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Burkland Adds New HR and People Operations Services for Startups To Help Simplify Remote Employee Set-Up Across the US

Burkland

Burkland, a full service fractional CFO and accounting provider serving more than 300 startups across the U.S., today announced a new dedicated HR and People Operations practice. Designed to meet the specific needs and challenges of supporting remote workforces, the new practice offers comprehensive support with everything from relocation, training and onboarding to ensuring compliance with state employment rules and regulations. With remote work spreading employees throughout the U.S., creating new Covid-related business challenges, startups are being forced to quickly understand and meet unfamiliar compliance regulations as well as widely varying state laws. Burkland manages the entire process for them so they can stay focused on the demands of operating and growing their businesses. "Many of our clients, like startups all over the country, are dealing with the challenges of a remote Covid workforce and it’s likely this trend will continue,” said Burkland CFO Bobby Davidorf. “This creates tedious and complicated internal process creation and compliance mandates. Burkland's People Operations service was designed to manage the entire process and allows start up execs to focus on what they need to to keep their businesses running smoothly.” Unlike most outsourced HR and People Operations services, Burkland’s new practice is the only one of its kind to offer the strategic insights and services startups need, including: Relocation Support Creation of Employee Reimbursement Policy (Taxable vs Non-Taxable Benefits) Creating, Updating, and Distributing Employee Handbooks Parental Leave Policy Implementation Offering Discounted Employee Harassment Training Create a Continuing Education Policy Develop a Training/Onboarding Program for New Hires Implementation of a Performance Review System Payroll State Registrations Payroll Reconciliations ― Payroll Reports vs GL Benefit Renewals / Open Enrollment Assistance with New Hire Onboarding Assistance with Termination Offboarding Spatial, the immersive audio experience company that provides compelling, dynamic soundscapes, turned to Burkland for HR and Finance management after experiencing the pain points of most start ups -- a lack of organization, communication and information consolidation across administration departments. “We hired Burkland to take over our CFO and People Operations after experiencing pain points that many startups do: a lack of organization, communication, and information consolidation across our administrative departments,” said Bella Kidd, Director of Business Operations for Spatial. “Partnering with Burkland has allowed our small company to streamline our hiring processes, greatly improve contractual and financial organization and optimize employee benefits. We are extremely satisfied with the energy and expertise Burkland has introduced to our small team and we thank them for making our People and Financial operations run seamlessly!” “Most early-stage companies don’t have the resources to bring HR in-house. If you have fewer than 50 employees, full-fledged HR is simply not that realistic,” said DJ Marini, Managing Director of the Burkland Bookkeeping and Accounting Team. “We’re thrilled to be able to offer the new HR and People Operations practice to help our founder clients to keep their focus on operating and growing their businesses.” About Burkland’s HR and People Operations Services Burkland provides more than 300 SaaS, Healthcare, Fintech and Consumer startups with strategic financial guidance from Pre-Seed to Series C and beyond. In addition to fractional CFO, startup accounting and tax services, Burkland is now offering back-office HR services. Our specialty is assisting with remote employee teams and ensuring compliance in each state. Burkland will manage everything employee-related once you make the hire, so you and your growing team can focus on your business. About Burkland Burkland is a full-service fractional CFO and Accountant provider, serving more than 300 startups across the United States. SaaS, Healthcare, Fintech and Consumer companies rely on Burkland for smarter finance, accounting, HR, and tax guidance to grow with confidence. With more than 20% market share in the industry, we pride ourselves on giving startups financial expertise that makes economic sense for all growth stages, ranging from Pre-Seed to Series C. Our on-demand CFOs, accountants and HR and tax experts give strategic guidance to ease a company’s growing pains and provide financial insight to scale. Learn more at Burkland Contact Details Burkland Renee Maler +1 510-499-9746 renee@philosophypr.com Company Website https://burklandassociates.com/

April 29, 2021 09:32 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Velocity Global names veteran global leader Sarah Fern as Chief People Officer

