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

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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.

Take the Comforts of Home With You: Atlanta-based startup Koridor personalizes your hotel accommodations

hotel

It is important to be comfortable when away from home, especially on a well-deserved vacation. Traditionally, there aren’t many personalized options available when booking a hotel room. That is all about to change, thanks to Koridor, an Atlanta-based startup that wants to empower guests through its MyRoom platform.

By combining consumer behavior principles, innovative merchandising techniques, and valuable analytics, MyRoom helps consumers to have more control over their room choices. “For many years, the hotel industry lagged other elements of the travel experience when it comes to offering a mechanism to select a specific unit of inventory. With the MyRoom platform, the hotel industry finally leads the travel industry by offering guests an immersive, engaging experience that enables a much higher degree of personalization,” said Koridor CEO, Larry Hall.

“So when a guest is browsing a hotel, they can see a virtual tour of that room, they can see three dimensional imagery, they can see 360-degree views of the room or well-done still shots,” Hall continued. The software also provides guests with floor plans, available upgrades and window views. MyRoom is so specific, it allows a user to pick proximity to elevators and ice machines. Depending on the hotel, the software also has the option to include specific amenities, such as fireplaces, oversized closets, or a double-size sink in the room.

MyRoom is a first-of-its-kind software platform that was formed by seasoned entrepreneurs with deep industry expertise in hospitality and technology. To create such personalized experiences, Koridor works with hotel clients and manages the process of capturing digital assets and will swiftly configure the platform to highlight the personal qualities of each hotel. Analytics are then hauled into the mix, which can track consumer behavior, patterns and preferences, thus generating information that is used to tailor a guest’s experience, which in return increases revenue.

Are you developing software to improve the hospitality industry? 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 Georgia. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program in Georgia, 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.

“Alexa, schedule a video call with Dr. Smith”: Austin-based startup Medici advances telehealth

telehealth

Doctor visits are a pain, and not because of that irritating chest infection or scorching fever. Wait times in the U.S. have increased 30 percent over the past four years, and that percentage is likely to rise over time, according to an article by Medscape. There is good news, though. Medici, a telehealth startup based in Austin, Texas, wants to make your doctor visits more efficient and less stressful by way of your mobile device.

Apart from doctors being overloaded, “they are buried with regulatory requirements, administrative hurdles and downward pressure on their own costs to run their practices. This burden is increasingly taking time away from doctors’ ability to focus on what really matters: providing great care for patients,” a statement from the Medici website said. “We are driven by a singular purpose. To change the doctor-patient relationship. The world is changing and healthcare must come along, too.”

The Medici application, referred to as the “WhatsApp of healthcare”, combines five principles: speed, harmony, ambition, resourcefulness and excellence. The app allows patients to contact doctors, be it physicians, dentists, therapists, even veterinarians, via text message or video call; all from a single platform. A diagnosis can be made over the app, which in return can reduce the number of patients in the waiting room. Patients can ask their doctors to join the app, or doctors can invite their patients to use it. For more context, check out the video below.

“Patients also face a growing burden, carrying more of their own healthcare costs and spending an average of 121 minutes on each medical visit they have,” the Medici website continued. “Our goal is to make global, innovative technology that will transform and truly inspire the world of healthcare.”

Are you developing new technologies to improve healthcare? 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 Texas. 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 CPAs.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

“It’s not easy being green”: Georgia-based AgVoice to foster sustainability, environmental goals

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The world’s population is at 7.6 billion and growing. With more mouths to feed than ever before, agriculture needs to keep up with the demands. Bruce Rasa, CEO of a program development called AgVoice, wants to help with the demands; after all, he has been in agriculture for some time. “I want to bring the power of technology to the farms and ranches to solve simple problems, enabling ag professionals to produce healthy food for the needs of a growing global population,” said Rasa in a statement from the AgVoice website.

