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Using simulation, UCF simplifies what could have been chaotic COVID-era check-ins

UCF used simulation software to predict the check-in process, which resulted in an unheard of 97.3% satisfaction rate. – PHOTO SUBMITTED

UCF turned to simulation software to simplify what could have been a chaotic check-in when students returned to campus this month.

The results appear to have been a success. A survey distributed to students found 97.3 percent satisfied with the process.

Most students were in and out in between 18 and 22 minutes at a time when coronavirus introduced a new variable.

“It’s been a huge success,” project manager Lucrecia Krause said. “We want to give an example to the industry of how we can be creative. Simulation is not just for factories and Disney. It’s for things we do every day.”

The challenge was straightforward, even if the solution was not.

How do you get 6,000 students checked in over two weeks safely?

To accomplish that, a team created hypothetical scenarios, ran them through a simulator and tweaked several variables.

The team had about a month to develop the check-in procedures, which would be the first in the midst of a mass pandemic.

They created 15-minute windows for students to check in after researching other businesses, such as doctors offices.

For instance, the research uncovered that those sites typically give 2-hour windows for patients to arrive.

However, when that happens, most get to the office either at the start or end of the window.


“We didn’t want to put these students into something that was uncomfortable,” she said. “We needed to use data for decision making.”


That creates the kind of logjam UCF wanted to avoid.

The project included 80 people helping check students in and pathed students to two parking lots.

MORE BELOW


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One was for a COVID-19 test, the other distributed welcome packets.

Krause said seeing on the news that some food banks and other coronavirus testing lines took more than four hours was intimidating at first.

“We didn’t want to put these students into something that was uncomfortable,” she said. “We needed to use data for decision making.”

The simulations gave researchers the ability to adjust specific variables, such as which parking lots to stage at or where to direct students.

“For us, when we do simulation, we take into account where people are, how they are moving in,” said UCF assistant profess Adan Vela.

The computer model laid out where COVID testing stations might be, along with how many students would walk, drive or take an Uber to campus.


We will find that banking, hospitals, Disney, UCF will have to find their own new ways of how folks get service. Part of that is understanding outcomes when we have certain procedures in place.

Adan Vela, UCF

“At that point, we really didn’t know,” Krause said. “We had an estimate but we didn’t know who was coming and how they were going to get here.”

Central Florida has one of the more-robust simulation industries in the U.S., with companies in aviation, space and education contributing.

That could bode well in the future, as coronavirus will permanently change how things get done, Vela said.

“We will find that banking, hospitals, Disney, UCF will have to find their own new ways of how folks get service,” he said. “Part of that is understanding outcomes when we have certain procedures in place.”

Krause said the simulations were crucial to UCF not just reopening safely but also quickly.

“You don’t want to just hope for the best,” she said. “You want to simulate what it’s going to look like and will our process going to handle it? We want to fix things before they happen.”


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Madden NFL 21, built in Maitland, set to debut Friday. Fo’ shizzle.

Orlando-built Madden 2021 will release Aug. 28.

The highest-profile video game built in Central Florida returns for its 28th year on Friday.

The latest entry in Electronic Arts’ Madden NFL series, built in Maitland, will include a bonus for hardcore gamers.

Those who buy the game for Sony PS4 4 or Xbox One can automatically upgrade if they buy a next-generation console.

Both the Sony PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X will debut by the end of the year, according to the latest estimates.


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Madden’s production has been donein Central Florida since 1994 through the small development studio Tiburon Entertainment.

Electronic Arts acquired Tiburon in 1998.

Among the new features in Madden NFL 21:

  • A backyard-style, 6-on-6 mode called “The Yard” that allows user-created players to team with NFL pros.
  • New gameplay features, which are generally added each year to make the games more fluid.
  • A “Face of the Franchise” mode that allows you to take a created player from high school to the NFL. The cast in that mode will include Snoop Dogg and Rich Eisen.

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Luminar Technologies to go public after merger with special acquisition company

The lidar technology being developed by Luminar Technologies just landed it a merger. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

The autonomous vehicle firm Luminar Technologies will merge with special purpose acquisition company Gores Metropoulos.

The company will trade on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol LAZR.

A press release that announced the deal placed its value at $3.4 billion.

“The milestone is pivotal not just for us, but also for the larger automotive industry,” CEO Austin Russell said.

Luminar’s story

Palo Alto, Calif.,-based Luminar Technologies employs more than 300, including about half in Central Florida.

