BRUSSELS ? Germany's controversial suggestion of a European debt regulator with direct control over Greece's spending turned out to be such a touchy subject that Chancellor Angela didn't even mention the idea to the leaders at Monday's European Union summit in Brussels.
In what was seen as a blow for Germany's push for tighter European integration, national sovereignty appeared to have won the argument Monday.
Over the weekend, Germany had made a pre-summit call to give a powerful European debt watchdog direct control over Greece's budget decisions. Despite often stinging criticism over how Greece runs it financial affairs, having a foreigner directly run a nation's budget found no takers among the other leaders.
Even Merkel's staunch ally, Nicolas Sarkozy, who is so close that they have morphed into the diplomatic couple "Merkozy", could not back her.
"We cannot put a country under trusteeship and run it from abroad. It would not be reasonable, not democratic, and, in short, not efficient," Sarkozy said after the summit.
Going into the summit, German Economics Minister Philipp Roesler had suggested the EU should take over the "leadership and supervision" of Greece's budget.
Athens is teetering on the brink of a disorderly default and is seeking a key agreement to get a second euro130 billion ($170.43 billion) bailout. The country has been surviving since May 2010 on an initial euro110 billion package of rescue loans from other eurozone countries and the International Monetary Fund.
Greece must also cut its deficit further and push through painful public sector layoffs and sell off several state companies, and its partners are unhappy with the pace of action.
Still, a "Sparkommissar" in German_ or "savings Czar" ? was beyond the pale for Greece.
"Our partners do know that European integration is based on ... the respect of their national identity and dignity," Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos wrote in an angry retort.
"I am certain that the political leaderships of all European nations ? particularly bigger nations that bear increased responsibility for the course of Europe ? are aware of how friends and partners, who have joined their historical destinies, raise questions," he wrote on Sunday.
Merkel got the message.
"I believe that we are having a discussion that we shouldn't be having," she said entering the summit.
Other European leaders have said that the Commission, the EU's executive, needed the power to block bad spending decisions, but not only in Greece but also other highly indebted countries.
But taking over the leadership of budget went too far.
"It can only be put in place by the Greeks, in a democratic way," said Sarkozy.
Ever since Greece threw the eurozone into financial turmoil in 2009 when it admitted previous governments had played down the amount of debt, it has been criticized as a profligate nation living off the wealthy northern nations.
It has since committed itself, under often intense pressure, to slowly move back toward a degree of fiscal discipline.
Today's free Android Wallpaper of the Day comes to us from member RETG, who uploaded this pic of the Green River at Cystal Geyeser in Utah. Nice.
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JUBA, South Sudan ? South Sudan's minister of petroleum and mining says the nation will not restart oil production unless Sudan accepts a list of demands.
Stephen Dhieu Dau said Sunday that South Sudan was "committed to negotiations" but that Khartoum would have to accept their offer of paying $1 per barrel for using Sudan's pipelines for export and $2.4 billion dollar financial assistance package before South Sudan turns on production again.
He also says Sudan must withdraw troops from the disputed border region of Abyei and stop funding rebel groups in South Sudan. He says South Sudan wants an international treaty guaranteed by "international superpowers" to guarantee the agreement.
South Sudan shut down oil production Saturday after it accused Sudan of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of oil.
NEW YORK (Reuters) ? In the age of Twitter and Facebook, many Super Bowl viewers will use the commercial breaks to go online and see what people are saying about the game. This year, advertisers want them to tweet about their favorite commercials as well.
Having spent record-breaking sums to secure the most valuable television slots in advertising, global brands from Coca-Cola to Volkwagen are looking to leverage social media to extend the buzz and reach of their ads.
According to executives from Comcast Corp's NBC television network, which will broadcast the February 5 football game, a 30-second commercial slot cost $3.5 million on average this year, up from $3 million for last year's Super Bowl, which was on News Corp's Fox station.
"The social media conversation has put more value on a Super Bowl ad, fans will discuss your ads on Twitter and Facebook and then go to YouTube to watch it on demand over and over again," said Brad Adgate, senior vice president of research at Horizon Media.
This year's Super Bowl will take place in Indianapolis, with the New York Giants and New England Patriots battling it out for the National Football League Championship. An expected 100 million people will watch the game, which is among a dwindling number of TV programs that still draw big live audiences.
NFL games are so valuable to advertisers that the league recently secured hefty pay increases that will bring in about $6 billion a year from Walt Disney Co's ESPN, broadcast networks and satellite TV provider DirecTV for rights to air games and sell the advertising time.
