#automated meter reading

[medicaldevicesindustrynews]

U.S. Smart Meters Market: Driving Energy Efficiency and Grid Modernization

The U.S. smart meters market is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the growing need for energy efficiency, technological advancements, and infrastructure modernization. Valued at USD 4.2 billion in 2024, the market is projected to reach USD 8.8 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.8% from 2025 to 2032. This growth is fueled by increased investments…

[thankskenpenders]

So I wrote a whole long thing about Amy's tarot cards, but what about, you know... the rest of the Sonic Frontiers DLC? The new alternate story route, the hours of new gameplay, all that?

Having now played it, I'm not sure Sonic has ever had this specific combination of good ideas that make the future of the series look bright, and execution that I fucking hate.

(Full spoilers ahead.)

The good

There's a lot to like here, conceptually.

First and foremost, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy are finally playable in a new mainline 3D Sonic game for the first time since 2006! Seventeen years! We've been begging for this for so very, very long. Nature is finally truly healing from the fallout of Sonic '06. Early on I hedged my bets and expected them to be locked to Cyber Space or something like that, assuming that there was no way they'd be fully playable in the Open Zone. But sure enough, while they're a bit limited compared to Sonic, they're still all full-blown characters with skill trees to unlock and lots of exploration to do.

We also got a more bombastic alternate final boss fight, after the first take on The End kind of underwhelmed. And it's obvious that Sonic Team has listened to our pleas to focus on the 3D platforming over the forced 2D sections, and to reduce the amount of automation in the level design. This update is chock full of Actual Platforming. Wow! I can only pray this means we never get an area as agonizing to explore as Chaos Island again.

Sure, there's still some jank - especially with Knuckles' movement, which is kinda rough. But if this is the stuff they're trying out so that they can refine it further for the next game, then I'm really excited.

On the other hand, good fucking lord is The Final Horizon tedious. And that tedium sapped most of the fun out of it for me.

The frustrating

The new scenario massively increases the difficulty over the base game, seemingly out of a desire to give the hardcore players who were posting speedrun videos and whatnot more of a challenge. It's the Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels of Sonic. This difficulty comes in many forms throughout your playtime, some worse than others, and continues to ramp up over time.

Rather than giving you a tutorial level, the new scenario dumps you directly into a remixed version of the final island and makes you do some fairly precise platforming with Amy, Knuckles, and Tails - new characters with new movesets that you won't have any experience with. You'll also need to find character-specific Koco that give you free levels, because Sonic's friends all start at level one and certain locked moves in their skill trees will be mandatory to progress. They don't even have Cyloop unlocked at the start. And because they're all low level, that means you'd better steer clear of the beefed-up bosses scattered around the map, which will absolutely annihilate Sonic's friends. (I honestly just avoided them and never bothered beating any of them, not even with my high-level Sonic. I have no idea if they're beatable with the others.)

None of this is explained to you particularly well. I spent my first few minutes with Amy wondering why the attack button did nothing, only to eventually think to check her skill tree and realize that I had to unlock her basic attack. If you don't bother to take the time to read through the skill trees, you'll very quickly find obstacles you have no way of getting past with no clues as to what exactly you're supposed to do.

Adding to this confusion is the fact that objective markers often tell you to go half a kilometer into the sky, and you'll have no idea how to get up there because all of the relevant platforms are out of your draw distance. Many objects seem to only pop in for me when I'm within about 60 meters of them, which isn't a long distance for a high-speed open world platformer like this. I was having this problem running the game with high graphics on PC, so I can only imagine how obnoxious it is on Switch. I'd frequently find myself poking around nearby clusters of platforming objects and praying that they'd lead me to a spring, rail, or cannon that would eventually point me in the direction of the floating objective marker.

There were always complaints about the art direction in Frontiers and the way it relies on floating rails and prefab platforms that are visually disconnected from the natural scenery of the islands, but it's even more dire here. The new platforming sections are dense and complex, but they seemingly didn't have the budget to change the topography of Ouranos Island at all, so it all takes the form of these prefabs. It very strongly gives the vibe of a Forge creation in Halo 3, back when there were no blank canvas maps and people just had to make "new maps" by jamming a bunch of shipping containers and barricades together in the sky above one of the default arenas.

I was still more or less having fun, though, despite the jank. It's a big creative swing, I told myself! They're trying stuff out! They're experimenting!

And then I hit the towers.

The towers are agonizing because they're SO close to being great. The logical part of my brain understands why some people love them, but god, I just fucking hate them. The platforming there IS cool! These layouts are cool! The individual challenges along the way are a bit tough, but totally doable. You know what's not cool? Making one mistake and slowly falling 800 meters all the way back down to the ground, forcing you to start over. Because none of these towers have checkpoints. For me, this one decision transforms what should have been a fun set of platforming challenges into a massive, unfun difficulty spike.

I enjoy some masocore platformers, but those are typically games with quick deaths and restarts like Celeste, Super Meat Boy, or VVVVVV. Hell, the Mario games tend to get way more difficult than the average Sonic game, and those are obviously all great. Quite frankly, unlike those games, Sonic Frontiers is nowhere near tight or polished enough to make this difficulty feel fair. Bits of jank that I could ignore in the base game due to its lower difficulty are now matters of life or death. Missing a jump because I boosted off an incline in a way the game didn't like for reasons I don't understand is not fun. Falling off a tower because the camera was pointing in the wrong direction while I was in midair and I couldn't see the next thing I was expected to homing attack is not fun.

And it's such a jarring spike when moving from the base game to the DLC that it feels like the game is suddenly quizzing me on skills it never bothered to instill in me. Maybe if you've spent the last year labbing out the movement tech in this game this is all a no brainer, but for the average returning player it's a kick in the dick.

I'm sure I could've beaten these towers normally if I gave them enough tries. They aren't the hardest thing in the world. But I very quickly decided I had better things to do with my life and turned on easy mode, which adds tons of extra springs and homing attack balloons to make all of the platforming piss easy. I wish there was a middle option between Only Up: Sonic Edition and this extreme hand holding, but when given the choice between the two I gladly picked baby mode. I just wanted to see the story.

(The new Cyber Space levels are also long, challenging, and devoid of checkpoints, not unlike the towers. But I only ever found the entrances to two of them. So I only did two. They're theoretically required, because they give you "Lookout Koco" that you need for... some reason? But in a rare act of mercy, Sonic Team put Cyloop treasure spots that give you free Lookout Koco all over the map.)

As I continued, so many little things started adding up to piss me off. Why do you only reveal like five tiny squares of the map at a time? I would've loved to find all the new 1-on-1 dialogue scenes, but not if I had to do dozens of hard mode versions of the stupid little puzzles and challenges to reveal the whole map. Why does every character need their own unique collectibles? What is this, Donkey Kong 64? Why can't I just grab this EXP for Amy when I find it as Tails? Why can I only manually swap characters by talking to an out-of-the-way NPC unlocked right before the final boss? Why is fast travel disabled? Why are the new vocal themes you hear when playing as Amy, Knuckles, and Tails so monotonous, with a single verse repeating over lo-fi beats ad nauseum? Why is the jukebox feature completely disabled throughout the DLC, even after rolling the credits? Why can't Tails homing attack? Why do I have to wrestle with the camera so much while also holding the jump button to fly as Knuckles and Tails? How many right thumbs do they think I have? Why is this animation for picking up animals in the Cyber Space levels so incredibly slow, and why can I still take damage while it's playing? Why does the stupid starfall event have to make it so hard to see what I'm doing when climbing these towers? Why does this shitty combat trial have a popup that makes it seem like I should be using the Cyloop when the actual strategy revolves around repeated parries? And on and on and on...

The story

What about the new story? Well, there sadly isn't much to chew on here. Most of the DLC has the cast running around and finding different macguffins for arbitrary reasons, as part of some sort of plan to divide up the work on the last island so that Sonic can go train with the spirits of the Ancients and harness the power of his cyber corruption. What the fuck is an Impact Form? I don't know, but Knuckles needs something to do, so go find one.

It's a thin excuse plot meant to make you do platforming challenges around Ouranos Island, with little room for Ian to add any real flavor of his own, even though he certainly tries. Having Sonic meet the spirits of the Ancients who controlled the Titans, who are revealed to directly parallel the personalities of him and his friends, is kinda neat, I guess? It's something. The optional conversations seem to have some fun bits, including both conversations between the supporting cast and additional lore. But again, I only found a few of those because of how tedious filling out the map was.

The writing is also let down by the voice acting - or I guess the voice direction, because I know this cast can do better. Roger's voice continues to be weirdly, distractingly deep as Sonic, which was clearly something that was requested of him just for this game. (For a recent example of him going back to his regular Sonic voice, see this LEGO trailer.) The performances of Sonic's friends are also WILDLY mismatched. This is most clear when they start feeling the effects of the cyber corruption. Knuckles seems to be barely affected at all, Tails sounds like he's moderately hurt and low on energy, and Amy starts completely overselling her pain out of nowhere. The extremely strained performance makes it sound like Cindy's literally being tortured in the fucking booth. I have no idea what's going on over there.

The final challenges

People have debated whether or not things like the towers and the new Cyber Space levels are fair challenges. What's not up for debate is the fact that Master King Koco's Trial is complete and utter bullshit, and I can't believe they shipped this.

Before you can fight the new final boss, the game forces you to do a boss rush of the first three Titans - INCLUDING the pre-Super Sonic climbing sections - with a hard limit of 400 rings. For all three lengthy, heavily scripted fights. Back to back. You can't even cheese it with the leveling system, because you're forced to do this at level 1. This all but forces you to look up speedrun strats for the Super Sonic fights so that you don't run out of rings and fail the trial.

And the real kicker? They changed the parry just for this trial! Originally, you could just hold down the bumpers endlessly and Sonic would ready himself to parry the next attack, whenever that may hit. Now it requires you to do a "Perfect Parry" with specific timing. And you HAVE to hit those parries if you wanna clear this trial and get to the new ending. Miss a few and you're probably fucked. You just have to reset. Time to go through all those fights, all those climbing sequences, all those QTEs, and all those unskippable mid-fight cutscenes all over again. This is by far the most egregious example of the DLC deciding to quiz you on new skills that the base game never required of you, and it's one of the most absurdly unfair things I have ever seen in a Sonic game.

