Technology Reseller - v14 2018

01732 759725 08 NEWS : VENDORS Scottish secondary school pupils have become the first in the world to benefit from LiFi technology, which uses light to establish high-speed wireless internet connections. The project at Kyle Academy in Ayr, Scotland is being conducted by pureLiFi, the University of Edinburgh and Scottish Futures Trust, with the help of a £16,000 grant from the Scottish Government’s Digital Schools initiative. LiFi technology is a secure, high- speed, bi-directional, networked wireless communication technology that uses light waves rather than radio waves to transmit data. When installed alongside Wi-Fi, the additional bandwidth it provides reduces network congestion, enabling students to stream educational videos and download resources with seamless connectivity. Kyle Academy is using a pureLiFi system made up of eight ceiling-mounted LiFi-enabled LED light bulbs, which connect to LiFi-XC Stations plugged into students’ laptops. https://purelifi.com/technology/ LiFi world first for Kyle Academy Brother launches one of a kind AiRScouter Brother UK has appointed commercial drone specialist COPTRZ as exclusive reseller of its AiRScouter head-mounted displays (HMDs). The HD 1080p displays give drone pilots the ability to view a drone’s live video feed, while maintaining line of sight with the device. They can be worn over either eye, supported by a flexi arm and a headband, with or without accessories such as helmets or glasses. Following the agreement between the two companies, COPTRZ will sell Brother’s WD-350B, WD-360B and WD-370B HMDs alongside its existing range of aerial photography products and UAV services for business. Steve Coulson, Founder and Managing Director of COPTRZ, said: “The AiRScouter is a unique piece of kit. There’s nothing quite like it in the unmanned aerial vehicle space, and we expect it to have a huge impact on commercial drone operations across all sectors, particularly for businesses operating at extended visual line of sight.” www.coptrz.com Start-up services for drone entrepreneurs The first dedicated incubator and start- up services for the drone industry have been launched by SUAS Global, the world’s largest online drone network. The new services will give entrepreneurs, professionals and drone enthusiasts access to information, experts, finance facilities, business opportunities and special interest groups. Highlights include tender intelligence and support system guides to help new companies win business and a recruitment platform for finding employees with the right skills. SUAS Global was recently acquired by Drone Major Group Limited, the world’s first commercial organisation dedicated to connecting, supporting and trading with all stakeholders in the drone industry. www.suas-global.com M-Files receives E 27 million in European financing The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a € 27 million financing agreement with intelligent information management specialist M-Files. The loan was made possible by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), a central pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe, which was launched by the EIB Group and the European Commission to boost the competitiveness of the European economy. EIB Vice-President Alexander Stubb said: “M-Files already has an excellent position in the market, but we believe that it has the potential to fundamentally change how businesses leverage information in the future and, in the process, get much bigger. We’re happy to support that.” n M-Files recently announced M-Files Online, claimed to be the first information management system to let users combine cloud and on-premises deployments with a single user license. www.m-files.com R&D grant for Ranplan Wireless Ranplan Wireless, the UK subsidiary of Swedish parent Ranplan Group AB, has received an R&D cash credit payment of more than SEK 3.9m (approx. £336,000) from the UK Government to support further development of its wireless network planning tool. Ranplan Professional helps plan and co-ordinate indoor and outdoor wireless networks, including Small Cells, DAS and Wi-Fi, using the most accurate prediction models to reduce costs and optimise coverage. The UK Government introduced R&D cash credits in 2000 as an incentive for emerging companies to invest in innovation. www.ranplanwireless.com Box appoints new boss for Europe Cloud content management company Box has appointed Chris Baker as SVP and General Manager of EMEA to accelerate growth in the region. Baker joins Box after nearly four years as Managing Director of SAP Concur, where he tripled revenues inside two years and managed hundreds of employees through the SAP acquisition. www.box.com NEC targets healthcare Enterprise communications and IT solutions provider NEC Enterprise Solutions has introduced an Executive Healthcare Partner Program for channel partners active in the healthcare sector. The program is designed to help partners uncover new opportunities for NEC’s integrated solutions, which are already used by more than 15,000 healthcare institutions globally. www.nec-enterprise.com