Nespresso will become the first company to use responsibly-sourced aluminium, supplied by Rio Tinto, to produce its coffee capsules.

The two companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together with Nespresso’s capsule manufacturers to fulfil a commitment of sourcing 100 per cent sustainable aluminium by 2020, allowing customers to enjoy their coffee knowing it is packaged in responsibly produced material.

The use of Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Certified Aluminium is an important milestone towards reducing the impact that the world’s second most used base metal has on the planet.

The ASI sets out standards to promote the protection of biodiversity, respect for indigenous peoples’ rights, water management and low-carbon emissions during the production of aluminium.

The ASI’s Chain of Custody Standard creates a traceability mechanism, so that end-users like Nespresso can be sure that the aluminium they buy has been manufactured by ASI-Certified producers at each stage of the process. The standard is the first of its kind for any industrial metal.

Rio Tinto and Nespresso look forward to other producers and end-users embracing ASI Certified aluminium to meet the demand from consumers for more sustainable supply chains.

Rio Tinto Aluminium chief executive Alf Barrios said “This as an important step towards the use of responsibly sourced aluminium across manufacturing industries, which Rio Tinto is the first to supply. We expect the demand from consumers for sustainable products to continue growing and Nespresso drinkers can have confidence the aluminium we supply for their capsules meets the highest international standards.”

Nespresso chief executive officer Jean-Marc Duvoisin said: “Nespresso is proud to have been a driving force in creating and implementing the ASI. Together we have made responsibly-sourced aluminium a reality, and the ASI traceability mechanism will enable us to meet our commitment to customers to reduce the impact of their consumption. This is a positive step towards creating a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future.”

ASI chief executive officer Fiona Solomon said “Aluminium is a key part of our daily lives: from cars and planes to cell phones, buildings and food packaging. Until now, there has never been a comprehensive global standard for its responsible sourcing and production. Now companies in the aluminium value chain who wish to demonstrate responsible practices can take the ASI standards forward to their customers, who can, in turn, be confident that this represents the highest environmental, social and governance standards.”

Rio Tinto vice president sales and marketing and ASI Board member Tolga Egrilmezer said “This partnership with Nespresso is a significant milestone in the journey towards seeing ASI standards adopted throughout the aluminium industry supply chain.”

Nespresso, Rio Tinto and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) were among a global group of stakeholders from the aluminium industry, civil society, research and policy organisations that initiated the ASI in 2009. In 2015, ASI was incorporated as an international non-profit organization to create and implement the first-ever certification program for responsibly produced and sourced aluminium.

About Rio Tinto
Rio Tinto is pioneering responsible production for the aluminium industry, as a founding member of the ASI with Nespresso, and the first mining and metals company to be granted certifications by the ASI.

Rio Tinto is the only company currently able to sell aluminium that customers can be assured has been produced to the highest environmental, social and governance standards. The ASI Certified Aluminium is produced using a ‘chain of custody’ spanning the Gove bauxite mine in Australia to its alumina refinery, aluminium smelters and casthouses in Quebec, Canada.

Rio Tinto is now working to pioneer carbon free aluminium smelting through Elysis, a partnership with Alcoa supported by Apple and the governments of Canada and Quebec. The technology being developed by Elysis promises to eliminate all direct greenhouse gas emissions from the aluminium smelting process and replace them with oxygen.

For more information visit www.riotinto.com.

About Nestlé Nespresso SA
Nestlé Nespresso SA is the pioneer and reference for highest-quality portioned coffee. The company works with more than 75,000 farmers in 12 countries through its AAA Sustainable Quality Program to embed sustainability practices on farms and the surrounding landscapes. Launched in 2003 in collaboration with The Rainforest Alliance, the program helps to improve the yield and quality of harvests, ensuring a sustainable supply of high quality coffee and improving livelihoods of farmers and their communities.

Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, Nespresso operates in 76 countries and has 13,500 employees. In 2017, it operated a global retail network of more than 700 boutiques. For more information, visit the Nespresso corporate website: www.nestle-nespresso.com.

