Misc

Epson Invests in startup AI Silk Developer and manufacturer of high-performance conductive textiles

Epson Invests in startup AI Silk
Developer and manufacturer of high-performance conductive textiles

SYDNEY, 30 August 2023 – Epson and its subsidiary company Epson X Investment Corporation (EXI) have invested in startup company AI Silk Corporation through a joint fund, the EP-GB Investment Limited Partnership. Sendai-based AI Silk, a startup that spun out of Tohoku University, develops and manufactures a high-performance conductive textile called LEAD SKIN®.

Conductive textiles have been used as materials for automotive parts and wearable devices in applications such as biological measurement and EMS1. However, there have been a number of issues. Sensing accuracy can be affected by conductive resistance. The feel and changes in properties (rust) can affect comfort and safety. There have also been issues in terms of manufacturing cost and durability.

LEAD SKIN®, a high-performance conductive textile developed and manufactured by AI Silk, solves these issues.

AI Silk has succeeded in making a variety of materials conductive, including silk, polyester, nonwoven fabrics and suede. This was achieved by dramatically improving the manufacturing process by adopting a proprietary conductive polymer coating technology based on technology invented at Tohoku University. This technology improves sensing accuracy by reducing conductive resistance. It also improves the feel, texture, comfort, and durability of the textile while also reducing manufacturing costs.

AI Silk intends to use this third-party allotment of shares to expand volume production of LEAD SKIN®. The company plans to expand beyond Japan and to sell LEAD SILK® as a material to meet the growing global demand for automotive parts and wearable devices such as EMS products. It is also considering expanding into the medical field.

Epson aims to give people lifestyle choices and enable them to live enriched lifestyles founded on physical and mental well-being. Epson decided to invest in AI Silk because it sees LEAD SKIN® as an interface technology for converting biological data captured through daily life into new value.

Going forward, Epson will help to achieve a sustainable society by creating a variety of partnerships and synergies based on its proprietary technologies, products, and services.

1 EMS: Electrical muscle stimulation. The elicitation of muscle contractions using small electric impulses in the expectation of the same type of effect as strength training.
* LEAD SKIN is a trademark or registered trademark of AI Silk Corporation.
* AI Silk is a registered trademark of AI Silk corporation.

Follow Epson on social media:
LinkedIn: @Epson-Australia
Facebook: @EpsonAustralia
Facebook: @Epson New Zealand
Twitter: @EpsonAust
YouTube: @EpsonAustralia
Instagram: @EpsonAust

-Brad

D-Link launches new DIS Series of Industrial Gigabit Switches with Long Reach PoE Designed with robust, reliable and flexible Industrial endurance

D-Link launches new DIS Series of Industrial Gigabit Switches with Long Reach PoE
Designed with robust, reliable and flexible Industrial endurance

SYDNEY, 22 August 2023 – D-Link A/NZ has launched its new DIS Series of Industrial Gigabit Long Reach PoE+ Switches consisting of the unmanaged DIS-F100G Series and the Layer 2 Smart Managed DIS-F200G Series, both with Long Reach PoE support. Built from the ground up for reliability and durability, the DIS Series Industrial Gigabit Switches offer a complete solution for demanding indoor and outdoor Industrial network applications, including factory automation, warehousing, intelligent transportation systems including automated carpark facilities and wherever harsh environmental conditions exist.

E 10-Port Gigabit Industrial PoE+ Switch with 8 Long Range PoE+ ports and 2 SFP ports

To accommodate such deployments, the new DIS-F100G and DIS-F200G Series Switches are housed in a highly durable, industrial-grade enclosure with IP40 ingress protection. Their fan-less energy-efficient design and robust housing enable operation in harsh environments with wide operating temperatures. For optimal reliability, the DIS Series provides cold start capability in environments with temperatures as low as -40°C with full-load operation at up to 75°C.

D-Link also designed the DIS Series with hardened components to reliably withstand environments with high electromagnetic interference (EMI) that would damage ordinary enterprise devices. Over and above this, all switches in the DIS Series also support dual power inputs to provide power redundancy, ensuring the connected networks keep running in the event of a power failure.

rial Smart Managed PoE+ Switch with 8 Long Range PoE+ ports and 2 SFP ports

The DIS Series features models that support IEEE 802.3at PoE+ to deliver up to 30W of power per port to connected PoE devices with a total PoE power budget of 120W or 240W. These models dynamically allocate power to connected PoE devices, such as IP phones, wireless access points, surveillance cameras and other standard PoE devices efficiently with lower deployment costs.

