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Sony Electronics Announces the World’s Smallest and Lightest[1] Miniature Precision LiDAR Depth Sensor

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AS-DT1 ‘Direct Time of Flight’ LiDAR Depth Sensor Provides Precision Measurement Accuracy, Distance Resolution, and Measuring Range

SAN DIEGO, April 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Electronics Inc. is announcing commercialization of the AS-DT1 LiDAR Depth Sensor. The AS-DT1 is the world’s smallest and lightest LiDAR Depth Sensor structure measuring just 29mm x 29mm x 31mm (approximately 1.14 inch width x 1.14 inch height x 1.22 inch depth), excluding protrusions, and weighing only 50g (approximately 1.76 ounces). The AS-DT1 leverages miniaturization and optical lens technologies from Sony’s machine vision industrial cameras making it ideal for applications where space and weight constraints are paramount, including drones, robotics, and more.

Sony’s AS-DT1 is the world’s smallest and lightest miniature precision LiDAR Depth Sensor, ideal for drones & robotics.

The AS-DT1 utilizes ‘Direct Time of Flight (dToF)’ LiDAR technology2, which delivers fast and accurate measurement, distance resolution3, and measuring range. The proprietary dToF ranging module, equipped with a Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) sensor4,  utilizes multiple ranging points for distance measurement, and can accurately measure distances in three dimensions: length, width, and depth.

The AS-DT1 can measure distances to low-contrast subjects and objects with low reflectivity, which are more difficult to detect with other ranging methods. This enables accurate measurement of distances in diverse environments, such as retail stores, where various objects, including people and fixtures, are expected. In addition to its ability to accurately measure distances both indoors and outdoors, the sensor’s compact, lightweight design and rigid aluminum housing allow for integration into a wide range of devices, such as food service robots in restaurants, autonomous mobile robots in warehouses, and drones used for inspections and surveys.

High Measurement Accuracy and Distance Resolution
Sony’s proprietary dToF ranging module, equipped with a SPAD sensor, achieves highly accurate measurements and distance resolution4. It can measure at various distances, for example, at 10 meters (approximately 32.8 feet) with a margin of ±5 cm (nearly 2 inches) both indoors and outdoors.5 Additionally, it is capable of accurately measuring distances to various objects that are difficult to detect with other ranging methods. This includes low-contrast subjects, objects with low reflectivity, and floating objects, making it suitable for integration into robots used in environments, such as stores and warehouses.

Long Measurement Range
The AS-DT1 is accurate supporting long distances of 40 meters (approximately 131.23 feet) indoors and 20 meters (approximately 65.6 feet) outdoors under bright summer conditions (assuming 100,000 lux), which can be challenging when inspecting  infrastructure such as bridges, highways, and dams5.

Compact, Lightweight, and Robust Housing
By utilizing an aluminum alloy for the structure, it balances lightweight design and robustness. The compact housing makes it easy to integrate into various devices, such as autonomous mobile robots, with limited space for depth sensors and drones where weight can impact flight time and distance.

The AS-DT1 is expected to be available in Spring 2026.  A prototype will first be exhibited in the United States at Xponential in Houston, May 20-22, 2025. To learn more about the AS-DT1, please visit https://pro.sony/ue_US/products/lidar/as-dt1.

*The specifications described in this press release are current as of the date of announcement and may differ from the final specifications.

About Sony Electronics Inc.
Sony Electronics is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America and an affiliate of Sony Group Corporation, one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world, with a portfolio that encompasses electronics, music, motion pictures, mobile, gaming, robotics and financial services. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Sony Electronics is a leader in electronics for the consumer and professional markets. Operations include research and development, engineering, sales, marketing, distribution and customer service. Sony Electronics creates products that innovate and inspire generations, such as the award-winning Alpha Interchangeable Lens Cameras and revolutionary high-resolution audio products. Sony is also a leading manufacturer of end-to-end solutions from 4K professional broadcast and A/V equipment to industry leading 4K and 8K Ultra HD TVs. Visit https://www.sony.com/news for more information.

