In today’s Bulldog update of technology news: Mayors, Walmart Foundation launch second manufacturing innovation fund. new NC bill could endanger TV/computer recyling efforts; videos help heart patients recover; Syska Hennessy Group opening new Raleigh office, Time Warner sued over robocalls.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) joined with Walmart and the Walmart Foundation today to launch the Second Awards Cycle of the Walmart U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Fund. Through this program, nonprofit organizations and public universities can apply for grants of $100,000 or more to help create solutions to challenges many companies face with on-shoring and growing U.S. manufacturing.
North Carolina State University was among the winners in the first cycle, which also included the University of Georgia.
Letters of intent are due on August 24, 2015. Selected proposals will receive grants of at least $100,000 for award periods of at least one year, with the option of reapplying for continued funding.
For more information on this application process, or to apply, visit http://www.usmanufacturingfund.com.
A video update about the entire awards program can be found at https://youtu.be/zTnBMusMbfs?t=57m17s.
NC bill could affect recyling efforts
A North Carolina bill that cleared the state senate could adversely affect recycling efforts. The bill eliminates the requirement for computer equiptment and TV makers to help with the cost of recycling.
About 30 million pounds of equipment was recycled in NC in 2014, three times more than before the program began. The recycling system provides free drop-offs in all 100 counties. We’ve used them ourselves.
The Raleigh News and Observer reports that legislators argued that the fees prevent some equipment makers from wanting to locate in NC, and that they are tough for startups to pay. They totaled almost $1 million in the last fiscal year.
The electronics recyling program has been in effect the last five years. It also banned dumping TVs and computers in landfills, a provision that would remain under the current bill.
Recyclers and environmentalists are obviously upset by the bill.
Heart videos help patients
Wellfix Inc. says results from its pilot programs of videos to help heart-failure patients in self-care recovery have been “Consistently positive.”
Conducted at Duke University Medical Center’s Same-Day Access Heart Failure Clinic in Durham, feedback found that 88 oercent of HF patients reported the self-care modeling videos very easy to use and all found them helpful in following their recovery treatment plan.”
Wellflix CEO Jonathon Winder said in a statement, “But more important are the ‘patient self-efficacy’ results all Duke HF patients who watched the videos report they are more ‘confident’ that they can perform at home the activities in the videos. Confidence highly correlates with future behavior change. After a patient observes a new activity such as tracking their weight, if they say they can now do it by themselves, they usually do. We are currently tracking 30- and 60-day readmission activity as well and anticipate that Wellflix will have a positive impact on preventable readmission behaviors.”
Time Warner sued over robocalls in Texas
Time Warner Cable Inc. has to pay a $230,000 fine for making robocalls to a woman in Texas who sued over it repeated robocalls.
A New York Federal judge ruled TWC has to pay Araceli King $1,500 each for 153 robocalls made to her cell phone in less than a year. The company said it wasn’t liable because it made the calls to another individual who previously had the phone number and consented to the calls.
The judge pointed out that a whopping 74 of the calls came even after King sued TWC to stop the calls in March 2014.
Syska Hennessy Group opening Raleigh Office
Syska Hennessy Group Inc., a global consulting, engineering and commissioning firm, is opening of a brand new Raleigh, NC facility to meet the growing demands of clients and increased project activity in the surrounding market. The Raleigh office will serve as an extension of the firm’s current Charlotte office.
Todd Pagliarulo, Associate Partner with Syska Hennessy Group will oversee the Raleigh office.
The company says the firm will provide core services in mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, commissioning, facilities management, and communication and information technology design. Syska will continue branching out into new practice areas, including an increased focus on healthcare project work as well as life sciences/biotechnology, higher education, and other MEP design services.
