<h2>Why You&#39;ll Love This Article</h2>Urban planning, the art of designing and shaping the cities we live in, is undergoing a quiet revolution. Researchers have harnessed the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to optimize community layouts, making cities more efficient, accessible, and sustainable. In this article, we&#39;ll delve into the world of AI-driven urban planning, exploring the challenges it addresses, the ingenious solution it offers, and the tangible impact it promises.&nbsp;This research was conducted by researchers at Tsinghua University, Beijing and the full article can be found on <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43588-023-00503-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nature</a>.<h2>The Woes of Urban Development</h2>Cities are intricate puzzles with myriad pieces: roads, buildings, parks, and services. Urban planners face the daunting task of piecing together these elements to create functional and harmonious communities. Traditionally, this process relied on manual labor and heuristics, often resulting in suboptimal designs and lengthy planning cycles.One of the fundamental challenges in urban planning is optimizing the spatial layout. How can we ensure that essential services like schools and hospitals are easily accessible to residents? How do we strike the right balance between green spaces and built-up areas? And how can we design road networks that are efficient and free from congestion?<h2>What&#39;s The Solution?</h2>The researchers behind this groundbreaking approach have devised a solution that takes urban planning to new heights. At its core is an AI agent trained to make informed decisions about community layouts. But training an AI to plan cities is no small feat. It involves running millions of simulations, a process akin to trial and error, where the AI learns from its mistakes and successes.Central to this solution is a tool called a Graph Neural Network (GNN). Think of it as a virtual brain capable of comprehending and processing geographical data. It constructs a graph to represent the urban environment, where nodes symbolize various urban elements, and edges capture their relationships and contiguity.Why opt for a GNN, you may wonder? Urban planning is complex, with countless interconnections between different elements. Traditional methods often struggle to consider these intricate relationships. Enter the GNN, with its ability to analyze these connections, making it a crucial asset. It examines city layouts, understands the interactions between different components, and uses this knowledge to make informed decisions.<h2>But Does It Actually Work?</h2>Now, let&#39;s talk about the real-world impact. This AI-powered approach isn&#39;t just theoretical; it&#39;s a game-changer for urban planning.<h3>Efficiency Boost</h3>The AI agent can generate spatial plans in milliseconds, a stark contrast to the hours or days traditional methods require. This significant time saving can expedite the planning process.<h3>Service Accessibility</h3>The AI excels at optimizing community services. It ensures that essential services like schools and hospitals are within a short walking or cycling distance for residents. The accessibility metric indicates a remarkable improvement compared to conventional planning methods.<h3>Ecological Enhancements</h3>The AI knows how to make communities greener. It excels at covering residential areas with greenery, improving the quality of life and environmental sustainability.<h3>Traffic Efficiency</h3>The AI is a traffic virtuoso too. It ensures roads are dense, well-connected, and appropriately spaced, leading to smoother traffic flow and reduced congestion.By combining these quantitative results, the impact becomes clear. AI-driven urban planning promises substantial time savings, enhanced accessibility to services, greener environments, and efficient traffic networks. It&#39;s a recipe for creating smarter and more livable cities.<h2>What Are The Limitations?</h2>It&#39;s vital to recognize that the success of this AI system hinges on the quality of input data. Inaccurate or incomplete geographical information can hamper its performance and while AI is a potent tool, it&#39;s not a replacement for human planners; In fact, it should work alongside human experts, balancing technological prowess with human creativity and judgment.<h2>TL;DR (Too Lazy; Didn&#39;t Read)&nbsp;</h2>AI-driven urban planning marks a significant leap forward in the quest to create better cities. It harnesses the power of AI and GNNs to optimize spatial layouts, making cities more efficient, accessible, and sustainable. While challenges and limitations remain, the potential for smarter, more livable cities is within reach, thanks to the fusion of artificial and human intelligence.

The framework which consists of two separate policy networks (b and d) that take actions for the land use planning task (e) and road planning task (f) respectively, and share a GNN state encoder (a) with a value network (c) that estimates the effect of the current planning result.

Researchers have harnessed the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to optimize community layouts, making cities more efficient, accessible, and sustainable

From Pixels to Pavement: AI's Impact on Urban Design

Developing a new type of train that could transport luxury tourists from Tokyo to mountain resorts, such as Hakone and Mount Fuji, and beaches, such as Odawara and Enoshima, in less time. That was the <a href="https://www.odakyu.jp/english/" target="_blank" id="isPasted">Odakyu Electric Railway</a>&rsquo;s mission when the company undertook the design of the Romance Car (ロマンスカー, Romansukā) in 1957. Although its name evokes love and passion, this resort train broke the world&rsquo;s highest speed record of 145 km/h (90 mph) for narrow gauge trains, setting the momentum for the design of the first Shinkansen&mdash;known as the bullet train in English.Opening in April 2021, the Romance Car now has its own museum in Ebina City (Kanagawa Prefecture), where visitors can explore the history of the most famous train in Japan after the Shinkansen. A simulator offers an impressive travel experience from the driver&rsquo;s seat, and a diorama recreates the railway connections between Shinjuku and Hakone. While a gallery shows a collection of historical Romance Cars admired throughout the ages, two retired leading Romance Cars and one middle wagon are also on display.In this pleasant environment, Anritsu seized the opportunity to convert the first Romance Car into 3D data. Thanks to the <a href="https://www.creaform3d.com/en/handheld-portable-3d-scanner-goscan-3d" target="_blank">Go!SCAN SPARK</a>, engineers can now analyze the iconic train to the smallest detail. We invite you to witness this timeless capture with us.<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pPC3qH8LWJQ?&wmode=opaque&rel=0&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe><h2 id="isPasted">Scan the Entire Romance Car</h2>The shape of the first Romance Car was entirely converted into 3D data using the Go!SCAN SPARK. The streamlined front end with mid-mounted circular headlights, the outline of large windows (essential for viewing the passing scenery), the driver&rsquo;s cabin and seat&mdash;everything specific to the emblematic railroad car&mdash;was digitized. From extensive features to intricate details, Anritsu&rsquo;s engineers measured and reproduced the irregularity and distortion of the train&rsquo;s surface.<h2>Fast and Easy 3D Data Conversion with the Go!SCAN SPARK</h2>&nbsp;Designed to offer the fastest and easiest 3D experience, the Go!SCAN SPARK can perform up to 1,500,000 measurements per second without specific setup or surface preparation. As seen in the video, the engineers simply pointed and shot!The plug-and-play device is so user-friendly that anyone can begin scanning any object (as large as a train compartment) within minutes, without prior experience. The simple user interface offers real-time mesh visualization and quick integration into your preferred CAD software.&nbsp;As shown in the video, the high resolution and level of detail of the Go!SCAN SPARK created spectacular results, simultaneously acquiring color and texture information. Because the Go!SCAN SPARK is easy to handle and light to carry, scanning the entire Romance Car (outside and inside) was effortless.Everything about the Go!SCAN SPARK has been considered to make this 3D experience efficient and enjoyable.<h2>New Odakyu Railway&rsquo;s Red Romance Car</h2>The iconic Romance Car&rsquo;s farewell service occurred on March 8, 1992. Many rail fans swarmed the tracks, taking pictures of the train. This enthusiasm led the Odakyu Electric Railway to unveil the next generation of their famous Romance Car series. The distinctive vermilion exterior of the new Romance Car is indeed a tribute to the original train.As expected, the demand for seats in the observation compartments outstrips their availability. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.odakyu.jp/romancecarmuseum/" target="_blank">Romance Car Museum</a> remains a place for historians and nostalgic fans to observe and celebrate the original icon. And they can rest assured that it will never be lost because the Romance Car has been forever immortalized in 3D data.

Developing a new type of train that could transport luxury tourists from Tokyo to mountain resorts, such as Hakone and Mount Fuji, and beaches, such as Odawara and Enoshima, in less time. That was the Odakyu Electric Railway’s mission when the company undertook the design of the Romance Car in 1957.

Once Fastest Train Now Immortalized to the Finest Detail

Article #5 of Spotlight on Innovations in Edge Computing and Machine Learning: A computer vision project that monitors vehicle traffic in real-time using video inferencing performed on the Brainchip Akida Development Kit.

