Quest for Robotic Grace

Quest for Robotic Grace Quest for Robotic Grace Quest for Robotic GraceThe robots used for manufacturing and assembly are far from balletic. They dont turn on a dime and they dont manipulate parts with grace. In fact, their manufacturing capabilities are hindered by their lack of agility.The National Institute of Standards and Technology has plans to change that, however, through the Agile Robotics for Industrial Automation Competition, which is now in the planning stages and will officially kick off in August. The competitions goal is to develop agile industrial robots that will be mora productive, more autonomous, and to require less time from shop floor workers than do todays manufacturing robots.Those who enter the competition will take advantage of advances in artificial intelligence and robotic planning to create their specialized robots. The robots must be able to sense their environments and to identify and recover from failures on the manufacturing floor, says Craig Schlenof f group leader of the NIST Cognition and Collaboration Systems Group in the Intelligent Systems Division. He and William Harrison, also a part of the division, are leading competition and planning.Identifying and recovering from failure means that when a part a robot needs isnt in its predetermined location, the robot can find that part and then continue on with its job.If you look out at how robots are being used in industry, theyre highly repeatable and accurate, but theyre not agile, Schlenoff says. If a part is in a slightly different location then where a robot expects it to be, it fails at its job.This robot is challenged to demonstrate its dexterity on NIST test artifacts. Image NISTThe competition is a joint effort between the IEEE Conference on Automation Science and Engineering and NISTs Intelligent Systems Division. All competitors are welcome, Schlenoff says. Theyll demonstrate their solutions by simulated via computer model their robots real-world manufacturing operatio n.To gear up for competition planning, he and Harrison spent time following robots for four hours intervals at many manufacturing facilities. They found that robots failed and had to be reset about 15 or 16 times within those four-hour chunks, Schlenoff says.If the parts got thrown off by only a few millimeters robots cant deal with it. They also cant what went wrong and try to fix it, he adds.Though robots are repeatablemeaning they can do the same job in exactly the same manner over and over againthey cant perform varied tasks, Harrison says. This is a problem for the many small to mid-sized manufacturers take advantage of rapid replanning methods, by which they regularly change up assembly lines and work with various assembly configurations. Robots cant keep up with those changes, Harrison says.For large companies they set up a robot to do a mio times over the course of a year, but when you start introducing robots into smaller shops that create ten or 50 products, its a large ta sk to reprogram the robots, Harrison says. Itd be easier for a person to come the job than to reprogram the robots.So competitors will be tasked with building robots that are easy to quickly reprogram.Another part of the challenge will be ensuring robots can plug and play that is, can operate with robots from various vendors.When a company purchases a brand of robots theyre usually tied to that brand because theres so much infrastructure tailored to that robot, Harrison says. We want smaller manufacturers to be able to make the best use of the different types of robots that are out there.The simulation-based competition will be held in the cloud, which means competitors from all over the world will simulate robot behavior on an open-source robotics infrastructure that exists on a cloud platform. Challenges might include asking the simulated robot to recognize that a part has dropped off the line, to pick it up, and to put it back into the assembly, Schlenoff says.The competition wil l officially be kicked off at the IEEE Conference on Automation Science and Engineering held in Fort Work Texas in August.All the competition challenges will relate to whats called kitting, in which a robot compiles the kit of parts needed to assemble a product or part of a product. Though kitting is commonly used by manufacturers, development of the kit is a highly manual process mostly done by employees, Schlenoff says.Should this first-year robots agility challenge go well, NIST and IEEE will likely carry it forward to future years, he adds.If kitting is a solved problem then we may go to, for example, full assembly, which is a much more challenging thing for robots to do, Schlenoff says.Jean Thilmany is an independent writer.Explore IoT hardware from the component to the system level at ASMEs IoT Connect For Further DiscussionIf the parts got thrown off by only a few millimeters robots cant deal with it. They also cant tell what went wrong and try to fix it.Craig Schlenoff, NIST

The Top Finance Resume Keywords (Examples)

