Building any new product is a costly process for any manufacturer. According to John Wolkonowicz, Senior Analyst for IHS Global—an automotive and technology analytics firm—it can cost between $1 billion and $6 billion to develop a completely new vehicle from the ground up. As a result, BMW is aiming to cut costs involved in the research and development process by adding an interesting concept to the mix—virtual reality.
BMW has used Unreal Engine 4, the very same engine used in video games developed by Epic, to accomplish this. Engineers and designers can use this technology to collaborate effectively by testing how various components of a car look when assembled. In order to simulate everything about the car, BMW has even built rooms to mock the cabin of a car. Sound—road noise, engine noise, and even traffic—is pumped into the area to simulate an actual trip in a vehicle. Televisions are placed around the area to show passing by cars and landscape, and wind is even generated by fans. All of these tangible items are coupled with VR and augmented reality to provide a realistic-feeling test environment.
Previously, engineers needed to build full scale models of their vehicles. The body design was sculpted out of clay, the interior was pieced together using prototype after prototype, and the design was likely to be tweaked before the project's stakeholders on the top floor gave the okay for production. Using VR, the cost of this part of the engineering process is cut significantly. It would no longer be necessary to produce multiple physical models of various items to piece together and potentially reject due to fitment or design conflicts.
Auto manufacturers are no stranger to VR being part of their daily life. Companies like IC.IDO have been creating software for some time which assist engineers in creating a brand new product and evaluating any flaws which may present themselves when being physically used. But gone is the need for entire facilities dedicated to VR prototyping. BMW hopes to accomplish the exact same scenario using something as inexpensive as an HTC Vive.
BMW has previously announced that it wants to increase its profits by selling more SUVs in order to expand the electric fleet into its mainstream lineup. With the associated cost savings, it may be possible to help curb the SUV takeover.
Get a 360-degree look at the grueling conditions Ford Performance put the EcoBoost F-150 Raptor through.
Hang off the front of a new Ford Mustang as it claims Paris as its own for a VR version of C’etait un Rendez-Vous.
It's a quiet autumn day. The air is a bit chilly and the whole day is plagued by interlopes of rain. It's the perfect day to visit a pumpkin patch and that's exactly what me and my friend did last Wednesday. In this post I'll be talking a bit about what I wore that day :).
So for this outfit I wanted to go with something semi-cozy, casual and "effortless" (even though it took me at least 30 minutes to find out what I was wearing, but still). Lately I've been obsessed with layering this sheer turtleneck under everything. It's honestly one of the things you can't go wrong with. Wear it under a band tee, a top like the one I'm wearing here, a sweater or just on its own and it'll always be a hit. If you need to get anything for the fall season; let it be some good layering tops like this one!!
I went for skinny jeans instead of more baggy ones because I wanted to balance out the baggy-ness of the top. This top is gorgeous btw, the lace gives me French vibes and the silky material gives it a subtle femininity. Since I wanted to keep the outfit very badass like always I paired it with these kick-ass boots from Forever 21 to create a powerful silhouette. These boots are also one of my latest obsessions, I love their chunky heel, marvelous glow and their versatility.
I recently got this new Fjällraven 13 inch (laptop) backpack in black and I'm so happy I bit the bullet and got it! My old backpack was literally falling apart so it was a necessary purchase, and I'm happy I decided to get this one. I might write an entire post about my experience with it so far, if you guys are interested in that :). Anyways, I used it in this look because of practical reasons; I needed to transfer the pumpkins I bought home after all. You'd actually be surprised at how much fits in here, 'cause it's a lot more than you probably think.
I got these 2 little pumpkins! :). Also: you can see the song I was listening to while writing this lol. (It's "white noise" by Zozaleenie on Soundcloud. Other faves of her include "Standing right here", "I feel fine" and "Nowhere to be found")
For the rest of the accessories: I wore my elegant, twisted earrings from Sfera to continue the French vibes and add a little statement, I wore my little bee ring from & Other Stories for a little extra touch of jewelry and my Apple watch because I've been wearing it every day for about two months now (Might do a blogpost on my opinions).
Anyways, that was it for this blogpost! I hope you enjoyed seeing my OOTD and reading about it. Do you ever go to a pumpkin patch during autumn? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!
Clearly I have missed some races. I watched all of them just haven’t written about them yet. I didn’t go to Fontana yet again which …
I mean, A LOT of graphics! I think the theme of the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season will be ‘Explanation.’ Everybody is going to …
The last laps of last night’s race at Richmond were chock full of WTF moments I’m not quite sure where to begin.
Yea, I don’t know. I’m just going with it. 🙂 Congratulations to Joey Logano and the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil team on their win at Michigan …
Sunday morning I woke up ridiculously early so that I could get to the track in time to get a ride in the pace car …
And he didn’t tell anyone. UPDATE: Paul Menard married his longtime girlfriend, Jennifer Roster, on November 30, 2012. More details here.
