IEEE Region 5

Voiceband modems convert a stream of digital symbols into audible signals and transmit them over the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The first voiceband modem was developed in 1958 and operated at 110 bits/s. Being subject to international standards developed by the International Union of Telecommunications, Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T), a body of the United Nations, these modems consistently increased their transmission speeds within the next several decades. Every step in the standards process involved a major development in signal processing and communications, such as various forms of adaptive equalization, echo cancellation, and trellis coded modulation. These contributions approximately doubled the transmission speed of every step of the standardization process, starting with 300 b/s in 1962 until about 28.8-33.6 kb/s in 1996. Modem designers invoked Shannon's capacity formula and, considering quantization noise occurring at the Analog-to-Digital conversion process in the PSTN Central Office as additive white Gaussian noise, decided that the channel capacity for such modems is about 36 kb/s. Yet, towards the end of 1990s, modems that operated at transmission speeds close to 56 kb/s, known generally as 56K modems appeared. This talk will first give a brief history of voiceband modems, and it will describe how it was possible to beat the Shannon capacity formula with the 56K modems. The underlying modeling process and the related mathematics will be described. A history of the development of the 56K modems will be presented and, looking back several decades, the technological, as well as the economic and social impact of these modems, will be discussed. Speaker(s): Ender Ayanoglu, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/466459

IEEE Central Texas Section Monthly ExCom Meeting Agenda: Officer Reports Committee Reports Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/469216

2025 Spring IEEE OKC Webinar Series IEEE OKC invites you to join the event below, organized by Oklahoma International Publishing, as part of its 2025 Spring OkIP Conferences on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. This virtual event is free of charge to IEEE Oklahoma City members. Please register ahead of time to receive the proper instructions for remote participation: >> Speaker: Dr. Maiga Chang Full Professor Associate Dean, Research & Innovation Faculty of Science and Technology Athabasca University, Canada >> Talk: Building Chatbot for Learning and Training >>> Abstract: Online learning and teaching do not mean that putting course materials online and asking students to learn by themselves. It is important to provide students supports when they encounter questions about course content or materials. When students ask their question on a discussion forum in an online learning environment, sometimes there may have no one available at that time to help them due to time differences or study behaviors and needs – for instances some students may have family/children/baby and day job and they might not be able to do their study until late night or weekends. This leads to an obvious conclusion that if a system was in place to provide an automated summary, this could facilitate learning. Having an easily accessible system, which can quickly provide responses, allows students to get information that may have otherwise been difficult to find. In this talk, I will explain how chatbots can be developed and discuss three potential chatbot in education applications: (1) the Ask4Summary Moodle plugin (https://ask4summary.vipresearch.ca/#download) acts like an online tutor can automatically answers a student’s question with a summary assembled via matching and retrieving from the stored information; (2) a block-based, visual editing environment to alleviate the burden of knowledge imposed on users wishing to implement chatbots in their use of training and/or as an automated first-level of support; and (3) guardians living in MEGA World (https://megaworld.game-server.ca/), who provide individual students a way to get their questions explained and the information asked. >>> About the speaker: Dr. Maiga Chang is Associate Dean, Research & Innovation, and Full Professor at Faculty of Science and Technology, Athabasca University, Canada. He is also Honorary Chair Professor at Multidisciplinary Academic Research Center, National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan. Dr. Chang is IEEE Senior Member and has been appointed as an IEEE Computer Society Distinguished Visitor for 2023 to 2025. He is also received Distinguished Researcher Award from Asia Pacific Society on Computers in Education (APSCE) in 2022. Dr. Chang is now Vice President (2022~) of International Association of Smart Learning Environments (IASLE) and editors-in-chief (2019~) of Journal of Educational Technology & Society (Open Access SSCI in Quartile Q1 with rank 22/756 in Education & Educational Research category by Journal Impact Factor 4.595), editor-in-chief (2014~) of International Journal of Distance Education Technologies (Open Access ESCI in Quartile Q1 with rank 64/756 in Education & Educational Research category by Journal Impact Factor 3.3, SCOPUS, EI), and editor-in-chief (2020~) of Bulletin of Technical Committee on Learning Technology (Open Access ESCI). He is also an Executive Committee member of Asia-Pacific Society for Computers in Education (2017~2028, APSCE) and Global Chinese Society for Computing in Education (2016~2025, GCSCE), and Chair (2021~) of Educational Activities Committee, IEEE Northern Canada Section. Dr. Chang is helping as a Steering Committee member (2020~) for International Conference on Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS). Dr. Chang has given more than 160 talks and lectures in different events; He also has (co-)authored more than 260 book chapters, journal and international conference papers. He is an IEEE member since 1996 and also a member of ACM (2001-2017), AAAI (since 2001-2017), INNS (2004-2018), and Phi Tau Phi Scholastic Honor Society. His current research mainly focus on artificial intelligence; natural language processing; learning behaviour analysis; learning analytics and academic analytics; game-based learning, training and assessment; intelligent agent technology; educational data mining; computational intelligence; health informatics and healthcare technology, etc. Co-sponsored by: Pierre Tiako Agenda: 08:55am - 09:00am Virtual Meeting Speaker Introduction 09:00am - 09:45am Virtual Meeting Keynote 09:45pm - 10:00am Virtual Meeting Q &A Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/442785

