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Why Pi? (Big Questions)
by Johnny BallThis entertaining follow-up to DK's popular Go Figure!, Why Pi? presents even more mind-bending ways to think about numbers. This time, author Johnny Ball focuses on how people have used numbers to measure things through the ages, from the ways the ancient Egyptians measured the pyramids to how modern scientists measure time and space. Johnny Ball has hosted more than 20 UK children's television series about math and science. He is known for making math not just easy to understand, but genuinely fun and fascinating. His shows and videos earned him a New York international EMMY nomination, a BAFTA, and 10 other awards. He has written five children's books, including DK's Go Figure!, and an educational musical. His academic credentials include three honorary science doctorates and fellowship of the British Mathematical Association.
Why Society is a Complex Matter
by Philip BallSociety is complicated. But this book argues that this does not place it beyond the reach of a science that can help to explain and perhaps even to predict social behaviour. As a system made up of many interacting agents - people, groups, institutions and governments, as well as physical and technological structures such as roads and computer networks - society can be regarded as a complex system. In recent years, scientists have made great progress in understanding how such complex systems operate, ranging from animal populations to earthquakes and weather. These systems show behaviours that cannot be predicted or intuited by focusing on the individual components, but which emerge spontaneously as a consequence of their interactions: they are said to be 'self-organized'. Attempts to direct or manage such emergent properties generally reveal that 'top-down' approaches, which try to dictate a particular outcome, are ineffectual, and that what is needed instead is a 'bottom-up' approach that aims to guide self-organization towards desirable states. This book shows how some of these ideas from the science of complexity can be applied to the study and management of social phenomena, including traffic flow, economic markets, opinion formation and the growth and structure of cities. Building on these successes, the book argues that the complex-systems view of the social sciences has now matured sufficiently for it to be possible, desirable and perhaps essential to attempt a grander objective: to integrate these efforts into a unified scheme for studying, understanding and ultimately predicting what happens in the world we have made. Such a scheme would require the mobilization and collaboration of many different research communities, and would allow society and its interactions with the physical environment to be explored through realistic models and large-scale data collection and analysis. It should enable us to find new and effective solutions to major global problems such as conflict, disease, financial instability, environmental despoliation and poverty, while avoiding unintended policy consequences. It could give us the foresight to anticipate and ameliorate crises, and to begin tackling some of the most intractable problems of the twenty-first century.
Why the Wheel Is Round: Muscles, Technology, and How We Make Things Move
by Steven VogelThere is no part of our bodies that fully rotates--be it a wrist or ankle or arm in a shoulder socket, we are made to twist only so far. And yet there is no more fundamental human invention than the wheel--a rotational mechanism that accomplishes what our physical form cannot. Throughout history, humans have developed technologies powered by human strength, complementing the physical abilities we have while overcoming our weaknesses. Providing a unique history of the wheel and other rotational devices--like cranks, cranes, carts, and capstans--Why the Wheel Is Round examines the contraptions and tricks we have devised in order to more efficiently move--and move through--the physical world. Steven Vogel combines his engineering expertise with his remarkable curiosity about how things work to explore how wheels and other mechanisms were, until very recently, powered by the push and pull of the muscles and skeletal systems of humans and other animals. Why the Wheel Is Round explores all manner of treadwheels, hand-spikes, gears, and more, as well as how these technologies diversified into such things as hand-held drills and hurdy-gurdies. Surprisingly, a number of these devices can be built out of everyday components and materials, and Vogel's accessible and expansive book includes instructions and models so that inspired readers can even attempt to make their own muscle-powered technologies, like trebuchets and ballista. Appealing to anyone fascinated by the history of mechanics and technology as well as to hobbyists with home workshops, Why the Wheel Is Round offers a captivating exploration of our common technological heritage based on the simple concept of rotation. From our leg muscles powering the gears of a bicycle to our hands manipulating a mouse on a roller ball, it will be impossible to overlook the amazing feats of innovation behind our daily devices.
