In the News

Seegrid partners with Giant Eagle to create supermarket robot

Robotics Business Review Thursday, November 08, 2012

Pittsburgh robotics company Seegrid and Giant Eagle supermarkets have developed an unmanned pallet truck that transports products using vision-guided technology, reports Robotics Business Review.

“We now have seven robots deployed at Giant Eagle. It is an out-of-the-box robot that is very easy to program,” said Michael Hasco, chief growth officer for Seegrid.

Hasco explained that it is very easy to “train” the robot by simply first walking it through the route it is to take, load an item it is designed to transport and then push the “go to work” button. “It really is simple, flexible automation,” he said.

Original source: Robotics Business Review

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A chocolatey, celebrity collaboration in West Chester

Thursday, November 08, 2012

West Chester master chocolatier Christopher Curtin is collaborating with chefs Eric Ripert and Anthony Bourdain on a "sleek" new Peruvian chocolate bar, reports the New York Times

The bar, embedded with crushed nibs, is a collaboration with the chefs Eric Ripert and Anthony Bourdain. In all his chocolates, Mr. Curtin starts with single-origin beans or a chocolate base, mostly around 70 percent dark, and adds flavorings and fillings like Aleppo pepper, shiraz wine, coffee and toasted corn. He just introduced bonbons filled with pumpkin and with gingerbread. You need a bib for his silky caramels.

Original source: The New York Times

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Pennsylvania among a few states with some voting issues

L.A. Times Thursday, November 08, 2012

Pennsylvania had its share of problems at the polls on Tuesday, including confusion over the new voter ID law, reports the L.A. Times.

Perhaps the most widely observed problem occurred in central Pennsylvania, where a voter posted a YouTube video that showed him attempting to vote for Obama on an electronic voting machine that kept switching the vote to Romney.

"As far as we know, it was an isolated incident," said Ron Ruman, a spokesman for Pennsylvania's Department of State.

Original source: L.A. Times

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Young Visionaries: United By Blue's organic apparel and accessories

Entrepreneur Thursday, November 08, 2012

Entrepeneur's Young Visionaries series pays a visit to Philadelphia's United By Blue, an organic apparel and accessories company with a heavy social mission.

His vision provides for the removal of one pound of garbage from the nation's waterways through the sale of each item on the site. Each cleanup involves thousands of volunteers and has resulted in the removal of many thousands of pounds of garbage.

Original source: Entrepreneur

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Philadelphia's ScrubDaddy walks away with Shark Tank deal

Nerdles Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Aaron Krause, who owns ScrubDaddy, maker of what is described as "high-end cleaning sponges," walked away from ABC TV show Shark Tank with a deal, reports Nerdles.

He needs $100,000 in exchange for 10% equity in his enterprise. He’s currently selling the product online and in 5 Philadelphia stores. His sales have already reached $100,000 in the past 4 months alone. Since Aaron owns a patent for Scrub Daddy, he is now venturing into manufacturing the product on a large scale. As such, he needs the funds to set up his own manufacturing facility as he anticipates an in increase in demand from other supermarkets

Original source: Nerdles

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How Penn State students are exploring the Sandusky scandal in class

The New York Times Wednesday, October 31, 2012

The New York Times reports on the ways students at Penn State University are using classroom discussions and lessons to come to terms with the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal.

For months, the subject — the sexual abuse scandal involving Jerry Sandusky, and Paterno’s role in it — had been a constant for the students, among friends, at home and in class. It had indelibly marked their college careers. After the July release of the report done by the former F.B.I. director Louis J. Freeh, Susan Welch, the dean of Penn State’s college of the liberal arts, encouraged professors to address the matter in class.

Original source: The New York Times

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Considering fracking and nuclear side by side in Pennsylvania

Russia Today (RT) Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Russia Today (RT) takes a look at the growth of fracking in the U.S. and Pennsylvania and potential impacts on its nuclear facilities, in particular the planned gas well near the Shippingport, Beaver County nuclear plant.

Environmental authorities approved plans to construct a shale gas well near the Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Station in Shippingport earlier this month. State rules require any such well to be more than 500 feet from the edge of plant territory, though data indicates that there are no fracking wells that close to nuclear power stations anywhere in the US.

Original source: Russia Today

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Nao the programmable humanoid among those inducted into Robot Hall of Fame in Pittsburgh

Engadget Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Engadget reports on last week's Robot Hall of Fame induction at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh

The first 'bot to secure its spot in the class of 2012, was the programmable humaoid Nao, from Aldebaran Robotics, which beat out the iRobot Create and Vex Robotics Design System in the Educational category. The PackBot military robot from iRobot took the Industrial and Service category, beating out the Kiva Mobile Robotic Fulfillment System and Woods Hole Oceanographic's Jason. Boston Dynamic's Big Dog ran over some stiff competition in the form of Willow Garage's PR2 and NASA's Robonaut to win the Research title. And WALL-E triumphed over doppelganger Johnny Five and the Jetsons' Rosie in the Entertainment category.