About the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative
The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) is a global, multi-stakeholder, non-profit standards setting and certification organisation. It works toward responsible production, sourcing and stewardship of aluminium following an entire value chain approach. To this end, ASI launched its Performance Standard and Chain of Custody Standard in December 2017.

ASI’s 70+ members include leading civil society organisations, companies with activities in bauxite mining, alumina refining, aluminium smelting, semi-fabrication, product and component manufacturing, as well as consumer and commercial goods, including the automotive industry, construction and packaging, as well as industry associations and other supporters.

ASI continues to seek engagement with commercial entities and stakeholders in the aluminium value chain from across the world. Organisations interested in membership are encouraged to learn more about our membership structure and how to join. For more information, visit www.aluminium-stewardship.org. 

The post Nespresso to use world’s first responsibly sourced aluminium from Rio Tinto in coffee capsules appeared first on Core Sector Communique.

Customized and loaded with features made just for the Indian market

New Delhi, November 12, 2018: Casio India has announced the launch of the world’s first GST calculator. With the introduction of GST in 2017, Casio India adopted the mission to provide a single solution for all GST based calculations. Surveying different Indian markets to understand the nuances of the invoicing process over the past year across the nation, Casio India is introducing two new innovations MJ-120 GST and MJ-12GST dedicated to the Indian market. This calculator is equipped to navigate the challenging environment and develop smooth functionality by easing the issues faced by Indian retailers post the introduction of GST.

Mr. Kulbhushan Seth, Vice-President, CASIO India said, “As market leaders in the calculators’ category, Casio India is committed to making meaningful innovations that help its customers day in and day out. We are proud to announce the launch of the World’s first GST calculator. CASIO GST calculator’s features bring a refreshing touch to the whole calculator’s category. It will make manual invoicing easy and hassle-free.”

Ideal for anyone dealing with GST based invoicing, the key features of the Casio MJ-12 GST and MJ-120GST calculators are as follows:

• In-built GST tabs: All the five (0%, 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%) GST are in-built in MJ-120GST and MJ-12GST. Separate buttons for the GST slabs will drastically reduce the number of clicks, hence reducing the time required to process the invoice. The tax slabs are changeable as per the industry needs.

• Gross value (net value + Tax), net value and tax paid under different GST slabs stay stored in the GST+0, GST+1, GST+2, GST+3, GST +4 buttons and the overall value in the five slabs stays stored in the GST GT button. Hence, there’s no need to recalculate the values repeatedly.

• Tax- Mode application: While working with the different markets Casio India also recognised that tax payers and traders calculate the base value of products by deducting tax from MRP. Hence, a TAX- feature for all the five tax slabs to calculate the base value from MRP was introduced. Tax-mode has its application in calculating base value and net profit earned.

• Multi-industry use: Functionality of GST+/tax- key makes MJ-120GST transcend industries as it can calculate values in multiple formats i.e. gross value from base value in GST+ mode and base value from gross value in Tax- mode. Furthermore, the GST GT key is for calculating gross value of a GST based calculation and can it can also be used for calculating the grand total of a calculation.

Price: MJ-12GST for INR 395/- | MJ-120GST for INR 475/-

Availability: All leading Stationery Stores

About Casio India

Casio India Co. Pvt. Ltd.(CIC) has been operating in India since 1996 and has established the distribution channel as well as the brand for most of its products. Casio Computer Co. Ltd, Japan, the parent company of CIC is engaged into manufacturing and marketing of various consumer products throughout the world.

Casio India’s range of products include sales and marketing of Handheld Calculators, Desktop Calculators, Scientific Calculators, Printing Calculators, Label Printers, Laser-LED based green Projectors, Wrist Watches, Clocks and EMI (Electronic Musical Instruments). The company has also established service centres across the country to provide after-sales-services. Today, Casio is known for its reliable product quality and exemplary innovations and is one of the world’s most recognized brands due to its vast product range.

The post Casio India Presents the World’s First GST Calculator appeared first on Core Sector Communique.

