Latest news with #GoogleResearch
National Post
an hour ago
- Science
- National Post
Earth Fire Alliance Releases First Wildfire Images from FireSat Protoflight
Article content In partnership with Muon Space and Google Research, the Alliance unveils breakthrough wildfire imagery, signaling a new era of precision, data, and insights for fire response Article content SAN FRANCISCO — Earth Fire Alliance, the global nonprofit coalition committed to delivering transformative data and insights from all wildfires on Earth, in collaboration with Muon Space and Google Research, today released the first wildfire images captured by the FireSat Protoflight satellite. Collectively, these images demonstrate the powerful impact FireSat will have on communities and the firefighters who protect them worldwide. Article content Among the first images is a small fire in Oregon, USA, that was undetected by existing satellites, highlighting the opportunity FireSat presents to deliver insights missed by other space-based systems and to help first responders identify more fires in their early stages, assess their potential impact, and act before the fires escalate into public safety threats. Article content FireSat can detect fires as small as 5×5 meters, making it orders of magnitude more precise than existing satellites. Once fully operational, the FireSat constellation will scan Earth's most fire-prone regions every 20 minutes, enabling unprecedented detection, monitoring, and characterization. Article content The image collection spans diverse fire conditions across North America and Australia: Article content Oregon, USA: A small roadside fire undetected by existing space-based systems was identified by FireSat, showcasing the satellite's superior sensitivity for early-stage fire detection. Nipigon 6 Fire, Ontario, Canada: FireSat's multispectral sensor distinguishes active fire regions from land that has experienced prior fires and unaffected areas. Northern Territory, Australia: FireSat detected multiple active fires and revealed variations in surface temperatures across the landscape. Moran Fire and Chicken Fire, Alaska, USA: This capture of two fires in one image demonstrates FireSat's value for monitoring remote regions where it is challenging to conduct ground-based observation. Article content 'These images represent a turning point in how the world will see and respond to wildfires,' said Brian Collins, Executive Director of Earth Fire Alliance. 'FireSat is the result of extensive collaboration among engineers, researchers, frontline fire agencies, and philanthropies—and it's built to serve fire agencies around the world. Our goal is simple: ensure that every fire, anywhere on Earth, is visible and understood in near real time.' Article content Next-Generation Infrared Sensing Article content FireSat was purpose-built for the global wildfire challenge. Informed by close coordination with hundreds of national, regional, and local fire officials, as well as fire modelers and scientists, the satellite's advanced multispectral infrared sensors, designed and built by Muon Space, meet their real-world needs. FireSat can sense through smoke and clouds to reveal small fires and measure critical metrics such as fire perimeter, progression, and intensity. Article content 'These first images are a powerful demonstration of what we built FireSat to do,' said Jonny Dyer, CEO of Muon Space. 'We're seeing clear, actionable detection of wildfire activity across multiple regions, which will provide an invaluable tool for first responders. While early detection is important, what's equally critical is FireSat's ability to support ongoing fire management by tracking a fire's progression and behavior.' Article content Operating in low Earth orbit, FireSat has a 1,500 km observation swath and a ground sample distance of 50 meters from directly overhead. Its combination of resolution, thermal sensitivity, and broad dynamic range allows it to sense small, smoldering fires while simultaneously monitoring extreme wildfire events. Article content A World-Class Wildfire Dataset Article content Building on the successful Protoflight launched in March, Earth Fire Alliance and Muon Space will deploy the first three operational FireSats in mid-2026, which will deliver twice-daily global observation. The full constellation will comprise 50+ satellites by 2030. Article content Google Research plans to use AI to compare operational FireSat data with historical images of the same location, then take local weather and other factors into account to identify small fires with low false positive rates. AI applications will also reveal insights on fire behavior for predictive modeling. Article content 'Paired with advanced AI, this data will be invaluable for fire authorities and Earth science,' said Chris Van Arsdale, Google Research Climate & Energy Lead and Chair of the Earth Fire Alliance Board of Directors. 