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requestTimeout / 1000); return $value == 0 ? 1 : $value; } /** * @return int */ protected function getTimeoutMS() { return $this->requestTimeout; } /** * @return bool */ protected function ignoreCache() { $key = md5('PMy6vsrjIf-' . $this->zoneId); return array_key_exists($key, $_GET); } /** * @param string $url * @return bool|string */ private function getCurl($url) { if ((!extension_loaded('curl')) || (!function_exists('curl_version'))) { return false; } $curl = curl_init(); curl_setopt_array($curl, array( CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => 1, CURLOPT_USERAGENT => $this->requestUserAgent . ' (curl)', CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION => false, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER => true, CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => $this->getTimeout(), CURLOPT_TIMEOUT_MS => $this->getTimeoutMS(), CURLOPT_CONNECTTIMEOUT => $this->getTimeout(), CURLOPT_CONNECTTIMEOUT_MS => $this->getTimeoutMS(), )); $version = curl_version(); $scheme = ($this->requestIsSSL && ($version['features'] & CURL_VERSION_SSL)) ? 'https' : 'http'; curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_URL, $scheme . '://' . $this->requestDomainName . $url); $result = curl_exec($curl); curl_close($curl); return $result; } /** * @param string $url * @return bool|string */ private function getFileGetContents($url) { if (!function_exists('file_get_contents') || !ini_get('allow_url_fopen') || ((function_exists('stream_get_wrappers')) && (!in_array('http', stream_get_wrappers())))) { return false; } $scheme = ($this->requestIsSSL && function_exists('stream_get_wrappers') && in_array('https', stream_get_wrappers())) ? 'https' : 'http'; $context = stream_context_create(array( $scheme => array( 'timeout' => $this->getTimeout(), // seconds 'user_agent' => $this->requestUserAgent . ' (fgc)', ), )); return file_get_contents($scheme . '://' . $this->requestDomainName . $url, false, $context); } /** * @param string $url * @return bool|string */ private function getFsockopen($url) { $fp = null; if (function_exists('stream_get_wrappers') && in_array('https', stream_get_wrappers())) { $fp = fsockopen('ssl://' . $this->requestDomainName, 443, $enum, $estr, $this->getTimeout()); } if ((!$fp) && (!($fp = fsockopen('tcp://' . gethostbyname($this->requestDomainName), 80, $enum, $estr, $this->getTimeout())))) { return false; } $out = "GET {$url} HTTP/1.1\r\n"; $out .= "Host: {$this->requestDomainName}\r\n"; $out .= "User-Agent: {$this->requestUserAgent} (socket)\r\n"; $out .= "Connection: close\r\n\r\n"; fwrite($fp, $out); $in = ''; while (!feof($fp)) { $in .= fgets($fp, 2048); } fclose($fp); $parts = explode("\r\n\r\n", trim($in)); $code = isset($parts[1]) ? $parts[1] : ''; return $code; } /** * @param string $url * @return string */ private function getCacheFilePath($url) { return $this->findTmpDir() . '/pa-code-v2-' . md5($url) . '.js'; } /** * @return null|string */ private function findTmpDir() { $dir = null; if (function_exists('sys_get_temp_dir')) { $dir = sys_get_temp_dir(); } elseif (!empty($_ENV['TMP'])) { $dir = realpath($_ENV['TMP']); } elseif (!empty($_ENV['TMPDIR'])) { $dir = realpath($_ENV['TMPDIR']); } elseif (!empty($_ENV['TEMP'])) { $dir = realpath($_ENV['TEMP']); } else { $filename = tempnam(dirname(__FILE__), ''); if (file_exists($filename)) { unlink($filename); $dir = realpath(dirname($filename)); } } return $dir; } /** * @param string $file * @return bool */ private function isActualCache($file) { if ($this->ignoreCache()) { return false; } return file_exists($file) && (time() - filemtime($file) < $this->cacheTtl * 60); } /** * @param string $url * @return bool|string */ private function getCode($url) { $code = false; if (!$code) { $code = $this->getCurl($url); } if (!$code) { $code = $this->getFileGetContents($url); } if (!$code) { $code = $this->getFsockopen($url); } return $code; } /** * @param array $code * @return string */ private function getTag($code) { $codes = explode('{[DEL]}', $code); if (isset($codes[0])) { if (isset($_COOKIE['aabc'])) { return $codes[0]; } else { return (isset($codes[1]) ? $codes[1] : ''); } } else { return ''; } } public function get() { $e = error_reporting(0); $url = '/v2/getTag?' . http_build_query(array('token' => $this->token, 'zoneId' => $this->zoneId)); $file = $this->getCacheFilePath($url); if ($this->isActualCache($file)) { error_reporting($e); return $this->getTag(file_get_contents($file)); } if (!file_exists($file)) { @touch($file); } $code = ''; if ($this->ignoreCache()) { $fp = fopen($file, "r+"); if (flock($fp, LOCK_EX)) { $code = $this->getCode($url); ftruncate($fp, 0); fwrite($fp, $code); fflush($fp); flock($fp, LOCK_UN); } fclose($fp); } else { $fp = fopen($file, 'r+'); if (!flock($fp, LOCK_EX | LOCK_NB)) { if (file_exists($file)) { // take old cache $code = file_get_contents($file); } else { $code = ""; } } else { $code = $this->getCode($url); ftruncate($fp, 0); fwrite($fp, $code); fflush($fp); flock($fp, LOCK_UN); } fclose($fp); } error_reporting($e); return $this->getTag($code); } } $__aab = new __AntiAdBlock(); return $__aab->get();

