humphreyne.us https://humphreyne.us A magazine about IT, design, gaming, finance, sport and technology Thu, 03 Feb 2022 12:48:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.2 https://humphreyne.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/favicon.png humphreyne.us https://humphreyne.us 32 32 Virtual Reality – Hype or Opportunity? https://humphreyne.us/virtual-reality-hype-or-opportunity/ https://humphreyne.us/virtual-reality-hype-or-opportunity/#respond Thu, 03 Feb 2022 11:45:41 +0000 https://humphreyne.us/?p=2464 Read more]]> Important questions and answers about virtual reality. A neurosurgeon walks around a 3D model of the brain to prepare in detail for surgery. An IT specialist examines a complex piston pump from the inside. A young man balances on a rope across a ravine. There are countless scenarios that can be experienced in virtual reality, or VR for short. The technology is used in medicine, psychology and the automotive industry. Isolated cases? Or real change? How much potential there really is in the application.

Briefly explained: Virtual Reality

Virtual reality (VR) refers to an artificial reality created by special hardware and software. Experts also call them synthetic worlds. It is a computer-generated three-dimensional space designed to offer people new visual possibilities.
VR describes the technology behind this experience. A visit to past cultures, a tour of a new house: VR allows users to experience a computer-generated, interactive virtual environment in real time.
To do this, the user must wear a VR helmet or VR glasses, usually with headphones. He or she controls the experience through movement. Sensors translate this movement. There are practically no limits to the virtual environment.
The development of VR technologies began in the 1990s. The first successful products for virtual reality in the video game industry were the Wii Remote or the Play Stations Move/Eye. These can map the player’s gestures and movements on the game console. Currently, there are two classes of VR devices on the market:
High-end headsets like Oculus Rift or the HTC Vive, co-designed by game developer Valve, which connect to a traditional PC.
Mobile headsets such as Google Daydream, Samsung GearVR or the cardboard Google Cardboard, which are significantly cheaper and work with smartphones.

Technologies and areas of application

In VR, there are usually certain forms of interaction, even if it is only in the sense of physical movement through the virtual world. For interaction with objects, special input devices are needed in addition to video or VR glasses, such as a 3D mouse and data glove. Virtual reality plays a role in education and training (use of flight or operation simulators), in information transfer (education regarding factory farming or construction projects) and in entertainment (exploration of and testing in adventure and fantasy worlds, locomotion with race cars and roller coasters, stimulation via pornography).

The application areas of VR systems are:

  • Planning
  • Buildability
  • Ergonomics
  • Simulation
  • Digital production
  • Sales and marketing
  • Different user groups can be addressed.

In product development

When designing a machine, three factors must be taken into account: people, technology and organization. A VR system makes it possible to integrate and analyze these factors simultaneously. VR systems can be used from planning to commissioning of a new product or process.

The simulation of workflows and movements when different perspectives are applied, as well as the possibility of interaction within a VR system, provide the basis for their comprehensive analysis.

This enables the identification of:

  1. collision hazards and inaccessibilities
  2. non-ergonomically designed machines
  3. suboptimal working methods

As a result, necessary adjustments to the design of the machine can be made in a short time.

Typically, the design process requires the design of several variants and their evaluation to determine the optimal solution. The determination of the optimal variant can be visualized, simulated, compared, evaluated and modified in a short time with the help of a VR system.

This simplifies the decision-making process and allows the optimal variant to be determined more quickly.

The reduction in planning effort has a direct impact on development costs and time as well as a possible saving on physical prototypes.

For the end customer

VR systems allow the end customer to interact with the products and serve as a complementary source of information. Virtual tours of production halls are also possible, in which the customer experiences the assembly line “on site.” In this way, he can get to grips with the production or the products, which often results in increased enthusiasm.

In training

VR systems uniquely enable interactive familiarization in the education and training of employees with new products (technical specifications or working methods) and work processes (assembly or maintenance). Even before the final product flows through the assembly line or a new plant is built, employees can be trained interactively.

