardless of what kind of condition monitoring system is in place,” says ABB’s Dan Overly, Head of Product management for ABB’s oil gas and chemicals business. “We are helping customers get value from data. Early testing shows that this project can help reduce customer maintenan-ce costs by as much as 30%.”

A second project, targeting rotating equipment, provides a suite of analytical services and applications that give access to good quality data, identifies failure patterns of rotating equipment and predicts their potential failures. In addition, it benchmarks the customer fleet for improved budget allocation and al-lows ABB to build adjacent service offerings based upon the data collected.

This offering addresses the demands of chemical plant managers who are asking for a better understand-ing of how their fleet of rotating equipment performs, predict failures before they occur, and eliminate unnecessary maintenance to reduce operating costs.

The third project focuses on digitally enabled process performance services. It aims to improve operation and production quality by collecting data from customers’ existing assets, identifying areas where process improvement is needed, suggesting approaches to address challenges and deficits, and then implementing the services necessary to strengthen performance.

With lower oil prices, upstream operators are increasingly focusing on improving production. With today’s prices, process performance improvement can significantly improve the bottom line of the oil companies. Typically, 3 – 5% increased production is achievable, translating into about US$35 million extra earnings annually for a platform producing 50 000 bpd at US$50/bbl.

One outcome of this project is the ABB AbilityTM Process Performance Dashboard. Following some 15 years of identifying poor process system performance in upstream oil and gas facilities, ABB has developed six key performance indicators (KPIs) for the process performance of a plant. These include three symptoms and three results of bad process behavior.

Output: ABB is investing $24m in 20 pilot projects, including three that apply digital technologies across oil, gas and petrochemical facilities. The projects will address condition-based maintenance, servicing of rotating equipment and fine-tuning the process performance of installed control systems. The maintenance project aims to provide customers with the services, tools and information they need to capture, trust and act upon the data and online information generated by today's installed condition monitoring systems. The system is designed to end arbitrary maintenance of electrical equipment by performing it only when necessary, reducing costs.


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Edtech Kiddom claims presence in 70% of US school districts
 Silicon Valley is determined to improve education by infusing it with technology. Its latest example is Kiddom, whose personalized learning software has quietly entered classrooms in 70% of U.S. school districts, according to the company.

Bottom line: Education is an obvious target for tech entrepreneurs—it has both mission and market size, especially as schools increasingly invest in tablets and lightweight laptops, amidst growing concerns over of the future of work.

The pitch: The promise of "personalized learning" is that students will be more successful if enabled to learn and work at their individual paces, along with regular guidance from teachers. Kiddom helps track each student's progress and can provide customized lesson materials. It also collects information on each student's skill level, learning pace and learning style.

"I think it's a data problem," says venture capitalist Keith Rabois, who led an investment in Kiddom for Khosla Ventures. He points out that medical records weren't digitized until recently, before which it was more difficult for patients and doctors to get a full understanding of a person's health. "There's a big promise in personalized learning, almost a Holy Grail."

Although Kiddom isn't currently making any money, CEO Ahsan Rizvi says that revenue generation likely will include charging use fees to school districts for new products (its currently free tools will remain free).

Kiddom says that once 20% of teachers in a school are using its software tools, it usually takes six to seven months for the rest of the school to adopt.

"Memorizing content is not what makes students successful," argues Abby Griffy, an instructional supervisor for Marshall County School District in Kentucky. Griffy's district began using Kiddom earlier this year as part of an effort to overhaul its approach and shift away from its previous focus on standardized tests. It also still uses software from some of Kiddom's competitors.

One of the district's main goals is to better prepare students for jobs and educational pursuits after high school—to "instill 21st Century skills in them," Griffy says.

One of Kiddom's most compelling features, for Griffy and Marshall County's school district, is the ability to match student assignments and work to education standards. For this, the company is using content from a dozen providers, such as Khan Academy and PBS Learning Media, and uses machine learning to analyze the school work.

Since it began these efforts, standardized tests scores have dropped, says Griffy, though administrators expected a dip as part of the transition.

But not all experts are convinced yet that tech-enabled personalized learning is an education panacea.

Personalized learning can require that teachers prepare more assignments and lesson plans, putting a strain on their already busy schedules.

Some experts are concerned that the heavy use of computers for lessons and assignments can deprive students of skills like group collaboration. Asked for comment, Kiddom tells Axios that it views technology as a way to enhance interactions between the student and teacher, not as a replacement for it.

The Carpe Diem Collegiate High School and Middle School in Yuma, Ariz. was initially praised for its rows of cubes with computers for each student that produced higher standardized tests scores. However, the school struggled to retain students. Silicon Valley-based AltSchool also recently said it's scaling back its school operations to instead focus on selling its software.

Kiddom, which has only raised $6.5 million in funding, faces several better-capitalized competitors, including Google Classroom, Summit Learning Platform (330 schools in 40 states, backed by Mark Zuckerberg's philanthropic organization), and AltSchool ($174 million raised).