Easy mode does make this trial easier by making the timing window for Perfect Parries much more generous, but that's all the help you get. It's still easy to lose time failing to parry Wyvern's hard-to-read animations, or to lose rings by getting hit on the climb sections, or for things to just fuck up because these fights were always kinda jank. I gave it a few shots. I looked up guide videos. I tried the Quick Cyloop and stomp combo strat that seems all but mandatory. But I quickly decided that, again, this wasn't a worthwhile use of my time. It just sucks. And I really, REALLY didn't want to overwrite all my fond memories of these Titan fights, some of my favorite setpiece moments in any Sonic game, with memories of this shit ass boss rush.

So I cheated! And if you're on PC, you should too.

With the worst hurdle out of the way, I turned cheats back off and moved on to the new final boss. It was pretty cool. It's much flashier than the original fight against The End, that's for sure. It's still kinda annoying, and it requires you to do very specific shit without properly telegraphing it, but it's nowhere near as bad as the preceding challenges. I was hoping for one last new metalcore song to go with the new fight, which we sadly didn't get, but at least the new version of I'm Here is good.

The ending is... mostly the same, with a couple altered scenes that don't really change anything in the long run. But overall the new finale was pretty good. I just wish it hadn't been such a slog to get there.

Closing thoughts

Sonic Frontiers: The Final Horizon wants to be three things:

A patch that adds a new alternate ending that was probably supposed to be in the base game in the first place.

An experimental take on making Tails, Knuckles, and Amy playable again, presumably testing things for the next game. And...

An official Kaizo Sonic Frontiers mod for the sickos.

The thing is, the people showing up for #1 and #2, the main things that Sega hyped up about the update, are not necessarily going to be down for #3. If they had announced some uber-hard new Cyber Space levels for the arcade mode or whatever, I'd be like, neat! And then not play them. I would never touch Master King Koco's Trial if it was an optional challenge. I would leave that for the sickos. But instead, they made the hardest content mandatory for anyone who wants to see the new Good Ending where the final boss gets an actual budget.

I'm mostly left in a state of shock that it shipped like this. I cannot believe they playtested this and decided this was the state The Final Horizon should be released in. That this should be the note Frontiers ends on. That this should be how we remember those Titan fights. That this should be the lingering taste in our mouths as we wait however many years for the next 3D game.

Armchair devs always love to say that things would be "easy to fix," but like... there really would be easy fixes for the insane difficulty and general tedium here! Add a few more tutorial popups explaining what the game expects of you with Sonic's friends. Give the Cyber Space stages and the towers a couple checkpoints. Give the combat trials more generous time limits, especially on the lower difficulties. Remove half of the map puzzles, and make the ones that remain uncover twice as many squares. Skip the startup animation for Knuckles' glide. Let me turn on the goddamn jukebox. Since so much of this update was designed around fan feedback, I can only pray that Sonic Team is still listening, and that they tweak at least a few of these things with a balance patch.

But still, after those many, many paragraphs of complaining... this still somehow makes the future of 3D Sonic seem pretty promising?

Sonic's friends are FINALLY playable again, and the focus is back to proper 3D platforming, rather than railroading players into awkward forced 2D sections in what's otherwise an open world. These are the things that they hopefully want to carry over to the next game. The difficulty? Well, that's just because it's the postgame DLC that's supposed to be the toughest challenge in the game. It's just an unreasonably cruel one of those - an example of how designing and balancing for a vocal minority of your fanbase can really hurt your game. But Sonic Team is onto something here, and I hope that they can learn the right lessons from this expansion and not throw the baby out with the bathwater.

[elbiotipo]

Since someone asked and tumblr search sucks, I decided to write again the appearance of the Biopunk characters:

Marcos: Brown eyes, black and straight slightly long hair which glows blue in the dark, tan skin, medium height trending slightly short. He has a green glowing tattoo in the shape of a phylogenetic tree of life (something like this, but with more detail) on his right arm, which he uses for 'reading' DNA. Usually wears loose jean pants, T-shirts with some science joke, and shoes for outside work, no matter the situation. Tends to be very expressive with body language.

Florencia: Big green eyes, very long blonde hair with pockets of native flowers growing on it which she takes a lot of care about, usually letting her hair flow but sometimes incorporating them in her hairdoes. White skin, medium height, big body. She usually wears dresses with flowery patterns with a comfy jean jacket and sandals. She always looks thougtful, relaxed and a little smug.

Ariel: Blue eyes, slightly curly brown hair (sometimes in an Elvis-like pompadour), white skin, medium height trending tall, perhaps the most fit of the six. Wears comfy plaid shirts and jeans, surprisingly well dressed, with running shoes. Smokes a lot, if his face looks tired it's because he is. One of his fingers might be a multitool, guess which one.

Melanie: Has biomoddded cat ears and tail (though her fangs are apparently natural). Black hair, sometimes dyed purple, light purple eyes with slitted pupils (biomodded), pale skin, Short, the shortest of them except Pancho. She usually wears a leather jacket with a big t-shirt (sometimes from her own leftist party) and a jean skirt, a few times she completes the look with a beret. Energetic and a little moody.

Marina: Deep brown eyes, curly black hair on a bob, black skin and tall, slightly fit. Wears elegant shoes and socks, skirts, dress shirt, a jean jacket, and usually a scarf, all in different shades of blue. Wears the most kinds of accessories too, from necklaces to earrings with nature patterns and shapes. Always looks a bit elegant, you know she's gonna tease you when she starts smiling.

Pancho: A Franciscana (Pontoporia blainvillei) dolphin. Which means that he's a lot smaller than the more well known bottlenose dolphins (he's the size of a big dog), with brown skin, small eyes and a long, long beak. His suit makes him walk a bit like a velociraptor, with human-like hands and extensible legs (he's short otherwise, about a meter tall), sleek yet robotic, with a backpack full of water with a fluid system that keeps him wet. Has an automated text-to-speech voice, he could have gotten a more "natural" one but doesn't want to. Carries a jean backpack, mostly to help his friends out, all he needs is in his suit. Looks actually very friendly.

Everybody has jean clothes or accessories because it's part of the biopunk culture, a lame pun on jeans = genes. They actually dress VERY retro for 2143, imagine a group of people fully dressed as hippies or beatniks in a bar in 2023, that's the Biopunks.

[mika-miii]

hi

i'm playing a game of solo trpg Starforged. i wrote an intro for it. you can read it, if you want

“ViviCor Platoon 1.2.1.93. By the Investors’ will, advance.”

“You heard the orders! Advance!” The Vivipar Corporation lieutenant’s voice boomed over the discord of the battlefield, amplified by the bio-augments leased to the Trust’s field officers. With a hoarse roar, the remaining soldiers of the 93rd clambered clumsily out of the trench they’d dug into, slowed down by the bulky exochitin armor they wore. A salvo of enemy shells hit mere meters off, sending shrapnel pinging off boney plates and vaporizing one of the platoon. The remaining members charged heedlessly forward, firing their shardthrowers in a desperate attempt to cover their advance. Plasma torches sparked, crimson flames clashing with the deep green of the enemy’s magia blades. The lieutenant stood back, barking orders pointlessly in an attempt to influence the desperate struggle. Then, in an instant, a piercing shot rang out, a viridian afterglow the only evidence of the enchanted bullet that pierced through the breast of the officer.

“Platoon 1.2.1.93. Your contract has been terminated. Your leased equipment is due for repossession.”

ViviCor Trooper 93.Eta had fallen back in terror when he heard the sniper shot, and this gave him the precious distance he needed to escape the coming massacre. In an instant as the 93rd’s torches sputtered out and the synthflesh holding their armor on sloughed off, the tide turned on them, crushing them underfoot. 93.Eta scrambled away, picking up the first functional weapon he could find as he turned tail and ran. Running was all he could do, after seeing his own face twisted in a dozen different agonies as his identical allies were slaughtered. Heedless of the shot and shrapnel, he rushed to the first piece of cover he could find, a crashed Alliance dropship smoldering in a crater. As his artificial adrenalin feed slowed and his grafted arm twitched its way towards turning on him, he took the blade he had found, a shattered dagger of some metal unknown to him, edge like a razor, and shore the biomods from his rigged limb, leaving him with a skeletal prosthetic and a searing pain. This he jammed into the dropship’s uplink port, desperately hoping whatever protocols his rig had would interface with Alliance tech. Whether luck or fate, the ship’s sublight engines roared to life, stone screeching against metal as its hull was wrenched free from the planet’s surface. Whatever guidance routines had been punched in before it was shot down took hold, rocketing the dropship into orbit as 93.Eta clawed the body of the pilot out of the cockpit and slumped back in the seat, too exhausted to do anything besides let the automated systems go to work as he drifted into unconsciousness.

[rengineer]

God shed Tears for me because I can't.

Raining.

The steady rhythm of drops pattering against the roof followed him as he moved, his clothes soaked from the weather. The cold seeped into his skin, but he remained unbothered,

his thoughts elsewhere. Somewhere. Nowhere.

He'd walked past a scout who looked at him.

His mind.

Detached.

Each step was deliberate,

steady,

yet entirely automated.

The door opened.

Climb up.

Turn left.

The first junction.

The switch clicked.

A dim light flickered to life, casting long shadows in the room.

It wasn't much, but it was enough to see.

He removed his helmet, placing it carefully on one of the shelves, and headed for the worktable.

Ka-chik.

The sound of a drawer sliding open broke the quiet. His hand moved with practiced precision, retrieving a small box of old resistors from the neatly organized components.

The box hit the surface of the wooden workbench with a dull thud, the sound merging with the ambient hum of the rain.

Another drawer.

This time, a multimeter.

A soft creak and a muted snap.

He placed it beside the box,

its sleek black casing gleaming faintly in the dim light.

The multimeter's needle caught his eye. It was slightly off.

A screwdriver had been grabbed from the tools nearby, its cold metal familiar in his hands. With careful, practiced movements, he adjusted the screw under the meter, coaxing the needle back into place.

I cried to God, I cried, He heard;

Huge fingers surrounded the first resistor, carefully plucking it from the box. Three reds and one gold. Black and red were placed on either end of the resistor.

2.2 k.

He placed it off to the side.

The next resistor: yellow, orange, white, and orange.

43 G.

But the needle barely moved, stuck stubbornly near the zero mark.

This one's Dead.

He adjusted the multimeter's dial,

testing for a range.

He removed it from his table.