Training with VR systems also allows for the presentation of unusual scenarios that may pose a risk to employees or create additional costs for employers.[3] Human error and accidents in the workplace can be prevented through regular training.

One study shows that VR-based training can improve knowledge retention by up to 28.5%.

Criticism and outlook

Immersion, the experience of being immersed in virtual reality, can be enriching and disturbing. During its duration, normal reality is pushed back to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the degree, and it can be difficult and costly to return to and re-enter it, which may be the subject of technology and information ethics. Some users become dizzy, especially when artificial and actual motion or acceleration diverge. The economic significance of virtual reality and mixed reality is high when one thinks of the different application areas and systems (not only hardware, but also software) and the commitment of providers and users.

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Poledance Clothing https://humphreyne.us/poledance-clothing/ https://humphreyne.us/poledance-clothing/#respond Thu, 03 Feb 2022 10:53:19 +0000 https://humphreyne.us/?p=2455 Read more]]> The most important in a nutshell
  • Basically, any sportswear can be used for pole dancing, the only important thing is that it is stretchy on the one hand to withstand the tricks, and on the other hand that enough skin is exposed to find support on the pole.
  • There are also own pole dance clothes, but otherwise products from the dance, yoga or acrobatics area are often used.
  • In addition to the classic outfit consisting of a sports bra and shorts, there are also additional products such as grip gloves or special socks that originally come from the yoga sector.

What factors must be taken into account when buying clothes?

When buying your outfit for pole, on the one hand, you need to make sure that enough skin remains free of fabric, and on the other hand, especially the pants should be suitable for acrobatic tricks.

Probably in one of the first lessons, you will “climb” on your pole dance pole for the first time. In order for you to stick to the pole at all, you first need the resistance of your arms and legs.

That means you need a short t-shirt and shorts that provide enough bare skin and consequently support. At later levels of difficulty, you will also do figures that require the skin resistance of your waist or armpits. This is why many pole dancers train exclusively in sports bras instead of shirts.

Did you know that, much like yoga, the figures in pole dancing all have names?
Hangback, Seat, Leghock… In pole dancing there are many figures, some are for beginners, some are for experts. If you want to learn the sport, then you should know the different positions.

Pole dance combines many acrobatic elements with dance. Some figures include, for example, a split or similar movements.

Therefore, for example, running pants are not suitable for this training, because they are not designed for such movements in the crotch and could tear.

Yoga or Pilates pants have wedges inserted in the crotch, which allows them to withstand these acrobatic tricks.

In the table below we have summarized for you what kind of figures you need what outfit.

Figure type Clothing Explanation
Simple twists on the ground Any sports clothes If you are doing simple twists around the bar and you are not climbing yet, then you can wear any sports clothes, such as leggings. Because you only need your hands to turn around the bar.
Climbing and simple poses Shorts, T-shirt, barefoot Especially when climbing, it is essential for beginners to wear shorts. You need the skin on your thighs and on your feet to keep you on the pole. You also need your thighs for simple poses like a chair-seat or wrist-seat.
Upside down Short, tight pole dance/sports pants, barefoot, top or sports bra For figures that you do upside down it is absolutely necessary to be barefoot at the beginning. Otherwise you could slip and seriously injure yourself. We also recommend tight poledance shorts, because upside down it’s easy to get panty flashes. Also, you need the skin on your armpits to get to an invert, for example. Therefore: Top instead of T-shirt.
Advanced training Tight poledance pants, barefoot, sports bra In poledance there are numerous figures where you need not only the skin on your legs, but also the skin on your torso, or abdomen. Therefore, for advanced training you definitely need a sports bra or a belly top.

Where can I buy pole dance clothes?

You can buy your outfit for pole dancing either online or in specialized stores or sports stores.

In principle, you can wear a simple T-shirt and comfortable leggings or sweatpants, especially in the beginning, but this will no longer be possible, especially at later levels, because you will then need resistance for the figures.

