Brain-Computer Interface

Continual improvements of this BCI, as well as similar visual BCIs in development, hold great promise that BCIs will soon provide patients with successful options for eradicating blindness.

Different techniques are used to measure brain activity for BCIs.

Studies with DOC patients will then demonstrate whether BCI can be purposefully utilized to investigate cognitive processing, to improve diagnosis, or even for social interaction in patients with DOC. It is unknown how much structural and functional integrity and connectivity of the brain is necessary to use a BCI for at least minimal communication.

One view is that electrodes on top of the brain are safer and easier to place, and that they can capture enough signal for effective BCI control.

The pace of knowledge, progress, and technology innovation seems to promise continuing and steady progress to create better BCIs, but the pace can be substantially accelerated when the field integrates a clear definition of goals, regulatory and clinical demands, commercialization potential, and health care system impact, as well as the ELSI of brain interface technology.

Further miniaturization of BCI and neuroprosthetic devices will also increase the adoption of these technologies and facilitate the development of fully implantable BCI systems.

A detailed analysis of the cyber-vulnerabilities of BCIs suggested that security breaches could occur at various phases of the BCI cycle including signal acquisition, feature extraction and decoding.

Brain-Computer Interface: Advancement And Challenges

Bousseta R., El Ouakouak I., Gharbi M., Regragui F. EEG based brain computer interface for controlling a robot arm movement through thought.

Djamal E.C., Abdullah M.Y., Renaldi F. Brain computer interface game controlling using fast fourier transform and learning vector quantization.

Fatourechi M., Bashashati A., Ward R.K., Birch G.E. EMG and EOG artifacts in brain computer interface systems: A survey.

Rezaei S., Tavakolian K., Nasrabadi A.M., Setarehdan S.K. Different classification techniques considering brain computer interface applications.

Chaudhary P., Agrawal R. A comparative study of linear and non-linear classifiers in sensory motor imagery based brain computer interface.

Mohamed E.A., Yusoff M.Z.B., Selman N.K., Malik A.S. Enhancing EEG signals in brain computer interface using wavelet transform.

Mudgal S.K., Sharma S.K., Chaturvedi J., Sharma A. Brain computer interface advancement in neurosciences: Applications and issues.

Brain-Computer Interfaces

BCI is direct communication pathway between an enhanced or wired brain and an external device.

The Brain-Computer Interfaces project in Microsoft Research aims to enable BCI for the general population.

We go towards interactive BCI, which means response times within seconds and using EEG signals.

Haptic: steady-state somatosensory evoked potential.

BCI as type of HMI. BCI can be treated as another input modality of the human-machine interface.

We target general population in interactive BCI scenarios.

The most promising applications include augmenting the UI of AR/VR glasses with BCI components.

Brain-Computer Interfaces: Definitions And Principles

Unlike the natural CNS outputs that come from spinal and brainstem motoneurons, BCI outputs come from brain signals that represent activity in other CNS areas, such as the sensorimotor cortex.

If BCIs are to be useful for important communication and control tasks in real life, the CNS must control these brain signals nearly as reliably and accurately as it controls spinal motoneurons.

The ongoing adaptive modifications that maintain effective natural CNS outputs take place primarily in the CNS. The adaptive modifications that maintain effective BCI outputs can also take place in the BCI. This means that the BCI operation depends on the effective collaboration of two adaptive controllers, the CNS and the BCI. Realization of this second adaptive controller, the BCI, and management of its interactions with concurrent adaptations in the CNS comprise another complex and critical challenge for BCI development.

BCIs can use different kinds of brain signals recorded in different ways from different brain areas.

Noninvasive BCIs need to take special care to avoid interpreting nonbrain signals as brain signals.

In the future, the most effective BCIs will probably be those that combine goal selection and process control so as to distribute control between the BCI and the application in a fashion suited to the current action.

The primary measure of BCI development is the extent to which BCI systems benefit people with neuromuscular disorders.

Brain-Computer Interface

Implementations of BCIs range from non-invasive and partially invasive to invasive, based on how close electrodes get to brain tissue.

This 1988 report written by Stevo Bozinovski, Mihail Sestakov, and Liljana Bozinovska was the first one about a robot control using EEG. In 1990, a report was given on a closed loop, bidirectional adaptive BCI controlling computer buzzer by an anticipatory brain potential, the Contingent Negative Variation potential.

The CNV brain potential was part of the BCI challenge presented by Vidal in his 1973 paper.

Miguel Nicolelis, a professor at Duke University, in Durham, North Carolina, has been a prominent proponent of using multiple electrodes spread over a greater area of the brain to obtain neuronal signals to drive a BCI. After conducting initial studies in rats during the 1990s, Nicolelis and his colleagues developed BCIs that decoded brain activity in owl monkeys and used the devices to reproduce monkey movements in robotic arms.

Partially invasive BCI devices are implanted inside the skull but rest outside the brain rather than within the grey matter.

After the BCI challenge was stated by Vidal in 1973, the initial reports on non-invasive approach included control of a cursor in 2D using VEP, control of a buzzer using CNV, control of a physical object, a robot, using a brain rhythm, control of a text written on a screen using P300. In the early days of BCI research, another substantial barrier to using Electroencephalography as a brain-computer interface was the extensive training required before users can work the technology.

While the cellular based BCI technology was developed to initiate a phone call from SSVEPs, the researchers said that it can be translated for other applications, such as picking up sensorimotor mu/beta rhythms to function as a motor-imagery based BCI. In 2013, comparative tests were performed on android cell phone, tablet, and computer based BCIs, analyzing the power spectrum density of resultant EEG SSVEPs.

The Introductory Guide To BCI

One study tested a BCI system on its ability to detect and classify brain activity with its paired mental actions.

BCI researchers have also used humanoid robots controlled by BCI devices to manipulate a remote environment.

BCI is being used to study how specific tissue systems respond to electrical stimulation and what that could mean at the cognitive level.

In the future, we may see BCI medical products used in surgery or other medical operations.

BCI enables subjects with motor disabilities to use their brain activity to control objects in their environment and communicate.

BCI software can “Translate” mental commands from EEG data into commands in a video game.

In BCI gaming, instead of using a traditional game controller, the subject uses mental commands to enable movement-based actions in the game – such as “Push,” “Pull” or “Jump.” The BCI processes mental commands from the EEG and triggers the corresponding action in the VR game.

How Does Brain-Computer Interface Work

In invasive BCI, electrodes are applied on the scalp of the human, i.e., EEG-based BCI. While in invasive BCI, the electrodes are directly attached to the brain carrying out surgeries.

BCI can be adaptive, assistive, and rehabilitative technology that reads or interprets older adults’ brain activity and transforms into signals that can be used to operate the devices.

In the last two decades, multiple BCI approaches have been developed based upon slow waves, EPs, SSEPs, and MI paradigms to help escalate the medical field through BCI. The first BCI application was used to move prosthetics, spell, and move the computer cursor.

The role of BCI is widespread in medicine, and it is used in automated wheelchair control through the BCI approach; another exclusive clinical application of BCI is the facilitation of motor function after spinal cord surgery or stroke.

BCIs can be helpful in the diagnosis of certain brain disorders.

Artistic BCI refers to the integration of arts into BCI. David Rosen boom was the first to try different experiments to link brain functions with the musical production, perception of proprioception, and musical forms.

There are some social and ethical concerns regarding the application of BCI. Many factors like user safety, privacy protection, ethics, community acceptance, data confidentiality, and socioeconomic aspects related to BCI ensure user satisfaction.

Fully Electric Ram 1500: Sleeker, More Daring Design Teased With New Photos

Stellantis last year revealed that a fully electric Ram 1500 is due in 2024.

In the meantime it’s provided some teasers suggesting that while this electric truck won’t be a wild outlier like the Tesla Cybertruck, it will be something of a design departure from the standard Ram 1500.

“Ram will offer fully electrified solutions in the majority of its segments by 2025, and a full portfolio of electrified solutions for all of its segments no later than 2030,” the brand declared as part of a long-term strategic plan detailed earlier this week, including photos of a fully electric Jeep due in 2023.

Last month, Ram said that it’s looking to its most devoted Ram truck brand fans to help decide what the priorities should be for this upcoming electric truck-with something called RamRevolution.com.

With that, the brand released a new teaser rendering of the fully electric Ram 1500 pickup due in 2024, with a profile shot suggesting that the electric Ram will have a rounded profile, along with side-body sculpting that connects to the edge of the bed.