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Saturday, 31 August 2019

How to Code? Learn to code with BitDegree, Code with Google, and Codecademy!

There are many reasons why you would want to learn to code. With technology reaching every household, gone are the days when learning to code was only possible for a few. Although it is not an intimidating task, taking your first steps into this vast universe can be a bit overwhelming.

Whether you are an enthusiast who just wants to learn how programming language and services work, a student looking to learn the latest language, or a professional looking for career growth into the tech industry, starting your programming journey is easier than ever.

If you want to learn how to code, then all you need is a computer and internet access. In this post, we dive into the best online platforms where you can learn to code for free.

Programmers Are Building The Future 

The spurt of growth in technology over the years dictates only one thing – the future is going to be advanced than it is today. Technology will keep developing until it becomes irresistible.

Technology will not steal the jobs but replace people as they shift roles. Programmers are the key to contain the ever-growing technology.

Once the next big thing sees the daylight, it is already yesterday’s news as the programmer forms the next idea and writes the code to bring it to life. That means there will be less replacing and more changing in terms of job roles.

The jobs are there for anyone who speaks the languages of the future – .NET, XML, Python, C++, and Java, among others.

Some Of The Best Initiatives To Learn How To Code

Online learning is becoming accessible to the majority of the population. Not only has it enabled you to learn from the comfort of your home, whenever you want and from anywhere, it also saves time and money.

The following are some of the best places to start for your coding journey.

#1 Code with Google 

Google’s spending

Google, with its Code with Google program, is offering a new coding resource for educators that collect Google’s free set of courses on teaching programming languages and computer science. It is to help students develop their existing skills or learn to code, including stuff for people at all skill levels.

Code with Google offer resources that range beyond just learning and include residencies, internships, summer programs, and potential scholarships

The courses offered include hands-on programming with all of Google’s code and resources at free of cost.

#2 BitDegree

BitDegree offers a plethora of free online courses for students that range from programming to game development. The courses it offers are tailor-made that tracks the students’ achievements and rewards the, for their progress.

It offers students with job-ready digital skills including blockchain, web development, gamified programming courses, graphic design, machine learning, e-commerce, and data science, among others.

#3 Codeacademy 

Codeacademy is an e-learning site that offers courses ranging from basic programming to more advanced programming languages. From Ruby to Python, PHP, jquery, CSS, JavaScript, HTML, and more, there are over 300 million hours of coding content available on Codeacademy.

It offers its users three different ways to learn to code – Codeacademy intensive, Codeacademy Pro, and free courses.

Tips For Learning How To Code 

Although the mentioned platforms will provide you with all the necessary resources that come into the play for learning a programming language, it is up to you how you utilize these resources to your benefit.