New Delhi, October 16, 2018: NDTV and Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”) today announced the launch of NDTV Hop, world’s first LIVE channel for smartphones available entirely in portrait (vertical) mode with exclusive content for Airtel TV users.

With content tailored exclusively for millennials, NDTV HOP will offer users instant access to digital content covering the latest from News, Bollywood, Auto, Technology, Pop-Culture, Online Deals, Fashion and much more.

The eight fresh hours of programming every day are created and streamed using best-in-class technology and users can experience a lot of firsts including interactivity, multiple-streams and being able to click and buy products they like.

“NDTV is valued and recognised for creating and launching terrific new content in the online space. This partnership with Airtel allows us to use to dream potential the possibilities of digital and telecom technology,” said Suparna Singh, Group CEO, NDTV. “We know younger users want great content on the small screen. This is original content for them, not replicated or ported from other platforms. It’s very exciting to be rolling this out at this time in India”

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Sameer Batra, CEO – Content and Apps, Bharti Airtel said, “We are delighted to join hands with NDTV to launch world’s first LIVE channel for smartphones. Today’s tech savvy millennial wants to consume digital content on the go and our tie up with NDTV is aimed at facilitating just that. Our deep understanding of customer’s content consumption preferences coupled with NDTV’s expertise is sure to create an enjoyable experience for users.”

Airtel has forged partnerships with all leading broadcasters and production houses, to bring the best of content on a single platform, and offer an unparalleled experience to its customers.

This channel will be exclusively available to Airtel TV app users and will also be available for download as an app on both iOS and Android and on https://hop.live, for all users

About NDTV

NDTV is the oldest and most credible media house in India and ndtv.com is the second largest digital content destination in the country. With a reach of 200 million unique users per month it continues to innovate in areas of content and digital experiences. It also owns gagdets360.com India’s largest tech website, food.ndtv.com- India’s largest food site and carandbike.com- India’s second largest auto site. The NDTV app is one the most popular news apps in the country. NDTV has also recently been voted as the most credible media brand in the country for the third time in a row

About Bharti Airtel Limited:

Bharti Airtel Limited is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 16 countries across Asia and Africa. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the company ranks amongst the top 3 mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers. In India, the company’s product offerings include 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services, mobile commerce, fixed line services, high speed home broadband, DTH, enterprise services including national & international long distance services to carriers. In the rest of the geographies, it offers 2G, 3G, 4G wireless services and mobile commerce. Bharti Airtel had over 456 million customers across its operations at the end of June 2018. To know more please visit, www.airtel.com

The post NDTV & Airtel launch world’s first, live channel only for mobile phones – NDTV HOP appeared first on Core Sector Communique.

IBD Technology, a Singapore-based company, had announced the launch of a tripartite business alliance that’ll bring full transparency to its business model.

Company created an ecosystem project called “TOOL Global”. Users will be rewarded with global virtual points that can be used to mine the company’s own digital token, which will be listed in exchanges by October ’18

To allow transparent self-governance of its ecosystem project, a non-profit organization was launched as a strategic partner, to oversee operations and funding, alongside an alliance program to promote aforementioned project.

Business model is well-positioned for good growth opportunities with the rapid rise of blockchain big data and consumers’ need for ownership of their own data.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 27 August 2018 – In an effort to revolutionize big data with blockchain, IBD Technology, a Singaporean blockchain tech startup, has launched a new project: TOOL Global, alongside 2 other strategic partners: AC495 and The WOLOT Foundation, at the Blockchain Commerce Application Summit last weekend.

The TOOL Global project will see an ecosystem launched in tandem with the company’s own digital token (called the “OLO” coin) this September. This ecosystem returns consumers ownership over their data and its value, while giving businesses a more streamlined option to obtaining user data analysis for market research. This is in addition to lowering the cost of user acquisition via merchant onboarding and user sharing. Valid online activities will be converted and recorded into different behavioral value tags (BU) which serve as reward/voucher points, and can be accumulated for OLO tokens for payments within the ecosystem, or stored for appreciation. It’s corresponding digital wallet dapp by the same name (OLO), is already on its beta release.