Go deeper: Mother Jones recently looked into Summit Learning Platform and its parent company, a network of charter schools founded in 2003.

Editor's Note: Sign up for Axios newsletters to get our smart brevity delivered to your inbox every morning.

The story has been updated to clarify that Khan Academy and others aren't formal partners.

Output: US edtech Kiddom, which offers personalised free learning tools, said its software has been used in 70% of the country's school districts. CEO Ahsan Rizvi said the firm aims to start generating revenue by charging for new products. Kiddom's platform has been praised for enabling teachers to track students' progress, monitor the speed at which they learn and match assignments to education standards. Critics argue that personalised learning increases teachers' workloads and moves students away from working as a group.


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Drilling Systems releases 'on-rig' training simulator
 Drilling Systems has announced the release of its new ‘On the Rig’ (OTR) portable work-site simulator package. This advanced simulator provides flexible multi-discipline training modules and many other features to enable comprehensive training, development and personnel assessment in a fully mobile solution.

In an offshore environment, safety is of paramount importance. Operators face the challenge of ensuring skills and competencies are up to date and HSE targets met, while trying to meet increasing efficiency and operational performance goals. The OTR simulator addresses this challenge by providing high quality training without the need to leave the rig. Designed in a modular form, the system assesses and trains at every level of capability and can be used on multiple platform types across various operational disciplines.

The OTR system offers comprehensive training and competence modules for operations including well control, drilling practices, BOP landing, lower marine rising packages (LMRP) disconnects, managed pressure drilling, Drill-well-on-sim (DWOS), complex lifts, banksman, human factors/CRM, operational readiness, lifting and deck operations. Highly adaptable and easy to use, it can be used to put theory into practice and verify personnel competence for heightened on-site safety. It contains many years of experience about different scenarios and, as well as keeping personnel up to date with latest operational processes and procedures, enables training for emergency and other abnormal situations without any risk to safety. With 3D simulation and an easy to use learning management interface, the system provides both self-led or instructor supported learning in a way that helps personnel better retain information and learn how to apply theoretical knowledge.

OTR is a highly adaptable simulation platform which combines training on technical and non-technical skills using an easy to use, app-style interface. The simulation platform has integrated competence assessment, which provides both student and instructor with clear progress indicators and feedback. Modules are split into volumes and chapters with pass or fail at each stage to ensure robust learning. To enable well-defined benchmarking and evaluation of skills, the OTR continuous learning, development and assessment capability are mapped against industry standards. Data capture and in-simulation assessment against position specific profiles for different rig roles provide managers with complete evaluation of skills levels and tracking of individual maturity progression.

Ian Hudson, CEO at Drilling Systems commented, “This new package was specifically developed to address the need for high quality training on the rig. From discussions with operators, we are convinced that this is the best way to increase safety with an improved learning experience for rig crews across multiple disciplines. Having this system on site and without the need to engage an instructor, personnel can keep themselves completely up to date with latest practices and skill levels. The integrated tracking within the system also means that managers can easily see and assess skill levels – making the whole skills management process much more efficient.”

Ultimately, the OTR simulator package offers a new way for operators to efficiently manage accreditation, competency and value as part of daily operational activities. Without the need to leave the platform, skills can be regularly refreshed and latest procedures or new processes readily learned. Through this more integrated approach to the development and verification of skill levels, the OTR simulator can help reduce risks to safety from human error and enhance individual performance for greater operational efficiency – without overtly impacting on day to day operations.

Output: Drilling Systems has released an "On the Rig" (OTR) portable work-site simulator package. The fully mobile solution uses 3D simulations to delivery training and competence modules on well control, drilling practices, BOP landing, disconnects of lower marine rising packages, managed pressure drilling, drill-well-on-sim, complex lifts, banksman, human factors/CRM, operational readiness, lifting and deck operations.


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Wintershall deploys Emerson wireless downhole system on Maria
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The Roxar Downhole Sensor System (illustration: Emerson)

Emerson’s latest Roxar Downhole Sensor System has been deployed on the Maria field offshore Norway, providing the field’s operator Wintershall with improved well integrity monitoring and offshore safety. The latest deployment of the system – a wireless solution that delivers crucial integrity data and measures online and real-time pressure and temperature information from behind the casing in subsea production wells – follows the successful deployment of several dozen systems in other fields over the past four years, all providing crucial data to offshore operators on the status of their well barriers and casing. The pressure and temperature monitoring system allows Wintershall to verify that the predicted pressure build-up falls within the design criteria, and an alarm trigger point is implemented in case pressures that are potentially outside the system design are reached.

The Roxar Downhole Sensor System also comes with new advances that enable operators to access online displays and trending of previously unreachable temperature and pressure subsurface data behind the well casing and achieve online integrity verification without any impact on production. The system, that has been tested at 225° C/437° F and can withstand pressures of up to 1,380 Bar/20,000 Psi, has already generated significant direct savings for operators, due to reduced testing requirements and more time to focus on production.

