Category Archives: Auto

Raven can help protect your vehicle and the people riding in it



Raven Connected CarWhen you’re driving around, there are a host of reasons why you might want to have a recording of what is happening around you. Whether it be to document a car accident or just something interesting happening on the side of the road, being able to capture the moment could be handy. With the help of Raven, that desire becomes a reality. We had the opportunity to speak with Raven last year, but the device has gotten even better since then.

The product started as a great way to keep track of a car and make sure the occupants are safe. With the built-in GPS, data connection, and forward and rear-facing cameras, Raven makes it easy to follow a vehicle’s journey and check in if something seems off. The idea came about when the founder’s daughter was driving through a snowstorm, and he simply wanted the peace of mind that everything was okay. All of these features made doing just that a possibility.

Today, the Raven is much more than that. In fact, it is a complete connected car system. It connects through the car’s diagnostic port and is able to do all of the things that a consumer diagnostic computer can do, such as read trouble codes, manage fuel efficiency, monitor speed, and more. Using the data connection, this information can be watched remotely, so parents can keep a better eye on their kids.

More than just parents can find a lot of value in the Raven, though. In fact, the company has brought out a number of fleet management capabilities. When put into a corporate vehicle, the system can replace the features of a GPS tracker, a “tattler,” and more. The cameras can be used to make sure the right people are in the vehicle. The GPS can be used to ensure that routes are being followed, and if not, follow where the vehicle has gone. The diagnostics capabilities can help a fleet manager predict maintenance issues before they become a problem.

The Raven connected car is available now with a variety of options.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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Here Comes the Bus brings added peace of mind for worrying parents



Here Comes the Bus by Synovia SolutionsEvery parent that has a child that rides the bus to school has worried about their arriving at school safely and on time. Synovia Solutions has introduced Here Comes the Bus, a platform designed for having the capability for the parent and the school district to track the bus as it delivers their children safely to their destination. It is literally a morning de-stressor for parents!

This was designed primarily for fleet management for companies to manage their drivers’ behavior, progress, and patterns. They have developed an app for the school districts all over the country to also be able to track the drivers of school buses as they transport the students to school and home again. They have 900 school districts that are involved! It offers an app for parents to also observe the same thing. Now they can watch the bus’ activity and follow it on the route. They will see if it is delayed for any reason or stopped in an unexpected place.

It is built on GPS technology. This allows communication with a satellite which in turn communicates with the software and then relays the information to the parents. This also allows employees of the school districts to know if there are any problems with the buses. School administrators can then be alerted to a late bus. Maintenance will also know if a potential problem with any bus is occurring.

In addition to being able to track the bus, parents are able to find out if their children have gotten on or off the bus. This is accomplished by using a barcode scanner as they get on or off the bus. If the students have an ID that already has a barcode, it can be used for this purpose. If not, one can be provided for them.

Here Comes the Bus is available now for school districts that are interested. For more information go to their website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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Velco brings fantastic navigation systems right to your bicycle



Make any bike smart | VelcoWe’ve all seen numerous TV shows and news reports that show how much congestion there is in big cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The standstill traffic seems endless. A lot of us cannot even imagine being in those situations in a taxi, let alone maneuvering our own cars around in them. Many people who live in large cities like these throughout the world keep their daily living circles tight, with home, work, groceries and bars/restaurants within walking distance. Bicycling is also a very popular mode of transportation in these urban settings. Not only does it provide exercise and health benefits, but also allows for an extension of their usual walking radius.

Velco is a French tech company that has the simple, yet earnest vision to create an environment for smarter and more personalized urban mobility. They have a true understanding of the real issues in the various urban mobility markets as they are surrounded by cycling organizations and businesses. As delivery companies, bike sharing services, tour operators and even police forces utilize bicycles more and more in their daily operations, they need to have many of the same, easy to use modern conveniences that we do in our vehicles. As a result, they are designing and marketing connected solutions for mobility professionals all over the world.

We stopped into the Velco booth at CES Unveiled 2019 to get a closer look. CEO, Pierre Regnier showed us a couple of their new products. First off is a navigation device called Tom-E. It offers a unique, intuitive and universal navigation system that is based on light signals. This system basically revolutionizes the daily commute on your bicycle or really any preferred means of transportation. It is simple and compact. Just enter your destination, lock your phone, tuck it away and let yourself be guided.

Also being showcased was the Wink Bar, a connected handlebar that will absolutely revolutionize daily cycling. This smart handlebar can be installed on any bike and connects through your smartphone. It enables riders to now enjoy intuitive GPS navigation while en route. Features include Track & Trace anti-theft as well as powerful integrated headlights.

These innovative new products bring familiar conveniences to our bike riding experience, whether for work or leisure. Riders are able to utilize them while maintaining safety. Prices start at $79.00 for the Tom-E and $279 for the Wink Bar. To find out more about the company and their product line, visit their website.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.

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Voyager can take you where you want to go in a fun, new style!