The average price of Super Bowl ads have risen more than 50 percent in the last 10 years, defying economic downturns and secular industry issues. NBC sold out all 70 spots around this year's game shortly after Thanksgiving weekend in November and reached a new high with one slot selling for around $4 million.
The game, including lower priced halftime slots, could easily generate over a quarter of a billion dollars in ad sales.
"The overall demand for Super Bowl spots is very high this year," said Tim Calkins, marketing professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. "Prices are high. Demand is high. I think that's a very positive sign for the economy."
Consumer research forecasts that 60 percent of fans watching the Super Bowl will also be tied into a second screen such as a smartphone or tablet.
COKE Vs PEPSI ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Anheuser-Busch, which typically buys exclusivity as the only beer advertiser during recent Super Bowls, is again the biggest spender, according to industry sources.
Not unlike past Super Bowls, Coca Cola Co and PepsiCo Inc will face-off for soda supremacy. Both beverage makers have come up with campaigns that attempt to leverage social media after their commercials air.
Coca-Cola's TV commercials, which will air during the first-and second-quarter breaks, will center around its computer-generated Arctic polar bears watching the game. The bears will then be brought to life on Twitter, Facebook and on a dedicated Website doing such things as responding to fans and commenting on the game. They will even have their own Twitter hashtag --#GameDayPolarBears -- for fans to follow.
"We wanted to interact with consumers in the most simple and organic way so they would have nothing to do other than what they usually do," said Pio Schunker, Coca Cola senior vice president of integrated marketing platforms.
Fans who catch Pepsi's commercial with "X Factor USA" winner Melanie Amaro performing the Otis Redding song "Respect" will be able to download a free video of the performance by using the Shazam app on their phones to capture audio from the commercial.
There are also partnerships with online radio service Pandora Media Inc and social TV specialist GetGlue centered around the game and other free content.
"Our philosophy now is nothing happens in isolation," said Shiv Singh, global head of digital for Pepsico Beverages. "Social TV is a massive phenomenon and a critical element of our Super Bowl campaigns."
AUTOS SPEND BIG AGAIN
The biggest spender by category is the autos industry, which made a big comeback last year and was noted for one of the most memorable spots -- Volkswagen AG's ad with a young child dressed in a Darth Vader outfit believing he can control the Passat car's lights.
This year, Volkswagen's Audi is hoping to win more creative kudos with a spot that taps into the "Twilight" teen vampire pop culture phenomenon. The 60-second spot, which will air during the first break in the game, will highlight the new 2013 Audi S7 and its LED headlight technology, which has unfortunate consequences for a party of young vampires.
Audi hopes to continue the conversation about the ad via the Twitter hashtag #SoLongVampires.
NBC executives say the auto makers are leading a trend toward long-form campaigns of 60 seconds or more, allowing high-end creative concepts to be fleshed out in the commercial's narrative rather than just going for a quick gag and punchline.
Chrysler Group LLC, Toyota Motor Co, Honda Motor Co Ltd, Hyundai Motor Co, and other automakers will also be advertising during the game.
General Motors Co's mainstream Chevy brand will run seven TV commercials before, during and after the game, for instance. It will also center its overall campaign heavily around Web-based partnerships with NBC, Twitter and Facebook.
SOCIAL MEDIA HELPS SELL
With the conventional wisdom being that consumers are more likely to make a purchase if recommended by a friend or family member, chief marketing officers are keen to insert themselves in a Facebook or Twitter conversation about the products and services they sell.
Bluefin Labs, a start-up company that aggregates and analyzes TV viewer data and comments on Twitter and Facebook, has been hired by several advertising agencies with Super Bowl campaigns to help understand how football fans react to the commercials during the game.
"Advertisers don't think about the TV campaign alone anymore but as a way to reach eyeballs and then stimulate conversations about their brands," said Bluefin executive Tom Thai.
While advertisers are eager to experiment with social media during a big-ticket event like the Super Bowl, there are still questions on how they measure its impact with a consistent, industry-accepted method, said Alex Iskold, founder of GetGlue, which lets TV fans share their viewing experiences by 'checking-in' in exchange for online rewards.
"Social TV engagement hasn't been fully priced yet," Iskold said. "We are collectively working to figure out the value to the advertisers. "It took years for the traditional display ad model to solidify; I don't think it will take us that long to price social TV."
(Reporting By Yinka Adegoke in New York,; additional reporting by Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles,; editing by Peter Lauria)
TOKYO ? A magnitude-5.5 earthquake rattled Yamanashi prefecture in central Japan on Saturday morning, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, and no tsunami warning was issued.
The temblor was some 20 kilometers (12 1/2 miles) deep and hit at 7:43 a.m. local time (2243 GMT Friday), the Japanese earthquake-reporting agency said.
