AI assisting parental leave, Ikea expanding, CES Auto trend #232 / February 9, 2024 (Fri) / Confidential |
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Having served as a coordinator at the Kia Design Center in the United States for the past four years, Mr. Ham is now returning to Korea. Despite the unprecedented challenges posed by the ongoing COVID-19 situation, he adapted to the constantly changing circumstances without hesitation. He is now commencing a new challenge in the Future Design team 2. |
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I extend my sincere gratitude to Mr. Ham for the hard work and dedication over the past four years! Wishing him continued good health in your new location, and may he carry only fond memories from your time at the Kia Design Center in the America!!!
P.S) The precious time spent with Manager Park Jae-yeon and Manager Choi Eun-sung during the one-year Exchange Program is also coming to an end. I can't believe how quickly these moments with Namyang designers have passed. Looking forward to ongoing collaboration through various programs in the future. (Great job, everyone!) |
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[ Content of this week ]
01 Consumer Trend : Facilitating the initiation of parental leave for the uninformed through AI chatbots – introducing PaidLeave.ai.
02 Expansion : IKEA ventures into the realms of smart homes and security games.
03 Automotive Weekly : CES 2024 - Auto Tech |
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01 Consumer Trend : Facilitating the initiation of parental leave for the uninformed through AI chatbots – introducing PaidLeave.ai.
California was the first state to introduce paid parental leave in 2004. Under this policy, during the six weeks of parental leave, an amount equivalent to 55% of the monthly salary or $1,104 per week is provided. This provision is not only intended for childbirth but can also be utilized by parents or caregivers facing health issues, caring for children, spouses, or domestic partners. However, prospective parents must navigate complex information and legalities to understand the duration and financial support for paid leave, marking the beginning of a challenging journey.
To assist individuals in understanding and applying for these benefits, Moms First, located in New York, has proposed a tool named PaidLeave.ai, utilizing OpenAI's GPT-4. This tool offers clear and honest answers regarding the rights and benefits future parents can enjoy based on paid family leave data in New York. Users can obtain responses to various personal questions ranging from "I'm pregnant; how should I prepare?" to "Efficiently applying for paid leave at my workplace and my spouse's workplace."
Built on New York's paid family leave data, the tool guides users on eligibility, planning, form completion, and document submission to HR managers, not only for parental leave but also for information on family caregiving, personal medical leave, and benefits for active-duty military families. PaidLeave.ai provides information in English, Spanish, and Chinese, and Moms First strives to extend this tool to other states as well.
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[Jenna's Insight]
PaidLeave.ai is addressing a socially specific issue in the United States, striving to provide a more comprehensive and easily accessible solution than in other countries. Reshma Saujani mentioned that "one in four new mothers in the U.S. return to work within two weeks of giving birth, and over 90% of low-income U.S. citizens neither apply for nor receive paid leave benefits."
Even when benefits are available, people may still struggle to determine their rights and how to submit claims. A study by the Brookings Institution revealed that weekly paid leave is underutilized, citing a lack of awareness or difficulties in paperwork as common reasons people miss out on benefits in different countries.
Within companies, chatbots are gradually being introduced to decipher complex HR policies and assist employees in finding straightforward answers to essential questions. These chatbots use limited language models, minimizing the risk of providing incorrect information. Can our organization leverage AI-based tools to provide information that helps customers or employees navigate their benefits and well-being effectively?
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02 Expansion : IKEA Dives into Smart Home and Security Gaming
Around 15 years ago, IKEA began catching the eye with smart devices such as speakers, light bulbs, and air purifiers. Since then, the expansion has continued, evolving from various smart chargers to lighting and connected audio devices. Now, IKEA is making its foray into home security devices. |
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PARASOLL is designed as an individual sensor that can be installed on windows or doors, providing app notifications every time the door or window opens or closes. |
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Taking it a step further, VALLHORN is an indoor/outdoor wireless motion sensor that activates lighting upon detecting movement. It allows for adjusting the color and intensity of the lighting based on the detected motion. |
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Finally, Ikea has introduced BADRING, designed to address the costly issue of leaks in American homes. This system features sensors that, upon detecting water, send mobile notifications to alert users instantly.
The prices for these three sensors have not been disclosed yet, but PARASOLL and VALLHORN are set to be unveiled at IKEA stores later this month, while the leak sensor is scheduled for release in the spring of next year. |
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[Jenna's Insight]
When IKEA first introduced wireless chargers, smart speakers, and LED lights, there was a fresh feeling of ambition as they aimed to grow beyond being just an affordable modular furniture company. As a fan of IKEA, their food section, showcasing a keen interest in the environment, always provided a refreshing experience.
However, the recently unveiled smart products were somewhat disappointing. While IKEA has been praised as a company providing clean-designed furniture at affordable prices, the recent smart devices seemed lacking in clear reasons for IKEA, as a latecomer, to offer similar products when Amazon provides smarter devices at even cheaper and more accessible rates. In fact, the designs of smart devices from Xiaomi are more modern, prices are more budget-friendly, and durability is superior. Consequently, my IKEA shopping cart is gradually becoming lighter.