Velocity Global

Velocity Global, the leading provider of global employment solutions, welcomed veteran human resources leader Sarah Fern as its new Chief People Officer. Fern leads the people strategy for Velocity Global’s growing remote-first team of 300 in 16 countries that is expected to double over the next 18 months. Fern applies two decades of experience including leading global remote teams for international brands and high-growth companies. She is responsible for employee engagement and satisfaction, as well as recruiting and career development. Based in London, Fern joins the executive team and reports directly to founder and CEO, Ben Wright. “Sarah oversees the most important asset of our company - our people - and our most important strategy - our culture,” said Wright. “She brings perspective as a previous client and now as leader of our growing team. She steers our global employee experience as we deploy our first capital infusion and integrate the iWorkGlobal team.” Velocity Global announced a $100 million growth investment from FFL Partners and its acquisition of iWorkGlobal earlier this month. The combined company creates the largest Employer of Record (EoR) in 185 countries and all 50 United States. Brands rely on Velocity Global’s expertise and global infrastructure to employ a compliant global workforce without the cost or complexity of setting up their own foreign legal entities or state registrations. As the Employer of Record, Velocity Global manages our clients’ workforce by providing in-country and in-state compliance, payroll, and benefits for the supported employees. Fern joins Velocity Global from the Talent Management software technology space. Most recently she served as Human Resources Director for Saba Software (now part of Cornerstone OnDemand) through several major acquisitions, business integrations, and transformations into a public company. Fern was a client of Velocity Global as Saba Software expanded into Mexico. “I experienced firsthand the ‘People First’ approach from Velocity Global and am privileged to lead the employee experience for this incredible group of professionals,” said Fern. “As businesses leverage global remote workforces like never before, Velocity Global leads by example and delivers an exceptional customer and supported employee experience.” In addition to EoR services, the company offers Independent Contractor Compliance to assess a workforce and Agent of Record (AoR) to streamline payments to contractors globally. Its platform combines these elements with a personalized customer experience, best-in-breed technology, and increased scale for companies to grow their remote workforce. Prior to Saba Software, Fern held roles with Honeywell and Mattel. Her biography is available on Velocity Global’s Leadership page. ABOUT VELOCITY GLOBAL Velocity Global accelerates the future of work beyond borders. Its platform enables businesses to employ remote teams and expand internationally through global expertise, best-in-breed technology, and scale. More than 700 brands rely on its Employer of Record model and infrastructure, also called an International PEO (Professional Employer Organization), in 185 countries and all 50 United States to compliantly employ thousands of supported employees, access global talent, and grow revenue. Named a “Leader” in Global Employer of Record services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall, Velocity Global is a strategic partner to its clients through additional comprehensive services including Immigration, Independent Contractor Compliance to assess a workforce, and Agent of Record (AoR) to streamline payments to contractors globally. Founded in 2014, the company is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with regional headquarters in Amsterdam, Bogotá, and Singapore, with local employees in 16 countries. Contact Details Velocity Global John Hall +1 303-204-6131 johnhall@velocityglobal.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

April 29, 2021 07:02 AM Mountain Daylight Time

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iTradeNetwork Adds Sales Leaders To Executive and Operations Staff

