Designing for the Robots as a Service Model

The robots as a service, or RaaS, business model is alive and well as a way of conserving upfront capital.To get more news about Robotics as a Service, you can visit glprobotics.com official website.

With the explosive growth in cloud-based storage, computing, and commerce, SaaS (software as a service) business models are already a fact of life in business.

The advantages are many, including more predictable costs, less upfront capital outlay and in many cases, easier and less costly deployment and maintenance and support costs.

Providers of SaaS solutions offer management, analytical, and other data-related services along with the base level services provided.

The robotics industry is no exception, with a number of companies also offering RaaS business models. From drones to perform surveys for agriculture and mobile telepresence robots used for security, to mobile robots for healthcare and more, many robotics suppliers are expanding their businesses.

Robots as a service enables them to lower the technical and financial barriers to implementation and deployment.

“The general trend among many technology providers is a long-term migration away from selling products to selling services beyond the usual incremental revenue from support, maintenance and upgrades charges,” said Dan Kara, practice director for robotics at research firm ABI Research. He will also be delivering a Market Forecast on the state of the robotics industry at RoboBusiness 2017.

“Services are recurrent revenue and are looked on favorably by both technology providers and the investment community,” he added. “Like the technology sector at large, suppliers of robotics technologies have adopted robotics-as-a-service business models, and this trend is accelerating.”For example, if the robot is mobile, you may want to include GPS/location tracking so that the provider can track (and perhaps monitor) the location of the robot, much like automotive companies track leased vehicles.

As the service provider is also likely going to be responsible for maintenance of the robot, monitoring the health of key components or subsystems of the robot will also likely be required. This requires communication capability back to the service provider.

In cases where uptime for the robot is a critical factor, or where access or repairs to a robot could be very expensive, designed-in redundancy for critical systems should also be considered where feasible.

Service providers can also enhance their offerings by providing metrics to help the client. For example, warehouse robots could be monitored for how and where inventory is being accessed within the warehouse, along with how long it takes to access the inventory.

This data could be used to optimize the location of higher-volume inventory within the warehouse, reducing access time and improving efficiency.

Robotics as a Service providers can take advantage of scalable cloud-based computing platforms to provide a wide range of computational power. By capturing and analyzing data gathered by robots in their environment, they can give valuable real-time insights into business operations. This cloud-based approach is viewed far more favorably by customers compared with purchasing hardware that they own and would need to maintain.

A decade of leggings controversy

As reported by the Washington Post, Maryann White, a woman who identified herself as a Catholic mother of four sons, caused a stir on the University of Notre Dame campus by writing a letter to the editor of the student newspaper. The letter, titled “The legging problem,” expresses her dismay at seeing college students in leggings at Mass on campus last fall. It has many incredible turns of phrase, such as, “I wonder why no one thinks it’s strange that the fashion industry has caused women to voluntarily expose their nether regions in this way,” and, “I thought of all the other men around and behind us who couldn’t help but see their behinds.”To get more news about Full Length Legging, you can visit destgjshop.com official website.

The letter also refers to leggings as “a problem only girls can solve,” and describes the women who wear them as exhibitionists forcing young boys to confront their “blackly naked rear ends.” In advocating that Notre Dame students lead the anti-leggings revolution, White asks, “Could you think of the mothers of sons the next time you go shopping and consider choosing jeans instead?”
In response, students at Notre Dame organized a super-casual protest: About one thousand students RSVP-ed to a Facebook event celebrating Leggings Day and agreed to wear leggings to class on Tuesday. PhD student Dani Green told the Washington Post that it was “difficult to tell” who was participating in the protest and who was just wearing leggings because they were wearing leggings. Some students also shared photos of their outfits on Twitter. (This one is actually bike shorts, but point communicated!)

