Category: Technologies

The winners of the 100 Ideas for Cities Hackathon have been selected. The jury evaluated the projects based on the criteria of meeting the needs of communities, feasibility, innovation, and social impact.

As part of the large-scale project "Hackathon 100 Ideas for Cities", the results are being summarized and the winners are being determined. The official announcement is scheduled for the All-Ukrainian Forum of Mayors on November 8 in Kyiv.

The jury consisted of experts from various fields, and now the best ideas for rebuilding Ukrainian cities after the war have been selected. The competition brought together architects, urbanists, community representatives, and international experts who jointly searched for the most innovative and realistic solutions to address today's challenges. Each jury member shared his or her impressions of the process, which helped to form a holistic view of the future of rebuilding Ukrainian cities.

How were the winners determined?

Iryna Yarmolenko, the author and executive director of the project, says:

"The process of selecting the winners was quite complex and multifaceted. We evaluated each project according to clearly defined criteria, such as relevance to the needs of the community, feasibility, innovation, and social impact. Each of these aspects mattered, as it was important not only to create beautiful concepts, but also to understand how they can really change people's lives on the ground.

In addition, the jury dealt with a variety of projects, from small landscape concepts to large-scale urban solutions. "Our goal was to find a balance between ambitious projects and those that are ready for implementation. We were looking for projects that could be implemented in a short time, but also have the potential to be scaled up to other communities," Iryna added.

Key evaluation criteria

Each of the jury members had their own priorities when evaluating the projects. For example, Christian Wittig, an international expert in architecture and urbanism, emphasizes the importance of social value and community involvement: "We evaluated not only the technical implementation or the aesthetic aspect, but also the extent to which the project will contribute to community integration. Cities are rebuilt not only through architecture, but also through people's interaction and participation in the rebuilding process. This helps cities preserve their identity and find new ways of development.

Innovation and compliance of projects with modern challenges also played an important role. Luigi Fiumara, an architect from Italy, notes: "it was especially important for me to see how the projects meet the needs of the new Ukrainian society — not only at the material level, but also at the level of soul and spirit. Projects that offer non-standard solutions to social and infrastructure problems stand out for their originality and potential to become a symbol of rebirth.

Olga Syutikova, UNDP environment specialist and biotechnologist engineer, emphasized realism: "I always paid attention to how ready the project is to be implemented in specific conditions. The war has made its own adjustments to the plans of many cities, so it is important that projects are not just innovative, but also meet modern realities.

Discussion and consensus building

The discussion process between the jury members was intense and sometimes emotional. Zoryana Tikhonchuk, who also served as chairman of the jury committee and coordinators, emphasizes: "the discussions were lively, because each of us has our own view on what is a priority in recovery. This is natural, as everyone has their own experience and focus. However, this is what makes our decisions balanced — as a result, we took into account both the social and architectural aspects of each project.

These discussions helped the jury come to a common decision that took into account the diversity of approaches. "We managed to find a balance between creativity and realism. Some projects needed clarification and refinement, but it is important that a large percentage of them have great potential for implementation," adds Iryna Yarmolenko.

Zoryana Tikhonchuk and Iryna Yarmolenko

Prospects for implementation

One of the key questions raised by the jury was the practical implementation of the projects. Iryna Yarmolenko expressed optimism about this: "We have long ago started negotiations with various organizations that could support the implementation of many projects. The Dream platform, with which we have been actively working since the start of the project, should also help to attract the necessary resources, and the active role of local governments is crucial here.

Christian Wittig also emphasized the importance of social investment: "The projects we have seen bring not only material innovations, but also hope for local communities. This is especially important for cities such as Kreminna, Bakhmut, and Mariupol, which are currently occupied but have a huge potential for recovery in the future, and we wanted to support and preserve this hope through the Hackathon.

Community reviews

Zoryana Tikhonchuk notes that the feedback from communities regarding the proposed projects is mostly positive.