To summarize, AgVoice is a mobile voice-interaction service that uses proprietary analytics and processing of raw voice files to capture insights via Bluetooth. The voice data that is collected can later be used for note-taking and analytics purposes. The recordings are also time-stamped and geolocated, which comes in handy when customers want to know about the origin, treatment and quality of their food.

“Agriculture is Georgia’s largest sector by number of workers. However, it is the least digitized sector, according to a recent study,” said Rasa in an interview with Hypepotamus. “We see an amazing global opportunity to serve not only our core customers, but have our data make a positive impact down the food chain. We want to champion the individual and help them get more productive.”

The program aims to optimize the use of resources in crop and animal production, which translates to positive impacts on the environment and helps users to achieve sustainability goals; AgVoice can also improve workflow management and documentation accuracy.

AgVoice is designed for use across the food and agriculture ecosystem, including livestock and crop production, agronomy, animal health and wellness, and machinery repair. The program is set to launch sometime in 2018. More information about AgVoice can be found by clicking here.

Are you developing a program that will help sustainability and environmental efforts in the agriculture sector? 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 a Specialist R&D tax advisory firm, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services to the state of Georgia. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program in Georgia, 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.

“Gaming for Everyone”: Microsoft designs accessibility controller for Xbox One

588533 xbox adaptive controller

Playing the latest game on an Xbox is an easy, straightforward process for most–at least when using the controller. There’s the triggers, bumpers, face buttons, a directional pad, sticks and the iconic green guide button in the center. The question is, if you’re a gamer like Mike Luckett, how do you continue to play the latest games when the controller does not accommodate the needs of a person who has lost all finger control? After a motorcycle accident, Luckett severed his C6 spinal cord, and despite being able to move his hands, he lost the ability to control his fingers. After telling CNET he “nearly decided to quit gaming,” Luckett won’t have to.

Microsoft has developed an accessible controller for those who can’t use the traditional one, appropriately naming it the Xbox Adaptive Controller. The new controller, for $99.99, allows users of all abilities to plug switches, buttons, pressure-sensitive tubes and other attachments as desired. “We’re coming up on 2 billion people playing video games on this planet,” said Phil Spencer, the head of Microsoft’s Xbox team. “As an industry, when you start to hit that kind of impact act in terms of the broad base of people that interact with your art form, I do think we have a social responsibility.”

Image: Microsoft

For specific details on how this innovative controller works, CNET observed Luckett and said that “the key feature of the Xbox Adaptive Controller is that it has ports in its back that represent each button on a standard controller. So if Luckett needs the right-trigger button to be placed just near his elbow, for example, he can put one there and then plug it into the back of the adaptive controller. Now all he has to do is tap the button, and it registers as if he’d pulled the trigger on a standard controller.”

The Xbox Adaptive Controller will be available sometime this year. A detailed development timeline and more information about the controller can be found by clicking here.

Are you developing a technology that improves the lives of those with accessibility needs? 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 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.

Ralph Lauren’s wearable technology packs the heat so Team USA can bring home gold

snow wetherproof insulation

35,000 spectators are expected to attend the Olympic Opening Ceremonies this upcoming Friday at PyeongChang Olympic Stadium. Anticipation is high among athletes and attendees alike. Added to the excitement, however, are widespread concerns that the stadium – which was built without a roof and without central heating – will be too cold for the ceremony’s audience members. Team USA, fortunately, is fitted with wearable technology that will keep them warm to withstand the chilling conditions.

The $58 million main Olympic Stadium omitted a roof and central heating in its design and construction plans as a time-saving measure and because it would have been “too expensive”, according to an internal document from the Olympic organizing committee. Last November, however, six people reported getting hypothermia while attending a concert at the stadium, calling into question the location’s security and safety.