1 As a 3D LiDAR with a measurement range of 10m or more under sunny outdoor conditions (excluding modules), according to Sony research, as of April 2025.
2 A ranging method that calculates distance by measuring the time it takes for light emitted toward a subject to reflect and return.
3 The ability to recognize minute differences in distance between multiple objects.
4 An electronic device (diode) that achieves high sensitivity by utilizing ‘avalanche multiplication,’ which amplifies electrons like an avalanche from a single incident photon
5 The figures are provisional and may differ from the final specifications.

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SOURCE SONY ELECTRONICS

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Bluehost Brings AI to Life for Small Businesses Worldwide

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From the inaugural ELEVATE Small Business Growth Summit featuring Google, TikTok, Gary Vaynerchuk and Codie Sanchez, to a global AI Builder Tour spanning 10 cities and four continents, Bluehost is bringing together entrepreneurs, technology leaders and AI innovators to turn AI into real business growth.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bluehost, the small business platform for the AI era, today announced a global series of events bringing together entrepreneurs, technology leaders and AI builders to help small businesses move beyond AI hype and put AI to work to build, grow and run their businesses.

The initiative brings together two complementary communities shaping the future of small businesses. On Nov. 10, Bluehost’s inaugural ELEVATE Small Business Growth Summit will help entrepreneurs and small business owners discover practical ways to use AI to build, grow and run their businesses. In parallel, the company’s Small Business AI Builder Tour will connect founders, developers and AI innovators across 10 cities and four continents to showcase new ideas, collaborate with experts and turn AI-powered projects into real-world solutions.

Despite growing awareness of AI, adoption beyond general-purpose chat remains limited. Bluehost’s recent State of Small Business AI Confidence study found that only 16% of surveyed U.S. small business owners had deployed an AI agent. Closing that gap by helping businesses move beyond asking AI questions and transitioning to use AI for marketing, customer discovery, growth and everyday operations is a central focus of Bluehost’s global events and community programs.

“AI is giving small businesses capabilities that once required much larger teams and budgets,” said Sachin Puri, Chief Executive Officer of Newfold Digital, parent company of Bluehost. “But access to AI alone isn’t enough. The real opportunity is helping entrepreneurs put it to work, to build, grow and run their businesses. By bringing together small business owners, technology leaders and AI builders, we’re turning AI’s promise into practical outcomes.”

Bluehost ELEVATE Small Business Growth Summit
Taking place virtually on Nov. 10, 2026, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET, ELEVATE is a free global summit focused on helping entrepreneurs apply emerging technology to real business challenges. Bluehost will also host local gatherings in San Francisco, Austin and New York, giving small business communities an opportunity to experience the program and connect in person.

Built around three themes, Build, Grow and Run, the program will explore how small businesses can establish and strengthen their digital presence, get discovered and reach more customers, and use AI and automation to operate more effectively.

ELEVATE will feature entrepreneurs and bestselling authors Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of VaynerMedia, and Codie Sanchez, founder of Contrarian Thinking. Their perspectives on business ownership, marketing and growth reach millions worldwide, and Vaynerchuk’s fireside conversation with Newfold Digital CEO Sachin Puri, will be the summit’s finale.

The lineup also includes Brendan Jacobsen, Global Head of Channel Sales at TikTok; Farhaz Karmali, Product Director at Google; Sachin Puri, CEO of Newfold Digital; Salim Ali, CMO of Bluehost; and Satish Hemachandran, CPO of Bluehost, along with small business owners and additional industry experts.

The ELEVATE Small Business Growth Summit will combine keynotes, conversations, demonstrations and practical guidance that attendees can apply directly to their businesses.

To register for the online event or attend a watch party in New York City, Austin or San Francisco, visit bluehost.com/elevate.

Bluehost AI Builder Tour: Connecting Global AI Communities to Advance Small Business Innovation
Bluehost is bringing together AI builders, developers, founders and engineers across 10 cities and four continents through its Small Business AI Builder Tour, supporting a growing global community of innovators building AI-powered websites, applications, agents and automations.

Partnering with established global AI communities, including AI Tinkerers and AI Camp, Bluehost is collaborating with local builders and community leaders to deliver hands-on experiences that foster knowledge-sharing, collaboration and innovation. Community experts will lead breakout discussions and “Unblock Your Build” sessions, offering participants practical guidance on technical challenges to help advance their projects.