"Local communities appreciate the attention to their needs and see these projects as real opportunities for infrastructure development and improvement of living conditions. It is important that the projects meet the specific needs of the communities and are not detached from reality. Some communities were expecting design estimates, but this is not possible within the framework of the Hackathon. The cost of project ideas ranges from UAH 50 to 200 thousand, and the project design document is a full-fledged certified activity of UAH 1 million and above."

Zoryana Tikhonchuk

This opinion is supported by other members of the jury. Olha Siutikova emphasizes: "Although the projects differ in scale and complexity, each of them is important for a particular community. We tried to objectively assess all aspects and at the same time take into account their specifics." Olha Siutikova even shared her impressions: "There are some real masterpieces among the projects. For example, the concept of Maria Prymachenko Park in Ivankiv or the project of a rehabilitation center in Poltava. They not only meet the needs of communities but also have the potential to become new symbols of urban architecture.

Future plans

The next step after the Hackathon will be further cooperation with communities and investors to scale the best projects, and we still have more than a hundred applications that have not been selected by the architects this season. Iryna Yarmolenko summarizes: "We plan to continue to work actively to attract investment and hope for support from international organizations. We would like to help communities at all stages – from the preparation of project documentation to the practical implementation of solutions.

This hackathon was an important stage on the way to the restoration of Ukrainian cities. The projects presented offer not only new infrastructure solutions, but also innovative approaches to social revival. And most importantly, they give hope for a better future for many Ukrainian communities.

In the next publications, UNN plans to familiarize readers with the projects in more detail.

About Hackathon "100 Ideas for Cities"

One of the largest projects to restore Ukrainian cities after the war is the Hackathon "100 ideas for cities", organized by The Project innovation and reconstruction for society (IRS) and the NGO "Сlub of Mayors".

The hackathon has already brought significant results, bringing together 63 developed architectural ideas for participating communities from all over Ukraine. Currently, 250 applications have already been received from communities in 22 regions, which is about a hundred communities. the project involves 139 formed architectural teams, 20% from abroad: Belgium, Chile, Austria, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Italy, the Netherlands and Slovakia.

We, the project participants and organizers, have a responsible task to implement several projects that are important not only for a single community but for the whole of Ukraine. We also plan to provide the Office of the President and the Prime Minister with unified solutions that can become the basis for the development of similar projects in many communities in Ukraine, including schools, kindergartens, ASCs, rehabilitation centers, memorials, and sports infrastructure

author of the project, IRS Director Iryna Yarmolenko

Elon Musk announced plans to launch Tesla's self-driving taxi service in California and Texas in 2025. The company is already testing the service with employees, but will need regulatory approval for a commercial launch.

Billionaire Elon Musk said he hopes to launch a service that will allow people to call Tesla self-driving cars in California and Texas in 2025, and claims that his company is already testing this service with employees, UNN reports citing TechCrunch.

Details

The comments, made Wednesday at Tesla's third-quarter earnings conference call, go further than what Musk promised two weeks ago at the Cybercab presentation. On that stage, Musk promised that Model 3 and Model Y owners would be able to use an "unsupervised" version of Tesla's Full Self-Driving software in California and Texas. But he did not mention a taxi network, despite the fact that Tesla has been teasing this idea for years, the publication writes.

It is unclear whether Tesla needs to obtain a permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles to conduct the tests, which Elon Musk said his company is already conducting.

David Lau, Tesla's vice president of software, said during a phone call that the cars that employees called in had drivers to ensure safety. And to be clear, no Tesla car can currently drive itself without human intervention.

Today, Tesla's Full Self-Driving, or FSD, software is considered an advanced driver assistance system – not an autonomous driving system like the one Waymo uses in its Robotax. FSD offers some automated features that are available on highways and city streets, but the system still requires the driver's attention and control.

