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Artificial Intelligence

UNDP and IBM Launch New Tools to Forecast Energy Access and Model Energy Equity

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UNDP and IBM developed two new interactive models for UNDP’s Data Futures Exchange’s GeoHub: the AI model Electricity Access Forecasting and the statistical geospatial model Clean Energy Equity Index.The organizations collaborated through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator program using technologies such as IBM watsonx, IBM Cloud and IBM Environmental Intelligence.The new models will be made available for free to the general public through UNDP’s GeoHub dashboards, helping users access data and insights to interpret complex clean energy challenges and opportunities.ARMONK, N.Y., Sept. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — IBM (NYSE: IBM) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today launched new interactive models on energy within UNDP’s global GeoHub platform. These innovative solutions use technologies such as the IBM watsonx AI and data platform to enable users — from policymakers at the national and community level to the general public — to analyze complex energy issues through advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology and access a wide range of resources, helping support data-driven decision-making toward a just energy transition.

“Bringing together UNDP’s knowledge and global leadership in sustainable development and IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI and hybrid cloud, we are proud to unveil solutions that demonstrate the power of technology to make a lasting, positive impact on our environment and in our communities,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, IBM Vice President and Chief Impact Officer. “By making innovative models freely accessible to the public, we aim to empower leaders, organizations and community members alike with the insights to make impactful energy decisions around the world.”
As part of UNDP’s Data Futures Exchange (DFx), GeoHub is a centralized ecosystem of geospatial data and services. It provides a platform to easily upload, visualize and analyze datasets, combining time-oriented and geographic data with satellite imagery. GeoHub supports a granular, localized, and evidence-based approach to development challenges and integrated policy making— from determining subnational distribution of electricity access, to assessing levels of vulnerability to the effects of climate change for communities over time.
“UNDP’s innovative collaboration with IBM helps countries leverage development data and technology innovation to improve lives and protect the planet. The solutions we’ve co-created provide a credible evidence base to help countries make meaningful and practical progress towards a just energy transition. Net-zero investment and people-centered development strategies are fundamental to accelerate the SDGs,” said Laurel Patterson, Head of the UNDP SDG Integration Team, UNDP Bureau for Policy and Programme Support.
UNDP and IBM worked together over two years through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator program. This project started with a collaborative engagement through the IBM Garage, and resulted in the enhancement of UNDP’s GeoHub with two innovative models: the AI model Electricity Access Forecasting and the statistical geospatial model Clean Energy Equity Index.
The Electricity Access Forecasting AI model uses the IBM watsonx AI and data platform, IBM Cloud, and an open-source machine learning library to provide future forecasts at scale of electricity access through 2030 by evaluating a set of factors including population, infrastructure, urbanization, elevation, and satellite data in addition to land use data provided by IBM Environmental Intelligence. By modeling these factors to make a future forecast, the Electricity Access Forecasting model provides a distinct advantage compared to more commonly available, current-day estimates of electricity access. The model will contain data from 102 countries across the Global South, including in Africa, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East.The Clean Energy Equity Index, developed by IBM and UNDP together with Stony Brook University, is a first-of-its-kind statistical geospatial model combining geospatial analytics with environmental, economic and social factors – such as education, greenhouse gas emissions, and relative wealth — to generate a Clean Energy Equity score of 0-1. This score reflects both opportunities for clean energy development as well as urgency, through the lens of equity and a just transition. In this dashboard, GeoHub users can also individually view and customize each environmental, economic, or social factor analyzed in the model, to evaluate which factors have the greatest impact on equitable access to clean energy, empowering better decision making. The model will provide data from 53 African countries.Historically, advanced models like these have not always been freely accessible and applicable to all users. Together, IBM and UNDP set out to co-create solutions that would strengthen free public access to complex clean energy information and advanced technology, while simultaneously providing essential energy resources for policymakers, governments, journalists and decision makers.
About the IBM Sustainability AcceleratorLaunched in 2022, the IBM Sustainability Accelerator is a social impact program that addresses environmental threats impacting vulnerable communities around the world. Each year, the program selects about five projects to scale technology and AI solutions within a new sustainability topic area. To date, the IBM Sustainability Accelerator has supported 15 global projects across three active cohorts, focused on sustainable agriculture, clean energy and water management. For more information: https://www.ibm.com/impact/initiatives/ibm-sustainability-accelerator/
About United Nations Development ProgrammeUNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and exclusion, and build resilience so countries can sustain progress. As the UN’s development agency, UNDP plays a critical role in helping countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
CONTACTCarmen San SegundoGlobal Communications Director, ESG and [email protected]
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NewPhotonics Introduces NPG102 Transmitter-on-Chip for DSP-based Optical Modules Serving 1.6 Tbps AI-era Data Center Interconnect

