A hype around Korean pop music and pop culture has led to more students in the U.S. taking up Korean language classes, according to numbers released by the U.S. Modern Language Association. In between 2006 and 2016, the number of university students enrolled in Korean almost doubled – the biggest increase for any language of 1,000 students or more.The Korean language hype is not only confined...

As fully explored in Cassandra’s macrotrend The Direct Connection, direct-to-consumer brands (or DTCs) are winning over young consumers with their engaging new take on both marketing and product design. Now, new DTC toilet paper entrants are disrupting the bath tissue industry by offering beautifully-designed and highly-sustainable products that are better for consumers—and for the planet.Bip...

A bad exaConsumers’ choices in terms of where, how and why they buy are redefining retail and creating a new playbook for the industry. NRF’s Consumer View is a recurring look at the consumer forces that are shaping retail.For the Summer 2019 Consumer View, NRF surveyed consumers to understand the role technology plays in their shopping decisions. More than three out of five consumers recogni...

Future Meat Technologies' production facility used 1,200-liter stainless steel vessels to grow chicken, beef, lamb, or pork. Such facilities are no larger than a barn and can manufacture up to 2,000 kg of meat per month (equivalent to 1,000 chickens or 7 cows per month). Environment NewsFuture Meat Technologies' production facility used 1,200-liter stainless steel vessels to grow chicken, beef,...

A bad example, but a great way to make you understand the importance of the Autostop System in the Smart Intelligent Stroller, is the airport trolley. The ones in my city come with an automatic braking system, where you need to press down the handle to activate the wheels. If you have not engaged the handle, by pressing down on it – the trolley will not move.When you’re pushing heavy bags, an...

New products, services and changes in pet-owner behavior are opening up a plethora of opportunities in the pet segment, especially in the areas of pet health and wellness. For example, 9 in 10 dog and cat owners consider their pets “part of the family” — with nearly half of dog owners finding it harder to leave their pet than their human partners for a week.This infographic by Advantage Solu...

A data-driven look at global financial technology investment trends, top deals, active investors, and corporate activity in Q2 2019.[click to enlarge]REPORT HIGHLIGHTS :Q2’19 fintech funding topped $8.3B, boosted by a record quarter of 25 $100M+ mega-rounds: Funding to VC-backed fintech companies grew 24% QoQ in Q2’19 and neared previously quarterly funding highs.Despite funding surge, Q2’19...

Walmart filed two patents this week looking at drone delivery, specifically dealing with how to safely and securely drop off packages when they get to their destination.Currently, receiving a delivery from a drone means having the drone drop it on the ground, at least according to Amazon's FAA application and photos from Project Wing. These patents show Walmart is trying to work out this crucia...

Piper Jaffray Completes 38th Semi-Annual Generation Z Survey of 9,500 U.S. Teens.- Overall teen “self-reported” spending decreased by 4% Y/Y & 10% sequentially to $2,400—the lowest level since Fall 2011- Thirty-two percent of teens believe the economy is getting worse—higher than the 25% level in Fall 2018- Cosmetics spending for females hits 2019-survey low with spending down 21% Y/Y-...

A pair of robotics labs at a Swiss university have developed a soft, wearable skin that provides high-fidelity tactile feedback. Potential uses are wide-ranging and include rehabilitation and virtual reality.We take our sense of touch for granted. Oenologists have devoted dictionaries to describing the tastes and smells of wine, and sight and hearing have long been the vectors of choice for mas...