If it all sounds familiar, that’s because the debate about athleisure as pants has popped up dozens and dozens of times. Leggings are never just leggings. Girls and women can never just wear them in peace, and complaints about them can never just be ignored — the extremely old, extremely prolonged conversation about what’s appropriate to wear and what’s appropriate to say about what other people are wearing always seems to become a national news story.
Most fashion bloggers will tell you that leggings first evoked opinions and commentary when they became one of actress and “it girl” Edie Sedgwick’s signature sartorial choices, most notoriously in a Vogue photo shoot in 1965. The quibble there was not that Edie shouldn’t be showing off the shape of her butt, but that she was far too rich and glamorous for sportswear. The 1970s saw a glitzier leggings fad, spearheaded by Olivia Newton-John’s Grease costume and adopted by disco. Then came the 1980s technicolor fitness obsession, and Olivia Newton-John yet again. Leggings never really took a hiatus; they shape-shifted to fit fashion trends throughout the ’90s and early aughts. Histories of leggings regularly overlook the role played by mall culture circa 2006 to 2010. Wet Seal leggings were sometimes, like, three for $10? And you wore them under denim skirts or boys’ hoodies. So as to look terrible! This brief phase of super-cheap, often inadvertently see-through leggings was a gold mine for tabloid bloggers, and coincided unfortunately with the brief heyday of “belted dresses on top of jeans.”

But it wasn’t until the rise of athleisure in the United States that there was a true backlash against leggings. Jump-started by the rise of conspicuous exercise and bonkers popularity of high-end yoga brand Lululemon, spurred by the high-fashionization of streetwear and sneaker cults, and solidified by the participation of approximately one in four working celebrities, it’s become the most popular and most lucrative mode of dressing — particularly in the last five years or so. Kate Hudson’s Lululemon competitor Fabletics debuted in 2013, Beyoncé launched her activewear line in 2016, Reebok signed Gigi Hadid last year, just after Adidas stole Kylie Jenner from Puma. This week, Lululemon reported a record quarter, with earnings rising 39 percent year over year, and recent estimates say leggings alone are a $1 billion industry in the US. The first mainstream burst of wearing workout clothes around as non-workout staples, though, was among college-age women, which was a problem for a lot of people.

Around this time, the phrase “Leggings are not pants” started showing up on mass-produced t-shirts and dedicated Facebook groups and rudimentary memes. In 2010, the Huffington Post published a (rather racist) blog post titled “Leggings Are Not Pants,” which advised young black women to think like Michelle Obama instead of Tyra Banks, and to think twice before dressing like an “urban ballerina.” But the first major battleground for the war on leggings was, of course, middle schools and high schools — where adults imbued the workaday fashion choices of pre-teens with sexual significance.

Shorts Are Trending Again for Spring

If you have a love/hate relationship with shorts, take comfort in the fact that you are not alone. They're a notoriously tricky piece of clothing to pull off, but in 2022, shorts of all kinds are popping up everywhere. The good news is that these aren't your average short shorts. The pieces today come in all different lengths and fabrics, with silhouettes that are actually flattering. Shocking, we know. From jean shorts to linen shorts and belted shorts, the possibilities are endless this summer. With these 18 finds, this might just be the year we embrace shorts.To get more news about Cotton Shorts, you can visit destgjshop.com official website.

From vegan leather pieces that are impossibly cool to classic denim cutoffs and on-trend bermuda shorts, these are the ones you're going to want as temperatures rise. The styling options are infinite; they look great with everything from strappy sandals and crisp white sneakers to thigh high boots. As for tops, go with a classic white t-shirt, button down shirt, or try a cute floral crop top. After you see these adorable styles, we have a feeling you might reconsider your position on shorts. We know we are. Keep on reading to shop our picks.
The Rectify women’s short-length summer shorts are made from a woven, 100% cotton fabric that is lightweight and sits comfortably against the skin, even in the heat.

Breathable as well, to regulate and minimise sweat build-up, these shorts are an ideal choice for the summer months. Plus you can wear them with a belt for a secure fit around the waist. Team up with a t-shirt and canvas trainers for a classic summer look.

Be vigilant when buying eBike chargers, warns Electrical Safety First

Consumers have been warned by an electrical safety charity to stick to buying authentic eBike chargers following an investigation that turned up dangerous or poorly advertised products with many of the world’s leading online shopping platforms.To get more news about ebike battery charging, you can visit magicyclebike.com official website.