Musk said during the call that Tesla will go through the proper regulatory approval process in California before opening such a service to ordinary consumers, although he complained about bureaucratic red tape and said he expects a smoother process in his home state of Texas. The regulatory process in California for launching a commercial robotaxi service has several layers that require approval from the Department of Motor Vehicles and the California Public Utilities Commission. Waymo is the only company authorized to operate a commercial driverless robotaxi service in San Francisco.

Musk also suggested that Tesla could launch the service in other states by the end of next year.

As the publication notes, these statements come after years of over-promising by Musk about Tesla's ability to develop software that can autonomously drive cars. And Musk acknowledged on Wednesday that cars equipped with what Tesla calls Hardware 3, which it began building into its electric vehicles in 2019, may not eventually be able to drive themselves. If Tesla ever gets to the point where its software can drive vehicles unattended and it doesn't run on Hardware 3, Musk has promised to replace the hardware at no cost to owners.

Elon Musk presented a robotaxiOctober 11 2024, 04:06 PM • 13005 views

The Minister of Digital Transformation announced 6 new services in Diia. These include: display of weapons permits, eAccounts, multisharing, business services, reporting of communication problems, and Diia.Signature for legal entities.

In the near future, 6 new services will appear in the Diia app, which users often wrote about in comments, said Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov, reports UNN.

“Soon, 6 more services will appear in the app that you have been waiting for and constantly writing about in the comments,” Fedorov wrote on Facebook.

The head of the Ministry of Digital Transformation told what services he was talking about:

• Displaying a weapon permit. Information about weapons, permits for them will be pulled into Diia, and it will also be possible to order an extract from the Unified Register of Weapons.

• eAcces. An important service for citizens and the state. Everyone will be able to check the legality of alcohol or tobacco through Diia, and all information about the products will be contained in the electronic system.

• Multi-sharing. Ukrainians will be able to send copies of several documents, including certificates, in a few clicks.

• Services for business in the e-Entrepreneur complex. We are working on the digitalization of declarations and licenses for business. For example, licenses for fire protection works.

• Notification of communication problems. This is a crucial service during blackouts. You can report the lack of connection so that the regulator can resolve the situation.

• Diia.Signature for legal entities. It will work just like the regular Diia.Signature, but will create new business opportunities, significantly simplify and speed up the work of institutions and companies.

“We will launch a part of it very soon, and we are still solving bureaucratic issues for the rest,” added Mr. Fedorov.

New military bonds appeared in Diia – “Avdiivka” and “Debaltseve”October 23 2024, 12:06 PM • 15730 views

The Army+ app has launched an online learning service with verified military materials. Courses on general training, field life, and unmanned systems are available, and new areas are planned to be added.

The Army+ app for the military has online training that will help improve their knowledge, in particular for service in the field, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on Thursday, UNN reports.

The Army+ app now has an online learning service that contains verified military training materials. This will allow our soldiers to acquire important knowledge even in field conditions

– said Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.

Currently, courses on "General Training", "Life in the Field" and "Unmanned Systems" are available to military personnel authorized in the app. Each course is divided into modules with lessons. After each module there is a test to check knowledge, and at the end of the course there is an exam.

This will help not only to receive information, but also to assimilate it in practice, Umerov added.

He also indicated that the Ministry of Defense is currently working on new courses, such as "Communication on the Battlefield" and "Psychological Training.

"Our goal is to ensure that every soldier is prepared for modern warfare as effectively as possible. After all, knowledge is not only strength, it is an opportunity to save lives and defeat the enemy," Umerov emphasized.

Recall

In August , the President of Ukraine introduced a new app "Army+" for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The app is supposed to simplify bureaucratic processes and will include electronic reports, Army ID, polls, and secure communication between soldiers.

Cyberpolice experts provided detailed instructions on how to identify signs of account hacking. Step-by-step actions to protect and restore access to compromised accounts are presented.

