Less food waste = more good food, and more money

food and bev

When bananas get soft, I was always taught to put them in the freezer. They’re great in smoothies or even as healthy ‘ice cream’. Spoiling apples… maybe a pie? But moldy bread or off milk would go straight in the trash, and it feels like a massive waste of both food and money.

I’m not the only one concerned about waste. U.S. retailers are throwing out about eight million tons, or $18 billion worth, of wasted food each year. Fresh food is dynamic, and selling it is an enormous challenge that plagues even the biggest and best companies. Why? The trend for healthy eating (a.k.a. fresh fruit, vegetables, organic meat and dairy, freshly baked bread) is massive. But, these foods spoil fast and don’t store well. They vary in quality, taste and shelf life each season, and so does consumer demand, meaning it’s hard to know when they’ll sell best. They also don’t come with printed barcodes or expiration dates, so grocers often manually check their stock, a labor intensive job complete with human error.

So, what happens when selling fresh food is a must, but not at all easy? The result is stores ordering too much, or at the wrong time, and wasting both fresh food and money.

Afresh saw this issue, and decided to do something about it (other than making banana smoothies). The San Francisco based startup has developed AI technology that optimizes the fresh food supply chain. It’s built specifically to identify and analyze the perishability, quality and seasonality of fresh produce. The aim is to eliminate food waste, improve its partners’ profitability, and make fresher, healthier food more accessible.

So, how does the tech work? Firstly, staff input inventory into Afresh’s systems. Then, the machine learning platform uses this data, combined with an enormous amount of background data, to predict a number of probable future events. From this, it can recommend how much stock should be ordered and when. Over time, the algorithm can make larger predictions. The company is currently working on adding more insights into the tech, such as recent weather conditions near certain farms, and how this will affect the product and its sales. A number of stores are already trialing the AI tech and have seen great results; most stores have cut their food waste in half.

And for those who aren’t grocery giants, and aren’t overly concerned with the money, it’s also doing the earth a load of good.

Are you developing technology to reduce waste? Did you know your R&D experiments could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’s largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation & audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Strawberry farming robots are oh so sweet

Crops automated farming equipment

There is nothing nicer than biting into a sweet, ripe strawberry. But, on the flip side, it doesn’t sound pleasant having to stand in the sun and bend over all day to pick them. Here’s another brilliant chance for robots. And intelligent companies, like Advanced Farm Technologies, are grasping it.

The founders of Advanced Farm Technologies previously owned Greenbotics, a company using robots to service and wash solar panels. So, it’s clear they’re not afraid of new technology. In fact the company prides itself on using robots to improve costs and quality for customers, and improve conditions for workers. And, it’s not afraid to impress us with what these bots can do.

The tech team

The company’s strawberry harvesting robots, T-6s, have multiple robotic arms topped with soft grips, to delicately handle the berries. The grips are easy to clean and replace, designed with food safety in mind. The robots also help pick for picky eaters: the stems come off, meaning the berries are ready to eat now. On America’s West Coast, strawberries are harvested 70 times each season. Hence, Advanced Farm Technologies has its robot prototypes in Oxnard, Santa Maria and the Salinas-Watsonville regions.

And it’s not the first company to bring robots into agriculture. Harvest CROO Robotics is doing a similar thing. The Florida based company is revolutionizing the agriculture industry with its automatic harvester, Berry 5 (B5). The B5 is expected to be put to work next harvesting season. It’ll need workers to pack the berries for now, but the aim is to provide a fully autonomous process. Vision Robotics has developed a robot with the ability to thin lettuce, prune grapevines and weed unwanted areas. Soon, these robots will be a common sight. The autonomous, or self-driving, tracker market was worth $648.9 million in 2016, and is expected to hit $4,389.8 million in the next five years.

It’s not just robotics

The agriculture industry is getting smarter at using its data too. Tech startup agtools is helping farmers maximize their crop, by using AI tools to plan their harvest. It then works as a communication system: consumer trends and crop data > farmer > product data > retailers and buyers. Buyers are given information about market availability, surplus and pricing shifts. In between, shipping companies receive data and insights, helping them plan the most efficient timing and routes. The final product is a smart, connected supply chain.

