Texas – Page 7 – Swanson Reed | Specialist R&D Tax Advisors

Last Saturday’s Texas Border Tragedy reveals the flaws in U.S. border sensor technology

The FBI are currently investigating the mysterious death of Rogelio “Roger” Martinez, a Border Agent who was patrolling west Texas last Saturday. Martinez was found dead at the Big Bend sector, approximately 12 miles east of Van Horn. His partner, whose identity has not been disclosed, was found in critical condition and has since been hospitalized. The two had been responding to a border sensor near the Interstate 10 that had been triggered, indicating possible human activity in the area.

During a briefing last Tuesday, Emmerson Buie Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge, said, “There are a number of possible scenarios, but right now we are going to pursue it as an assault on a federal agent.” Both Martinez and his partner were found at the bottom of a 9-foot-deep culvert, a tunnel structure used for water drainage. Union spokesperson and veteran agent Chris Cabrera noted that Martinez’s partner had difficulty remembering the details of the incident. Possible explanations vary from an attack by illegal migrants to an accident where the Border Patrol agents fell into the culvert. Cabrera, however, cast doubt on the possibility that it was an accident. “There’s no way he fell,” Cabrera said. “Border Patrol agents are like mountain goats. They don’t fall. Especially two at the same spot.”

The Big Bend sector which runs along the American-Mexican border is not a “migrant hot spot”, given its mountainous terrain and 510-mile-stretch of the Rio Grande. The area has, however, seen an upsurge in drug smuggling in recent years. After Martinez’s death, President Trump tweeted, “Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall!”

While Trump’s “Wall” is not necessarily the answer, what is clear is that the United States needs better border sensor and surveillance technology along its borders. The approximately 12,800 sensors along the southern border are outdated and ill-maintained. Some have stopped functioning due to natural circumstances like rainfall or insects chewing on the sensors’ wires. Those that do work are still flawed, particularly as sensors cannot accurately distinguish between the movements of humans, vehicles, and animals. Because of this, border agents often cannot determine whether the alarm is detecting a real threat or a false positive until they arrive on the scene itself. In 2005, a Department of Homeland Security Inspector General review reported that 34 percent of alerts were false alarms. Illegal immigrants accounted for only 4 percent. Significantly, the causes of 62 percent of alarms were unknown, meaning that border agents are unprepared when they arrive on-scene.

The ageing border infrastructure can lead to fatal results. In 2012, Nicholas Ivie, a Border Patrol Agent, was killed in friendly fire when he was investigating an alarm from a border sensor in Arizona. Ivie and another agent had responded to the alert separately. Due to miscommunication and a lack of surveillance infrastructure, the two agents mistook the other as a hostile visitor and engaged in open fire. Ivie was killed as a result.

New surveillance technology, evidently, is needed to provide border agents with more information when they respond to alerts. One potential project was the SBInet, a system consisting of heat and motion detectors, a newly redesigned radar, and cameras. Though well-intentioned, this project faced a number of technical challenges, ranging from transmission problems triggered by bad weather to increasing maintenance costs. Christopher Wilson, border-security expert and deputy director of the Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center, argued, “One of the lessons of SBInet was you’re better off going small than big, and you’re better off going off-the-shelf than innovative.” However, the current status quo is still inadequate.

Another potential project is the Integrated Fixed Towers (IFT) system currently deployed in parts of Arizona. The project was developed by Elbit Systems, a company responsible for the surveillance system along the Israeli-Palestinian border. Ideally, the project would use border sensor technology with greater accuracy and detectors that could distinguish between human, animal, and mechanical activity. According to Border Agent Jose Verdugo based in Nogales, Arizona, the IFT system is like “turning on a light switch” because it allows agents to see previously unknown areas along the border.

Are you developing more efficient and ethical surveillance techniques that could solve the problems of border control? You could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and receive up to 14% of 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 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

With Four Companies and Abandoned Bikes, Dallas’ Bike-Sharing System Needs Improvement

Three months ago, Dallas didn’t have much of a bike-sharing culture. Now, the city has four companies vying for the bike-sharing market: Ofo, Lime Bike, Spin, and Vbikes. With Ofo’s 1,000 yellow bikes, Lime Bike’s expected expansion to 5,000 green and yellow ones, Spin’s orange bikes, and V-Bike’s silver with yellow wheels, Dallas is set to become one colorful city. City Councilman Philip Kingston commented, “We were the only ones without bike share. Suddenly we are the hottest competitive market for dock-less bike share.”