Last year, a magnitude-9 quake on March 11 and subsequent tsunami about 140 miles (230 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo left nearly 20,000 people dead or missing.
Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world.
LOS ANGELES ? Sony's "Underworld: Awakening" should be wide awake atop the domestic box office again this weekend, with a gross of around $12 million following last weekend's $25 million debut and continued dominance midweek.
Of course, the "Underworld" vampires will have to contend with newfound action star Liam Neeson as Open Road unleashes the R-rated Alaskan adventure "The Grey," which should wolf down from $10 million to $12 million in receipts.
Flying into its second weekend, Fox's World War II drama "Red Tails" from George Lucas will set its sights on a gross in the $10 million range.
Crowding those skies even more will be Sam Worthington as the "Man on a Ledge," a debuting crime thriller from Summit Entertainment that should also earn around $10 million.
With two Oscar nominations, including best picture, the 9/11 drama "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" from Warner Bros. enters its second weekend of wide release with solid momentum. But it will have to contend with the opening weekend of Lionsgate's Katherine Heigl comedy "One for the Money" for a spot in the top 5 and grosses in the $8 million to $10 million range.
Look for major Oscar nominees such as "The Descendants," "Hugo" and "The Artist" to get a bit of an "Oscar bounce" as their higher profiles and additional screens make them more of a "must see" this weekend.
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Paul Dergarabedian is president of the Box Office Division of Hollywood.com and provides box office analysis for The Associated Press.
Young Americans recognize the impact of innovation on US economy according to surveyPublic release date: 25-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jessica Benjamin jbenjamin@coneinc.com 617-939-8417 Lemelson-MIT Program
2012 Lemelson-MIT Invention Index reveals barriers and drivers to becoming US inventors
Cambridge, Mass., January 25, 2012 The 2012 Lemelson-MIT Invention Index , announced today, indicates that young Americans are acutely aware of the importance of invention and innovation in their personal lives, and within the context of the nation's economy. Yet most feel there are factors that would prevent them from furthering education in or entering inventive fields, posing a threat to the pool of future U.S. innovators and the country's economic prosperity.
A Threat to U.S. Innovation
The annual Lemelson-MIT Invention Index, which gauges Americans' perceptions about invention and innovation, surveyed Americans ages 16 25. When asked about how new technology like smartphones and tablets influences and impacts their personal lives, 40 percent of respondents said they couldn't imagine their life without it. Americans also have a clear understanding of the role invention and innovation play in the health of the nation with nearly half (47 percent) saying that a lack of invention will hurt the U.S. economy. Those surveyed, however, may not be the ones to take-on the challenge; 60 percent say there are factors that could keep them from pursuing an education or career in science, technology, engineering or math - fields that yield invention and lead to innovation.
Thomas Edison Chosen over Steve Jobs as Greatest Innovator
Though part of the "Apple Generation," many young Americans surprisingly chose Thomas Edison (54 percent) over Steve Jobs (24 percent) as the greatest innovator of all time, demonstrating that education around the history of invention exists in today's curriculum. However, it may not be strong enough to inspire young Americans to make the leap into innovative fields themselves. When asked what other factors would stop them from pursuing innovation-driving fields, nearly half (45 percent) said that invention is not given enough attention in their school.
Additionally, 28 percent said their education left them unprepared to enter these fields.
"Hands-on invention activities are critical, but few too many students have opportunities to learn and develop their inventive skills," said Leigh Estabrooks, the Lemelson-MIT Program's invention education officer. "This year's survey revealed that less than half of respondents have done things like used a drill or hand-held power tool, or made something out of raw materials in the past year. We must engage students in these types of invention experiences as well as provide a strong STEM education to drive future innovators."
Driving Future Innovators
American youth feel that education is most in need of a new, inventive solution, more than other fields like healthcare, energy and finance. They also believe there are several ways to generate aspiring inventors by reforming learning experiences both in and out of the classroom. Fifty-four percent said including invention projects during school, or a creative field trip could be a solution; while 52 percent said simply giving students a place to develop an invention could do the trick.
Outside of the classroom, a majority (80 percent) expressed interest in education training courses to help them become more inventive and creative. Fifty-eight percent said an opportunity to participate in an invention-related national service co-op, such as a training program where aspiring inventors can "shadow" working professionals in science, technology, engineering and math would encourage aspiring inventors in the U.S.
Joshua Schuler, executive director of the Lemelson-MIT Program, supports such ideas. "These encouraging statistics show that young Americans have an interest in learning more about invention. At the Lemelson-MIT Program our mission is to celebrate and inspire invention. We invite communities to join us by giving youth access to role models and hands-on programs like InvenTeams to help them become more inventive in their personal and professional lives."
