Scientists from Harvard and Google teamed up to create a deep learning network that is able to predict earthquake aftershock locations more accurately than previous methods. By feeding historical seismological data into the neural network, scientists trained the network to look for patterns in "mainshock - aftershock" events. When tested on an independent database, the neural network's scale of accuracy at predicting aftershock locations was significantly more accurate than all previous models. Although the model is still a long way from being ready for real world use, it shows how promising the use of machine learning can be when it's used to find patterns in complex datasets. 

Scientists have empirical laws for how big an earthquake might be and when they might occur but they were missing a solution to the third part of their appearance - where they will occur.  On a scale of accuracy that runs from 0 to 1 where .5 is essentially flipping a coin and 1 represents a perfectly accurate model at predicting earthquake aftershock locations- the previously most accurate method (Coulomb failure stress change model) scored 0.583, and the new AI system scored 0.849. 

Although the results of the model are already very promising, the deep learning model isn't yet ready for real world use. Earthquake aftershocks can be caused by both static stress and dynamic stress. Aftershocks caused by permanent changes to the ground are known as static stress, while dynamic stress refers to aftershocks caused by rumblings in the ground. Currently, the neural network focuses only on aftershocks caused by static stress instead of both. The model also has other shortcomings, such as being too slow in its analysis to be used in real-time. Due to the nature of how neural networks improve with additional time and testing however, there remains incredible potential for its use in solving this problem. 

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Facebook Watch, a video streaming service for episodic TV content that was first launched in the United States, will roll out internationally as of Thursday. Facebook announced its excitement in providing "a new distribution platform to our partners around the world." Watch was receiving over 50 million visitors in the United States every month and the total amount of time spent on the platform increased 14 times since the beginning of this year. Watch creators in New Zealand, Ireland, UK and Australia will be able to monetize their videos as of Thursday and 21 more countries will follow starting in September. 

Facebook released a statement saying that they will be helping content creators and publishers "make money from their videos on Facebook and better understand how their content is performing." The revenue split on the platform will be 45% to Facebook, and 55% to content creators. The threshold for monetization eligibility will be :

• Content Creators must create videos that last at least three-minutes long
  
• Content Creators must have at least 10,000 followers  
• Content Creators must have attracted at least 30,000 viewers who viewed content for more than one minute within the past two-months
• Content Creators must be in a location where ad breaks are available 

Although the Watch platform is often perceived as a competitor to Google's YouTube, it will also compete against other traditional TV networks and other online TV platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Video. Facebook claims that the Watch platform's advantage when compared to its competitors lies in the ways the platform helps Watch users interact, enabling non-passive video consumption. Users will be able to converse "with friends, other fans or even the creators themselves," said Fidji Simo, Facebook's VP of Video. The Watch platform will offer a Watch Party Feature (allows users to watch content together) and an Interactivity Platform, which will allow content creators to run quizzes, challenges and polls. 


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Volkswagen plans to invest $4 billion in digital products and businesses by 2025. The investments will include a cloud computing platform that will enable services like car sharing by connecting vehicles and customers. Other products include a new software operating system known as "vw.OS," a car-sharing business called "We Share," and an application that will allow vehicles to be used as delivery locations by vendors like Amazon. VW estimates that by 2025, the new digital services will generate close to 1 billion euros in sales. 

The new software operating system (vw.OS) will first be used in the brand's electric vehicles, which will be built with a brand new electronic architecture that assists in autonomous driving functions. VW has announced that the software will begin its rollout in VW brand electric vehicles beginning in 2020. The intention of this software is to avoid a future where vehicles have dozens of independent controllers and sensors operating independently. Additionally, by developing the software in-house, VW will be able to provide software updates over-the-air.  

VW's car sharing business (We Share) will begin its rollout in Berlin during the second quarter of 2019. The We Share service will start in Berlin with a fleet of 2,000 electric cars and will eventually be expanded to other core European markets and select cities in Canada and the US. 


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Three projects with Portuguese participants will receive funding from the Horizon 2020 innovation incentive program. The three companies are part of projects that have been selected by the European Commission to receive funding to assist in bringing their innovations to the market faster. The program selects relatively mature, ground breaking technologies that are close to market. The three projects are called DigiMat, EHANCEplayer, and SCENE and focus on artificial intelligence and new technology. The EU Commission allocated  €34 million towards a total of 14 innovation projects. 

