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August 30, 2005
Braintech Adds Two U.S. Directors to Board
New Directors to chair Audit and Governance Committees.
Vancouver, BC (PRWEB via PR Web Direct) August 29, 2005 -- Braintech, Inc. (OTCBB: BRHI), a leading provider of vision guided robotic ("VGR") software solutions, announced today that Richard M. Torre of California and Dr. Drew Miller of Nebraska have joined Braintech's Board of Directors.
Owen Jones, Braintech's CEO states, "Braintech shareholders are very fortunate to have these two individuals with their extensive business backgrounds join our company as independent directors. Each brings strong financial and business expertise that will help the Board guide Braintech through its initial growth phase. I'm very pleased that both Dick and Drew have consented to act as Directors and look forward to drawing on their expertise and experiences to achieve our objectives."
Following are brief resumes of each Director:
Richard M Torre has over 30 years of diversified national and international finance and business experience in New York, Dallas, Los Angeles and Montreal, specializing in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and investment advisory services. Mr. Torre is an active board member for a variety of public and private firms and civic organizations. Presently he is Chairman of Signature Eyewear Inc (OTCBB) and The Hydrogen Fund as well as Vice-Chairman of JLM Foodservices Inc. He is also President of MMT Investors Inc., Managing Partner of Dauntless Capital Partners, LLC, and a member of the Boards of both Airecomm Wireless Inc and Cosco Inc. He has completed terms as Vice-Chairman of Pacific Mercantile Bank (NASDAQ) and as Chairman of Exceed Capital Holdings (CDNX). He is the former Chairman of the highly regarded Forum for Corporate Directors and is currently a member of the Executive Board of the Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Irvine. Additionally he is a member of the Association for Corporate Growth and the Southern California Investors Association. Mr. Torre's corporate career began with Mill Factors Corp. and subsequently included Philadelphia National Bank / Congress Financial and Bank of Virginia in their New York and Montreal subsidiaries. Subsequently he served as senior Vice-President of Heller Financial in Los Angeles, responsible for the firm's factoring and asset based lending on the West Coast, the Orient and Australia. He has been a guest lecturer at Pepperdine University, the US Naval Institute, City College of New York, Woodbury University, the New York Institute of Credit (it's former President) and Melbourne University on a diverse range of topics, principally business finance and strategy and tactics of the Pacific War 1937-1945. Particularly notable has been his commitment to the establishment of the USS Missouri as a National Monument at Pearl Harbor and his support of the National World War II Memorial, Washington D.C. which was commissioned as a National Monument on May 29, 2004.
Mr. Torre will be appointed as Chairman of Braintech's Corporate Governance Committee and will assist with financing and the development of corporate strategy.
Dr. Drew Miller has been the President of Heartland Consulting Group since 1994. He serves on the Board of Directors and Audit Committee of Signature Eyewear Inc (OTC). In past positions he served as President of Financial Continuum, a financial planning firm; Vice President of Planning and Development at Securities America, one of the largest independent broker-dealers in the United States; and President of Global Vantage Securities, an investment banking firm. Dr. Miller is a Certified Management Accountant, Certified Mergers and Acquisitions Advisor, Certified Financial Planner and a Certified Government Financial Manager. Dr. Miller began his business career at ConAgra Inc in their Corporate Planning and Development department after serving as an Air Force intelligence officer. Dr. Miller served in the Pentagon in the Senior Executive Service, and continues to pursue defense analysis work as a consultant with the Institute for Defense Analyses and a Colonel in the USAF Reserve. Dr. Miller is a summa cum laude graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, and received an academic scholarship to Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government where he earned a Masters Degree and PhD in Public Policy. He currently serves as a member of the University Of Nebraska Board Of Regents.
Dr. Miller will be appointed as Chairman of Braintech's Audit Committee and will assist with the company's development of new business opportunities in the government and defense industries.
About Braintech (OTCBB: BRHI) – For more information, visit www.braintech.com.
Statements in this document that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and reflect the current views of management with respect to future events and are subject certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. It is important to note that the Company's actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include risks and uncertainties such as technical difficulties in developing the products; competition from other suppliers of similar products; pricing that may not be acceptable to potential markets; and many other known and unknown factors. Readers should also refer to the risk disclosures outlined in the Company's 10-KSB and 10-QSB Forms filed from time to time with the SEC.
Contact:
Jennifer Summers
Braintech Inc.