The dangers of mismatching electric products, in particular batteries and chargers is well documented, but a spate of light electric vehicle fires, some involving eBike chargers, led Electrical Safety First to investigate just how easy it is for consumers to inadvertently land themselves in a dangerous situation.

The consumer safety charity turned up nearly 60 listings on prominent marketplaces including Amazon, eBay, AliExpress which fell below the required safety standards for sale to UK consumers. Lots were listed as eBike chargers, though some were badged as ‘multi-use’ and ready to charge everything from electric scooters to hoverboards.

The consumer safety charity contacted each marketplace with suspect sales and reported that all removed the listings highlighted in good time. One marketplace informed Electrical Safety First that it had subsequently put to use the charity’s red flag guidance to further remove hundreds more listings.

While bike shops will rightly turn away any electric bike suspected of either having been tampered with, or to have been in any way electrically compromised, most will feel it right to improve the consumer education nonetheless and to advise consumers to only buy authentic and compatible charging equipment.

Unfortunately, the signs of tampering or electrical faults are not always immediately obvious, so electric bike service centres should always take precaution against battery fires with the correct fire cabinet storage.

Compliance failures turned up by the eBike chargers investigation included plenty falling below the UK standards for plugs, with some featuring no fuse, which is part of the componentry that helps cut supply in the event of a fault. This cast doubt on other internal compliance.

Should a problem develop into a fire around a lithium ion battery, the issue can very quickly escalate with such fires notoriously hard to put out; consumers facing such situations have very often made the situation worse in their efforts to extinguish.

Other defects with the charging devices included dimension issues with the plug. UK plugs must meet minimum dimension requirements to prevent electric shock. The charging devices found by Electrical Safety First were all visibly small in size, leaving the user exposed to electric shock if their fingers were to come into contact with the live plug pins.

Martyn Allen, Technical Director of Electrical Safety First, commented: “By the very nature of the batteries these dangerous charging devices are powering, it is a potential disaster waiting to happen. The process of charging e-bike batteries must be done with compatible and compliant chargers. These chargers we have identified for sale all pose an increased risk of fire and electric shock and should never have been available for sale to UK shoppers in the first instance. Given the frightening nature of lithium-ion battery fires, it is essential the charging equipment doesn’t pose any unnecessary risk to the battery or user.

“The lack of vital regulation needed to ensure online marketplaces are responsible for the safety of goods sold via their platforms is contributing significantly to dangerous products entering people’s homes. The Government must bring forward urgent laws to finally end this scandal.”

Which Is The Fastest Bike In The World?

The thrill of speed - it’s one of the reasons why a lot of us love motorcycles so much. Sure, cars go faster, but bikes just seem to enhance that sense of speed like nothing else. But while your KTM 390 Duke clocking over 160kmph can certainly be considered fast, have you ever wondered - just how fast can motorcycles actually go? Well, we wonder that all the time, so we thought we’d get all of you some low-down about the world’s fastest bikes.To get more news about fatest ebike, you can visit magicyclebike.com official website.

Now the title of “World’s fastest bike” can be split into two distinct categories - the fastest “production” bike, i.e. one that is produced in a factory and can be bought by anyone (with enough money to burn that is), and the “World’s fastest bike, period” - basically a one-off machine specifically designed to set the land speed record for two-wheelers.
This has been a rather prestigious title that a lot of bike makers have chased throughout history - from bikes like the Vincent Black Shadow in the late 1940s claiming to have cracked 250kmph to the speed wars of the 1990s with bikes like the Suzuki Hayabusa and Kawasaki ZX-14R managing well over 300kmph. Sadly, the latter mentioned speed wars came to an end with a gentlemens’ agreement between bike makers to cap top speeds to 300kmph before government regulations came cracking down.