Now in its ninth year, the Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam Initiative inspires and empowers youth to invent by engaging students in creative thinking, problem-solving and hands-on learning. Granted up to $10,000 each, InvenTeams create and pursue a yearlong invention project addressing real-world problems such as energy efficiency and disaster relief.
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ABOUT THE LEMELSON-MIT PROGRAM
Celebrating innovation, inspiring youth
The Lemelson-MIT Program celebrates outstanding innovators and inspires young people to pursue creative lives and careers through invention.
Jerome H. Lemelson, one of U.S. history's most prolific inventors, and his wife Dorothy founded the Lemelson-MIT Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994. It is funded by The Lemelson Foundation and administered by the School of Engineering. The Foundation sparks, sustains and celebrates innovation and the inventive spirit. It supports projects in the U.S. and developing countries that nurture innovators and unleash invention to advance economic, social and environmentally sustainable development. To date The Lemelson Foundation has donated or committed more than U.S. $150 million in support of its mission. http://web.mit.edu/invent/
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Young Americans recognize the impact of innovation on US economy according to surveyPublic release date: 25-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jessica Benjamin jbenjamin@coneinc.com 617-939-8417 Lemelson-MIT Program
2012 Lemelson-MIT Invention Index reveals barriers and drivers to becoming US inventors
Cambridge, Mass., January 25, 2012 The 2012 Lemelson-MIT Invention Index , announced today, indicates that young Americans are acutely aware of the importance of invention and innovation in their personal lives, and within the context of the nation's economy. Yet most feel there are factors that would prevent them from furthering education in or entering inventive fields, posing a threat to the pool of future U.S. innovators and the country's economic prosperity.
A Threat to U.S. Innovation
The annual Lemelson-MIT Invention Index, which gauges Americans' perceptions about invention and innovation, surveyed Americans ages 16 25. When asked about how new technology like smartphones and tablets influences and impacts their personal lives, 40 percent of respondents said they couldn't imagine their life without it. Americans also have a clear understanding of the role invention and innovation play in the health of the nation with nearly half (47 percent) saying that a lack of invention will hurt the U.S. economy. Those surveyed, however, may not be the ones to take-on the challenge; 60 percent say there are factors that could keep them from pursuing an education or career in science, technology, engineering or math - fields that yield invention and lead to innovation.
Thomas Edison Chosen over Steve Jobs as Greatest Innovator
Though part of the "Apple Generation," many young Americans surprisingly chose Thomas Edison (54 percent) over Steve Jobs (24 percent) as the greatest innovator of all time, demonstrating that education around the history of invention exists in today's curriculum. However, it may not be strong enough to inspire young Americans to make the leap into innovative fields themselves. When asked what other factors would stop them from pursuing innovation-driving fields, nearly half (45 percent) said that invention is not given enough attention in their school.
Additionally, 28 percent said their education left them unprepared to enter these fields.
"Hands-on invention activities are critical, but few too many students have opportunities to learn and develop their inventive skills," said Leigh Estabrooks, the Lemelson-MIT Program's invention education officer. "This year's survey revealed that less than half of respondents have done things like used a drill or hand-held power tool, or made something out of raw materials in the past year. We must engage students in these types of invention experiences as well as provide a strong STEM education to drive future innovators."
Driving Future Innovators
American youth feel that education is most in need of a new, inventive solution, more than other fields like healthcare, energy and finance. They also believe there are several ways to generate aspiring inventors by reforming learning experiences both in and out of the classroom. Fifty-four percent said including invention projects during school, or a creative field trip could be a solution; while 52 percent said simply giving students a place to develop an invention could do the trick.
Outside of the classroom, a majority (80 percent) expressed interest in education training courses to help them become more inventive and creative. Fifty-eight percent said an opportunity to participate in an invention-related national service co-op, such as a training program where aspiring inventors can "shadow" working professionals in science, technology, engineering and math would encourage aspiring inventors in the U.S.
Joshua Schuler, executive director of the Lemelson-MIT Program, supports such ideas. "These encouraging statistics show that young Americans have an interest in learning more about invention. At the Lemelson-MIT Program our mission is to celebrate and inspire invention. We invite communities to join us by giving youth access to role models and hands-on programs like InvenTeams to help them become more inventive in their personal and professional lives."
Now in its ninth year, the Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam Initiative inspires and empowers youth to invent by engaging students in creative thinking, problem-solving and hands-on learning. Granted up to $10,000 each, InvenTeams create and pursue a yearlong invention project addressing real-world problems such as energy efficiency and disaster relief.