The clothes you wear to pole dance can either be ordered from an online store or bought in a pole dance specialty store or sports store, although you probably can’t buy special pole dance brands in a sports store. These brands usually produce clothes that offer a bit more skin and therefore support.

In general, however, you should be able to wear normal sportswear, which you can buy, for example, in the sports store of your choice or on Amazon.

Buying criteria: With these factors you can compare and rate pole dance clothes

In this part we want to show you which factors you can use to compare and evaluate pole dance clothes. Based on these factors you can make your purchase decision.

Basically, the following characteristics can be distinguished:

  • Material
  • Size
  • Color
  • Type of clothing

Material

When it comes to material, a basic distinction can be made between cotton fabrics and functional fabrics.

The majority of your sportswear is probably made of so-called functional fabrics, which are mostly synthetic materials that are particularly absorbent. Cotton fabrics, on the other hand, are less absorbent and therefore unsuitable for classic sportswear. Nevertheless, they are used for dance or yoga clothes, because you sweat less during these sports and therefore a cotton fabric is sufficient.

Size

Some sportswear items are only available in one size whereas other products are available in normal sizes for example from S-XL.

Many sports apparel items are only available in one size fits all, which takes away your choices.

Color

The color of the products is another relevant but subjective purchase criterion.

You can buy most products in different colors depending on your taste. In some cases there may be price differences depending on the color, otherwise the decision is based solely on your subjective preference.

Clothing type

When it comes to clothing types, a distinction can be made between classic sportswear and dancewear.

Can normal sportswear also be worn for pole dancing?

As already mentioned, no special clothing is necessary for pole dancing, so normal sports clothing can also be worn without any problems.

Basically it doesn’t matter if you wear normal sportswear or extra pole dance clothes, the only important thing is that enough skin is free of fabric.

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The Main Rules of a Casino Classic: Baccarat https://humphreyne.us/the-main-rules-of-a-casino-classic-baccarat/ https://humphreyne.us/the-main-rules-of-a-casino-classic-baccarat/#respond Wed, 02 Feb 2022 12:33:47 +0000 https://humphreyne.us/?p=2475 Read more]]> Baccarat is a casino game that probably not all casino visitors know. Unlike poker and roulette, it has not yet made its way into the living rooms at home, but this does not stop casino connoisseurs from sitting down at the baccarat table.

The card game Baccarat is generally available in different variants. Some are dominated by the gambling component, while others require a lot of knowledge and a good strategy. In this article we would like to introduce you to the most important rules of Baccarat, so that you too can soon enjoy this exciting card game in the Internet casino of your choice.

The basic rules of Baccarat

The goal of Baccarat is to score 9 points with two or three cards – or, in the style of Blackjack, to get closer to nine points than your opponent. It should be noted that the numerical values of the cards range from 2 to 9. Tens and face cards have a value of zero, an ace counts for one point. If your cards exceed a value of 10 points, only the ones digit of your total is taken into account (e.g. the 4 for a total value of 14).

Course of the game

The player to the dealer’s right is the banker and is the first to announce his bet. As a general rule, the total bet of the opponents must be equal to the banker’s bet.

The first card goes to the opponent with the highest bet (Ponte), the next goes to the banker. Both receive two cards each. The ponte now decides whether or not to draw another card, after which it is the banker’s turn.

The player with the higher score (closer to 9) wins the game. A tie is also possible, which invalidates the game. If the banker wins, a percentage of his winnings goes to the casino. It is true that the house advantage in Baccarat is very small.

Baccarat variants

The Baccarat variant described above is the classic Baccarat Chemin de Fer. In Punto Banco (the North American variant of the game), all players compete against the dealer. As a player, you can bet whether the banker or the gambler will win or whether the game will end in a draw. In Baccarat Banque, the banker’s position is finally auctioned off, after which the banker plays against two parties simultaneously.

Baccarat at the online casino

There are several Baccarat variants available at the online casino. Before playing, read all the rules carefully and, if possible, test the game in demo mode to familiarize yourself with all the peculiarities of the variant you have chosen. Don’t be put off by the abundance of rules – Baccarat is an entertaining casino game that you will surely master in no time. We wish you good entertainment at the Internet Casino!

