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Consumer Electronics Daily News Thursday, January 5, 2017 4 0 CTA INDUCTS 17 VISIONARIES INTO HALL OF FAME The Consumer Technology Association (CTA)™ inducted 17 industry leaders into its annual Consumer Technology Hall of Fame. This year's honorees were Sidney Cooper, Founder of Silo; Dr. Jaap Haartsen, the "Father of Bluetooth"; David B. Lorsch, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of DBL Distributing; Chuck Pagano, ESPN Chief Technical Officer and HDTV pioneer; Steve Smith, former Editor-in-Chief of TWICE; Joel S. Spira, Founder of Lutron Electronics; Nat Tiffen, Founder of the Tiffen Company; and Hiroshi Yamauchi, former President of Nintendo. In addition to these individuals, two teams were inducted into the 2016 class. The first team developed the first hand- held GPS system. Under the leadership of Magellan Founder Ed Tuck, Norman Hunt and Don Rea developed and released the Magellan GPS NAV 1000 in 1989. The second group to be honored were the six individuals who comprised the HDTV Grand Alliance – Dr. Peter Bingham, President of Phillips Labs; Dr. Jim Carnes, Chief Executive Officer of Sarnoff Labs; Dr. Curt Crawford, President of AT&T Microelectronics; Dr. Jae Lim, professor at MIT; Jerry Pearlman, Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Electronics; and Donald Rumsfeld, Chief Executive Officer of General Instrument – were honored for their work in developing and implement- ing a unified digital TV broadcasting sys- tem. Gary Shapiro, President and Chief Executive Officer of CTA, praised the inductees for their contributions to the growth of the consumer technology industry and their innovations which helped better our world. He said, "Tonight we celebrate our rich heritage by honoring the legends in our industry. Those inventors, entrepreneurs, retailers and business executives who were will- ing to take risks to bring new products and services to market and had the imag- ination to create new technologies." Dr. Jaap Haartsen, the "Father of Bluetooth," stressed that the creation of Bluetooth was possible because of the contributions of many individuals. "I accept this award as a tribute to all the people who joined me on this exciting journey of setting a new standard for per- sonal wireless connectivity, and I'm happy to accept this award on behalf of the Bluetooth community." Accepting the award for his late father Sidney Cooper, Richard Cooper reflected on the man who founded the Silo Discount Center retail chain. "He was a pioneer, but he never saw himself as one. He simply knew that the world was changing faster than anyone could fathom, and he knew that if he stayed in one place too long, everyone would pass him by." David Lorsch thanked his wife and family for helping him build DBL Distributing into a powerhouse. "We were an American success story. We started from 1,500 square feet in Tempe, Arizona and we grew all the way to our final headquarters of 144,000." Accepting the award on behalf of her father, Joel Spira, creator of the first solid state dimmer, Lutron Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer Susan Hakkarainen reflected on her father's endless desire to learn. "Our father was insatiably curious; his interests had almost no boundaries. He was always looking for new ideas, and was fascinat- ed by fine craftsmanship." Chuck Pagano, who was responsible for leading ESPN into the high-definition era, thanked ESPN for their willingness to accept new technology. "My fantastic team of smart engineers, I want to thank them. Our vocation in life was to serve the fans. ESPN's journey is now solidi- fied, and HD is in their DNA." Nat Tiffen grew a business he and his brothers started into a Hollywood cor- nerstone. Steve Tiffen, Chief Executive Officer of the Tiffen Company, accepted the award for his father. He said, "My dad lived by a single principle. Find out what the customer wants and give it to them." Nintendo's success is due partly to the risks taken by Hiroshi Yamauchi. In addition to his persistence, hard work and vision, he was humble, according to his granddaughter, Maki Arakawa, who accepted his award. She said, "Even with success, my grandfather continued the same lifestyle." The Magellan team was represented by Ed Tuck's daughter Jean Tuck McGregor and Norm Hunt's children Laura Hunt Ross and her brother Jay Hunt, a soldier who said, "Wherever I was in the world, it was always the tin- kerers who got me home." Dr. Curt Crawford and Dr. Jae Lim represented the HDTV Grand Alliance team that despite differences among the group, pushed to develop the HDTV technology that consumers enjoy today. "We argued a lot and we talked a lot. But we worked it out and made it happen," said Lim. Journalist Steve Smith's dream was to work for a major newspaper or maga- zine right out of college, but instead found his love for technology journalism and became one of the most legendary tech journalists of our generation. He said, "In life, if you're a little lucky, dreams can become a reality." With the 2016 class, the CT Hall of Fame grows to 234 