###
ABOUT THE LEMELSON-MIT PROGRAM
Celebrating innovation, inspiring youth
The Lemelson-MIT Program celebrates outstanding innovators and inspires young people to pursue creative lives and careers through invention.
Jerome H. Lemelson, one of U.S. history's most prolific inventors, and his wife Dorothy founded the Lemelson-MIT Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994. It is funded by The Lemelson Foundation and administered by the School of Engineering. The Foundation sparks, sustains and celebrates innovation and the inventive spirit. It supports projects in the U.S. and developing countries that nurture innovators and unleash invention to advance economic, social and environmentally sustainable development. To date The Lemelson Foundation has donated or committed more than U.S. $150 million in support of its mission. http://web.mit.edu/invent/
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?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke has been a dominant force in pushing for more openness at the central bank.
By John W. Schoen, Senior Producer
New normal, meet the new Fed.
The Federal Reserve took two major new steps Wednesday to assure businesses and consumers that it intends to keep borrowing costs at record low levels for the foreseeable future ? at least three years.
For the first time in its 94-year history, the central bank opened its mind to the public, publishing a collection of charts that break down policymakers? forecasts on interest rates, inflation and unemployment. ?And for the first time ever, it set an explicit target for inflation, 2 percent a year, instead of an implied target.
Both steps are in keeping with Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke?s stated goal of making the Fed?s decisions ever more transparent. Economists welcomed the new moves but said they have their own risks.
The first headline to come out after central bankers ended their two-day meeting Wednesday was the news that policymakers do not expect to raise short-term interest rates until late 2014 at the earliest, rather than mid-2013 as they said a month ago.? Those record-low rates are still needed to help boost an improving but still sluggish economy, the Fed said in the new statement.??
"I think what they are seeing is that the rate of growth is not sufficient to bring down the unemployment rate,? said Brian Dolan, chief strategist at Forex.com. Unemployment stood at 8.5 percent at the latest reading in December, with 13 million Americans who would like a job unable to find one.
The latest data show the economy beginning to strengthen: Hiring has picked up, factories are increasing output and car sales are rising. Still, the threat of a recession in Europe continues to weigh on the global economy. U.S. consumers have been resorting to borrowing again to maintain spending levels that may not be sustainable.
In its latest forecast, the central bank cut its growth outlook this year but is now a bit more optimistic about the unemployment rate. It expects the U.S. economy to grow between 2.2 percent and 2.7 percent this year. That's down from its November's forecast of between 2.5 percent and 2.9 percent. But it sees unemployment falling as low as 8.2 percent this year, better than its earlier forecast of 8.5 percent. December's rate was 8.5 percent.
By making its plans and expectations clear and explicit, the Fed is hoping to boost public confidence that interest rates will stay low. If the strategy works, that higher confidence will encourage investment and spending that would give the moribund economy a lift.
The plan could create problems for Fed officials down the road as economic conditions change. Though the disclosures are being billed as ?expectations,? investors have come to view the pronouncements as commitments. If events overtake the Fed?s current thinking, those expectations may have to be altered. That could undermine the credibility of these forecasts, according to Credit Suisse economists.
?Eventually, the Fed is bound to discover it cannot live up to the policy trajectory communicated to the market,? they wrote in a recent note explaining the changes in Fed?s communication strategy. ?When this happens the Fed will have enhanced its transparency at the expense of its credibility. And between those two assets, credibility is by far the more important.?
That, the economists argue, could have ?the perverse effect of encouraging greater volatility in the fixed income markets, especially when the FOMC eventually starts forecasting higher funds rate targets.?
Promising to keeping rates low to spur borrowing and spending may be a double-edged sword. Potential home buyers, for example, may be happy to sit on the fence as long as they don?t have to worry about missing out on record-low mortgage rates.
?It may take the floor away from the housing market,? said Douglas C. Borthwick, managing director at Faros Trading. ?With no apparent need for buyers to lock in lower rates today they may be more encouraged to wait a little while longer to pull the trigger. Why buy today when there may be more supply tomorrow?"
Since the Great Recession of 2007-09 and the biggest housing collapse since the 1930s, the Fed has thrown pretty much everything in its toolkit at the financial system, trying to revive the economy. Conventional moves targeting short-term lending have been followed by unorthodox schemes that included massive buying of mortgage bonds and a switch in the maturities of Treasury bonds to drive down longer-term rates. On Wednesday, the Fed announced no new plans to buy bonds.