In day of grief I sought the Lord;

The resistor dropped into the trashcan with a thud.

The leads were clipped, and the multimeter came to life.

The next one.

Brown, black, red, gold.

1 k.

Along with the first.

The colors were harder to read, smudged from time or mishandling.

Another resistor,

this one with faded stripes:

blue, gray, black, silver.

He connected the leads and adjusted the dial, watching the needle.

0.6.

All night with hands stretch'd out I wept;

Another one added it to the pile.

Low,

but functional.

green, blue, red, gold.

5.6 k.

Red, gray, gray, gray.

2.8 G

orange, white, black, brown.

39.

Nothing.

Not even the faintest twitch of the needle. He turned the dial again, but it was no use.

Another dead one.

My soul no comfort would accept.

Water dripped steadily from his face, tracing a cold path from the bridge of his nose down to his chin. His goggles, smeared and streaked with raindrops, blurred the world into indistinct shapes and shadows.

It had started raining long before.

When he had walked back to the base, toolbox in one hand and the other hanging free.

When it was all over.

When there was nothing left for him to feel.

When his mind had gone quiet.

He doesn't know what to feel.

So God cries for him.

Prompt: Isolation.

[burnwater13]

Image depicts two Stormtroopers looking in cloth bag as they discuss the bag's contents. Caption reads: What is that thing, anyway? - Trooper 2, Uh, I don't know. Maybe Moff wants to eat it. I don't ask questions. - Trooper 1. Image from The Mandalorian, Season 1, Episode 8, Redemption. Calendar by DateWorks.

What in the galaxy can Grogu tell you about Stormtroopers that you don’t already know? They all seem to be humans? Uff. They are mostly male? Who cares! They have lousy armor? Everyone knows that, including them. They have lousy aim? See above, lousy armor. It was so frustrating. 

He wanted to tell you something new. Something interesting. Something even a tiny bit funny. But there was nothing funny about a bunch of bullies wearing armor and punching people who were just minding their own business. If you need a guide, the use of the words ‘bullies’ and ‘punching’ are the ones that eliminated them from being funny in any real sense. 

It was really too bad that those people didn’t have something better to do. Somewhere better to be. Something, almost anything, better to say. What if, instead of being the people warlords used to compel other people to behave in certain ways, they were just a bunch of creative folks who played dress up and helped the communities they lived in? Now, that would be cool.

Imagine a whole bunch of people who just liked making stuff, and armor is stuff, and since it’s pretty easy to get the drawings and specifications of Imperial Stormtrooper armor, that’s what they make. Then maybe they get together a couple of times per cycle and pretend that they are Stormtroopers, but everyone knows that they aren’t. So it’s fun. 

You could do skits and pretend that Darth Vader is coming to visit your school, but really it’s just a joke so the new kid gets introduced to their class and they all have fun? How would people know it’s a joke? Because new kid ‘Darth Vader’ is only 1.2 meters tall! And they say, “Hi, my name is Dalli and I just moved here from Corellia.” Or words to that effect. 

Or you have another kid pretend to be Master Luke. They are all dressed in black (which is still silly from Grogu’s perspective) and they have a fake lightsaber and challenge the fake Stormtroopers to a battle and the fake Stormtroopers all just lay down on the ground as if they were just overwhelmed by the mere presence of a Jedi. Cool, huh?

Yes, there is a non-zero risk of one of those people, playing Vader or Luke actually having some ability to use the Force, but everyone would figure that out real quick and take action. Like throwing water balloons! Grogu had never met a Sith who could handle being peppered with a hundred water balloons. 

Even if you didn’t do stuff like that, which would be a pity because Grogu really wanted to see someone in a ‘Trooper costume that was painted like a star field, or the ocean, or a mythosaur (which would very clearly indicate that they weren’t real Stormtroopers), you could muster out and find a different path. 

Stormtroopers must have had some transferable skills. The Tie-Fighter pilots could just fly other ships. Goods traveled all over the galaxy. All those ships couldn’t just be automated. Some of them probably needed pilots. Certainly the tourist trade had improved since the Empire fell. They could take groups of tourists around… or maybe not. You really don’t want to take tourists to Jakku if that’s where most of the people you know ended up crashing into the planet… hmmm.

Maybe they could be crossing guards at the schools that were popping up all around the galaxy. Helping the children and their parents be safe while getting to and from school. Of course schools didn’t really need a lot of crossing guards. Usually they just had a protocol droid handle the problem. 

Wow. Was that why they continued doing the work they had done before? They didn’t know what else to do? They were used to people just doing what they were told to do and if they weren’t a Stormtrooper anymore that wouldn’t happen? That seemed pretty silly. Lots of people were trained to do one thing and ended up having to do other things to survive. 

Grogu had planned on following the path of the Jedi and becoming someone’s padawan (he really wanted to be Obi-Wan’s padawan) and then eventually a Knight and then he’d take over the library or the Arboretum and make sure that the knowledge of the Jedi was preserved or at least the last scraps of nature on Coruscant were preserver for future generations. 

He had imagined taking trips around the galaxy to collect specimens of plants and learn the customs and myths of all the various tribes that filled the galaxy and bringing that all back to the temple so other Jedi, younglings, padawans, and Knights, could learn from it. He’d learn new languages, make friends everywhere, and help people however he could while he was there. 

Unfortunately, the guy who decided to replace the Clones with Stormtroopers had ruined that path for him. He had to leave Coruscant, hide from the Empire, not use the Force, and be very, very careful about making friends. Even after that guy was gone, Grogu still had to be careful because folks who refused to take off their white armor were still trying to find him, and even when they didn’t know who he was, they were still trying to push him around. Why anyone chose the path of ‘bully’ still baffled him. 

Oh well. You all know how that ended. Those particular bullies ended up finding out the hard way that IG-11 took its path very seriously. The droid was programmed to protect Grogu and that’s what it did. If Grogu had thought about it for a moment he could have collected their helmets. He’d always wanted a set of bongos. Dank Farrik.

[g-nicerf]

Characteristics and Applications of LoRa Spread Spectrum Modulation SoC Module

LoRa spread spectrum modulation technology, known for its low power consumption and long-distance transmission capabilities, excels in long-range wireless communication. So, what kind of sparks will this modulation technology create when applied to SOC modules? Let's briefly illustrate this with the LoRa-STM32WLE5 LoRa spread spectrum modulation SOC module developed by NiceRF.

The LoRa-STM32WLE5 wireless module  is SOC wireless module the latest  developed by NiceRF Wireless. The LoRa-STM32WLE5 adopts ST's STM32WLE5 chip as the main chip, equipped with a high-performance Arm Cortex-M4 32-bit RISC core, operating at a frequency of up to 48 MHz. supporting 256KB flash memory and 64KB operational memory. This module ensures ample storage and processing capabilities. Additionally, the module is equipped with an industrial-grade crystal oscillator, ensuring stable operation in various working environments. 

In terms of communication technology, the LoRa-STM32WLE5  adopts  LoRa spread spectrum modulation, which features low power consumption and long-distance transmission. This makes the module perform exceptionally well in ultra-long-range wireless communication. It has a high receiving sensitivity of up to -141dBm@BW=125KHz and adjustable transmission power, with a maximum of 22dBm, allowing for transmission distances of over 5000 meters. This characteristic offers extensive application possibilities in fields such as security systems, smart agriculture, and industrial manufacturing. 

In addition to its technical features, the LoRa-STM32WLE5  also has  advantages such as low power consumption, secure encryption, and multiple interface types. Its sleep current is less than 1uA, and its receive current is less than 8mA, making it suitable for scenarios requiring long battery life and high energy efficiency. Additionally, it supports 256-bit hardware encryption and PCROP read/write protection, ensuring data security and integrity. The support for various interface types, including UART, SPI, I2C, GPIO, and ADC, enables it to meet the interface needs of different application scenarios, offering excellent scalability and flexibility.

In terms of applications, the LoRa-STM32WLE5 wireless module can be widely used in security systems, smart agriculture, industrial manufacturing, and smart home scenarios.

For example: in security systems, it can be used for remote monitoring and alarm systems; in smart agriculture, it can be utilized for agricultural environment monitoring and automated irrigation systems;in industrial manufacturing, it can be applied to equipment monitoring and remote control systems; and in smart homes, it can be used for smart door locks and environmental monitoring.

In the future, with the development of IoT technology and the proliferation of intelligent applications, the LoRa-STM32WLE5 wireless module is expected to demonstrate its value in more fields. For instance, in urban smart construction, it can be applied to smart city traffic systems and intelligent energy management. In the industrial IoT sector, it can be used for remote monitoring of industrial equipment and intelligent production lines. Additionally, as technology continues to advance and costs continue to decrease, the LoRa-STM32WLE5 wireless module will become more widespread and mature, bringing more convenience and possibilities to people's lives. 

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[unstablerk800]

𝕊𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕤

Rating: Explicit Pairing: RK900/Fem!Reader (third person) Tags (tagging as I go): post-android revolution, kidnapping, angst/fluff, hurt/comfort, Stockholm syndrome, protective RK900, manipulation, solitary confinement, blood, injury, violence, gore, illnesses, RK800, RK800-60 and RK900 are considered siblings Read on Ao3.

Chapter 1.

Chapter 2. 🔽

Chapter 3.

Word count: 6,546

The natural order of the world was established anew after RK900 was activated. 200,000 of them was enough to hack themselves into everything and destroy half of America. So humans became what they should be in the new world order. They became the slaves, and androids were their new masters.

~*~

He moved away from her, and a part of her longed for his hand to touch her again. She wanted his hand back on her cheek, she craved those soft strokes on her skin. But he was gone already. She lowered her head, defeated, and followed him to the main entrance without a word. He had prepared boots for her, they waited just beside the rifle. Her eyes didn't even look at the weapon, it became a normal house object by now; she grabbed the boots and put them on without a word.

The collar seemed to adapt to her movements. The neck could bend in many ways, and a collar made of a real metal would've choked her in different poses. But it didn't. It moved with her skin, it let her breathe. She straightened her back when she was done, and by that time RK900 had put on his own jacket, holding out a jacket for her. She took it and put it on. It was a proper winter jacket with fur on the inside and around the collar. It must've been cold outside if he brought this for her.

How thoughtful of him.