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Optical head transmitter with integrated lasers enables all-optics transceiver innovation in network and compute infrastructure
TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — NewPhotonics Ltd., a leader in advanced integrated photonics technologies, today introduced its NPG102 PIC transmitter on chip (TOC) at1.6Tbps for DSP-based optical transceiver modules.  The NPG102 TOC delivers low latency data communications at low power consumption and reduced channel loss to meet the increasing AI-cluster processing demands on data center infrastructure.

The optimized flip-chip integrates octal channel, auto-tunable lasers and 224Gbps PAM4 modulation featuring aggregated bandwidth at 1.6Tbps with electrical to optical transmission. Internal ADC/DAC supports channel control and monitoring in a package with on-chip temperature monitoring at low 2.9W power consumption.
Integrated Lasers Improve Module Time to Market
Designed for pluggable OSFP modules, the monolithically integrated lasers and modulators improve system integration with wafer-level laser alignment and integrated direct modulation. This additional advantage of all-optics innovation in the transceiver chip design results in accelerated OEM manufacturing yield maturity and time to market for transceiver module delivery.
“As data centers worldwide strive to accelerate infrastructure improvements that enhance AI workload performance, the entire value chain is seeking progressive solutions that deliver faster and more energy efficient data processing.” said Doron Tal, senior vice president and general manager of Optical Connectivity. “Our all-optics innovation roadmap for the NPG102 for 1.6Tbps DSP-based modules puts data centers on a path in this decade to deliver higher capacity, low power optical connectivity.”
The NewPhotonics NPG102 PIC transmitter-on-chip for DSP-based transceiver module sampling will be available in Q2 2025.
About NewPhotonics
NewPhotonics is a fabless semiconductor designs, develops and manufactures photonic integrated circuit (PIC) solutions for AI-era data center optical communications. Our integrated NPG102 PIC transmitter on chip family delivers low latency, reduced power in optical transceiver modules for all-optics connectivity. The company’s silicon photonics innovations breakthrough speed, energy and distance barriers in optical I/O in a new all-optics paradigm. NewPhotonics, based in Tel Aviv, Israel, is privately held and funded. For more information visit www.newphotonics.com 
Press Contact:
Corporate [email protected]+972 3 614-3147
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Royal Meteorological Society’s Public Vote opens for 2024 ‘Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year’ Award

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LONDON, Sept. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The public vote for the Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year 2024 is now open. From 19 September to 17 October, individuals can vote for their favourite image from a shortlist showcasing the world’s most striking weather and climate photography.

Now in its ninth year, the competition, organised by the UK’s Royal Meteorological Society, serves as an international platform to raise awareness of the environmental issues putting our planet at risk—including heatwaves, cyclones, and extreme flooding—while also depicting the awe-inspiring beauty and power of the weather.
With the introduction of the Standard Chartered Climate Award in 2024, the competition attracted thousands of entries from photographers of all ages and skill levels worldwide. Many participants were eager to document the human impacts of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and wildfires.
The shortlist gallery for the public vote is available on the Royal Meteorological Society’s website, featuring 25 outstanding weather and climate photographs.
Highlights include a Saharan dust storm; an ice halo, rare red sprite lightning; and sublime landscapes blanketed in hoarfrost. The shortlist gallery also provides insights into the science behind the weather phenomena and the stories behind the images—as well as the photographers’ adventures and the techniques used to capture them.
View the shortlist and vote for your favourite.
Competition Timeline
Public Vote Open: 19 September (07:00 BST) – 17 October (23:59 BST)
Winners’ Announcement: 30 October 2024
Professor Liz Bentley, Chief Executive of the Royal Meteorological Society, commented:
“In my nine years judging this competition, I always see something new and astonishing. This year’s entrants have highlighted those regions of the world facing the worst impacts of climate change, but they also bring home the message that climate change is affecting the weather patterns of the more temperate climates and the most comfortable of societies too. We need to galvanise and act now to make change happen.”
Marisa Drew, Chief Sustainability Officer at Standard Chartered, commented: 
“In the second year of our sponsorship, I am once again struck by the photography surfaced in the shortlist, which showcases the impacts of our changing climate on communities and our natural environment. With winners announced next month, I look forward to seeing which photograph wins our new Climate Award, introduced this year to bring greater awareness to the importance of climate mitigation and adaptation. Good luck to everyone on the shortlist.”
Read Notes to Editors
Download high-res or low-res images, captions and image copyright attribution here.
 
