Latest news with #ThomasMurphy
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
City of Davenport invests in technology to address firefighter shortage
Since late 2024, the City of Davenport and the Davenport Fire Department have teamed up to use a new device that speeds up water removal, eliminating the need for manual intervention. Firefighters save lives every day, from homes engulfed in flames to acres of land burning to the ground. Budget concerns, however, can pose an added challenge for some local fire departments. 'We run a limited staffing we'd like to have more people, but due to, you know, budgets and just the amount of people were able to hire, we can't quite do that,' said Thomas Murphy, Jr., Administrative Captain, Davenport Fire Department. The city of Davenport is now working to fix that. Since late 2024, the city has been using a new device that helps get water out quicker, eliminating the need for a person to do it. 'It gives us a safety factor with the limited staff,' Captain Murphy said. A national report from the Government Accountability Office found that firefighter numbers declined from 2019 to 2023, with wages and work schedules as the leading causes of staffing gaps. Captain Murphy continues, 'I wouldn't say it eliminates a position, but with the ability to, particularly, what we call charge a hose line, meaning get water to the nozzle of the hose line without somebody standing at the pump panel, is what the SAM system does.' The system allows the crew to operate the pump remotely from inside the fire scene and the technology could help attract younger generations to the industry, according to experts. 'Gen Alpha, even Gen Z, they are picking jobs that are technologically advanced,' said Jason Cerrano, Director of Research and Development, IDEXX Fire and Safety. 'They will shy away from older, more manual jobs. We've got to start facing that challenge.' The City of Davenport paid about 25,000 dollars for technology, and they say this will come in handy ahead of the fire season. The city hopes other agencies will do the same, especially those facing staffing shortages. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Business Insider
14-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
This tech startup wants to shake up AR — and the aerospace industry is paying attention
Reviewing 3D models on a 2D platform like PowerPoint can make product development difficult, but AR/VR might change that. At Collins Aerospace, a leading manufacturer of aerospace equipment, engineers and designers can now use AR/VR headsets to view CAD files in real time, letting them view and change designs far more quickly than before. Thomas Murphy, a manufacturing programs chief engineer at Collins Aerospace, told Business Insider the change is like Sears switching from a catalog to e-commerce. To make this possible, the company has tapped a relatively young AR/VR collaboration tool called Campfire. Jay Wright, the CEO of Campfire, sees the platform's use at companies like Collins Aerospace as just the beginning of AR/VR collaboration. Unlike many of Campfire's competitors, which often target narrow use cases, Wright hopes to make AR/VR collaboration as popular and accessible as videoconferencing platforms like Zoom. "People can just start. They can download something for free, and then they can upgrade to a paid plan when they feel they've exhausted the features of what's free," Wright said. "Just like a Zoom, a Teams, a Slack, a Miro, a Figma. That's the exact same thing with Campfire." Taking AR/VR collaboration mainstream The adoption of AR/VR collaboration has been slow in part because most tools are difficult to download and use. Many lack a free trial, or if one is offered, it may only be available for a limited time. Hardware requirements, like a headset or a powerful computer, and device compatibility are additional obstacles. This can raise barriers for companies and individuals looking to explore the tech before making a full investment. Like many AR/VR collaboration apps, Campfire is designed for 3D, real-time collaboration in an AR/VR environment. Users can load 3D files and view them at an accurate scale, zoom in and out to see components in more detail, and make alterations on the fly. But unlike most competitors, Campfire also provides a comprehensive free tier. Under this plan, users can view up to five projects with up to five collaborators and receive 5GB of total file storage. The free tier has no time limits. Campfire also offers broad device compatibility, including Windows, Mac, Varjo headsets, and more. "It's a model similar to other software-as-a-service, where people can download something for free," Wright said. "People can use models up to a certain size, in certain formats, and it's really good. They can see what the collaboration experience looks like, they can put their own data in." Even with the recent release of more affordable and accessible headsets, like Meta's Quest 3, flexibility is key to the company's