Today though, production bikes have been able to go much faster. The supercharged Kawasaki H2R is supposed to have a top speed slightly in excess of 400kmph - something that was proven when WSBK champion Keenan Sofuglu clocked 400kmph on an unmodified H2R on a closed bridge in Istanbul. On the other hand, the jet turbine powered MTT 420RR has a claimed top speed of 273mph - that’s almost 440kmph, making it the world’s fastest production bike.

But the caveats here are that while both are “production” bikes, neither the Kawasaki H2R nor the MTT 420RR are road legal. On top of that, the 420RR is a hand-built motorcycle that just barely fits the bill of “production” bike.

So which is the fastest proper production road-legal bike in the world then? The answer might surprise you. It’s actually the Lightning LS-218 - an electric motorcycle! With a liquid cooled 150kW+ electric motor putting out 228Nm of torque, the LS-218 can hit a top speed of 218mph - that’s an eye-watering 350kmph.

When engineers are given a free hand to build a motorcycle for top speed and not account for serial production or even general ridability, you get things like the Top 1 Ack Attack. Now the Ack Attack is designed for one thing and one thing alone - being the fastest thing on two wheels on the Bonneville Salt Flats. But it’s also a “motorcycle” in the loosest of terms. It’s basically a streamliner. Sure, it’s got two wheels, but it’s got full body work that completely encapsulates the rider for maximum aerodynamics.

Five threats to e-bike success

E-bike sales in the U.S. have grown 300% in the past five years. More and more retailers are saying, "E-bikes are our future." Despite the rosy glow around the category, there are concerns among the movement's leaders.To get more news about Fat Tire Electric Bikes, you can visit magicyclebike.com official website.

Larry Pizzi, CCO of Alta Cycling Group, has produced and sold e-bikes since 2002, and since 2015 he has chaired the e-bike subcommittee for the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association, now PeopleForBikes.

"In some areas, like passing the three-class model legislation in 39 states so far, and our first-of-its-kind battery recycling partnership with Call2Recycle, we're thrilled with our progress," Pizzi noted. "And the threats are real and some are really challenging to address."

Dr. Ash Lovell, the electric bicycle policy and campaign director at PeopleForBikes, echoes Pizzi's thoughts. "On our monthly calls with e-bike company heads and advocates we spend the first five minutes celebrating our successes, and the rest of the call in 'What could go wrong?' mode," Lovell said.

So let's take a look at the five challenges that lie ahead and how Lovell and Pizzi plan to address them:

Out-of-category bikes
BRAIN: The PeopleForBikes three-class structure works great within our industry walls. Yet we're seeing so many products that are being touted as electric bicycles that violate the power and speed limits that have been defined by the CPSC. What can be done?

Pizzi: The original definition of e-bikes in the U.S. was included in HR727, a federal bill that modified CPSC 1512 and was signed into law in December 2002.
Malcolm Currie, an early product pioneer and my former employer, testified on behalf of HR727. He had a public service background and connections in D.C. He deserves a great deal of credit for this early work.

The 20-mile-per-hour speed limit for Class 1 and 2 was based on what an athletic rider could achieve on a level surface. It was decided that the power level should be less than one horsepower, hence "less than 750 watts" in the bill.

These limits fit in well with what was emerging in Europe and they still seem well-suited for the U.S. market. What's problematic is the urge to violate them with more speed and more power.

Lovell: This is really a two-pronged challenge. First, there needs to be a better understanding of what is and is not an electric bicycle according to federal regulations.

Many of the products that we are seeing come to market are being marketed as able to achieve higher speeds than defined by CPSC. Obviously, with higher speeds, we see greater chances for accidents and injury.

Pizzi: If you're importing something that can be modified to exceed the three-class limits, you're breaking the law. Not only can CPSC and NHTSA impose penalties, you're putting the public at risk.

It starts with educating the brands with all the information they need. PeopleForBikes members can go to the member portal and find the Erika Jones memo that covers this. So many of the startup e-bike brands are not members yet though.