The Ram electric pickup is being developed roughly on the same timeline as a Dodge electric muscle car, also due in 2024.

Ram has teased this truck profile before, calling it the “Range Electric Paradigm Breaker,” while also hinting that plug-in hybrids play a part in its truck future.

Ram Unveils ‘Built To Serve’ Vehicle Meant To Honor First Responders During Chicago Auto Show

CHICAGO – During the 2022 Chicago Auto Show, Ram unveiled their second phase of their Built to Serve trucks, which will honor the firefighters, police and emergency service providers who serve or have served our communities.

“After honoring each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces with our initial Built to Serve models, we felt it would be equally important to also extend our gratitude to all first responders who serve or have served our communities,” said Mike Koval Jr., Ram brand CEO – Stellantis.

Each of the three main first responder services will be honored by Ram with two specially selected, unique low-volume exterior paint colors This firefighter-inspired Ram 1500 Built to Serve edition is offered in Redline and Diamond Black exterior colors, with a black interior with orange accent stitching.

Ram 1500 Built to Serve trucks feature other unique interior and exterior features that set them apart, including a United States flag and a Built to Serve decal on each of the rear quarter panels.

Inside, the Built to Serve Ram trucks represent each of the three main emergency services, accented with unique, corresponding color stitching.

Ram 1500 Built to Serve models have a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $46,625, plus $1,795 destination.

New 2022 Ram 1500 Built to Serve models go on sale in the spring of 2022.

Man And His 3-Year-Old Daughter Killed When Truck Slams Into California Apartment Complex

An apparently speeding pickup truck slammed into an apartment complex in North Long Beach Tuesday night, March 1, killing a father and his 3-year-old daughter who were inside, police said, with the suspect fleeing on foot.

Police were searching for the driver of a 2014 Dodge Ram truck, described as a man about 20 to 25 years old.

The pickup crashed into the complex and struck multiple people inside at about 10 p.m., police said.

The truck ended up partially inside one of the downstairs units.

Eduardo Caballero, who lives in the neighborhood and was studying in his car Tuesday night, said he heard the revving of the truck’s engine and then saw it slam into the building.

Police Chief Wally Hebeish asked that anyone involved in the crash surrender immediately.

A pair of police officers talked to neighbors and knocked on nearby houses.

Ram 1500 Crew Cab Earns TOP SAFETY PICK ‘Hat Trick’ As IIHS Announces New Ratings

Third time a Ram 1500 crew cab pickup has earned the TOP SAFETY PICK rating under latest IIHS test regimen.

“The Ram 1500 Crew Cab’s winning streak underlines our ongoing pledge to deliver exceptional vehicle safety,” said Mike Koval Jr., head of Ram brand.

The IIHS revised its ratings system in 2020 to include a greater emphasis on lighting and AEB. The Ram 1500 Crew Cab’s AEB system, which is standard equipment on Rebel, Laramie.

The 2022 Ram 1500 Crew Cab achieved the highest possible score in each.

With a full lineup of trucks, the Ram 1500, 2500/3500 Heavy Duty, 3500/4500/5500 Chassis Cab, ProMaster and ProMaster City, the Ram brand builds trucks that get the hard work done and families where they need to go.

Ram is the number one brand in new vehicle quality and is the only truck-exclusive brand to ever finish first in J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Study, which tracks new vehicle performance over the first three months of ownership.

In the same study, Ram Heavy Duty models also scored best, making Ram the number-one truck brand in new vehicle quality among large heavy-duty pickups.

Ram Trucks

Ram Trucks, stylized as RAM and formerly known as the Ram Truck Division, is an American brand of light to mid-weight trucks and other commercial vehicles, and a division of Stellantis.

Ram Trucks was established as a division of Chrysler in 2010, as a spin-off from Dodge, and using the name of the Dodge Ram line of pickups that is now sold under the Ram banner.

According to Chrysler, the Ram Trucks brand will concentrate on “Real truck customers”, rather than casual truck buyers who buy trucks for image or style.

Ram trucks are marketed separately from Dodge cars; former Ram Division President Fred Diaz stated, “Ram trucks are not a Dodge model. Ram will always be ‘vinned’ as a Ram. We need to continue to market as Ram so Dodge can have a different brand identity: hip, cool, young, energetic. That will not fit the campaign for truck buyers. The two should have distinct themes.”

Edit] Ram 700: The Fiat Strada, a coupé utility sold in Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, Brazil and Peru, is sold as the Ram 700 in Mexico and South America.

Ram C/V Tradesman: Cargo versions of the then-current Chrysler minivan platform were sold under the Ram marque until replaced by the ProMaster City.

The following models are currently assembled at the plant: Ram 1500 series, all crew cab and double cab models for the global market are assembled here except for the Ram 1500 Laramie, which is built at both the Warren facility and Ram’s Saltillo Assembly for the Mexican market.

Jim Pattison Chrysler Jeep Dodge In Surrey

At Jim Pattison Chrysler Jeep Dodge Surrey, it’s our mission to be the automotive home of drivers in the Surrey, BC area.

We provide a vast selection of new and used vehicles, exceptional car care, and customer service with a smile!

Looking for new Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, Ram models? You have your pick of our showroom; we have every Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge models readily available in stock.

Our local dealership also keeps a great stock of used cars, trucks, and SUVs in inventory.

With competitive prices offered on every pre-owned model for sale on our lot, you won’t find a reason to visit any other dealership in Surrey.

Your Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM Dealership In Langley, Surrey

Willowbrook Chrysler is your preferred Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram dealer in BC and welcomes you to our all-new website! We are proud to be the number-one dealer of Viper cars in Canada, and we provide exclusive customization services for trucks and Jeeps: ensuring that commuters, off-roaders, and every driver in between can achieve the performance they crave.

As a family-owned and operated BC dealership, Willowbrook Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram cares about people – not cars.

Our focus is on providing the kind of personalized, transparent, and professional service that will keep you coming back for your next new or used vehicle for the rest of your life! We want to build relationships that will last and connect you with the support you need to make confident shopping decisions.

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Apply for credit approval today and let us get you the best rate and terms for car credit in Metro Vancouver and beyond.

Searching for new or used vehicles in the BC region? Contact our dealership today to learn about our extensive selection of Jeep, RAM, Dodge and Chrysler models.

Electromagnetic Shielding

Electromagnetic shielding refers to the attenuation, in reflection and/or absorption, of electromagnetic radiation due to the use of a material that acts as a “Shield” against it.

6.2.1.4 Electromagnetic radiation protectionElectromagnetic shielding is important to block electromagnetic radiation that could be harmful to electronic devices, environment, and humans.

12.3.1 Electromagnetic shielding mechanismsElectromagnetic shielding is an electromagnetic shell made of the shielding materials, which forms a close electromagnetic shielding.

Shielding effectiveness, a measurement of the attenuation of an EM signal through a shielding material, is commonly used to examine the electrical shielding performance.

In this setup, shielding is defined as the ratio of the electromagnetic field intensity measured before and after the shielding material is installed according to equation 16.7.

14.5.3 Applications in Electromagnetic Interference ShieldingIn recent years, designing of promising conducting materials for electromagnetic shielding.

Traditionally, sheet metals are used for shielding radio frequencies, but in recent years, conductive fabrics have been used for shielding electromagnetic and static charges in the defence, electrical and electronic industries.

Electromagnetic Shielding

In electrical engineering, electromagnetic shielding is the practice of reducing or blocking the electromagnetic field in a space with barriers made of conductive or magnetic materials.

Electromagnetic shielding that blocks radio frequency electromagnetic radiation is also known as RF shielding.

The shielding can reduce the coupling of radio waves, electromagnetic fields, and electrostatic fields.

Typical materials used for electromagnetic shielding include sheet metal, metal screen, and metal foam.

Electromagnetic shielding is the process of lowering the electromagnetic field in an area by barricading it with conductive or magnetic material.

Copper is used for radio frequency shielding because it absorbs radio and other electromagnetic waves.

Some cables have two separate coaxial screens, one connected at both ends, the other at one end only, to maximize shielding of both electromagnetic and electrostatic fields.

Electromagnetic Shielding: Why And How?

Electromagnetic shielding is the practice of reducing the electromagnetic field in a space by blocking the field with barriers made of conductive or magnetic materials.

Electromagnetic shielding that blocks radio frequencies and electromagnetic radiation is also known as RF shielding.