Monthly Lone Star Section Executive Committee Meeting Agenda: Room: CR 1.102, Bldg: 168, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, Texas, United States, 78238, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/455831

Monthly planning meeting for the LSS RAS Chapter. This will be an in-person meeting at Tycoon Flats. Lunch will be provided by the RAS chapter. Tycoon Flats, 2926 N. St. Mary's St., San Antonio , Texas, United States, 78212

2025 is bringing new opportunities—and new challenges—for job seekers. In this session, we’ll explore the latest trends shaping the job market and how professionals can leverage them to their advantage. From the rise of AI-powered hiring tools to the growing importance of soft skills, we’ll break down what you need to focus on to stand out in an evolving landscape. Plus, I’ll share the one thing you need to do to get hired faster in 2025. Whether you're switching industries, aiming for a promotion, or looking for your next big opportunity, this talk will give you the insights and strategies to stay ahead in the job search game. Speaker(s): Elizabeth Lions Agenda: IEEE-USA's free webinars/events are designed to help you find your next job, maintain your career, negotiate an appropriate salary, understand ethical considerations in the workplace and learn about other career-building strategies and public policy developments that affect your profession. Learn about our sponsor: the IEEE Member Group Insurance Program - Powered by AMBA. AMBA specializes in providing tailored insurance solutions for IEEE members. Whether you’re seeking health, life, or disability coverage, AMBA has you covered. Visit the IEEE Member Group Insurance Program website to explore the benefits and options available to you: (https://www.ieeeinsurance.com/) For information regarding upcoming webinars or to visit our vast webinar archive, please visit: (https://ieeeusa.org/careers/webinars/) (https://newsletter.smartbrief.com/rest/sign-up/2479DAB0-4089-43E7-925D-86AE0C1E6244?campaign=e0d52cef) Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/463524

See agenda below. Agenda: Agenda Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/463088

Join us every second Friday at 11AM CTS for an exciting series of technical presentation specifically designed for IEEE Young Professionals. This series will provide valuable insights into cutting-edge technologies, industry trends, and practical solutions to challenges faced in many sectors such as electrical, energy, electronics, etc.. Network with your peers, learn from subject matter experts, and learn something new outside of your career path! Data as the Driving Force: From Building Generative AI to Transforming Mobile Applications: This session explores how data serves as the backbone of innovation in developing and deploying Generative AI for interactive mobile applications. From data collection and preprocessing to training AI models, the session highlights the critical role of high-quality data in building robust and efficient generative systems. Attendees will gain insights into how Generative AI transforms mobile apps through dynamic media creation, personalized user experiences, and real-time interaction enhancements. Additionally, the session delves into the importance of data analysis and visualization for monitoring model performance, understanding user behavior, and optimizing workflows. By addressing challenges such as bias, ethical considerations, and scalability, the session provides a comprehensive roadmap for leveraging data to drive impactful AI-powered mobile solutions. Speaker(s): Priyam Ganguly, Ranita Ganguly Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/464223