The 2022 Zero FX ZF7.2 Is an Electric Bike

The all-electric 2022 Zero FX is a jack of all trades. While I’m not partial to that oft-repeated phrase, the addition I’ve heard lately adds something I think makes it work: A jack of all trades, master of none, but still better than a master of one. That’s because I think we lose sight of overall capability when we talk about all the masters of one. To get more news about himiway ebike, you can visit magicyclebike.com official website.

Think of all the one-trick ponies available today. You’ve got the Aston Martin Valkyrie, the Ducati Panigale Superleggera V4, Alpinestars’ GP Pro v2 race suit, Barrett’s MRAD, a Red Dragon, a B2 Spirit, or a pair of Christian Louboutin. These are all fantastic, and you’d be hard-pressed to find something better suited for their intended tasks. But get them outside of those confines, and they just won’t work. The Zero FX is the complete opposite and better for it.

Do you want to run single-track dirt and crawl over rocks? The Zero’s ready, though knobbier tires would be beneficial. How about blazing mountain roads, dropping a knee, and scraping the kickstand and footpegs? “Let’s go!” says the Zero, but it won’t be as thrilling as a sport bike. Do you need to just hop around town and jump curbs? Yes and yes, but battery range will be a consideration.

It may not have a specific discipline, but the breadth of what it’s capable of doing is far better than any specialized weapon.

Founded in 2006 by Neil Saiki—a former NASA engineer—Zero’s quietly (get it?) made a name for itself in the motorcycling industry. In addition to the FX, it also makes a handful of sport and naked electric motorcycles, with the FX occupying the lightweight dual-sport/motorcross portion of the company’s lineup.

The most talked-about electric vehicle stat is, of course, range. The Zero’s is pretty dang average. Factory specs say the 7.2-kWh battery (there’s a cheaper 3.6-kWh option) is good for 91 mpge city, 39 highway (at 70 mph), and 54 combined. Real-world miles are between 60 and 80 per charge, which is comparable to motorcycles of similar size and weight (Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Honda CRF450). I routinely got around 70 to 80 miles per charge, even though I’m not exactly a lithe test rider.

If you live somewhere close to fun roads and trails or you can load it up into the bed of a truck like a dirt bike—as I did a couple of times—you’ve got more than enough range to have fun. That said, it was tough for me to see its license plate and not feel like a turkey loading it into the back of a pickup.

Charging the FX is easy, though it takes a while. Zero dropped the FX off with the standard 120-volt charging cord, and it was slow to get up to a full charge. I really didn’t feel too constrained by its slower uptake because I often ride in the afternoon and let it charge overnight. An optional quick charger is available for an extra $640 and cuts the charge time in half. I’d get it just to get back to having fun quicker.

Zero’s FX is designed to be a dual-sport motorcycle, meaning it’s supposed to be capable of fun on both pavement and dirt. The company’s engineers must have been listening to Tay Money, as it understood the assignment.

As for looks, there’s not much to call it out as an electric motorcycle. It just looks like a nice dirt bike. The only giveaway, aside from the lack of exhaust and noise, are the golden fins of the motor in between the bike’s frame. I will say that its light design is interesting and I’m not sure it’s the way I’d go, but it’s certainly eye-catching.

The FX comes with Showa adjustable forks (8.6 inches of travel) combined with a Showa adjustable shock (8.9 inches of travel) in the rear. I’m not sure how they did it, but the dampening and rebound are set up damn near perfectly for either discipline. Out on the trails, the shocks soak up large rocks and rutted paths, reducing the strain felt through your arms and legs. And while softer sprung than some on pavement, it doesn’t feel spongy like some ADVs, likely helped by its featherweight 289 pounds. You can easily keep up with all your sport bike friends, even those with Ducati Streetfighters.

Aiding the FX’s capabilities is the bike’s brushless motor, which puts out 46 horsepower and 78 pound-feet of torque through a belt drive. An optional chain drive is available for better off-road durability and is a necessity if you're going to use it as a true dual-sport. At low- and high-throttle input, it’s a delight and extremely manageable. You’ve got nanometer accuracy in its throttle delivery. Just above low-throttle input, though, there’s this swell of torque that can catch you out if you’re not careful. There’s also zero traction control, so when you’re out running trails, you’re likely to end up in the dirt at some point. You get used to it, but a more linear power band would be beneficial.