The shielding can reduce the coupling of radio waves, electromagnetic fields and electrostatic.

The reduction depends much upon the used materials, its thickness, the size of the shielded volume and the frequency of the fields of interest.

Mu-metal is a nickel iron soft ferromagnetic alloy with very high permeability, which is used for shielding sensitive electronic equipment against static or low-frequency magnetic fields.

Aluminium is a versatile component when it comes to RF shielding.

Shielding electronic goods housed in plastic enclosures can be done by coating the inside of the enclosure with a metallic ink or similar material.

RF Shielding And Electromagnetic Shielding

Electromagnetic shielding is the practice of reducing the electromagnetic field in a space by blocking the field with barriers made of conductive or magnetic materials.

Shielding is typically applied to enclosures to isolate electrical devices from their surroundings, and to cables to isolate wires from the environment through which the cable runs.

Electromagnetic shielding that blocks radio frequency electromagnetic radiation is also known as RF shielding.

The shielding can reduce the coupling of radio waves, electromagnetic fields and electrostatic fields.

The amount of reduction depends very much upon the material used, its thickness, the size of the shielded volume and the frequency of the fields of interest and the size, shape and orientation of apertures in a shield to an incident electromagnetic field.

How to improve wireless security and performance using shielding.

Benefits of building shielding for commercial drone threats.

What Is The Best EMF Protection? Hint: It’S Free. Here’S How.

Sometimes it surprises people when I tell them that the best EMF protection is free – completely free.

You can’t see, touch, smell or taste EMF. A lot of companies make and sell EMF protection, and it’s hard to know what are the best ways to protect against EMF. But as with any pollutant, the absolute best EMF protection is to reduce your exposure to the pollutant – in this case, EMF-emitting technology – in the first place.

While the best EMF protection is free, good EMF protection products can further reduce your exposure to EMF radiation.

The existence of electrosmog is why we make EMF protection apparel and EMF protection for babies.

What is the best EMF protection?The best way to protect against EMF radiation is to minimize your usage of and maximize your distance from EMF-emitting devices.

That’s why we say that the best EMF protection is free.

When that’s not possible, use quality EMF protection products like those made by SYB. What is the best EMF protection for cell phones?To protect yourself from cell phone EMF, maximize your distance from your phone and keep it off or in airplane mode when not in use.

10 EMF Shielding Materials/Fabrics And How To Choose One

In this post, we take a look at 10 best EMF shielding materials and fabrics that help shield radiation and they are as follows:-.

Various factors influence the efficiency of EMF shielding materials.

Metals like aluminum and galvanized steels are usually used to make EMF shielding materials or fabrics because of their high conductivity.

Having considered the need for EMF shielding and the basic factors to look out for before buying one, let’s take a look at the best EMF shielding materials and fabrics, shall we!

Like the name implies, this silver plated EMF shielding material offers maximum EMF shielding of 50 dB at 30 MHz to 3 GHz. The high-performance silver mesh fabric covers a wide range of temperature and applications.

The cotton grid EMF shielding fabric features a very high conductivity of about 10 Ohms/sq, two identical sides, 112-inch width, grounding and static control properties, distinct grid patterns, hand washable and it is cut and sewn like every other fabric.

Stainless steel mesh shielding fabric is designed with a tight knit-pattern which accounts for its high EMF shielding efficiency.

DIY EMF Shielding Projects You Can Do At Home

There are dozens upon dozens of EMF shielding products out there on the market.

If saving money is on your radar – or you simply prefer to do things yourself – consider some of our DIY EMF shielding ideas below.

If you need an item that isn’t listed here, your newfound knowledge of EMF shielding materials combined with a little creativity means the sky’s the limit.

One protective item that is absolutely worth the investment is a quality EMF meter.

An EMF meter can allow you to gauge the efficacy of your handmade item, which is always a good idea.

To test its EMF shielding abilities, first measure the radiation around your smart meter without the cover.

Creating items yourself using protective fabrics and other materials can be a much more cost-effective way to lower the amount of EMF radiation present in your home.

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8 Awesome Vancouver Candle Companies Worth Shedding Some Light On

Shining a light on some local small candle brands from in and around Vancouver.

Looking to light up your home space with a locally-made candle? Here in Metro Vancouver there are a number of contenders worth us shining a light on.

Featuring a number of brands who take pride in using quality ingredients, creating handmade products, and supporting a number of worthy causes, here are eight Vancouver candle companies made right here in the city or in surrounding communities.

1 from each candle sold from the Birds of Vancouver Collection will be donated to the Wildlife Rescue Association of British Columbia.

We’re journeying a little bit out of Vancouver and up the Sea to Sky to Whistler for Hollow Tree, a candle company that has its own manifesto about the importance of honouring our trees.

Their “#vacay” candle will sweep you right out of a Vancouver Juneuary with its blend of pineapple, coconut and sweet basil.

Langley-based 6th Scent is the side project of a local early childhood education specialist, who says “Having a candle in my room brings out the best in the environment and inspires me to be a better teacher.” Her soy wax candles come in tins and jars, in scents like Apple Cinnamon, Coffee Bean, and a few inspired by another great B.C. product: Wine!

Fragrance Oil

Fragrance oils, also known as aroma oils, aromatic oils, and flavor oils, are blended synthetic aroma compounds or natural essential oils that are diluted with a carrier like propylene glycol, vegetable oil, or mineral oil.

To allergic or otherwise sensitive people, synthetic fragrance oils are often less desirable than plant-derived essential oils as components of perfume.

Essential oils, widely used in society, emit numerous volatile organic compounds.

Some of these VOCs are considered as potentially hazardous under federal regulations However, synthetic versions of the same compound as a natural essential oil are usually very comparable.

Natural oils are in many cases significantly more expensive than their synthetic equivalents.

Aromatic oils are used in perfumery, cosmetics, flavoring of food.

What Is Project Management

Leading these projects are Project Professionals-people who either intentionally or by circumstance are asked to ensure that a project team meets its goals.

Project professionals use many different tools, techniques and approaches to meet the needs of a project.

For a deeper understanding of what it’s like to manage a project, try Kickoff from PMI, a free, 45-minute digital course and toolkit that guides you through the basics of project management.

In The Project Economy, the worldwide growth of project management proves its value as a:. It is now widely acknowledged that a basic knowledge of project management can provide value to people with a variety of roles in a vast range of endeavors.

Project management skills can help a young student working on a science project realize success, or a corporate executive settle personality disputes.

The Project Management Professional® is the world’s leading project management certification.

Anyone involved in The Project Economy can improve outcomes through awareness of specific foundational concepts of project management, described as follows.

Project Management Basics

Project management focuses on planning and organizing a project and its resources.

Through proper project management, you can assure that the purpose/vision and goals of the project are maintained, all while supporting the audiences’ tasks and objectives.

According to the Project Management Institute, most life cycles have four or five phases but some may have more.

When defining your project, it is important to come up with a project plan that the team agrees to upfront so that it can serve as a reference point throughout the project.

A charter agreement is typically a one page document that has the sponsor of the project sign off that they agree to the work to be done as outlined by the team in the project plan.

The project plan establishes the baseline for how you assume the project will happen and then provides information about the process for taking changes into account, should they arise.

Schedules are an important part of project management because they help you measure your progress as the project moves along.

Project Management

Two forefathers of project management are Henry Gantt, called the father of planning and control techniques, who is famous for his use of the Gantt chart as a project management tool; and Henri Fayol for his creation of the five management functions that form the foundation of the body of knowledge associated with project and program management.

In 1969, the Project Management Institute was formed in the USA. PMI publishes the original version of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge in 1996 with William Duncan as its primary author, which describes project management practices that are common to “Most projects, most of the time.”

The construction industry, which focuses on the delivery of things like buildings, roads and bridges, has developed its own specialized form of project management that it refers to as construction project management and in which project managers can become trained and certified.

Benefits realization management enhances normal project management techniques through a focus on outcomes of a project rather than products or outputs, and then measuring the degree to which that is happening to keep a project on track.

Key project management responsibilities include creating clear and attainable project objectives, building the project requirements, and managing the triple constraint for projects, which is cost, time, quality and scope for the first three but about three additional ones in current project management.

This is the first International Standard related to project management published by ISO. Other standards in the 21500 family include 21503:2017 Guidance on programme management; 21504:2015 Guidance on portfolio management; 21505:2017 Guidance on governance; 21506:2018 Vocabulary; 21508:2018 Earned value management in project and programme management; and 21511:2018 Work breakdown structures for project and programme management.