WHY vs WHY Nuclear Power
by Barry Brook Ian LoweIn WHY vs WHYTM Nuclear Power, we pit two opposing activists & writers against each other, Barry Brook & Ian Lowe. They go head-to-head, each presenting 7 key reasons why you should say yes/no to nuclear power. After each author presents his arguments, his opponent tries to tear each of them apart, both in the book & on this website (with further rebuttals). For readers, we aim to leave nothing unanswered. Barry & Ian are good writers with strong, well-argued opinions. Who will you agree with? Will one of them change your mind? Read the book & find out. In WHY vs WHYTM, you get both sides, so you can decide for yourself... The books are also a great tool to help you convince others, people who don't see the light the way you do. Buy them a copy!
Why We Fight: Moral Clarity and the War on Terrorism
by William J. BennettThe events of September 11, 2001, were an unforgettable tragedy, but they also revealed that the spirit of America is strong and undiminished. Not since the shocking attack on Pearl Harbor has the nation pulled together with such unity and purpose, resolving to endure whatever hardships may be necessary to win the war on terror. We were united in the defense of and belief in our country. It truly brought out the best in our national character. In clear, compelling, straightforward language, William Bennett takes up and refutes the many myths and misconceptions about America’s character and role in world affairs that have become fashionable among our nation’s elites. The morning of September 12 dawned with a stunning moral clarity that has guided the actions of many Americans, both her leaders and her citizens. Bennett seeks to preserve that clarity in order to ensure that our national resolve does not falter in this difficult and necessary war.
Wi-Fi Enabled Healthcare
by Ali Youssef Douglas McDonald II Jon Linton Bob Zemke Aaron EarleFocusing on the recent proliferation of Wi-Fi in hospital systems, this book explains how Wi-Fi is transforming clinical work flows and infusing new life into the types of mobile devices being implemented in hospitals. Drawing on years of consulting with hospitals in the US and abroad, and with first-hand experiences from one of the largest healthcare systems in the United States, it covers the key areas associated with wireless network design, security, and support. Reporting on cutting-edge developments and emerging standards in Wi-Fi technologies, the book explores security implications for each device type. It covers real-time location services and emerging trends in cloud-based wireless architecture.
Wi-Fi Integration to the 4G Mobile Network
by Andre PerezThe adoption of smartphones has had as a corollary the use of services that require streaming, such as video streaming, which is a constraint for the 4G mobile network. The integration of the network of Wi-Fi hotspots deployed by the operators adds capacity to the 4G mobile network.The use of Wi-Fi technology in carrier networks is the result of developments coordinated by the IEEE, WFA and WBA standardization bodies. For its part, the 3GPP standardization body has been working to integrate Wi-Fi technology into the 4G mobile network.The first part of this book presents the characteristics of the Wi-Fi radio interface. The different IEEE 802.11b / g / n / ac physical layers characterize the implementation in the 2.4 GHz ISM frequency bands and U- NII at 5 GHz. The MAC layer defines a number of media access procedures such as scanning, associating, or transferring data.The second part of this book deals with the architecture of the 4G network based on the Wi-Fi interface. This architecture defines several models corresponding, on the one hand, to Wi-Fi access controlled or not, On the other hand, to a handover controlled by the network or by the mobile. The integration of Wi-Fi technology resulted in a redefinition of attachment and session set-up procedures.Smartphones have the ability to activate simultaneously the two radio interfaces, LTE and Wi-Fi, which allows to direct certain services to one and / or the other of the interfaces. The ANDSF and HotSpot 2.0 functions provide the mobile with rules for network selection and traffic control to determine which traffic is to be routed to what type of interface.
Wicked Problems: How to Engineer a Better World
by Guru MadhavanAn ode to systems engineers—whose invisible work undergirds our life—and an exploration of the wicked problems they tackle. Our world is filled with pernicious problems. How, for example, did novice pilots learn to fly without taking to the air and risking their lives? How should cities process mountains of waste without polluting the environment? Challenges that tangle personal, public, and planetary aspects—often occurring in health care, infrastructure, business, and policy—are known as wicked problems, and they are not going away anytime soon. In linked chapters focusing on key facets of systems engineering—efficiency, vagueness, vulnerability, safety, maintenance, and resilience—engineer Guru Madhavan illuminates how wicked problems have emerged throughout history and how best to address them in the future. He examines best-known tragedies and lesser-known tales, from the efficient design of battleships to a volcano eruption that curtailed global commerce, and how maintenance of our sanitation systems constitutes tikkun olam, or repair of our world. Braided throughout is the uplifting tale of Edwin Link, an unsung hero who revolutionized aviation with his flight trainer. In Link’s story, Madhavan uncovers a model mindset to engage with wickedness. An homage to society’s innovators and maintainers, Wicked Problems offers a refreshing vision for readers of all backgrounds to build a better future and demonstrates how engineering is a cultural choice—one that requires us to restlessly find ways to transform society, but perhaps more critically, to care for the creations that already exist.