Economists generally believe the Fed?s initial moves succeeded in heading off a deeper financial and economic collapse. But the economy is still growing slowly, and the job and housing markets are still badly broken.
The Fed has been debating for some time the idea of publishing its internal inflation and unemployment forecasts. The central bankers have been following an unofficial inflation target of about 2 percent of the last few years.
Part of the problem with publishing both inflation and unemployment targets is that, while they are both part of the Fed?s ?dual mandate,? managing the two objectives often call for conflicting policies. Controlling inflation often calls for tighter monetary policy, for example, which typically slows growth and raises the level of unemployment.
The Fed?s new rate-forecast policy may already be having the desired impact. As details of the Fed?s new policy have been disclosed, interest rates on U.S. Treasury bonds, a bellwether for borrowing costs from mortgages to corporate commercial paper, have been edging lower.
On Wednesday, Treasury yields fell on the news that the Fed plans no rate increase until late 2014 at the earliest. The yield on the 10-year note sank to 1.95 percent, down from 2.02 percent just before the Fed made its announcement.
Lower yields could help further reduce mortgage rates and possibly boost stock prices as investors shift out of lower-yielding Treasurys. Stocks, which had traded lower before the Fed announcment, quickly recovered their losses. The Dow Jones industrial average, which had been down about 60 points before the announcement, was up 81 points shortly before the close.
Is the Fed helping the economy with its latest actions?
Related:
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Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke says he will "not get involved in political rhetoric" and also shares insight on Dodd-Frank.
Bringing programming and aviation know-how together to create safer flight systemsPublic release date: 25-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Gabrielle DeMarco demarg@rpi.edu 518-276-6542 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Grant From US Air Force to support new research out of Rensselaer Data Science Research Center
Troy, N.Y. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute computer scientist Carlos Varela has received seed funding from the U.S. Air Force to help make flight data as updated, active, and accurate as possible. Varela, part of the Data Science Research Center at Rensselaer, will use the more than $100,000 grant to develop sophisticated computer logic programming to help create safer and more efficient flight technology. The grant is part of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Dynamic Data-Driven Application Systems (DDDAS) program.
Flying an airplane takes skill and Varela knows this all too well. The associate professor of computer science is also a licensed pilot. But, what Varela also knows is that flying an airplane also takes dataand lots of it. Pilots are constantly receiving and inputting data from air traffic controllers, weather reports, and the multiple sensors throughout the plane to help ensure a safe flight. But what happens when that data isn't up-to-date, or worse, incorrect?
"Data should drive the flight systems in an aircraft to create active and constantly updated flight data for the pilot," Varela said. "The idea is that rather than pulling data from sources such as weather forecasting services or air traffic control, which is more static in nature, the system would constantly be comparing and updating source data so that the flight plan is always up to date."
According to Varela, data must understand the connections with other data. For example, we can't be on time for a meeting if we didn't get the text message that the meeting was moved to an hour earlier. The data points weren't connected and we are late for the meeting. In the same way, a pilot or autopilot system cannot take the right action when the data they are receiving is out of date or plain wrong. This may have been the problem with the tragic crash of Air France flight 447, which crashed into the Atlantic in June of 2009 killing, all on board, according to Varela.
The evidence from the crash has suggested that the pilots on board raised the nose of the plane when it shouldn't have been brought up, he said. A plane with a nose too high will lose speed until eventually it stalls completely. Since the crash, many experts have purported that an equipment failure may have provided inaccurate information to the autopilot, causing it to disengage, said Varela. The pilots may have then incorrectly reacted to the emergency by raising the nose of the plane when in fact it needed to go down to break the stall, according to Varela.
Varela himself experienced this exact type of equipment failure during one of his own flights. Fortunately, Varela was able to determine the failure by comparing bad airspeed data to the ground speed data provided by his own GPS device. It turned out that ice had developed on the airspeed sensor, causing it to fail. Varela did not lower the nose of the plane as he normally would in response to such readings and instead deiced the sensor and safely finished his flight. His simple data comparison revealed a misreading and likely saved his life.
These experiences inspired Varela to develop new flight system programming that greatly reduces the possibility of accidents by making connections between the different data streams available to a pilot. This would create redundancies in the data that allow the different data streams to essentially fact check each other.
An active and redundant flight system may help prevent crashes caused by sensor or other data errors. For example, by comparing the airspeed data to the ground speed data, a flight system would be able to fact check a bad airspeed reading, assuming reasonable constraints on the wind speed. If the pilot is only operating by air speed data alone, they would have no way of knowing that there is an error in the system and they would respond to the incorrect data, upsetting the balance of the plane. The ground speed data would instead provide a fact checking mechanism because if air speed were swiftly changing, ground speed would be doing the same. If airspeed is changing, but ground speed remains unchanged, Varela's more active flight system would be able to notify the pilot of the discrepancy, allowing for more informed decision making.