Monthly meeting of EMB Chapter, followed by a technical talk There is a $15.00 charge for each registrant. Guests and non-members charge is $20.00 and Students are $5.00. Remainder of the tab will be picked up by the EMB. Agenda: 11:30am: Business meeting: Call to order, minutes of last meeting, treasurer's report, new business, 12:00pm: Lunch 12:30pm: Technical talk and discussion 1::00pm: adjourn San Antonio, Texas, United States

A reception for Texas State Legislators in the Lone Star Section. Come and visit with your Texas State Senator or Representative at lunchtime on April 16 2025. Our event will be held at the Education Center of the San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology (SAMSAT), and will be devoted to discussing such items as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) issues, as well as those for technology infrastructure in the greater San Antonio area. Speaker(s): David Monroe, Walt Downing Agenda: 11:00 am Legislators arrive and welcomed 11:10 am Welcome by SAMSAT CEO (David Monroe) and Lone Star Section leadership 11:30 am Introductions and comments by legislators 12:00 pm Lunch is served 12:15 pm Breakout for discussions with appropriate legislators 12:45 pm Brief tour of SAMSAT Education Center 1:00 pm Adjourn Bldg: Education Center, San Antonio Museum of Science & Technology, 5035 SW 36th St, San Antonio, Texas, United States, 78226

The Intelligent Systems Division at SwRI has worked on a wide variety of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) projects varying from autonomy in confined GPS denied spaces to installing sensors on transmission power lines. This talk will give an overview of the UAS projects the Robotics Department has worked on in the last few years. A major focus has been autonomous navigation and exploration with UAS in GPS denied environments. SwRI has developed a software stack that enables exploration in indoor environments without reliance on GPS for localization. The stack has been used to explore and map the interior of a nuclear power plant, natural limestone caves in San Antonio, and a variety of warehouse buildings. The system can operate fully autonomously without any user input except a takeoff and explore command. Beyond mapping the environment, the vehicles can carry other sensors such as radiation sensors as demonstrated during the EnRicH 2021 European Robotics Hackathon. This technology also has potential applications to explore off planet caves to search for signs of past life on Mars and the Moon. SwRI has worked with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to develop an installation system for high voltage power transmission monitors using UAS. The system mounted on a UAS can install an EPRI RF monitor onto power transmission lines without requiring linemen or bucket trucks. The system increases the safety of the installation and significantly reduces the amount of time required to install the monitors. Talk is limited to US citizens. Registration is required. Cookies and drinks will be provided. Speaker(s): Anthony Bldg: Building 51, 6220 Culebra Rd, San Antonio, Texas, United States, 78245

Joint meeting of EMB and LMAG with tour of the Central Texas Wing of the Commemorative Air Force in San Marcos. Box lunches. At the door, there is a $15.00 fee for Members, $20:00 for Guests and $5.00 for Students. We accept Cash or Check, no credit cards. Exact amounts preferable. Central Texas Wing Museum houses seven CAF aircraft for which the Wing has maintenance and restoration responsibility: a very-rare flying Bell P-39Q Airacobra Miss Connie, the NAA B-25J Yellow Rose, a Vultee BT-13 Valiant, and a Cessna U-3A Administrator, Beech C-45 Expeditor Lone Star Lady, the NAA AT-6 Texan, and the Douglas Sktrain (https://thatsallbrother.org/) You can also visit our museum and gift shop or attend one of our events. Our museum is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday each week from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Admission is free, but your donations help us keep em flying! Speaker(s): Dr. Dawn Roberson, Agenda: 11:30-12:00 PM: Networking session /Open Meeting 12:00-12:30 PM: Lunch 12:30-1:30 PM: Tour 1:30 PM: Wrap up and closing remarks 1841 Airport Road, Bldg 2249, San Marcos, Texas, United States

Come, grab some Taco Cabana tacos, and learn about what IEEE is and how it can help you advance in your professional journey! Bldg: In Front of Richter, One Camino Santa Maria, San Antonio, Texas, United States