Wicked Valuations: People and Landed Property (Routledge Complex Real Property Rights Series)
by Michael McDermottTraditional valuation approaches are increasingly recognised as being insufficient to address the wicked valuation problems of the diverse peoples and groups that inhabit the globe from north, south, east to west. This book demonstrates the limitations of science and, in particular economics, as the foundation on which valuations are traditionally based. It demonstrates the importance of and provides justification for the personal, cultural values and norms which underpin our assessment of "value", and the fact that these vary across the world. In Wicked Valuations Michael McDermott develops a means of engaging with highly complex valuation problems. His autoethnography provides a lens to draw on knowledge and experience from his 40 years in land valuation in Africa and the Asia-Pacific, while documentary analysis is used to draw in the views of other valuation practitioners and scholars who are becoming increasingly aware of the need to develop ways to adapt land valuation processes to the complexity of our contemporary landscapes.
Wicking in Porous Materials: Traditional and Modern Modeling Approaches
by Reza Masoodi Krishna M. PillaiThis reference offers information on the science and advances of wicking in porous materials. It describes various modeling approaches, traditional and modern, but maintains an emphasis on the modern methodologies. A host of internationally recognized scientists and researchers contribute chapters that describe the physics of wicking and the different approaches available for modeling wicking. Chapters cover measurement of wetting parameters such as surface tension and contact angle; the Washburn Equation; measurement of various quantities; wicking in rigid porous materials; wicking in swelling porous materials; and two-phase flow approaches to modeling wick flow.
Wide Area Power Systems Stability, Protection, and Security (Power Systems)
by Hassan Haes Alhelou Almoataz Y. Abdelaziz Pierluigi SianoThis book proposes new control and protection schemes to improve the overall stability and security of future wide-area power systems. It focuses on the high penetration levels of renewable energy sources and distributed generation, particularly with the trend towards smart grids.The control methods discussed can improve the overall stability in normal and abnormal operation conditions, while the protection methods presented can be used to ensure the secure operation of systems under most severe contingencies.Presenting stability, security, and protection methods for power systems in one concise volume, this book takes the reader on a journey from concepts and fundamentals to the latest and future trends in each topic covered, making it an informative and intriguing read for researchers, graduate students, and practitioners alike.
Wide Band Gap Semiconductor Nanowires 2: Heterostructures and Optoelectronic Devices (Wiley-iste Ser.)
by Robert BaptistThis book, the second of two volumes, describes heterostructures and optoelectronic devices made from GaN and ZnO nanowires. Over the last decade, the number of publications on GaN and ZnO nanowires has grown exponentially, in particular for their potential optical applications in LEDs, lasers, UV detectors or solar cells. So far, such applications are still in their infancy, which we analyze as being mostly due to a lack of understanding and control of the growth of nanowires and related heterostructures. Furthermore, dealing with two different but related semiconductors such as ZnO and GaN, but also with different chemical and physical synthesis methods, will bring valuable comparisons in order to gain a general approach for the growth of wide band gap nanowires applied to optical devices
Wide-Band Slow-Wave Systems: Simulation and Applications
by Stanislovas Staras Romanas Martavicius Julius Skudutis Vytautas Urbanavicius Vladislavas DaskeviciusThe field of electromagnetics has seen considerable advances in recent years, based on the wide applications of numerical methods for investigating electromagnetic fields, microwaves, and other devices. Wide-Band Slow-Wave Systems: Simulation and Applications presents new technical solutions and research results for the analysis, synthesis, and design of slow-wave structures for modern electronic devices with super-wide pass-bands. It makes available, for the first time in English, significant research from the past 20 years that was previously published only in Russian and Lithuanian. The authors examine electrodynamics, multiconductor lines, and numerical methods for the modeling, simulation, analysis, and design of various super-wide-band slow-wave structures, including helical, meander, and gutter-type systems. The book features: The electrodynamic method for analysis of helical structures containing periodical inhomogeneities The multiconductor line method for analysis of complex helical, meander, and gutter-type wide-band slow-wave structures The method of moments for modeling and analysis of multiconductor lines containing a limited number of lines and meander structures with limited length Use of powerful software systems Microwave Office®, MICROWAVE STUDIO®, and MATLAB® for modeling, analysis, and design A synergy of various methods for investigating and designing wide-band slow-wave structures Solution of specific problems related to the design of wide-band and super-wide-band electrodynamic delay and deflection systems Principles of computer-aided design of slow-wave structures Presenting the theory, principles, properties, and applications of wide-band and super-wide-band slow-wave structures, this book will be of interest to students, engineers, researchers, and designers in the fields of electronic and microwave engineering.