The cyber police gave advice on what to do if your account is hacked and how to protect your data, UNN reports.

SIGNS OF ACCOUNT HACKING

Change settings or profile information without your permission

Third-party devices appear in the list of active sessions

Disappearance, change, or appearance of unfamiliar content or messages

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR ACCOUNT HAS BEEN HACKED BUT YOU STILL HAVE ACCESS

Change your password

Remove third-party devices from the active list

Undo unwanted changes to your settings

Change the same or compromised passwords in other accounts

Enable two-factor authentication

Warn your contacts about possible fraudulent messages

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR ACCOUNT

Create a strong password (12+ characters, letters, numbers, special characters)

Check connected devices regularly

Use and update only licensed software in a timely manner

Enable notifications about suspicious activity on your account

To create a strong password, you can use the Cyberpolice password generation service.

Russian hackers have intensified their attacks on Ukraine: their goals and methodsSeptember 23 2024, 12:16 PM • 13881 view

Baykar will complete the construction of a drone manufacturing plant in Ukraine by August 2025. The company plans to produce TB2 or TB3 drones.

Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar expects to complete the construction of a Ukrainian plant next summer. This was announced by the company's CEO Haluk Bayraktar, Reuters reports, UNN writes.

We have completed 80% of the construction and the machines are being ordered. The production date will be determined by the course of the war, but the facility will be ready in August 2025,

– He said.

Details

It is expected that the plant will produce a version of the TB2 drone or its TB3 variant. They differ in size, payload, and top speed, among other things.

According to the head of the company, Baykar is also working on developing its own engines – currently, Ukrainian-made engines are used to build Akinci and Kizilelma.

Recall

In February of this year, Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar announcedthat it was building a new factory near Kyiv that will employ 500 people to produce its TB2 and TB3 models.

Apple has announced an “exciting week” for Mac via a press release. The new Mac mini, iMac, and MacBook Pro with M4 processors are expected to be introduced.

For a long time, there have been rumors about new Macs with M4 processors. Most recently, Apple announced that it would introduce new products via a press release.

Writes to UNN with a link to the page of Apple's senior vice president of marketing in social network X.

Details

Apple's Greg Joswiak announced an “exciting week” of new Macs on Twitter. He hinted at the imminent appearance of devices based on M4 processors. It is reported that Apple is not likely to organize a large-scale product launch this October.

HelpHelp

Usually, Apple chooses a special event or press release for various Mac announcements. However, this week seems to be different, full of announcements, which is quite unique for Apple.

First devices with M4 processors

Rumors indicate that Apple is ready to present the first M4 computers. New models of Mac mini, iMac, and MacBook Pro are expected.

Apple has changed the rules in the App Store to comply with European regulationsAugust 9 2024, 04:12 PM • 29031 view

They will be equipped with the M4 chip, which we already received earlier this year in iPad Pro models. The older MacBook Pro models will use M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, and the Mac mini will also get M4 Pro.

Recall

Apple has introduced a new iPad mini with support for Apple Intelligence and Pencil Pro.

It will be faster and will also have a new button and a new color: Apple has unveiled the new iPhone 16.

The Ukrainian computerized artillery range has been approved for operation by the Ministry of Defense. The compact simulator allows simulating combat missions and analyzing the actions of the units based on real-world experience.

The Ministry of Defense has codified and authorized the operation of a domestically produced computer artillery training ground designed to train artillery specialists, UNN reports citing the ministry.

This complex was developed by a group of Ukrainian programmers as an auxiliary digital tool for conducting training with combat crews of various types of artillery weapons. The algorithms of the computer program were created taking into account a significant amount of real combat experience of Ukrainian artillerymen gained during the war with the Russian aggressor

– the statement said.

According to the agency, the visual component of the computer training ground allows you to: simulate the execution of fire missions and analyze their performance, analyze the actions of each member of the combat team, and receive recommendations for correcting errors.

