Technology and media communications – Page 2 – Swanson Reed

First online check in and now online food ordering; how mobile apps are making airports easier

Sitting at an airport, about to board your flight to the Bahamas for your three week holiday – exciting. Trying to find the closest burger joint, then waiting in a ridiculous line for your food – not so exciting. One Texas startup is easing the pain of airport meals with their new mobile app.

Grab is a mobile software company that’s modernized the airport experience. They have developed an app that easily connects travelers to their dining needs. It allows people to: search for the food they’re after, find a map of restaurants in the airport, order remotely, keep track of their favourite meals and hold onto the receipts. Since it started in 2015, the company has expanded to more than 37 airports, including Dallas and Austin. Grab is on track to contiue this rapid expansion. This summery they landed one of Texas’ biggest startup deals – a multimillion dollar deal with London-based Collinson Group.

Grab founder Mark Bergsrud has worked in the travel industry for more than 20 years, and drew on this experience to design the app. “This feels like how mobile check in felt. There was a problem customers didn’t know they had — check in wasn’t that difficult anyway, but to be able to have that control, people love it,” he said.

And he’s right – technology is constantly making the airport process easier. Twenty years ago travelers would never dream of boarding a plane without their paper boarding pass. But these days, passes can be accessed via smartphones or even smartwatches. Virtual loyalty cards are helping customers shop, access airline lounges, and collect and redeem miles / points without even touching a computer. It’s even common for travelers to receive preflight, personalized emails offering discounts in airport shops, thanks to the sharing of their personal data. In another 20 or 30 or 100 years, who knows what the future of airport travel might look like.

Are you also developing software to make travel easier? 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.

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Swanson Reed is Texas’ 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 in Texas, from claim prep & 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.

US Energy Department to Invest in Blockchain Technology as New Security Measure

The U.S. Department of Energy is exploring blockchain technology as a new defence measure against cyberattacks in phase two of a nationwide project to upgrade power plant security.

Blockchain is a system that allows transactions to be made in cryptocurrency, maintained across several computers or servers. By decentralisation the cybersecurity concerns and only being linked to a peer – peer network. Blockchain technology makes it much harder to hack into than standard cyber security measures.

It was announced recently by the department’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) that development in the electric grid security project will focus on decentralised cybersecurity. Startup company Taekion, specialising in this field has been granted $1 million last year in R&D incentives and now will be focusing on researching how blockchain technology can be implemented as a new line of defence.

The NETL said: “The applications being developed in the NETL-managed project have the potential to thwart such attacks by preventing hackers from altering the plant’s operational information.”

A cyberattack on a power plant in Ukraine in 2016 has shown. The severity of such attacks as it resulted in power outages around the country. Such technology to prevent attacks like this are still in the early stages of development. Projects funded by the Department exploring this technology is funded by the department’s Small Business Innovation Research program.

This is not the first time the NETL has invested in research to explore the potential of blockchain energy for technological improvements in the security between power plants and grids within the nation. In 2017, they partnered with another technological company to explore using blockchain in higher security between transactions.

It has also been announced universities will receive fundings of up to $4.8 million for working on R&D blockchain projects.

Blockchain Cryptocurrency Cybersecurity Development Technology

New Material Offers a Revolutionary Way to Power Electronics

A recent finding by a research team stationed at Ohio State University could possibly change how future electronic devices are fabricated.

The Ohio State team worked out a unique way to improve how our electronics utilize electrons. They’ll achieve this using a new material that can serve two distinct roles in an electronic device. The dual nature of the material will eliminate the need for manufacturers to use multiple materials.

“We have essentially found a dual-personality material,” said Joseph Heremans, co-author of the study, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and Ohio Eminent Scholar in Nanotechnology at Ohio State. “It is a concept that did not exist before.”

The research team has decided to call this unique material phenomenon and electronic structure “goniopolarity”, to reflect its dual functionality.
If everything works and goes as planned, technologists will be able to avail this discovery to create different sorts of electrical devices, from light emitting diodes in display screens to solar cells. The material can also be used in laptops as well as light sensors needed for our smartphone cameras.

With each device, the material works by moving holes (positive charges) and electrons (negative charges) to conduct electricity. And to complete this process in the past, different materials were needed. One to act as a hole holder whereas the other acts as an electron holder. No material, hitherto, could act as both.

