School awarded A$12,000 grant to advance STEM programming
SYDNEY, April 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A team of students from Unity Grammar School has earned an Honorable Mention in the Otis Asia Pacific region in the Otis Made to Move Communities student challenge, a competition in which students apply principles of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) to propose solutions to real-world urban mobility issues.
Over the last several months, the high school students, with the guidance of Otis volunteer mentors, designed solutions leveraging AI technology aimed at enabling more inclusive mobility in their communities, and presented their ideas to Otis judges from the company's Asia Pacific region. Otis is the world's leading elevator and escalator manufacturing, installation and service company.
The students' solution, an AI-driven Smart Traffic Light system, features a timer capable of detecting emergency vehicles, assisting individuals with vision impairment, and enhancing safety for both vehicles and pedestrians.
"We'd like to thank the Otis volunteers for their mentorship provided to our students throughout this competition," said Laila Qadan, educator-in-charge from Unity Grammar. "It has been truly inspiring to see the students apply their knowledge of AI and STEM to develop a functional prototype for the competition, showcasing incredible dedication and effort throughout the process."
"At Otis, we're excited to support STEM education in Australia and highlight the critical role these skills play in shaping the future," said Pedro Marcal, Managing Director of Otis Australasia. "It's been incredibly rewarding to witness the innovation and creativity demonstrated by the students at Unity Grammar. We hope this experience has ignited the students' lasting interest for STEM and inspired them to keep exploring solutions to real-world challenges."
About the Made to Move Communities challenge
Launched in 2020, the Made to Move Communities challenge engages young minds to explore real-world challenges and develop innovative solutions with the potential to create more connected communities and improve mobility for all. This initiative brings together students, educators, and Otis colleagues as mentors with the goals of advancing STEM and leadership skills to help build the next generation of talent, ensuring future workforce readiness, and sustaining innovation.
Each year, the program focuses on a different theme that aligns with global priorities, such as sustainability, accessibility or technology. This year's theme had students incorporate Artificial Intelligence into their proposals. Students are encouraged to think critically and creatively, applying STEM principles to address mobility-related issues. Through workshops, mentorship, and collaboration, participants gain valuable insights and skills that prepare them for future careers while making a positive impact on society. Participating schools also receive grants at the conclusion of the program to support ongoing STEM education in their schools.
This year, more than 250 students from dozens of schools participated in the challenge. To date, the Made to Move Communities program has reached more than 1,000 student participants, involved more than 950 Otis volunteer mentors, and delivered nearly 90 grants totalling over $1 million to support ongoing STEM education at participating schools.
To learn more about the Made to Move Communities challenge, visit www.otis.com/mtmc.
About Otis
Otis gives people freedom to connect and thrive in a taller, faster, smarter world. The global leader in the manufacture, installation and servicing of elevators and escalators, we move 2.4 billion people a day and maintain approximately 2.4 million customer units worldwide – the industry's largest Service portfolio. You'll find us in the world's most iconic structures, as well as residential and commercial buildings, transportation hubs and everywhere people are on the move. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, Otis is 72,000 people strong, including 44,000 field professionals, all committed to manufacturing, installing and maintaining products to meet the diverse needs of our customers and passengers in more than 200 countries and territories. To learn more, visit www.otis.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook @OtisElevatorCo.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Unity Grammar School Earns Honorable Mention in Otis' Asia Pacific Regional Made to Move Communities™ Challenge
LOS ANGELES, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Insta360, the world's best-selling 360° camera brand, is thrilled to announce Insta360 X5, its latest flagship camera. Combining groundbreaking image quality, rugged durability, and AI-powered ease of use, X5 sets a new benchmark for what 360° cameras can achieve.
Insta360 X5 Launch Video
X5's larger 1/1.28" sensors and lightning-fast Triple AI Chip system deliver a dramatic leap in image quality across all resolutions, including stunning 8K30fps 360° video. With PureVideo, a new AI-powered low-light mode, X5 achieves crisp, cinematic footage in challenging lighting.
Built for adventure, this is the toughest 360° camera ever. Its lenses are crafted from a new ultra-durable glass, while a first-of-its-kind replaceable lens system sets a new standard for the industry, allowing you to swap out damaged lenses on the go. Further hardware upgrades like a built-in wind guard, extended 3-hour battery life, and waterproofing to 49ft, make X5 the ultimate companion for active creators.
From shooting to sharing, X5 makes 360° creation effortless. The all-new InstaFrame Mode simultaneously captures an auto-framed, ready-to-share flat video and a full 360° video to fine-tune later. The Insta360 app has undergone a transformation with more intuitive editing tools, and X5 pairs with the Insta360+ cloud service, where you can instantly share 360º clips, edit on the cloud, and more.
"X5 redefines 360° cameras by solving creators' real challenges," said JK Liu, Insta360's Founder. "From replaceable lenses to AI-powered low-light shooting, we've built our dream camera—rugged enough for adventure, capable enough to produce high quality footage, and intelligent enough to capture epic moments effortlessly."