At 7 degrees Fahrenheit, the 2018 Winter Olympics is expected to be the coldest on record since 1994 when the Olympics were held in Lillehammer, Norway. Weather conditions then were at a low of 12 degrees Fahrenheit. PyeongChang is half a mile above sea level and is infamous for its biting winds originating from Siberia and the Manchurian Plain. To keep warm, Olympic organizers are providing spectators with heating pads, a blanket, and a raincoat. Polycarbonate walls will be set up along the highest points of the stadium to block wintry winds and portable gas heaters will be placed between rows to provide extra warmth.

To combat the cold at the Opening Ceremonies, the American athletes will have special uniforms designed by Polo Ralph Lauren. Drawing from the American flag colors of red, white, and blue, the athletes will be fitted with heated parkas powered by a battery pack. The parkas have printed strips of electronic, heat-conducting metallic ink. Akin to an electric blanket but using ink instead of wires, the parkas generate heat from electrons travelling through the silver ink and hitting resistive carbon pads. The parkas are also water-repellant and athletes can control the temperatures of the wearable technology using three different settings. Adopting engineering principles from heated car seats, the wearable technology is more flexible and stretchy and provides up to 11 hours of heat. “We knew about the cold,” said David Lauren, chief innovation officer at Ralph Lauren, “and hit on the idea of using wearable technology to keep our athletes warm.”

Working on wearable technology that is both fashionable and functional?  Your experiments could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you could receive 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.

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.

U.S. Universities Spending More on Research and Development

campus shot blur

U.S. universities are spending more and more on R&D these days. In 2015 alone, colleges and universities spent a combined $68.8 billion on research and development with the top 20 colleges accounting for 30% of that.

To discover the universities spending the most in research and development, 24/7 Wall St. assessed R&D expenditure by university for the 2015 fiscal year with data from the National Science Foundation. Of the 1,871 major colleges and universities reviewed, 10 schools spent more than $1 billion on R&D.

Top 10 Universities for R&D Expenditure

  1. Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland
    • Annual R&D spend: $2.31 billion
  2. University of Michigan
    • Annual R&D spend: $1.37 billion
  3. University of Washington
    • Annual R&D spend: $1.18 billion
  4. University of California, San Francisco
    • Annual R&D spend: $1.13 billion
  5. University of California, San Diego
    • Annual R&D spend: $1.10 billion
  6. University of Wisconsin – Madison
    • Annual R&D spend: $1.07 billion
  7. Duke University in Raleigh, North Carolina
    • Annual R&D spend: $1.04 billion
  8. Stanford University in Stanford, California
    • Annual R&D spend: $1.02 billion
  9. University of California, Los Angeles
    • Annual R&D spend: $1.02 billion
  10. Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts
    • Annual R&D spend: $1.01 billion

Contact Us

If your company is conducting R&D through a local university or college, you may be eligible for a higher R&D tax credit rate. Contact a Swanson Reed specialist to find out more information.

US-Israel Cybersecurity R&D Cooperation

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This week a large majority of the US Congress voted in favor of two bills which will benefit US-Israel cybersecurity research and development. The bills were introduced by John Ratcliffe, from Texas, and Jim Langevin, from Rhode Island, following discussion which commenced in May regarding cybersecurity threats recorded in the US and Israel.

The United States-Israel Cybersecurity Cooperation Enhancement Act of 2016

This bill moves to increase detection and combat of cyber threats through a grant program supporting R&D projects for US-Israel joint ventures, non-profits, and academic or government entities in both countries. These grants will be provided to non-classified projects and the program is expected to run for seven years.

The United States-Israel Advanced Research Partnership Act

This act will expand an existing bi-national R&D program which is run by the US Department of Homeland Security and Israel’s Ministry of Public Security. Not only will the bill expand the program to include cybersecurity research, the bill aims to increase the success rate of products moving from the initial stages of development to successful commercialization.

Cyber Giants

As web security is the greatest security challenge of current generations, the US and Israel have recognized the importance of uniting as primary cybersecurity technology exporters to promote cooperation and unity against a dangerous front.

If  you are performing research and development and would like to discuss the R&D Tax Incentive further, please do not hesitate to contact one of Swanson Reed’s offices today.