inventors, engineers, retailers, journalists and entrepreneurs who conceived, developed, promoted and wrote about the innovative technolo- gies, products and services that connect and improve the lives of global con- sumers. The inductees were selected by a group of media and industry profession- als, who judged the nominations submit- ted by manufacturers, retailers and indus- try journalists. To learn more about the CT Hall of Fame program and for infor- mation on the 2017 nomination process, visit CTA.tech. Find complete profiles of the honorees in the November issue of It Is Innovation (i3) magazine. About Consumer Technology Association: Consumer Technology Association (CTA), is the trade association represent- ing the $287 billion U.S. consumer tech- nology industry. More than 2,200 compa- nies – 80 percent are small businesses and startups; others are among the world's best known brands – enjoy the benefits of CTA membership including policy advocacy, market research, techni- cal education, industry promotion, stan- dards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. The Consumer Technology Association also owns and produces CES – the world's gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. Profits from CES are reinvested into CTA's industry services. VULOG ANNOUNCES EXPANSION INTO THE UNITED STATES Vulog, the world leader for the new gen- eration of car sharing technology, announced its expansion into the United States, as it continues to build on its suc- cesses in Europe and Canada. Free-floating car sharing has emerged as a major trend in Europe, pop- ular with modern urbanites who appreci- ate the convenience of one-way travel. Its flexibility fits people's everyday needs, and as such, Vulog's technology has played a key part in major new mobility operations across the globe, facilitating more than 10 million trips in 2016. "Consumers are increasingly demanding new mobility services in their city to go from A to B with simple, effi- cient and affordable solutions," said Gregory Ducongé, Chief Executive Officer of Vulog. "We expect behaviors and expectations to continue evolving; this is still the beginning of the urban mobility revolution and Vulog is very well positioned for this tremendous opportunity." Fueled by a $9.44 million invest- ment in 2015, Vulog is primed for con- tinued international growth. The compa- ny has more than doubled its YoY rev- enues in 2016, and is constantly adding to its world-class team, most recently appointing Alex Thibault as Vice President of Business Development in North America. Vulog is showcasing new innova- tions for the free-floating, connected car. With thousands of cars plugged into its technology and millions of trips in the books, Vulog is significantly out- pacing its peers. In 2017, the group plans to expand its partnerships with various operators in the United States and globally. About Vulog Vulog is the world leader in the new gen- eration of car-sharing technology. Vulog offers end-to-end solutions enabling mobility operators to launch large-scale car-sharing services. The solutions pro- vide robust in-car technology, complying with automotive standards, a fleet man- agement back office and white-labeled mobile pps offering a seamless and intu- itive user experience. For more information, visit www.vulog.com. STEADICAM VOLT THREE-AXIS MOTORIZED SMARTPHONE CAMERA STABILIZER Steadicam, a division of The Tiffen Company, is releasing the Steadicam Volt, a three-axis motorized smart- phone camera stabilizer. As the first in its class to offer the user complete con- trol of image framing and composition, the Volt serves as a versatile tool for content creation, easily operated by a wide range of users. With the Steadicam Volt, consumers will have the opportunity to capture outstanding Steadicam quality video right from their smartphone. Product benefits include: lightweight and folding design enable easy storage and transportation; accompanying iOS app allows for precise balance and tun- ing; haptic control utilizes Simulated Inertia™ Dual operating modes for beginners and experienced users; uses long life rechargeable Lithium Ion batter- ies; accommodates phone sizes with or without case from 100-200g in weight and 58 to 80mm wide; and Bluetooth enabled. Engineered to provide the utmost precision and control, the Steadicam Volt will enable smart- phone users to capture high quality video content with ease. Additionally, the sim- ulated feeling of inertia on the pan axis will improve the overall handing of the gimbal, giving users the stability they need to film with remarkable precision. About Tiffen Tiffen is a leading manufacturer of imag- ing accessories for the consumer/profes- sional imaging and the motion picture and broadcast television industries, including: Tiffen optical photographic filters and lens accessories; Steadicam camera stabilizing systems; Lowel loca- tion lighting equipment; Domke camera bags and Zing camera covers; Dfx digital effects software; Listec teleprompters; Davis & Sanford tripods and support sys- tems; and Stroboframe flash brackets. For more information, visit www.tiffen.com.