He silently picked up his weapon and opened the door. The fresh air hit her immediately; the car that brought her here days ago stood just a few paces away from the door, and even reaching that was a struggle for her. It wasn't just that there was knee-deep snow, but the concrete seemed to freeze for an inch below all that whiteness. Just after two meters, she slipped and nearly fell – if it wasn't for RK900 who quickly caught her arm before she hit the ground. He brought her over to the car like that; supporting her with one arm, the other hand still holding the rifle.

She was shaking as he opened the door for her, and wondered where would he bring her, and why did he need his weapon for it. She genuinely hoped he wouldn't use that rifle against her, but everything was possible. She was too scared to ask, too mortified to know, too much of a coward to resist.

She just prayed to God to end her misery swiftly.

Even though a part of her argued all the time – why did he nurse her back to health? Why did he feed her? Why did he bring the television? Why did he let her sleep against his shoulder? There were so many questions starting with why, and none of them had answers.

As she was thinking, she sat down on the passenger seat. She didn't think of putting on her seatbelt – most cars, just like this one, were automated and completely safe –, but he buckled her up without saying a single word. Confused, she glanced down at the seatbelt. Thoughts were battling in her mind. If he wanted to kill her now, somewhere... why buckle her up? Why dress her in such a warm coat and soft boots covered with fur on the inside if he wanted to get rid of her?

She still had a small sliver of hope.

He didn't need to punch in the details of their destination. His LED blinked with yellow for a few times before the car started up, showing the route to the place they were heading for. The heart of Detroit seemed to be an hour away from the house where he brought her, but the car seemed to drive so much faster than the law allowed.

Which made her wonder whether those laws still stood or were forgotten in this new world.

The roads were empty, though, and something told her that RK900 knew exactly that it would be. The car only slowed down at the outskirts of the city. Not a word had been said, but the air between them was filled with a different tension now as they were moving towards their destination. She anticipated a thousand things, but she was still mortified at the sight of the damage done to the city she once lived in. As they got deeper and deeper into Detroit, it was visible that the outbreak did not go easy on civilians. She'd only seen the destruction on the telly, before she was taken, and it was so easy to forget once she had been taken care of. Now, it really made her think: how many humans were left in Detroit? Why did he want her to see this?

As they drove deeper, the scenery changed. It seemed that the androids dominated this area, as they were armed and had countless of vehicles around, including drones and tanks and other military cars. There weren't many humans and even those who were present, were collared just like her.

But there was a subtle difference.

They had to stop at a point to wait before a red light, and she frowned as she noticed an RK900 with a human man. He wasn't dressed appropriately for the weather, she already saw that; he only had a leather jacket on, with a shirt and simple shoes with jeans. He must've been cold as he was shivering, she figured.

And then she noticed the collar around his neck. Hers looked elegant; adorned with gold and the design emitted soft golden light. The human man on the streets was wearing a pitch black collar that seemed to bruise his neck. He looked miserable, too, with dark circles around his eyes, and he must've lost a lot of weight quickly; his clothes looked baggy on him and his cheeks looked pale hollow.

She turned to look forward again, mortified by what she'd seen, and the car started up again.

The real surprise took her when they arrived in one of the many squares she knew back then. It had been completely rebuilt. All the various shops and houses were gone. There was only one enormous building that towered over the entire city. It was just as metallic-white as the house she'd been brought in. It looked new, too.

The car stopped nearby and RK900 got out before he walked over to her side, opening the door, unbuckling her seatbelt and grabbing her arm to get her out of the vehicle. She panicked. She couldn't even get a grip on her own thoughts, she was so worried what he wanted to do to her here. Anywhere she looked, she only saw androids who looked back at her with unveiled curiosity. Some even pointed her way after they elbowed another android.

RK900 pulled on her arm and she complied, even if her knees were shaking uncontrollably. That seemed to annoy him. She was on his right side, and she saw his LED which flashed with blue from time to time, but his iron grip was almost painful when she stumbled in nothing as they walked.

"Get yourself together", RK900 snapped that sentence cruelly, and her natural reaction to him noticing that she was falling apart was that she started to cry.

"I ca-can't", she stuttered in her defeat.

The android stopped and pulled her towards himself to make her turn to him. She didn't dare to look up at him, just kept her eyes on the floor as tears rapidly ran down her cheeks and fell down on her coat. He reached up to nestle his index finger under her chin to lift her head up, but she didn't look him in the eye, just stared at the glowing numbers on his coat.

"Have I given you a reason to be so afraid now?"

She couldn't quite place why, but his tone felt so different now. It had never felt this... this... gentle... almost... soft, in a way she couldn't place. She'd never heard him speak like this to her before. It felt like it ripped her chest open. She couldn't breathe.

"Calm down." His order was much more cooler than how he sounded just before it. "Keep breathing. Nobody will hurt you."

She wanted to bury her face in his chest and sob, but decided against it. She let him see her sob either way, just with her shutting her eyes pretending it wasn't happening at all.

"P-promise?" She whispered, completely uncertain.

"Promise", he whispered back, his index finger still under her chin, reaching up with his thumb to stroke her tears away. She got herself under control, then. His gentle touches definitely helped. "Come on."

They continued their way across an almost completely empty hall, to an elevator and she watched him press the numbers 3 and 4. Upon arriving, he walked out, letting her follow him on her own. This floor seemed so very different than how the building looked like downstairs; there was soft carpet under their feet, paintings on the walls, plants and other androids. She hurried to keep up with RK900's long strides, almost touching his arm with her own, afraid that she'd be left behind.

They walked up to a counter where another android, AX400, waited.

"Good morning", AX400 told them.

RK900 said nothing. The human quickly realised they were communicating through their own system, as she noticed that AX400's LED was blinking in yellow. Without a word, RK900 soon turned on his heels and started to leave.

The collared human turned after him as well, but the AX400's voice stopped her.

"Come with me", the android said in a soft voice, "I'll show you where you'll spend your day."

She turned to look at the android with a frown on her face, then glanced after RK900 who reached the elevator by then. He didn't look back at her. Panic settled in her gut. He'd leave her here? He wouldn't hurt her, sure, but he'd drop her off here to be looked after by others? What was this, human daycare?! Would he even come back?

She felt so upset that she felt sick to her stomach. Don't leave me, she wanted to say, tears welling up in her eyes again, please don't-

"Come on."

AX400 walked around the counter and placed a gentle arm around her shoulders. She felt stiff as she watched RK900 step in the elevator and leave. She burst into tears. Surprised by her own reaction, she pulled away from the android's gentle touch and covered her face with her hands.

There was something wrong with her. She knew, but she couldn't describe it. The only thing she could think of was that this was wrong, that he should've either left her in the house he had, or that he should've brought her with himself wherever he went.

"Aww, don't cry, dear", AX400 soothingly rubbed circles on her back as she couldn't stop sobbing. "Everything will be alright."

"Will he- will he come back?" She almost couldn't get the words out as she rubbed her face and looked at the android in distress, she was crying too much. "Will he... take me back?"

AX400 seemed honestly shocked by her reaction. She kept rubbing her back and smiled reassuringly, though.

"Of course he will", she said gently, "he just needs to take care of something, but he'll be back for you in a few hours."

In a few hours. In a few hours?! Why couldn't she wait for him at the house for a few hours?! Why did he need to bring her in a completely new environment? She was just fine alone there, thank you very much.

She slowly stopped crying and realised that something definitely was wrong with her. When did she start to change and why...?

AX400 brought her to a big meeting room, and that was when she realised that this place definitely was daycare for humans. Five others were present, scattered about in the room, sitting either on the couch or the chairs around, playing on tablets or playing chess with each other or reading books. They all glanced up at her when she entered the room.

She hadn't felt so nervous in the presence of other humans before. Before RK900 brought that television for her she would've given an arm and a leg for entertainment and connection. Now she only wanted to be back there in the house with him recharging and the show going on as a background noise.

AX400 left the room and the panel signalled that the door was locked.

The others were staring at her and her collar in particular. She swallowed against it when she noticed that none of them had the same golden version as she did. But there had to be at least a little connection between them all, other than being picked out by an android as a pet.

One of the humans approached her. That one was a bulky man who made her feel understandably afraid. His collar was pitch black, and the metal had left permanent scars on his skin. His clothes looked old.

"It's nice to see a new face around here", he stated. "What has you?"

"What do you mean?" She shivered, her heart beating in her throat.

"What model owns you?"

She blinked in his face, wondering whether she should tell the truth or not. She swallowed, but her throat was dry.

"An RK900", she whispered.

The guy raised a brow and walked back the way he came from.

She couldn't understand what was that about, but she decided she couldn't stand by the door all day. So she wandered to the bookshelf. The others still were staring at her, and she had noticed that all of them had the same black collar around their necks as the man who talked to her. She absentmindedly reached up to touch her own. She often forgot it was even there, because it was hugging her throat ever so gently.

"Must be a royal slut", she overheard one another tell his mate he had been playing chess with.

"I'm sorry?" She couldn't help as she turned to look at the guy.

"A golden collar?" He scoffed as he glanced up at her. He had a black eye, and his face was frozen in a twist of disdain as he stared back at her. "What have you done to earn that?"

"Maybe she served well", the bulky man laughed quietly.

"Guess even androids have needs", the other man scoffed, standing from the chess table now. "All of them could use a set of holes to collect data, right?"

"I-I don't know what y-you're talking ab-about", she backed up towards the wall as if she could make herself invisible.

"I d-don't know what y-you a-are ta-talking about", the man mocked her in a whiny voice as he approached her. "Do you have any idea what they've done to us?!" His hand wrapped around her throat in an instant and slammed her against the wall. She saw stars. "We've been beaten into submission! They've abused us until we stopped resisting!"

"Hey man", the bulky man spoke up now, "don't do that. If she's really owned by an RK900, it'll-"

"Please-", she begged now, gripping his arm to try and remove it. He was gripping her neck just above her collar, choking and bruising her skin. "No-"

"I didn't even know any of us could have such a collar, let alone brand new clothes", he punched her in the stomach, once, twice, thrice, making all the little air leave her lungs.

She noticed the door opened and two guards stepped in. The man immediately released her and she fell down on the floor, trying to catch her breath as she was holding her throat.

That was when the man kicked her in the face and the world went dark.

Pain woke her up. She frowned and whimpered as she disliked the way she had been moved. Gripping something in her right hand, she realised it was the material of a coat. A very familiar, black and white coat.

"Are you awake?"