iTradeNetwork

iTradeNetwork, the global provider of supply chain management solutions for the food and beverage industry, announced two new key additions to its team today. Theresa Trees was named Executive Vice President of Commercial Sales and Amy Mi was appointed Vice President of Sales Operations. “Theresa and Amy bring us a deep understanding of sales in the supply chain and technology industries. iTradeNetwork is experiencing tremendous growth, and welcoming these two strong sales leaders will help us reach ambitious goals,” said Rhonda Bassett-Spiers, CEO of iTradeNetwork. Theresa brings more than 17 years of experience in sales and 11 years in supply chain solutions to iTradeNetwork. As EVP Commercial Sales, she is building a strong team to help drive iTradeNetwork’s growth. Before iTradeNetwork, Theresa worked in sales at SPS Commerce, Salesforce and Wells Fargo. Amy has more than 25 years of experience in sales operations and strategies, sales and marketing finance, commercial finance, corporate FP&A and business consulting. She has spent most of her career in the high-tech industry. As VP of Sales Operations, she is enhancing her team’s capabilities to help the front-line sales team optimize their efforts and maximize results. Prior to iTradeNetwork, she worked at Anaplan, Netgear, Polycom and Nvidia. ABOUT ITRADENETWORK iTradeNetwork, Inc. is the leading global provider of supply chain management solutions for the food and beverage industry, with more than 8,000 active customers. Suppliers and resellers connect on iTradeNetwork’s technology platform to create active partnerships and easily transact. The platform also provides one-stop-shopping for freight, food traceability, fresh inspection and supply chain compliance, which creates efficiencies for buyers and sellers alike. For more information, visit: www.itradenetwork.com. Media please note: Visual assets, photos and interviews are available by contacting Robin Carr at (415) 971-3991or itn@landispr.com. Contact Details Landis Communications Inc. Robin Carr +1 415-971-3991 itn@landispr.com Company Website https://www.itradenetwork.com/

April 28, 2021 02:02 PM Pacific Daylight Time

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Applied Insight’s Award-Winning Altitude Now Enables Multi-Cloud by Adding Azure Compatibility

Applied Insight

Applied Insight, a market leader in solving complex technology challenges for federal government customers, announced today that its award-winning cloud infrastructure platform Altitude is now compatible with Azure Commercial, Azure Government and Azure Secret. This latest product enhancement expands Altitude’s customer operations across multi-cloud environments. “This enhancement is a significant step in expanding the multi-cloud capabilities and solutions of our products,” said Adam Gruber, CTO of Applied Insight. “Both our cloud solutions, Altitude and SHIFT, are now Azure compatible. The Applied Insight team continues to evolve our products based on the needs of our customers. We’re committed to going wherever our customers need to in order for them to function securely in the cloud.” Altitude transforms cloud operations by facilitating software development, enabling secure enterprise-class telework solutions, and providing migration and application hosting. The easy-to-use, modular cloud infrastructure platform provides an enhanced end-user experience while adhering to government security and compliance requirements by default. By removing major barriers to cloud adoption, Altitude provides government agencies and large system integrators with full control, compliance and visibility over their cloud environments as they grow. Applied Insight continues to enhance its cloud credentials with Altitude by providing a trusted infrastructure for public sector customers in the U.S., from large federal agencies to local governments. The Altitude cloud platform was recognized as an Industry Innovation Award winner at the 2019 Government Innovation Awards presented by Washington Technology, Federal Computer Week, Government Computer News and Defense System for its transformational impact on the government’s ability to use the full power of the cloud. Applied Insight has attained the Silver Cloud Platform Competency (Azure Consumption) and is a member of the Azure Government Cloud Solution Provider program. For more information, please reach out to altitude@applied-insight.com to see how this new capability can help you and your team better manage the cloud at scale. About Applied Insight At Applied Insight, we deliver pragmatic solutions for federal missions that cannot wait. We work closely with agencies and industry to overcome technical and cultural hurdles to innovation, empowering them with the latest cloud, data and cyber capabilities. Our solutions help people work better, faster and more securely – no matter where they are. To learn more about us, visit applied-insight.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. At Applied Insight, we deliver pragmatic solutions for federal missions that cannot wait. We work closely with agencies and industry to overcome technical and cultural hurdles to innovation, empowering them with the latest cloud, data and cyber capabilities. Our solutions help people work better, faster and more securely, no matter where they are. Contact Details Kristina Messner +1 703-678-6023 kmessner@focusedimage.com Company Website https://www.applied-insight.com/

April 28, 2021 08:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Israeli AgTech genetics companies and academic researchers team up to apply the latest genomic selection algorithms to boost farming performance of freshwater shrimp in Asia