Startups in the industry saw a 43% increase in funding from 2017 to 2018, and it’s not expected to stop any time soon.

Are you developing agriculturural robotics or technology? Did you know your work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’s largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation & audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Molekule Air purifiers: clean air, clever tech

dining kitchen safety

If you look at any news today, ‘air pollution’ is going to be in a major headline, and increasingly, we’re talking about both outside and indoors. ‘Going green’ and ‘eco-friendly’ will be there too. There’s a theme: we all want to live in cleaner air. Californian tech company Molekule is making that a reality with its green air purifying revolution.

Because of his son’s asthma and allergies, Molekule’s Chief Scientist Dr. Yogi Goswami turned to scientific research to find a better way to clean air. That was 1995. Now, more than 20 years later, the company sells one of the top air purifiers on the market, using some of the most ground breaking technology. Molekule sells two purifiers: the Molekule Air purifier is built for rooms up to 600 sqft, and the Molekule Air Mini purifier is ideal for small spaces up to 250 sqft. Not only do they look like something out of a space film, but their technology is almost futuristic.

The tech

The innovative tech is what makes these machine. At the bottom of the filters is a 360° air intake system. From there the pollutants travel up through a pre-filter, where big particles like dust and hair get collected. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs, like acetone from nail polish or benzene from paint or glue) are slowed down. They head upwards to Molekule’s patented Photo Electrochemical Oxidation (PECO) filter.

Here’s where the magic happens.

The PECO system uses free radicals: unstable atoms which have recently been found to participate in mechanisms of anticancer therapy. These free radicle nanoparticles cover the filter and create chemical reactions when light hits. This chemical reaction break down VOCs, bacteria, mold, viruses and allergens. The process creates byproducts of water vapors, carbon dioxide and nitrogen – safe chemicals which are released back into the air.

The big deal

Most air purifiers collect particles, rather than destroying them. Although this helps in the short term, it creates long time issues; when a filter becomes saturated it can perform badly. It can also release those toxins back into the air, deeming the filters redundant. Ozone is another concern – it’s a byproduct created by most filters. We think of ozone in the atmosphere, and while it’s helpful there it’s not so much in our homes. Breathing it in can cause chest pain, coughing, throat irritation, and can even lead to respiratory diseases. Molekule’s filter is a big deal because it destroys particles and it doesn’t product ozone, in fact it reduces it.

Are you creating new products using molecular technology? Did you know your work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’s largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation & audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Californians turn to a startup to check their air quality

climate change

During the California wildfires, air pollution was a major concern, and a crowd-sourced Utah startup became an unlikely hero. PurpleAir monitors air quality in real-time, thanks to a network of sensors across North America. The sensors sell for $179 to $259 and can be easily set up at a person’s home. They then link to Wi-Fi, and upload data to the cloud. This data is then displayed on the PurpleAir’s map; it’s popularity increased by 100-fold after California’s wildfire season began this year.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses high-tech monitors to measure air quality. However, these monitors are expensive and sparsely spread around the country. They give residents an averaged idea of air pollution, but aren’t specific. And, in the case of the 2019 wildfires, some of the government monitors gave incorrect readings. In comparison, PurpleAir’s network includes thousands of sensors – 3000 in California alone. While they may not be as high-tech, their coverage gives a good indication of pollution in specific areas, and can help people instantly.

How do they work?

PurpleAir’s sensors use a fan to push air past a laser beam. Any particles in the air will reflect light onto a detection plate. This plate measures the reflection like a pulse; large particles make a long pulse, small particles make a quick pulse. Doing this, the sensor can count particles in sizes of 0.3 to 10μm (micrometers). Anything bigger than 10μm will get breathed in and trapped in the throat, while smaller particles will get inhaled and affect the lungs.

After monitoring the particle sizes, PurpleAir’s algorithm calculates the concentration of particle matter in the air. It measures PM10, PM2.5 and PM1.0. In context, PM2.5 is described as fine particles, and about 40 fine particles make up the width of human hair. These fine particles are actually more harmful than the larger, because they’re more likely to go deeper into the lungs.