The same would be true of flight plans. Flight plans are typically developed well ahead of the actual flight based on weather and air traffic forecasts. At the time of the actual flight, only limited or extreme data is considered, said Varela.
"The data being used for the actual flight is a little bit old and certainly not ideal," said Varela. "Pilots then end up flying a suboptimal and even unsafe plan."
The new system Varela seeks to develop would allow for the easier and faster inclusion of new data. This means that when a sensor gets new data such as a change in air pressure or temperature, it would trigger dependences with other data such as the data stream from the sensors that detect potentially lethal icing on the plane's wings. The flight plan could then be updated as needed. In this manner, pilots would always be flying an updated plan.
"The programming will model the data mathematically, so a pilot can tell that the data being received is wrong with some probability and have more information to make a flight decision."
The new system will build off what is known in computer science as logic programming by extending a logic programming language to associate probabilities to knowledge. The new system will also give first-class support to redundancy and connections between various spatio-temporal data streams, said Varela.
"Weather forecasts are by their very nature, not a sure thing," Varela said. "But, other data points are.
Varela hopes to create a new system that more easily deals with data streams and quickly admits new data. Such a system could be expanded to include unmanned flight systems and even beyond aviation. The example given by Varela was the citation of scientific findings, where data needs to be well connected to ensure it is accurate and constantly updated as new findings are created.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Bringing programming and aviation know-how together to create safer flight systemsPublic release date: 25-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Gabrielle DeMarco demarg@rpi.edu 518-276-6542 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Grant From US Air Force to support new research out of Rensselaer Data Science Research Center
Troy, N.Y. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute computer scientist Carlos Varela has received seed funding from the U.S. Air Force to help make flight data as updated, active, and accurate as possible. Varela, part of the Data Science Research Center at Rensselaer, will use the more than $100,000 grant to develop sophisticated computer logic programming to help create safer and more efficient flight technology. The grant is part of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Dynamic Data-Driven Application Systems (DDDAS) program.
Flying an airplane takes skill and Varela knows this all too well. The associate professor of computer science is also a licensed pilot. But, what Varela also knows is that flying an airplane also takes dataand lots of it. Pilots are constantly receiving and inputting data from air traffic controllers, weather reports, and the multiple sensors throughout the plane to help ensure a safe flight. But what happens when that data isn't up-to-date, or worse, incorrect?
"Data should drive the flight systems in an aircraft to create active and constantly updated flight data for the pilot," Varela said. "The idea is that rather than pulling data from sources such as weather forecasting services or air traffic control, which is more static in nature, the system would constantly be comparing and updating source data so that the flight plan is always up to date."
According to Varela, data must understand the connections with other data. For example, we can't be on time for a meeting if we didn't get the text message that the meeting was moved to an hour earlier. The data points weren't connected and we are late for the meeting. In the same way, a pilot or autopilot system cannot take the right action when the data they are receiving is out of date or plain wrong. This may have been the problem with the tragic crash of Air France flight 447, which crashed into the Atlantic in June of 2009 killing, all on board, according to Varela.
The evidence from the crash has suggested that the pilots on board raised the nose of the plane when it shouldn't have been brought up, he said. A plane with a nose too high will lose speed until eventually it stalls completely. Since the crash, many experts have purported that an equipment failure may have provided inaccurate information to the autopilot, causing it to disengage, said Varela. The pilots may have then incorrectly reacted to the emergency by raising the nose of the plane when in fact it needed to go down to break the stall, according to Varela.
Varela himself experienced this exact type of equipment failure during one of his own flights. Fortunately, Varela was able to determine the failure by comparing bad airspeed data to the ground speed data provided by his own GPS device. It turned out that ice had developed on the airspeed sensor, causing it to fail. Varela did not lower the nose of the plane as he normally would in response to such readings and instead deiced the sensor and safely finished his flight. His simple data comparison revealed a misreading and likely saved his life.
These experiences inspired Varela to develop new flight system programming that greatly reduces the possibility of accidents by making connections between the different data streams available to a pilot. This would create redundancies in the data that allow the different data streams to essentially fact check each other.