NRGene

Enzootic Genetics & Innovation, NRGene and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev will create a new technological consortium to apply the latest genomic selection technologies developed by NRGene for the enhancement of Enzootic’s freshwater shrimp breeding program and performance of its proprietary all-female populations. Enzootic Genetics & Innovation, an animal biotechnology and genetics company leading the all-female freshwater shrimp revolution, and NRGene (TASE: NRGN), an AI based genomic company operating in the agricultural industry, have signed a new technological collaboration agreement. Based on their successful cooperation from 2018 of sequencing and assembling the world’s first high-quality genome of freshwater shrimp M. rosenbergii, the two tech companies, together with researchers from the Life Sciences Department of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and the support of the Israel Innovation Authority, will harness NRGene’s novel quantitative genomics breeding tools and algorithms to Enzootic’s genetic selection program. The objective of this collaboration is the selection of superior breeding genetics that will eventually translate into an improvement in yield and revenues for farmers using Enzootic’s all-female freshwater shrimp. “Enzootic assimilates the latest genomic big data tools to accelerate our genetic selection program. Our previous successful collaboration with NRGene, and their pioneering genomic tools, paved the way for this milestone collaboration,” said Managing Director of Enzootic Genetics & Innovation Mr. Amit Hochman. “The continual performance improvement of our all-female population is attributed to data-driven parent populations selection, through Enzootic’s hatcheries in Asia and ultimately the yields of farmers that use this proprietary mono-sex farming strategy.” “Our new collaboration with Enzootic, alongside our past success, is part of NRGene’s strategy to support and enhance breeding of highly important aquaculture species, such as shrimp.” said Dr. Gil Ronen, NRGene’s CEO. “We continuously develop powerful big data analysis tools that navigate genetic selection programs like the one implemented in freshwater shrimp by Enzootic.” “This collaboration, together with academic researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, creates a unique opportunity to align population quantitative genomic data, with our basic science transcriptomic and metabolic libraries, investigated and studied by our group” said crustacean endocrinologist Prof. Amir Sagi of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. “This alignment may shed new light on the understanding and regulation of key physiological processes in M. rosenbergii ”. About Enzootic Genetics & Innovation Enzootic Genetics & Innovation is the genetic production arm and R&D center of Enzootic, a Singaporean animal genetic and biotechnology company vertically positioned to support the breeding and farming of all-female freshwater shrimp. Enzootic Genetics & Innovation’s core IP is a cell-based technology that taps into the natural sexual plasticity of shrimp to produce all-female populations, without the use of genetic modification, hormones, or chemicals. Enzootic's proprietary all-female freshwater shrimp populations are produced and supplied to farmers in key territories in Asia through Enzootic's independent hatcheries and nurseries. http://enzootic.com Follow us on LinkedIn About NRGene NRGene develops and commercializes cutting-edge AI based genomic tools that are reshaping agriculture and livestock worldwide. Our cloud-based software solutions are designed to analyze big data generated by next generation sequencing technologies in an affordable, scalable and precise manner. By applying our vast proprietary databases and AI-based technologies, we provide leading international agriculture, seed and food companies, with computational tools to optimize and accelerate their breeding programs. For more information visit www.nrgene.com About Ben Gurion University in the Negev Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) is the fastest growing research university in Israel, fulfilling the vision of David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s legendary first prime minister, who envisaged the future of Israel emerging from the Negev. The University is at the heart of Beer-Sheva's transformation into an innovation district, where leading multinational corporations and start-ups eagerly leverage BGU’s expertise to generate innovative R&D. BGU effects change, locally, regionally, and internationally. With faculties in Engineering Sciences; Health Sciences; Natural Sciences; Humanities and Social Sciences; Business and Management; and Desert Studies. Contact Details Enzootic Genetics & Innovation Amit Hochman - Managing Director +972 52-389-3796 Amit@enzootic.com NRGene Yana Voldman - Marketing Director +972509002844 yana.voldman@nrgene.com BGU Ehud Zion Waldoks - Deputy Spokesperson, International Media +972546775564 ezw@bgu.ac.il Company Website https://www.nrgene.com