Virtual program management is management of a project done by a virtual team, though it rarely may refer to a project implementing a virtual environment It is noted that managing a virtual project is fundamentally different from managing traditional projects, combining concerns of telecommuting and global collaboration.

What Is Project Management? Project Planning Process

A large, complex, multiyear construction project is very different from a 12-month ISO 9001 quality management system implementation or a three-month process improvement and machinery upgrade project.

Managers often fail to use project planning tools and techniques appropriate to the anticipated outcomes of the project and the resources available.

Aspiring project managers may utilize a wide range of project management tutorials and other resources, including college-based, association-based, and consultant-sponsored classes and courses.

The Project Management Institute offers certification as a Project Management Professional to those who pass a rigorous exam and demonstrate their proficiency by planning and managing a successful project.

Assuming the project concept and feasibility have been determined, the plan-do-check-act cycle is directly applicable to project planning and management.

When the project is approved, the project team may proceed with the content design along with the persons or items needed to implement the project.

Outputs of the project team process itself may be project plans and supporting documents, status reports, and the like.

Project Management For Beginners: A Step-By-Step Guide

Proven project management processes help move a project towards completion.

Project managers are responsible for planning and executing a project along with the project team to produce the desired deliverable and meet stakeholder expectations.

Project manager: Project managers are responsible for planning, tracking, and controlling the project.

Project sponsor: Project sponsors are senior managers accountable for the project deliverables.

A project kickoff meeting starts the project management process.

To create a project roadmap, the high-level project activities identified in the project proposal are mapped on the timeline.

Once the client approves the project roadmap, a project manager creates a task-level project plan by breaking down roadmap activities.

What Is Project Management? Definition & Terms

Project management involves project documentation, planning, tracking, and communication-all with the goal of delivering work successfully within the constraints of time, scope, and budget.

In many instances, a project manager is staffed to these projects to ensure the team delivers the project on time and under budget and hits its key objectives.

You may not always need a dedicated project manager, but you do need someone who will handle project management tasks.

Project management terms can get technical, but it all comes back to things that keep projects on track.

Issues typically impede the progress of the project and cannot always be resolved by the project manager or project team without outside consultation.

Project managers build project plans to chart the course for how a project will be completed.

The project plan is a form of communication and arguably one of the most important deliverables on a project, as it provides detail on what should be happening at any point during the course of a project.

11 Best Sugar Substitutes

So what is a good natural sweetener and the best alternative to sugar then? Fortunately, there are many sugar substitutes that are healthy and tasty alternatives to refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners.

Maple syrup is one of the best natural sugar substitutes because it’s an outstanding source of manganese and contains calcium, potassium and zinc.

Monk fruit contains compounds that, when extracted, provide 300-400 times the sweetness of cane sugar, but monk fruit sugar contains no calories and has no effect on blood sugar.

Getting more natural sweeteners in your daily diet isn’t hard if you completely stop using refined table sugar and use healthier sugar substitutes instead. Plus, you also can look for food products that are sweet thanks to ingredients like stevia rather than refined sugar.

Fructose is a simple sugar that is rapidly metabolized by the liver, causing a “Sugar high.” Researchers believe this quick-acting sugar leads to increased storage of fat in the liver, resulting in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, digestive upset and atherosclerosis.

Conclusion What is the best alternative to sugar? That is definitely a matter of taste preference as well as health status, but a good alternative to refined sugar is a healthy natural sugar substitute rather than artificial sweeteners.

Examples of some of the best natural sugar substitutes include stevia, monk fruit, pureed fruit, coconut sugar, honey and molasses.

Sugar Substitutes: The Pros & Cons Of 15 Popular Sweeteners

Sugar is heavily ingrained in our food system today, but what can be even more overwhelming is the number of sugar substitutes you can choose from.

Sugar substitutes attract consumers because they’re labeled as being naturally derived, or calorie-free, or simply because they’re not sugar.

What are sugar substitutes made of? And how do they rank in nutritional value? Are certain sugar substitutes better for you than others?

Here are 15 sugar substitutes and added sugar options and how I think they stack up.

Pros: Agave has a very low glycemic index score, meaning it doesn’t spike blood sugar nearly as much as table sugar.

Pros: Coconut sugar contains a fiber called inulin, which may help stabilize blood sugar.

Are there any sweeteners or sugar substitutes you never eat?

5 Best Sugar Substitutes

These sugar substitutes also have the benefit of being much lower in calories than sugar and don’t necessarily produce unwanted glucose spikes in the bloodstream.

Wondering why it might be wise to avoid added sugar and use substitutes instead? Excess sugar consumption is not just bad for your teeth, it’s also associated with high rates of diseases like diabetes.

The most significant difference between sugar and sugar substitutes is the number of calories.

Sugar substitutes vary widely in price depending on the brand and the type of sugar substitute in question.

You may need to use more or less of a sugar substitute compared to regular sugar.

Most natural sweeteners are a poor choice for diabetics since they have essentially the same effect on blood sugar levels as plain white granulated sugar.

While you may hear that sugar substitutes and alternatives contain vitamins and minerals that are not found in sugar, most sweeteners aren’t nutritionally superior.

Sugar Substitutes: Health Controversy Over Perceived Benefits

Double-blind trials have been carried out with aspartame at Duke University and in one of the best-designed of these studies, the effects of a single large dose of aspartame in people who had claimed to be sensitive to the substance was investigated.

In some case reports associations have been made between aspartame intake, in particular the subsequent exposure to the aspartame metabolite formaldehyde, and Type IV Delayed Type Hypersensitivity reactions in patients with proven contact sensitization to formaldehyde.

To confirm the associations observed in these two case studies with only a limited number of patients, larger studies would be needed involving double-blind placebo-controlled challenges with aspartame and placebo exposures and the inclusion of well-defined control-patient groups.

Effects of the aspartame metabolite methanol on organs/tissues/cells and function of the immune system were described,[,] these observations are considered more likely to result from an indirect stress-effect due to the high methanol levels used, in addition these high dose levels are not considered relevant for aspartame exposure.

The National Experts note that no new publications were identified reporting a link between aspartame intake and enhanced susceptibility to seizures, behavior, mood and cognitive function, and conclude that there is still no substantive evidence that aspartame can induce such effects, as earlier concluded by the SCF.A number of studies focused on the effects of aspartame on appetite/hunger and food intake,[-] as it has been suggested that aspartame may have modulating effects on these body responses, even resulting in the converse effect than that intended, namely obesity rather than body weight maintenance or loss.

Amino acids per se have an influence on metabolic pathways and it is known that high doses of aspartame may increase plasma levels of the metabolites of aspartame.

Neotame is about 8,000 times sweeter than table sugar and 40 times sweeter than aspartame.

Artificial Sweeteners And Other Sugar Substitutes

If you’re trying to reduce the sugar and calories in your diet, you may be turning to artificial sweeteners or other sugar substitutes.

Understanding artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes.

Sugar substitutes are sweeteners that you use instead of regular table sugar.

Natural sweeteners are sugar substitutes that are often promoted as healthier options than sugar or other sugar substitutes.

Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes.

Artificial sweeteners are also known as intense sweeteners because they are many times sweeter than sugar.

Unlike artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols are carbohydrates and can raise blood sugar levels.

6 Sugar Substitutes Reviewed

All of the following sweeteners are approved by the FDA.Stevia.

Among brand names, SweetLeaf is a sweetener made from stevia extract, and both Truvia and Pure Via are stevia-based.

The Scoop: Aspartame “Is one of the most exhaustively studied substances in the human food supply, with more than 100 studies supporting its safety,” the FDA states.

It’s between 300 and 500 times sweeter than table sugar and best known as Sweet’N Low.

The Scoop: The FDA says it reviewed more than 100 safety studies before approving sucralose as a general-purpose sweetener for foods.

These sweeteners, found in some fruit spreads, chocolate, baked goods, and even mouthwash, have names like xylitol and sorbitol.

The Scoop: If you have diabetes, be aware that sugar alcohols are carbohydrates and can still raise your blood sugar.

10 Alternatives To Refined Sugar

Most Americans consume far too much added sugar in the form of refined sweeteners like white sugar and high fructose corn syrup.

If you want to cut your intake of common refined sweeteners like white sugar and HFCS, there are many alternatives to choose from.

