Wednesday, November 29, 2023
OAIRE named to ‘Fast Company’s’ Next Big Things in Tech List Courtesy of OSU News
to shape the future of industries — from health care and security to artificial intelligence and data. This year, 119 technologies developed by established companies, startups, or research teams are highlighted The Oklahoma Aerospace Infor their cutting-edge advancements and stitute for Research and Education at potential to impact consumers, busiOklahoma State University has been nesses and society overall. While not all named to ‘Fast Company’s’ third annual of the technological developments are Next Big Things in Tech list, honoring available in the market yet, each one is technology breakthroughs that promise reaching key milestones in order to have
a proven impact in the next five years. “The Next Big Things in Tech is not just a look around the corner — it’s a look around the corner after that,” said Brendan Vaughan, Fast Company editor-in-chief. “These are the products and ideas that will define technological innovation for the rest of this decade and beyond — and solve some of the world’s most pressing issues. We are thrilled to honor the organizations that are making them a reality.”
OAIRE’s nomination cited a variety of projects and initiatives with a focus on its work with the OSU Global Consortium For Explosive Hazard Mitigation (OSU GCEHM), which is based at the OSU Center for Health Sciences. OAIRE helped find an innovative approach to landmine detection that could save lives on a global scale: utilizing drone technology and machine learning for mine detection and mitigation. See OAIRE on 6
‘Glow,’ one guy’s dream of a really, really big Christmas, comes to life in South Jersey Rita Giordano The Philadelphia Inquirer When it comes to Christmas lights and holiday displays, Dan Uszaki goes BIG. So big that for years, cars came from miles around to marvel at his ever-expanding masterpiece of synchronized light and sound — think the Eagles’ fight song — at the Uszaki residence in Deptford, New Jersey. So big, in fact, that “The Great Christmas Light Fight” show picked his home display from last year to be in this year’s national contest, airing Dec. 12. But big had hit its limit. Uszaki felt he’d exhausted the possibilities of his suburban half acre and decided that last year was his last. But he hadn’t counted on neighbors’ reactions. People got teary talking to him. “We’re so sad to see it go,” they said. “I just couldn’t ignore it,” said Uszaki, 43, who is the athletic director for the Northern Burlington Regional School District. “I just said, ‘OK, I’m not going to do it at my house. Is there something I can do that’s bigger?’ ”
The answer to that question was a resounding YES! “My wife thinks I’m freakin’ nuts,” Uszaki said. Black Friday was the grand opening of Glow, Uszaki and friends’ winter wonderland of synchronized lights, towering cutouts, carnival rides, and other attractions spread across 20 acres in Washington Township. The theme of this enterprise is “Glow big or Glow home!” There is the Dazzling District — a holiday funland with rides including a big Ferris wheel and a kiddie train, food vendors, everybody-winssomething games, and entertainment. The 3.5 million lights of Glow Glow is a three-quarter mile drive-through course of lights and Yuletide and SouthJersey-themed joy. A couple of days before the opening, Uszaki said he was up to over 3.5 million lights. The guy who tries to top himself every year with bigger and better selfmade structures — his massive Lombardi Trophy, for one — called on the same talents for Glow. He’s pretty stoked about Sno-torious B.I.G. — a 45-foot snowman that will tower over this miracle on Berlin-Cross Keys Road. See Glow on 7
Tribune Content Agency A relative of a hostage reacts during a rally calling for hostages to be released in the Tel Aviv museum plaza on Oct. 28, 2023, in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Hamas releases 12 hostages despite claims of truce violations Gwen Ackerman and Alisa Odenheimer Bloomberg News
helicopter to Israeli hospitals, where their families awaited, according to the Israel Defense Forces. Earlier, the IDF said some of its soldiers were lightly wounded in three Hamas has turned over 12 more hostages — 10 Israelis separate explosions and an ensuing shooting in the northand two Thai citizens — to ern part of the besieged Gaza the Red Cross, according to Strip. A Hamas official who is the Israeli prime minister’s office, despite earlier compet- a spokesman for its military ing claims of violations of the wing said without elaborating deal that brought their war to a that “a field clash” took place after Israeli troops violated the temporary pause. terms of the cease-fire arrangeRed Cross representament. tives transferred the 12 freed The militant group, hostages to Egypt, and they designated a terrorist organizawere later being flown by
tion by the U.S. and European Union, pledged to adhere to the truce as long as Israel sticks to its end of the deal. Israel’s military didn’t report any fighting that would indicate a possible escalation. The deal to pause the conflict has been extended by two days beyond its original expiration on Tuesday morning. Hamas, which released about 50 hostages as part of the original agreement, is expected to free another 20 over the next two days, in exchange for a continuation of releases of Palestinian prisoners by Israel. See Truce on 8
Tribune Content Agency Kim Uszaki, 41, drives her niece and nephews Left to right, Stella, 9, Carson, 7, and Dalton Stinson, 5, through one of the light tunnels in the Glow drive-through light show in Washington Township.