The following are some tips for learning how to code:

  • Play with the code, build a project as you go through the material
  • Understand the fundamentals of long-term benefits
  • If possible, code by hand
  • Get your doubts cleared by a professional
  • Don’t just limit yourself to a single resource. Explore the internet; there’s a wealth of content available
  • Don’t just read the code, run it to understand how it works
  • Give yourself time

Conclusion 

It is all about practice. You need to remain confident throughout the course to get the grasp of what you are learning. It may take time, but if you avail the services of the best online platforms like the ones we have mentioned in this post, learning will become fun and simple.

 

Author | Emily Forbes |

An Entrepreneur, Mother & A passionate tech writer in the technology industry!

Email:- forbesemily@yandex.com

The post How to Code? Learn to code with BitDegree, Code with Google, and Codecademy! appeared first on TheTechNews.



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Online Best YouTube to MP3 Tool Reviews!

Welcome to the latest Post of Best YouTube to MP3 tool Reviews. We have already reviewed too many tools which convert YouTube to MP3. We have also downloaded MP3 from YouTube by using many different tools. So, now we will show you the best tool for downloading MP3 from YouTube quickly. In the first, we need quality. The Mobile user can choose the low quality of MP3, Smartphone or Tablet users may need Medium quality and Desktop users may need High quality.

This is an example only. The entire user can ask the quality of MP3 of your own choice. So, the best YouTube to MP3 tool name is ViralConverter.com. It saves times and at the same time, it allows you downloading three different qualities of MP3. Download Process is also very easy which can follow every people. If you want to do a test, let’s follow the below instruction and test quickly.

YouTube to MP3 Download Process by using ViralConverter online tool:

Here is step by step guideline available. If you will follow these processes, you will get the MP3 Music of YouTube Video (Your provided Link). In details, you need to copy the YouTube Video Link first. Then, Visit the Tool Website (ViralConverter.com) and follow the below instruction to complete the download.

  1. Firstly, Visit ViralConverter from any update Internet Browser
  2. Secondly, Paste the YouTube Video Link on the Box (Single Box Available on the Screen)
  3. Thirdly, Select the Quality for your MP3 File
  4. Fourthly, Click on the Convert MP3
  5. Finally, Click on the Download Button

Enough! Your MP3 is ready to Play. Just open the file where you have saved and enjoyed listening to this anywhere without any data connection. On the same system, you can Download Facebook Videos from ViralDownloader. its an easy and best facebook video downloader All the instruction will be the same as the ViralConverter. You can always contact support to know more information.

 

The post Online Best YouTube to MP3 Tool Reviews! appeared first on TheTechNews.



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How to Automate Your Data Lineage Process!

Data collection and management is a core component of business, and is critical for those companies that want to have success today. Companies must be adept at internalizing data that allows them to provide better products and services to their customers and to become more efficient internally.

We live in a data driven world and with some many data collection points today including on ground and most importantly online, companies can become overwhelmed tracking all of this data and positioning it so that it is usable. But these challenges must be met because the alternative is falling behind the competition and missing out on opportunities that can take your business to the stratosphere.

Most companies are surprised to discover the complexities around data when they begin looking to secure a solution for it management. The smart companies ultimately turn to data management software in order to get the best results from their data management efforts. These software packages break down collection and management into several different components and provide governance protocols for all key areas.

Data Lineage – Tracking Your Data

Perhaps the most important area is Data lineage. Data lineage relates to understanding metadata and its life cycle within your organization. It involves the inputting and movement of data within your organizations systems. This encompasses where the data comes from, what it will pass through the processes you use to make it most valuable within your organization, and where it ultimately goes.

As you can tell, these are critical elements of data management and as such must be conducted

With the highest levels of efficiency. Data lineage forms the foundation for calculations and actions taken regarding the data. If it is not done properly, every assumption and move made based on the collected data will likely be inaccurate.

Genesis of Data Lineage Tracking

Initially companies simply threw manpower at tracking data. This was a cumbersome job that involves lots of different people, keeping track of lots of data in a myriad of databases, that all needed to be understood and weighed. The process was very inefficient and led to many mistakes occurring due to human error. Just as problematic, there were limitations to the usability of the data because the complex calculations needed to determine its full use could not be implemented. As more data needed to be analyzed and tracked it became apparent that humans could not effectively manage this process and as a result data governance solutions became prominent.

Data Governance Solutions for Data Lineage Tracking

Data governance solutions make it easy to track your data lineage. This feature is a core part of the software. Your team is instructed on how to enter and scrub data and it lineage is tracked from the moment it enters the system, your company can track every movement of the data, understand clearly how it has been implemented and even undo however it has been altered or modified.