Real-Time Traffic Monitoring with Neuromorphic Computing

It may be a clich&eacute;, but it is a time of unprecedented change in the global aviation, aerospace and space industry. No sooner had the Covid pandemic ended, temporarily grounding air travel, than a high-intensity peer-on-peer war erupted in Eastern Europe with Russia&rsquo;s invasion of Ukraine. Climate action, meanwhile, is now top of the agenda in many places, and the aerospace industry is racing to decarbonise itself &ndash; even as it &nbsp;struggles with supply chain shortages and a skills crisis. Meanwhile, sci-fi dreams of flying taxis, rockets that land vertically, hotels in space and now AI that can hold lengthy conversations with humans are almost here. All of these external factors make for a challenging landscape for today&rsquo;s firms to navigate when deciding on technology and investment priorities. This landmark survey, with an impressive take-up, saw over 1,800 responses from RAeS members, with respondents ticking job roles, such as Engineer (29.48%), Procurement (15.15%), Product Designer/ &nbsp;Development (13.66%), R&amp;D (12.61%), Retired (8.46%), Other (8.08%), IT/Digital (7.47%) and Student (5.09%). In addition, as might be expected for the &lsquo;Other&rsquo; category, this also included a significant number of respondents with &lsquo;pilot&rsquo; in their job title. In terms of seniority, some 27.32% of respondents were in the &lsquo;Middle Management&rsquo; category, while 23.41% described themselves as &lsquo;Experienced&rsquo; and 21.73% as &lsquo;Team Lead&rsquo; level. Let us take a look at some of the key takeaways from this survey.&nbsp;<h2>Key takeaways</h2>Reflecting on the key priorities of the global aerospace industry, recruiting more skilled personnel was chosen as the number one focus by respondents at 52.9%, closely followed by Sustainability (51.6%) and Supply Chain Shortages (50.7%). This tracks closely with the sector-wide skills&rsquo; crisis the aerospace industry now finds itself in, with a combination of demographics and workers not returning after being furloughed or downsized during the pandemic. Meanwhile, the sustainability agenda is also accelerating as the industry races to decarbonise itself. Yet, aerospace is still reeling and attempting to play catch-up with disrupted supply chains that have played havoc with tightly integrated &lsquo;just-in-time&rsquo; global networks. In November 2022, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said he expected &lsquo;supply chain constraints&rsquo; to last another year.The &lsquo;Other&rsquo; (5.59%) category, which allowed respondents to specify additional issues threw up some further challenges and issues, such as &lsquo;inflation and its negative effects on sustainability and growth&rsquo;, &lsquo;regulation changes post-leaving EASA&rsquo;, &lsquo;fuel price increases&rsquo; and a call from one respondent to embrace digitalisation fully: &lsquo;the industry is operating in the past. Most of the leaders in the industry are missing the key lessons regarding AI and automated systems. Nobody is looking at information technology as a key component in aerospace...why?&#39;Meanwhile, the survey found that <a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/services/cnc-machining/" target="_blank" title="CNC Machining">CNC&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/services/cnc-machining/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-aerospace-0523&utm_content=wevolver-aerospace-manufacturing-0823" target="_blank" title="CNC Machining">machining</a>&nbsp;(53.85%) was the key prototyping/manufacturing technology in the aerospace sector, followed by <a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/services/3d-printing/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-aerospace-0523&utm_content=wevolver-aerospace-manufacturing-0823" target="_blank" title="3D Printing">3D printing</a> (51.41%) and then Robotic Manufacturing (44.88%) and <a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/services/injection-moulding/" target="_blank" title="Injection Moulding">Injection&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/services/injection-moulding/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-aerospace-0523&utm_content=wevolver-aerospace-manufacturing-0823" target="_blank" title="Injection Moulding">Moulding</a> (41.51%). While the option of CNC machining in grinding, cutting and milling metallic structures as the number one choice is perhaps no surprise for aircraft production, the selection of 3D printing/additive manufacturing by nearly 50% of respondents is more noteworthy. This indicates that 3D printing has now gone mainstream in the aerospace and space industry, passing from a niche &lsquo;rapid prototyping tool&rsquo; to more &nbsp;widespread use. Indeed, earlier this year saw the first-ever fully 3D-printed rocket, Terran 1, attempt to reach orbit.In the &lsquo;Other&rsquo; category at 4.10%, additional suggestions included &lsquo;casting&rsquo;, &lsquo;digital twinning&rsquo; and &lsquo;MBSE (model based system engineering)&rsquo;, as well as several entries suggesting &lsquo;composites and composites moulding&rsquo;.<img border="0" width="478" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjkyMDE3NTc1OTAzLTE2OTIwMTc1NzU5MDMuanBlZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" alt="cnc mill operator" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><h3>In-house or outsourced?</h3>Roughly 25-50% of components are manufactured in-house, found the survey, with 39.68% of respondents picking this option, followed by 23.35% indicating a greater vertically integrated in-house capability at 51-75% and 21.35% for more outsourced enterprises &ndash; under 25%. This backs up consolidation trends in the aerospace industry that have seen mergers and acquisitions in recent years concentrate manufacturing in a smaller number of large &lsquo;Tier 1&rsquo; or &lsquo;Super Tier 1&rsquo; suppliers.&nbsp;<h3>The digital skills gap</h3>However, in embracing the possibilities of this new digital manufacturing landscape, the survey highlighted that the aerospace sector could well be falling behind with respondents selecting &lsquo;Lack of expertise&rsquo; as the biggest obstacle &ndash; highlighting a growing need for &lsquo;digital natives&rsquo; and IT specialists in the aerospace industry. Despite its history of being on the cutting-edge of technology, the aerospace industry is now competing with the financial sector, app developers, AI specialists, motorsports and more. Indeed, consultants McKinsey found that, for every traditional engineer the global aerospace and defence (A&amp;D) industry is trying to recruit, it is also trying to recruit two software engineers. Other challenges identified were &lsquo;Project costs&rsquo; &ndash; an admission perhaps that investing in &lsquo;Factory 4.0&rsquo; technology may be initially expensive. Meanwhile, &lsquo;Secure networks/cybersecurity&rsquo; was also highlighted as a concern. This is particularly relevant with the current geostrategic environment and the &lsquo;decoupling&rsquo; of some industries with China and Russia.<img border="0" width="570" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjkyMDE3NTc1OTIxLTE2OTIwMTc1NzU5MjEucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="aerospace part design and manufacture" class="fr-fic fr-dii"> The industry as a whole is significantly automated with 29.84% of respondents replying their manufacturing was 51-75% automated, followed closely by the 25-50% segment (28.47%). Interestingly, some 11.29% of respondents chose &lsquo;none&rsquo; as an answer. This could very well indicate sub-sectors in small batch production, artisan-style manufacturing, such as rebuilding WW2 &lsquo;warbirds&rsquo; or assembling custom UAV prototypes.In automated manufacturing, it would also be interesting to revisit this question in a few years time to see the effect of the nascent eVTOL sector on the answers. Here &lsquo;air taxi&rsquo; manufacturers are aiming for automotive-levels of production with Archer and Vertical both planning 2,000 air vehicles a year. This is over double the 661 airliners that Airbus delivered in 2022 and strongly suggests that the level of automation will increase.As might be expected from a highly-regulated industry designing safety-critical equipment and components, &lsquo;quality&rsquo; was the overriding (64%) factor chosen by respondents in designing and manufacturing parts for the aerospace sector. Yet &lsquo;quality&rsquo; is not purely just about safety &ndash; but also flows into overall costs with tightly integrated and complex supply chains, where the discovery of substandard parts or components can cascade further down the production process and disrupt deliveries. Recent examples include the pause in some Boeing 737 MAX deliveries, due to substandard fittings from Spirit AeroSystems.The focus on quality, standards and experts on hand was echoed in the largest (47.47%) &lsquo;very important&rsquo; answer to the question: &lsquo;How important is certification when working with manufacturing partners?&rsquo;&rsquo;&nbsp;<h3>Certification priorities</h3>A free-form poll of the most valuable aerospace certifications to hold produced a wide range of answers &ndash; not all of them manufacturing related. However, despite the UK respondents slightly outnumbering US ones in this survey, the number of people who put &lsquo;FAA&rsquo; as a single answer outnumbered &lsquo;EASA&rsquo; two to one &ndash; potentially a sign of how dominant the US still is in the global aviation regulatory framework and the importance of designing products for this key market.Finally, the top priority for the next three years was again recruiting skills and talent (55.77%), followed by sustainability (52.33%) and ramping up civil production post-Covid (47.56%).This then is a clear message about the immediate skills and recruitment crisis that the industry is facing &ndash; and one that if not solved, then the other two (sustainability/ramping up production) cannot happen. Among the comments in the &lsquo;Other&rsquo; category (4.83%) were &lsquo;Competition with China, Security of Proprietary Data And Technology&rsquo;, &lsquo;Space Exploration and Commercialisation&rsquo; and, interestingly, one suggestion that: &lsquo;a strong PR campaign should be launched to counteract present trends that (falsely) consider aviation a highly polluting industry.&rsquo;&nbsp;<h3>Summary</h3>In conclusion then, this was a landmark survey into the state of the aerospace industry in 2023, providing a significant snapshot of the global aerospace sector as it emerges from the pandemic and attempts to ramp up production, recruit skilled workers and meet sustainability targets. it will be interesting to see what lies ahead for the industry in the future, and good to keep a close eye on how widely digital manufacturing expand through the industry.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1692025170653-Wevovler-Aerospace-Stat-highlights.jpg" style="width: 765px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> <div id="_com_1" language="JavaScript"><a href="#_msoanchor_1" target="_blank"></a></div>