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Designer Wallpapers for Individual Style https://humphreyne.us/designer-wallpapers-for-individual-style/ https://humphreyne.us/designer-wallpapers-for-individual-style/#respond Tue, 01 Feb 2022 12:38:49 +0000 https://humphreyne.us/?p=2479 Read more]]> There are almost no limits to the design possibilities when using designer wallpapers. Simple elegance is still in the first place for many people. But also variants in bright colors and with extravagant patterns are available. Here, it is above all personal taste that decides how expressive the wallpaper should be. A striking pattern in the study may be perceived as inspiring while you are working on your own ideas.

Luxury for the walls

When it comes to interior design, designer wallpaper is a luxurious element that comes with unique, extravagant prints. Those in the know will quickly recognize the signature of the designer who has immortalized himself with his work in the form of wallpaper. Also, the materials used here are usually of higher quality than those of standard goods. Instead of simple paper, they are usually noble non-woven wallpapers, which are slightly thicker and thus radiate more warmth. They correspond to the standard only in terms of their dimensions. Because even designer wallpapers always come as standardized rolls with a length of 10.05 meters, with a width of 53 cm.

Room for the interior

When choosing new designer wallpaper, should always take into account how you want to furnish the room in question later. The furniture must have enough space visually, and most importantly, the look of the wall covering should not clash with the design of the interior. Moreover, an eye-catching pattern may distract too much from the chosen interior. In any case, the room will get a completely new effect, which you can use for yourself by cleverly combining wall design, furniture and setting accents with light sources.

Clean lines for a modern look

In modern interior design, straightforward designs without a lot of frills and rather cool colors are very much in demand. This is true for contemporary living as well as for commercial spaces, trendy bars and classy restaurants. One advantage of minimalist style is that hardly anything distracts the mind from the essentials. What is the essential depends on the type of use of the premises. In offices, for example, you should focus on work or find inspiration, while in upscale gastronomic areas you undoubtedly want to pay attention to the food and drinks, as well as your counterpart. In addition, individual decorative objects or elements are best accentuated in a more discreet environment. Designer wallpapers in gray tones and a simple, straightforward pattern are therefore usually ideal for these purposes.

Designer wallpapers for contemporary coziness

Especially in the living area, it may usually be a little cozier than, for example, in business premises. Feeling good is very important here. The furniture is therefore often kept in warm colors and characterized by natural materials. Noble wood with visible grain underlines this flair. In addition, the selected designer wallpaper should also fit well. A vintage look can be a useful addition in this case. But those who dare, can also dare the contrast and combine the interior with fresh, modern designer wallpaper.

Which designer wallpapers are suitable for which room?

In most households, a uniform style of wall covering is used for all rooms. However, if the rooms are clearly separated from each other, this is absolutely not a must. Here you can definitely use completely different designer wallpaper and thus give each room its own unique look. In many cases, this is even the much better approach. Because in the bedroom, for example, you usually want to achieve a completely different effect than in the living room or dining room. You can choose a wall covering to emphasize the country house style, for example, or create a royal touch with glamorous patterns. In otherwise rather sparsely furnished areas, psychedelic patterns of colorful designer wallpapers are particularly catchy for this and dispel boredom.

The wall as a work of art

Lovers and collectors of sculptures and paintings will provide the walls of their premises with a rather restrained wallpaper. This ensures that each individual work of art can unfold its effect undisturbed. In the case, pay attention to a timeless style as possible when choosing your designer wallpaper. In certain cases, the wall design can even give the respective object additional validity, if you find the right style. However, it should not be forgotten that the wallpapers of successful designers are themselves already a work of art in themselves. Therefore, their own expression should also always be given enough space, so that the idea behind it conceptually fits well into the whole of your interior design.