Bike-sharing has increased in popularity throughout the United States because of its benefits as an alternative to congested traffic and conventional commuting. Cycling is a clean, green form of transportation, reducing car use and traffic as well as relieving pressure on overcrowded public transit systems. Cyclists also gain substantial health benefits from the daily exercise. The United States has seen the growth of 55 bike-sharing companies over the past decade. In a span of five years, bike-share trips have increased from 2.3 million to 28 million throughout the country.

Whereas bike-sharing in Fort Worth and other cities require bikes to be stored at stationary racks in specific locations, Dallas’ four companies adopted a dock-less technique, meaning users can leave the bikes virtually anywhere. All four of Dallas’ bike-sharing companies operate using a smartphone app where users can activate a bike, pay for hourly use, and then leave the bike at any location for the next user. This dock-less system is beneficial in some ways since is more convenient and public subsidies aren’t needed to sustain racks and infrastructure. Yet, because it depends on users to properly maintain and store the bikes, there is less regulation. Vann Vaughan, a regular bike-sharing rider, said, “Just as long as it’s out of the way, that’s probably the most important thing to me. When it’s in the middle of a walkway, that’s where it becomes a nuisance.”

However, the bikes have consistently been found ill-maintained and scattered throughout the city. Despite the benefits of the dock-less system, Zac Crain, senior editor of D Magazine, argued that there needs to be more improvement for Dallas’ bike-sharing culture. He wrote, “The streets are littered with bikes from VBike and Spin and Lime Bike, not parked so much as abandoned in the middle of a sidewalk, at least half of the time tipped over. It’s not just in downtown. Bikes are abandoned on the Katy Trail, randomly in neighborhoods, dumped anywhere and everywhere. In the Trinity. In White Rock Lake.”

Evidently, a solution is needed to this problem. Perhaps the answer lies in technology. Are you experimenting and developing an app that could improve the efficiency of bike-sharing systems in Dallas and keep the city cleaner and greener? You could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and can receive up to 14% back on your expenses. To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or try our free online eligibility test.

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

bicycle Dallas innovation sustainability

Malibu Poké in Dallas: the seafood restaurant where they’ll never forget your face (thanks to their facial recognition technology)

Seafood lovers mark November 28, 2017 off your calendars because Malibu Poké is opening up in Dallas’ Turtle Creek Village! Fans and new converts to poké, a raw fish salad originating from the beaches of Hawaii (and not the physical act of poking someone), are expected to flock to the new location. While the Lone Star State is known more for steak and red meats, the seafood trend is exploding throughout North Texas, with the region already boasting nearly 6,284 poké restaurants. But what makes Malibu Poké different? The answer, according to TJ’s Seafood Market & Grill owner Jon Alexis: a tasty product and state-of-the-art tech, including facial recognition technology.

Malibu Poké is a quick-serve concept, committed to delivering high quality food quickly and efficiently. To do this, the new Dallas location has installed self-serve kiosks which are embedded with facial recognition technology so that the machines can “remember” a guest’s order history. With these kiosks, Alexis hopes that long lines and wait times would be reduced so that orders bring the freshest foods. The self-serve kiosks would also help guests build customized poke bowls and get more nutritional information about ingredients. For those who prefer human interaction, there will always be a Malibu “Poké-Pro” to assist guests.

Aside from its state-of-the-art technology, the restaurant’s menu crafted by FT33’s Chef Matt McCallister is set to be taste-bud pleaser. Alexis said, “Quite simply, it’s a better bowl of poké—the ‘fishmonger’s poké.’ Our emphasis is on freshness, nutrition, and sustainability. Matt’s menu clearly differentiates us from Dallas’ other poké.” In addition to “classic” poke, the menu will offer “even bolder flavors such as smoked bonito aioli, yellow curry, Japanese sancho pepper, Asian pear, daikon, marinated shiitake mushrooms and more.” Malibu Poké is committed to using high quality ingredients, sourcing them from local farms where possible, as well as ensuring healthy eating with its 100% gluten free policy and vegan options.

“Malibu Poke has become so much more than we originally envisioned. With creative input from Matt and my super passionate partners, we have created something truly unique,” said Alexis.

Are you experimenting with developing a delicious seafood menu or combining technology in your restaurant business? You could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and can receive up to 14% back on your expenses. To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or try our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Dallas Food Technology Seafood

Geekdom Facilitate Tech Solutions For Real-World Local Problems

With the aim of embracing local talent to find solutions to bothersome community issues, tech co-working space Geekdom have partnered with San Antonio’s Office of Innovation to launch CivTechSA. This new program will provide students and startups with 16-week residencies to build innovative technologies to help solve the city’s infrastructure problems. At the end of the residency, the city will choose whether they want to purchase the product, allowing budding entrepreneurs to profit from their hard work.