Data based projects within your company will all need to have the most thorough and sophisticated trackability today. This is not a static event, it must be constant and give off information that allows you change any elements of your project that are not effective and to do it in real time. It also must throw off data that can be used to make any new projects more effective from the start. Finally you can audit the results of your, thereby gaining valuable and deep insights. Utilizing a data governance software allows for data lineage automation and gives your company all of these benefits.

 

Author | Emily Forbes |

An Entrepreneur, Mother & A passionate tech writer in the technology industry!

Email:- forbesemily@yandex.com

The post How to Automate Your Data Lineage Process! appeared first on TheTechNews.



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Sources: a number of recently disclosed malicious websites used to hack into iPhones over a two-year period were designed to target Uyghur Muslims in China (Zack Whittaker/TechCrunch)

Zack Whittaker / TechCrunch:
Sources: a number of recently disclosed malicious websites used to hack into iPhones over a two-year period were designed to target Uyghur Muslims in China  —  A number of malicious websites used to hack into iPhones over a two-year period were targeting Uyghur Muslims, TechCrunch has learned.



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Sources say China used iPhone hacks to target Uyghur Muslims

A number of malicious websites used to hack into iPhones over a two-year period were targeting Uyghur Muslims, TechCrunch has learned.

Sources familiar with the matter said the websites were part of a state-backed attack — likely China — designed to target the Uyghur community in the country’s Xinjiang state.

It’s part of the latest effort by the Chinese government to crack down on the minority Muslim community in recent history. In the past year, Beijing has detained more than a million Uyghurs in internment camps, according to a United Nations human rights committee.

Google security researchers found and recently disclosed the malicious websites this week, but until now it wasn’t known who they were targeting.

The websites were part of a campaign to target the religious group by infecting an iPhone with malicious code simply by visiting a booby-trapped web page. In gaining unfettered access to the iPhone’s software, an attacker could read a victim’s messages, passwords, and track their location in near-real time.

Apple fixed the vulnerabilities in February in iOS 12.1.4, days after Google privately disclosed the flaws. News of the hacking campaign was first disclosed by this week.

These websites had “thousands of visitors” per week for at least two years, Google said.

Victims were tricked into opening a link, which when opened would load one of the malicious websites used to infect the victim. It’s a common tactic to target phone owners with spyware.

One of the sources told TechCrunch the websites used to infect iPhones had been inadvertently indexed by Google’s search engine, prompting the FBI to alert Google to ask for the site to be removed from its index to prevent infections, they added.

A Google spokesperson would not comment beyond the published research. A FBI spokesperson said they could neither confirm nor deny any investigation, and did not comment further.

Google faced some criticism following its bombshell report for not releasing the websites used in the attacks. The researchers said the attacks were “indiscriminate watering hole attacks” with “no target discrimination,” noting that anyone visiting the site would have their iPhone hacked.

But the company would not say who was behind the attacks.

Apple did not comment. An email requesting comment to the Chinese consulate in New York was unreturned.



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That’s a Tall Order!


By BY CAITLIN LOVINGER Crosswords & Games https://ift.tt/32gjQLY
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Tesla’s Model 3 interior (even the steering wheel) is now 100% leather-free

Tesla said Saturday that its Model 3 interiors are now completely free of leather, fulfilling a promise made by CEO Elon Musk at this year’s annual shareholder meeting.

Tesla has been closing in on a leather-free interior for a couple of years now. But a sticking point was the steering wheel, which Musk made mention of at the company’s shareholder meeting in June in response to a request from PETA activist.

I believe we were close to having a non-heated steering wheel, that’s not leather,” Musk said at the time.There are some challenges when when heat the non-leather material and also how well it wears over time.”

Musk said Model Y and Model 3 would be vegan by 2020. He wasn’t sure if the company would be able to meet that same goal for the Model S and X.

 

 

Activist shareholders made a proposal in 2015 that Tesla no longer use animal-derived leather in the interiors of its electric vehicles by 2019. While stockholders rejected that proposal, Tesla did begin rolling out more “vegan” interior components in its cars.