In early 2023, a joint survey from the Royal Aeronautical Society and Protolabs was conducted to learn more about the aerospace sector’s most important concerns and top priorities. Tim Robinson FRAeS examines the results, and provides you with a breakdown.

Aerospace manufacturing in 2023

This article provides a detailed overview of the Modbus TCP protocol fundamentals, communication, data representation, security, daily life applications, and integration.

Modbus TCP: A Comprehensive Guide to the Protocol and Its Applications

According to a recent research report, the global automotive lightweight materials market is expected to grow 7.3% CAGR from 2023 to 2029. It is expected to reach above $1331.41 Billion by 2029 from $74.79 Billion in 2022. Lightweighting materials play a crucial role in offering the potential for improved fuel efficiency, enhanced performance, and reduced emissions in the automotive industry. It is anticipated that the lighter and more efficient automotive materials and components will revolutionize the industry in the coming years.<h2 dir="ltr">5 Types of Lightweight Materials for Automotive Applications</h2>By exploring the various types of lightweight materials used in the automotive sector and their applications, we can uncover their significant contributions to achieving the goals of weight reduction and overall vehicle efficiency.<h3 dir="ltr">1. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;High-Strength Steel</h3>High-strength steel is produced by adding a small amount of alloying elements to ordinary carbon steel. The higher the strength of the steel, the better the weight reduction effect. Although the production cost of this steel is similar to that of ordinary carbon steel, the strengthening effect of the alloying elements significantly increases its tensile strength compared to regular steel. Currently, high-strength steel is mainly used in automotive safety components, chassis, and body structures.<h3 dir="ltr">2. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Aluminum Alloy</h3>Aluminum is the primary competitor to steel in the automotive body application. The major advantage of aluminum alloy over steel lies in its superior extrusion forming capability, allowing for a weight reduction of approximately 50% when substituting aluminum alloy body panels for steel ones. Currently, numerous automobile manufacturers are demonstrating the potential application of aluminum alloy in automotive lightweighting through the development of aluminum-intensive concept cars. In the automotive industry, around 80% of aluminum alloy is utilized for die-cast components, primarily in areas such as engines, wheels, and other parts.<h3 dir="ltr">3. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Magnesium Alloy</h3>Magnesium is lighter than aluminum, with a density of only 2/3 of aluminum. Magnesium alloy materials used in automobiles are mainly cast magnesium alloys, accounting for over 90% of the magnesium used in automobiles. Although the proportion of magnesium alloys in current automotive materials is less than 1%, the application of magnesium alloys is receiving attention from major automotive manufacturers worldwide, driven by lightweighting efforts. Taking the United States as an example, the amount of magnesium alloy used in some vehicle models ranges from 5.8 to 26.3 kg per vehicle. In Europe, the amount of magnesium alloy used is second only to North America, with some vehicle models using 9.3 to 20.3 kg of magnesium alloy per vehicle.<h3 dir="ltr">4. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Carbon Fiber</h3>Carbon fiber is a fibrous composite material with a carbon content exceeding 90%. It possesses the inherent characteristics of carbon materials while also exhibiting the softness and processability of textile fibers. It is a new generation of reinforced fiber. It has higher strength than steel and lower density than titanium, making it excellent in electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. Carbon fiber reinforced composites have sufficient strength and stiffness, making them the lightest materials for manufacturing major structural components of automobiles, such as car bodies and chassis. It is estimated that the application of carbon fiber composite materials can reduce the weight of automobile bodies and chassis by 40% to 60%.<h3 dir="ltr">5. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Modified Plastics</h3>Through methods such as filling, blending, and reinforcement to improve the flame retardancy, strength, impact resistance, toughness, and other performance, based on general plastics and engineering plastics, we got modified plastics. Currently, they are mainly used in exterior trim parts, interior trim parts, and functional and structural components in the automotive industry.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">At a Glance: The Comparison of Lightweight Materials</h2>In terms of weight reduction, the materials currently used for automotive lightweighting show an increasing trend in effectiveness: high-strength steel, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, and carbon fiber. However, from a cost perspective, these materials exhibit an increasing trend in terms of cost: high-strength steel, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, and carbon fiber.Of course, there are indeed many ways to move to the lighter weight automotive components and products. The good news is that RPWORLD can offer rapid prototyping and low-volume production services, along with in-house expertise and different materials. You have a wide variety of resources at RPWORLD to help you in reducing the weight of car components.

Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash

Lightweighting materials play a crucial role in offering the potential for improved fuel efficiency, enhanced performance, and reduced emissions in the automotive industry. It is anticipated that the lighter and more efficient automotive materials and components will revolutionize the industry in the coming years.