Insta360 X5 is available to order from April 22, 2025, via the Insta360 Official Store, Amazon, and select retailers, priced at US$549.99.
Insta360 X5 officially launched today at Insta360's pop-up event at NYC's Grand Central Terminal, where the groundbreaking 360º camera is available for purchase on-site from 9am to 5pm. Attendees are queuing around the block to be among the first people in the world to take home the 8K 360º camera. Inside, the atmosphere is buzzing with excitement, with hands-on demonstrations and appearances from top creators, including Jesse Wellens (@jessewelle) and Jen Smith (@jeanapvp). The huge 3.6m X5 installation provides the perfect photo op in the iconic Vanderbilt Hall, where guests can pick up exclusive merch, and meet special guests who'll be dropping by throughout the day. Whether you're capturing your first 360º selfie or testing out new AI-powered features, this experience isn't to be missed.
Unmatched Image Quality, Day and Night
X5's 8K30fps 360° video looks better than ever, with supersampling from 11K to 8K resulting in minimal loss to image quality for true-to-life shots. But resolution is just part of what determines image quality.
X5's 1/1.28" sensors are 144% larger compared to X4's, meaning they capture far more light. The Triple AI Chip system, made up of one 5nm AI Chip and two Pro Imaging Chips, works wonders to reduce noise for clean, uncompressed images in any conditions. With 140% more computing power, every moment—whether on thrilling rides, underwater adventures, or the trip of a lifetime—becomes clearer, brighter, and more vivid.
Low light capture gets an additional boost with a dedicated mode: PureVideo. Advanced AI noise reduction and dynamic range optimization deliver clear, vibrant footage in low light, perfect for capturing your late-night city explorations, motorcycle rides, and more. Meanwhile, Active HDR has been upgraded to 5.7K60fps for smooth, sharper shots, especially in high-contrast scenes.
360° Capture - Souped Up & Simplified
As the fifth generation, X5 has refined every aspect of 360° capture with incredible results. The beauty of shooting with X5 is that you record everything, everywhere, always. No wondering "Did I frame that right?" or fears of missing an epic moment, just shoot first and choose your angles later, with the invisible selfie stick effect enabling otherwise impossible third-person shots. Ideal for solo creators, travelers, and well... everyone.
But now, there's a new mode that makes all that 360° goodness simpler to achieve than ever before. Meet InstaFrame. Hit record and X5 produces two files. The first is an instantly shareable flat video, no editing or reframing needed. Here you have the choice of a fixed view that follows a constant direction or a selfie view that keeps you in frame throughout. And the best part? At the same time, you'll also record a second clip in full 360° so you'll never miss life's unexpected moments, from your toddler's surprise first steps to a dolphin's sudden appearance beside your kayak.
The Toughest 360° Camera Ever
When a lens cracks mid-adventure, most 360° cameras become paperweights—but with X5 you can swap lenses before the ski lift reaches the top of the next run. No worrying about scratches or paying out of pocket for repairs, easily replace damaged lenses on the go with the handy Replacement Lens Kit.
Designed for the klutzes, the cliff-divers, and the 'I-just-dropped-it-again' creators among us, the lenses are also made from a new, high-strength, scratch-resistant glass that makes them far less likely to be damaged in the first place, making X5 a camera you can truly push to the limits.
Elsewhere, X5 has improved in almost every way that an action camera enthusiast could wish for:
The Complete Post-Production Package
The Insta360 app has long been the most sophisticated, user-friendly app for editing 360° content. To coincide with X5's launch, it has undergone a revamp, with a sleeker user interface and new tools that make editing easier than ever.
A one-tap Dewarp button removes fisheye distortion for natural-looking footage, a new option to one-tap export with zero editing or reframing, and more. This is in addition to existing features such as Quick Edit and AI Edit for semi-automatic and automatic editing, Shot Lab with 40+ AI templates, as well as a full, manual editing suite.
Insta360 Studio, the desktop editing software for highest quality exports, is also available completely free, along with the mobile app.
For the best possible Insta360 experience and a smoother workflow, X5 is compatible with Insta360+, a cloud service offering auto file backup, instant sharing of 360° footage, cloud editing and export, and more, making it easier than ever to share your adventures with the world.
Availability
Insta360 X5 is on sale from April 22, 2025, at the Insta360 Official Store, Amazon, and authorized retailers, starting from US$549.99.
About Insta360
With a "Think bold" mindset, Insta360 empowers people to capture and share their lives in extraordinary ways. Recognized as a market leader and innovator, Insta360's vast lineup includes the world's best-selling 360° cameras in the X Series, the thumb-sized GO Series for everyday capture, as well as an extensive range of action cameras, gimbals, webcams, and professional photography solutions. With intuitive, AI-powered software, Insta360 simplifies the creative process, allowing users to focus on storytelling without technical barriers. Insta360 is dedicated to helping a new generation of athletes, creatives, travelers and professionals bring their ideas to life.
For more details visit: http://www.insta360.com
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** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Insta360 Unveils X5: The Smartest, Toughest 360° Camera Ever Made
Insta360 Unveils X5: The Smartest, Toughest 360° Camera Ever Made