Transparency doesn’t stop there, a new non-profit organization called the WOLOT Foundation was launched to oversee all operations of TOOL Global’s open community and its funds. This arrangement will allow TOOL Global’s ecosystem to be self-governed by its participating business entities and community.

To facilitate widespread integration and adoption of the ecosystem, WOLOT Foundation had striked a partnership with AC495, a self-governed global community led by blockchain experts and Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs). These international leaders will lead the marketing and promotional effort and serve as builders to TOOL Global’s open community.

IBD Technology CEO, Ben Chan, believes this arrangement to be perfectly aligned with the company’s mission to bring transparency and ownership to mass users. “We’ve built a marketing system that’s user-centered, now it’s going to be promoted by community leaders, whose earnings and business profits will be overseen by the community itself” stated Ben.

The Singaporean tech startup has already attracted big partners in the APAC region such as China’s Jinvovo Technology, and Singapore Finergy Advisory. Norman, CEO of Finergy Advisory believes that the TOOL Global business model is well-positioned for good growth opportunities with rapid rise of blockchain big data and consumers’ need for ownership of their data. The project has also gained recognition in the Singaporean space and is currently in talks with authorities and associations for future collaborations.

For more information on TOOL Global, visit www.IBDT.io

ABOUT TOOL Global (by IBD Technology)   

IBD Technology is a blockchain establishment headquartered in Singapore, Asia’s financial metropolis. We are committed to developing big data technology services platforms that provide open and international applications and commercial blockchain solutions.

The post Singapore Startup IBD Technology Launches World’s First Decentralized Ecosystem for Businesses appeared first on Core Sector Communique.

Today, Volareo launches on crowdfunding site Indiegogo. Starting from $99USD for the early bird special, Volareo is the 1st independent smart speaker supporting open source to integrate with blockchain streaming platforms.

wwww.volareo.live/launch/      6PM CEST (9AM PDT/ 12pm EDT / 16th 2AM AEST)

Designed for those who value creativity, privacy and independence, Volareo aims to capture the blockchain music market first. It provides an easy platform for artists and users to interact and can be used to intelligently search for and discover music using voice, first in four languages: English, Dutch, Spanish, and French. Later, more languages will be added via OTA updates.

Connecting fans and content creators
Volareo’s first, but not unique, blockchain music streaming partnership with Musicoin makes for seamless and free listening for users, whilst fairly compensating musicians for each stream. The Volareo smart speaker comes preloaded with 500 Musicoins (the equivalent of $10USD) allowing you to tip your favourite artists straight away with your voice or by clapping. A double authorisation system allows listeners to verify all tips before they are sent. “Blockchain music has huge potential to drive much needed revenue to artists, particularly independent ones, transparently, directly and instantly. The listener gets the chance to connect on a much closer level with the artist, by being able to tip artists or buy merchandise, for example, via voice commerce”, explains Nick Yap, Volareo founder.
Volareo is continuously partnering with new platforms such as Emanate, Choon, Soundeon, Jazz de Ville and many more.

Open-source
Volareo is also building an open software platform which will bring diverse blockchain-related streaming, concert ticketing and merchandising platforms together, so that users have the freedom to choose from a wider range of services, than just those controlled by big companies in the game. “Together with all users, we want to pave a new way forward to crowdsourced content creation. We want to build a platform that empowers people to connect”, Yap says.

Independence 
Voice commerce is projected to be $45 billion in 2020*, yet is currently dominated by a handful of companies. The existence of an independent alternative has therefore become urgent, where all e-commerce and every developer is welcome, and where customers are not products, but their privacy is respected in a fair and open platform. “We have brought the best experts in every field together, to create a smart speaker for you and us, the people. Decentralized and direct: an open platform for crypto & blockchain partners, creators, voice commerce & developers. Our privacy and our voices should be ours”, Yap concludes.

First orders of Volareo speakers can be made via the Indiegogo page here, for a price of $99USD for Early Bird adopters. An early-access link to the order page will be open for one month, till September 15th. Volareo is set to deliver in Q1 2019.