“After continued sales and further advances to the system, the Roxar Wireless Downhole Sensor Solution has reached full maturity,” says Sturle Haaland, European sales director at Emerson Automation Solutions. “The system and its track record prove yet again that Emerson has the willingness and capabilities to respond to customers’ specific demands and follow through with best-in-class technology and services to meet them. Operators will now have the information they need to make informed decisions on well integrity, adhere to regulatory requirements, ensure offshore safety, and enable their wells to produce at optimal levels.”

The added knowledge on pressure and temperature dynamics delivered by the Roxar Downhole Sensor System’s highly accurate quartz gauges in previously unreachable parts of the completion has also led to a better understanding and confidence in operators’ well integrity strategies. The system ensures that wells meet integrity monitoring standards, such as API RP90 and NORSOK D-010. The system also has a Technology Readiness Level of TRL7 as per API RP 17N “Recommended Practices for Subsea Production System Reliability, Technical Risk and Integrity Management.”

Output: Wintershall is using Emerson’s latest Roxar Downhole Sensor System at the Maria field offshore Norway, with the aim of improving well integrity monitoring and offshore safety. The wireless system measures online and real-time pressure and temperature information from behind the casing in subsea production wells, allowing Wintershall to verify that predicted pressure build-up is within the design criteria, and to notify engineers if it falls outside them. The system has been tested at 225 C and can withstand pressures of up to 1,380 Bar.


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Canadian banks invest in Montreal-based AI innovation labs
 BMO Financial group is to inject $2 million into a new AI lab in Montreal that will aim to help startups make the transition from science projects to high-growth companies.

The bank is working with Creative Destruction Lab on a new programme in Montreal that will usher 28 artificial intelligence startups through a six-month accelerator programme.

"The CDL-Montreal programme represents a stimulant challenge, not only for our startup companies but also for all the partners involved in this innovative project," says Fil Papich, co-head BMO Capital Markets, Quebec. "HEC Montréal's commitment to building bridges between BMO and the top emerging technology companies provides us with a valuable perspective on providing products and services that enable technology entrepreneurs to accomplish their business ventures."

The 28 firms selected for the cohort were whittled down from a list of 200 seed-stage applicants, the majority of already have a patent or are in the process of obtaining one. The six-month interneship will offer business and technology mentoring, equity opportunities, and business development partnerships.

Andrew Irvine, head, Canadian Business Banking & BMO Partners, BMO Bank of Montreal. "The talented entrepreneurs that we get the chance to work with through this programme have so much to offer to our industry. We look forward to collaborating with them and helping to provide opportunities that will enhance the financial technology landscape and ultimately provide a better customer experience."

Montreal is fast becoming a hotbed for AI and data science startups. BMO's involvement in the CDL lab comes hot on the heels of an announcement by Broealis AI, an RBC Institute for Research, to open a new academic and research lab in the city early next year. RBC is also joining BMO in supporting the Creative Destruction Lab initiative.

Output: Two leading Canadian banks are investing in a new project to support tech start-ups working on artificial intelligence (AI). The Bank of Montreal and the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) are working with Creative Destruction Lab on the CAD2m ($1.6m) programme in Montreal. A total of 28 firms were selected from 200 applicants to receive mentoring, equity support and business development to turn their technologies into profitable companies. The project expands the presence of AI research and development in the city, after Borealis AI, funded by RBC, announced it will open a research lab in the new year.


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Walmart testing autonomous floor-scrubbing robots
 Walmart has been testing autonomous floor-cleaning robots in five of its stores, LinkedIn reports. The floor scrubber, developed by Brain Corp., is equipped with cameras, sensors and LiDAR to help it maneuver down aisles and around obstacles. And it can largely navigate itself after first being driven by a person in order to learn its path.

Phil Duffy, VP of innovation and marketing for Brain Corp., told Fox Business that the company's technology is in approximately 50 malls and retailers nationwide. "We are also in airports, educational campuses, corporate campuses and industrial sites. In addition, we will be launching in Japan, through our partner, SoftBank Robotics, by summer 2018," he said.

Of course, this type of technology leads some to wonder how many jobs will be on the line if it's adopted more widely. Walmart is also testing shelf-scanning robots that can look for misplaced items, check prices and note inventory levels. However, the company insists that both are meant to complement its workforce, not replace it, and their use would allow Walmart staff to focus on other aspects of their jobs. A Walmart spokesperson told Fox, "The maintenance team is actually quite excited to work with new technology like this." But that doesn't seem to apply to everyone. As one Walmart employee told LinkedIn, "Nobody in my store likes it."

Output: US retailer Walmart is amongst a number of companies testing autonomous robots to clean floors in their stores. Developed by artificial intelligence (AI) start-up Brain Corp, the robots can navigate down aisles after first being driven by a human to learn the route. They then use sensors and cameras to help them avoid obstacles when operating independently. Brain Corp says the technology is being used in over 50 shopping centres, airports and other venues across the country. In association with their partner, SoftBank robotics, they plan to expand into Japan next year.