I don’t know if you heard but there was a little incident at Phoenix International Raceway yesterday. It was so small that it caused #NASCAR …
I woke up early Sunday morning to clear skies and no rain. When rain is a possibility during a race weekend I’ve taken the stance …
Over 3,600 votes were cast in the final round of the 2012 Hottest NASCAR Driver Tournament. Kasey Kahne defeated Paul Menard for the title! With …
Over 4,400 votes were cast in Round 4 and now we’re ready to reveal the two drivers that have made it to the Finals of …
Over 4,700 votes (whoa! that’s a record!) were cast in Round 3 and now we’re ready to reveal the four drivers that have made it …
Over 1,700 votes were cast in Round 2 and now we’re ready to reveal the drivers that have made it in to Round 3 of …
Over 600 votes were cast and now we’re ready to reveal the drivers that have made it in to Round Two of the 2012 Hottest …
Where the hell have I been?? It feels like forever ago since I’ve written anything but there’s a totally awesome reason why: I met a …
How much did you LOVE the racing between Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch? And how much did you ADORE their post-race face-to-face (with respectful distance) …
Congratulations to Paul Menard and the No. 27 NIBCO/Menards Chevy team! This season has definitely been the year of the first-time winner and I couldn’t …
Friday morning in Las Vegas started with me arriving at the track just in time to interview J.J. Yeley at his hauler. But I found …
I’m having too much fun with this contest. I was right when I thought things would get much more interesting in Round Two and the …
It’s time for Round Two! But first let’s find out what happened in Round One. Kyle Busch (68%) defeated Jeff Burton (32%) Juan Pablo Montoya …
She was born July 1, 1920, in Cornish, the oldest daughter of Leroy Morgan Douglass and Viola Lowell Douglass. She grew up in Cornish and graduated from Cornish High School.
McGowen was a member of the Cornish Federated Church and later the Orr’s and Bailey Island United Church. She was a past president and life member of the Harpswell Islands School PTA. She was also a member of the Francis Sullivan American Legion in Cornish and past president of the John Leo Murray American Legion Auxiliary, Unit 171 of Harpswell.
McGowen was married to Alan Carl McGowen, son of Carl E. McGowen and Elsie G. McGowen, in Cornish on Aug. 11, 1940. They lived in Cornish and West Baldwin until moving to Harpswell in 1952. She was employed as an operator for the New England Telephone Company in Cornish for eight years, and was an Avon representative in Harpswell for over 20 years. The McGowens spent many winters in Titusville, Fla.
McGowen was predeceased by her husband of 64 years in 2004 and a brother, Clinton L. Douglass, of Fryeburg.
She is survived by her sisters Gladys Douglas Edmondson, of Rome, Ga., and Rosalie Douglas Burt, of Ohio and Fort Myers, Fla.; brother Fred L. Douglass, of West Baldwin; sister-in-law Elaine McGowen Bride; brothers-in-law Neil W. McGowen, of Orono, and Bruce F. McGowen, of Lewiston; three sons and their wives, Alan C. McGowen II and his wife Cynthia, of Lincoln, Mich., Scott L. McGowen and his wife Katherine, of South Dakota and Arizona, and Jay L. McGowen and Barbara, of Orr’s Island and Indian Harbor Beach, Fla.; and nine grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A funeral service was held Tuesday at the Brackett Funeral Home with the Rev. Ron McLaughlin officiating. Interment will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, in the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Mount Vernon Road, Augusta.
Five years ago, I walked my son Charlie to his first day of kindergarten. I thought I was ready; I really did. I held his hand and then had to let go as he ran the last half block, overcome with excitement, his backpack slapping away with his footsteps and his shouts.
Then we took him to his classroom, where he triumphantly found his seat and waved goodbye to me, and as I walked out of the school I felt untethered. Hot tears started to sting my eyes, and I thought, He’s all alone in there. How will he cope? What if someone is mean? What if he doesn’t like his lunch? What if there is no mom around when he needs one?
This year’s first day of school was remarkably easier, but I still found myself wondering the same questions. Both my boys are older and able to figure out the school lunch conundrum, and even a bit of long division, but still, my fears remain.
The Bible tells us that fear is not from God. It surfaces in our lives, and we smush it down, or try to deal, or end up totally succumbing to it. Some people (okay, me) find fear to be constantly on call some days. I know it’s not in sync with the Holy Spirit’s desire for my day, so, anytime those fearful thoughts and aches and pains crop up, I know we are not aligned. Because I swat at fear so often, this knowledge makes me even more afraid that my faith is a mess. But honestly, it’s progress, not perfection over in my world.
I know the spiritual answer to fear is to pray and meditate on the Word, to keep in constant contact with God, who understands these fears. But sometimes when my prayers are about my children, I need a little more direction. I find myself praying, vaguely, “Lord, help my kids to have a great day at school. Help people to be nice. And if my boys are not kind, could you please take care of that, since I won’t be there? Thank you.” This is the best I can do on some days.
On our most hectic mornings, as I push them out the door with their gigantic backpacks and lunch boxes and instrument cases and late homework, such a prayer is probably better than nothing. But I can do better than “better than nothing.” My children deserve it. My God certainly should inspire it. And I need it—because the act of prayer is a continued conversation with Jesus, and I don’t feel like surface conversations really suit.