Volareo is a Rotterdam-based startup ran by consumer electronics entrepreneur and former Startup of the Year Founder (Netherlands) Nick Yap. Volareo’s open source smart speaker makes the benefits of blockchain accessible and cryptocurrency easy to use. Born out of a need for an alternative piece of high quality hardware, it focuses on user privacy and creating direct and meaningful relationships between consumer and content creator

The post Volareo, world’s first independent smart speaker for Blockchain, Crypto & Music launches on Indiegogo appeared first on Core Sector Communique.

Volareo is the world’s first blockchain-enabled smart speaker. The  device allows users to listen to a lifetime of free music while providing instant compensation to musicians. Based on an open-source, decentralized platform and powered by Musicoin, and soon other blockchain streaming platforms, the speaker is controlled via mobile app or voice commands, and promises to break new boundaries in both cryptocurrency and musical appreciation.

It ensures that:

• Musicians are paid fairly and timely for their music (due to smart contracts on blockchain)
• Users can have a seamless music experience using voice command function with the speaker
• Listeners can directly tip the musician or song they like
• Musicians get better insights into their fan base
• Fans receive exclusive music content

Volareo is thus all about reconnecting musicians and fans.The Volareo team is interviewing regularly some of the most prominent artists of the current musical scene. You can read or watch interviews with them on Volareo blog section. A few examples are Goldilox (Sleevin records under Sony Music UK), Scouting for Girls (Sony records), Dave Winnel (Spinnin’ records), Pascal Guyon (Mister’s Music, So So Def, Zomba Label Group, Sony Music)

Main takeaway from interviews conducted so far is that most of artists seem to be keen to explore the world of new technologies. There is not much convincing that has to be done after proper explanation about the current state of music industry:

“There are numerous stakeholders in the music business. Still. Even though most of them are hardly needed any more. Back in the day, you needed a studio to produce music, which was usually offered by the label. Now, all you need is a laptop and a headset. So the job of the label is currently only marketing and distribution. Aside from this, you also have royalty-collecting societies that often claim the rights to all of your music and collect royalties on your behalf.

With blockchain music platform, we want to rethink the whole music industry in light of the dramatic changes over the last 10–20 years. If we were to rebuild the whole music ecosystem today, what would it look like?”

Usually the answer is always: “yeah, you’re right. We’re getting screwed. Where do I sign up?”

Some are of course a bit reluctant out of a “what if it fails” feeling. And the answer is always: “Yes, there is always a chance it might happen, even though it’s going well right now. It’s crypto after all. But even if music blockchain platforms itself would fail, there is now a massive, growing community set out to change the industry.”

Upon release, Volareo will accept voice commands and can be controlled within the app in four languages: English, Dutch, Spanish, and French—with additional languages supported in the future. With voice commands, listeners can search by artist, song title, or even lyrics, thanks to Volareo’s partnership with LyricFind.

Official launch on Indiegogo will take place in the beginning of August.

The post Volareo : the world’s first blockchain-enabled smart speaker in ready for August rollout appeared first on Core Sector Communique.

New theme park marks key addition to Qatar’s growing urban and family entertainment offering

The world’s first ANGRY BIRDS WORLD entertainment park has opened its doors to residents and visitors to Qatar, transforming the classic bird-flinging game into a cluster of high-octane attractions designed to entertain every member of the family. Located in Qatar’s largest fashion, dining and entertainment destination, Doha Festival City, the 17,000 sq.m park comprises an indoor space of 6,500 sq.m.

Inspired by the popular digital game, the park offers its visitors a heart-pounding experience with many attractions such as the Blast Bomb – a drop and twist tower that features free-fall motion from a height of 11 metres, or Red Alert where visitors are hurled into an exhilarating 360-degree spin.

One of the park’s uniquely impressive attractions is the Big Tree, which offers both children and adults a fun edutainment experience encompassing science, music and art.

For adventure junkies, the tree also houses “Own the Sky”, a 106-metre zip line that allows participants to cut through the air at rip-roaring speeds. Visitors can also test their physical strength with “Fierce Flight” – an incredible ropes course challenge.