An active and redundant flight system may help prevent crashes caused by sensor or other data errors. For example, by comparing the airspeed data to the ground speed data, a flight system would be able to fact check a bad airspeed reading, assuming reasonable constraints on the wind speed. If the pilot is only operating by air speed data alone, they would have no way of knowing that there is an error in the system and they would respond to the incorrect data, upsetting the balance of the plane. The ground speed data would instead provide a fact checking mechanism because if air speed were swiftly changing, ground speed would be doing the same. If airspeed is changing, but ground speed remains unchanged, Varela's more active flight system would be able to notify the pilot of the discrepancy, allowing for more informed decision making.
The same would be true of flight plans. Flight plans are typically developed well ahead of the actual flight based on weather and air traffic forecasts. At the time of the actual flight, only limited or extreme data is considered, said Varela.
"The data being used for the actual flight is a little bit old and certainly not ideal," said Varela. "Pilots then end up flying a suboptimal and even unsafe plan."
The new system Varela seeks to develop would allow for the easier and faster inclusion of new data. This means that when a sensor gets new data such as a change in air pressure or temperature, it would trigger dependences with other data such as the data stream from the sensors that detect potentially lethal icing on the plane's wings. The flight plan could then be updated as needed. In this manner, pilots would always be flying an updated plan.
"The programming will model the data mathematically, so a pilot can tell that the data being received is wrong with some probability and have more information to make a flight decision."
The new system will build off what is known in computer science as logic programming by extending a logic programming language to associate probabilities to knowledge. The new system will also give first-class support to redundancy and connections between various spatio-temporal data streams, said Varela.
"Weather forecasts are by their very nature, not a sure thing," Varela said. "But, other data points are.
Varela hopes to create a new system that more easily deals with data streams and quickly admits new data. Such a system could be expanded to include unmanned flight systems and even beyond aviation. The example given by Varela was the citation of scientific findings, where data needs to be well connected to ensure it is accurate and constantly updated as new findings are created.
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There?s no question that automotive advertising spending stalled with the recession, but recently there have been signs that this category is picking up speed. We?re not talking a full recovery, but progress is being made.
?Ad spending for cars and credit cards has come roaring back, helping drive 8.8% growth in 2010 U.S. spending for the 100 Leading National Advertisers?the highest growth rate since 2004,? Ad Age reported last June. ?Financial advertising surged 29% in 2010, and automotive accelerated 28%, based on Ad Age Data Center?s estimates of U.S. spending for the 12 financial firms and 10 automakers that made the 100 LNA ranking.?
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Part of a 2011 Audi campaign shot by Jan Steinhilber.
From a 2011 campaign for Honda shot by Fulvio Bonavia.
From a 2011 campaign for Porsche shot by John Offenbach.
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We?re noticing the uptick right here at Stockland Martel, both among the agency?s longtime car shooters and photographers who are more in the generalist vein. ?Last year, we had both Jan Steinhilber and John Offenbach shooting campaigns for Porsche,? says Maureen Martel. ?Jan also shot for Cadillac and Audi. Uwe Duettmann shot for Mercedes, Volkswagen, Audi, and BMW. Fulvio Bonavia shot for Honda. Hyundai and Renault commissioned Nadav Kander, which is interesting because he?s primarily known as a portrait photographer. And Art Streiber shot an advertorial for Nissan.
?It?s exciting to see this upswing,? she adds, ?because automotive advertising offers photographers the chance to be so creative.?
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From a 2011 campaign for Hyundai shot by Nadav Kander.
Nissan commissioned Art Streiber to shoot this advertorial featuring the actor Ryan Reynolds.
A 2011 ad for Volkswagen shot by Uwe Duettmann.
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Reporting on the 2012 North American International Auto Show earlier this month, Ad Age indicated that ?confidence brims,? explaining that ?the industry?s upbeat mood was fueled by 2011 sales of nearly 13 million cars and light trucks in the U.S., according to data from Automotive News.?
And last month, Adweek took note of WPP?s plans to establish a new agency whose mission is to boost Ford?s Lincoln brand. ?The agency, which will have a staff of some 45 employees?some plucked from WPP?s Team Detroit unit?will focus on account management, creative, and planning. Team Detroit, which handles parent company Ford, WPP?s largest global client, will also provide support on nuts-and-bolts services like creative production, media buying, and accounting from its headquarters in Dearborn, Mich. McNauhgton will report to Team Detroit CEO Satish Korde.?
We?re not saying pre-2008 ad spending is back. But happier days are perhaps here again?
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Uwe Duettmann for BMW.
Jan Steinhilber for Porsche.
Nadav Kander for Renault.
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See more: Stockland Martel automotive photography by Jorg Badura, Fulvio Bonavia, David Drebin, Uwe Duettmann, Jason ?Giblin? Hindley, John Offenbach, Martin Sigal, and Jan Steinhilber
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Public release date: 25-Jan-2012
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