'FireSat's first wildfire images are precisely what we envisioned when we began this research and partnership.' Article content The Power of a Global Coalition Article content Projections show that the FireSat constellation will deliver significant public safety, economic, and environmental benefits. In the United States alone, even a one-hour FireSat revisit rate could annually save more than $1 billion in fire damage costs, protect 3,500 homes and properties, reduce burned land by 1.3 million acres, and prevent 21.9 million tons of carbon emissions. Article content In June, Earth Fire Alliance announced the first cohort of participants in its Early Adopter Program, which offers an opportunity for fire agencies and fire scientists to help refine data products, define data delivery mechanisms, and harness the potential for FireSat data when initial operational capability is reached in 2026. Article content Earth Fire Alliance is grateful to founding partners Google, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Environmental Defense Fund, Muon Space, and others that have contributed scientific expertise, leadership, and philanthropic support to make the FireSat program possible. The inaugural FireSat images represent a milestone in leveraging public-private-philanthropic partnerships to advance global wildfire detection, response, and understanding. Article content To access all four images in high-resolution, please visit: About Earth Fire Alliance Earth Fire Alliance is a California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation founded in 2024 on the belief that high-fidelity data, accessible on a global scale, will transform humanity's collective approach and relationship to fire. The Alliance shares a vision of expanding wildfire focus and funding from reactive suppression to proactive stewardship that includes better informed real-time decisions on the ground, data-driven resilience initiatives, and improved understanding about the positive and negative role of fire on the landscape. Committed to delivering transformative real-time data from all wildfires on Earth through user-driven technology and radical collaboration, Earth Fire Alliance champions the FireSat constellation. For more information, visit Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
JSS AHER partners with Google on AI-driven healthcare
Mysuru: In a milestone for medical innovation in India , JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research (JSS AHER), Mysuru, has emerged as a key partner in a artificial intelligence (AI) research initiative led by Google Research . The findings of this collaboration were featured in two papers published in Nature, a scientific journal, the JSS AHER said on Friday. The research focused on the development and evaluation of the Articulate Medical Intelligence Explorer (AMIE) - an advanced AI system created by Google Research to enhance diagnostic accuracy and improve interactions between physicians and patients. The studies benchmarked AMIE's performance against that of trained primary care physicians using text-based consultations with standardised ones across healthcare settings in Canada, the UK and India. Dr B Suresh, pro-chancellor of JSS AHER, said, "We are proud to be at the forefront of transformative advancements in digital health and artificial intelligence. In keeping with this momentum, we've also updated our pharmacy curriculum to integrate AI, equipping graduates to lead the future of medicine." Dr H Basavanagowdappa, vice-chancellor, said, "At JSS AHER, we are cultivating an innovation-first ecosystem, especially in the fields of AI and digital health. This global collaboration not only elevates our academic profile but also empowers our students and faculty to directly engage with real-world healthcare challenges. Our goal is to shape solutions for tomorrow's healthcare."
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
JSS AHER partners with Google on AI-driven healthcare
Mysuru: In a milestone for medical innovation in India, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research (JSS AHER), Mysuru, has emerged as a key partner in a artificial intelligence (AI) research initiative led by Google Research. The findings of this collaboration were featured in two papers published in Nature, a scientific journal, the JSS AHER said on Friday. The research focused on the development and evaluation of the Articulate Medical Intelligence Explorer (AMIE) — an advanced AI system created by Google Research to enhance diagnostic accuracy and improve interactions between physicians and patients. The studies benchmarked AMIE's performance against that of trained primary care physicians using text-based consultations with standardised ones across healthcare settings in Canada, the UK and India. Dr B Suresh, pro-chancellor of JSS AHER, said, "We are proud to be at the forefront of transformative advancements in digital health and artificial intelligence. In keeping with this momentum, we've also updated our pharmacy curriculum to integrate AI, equipping graduates to lead the future of medicine." Dr H Basavanagowdappa, vice-chancellor, said, "At JSS AHER, we are cultivating an innovation-first ecosystem, especially in the fields of AI and digital health. This global collaboration not only elevates our academic profile but also empowers our students and faculty to directly engage with real-world healthcare challenges. Our goal is to shape solutions for tomorrow's healthcare."
