RICHMOND, Va. and DURHAM, N.C., June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Slope, the only end-to-end, vendor-agnostic software provider for managing clinical inventory and biospecimens, and Velocity Clinical Research, the world’s largest organization of fully-owned and integrated clinical research sites, today announced that their strategic partnership has led to a comprehensive roll-out of Slope’s premium inventory management solution across Velocity’s 70+ sites spanning the United States and Europe. The deployment is already enabling Velocity to leverage trial equipment data to inform study feasibility decisions across its network.

This partnership represents a significant milestone for both organizations. Slope further solidifies its position in the clinical research space by standardizing its industry-leading clinical inventory management solution with a premier research site network, while Velocity gains access to an innovative platform that has already been adopted by over 2,400 research sites globally across over two dozen countries.

“Slope’s base inventory management solution had already been independently adopted at 31 of our sites,” said Nicholas Spittal, Chief Operations Officer at Velocity. “This grassroots adoption gave confidence that Slope is easy to use and already providing added value for running efficient sites. With real-time visibility into study equipment and clinical supplies across all of Velocity, we can now make faster, better-informed decisions about operational readiness, prioritization, and allocation of work. We’re already leveraging this data to support our study feasibility and quality assurance processes.”

“From its inception, Slope has championed research sites first and foremost,” said Rust Felix, Co-founder and CEO at Slope. “Research sites are on the front lines of clinical trials, playing the most challenging and critical role in bringing new therapies to patients. When we help them work more efficiently and reduce their administrative burden, the entire clinical research ecosystem benefits. We applaud Velocity for recognizing the value that Slope brings to research sites, and we’re excited that our partnership is already fueling our joint efforts to address one of the industry’s most significant pain points — managing the inventory and study equipment that are essential to running clinical trials.”

By feeding Slope’s equipment data into its broader operational infrastructure, Velocity can now determine at a glance whether a site is operationally ready to support a new study — reducing the time and guesswork involved in site selection. As the partnership continues to scale, both organizations expect these operational gains to translate into faster study startup times, reduced supply waste, and a stronger competitive position for Velocity’s sites in attracting new trials.

About Slope

Slope is the only end-to-end, vendor-agnostic software provider for managing clinical inventory and biospecimens across the entire clinical research ecosystem. Trusted by 2,400+ sites in over two dozen countries, Slope delivers measurable results: 71% average reduction in lab kit waste, 98% site adoption on sponsor-contracted trials, and up to 98% fewer lab queries.

By unifying and tech-enabling the clinical inventory and biospecimen lifecycle — inventory management and supply logistics; sample collection processing, storage, and shipment; and data exchange with core clinical systems like EDCs and lab databases — Slope eliminates the inefficiencies that slow trials, hinder site staff, and inflate costs. The platform serves research sites, sponsors, labs, and CROs with solutions ranging from premium inventory management for sites, to end-to-end biospecimen lifecycle management for all stakeholders. Learn more at slopeclinical.com.

About Velocity Clinical Research

Velocity Clinical Research is the world’s leading organization of fully-owned and integrated research sites. The company partners with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to research new drugs, medical devices, and diagnostics that could improve human health and wellbeing. Velocity’s unified research site solutions deliver the right patients, investigators, and research staff for clinical trials across the U.S. and Europe. For more information, visit velocityclinical.com.

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SOURCE Slope

Enables AI agents and developers to autonomously activate communications services and launch voice applications in minutes

RALEIGH, N.C., June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bandwidth Inc. (NASDAQ: BAND), a leading global cloud communications company, today announced Bandwidth Build, a new platform enabling AI agents and developers to autonomously provision and launch communications services on the Bandwidth Communications Cloud.

As AI increasingly becomes a builder, operator, and consumer of digital infrastructure, communications services must become as accessible to AI agents as they are to human developers. Bandwidth Build extends the Bandwidth Communications Cloud into this emerging agentic ecosystem, enabling AI agents to provision communications capabilities and launch voice applications through automated workflows. It also gives human developers a faster path from experimentation to production. Bandwidth Build is accessible via a self-serve UI, API, CLI, and SDKs. Once authenticated, AI agents can use Bandwidth’s MCP Server to securely access Bandwidth APIs, provision communications services, and automate workflows.