Wide Bandgap Nanowires: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications
by Tuan Anh Pham Toan Dinh Nam-Trung Nguyen Hoang-Phuong PhanWIDE BANDGAP NANOWIRES Comprehensive resource covering the synthesis, properties, and applications of wide bandgap nanowires This book presents first-hand knowledge on wide bandgap nanowires for sensor and energy applications. Taking a multidisciplinary approach, it brings together the materials science, physics and engineering aspects of wide bandgap nanowires, an area in which research has been accelerating dramatically in the past decade. Written by four well-qualified authors who have significant experience in the field, sample topics covered within the work include: Nanotechnology-enabled fabrication of wide bandgap nanowires, covering bottom-up, top-down and hybrid approaches Electrical, mechanical, optical, and thermal properties of wide bandgap nanowires, which are the basis for realizing sensor and energy device applications Measurement of electrical conductivity and fundamental electrical properties of nanowires Applications of nanowires, such as in flame sensors, biological sensors, and environmental monitoring For materials scientists, electrical engineers and professionals involved in the semiconductor industry, this book serves as a completely comprehensive resource to understand the topic of wide bandgap nanowires and how they can be successfully used in practical applications.
Wide Bandgap Semiconductors for Power Electronics: Materials, Devices, Applications
by Peter WellmannWide Bandgap Semiconductors for Power Electronic A guide to the field of wide bandgap semiconductor technology Wide Bandgap Semiconductors for Power Electronics is a comprehensive and authoritative guide to wide bandgap materials silicon carbide, gallium nitride, diamond and gallium(III) oxide. With contributions from an international panel of experts, the book offers detailed coverage of the growth of these materials, their characterization, and how they are used in a variety of power electronics devices such as transistors and diodes and in the areas of quantum information and hybrid electric vehicles. The book is filled with the most recent developments in the burgeoning field of wide bandgap semiconductor technology and includes information from cutting-edge semiconductor companies as well as material from leading universities and research institutions. By taking both scholarly and industrial perspectives, the book is designed to be a useful resource for scientists, academics, and corporate researchers and developers. This important book: Presents a review of wide bandgap materials and recent developments Links the high potential of wide bandgap semiconductors with the technological implementation capabilities Offers a unique combination of academic and industrial perspectives Meets the demand for a resource that addresses wide bandgap materials in a comprehensive manner Written for materials scientists, semiconductor physicists, electrical engineers, Wide Bandgap Semiconductors for Power Electronics provides a state of the art guide to the technology and application of SiC and related wide bandgap materials.
Wide-Range Antennas
by Boris LevinExpanding the range of antenna frequency is the main objective of this book. Solutions proposed are based on the development of new theoretical methods for analyzing and synthesizing antennas. The book shows that concentrated capacitive loads connected along linear and V-antennas provide a high level of matching with a cable over a wide frequency range and improves directional characteristics of antennas, i.e. increases the communication distance. New theoretical methods are proposed for analysis and synthesis of antennas under consideration: 1) method of calculating directional characteristics of radiators with a given current distribution, and 2) method of electrostatic analogy for calculating mutual and total fields of complex multi-element radiating structures. These methods allow us to obtain optimal directional characteristics for director-type antennas (arrays of Yagi-Uda) and log-periodic antennas with concentrated capacitances and show that use of capacitors makes it possible to extend the frequency range of the director antennas and to decrease dimensions of the log-periodic antennas Multi-element (flat and three-dimensional) self-complementary antennas with different variants of connecting generator poles and cable wires to antenna elements are proposed, which improves the matching with a cable. Characteristics of flat structures are compared with characteristics of volume structures: conical, parabolic, and located on a pyramid edges. The book describes new versions of transparent antennas, antennas for cellular communication, multi-tier and multi-radiator antennas, and much more.