Luminar’s system of self-driving software relies on lidar-based technology.

That is, a system that works like radar but uses light from a laser rather than radio waves.

Ever since it emerged from self-imposed stealth in 2017, the company has partnered with major automakers, including Volvo and Toyota.

In fact, Volvo plans to roll out Luminar technology in its entire catalog starting in 2022.

Fuller launched the company in 2012.

Luminar has since become one of the top firms building self-driving tech for consumer cars and trucks.

“Eight years ago, we took on a problem to which most thought there would be no technically or commercially viable solution,” he said. “We worked relentlessly to build the tech from the ground up to solve it and partnered directly with the leading global automakers to show the world what’s possible.”


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Gores Metropoulos

Gores Metropoulos has previously funded similar deals with companies like Hostess in 2016 and Vebra Mobility in 2018.

CEO Alec Gores said the company represented a chance for the investment group to jump into the autonomous vehicle industry.

“Luminar is well positioned to dominate the autonomous landscape and together, we look forward to shaping the future of automotive transportation,” he said in the release.

As part of the merger, a $170 million investment will be made directly into Luminar.

This part of the transaction will be led by investors like Gores, PayPal founder Peter Thiel, Volvo Cars Tech Fund and others.

The transaction will close in the fourth quarter of this year.

Luminar also announced that it had hired 16 people from Samsung’s self-driving software team.

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Limbitless’ mission to help children with missing limbs goes virtual in pandemic

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Limbitless Solutions has restarted its work on prosthetic limbs. SUBMITTED PHOTO

The Orlando company that develops prosthetics for kids with missing limbs has resumed its work after coronavirus-driven slowed it down.

Limbitless Solutions CEO Albert Manero said the company will change how it gathers feedback to protect workers and patients during the pandemic.

Normally, Limbitless visits patients in person alongside an occupational therapist, with the team assessing how patients respond to the arms.

Now, that will be done mostly virtually.

“I’d still rather be in person, but we want to mitigate the risk here and do things safely in this unique time,” CEO Albert Manero, 30, told OTN.


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Dr. Albert Chi in Oregon

Limbitless has worked with renowned prosthetics expert and associate professor of surgery in the OHSU School of Medicine Dr. Albert Chi since 2018.

The partnership has helped the company better target the changes it makes on its bionic arms.

Limbitless recently scaled production back up, albeit at 20-30 percent capacity.

A updated app helps patients and families share real-time feedback on the prosthetics. The app can also track data like battery life and maintenance reports.

“We are [also] doing it through video calls and recordings,” said Manero.

Iron Man supports Limbitless

Limbitless Solutions, which has five full-time employees, has grown its reputation in Central Florida.

Shortly after it formed in 2014, Robert Downey Jr. – Hollywood’s Iron Man – gifted a kid with a bionic arm modeled after Tony Stark’s alter ego.

The high-profile photo op raised Limbitless’ profile, which, in turn, contributed to its ability to advocate for kids, Manero said.

It’s about “being able to portray them not as a defect but as a component of who they are,” Manero said of the personalized arms. “They are complete. Having representation from the celebrities or people who are the best in their field helps us advocate for the bionic kids.”

The company also recently announced a collaboration with Adobe.

The new prosthetic

The newest model of prosthetic is modular in design. It’s made up of several parts that can be swapped out for troubleshooting.

Also, the arm is Bluetooth compatible and parents can monitor the arms throughout the day through the app.

“It’s incredible to see a kid learn how to use the arm for the first time,” Manero said. “Whether it’s to give a hug or to play with their sibling with their own arm for the first time.”

“For us, that is what we love to see because it’s the use of technology. The hardware alone is just the sum of a bunch of parts. The other part makes it special.”


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Orlando cybersecurity startup makes top 100 list

An Orlando startup in cybersecurity has been named a Top 100 startup in the space.

An Orlando cybersecurity startup has been recognized as one of the top young companies in the space.

Fortress Information Security, which protects supply chains from attacks, landed on Cyber Defense Magazine’s Top 100.

The company has more than 100 employees and has its headquarters in downtown Orlando.

Fortress partnered with American Electric Power and Southern Company and has clients in several other industries. The top 100 includes nearly 1,000 businesses.


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The award “showcases those companies like Fortress with … incredible potential,” judges in the contest said.

Fortress, which launched in 2015, provides services to protect supply chains, such as those that pump electricity into the community.

Cyber criminals tend to target power companies to inflict a large amount of confusion in a community.