The Top Finance Resume Keywords (Examples) The Top Finance Resume Keywords (Examples) By reading through resume examples, job seekers can get an accurate sense of how they compare with others in the field. Do they have sought-after credentials? Do they know the latest tools? Do they have enough accomplishmentsto climb another step up the ladder? While its common to search through resume examples to answer these questions and more, job seekers should not forget that targeted resumes are the name of the game. Resume keywords are a big factor in standing out from a sea of applicants. For help tailoring your resume, its best to turn not to resume examples, but to job listingsthey are the ultimate source of resume keywords.The word cloud above was generated using the text from a dozen finance industry job postings. The larger the word, the more often it appeared.Finance industry jobs are highly sought after by many in large part because of the prestige and the paychecks. If youre looking for a job in finance, youll be facing a lot of competition. Having the right resume keywords is one way to differentiate yourself.Finance resume keywordsIf you want a job in finance, include these resume keywords wherever applicableAnalysisAssetCFAClientComplianceEquityExcelFinancialInsuranceInvestmentLicensesManagementModelsPerformancePortfolioRecommendationsReportsResearchReviewValuationResume skillsAs you can see from this list, finance jobs require talent and experience with data and analysis. Many finance jobs also require candidates to pass specific exams and possess certain credentials. In order to sit for some of these exams, you must have an industry sponsor. If you are interested in working in the finance industry, youll have to thoroughly research whats considered necessary for the roles that interest you.Math and Microsoft Excel skills are also, obviously, at the top of the priorities list. And dont forget the people skills necessary to work with clients and make persuas ive presentations. (While youre studying for your exams, you might also want to join Toastmasters.)JobscanUsing resume keywords properly requires finesse. Stuffing your resume text full of words you think might be applicable wont work, and neither will copying and pasting sections from the job listing itself. The key is to tailor your resume for each individual job listing. This isnt a time-consuming process once youre familiar with resume keywords, and provided youre working from something like a career management document. Creating a new resume from scratch each time isnt necessary, and isnt even advisable.To quickly find out whether your resume is targeted well, try Jobscan. All you have to do is paste in the text of your resume and the job description, and Jobscan will provide instant feedback about things youve done well and things you can do better. Resume examples can be a great source of inspiration, but they are no match for individualized feedback.?

Emojis and Emoticons at Work

Emojis and Emoticons at WorkEmojis and Emoticons at Work*/Read the infographic text.Emojis and Emoticons at WorkA majority of executives say they do not belong in a professional settingHow appropriate do you think it is to use emojis and emoticons when communicating with the following individuals? Clients and customersBossColleaguesNot at all appropriate59%57%40%Not too appropriate19%18%21%Somewhat appropriate18%20%33%Very appropriate3%4%5%Dont know1%2%1%Sources The Creative Group survey of more than 400 U.S. marketing and advertising executives. Some responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding. 2017 The Creative Group. A Robert Half Company. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.

This is the thing that hinders your coworkers productivity the most

This is the thing that hinders your coworkers productivity the mostThis is the thing that hinders your coworkers productivity the mostRecently, Fast Company sat down with Kristy Tillman, who is the head of workspace design over at Slack.When asked what she thought about open floor plans, Tillman, responded sharply My opinion is that they suuuck. She went on to explain that in order to better serve guests and employees, she has begun the process of making everything a little smaller. Tillman continues, The desk per square foot smaller, and swatches of open office much smaller. We also have a variety of privacy phone booth options, small quad and ersatzdarsteller rooms, and one-person rooms. Some of them are bookable, some are not bookable, so people can really drop in and book them.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreTillmans outlook is becoming more and more commonplace.A new workpl ace acoustic study commissioned by Interface, Inc. determines the root of the global open floor plan antipathy. Many workers feel that open offices actually hinder collaboration, concentration, and productivity, because of all the noise the architectural model engenders. WIthout a space to find some genuine quiet, many employees are having a rough go at staying focused.Whats that sound?A massive inspection of 1,008 employees in the U.S., 504 employees in the U.K., and 502 employees in Australia outs a noisy environment as a pervasive productivity cancer.Sixty-two percent of employeessurveyed said that minimizing distractionsis integral to conducting business. The only problem is 55% of the same swimmingpool queried described their workplace as noisy and disruptive, with 69% saying it directly precluded their ability to work efficiently.What exactly is all the racket composed of? Well according to the respondents, the chief culprit is chit-chat. Seventy-nine percent said that convers ations between their employees keep them from focusing, 67% cited phone calls, 62% complained about the sounds of phones ringing, and 54% said they couldnt stand the pitter patter of footstepswalking around all day. Although a minuscule 5% said that a noisywork environment would cause them to quit their jobs, half of those surveyed said that these factors would absolutely inform their decision to accept a job offer.What can be done?Many respondents in thestudy either, buy headphones or try to work remotely as frequently as possible-the latter being in direct conflict with the central point of an open office. Workers that work in environments with carpeting as opposed towood, ceramic tile, and concrete flooring, are nearly 10% less likely to describe their office as noisy, which is why 31% of employers opted for carpeting or rugs in an attempt to mitigate these kinds of complaints. Some employers instead installed quiet spaces, the most common modus operandi being phone booths.Accord ing to the authors of the new survey,About half of U.S. (50%) and U.K. (48%) employees feel their company does nothing to mitigate noise in the office, as opposed to only 35% of Australian employees, who report employers providing rooms for phone calls/conversations and headphones at higher rates.US employees requested designated areas to make phone calls and conduct business the most out of all the respondents. Forty-one percent said that, in addition to being an impediment to productivity, workplace noise made them irritable and edgy. The survey concludes, Noise impacts employee satisfaction, with the majority surveyed (69%) stating they would enjoy their job more if there was less noise in the office. With a few changes in the workplace, employers can make measurable improvements on how well their people perform and how fulfilled they are in their work, driving enhanced productivity and well-being.Given that open floor plans are designed to encourage employee connectivity, it wou ld be in an employers best interest to eliminate the obstacles to this objective.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