The project is already surfacing some fantastic ideas. One solution includes an alert system to help with the city’s stray dog issue. It notifies users when dogs arrive in nearby animal shelters in case a perfect match comes up! Other ideas range from a sorting chute for recycling plants to improving public transportation services.

Geekdom Programs Director Dax Moreno stated that, “There’s a real hunger, I think, for the startups that are inside of the community to solve not only real world problems but problems that are happening today… People want to program and code, but they want to program and code with a purpose.”

As part of CivTechSA, community events will be hosted to foster entrepreneurial development and educational institutions will be encouraged to create new technology to help other students and the community. Geekdom may also host a ‘code-a-thon’ where entrepreneurs and programmers work together to build software solutions over just 48-72 hours.

San Francisco and other cities will also receive CivTechSA residencies to cultivate local talent and grow the startup ecosystem. Did you know that startups developing new technologies are able to claim up to 13.5% of their eligible research and development expenditure with the R&D tax credit. To learn more about this credit, contact Swanson Reed R&D Tax Consultants or take our online eligibility test to find out whether you qualify.

A Safety Heads-Up – Texas Instruments aims to make HUDs technology even better with DLP chip

Fighter pilots don’t need to take their eyes off the sky in a dogfight just to check speed or fuel levels displayed on the plane’s instrument panel, thanks to a technology that displays the information on the pilot’s visor. Now, automakers are applying a similar technology to luxury cars with the new Head-Up Display (HUD). Pertinent information like car speed is projected on the windshield so drivers can keep their eyes on the road.

Texas Instruments has partnered with Lincoln to improve and implement this new technology. While other automakers use LCD to build their HUDs, Texas Instruments developed a Digital Light Processing (DLP) chip for Lincoln’s HUDs. LCDs are big and take up the size of the windshield. In contrast, DLP chip-based HUDs are easier to install since they are smaller. These HUDs also use less power and are more durable, withstanding temperatures as cold as -40 to as hot as 221 degrees. It is also faster at projecting images, making it useful for real-time applications. For instance, the HUDs technology could detect a pedestrian walking in the dark and highlight that person to the driver. Lincoln spokeswoman Amanda Park said the HUDs are “visible in more ambient lighting conditions than its competitors, even while the driver is wearing polarized sunglasses, which makes it unique in this segment.” HUDs don’t obstruct driving since images are displayed in a translucent format. Texas Instruments is constantly investigating ways to boost the clarity, brightness, and visibility of the HUDs’ graphics.

Experimenting with HUDs and DLP chips? Did you know that your prototypes even if unsuccessful are 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.

Automotive Head-up display Texas Instruments

Eating crickets not just a fad: the protein empire of Austin-based Aspire Food Group

With the holiday season just around the corner, you’re probably figuring out what to serve as a main course for your protein-hungry guests. Maybe turkey? Ham? Beef? Or how about crickets? Enter: Aspire Food Group, an Austin-based company promoting and developing insect products for mainstream food consumption. While crickets as a main course is still way off into the future, the company has already introduced a line of cricket-based foods, from snacks to protein shakes and even dog treats.

Protein consumption is on the rise in the United States. Production of traditional protein sources like meat, however, require massive amounts of land, energy, and water. With increasing demand, meat production alone can’t keep up. Mehmood Khan of PepsiCo Inc. aptly observed, “If we look around the world, there’s a big consumer trend on more protein. The question is: How are we going to do this in a manner that’s sustainable? Protein isn’t cheap. And animal protein has the greatest footprint on the planet.”

At the same time, the consumer demand for meat alternatives is on the rise. Sales of meat substitutes in the United States have increased to $700 million in 2016 and projections indicate that by 2021, annual U.S. sales of meat substitutes will amount to $863 million. Vegan products have also grown in global popularity, with a reported $9.7 billion in worldwide retail sales this year. By 2021, this number is expected to hit $11.8 billion.

Developing alternatives to meat isn’t easy. One needs a little flare and creativity to make a product that is cost-effective and doesn’t negatively affect flavor or texture so that it is still palpable to consumers. Drawing on the fact that nearly two billion people in the world already eat insects, Aspire Food Group hopes to introduce the critters to the American palate. Mohammed Ashour, the company’s CEO, said, “There’s definitely a psychological hurdle. A lot of insects are just simply gross to look at. This isn’t an overnight shift.” To help ease consumers into eating insects, Aspire Food Group developed a cricket powder known as Aketta that can be used in protein bars and cookies. It also developed whole-roasted crickets that come in familiar flavors like Texas BBQ and sour cream and onion. The response has been positive, with many pleasantly surprised at how tasty crickets can be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLpuQN2MtMWmfJ716Rb1oUFZLETsXAGQ4F&v=gXcCc0cu7Vs

Insects are more sustainable to farm than livestock and Aspire Food Group’s farming practices prove how green and clean insect farming can be. Using autonomous robotics, internet-of-things (IoT), proprietary sensor technology, and a wide range of other tools, the company is ensuring its process is sustainable and effective. It is even on track to implement a zero-waste system. As the first automated cricket farm in the world, Aspire Food Group is a pioneer in the industry of insect farming and it hopes to launch more farms across the globe.