Popular sugar alcohols used as sugar alternatives include erythritol, xylitol, and maltitol.

This sweetness comes from compounds called mogrosides, primarily mogroside V. Because monk fruit doesn’t have any calories or affect blood sugar levels, it may promote weight loss and improve blood sugar levels if used in place of regular sugar.

Stevia, monk fruit, certain sugar alcohols, and allulose are much lower in calories than table sugar and do not significantly affect blood sugar levels, making them a smart alternative to refined sugar.

Dates are high in calories and natural sugars, but studies note that they don’t significantly affect blood sugar levels like table sugar does, even among people with diabetes.

Replacing sugar with applesauce – or purées of other fruits like bananas – is an excellent way to reduce your refined sugar intake.

PPG Industries

In October 2000, PPG Industries announced it had agreed to buy Courtaulds Aerospace for $512.5 million.

In 2008, PPG renamed their automotive glass division PGW and sold a majority of it to Kohlberg & Company.

On April 1, 2014, PPG finalized the sale of Transitions Optical to its joint venture partner, Essilor International of France; however, PPG’s technical center in Monroeville will continue to provide research and development services for Transitions.

In April 2015, PPG Industries completed the acquisition of REVOCOAT, a global supplier of sealants.

In October 2016, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette announced the acquisition of the naming rights to Consol Energy Center by PPG; the facility will be known as PPG Paints Arena.

Akzo shareholder Columbia Threadneedle Investments urged the company to open dialogue with PPG, whilst PPG claimed that the deal would add to earning within its first year.

On October 4, 2016, it was announced that The Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh would be giving up its naming rights, and transferred to PPG, making the arena named the PPG Paints Arena.

PPG Industries Careers And Employment

You can browse through all 977 jobs PPG Industries has to offer.

Popular RolesProduction & Manufacturing BenefitsEmployees at PPG Industries have reported receiving these benefits.

Questions and answersPeople have asked 163 questions about working at PPG Industries.

See the answers, explore popular topics and discover unique insights from PPG Industries employees.

Interview insightsInsights from 590 Indeed users who have interviewed with PPG Industries within the last 5 years.

PPG Industries locations Pittsburgh, PA.Cleveland, OH.Oak Creek, WI.Shelby, NC.Huntsville, AL.Mojave, CA. What’s being discussed at PPG Industries?Select a topic to see what people are saying about different issues.

Explore work from home during COVID-19, remote work support and work-life balance.

Global Industrial Coatings Leader

Heavy Duty Equipment With an in-depth knowledge of the industry, market-proven protective coatings and extensive color capabilities, PPG is trusted by leading regional and global heavy-duty equipment OEMs to protect their products and their brands.

Coil Coatings PPG coil coatings strike a perfect balance of beauty and protection.

From metal roofing and wall panels to HVAC equipment, from transportation to general industrial products, our coatings are engineered to withstand the most rigorous residential, commercial and industrial settings, as well as certain severe environmental conditions.

Extrusion Coatings Trusted by architects and building component manufacturers, PPG’s aluminum extrusion coatings deliver exceptional corrosion protection, lasting durability and enduring beauty with a full portfolio of customized finishes, colors, gloss levels and special effects.

Interior Building Products With a wood coatings heritage that spans more than a century, PPG is a global leader in high-performance coatings for every type of wood finish process, including toners, primers, stains, fillers, sealers, glazes and topcoats.

Kitchenware Whitford, a wholly owned subsidiary of PPG, makes the largest, most complete line of low-friction coatings, non-stick coatings and decorative housewares coatings in the world today.

Industrial Bakeware & Molds PPG coatings are designed to offer superb release, long life and a range of resistance properties without the need to add secondary release agents, to meet the extreme demands required by bakeries and food processing machinery.

Paint & Paint Colors For Any Project

Olive Sprig is a relaxed, but enticing green that emulates the feeling of soothing aloe vera or a fragrant plant – brightening any space with organic liveliness.

A versatile color that lives well inside or outside, Olive Sprig blends in with nearly any environment.

What Is Business Performance Management?

Business performance management provides managers, business owners and management teams valuable information on their customers and employees.

In this article, we explain what is business performance management, detail why business performance management is important and share useful performance metrics.

What is business performance management? Business performance management is a metric to determine overall business progress towards goals.

Business performance management is highly valuable because the company collects data about the business for quantitative information.

Why is business performance management important? Business performance management is a beneficial way to evaluate employees and overall company behavior.

The management team establishes business goals for the whole company and tracks progress throughout the year using business performance management.

Three main activities of business performance management Business performance management uses three main activities that drive well-informed decision-making.

What Is Business Performance Management? BPM Definition

Business Performance Management, otherwise termed as Corporate Performance Management or Enterprise Performance Management, is tuned toward optimization of overall business performance and achievement of business goals.

It enables an organization to enhance the management of their business performance through the aid of reports, analytics, Key Performance Indicators, etc.

That help them measure and monitor efficiency and success of their business activities.

Business Performance Management – approaches and tensions Figure 1: The BPM framework and how it interacts with the tensions that are inherent within an organisation Organisational setting Information provision Business performance management framework Tensions Information use Interact Consequences Responses/actions BPM – definition BPM refers to the approach an organisation takes to define, assess and improve the delivery of its business goals.

The inherent tensions 2.1 Introduction Tensions can occur throughout the performance management framework Tensions are conflicting forces within an organisation’s BPM, such as differing stakeholder requirements, or the trade-off between quick versus more reliable data.

PEOPLE TENSIONS ORGANISATIONAL SETTING INFORMATION PROVISION The business performance management framework INFORMATION USE Changing operating environment INFORMATION TENSIONS Business Performance Management – approaches and tensions 11 2.2 Organisational setting tensions These five overarching tensions exert their influence within the organisational setting.

Table 1 – Organisational setting tensions Organisational setting – inherent tensions Uncertain world versus assumptions of predictability Multiple stakeholder interests Operational versus financial perspectives Short versus long term perspectives Staff capabilities and interests Uncertain world versus assumptions of predictability  here is a tension between the uncertain T operating environment and the desire for a predictable future Organisations are open systems, feeding off and living within the overall operating environment.

Sometimes there may be an advantage to flexing the approach across the organisation 2.3 Information provision tensions These tensions occur within the information provision component of BPM as with other tensions, their influence also feeds through to the rest of the framework.

Business Performance Management – approaches and tensions  Impact of organisational setting tensions Tensions within the organisational setting component have a direct impact on strategic change, as they affect the clarity and focus of strategy development and implementation.

Impact of information provision tensions Information provision tensions have a more direct impact on operational management and control as they affect the quality and usefulness of the information that informs operational change.

What Is Business Performance Management?

What Does Business Performance Management Mean? Business performance management is a form of business intelligence used to monitor and manage a company’s performance.

Key performance indicators are used for this purpose.

Business performance management is also known as corporate performance management.

Techopedia Explains Business Performance Management BPM allows companies to collect data efficiently from various sources, analyze it and use this knowledge to improve the company’s performance.

Finally, it can be used to make more predictable and reliable forecasts.

Continuous and real-time reviews of data are used in the BPM process.

Business performance management software has traditionally been used within finance departments, but it is now being adopted by various enterprises as a component of their business intelligence.

Performance Management: Best Practices And Examples

In contrast to other systems of reviewing employee performance, such as yearly performance appraisals, employee performance management is a much more dynamic and involved process with better outcomes.

For the Human Resources department, performance management is an important system for onboarding, developing and retaining employees, as well as reviewing their performance.

That’s why we have put together this list of best practices for performance management.

Think of it like the essentials of performance management – these will help make sure that your employee performance management system is performing the way it should.

In following the latest research on the dissatisfaction of management with outdated performance management process, Cargill created their ‘Everyday Performance Management’ system.

Performance appraisals are often part of the performance management process, although some companies still rely on performance appraisals alone.

Performance Management Performance Appraisal Proactive Reactive Forward looking Backwards looking Led by supervisors and management Led by HR with some management input Flexible Rigid Strategic Operational Ongoing Once a year Does not use ratings or rankings Uses ratings and rankings.

What Is Performance Management?

The tips below can provide a framework for managers as they develop their performance management process.

While setting clear goals is an essential step for any performance management system, those alone aren’t enough.

The purpose of this ongoing dialogue is to manage performance continually, so any potential performance problems are caught early.

Successful performance management involves frequent, in-depth conversations that center on how both the employee and manager view the employee’s performance and development.