The big-time hero had to start somewhere

The company started in 2015, when the founder, Adrian Dybwad, set out to measure dust from a gravel pit near his home. “I said to myself, it’s 2015, surely there must be a sensor that can tell me how much dust is in there,” Dybwad said. With a lack of affordable, accurate sensors and his background in computer networking and electronics, Dybwad started making his own. His community donated a few thousand dollars – enough for the area to have 80 sensors. “We didn’t set out to do better than the government’s own monitoring, we set out to satisfy our own curiosity,” he said.

But, more and more people are turning to PurpleAir’s monitors. In November 2018, PurpleAir moved out of Dybwad’s house and into a full-time workshop, where production continues to increase. In July 2019, a PurpleAir sensor was installed at its highest altitude: on the side of a small astronomy dome in California’s White Mountains, at approximately 13,000 feet.

Are you developing technology to improve shared data or help people know about their environment? Did you know your work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’s largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation & audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Machine learning robots might be the answer to recycling

software4

Here’s something controversial: recycling is exhausting. Yes, it’s infinitely better for the environment than throwing all of our waste into landfill. But, we have to remember to take caps off bottles, or put ‘soft plastics’ in different bins, and it’s tiring.

Up until recently, China made a business out of recycling. In 2016 alone, the U.S. sent 7.3 million metric tons of waste to China, to be sorted and turned into recycled plastic. However, the waste it was receiving was unhygienic and polluting the country. And so, in an effort to clean up its environmental act, the country banned imports on a large number of recyclables. In 2017 and 2018, China stopped accepting 56 types of waste.

So where does America’s waste go now? Sadly, the answer is landfills. In some places, like San Juan Island, Washington, only certain recyclables are collected. Residents can recycle clean and separated cardboard, metal, aluminum cans, and clean wood; everything else is going straight into the garbage. Long term, limiting recycling could be a good thing; it could help us discover how to use less and re-use more. But it’s a slow and grueling process.

AMP Robotics has a solution. The tech startup developed AMPCortex: a high-speed robot that uses artificial intelligence (AI) software to identify, sort and process recyclables. While waste is moved forward on a conveyer belt, the robot effectively has a brain, eyes and hands. It uses machine learning technology with a pattern recognition vision system, which turns millions of images into data. This data then tells the machine’s three arms where to move and grab. The result is high-speed waste separation.

Because of the AI software, the machine learns, improves accuracy, and can adapt. This means it can sort waste from multiple industries: brands and materials of municipal waste, batteries and wires from electronic waste, and various metals, wood and concrete in construction waste. It also links to an online visualization tool, which can keep records of sorted waste and inform users of equipment issues or hazards.

AMP Robotics says its goal is to make recycling more sustainable and affordable. It recently raised $16 million in Series A funding, which it plans to use to scale up operations, and increase its efficiency. The company already has its robot in facilities across the U.S., including California, New York, and Texas, with more planned.

Are you developing robotics technology or an innovative way to clean up garbage? Did you know your efforts could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’ largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation to audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

A California startup has just made major leaps towards solving climate change, and it’s not slowing down

microgrid

Environmental tech startup Heliogen has achieved a scientific breakthrough, reaching over 1000°C with concentrated solar energy. At this temperature, it can replace fossil fuels in producing cement, steel and petrochemicals. But, the company says it’s not stopping there. Its next goal is 1500°C; then it can split water and carbondioxide, to create gas used to power factories and fuel cars.

Heliogen’s mission is to reduce greenhouse gases as quickly as possible, in an effort to reverse the effects of climate change. In the last 270 years, more than 392 billion metric tons of carbon have been release into the atmostphere due to fossil fuels. Half of that’s happened in the last 35 years, since the mid 1980s. Industrial processes, like making concrete, are responsible for more than a fifth of all emissions. Using solar energy is a step in the right direction.

How do they do it?