strategy. Wright said roughly 80% of Campfire's users log in through a computer, tablet, or phone. If collaborators on a project lack a headset, they can still use a laptop to view the perspective of a team member who's wearing the device. From ideation to the air Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of RTX, builds components for commercial and defense aviation, from navigation equipment and landing gear to passenger seats. The company began using Campfire in 2023. Murphy told BI he sees an opportunity for the tech to reinvent the company's complicated review process. Collaborators typically view the 3D models, take detailed notes, create action items, make changes, reconvene to discuss the updates, and repeat until they finalize the product. "We have design reviews, and we're pasting 3D models into two-dimensional PowerPoint slides and going through those cross-sectional views on a Zoom call," Murphy said. Campfire, by contrast, allows direct and real-time collaboration. Murphy said users can view 3D CAD files that offer a much clearer representation of what a final product will look like. Collaborators can also alter the file in real time, making it possible to share iterations on the spot and experiment with new ideas. The aerospace industry's demanding timelines make speedy collaboration particularly valuable. Murphy said that Collins Aerospace needs to move in step with major customers. "From the Boeing and Airbus perspective, they're looking for us to have the agility," he said. While the tech has been used successfully at Collins Aerospace and companies like DataFusion and Whirlpool, Campfire could face potential adoption hurdles as tech giants remain undecided about AR/VR technology. Microsoft, for example, has largely retreated from Windows Mixed Reality and HoloLens, the holographic headset it once pitched to engineers, and Meta's Reality Labs reported a $4.2 billion loss in the first quarter of 2025. Even so, Wright told BI that the time is right for AR/VR collaboration to go mainstream. "Everything is not obvious until the moment that it's very obvious," he said. "The promise has been there for a long time, and it's just a matter of getting to that tipping point where you've got price, performance, and a user experience that makes it simple."
CNBC
06-05-2025
- Business
- CNBC
The economy is showing signs of weakening. Here's what it means for investors hunting yield
Cracks are starting to appear in the economy, and that means now is a good time for investors to get a little pickier about where they dig for portfolio income. The first-quarter U.S. gross domestic product reading , released last week, showed the economy shrank 0.3% as uncertainty around President Donald Trump's trade policies dragged on businesses. Further, investors are fresh off of a tumultuous April in which the 10-year Treasury yield tumbled and then rose to top 4.5% – and the S & P 500 briefly slid more than 20% from the record high it reached in February. Tuesday saw fresh volatility for investors who are still awaiting trade agreements, as the major averages tumbled for a second day. While many investors like the idea of padding out their portfolio with attractive yields, they should be cognizant of the quality of the assets paying out that income. High-yield bonds, for instance, have a close correlation with stocks and their prices will likely slide as equities sell off. Consider that the iShares iBoxx High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG) slipped about 0.4% in April, while the S & P 500 lost nearly 0.8% that same month. HYG 1M mountain The iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG) in the past month "Periods of volatility are painful but good reminders to understand what is under the hood of the portfolio and to stay diversified," said Thomas Murphy, senior manager research analyst for Morningstar. "Remember the role bonds play in the broader portfolio: It's ballast for the equity allocation." A preference for higher quality Investors were willing to take a risk last year amid interest rates that remained relatively high, putting $25.6 billion into bank loans and collateralized obligation exchange-traded funds in 2024, according to State Street. Large investors can buy bank loans, which institutions make to companies, and benefit from the floating coupon rate on the loans. While the loans may be investment grade, they are secured by the borrower's assets. Collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) are similar in that they are pools of floating rate loans to businesses. Within an individual CLO, there are tranches, which have their own risk characteristics. A triple-A rated CLO is first to get paid if a borrower goes bankrupt. While the yields on these ETFs are attractive – upward of 5% for some and topping 7% for others with lower credit quality – investors should be wary of pursuing income without thinking about the quality of the underlying loans. "These are small companies with a lot of leverage on