Unlike the traditional review process, in a performance management system, feedback goes both ways.

Overall, it’s important to remember that effective performance management is people-driven, not process-driven.

Whether you’re already a leader in your organization, or you aspire to be one, implementing a performance management process can be key in helping your company and its people thrive.

Harvard Human Resources

The University’s approach to performance management is based on the understanding that regular, meaningful conversations between managers and employees lead to better results and higher engagement for everyone.

The PeopleSoft system allows managers to optionally select competencies for discussion along with their employees’ priorities and goals.

Ongoing manager/employee conversations – with some schools and units requiring a mid-year discussion – are conducted as frequently as necessary to sustain a high level of clarity in support of employees’ success and the best organizational outcomes.

At any point during the performance period, schools and units may opt to conduct a feedback process in which employees can nominate and managers can select key stakeholders to offer their perspective on the quality and impact of the employee’s work.

At the end of the performance period, managers and employees meet to discuss progress made as well as any changes that may have shifted the priorities and goals discussed at the beginning of the performance period.

The University uses a qualitative ratings system that allows managers to assess employees’ impact for purposes of making annual compensation decisions that can include merit increases and bonuses.

At the end of each performance period, managers are asked to rate their employees’ impact, using the following levels and definitions.

Samsung SDI Pushes Back On Report About Rivian Battery Joint Venture Talks

The electric battery maker Samsung SDI on Wednesday called into question the accuracy of a recently published report about its relationship with Rivian.

TheElec, an online publication that follows the Korean electronics industry, reported on Friday that Samsung SDI and Rivian were in talks about a potential joint venture – but that those talks had fallen apart.

Citing unnamed sources, TheElec reported that Rivian made certain requests that were unacceptable to Samsung SDI and that “This is why Samsung SDI instead announced a partnership with Stellantis” in October.

The article has circulated widely online, including among Rivian watchers, even though no major media outlets that closely cover Rivian have reported on any breakdown in talks between Rivian and Samsung.

WGLT first reported in August that Samsung, which supplied Rivian with battery cells for its launch vehicles, was considering Normal for an EV battery plant right next to Rivian.

“Samsung SDI not specifically discussed battery JV with Rivian,” said Samsung SDI spokesperson Yangmo Ku. “And it is hard to fact-check the article, but some information is not true.”

Rivian will be pursuing this, Scaringe said, but it hasn’t “Announced those relationships yet.” So even if Rivian doesn’t pair up with Samsung for a Normal battery site, that doesn’t mean Rivian may not find another dance partner – or another path – to local production.

Samsung SDI

Samsung SDI Co., Ltd. is a battery and electronic materials manufacturer headquartered in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.

Samsung SDI operates its business with Energy Solutions and Electronic Materials segment.

The Energy Solution segment manufactures rechargeable batteries used for IT device, automotive, and Energy Storage System applications, and the Electronic Materials segment produces materials for semiconductors and displays.

In 2012, Samsung SDI and several other major companies were fined by the European Commission for price fixing of TV cathode-ray tubes.

Samsung SDI Co. Ltd. Stock Quote

Samsung SDI Co., Ltd. engages in the manufacture and sale of secondary cells and plasma display panels.

It operates in two business segments: Display segment and Energy segment.

The Display segment is engaged in the manufacture of PDPs used in televisions, as well as operation of rental business.

The Energy segment is engaged in the manufacture of batteries.

The company was founded on January 20, 1970 and is headquartered in Yongin, South Korea.

Samsung SDI Considering Building Battery Plant In Illinois, Says Senator

WASHINGTON/SEOUL -South Korea’s Samsung SDI Co Ltd is considering building a battery plant in central Illinois, Senator Dick Durbin told reporters on Thursday.

Durbin said Samsung is in discussions to build a battery plant in Normal, Illinois, according to a video of the press conference posted on the Pantagraph newspaper website.

Electric-vehicle startup Rivian has a factory in Normal and said in April that Samsung SDI would supply battery cells for its vehicles.

Last month, Reuters reported that Samsung SDI, an affiliate of Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, may build a battery cell plant in the United States.

Reuters also reported that Samsung SDI has been in talks to supply batteries manufactured at a potential U.S. factory with electric vehicle makers including Stellantis and Rivian, which is backed by Amazon and Ford Motor Co. The South Korean battery maker is considering investing at least 3 trillion won to manufacture batteries for Stellantis and a minimum of 1 trillion won for batteries to Rivian, according to the source.

Samsung SDI officials have been making business trips to Detroit recently to discuss battery supply issues with Stellantis, a person with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

Samsung SDI has EV battery plants in South Korea, China and Hungary, which supply customers such as BMW, Ford, Volvo and Volkswagen.

Risk-Based Authentication

Risk-based authentication uses real-time intelligence to gain a holistic view of the context behind each login.

Adopting risk-based authentication principles can help you prove that you put security first.

How does your system determine if a login comes with a high risk or a low risk? An example drawn from real life may make the process plain.

Many companies offer risk-based authentication capabilities.

Okta’s Adaptive Multi-Factor Authentication analyzes the user’s context at login time.

Based on the risk level, the solution can deny access or prompt the user to submit an additional authentication factor to guard against potential breaches.

Unlike passwords, risk-based authentication tells you everything you need to know about the user.

Risk-Based Authentication: What Is It And How Can It Help Your Business?

Let’s see how to stop them with risk-based authentication.

The key goal of risk-based authentication is twofold: to block suspicious users and to allow legitimate users access to online services without unnecessary obstacles.

Anti-money laundering rules state that you must verify the identity of users for certain actions, which is exactly what a risk-based authentication tool can help you with.

Risk-based authentication can certainly alleviate the load on your risk management team.

How does risk-based authentication work? Risk-based authentication, or RBA, works by scoring user data points in order to measure how risky their actions are.

What can risk-based authentication do? With risk-based authentication, you can automatically approve or block a user action based on how risky it is.

Why use risk-based authentication? Risk-based authentication allows companies to reduce the costs of fraud and risk management.

Risk-based authentication is a non-static authentication system that considers the profile(IP address, Browser, physical Location, and so on) of a consumer requesting access to the system to determine the risk profile associated with that action.

The risk-based implementation allows your application to challenge the consumer for additional credentials only when the risk level is appropriate.

In addition to prompting the consumer with challenge and response, there are options to either send an email to the consumer about the suspicious activity or let the Site Administrator know that the account has been compromised.

Why Should Businesses Use RBA. Risk-based authentication is an essential security feature because it works in real-time to prevent cyber frauds like accounts getting compromised without causing an inconvenience for legitimate consumers.

Consumers need to provide the additional details for authentication only when the associated risk appears.

At LoginRadius, we know how critical it is to maintain consumer security and how we can efficiently and effectively manage the process if a consumer account gets compromised.

A Use Case of RBA. LoginRadius Risk-based authentication applies the precise security level for each unique consumer interaction and avoids unnecessary security steps for low-risk transactions, which can add friction for the consumer.

What Is Risk Based Authentication? Examples & Best Practice Solutions

Risk-based authentication process applies varying levels of strictness to the authentication process based on the probability that a given application can be compromised.

The authentication process becomes restrictive and casts a wider net based on the increase in risk.

With risk-based authentication, a risk profile is dynamic and non-stationary: determined by the how the user is acting.

In the event of noticing a potential Man-In-The-Browser attack, the company can dynamically launch an Out Of Band authentication method, something not transmitted via the internet such as a phone call or SMS. Risk-based authentication backed by behavior piercing technology is the best way for firms to dynamically alter the authentication process on the fly.

A good risk-based authentication solution will not only build a score based on device intelligence but will also use the user’s behavioral patterns, the device attributes, the user history, and other factors to make the score accurate and reliable.

There are many subtle signs that can be monitored by your risk-based authentication solution to accurately assign a risk score to a user in a given session.

Layers such as passive biometrics and behavioral analytics provide pinpoint accuracy verifying the legitimacy of a user, especially when combined with intelligent interdiction; the act of only asking for additional authentication when suspicious behavior occurs.

What Is Risk-Based Authentication?

Can we verify the user’s identity? With what level of certainty can we determine their identity? What would be the damage if we’re wrong? Are they using an approved device to access the resource? Are there regulatory compliance implications? In order to secure your organization, you must have the highest level of assurance that your systems and applications are secure-and the only way to guarantee that is through the use of risk-based authentication.