April 28, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Silicon Valley SaaS Luminaries Open Seed Round for Enterprise AI Startup CIPIO

CIPIO.ai

CIPIO, a B2C Subscription Customer Success company, today announced that Tony Alika Owens and Marge Breya have joined its board of directors and started its seed round. Owens, who previously served as President of Sales Force and Group Vice President of Oracle will be the resident SaaS Growth expert at CIPIO. Having led the launches of multiple Salesforce Portfolio Products, including Einstein, Owens has gathered priceless knowledge on how to roll out and rapidly scale AI-powered SaaS products – a skill that will prove indispensable to CIPIO as it accelerates innovation and growth in the coming months. Breya currently serves as a strategic advisor for 8X8, a leading VoIP solution provider and her leadership in B2B Marketing and Customer Success Strategies for multiple high-growth startups and enterprises will be indispensable in CIPIO’s product roadmap and market expansion. She has extensive B2B GTM and Customer Success expertise spanning over 25 years as a General Manager, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Marketing Officer – as well as a board veteran – at some of the world’s leading software companies, including SAP, MicroStrategy, Ionic Security, Informatica Corporation, and HP. Breya has also held public company board positions at Jive Software, LSC Communications, and Document Sciences Corporation. “There is no better way for a startup like CIPIO to come out of stealth mode and launch than with a vote of confidence from Tony and Marge,” said Sundeep Sanghavi, Co-Founder and Chairman of CIPIO. “These two powerhouses are proven experts at building, leading, and scaling SaaS companies fast. Their joint decision to invest in CIPIO and kick off our seed round is a strong validation of our team, unique IP, and massive opportunity in one of the fastest growing economies of B2C Subscription.” B2C Subscription Economy is predicted to be @ $478B by 2025 at 68% CAGR, yet its churn rate is double its counterparts in B2B SaaS Economy. CIPIO is uber obsessed with driving growth for B2C Subscription companies through its Domain Infused Data Apps Platform™. “We no longer live in a world where customer lifecycles are linear,” said Owens. “With massive shifts in consumer behavior, B2C Subscription companies need better solutions to minimize churn and boost upsell opportunities. CIPIO’s domain infused Data Apps enables B2C Subscription companies to analyze customer triggers faster, proactively address engagement blindspots and maximize customer impact for repeatable growth and lifetime value.” “CIPIO is determined to bring the power of customer acquisition and retention machine learning to high-churn consumer subscription markets,” said Breya. “Two out of three B2C Subscription companies lack a robust strategy to prevent customer churn. CIPIO’s unique algorithms predict and recommend who, when, what, why, where, and how across mediums and channels enabling B2C Subscription companies to retain customers and drive continuous growth, regardless of transient market dynamics.” About CIPIO: CIPIO is pioneering the Industry's first domain-infused Data Apps Platform™ that humanizes and automates predictions and recommendations to increase Subscriber engagement, retention, and growth for B2C Businesses. CIPIO's early adopters include Crunch Fitness, Industry's Gym, Xponential Fitness, Motor City Church, Pure Barre, Club Pilates, AKT, YogaSix, NCFit, Cyclebar, RowHouse, Stretch Lab, and Stride who have witnessed a significant return on investment in a short time. Contact Details CIPIO Chris Foudy +1 831-238-1905 chris@cipio.ai Company Website https://cipio.ai/

April 27, 2021 01:18 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Velocity Global achieves ISO 27001 international data security certification