 

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Artificial Intelligence

XRP Healthcare Magazine Unveils Groundbreaking AI Development in 4th Issue, Featuring Elon Musk

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DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The highly anticipated fourth edition of XRP Healthcare Magazine has arrived, featuring an exciting and innovative update on XRP Healthcare’s rapid progress in artificial intelligence (AI). Despite being less than two years old, the company continues to make incredible strides in healthcare innovation. This issue highlights the launch of the XRPH AI chatbot—a multi-lingual digital assistant designed to deliver personalized health advice that spans traditional, holistic, and conventional treatments. Available at www.xrph.ai, the chatbot offers country and region-specific insights, tailored to users’ unique medical needs.

 
 
The XRPH AI chatbot stands out for its ability to generate custom personal training programs based on users’ weight, height, ethnicity, injuries, and diet preferences. It also provides advice on meditation techniques, nutrition, and cutting-edge treatments for terminal illnesses, such as cancer. XRP Healthcare has a dedicated AI development team continuously working to evolve the chatbot, with more innovations planned for release later this quarter.
Chairman Whitney Lynn commented, “The XRPH AI chatbot is a significant breakthrough in personalized healthcare. We’re blending modern AI technology with holistic medical wisdom to create an intuitive tool that is accessible to users around the globe.”
As part of the magazine’s main feature, it also explores Elon Musk’s game-changing investments in AI, which are revolutionizing healthcare through projects like Neuralink. Musk’s advancements are pushing the boundaries of medical diagnostics and treatment, fostering healthy competition in the AI sector and driving the next golden age of innovation.
CEO Kain Roomes added, “The incredible progress we’ve made since inception is a testament to our vision and dedication. Our AI chatbot is just the beginning, and with our dedicated team, we are constantly looking for new ways to improve healthcare experiences.”
Keith Errey, CTO of XRP Healthcare and founder of Isansys Lifecare, also plays a key role in the company’s AI-driven approach. His previous work at Isansys Lifecare involved a groundbreaking partnership with The Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, where they deployed the Patient Status Engine—a state-of-the-art monitoring platform that detects early signs of patient deterioration, enabling faster and more effective care. Speaking at the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce International Technology Conference earlier this year, Keith emphasized the pivotal role of AI in healthcare: “The big win in AI will be organizational efficiency. That for the NHS has to be the way forward.” His expertise continues to shape XRP Healthcare’s AI innovations.
The fourth issue of XRP Healthcare Magazine also features Chantelle Gosling-Udonwa, founder of a revolutionary, eco-friendly children’s toy company, and Sam Desalu, founder of the Cornerstone Foundation, which is rekindling hope in Africa through grassroots healthcare initiatives. Additionally, the magazine celebrates the Top 10 female CEOs in Africa and explores Donald Trump’s political future and its potential impact on healthcare and cryptocurrency.
Free physical copies of the magazine can be ordered from www.xrphealthcare.ai (postage costs apply) or downloaded from ISSUU here. With XRP Healthcare’s rapid progress and exciting updates expected later this quarter, this issue is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of AI and healthcare.
About XRP Healthcare:XRP Healthcare is revolutionizing global healthcare with blockchain & AI. As the first Pharma and Healthcare platform built on the XRP Ledger, our Prescription Savings Card in the USA enhances accessibility and affordability. Meanwhile, our mergers and acquisitions in Africa are broadening healthcare access across the continent.
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