Driving Efficiency: Exploring Lightweight Materials in Automotive Applications

Could you have an IoT device continuously connected without having to do it yourself?The launch of&nbsp;<a data-wpel-link="external" href="https://store.rakwireless.com/products/link-one-lte-m-nb-iot-lorawan-device-based-on-nrf52840-sx1262-and-bg77-arduino-ide-compatible" rel="external noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Link.One</a>, an all-in-one device that combines LoRaWAN and automatic cellular connectivity showed us that continuous connectivity is not only possible but also of great added value.Today, connecting devices require a choice between the long-range-low-power capabilities of&nbsp;<a data-wpel-link="external" href="https://www.rakwireless.com/en-us/technology/lorawan" rel="external noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">LoRaWAN</a> and the ubiquitous, high-speed connectivity of cellular IoT.LoRaWAN has many advantages that other wireless connectivity doesn&rsquo;t offer. It can be optimized to operate with low power consumption. It can use batteries for years. It offers long-range and deep penetration indoors, to name a few.But LoRaWAN doesn&rsquo;t meet all requirements. First of all, it is not high-speed. And second, it doesn&rsquo;t solve continuous connectivity.&nbsp;A few challenges away from fully connectedThe demand for continuous, fast, never-uninterrupted connectivity is growing. There are so many industries and use cases that would benefit from a pioneering technology that combines LoRaWAN and automatic built-in cellular connectivity.<ul><li>Transportation and logistics businesses that need to track and manage a fleet of vehicles that is in constant motion,</li><li>Smart agriculture companies that need to monitor and optimize their crops and soil conditions which may not always have access to wireless</li><li>Energy companies that need to manage energy grids and assets</li><li>Even healthcare providers need to monitor patients remotely and collect health data on an ongoing basis.</li></ul>&nbsp;In all these cases, the stakes are high and the cost of losing connectivity is significant &ndash; at times even potentially dangerous for the people involved or the integrity of the product offered.&nbsp;<h3>Introducing Connectivit(ies) Converged into One</h3>With Link.ONE, you can switch between the LoRaWAN and the cloud-based cellular connectivity &ndash; bi-directionally, seamlessly, and automatically. With worldwide coverage (including land, sea, and air, hazardous routes, remote locations, etc.) and easy-to-use features that make it accessible to everyone, Link.ONE makes it much easier to manage and deploy IoT solutions.&nbsp;<img data-fr-image-pasted="true" src="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-2-1024x576.jpg" alt="Link.ONE — Connect to the IoT Network of Your Choice" width="800" height="450" srcset="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-2.jpg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" class="fr-fic fr-dii">&nbsp;<h3>How it works</h3>First things first &ndash; built-in cellular connectivity<img data-fr-image-pasted="true" src="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-3.jpg" alt="Link.ONE — Connect to the IoT Network of Your Choice" width="381" height="389" srcset="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-3.jpg 381w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-3-294x300.jpg 294w" sizes="(max-width: 381px) 100vw, 381px" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Using a&nbsp;<a data-wpel-link="external" href="https://store.rakwireless.com/products/iot-sim-card-for-wisnode-modules" rel="external noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Monogoto SIM card</a> automatically means a 500Mb data package good for 10 years. Plus, with a Monogoto SIM card, your device(s) achieve:<ul><li>uninterrupted connectivity virtually anywhere including global roaming (whenever you have coverage for CAT M1 and CAT BN2)</li><li>built-in security, ensuring that your devices can always stay connected and that your data is always safe.</li></ul>&nbsp;Then, add advanced wireless capabilitiesThree powerful technologies work together to provide reliable and efficient communication.&nbsp;1. The ability to take advantage of widespread coverage of cellular networks worldwide and enjoy reliable data transfer rates. It&rsquo;s powered by the&nbsp;<a data-wpel-link="external" href="https://store.rakwireless.com/products/rak5860-lte-nb-iot-extension-board" rel="external noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">RAK5860 Cellular NB-IoT</a> and LTE-M module that support CAT M1 and CAT NB2 cellular IoT wireless protocols, enabling you to Support LoRa/LoRaWAN and Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) communication.LoRaWan enables a long-range, low-power wireless communication protocol that enables IoT devices to connect to the Internet without the need for cellular networks or Wi-Fi (think private networks or remote locations). BLE enables short-range communication between devices nearby.&nbsp;2. The ability to have control and visibility over your operations via GPS tracking.<img data-fr-image-pasted="true" src="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-4-1024x904.jpg" alt="Link.ONE — Connect to the IoT Network of Your Choice" width="800" height="706" srcset="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-4-1024x904.jpg 1024w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-4-300x265.jpg 300w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-4-768x678.jpg 768w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-4.jpg 1363w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" class="fr-fic fr-dii"> This allows you to track the location of your assets and vehicles in real-time. It is ideal for asset tracking, fleet management, and other applications where location data is critical.&nbsp;3. The ability to have extreme modularity and expandability.<img data-fr-image-pasted="true" src="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-5.jpg" alt="Link.ONE — Connect to the IoT Network of Your Choice" width="975" height="407" srcset="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-5.jpg 975w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-5-300x125.jpg 300w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-5-768x321.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 975px) 100vw, 975px" class="fr-fic fr-dii"> Based on the&nbsp;<a data-wpel-link="external" href="https://www.rakwireless.com/en-us/products/wisblock" rel="external noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">WisBlock Modular eco-system</a>, Link.One is flexible and expandable. You can easily add sensors and/or other peripherals to your devices by simply plugging them in. &nbsp;With support for cellular, GPS, LoRa/LoRaWAN, and BLE communication as well as expandable modular design, Link.ONE is ideal for countless IoT applications. Powered by Monogoto&rsquo;s built-in cellular connectivity, which offers a wide range of industries a game-changing opportunity to build, manage and operate connected devices, Link.ONE promises continuously secure and available connectivity.

Could you have an IoT device continuously connected without having to do it yourself?

Link.ONE Connect to the IoT Network of Your Choice

There are many 3D printing materials regularly hitting the market, but flame-retardant polymers is one category, in particular, that&rsquo;s growing. Flame retardant materials prevent the spread of fires and are essential for some use cases. They can withstand high temperatures and are much less likely to catch and stay on fire.In some regions and industries, laws and regulations require flame retardant properties of end-use parts. In other cases, 3D-printed tooling must be able to withstand high temperatures. Flame retardant materials help improve safety. Otherwise, there&rsquo;d be a risk of part failure or spreading fire.For all these reasons, flame retardant materials meet high certification standards for specific industries. This guide will look at some key use cases and detail some of the available flame retardant materials.<h2>Flame Retardant Polymer Applications</h2>Aerospace:&nbsp;Safety is critical in the aerospace industry. Strict regulations set the standard, so the industry needs to follow the rules when deploying parts. Airbus <a data-hook="linkViewer" href="https://aviationweek.com/mro/why-airbus-qualified-new-3d-printing-material-2021-flame-retardant-pa" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">found success</a> building interior cabin parts, such as panels, with flame retardant materials using Selective Laser Sintering and Fused Deposition Modeling. Emirates also uses flame-retardant materials to 3D print some parts, such as <a data-hook="linkViewer" href="https://3dprint.com/194470/emirates-3d-printed-components/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">video monitor covers</a>. All these parts follow strict heat release requirements, making them effective in the case of a fire.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjg3ODcxODI4ODUxLWFobWVkLXN5ZWQtZDZKR0lvN3VJLWMtdW5zcGxhc2guanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 546px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">&nbsp;Rail: Like the aerospace industry, the rail industry is also subject to strict safety regulations. 3D printing with flame-retardant materials has proven to be quite useful. Alstom, the multi-national manufacturer, uses flame-retardant <a data-hook="linkViewer" href="https://3dprint.com/217929/siemens-and-alstom-rail-merger/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3D-printed air vents</a> on some trains. Additive manufacturing is especially beneficial for <a data-hook="linkViewer" href="https://www.makerverse.ai/insights-and-trends/interview%3A-the-rail-industry-gets-on-track-with-additive-manufacturing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">creating spare parts on demand&nbsp;</a>in the rail industry, reducing lead times and reducing storage costs.Electronics: Flame retardancy is a helpful feature for electronic components. 3D printed materials are commonly used in &ldquo;passive&rdquo; parts of the component &ndash; such as housings and connectors &ndash; in case of an electrical fault. These parts are not only flame retardant but can be highly customized.Flame Resistant vs. Flame Retardant: What&rsquo;s the Difference?The terms flame resistant and flame retardant are often confused. Understandably so, as there are some similarities between the two terms. The main difference is that flame retardant materials can resist certain heat levels, but they&rsquo;re designed to prevent fires from spreading. Flame-resistant materials are built to avoid burning at all.<h2>Flame Retardant Polymer Examples</h2>There are many different flame retardant polymers available, with new materials or variations regularly being developed by different companies. On the MakerVerse platform, several different flame retardant polymers are available.<h3>PA-12 Flame Retardant</h3>Technology: <a data-hook="linkViewer" href="https://www.makerverse.ai/technologies-sls" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)</a>PA 12 is a standard material when using SLS &nbsp;technology. It combines high tensile strength with stability. This variant of PA 12 version has a special flame retardant chemical added to it. This material is commonly used in the aerospace and rail sector. <a data-hook="linkViewer" data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" href="https://makerverse-static.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/datasheets/SLS-PA12+Flame+Retardant_MV.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_unrecognized">See the data sheet</a>.Key Qualifications: CS 25 (European Aviation Safety Agency specification for large airplanes), JAR 25 (Joint Aviation Requirement), FAR 25 (USA Federal Aviation Administration) UL 94 V-0 (Standard for Tests for Flammability of Plastic Materials for Parts in Devices and Appliances).<h3>ULTEM 1010</h3>Technology: <a data-hook="linkViewer" href="https://www.makerverse.ai/technologies-fdm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)</a>ULTEM 1010 is a high-performance thermoplastic polyetherimide (PEI) offering the lowest coefficient of thermal expansion among all FDM materials. It also boasts high heat resistance, tensile strength, and chemical resistance. These properties make the material ideal for challenging and specialized use cases. <a data-hook="linkViewer" data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" href="https://makerverse-static.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/datasheets/FDM-ULTEM%C2%AE+1010_MV.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">See the data sheet.</a>Key Qualifications: &nbsp;FAR 25 and OSU 65/65 (USA Federal Aviation Administration) UL 94 V-0 and 5 VA<h3>ULTEM 9085</h3>Technology: <a data-hook="linkViewer" href="https://www.makerverse.ai/technologies-fdm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)</a>ULTEM 9085 is a high-performance thermoplastic offering high strength. That, combined with its flame retardancy, makes it widely used in the aviation and rail industries. <a data-hook="linkViewer" data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" href="https://makerverse-static.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/datasheets/FDM-ULTEM%C2%AE+9085_MV.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">See the data sheet.</a>Key Qualifications:&nbsp; FAR 25 and OSU 65/65, EN45545 R6-HL3 rating (European Railway Standard for Fire Safety), UN ECE Regulation 118 (Fire Protection of Buses).