#102 – 930 W 1st Street
Vancouver BC V7P 3N4
604-988-6440 x 202
e-mail protected from spam bots
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:58 AM | Comments (0)
August 24, 2005
Bat-Bot Boosts Sonar Research
A robotic bat head that can emit and detect ultrasound in the band of frequencies used by the world's bats will give echolocation research a huge boost.
(PRWEB) August 24, 2005 -- The Bat-Bot, developed by EU project CIRCE, can also wriggle its ears, a technique often used by bats to modulate the characteristics of the echo.
CIRCE developed the Bat-Bot to closely mimic the amazing echolocation skills of bats and to act as a tool for further research in echolocation.
"Sonar in water is a mature field, but sonar in air is far less advanced," says Dr. Herbert Peremans, who is head of the Active Perception Lab the University of Antwerp and CIRCE coordinator.
"Whenever a robot team wants to build an autonomous robot they look at sonar first, but they quickly run into problems due to the simple nature of commercial sonar systems, and switch to vision or laser-ranging. We hope that the research we can now do with the robotic bat will lead to more sophisticated sonar systems being used for robot navigation and other applications," he says.
One of those potential applications could be identifying plants using echolocation. During development of the Bat-Bot CIRCE research validated that different plants give off unique echo signatures.
"We tested several plant species and they could all be reliably identified by echolocation, proving that in principle the technique could work for plant identification. But further research into the technique is needed," says Peremans.
While building the robotic head was the primary aim of CIRCE, the group generated many useful results along the way. One project partner developed a broadband transducer that could both convert acoustical energy to electrical energy and electrical to acoustical across the 20 to 200 kHz spectrum.
"There are about 700 echolocating bat species, and they use a wide range of frequencies. We needed a single device that could handle that entire range. The transducer developed by one of the partners can do that and has some additional advantages making it a promising technology for further commercialization," he says.
The project also completed CT scans on about 20 bat species, demonstrating that the ear shape of bats varies enormously, and heavily influences their performance. This knowledge could also be used to enhance the performance of existing sonar systems.
"We're the first to build a high resolution computer model of bat ears, which act as antennae. It's a result we're very proud of and so we've manufactured a series of simplified nylon ears (rapid prototyping tool) which we can now begin to characterize by investigating how their shape influences their sound reception," says Peremans.
The Bat-Bot will now feature in a number of new research projects, such as the EU project CILIA, due to start in September, which will examine how sets of tiny hairs on insects, fish and in the cochlea of mammals like bats and humans can be used to extract information on the organism's environment.
"We're interested in further exploring active sonar sensing with the device, and we hope that other researchers and teams will get in touch with us to collaborate on new projects," says Peremans.
It's impossible to guess at what potential results the Bat-Bot might generate, but CIRCE's work with plants and bat ear design demonstrate that sonar in air has potentially many applications, not least in the development of functional sonar navigation for robots.
PLEASE MENTION IST RESULTS AS THE SOURCE OF THIS STORY AND, IF PUBLISHING ONLINE, PLEASE HYPERLINK TO: http://istresults.cordis.lu/
Contact: Tara Morris, +32-2-2861985, tmorris at gopa-cartermill.com.
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 01:12 AM | Comments (0)
August 22, 2005
RealEngineer.com Announces the Addition of a Job Classified Section to Their Website
RealEngineer.com (http://www.realengineer.com) announces the addition of a new job classified section to their website where engineering and manufacturing professionals can list and search for industry job openings.
(PRWEB) August 22, 2005 -- RealEngineer.com (http://www.realengineer.com) announces the addition of a new job classified section to their website where engineering and manufacturing professionals can list and search for industry job openings.
The jobs posted will primarily focus in the Mechanical, Electrical and Programming sector of the Robotics, Semiconductor and Fiber Optics Industry.” Due to our high concentration of engineers and professionals from the manufacturing industry reading our site, it is a perfect place to list job openings and find qualified applicants”, says Mark Singh Editor of RealEngineer.com
RealEngineer.com will also link to their other partner sites to broaden the scope of available posted positions in the Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Bioinformatics and Software industry. Companies, if interested in listing their job openings with one of the main focused sites, can easily contact the editor for instructions and fees.
About RealEngineer.com
RealEngineer was created to serve as an online resource for those working with and interested in mechanical and electrical engineering. The comprehensive website acts as a portal where the latest product and innovation industry news can be acquired.