Rad Power Bikes launches biggest sale of the year

Today, Rad Power Bikes is launching its largest sale of the year, taking upwards of $400 off its popular selection of e-bikes in the process. Shipping is free across the board. While the discounts span a wide range of vehicles, as well as accessories, a particular highlight has to be the RadRunner Plus Electric Utility Bike. Marked down for one of the very first times, you can now score this one for $1,699. Normally fetching $1,899, today’s offer is delivering a new all-time low at $200 off while also undercutting our previous mention from back in June by another $100.To get more news about e bike, you can visit magicyclebike.com official website.

Back when we first reviewed the RadRunner Plus, we walked away quiet impressed, calling it one of the most capable electric bicycles we’ve taken for a spin. As for how that actually stacks up, you’re looking at a 750W motor that can carry 300 pounds of gear at a time; be it groceries from the store or another rider on the rear seat. There’s an over 45-mile range with a 20MPH top speed, as well. The 7-speed drivetrain and front suspension adds to the experience, though my favorite aspect has to be the retro stylings that give the RadRunner Plus its distinct look. Head below for more.If you’re looking to make the most of the Rad Power Bikes sale and lock-in the full $400 in savings, be sure to have a look at the RadRover 6 Plus Electric Fat Tire Bike for $1,649 shipped. Down from its usual $1,999 price tag, today’s offer is delivering a new 2022 low at $350 off. This beats our previous mention by $50 and is also the first discount in months. We walked away quite impressed in our original review of the RadRover 6 Plus, and today’s discount only makes the experience all that much better.

In what we called the biggest update Rad Power Bikes has ever launched, there’s a 750W motor that can carry 275 pounds of gear at a time. There’s also a 45-mile range which pairs with fat tires for off-road action to complete the lineup.

Accessories are also seeing big discounts in the RadPower Bikes sale, with a collection of upgrades now marked down to the best prices of the year. Including essentials for your ride like helmets, as well as add-ons like mirror, storage racks, lights, and fenders, there are 30% in savings across everything. You’ll want to check out all of the different ways to improve your riding experience right here, as well as all of the different car mounts and racks marked down on this landing page.

THE KASEN K5 STEP THROUGH EBIKE

Step through bicycles are often defined by their unique frame and style but what makes step throughs different from other bikes? Well to begin, the reason these bikes are called step throughs is because you can step through the frame! But why is this so important?To get more news about ebike for sale, you can visit magicyclebike.com official website.

Let’s start with a history lesson. Step through bicycles originated somewhere in the late 1800’s with the idea that with this low step through frame, women with dresses and skirts could easily get on and off the bicycle without exposing anything they did not want while getting on and off the bike.

Fast forward, women started wearing dresses and skirts less often but step through frames still remain popular among women and men due to their convenience and style.

Step throughs are great for those who want an easier time mounting and dismounting their bikes. This could include, shorter riders, less flexible people, or those that are frequently mounting and dismounting their bicycle such as delivery men.

Overall, step through bicycles are great for those who really like the convenience of being able to get on and off their bike easily and for those who just like that classic European, Euro-style bicycle.
An electric trike is a great option for those who want a stable and comfortable ride. These three-wheeled bikes are perfect for cruising around town or a leisurely ride on the beach. Electric trikes are also great for carrying cargo, as they have large baskets or trailers that can be attached.

An all-terrain electric bike is perfect for those who want to explore off-road. These bikes have powerful motors and large tires that can tackle any terrain. All-terrain e-bike also has great suspension systems that keep you comfortable on rough terrain.

If you’re an avid hunter, you know that getting around in the woods can be tough. That’s why Addmotor created a line of electric bikes specifically designed for hunting.

These bikes have powerful motors that can help you get up steep inclines and over rough terrain. They also come with various features that make hunting easier, like racks for carrying your gear and large tires for stability.