The DIS-F100G and DIS-F200G Series furthermore offer Long Reach PoE technology, allowing the use of longer network cable runs which are normally limited to 100m. The Long Reach PoE technology supports cables up to 250m long.

Importantly for devices with usage criteria that may include exposure to outdoor applications, the RJ-45 Ethernet ports on the DIS-F100G and DIS-F200G Series feature embedded 6 kV surge protection. This helps protect the switches against sudden electrical surges caused by events such as lightning strikes or unstable electrical currents. Built-in surge protection significantly reduces the chances of equipment being damaged by these surges and effectively lowers management costs by minimising the need for expensive equipment repairs or replacement.

The DIS-F200G Series also features carrier-grade RUN-Ring technology with 10-20ms recovery for high-speed metro Ethernet ring resilience. In addition, support for loop detection and cable diagnostics for network troubleshooting and maintenance provide reliable network access for non-stop service.

DIS-F100G Series Gigabit Industrial PoE+ Switches with Long Range PoE+ ports

DIS-F100G Series – summary, key features, pricing and availability
The DIS-F100G Series of Gigabit Industrial Unmanaged Switches are equipped with a variety of port combinations including 10/100/1000BASE-T Long Reach PoE+ ports and SFP ports. These switches feature a robust design making them ideal for deployment in Industrial and outdoor cabinet surveillance settings and capable of withstanding the harshest environments. In addition, the DIS-F100G Series are plug-and-play, allowing for eﬀortless and swift deployment.

DIS-F100G-6PS-E
6-Port Gigabit Industrial PoE+ Switch with 4 Long Reach PoE+ ports and 2 SFP ports
• 4 1000BASE-T Long Reach PoE+ ports and 2 SFP ports
• PoE budget is 120 watts
• IP40 Rated Robust, high-reliability design
• DIN rail mountable
• Fan-less, passive cooling design
• High EMC endurance
• 6kV surge protection on copper ports
• Dual power input for redundant power supplies
RRP AU$399.95 and NZ$499.99

DIS-F100G-10PS-E
10-Port Gigabit Industrial PoE+ Switch with 8 Long Reach PoE+ ports and 2 SFP ports
• 8 1000BASE-T Long Reach PoE+ ports and 2 SFP ports
• PoE budget is 240 watts
• IP40 Rated Robust, high-reliability design
• DIN rail mountable
• Fan-less, passive cooling design
• High EMC endurance
• 6kV surge protection on copper ports
• Dual power input for redundant power supplies
RRP AU$559.95 and NZ$699.99

DIS-F200G Series Smart Managed Gigabit Industrial PoE+ Switches with Long Range PoE+ ports

DIS-F200G Series – summary, key features, pricing and availability
The DIS-200G Series Layer 2 Gigabit Industrial Smart Managed Switches are equipped with 4 (DIS-F200G-6PS-E) and 8 (DIS-F200G-10PS-E) Long Reach PoE+ capable 10/100/1000BASE-T ports and 2 SFP ports. These switches feature a robust design making them ideal for deployment in Industrial and outdoor settings and are capable of withstanding the harshest environments. The DIS-F200G Series furthermore integrates advanced management and security functions to provide a complete solution.