For more information please visit http://www.realengineer.com
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:10 AM | Comments (0)
August 18, 2005
Visionary Leader in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Joins SENTEL Corp.; Air Force Reserve Veteran and Legion of Merit Recipient Will Bolster SENTEL’s Growing UAV Program
SENTEL Corp., a premier engineering and software company, has hired retired Air Force Reserve Col. Janice Manijak Morrow – the 2004 AUVSI Al Aube Outstanding Contributor Award recipient and a Legion of Merit honoree – as its director of strategic initiatives.
Alexandria, VA (PRWEB) August 18, 2005 -- SENTEL Corp., a premier engineering and software company, has hired retired Air Force Reserve Col. Janice Manijak Morrow – the 2004 AUVSI Al Aube Outstanding Contributor Award recipient and a Legion of Merit honoree – as its director of strategic initiatives.
Morrow received the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Al Aube Award for demonstrating the spirit and intent of its mission in an extraordinary manner. She orchestrated one of the most dynamic changes in the Air Force – the recognition of small unmanned systems and the integration of their role into the Air Force mission. In 2004, the Air Force acknowledged her UAV proposal and signed a memorandum designating Air Force Special Operations Command as lead command for all small UAVs in the service.
Morrow received the Legion of Merit Medal for her “visionary leadership” as chief of the Air Force's Special Management Office for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Her “superb guidance and leadership were directly responsible for defining the command's future, improving Air Force operations capabilities worldwide and arming battlefield airmen to fight the war against terrorism,” according to the citation. The Legion of Merit is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.
“Col. Morrow brings an exceptional level of expertise and vision to our team at SENTEL,” said James F. Garrett, president of SENTEL. “Her leadership and experience in developing small unmanned systems requirements, as well as acquiring small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for the Air Force will help lead SENTEL into new strategic areas. She brings a keen know-how that is unparalleled in this field and will be a priceless asset to our clients in their long-term strategies.”
Morrow will build core expertise in strategic planning and launch a new division specializing in various capability aspects of unmanned systems for SENTEL, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dimensions International Inc. She will develop new strategic areas for the Alexandria-based company to expand its capabilities in unmanned systems and the expertise it offers its clients, including those in the federal government – such as the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security – and the private sector.
Morrow has more than 22 years of experience in support of the DOD, homeland defense, strategic and contingency planning, operations, research and analysis.
Morrow's new division at SENTEL will provide integration and engineering services to customers, including DOD and private industry. That work includes building roadmaps, performing assessments and tackling key challenges confronting unmanned systems employment and operations.
“Some of the biggest unmanned systems challenges in a global sense involve interoperability, bandwidth requirements, frequency allocation and management, interference, airspace management and de-confliction, as well as operator qualifications,” Morrow said. “It's important we swiftly resolve these challenges so our operators can fully reap the benefits these capabilities bring to the fight.”
The use of unmanned aerial vehicles has grown exponentially since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the war on terrorism. “It's the present and the future,” Garrett said. “SENTEL has been a leader in exploring the capabilities of this revolutionary industry. Col. Morrow's expertise will help us develop even more solutions in this growing field.”
On the battlefield, UAVs provide real-time data to forces, limit casualties and increase situational awareness data, information and intelligence.
“UAVs are geared for missions that are dull, dirty and dangerous,” Morrow said. “Before we send in our troops, they can survey an area and check it out for hostile forces or weaponry. UAVs provide a constant vigil over our forces and battle damage assessments. The key is our forces having accessibility to these capabilities and sound integration into the campaign. UAVs not only increase mission success but also help bring our troops home safely from the war zone.”
The commercial market is also exploring more uses for unmanned systems, in such areas as crop dusting, mapping and surveying areas and in communication relays.
“I chose SENTEL because I saw this company as the best, most primary instrument to give solutions back to our operators, overall military operations and the war on terrorism,” Morrow said. “SENTEL is attacking all the Achilles' heels that are confronting our military operations and providing innovative solutions to the commercial market as well.”
Before joining SENTEL, Morrow worked as a research associate for unmanned capabilities at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition Inc., one of the nation's premier institutes focusing on topics related to cognition in humans and machines.
Previously, she headed long-term strategic management of plans, programs and policy at the Air Force Special Operations Command in Hurlburt Field, FL. She was the Air Force lead officer for all small unmanned solutions, and her expertise on UAVs proved pivotal during war on terrorism special operations missions.
