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Shaped by Weather: University of Oklahoma Research Fuels Uncrewed Aerial System Development, Innovation

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NORMAN, Okla., May 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On the day of the 2023 Rolling Fork tornado, researchers with the Cooperative Institute for Severe and High Impact Weather (CIWRO) and NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory, headquartered on the University of Oklahoma campus, piloted a small network of drones through increasingly hostile conditions. The nimble airborne devices collected data about the changing atmosphere and demonstrated that such a tool could be used to improve the prediction of violent tornadoes. These drones are part of a lineage of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) developed at CIWRO that are changing the face of weather observations.

Tony Segales, Ph.D., has led the system’s development since he began his doctoral work at OU in the fall 2017. The CopterSonde-3D, the culmination of his dissertation, is a patented design for a weather-sensing UAS that is now exclusively licensed with InterMet, the world’s leading supplier of atmospheric sensors. The patent, awarded last year, is specifically for the front scoop design of the CopterSonde-3D, a weather sensor package equipped with temperature and humidity sensors arranged in a strategic way to avoid data contamination by sources of heat around the drone.

“We designed the CopterSonde to essentially be a weathervane: It points into the wind. That’s the baseline feature from which all the other onboard weather-targeted features were designed,” said Segales.

As the drone points into the wind, air flows through the intake and across the sensors. It’s a tricky configuration to target the right performance window, and even trickier to continue building upon.

“Initially, we had an airframe design that was more symmetrical and easier to balance, but now we are betting on a more intricate drone design,” said Segales. “When you change something, it changes the balance in flight characteristics. Overall, we are achieving a drone design shaped by weather and tailored to atmospheric studies.”

Next-Generation Technology

Segales and his graduate students manage the CopterSonde’s engineering, and Segales is the only UAS research engineer on the team.

The CopterSonde is one example of the research-to-industry pipeline created at the intersection of academia and government research at the cooperative institute. Segales’s designs are immediately put to work in the field, where meteorologists like Tyler Bell, Ph.D., a co-inventor on the patent, test new designs while also collecting weather data for their own meteorological research.

During the design process, the CopterSonde-3D underwent over 1,700 flights in various environments, such as extreme storm conditions in the southeastern United States, high altitudes in Colorado and the salty air of coastal Houston, Texas. Those flights, conducted by CIWRO’s researchers and OU students, gave the meteorologists data to study the lower atmosphere and Segales the feedback from meteorologists he needed to return to his lab and redesign components of the UAS.

The CopterSonde-3D is a next-generation observational platform. The team hopes it can supplement existing measurements of the atmosphere and fill gaps that have been known for over a decade.

“Typically, we get weather balloon launches by the National Weather Service twice a day,” said Bell. “But the rate at which the lowest part of the atmosphere changes is much higher than those twice-a-day launches, and we don’t get much information in between. That lowest one or two miles of the atmosphere is where we live, and it’s the part that influences a lot of high-impact weather.”

The primary purpose of the CopterSondes is to fill existing time and geographical data gaps, but it also opens the door to significant research questions previously unexplored. Because UAS pilots can position the drone exactly where they want data from the lower atmosphere, the drones can venture into scenarios otherwise dangerous or impossible for humans to approach such as wildfires and severe storms.

Bell says the future development of the program will enable CopterSondes to fly autonomously and be placed at Mesonet stations across the country, creating a 3D Mesonet system.

“The UAS would work in combination with other sensors. A forecaster could select an area where they wanted more observations, and the drones would collect that data the forecaster needs in the moment,” said Bell. He believes the CIWRO team will have a prototype developed for testing within a few years.

Game-Changing Collaborations

In collaboration with NSSL, the team is currently working to design a drone that can operate in the type of extreme environments forecasters might want to sample.

“On the engineering side of things, this represents a big challenge. The drone would have to max out during every flight, which puts more stress on the electronics,” said Segales. “We want to measure the limits of the performance of these drones on extreme events to see how much we can really push the systems for sustained amounts of time.”

These collaborations between engineers and meteorologists, cooperative institute researchers and government scientists, create an environment where a product like the CopterSonde can blossom from an idea into a device that can provide life-saving benefits for the American public.

“There is this great feedback loop that we have here, where we can do this research from the ground up, from basic design to the actual application of science and innovation,” said Bell.

An example comes from what Bell calls one of the more impactful datasets they’ve captured: a central Oklahoma winter weather precipitation event in 2019. The CopterSonde-3D showed that the precipitation was changing by the minute, alternating among sleet, ice, rain, and freezing rain.

“That’s an example of how we can improve forecasts using this data, because in those conditions half a degree matters, and the Copter can get that half a degree really, really well,” said Bell.

In the future, Segales envisions a fleet of CopterSondes, each specifically designed for specific extreme events – drones built to handle icing on blades, and others made to soar through high winds and examine hurricanes from within. For now, there’s a patent pending for another member of the CopterSonde family, and the potential for next-generation weather and safety through these important academic and federal partnerships.

About the University of Oklahoma 
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.