DIS-F200G-6PS-E
6-Port Gigabit Industrial Smart Managed PoE+ Switch with 4 Long Reach PoE+ ports and 2 SFP ports
• 4 1000BASE-T Long Reach PoE+ ports and 2 SFP ports
• PoE budget is 120 Watts
• IP40 Rated Robust, high-reliability design
• DIN rail mountable
• Fan-less, passive cooling design
• High EMC endurance
• 6kV surge protection on copper ports
• Dual power input for redundant power supplies
• Advanced networking features
• RUN-Ring technology with <10ms self-healing RRP AU$499.95 and NZ$599.99 DIS-F200G-10PS-E 10-Port Gigabit Industrial Smart Managed PoE+ Switch with 8 Long Reach PoE+ ports and 2 SFP ports • 8 1000BASE-T Long Reach PoE+ ports and 2 SFP ports • PoE budget is 240 Watts • IP40 Rated Robust, high-reliability design • DIN rail mountable • Fan-less, passive cooling design • High EMC endurance • 6kV surge protection on copper ports • Dual power input for redundant power supplies • Advanced networking features • RUN-Ring technology with <10ms self-healing RRP AU$679.95 and NZ$789.99 The new DIS-F100G and DIS-F200G Series Industrial Gigabit Switches are available now from www.dlink.com.au, www.dlink.co.nz and from all D-Link authorised partners and resellers in both countries. Picture credits The new D-Link DIS-F100G-10PS-E 10-Port Gigabit Industrial PoE+ switch with 8 Long Reach PoE+ ports and 2 SFP ports For more images go to: http://files.dlink.com.au/Products/DIS-F100G-10PS-E/Images/ The new D-Link DIS-F200G-10PS-E 10-Port Gigabit Industrial Smart Managed PoE+ Switch with 8 Long Reach PoE+ ports and 2 SFP ports For more images go to: http://files.dlink.com.au/Products/DIS-F200G-10PS-E/Images/ -Brad

Sony announces finalists for Catchlight Film Festival 2023

SYDNEY, 24 AUGUST 2023, Sony has announced the finalists for the third annual Catchlight Film Festival. Presented by Sony Australia, the Catchlight Film Festival celebrates the best short-form filmmaking shot on Sony cameras across Australia and New Zealand. The festival aims to encourage filmmakers at all levels, by showcasing the exceptional talent and abilities of cinematographers and filmmakers who are using the Sony system to capture their stories.

Winners of this year’s Catchlight Film Festival will be announced on Saturday 9 September at the 2023 Catchlight Film Festival awards ceremony in Sydney, hosted by Sony Australia.

In 2023, the Catchlight Film Festival includes four categories – Fiction (scripted), Non-Fiction (documentary), Student Fiction and Music Video, once again encouraging submissions from short filmmakers of all kinds.

Movie poster for The Urn, winner of Fiction category at the 2022 Catchlight Film Festival

Building on Sony’s deep roots in the global film and television industry and its technology leadership in digital imaging, the Catchlight Film Festival aims to support the vibrant and flourishing filmmaking community in Australia and New Zealand.

Catchlight Film Festival 2023 finalists
Fiction
HAVEN – Krish Maharaj
Straight on ‘til Mourning – Kaitlyn Boye
Subject – Fraser Whitehead
Bangay Lore – Jahvis Loveday
Forgiving – Chromatic Aberration Productions

Non-Fiction
HaMidbar – Kirsten Slemint
We Can Be Heroes – Hayden Huynh
The Instigator – Chelsea Williams
Pitch Black – Guillym Davenport
Where The Dreamings Come From – Matt Deavin

Music Video
Baby Prince – Shake ft. Blessed – Bronson Moyle
Burnout – Jon Copson
Tatsuya & Moog – Celosia Fields

Student Fiction
It Takes a Village – Amelia P
The Extra – Tyler Kang
Hill’s Hoist – Angus Becke-Smith
Bovine Rider – Percibrey Constance

To view the finalists’ films please visit – https://filmfestival.sony.com.au/

Picture credits
Catchlight Film Festival logo
Movie poster for The Urn, winner of Fiction category at the 2022 Catchlight Film Festival

-Brad

Epson makes investment in space robotics development

SYDNEY, 15 August 2023 – Epson and its subsidiary Epson X Investment Corporation (EXI) have made an additional investment in GITAI, a startup company that develops general-purpose space robots

ell versatile space robots that will serve as a workforce for tasks both inside and outside space stations, in Earth’s orbit, as well as on the Moon and Mars. Additionally, they aim to provide services in space.

With the acceleration of space development, including lunar resource development, Mars exploration, and the commercialisation of the International Space Station (ISS), a rapid increase in various types of work within space is anticipated, such as the construction of new space stations, lunar bases, and Mars bases. This work is potentially dangerous and is currently being performed by astronauts, who must be trained and transported at tremendous expense.

GITAI is developing general-purpose robots that can significantly reduce the risk and burden on astronauts while also dramatically reducing the overall cost of transportation and training associated with space labour. By doing so, GITAI aims to make space exploration and development both safe and affordable. Since 2021, they have been steadily building a strong track record by developing lunar work robots and extravehicular robots, as well as by successfully completing on-board experiments using demonstration models on the ISS.

