Santa Rita do Sapucaí is steeped in the agricultural traditions of Brazil’s Minas Gerais state But there’s more to this bucolic town of 40,000 than quaint churches country cooking and great coffee: it has successfully reinvented itself as a technology hub All this has put Santa Rita do Sapucaí on the map as Brazil’s “Electronics Valley.” “We’re betting on creativity and innovation,” said Wander Wilson Chaves who is also a professor and the former head of a local tech-focused business school The town’s newfound vocation was tested during Brazil’s persistent recession, when one in four young people were unemployed and investment in education, research, health and other key sectors plummeted But the energy of the tech sector helped Santa Rita’s population weather the worst of the crisis and emerge with a reputation for innovation This will be on full display on the first weekend of September, when it hosts Hack Town a sort of off-the-grid techie South by Southwest that has attracted companies like Google and other Brazilians at the forefront of the field The event was born after a Santa Rita local this will be the first full edition of the event with about 2,000 participants from 16 of Brazil’s 26 states as well as international guests lectures and workshops will be held at local bars They have bands lined up and local restaurants and breweries are holding a food festival to coincide with the event Topics of discussion will range from artificial intelligence UX design and web analytics to music festival marketing “We’ve been able to unite a diverse group of innovators Google is hosting a “Developer’s Launchpad” house which provides mentorship and workshops for startups Facebook’s “Developer’s Circle” initiative will put on a workshop called “exponential connections,” to debate artificial intelligence Other Brazilian innovators at the festival will discuss new solutions for some of the country’s age-old problems will speak about her work lobbying to translate valuable scientific research for the market – a major challenge in Brazil “Brazilian academic culture doesn’t envision much in terms of entrepreneurship,” Tavares told AQ “A lot of the research from universities never reaches the market.” such as legislation that only allows professors at federal universities to spend a limited time on research for the private sector we’re not recognized for being a hub for scientific production but when you look at the research that’s being done citing recent university-led accomplishments like developing a sticker that identifies when raw chicken has gone bad or research about combating the Aedes Aegypti mosquito These studies would do much good if connected to the market innovative solutions with very few resources,” he said to ‘put beans in the can,’ which gives them a different perspective.” Although this year’s Hack Town is putting Santa Rita on the tech map the town’s journey to becoming Brazil’s Electronics Valley started in 1950 when a Santa Rita native attended a lecture by Albert Einstein The Nobel-prize winner said electronics would be the industry of the future Moreira is also the niece of former Brazilian president the first educational institute devoted to electronics in Latin America or Technical School of Electronics (ETE) in 1959 two more of Brazil’s best business schools opened in the city or National Institute of Telecommunications which focuses on business administration and technology 90 percent of the companies in Santa Rita have at least one founder who graduated from Inatel and a specialization in one field – telecoms – has been the foundation for the city’s success as a tech hub who recommends the same strategy to other small and mid-sized towns But even Santa Rita isn’t exempt from the difficulties tech startups face in Brazil Industry experts across the board lament the lack of access to capital in Brazil where investors tend to be more risk-averse than in places like Silicon Valley and Brazil’s infamous bureaucracy have also posed challenges to this market’s growth Perhaps Santa Rita’s success can encourage policy-makers on a federal level to tackle these obstacles “It’s no mystery that the world is increasingly running on technology,” he said Americas Quarterly (AQ) is the premier publication on politics We are an independent publication of the Americas Society/Council of the Americas PUBLISHED BY AMERICAS SOCIETY/ COUNCIL OF THE AMERICAS Brazil - Brazilian inmate Ronaldo da Silva was making an escape of a sort as he hopped on a bicycle and pedaled furiously clocking up several miles before jumping off He's still inside the medium-security prison where he's serving a 51/2-year sentence for holding up a bakery But he did move a bit closer to freedom on his stationary bike Silva is part of an innovative program that allows inmates to reduce their sentences in exchange for generating power to help illuminate the town of Santa Rita do Sapucai at night the inmates charge a battery that powers 10 street lamps along a riverside promenade For every three eight-hour days they spend on the bikes Silva and the program's other volunteers get one day shaved off their sentences The project