ANGRY BIRDS WORLD is a new addition to Qatar’s expanding urban and family entertainment offering, which tourism officials have marked as a priority in a five-year strategy designed to diversify visitor source markets. Qatar’s entertainment portfolio includes a range of exciting festivals, celebrating everything from food and shopping to music and comedy. The country’s longest nation-wide festival – Qatar Summer Festival – kicks off this June in tandem with the Russia FIFA World Cup 2018, with fan zones in venues and hotels across the country designed to give a taste of what is to come in 2022 when Qatar hosts the FIFA World Cup.

Simo Hämäläinen, Senior Vice President, Brand Licensing at Rovio Entertainment, commented: “Our new world-class attraction based in Qatar is another clear demonstration of the global appeal of the Angry Birds brand. Rovio’s current licensing roadmap is strongest to date, bringing great new ways for our fans to enjoy Angry Birds. The brand’s future looks bright and is being spearheaded with the theatrical release of The Angry Birds Movie 2 in September 2019.”

ANGRY BIRDS WORLD constitutes one of the four major entertainment parks that are introduced by Trimoo and set to open at Doha Festival City, located along Al Shamal Road. Upon completion, the unique entertainment destination will be home to –  SNOW DUNES – the country’s first indoor snow park set in an ancient Arabian village; VIRTUOCiTY – the region’s first dedicated digital gaming and entertainment hub; and JUNIVERSE – the world’s first city in space that aims to inspire and entertain children.

For more information about ANGRY BIRDS WORLD, please follow

Facebook: Angrybirdsworldqatar

Instagram: Angrybirdsworld

You tube: AngryBirdsWorld

Snapchat: @AngryBirdsWorld.

Or visit our website: www.angrybirdsworld.qa

The post World’s First ANGRY BIRDS WORLDTM entertainment park opens in Qatar appeared first on Core Sector Communique.

Melbourne, Australia, Monday 28 May 2018 – Rob Dey, Managing Director of New Dawn Fund reports there has been a constant flow of investment into New Dawn since it opened its doors in April, and they are now preparing to deploy capital into exciting opportunities which will be of significant benefit to investors.

These include an institutional-grade security token exchange, a crypto mining company and an algorithmic trading desk.

“Security token offerings are the next mega-trend in the crypto blockchain space. This specific exchange will allow for the flow of capital between crypto and traditional markets which is obviously a substantial growth opportunity”, says Director, Rob Dey

Fintech heavy weight Rick Klink of Paritech, Founder of Open Markets, Australia’s most successful Fintech, has provided New Dawn with great insight into the traditional exchange business and it’s transition to the blockchain, including security token offerings

Whilst cryptocurrencies are volatile, investor appetite is high. That being said, the hurdles required to make an initial investment can be off-putting. New Dawn removes this barrier to entry by providing canny investors with a straightforward way to invest in cryptocurrencies as well as diversified crypto assets.

New Dawn’s position in a crypto mining company will enhance their offering. It endeavours to create innovative mining equipment and mining farms, including the development of a cloud-based super-computer platform which will specialise in deep learning. This learning can then be implemented as part of New Dawn’s constant coin analysis.

New Dawn will leverage Alibaba Cloud and Haasonline to develop an algorithmic trading desk which will be operated by the most talented quants and traders in the crypto-sphere.

There is no doubt that there is demand, as evidenced by the investments into the fund. As the world’s first cryptocurrency fund open to retail investors, New Dawn is servicing this need in the crypto space.

New Dawn is also pleased to announce its newest strategic partner, CoinVult. They are one of Australia’s premier dealer and broker firms within the cryptocurrency industry. Coupled with their existing technological partnerships, New Dawn is positioned to deliver exceptional strategic advantages to their investors.

The post New Dawn – the World’s First Retail Crypto Fund – announces next steps appeared first on Core Sector Communique.