Are you experimenting with protein alternatives to meat? Or developing more sustainable, automated farming practices like Aspire Food Group? You could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and get up to 14% back on your expenses. To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today.

Austin Food r&d sustainability

Austin-based Banyan Water Makes a Splash in Water Conservation with Technological Solutions

Austin-based software company Banyan Water knows water is essential to human life. It’s integral to our sanitation, energy, food, and health systems yet in the United States, water infrastructure is one of the most underdeveloped utilities. According to the 2017 Infrastructure Report Card, nearly 2 trillion gallons of drinkable water was wasted this past year as a result of 240,000 reported water breaks. The infrastructure’s inefficiencies have and will cost Americans, particularly as water rates are on the rise since 2010. An estimated 40 million Americans will lose access to affordable water if these trends continue.

For President and CEO of Banyan Water, Gillan Taddune, upgrading water infrastructure is not enough to mitigate water waste issues. To truly address natural resource scarcity and ensure long-term sustainability, advanced technological solutions are needed. As she wrote on The Environmental Leader last September, “Curtailing water-related risks goes beyond simple smart meters. Additional investment in internet of things-style hardware and analytical software capable of identifying leaks and inefficiencies needs to become a cornerstone of America’s present and future plans for the world’s most precious resource.”

To tackle these problems, Banyan Water has innovated a variety of technological tools to assist commercial users with more efficient, sustainable water management. The company applies smart devices, real-time monitoring, and analytics to help its customers, predominately real estate enterprises, track and control their water usage and cost. For one, Banyan Water provides an irrigation system that helps reduce water use by 50-70% and an indoor monitoring service that notifies of a leak. The company is constantly developing new ways to conserve water.

The company’s customers often highlight a marked difference when implemented Banyan Water’s software services. One of Banyan Water’s recent high-profile clients is the Thacher School in California which is prone to drought and water scarcity. Banyan Water technology allows the school to detect leaks and control usage as well as monitor different variables like plant and soil types and flow rates.

Michael Mulligan, head of the Thacher School, stated, “Implementing Banyan’s technology will be game-changing for the water management on our property, especially during times of extreme scarcity. We will gain significant insight into our campus-wide monthly water usage, prevent water loss through real-time leak detection, and are projected to save more than 11 million gallons of water per year while maintaining the quality of our landscape.”

Since 2011, Banyan Water has helped save over 2.3 billion gallons of water in the United States. This is enough to meet the water needs of more than 16,000 households for a year. The company received the Top Project of the Year Award in the Environmental Leader Product and Project Awards in June 2017.

Developing solutions for environmental sustainability like Banyan Water? You could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and receive up to 14% on your expenses. To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today.

r&d sustainability Water Industry

Clean and Pristine: Fort Worth-based Clarus Glassboards Changing the Way We Write on Walls

Ever been ready to brainstorm with your team but you end up spending more time cleaning the conference room’s filthy whiteboard that still has smudges from the past decade? Clarus Glassboards understands that frustrating feeling and created innovative dry-erase glass surfaces so that “Yesterday’s presentation will no longer be today’s distraction.”

What began as an idea born out of a Fort Worth garage in 2009 has since expanded across the country and the globe. Founded by Robby Whites and Jeremy Rincon, Clarus Glassboards’ major clients include AT&T, Macy’s, Apple, Texas Instruments, Tesla, Twitter, and Amazon. The founders, along with Clarus President Andrew Philipp, were recognized in 2015 as EY Entrepreneurs of the Year.

Whites and Rincon started the company after they lost their jobs in the financial services industry. Because of their experience during the Great Recession, they pursued manufacturing instead of high-tech because they wanted to build a product that was more hands-on. As Whites described, “When we lost our jobs, we want to make something tangible; if you dropped it on your foot it would hurt.”

Made from Vitro’s Starphire glass, Clarus Glassboards would not only hurt if you dropped it on your foot, it probably won’t break either. The Glassboards are anti-glare, durable, and as easy to clean as a bathroom mirror. Better yet, these surfaces come in customizable sizes and colors to fit clients’ diverse needs, whether it’s in the classroom, the office, or the hospital. The company even developed a limited edition ping pong table.