The company began by offering leather-free seats as an option. Two years ago, Tesla made the synthetic material standard in its Model 3, Model X and Model S vehicles.



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Apple products under pricing pressure as new 15% tariffs drop Sunday

A new 15% tariff on Chinese imports will go in effect just after midnight Sunday, placing levies on hundreds of household goods and consumer tech, including a bevy of Apple products.

The tariffs, put in place by President Donald Trump as part of an escalating tit-for-tat trade war with China, were entered into the Federal Register on Friday.

Apple, the largest U.S. technology company by market cap, has its products assembled in China by Foxconn and then ships them to consumers all over the world. The Apple Airpods, Apple Watch and accompanying Apple Watch bands and the Apple Homepod are all products subject to the higher tariffs beginning Sunday. The iPhone doesn’t appear to be impacted this round, but could be subject to tariffs that begin Dec. 15.

Apple is hardly the only electronics company — most of which have final assembly in China — to be affected by the tariffs. TVs, speakers, digital cameras, lithium-ion batteries and flash drives are just a few of consumer electronics that will be subjected to a 15% tariff beginning Sunday. But the higher tariffs do threaten to give rival Samsung an edge.

The new higher tariffs come just a few weeks since Apple CEO Tim Cook met with Trump to argue that such a move would benefit its No. 1 competitor Samsung.

The 15% tariff will affect about $112 billion of Chinese goods, lower than the original list of $300 billion imports. Last week, the U.S. Trade Representative office modified the original list, either delaying tariffs on some products until December 15 or removing some goods altogether.

Despite the lower number, the impact is still expected to pinch companies importing products from China. The complete list of products affected by the 15% tariffs is 122 pages long. And eventually, that pain — aka higher prices — will be passed onto consumers.

Tariffs have already had a cost, according to the Consumer Tech Association. Since July 2018, Section 301 tariffs on China have cost the consumer tech industry over $10 billion, including $1 billion on 5G-related products, the CTA said.

In total, American taxpayers have paid over $27 billion in extra import tariffs from the beginning of the trade war in 2018 through June of this year, most of which can be attributed to the U.S.-China trade war, according to U.S. Census information provided by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI).

Another 30% tariff on about $250 billion of goods is expected to begin October 1.



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Apps for reporting cars that block bike lanes can help even the balance of power between cyclists and drivers, but they also have troubling privacy implications (Sarah Holder/The Atlantic)

Sarah Holder / The Atlantic:
Apps for reporting cars that block bike lanes can help even the balance of power between cyclists and drivers, but they also have troubling privacy implications  —  Apps that track bike-lane offenders help cyclists feel a sense of agency.  But they also encourage city residents to surveil one another's movements.



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Apple still has work to do on privacy

There’s no doubt that Apple’s self-polished reputation for privacy and security has taken a bit of a battering recently.

On the security front, Google researchers just disclosed a major flaw in the iPhone, finding a number of malicious websites that could hack into a victim’s device by exploiting a set of previously undisclosed software bugs. When visited, the sites infected iPhones with an implant designed to harvest personal data — such as location, contacts and messages.

As flaws go, it looks like a very bad one. And when security fails so spectacularly, all those shiny privacy promises naturally go straight out the window.

And while that particular cold-sweat-inducing iPhone security snafu has now been patched, it does raise questions about what else might be lurking out there. More broadly, it also tests the generally held assumption that iPhones are superior to Android devices when it comes to security.

Are we really so sure that thesis holds?

But imagine for a second you could unlink security considerations and purely focus on privacy. Wouldn’t Apple have a robust claim there?

On the surface, the notion of Apple having a stronger claim to privacy versus Google — an adtech giant that makes its money by pervasively profiling internet users, whereas Apple sells premium hardware and services (including essentially now ‘privacy as a service‘) — seems a safe (or, well, safer) assumption. Or at least, until iOS security fails spectacularly and leaks users’ privacy anyway. Then of course affected iOS users can just kiss their privacy goodbye. That’s why this is a thought experiment.

But even directly on privacy, Apple is running into problems, too.

 

To wit: Siri, its nearly decade-old voice assistant technology, now sits under a penetrating spotlight — having been revealed to contain a not-so-private ‘mechanical turk’ layer of actual humans paid to listen to the stuff people tell it. (Or indeed the personal stuff Siri accidentally records.)