Explained: 3D Printing with Flame Retardant Polymers

Briggs Automotive Company (BAC) was founded in 2009 by Neill and Ian Briggs, two brothers with a passion for the world of cars. Two years later, BAC transformed the automotive industry with the world&rsquo;s first road-legal, single-seater supercar&mdash;the BAC Mono. BAC Mono was the realization of the brothers&rsquo; vision of a road vehicle that offers the most authentic and pure driving experience combined with the latest racing technology.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjg2OTEwNjc3NTU2LTgwMF9iYWNtb25vcnByb2R1Y3Rpb25saW5lLTQuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">&ldquo;We set out to produce a car that was about the sport of driving, driving as a leisure activity,&rdquo; said Ian Briggs, design director and co-founder of BAC. &ldquo;From an inspiration point of view, we looked at science fiction, robots, things from the future. For people like us who enjoy driving, we wanted to focus on a futuristic look and feel.&rdquo;Over time, BAC has made significant improvements and upgraded the Mono. Meet the Mono R. Able to go from 0-62mph in 2.5 seconds, the Mono R is a true testament to the potential of modern manufacturing techniques.&nbsp;<h2>Technological front-runner in the automotive industry</h2>Always on the cusp of technological advancements, BAC acts as an incubator for the latest innovations and ground-breaking concepts within its pioneering research and development projects. To that end, BAC was an early adopter of 3D printing. Since the company designs and manufactures the Mono R for sports car enthusiasts and collectors, it produces small-batch bespoke parts. As a result, CNC machining or injection molding was unnecessary for this level of production.Instead, the team at BAC turned to UltiMaker. The UltiMaker 3D printing ecosystem has enabled BAC to produce fast and inexpensive highly customizable and high-quality parts, delivering significant improvements in their design iterations, cost reductions, and overall manufacturing efficiency.&ldquo;In the early days when 3D printing was referred to as rapid prototyping, we didn&rsquo;t really understand the implications as production parts,&rdquo; said Ian Briggs, design director and co-founder of BAC. &ldquo;But now over 44 different parts of the car are 3D printed now&mdash;structural engine components, wing mirror supports, light surrounds. We&rsquo;ve really embraced 3D printing and the design freedom it&rsquo;s given us. The UltiMaker ecosystem allows us to bring all the different aspects of our production together to be constantly optimized and stored in one location.&rdquo;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjg2OTEwNzY4NjIxLTE5MjBfYmFjd2VyYS0xLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">BAC engineers exclusively use UltiMaker 3D printers and is currently running three UltiMaker S5 3D printers. BAC quickly produces and tests multiple design iterations, incorporating customer feedback or making refinements based on functional requirements. This iterative approach enables the creation of highly customizable parts that are optimized for performance, ergonomics, and aesthetics. Having on-demand access to UltiMaker printers allow BAC to produce parts as needed, reducing the need for large inventories of pre-manufactured components.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjg2OTEwODI4NTYwLTUwMF9iYWN1bHRpbWFrZXIucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 id="isPasted">Taking advantage of the UltiMaker Ecosystem</h2>Utilizing the UltiMaker Digital Factory, BAC can centralize and streamline its 3D printing operations, from managing design iterations and print preparation to printing and post-processing. Digital Factory allows the team to store their digital files, along with associated printing parameters, settings, and material specifications, ensuring that consistency and repeatability are maintained across multiple printing instances. With remote access, they can check and control the printers on their production line that operate on-demand 24hrs a day.&ldquo;The UltiMaker Digital Factory has made it possible to improve manufacturing processes for prototyping for production parts on BAC,&rdquo; said Thomas Tunstall, bodywork technician and 3D printing operator at BAC. &ldquo;For example, I can pre-slice print jobs and save them to the digital warehouse, which saves me a lot of time for future prints. Digital Factory also allows us to integrate the printers with our software, which allows me to remotely manage the printers, projects, and teams.&rdquo;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1686910958465-1920_bacfactorybts-21.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The UltiMaker Material Alliance Program has given BAC the flexibility to choose from a wide range of industrial-grade materials that have been specifically tested, certified, and optimized for use with the UltiMaker 3D printers. This material versatility means that BAC can select the most suitable material for each application. BAC exclusively uses Addigy materials for all 3D printed parts on the Mono R, including nylon carbon fiber for parts that require strong structural properties, such as the mirror arms which support wing mirrors and take a lot of force and the inlet runners from the air box.&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1686910978386-1920_bacultimaker.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Each Mono R vehicle is individually tailored to the customers&#39; specifications. For example, the seat is molded to the driver, the steering wheel grips are molded to the driver, the color scheme of the car is chosen and even the race suits are made to measure. Everything is custom and 3D printing allows BAC to print many of the parts on the BAC Mono R. Customers can even add their initials and car numbers directly onto the car and for the key fob.<h2>It takes a village</h2>With local support from UltiMaker GB&nbsp;[UltiMaker GB is a channel partner for UltiMaker in the UK and Ireland] and a wide network of resellers in the UK and Ireland, BAC can leverage the power of 3D printing. 3D printing has given the team more design freedom to produce complex geometries that would be difficult or impossible to manufacture using traditional manufacturing methods.&ldquo;As a manufacturer first stepping into 3D printing, one of the things that was super important to us was having local support. It was a journey for us. The machines were new, the materials were new, learning to design the parts was new. We would have waited longer to do had we not had the local support. That was really fundamental in us adopting this technology,&rdquo; Briggs stated.

Renowned British supercar manufacturer Briggs Automotive Company uses UltiMaker 3D printers to design and produce bespoke parts for its high-end sports cars