• A revolutionary process to make aluminium produces oxygen and replaces all direct greenhouse gas emissions from the traditional aluminium smelting process.
• Alcoa and Rio Tinto launch new joint venture, Elysis, for larger scale development and commercialisation of the process, with a technology package planned for sale beginning in 2024.
• Alcoa, Rio Tinto, the Government of Canada, the Government of Quebec and Apple agree to provide a combined investment of $188 million (CAD).
• Apple helped facilitate the collaboration between Alcoa and Rio Tinto on the carbon-free smelting process, and has agreed to provide technical support to the JV partners.
• Technology represents the culmination of decades’ worth of research and development. Elysis will have access to a host of patents and intellectual property.
• Rio Tinto’s Vincent Christ named Chief Executive Officer of Elysis.

Rio Tinto and Alcoa Corporation today announced a revolutionary process to make aluminium that produces oxygen and eliminates all direct greenhouse gas emissions from the traditional smelting process.

Executives of Rio Tinto, Alcoa and Apple were joined by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier of Québec Philippe Couillard for the announcement, which signals the most significant innovation in the aluminium industry in more than a century.

To advance larger scale development and commercialisation of the new process, Alcoa and Rio Tinto are forming Elysis, a joint venture company to further develop the new process with a technology package planned for sale beginning in 2024.

Elysis, which will be headquartered in Montreal with a research facility in Quebec’s Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region, will develop and license the technology so it can be used to retrofit existing smelters or build new facilities.

When fully developed and implemented, it will eliminate direct greenhouse gas emissions from the smelting process and strengthen the closely integrated Canada-United States aluminium and manufacturing industry. The new joint venture company will also sell proprietary anode and cathode materials, which will last more than 30 times longer than traditional components.

Canada and Quebec are each investing $60 million (CAD) in Elysis. The provincial government of Quebec will have a 3.5 percent equity stake in the joint venture with the remaining ownership split evenly between Alcoa and Rio Tinto.

Apple is providing an investment of $13 million (CAD). The company helped facilitate the collaboration between Alcoa and Rio Tinto on the carbon-free smelting process, and Apple has agreed to provide technical support to the JV partners.

Rio Tinto and Alcoa will invest $55 million (CAD) cash over the next three years and contribute specific intellectual property and patents.

The patent-protected technology, developed by Alcoa, is currently producing metal at the Alcoa Technical Center, near Pittsburgh in the United States, where the process has been operating at different scales since 2009. The joint venture intends to invest up to $40 million (CAD) in the United States, which would include funding to support the supply chain for the proprietary anode and cathode materials.

Vincent Christ, an experienced leader with more than 30 years’ experience at Rio Tinto Aluminium, has been named Chief Executive Officer of Elysis. Most recently, he has served as head of technology, research and development and automation programmes. He holds an engineering degree in electronics and industrial information technology.

“This is a revolutionary smelting process that can deliver a significant reduction in carbon emissions. It builds on the key role aluminium has to play in driving human progress, by making products infinitely recyclable, stronger, lighter and more fuel efficient. Rio Tinto is proud to work with Alcoa, Apple and the governments of Canada and Quebec, to drive an innovation that can transform the industry and our customers’ supply chains.”
Rio Tinto chief executive J-S Jacques

“This discovery has been a long-sought goal for the aluminium industry, and this announcement is the culmination of the work from many dedicated Alcoa employees. Today, our history of innovation continues as we take aluminium’s sustainable advantage to a new level with the potential to improve the carbon footprint of a range of products from cars to consumer electronics.”
Alcoa President and CEO Roy Harvey

“Today’s announcement will create and maintain thousands of jobs for Canadians, significantly reduce Canada’s carbon footprint, and further strengthen the aluminium industry in North America. It is a truly historic day for the aluminium industry – and for all Canadian aluminium workers – who play such an important role in our economy and our country’s future.”
Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau

“With the establishment of this new facility, Québec will continue to lead the world in the development of advanced aluminium smelting technologies. Our investment will play a key role in the large scale development of this carbon-free aluminium smelting technology, so it can be deployed and deliver significant environmental benefits with well paid, highly skilled jobs here in Québec.”
Premier of Québec Philippe Couillard