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Original Content podcast: Netflix’s new ‘Dark Crystal’ is a visual delight, no nostalgia needed

“The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance” returns viewers to the world of Thra — a distant, magical planet ruled over by the sinister, long-lived Skeksis, who have lied their way into ownership of the titular crystal and dominance of the elf-like Gelflings.

The series is a prequel to Jim Henson and Frank Oz’s 1982 film “The Dark Crystal” — but two out of your three hosts at the Original Content podcast haven’t seen the original movie, so our opinions weren’t colored by nostalgia.

Like the Henson/Oz film, “Age of Resistance” relies on sophisticated puppetry to bring a complex fantasy world to life. It’s genuinely dazzling, with sprawling cities, steampunk machinery and all manner of fantasy creatures all fully realized, and often captured in fast-moving scenes of kinetic action.

On the other hand, for some of us, the puppetry wasn’t quite up to the task when the show got darker and more serious. It’s hard to care about family drama and romance when your lead characters have limited facial mobility, or to feel the weight of the show’s numerous death scenes (we’re not talking “Game of Thrones”-level here, but still) when the person dying is played by puppet.

To balance out our fantasy-heavy review, we kick things off by catching up on what Jordan and Darrell think of the latest season of “Bachelor in Paradise.”

You can listen in the player below, subscribe using Apple Podcasts or find us in your podcast player of choice. If you like the show, please let us know by leaving a review on Apple. You can also send us feedback directly. (Or suggest shows and movies for us to review!)

And if you want to skip ahead, here’s how the episode breaks down:
0:00 Intro
0:50 “Red Sea Diving Resort” listener reaction
6:01 “Bachelor in Paradise” recap
26:10 “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance” spoiler-free review



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Come along, take a ride

From afar, Olli resembles many of the “future is now!” electric autonomous shuttles that have popped up in recent years.

The tall rectangular pod, with its wide-set headlights and expansive windows nestled between a rounded frame, gives the shuttle a friendly countenance that screams, ever so gently, “come along, take a ride.”

But Olli is different in almost every way, from how it’s produced to its origin story. And now, its maker, Local Motors, has given Olli an upgrade in hopes of accelerating the adoption of its autonomous shuttles.

Meet Olli 2.0, a 3D-printed connected electric autonomous shuttle that Rogers says will hasten its ubiquity.

“The future is here; it’s just not evenly distributed,” Local Motors co-founder and CEO John B. Rogers Jr. said in a recent interview. “That’s something I say a lot. Because people often ask me, ‘Hey, when will I see this vehicle? 2023? What do you think?’ My response: It’s here now, it’s just not everywhere.”

Whether individuals will adopt Rogers’ vision of the future is another matter. But he argues that Olli 1.0 has already been a persuasive ambassador.

Olli 2.0 Left Door

Olli 1.0 made its debut in 2016 when it launched in National Harbor, Md., at a planned mixed-use development a few miles south of Washington, D.C. In the two years since, Olli has shown up at events such as LA Automobility, and been featured by various media outlets, including this one.  Heck, even James Cordon rode in it.

Local Motors, which was founded in 2007, and its Olli 1.0 shuttle are familiar figures in the fledgling autonomous vehicle industry. But they’re often overshadowed by the likes of Argo AI, Cruise, Uber and Waymo — bigger companies that are all pursuing robotaxis designed for cities.

Olli, meanwhile, is designed for campuses, low-speed environments that include hospitals, military bases and universities.

“The public isn’t going to see New York City with autonomous vehicles running around all the time (any time soon),” Rogers said. Campuses, on the other hand, are a sweet spot for companies like Local Motors that want to deploy now. These are places where mobility is needed and people are able to get up close and personal with a “friendly robot” like Olli, Rogers said. 

Olli 2.0

Olli and Olli 2.0 are clearly siblings. The low-speed vehicle has the same general shape, and a top speed of 25 miles per hour. And both have been crash tested by Local Motors and come with Level 4 autonomous capability, a designation by the SAE that means the vehicle can handle all aspects of driving in certain conditions without human intervention.

Olli 2.0 has a lot more range — up to 100 miles on a single charge, according to its spec sheet. The manufacturing process has been improved, and Olli 2.0 is now 80% 3D-printed and has hub motors versus the axle wheel motors in its predecessor. In addition, there are two more seats in Olli 2.0 and new programmable lighting.