How to Negotiate a Sale Price

How to Negotiate a Sale PriceHow to Negotiate a Sale PriceWhat, in your customers mind does the pricing of your product equate to? Does it mean the actual amount they will have to pay? Is the price the total cost of ownership or does price mean something mora? While many feel that the price of an object is simply what it costs to own or use a product, a better definition is the comparison between the value the product gives and the investment needed to get the value. Building Value For any negotiation to be successful, the customer must see value in what you are selling. If they see zero value, the price means nothing and no negotiating will help you close the deal.To build value means eitzu sich creating or uncovering value for your product in your customers mind. The more value you build and the more value your customer sees, the less important the actual cost of ownership becomes. Beginning the Negotiations Negotiations begin when the customer has a determined value applie d to your product and she compares her perceived value to the asking price. If the perceived value is higher than the asking price, a sale is made. If, however, the perceived value is lower than the asking price, the time for negotiations begins. It is important to realize a few things about your customers perceived value and how it affects negotiations. To serve as an example, lets say that you are a Real Estate Agent and are showing a house to a potential buyer. If the potential buyer, after an initial walk-through of the house feels that the house is worth $200,000, your chances for a sale are high if the asking price is below $200,000. If your asking price is slightly above $200,000, the potential buyer will be much more willing to negotiate than if the asking price is $300,000. If there is a substantial delta between perceived value and asking price, the customer will probably not be interested in engaging in negotiations. Conversely, if the asking price is significantly lower than the perceived value, the customer may feel that she missed something negative in her summation and will be leery about moving forward. The closer your asking price is to the perceived value, the better for your negotiations. Determining Your Customers Perceived Value Customers today are much too well informed to willingly tell a sales professional what they would be willing to pay for a specific product. They are more willing, however, to share their budget range. Asking a customer who is considering a purchase what their budget is will provide the sales professional a target to shoot for. This budget question is very often used in auto sales as sales professionals ask potential buyers what monthly payment they are looking for. Most of the time, by the way, the potential buyer will respond with I dont want to pay any more than X per month. Whatever figure they give should serve as the starting point of negotiations. Increase the Perceived Value If your asking price is a t or below the customers perceived value, your focus should be more on closing the sale rather than on negotiations. If your asking price is higher than perceived value, you effectively have two options First, you can lower your asking price. This may not be an option and certainly not what you should be aiming for. Consistently lowering your price is a great way to lose gross profit and to turn your product into a commodity. The second option is to increase your customers perceived value of your product. Trying to negotiate with a customer whose perceived value is lower than your asking price should begin with reviewing all the benefits that your product will deliver to your customer. Doing this will not only remind your customer of the benefits of your product but also gives you a chance to make sure that your customer is aware of all the benefits. It may be that your customer hadnt considered something about your product that would be beneficial. Once a new benefit is added, the perceived value is increased. The more benefits, the more perceived value.

Top Resume Cheat Sheet Tips!