The Wide World of Coding: The People and Careers behind the Programs
by Jennifer Connor-SmithThe best part about coding is that anyone with a computer can learn how to do it. From education to healthcare to entertainment, software touches almost every aspect of twenty-first century life. Take a high-level perspective on the types of people who create that software—including many jobs that do not involve writing code at all. Learn about the software development cycle and the huge variety of skills developers draw on, including psychology, mathematics, and art, to create amazing apps and programs. Explore why diversity is needed to prevent bias in design. Learn about the different coding languages and what they are used for, how developers choose a language, and tools that simplify coding. Jennifer Connor-Smith breaks down stereotypes about coding as a career that is open only to technology-obsessed gamers, revealing ways people use software to improve medical care, nurture dementia patients, promote social justice, and more. Hands-on activities show you how easy it is to learn to think like a coder. The next generation of coders will require diverse teams, creativity, and ethical codes of conduct to create the best and most successful software. Will you be one of them?
Wideband Circuit Design
by Herbert J. CarlinWideband Circuit Design starts at a foundational level and proceeds at a carefully gauged pace to advanced topics, providing a self-sufficient text for specialization in wideband analog circuit design for the fields of telecommunications and related areas. Basic theory and comprehensive circuit analysis methods (oriented for application to general network computer programs) are detailed and then extended to applicational topics such as filters, delay structures, equalizers, matching networks, broadband amplifiers, and microwave components.Novel and simplified approaches to such fundamental topics as linear circuit time domain response, synthesis of cascaded networks, and the construction of Chebychev and elliptic transfer functions are given. For the first time in book form a unified presentation of analytic matching and gain-bandwidth theory, integrated with the numerical Real Frequency design technique (originally published by the authors), is delineated. Wideband Circuit Design presents all the concepts, techniques, and procedures you need to gain the broad understanding necessary for finding creative solutions to wideband circuit design problems.
Wideband CMOS Receivers
by Miguel D. Fernandes Luis B. OliveiraThis book demonstrates how to design a wideband receiver operating in current mode, in which the noise and non-linearity are reduced, implemented in a low cost single chip, using standard CMOS technology. The authors present a solution to remove the transimpedance amplifier (TIA) block and connect directly the mixer's output to a passive second-order continuous-time Σ analog to digital converter (ADC), which operates in current-mode. These techniques enable the reduction of area, power consumption, and cost in modern CMOS receivers.
Wideband Continuous-time ΣΔ ADCs, Automotive Electronics, and Power Management
by Andrea Baschirotto Pieter Harpe Kofi A. A. MakinwaThis book is based on the 18 tutorials presented during the 25th workshop on Advances in Analog Circuit Design. Expert designers present readers with information about a variety of topics at the frontier of analog circuit design, including low-power and energy-efficient analog electronics, with specific contributions focusing on the design of continuous-time sigma-delta modulators, automotive electronics, and power management. This book serves as a valuable reference to the state-of-the-art, for anyone involved in analog circuit research and development.
Wideband FM Techniques for Low-Power Wireless Communications
by John F.M. GerritsUltra Wideband (UWB) communications are poised to enable short-range applications, such as remote health monitoring (e-health) and home or office automation. Sensor networks are also suitable candidates for UWB since the low radiated power of the UWB transmitter enables low DC power consumption, yielding long battery life and the possibility to use energy scavenging. Size and cost constraints require a low-complexity approach that allows multiple users to share the same RF bandwidth, and offers robustness to interference, frequency-selective multipath and antenna mismatch. Wideband FM Techniques for Low-Power Wireless Communications presents research and applications that have taken place in UWB Communications over the past years. This book is being published posthumously in agreement with the authors’ former colleagues from both the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM) and Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands.