Each event will feature live project showcases, interactive build sessions and expert feedback to help participants take ideas and prototypes closer to launch. The tour also creates opportunities for builders to develop relationships with fellow innovators and the broader AI ecosystem.

The tour kicked off in Florianópolis, Brazil, on Oct. 30, 2026 with additional events scheduled through January 2027.

AI Builder Tour Dates and Locations:

Date                     

City                                         

Venue 

Oct. 30, 2026         

Florianópolis, Brazil            

Square SC

Nov. 5, 2026          

Austin, Texas                      

Distribution Hall

Nov. 17, 2026          

San Francisco, California    

The Avalon

Nov. 18, 2026          

Santiago, Chile                    

Cenco Costanera

Nov. 24, 2026        

Bangalore, India                  

TBD

Nov. 27, 2026          

São Paulo, Brazil                

Cubo Itaú

Dec. 1, 2026          

London, United Kingdom    

Plexal

Dec. 3, 2026          

New York, New York            

TBD

Dec. 11, 2026          

Guadalajara, Mexico            

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Jan. 12, 2027          

Chicago, Illinois                    

TBD

To view upcoming Bluehost Small Business AI Builder Tour locations, learn about planned local programs and register, visit bluehost.com/smb-ai-builder-tour.

About Bluehost
Trusted by over 3 million customers worldwide, Bluehost is the small business platform for the AI era. Bluehost makes it easy for small businesses to build, host, and run online with confidence. From creating sites, stores, logos, apps and campaigns to managing business operations, building and deploying AI agents and apps, Bluehost combines purpose-built AI with high-performance hosting and human expert support available 24/7. Bluehost has been recommended by WordPress.org since 2005. For more information on Bluehost, visit Bluehost.com.

About Newfold Digital
Newfold Digital is a leading web and commerce technology company serving nearly 7 million customers globally through our portfolio of brands including Bluehost, Crazy Domains, HostGator, Network Solutions, Yoast, YITH, and many others. We help customers of all sizes build a digital presence that delivers results. With our extensive product offerings and personalized support, we take pride in collaborating with our customers to serve their online presence needs. Learn more about Newfold Digital at Newfold.com.

Media Contact:
Paola Lorenzo
press@bluehost.com

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SOURCE Bluehost

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Cashman Preload Cryogenics Selected by Power LNG as LNG Tank Partner for Project Seawolf

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QUINCY, Mass., Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Power LNG Ventures has selected Cashman Preload Cryogenics (CPC), an affiliate of Jay Cashman, Inc., as its LNG tank partner for Project Seawolf, a marine LNG fueling facility on Pelican Island in Galveston, Texas. CPC will engineer the project’s 3-million-gallon full-containment LNG storage tank through development, permitting and financing.

CPC’s expertise in LNG tank design, permitting and construction reinforces its commitment to project success, safety and excellence

The tank combines a precast, prestressed concrete outer wall with a 9% nickel steel inner tank and a steel dome roof. CPC’s concrete design delivers proven reliability and safety while optimizing cost and schedule. CPC will work with the Project Seawolf team to integrate the tank into the full facility design.

“Power LNG is building critical marine fueling infrastructure at the Port of Galveston,” said Eric Reaman, President & CEO of CPC. “We know what it takes to develop these assets. We’re glad to be on the team at this stage, and we’ll be ready when the project moves to construction.”

Project Seawolf is being developed on approximately 30 acres of port-owned property. Initial production is 400,000 gallons per day, scalable to 800,000 gallons per day as demand grows. The facility will supply LNG to cruise ships and cargo vessels in the Port of Galveston and the Houston Ship Channel, meeting growing demand for lower-emission marine fuel. The project is targeted to enter service by the end of 2028.

“We reviewed the tank technology options for full-containment storage and selected CPC as our tank partner,” said Austin Terry, CEO of Power LNG Ventures. “CPC brings deep experience designing, permitting and building LNG tanks of this size. This selection reflects our commitment to the project, to operational safety and to best-in-class partners.”

About Cashman Preload Cryogenics
Cashman Preload Cryogenics (CPC), part of the Preload International family of companies and an affiliate of Jay Cashman, Inc., designs and builds prestressed concrete tanks for liquid storage. Preload built its first water storage tank in 1930. Since 1952, Preload has designed and built more than 40 low-temperature and cryogenic storage tanks, and many more dike walls, for LNG, LPG, LN/LOX and ammonia. Preload is recognized as the pioneer of circular prestressed concrete liquid storage structures.