Revolutionizing Supercar Design and Production with the UltiMaker Ecosystem

After a strong performance at Elon Musk&#39;s &quot;Not-a-Boring Competition&quot; in 2021,&nbsp;Swissloop Tunneling&nbsp;upgraded its award-winning tunnel boring machine. With some critical parts made by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.makerverse.ai/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MakerVerse</a>, an online platform for on-demand manufacturing, the team readied its powerful device for the 2023 competition in the United States.Building a safe and efficient tunnel infrastructure requires cutting-edge tunnel boring machines to excavate through soil and rock. However, high costs and demanding logistics limit the technology. Improved tunneling would help make transportation alternatives like the hyperloop a reality.To overcome those challenges, Elon Musk and his &quot;The Boring Company&quot; sponsor contests where hundreds of teams worldwide seek to build the best tunnel boring machine, with the five top teams selected to compete in person. <a href="https://swisslooptunneling.ch/" target="_blank">Swissloop Tunneling</a> is one of those teams pushing the boundaries of tunneling technology.In 2021 in Las Vegas, the team of engineering students from ETH Z&uuml;rich won the innovation and design award and finished second overall. For the 2023 competition,&nbsp;Swissloop Tunnelling&#39;s ambition was to continue its success with renewed systems in its machine.&quot;The team turned to MakerVerse to upgrade their machine with several high-quality steel connectors built to withstand extreme conditions.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjg2NjQ4MTcxNTY5LTIwMjMwMjI4XzExNDYwNCAoMSkgKDIpLndlYnAiLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 577px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><div data-mesh-id="comp-lewo56gsinlineContent" data-testid="inline-content"><div data-mesh-id="comp-lewo56gsinlineContent-gridContainer" data-testid="mesh-container-content"><div data-testid="richTextElement">The connector (with the four holes in the center) sits at the head of the extruder and connects four different tubes. It&#39;s made with Laser Powder Bed Fusion.</div></div></div><h3>The challenges</h3>Swissloop Tunneling&#39;s machine, named Groundhog Beta, measures eight meters long, weighs 3,000 kilograms and has a diameter of 590 millimeters. Every component of Groundhog Beta must withstand burdensome workloads and high temperatures.Since its last tournament, Swissloop Tunneling has been busy upgrading and optimizing its first machine, Groundhog Alpha. Especially the erosion and liner system have been redesigned for the new machine. Therefore, some parts had to be developed within the size of a prototype in the first phase, to validate designs and test further improvements.For example, the liner system prototype was built at 1:5 scale before being scaled up to the final size. In the end, the team integrated the newly designed parts into Groundhog Beta and successfully completed its full-size version.&nbsp;One of the most critical sections of Groundhog Beta is the innovative tunnel lining system. The team integrated a polymer extrusion system into the machine to create safe and stable tunnel walls. The liner system prints a 15 mm thick tunnel wall to ensure the tunnel&#39;s structural integrity. This process uses a polymer granulate that&#39;s pumped into the tunnel through air pressure. There, the polymer gets melted via an extrusion screw. As a result, the polymers reach temperatures of up to 200 degrees Celsius and must be cooled via a 10 degrees Celsius cooling fluid.These massive temperature ranges, plus the critical importance of the entire tunnel lining system, meant Swissloop Tunneling needed extremely high-quality parts from a trusted partner. Importantly, the parts needed to be affordable and delivered in time to meet tight deadlines.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjg2NjQ4MzE0Mjc4LTIwMjMwMjI4XzEwMzkwMSAoMSkgKDEpLndlYnAiLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 310px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">A series of machined connecting rings join different components within the tunnel lining system.&nbsp;<h3>The solutions</h3>MakerVerse, with its wide range of technologies, provided the crucial liner system prototype with several high-quality components at the needed prices.Swissloop Tunneling sourced several steel connecting rings with more than 500 mm diameters using <a href="https://www.makerverse.ai/cnc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CNC machining</a>. These connectors join different components within the tunnel lining system, such as the liquid cooling chamber. Another connector, this time made with <a href="https://www.makerverse.ai/technologies-lpbf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Laser Powder Bed Fusion</a>, sits at the head of the extruder and connects four different tubes.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjg2NjQ4NjU2NjYyLTIwMjMwMjI4XzEwMzkxMyAoMSkuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 350px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">From inside the tunnel boring machineSwissloop Tunneling dealt with tight deadlines as they readied Groundhog Beta for the competition. With MakerVerse, they gained an open and transparent partner who kept them precisely up to date on the progress of their parts.Notably, the quality of the parts was perfect for upgrading Groundhog Beta. MakerVerse&#39;s <a href="https://www.makerverse.ai/supply-chain" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">supply chain</a> consists of only hand-picked, fully-vetted suppliers who have undergone a rigorous onboarding process. These quality control measures ensure the quality of every part ordered on the MakerVerse platform.<h3>The results</h3><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjg2NjQ4NDU3ODQ1LWFfZ3JvdW5kaG9nX2JldGFfY3V0c190cmFuc3AucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Groundhog Beta measures 8 meters long.&nbsp;Swissloop Tunneling put the finishing touches on Groundhog Beta before bringing it to the United States for The Boring Company&#39;s Not-A-Boring Competition. Leading up to this point, the team conducted many design iterations and performed constant testing while considering their budget.In the end, Groundhog Beta performed incredibly in the competition. The team won the prestigious innovation award and finished second overall.Through this process, the team received high-quality parts and open communications from MakerVerse. &quot;We&#39;re looking forward to working together again,&quot; said Camilla Chitvanni, Co-Head of Mechanical and Civil Engineering at Swissloop Tunneling. &quot;All of us on the team appreciated the care and communications during the entire process.&quot;&nbsp;MakerVerse is committed to promoting student-driven innovation. In this case, instead of dealing with countless suppliers and worrying about deadlines, MakerVerse helped Swissloop Tunneling focus on what it does best: Building incredible tunnel boring machines. &nbsp;

Using 3D-printed and CNC-machined parts from MakerVerse, the team built a powerful 3,000 kg machine. See how "Groundhog Beta" won awards at a competition organized by Elon Musk's The Boring Company. 

Swissloop Tunneling builds innovative tunnel boring machine

Uninterrupted consistent network coverage has historically been, and still is, hard to achieve. Cellular and wireless networks come with particular limitations, offering fragmented connectivity and use across devices. Power efficiency makes this challenge even more difficult as devices require a continuously active connection.To solve this challenge, we set out to test LTE CAT-1 as a new solution.Our goal was to test continuous strong connectivity even in the remotest of areas where the technology infrastructure significantly lags behind the developed world and connectivity is low.&nbsp;The question we asked ourselves was, could we bridge this wide gap and provide reliable internet access even in the areas with the weakest connectivity infrastructure?Turns out, we could.Sodaq leads the world&nbsp;in low-power sensing and tracking. To tackle the connectivity challenge, we partnered&nbsp;with Monogoto &ndash; a&nbsp;software-defined connectivity platform that offers cloud-based connectivity for next-gen devices.&nbsp;&nbsp;<img data-fr-image-pasted="true" src="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/6Y3A0857-1024x683.jpg" alt="An Epic Quest to Validate Continuous Global Connectivity" width="800" height="534" srcset="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/6Y3A0857-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/6Y3A0857-300x200.jpg 300w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/6Y3A0857-768x512.jpg 768w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/6Y3A0857-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/6Y3A0857-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" class="fr-fic fr-dii">&nbsp;Through this partnership, we live-tested multiple tracking devices across Europe and Africa. An airplane carried multiple SODAQ-manufactured devices with the NINA/LENA series of U-blox, powered by Monogoto connectivity. Each tracking device showed the route traveled and reported from each landing location.The journey covered 10 countries, beginning in Europe, following the Nile River through Egypt and Sudan, and continuing towards the east African coastal region of Tanzania before heading further south to Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and finally South Africa.&nbsp;Other technologies haven&rsquo;t solved it yetAt the Mobile World Congress 2018, it was highlighted that LTE-M and NB-IoT, both&nbsp;<a data-wpel-link="external" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-power_wide-area_network" rel="external noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">low-power wide-area network</a> <a data-wpel-link="external" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_communication" rel="external noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">radio communication</a> technologies for connected devices, could not solve the connectivity challenge in countries with limited IoT capabilities. It would take years to deploy these technologies due to the resource-intensive work required for roaming contracts with multiple providers. This may contribute to the reason why chip and module vendors have noted that sales of LPWAN modules did not meet original estimations.&nbsp;Testing a new way: LTE CAT-1LTE CAT-1 is a ubiquitous technology used by smartphones all over the world and we believed it could offer low-cost and low-power connectivity. CAT-1 technology has been in development for years and its potential to revolutionize global connectivity has been long anticipated. Devices with LTE (Long-Term Evolution) technology are capable of achieving higher data transfer speeds compared to older generations like 2G or 3G.&nbsp;Because it is compatible with older network technologies such as 2G and 3G, even countries with outdated infrastructure can leverage their existing 2G and 3G networks. Plus, the focus on wider coverage allows network providers to extend their services to remote or rural areas that may not have had access to cellular connectivity before.&nbsp;What we learnedWe learned that true global connectivity could be achieved.&nbsp;Our key takeaway is that CAT-1 is well positioned to provide continuous coverage even in the remotest of areas &ndash; it has the benefit of being highly efficient, and needing low power usage, without the downside of CAT-M or NB-IoT coverage limitations. Our partner Monogoto was able to provide that connectivity directly and we look forward to seeing what comes next of the partnership.

In today’s world, continuous connectivity sounds like an everyday given. But delivering it is far from simple.