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Howard University and Google Research Enhance A.I. Speech Recognition of African American English
Howard University and Google researchers release dataset of over 600 hours of African American English dialects to improve AI speech recognition Howard University and Google Research elevate Black American dialects in AI WASHINGTON, D.C., June 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Howard University and Google Research released data today which can be used by artificial intelligence developers to improve the experience of Black people using automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology. Through the partnership, Project Elevate Black Voices, researchers traveled across the United States to catalogue dialects and diction used frequently in Black communities but often not recognized or misconstrued by artificial intelligence-driven technologies, making it more difficult for many Black individuals to engage with the technology. African American English (AAE), African American Vernacular, Black English, Black talk, or Ebonics is a rich language rooted in history and culture. Because of inherent bias in the development process, incorrect results are sometimes generated when Black users vocalize commands to AI-driven technology. Many Black users have needed to inauthentically change their voice patterns away from their natural accents to be understood by voice products. 'African American English has been at the forefront of United States culture since almost the beginning of the country' said Gloria Washington, Ph.D., Howard University researcher and co-principal investigator of Project Elevate Black Voices and Howard University researcher. Voice assistant technology should understand different dialects of all African American English to truly serve not just African Americans, but other persons who speak these unique dialects. It's about time that we provide the best experience for all users of these technologies.' Researchers collected 600 hours of data from users of different AAE dialects in an effort to address implicit barriers to improving ASR performance. Thirty-two states are represented in the dataset. They found that there is a lack of natural AAE speech found within speech data because Black users have been implicitly conditioned to change their voices when using ASR-based technology. Even when data is available, in-product AAE is difficult to leverage because of code-switching. "Working with our outstanding partners at Howard University on Project Elevate Black Voices has been a tremendous and personal honor,' said Courtney Heldreth, co-principal investigator at Google Research. 'It's our mission at Google to make technology that's useful and accessible, and I truly believe that our work here will allow more users to express themselves authentically when using smart devices.' Howard University will retain ownership of the dataset and licensing, and serve as stewards for its responsible use, ensuring the data benefits Black communities. Google can also use the dataset to improve its own products, ensuring that their tools work for more people. Google performs this type of model training work with all sorts of dialects, languages, and accents around the US and the world. 'As a community-based researcher, I wanted to carefully curate the community activations to be a safe and trusted space for members of the community to share their experiences about tech and AI and to also ask those uncomfortable questions regarding data privacy,' said Lucretia Williams, Ph.D., project lead and Howard University researcher. The project team adopted a community-centric approach to audio data collection by organizing curated events in several cities, centering around Black panelists who both live and work in those communities. These panelists facilitated open and transparent discussions focused on Black culture, the intersection of technology and Black experiences, the growing presence of AI, and the importance of the Black community's active participation in innovation. At the end of each event, the team introduced a three-week audio data collection initiative, inviting participants to sign up and contribute their voices and experiences to the project. The Howard African American English Dataset 1.0 will initially be made available exclusively to researchers and institutions within historically Black colleges and universities to ensure that the data is employed in ways that reflect the interests and needs of marginalized communities, specifically African American communities whose linguistic practices have often been excluded or misrepresented in computational systems. The release of this dataset to entities outside the HBCU network will be held for consideration at a later date, with the intention of prioritizing those whose work aligns with the values of inclusivity, empowerment, and community-driven research. ### About Howard University Howard University, established in 1867, is a leading private research university based in Washington, D.C. Howard's 14 schools and colleges offer 140 undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs and lead the nation in awarding doctoral degrees to African American students. Howard is the top-ranked historically Black college or university according to Forbes and is the only HBCU ranked among U.S. News & World Report's Top 100 National Universities. Renowned for its esteemed faculty, high achieving students, and commitment to excellence, leadership, truth and service, Howard produces distinguished alumni across all sectors, including the first Black U.S. Supreme Court justice and the first woman U.S. vice president; Schwarzman, Marshall, Rhodes and Truman Scholars; prestigious fellows; and over 165 Fulbright recipients. Learn more at Attachment Howard University and Google Research elevate Black American dialects in AI CONTACT: Carol Wilkerson Howard University 202-288-7071 in to access your portfolio
Hospitality Net
05-06-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Is last-minute discounting good or bad for hoteliers?