Velocity Global

Velocity Global, the leading provider of global employment solutions, announced today it achieved ISO 27001:2013 certification, the international standard for information security management. The ISO 27001 standard, published by the International Organization for Standardization, specifies the requirements to establish, implement, maintain, and continually improve an information security management system (ISMS). Brands rely on Velocity Global’s expertise and global infrastructure to hire a compliant global workforce without the cost or complexity of setting up their own foreign legal entities or state registrations. As the Employer of Record (EoR), Velocity Global manages in-country and in-state compliance, payroll, and benefits for its clients’ supported employees. “Compliance is a cornerstone of our business and our industry, and this third-party certification demonstrates our commitment to uphold the highest international security standards,” said Dave Martelon, Velocity Global chief technology officer. “Hundreds of brands trust us with their data, and more importantly, that of their global remote workforce. We foster a culture of security to earn the trust of our clients, and this milestone is a testament to the dedication of our team.” Clients that use EoR services rely on Velocity Global to remain compliant with global employment regulations, including protecting sensitive data for their supported employees. Non-compliance is costly and disruptive to their business. The ISO 27001 certification validates Velocity Global’s data security process according to the standard that also emphasizes continuous improvement, aiding the company’s ability to stay ahead of evolving global legislation. Velocity Global announced its ISO 27001 certification just weeks after it announced a $100 million growth investment from private equity firm FFL Partners, and its acquisition of iWorkGlobal, an established authority in global workforce management. The combined company is the largest global Employer of Record at scale, in 185 countries and all 50 United States. Velocity Global also offers Independent Contractor Compliance to assess a workforce and Agent of Record (AoR) to streamline payments to contractors globally. The company achieved its certification from Schellman & Company, LLC, a leading independent provider of attestation and compliance services. Velocity Global's certification is publicly available for verification at Schellman’s certification directory. ABOUT VELOCITY GLOBAL Velocity Global accelerates the future of work beyond borders. Its platform enables businesses to employ remote teams and expand internationally through global expertise, best-in-breed technology, and scale. More than 700 brands rely on its Employer of Record model and infrastructure, also called an International PEO (Professional Employer Organization), in 185 countries and all 50 United States to compliantly employ thousands of supported employees, access global talent, and grow revenue. Named a “Leader” in Global Employer of Record services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall, Velocity Global is a strategic partner to its clients through additional comprehensive services including Immigration, Independent Contractor Compliance to assess a workforce, and Agent of Record (AoR) to streamline payments to contractors globally. Founded in 2014, the company is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with regional headquarters in Amsterdam, Bogotá, and Singapore, with local employees in 16 countries. Contact Details John Hall +1 720-650-4348 johnhall@velocityglobal.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

April 27, 2021 07:02 AM Mountain Daylight Time

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YoReSpot - A NEW Social Media Platform Available for both Apple and Android Smart Phones

YoReSpot

The world of social media has opened up yet again with another app and website. YoReSpot is a new app designed around two concepts – unity and community. Unlike many social media services, YoReSpot is against censorship, negativity, and a closed mind. Even those with conflicting views have the opportunity to come, have a voice, and use it without fear of repercussion. Founder Brandon Irlbeck grew weary of watching opposing views to social media moguls and giants censored. Irlbeck’s background in computer science, a drive to be better than the others, a strong sense of family, and 100 percent unbiased towards anyone’s views, personal identifications, religion, or much anything else. The only things absolutely censored are anything inappropriate for children. Irlbeck is a father of four, one of whom is non-verbal autistic. YoReSpot is 100 percent independent and is hosted on a secure and private server. This means there is no 3rd party interference with the app, website, or users. The system also allows for video calling, live streaming, blogs, groups, pages, a marketplace, and videos. There is no charge to sign up, and doing so only takes a few seconds. Irlbeck summed it up best, “giving back to our members is something that YoReSpot is proud of. We want to make sure that our members know we are all about how we can help each other as a community.” Many would see this as empty words from a new social media platform trying to gain traction against established giants. Irlbeck has so far proven to many this is not the case and will continue to do so as YoReSpot continues to grow and thrive. Recently, as part of the app’s official launch, Irlbeck held a raffle for his family car. The proceeds went to help the Bayard Public Library in Irlbeck’s hometown. Colton Truitt of Ankeny, Iowa, was the winner of the 2006 Chevy Uplander. Amanda Cole of Carroll, Iowa, won the $1,000.00 prize. Irlbeck and his family are soon to set out in their RV. They are planning to travel and assist users of YoReSpot in any way they can. Their goal is to share the platform with as many people as possible and help as many as possible along the way. Their first stop is Marion, Iowa, home of Adrian Hicks. The Irlbeck’s plan on helping Hicks with roofing his home before moving onto the next person and YoReSpotter in need. YoReSpot is available on Android and iOS. Download, or visit https://yorespot.com for details. Contact Details YoReSpot Kelly Bennett +1 949-463-6383 kelly@bennettunlimitedpr.com Company Website https://yorespot.com/