The triad of risk is a methodology for conceptualizing risk factors when permitting or denying access to applications.

While you used to be able to make decisions based on whether or not the user was accessing from the office network, now you need to look at a more granular array of contextual tidbits to build a picture of what is normal behavior and “Abnormal behavior.” You need to understand which behavior increases the likelihood that this person attempting to access an application is in fact a fraud or a bad actor.

From what location do they normally access applications? Is the person logging in from a frequently accessed IP address? Contextual risk in a remote work environment is all about gauging behavior as normal or abnormal, and when it is abnormal, assessing just how abnormal it is.

A user based in New York suddenly accessing an application from Hong Kong is more likely to be fraudulent than a user who usually stops working at 5 PM but then accesses an application at 7 PM. Risk-Based Decisions.

Since there will always be some level of risk, the first decision is whether to block access based on that level of risk or to mitigate the risk through authentication systems and methods.

If the total risk is high enough based on weighing all the factors from the triad, then it may be a simple “No” to the access attempt.

What Is Risk-Based Authentication?

Risk-based authentication is a method of applying varying levels of stringency to authentication processes based on the likelihood that access to a given system could result in its being compromised.

As the level of risk increases, the authentication process becomes more comprehensive and restrictive.

You may have experienced risk-based authentication if you’ve ever accessed your bank account from another country and were asked more than the usual number of security questions.

In transaction-dependent RBA processes, different authentication levels may be required of a given user in different situations, based on the sensitivity or risk potential of the transaction.

High-risk applications such as customer data and financial applications may require more security such as two-factor authentication methods.

Products such as those from Symantec Validation and Identity Access Manager and the incorporation of IAM into the AWS platform illustrate how important authentication methods that support risk-based situations are extremely important not only for users but also to protect the company.

Then read our comparison of MFA tools to get an overview of popular products, and learn about how to build a business case for MFA. Continue Reading About risk-based authentication Dig Deeper on Identity and access management.

Risk-Based User Sign-In Protection In Azure Active Directory

To protect your users, you can configure risk-based policies in Azure Active Directory that automatically respond to risky behaviors.

Azure AD Identity Protection policies can automatically block a sign-in attempt or require additional action, such as require a password change or prompt for Azure AD Multi-Factor Authentication.

User risk policy Identifies and responds to user accounts that may have compromised credentials.

Can prompt the user to provide additional forms of verification using Azure AD Multi-Factor Authentication… MFA registration policy Makes sure users are registered for Azure AD Multi-Factor Authentication.

Azure AD Identity Protection includes a default policy that can help get users registered for Azure AD Multi-Factor Authentication.

It’s recommended to enable the MFA registration policy for users that are to be enabled for additional Azure AD Identity Protection policies.

The steps to do these tests vary based on the Azure AD Identity Protection policy you want to validate.

CA Technologies

C.A. Technologies offers a wide array of hand held and automatic spray guns for any application including woodworking, automotive, industrial, waterborne, marine, aviation, adhesives, ceramics, concrete & corrosion.

Whether you are looking for HVLP, Conventional Air Spray, Reduced Pressure or Air-Assisted Airless technology, C.A.T. has you covered!

C.A. Technologies also offers fluid handling equipment such as pressure tanks from 2.5, 5, 10, 12.5 & 15 gallon in coated steel and stainless steel options as well as piston and double diaphragm pumps.

CA Technologies

As the decade ended, CA became the first software company after Microsoft to exceed $1 billion in sales.

Early in the decade, CA was forced to address criticism of the company as well as a sharp decline in its stock price, which fell more than 50% during 1990.

In total, the company took a $675 million after-tax charge for $1.1 billion in payouts to Wang and other top CA executives.

According to a corporate sustainability report released by the company in 2018, CA reduced its Greenhouse Gas Footprint by more than 35% since 2006.

In February 2018, CA was named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute for the third consecutive year.

CA Technologies was named one of the best companies for multicultural women by Working Mother Magazine for four consecutive years, from 2015 to 2018 as well as one of the 100 Best Companies from 2015 to 2017.

In 2018, CA was named a NAFE top company for executive women.

Micro Focus

Micro Focus International plc is a British multinational software and information technology business based in Newbury, Berkshire, England.

Liant Software owned the assets of Ryan-McFarland Corporation, a Micro Focus competitor in the 1980s.

In December 2013, Micro Focus acquired the Orbix, Orbacus and Artix software product lines from Progress Software.

Attachmate’s parent company Wizard Parent LLC-consisting of the investment groups Elliott Management Corporation, Francisco Partners, Golden Gate Capital, and Thoma Bravo, would hold a 40% stake in Micro Focus post-acquisition.

On 7 September 2016, Micro Focus announced its intent to merge with Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s software business segment.

On 19 March 2018, Micro Focus shares fell 55% to 849p after the company warned of a sharp fall in revenue; its chief executive, Chris Hsu, resigned.

In July 2020, Micro Focus acquired Turkish cybersecurity company ATAR Labs for an undisclosed amount.

What Is A Printed Circuit Board?

Some PCB’s are flexible, allowing the circuits to be bent and folded into shape, or sometimes they are used where the flexible circuit will survive hundreds of thousands of flex cycles, without any break in the circuits.

Originally manufacturing all types of PCB’s, they drove towards specialization in rigid flex and flexible circuit manufacturing in the mid 1990’s.

The first is called gerber files, which are electronic artwork files that show every single circuit in the PCB, where exactly it goes, on every single layer of the board.

They are printed onto the solder mask to help assure accurate assembly of the PCB. Printed Circuit Board Design.

The use of either depends on the size of the components and the configuration of the PCB. SMD is useful for directly mounting small components on the exterior of the PCB, while THT is ideal for mounting large components through large pre-drilled holes in the board.

Rigid-Flex PCBs. Rigid-flex PCBs combine the most attractive qualities of both rigid and flexible PCBs. Unlike the other two types of circuit boards, these PCBs contain all of the electronic interconnectivity buried within the board, thereby reducing the board’s weight and overall size.

Quality PCBs From Printed Circuits LLC. Printed circuits boards enable professionals across a diverse set of industries to optimize the performance and production of their electronic systems.

What Is A Printed Circuit Board?

What is PCB layout and design? A printed circuit board is an electronic assembly that uses copper conductors to create electrical connections between components.

A printed circuit board design must include a specific set of steps that aligns with the manufacturing process, integrated circuit packaging, and the structure of the bare circuit board.

Printed circuit board design has grown into its own vertical within the electronics industry.

Even the most basic circuit board has to be carefully designed using specialized software packages, and the best software can help take a design from concept and all the way through manufacturing.

Production-grade circuit boards are designed using ECAD software, or a CAD application that includes many utilities that are specialized for circuit board design and layout.

ECAD software is built to help designers walk through a specific process for circuit board design, beginning with basic electrical drawings and ending with manufacturing file preparation.

Altium Designer’s unified environment provides includes everything needed to design and manufacture high-quality circuit board assemblies.

Printed Circuit Board

Initially, a design specification is written that identifies the required functionality of the PCB. From this, the designer creates the circuit design, which is entered into the PCB design tools.

On successful completion of the layout, it undergoes analysis by resimulating the schematic design to account for the track parasitic components, and using specially designed signal integrity tools to confirm that the circuit design on the PCB will function correctly.

2.6.2 PCB Design FlowThe PCB design flow consists of four stages, that is, part selection, schematic capture and simulation, board layout, and board verification and validation.

Once a schematic is captured, typically SPICE simulation is utilized to predict circuit behavior, to check the integrity of circuit designs, and to analyze the effects of components and signals upon the design.

Board Layout  Upon capturing the schematic and simulating the design, the physical prototype is built to test the design performance under real workload conditions.

XI.B. Computer-aided Printed Circuit Board DesignStarting from the product proposition, in the system design stage a visual model and product specification are obtained.

The created design data can be processed by a manufacturing data conversion program to create data for automatic PCB manufacturing machines used in printed-wiring board manufacture.

Learn.Sparkfun.Com

One of the key concepts in electronics is the printed circuit board or PCB. It’s so fundamental that people often forget to explain what a PCB is.

What’s a PCB? Printed circuit board is the most common name but may also be called “Printed wiring boards” or “Printed wiring cards”.

Various portions of the PCB that have no traces but has a ground pour instead. Plated through hole – a hole on a board which has an annular ring and which is plated all the way through the board.

Surface mount – construction method which allows components to be simply set on a board, not requiring that leads pass through holes in the board.