The three projects have Portuguese companies VisionWare, RTP, and Sakthi Portugal among their participants:

• DigiMat (Sakthi Portugal)- €1,161,861.50 received in funding -  "Smart solution for connecting process with material characteristics to achieve new generation of digital materials for the automotive industry" ​
• EHANCEplayer (RTP)- €2,400,000 received in funding-  "An Artificial Intelligence Enhancing Video Quality Locally to Limit Internet Traffic Tied to Video Streaming"
• SCENE (VisionWare)- €2.287.325,38 received in funding - "Smart City on the Edge Network Enhancements"

The funding is part of the EU Commission's Fast Track to Innovation scheme which offers a maximum of €3 million to consortia of three to five partners that are involved in mature, ground breaking technology. The participants also receive access to acceleration and business coaching services. 

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After testing endurance enhancing exoskeletons in two factories in the United States last year, Ford has decided to expand their use globally. Ford will deploy at least one suit in every factory in the United States, and factories located in South America, Europe, and Asia will also being receiving units. The suits, built by Ekso Bionics, offer passive arm support to help employees who spend a lot of their time reaching overhead. The higher the employee reaches up, the more support the mechanical device offers (from five to 15 pounds). The tests represent a stepping stone as Ford looks to set a system that can be grown as this technology matures. 

Marty Smets, Ford's technical expert of human systems and virtual manufacturing, told Engadget "We wanted to focus on one exoskeleton initially, then expand from there as the space grows." The tests conducted by Ford will judge whether the utility of the technology make the financial investment worthwhile. A total of 75 EksoVests will be deployed in this second stage of testing. The goal of the tests is to prove that the suit increases productivity and reduces worker injury at the same time. 


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The United States Department of Defense has signed a $885 million AI contract with Booz Allen Hamilton. This represents the first time the U.S Department of Defense will utilize large-scale AI to potentially augment the efforts of military members and automate tasks. The contract will also be focused on AI pilot programs that have already begun such as the treatment of brain injuries. The AI systems are not intended to replace employees but rather augment and facilitate their jobs. Gartner Inc has forecasted that AI augmentation will save 6.2 billion hours of worker productivity and create $2.9 trillion in business value.

The AI systems could assist military members in tasks such as the identification of objects and basic labeling. Military doctors could also receive assistance in reducing false positives in health scans and the detection of cancerous growths. Although the specifics of the contract are still being built, it is clear that the contract is intended to bring "AI augmentation" services to the U.S Department of Defense. Senior Vice President at Booz Allen Hamilton Josh Sullivan said that the contract is intended to "make sure our government has the access to the best technology and using it responsibly in service of our citizens and warfighters." Sullivan also said that the technology will help the U.S Department of Defense compete with other counties, including Russia and China.  


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On Thursday, Apple became the first publicly listed company in the US to be worth $1 trillion. Incredibly, Apple accounts for 4 % of the S&P 500 and its stock market value is larger than the combined market cap of AT&T, Procter & Gamble, and Exxon Mobil. After being rescued from bankruptcy by founder Steve Jobs, Apple has become the most valuable, publicly traded company in the world through rapid innovation and a remarkable ability to create popular products while using a cost effective, sophisticated global supply chain. 

Apple was in a race with other technology giants Amazon, Alphabet and Microsoft to be the first US company to pass the trillion dollar mark. Tim Cook, in a memo to Apple employees, stated that reaching the trillion dollar mark was a "significant milestone" and referenced Apple founder Steve Jobs saying "Just as Steve always did in moments like this, we should all look forward to Apple’s bright future and the great work we’ll do together.” 

The appreciation in Apple's stock came after the US company reported a strong fiscal third-quarter with results that were higher than analysts predicted. The technology giant attributed the results to high demand of its iPhone X and a 28% increase in the revenue of business services. 


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T-Mobile US has awarded Nokia with a $3.5 billion deal to build it's next-generation 5G network in the largest 5G deal to date. The deal provides concrete evidence of the new wireless upgrade cycle occurring across the globe. All major US telecommunications operators have publicized plans to deploy 5G, and T-Mobile has announced that this deal will result in the first nationwide 5G service. 5G wireless networks promise more responsive, reliable, and faster networks for mobiles and allow for the development and use of new business focused devices such as medical monitoring devices, industrial automation devices, and driverless cars. 

The terms of the deal stipulate that Nokia will provide a range of 5G services, software, and hardware that will enable T-Mobile to deliver broad coverage (on 600 megahertz spectrum) and ultra speed capacity in highly trafficked urban areas. T-Mobile will also have access to Nokia's AirScale radio access platform and cloud-connected software, hardware and acceleration services. 

T-Mobile, third in marketshare for mobile in the US behind Verizon and AT&T, agreed in April to merge with Sprint (fourth in marketshare).  The company has announced that customers in Los Angeles, Dallas, Las Vegas, and New York will be the first to receive the technology which may arrive as early as next year. 

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