Voyager BicyclesIn the last few years the skateboard, the scooter, and the bike have practically been totally transformed. These recreational products have come a long way since they were invented. We spoke to Lloyd Gladstone, head of Product Development for Voyager, who produce a number of products in this area. For example, the company makes a line of electric skateboards, branded Tony Hawk model and Voyager. They have a 6-mile range on a charge and can go 12.5 mph. Price points range from $149-$199.

The focal point of the product line, however, if their line of electric scooters and bicycles. All of these products feature a Qi-enabled phone holder, as well as Bluetooth controls, allowing you to interact with the device’s controls and GPS without ever taking your eyes off of the road. These features not only add smart capabilities but also make the products smarter. The Voyager line offers a number of scooter options ranging from $299 to $499.

One of the more interesting features of the bicycles we saw was a hidden motor. Rather than looking like a regular electric bicycle, this model had the motor hidden in the wheel and the battery hidden in the frame. Another model offered the ability to remove the battery, allowing you to have more than one, so you can charge one while you use another. Both of these models can run for around 30 miles on a charge up to 20 mph.

In addition, he showed us several really interesting hoverboards. One, in particular, is called the Glowboard, which is lighted and makes it safer at night and also has a color-changing feature. The other one has a strobe effect and lights up your path and also flashes strobe lighting. Extending the hoverboard idea is the Space Shoes. These are somewhere between a hoverboard and roller skates. The ride is more challenging than a traditional hoverboard, but once you get the hang of it, you can do some pretty cool tricks. All of these products feature gyroscopic stabilization, making it easier for you to stay standing up.

These products will probably be available in the summer of 2019. For more information, check out their website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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You won’t believe what you can see with DeepRay’s advanced AI tech



Cambridge ConsultantsAs Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes more and more commonplace in our daily lives, there are those who aren’t quite sure of the abilities of this technology in more advanced applications. Sure, it all sounds good, driverless cars and advances in medicine. But there are so many real-world distractions and distortions at play at any given time, how can any artificially created intelligence possibly understand and mitigate for them all? We had the opportunity to speak with Thomas Carmody, Head of Transports and Infrastructure for Cambridge Consultants, about their newest technology that will definitely help to get Artificial Intelligence to that next level of universal application.

Cambridge Consultants is a technology development organization that works on approximately 400 technology projects per year with numerous customers. Here at CES 2019, they are showcasing DeepRay. This is a technology that their AI Engineers have developed and its purpose is to remove distortion from images. At first take, you might not realize the impact that this can have, but the potential uses are actually quite far-reaching. This ground-breaking Artificial Intelligence technology is able to create clear and undistorted views of the real-world from a damaged or obscured moving image. And it can do this in real time as it is able to cope with the variables of light and moving distortion. With the recent advances in deep learning, DeepRay has the power to see clearly in difficult, unpredictable situations could transform numerous machine vision and imaging applications, from autonomous driving to empowering healthcare professionals with more accurate medical imaging.

This breakthrough technology is more important now than ever and there are numerous applications for it. As you can imagine, in our near future, there are going to be a lot of robots all operating in multiple aspects of our lives. They will all rely on cameras which will encounter everything from dirt and weather to cracked and broken lenses and images. Deep Ray will allow them to make sense of the world around them for accuracy as well as safety.

Deep Ray is available for implementation right now and the company is looking for partners to help take it to the next level. They are also looking for customers who are looking for solutions to real-world problems in their industries. For more information, visit their website here.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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Bringing a Great New Dimension to the Autonomous World with FLIR



FLIR thermal imaging for autonomous vehicles FLIR has always made important tasks safer and easier with the thermal technology that they adapt into their cameras. From being able to see people and objects that couldn’t otherwise be seen, to detecting dangerous leaks to handling repairs hands-free, FLIR has touched all of our lives in ways that we aren’t even aware. While we all know that traditional infrared cameras allow sight in total darkness, bad weather and through such things as smoke and haze, FLIR allows for sight behind walls and in ceilings. And lucky for us, they continually find ways to refine and introduce this technology into new products.

One of their latest projects is venturing into the ever growing world of autonomous vehicles. On display this year is their new Automotive Development Kit (ADK). This sensor kit is targeted towards automotive software developers that are looking to add a different kind of sensor to their projects. Adding temperature sensing to the existing array of sensors already on autonomous vehicles will significantly increase the overall detection capabilities. These sensors are not meant to replace any of the sensors that are currently in use, but to be used in addition to them for an extra level of safety as thermal imaging does not have the same constraints as regular video cameras and sonar detection. Allowing developers to jump right in and discover the possibilities is a perfect way to get things started.

On display at the booth was a demonstration using the ADK hardware. In the demo, you could watch a live video of the path next to the booth, and the sensor and software together were able to identify and track humans as they passed by. This is an essential technology to allow autonomous vehicles to be able to progress from level 4 to level 5, the difference between having a steering wheel and not.

The sensors come in a few different sizes and lengths, with more improvements in the works. If you are a developer and would like more information on how to get a kit, visit their website at flir.com/adk.