Set accents

To design the entire wall surfaces of a possibly larger room with it, can therefore be too much of a good thing. Here it is recommended to set with such extravagant designer wallpapers only individual accents, instead of overwhelming the eye of the beholder with a striking design. One possibility for the skillful accentuation is the placement of a single wall. Also niches or protrusions as architecturally already given offsets in the room, can be ideal for this. In such an area to rely on designer wallpaper allows to give this part a special position. With an equally unique piece of furniture, this effect can be further strengthened. Also, in this way, the room is visually divided into different areas.

The right wall color

Another popular method is to decorate only the lower half or the lower two-thirds of the wall with designer wallpaper. This also has its own effect and reduces the risk of getting tired of his designer wallpaper too quickly. The decisive factor here is that the bare wall above is painted in a shade that matches the wallpaper. Moreover, this should be done before wallpapering. This will reduce the risk of paint splotches ruining your expensive designer wallpaper. The choice of color, in turn, depends on what look and overall effect you are hoping to achieve in the room in question. Therefore, it does not have to be the same shade as the designer wallpaper. On the contrary, it often makes sense to contrast with it.

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How to Choose Soft Floor Mat https://humphreyne.us/how-to-choose-soft-floor-mat/ https://humphreyne.us/how-to-choose-soft-floor-mat/#respond Tue, 01 Feb 2022 11:13:46 +0000 https://humphreyne.us/?p=2458 Read more]]> We know them from gymnasiums, but soft floor mats are an indispensable tool for cushioning falls and falls not only in professional and popular sports. They are also available for use at home for gymnastics exercises. But not all soft floor mats are the same.

The most important facts in brief

  • Soft floor mats are large mats that are made of a foam material and are characterized by a high penetration depth. They are also available in a foldable version.
  • The mats are suitable for various purposes and sports. The appropriate model also depends on the weight of the user.
  • Design and color, material, weight, waterproofness and accessories are important criteria for deciding for or against a model.

What is a soft floor mat?

A soft floor mat is a mattress-like piece of gymnastics equipment designed to soften a person’s jumps or fall so that they don’t hurt themselves. Most likely, you’ve had some contact with it in gym class. Unlike gymnastics mats or floor exercise mats, soft floor mats are particularly soft, so they have a high penetration.

Because soft floor mats are used for purposes where it is not clear from the start exactly where a gymnast will land on it, they are larger than other mats. They are made of a special foam that is particularly crushable and are covered with either fabric or a tarpaulin fabric.

What is a soft floor mat suitable for?

Soft floor mats are suitable for sports in which uncontrolled landings can occur.

Soft floor mats make little sense where you land on a certain spot, in a certain way, for example in apparatus gymnastics. Because, for example, when landing feet first, they can “sink” into the mat, there is a high risk of injury when using a soft floor mat there.

Sports and purposes for which a soft floor mat is ideal are:

  • Warm-up: Here, it is a good idea to spread one or more soft floor mats around the gym and do casual running laps over or around them. Also somersaults or certain running combinations over the mat can be used during the warm-up.
  • Bouldering: soft floor mats are also used in bouldering, especially for children and teens who are still practicing, to help mitigate falls.
  • Handball: to practice certain throws, you can place a mat in front of the goal, where the player is supposed to land.
  • High jump: it’s hard to imagine Olympic Games broadcasts without them, whether for the high jump or pole vault. There are also special soft floor mats for this sport.
  • Children’s gymnastics: You can find lots of exercises for children’s gymnastics on the Internet. For example, children love to use the mat to slide off a wall bars or to be pulled through the hall on it.
  • Physiotherapy: Because it is much more difficult to walk on the soft, wobbly soft floor mat, you can also use it in physiotherapy to teach people how to walk (again).
  • Skipping: You can also do rope skipping on a soft floor mat. It takes a special level of coordination to jump high enough to keep the rope from catching on the mat and to land well enough to keep your balance.
  • Games: From balancing, to using a soft mat as a slide, to a special variation of dodgeball, there are several games that are fun for more than just kids and teens.
  • Long jump: It makes sense to train climbing jumps with a landing on the soft floor mat already at the age of children and teenagers. The “dry training” is an essential part of the long jump training and a soft floor mat offers the possibility to do this also in winter indoors.