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SOURCE University of Oklahoma

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Turningideas Ventures Backs IntelliDB Enterprise in Strategic Deal; Launch of AI-Driven DBA Agent Marks New Era in Intelligent Database Automation

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NEW DELHI, May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — IntelliDB Enterprise, India’s fastest-growing innovator in AI-driven database solutions, today announced a significant strategic investment from TurningIdeas Ventures, fueling its bold mission to disrupt the $80 billion global database management market. The investment will turbocharge IntelliDB Enterprise’s global expansion and accelerate the adoption of its groundbreaking AI-powered DBA Agent—a revolutionary solution set to redefine database automation for PostgreSQL and other open-source platforms.

“This isn’t just an upgrade—it’s a breakthrough. With our AI-powered DBA Agent, we’re pioneering a future where databases optimize, secure, and scale themselves without human intervention,” said Neelesh Verma, Co-founder and COO of IntelliDB Enterprise. “This strategic partnership with TurningIdeas Ventures unlocks new global opportunities and empowers us to help enterprises achieve unprecedented operational efficiency and agility.”

Gagandeep Singh, Co-founder and CEO of IntelliDB Enterprise, added, “At IntelliDB, we envision a world where database management is invisible, effortless, and autonomous. Our DBA Agent is the first bold step toward making that vision a reality—freeing up IT teams to focus on innovation rather than maintenance.”

Jayaraj Sabarad, CTO of IntelliDB Enterprise, shared technical insights: “We’ve engineered our Agentic DBA using cutting-edge AI and machine learning models capable of real-time learning and adaptation. It’s more than software—it’s an intelligent teammate that works tirelessly to deliver peak database performance, resilience, and security.”

The AI-powered DBA Agent is designed to deliver transformative business impact by enabling:

Autonomous performance optimization, tailored to dynamic workloadsInstant anomaly detection and self-healing to ensure 99.999% uptimeSeamless scaling to meet fluctuating traffic without manual interventionBuilt-in security intelligence to proactively neutralize vulnerabilitiesPredictive maintenance to dramatically cut operational costs

“IntelliDB Enterprise is leading a paradigm shift in database automation,” said Ashish Mittal, Founder at TurningIdeas Ventures. “Their AI-powered DBA Agent is precisely the type of disruptive innovation we look for. We’re proud to back IntelliDB as they scale globally and set a new standard for database management.“

IntelliDB Enterprise is actively inviting enterprises, cloud providers, and technology partners to join its journey in bringing AI-powered database automation to the world. For partnership inquiries, product demos, or more information, visit www.intellidbenterprise.com.

About IntelliDB Enterprise (www.intellidbenterprise.com)

IntelliDB Enterprise is redefining the future of database management with its AI-powered automation solutions for open-source databases like PostgreSQL. By embedding intelligence at the database core, IntelliDB Enterprise empowers businesses to achieve self-optimizing, self-healing, and highly secure data operations—eliminating the need for manual tuning and intervention.

About TurningIdeas Ventures (www.turningideas.com)

TurningIdeas Ventures is a global venture studio that partners with visionary founders to scale breakthrough technology startups. Through strategic investments, mentorship, and market access, TurningIdeas Ventures accelerates the growth of innovation-led businesses worldwide.

Website: www.intellidbenterprise.com

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Cathay United Bank Ho Chi Minh City Branch Hosts ESG Seminar: A “Key” to Unlock Sustainable Development

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May 14, 2025

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TAIPEI, May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Cathay United Bank (CUB) marked its 20th anniversary in Vietnam by launching a year-long celebration with a landmark ESG seminar, bringing together over 80 industry leaders to chart a course for sustainable development among businesses in Vietnam.

Focusing on ESG: Global Trends and Local Challenges

In a bold demonstration of its commitment to sustainability and innovation, Cathay United Bank Ho Chi Minh City Branch (CUBHCM) celebrated its 20th anniversary under the theme “Better Together” by hosting the seminar “ESG: Challenges and Practices for Sustainable Development.” As Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria increasingly influence global business strategy, the event provided key industry stakeholders with practical insights and strategic guidance to navigate the evolving sustainability landscape.

As a commercial bank under Cathay Financial Holdings – one of Asia’s leading financial institutions – CUB not only provides financial services but also actively serves as a key partner for businesses transitioning towards sustainability. In 2015, CUB became the first Taiwanese bank to adopt the Equator Principles, ensuring its financed projects align with international environmental and social risk management standards, laying a solid foundation for supporting sustainable development in business.

Mr. Michael Wen, Executive Vice President of Cathay United Bank, emphasized at the seminar, “Cathay United Bank aims to support our clients in navigating the evolving ESG landscape by providing insights into global and local trends, regulatory developments, and practical implementation approaches, empowering businesses. Vietnam’s rapid economic growth presents both opportunities and challenges in sustainability, and collaboration between businesses, financial institutions, and policymakers is key to driving meaningful change.”