The new material, NaSn2As2, however, is a superlattice (layered crystal) capable of doubling as a hole holder and electron holder simultaneously. The team believes the material works this way due to its exceptional electronic structure. Better yet, the team pointed out there may be other layered materials (yet to be identified) that boast similar properties.

“We just haven’t found them yet,” Heremans said. “But now we know to search for them.”

The New Program Dedicated to Keeping Mississippi at the Forefront of Technology

The path toward enhanced opportunities and economic growth in Mississippi’s private sector begins in secondary and elementary education, then continues through the workforce training abilities of the state’s astounding community college system and on to the Research and Development (R&D) prowess of the higher education system.

Taking advantage of this clear opportunity, Mississippi’s state education officials and C Spire executives launched a brand new program on October 17th, 2018. This new program, called the C Spire Software Development Pathway is a public-private partnership formed by C Spire and the Mississippi State University Research and Curriculum Unit’s (RCU) new Center for Cyber Education.

The movement will aid in Mississippi’s aggressive goal of creating and delivering a standardized computer science programme for approximately 500,000 scholars from grade K-12, and also place trained computer science professors in all of the state’s 850+ middle, elementary, and high schools by 2024.

State education officials and C Spire estimated that C Spire Software Development Pathway will deliver approximately 90 percent more Mississippi graduates who are qualified for entry-level software development positions compared to all other existing programs. This will further help narrow down the skills gap for this profession in Mississippi and the United States in general.

Currently, there is a shortage of computer science experts, both nationwide and in-state. According to Code.org, Mississippi had more than 900 open jobs with only around 140 computer science graduates in the state per year. Across the country, there are currently more than 500,000 open jobs, and a recent study indicated that the shortage of software developers will grow to more than 1 million by 2020.

It is our hope that this new innovative partnership will grow to become an educational template for the workforce and education system as Mississippi’s private and public sectors build a stronger alliance to forge a sturdier economic environment for this generation of workers and students as well as those who will follow them.

How Autonomous Vehicles Are Poised to Change the Future

The world is changing and the revolution in the automotive industry is happening. We are expected to have 10 million self-driving cars on the roads by 2020. In fact, large automotive firms such as Volvo, Ford, and Tesla have already launched their first wave of autonomous vehicles.

But what are the anticipated implications of the self-driving technology on the industry?

A study carried out by Intel showed that, thanks to this exceptional transformation of the global industry, autonomous cars are projected to displace human drivers and generate around $7 Trillion per annum by 2050.

The study predicted autonomous cars will result in a massive economic trajectory that will grow from $800 billion per year in 2035 to $7 trillion per year in 2050, taking into account the cost of all products and services resulting from fully autonomous cars, including indirect savings, like time.

That said, before we can close in on the 2035 to 2050 economic trajectory, the US Department of Transportation stated that firms in the United States alone are expected to spend approximately $61 billion in Capital investments and Research and Development (R&D) on autonomous vehicles by 2023.

According to stratistics MRC, the Global Automotive Safety System market was valued at $82.8 billion in 2017, but thanks to the expected R&D and Capital Investments spending, the market is anticipated to reach almost $200 billion by 2026 growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10%.

The federal budget also contained a significant resource. A spending bill that was unveiled ten months ago included $100 million for a highly automated “vehicle R&D” program, and includes funding for evaluating the employment impact of self-driving vehicles.

The funding also included $60 million for grants that’ll fund demo projects that test safety and feasibility of self-driving cars.

In fact, other than the Return on Investment in real dollars, all companies investing in autonomous vehicles are in it for another reason; safety. The WHO estimated that 1.35 individuals die each year due to road traffic related crashes around the world.

Add that number to the 20 – 50 million others who suffer non-fatal harms that leave them disabled for life.

Intel forecasted that autonomous cars will save more than 580,000 lives between 2035 and 2045.

It’s no wonder nearly 55% of the 175 Merger and Acquisition deals done over the last two years were related to electric and automated vehicles.

Microgrid by Alabama Power Improves Quality of Life For Reynolds Landing Residents

Recently, Alabama Power unveiled a power system that is to provide electricity for the Reynolds Landing ‘Smart Neighborhood’ in Ross Bridge. The innovative power system is a microgrid and is unique in the sense that although it is connected to the main power systems, it is capable of functioning on its own.

Alabama Power has been quick to note that this project will be the first of its kind to sustain the whole community of residents. A major selling point of the microgrid is the fact that it is capable of producing an estimated 600,000 kilowatt hours of power on a yearly basis. This amount is supposedly enough to support the 62 homes in Reynolds Landing. Additionally, there is a lithium ion battery and a natural gas driven generator that backs up the microgrid. The neighborhood has been receiving alternating forms of power, including the battery bank and gas-powered generator but is not yet using the solar panels alone.