What are the alternatives to soft floor mats?

You may think of other types of mats as alternatives to a soft floor mat, but calling them alternatives is difficult: only soft floor mats offer the advantage of a high penetration depth among sports mats to perfectly soften falls.

Another real alternative to soft floor mats are foam pools. A foam pool, just like a soft floor mat, is placed behind a piece of sports equipment.

Foam pools are containers filled with mostly cuboid foam pieces that are about the same size as soft floor mats. When jumping into the foam pieces, a similar mitigating effect is achieved as with soft floor mats.

What types of soft floor mats are there and which one is right for you?

Soft floor mats can be divided into two types, which differ in one important feature:

  1. Folding soft floor mat
  2. Non-folding soft floor mat

There are foldable and non-foldable soft floor mats. This differing feature results in different advantages, disadvantages and peculiarities. We will introduce these to you below.

What are the features of foldable soft floor mats and what are their advantages and disadvantages?

Soft floor mats that are foldable have developed with the increase of interest in fitness and sports in recent years. They are more for home use because they tend to be a little smaller than non-folding soft floor mats.

Foldable soft floor mats you can mostly fold in the middle of the long sides, because they are made of several blocks and not just one.

Advantages
  • Storage needs less space
  • Easy to transport
  • Useful as mattresses for overnight guests
Disadvantages
  • Risk of slipping (light weight)
  • Low penetration
  • Usually not suitable for outdoor use

What distinguishes non-folding soft floor mats and what are their advantages and disadvantages?

Non-folding soft floor mats are the ones you know from the gym. They are also used in professional sports and are characterized by their size and the fact that they have a high penetration depth.

They also slip less because they are much more sluggish due to their weight and rough underside. On the other hand, because they are very smooth on their upper side, there is a risk of skin burns if you “slip” over them or fall on them at high speed.

Advantages
  • High slip resistance
  • High penetration
  • Available in large sizes
Disadvantages
  • High space requirement for storage
  • Transport difficult (size and weight)
  • Risk of skin burns

Accessories for soft floor mats

Although the soft floor mat is, of course, the gymnastics equipment it is about, the choice of the product you buy could also be decided by some accessories that are – or are not – available for purchase.

You can find the following accessories for soft floor mats:

  • Cover: there are soft floor mats whose cover is removable via zippers. No matter how carefully you handle the mat – it will be unavoidable that it gets dirty. To maintain a nice overall appearance, the cover can be replaced from time to time.
  • Strap: Due to their size, soft floor mats are often stored standing up against a wall and attached to it with a strap. If you want to do the same, you should also make sure that there are eyelets on the narrowest side of the mat where you can hang such a strap.
  • Transport Trolley: As with regular gym mats, there is also a transport trolley with wheels for soft floor mats that allows for easy transportation.
  • Wall mounting: To the already mentioned retaining strap, of course, you also need a corresponding counterpart on the wall. This usually means eyelets or hooks that are attached to the wall.

Some of the accessories may not be available for sale for certain sizes or models, which could influence your decision for or against a model.

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Certificates as an Investment? This is How it Works https://humphreyne.us/certificates-as-an-investment-this-is-how-it-works/ https://humphreyne.us/certificates-as-an-investment-this-is-how-it-works/#respond Mon, 31 Jan 2022 11:58:53 +0000 https://humphreyne.us/?p=2468 Read more]]> For the first time, their interest in securities ranks first when it comes to the question of which financial investment is most suitable in the low-interest phase. In addition to shares and bonds, this also includes certificates. Certificates? That’s right. What exactly this form of security is, how you can use it and what things to look out for, you can find out here.

The most important facts in brief:

  • Certificates are bearer bonds issued by a bank (the “issuer”).
  • There are many different certificates – with different risk/reward profiles and for individual market expectations.
  • The features and the term are clearly defined from the outset.
  • You can use them, for example, to bet on the price performance of shares or indices, but you can also receive attractive interest payments regardless of developments on the capital markets.
  • To make the best possible use of the opportunities offered by this form of investment, you should seek good advice beforehand.