V-score- a partial cut through a board, allowing the board to be easily snapped along a line.

Wave solder – a method of soldering used on boards with through-hole components where the board is passed over a standing wave of molten solder, which adheres to exposed pads and component leads.

If you plan on making more than one or two of a given project, the payback on designing a board is pretty good- point-to-point wiring circuits on a protoboard is a hassle, and they tend to be less robust than purpose-designed boards.

12-3 BASIC LINEAR DESIGN SAMPLING CLOCK GENERATOR REFERENCE ANALOG ADC CONTROL LOGIC BUFFER REGISTER DEMULTIPLEXER DIGITAL FILTER AMPLIFIER POWER TIMING CIRCUITS MULTIPLE ANALOG GROUNDS INPUT DSP OR µP DATA BUS ADDRESS BUS BUFFER MEMORY MULTIPLE GROUNDS Figure 12.1: Analog and Digital Circuits Should Be Partitioned on PCB Layout The layout of the evaluation board is optimized in terms of grounding, decoupling, and signal routing and can be used as a model when laying out the ADC section of the PC board in a system.

Ground Isolation Techniques While the use of ground planes does lower impedance and helps greatly in lowering ground noise, there may still be situations where a prohibitive level of noise exists.

The labels “analog ground” and “digital ground” on these pins refer to the internal parts of the converter to which the pins are connected, and not to the system grounds to which they must go.

A good solution towards this is to use a low input current buffer at the ADC output, such as a CMOS buffer-register IC. R +VS DIGITAL OUTPUTS EXTERNAL DIGITAL CURRENT RETURNS THROUGH LOW IMPEDANCE AGND CONVERTER AGND INTERNAL DIGITAL CURRENT DGND SYSTEM ANALOG GROUND Figure 12.49: Analog and Digital Ground Pins of a Data Converter Should Be Returned to System Analog Ground If the logic supply to the converter is isolated with a small resistance and decoupled to analog ground with a local 0.1 µF capacitor, all the fast-edge digital currents of the converter will return to ground through the capacitor, and will not appear in the external ground circuit.

Ground Planes Related to the star ground system discussed earlier is the use of a ground plane.

The more ground the better-right? Ground planes solve many ground impedance problems, but not all.

An exception to this are DSPs which have internal phase-lockedloops, such as the ADSP-21160 SHARC. The ground pin for the PLL is labeled AGND, but should be connected directly to the digital ground plane for the DSP. Grounding for High-Frequency Operation The “ground plane” layer is often advocated as the best return for power and signal currents, while providing a reference node for converters, references, and other subcircuits.

Printed Circuit Board

A PCB populated with electronic components is called a printed circuit assembly, printed circuit board assembly or PCB assembly.

In radio-frequency and fast switching circuits the inductance and capacitance of the printed circuit board conductors become significant circuit elements, usually undesired; conversely, they can be used as a deliberate part of the circuit design, as in distributed-element filters, antennae, and fuses, obviating the need for additional discrete components.

Multi-layer printed circuit boards have trace layers inside the board.

A legend is often printed on one or both sides of the PCB. It contains the component designators, switch settings, test points and other indications helpful in assembling, testing, servicing, and sometimes using the circuit board.

In assembly the bare board is populated with electronic components to form a functional printed circuit assembly, sometimes called a “Printed circuit board assembly”.

Predating the printed circuit invention, and similar in spirit, was John Sargrove’s 1936-1947 Electronic Circuit Making Equipment which sprayed metal onto a Bakelite plastic board.

With the development of board lamination and etching techniques, this concept evolved into the standard printed circuit board fabrication process in use today.

What Is A Press Release? Definition, Examples & Templates

To be more precise, press releases date to a little over a century ago with the first press release being sent in 1906, when a train accident took the lives of over 50 people in New Jersey, USA. The timeline below gives us a very clear picture of the evolution of the press release.

A press release must definitely include contact information so anyone interested in the content of the press release can reach out to the person responsible for it.

The press release body paragraphs are where the sender includes additional information in relation to the content of the event or reason for writing the press release.

We know first hand that writing press releases might be challenging so we’ve created free press release templates to make your PR efforts easier.

A startup press release is used for efficient startup PR. Put another way, when you’ve launched a new product, a new service, or closed a funding round and want to share the news with your audience, use this type of press release.

The startup press release sample we’re sharing with you can help you write your press release hassle-free and get valuable press coverage for your growing company.

A book press release template, similar to the music press release template we saw a little further up in this post, is your opportunity to raise awareness of your new work – in this case your new book.

Press Release

A press release is a piece of news or information that companies send out to inform the public about something noteworthy or of material significance.

A press release is written and sent out by a firm, and it is not the result of reporters conducting independent journalistic work.

These days, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between a press release and a story published by a news publication.

BusinessWire is a global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.

Writing a press release is a great way to create buzz around products, partnerships, or any noteworthy news.

The ultimate goal for companies in issuing a press release is to gain instant exposure, build trust with existing and prospective customers, and increase traffic to their website or stores.

Companies produce the press release to showcase the good without any mention of the bad. For example, an earnings release will highlight key financial metrics for the recently completed quarter and commentary from management.

How To Write A Press Release

Press Release Format Contact information and ‘For Immediate Release’ at the top.

When formatting a press release, you want to write it in a newsy, straightforward way so a journalist who might write about it can imagine it as an article on their news site.

Your business location in the first sentence of the press release.

Here’s how to write a press release, like the one above, step-by-step.

Of course, we’re all familiar with the traditional distribution levers we can pull, which include publishing the press release on our website/blog as well as sharing the press release with our followers/subscribers via social media and email.

Give journalists some time to craft a story around your press release by sending it to them – under embargo – the day before it officially goes live.

To keep the buzz going, you can release a “Second wave” of distribution by sharing the specific stories that news outlets write based on your press release.

How To Write A Press Release In 2021

Press releases are one of the easiest ways to engage journalists and get your news story published.

If you’re a business owner or PR rep looking to spread information about your brand, press releases are the way to go!

In this post, I’m going to show you everything you need to know about how to write a press release.

I’ll even give you a press release template for multiple occasions that’s worked for 5000+ of my customers!

How To Write A Press Release

How do you know what makes up a good press release, if you’re totally new to what a successfully written press release looks like? You need to be able to evaluate if your PR is going to be successful.

If you’re ready for your press release to go out to the public right now, use the words “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” at the top of the press release.

Also notice how this press release provides two bullet points at the top, designed to give the press some fast facts about the acquisition.

The first paragraph, also known as the “Lead” of the press release should contain the gist of your press release.

How does the subject of your press release provide value? How does it help your readers?

This will give your readers an objective view of your press release and, if you quote experts, should make your press release stand out as credible.

Once the preferred method of press release distribution, syndication is now dead. While some brands used to spend thousands of dollars each month to distribute their press releases, experts like Tim Grice have since come out to say that there is “No value in press release syndication for SEO purposes.” Instead of taking this approach, share your press release with local media outlets.

How To Write A Press Release, With Examples

If well written, a press release can result in multiple published articles about your firm and its products.

A while back I received a press release containing the following sentence: “Release 6.0 doubles the level of functionality available, providing organizations of all sizes with a fast-to-deploy, highly robust, and easy-to-use solution to better acquire, retain, and serve customers.”

As a reporter, my immediate response to that press release was that it’s not important because it expended an entire sentence saying absolutely nothing.

If your press release looks and feels like a real article, reporters will often just file it as a story with minimal editing.

The third one is an excellent example of how to write a press release that will intrigue reporters and editors.

BTW, note how well this press release dovetails with the branding philosophy propounded by Newell Rubbermaid’s head of global sales in the post “Interview with a Sales Superstar.”

The release is packaged as a story about how people use phones and then positions a Microsoft product as part of the solution.

Press Release

A press release is an official statement delivered to members of the news media for the purpose of providing information, creating an official statement, or making an announcement directed for public release.

Using press release material can benefit media corporations because they help decrease costs and improve the amount of material a media firm can output in a certain amount of time.

Although using a press release can thus save a news outlet time and money, it constrains the format and style of its content.

Any information deliberately sent to a reporter or media source is considered a press release.

Dateline – contains the release date and usually the originating city of the press release.

As the Internet has assumed growing prominence in the 24-hour news cycle, press release writing styles have evolved.

If a press release is distributed before the information is intended to be released to the public it is considered embargoed.