their balance sheets," said Kathy Jones, chief fixed income strategist at Schwab Center for Financial Research. "They are leveraged to the economy because they are supposed to be growth oriented. When rates rise, the floating rate aspect is nice, but rates are likely to fall." Investment grade plays To that end, Maulik Bhansali, co-head of the core fixed income team at Allspring Global Investments, notes that there are still attractive opportunities in investment-grade fixed income and sources of 5.5% to 6% yield. "At a high level, there's a lot to like about the investment-grade fixed income market, and you can get that without taking a whole lot of risk on the credit side of things," he said. Bhansali called out several sectors of investment-grade bonds he likes. First, there are top-quality banks. "They have the gas in the tank to weather what might come, and they are pretty much insulated from the direct tariff risk that's out there," he said. He also likes utilities and health care. "These are high quality sectors that should respond well in a downturn, and they are pretty steady Eddie as it goes," Bhansali said. "They trade at relatively cheaper levels, and I think there's a lot of value." Within health care, he likes large pharmaceutical names and managed care companies. Finally, he highlighted agency mortgages and the asset-backed securities market. "These are securities that tend to get dislocated when there is a lot of interest rate volatility, which we have right now," Bhansali said, referring to agency mortgages. They are "a spot where you can pick up high-quality securities with attractive cash flows, 5.5% yields." "The main theme is that you don't need to reach in order to achieve attractive returns across the high-quality spectrum," he added. Core bond funds For investors seeking a mix of diversification and quality, core bond funds might fit the bill, said Murphy at Morningstar. "Core bond portfolios offer a good building block to a fixed income portfolio because you have that broad exposure to the fixed income market," he said. Investors should look for solid active managers and names that leverage strong analyst teams, Murphy noted. As they research core bond funds, investors should understand the credit quality of the underlying portfolio, as well as the duration – or the portfolio's price sensitivity to swings in interest rates, he added. "Look at prior months of volatility and understand the biases in these funds," Murphy said. "Stick with active managers, good managers who have weathered periods of volatility and are time tested."
Irish Times
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Mayo finish strongly to claim Connacht U20 title
Connacht Under-20 football final: Mayo 2-17 Roscommon 4-8 Mayo secured their first Connacht U-20 football title since 2018 as they finished strong to deny Roscommon successive crowns. Peadar Gardiner's side came through a thriller as they kicked four of the last five scores to shake off a stubborn Roscommon challenge. The game's defining moment came in the 62nd minute when Roscommon sub Ruairí Kilcline palmed Rory Carthy's long delivery to the net. But after consulting his umpires, referee Thomas Murphy ruled a square ball and disallowed a goal that would have put Roscommon a point up. Mayo started much the quicker as they raced 1-7 to 0-1 in front, Seamus Howard netting the winners' goal. READ MORE Roscommon gradually settled and began to cause Mayo problems on their own kick-outs. Rory Carthy answered for Roscommon with a two-point free and a goal in the space of 30 seconds while John McGuinness rifled home two superb goals. A Darragh Beirne goal helped Mayo lead 2-9 to 3-4 at the interval. The third quarter was tense with Roscommon goalkeeper Patrick Gaynor producing four point-blank saves to keep his side in contention. Roscommon captain Robert Heneghan levelled the game in the 51st minute with a punched effort to the net but late scores from Colm McHale, Dara Neary, Beirne and Tom Lydon gave Mayo a Connacht title and an All Ireland semi-final spot. Mayo: Conor Meaney; Rio Mortimer, Paul Gilmore, Eoin McGreal; Colm Lynch, John McMonagle, Colm McHale (0-0-3); Cathal Keaveney, Seamus Howard (1-0-0); Oisin Cronin (0-0-1), Oliver Armstrong, Hugh O'Loughlin (0-0-2); Darragh Beirne (1-0-3, 2f), Niall Hurley (0-0-2), Tom Lydon (0-0-5, 2f). Subs: Yousif Coghill for McGreal, 16 mins; Dara Neary (0-0-1) for Cronin, 42 mins; Diarmuid Duffy for Lynch, 44 mins; Luke Feeney for Armstrong, 52 mins; Daithi Butler for Gilmore, 60+3 mins. Roscommon: Patrick Gaynor; Cillian Campbell, Tommy Morris, Conor Kelly; Robert Heneghan (1-0), Eoghan Carthy, Keelan Kelly; Niall Heneghan, David Higgins; Conor Grogan (0-1), John McGuinness (2-0), Eoin Collins; John Curran (0-1), Rory Carthy (1-1-2, 1 tpf, 2f), Ryan Dowling. Subs: Brian Greene (0-0-1, 1m) for K. Kelly, 21 mins; Cathal McKeon for Dowling, 46 mins; Ciaran O'Reilly for Higgins, 51 mins; Ruairi Kilcline for R. Heneghan, 55 mins. Referee: Thomas Murphy (Galway).