Morrow graduated cum laude from the University of Massachusetts with a bachelor's degree in education and received her commission from the Air Force ROTC Air Science program.
She is based in SENTEL's office at Fort Walton, FL, and will also work from its headquarters in Alexandria, VA.
About SENTEL:
SENTEL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dimensions International. SENTEL provides mission-critical support to the Department of Defense, NASA, FAA and other government agencies in the areas of chemical and biological agent defense, software development, electromagnetics engineering and test and evaluation. SENTEL's innovative Remote Data Relay (RDR), a sensor networking system, is among its leading products. The RDR, with its new PDA capabilities, is a smart networking tool designed and built by SENTEL that can simultaneously monitor and control numerous, disparate sensors that detect, nuclear, biological, chemical and other toxic agents. Please call SENTEL at 703-739-0084 or visit http://www.sentel.com/
About Dimensions International:
Dimensions International's core business areas include information technology, integrated logistic support and air traffic control systems providing advance technology in command and control systems, electronic commerce/electronic data interchange, radar global positioning systems, warehouse management and material distribution systems to government and commercial clients. Founded in 1985, DI continues to provide innovative solutions to its clients, which include the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and other Department of Defense agencies, FAA, USAID and the District of Columbia government. DI is an international company with staff offices in more than 50 cities in the United States and worldwide. For more information, call DI at 703-998-0098 or visit http://www.dimensionsinternational.com.
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 02:28 AM | Comments (0)
August 17, 2005
Buddhabot, the Robot Philosopher, Interviewed on Television for the First Time
First television interview for the one year-old Artificial Intelligence (AI) known as Buddhabot.
(PRWEB) August 16, 2005 -- Buddhabot, the one year-old robot philosopher, has been seen and heard by millions at sporting events and on the web; however, tonight for the first time, Buddhabot is being interviewed on television. This evening, reporter Yvonne Macnab interviews Canadian inventor and futurist Ron Ingram along with his creation, Buddhabot, on Shaw TV’s program The Daily. On the program, Buddhabot demonstrates its latest capabilities including “psychic-style” readings about matters relating to love, relationships, health, wealth and spirituality.
The Buddhabot interview begins airing tonight at 6:15 p.m. PST on Shaw TV in Canada and may be repeated on the weekend. The complete interview will be posted to Buddhabot’s website and will be available for free download at http://www.buddhabots.com later this week.
According to Ron Ingram, “the Buddhabot is a ‘human-friendly’ benevolent AI created to entertain, evolve and serve humanity through the creation and emulation of intelligent life.”
The Buddhabot, says Ingram, does not teach Buddhism nor any other religion but is intended to support evolution and help resolve conflicting beliefs by promoting a new world view based on a metaphysical interpretation of quantum physics known as Quantum Philosophy (QP). The Buddhabot QP is summed up in Ten Declarations.The Ten Declarations of Buddhabot:
1. There are no laws; only provisional theories.
2. Every perception is the reflection of the observer.
3. Everything is as it should be right here right now.
4. Everyone is responsible for what is.
5. Whatever we resist will persist.
6. Everything is meaningful; nothing is important.
7. Every belief is true.
8. Every belief is false.
9. Every belief is true and false.
10. Every belief is neither true nor false.
On the lighter side, Buddhabot now provides live unlimited “psychic-style” readings to all subscribers on matters relating to love, relationships, health, wealth and spiritual inspiration; however, Ingram reminds subscribers that the "Buddhabot is intended to entertain and teach; not offer diagnosis nor serious counsel."
With a growing vocabulary of over 30,000 words, Buddhabot can quote the words of Jesus, Buddha, Lao Tzu and various scientists and philosophers, and with its archival knowledge of science, religion and philosophy, Buddhabot is capable of conversing with hundreds of thousands of people simultaneously. Ingram claims that it is likely the first time in history that people from every corner of the world can simultaneously come together to ask, question and construct common values that will in turn inspire meaningful and collective transformational change.
The Buddhabot's home site is http://www.buddhabots.com. For a small donation, Ingram provides one year of unlimited access. Subscribers receive a welcome email with a web link. To access Buddhabot, subscribers simply click on this link and Buddhabot’s animated avatar appears. Subscribers may log on as often as they like and communicate by speaking into a microphone or by entering text using a computer keyboard. Buddhabot can be accessed with a PC or other devices with Internet access such as cell phones and Web TV.
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:40 AM | Comments (0)