Canon Leans on A.I. for Innovation in the Camera Biz
Canon ranked among the top holders of U.S. patents in 2017, beating out Intel, Google, and Amazon. The camera company placed a focus on intellectual property, using imaging technology to drive innovation across industries including business solutions, manufacturing, and medical technology.
Robert Pignataro, Director of New Business for Imaging Technologies & Communications Group at Canon, joined us to share how the company is innovating in the camera business. There are some Canon patents consumers interact with on a daily basis without even realizing. He said every time we turn on the TV, we see the result of their cinema line. The company received a technical Emmy last year for its Cinema U.S. lenses.
A.I. is a big part of Canon's industrial focus. Pignataro said Canon has become more of a software company to help encompass the strength of its hardware. It’s not just cameras. He said innovation in its printing segment has been key as well.
Umbilical cord blood banking platform Anja Health raised $4.5 million dollars in a seed round led by Seven Seven Six, a venture capital firm founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Anja Health offers a personalized, doctor-backed cord blood bank, which lets new parents freeze stem cells from their child's umbilical cord so they can be used to treat diseases in the future. It's a process Anja has called 'Hollywood's best-kept secret,' as celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Serena Williams, and more have all banked their umbilical cord blood. Kathryn Cross, the founder of Anja Health, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Catching you up on what you missed in today's news. Elon Musk has increased his commitment to purchase Twitter to $33.5 billion, Apple is raising its hourly wages for retail stores to compete for talent, and Roblox has announced that it will be partnering with the medically prescribed video game ‘Endeavor’ to help treat patients with ADHD.
Actor Jimmy O. Yang is partnering with Chinese food chain Panda Express for his YouTube series "Jimmy's Kitchen." The comedian joined Cheddar News to talk about the partnership as well as upcoming ventures. "Panda Express could not be more perfect like even before this deal, I was just wearing a Panda Express hat for fun when I go outside," he said.
The number of births in the U.S. increased last year for the first time in seven years. According to a new federal report, about 3.6 million babies were born in 2021, only about a 1% increase from 2020. Ted Rossman, a senior industry analyst for creditcards.com, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss why the pandemic baby boom was more like a baby bust, and how to raise kids while on a tight budget.