Also, check out these cool consumer products that are available on Amazon:
FLIR TG130 Spot Thermal Camera and Protective Case
FLIR ONE Thermal Imaging Camera for Android USB-C (Gen 3)
FLIR Systems FXV101-W Outdoor Wireless HD Video Camera

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More Great Things Are in the Works at Intel



Intel autonomous drivingThere is always so much to see inside the Intel booth at CES: the innovation, the creativity, the collaboration. It’s basically a universe all unto itself and it’s so much fun to dive in and explore. While there, we came across this really cool translucent, known as The Inside Autonomous Experience. It is basically demonstrating and representing what people can expect in 2021 in terms of the types of hardware that will be used for the sensors in autonomous vehicles. This display vehicle has a total of 23 sensors on it. There are 11 cameras, 7 radar sensors, 3 LiDAR sensors and 2 ultrasonic sensors. Intel and partners can use the sensors as part of the autonomous experience, and can also collect the data and information on the vehicle to improve performance.

To make it even more awesome, Intel has recently acquired Mobileye, a market leader in advanced driver assistance systems. They are combining forces to make the next level in autonomous driving a reality. Through this partnership they can leverage Mobileye’s hardware and cameras as the eyes of the vehicle and Intel as the brains. This not only frees up both entities to give their attention and expertise to their own portion of the project, but also, when they come together, they can make autonomous driving safer and more affordable. These are two very important factors for moving forward in this industry.

Another great thing that Mobileye has brought to the table is Road Experience Management (REM), which does crowd source mapping among the vehicles on the road that already include Mobileye. There are currently already 20 million vehicles that have this technology already built in. This technology also allows for high definition maps and will allow the vehicles to localize themselves.

When can we expect to see more than an acrylic representation of this wonderful technology? Well, Intel is doing what they do best: using their technical and computing expertise to creatively innovate next level products and then analyze the data to produce a final product that far exceeds our expectations. We can’t wait to see how this project evolves between now and 2021.

To get the latest Intel news and information, please visit their website.

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Have a Dream to Fly? It’s About to Come True!



Volocopter Flying TaxiVolocopter is building the first Verticle Take Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft in the world that is unmanned and electric. They aim to make our dream of flying come true while, at the same time, helping to ease the mobility problems that modern cities face. It is more than just a design concept. As a matter of fact, it has already been introduced in other parts of the world and made its North American debut here at CES 2018.

Volocopter is not just for pilots, it is actually the first of its kind being referred to as an AAT (Autonomous Air Taxi). They are looking for it to become the Uber or taxi service of the airways. It is a helicopter that has been built with Super-Drone Technology. This 18 blade head assembly vehicle is 100% electric and has a 30 minute runtime. It is actually being crafted for the masses to be very affordable and not just for private use. It will pick you up and deliver you to your destination just like a taxi would do. The makers of Volocopter have already had their maiden autonomous flight in Dubai. They also had their first passenger/autonomous flight here in Vegas. It was conducted during the Keynote Speech with Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, right inside the theatre.

Volocopter’s ultimate goal is to have between 50 to 100 copters flying the airways in any city or urban environment in the world within 2 to 3 years. This is one that we are definitely going to keep an eye on for future developments and updates.

Interview by Chase Lowery of PLuGHiTz Live Special Events.
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Enjoy New and Simple Connectivity to Your Car with Raven



Raven Driving TechnologyRaven is a connected car product with a new type of technology integration that combines four different technologies into one. They have taken a traditional dashcam, displays, connection to tel-harmonics in the car as well as a built-in security system.

It sits right on top of your dashboard, always in view. You can customize the display from a list of driving information readouts. This ensures that you have the best possible information to help you drive safely. There are an array of sensors and you will be alerted if your car is bumped, broken into or stolen. Raven can alert family/friends if there is a critical event. Simply add them to your Trusted Circle and they will receive vital information to help you in the event of an incident or emergency.

The Alerts are customizable. Raven keeps aware of the driving behaviors of each driver, with alerts such as speeding, curfew, boundary and dangerous driving activities. It also keeps all videos that you can check at any time and also share with one click on social media. You can create driving reports which help with specific travel data for expense reports or insurance purposes. The app also gives you access to live views and vehicle information at any time. You will have the peace of mind of always knowing what is going on with your car, and its drivers.

Pricing begins at $299. You can preorder now and receive a $30 discount. Shipping begins in March 2018. Upon activation, you will be prompted to choose one of their monthly service plans. There is a 30 day risk free test drive available. Learn more by visiting their website.

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Make Your Car Better Without Any Special Tools



FenSens car sensorsHave an older vehicle that doesn’t have sensors to assist with obstacle avoidance? FenSens is a license plate holder that is a smart wireless parking sensor. It sends the data directly to your smartphone. With installation time of just 5 minutes with no wires, It’s an affordable UPGRADE for any car. There are platforms for both Android/iOS and the hands free app launches instantly to provide convenient audio, visual, and vibration alerts when objects are dedicated in the path of the sensors. There’s no complex setup or installation fees. FenSens is perfect for all consumer and commercial fleet vehicles not exceeding 30 feet in length. You can use one both on the back and front of your car, to provide maximum protection.

There will soon be a magnetic version that can be attached to other places on the car, or even on your boat. And the company is also working on other add-on tech for vehicles. You can get yours here.

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