“Apple is committed to advancing technologies that are good for the planet and help protect it for generations to come. We are proud to be part of this ambitious new project, and look forward to one day being able to use aluminium produced without direct greenhouse gas emissions in the manufacturing of our products.”
Apple CEO Tim Cook

Quick Facts about Elysis

• Our name refers to the process at the center of aluminium smelting, the electrolysis of alumina. It’s a tribute to our history, but it indicates a fundamental change that will be known as the Elysis process.
• Elysis will directly employ 100 people, including research and development, management and sales.
• At the Elysis facility in Québec, employees will work on the commercialisation of the world’s first zero-carbon aluminium smelting technology.
• In Canada, the technology could eliminate the equivalent of 6.5 million metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, if fully implemented at existing aluminium smelters in the country. That represents an amount roughly equal to taking nearly 1.8 million light-duty vehicles off the road.

The post Rio Tinto and Alcoa announce world’s first carbon-free aluminium smelting process appeared first on Core Sector Communique.

Los Angeles, CA – May 8, 2018 –  Today, as Jupiter makes its closest annual approach to Earth, Hiuni – the space education and technology company – is launching its smart interactive telescope for astronomy enthusiasts and newcomers alike. Hiuni’s telescope connects to an app to provide an interactive Dual Live View of the night sky, automatically positioning the telescope to the constellations, stars and planets that stargazers select. The “no hands” approach continuously auto-adjusts the smart telescope’s alignment based on location and the earth’s rotation for optimal viewing. As of today, the Hiuni Telescope is available on Kickstarter for $489, 59% off the planned retail price. Kickstarter backers will be among the first to receive the smart telescope, which is expected to begin shipping early next year.

Hiuni’s interactive iOS and Android apps engage both kids and adults with STEM principles and subjects like science and astronomy, igniting curiosity through discovery and exploration. Hiuni has reimagined the telescope by replacing the traditional eyepieces with double image sensors, providing in-app enhanced live views that allows observation with family and friends at the same time. More than just a live view, our tablet app provides additional educational content (video, images, audio), interactivity (discovery, story modes, tours), challenges (badges, mini-games, unlockable content) and more to expand the stargazing experience.

“Everyone remembers that first time they looked through a telescope as a child,” said Hiuni Founder and CEO, Jack Chen. “We set out to recreate that feeling for the connected-generation and breathe new technological innovation into a centuries-old invention.”

Under the hood, the Hiuni Smart Telescope features an exceptionally sleek Cassegrain design with precision optics, dual-motor GoTo auto-aligning control and, two night-sky optimized images sensors. Specs include:

• Computerized Telescope: Interactive App Controlled, Go-To functionality, Celestial Vision Alignment (Platesolving and tracking), Hiuni’s Sky Map Database.
• Telescope Hardware: Motorized Alt-Az Mount, Dual Aptina MT9M001 Sensors (Space View in Color and Sky View in B&W), 1,280 x 1,024 Resolution, GPS, Accelerometer, Magnetometer.
• Main Barrel Optics: Cassegrain Design, 152.4mm Aperture, 280mm Barrel, .27° View Angle, 1,524mm Focal Length, 10 Ratio, 12.8 Stellar Magnitude.
• Motorized Telescope: Use its computerized, GoTo auto-aligning feature or control with in-app virtual joystick in the live Sky View.
• Smart Features: Plate-solving, Good to See Guide, Image Stacking (Deep Light Imaging), Dual Live View, Share View, Auto Electronic Focuser, One Touch Live View.
• Hiuni Interactive Telescope App: Educational content, Interactivity Tours, Challenges, image capture, photo library, events calendar, bookmarking and more.

About Hiuni
Hiuni was formed with the idea to make stargazing easier, more fun and more social. It evolved into reimagining the humble telescope as an interactive and educational tool to bring astronomy to everyone. With the ability to observe objects live through our app, we are introducing a new way to connect with the universe, aiming to bridge the curiosity of the next generation with the passion of the seasoned stargazer.

The post Hiuni Launches the World’s First Interactive Telescope That Automatically Aims Itself at The Stars You Want to See appeared first on Core Sector Communique.