As outlined in the Epson 25 Renewed corporate vision, Epson aims to drive manufacturing innovation by co-creating flexible, high-throughput production systems that reduce environmental impacts. GITAI’s space robot technology has potential applications in Epson’s robotics business and has proven to be competitive in the expanding space business market.

The company continues to forge growth with its strong technical and organisation capabilities. Recognising its impressive track record and the significant technological advancements it has achieved, Epson decided to follow up its initial investment in 2021 with this additional investment.

Going forward, Epson will help to achieve a sustainable society by creating a variety of partnerships and synergies based on its proprietary technologies, products, and services.

Follow Epson on social media:
LinkedIn: @Epson-Australia
Facebook: @EpsonAustralia
Facebook: @Epson New Zealand
Twitter: @EpsonAust
YouTube: @EpsonAustralia
Instagram: @EpsonAust

-Brad

Aspera Mobile launches new $149 highly featured AS8 4G smart phone Further enhances the entry level smartphone experience

Aspera Mobile launches new $149 highly featured AS8 4G smart phone
Further enhances the entry level smartphone experience

SYDNEY, 17 August 2023 – Aspera Mobile has taken things up a notch to further enhance the entry level smartphone experience by launching its AS8 smartphone for just $149. The unlocked 4G AS8 has a wide range of features including face recognition, fingerprint recognition and NFC, enabling contactless payments using Google Wallet to tap to pay for ultimate convenience – all for just $149.

Aspera Mobile’s new $149 AS8 smartphone, front and back

The new 4G AS8’s main features include:

6.3”, 20:9, IPS, In-cell HD+, 1600 x 720-pixel display
Face recognition
Fingerprint recognition
NFC capability, enabling contactless payments
8MP + 0.08MP rear and 5MP front camera
Large 4000m Li-Polymer removable battery
4G connectivity with VoLTE data calls improving voice quality
Octa-Core 1.6GHz CPU
USB-C, Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity
Dual 4G SIM slots
2GB RAM + 32GB ROM (plus 1GB virtual RAM allocated from available ROM)
Android 13 (Go edition)
4G bands – 1/3/5/7/8/28a+b, 3G bands – 850/900/2100Mhz
160.75mm x 75mm x 9.6mm in size
A free gel case

Aspera Mobile MD Allan Robertson explained, “The AS8 is a highly featured, lower cost smartphone which is part of our new 2023 range. As with all Aspera phones it is aimed squarely at the budget conscious and those people who want a great smart phone experience but don’t want to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars to get one. It has a high-quality feel, an HD+ display, a great camera and a long-lasting and removable battery. It even comes with a free gel case – all of which make it terrific value at just $149. As such, we believe it is the best value smartphone in the market at that price.”

Like some of its stablemates, the AS8 also uses its clever Octa-Core CPU to create an additional 1GB of virtual RAM that works seamlessly with its in-built 2GB RAM and 32GB ROM to help the Android 13 OS

Robertson continued, “The AS8 is about adding more features, more functionality and more convenience to create what we believe is the best smart phone experience for $149. Our goal was very much to enhance the entry level smartphone experience rather than just make it more expensive, as so many other manufacturers have.”

Aspera recently celebrated 10 years of manufacturing good quality, reliable and low-cost phones supported by local, Australian-based customer service.

Allan Robertson concluded, “The AS8 is a logical progression from the recently released AS5 as it has more power, a larger display, a bigger battery and a better camera. It also fits perfectly within our value proposition of delivering customers a lot of functionality and a good design without the premium price tag. In short, if you want a great smart phone experience and you don’t want to spend many hundreds of dollars, at $149 the AS8 will give you everything you need.”

The new Aspera Mobile AS8 4G smartphone is available now and can be purchased for just $149 at retailers including Big W, Ritchies IGA, Seasons IGA, Freedom Fuels, Trinity Petroleum, Mobileciti, Personal Digital, Mobile Experts and selected BP service stations.

For more information on the new 4G AS8 go to: https://asperamobile.com/phones/smart-phones/aspera-as8
Picture credits
Aspera Mobile’s new $149 AS8 4G smartphone

-Brad

Video of the Day (this is the best ipad)

this is the best ipad

Check out this cool Video from Canoopsy. 🙂

-Brad