The Ukrainian-made computer training ground is compact. All equipment can be placed in a suitcase, which allows you to equip a classroom in any stationary room or in the field, the Ministry of Defense summarized.

The Ministry of Defense has authorized the operation of a new Ukrainian drone “Chaklun”October 16 2024, 09:55 AM • 12638 views

Former Intel CEO Paul Otellini tried to buy Nvidia for $20 billion, but the board of directors rejected the deal. In 20 years, Nvidia has become 30 times more expensive than Intel.

Former Intel CEO Paul Otellini wanted to buy chipmaker Nvidia in 2005, when the company was known only for producing chips for computer graphics and it had potential for data centers. This was reported by The New York Times with reference to sources, UNN writes.

Details

In 2005, Intel CEO Paul Otellini tried to make a deal to buy Nvidia. Intel's top managers believed that over time, the chipmaker's technology could be useful for data processing.

It was expected that $20 billion would be spent on the purchase of Nvidia. However, Otellini failed to convince Intel's board of directors of the importance of the deal.

According to the publication's sources, Intel's board of directors resisted the deal for several reasons. First, it would have been the most expensive acquisition in Intel's history; second, historically, Intel has not been very good at acquiring other companies.

Instead of buying Nvidia, Intel decided to focus on creating its own GPU: the Larrabee project was launched, led by current Intel CEO Patrick Helsinger. A few years later, the project was closed, as it failed to create a decent GPU.

Almost 20 years later, it turned out that Otellini was right: Nvidia technologies were indeed suitable for working with artificial intelligence. Nowadays, Nvidia's capitalization is about 30 times higher than Intel's.

Recall

Nvidia plans to report impressive financial results from AI chip sales in the second quarter of 2024. The company expects significant revenue growth from its next-generation Blackwell GPUs in the coming quarters.

NVIDIA announces a series of updates, including generative AI modelsJuly 30 2024, 08:12 AM • 15457 views

Scout Motors has announced two electric vehicles – the Traveler SUV and the Terra truck with prices starting at $60,000. The vehicles will have a range of up to 563 kilometers, and the versions with a gas generator will have a range of more than 800 kilometers.

Scout Motors, a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group, unveiled two electric vehicles on Thursday that it hopes will attract U.S. buyers with styling that seeks a point of contact between the modern and the rugged, where the digital doesn't supplant the mechanical, Tech Crunch reported, writes UNN.

Details

The company will also offer variants of its all-electric Scout Traveler SUV and Scout Terra truck that will feature an integrated gas generator using a system called Harvester, a reference to the brand's roots with the International Harvester Scout from the 1960s.

The Scout electric vehicles – a truck and SUV – won't be available until 2027 at the earliest. When they finally go into production, the vehicles will have a body-on-frame chassis, a non-split rear axle, front and rear mechanical interlocks, and a powertrain that will provide acceleration from zero to 96.5 km per hour in 3.5 seconds (in some configurations).

The company said Thursday that the all-electric models are expected to have a range of up to about 563 kilometers. The electric vehicles will also be equipped with Tesla's North American charging standard. But the company will also offer variants with an extended range of more than 804 kilometers, made possible by an integrated gas generator.

Prices

The Scout Traveler and Terra models will have a starting price of less than $60,000. Scout noted that those prices could be as low as $50,000 with available incentives. That's assuming the incentives outlined in the American Inflation Relief Act remain in place. Scout is poised to take advantage of these incentives because it will design the cars in Michigan and manufacture them in a new $2 billion plant capable of producing 200,000 electric cars a year in South Carolina.

Scout is also taking the controversial step of selling its electric vehicles directly to consumers, which will avoid the use of VW dealerships. The company said potential customers can pre-order to order the Scout Traveler SUV or Scout Terra truck for a refundable $100.

Tesla is testing a robot taxi service: Musk promised its launch next yearOctober 24 2024, 10:24 AM • 16290 views