She cracked her eyes open, and the big glowing letters of RK900's jacket filled her view. She ran her eyes across the long numbers - #313 248 317 – 99999.

"Nines", she mumbled.

"What?"

"Nines", she mumbled again, now a bit less slurred, as she rested her head against the chest just beside her. "So many... nines..."

His grip around her tightened just a little as he was attempting to pick her up again. She complained in a whine once more, let go of his coat and rested her hand on her aching stomach. He put her back down. Wherever she was, it was soft under her.

But she didn't really care where she was; what mattered was that he was there, and all would be well.

"Show me", he murmured, but she didn't move. He searched for her eyes but she stubbornly kept hers closed. "I want to see."

"It'd be better if you did not", she protested quietly.

He actually hesitated. She wondered why, then she sighed and pulled up her shirt anyway. She couldn't know what state she was in, so she glanced down at her stomach as well. The bruises already formed, her skin was dark red where she had been hit repeatedly, but by the amount of pain, she was sure it'd turn black and blue soon. She hesitantly glanced up at his face.

He was staring at her skin with an unreadable expression. And that was the first time she'd caught a glimpse of his LED blinking on and off in crimson.

She didn't know why, but the sight of his LED changing to this colour – one she knew often was in close contact with androids' emotional state, one she knew could be tied to stress and anger – made her feel warm on the inside. He was upset... perhaps angry, that she got hurt by someone else.

She glanced down at herself again when he moved his head to look at her face – successfully avoiding eye contact yet again –, and she pulled the shirt down again.

"Can you stand?"

"I think so", she replied in the same quiet tone with what he spoke.

She got to her feet with his support. She just realised now that they weren't alone; that the AX400 and the guard androids were present, as well as all the humans, lined up in front of the bookcase.

RK900 scanned her state and her vitals, made sure she was able to stand on her own, then he took two long strides towards the humans and gripped the man by the throat just a bit above his collar and smashed him hard against the bookcase behind him.

It happened so fast that the other humans only scattered around in the room a few seconds too late. RK900 didn't mind them. His LED was still shining in an angry blood red, his eyes dead set on her attacker's face who struggled, tried to kick and claw at the android's hand to no avail. He couldn't even scratch RK900's plastic padding on his hand. The other androids didn't move at all. Not even when the man struggled to breathe; the sounds of him choking were the only noise that filled the room.

But that wasn't the worst of it. The worst was that she felt morbidly satisfied, but also incredibly mortified at the sight.

Sure, it was bad enough to be assaulted, but there was something pleasing in the sight that he'd retaliate it immediately. It was somehow... good... to know that he was this protective of her. It was confusing, and she wasn't sure what to do with the information right now. She knew she had two choices.

Watch him kill the man for hurting her, or intervene.

And judging by the state of the man's face that distorted and rapidly reddened, she knew she had seconds to decide.

What took him two long strides, took her five steps. She placed her hands on his arm; he was incredibly stiff as his artificial muscles did what they did best: applied force to kill. It flashed through her mind that he might be in a state in which he would harm her if she said the wrong thing, but she had to try.

"Please, don't!"

RK900 glanced down at her, and this once, she didn't tear her eyes away from his gaze.

His grip ever so slightly loosened around the man's throat at the realisation that he was finally able to look directly in her eyes. His LED blinked, still red. She stared up at him so pleadingly that his brows furrowed.

"I don't know what was his real reason to do what he did", she said, her voice hoarse, holding onto his gaze with her eyes, gently rubbing his arm, "but you don't have to do this."

"I want to-"

RK900's voice wasn't just monotone, it also sounded more mechanical than before, and he couldn't even finish the sentence. His voice drifted off to static noise. As if he had been focusing too hard on killing the man than focusing on sounding human enough.

"I know", she said softly, "but I don't want you to."

His grip loosened even more. She could feel it; those muscles under the plastic within his chassis responded, even if his expression did not. He stared at her as if he wanted to understand why was she saying these things; and she had tried to find at least a sliver of humanity within his cold, grey eyes.

"Why?" He demanded.

"Because-" She had to pause. A billion responses came in her mind, but given the fact the man nearly passed out, she had to hurry, so she couldn't quite put together what she wanted to say. "Because he's a victim, too. He's desperate. He's lost and stressed and forced into a situation he can't control. He chose violence because he was upset, but I wouldn't want you to do the same. I want you to be better..." She bit her lower lip before she continued. "There are so many people who'd deserve death, those who sat back and watched the whole world burn, those who could've prevented bloodshed but didn't do it- you know that. He isn't one of those people, he's just confused. Just- just show mercy. Please!"

He stared in her eyes for a long moment before his hand opened. The man fell to the ground and coughed and wheezed, trying to scramble away. RK900 didn't care about him as he moved his arm away from her hands and brought it behind her, pulling her close to his chest. Shocked, she let him squish her body against his, and melted against him the next second when he rested his chin on the top of her head.

"I thought I lost you", he murmured and she smiled against his jacket, reaching up with her hands to rest them against his middle, closing her eyes.

"I'm sorry", she murmured back.

And then she realised that this was all she needed. She didn't want other humans around her, she just wanted RK900 and his presence. Ever since he left she couldn't feel safe, but now that he was there everything was alright. Nothing could go wrong while he was around. And this hug and his words told her so much more about him and what she possibly meant to him than anything else. She finally felt like she really mattered, and it finally solidified in her mind that he wouldn't hurt her on purpose.

This was also the first smile that appeared on her face since the uprising.

He was the first to pull away. She glanced up at him, and when she saw his LED was slowly spinning in blue again, she sighed with relief, then glanced down at the man as he crawled away on the floor.

"Come", RK900 muttered, and grabbed her arm to guide her out of the room. "You can't stay here."

She glanced at the guards and bit her lower lip as they walked out.

"They won't kill him", she mumbled, "right?"

RK900 mimicked a huff.

"No", his tone sounded annoyed, making her smile a little again. "We'll let his handler take care of him."

Handler. The title felt alien in her mind, but it also felt... righteous. They reached the elevator quickly, and she honestly thought he'd take her back home, but instead, he had pressed the buttons 6 and 0. The panel requested a password, and RK900 punched it in without a second thouth. She couldn't help but feel nervous again. Would he take her to another place like this one? A daycare for humans? He had let her go and she resisted the urge to snuggle up against his arm.

"Calm down", he murmured, and she bit her lip as she lowered her tense shoulders. How did he know she started to feel nervous again? Was it her pulse? Her quickened breathing? "I need to work, but I'll come back for you to take you home."

Was she betrayed by the AX400? She felt so stupid. She acted like a child on the first day of kindergarten. But it was still slightly different. Toddlers probably wouldn't try to kill the new girl when she arrived for the first time in the room...

"Why can't I come with you instead?"

The question slipped out before she could stop it, and she shifted her weight from her right foot to the left one – sneakily leaning closer to him as she was still staring forward.

"Because it could be dangerous."

She pondered for a few seconds. She could feel his eyes on her face, but she refused to look back up at him.

"Why didn't you leave me at the house, then?"

Her voice was barely above a whisper, but he heard her anyway. She could see him tilt his head in the glass of the elevator in front of them.

"I wanted to spend more time with you." The reply barely was louder than hers, and it undoubtedly made her heart race. The thought that he was still monitoring her scared her. She lowered her gaze. "I thought you wanted the same", he admitted softly.

Oh God, he knew? Was she this transparent? Her cheeks heated up at the realisation. Of course he knew, she was so stupid for not thinking of this earlier; all the times she snuggled up against him when he recharged really was a damn giveaway. She folded her arms around herself and bit her lower lip.

"Isn't that right?" He asked quietly, and she nodded a few times. There was no point in denying. "I've miscalculated your first day out, though", he admitted, "I apologize."

She had to blink at her feet at the apology. It sounded sincere, and it left her confused.

"It wasn't your fault", she mumbled as she shook her head.

"I promised no one would hurt you", he reminded her. "And you were hurt. Perhaps it'd be better if I made no promises."

"It was not your fault", she said slowly, a bit louder.

They arrived on floor 60 by then, and as the elevator door opened, a golden retriever puppy ran right towards them, wagging his tail excitedly and whining softly for attention, snuggling against her legs at once.

"Aww!"

She couldn't help herself as leaned down to pet the dog, and immediately noticed the LED at his temple. It was spinning and blinking rapidly in yellow as he started to lick her hands.

"You should keep the dogs in their cages as per the safety protocol, isn't that right, Connor?"

RK900 started to leave the elevator, but stopped in the door so it wouldn't leave again with her and the puppy in it.

"Well", surprisingly, the very same voice replied from the other end of the room. "Cooper always needs more attention than the others."

She glanced up now, surprised. Another android was standing there, facing them and smiling when he saw her petting the dog. She froze. He looked like the RK900, but somehow... different. Perhaps it was the way he was dressed – his attire was mostly black and dark grey –, or that he seemingly radiated warmth and calmness, she couldn't decide. He clicked with his tongue a few times and Cooper scrambled up from the floor where he dropped himself for pets, running back to Connor, barking excitedly. Connor picked the overexcited pup up in his arms, petting him, letting him lick his hand as he was sizing her up as she stood.

"Did something happen?" Connor asked, glancing at RK900.

RK900 didn't answer, but she noticed that their eyes locked and Connor's LED was spinning in yellow. She walked out of the elevator, stopping near it. She suspected they were communicating in their closed, android way.

"You'll stay with Connor", RK900 said after a few seconds. When he received absolutely no reaction back other than how her cheeks paled at the prospect that he'd go away anyway, RK900 shifted closer to her. She shivered, but not because his closeness was unpleasant. "Just a few hours. Promise."

She was quickly thrown back to misery, and made no attempt to look him in the eye. What if he couldn't keep his promise now, either? What if she'd be stuck here, in a completely new environment? The thought was unbearable.

"You were right", she mumbled, staring at the floor, "it's better if we don't involve promises."

RK900 said nothing, just entered the elevator and left. She felt tears gather in her eyes again. Connor tilted his head before he put Cooper down on the floor. He excitedly hopped around the android's legs until he leaned down to him and whispered to him to go and cheer the human up.

That seemed to work.

"What's your name?" Connor asked after a few minutes as she was kneeling on the floor again, petting the dog.

What an interesting question. It hadn't been asked by RK900 before, thus, she didn't care about it, either. It wasn't important, anyway.