Fortress protects each component in a supply chain that could compromise security, such as outside vendors and employees.

It’s “asset to vendor” network shares information about approved vendors or products.

This helps make sure companies know a potential vendor has secure practices in place.

The network can help smaller companies. Those businesses can often lack resources to spend on supply chain management.

With the network, a small business can confirm its security practices. As a result, the industry will know that the company is safe to work with.


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Orlando video game music group goes virtual for next concert

Ongaku Overdrive will feature four acts, including dj-Jo, shown here at the Zelda-based Power, Wisdom, and Courage show. SUBMITTED PHOTO

A group that organizes concerts of bands that perform video game music will go virtual this weekend.

Ongaku Overdrive, which has hosted video-game themed concerts in Orlando since 2013, will feature four acts on its Twitch channel.

Ongaku founder Kent Ward started hosting the events virtually in response to the growing coronavirus pandemic. This will be the third virtual event.

“We have enjoyed hosting online concerts during this time,” Ward said in a news release. “It has given fans something great to enjoy from the safety of their home, while also supporting amazing performers in our community.”

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Past events have featured local performers like hip-hop artist EyeQ.

Orlando’s dj-Jo will perform a set during the free event, which starts Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

The bands include:

88 Bit – A Cleveland-based pianist who performs 8-bit Nintendo soundtracks.

Runaway 4 – A Canadian band that takes video game jams and adds a little rock to them.

dj-Jo – A DJ from Orlando who will feature Zelda-related remixes at the show.

Descendants of Erdrick visited Orlando in the fall.

Descendants of Erdrick – The Austin heavy metal band performed in Orlando last fall and is named after a royal line in the Dragon Quest games.

Orlando is home to a robust video game industry, which includes several development companies.

Ongaku Overdrive is the only organization in Orlando that focuses on the music of video games. The organization is a self-described advocate of “nerd music.”


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UCF research receives $1M grant to study AI, cyber attacks

Dr. Mubarak Shah, trustee chair professor of computer science, is the founding director of the Center for Research in Computer Vision at UCF. – Photo from UCF

A UCF researcher has landed a $1 million DoD award to develop a defense against cyber attacks on AI-based systems.

The money will provide engineering professor Mubarak Shah resources to study cyber defense strategies.

Shah and a team has been working on teaching computers to detect and defend against cyber attacks.

The center uses A.I. and other technology to develop tools that can track objects and analyze behavior in video.


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For example, past projects have focused on scanning crowd scenes to detect and prevent threats or analyzing brain scans for tumors.

In addition, engineering associate professor Nazanin Rahnavard and UCF graduate students will join Shah.

Longtime collaborator professor Ajmal Mian of University of Western Australia will also join.

The award is just the latest for Shah, the director of the Center for Research in Computer Vision at UCF.

He has also landed several fellowships and was inducted into the National Academy of Inventors in February.

The DoD announced the grant about a week after a team from the center bested teams from MIT, IBM and Carnegie Mellon in a global competition.


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JourneyLabs in Lake Mary names former GE leader CEO

JourneyLabs Inc. names Tim Bush as Chief Executive Officer

A Lake Mary medical tech firm named a former GE official to be its new CEO last month.

Tim Bush took over the leadership role of JourneyLabs in Lake Mary last month.

Bush helped GE launch its virtual hospital platform while there.

The company’s product is a digital platform that enables personalized and real-time care for mental health patients.

Bush spent part of his career at GE Healthcare, helping the company launch its virtual hospital business in the U.S.

“Tim’s healthcare technology sales and leadership experience will help us accelerate our bullish growth objectives,” said John Cooper, board director and managing partner of Halestreet Labs, in a news release. “We are thrilled to have him on board.”


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The company has kicked off a fundraising round alongside the new hire with the money expected to help increase commercial operations and expand its software development capability.

“I am extremely excited about the opportunity to lead JourneyLabs,” Bush said in the release. “The platform design, proven traction at our pilot sites and current market dynamics combine to create a tidal wave of momentum for us to capitalize on.” 


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10 Orlando tech firms hit annual Inc. 5000 list, which measures growth

A couple of defense industry companies were among the 10 Orlando tech companies on the Inc. 5000 list, which was released this week.

A Winter Garden ad agency that runs Facebook campaigns for law firms broke the top 200 on the Inc. 5000.

The list is the business publication Inc. Magazine’s annual recognition of the 5,000 companies that showed the most growth in the last 3 years.

X Social joined nine other Central Florida tech companies on the list.

Overall, the list included 36 businesses based in the region.