Wideband, Multiband, and Smart Antenna Systems (Signals and Communication Technology)
by Mohammad Abdul MatinThis book provides current R&D trends and novel approaches in design and analysis of broadband, multiband, and smart antennas for 5G and B5G mobile and wireless applications, as well as the identification of integration techniques of these antennas in a diverse range of devices. The book presents theoretical and experimental approaches to help the reader in understanding the unique design issues and more advanced research. Moreover, the book includes chapters on the fundamentals of antenna theory. The book is pertinent to professionals and researchers working in the field of antenna engineering; it is written for graduate students, researchers, academics, and industry practitioners who want to improve their understanding in the current research trends in design analysis of broadband, multiband, and smart antennas for wireless applications.
Wideband Radar
by Teng Long Yang Li Weifeng Zhang Quanhua Liu Xinliang Chen Weiming Tian Xiaopeng YangWideband Radar focuses on system theories and signal processing techniques for wideband radar systems. Author Professor Teng Long and his fellows present a comprehensive introduction to the fundamental theory, latest technology developments in signal processing and recent progresses in civil applications of wideband radar. Each chapter begins with an introduction describing what a reader will find in that chapter. The book is addressed to all scientists, whether at universities or in industry, who wish to keep abreast of the important advances in wideband radar. We look forward to further excitement ahead and new developments in wideband radar, and we hope to share them with you, our esteemed readers.
Wideband RF Technologies and Antennas in Microwave Frequencies
by Dr Albert SabbanPresents wideband RF technologies and antennas in the microwave band and millimeter-wave band This book provides an up-to-date introduction to the technologies, design, and test procedures of RF components and systems at microwave frequencies. The book begins with a review of the elementary electromagnetics and antenna topics needed for students and engineers with no basic background in electromagnetic and antenna theory. These introductory chapters will allow readers to study and understand the basic design principles and features of RF and communication systems for communications and medical applications. After this introduction, the author examines MIC, MMIC, MEMS, and LTCC technologies. The text will also present information on meta-materials, design of microwave and mm wave systems, along with a look at microwave and mm wave receivers, transmitters and antennas. Discusses printed antennas for wireless communication systems and wearable antennas for communications and medical applications Presents design considerations with both computed and measured results of RF communication modules and CAD tools Includes end-of-chapter problems and exercises Wideband RF Technologies and Antennas in Microwave Frequencies is designed to help electrical engineers and undergraduate students to understand basic communication and RF systems definition, electromagnetic and antennas theory and fundamentals with minimum integral and differential equations. Albert Sabban, PhD, is a Senior Researcher and Lecturer at Ort Braude College Karmiel Israel. Dr. Sabban was RF and antenna specialist at communication and Biomedical Hi-tech Companies. He designed wearable compact antennas to medical systems. From 1976 to 2007, Dr. Albert Sabban worked as a senior R&D scientist and project leader in RAFAEL.
A Widening Sphere: Evolving Cultures at MIT
by Philip N. AlexanderHow MIT's first nine presidents helped transform the Institute from a small technical school into a major research university.MIT was founded in 1861 as a polytechnic institute in Boston's Back Bay, overshadowed by its neighbor across the Charles River, Harvard University. Harvard offered a classical education to young men of America's ruling class; the early MIT trained men (and a few women) from all parts of society as engineers for the nation's burgeoning industries. Over the years, MIT expanded its mission and ventured into other fields—pure science, social science, the humanities—and established itself in Cambridge as Harvard's enduring rival. In A Widening Sphere, Philip Alexander traces MIT's evolution from polytechnic to major research institution through the lives of its first nine presidents, exploring how the ideas, outlook, approach, and personality of each shaped the school's intellectual and social cultures. Alexander describes, among otherthings, the political skill and entrepreneurial spirit of founder and first president, William Rogers; institutional growing pains under John Runkle; Francis Walker's campaign to broaden the curriculum, especially in the social sciences, and to recruit first-rate faculty; James Crafts, whose heart lay in research, not administration; Henry Pritchett's thwarted effort to merge with Harvard (after which he decamped to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching); Richard Maclaurin's successful strategy to move the institute to Cambridge, after considering other sites (including a golfclub in Brighton); the brilliant, progressive Ernest Nichols, who succumbed to chronic illness and barely held office; Samuel Stratton's push towards a global perspective; and Karl Compton's vision for a new kind of Institute—a university polarized around science and technology. Through these interlocking yet independent portraits, Alexander reveals the inner workings of a complex and dynamic community of innovators.