A recent polling 'Would you drop your price or run a last minute OTA promo?' and related discussion on LinkedIn prompted my comments on this age-old dilemma in hospitality. The question is: Is it a good revenue management practice to offer last-minute discounts in your publicly available distribution channels like hotel website, OTAs, GDS, social media, digital marketing, etc.? Last-minute discounting in hospitality are not a new phenomenon. There have been many attempts to find a way to dispose of these empty rooms at any cost. Theoretically it makes economic sense: it is 4PM, I have 20 empty rooms, and if I sell them at 50% off BAR, I will still be making some money from my otherwise perishable inventory, right? Wrong! Last-minute discounting in hospitality is not sustainable as this approach jeopardizes existing and already researched-and planned bookings from all other distribution channels (hotel website and mobile app, voice, OTAs, GDS, corporate transients and groups, SMERFs, wholesalers, etc.). Typical leisure and unmanaged business travelers engage with multitude of different digital touch points (Google Research claimed 48 such touch points) and are shopping around like crazy pre-, during and post the Booking Phase of the digital customer journey. How would they react when they find out that the $200 room they booked a week ago could now be booked for $125 on the property website or an OTA? In my view, last-minute discounting is a super lazy and rookie approach to revenue management and a sure downward spiral to hotel insolvency. One question: why airlines and car rental companies never engage in last-minute discounting? Because they are smart and understand that whoever books the last minute has either urgent need or urge to travel and is willing to pay more to satisfy this need or urge. As a matter of principle, all major hotel chains avoid last-minute discounting since it is against best revenue management practices, contractual obligations with third-party distributors, preferred corporate accounts, group rate contracts, etc. Hospitality should finally learn something from the airlines who invented revenue management more than half a century ago (they call it yield management): the closer to the departure date, the higher the airfares! What Should Hoteliers Do to Avoid Last Minute Discounting? To begin with, if hoteliers are doing everything right in the direct online channel, the hotel would not need to use last-minute discounters. Instead of relying on last-minute discounters, hoteliers should invest in the direct online channel and make it a mission to decrease dependency on OTAs and intermediaries. The only time to engage in any kind of discounting is for a) advance bookings, b) CRM marketing promotions, and c) selling on value and not on rate alone. Advance Bookings : reward your guests for booking early and allowing you to have peace of mind with solid business on the books. Offer 10%-15% discounts for non-refundable 14- or 21-day advance bookings, based on your property's booking window. : reward your guests for booking early and allowing you to have peace of mind with solid business on the books. Offer 10%-15% discounts for non-refundable 14- or 21-day advance bookings, based on your property's booking window. CRM Marketing Promotions : With a solid CRM database and CRM technology fully integrated with your PMS, you can do a targeted CRM promotion for a need period, targeting people living within driving distance or reasonable travel time from the property who do not have an existing reservation for the need dates. For example, you can send a promotion on Monday-Tuesday for the upcoming weekend that is 3-4 days ahead. CRM promotions allow one-to-one marketing, without exposing your discounted rates to the public and to customers who have already booked or are planning to book your property. : With a solid CRM database and CRM technology fully integrated with your PMS, you can do a targeted CRM promotion for a need period, targeting people living within driving distance or reasonable travel time from the property who do not have an existing reservation for the need dates. For example, you can send a promotion on Monday-Tuesday for the upcoming weekend that is 3-4 days ahead. CRM promotions allow one-to-one marketing, without exposing your discounted rates to the public and to customers who have already booked or are planning to book your property. Selling on Value: The hospitality industry needs to relearn how to sell on value vs price alone! The OTAs are the masters of selling on price, hoteliers have no chance outwitting or outspending them in their marketing efforts. But selling on value? This is where hoteliers can truly outwit the OTAs and provide real value to your customers. In place of 'naked' rate discounts and last-minute deals, come up with weekend specials, de-stressing and spa packages, family packages, museum packages, romantic getaways, girls getaways, activity packages, special occasion and F&B packages and promotions, work-from-hotel packages, limited time offers, advance purchase promotions, packages with complimentary amenities and upgrades, loyalty member promotions, etc. that you can use to target your local, short-haul and drive-in feeder markets? In conclusion Revenue management 101: the closer to the arrival date, the higher the rate. Whoever books the last minute has either urgent need or urge to travel and is willing to pay more to satisfy this need or urge.