During the forum, Mr. Nguyễn Hoàng Nam, ESG Leader at PwC Vietnam, highlighted the challenges many domestic small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face regarding ESG: “Approximately 39% of businesses have never heard of ESG, and over 60% are unaware of relevant regulations. Key barriers include financial constraints, a lack of clear legal guidance, and limited ESG implementation capacity.”

To address these challenges, Mr. Nguyễn Hoàng Nam advised that businesses to invest in internal ESG training, develop reliable reporting data systems, proactively seek green finance partners, and engage with industry associations to learn best practices.

Practical Models and Industry Best Practices

Despite the challenges, ESG implementation in Vietnam has seen encouraging progress. At the policy level, the Vietnamese Government has issued the Green Growth Strategy for 2021–2030. The forum also featured representatives from leading companies in ESG execution and certification, including IDICO Industrial Park, Schneider Electric, Ares International Certification, Dan-D Foods, and Micro Electricity .

For instance, IDICO Industrial Park has introduced greener practices in heavy industry. It has installed rooftop solar systems across pre-built factories and reused wastewater. IDICO also prioritises human capital by developing convenient social housing, attracting quality workers. Meanwhile, Schneider Electric, with a Net Zero target by 2050, is actively developing clean technologies such as clean electricity and grid decarbonization to reduce its carbon footprint.

Cathay United Bank : Partnering with Vietnamese Businesses for Sustainability

By 2024, CUB had earned nearly 90 prestigious awards recognising achievements in asset management, digital innovation, and ESG practices—a testament to its position as a responsible and forward-thinking bank. Most recently, Cathay United Bank ranked in the top 20% of the Financial Supervisory Commission’s sustainable finance ratings.

Guided by its vision, positioning Vietnam as “second home,” CUB has taken significant steps in the recent years to promote ESG development across the country. Notably, the branch partnered with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to finance Vietnam’s largest onshore wind power project in Ninh Thuận province, with a total investment of USD 107 million.

Furthermore, the Cathay United Bank Ho Chi Minh City Branch has launched a green loan programme in the form of CAPEX financing to support Vietnamese companies in developing sustainable, eco-friendly projects. The first phase factories under this initiative were the first in Northern Vietnam to receive the international LEED green building certification.

Mr. VJ Lu, the General Manager of CUB Ho Chi Minh City Branch stated, “Throughout today’s seminar, we’ve looked at real challenges and practical solutions for ESG and sustainable development. Whether it was energy transition, strategy, or real business stories—it all comes down to one thing: working together. Collaboration really is key if we want to drive long-term change.”

As the opening event of CUB’s 20 years anniversary celebration in Vietnam, this seminar underscores the bank’s commitment to connecting people, ideas, and solutions. Embracing the message “Better Together”, CUB affirms that ESG is not a solitary path, but a shared responsibility requiring collaboration across the enterprise–finance–community ecosystem to move further, together.

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SOURCE Cathay United Bank

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EZVIZ’ s award-winning RS20 Max honored: A visionary leap in smart home cleaning recognized by the prestigious German Innovation Awards

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May 14, 2025

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HOOFDDORP, Netherlands, May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — EZVIZ, a global leader in smart home technology, proudly unveils the RS20 Max, a next-generation 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop combo that redefines smart cleaning. Crowned a winner at the prestigious German Innovation Awards, the RS20 Max stands as a testament to EZVIZ’ s unwavering commitment to product innovation and user-centric design. Blending AI-driven automation, advanced cleaning performance, and an all-in-one base station, it sets a new standard for whole-home smart cleaning solutions.

The German Innovation Awards are among the most esteemed honors in international technology communities, recognizing products that break new ground and deliver tangible value to users. Chosen from over 520 entries across 23 countries, EZVIZ’ s RS20 Max was lauded by a distinguished interdisciplinary jury for its trailblazing AI automation and outstanding functionality, affirming EZVIZ’s position at the forefront of smart home innovation.

“EZVIZ is betting on a future where cleaning is a brand new part of a smarter lifestyle,” said Kimi Zhou, product manager of smart cleaning at EZVIZ. “With the RS20 Max, you get a self-sufficient partner in your home so you can spend less time doing chores and more time living.”

Traditional robot vacuums often miss stains or get stuck around furniture. The RS20 Max eliminates these frustrations with omni-dimensional spatial information processing powered by an AI RGB camera, LDS navigation and structured light. It recognizes 108 types of objects and navigates around obstacles with ease. More impressively, it detects liquid and sticky stains, something most robots overlook. Once the RS20 Max spots dirty areas, it lifts its brushes, boosts water flow, and re-mops up to three times to ensure a deep clean. With dynamic task adjustments and hands-free automation, the RS20 Max adapts in real time for optimal cleaning every time.

Power meets precision in its 13,000 Pa suction, delivering exceptional results from high-pile carpets to grooved hard floors. The patented 3-in-1 CutFree brush tackles tangled hair and hidden dust without clogging. Paired with dual rotating mop pads spinning at 180 RPM, it scrubs more thoroughly than typical mops. After each session, it empties the dustbin, cleans and dries the mop pads, and refills the water tank, so the RS20 Max is always ready for the next job, with no manual effort required.

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