Commercial concentrating solar thermal systems have previously been able to generate power, reaching up to 565°C. But industrial processes are burning through fossil fuels at accelerated rates and the climate crisis calls for bigger action. Heliogen reached the breakthrough temperatures because of its tech. It uses advanced computer software to align a large number of mirrors to reflect sunlight towards a specific target. The mirrors act as one, thanks to a closed-loop control system. The light is targeted towards a tower with a receiver, which converts the sunlight into ultra-high temperature heat.

What if we got rid of fossil fuels today?

Sadly, the world isn’t ready to stop using fossil fuels just yet. But, just for a moment forget the administrative headache of switching to entirely renewable energy sources, and take an optimistic view. Pollution would almost entirely end – both because mining would end, and because there would be no way to make non-biodegradable products without petroleum. Public health would improve because of the drop in pollution, meaning Americans would save US$74.6 billion every year that’s currently spent on coal-related health issues. Most importantly, the halt in carbon emissions would put a halt to climate change.

Are you developing a way to alleviate climate change? Did you know your development work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’ largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation & audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Retinal degeneration is being helped by an augmented reality vision

research universities variable focus lenses

Augmented reality usually makes us see things that aren’t really there. But, for some, this tech is helping them see what is there. California startup Eyedaptic is using augmented reality to improve the vision of those suffering from retinal disorders. The company’s prototype is designed to improve reading and everyday tasks in individuals with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Eyedaptic’s AdaptiVu for AMD: sounds confusing, so what is it?

AMD is the number one cause of vision loss in people over 50; more than 170 million people just in the US suffer from it. It occurs when a small portion of the retina, the macular, is damaged or worn down. Right now there’s no cure, just treatments to delay its progression or improve the vision.

Eyedaptic’s device looks like glorified sunglasses, but it’s so much more than that. The adaptive augmented reality software simulates a person’s natural vision. It creates a whole picture for the user, rather than just magnifying what’s in front of them. The battery-powered tech also has built-in training aids for user-friendly setup and use. AdaptiVu was designed alongside ophthalmology retinal specialists, optometrists and occupational therapists, with the hope that people suffering from retinal diseases like AMD can have almost their full vision back.

Eyedaptic won second place at San Diego’s QuickPitch competition this year, beating almost 300 other startups just to be there and taking home $10,000 in prize money. The competition featured 10 biotech and tech startup executives, each with two minutes to convince the judging panel that their company was a promising business venture. And Eyedaptics is proving just that.

AR is the practical person’s VR

While virtual reality (VR) takes you to a whole other world, augmented reality (AR) uses technology to add pictures or other digital elements to reality. Because of this, it’s taking over from VR as some seriously talked-about tech. AR’s full posibilities aren’t yet known, but games such as Pokemon Go, or medical training without the need for cadavers, are proving that it’s going to be a big part of our future.

Are you working with augmented or virtual reality to make medical technology? Did you know your R&D work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’ largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firm, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation & audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

2019 Innovation Rankings By State

massachusetts

The United States is usually accredited as one of the most innovative nations in the world. However, that does not mean the country’s technological and innovation quests are divided equally around the nation.

Burgeoning technology and innovative concepts usually find their inception in major regions such as San Francisco and New York, while middle tier states in the nation try to play catch-up.

With the United States predicted to spend approximately $581 billion on Research and Development (R&D) in 2019, and New York City recently no longer under consideration for Amazon’s 2nd headquarters, finance and research website WalletHub recently published an enumeration ranking the 50 U.S. States and District of Columbia in terms of innovation rate.

It came as no surprise that the least innovative states on the list included the Midwest states, usually ignored by leading tech firms in favor of metropolitan areas that have historically enticed top tech talent and major tech firms.

In order to come up with the rankings, Wallet Hub based its findings on multiple metrics divided into two different categories: innovation environment and human capital.

The human capital category includes units such as projected STEM job demand in 2020, the share of STEM professionals, and participation and performance in high school level science and math exams.

The innovation environment category, on the other hand, included each state’s tax-friendliness, number of jobs in new companies, level of research and development spending, and every state’s share of firms that are tech oriented.