Alabama Power is focusing on collecting data on the microgrid to help the company plan for future programs and energy solutions. The United States Chamber of Commerce announced that the Reynolds Landing microgrid project is the first in the Global Energy Institute’s energy innovation campaign efforts. As such, the neighborhood has been praised for being a role model for innovative solutions in the energy sector.

The homes in Reynolds Landing have been built by Signature Homes and have energy efficient features such as triple pane windows as well as thicker walls for better insulation. They are also equipped with ‘smart home technology’ where an owner is able to control locks, lights, electronics and more from a remote location. Furthermore, each house has the newest Samsung appliances and a Google mesh Wi-Fi system, which provides a strong Internet connection in each room. The collaboration between Alabama Power and Signature Homes has made it possible to implement innovative, energy-efficient technologies to improve the quality of life for its residents.

Innovative Aerospace Products Made In Alabama

Alabama’s aerospace industry is developing products that could prove vital for the growing sector. Some of these developments were showcased at the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow in the UK. Here are some of the most impressive:

Inflatable Satellite Communications

This technology has been able to enhance high-bandwidth satellite communications, especially in remote areas. GATR Technologies is behind this product and state that it can be applied in broad areas that range from commercial, military and organizational set ups. Due to the product’s portability and light weight, it prevented Puerto Rico from being cut off from satellite communications completely by Hurricane Maria. As such, it was able to maintain Wi-Fi hotspots and cellphone signals. The company plans to expand to Huntsville and increase its workforce to 250 by 2019.

Rocket Drone Airplane

This product is an unmanned plane that has the ability to launch satellites in every 3 hours. The product has been dubbed Ravn and was created by Huntsville-based startup called Aevum. Its unique ability to launch every 180 minutes is the product’s main selling point, as other launch vehicles are able to fly only a few times per year with long lead times. Aevum has plans to launch numerous tiny satellites into space, which would improve communication networks globally.

Missile Defense Targets

A new operation in Huntsville is focused on the design and production of modified ballistic re-entry vehicles. These are unique to warheads in the sense that the re-entry vehicles have modified sensors that are able to accurately measure the effectiveness of the target. This way, enemy missiles are able to be detected and destroyed by the hosts’ defense system. This innovative product is headed by Lockheed Martin and is bound to be employed in a number of sectors such as the military.

As it is, Alabama is keen on engaging in research and development in all industries, the aerospace industry being of no exception. If your company is conducting R&D, you may qualify for the R&D tax credit. Take our eligibility test to find out whether you could benefit.

ScaleFactor: the Antidote to Mid-Month Accounting Blues

A former employee of a Big Four accounting firm was frustrated with the lack of innovation in the accounting and financial sectors. His solution? Quit his job and start something new.

In 2014, Kurt Rathmann began ScaleFactor from his living room table in Austin with the vision of making traditional back office functions more efficient, especially in accounting and payroll. Rathmann carried out field research, essentially going door-to-door to investigate the needs of small businesses and incorporated his findings to develop a state of the art accounting software solution.

From bookkeeping, invoicing, to tax filings, ScaleFactor automates these time-consuming tasks to make them more efficient and to offer small business owners greater insight into the health of their business.

One of the startup’s key features is real time reporting. Most accounting firms release financial statements at the end of the month, making the first 10 to 15 days of the month “crazy busy,” explained Rathmann. “That forces the accountant to get into a phase of just trying to get it done. There are long hours, they’re not making it home for dinner, they’re just trying to complete the work.” On top of that, the data is about 30 days old and may not be as relevant. Instead, by using real time data analytics, a company can get advanced insight into its business. Rathmann said, “The data cycle gets cut from 30 days to just one or two days, and the business owner can really dictate some future actions they’ll make, and tactically navigate the business, rather than just react to it.”

Rathmann identified other bottlenecks in traditional accounting. “A lot of people dread interacting with their accountant, for whatever reason,” he said. “We’re really trying to change that.” When an owner has a pressing question, they don’t want to wait for their accountant to respond in one or two days – they expect immediate answers. Using machine learning, ScaleFactor determines how to send real-time notifications to facilitate better communication between the small business owner and the accountant. Important messages will be sent via text message while less urgent correspondence would be sent by email.