An Epic Quest to Validate Continuous Global Connectivity

The highly automated and connected vehicles of the future will require powerful computer systems that perform sophisticated calculations and process huge amounts of data.&nbsp;30 partners from industry and research are developing suitable processors, interfaces and system architectures in the CeCaS project.&nbsp;The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is involved with two institutes in the project coordinated by Infineon.&nbsp;The Federal Ministry of Research supports CeCaS within the MANNHEIM initiative.&nbsp;The next generations of vehicles will be increasingly automated and networked in order to move more and more autonomously on the road and gradually relieve drivers.&nbsp;This requires enormous computing power, which only the most powerful computer systems can provide - whether in the vehicles themselves, along the roads or in the higher-level data centers.&nbsp;In addition to internal communication systems connected to the outside world, the vehicles require a central computer.&nbsp;This, in turn, consists of sub-components that perform sophisticated calculations, process huge amounts of data and have to achieve maximum reliability.<h2>KIT and TUM have assumed scientific coordination</h2>&nbsp;In the CeCaS (stands for: CentralCarServer) research project, 30 partners from industry and research are working on the architectures, the software engineering principles and the forms of implementation for future high-performance computers in cars.&nbsp;Infineon Technologies AG is responsible for coordinating the overall project.&nbsp;The KIT with Professor J&uuml;rgen Becker, head of the Institute for Information Processing Technology (ITIV), and Professor J&ouml;rg Henkel, head of the research area Embedded Electronic Systems at the Institute for Technical Informatics (ITEC-CES), as well as the Technical University of Munich ( TUM) with Professor Alois Knoll, Head of the Chair for Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Real-Time Systems (AIR).&nbsp;&quot;The development of energy- and cost-efficient high-performance computers with full automotive qualifications, which meet the enormous demands on computing power and complexity in a scalable manner, makes a decisive contribution to the future viability and technological sovereignty of the German automotive industry,&quot; says Becker.&nbsp;In CeCaS, automotive supercomputing is created that meets the highest standards of safety and reliability.&nbsp;The project consortium designs processors, interfaces and system architectures.&nbsp;A flexible software environment is tailored to the requirements of the latest algorithms in automobiles - especially, but not only, for the use of artificial intelligence (AI).<h2>Hardware accelerators enable highly effective image processing</h2>In CeCaS, the KIT has taken over the design of novel multi-purpose hardware accelerators for highly effective image processing including the integration of reliable AI in the automobile.&nbsp;The innovative accelerators are connected via high-speed interfaces and integrated into the high-performance processors.&nbsp;The researchers are particularly focusing on the AI components between the sensor nodes and the central computer.&nbsp;In addition, the KIT is working within CeCaS on new development tools for the analysis and compliance with real-time criteria as well as on comprehensive benchmarking software for evaluating the hardware accelerator.&nbsp;&quot;Progress in automotive technology is directly dependent on progress in computer technology and information technology - but above all on the ability of the automotive industry to use modern chip technologies for itself,&quot; explains Becker.&nbsp;&quot;CeCaS supports the German automotive industry in playing a leading role in global competition, even in the digital age.&quot;&nbsp;<h2>About CeCaS</h2>The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding CeCaS in its MANNHEIM initiative, named after the birthplace of the automobile, with around 46 million euros.&nbsp;The total project volume is almost 90 million euros.&nbsp;CeCaS is scheduled for three years.The 30 cooperation partners of the MANNHEIM-CeCaS project are: Bosch, Continental Automotive, ZF Friedrichshafen, Hella, AVL Software &amp; Functions, Ambrosys, Infineon Technologies AG (coordination; with Infineon Technologies Dresden GmbH &amp; Co. KG and Infineon Technologies Semiconductor GmbH), core concept , Berlin Nanotest and Design, Missing Link Electronics, Inchron, Gl&uuml;ck Engineering, STTech, Steinbeis ZFW, Swissbit Germany, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) with the institutes ITIV and ITEC-CES, FZI Research Center for Information Technology, Technical University of Munich with the chairs AIR , LIS and SEC, Munich University of Applied Sciences, L&uuml;beck University, Chemnitz University of Technology, Fraunhofer ENAS, IMWS, IPMS and IZM.&nbsp;

Computer systems in future highly automated and networked cars must perform sophisticated calculations, process huge amounts of data and achieve maximum reliability. (Icon graphic: © kaptn – stock.adobe.com, KIT)

The CeCaS research project creates processors, interfaces and system architectures for highly automated networked vehicles - KIT develops hardware accelerators and benchmarking software

Supercomputers to Control Cars of the Future

With the advancement in technology platforms and digital tools, like cell phones, cameras, the internet, e-commerce and social media, there has been an explosion in the supply of all kinds of data. However, with the rise of such &lsquo;big data&rsquo;, there have been concerns over how sensitive information is properly managed by companies. &nbsp;Individuals are looking for ways to stay anonymous, and regulatory bodies are seeking new laws to protect such Personally Identifiable Information (PII) &ndash; any information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual&rsquo;s identity. &nbsp;General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU governs the way in which we can use, process, and store personal data. &nbsp;Now we need a way to easily implement solutions when capturing visual data across technology platforms and digital tools. &nbsp;<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/89GFbBTZKtI?autoplay=1&mute=1&wmode=opaque&rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> While other forms of technology can intrude into our privacy, computer vision can help protect our privacy by obscuring objects of interests. With computer vision, the very mechanism to detect objects, people, and sensitive information, can also be used to obfuscate that information in a digital image or video.There are a variety of elements within an image or video that can reveal personal information, besides identity. &nbsp;For example, a computer or smartphone screen may display sensitive information that needs to be obscured. But the most common use case for obfuscation is for faces and license plates.To protect and properly manage PII, you can easily use Matroid&rsquo;s API to obfuscate one or more objects within an image, live stream, or video. A very useful and powerful tool for protecting people&rsquo;s privacy and it&rsquo;s simple to use. In a nutshell, any person or object(s) that Matroid detects, can also be obfuscated by using a simple script (<a href="https://gist.github.com/rwong-matroid/9b634e2b5aebf3c837f927dbc49f6983" target="_blank">https://gist.github.com/rwong-matroid/9b634e2b5aebf3c837f927dbc49f6983</a>).The script takes an input video, a detector, a set of labels, and corresponding thresholds. &nbsp;The script then classifies all the frames using the Matroid API and generates a new video with all the desired labels obfuscated.Below are examples of running the script to obfuscate faces and license plates. You can use any color to obscure the object of interest; we chose green for better viewing.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgxMzQ4NTQ4NzM1LTE2ODEzNDg1NDg3MzAucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="Obfuscate pedestrian faces" width="816" height="457" data-ll-status="loaded" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgxMzQ4NTQ5NDY4LTE2ODEzNDg1NDk0NjgucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="Obfuscate license plates" width="814" height="466" data-ll-status="loaded" class="fr-fic fr-dii">The ability to obscure PII personal identifiable information is a great tool to have in your arsenal. Go ahead and try it out. &nbsp;If you need assistance, email us at help@matroid.com. We&rsquo;ll be happy to help!Team Coco (2012, April 24). When Simon Helberg met Stephen Hawking &ndash; Conan on TBS. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKmoMr8E4ZY" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKmoMr8E4ZY</a>

Matroid's computer vision obfuscates any data deemed sensitive in video media.