Orlando Tech News will spend the next few months highlighting the tech companies on the list.


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They are as follows:

#159: X Social Media.

A social media company that specializes in mass tort-related law firms.

#436: Fattmerchant.

Integrated payment technology that offers real-time data analytics.

#701: Top Speed Golf.

This company has built a system to help golfers improve their game.

#755: SightPlan.

Mobile software that helps community management operations.

#1,792: EMBARK SAFETY.

Distributes a driver risk-management software product to improve road safety.

#2,570: Red Team Software.

Developed a platform for commercial construction contractors.

#2,834: Victor 12.

Develops training systems for the defense industry.

#3,632: Lodging Access Systems.

Supplies the hotel industry with key fobs, key cards and room-access wristbands using RFID technology.

#4,239: Knight Federal Solutions.

Creates simulation and training modules for the defense and intelligence sector.

#4,438: PowerDMS.

Cloud-based compliance and document-management systems.


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Daytona Beach medical firm secures Orlando fund’s first investment

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The GRD Biomechanics brace is an orthopedic recovery assistant that helped the firm land a $100,000 investment from an Orlando group. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

When Mike Geldart crashed into a concrete barrier during a sanctioned race as a teenager, little did he know that it would become part of his entrepreneurial origin story.

Now 26, he suffered damaged knee ligaments and had to undergo surgery and a rehab stint to recover.

So when he needed a product idea that could be commercialized for a business competition, he pitched a knee brace to help with mobility issues caused by ligament damage.

“I figured, why not?” said Geldart, who three years later still suffered pain from the crash. “Maybe getting a patent will help me get a job.”

Instead, Geldart has created his own job, launching GRD Biomechanics in Daytona Beach two years ago. The company recently landed $100,000 from the fledgling Orlando Opportunity Fund, marking that group’s first-ever investment.

The money will help Geldart build out his team. (STORY CONTINUES BELOW)


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An accident leads to an idea

The brace started as a basement project shortly after Geldart’s accident about nine years ago.

He had grown up racing high-performance go carts and was a mechanical engineering student at the time.

As he looked for support braces after his injury, he tried to modify them but they were still too bulky.

“The whole experience didn’t work,” said Geldart, who attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

While there, he resurfaced his product idea at the Cairns Innovation Challenge in 2017. The effort landed him $10,000 and entry to UCF’s incubator in Daytona.

GRD Founder Mike Geldart

His background has helped in his effort to build a business, he said.

“Growing up in motorsports, I view risk a lot differently,” he said. “Starting a business wasn’t intimidating. I approached it as similar to getting into a racecar. You take all the precautions you can and plan but there are always things you can’t control.”

Help from Orlando fund

The Orlando Opportunity Fund investment will help Geldar support his 4,000-square-foot facility in Daytona Beach, launch an ecommerce site and add to his eight-person team.

Mike Geldart’s racecar. The entrepreneur still races cars in his spare time. SUBMITTED PHOTO

The Ascend brace is a lightweight system that helps a patient adjust the muscles used in performing typical functions like getting up or walking around.

When injured, the quadriceps typically do all of the heavy lifting. The brace helps balance the effort among several leg muscles.

Geldard says the brace, which he hopes will eventually help prevent injuries, has been selling well.

“We are getting more orders than we can handle,” said Geldart, who still races cars in his spare time.

The National Institute of Health has said that the chronic, painful symptomatic knee osteoarthritis affects an estimated 9.3 million adults 45 years and older in the U.S.

GRD’s 3D-printed leg brace recently received approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for patient coverage.

Moving beyond tourism

Fund leaders have said they hope to invest in tech companies that can help move the region beyond its dependence on tourism.

“If we have learned anything from the current recession, it’s that we need to look for more non-traditional investment vehicles,” said John A. Cooper, president of startup investments for the Orlando Opportunity Fund. “This is why we started the Orlando Opportunity Fund – to support the region’s innovation and economic diversification.”

“They are disruptive and are taking an innovative approach to the knee braces and healthcare devices,” said David Brim, the fund’s chief strategy officer. “There is a lot of market potential there.”

The fund had already existing connections to GRD.

Chief Financial Officer Donna Mackenzie was involved with the Starter Studio incubator when GRD was there.

But the decision still was a tough one because it would be the fund’s first-ever investment.

“It was about knowing the entrepreneur and how hard he’s working,” Brim said. “The passion. Seeing some initial traction. That’s why we leaned toward him for the first investment.”


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