April 27, 2021 05:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Leader in AI Research Introduces Object Manipulation in Robotics Testing Scenario

AI2

The Allen Institute for AI (AI2) announced the 3.0 release of its embodied artificial intelligence framework AI2-THOR, which adds active object manipulation to its already impressive testing framework. ManipulaTHOR is a first-of-its-kind virtual agent with a highly articulated robot arm equipped with swiveling joints to bring a more human-like approach to interacting with a variety of objects. AI2-THOR is the first testing framework to study the problem of object manipulation in more than 100 visually rich, physics-enabled rooms. By enabling the training and evaluation of generalized capabilities in manipulation models, ManipulaTHOR allows for faster training in more complex environments as compared to current real-world training methods, while also being far safer and more cost-effective. “Imagine a robot being able to navigate a kitchen, open a refrigerator and pull out a can of soda. This is one of the biggest and yet often overlooked challenges in robotics and AI2-THOR is the first to design a benchmark for the task of moving objects to various locations in virtual rooms, enabling reproducibility and measuring progress,” said Dr. Oren Etzioni, CEO at AI2. “After five years of hard work, we can now begin to train robots to perceive and maneuver through the world more like we do, making real-world usage models more attainable than ever before.” Despite being an established research area in robotics, the visual reasoning aspect of object manipulation has consistently been one of the biggest hurdles researchers face. In fact, it’s long been understood that robots struggle to correctly perceive, navigate, act, and communicate with others in the world. AI2-THOR solves this problem with complex simulated testing environments that researchers can use to train robots for eventual activities in the real world. With the pioneering of embodied AI through AI2-THOR, the landscape has changed for the common good. AI2-THOR enables researchers to efficiently devise solutions that address the object manipulation issue as well as other traditional problems associated with robotics testing. “In comparison to running an experiment on an actual robot, AI2-THOR is incredibly fast and safe,” said Roozbeh Mottaghi, Research Manager at AI2. “Over the years, AI2-THOR has enabled research on many different tasks such as navigation, instruction following, multi-agent collaboration, performing household tasks, reasoning if an object can be opened or not. This evolution of AI2-THOR allows researchers and scientists to scale the current limits of embodied AI.” In addition to the 3.0 release, the team is hosting the RoboTHOR Challenge 2021 in conjunction with the Embodied AI Workshop at this year’s Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR). AI2’s challenges cover RoboTHOR object navigation, ALFRED (instruction following robots), and Room Rearrangement. About AI2: AI2 conducts high-impact research and engineering in the field of artificial intelligence, all for the common good. Founded in 2014, AI2 is the creation of philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and is led by Dr. Oren Etzioni, a leading researcher in the field. AI2 employs a diverse team of over 150 top-notch researchers and engineers from around the world, taking a results-oriented approach to complex challenges across several important domains of AI. Stay up to date with new research and news from AI2 by subscribing to the AI2 Newsletter and following AI2 on Twitter @allen_ai To read AI2-THOR’s ManipulaTHOR paper: prior.allenai.org/manipulathor/manipulathor.pdf Contact Details Forrest Carman +1 206-859-3118 forrestc@owenmedia.com

April 22, 2021 09:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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