“It’s a response to a younger generation and less personal relationships that are part of a millennial-type generation,” Rathmann said. “It’s also that people are less patient for access to data and to information that is theirs. If there is something financial-related to their business, it’s very personal to entrepreneurs and small businesses. It’s more of, ‘I want it now,’ and, ‘Why can’t I have it now? I’m supposed to have it now.’ That’s a lot of the reactions we get in the connected world we live in. People expect faster.”

Are you developing new solutions to optimize office operations? Did you know your R&D activities could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you could 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.

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No Rabbits Here: Austin-based HOPZERO battles cybercrime with hops

Cyber-security is one of the most pressing challenges companies around the world will have to address in the coming years. Here are some recent statistics on cybercrime from thebestvpn.com:

– In 2016, the U.S government spent $28 billion on cyber-security, compared to $7.5 billion in 2007.
– According to Microsoft, the potential cost of global cyber crime to the global community is $500 billion, and a data breach can cost a company $3.8 million.
– Ransomware attacks increased by 36 percent in 2017.
– According to Warren Buffett, cyber attacks are the biggest threat to mankind, and in his opinion, this threat surpasses nuclear weapons.

With disturbing statistics like these, what can be done? An Austin-based company is developing a promising solution.

HOPZERO provides cyber-security by monitoring hops through its cloud-based service, Hop Sphere Radius Security. “For the last two years, I’ve been developing this technology to limit how far data can travel, and we do that by hop count,” Bill Alderson founder and CEO of HOPZERO said. For context, hops are one portion of the path between a source and a destination. By way of the internet, a data packet passes through bridges, routers and gateways that connects network devices, and thus the passing of a data packet is called a hop.

HOPZERO controls the number of hops a packet of data can make before it expires in a network—this means data is directed to destroy itself before it is used for pernicious or malicious purposes. “Every packet has a toll value in it, and we limit that toll value based upon our analysis that looks at every device it’s going to, and we record the hop count to and from all their peers,” Alderson continued. If a data packet is moving more hops than the set amount, HOPZERO will cease any further data movements. The hops technology controls distance, while firewalls control access, and when together, they make for an innovative defense system.

It is worth mentioning that a web server can be restricted to a local area, all the way up to another country. This is called a device hop radius. Any network device can be restricted to a set safe zone, even if a firewall is not present.

HOPZERO also wants to develop protections for various devices, including the copious amount of existent IoT devices out there. “We are automating to bring it to thousands of systems. We believe we have found the solution that everyone has been looking for that will significantly protect our government, businesses, homes and personal devices from hackers and malicious malware,” Alderson said.

Are you developing new cyber-security technologies?

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.

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Smart Cities to Become More Connected, Personalized: MIT-startup Soofa creates digital content board, the Soofa Sign

What makes a smart city ‘smart’? According to a ResearchGate paper, a smart city is defined as, but not limited to being, “instrumented, interconnected and intelligent.” Based on this definition, Cambridge-based Soofa accomplished just that with its Soofa Sign, which is the first digital bulletin board of the 21^st century.

“In any big city, there’s so many things to do. It’s almost an analysis to figure out where to go next, what to do, where are my friends,” Soofa CEO and Co-founder Sandra Richter said. “What this means is, suddenly for the first time, you can share information with your local neighborhood.”

The Soofa Sign is an information sharing platform that has a 42-inch solar powered e-ink display, and members of the community can post announcements via the sign’s content management system (CMS). The Soofa Sign can also display local transit times, PSAs, work of art, and social media feeds. “Soofa makes cities a lot more fun and a lot more connected so that we come back to a bit of a true neighborhood feel,” Richter said. The sign is like a giant Kindle, except it uses less power, runs on renewable energy, and has similarities to a Facebook wall or Twitter timeline. Content contributions, including those previously mentioned, can range from job postings to advertising a business. To do so, one simply goes to talk.soofa.co and registers for the service—convenient and quick when compared to traditional methods. To visually grasp these concepts, check out the video below.

Not only can the signs display curated community content, but they will also collect data, which is meant to assist urban planners and community developers with future building projects. The data collected is not personally identifiable, and Richter commented that Soofa is “trying to get more quantitative data from the health of your public space in a non-invasive way.”

Soofa Signs can currently be found in three American cities: Boston, Las Vegas and Atlanta. For more information on Soofa and the Soofa Sign, please click here.

Are you also developing new and innovative projects like Soofa? 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.

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