I simply think IKEA should focus more on what they are already good at. While integrating smart technology into furniture may be an inevitable direction, consumers will turn away if it's not innovative or special. The price of 'ordinary' smart speakers available in stores has already exceeded a considerable range, and they lack distinctive features.
IKEA's app, online services, and return services in the United States are downright poor. While other stores have convenient features like easy product searches and in-app checkouts, IKEA's services lack functionality in stores and have poor integration, making consumers hesitant to make purchases. As a fan, I hope IKEA doesn't just focus on expanding its product pool to keep up with the fast pace of the times but also strengthens its foundation to achieve sustainable growth for the company. 🤔
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03 Automotive Weekly : CES 2024 - Auto Tech
The 2024 CES, marking its centennial celebration as the world's largest consumer technology exhibition, opened its doors, featuring over 1,200 startups, participants from more than 150 countries and regions, and over 140,000 attendees. With over 4,000 exhibitors, the event highlighted innovations in artificial intelligence, sustainability, mobility, and universal human security.
In the automotive sector, with the overarching theme of "AI for All," manufacturers emphasized the integration of AI in areas such as entertainment, convenience, and safety. The focus extended beyond improving the driving experience to enhancing sensory experiences and maintaining passenger comfort, highlighting a preference for connected vehicle experiences for seamless functionality.
Examining the highlights of automotive companies through the four major themes below:
1) AI hits the road
Various car models attracted attention, showcasing the incorporation of AI for improving driving experiences, from voice assistants to the deployment of safety features. Notably, Vinfast presented MirrorSense AI, a remarkable feature that automatically adjusts the position of all mirrors by detecting the driver's head position and gaze direction. (Refer to the video below.) |
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2) Immersive interior enhancements that enhance audio and visual experiences.
The immersive interior, which enhances in-car audio and visual experiences, demonstrated a further growth trend compared to the previous year. |
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3) Disguised displays
While displays and dashboards featured prominently in last year’s show, automakers opted to showcase more discreet and incognito screens this year.
- AUO's (Taiwan) Interactive Transparent Window incorporates MicroLED displays into side windows, providing touch functionality for entertainment and online video conferencing
- Webasto Group (Germany) worked with LG Display to integrate a transparent fold-down screen into sunroofs, enabling the screen to remain unintrusive when switched off
- Plastic Ominium's (France) dynamic interior dashboard projection system illuminates the entire dashboard with colours and patterns to match the mood chosen by the driver
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4) Pain-free parking
As the charging speed accelerates, companies are striving to enhance the convenience and ease of electric vehicle charging..
- WiTricity's (US) Halo is a wireless EV charging system that the company will begin rolling out for golf carts as a convenient alternative to plug-in charging
- Imagen Energy's (US) EV charger includes mood-detection technology that can adapt advertising to suit the current user's disposition
- Imagen Energy's (US) EV charger includes mood-detection technology that can adapt advertising to suit the current user's disposition
- Valeo's (France) Ineez Air Charging can wirelessly charge vehicles up to 22kW and can be installed in public or at home
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In late November 2021, at Oxford High School in Michigan, Ethan Crumbley's mother, due to negligently managing her husband's firearm, received a verdict of involuntary manslaughter almost three years later, this week. According to CNN, she was charged with Gross Negligence, indicating extremely serious careless behavior.
The term 'murder' commonly refers to intentionally and premeditatedly causing the death of a person, while voluntary manslaughter involves killing someone in the heat of passion or in self-defense due to certain circumstances. Involuntary manslaughter is attributed to unintentional actions, and manslaughter by gross negligence, as in this case, denotes an even more serious level of negligence, suggesting some level of intentional wrongdoing.
In the mother's case, her mishandling of her husband's firearm may not have directly influenced the act of murder. Still, the parents, dealing carelessly with a mentally unstable teenager, created an opportunity for a mass shooting. On the day of the incident, when the child seemed mentally unstable and a call was made to pick up the child, the mother dismissed it, leaving the child unattended at school, leading to the tragic outcome. This week marks the first time a parent of a school shooter, particularly the mother, has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter, while the father's trial is scheduled for March.
While many teenagers in Korea are committing crimes, cases where appropriate punishment is not applied due to laws protecting juvenile offenders are frequently encountered. Reflecting on the U.S. case, where the reasons for a child's crime are extended to the parents, it brings to mind the situation of juvenile offenders in Korea. The United States applies strict sanctions, even for severe crimes committed by minors, through its Zero Tolerance Law, raising questions about what justice is and whether there is a country without unjust citizens. As one sows, so shall he reap
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Kia Design America
Written by Jenna Chwee jchwee@hatci.com101 Peters Canyon Rd. Irvine, CA 92606 714-472-1188수신거부 Unsubscribe |
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