Original source: Engadget

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Pittsburgh near the top of American creative class

The Atlantic Cities Thursday, October 25, 2012

The Atlantic Cities rates Pittsburgh No. 5 nationally among the cities that contribute most to the creative class.

A new report [PDF] from my colleagues at the Martin Prosperity Institute provides a fresh take on this issue. It looks at how regions contribute to four key categories of regional economic development — population, innovation, creativity, and economic output. Basically, the study calculated a metro's share of the U.S. total for each of the four categories. The table below, from the study, charts the metros that top the list in each of the four categories. It lists the category that each metro does best in.

Original source: The Atlantic Cities

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Sniffing success: Yardley firm's technology delivers nasal meds more effectively

Medgadget Thursday, October 25, 2012

Medgadget writes about Yardley-bsed OptiNose and its bi-directional delivery technology that uses a patient's breath to dispense nasal medications.

As a matter of fact, a new study comparing the OptiNose powder delivery device against traditional liquid nasal sprays has shown that the Bi-Directional system deposits medication more effectively to the middle and upper posterior regions in the back of the nose. The study involved seven participants that inhaled radiolabeled medication using the two delivery methods, the deposition of which was then assessed using a gamma camera sensitive to the emitted radiation.

Original source: Medgadget

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Study: Counseling yielded more fruit consumption among African-American adults

L.A. Times Thursday, October 25, 2012

Philadelphia-based American Association for Cancer Research released a study of more than 200 Philadelphia African-Americans who were being counseled on increasing produce consumption and exercise to reduce their risk of cancer or heart disease, reports the L.A. Times.

The fact that the participants were mostly poor, with incomes under $20,000, might mean they could not afford to join a gym or pay for exercise classes and might not feel safe walking or biking in their neighborhoods. She also said the researchers might ask about the fact that many fruits can be eaten as is while many vegetables are normally cooked – making it easier to eat fruit. And, Jefferson said, it’s hard to make more than one change at a time.

Original source: L.A. Times

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Eye chart: Philadelphia's Warby Parker in focus

CNBC Thursday, October 25, 2012

CNBC talks with Philadelphia eyeware company co-CEO Neil Blumenthal.

"We're an early-stage company, 2 1/2 years in," Blumenthal said on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street."

"We're just looking at the next step now. ... We're more focused on how can we get glasses to people as quickkly as possible," Blumenthal said.

Original source: CNBC

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Penn State prof helps take sting out of swinging the bat

Discovery News Thursday, October 25, 2012

A Penn State University professor's work is helping batters who experience sore hands swinging baseball and softball bats, reports Discovery News.

"Having identified that vibration I helped tune a mass spring vibration absorber" embedded in the bat's knob "that attacks that frequency," Russell told Discovery News. "We tried it out and did pre and post measurements and found that it completely removed that unwanted vibration from the bat."

Russell worked with baseball bat manufacturer Marucci Sports to incorporate the technology into their youth and senior league bats.

Original source: Discovery News

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Remembering the funny side of Arlen Specter

The Washington Post Thursday, October 18, 2012

Not many know that Arlen Specter, the longtime Pennsylvania senator who died last week at age 82, was almost as funny as he was moderate, reports The Washington Post.

After losing his Senate seat in 2010, he got downright serious about his comedy, doing gigs in Philadelphia and NYC in the past year, and was scheduled to do another in Philly next month. His material, while not always the freshest, was boosted by his natural comic timing — and his willingness to plug VIP names into jokes. A few highlights from his recent sets:

• “I’ve been in comedy now for 30 years. [Long pause to let audience laugh when they realize he’s talking about the Senate.] The only difference is, it’s not stand-up: We all have comfortable chairs. It costs about 27 million dollars to win a seat — so when you win one, you like to sit down.”

• “Bill Clinton is a friend of mine, because I’m a friend of his: I voted not to impeach him. And that’s a hell of a thing to do considering the evidence.”

Original source: The Washington Post

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Pocono Biking: On the family bike trail in Jim Thorpe

The New York Times Thursday, October 18, 2012

A New York Times writer brings his family to Lehigh Gorge State Park in Jim Thorpe, and with the help of Pocono Biking, enjoys local landmnarks like Picture Rock and Mud Run Creek.

Within minutes of being dropped off with perhaps 20 other passengers, we were on the trail, the Lehigh River far below on our left, and a steep, wooded hill dotted with waterfalls to our right. The trail is wide and well maintained, a gravel surface under a canopy of trees, with mile markers to chart progress, picnic tables and signs noting points of interest and giving a bit of history.

Original source: The New York Times

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