Top Resume Cheat Sheet Tips So How About Resume Cheat Sheet? However tempting it may be to stretch the truth, lying on your resume is always a poor idea. All resumes tell a story of some sort about an individuals career. A seasoned candidate is the reply to the question. Understanding how to tailor your resume will obviously offer you an advantage. Lets take a quick glance at the five chief portions of the typical resume. Correct word selection can be a great deal more important than you believe. Theres no greater opportunity to reveal your creativity than by employing a different word or phrasing. Life After Resume Cheat Sheet Writing a resume isnt a simple endeavour, and as stated by the feedback from our present community, its really beneficial to check professional resume examples before starting to compose your own. Customizing your resume for each opportunity isnt optional today. 3 First, you have to select the best skills for your resume. The very best part was I l anded a new job in only a month or two The Benefits of Resume Cheat Sheet It is very important to realize ALL job seekers have positive and negative characteristics of the search and its normal. As with other creative resumes, it isnt meant for the majority of employers, so you might want to get a traditionally formatted resume on hand to complement it. Whether youre searching for your very first job or your next one, you want a resume that shows employers that youre a skilled professional. Your resume only has a couple of seconds to grab the interest of recruiters. Possessing a strong resume will permit you find several great jobs. Possessing a crystal clear and professional resume is important in the health care field. Finding the job is a rather intricate approach. The above mentioned tips should provide help. You need to be a strong communicator in an executive role, and having the ability to boost your resume with technology is a very big bonus. Creative While its imp ortant to get a professional resume, sometimes just a little creativity and innovation is suitable. Furthermore, it is an excellent idea to mention your resiliency. Try to remember, your creativity is going to be tested during the interview and once you become hired, not on paper. If youre a career changer, youll need to emphasize your soft and transferable skills. In fact, the thought of resume cover sheet was not so much spread a decade ago like its today. Keep in mind, the majority of the distinctive skills that you set on your resume needs to be job-related skills taken from the work description and your best transferable skills. For more ideas on how best to strengthen your program, have a look at our education and teaching resumes. New Ideas Into Resume Cheat Sheet Never Before Revealed These details set you out from the remainder of the pack. Resumes have their very own special rules and I demonstrate all numbers as digits since they catch the attention. Our resume e xamples can ensure youre prepared in the event you receive a referral. Get the Scoop on Resume Cheat Sheet Before Youre Too Late Meanwhile, here are our very best practices to follow when it has to do with formatting your resume. The template contains the whole format of the resume to get written in. The templates are supposed to be a guide to begin, but it ought to be expanded on to make it your own. Hit the dropdown and pick redirect. Resume objectives are from time to time regarded as the old schooltype of resume. Its fantastic to have a whole selection of options of how to find a task done.

Women and Math Stereotypes [infographic]

Women and Math Stereotypes infographic Stop acting like a girl. Dont be wimp.Youre such a sissy.Weve all heard these expressions (and many more) telling men and boys to shy away from allowing their actions to imitate that of a girls. Acting like a girl, i.e. acting weak, soft, emotional, inferiorand the list goes on and on.Society has created many stereotypes of girls and women, and in the education department, theres no exception. The infographic Brilliant Minds Women and Girls in Math from OnlineColleges.com highlights a few stereotypes of females when it comes to mathematics, their impacts, and some of the women who broke them.The infographic starts off with a commonly held belief that says men are better at math than women. Although weve all heard (and probably, for many, accepted) this as true, the infographic points out that this is only partially true. In timed contests, boys performed bett er than girls, yet this is where most studies stop. When competitions had four subsequent rounds, girls did as well as or better than boys.Stereotypes of women and math negatively impact women as a 1998 study in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that women who feel criticized for their math abilities often perform lower, even when they were initially doing high-level math.Like in wages and senior-level positions, a gender gap exists in graduate degree programs. Although in 2011, 58 percent of women were enrolled in graduate programs compared to 42 percent of men, only 29 percent of women were enrolled in math and computer science graduate degrees compared to 71 percent of men.The infographic does provide a few examples of successful women in these fields. For example, Amalie Noether invented a theory uniting symmetry in nature and allgemeingltig laws of conservation (Noethers theory). Even Einstein called her the most significant and creative female mathematician o f all time.To conclude, the infographic offers a few ways to encourage girls in math, such as exposing them early on, matching girls with women mentors in the field, and encouraging them to participate in special school programs.