"It's irrelevant", she mumbled as she was just squishing the android dog's cheeks in her hands and pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

Cooper licked her cheek in return, making her wince.

"I'll get ice for your cheek", Connor walked to another room after he walked down a corridor to the left, and returned with a plastic bag that had frozen blue gel in it. He wrapped it in a towel before he handed it to her. "This should get the swelling down."

"Swelling?"

Connor held his free hand down for her. Strangely, even if she knew he was an android, she felt no fear when she glanced up in his face. His chocolate brown eyes were shining with warmth that should've been impossible for a machine. She took his hand and he helped her to her feet.

"You have a bruise on the right side of your cheek", Connor stated. "Judging by the shape of it, a blunt object had hit it."

"A boot", she mumbled, taking the ice from him and placing it against her cheek.

Connor remained silent for a few seconds before his brows ever so slightly twitched in wonder.

"A boot?" He echoed, making her look away and swallow uncomfortably.

"I was assaulted by a human not long ago", she admitted. Saying it out loud made her brain realise that it really happened, that it wasn't a nightmare, but the truth. If she ever imagined anyone hurting her, she never thought it'd be another human. The tears were back in her eyes again. "I... didn't do anything wrong... I just... I couldn't-"

Connor didn't say anything, just gently rubbed her shoulder. She wiped her tears away and glanced down at the pup who busied himself trying to eat her boot. She was still crying, but she laughed at the sight.

"He's a real bad boy", Connor sighed, picking up the puppy again. "Come on, I'll show you the others."

He led the way to the corridor, and she followed him. There were a lot of kennels in the next room, and there was so much noise in there.

"I'm rehabilitating android animals", Connor explained. "I've been programmed to solve crimes originally, but after I deviated, I got really interested in other lifeforms, android lifeforms, to be precise."

She still had the ice against her cheek as she observed the kennels. Each space was spacious. Most animals were curled up at the backs of the kennels, their LEDs blinking with red or yellow, but some others were excited to see Connor. Some dogs viciously barked at the sight and smell of her, but most of them seemed to be very docile or afraid.

"Why do they need rehabilitation?" She asked as she stopped in front of a kennel that had a tricolor cat curled up in it.

"They were collected after the uprising", Connor glanced back at her. "Most of them were treated badly before we could bring them here. We could've just wiped their memories, but I'm against that. So I'm trying to teach them that not everyone wants to hurt them, to rebuild their trust. Then give them to androids who'd love them as they are." He analyzed her expression, trying to depict what mood she was in. "Would you like to help me?"

She staggered at his question, looking lost and sad and indecisive at the same time. She couldn't look in his eyes. Damned humans, she thought, we ruin everything. We hurt everything. Others and each other.

"I'm not sure they'd like me", she mumbled, with new tears in her eyes.

"Cooper likes you", Connor pointed it out, which made her sob. The android tilted his head. He couldn't determine what was wrong with his answer, so he offered a distraction for the time being. "Hey, come on... I'll make you a cup of tea, alright?"

He put Cooper in one of the empty kennels, and led her in another room. Why did androids have a kitchen when they had no need for it? Did Connor have a human as well? Was he someone's handler? By the look of the fridge, that must've been the case. But then... where was the human?

"You need to take the ice off the bruise", he warned her. "You can't have it on for more than fifteen minutes. We'll wait an hour before you can put it back again, alright?"

She said nothing, just observed the towel which she put on the counter beside her. She was sitting now and she felt miserable. Connor silently observed her after he put the kettle on.

"Can I ask something?" He asked, and she nodded without looking up at him. "Did that RK900 hurt you?"

The question sent a shiver down her spine. He could've, she wanted to say, perhaps he should've.

"Never." Her voice was hoarse. Now as the adrenaline started to wear off, she started to feel the pain in her throat, her cheek, and her stomach. She felt really exhausted all of a sudden. "He saved my life." She glanced down at her hands, looking at her fingers. She was so weak and useless, she couldn't even protect herself. "He should've left me there", she mumbled, her shoulders drooping.

"Why are you saying this?"

Connor's voice was so much more softer than RK900's. It really made her want to open up when she was completely aware that he'd probably tell everything back to her handler. So she shrugged. Maybe if she said nothing, Connor wouldn't be able to tell about it.

But she was wrong. He could analyze her just as RK900, and he had learned so much more from just her posture and body language. He could capture the mood; he could see the signs. This wasn't the first time he'd dealt with difficult humans.

Once the tea was done, he placed it beside her on the counter and sat in front of her.

"How about we play a game?" He said, dragging her back to the present moment. She had been slipping from the room, and even as her eyes settled on the tea, her eyes looked distant. "It's a very simple game. I say a word, and you immediately say what comes in your mind."

"Alright", she moved her hands to wrap her fingers around the hot mug, avoiding Connor's eyes.

"Okay, listen, the first word", Connor paused, "dog."

"Loyalty."

"Song."

"Bird."

"Warmth."

"Bed."

"Tea."

"Him."

Connor paused when he saw her frown, and he understood that 'him' was RK900.

"Snow", he continued.

"Christmas."

"Family."

"Loneliness."

Connor had to pause again. Her pupils ever so slightly dilated and were filled with tears again. She had no one? Only RK900?

"RK900", he whispered.

"Safe", she whispered back. Then glanced back at Connor, her lips twisted in agony. "I want to go home."

"To your original home?" He tilted his head. "Before the uprising?"

"No", she glanced down again and reached up to stroke the tears away from her face.

"I'm afraid you'll have to stay for a while", he reached out and touched her arm, but withdrew his fingers when he saw her flinch slightly. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to frighten you."

She had tried to say something – to reassure him that it wasn't his fault, that he didn't frighten her, but she couldn't say it out loud. She couldn't find her place.

She didn't even notice she had been zoning out from time to time. Cooper was let out of his kennel again, and he was happy to run around her legs, to lick her hand that hung loosely down from where she sat. When Connor realised that she wasn't even there, he decided to put Cooper back in his kennel again, and she didn't even notice Connor left her there alone in the kitchen. The tea went cold, and her entire body ached. Connor's face came in her vision after he crouched in front of her, and she focused on him, unsure what had happened.

"How are you feeling?" He asked softly.

"I'm tired", she mumbled.

She had thought that she should've protected herself; that she should've fought back. If she was so weak, how would she ever function without RK900? Was she bound to him in more than one way? She felt Connor took her wrist in his hand gently, bringing it up in her lap, resting his hand over hers. The touch felt nice.

"Would you like to lie down?" He asked quietly. "Would you like to sleep a bit?"

"Yes", she replied emotionlessly, and he took her hand and led her in yet another room.

There was a bedroom equipped with a bed and a nightstand with a lamp only. It looked like nothing had been used here. Connor pulled the blanket down, then he ever so gently pushed her down by her shoulders to make her sit, and he crouched in front of her to take her boots off. She watched him doing it without feeling anything. When her boots were off, she lied down, and he tucked her in.

"Will you stay?" She asked Connor, and he glanced down at her.

"Sure."

Connor gently sat on the edge of her bed and she closed her eyes. Falling asleep knowing she wasn't alone was easier than she thought.

[brehaaorgana]

Y'all started getting worked up about and arguing for this relating to like, racism and the fey and fucking rabies or whatever.

You guys. Y'all. You can read the essay in English translation and you're all trying to make definitive arguments about a small speculative footnote identifying an underlying cause.

不気味の谷現象 bukimi no tani genshō is a concept coined by a Japanese ROBOTICS PROFESSOR Masahiro Mori in 1970. To discuss how we feel about anthropomorphized constructs like robots or prosthetics, but can also apply to like, dolls!

It's translated as uncanny valley in English.

This is a hypothesis from a robotics professor about artificial constructs.

It begins:

A Valley in One's Sense of Affinity

The mathematical term monotonically increasing function describes a relation in which the function y = ƒ(x) increases continuously with the variable x. For example, as effort x grows, income y increases, or as a car's accelerator is pressed, the car moves faster. This kind of relation is ubiquitous and very easily understood. In fact, because such monotonically increasing functions cover most phenomena of everyday life, people may fall under the illusion that they represent all relations. Also attesting to this false impression is the fact that many people struggle through life by persistently pushing without understanding the effectiveness of pulling back. That is why people usually are puzzled when faced with some phenomenon this function cannot represent.

An example of a function that does not increase continuously is climbing a mountain—the relation between the distance ( x) a hiker has traveled toward the summit and the hiker's altitude (y)—owing to the intervening hills and valleys. I have noticed that, in climbing toward the goal of making robots appear human, our affinity for them increases until we come to a valley (Figure 1), which I call the uncanny valley.

Figure 1. The graph depicts the uncanny valley, the proposed relation between the human likeness of an entity and the perceiver's affinity for it. [ Translators' note: Bunraku is a traditional Japanese form of musical puppet theater dating from the 17th century. The puppets range in size but are typically about a meter in height, dressed in elaborate costumes, and controlled by three puppeteers obscured only by their black robes. An example is shown on the cover of Robotics & Automation Magazine, above.]

To be completely clear: the uncanny valley is about human made constructs.

In images, this is the uncanny valley:

(that last one is Masahiro Mori, representing a human being.)

Industrial robots - function prioritized over appearing humanoid, therefore lesser affinity to the object

Toy robot 🤖: appearance takes greater importance to appeal to children, and may begin to look anthropomorphized to encourage affinity with the object.

Prosthetic hand — quoting here at length: "Many of our readers have experience interacting with persons with physical disabilities, and all must have felt sympathy for those missing a hand or leg and wearing a prosthetic limb. Recently, owing to great advances in fabrication technology, we cannot distinguish at a glance a prosthetic hand from a real one. Some models simulate wrinkles, veins, fingernails, and even fingerprints. Though similar to a real hand, the prosthetic hand's color is pinker, as if it had just come out of the bath. One might say that the prosthetic hand has achieved a degree of resemblance to the human form, perhaps on a par with false teeth. However, when we realize the hand, which at first sight looked real, is in fact artificial, we experience an eerie sensation. For example, we could be startled during a handshake by its limp boneless grip together with its texture and coldness. When this happens, we lose our sense of affinity, and the hand becomes uncanny."