What are certificates?

In the range of securities, certificates are a relatively young product. The first certificate ever traded was issued in the early 1990s. While certificates were initially popular primarily with institutional investors, they soon became the focus of private investors as well.

Certificates are structured financial products that are usually issued by a bank and are legally classified as bearer bonds. Unlike shares, they do not represent a share in the issuing bank. For investors, investing in a certificate rather means that they lend money to the issuer of the bond by purchasing it. The creditworthiness of the issuing bank, the issuer, is thus an important factor in the selection of a certificate.

Certificates can be tailored for a variety of possible scenarios. They can play to their strengths in different market developments. Depending on the design, these can be rising, sideways trending (stagnating) or falling prices.

Which certificates are available?

There are numerous different types of certificates: The range extends from products for security-oriented investors with fixed interest payments or capital protection* components to more offensive products that are aimed more at investors with an affinity for equities and offer significantly higher potential returns. As with any investment, however, the risk that the investor is willing to take also plays an important role and must be taken into account accordingly when choosing the type of certificate.

The best known certificates are:

  • Reverse convertibles
  • Credit-linked bonds
  • Bonus certificates
  • Express certificates
  • Step-up bonds

Reverse Convertible Bonds

This type of certificate allows investors to earn a fixed interest income during the specified term. By purchasing a reverse convertible, they assume that the price of the underlying security (usually a stock or a stock index) will be at or above a specified price threshold, known as the strike price, at maturity.

Credit-linked bonds

Credit-linked bonds are aimed at investors who wish to achieve a fixed interest income for the respective interest period, irrespective of the stock market, and who do not expect a so-called credit event with the corresponding reference debtor during the term of the credit-linked bonds.

Bonus certificates

These certificates have a fixed term. Even if the price of the underlying asset falls somewhat, there are earnings opportunities. They offer both the chance of a bonus payment and unlimited participation in the rising price performance of the underlying (usually a share or an index).

Express certificates

This variant is also linked to the performance of an underlying (usually a share or a share index) and has a fixed term, usually several years. Under certain conditions, however, this is terminated early and the nominal amount is repaid before the original maturity date – hence the name “express”. Express certificates offer the possibility of an interest payment which, depending on the variant, can be fixed or also dependent on the price performance of the underlying.

Step-up bonds

Step-up bonds offer a fixed, increasing interest income during the term. At maturity, they are redeemed at the nominal amount.

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Medium-Sized Manufacturing Companies https://humphreyne.us/artificial-intelligence-ai-for-medium-sized-manufacturing-companies/ https://humphreyne.us/artificial-intelligence-ai-for-medium-sized-manufacturing-companies/#respond Sun, 30 Jan 2022 12:25:32 +0000 https://humphreyne.us/?p=2472 Read more]]> The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is generally expected to further increase productivity as well as the quality of products while simultaneously reducing the consumption of resources. This creates significant growth potential for AI-based applications.

Significant amounts of data are now becoming available at many (sub-)production steps, which are essential for the application of machine learning methods. Due to the rapid increase in data volume and the greatly increased complexity of production processes, on the other hand, the application of “conventional” analysis and optimization methods is often no longer useful or even possible. And this is precisely where the key properties of AI-based systems come into play: namely, they can learn automatically from the data material already available and also adapt to changing environmental conditions.

Overview of AI methods

Today, the term “artificial intelligence” is predominantly used in the context of machine learning, but also includes a variety of other applications such as expert systems or digital assistants (with which the automated creation of a formalized knowledge representation enables subsequent logical reasoning).

The decisive factor here is the ability to deal successfully with new or unknown situations, to process and “understand” new information and thus to generate new knowledge from the available knowledge, to solve new tasks. It is precisely this ability that distinguishes AI systems from classic rule-based IT systems, which have to be adapted manually every time the task changes.