Part of the secret to the company’s success? It builds its product right here in the United States rather than outsource. Whites explained, “Clients appreciate our being able to make a product and ship it quick; they appreciate customization; they appreciate high quality. We have to own and control the manufacturing process.” When Amazon requested hundreds of Glassboards within a few days for its newly opened office in Romania, Clarus was able to respond immediately because it manufactured at home. “No one else in the world could have done that for [Amazon],”Philipp said.

Clarus Glassboards’ product and manufacturing process are a result of constant innovation. Did you know the company’s innovative experiments are considered R&D and could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit? If you are conducting similar experiments, you could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and receive up to 14% on your expenses. To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today.

Fort Worth manufacturing r&d Texas

“Sitting is the New Smoking” and DFW company Varidesk is helping you quit

An average American will spend 10 hours a day sitting, whether it’s at a desk, in a car, on a bus, or in front of the TV. Add that with 8 hours of sleep and you’ve got an entire population spending nearly 75% of the day not moving. Sitting has been linked to increased back pain and health concerns like obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. To get Americans moving again, Jason McCann and Dan Flaherty came up with a unique standing desk solution for the office: Varidesk.

The idea came to them in 2012 when Varidesk chairman Flaherty was diagnosed with sciatic nerve pain. A physical therapist suggested using a standing desk at work and Flaherty experimented with different standing desk options. Varidesk CEO McCann recalled, “He would literally put a brown box on top of his desk and felt a lot better.” But the range of standing desk choices were limited and so the two innovated their own alternatives. McCann said, “I remember Dan sitting there describing the product: ‘Can it come out of a box and sit on top of my desk and not have to be bolted down? Can it just pop up in a second?’”

And with that, Varidesk was born. The company has since created a series of different standing desks to fit a variety of needs in the workplace. With a patented spring lifting mechanism, each Varidesk is easy to lift and alter to find the right ergonomic fit. The company’s product line ranges from fully adjustable desks to smaller desktops that can convert existing desks into standing ones. You can also find solutions for tight cubicle spaces and laptops. At present, Varidesk has 50 new products and 200 more in the works.

Coupled with an efficient shipping process, Varidesk has become a huge success and is making the office workspace healthier. In 2017, McCann and Flaherty were awarded EY Entrepreneur of the Year for the Southwest Region. The company made its millionth sale this month and can proudly claim that over 95% of the Fortune 500 are their clients. Their latest high-profile client is the Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks.

Did you know Varidesk’s experiments and prototyping are considered research and development, and are therefore eligible for the R&D Tax Credit? If you are conducting similar experiments, you could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and receive up to 14% on your expenses. To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today.

Dallas Fort Worth research and development Technology

Fort Worth Entrepreneur Making Things a Little Sweeter with Lisa’s Lemonade

Lemonade was a family favorite in Lisa Freeney’s home. Yet, as a single mother of a son diagnosed with ADHD who cannot consume sugar and preservatives, Freeney understands the importance of a healthy diet for her family. She hoped to find a product suitable for her family’s needs but the market failed to provide one. And so, Freeney decided to come up with her own recipe. The result? Lisa’s Lemonade.

Launched only just last month, Lisa’s Lemonade has already made quite the splash in the organic food market. With frozen lemonade mixes from carrot ginger to strawberry lemonade, the company offers a unique, organic, and sugar-free take on the American classic drink. Most of her products are sold out on the company’s website.

With her son as the first client, Freeney knew she had to come up with a beverage that was healthy without compromising on taste. It took years to develop the right balance. Freeney described the process as challenging: “My file with failed recipes is packed, dog-eared and now filled with so many great memories of ‘No, not that one!’ with puckered faces and half-finished glasses of lemonade down the drain.” After much trial and error, she discovered the right recipe. As she stated, “Eventually, the perfect recipe emerged and after an almost year’s search for just the right organic sweetener manufacturer, I found them as well. So I’ve done the work, you just sit back and enjoy the flavor. Deal?”

The company maintains that its products are made without pesticides and with organic ingredients, including the sweeteners such as Stevia, erythritol, and a dash of agave. Lisa’s Lemonade is on track to securing the USDA Organic Certification soon.

Speaking at the Entrepreneur Summit in Fort Worth earlier this week, Freeney said, “I had a real passion for this. It was not just to make a product but also to make a difference.”

Did you know Freeney’s trial and error process, even the failed recipes, is considered research and development, and is therefore eligible for the R&D Tax Credit? If you are conducting similar experiments, you could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and receive up to 14% on your expenses. To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today.

Food Technology Fort Worth r&d