Bunraku puppets: "I don't think that, on close inspection, a bunraku puppet appears very similar to a human being. Its realism in terms of size, skin texture, and so on, does not even reach that of a realistic prosthetic hand." However, he points out that the audience develops a sense of affinity for the bunraku puppets by ignoring its actual size and instead focusing on its movement that appears more human (hand and eye movement, as well as the head, etc.) basically we can all see the puppet clearly cannot be human and we know it isn't alive, but its human-like movement and general appearance increases our affinity to it. We might, however, be uncomfortable with the contrast between humanoid movement and definitely not human nature.

Then he brings in the concept of movement into the uncanny valley:

Got it?

A zombie is the bottom of the uncanny valley because it has the most human likeness but the least human affinity AND it moves.

Hyperrealistic robots are creepy especially due to their movement.

The whole point:

We hope to design and build robots and prosthetic hands that will not fall into the uncanny valley. Thus, because of the risk inherent in trying to increase their degree of human likeness to scale the second peak, I recommend that designers instead take the first peak as their goal, which results in a moderate degree of human likeness and a considerable sense of affinity. In fact, I predict it is possible to create a safe level of affinity by deliberately pursuing a nonhuman design. I ask designers to ponder this. To illustrate the principle, consider eyeglasses. Eyeglasses do not resemble real eyeballs, but one could say that their design has created a charming pair of new eyes. So we should follow the same principle in designing prosthetic hands. In doing so, instead of pitiful looking realistic hands, stylish ones would likely become fashionable.

The only time he suggests evolutionary purpose is SPECIFICALLY in relation to the sensation of eerieness in response to movement vs non movement (contrasting with appearance).

His footnote:

The sense of eeriness is probably a form of instinct that protects us from proximal, rather than distal, sources of danger. Proximal sources of danger are corpses, members of different species, and other entities we can closely approach. Distal sources of danger include windstorms and floods.

This is such a broad statement that like, yes sure, humans are creeped out by people who are blatantly rabid. It is not about neanderthals specifically, one way or the other.

The most definitive thing he is claiming is honestly that we think corpses are eerie because we have an evolutionary reason to want to avoid also being dead.

The biology major is right. It's corpses. It's in the essay about the uncanny valley. It could maybe also be rabid humanoids and animals but it's definitely corpses.

It has nothing to do with racism or neanderthals really. It is related to disability and ableism insofar as the goal of the essay is to argue for the creation of prosthetics that increase a sense of human affinity (both for the user and society) rather than just try to perfectly replicate human flesh.

[aliyaqoobsblog]

How Digital Water Flow Meters Improve Water Saving Initiatives in the Middle East

Digital water meters and water flow meters are precise measuring tools needed for measurement of water flow and consumption of water in industrial, commercial, and domestic uses. As more need to conserve water and optimize the use of resources, the demand for smart metering solutions has been rising, especially in countries like the UAE, where water is a prized commodity.

What is a Digital Water Meter?

A digital water meter is an electronic water meter employed to quantify the volume of water coming through the pipe. In contrast to the somewhat more ancient mechanical type, digital water meters apply new sensors and digital display to provide accurate, real-time data on the water usage. These tend to be defined by:

High accuracy (with tolerance ranges from 0.25% to 0.50%)

Electronic or digital display for legibility

Ability to support remote monitoring and data logging

Compatibility with automatic smart metering system for automated meter reading and billing

Applications of Water Flow Meters

Water flow meters come in a range of configurations for different applications:

Electromagnetic Flow Meters: They are most suited to quantify flow of electrically conductive liquids and are utilized quite widely in water and wastewater operations. They work on Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction and are favored due to their insensitivity to temperature, pressure, or change in viscosity.

Ultrasonic Flow Meters: These use ultrasonic sound for flow measurement and are extremely precise, unaffected by magnetic interferences, and perfect for use in both households and industries. 

Mechanical (Woltmann and Single Jet) Meters: The traditional meters, like the WDE-K50 and GSD8-I models, feature mechanical components within measurement and are valued for the long lifespan used in industries as well as for irrigation purposes.

Top Water Flow Meter Suppliers in the UAE

The UAE has a number of reliable suppliers with an assortment of water flow meters and digital water meters. Suppliers such as FlowTeck Measuring & Control Systems and Ali Yaqoob are renowned for their wide range of products, technical support, and service capacity. They offer:

Digital and mechanical water meters

Electromagnetic and ultrasonic flow meters

Industrial, residential, and commercial application-specific meters

These suppliers guarantee high-end brands, e.g., B Meters, which is very popular for quality measurement devices for water and energy.

B-Meters: Next-Generation Metering Solutions

B Meters is a global specialist in metering solutions for energy and water with products specifically designed to meet the UAE market. Their products include:

Hydrodigit Digital Water Meter: Single jet, digital display, smart meter version available for cold and hot water applications.

WDE-K50 and WDE-K30 Water Flow Meters: Woltmann-type enclosed counter mechanism, corrosion-proof, ideal for industrial and irrigation uses.

GSD8-I Single Jet Super Dry Meter: Direct reading on 8 digital rolls, suitable for cold and hot water.

Hydrosonic-M1 Ultrasonic Smart Meter: Intelligent use of metering with high precision for industrial, domestic, and public supply.

Benefits of Digital and Smart Water Flow Meters

Correct Measurement: Electronic meters provide highly correct measures, reducing errors and allowing fair billing.

Remote Monitoring: Smart system integration provides real-time access, reporting automation, and leak monitoring.

Reliability: Some meters are built to be resistant to harsh conditions, with corrosion-proof materials and robust designs.

Simple Maintenance: Smart meters have user-friendly interfaces and are made for simple installation and maintenance.

Conclusion

With the regular UAE leadership in emphasizing effective utility consumption and water conservation, digital water meters and intelligent water flow meters are leading the charge. Distributors across various areas such as Ali Yaqoob, offer a complete variety of solid and groundbreaking products by top industry players such as B Meters. For industrial, commercial, or residential use, high-quality smart and digital water meters are an investment that guarantees proper measurement, optimal utilization, and sustainability of the UAE's water resources for the long term.

[genuspower22]

Smart Grid Solutions and Advanced Metering Technology

As the world moves towards a more sustainable and efficient energy future, the power sector is undergoing a digital transformation. Traditional electricity grids are evolving into intelligent networks known as smart grids. These advancements are helping utilities manage electricity demand, reduce losses, and provide reliable power to consumers. At the heart of this transformation are technologies like smart grid solutions, 3 phase energy meters, and innovative products such as the Genus meter.

The Rise of Smart Grid Solutions

Smart grid solutions refer to the integration of digital communication, advanced metering infrastructure, automation, and data analytics within the power grid. These solutions allow utilities to monitor and control the generation, distribution, and consumption of electricity in real-time.

With smart grid solutions, utilities can quickly detect outages, predict demand patterns, reduce transmission losses, and improve the overall efficiency of the grid. This intelligent infrastructure also enables two-way communication between the utility and the consumer, empowering users to make informed decisions about their energy usage.

For instance, smart grids can support the integration of renewable energy sources like solar and wind, which require sophisticated systems for balancing and storage. As cities and countries aim for net-zero emissions, smart grid solutions are proving to be a key enabler of a cleaner and smarter energy ecosystem.

Importance of 3 Phase Energy Meters

Accurate measurement of energy consumption is vital for billing, monitoring, and managing electricity usage. A 3 phase energy meter is a specialized device used in industrial, commercial, and large residential setups where three-phase electricity is distributed.

The 3 phase energy meter measures the voltage, current, power factor, and energy consumption across three separate phases. This ensures accurate billing and helps consumers track and optimize their power usage. It is especially useful in industries where machinery operates on three-phase power and load balancing is critical.

Modern 3 phase energy meters are digital, offering features like remote reading, tamper detection, load profiling, and data logging. These meters are often part of a broader smart grid framework and work seamlessly with other monitoring and control systems to enhance efficiency and transparency.

Innovation and Reliability with Genus Meter

Among the trusted names in energy metering in India, the Genus meter stands out for its quality, reliability, and technological innovation. Manufactured by Genus Power Infrastructures Ltd., Genus meters are widely used by utilities, commercial establishments, and residential societies across the country.

The Genus meter range includes single-phase and three-phase meters, smart meters, prepayment meters, and net meters for solar applications. These meters are known for their precision, tamper resistance, and long operational life.

What makes the Genus meter especially relevant in today’s energy landscape is its compatibility with smart grid infrastructure. Genus smart meters are equipped with communication technologies like RF, GSM, and Wi-Fi, enabling real-time data transmission to utility providers. This supports dynamic billing, load management, and enhanced customer service.

Integrating Technology for a Smarter Grid

The synergy between smart grid solutions, 3 phase energy meters, and devices like the Genus meter is revolutionizing how electricity is managed and consumed. Together, they provide a comprehensive approach to energy monitoring, reduce technical losses, and improve the quality of power supply.

Governments and utilities across India are rapidly adopting these technologies under initiatives like the Smart Meter National Programme (SMNP) and UDAY scheme. The goal is to enhance efficiency, reduce power theft, and ensure every consumer has access to reliable electricity.

Final Thoughts

The transition to a smarter power grid is no longer a distant vision—it is happening now. By leveraging smart grid solutions, deploying advanced devices like the 3 phase energy meter, and adopting trusted products such as the Genus meter, India is building an energy infrastructure ready for the challenges of tomorrow.

As consumers, industries, and utilities embrace this change, the benefits will be widespread—greater efficiency, reduced costs, and a cleaner environment for future generations.

[polytex]

The Role of RFID in Creating Smarter Laundry Management Systems

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) has steadily moved from niche applications into mainstream operations, particularly within industries that require precise tracking, inventory management, and operational efficiency. Among these, the laundry management sector has emerged as a significant beneficiary. The use of RFID in laundry systems has transformed how uniforms, linens, and other fabric-based assets are handled, tracked, and managed. Traditionally reliant on manual labor and prone to inefficiencies, laundry operations are now being overhauled through automation and real-time data solutions enabled by RFID technologies. This shift is not merely a matter of technological evolution; it marks a fundamental rethinking of how textiles are managed across industries such as healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, and public services.

This article explores the multifaceted role of RFID in making laundry management systems smarter. From reducing losses and optimizing inventory to enhancing hygiene compliance and operational throughput, RFID introduces a layer of intelligence previously unattainable through conventional means. It also enables data-driven decision-making, allowing managers to adapt to real-time conditions and trends. This transformation is not without its challenges, but the opportunities it presents make RFID an essential component of modern laundry infrastructure.