“AI agents are building, configuring, and operating technology on their own. With Build, we’re extending the Bandwidth Communications Cloud to support that shift,” said John Bell, Bandwidth’s Chief Product Officer. “AI agents and developers can access the same production-grade voice infrastructure that powers mission-critical communications for enterprises worldwide. Build eliminates the friction between an idea and a working application by providing immediate availability.”

Bandwidth Build starts with a trial that includes a pre-configured U.S. phone number, complimentary usage credits, and immediate access to Bandwidth’s Voice API to get started. Agents and developers can build voice applications using the communications capabilities most commonly required for AI-powered interactions, including inbound and outbound calling, text-to-speech, transcription, recording, and conferencing–all on the same global mission-critical infrastructure used by Bandwidth’s enterprise customers.

AI agents and human developers can start building at bandwidth.com/build-sign-up.

About Bandwidth Inc.
Bandwidth Inc. (NASDAQ: BAND) is a global cloud communications company that helps enterprises deliver exceptional experiences through voice calling, text messaging and emergency services. Our solutions and our Communications Cloud, covering 65+ countries and ~90 percent of global GDP, are trusted by all the leaders in unified communications and cloud contact centers–including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Cisco, Google, Microsoft, RingCentral, Zoom, Genesys and Five9–as well as Global 2000 enterprises and SaaS builders like Docusign, Uber and Yosi Health. As a founder of the cloud communications revolution, we are the first and only global Communications Platform-as-a-Service (CPaaS) to offer a unique combination of composable APIs, AI capabilities, owner-operated network and broad regulatory experience. Our award-winning support teams help businesses around the world transform their communications every day.

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SOURCE Bandwidth Inc.

Vacuum-Compatible 6-Axis Hexapod for Precision Positioning of Heavy Loads up to 80kg

SHREWSBURY, Mass., June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — PI (Physik Instrumente), a global leader in precision motion control and nanopositioning technologies, announces the H-850.H2IV vacuum-compatible hexapod, a six-degree-of-freedom positioning system designed for high-precision alignment and motion control in demanding vacuum environments.

Target applications include semiconductor manufacturing, lithography, synchrotron beamlines, optical alignment, aerospace testing, and advanced scientific research.

Key Specifications:

Vacuum compatibility: down to 10⁻⁶ hPaLoad capacity: up to 80 kg (176 lbs)Repeatability: ±0.2 µmSelf-holding force: 200 kg (440 lbs) horizontal; 50 kg (110 lbs) in any orientationMotion axes: X, Y, Z translation + pitch, roll, and yaw rotationArchitecture: parallel-kinematic, six simultaneous actuators

Parallel Kinematics for Superior Performance
Unlike stacked serial-axis systems, the H-850.H2IV uses a parallel-kinematic architecture in which all six actuators move a common platform simultaneously. This delivers higher structural stiffness, lower moving mass, improved path accuracy, and better repeatability across all axes. Because cables remain stationary, the cable management issues common in serial systems are eliminated — a meaningful advantage in vacuum installations.

Self-Locking Drive Improves Safety and Stability
The self-locking drive mechanism in the vacuum hexapod holds loads in position without power, preventing drift during extended measurement cycles, power interruptions, or sensitive alignment procedures. This protects expensive payloads and reduces overall power consumption.

Simulation Software Reduces Integration Risk
PI’s PIVirtualMove software allows engineers to verify workspace limits, payload conditions, force and torque constraints, and center-of-gravity effects before deployment — reducing project risk and accelerating system integration.

Industries Served and Applications
Typical applications of the hexapod include the alignment of optics in vacuum chambers, lithography and inspection systems, beamline instrumentation, and satellite sensor testing.

Specifications, datasheet: H-850.x2IV Vacuum-Compatible Hexapod

PI Americas
www.pi-usa.us | info@pi-usa.us | (508) 832-3456
Media Contact
press-release@pi-usa.us

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SOURCE Physik Instrumente (PI)