Currently, machine learning methods are divided into the following three subgroups:

  • Supervised learning (Supervised Learning),
  • Unsupervised learning,
  • Reinforcement learning.

In supervised learning, the AI algorithm is trained with a large set of exemplar input and output data (reference data). A mathematical model is created from the relationship between the input and output data, which also allows prediction of output values given a previously unknown combination of input data. This is called a regression task. Alternatively, the supervised learning algorithm can also realize the assignment of features obtained from the input values to object classes (classification task or pattern recognition). In this case, it is assumed that the relationship between features and object classes is already known. However, if these are not known, the relationship between the data must be established subsequently by so-called “labeling”, which of course can be quite costly.

In unsupervised learning, an exemplary set of data is also required, but without any already given “labels” or predefined object classes. It is learned with the help of suitable algorithms, how the “normal” data looks like. In case of anomalies, these are recognized and separated accordingly. The interpretation of the obtained results lies here however with humans. He has to connect the automatically recognized object classes with the real production context. Thus, despite the saving of the labeling process, unsupervised learning is no less costly due to the necessary interpretation of the results.

Reinforcement learning is based on reward principles, which leads to the adaptation of the solution in terms of optimization. For example, parts of a solution can be evaluated with scores, where a higher score corresponds to a better solution. The greatest challenge here is the identification of suitable reward strategies and the admissibility of the try-and-error principle under concrete production conditions.

Promising application areas

Promising AI application areas for manufacturing SMEs are very diverse and it is simply not possible to create a conclusive list. Therefore, only a rough overview is given within the scope of this article.

Maintenance

When using AI-based predictive models, you can determine exactly what condition your machines are in. This allows you to make timely decisions about which of your assets need maintenance. By adjusting maintenance scheduling, you can avoid breakdowns in your machinery. The basis for these AI algorithms is historical and current machine data.

Process optimization and process control

This is another application field of artificial intelligence in production. Here, manufacturing or process engineering processes are optimized. The focus of optimization here is not only on the machines themselves, but also on the production steps or entire process chains. For example, based on machine and process data, AI models can be used to determine important influencing factors and make optimal process settings. The AI algorithm can thereby evaluate the production process in real time and make the appropriate adjustments as needed. This allows you to minimize both the waste and the energy requirements of your processes.

Quality control

Here, AI-based processes, such as image recognition or image classification, help you automate the time-consuming and error-prone manual quality controls. After a learning phase, AI can detect the anomalies on images captured by cameras and provide appropriate guidance to the operator. Alternatively, the AI can sort out the defective parts fully automatically.

Product and process development

AI solutions, such as using artificial neural networks to predict the mechanical properties of products, can help you optimize your design and engineering processes. One of the many uses for AI is also the use of machine learning to evaluate test or simulation data to uncover complex relationships in product development via pattern recognition. The use of AI for planning and optimization tasks is also useful to save manual effort and accelerate the development process.

Assistance systems

Assistance systems are now an integral and potential component of AI applications. The task of assistance systems is to support humans in a wide range of activities. Although assistance systems are not intended to replace humans, they do provide them with important information and warn them of incorrect interventions. Machine learning and, above all, deep learning open up numerous new possibilities and areas of application for assistance systems – even in increasingly complex application scenarios.

Automation

Artificial intelligence can be used to establish causality relationships and optimize production processes in a self-learning manner. This results in self-optimizing machines and systems that can adapt to changing production conditions and aim to optimize machine utilization. The cross-process-step evaluation of numerous data from machine groups, plants and production lines, but also from operating data, enables cost-optimized production through AI.

Logistics

AI systems are already supporting companies with action planning and optimization algorithms in warehousing. In the process, critical stock levels are identified as well as suggestions for material quantities to be kept in stock are issued on the basis of forecasting models. AI is also increasingly being used in the area of goods transport. Examples include route planning for driverless transport systems and dynamic route adaptation for autonomous vehicles, which allows them to recognize and avoid obstacles, for example.

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