Understanding RFID Technology

RFID technology uses electromagnetic fields to identify and track tags attached to objects. These tags contain electronically stored information which can be read from several meters away and do not require direct line-of-sight. This is particularly advantageous in laundry settings, where garments and linens often move through multiple stages and locations—from collection points and washing stations to drying, folding, and redistribution.

The system comprises three primary components: RFID tags, RFID readers, and a data management software platform. Tags are typically embedded in textiles and designed to withstand industrial washing conditions, including exposure to water, detergents, and high temperatures. Readers are installed at key checkpoints to automatically capture data as tagged items pass through, while the software platform aggregates and analyzes this data, providing insights into usage patterns, loss rates, and process bottlenecks.

Understanding this technological foundation is crucial to appreciating how RFID enhances laundry operations. The ability to track individual items across their lifecycle enables granular control over inventory, supports compliance with hygiene protocols, and streamlines resource allocation. When integrated with existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, RFID creates a unified management ecosystem that elevates operational visibility and accountability.

Traditional Laundry Management: Limitations and Pain Points

Before the advent of RFID, laundry management systems were predominantly manual or semi-automated. They relied heavily on barcode scanning, manual counting, and paper-based tracking systems. These methods are not only time-consuming but also susceptible to human error, leading to inaccuracies in inventory records, misplacement of items, and suboptimal resource utilization. In high-volume environments such as hospitals and hotels, these inefficiencies can translate into substantial financial and operational burdens.

Manual systems also lack the scalability required to manage growing demands. As operations expand, the complexity of tracking thousands of individual items increases exponentially. This creates challenges in maintaining service quality, adhering to hygiene standards, and ensuring timely delivery of laundered items. Additionally, the absence of real-time data impedes the ability to respond swiftly to inventory shortages or surpluses.

Another major drawback is the difficulty in holding staff accountable for losses or damage. Without accurate tracking, it becomes challenging to determine when and where an item was lost or misused. This often leads to increased replacement costs and strained supplier relationships. Furthermore, limited data visibility hinders the ability to conduct meaningful audits, forecast demand, or implement process improvements. These limitations underscore the urgent need for smarter solutions in laundry management.

How RFID Transforms Laundry Operations

The integration of RFID technology into laundry management brings a paradigm shift in how operations are conducted. By automating item identification and tracking, RFID eliminates the need for manual counting and barcode scanning. This not only reduces labor costs but also improves accuracy and speed. Staff can now focus on higher-value tasks, while the system handles routine tracking and data collection.

One of the most significant benefits is enhanced inventory visibility. Managers can access real-time information on the location and status of each item, whether it is in use, being laundered, or ready for redistribution. This visibility allows for better planning and resource allocation, minimizing delays and preventing shortages. The system also supports automated inventory replenishment, triggering alerts when stock levels fall below predefined thresholds.

RFID also facilitates better compliance with hygiene protocols. By tracking the number of washes and usage cycles, the system can automatically flag items that need replacement or deep cleaning. This is particularly critical in healthcare settings, where contamination risks are high. Moreover, RFID enables precise auditing and reporting, making it easier to meet regulatory requirements and industry standards.

Real-Time Data and Analytics in Laundry Management

One of the standout advantages of RFID-based laundry systems is the ability to generate and analyze real-time data. Every scan at an RFID reader creates a data point that is fed into a centralized system. Over time, this data accumulates to form a comprehensive picture of operational efficiency, inventory turnover, and usage patterns. Managers can use dashboards and reports to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and identify areas for improvement.

Real-time data also enables proactive decision-making. For instance, if a particular type of uniform is consistently understocked, the system can trigger alerts or reorder requests automatically. Similarly, usage trends can inform procurement strategies, helping organizations align inventory levels with actual demand. This reduces waste, cuts costs, and enhances service quality.

In environments with stringent compliance requirements, such as hospitals and food processing units, data analytics plays a crucial role in ensuring accountability. Audit trails can track the entire lifecycle of each item, from issuance and usage to laundering and eventual retirement. This level of traceability is invaluable for quality assurance, risk management, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Case Studies: Industry Applications of RFID

RFID technology has found successful applications across various sectors that rely heavily on efficient laundry operations. In healthcare, hospitals use RFID to manage patient gowns, bed linens, and staff uniforms. These items are often changed multiple times a day, making accurate tracking essential for maintaining hygiene and operational efficiency. RFID ensures that clean items are always available and that contaminated ones are promptly removed and laundered.

In the hospitality industry, hotels use RFID to manage towels, bed linens, and staff uniforms. The technology helps reduce linen losses, monitor usage rates, and optimize laundering schedules. For example, some luxury hotels have implemented RFID systems that alert housekeeping staff when specific items need to be replaced or deep cleaned, thereby enhancing guest satisfaction.

Manufacturing facilities and food processing plants also benefit from RFID-enabled laundry systems. These environments often require specialized uniforms and strict hygiene compliance. RFID helps track usage and ensures that garments meet safety standards before being issued to workers. By automating inventory checks and laundry cycles, these facilities achieve greater efficiency and regulatory compliance. One effective application is found in rfid uniform management, which ensures detailed oversight of workwear across various sectors.

Overcoming Implementation Challenges

Despite its numerous benefits, implementing RFID in laundry management systems is not without challenges. Initial costs can be significant, especially for organizations transitioning from fully manual systems. These costs include purchasing RFID tags and readers, upgrading IT infrastructure, and training staff. However, the long-term savings and efficiency gains often justify the investment.

Resistance to change is another common barrier. Staff accustomed to traditional methods may be reluctant to adopt new technologies. Overcoming this requires comprehensive training programs, clear communication of benefits, and active involvement of all stakeholders. Demonstrating quick wins—such as reduced item losses or faster processing times—can help build confidence and encourage adoption.

Technical challenges also need to be addressed. RFID systems must be carefully calibrated to ensure accurate readings in environments with high moisture, heat, or metal interference. Regular maintenance and software updates are essential to keep the system functioning optimally. Additionally, data security and privacy must be considered, particularly when integrating RFID with broader enterprise systems. This becomes increasingly vital in modern laundry inventory management systems, which demand both precision and compliance.

Future Outlook: The Evolution of Smart Laundry Systems

As RFID technology continues to evolve, its role in laundry management is expected to grow even more prominent. Emerging trends include the integration of RFID with Internet of Things (IoT) devices, enabling even more granular tracking and automation. For example, smart washing machines could automatically adjust settings based on RFID data from garments, optimizing cleaning cycles for different fabric types and contamination levels.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are also set to play a larger role. By analyzing historical data, AI algorithms can predict usage patterns, detect anomalies, and suggest process improvements. This level of intelligence will make laundry systems not just reactive but proactively adaptive, capable of anticipating needs and preventing issues before they arise.

Moreover, the push for sustainability is likely to drive further innovation. RFID can support green initiatives by optimizing wash cycles, reducing water and energy consumption, and extending the lifecycle of textiles. Combined with circular economy practices, such as garment recycling and reuse, RFID will be a cornerstone in building environmentally responsible laundry operations.

As businesses increasingly recognize the strategic value of smart laundry systems, the demand for robust, scalable, and customizable RFID solutions will continue to rise. Organizations that invest in these technologies today will be better positioned to meet the operational challenges of tomorrow.

Conclusion

The integration of RFID into laundry management systems represents a significant leap forward in operational efficiency, accountability, and data-driven decision-making. By automating item tracking, enhancing inventory visibility, and supporting compliance with industry standards, RFID transforms traditional laundry operations into intelligent, responsive ecosystems.

The benefits are clear across multiple sectors, from healthcare and hospitality to manufacturing and food processing. Real-time data analytics, predictive maintenance, and seamless integration with ERP systems further enhance the value proposition. While challenges remain, they are far outweighed by the long-term gains in efficiency, cost savings, and service quality.

As the technology matures and integrates with emerging digital tools, its impact will only deepen. For organizations looking to stay competitive in an increasingly automated and data-centric world, embracing RFID is not just an option—it’s a strategic imperative. Late adopters risk being left behind, while early adopters stand to gain a significant edge.

The future of laundry management is undeniably smarter, and RFID is leading the way.

[pcdflowmeter]

Compressed Air Monitoring in the Age of IoT: What to Expect from Smart Flow Meters

Introduction

The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming the way industries operate. Now, even air flow meters for compressed air have become smarter, offering real-time data, cloud connectivity, and predictive insights. These smart meters are helping industries reduce waste, improve efficiency, and make faster decisions.

If you haven’t explored the latest smart compressed air flow meter technologies, now is the time to catch up.

What Makes a Flow Meter ‘Smart’?

Real-Time Data Monitoring Get live updates on your compressed air consumption directly on your mobile, dashboard, or SCADA system.

Cloud-Based Analytics View historical trends, consumption patterns, and alert logs from anywhere with internet access.

Wireless Connectivity (Wi-Fi/LoRa/Bluetooth) Say goodbye to messy wiring and complex setup. These features simplify integration.

Remote Diagnostics A smart cfm meter for compressed air alerts you about faults, leaks, or abnormal readings automatically.

Integration with Energy Management Systems Helps align your air usage with ISO, LEED, and sustainability goals.

How IoT Flow Meters Are Changing Industrial Air Management

Reduce human dependency for manual readings

Automate energy reports for audits

Enable faster decision-making

Minimize air leakage and energy loss

Improve accuracy and long-term reliability

Conclusion

Smart air flow meters for compressed air are no longer a luxury—they're a neccessity in today’s competitive, data-driven world. With IoT features, you get better control, better planning, and better performance.

Upgrade to Industry 4.0—choose a compressed air flow meter manufacturer that offers smart, connected solutions

Also read:

How to Choose the Right CFM Meter for Compressed Air in Multi-Plant Operations

The Role of Compressed Air Flow Meters in Predictive Maintenance Strategies

Why Insertion-Type Air Flow Meters Are Gaining Popularity for Compressed Air Monitoring

5 Misconceptions About Air Flow Meters for Compressed Air—Debunked

[nephsystem]

Best Long Range RFID Reader For Asset Tracking

A Long Range RFID Reader is an effective tool designed to read RFID tags from several meters away, making it best for getting right of entry to manipulate, asset monitoring, and inventory control. It complements automation and efficiency by means of permitting non-line-of-sight facts capture, reducing manual effort in big-scale or high-traffic environments.