Below are the most and least innovative states in the U.S. according to WalletHub:

Most innovative states

  1. Massachusetts
  2. Maryland
  3. Washington
  4. District of Columbia
  5. California
  6. Colorado
  7. Virginia
  8. Utah
  9. Delaware
  10. Oregon

Least innovative states

  1. Oklahoma
  2. Nebraska
  3. Hawaii
  4. Kentucky
  5. Iowa
  6. Tennessee
  7. Arkansas
  8. West Virginia
  9. Louisiana
  10. Mississippi

California is America’s Leading State in Innovation Spending

golden gate bridge

California is among the best states in the United States for infrastructure, employment, education, and investments related to innovation. According to a report released by WalletHub (the internet portal for personal finance education), the Golden State ranked in front of Washington, Massachusetts, Maryland, and the District of Columbia in 18 key indicators of innovation affability.

If you’ve been tuned into the state’s enterprise realm lately (or even from executing a simple google search), you can tell that it’s flooding with innovations (both startups and established companies.)

According to another report by business.org, a huge portion of the United States’ overall Research and Development spending has been flowing into the state to fund these inventive concepts. As a matter of fact, as of 2018, California accounts for approximately 31% of the United States’ total research and development spending.

Drawing on the Nationwide Science Foundation Info on Research and Development in 2016 (this is the latest Year for which numbers could be found) the report revealed that the Golden State was far outpacing other states.

Research and Development spending per capita

Californian companies ranked first in venture capital spending per capita. With a $1.1 million spending per capita, the state ranked ahead of Massachusetts, Washington D.C, Michigan, and Texas who had a per capita spending of $215,600, 196,730, $188,470, and $13,530 respectively.

This implies that California spent five times more per capita compared to any other state. Tying up the top ten in the enumeration include New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, with $157,150, $157,140, $137,330, $123,000, and $100,640 respectively.

On the other end of the spectrum, Alaska boasted the lowest spending per capita, with a staggering $340 in R&D spending per capita. West Virginia, Mississippi, Vermont, North Dakota, Louisiana, Montana, South Dakota, Hawaii, and Wyoming were all on this lower end of the list.

Alternative Fertility Monitoring in 2018: San Francisco-based Modern Fertility develops economical at-home hormone test

mother

Women are putting off having children to build up a career and economic status. Those in their 30s are having more children than women in their 20s. However, as women age, hormonal changes follow thus affecting the chances of conceiving.

Modern Fertility, a San Francisco-based startup, wants to help women ignite important fertility conversations with their doctors. To do so, Modern Fertility created an at-home hormone test. The test can be ordered online where a doctor will review the order and customize it based on the type of birth control a client is on. Once it arrives, one can choose to be tested at home or at a local Quest Diagnostics lab. The at-home test simply requires the client to prick her finger and collect a blood sample–the accumulated blood should then be placed onto the provided test strip. The strip is then sent to a CLIA Certified lab where it is tested for nine hormones. Once reviewed by a physician, a private profile is sent back that explains how hormone levels may affect the number of eggs a woman has left, if her process of ovulation is normal, and other red flags that could affect a fertility window. Other trackable signals include if the onset of menopause could happen at an earlier age, and if egg freezing or IVF is the right way to go.

Carley Leahy and Afton Vechery co-founded Modern Fertility. “We’re really speaking to women much earlier in life who know that a career may be important and they may want to have children down the road, but want to be able to check in proactively,” Leahy said. “Modern Fertility is the first step for women. We’re really working with women before they get to a doctor’s office and giving them this information so that they can have a more informed conversation with their doctor,” Vechery said. “We found that you can go to a fertility clinic and take simple blood tests to check in on where you stand. But no everyone can afford them and the results can be tricky to decipher. We use information to get smart about everything in our lives—relationships, money, school. Why is something as formative as fertility still a black box?,” a statement from Leahy and Vechery said.

The Modern Fertility hormone test costs $199 compared to a $600 clinical doctor consultation. The company still recommends consulting with your doctor about any test results. More information about Modern Fertility can be found by clicking here.

Are you making fertility monitoring more accessible or convenient? Did you know that you can receive up to 14% back on your research expenses with the R&D Tax Credit? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is a Specialist R&D tax advisory firm, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services to the state of California. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program in California, from claim prep & audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPAs.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.