This is when I start to lean very heavily on that “we do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans” verse in Romans 8:26. There is a lot of groaning, mostly about my kids being kind and sharing with others and not learning any more bad words from that one kid in their class. And since God is so very kind and loves to share, God gave me some specific ideas in terms of back-to-school prayers for my kids.
One of God’s most repeated requests is that I be patient with prayer. God wants me to trust the act of prayer itself, to trust that my prayers are heard upon first uttering. When I start to rev up to repeated and terse mutterings because I am not so sure God listened, I need to practice trust. “Put it in the God box,” my friend Lee would tell me. “Don’t take it back and unfold it and keep editing or adding to it. Leave it in there. God can read.”
But here’s the twist (and with God, there is so very often a twist): God blesses fervency. God understands repeated prayer. God respects the type of prayer that we say again and again because we simply must ask again, please—because it’s so important. I think, for me, the difference was figuring out that I didn’t need to repeat myself just because God didn’t care the first time around. Instead, I can echo my prayers because a chorus often feels comforting to sing again and again (and again), like we do in church. Not because we’re afraid to end the song but because the continuation seems like breathing.
I also started realizing that my prayers for my kids are not supposed to function as Band-aids for my feelings. I know this probably seems obvious, but for some of us it can be tough to understand that the majority of our communing with God should not be . . . all about us.
So I actually sat down with my eight- and nine-year-old and asked them what they wanted me to pray for them, this year at school. We weeded our way through requests for easy homework and super-nice teachers and got into the nitty gritty: “I want to have at least three sick days this year!” Henry told me adamantly. “I can stay home and watch Star Wars and drink 7-Up!” (This happened to his brother last year after a bad bout with strep, and Henry is still jealous.)
I made notes in my prayer journal and then showed them the list. And I made sure they understood that someone was praying for them over the practical ins and outs of their school day. Every day. I did explain, however, that I draw the line at asking for sickness. My journal sits open on the kitchen table every morning as the boys slurp down their Cheerios. That way they know Mom won’t forget—because she wrote it down. And then, of course, Mom forgets. And God understands.
God shows me other ways to pray. God shows me the class pictures that are stuck up on the refrigerator: twenty tiny images with gap-toothed smiles and hair that sticks up. And I don’t just pray for my boys when I see those images but also for one or two of the other kids in the class. Maybe the one with the super-big hair bow and the pink Hello Kitty shirt. I relax into it while I put away the milk and eggs, and I remember other kids need prayer too.
Or I pray when I drive by the elementary school on one of my errands. Or while I put away the endless pairs of shoes that seem to migrate all over our house. Or I sing Toby Mac (the boys’ favorite Christian artist) at the top of my lungs in the car, and the prayer is shouted in the lyrics about shining bright and speaking life.
And of course, I pray over each child after bedtime. It is then that my prayers cycle back to the helpless ones that mothers utter when they watch their children’s eyelashes flutter against their cheeks, so deeply asleep. “Please. Keep them safe. Please, let them be kind. Please, let others be kind to them.”
Dana is a wife, mother, teacher, writer, and runner simultaneously. The writing is only possible because her family donates loads of material. Dana spent more than twenty years as an English teacher and decided to start a writing career after she had her two children—because she had so much free time. In 2015, Dana was thrilled to be asked by Central Recovery Press to write a book about moms in recovery. "Bottled: A Mom’s Guide to Early Recovery", available on Amazon, took exactly nine months to write. It is her third baby. It is much less demanding.
While youth is at the center of our vision, we realize that our global ambitions like entering South Africa's Global T20 league with Benoni Zalmi and successfully growing Global Zalmi, a unique and unprecedented fan-based initiative involving cricket fans globally,
Meanwhile, UAE umpire Iftikhar Ali flew out to Benoni to take apart in the World Cricket League Division five matches being hosted by Cricket South Africa.
ISLAMABAD -- Former South African captain and the head coach of T20 Global League team Benoni Zalmi has said that he is happy to see international cricket returning to Pakistan.
Summary: Johannesburg [South Africa], August 22 (ANI): Former South Africa skipper Graeme Smith will begin his first stint as professional coach with T20 Global League franchise Benoni Zalmi.
Contract Awarded for Department of Justice & CD: Benoni Magistrate Court: c/o Harpur & Tom Jones street,: Rendering of cleaning services for a period of 24 months.
In the youth section there was success for nine-year-old Tyler Essam (two golds, two silvers, one bronze), 10-year-old Kaedyn Kamara (three golds, one silver), 12-year-old Wayde Benoni (six golds) and 12-year-old Mikai White (three golds).
The games will both take place at Benoni in South Africa, with Ireland playing the hosts at Sahara Park, Willowmoore on Sunday September 25, before facing the touring Australians two days later.
For its part, Benoni confirmed "the strength of the historical ties between the two countries and the need to upgrade them to confront the forces of extremism and global terrorism," indicating that "the battle waged by Iraq is the battle of all peace-loving forces and Italy supports Iraq in a fair fight by all possible means " .
Defense Minister To His Italian Counterpart: The Military Operations In Anbar Conducted In Accordance With A Deliberate Plan