Removing Personally Identifiable Information From Video Streams

Even before Covid-19, consumers and cities valued the benefits of lightweight, low-speed personal vehicles. But the pandemic underscored the importance of safe, flexible, and sustainable travel options. Now wireless-enhanced personal transport solutions are riding their way into the mainstream transport picture, creating new business opportunities in the process.That&rsquo;s because technology-driven micromobility (think shared bicycles plus electric bikes (&#39;eBikes&#39;) and electric scooters (&lsquo;eScooters&rsquo;)) makes it faster, cheaper, healthier and more convenient to travel the &lsquo;last mile&rsquo; of a journey and beyond. Micromobility is also popular for people keen to avoid public transport and traffic congestion while reducing their carbon footprint &ndash; and not only for short distances.<h2>Wheels in motion</h2>Flexible, cost-effective and eco-friendly alternatives to commuting by car or public transport are belatedly taking off in urban areas. In the 12 months leading up to July 2021, eBike sales grew by a remarkable 240 percent compared to the previous year, says market research firm NPD Group. And a global survey by McKinsey &amp; Company shows the percentage of users interested in regularly using a shared mobility solution increased by 12 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels.Growth in this sector covers the full gamut of services. In 2022 the Micromobility Landscape report&mdash;a snapshot of the most prominent micromobility solutions&mdash;included more than 1,100 organizations ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies. In 2019, that number was just 139.And the money is only trending in one direction. The global micromobility market is expected to grow from $89.4 billion in 2022 to $210.5 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 13 percent during the forecast period, according to a report by&nbsp;Market Research Future.<h2>Supporting the revolution</h2>Government support is playing its part in this micromobility revolution. That&rsquo;s perhaps not surprising, given the sustainability benefits of the transport solution. Replacing car rides with eScooters can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 61 percent, increasing the lifespan of eScooters can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 33 percent, and reducing congestion in cities can reduce CO2 emissions by 6 percent, according to the International Transport Forum.To offer a greener method of transport, countries have started changing their laws and regulations to encourage different forms of micromobility &ndash; for example, shared eScooters on public land in the U.K.&nbsp;And a growing list of European cities, such as Rome, Lisbon, Barcelona, and Paris, are adopting micromobility solutions and investing in micromobility infrastructure like new cycling lanes for bikes and eScooters.In the U.S., the &lsquo;Build Back Better&rsquo; bill (pending legislation) could provide a nationwide tax credit of up to $900 for eligible eBike purchases by private consumers. Advocates suggest eBikes, as a low-carbon transportation solution, will be crucial to the country&rsquo;s efforts to fight climate change. (According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, transportation accounted for 29 percent of the country&rsquo;s greenhouse emissions in 2019.)<h2>Roadblocks remain</h2>Despite the real and anticipated growth, today&#39;s micromobility operators are still facing several roadblocks. The global rollout of infrastructure and systems to make micromobility more ubiquitous has been gradual at best. That&rsquo;s stalled the pace of innovation. Urban cluttering, diminishing vehicle lifespan, and the&nbsp;potential for theft and vandalism&nbsp;of micromobility vehicles are further challenges to consider. Another concern is safety and comfort, as users of micromobility vehicles are often unprotected from other traffic and the elements.But there are solutions to these problems. One research report by Star Global, which analyzed micromobility service providers across North America, Europe, and APAC, found the companies standing out from the pack are using tech to implement new features around safety, ease of use, and loyalty.This means built-in sensors, machine learning (ML), cameras, voice control and intelligent dashboards to verify user identity, detect improper use, prevent accidents and more. Bolt&rsquo;s eScooter, for example, employs sensors to detect accidents, falls, sharp braking and unsafe riding patterns, triggering audio and visual warnings for riders and notifying the operation team.Micromobility innovators are also taking advantage of location services to track vehicles and implement advanced features like detecting when users illegally ride on a sidewalk, anticipating danger and providing collision warnings, stopping the ride abruptly if needed and creating zones in which specific safety rules are enforced.<h2>Boosted by low-power wireless connectivity</h2>Integrating low-power wireless connectivity&nbsp;boosts these features and benefits, and potentially various others. By linking shared eBikes and eScooters to smartphones, for example, riders can use associated apps to not only locate and unlock the nearest machine (and in some cases, the integrated helmet via a Bluetooth LE-enabled smart helmet lock), but also take advantage of unique features such as beginner/safe modes and the ability to check estimated range times to help plan journeys.One Nordic customer, a major international eBike maker, is using the <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/products/nrf52840?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nRF52840</a> SoC for <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/products/bluetooth-low-energy?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bluetooth LE</a> (especially valuable due to its smartphone interoperability) and the <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/products/nrf9160?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nRF9160</a> SiP for <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Low-power-cellular-IoT?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cellular IoT</a> wireless connectivity between its eBikes and the cloud, enabling vehicle location tracking among other features.European micromobility provider Voi is using cellular IoT connectivity powered by global telco Ericsson to bring new features and services that increase eBike and eScooter motor performance by 35 percent and increase the vehicle&rsquo;s lifespan to five years. This is achieved by leveraging onboard and remote diagnostics to prioritize and predict the need for maintenance and repairs.A joint study between Ericsson and Voi revealed that cellular IoT enables a micromobility operator to create and capture an annual value of $460,000 in a single city, using one million inhabitants and a fleet of 3,500 eScooters as a baseline.<h2>The path ahead</h2>Micromobility is thriving and shared service providers are expanding their fleets. However, the micromobility industry leaders that will ultimately win the global race for market share are likely to be the ones that continue to evolve and innovate. Armed with advanced connected tech, pioneering global micromobility providers will see their products speed ahead.<hr>This article was first published on Nordic&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" id="isPasted"></a><a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Get Connected Blog</a>. &nbsp;

Now wireless-enhanced personal transport solutions are riding their way into the mainstream transport picture, creating new business opportunities in the process.

Micromobility is changing the face of urban transport

His startup may physically be in HTC 5 on High Tech Campus Eindhoven, but Jonas Onland&nbsp;lives and works in the future. Air taxis and flying cars may seem like science fiction, but for Onland, founder of Serendipity, these are real-world technologies he&rsquo;s helping cities and countries prepare for now.His goal is to help cities use digital tools to prepare for concepts such as climate-neutral cities, circular neighborhoods and more interconnected communities.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1679492941281-Serendipity+2-1.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Serendipity is a High Tech Campus Eindhoven-based startup that is all about the big picture. Whether it is Urban Air Mobility, real-time monitoring of cities, developing circular neighborhoods or human-centered services, Serendipity looks at how technology can create positive impacts on the environment, the community and the economy. It imagines what cities should look like a generation from now and helps them lay the digital infrastructure for those changes &ndash; not when it&#39;s needed &ndash; but now.To do this, the company has developed its Digital Toolbox, which helps cities choose next-generation solutions that are compliant with the latest and upcoming digital legislation and interoperable. This makes the solutions easy to find, but also helps cities avoid vendor lock-ins,&nbsp;which essentially forces them to continue using a service regardless of quality because switching away from that service is not practical.&nbsp;The Toolbox is the instrument to help cities become adaptive and&nbsp;agile.In many cases, these are entirely new concepts, so cities need advice as to how to move forward. That&rsquo;s why the company also spends a lot of time educating them on next-generation solutions. It helps them set a vision, integrate solutions from its Digital Toolbox and realize new business opportunities from these advancements.&ldquo;We get asked all the time &lsquo;Are you a tech company or consultancy company?&rsquo;&rdquo; says Onland, Managing Partner and Chief Visionary Officer of Serendipity. &ldquo;But I don&#39;t want to be labeled. We&rsquo;re a mix. We advise on strategy and automate the products and services available. We deliver &lsquo;Service as a Product&rsquo; to create the impact a society needs.&rdquo;In California, Serendipity has advised on building circular neighborhoods that are not only climate net-zero, but also generate energy and produce food. It&rsquo;s the first step to create &ldquo;the freemium model of living.&rdquo; The company has consulted with cities such as Den Bosch about prioritizing nature and, as a benefit, receiving carbon credits to boost their economy and human welfare.One of the key focus areas of the company is Urban Air Mobility. It works on the big question of how to create an infrastructure for drones and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) in a safe, secure and regulated way. And doing all of this while complying with the regulations of the European Commission.It&rsquo;s not just about knowing whose drone is flying where and when, but also about developing defined aerial routes above cities and creating rules for the behavior of aerial vehicles based on European laws.As an example of this work, Serendipity works with cutting edge technology and partners such as VERSES, Nalantis and the University of Maastricht to automate policy. With this approach, technology was developed for the operating system of drones based on the laws governing the interaction of drones with nature, such as birds. The team made a machine-readable code from the legal text and then applied it to the drone&rsquo;s operating system.The first results are interesting. Finding the definitions in this specific law were too vague to automate, so they reverse-engineered the intent of the policy to make it workable.Earlier this year, the company received 800,000 euros to refine and accelerate the rollout of its Digital Toolbox in cities and regions throughout Europe. This is part of Flying Forward 2020, a three-year R&amp;D project to develop a state-of-the-art Urban Air Mobility infrastructure.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1679492962587-Serendipity+drone.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Serendipity has developed a vision, together with Digie, for this geospatial infrastructure and selected its partners. Now, the team is proving the effectiveness of its digital tools in small-scale use cases. The consortium is testing this in five field labs throughout Europe, in which the High Tech Campus Eindhoven was the first.&ldquo;We&rsquo;re testing our geospatial infrastructure. Because if a small drone can fly with it, a flying car can as well,&rdquo; said Onland. &ldquo;The real impact of Urban Air Mobility for cities will be passengers and heavy freight transportation within and between cities. By doing this together, autonomously and cleanly, we create the alternative for mobility as we know it.&quot;But also, in the short term, we see impact. Right here on High Tech Campus Eindhoven, Serendipity is testing its Digital Toolbox with drones for security and safety. Think drones to monitor building maintenance and bring Automated External Defibrillators (AED) to emergencies.With sensors all around campus, HTCE only needs two or three people in the security department. Onland explained that if someone touches a sensor, a drone is sent to check it in a couple of minutes. &ldquo;The cost reduction is huge,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;The business case shows that it saves significant operational costs per year on security just for a campus like HTCE.&rdquo;These experiences in smaller field labs will be later applied to larger-scale efforts. The company is targeting the Dutch National Growth Fund in early 2024, which sets aside more than significant investment to define the future of Urban Air Mobility for the Netherlands and Europe. Serendipity will work with the national government to define the roadmap and work together with all the relevant national players, such as Schiphol, NS and Eindhoven Airport. That&rsquo;s when big things can really happen, like setting up a national infrastructure for flying vehicles.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s too crowded on the ground, but the urban airspace is still completely open in cities. You will have air highways between cities to transport people and goods for warehouses. And all of these corridors will essentially be software,&rdquo; Onland said.This grand vision for Urban Air Mobility and future-proof cities needs planning, forward-thinking and maybe just a bit of serendipity. That&rsquo;s what the company is working on.

Air taxis and flying cars may seem like science fiction, but for Onland, founder of Serendipity, these are real-world technologies he’s helping cities and countries prepare for now.