About Power LNG Ventures
Power LNG Ventures is a Houston-area developer of small-scale, modular LNG projects. Founded in 2022, the company is developing Project Seawolf, a fully integrated LNG liquefaction, storage, marine bunkering and export facility on Pelican Island at the Port of Galveston. With its strategic partner Énestas, Power LNG is also developing the Harborside Terminal to begin LNG supply by truck while Project Seawolf is built.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cashman-preload-cryogenics-selected-by-power-lng-as-lng-tank-partner-for-project-seawolf-302929803.html

SOURCE Cashman Preload Cryogenics

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E Tech Group to Present on GMP-Critical Building Management at Automation Fair 2026

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On November 17 and 19, Michael Roy will discuss E Tech Group’s work to modernize a GMP-critical building management control system at a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in the Greater Boston area utilizing Rockwell’s PlantPAx. E Tech Group will exhibit at Booth #745.

WEST CHESTER, Ohio, Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — E Tech Group, a leading provider of industrial automation and systems integration, 2025 System Integrator of the Year, and Platinum-certified Rockwell Automation Partner, today announced that Michael Roy of E Tech Group will present on modernization of building management systems in GMP-critical environments at Automation Fair 2026 by Rockwell Automation, taking place November 16–19 at the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center in Boston, Massachusetts.

Roy’s Partner Solutions session, “PS21 – Modernizing GMP-Critical Building Management in Pharmaceutical Facilities,” will take place Tuesday, November 17, at 1:00 p.m. ET and Thursday, November 19, at 10:00 a.m. ET in 253C.

The presentation will examine E Tech Group’s work to modernize aging air handler controls across validated production areas at a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in the Greater Boston area. Because the building management system (BMS) supports GMP-critical environments, the project required careful planning to update the control architecture while maintaining facility operations and meeting stringent reliability, data integrity and compliance requirements.

E Tech Group implemented a fully redundant PlantPAx-based BMS architecture that addressed the immediate modernization need while establishing a scalable framework that could be applied to future system upgrades across the facility. During the session, Roy will discuss the engineering considerations behind the approach, including redundancy, network design, validation and cutover planning, and how the initial implementation established a foundation for subsequent BMS modernization.

“Modernizing a GMP-critical system requires careful planning to protect the conditions the facility depends on every day,” said Roy. “For this project, we wanted to address the immediate need while creating an approach that could be expanded as additional systems are upgraded across the facility.”

Roy is a Principal Engineering Manager at E Tech Group with nearly a decade of experience in automation and electrical engineering. He brings extensive expertise in technical project leadership, business development, and delivering innovative automation solutions.

At Booth #745, attendees can meet with Roy and E Tech Group engineers and life sciences specialists to discuss validated automation, controls modernization and scalable system architectures for regulated manufacturing environments. Visitors can also stop by the booth for a demonstration of SecureOT™, Rockwell Automation’s industrial cybersecurity solution suite, and see how greater visibility into OT assets and network activity can help uncover potential areas of concern and support a more proactive cybersecurity strategy.

E Tech Group supports pharmaceutical, biotechnology and other regulated manufacturers with automation and system integration expertise spanning building management and process control systems, manufacturing execution systems (MES), compliance services and digital transformation. Its engineers help organizations modernize validated systems while addressing integration, reliability and long-term scalability requirements.

For more information about Automation Fair 2026 and to register for the November 16–19 event in Boston, visit the Automation Fair 2026 registration page.

About E Tech Group

E Tech Group is a global CSIA Enterprise Certified automation engineering and system integration firm with locations spanning 8 countries across three continents. Backed by a team of over 900 professionals, the company delivers cutting-edge automation, control, and information solutions to clients in the Life Sciences, Data Centers, Consumer Products, Food & Beverage, and Industrial sectors. In addition to its organic growth, E Tech Group has expanded through several acquisitions, including the most recent additions of E-Volve Systems, Automation Group, and JSat Automation. To learn more, visit E Tech Group’s website, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/e-tech-group-to-present-on-gmp-critical-building-management-at-automation-fair-2026-302930310.html

SOURCE E Tech Group

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