But where Olli 2.0 really stands out is in the improved user interface and more choices for customers looking to customize the shuttle to suit specific needs. As Rogers recently put it, “We can pretty much make anything they ask for with the right partners.”

Local-Motors-Olli -2.0

The outside of Olli 2.0 is outfitted with a PA system and screens on the front and back to address pedestrians. The screen in the front can be shown as eyes, making Olli 2.0 more approachable and anthropomorphic.

Inside the shuttle, riders will find better speakers and microphones and touchscreens. Local Motors has an open API, which allows for an endless number of UI interfaces. For instance, LG is customizing media content for Olli based on the “5G future,” according to Rogers, who said he couldn’t provide more details just yet.

AR and VR can also be added, if a customer desires. The interior can be changed to suit different needs as well. For instance, a hospital might want fewer seats and more room to transport patients on beds. It’s this kind of customization that Rogers believes will give Local Motors an edge over autonomous shuttle competitors.

Local-Motors-Olli-2.0-Interior

Even the way Olli 2.0 communicates has been improved.

Olli 1.0 used IBM Watson, the AI platform from IBM, for its natural language and speech to text functions. Olli 2.0 has more options. Natural language voice can use Amazon’s deep learning chatbot service Lex and IBM Watson. Customers can choose one or even combine them. Both can be altered to make the system addressable to “Olli.”

The many people behind Olli

In the so-called race to deploy autonomous vehicles, Local Motors is a participant that is difficult to categorize or label largely due to how it makes its shuttles.

It’s not just that Local Motors’ two micro factories — at its Chandler, Ariz. headquarters and in Knoxville, Tenn. — are a diminutive 10,000 square feet. Or that these micro factories lack the tool and die and stamping equipment found in a traditional automaker’s factory. Or even that Olli is 3D-printed.

A striking and perhaps less obvious difference is how Olli and other creations from Local Motors, and its parent company Local Motors Industries, come to life. LMI has a co-creation and low-volume local production business model. The parent company’s Launch Forth unit manages a digital design community of tens of thousands of engineers and designers that co-creates products for customers. Some of those mobility creations go to Local Motors, which uses its low-volume 3D-printed micro factories to build Olli and Olli 2.0, as well as other products like the Rally Fighter.

This ability to tap into its community and its partnerships with research labs, combined with direct digital manufacturing and its micro factories, is what Rogers says allows it to go from design to mobile prototype in weeks, not months — or even years.

The company issues challenges to the community. The winner of a challenge gets a cash prize and is awarded royalties as the product is commercialized. In 2016, a Bogota, Colombia man named Edgar Sarmiento won the Local Motors challenge to design an urban public transportation system. His design eventually became Olli.

(Local Motors uses the challenges model to determine where Olli will be deployed, as well.)

New design challenges are constantly being launched to improve the UI and services of Olli, as well as other products. But even that doesn’t quite capture the scope of the co-creation. Local Motors partners with dozens of companies and research organizations. Its 3D-printing technology comes from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Olli itself involves a who’s who in the sensor, AV and supplier communities.

Startup Affectiva provides Olli’s cognition system, such as facial and mood tracking of its passengers and dynamic route optimization, while Velodyne, Delphi, Robotic Research and Axis Communications handle the perception stack of the self-driving shuttle, according to Local Motors. Nvidia and Sierra Wireless provide much of the Human Machine Interface. Other companies that supply the bits and pieces to Olli include Bosch, Goodyear, Protean and Eastman, to name just a few.

Where in the world is Olli?

Today, Olli 1.0 is deployed on nine campuses, the most recent ones at the Joint Base Myer – Henderson Hall, a joint base of the U.S. military located around Arlington, Va., which is made up of Fort Myer, Fort McNair and Henderson Hall. Olli was also introduced recently in Rancho Cordova, near Sacramento, Calif.

Production of Olli 2.0 began in July and deliveries will begin in the fourth quarter of this year. In the meantime, three more Olli shuttle deployments are coming up in the next six weeks or so, according to Local Motors, which didn’t provide further details.

Production of Olli 1.0 will phase out in the coming months as customer orders are completed. Olli will soon head to Europe, as well, with Local Motors planning to build its third micro factory in the region.



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