in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais is one of several across Brazil meant to cut recidivism by helping restore an inmate's sense of self-worth Prisoners elsewhere can trim their sentences by reading sentences - in books - or taking classes Officials say they've heard a few complaints the initiatives are soft on criminals but there's been little criticism in the country's media or in other public forums "We used to spend all day locked up in our cells only seeing the sun for two hours a day," said the 38-year-old Silva whose missing front teeth speak to a life of hardship generating electricity for the town and at the same time we're winning our freedom." Silva has already pedaled off 9 pounds and 20 days from his sentence prison-issue sweat pants and matching T-shirts he and his fellow cyclists hit the bikes at around nine in the morning and ride until about 5 p.m. with breaks for lunch and an afternoon snack though the crisp mountain air of Santa Rita do Sapucai - a city of about 35,000 nestled in a mountain range about two hours north of Sao Paulo - keeps them cooler than they'd be in most other parts of tropical Brazil The 2-month-old program is the brainchild of the town's judge who said he got the idea from a story he read on the Internet about gyms in the United States where electricity is generated by the exercise bikes The municipal police contributed bicycles from the lost and found department Neighborhood engineers helped transform them into stationary bikes and hooked them up to car batteries donated by local businesses Local businesses pitched in with the converter that transforms the battery's charge into the 110 volts needed to power cast iron street lamps along the river a guard drives the charged battery from the prison to the downtown promenade He hooks it up to the converter and a few minutes later the 10 street lamps begin to glow a soft white like full moons suspended over the rushing waters of the river the newly illuminated promenade now attracts dog walkers kids on bikes and couples walking arm-in-arm Another guard comes in the morning to pick up the battery and ferry it back to the prison where 133 inmates are serving sentences ranging from a few months for burglary or drug charges to as much as 34 years for murder The goal is to eventually kit out enough bikes to power all 34 riverside street lamps "People who normally are on the margins of society are contributing to the community and not only do they get out sooner in return Silva said his is the only prison he knows of with such a power-generating scheme but he said he has received inquiries from his counterparts in lockups across the country where the most dangerous offenders are kept are also looking for ways to improve literacy are reducing their sentences by taking classes and by reading books behind bars The "Redemption through Reading" program shaves as much as a month and a half off inmates' sentences each year if they read a dozen books inmates are able to choose from a wide range of genres participants must write a summary of each book The magistrate then decides whether to grant a sentence reduction of up to four days per book according to the decree that appeared last month in the government's official gazette the program can shave up to 48 days a year off of participants' sentences That's far more books than the average Brazilian reads the lobbying arm of Brazil's publishing industry suggested the average Brazilian finishes just 2.1 books a year Though Brazil has made great strides in reducing illiteracy one in 10 citizens over the age of 15 still can't read The federal prisons also offer programs that reduce inmates' sentences if they take elementary school to college-level classes Some say the idea could eventually help trim overcrowding in Brazil's prisons Human rights groups have long complained of appalling conditions and widespread violence Prison director Silva disagrees with any suggestion the inmates are being coddled "People say that we're turning prisons into a kind of luxury hotel," said Silva "But this is the only hotel I know of where no one wants to stay." Vitória Bueno, an 18-year-old ballerina who was born without arms due to a genetic condition, is a huge deal in Brazil and  is bringing her incredible talent and contagious smile to Birmingham on August 19. She’ll be performing at United Ability’s Journey of Hope and you’re going to want to be there to see it Keep reading to meet Vitória and learn how you can see her rock the stage Vitória Bueno has built an impressive social media presence since her appearance on America’s Got Talent: All Stars where her inspiring performance wowed the judges All the way from Santa Rita do Sapucai in Brazil a condition that caused her to be born without arms She went to school where she started physical therapy and found her passion for dance by the time she was just five years old “When I was younger and started doing my physical therapy I started to discover that I loved to dance but I didn’t know anything about ballet My physical therapist connected me with a ballet instructor and it took off from there.” to have a strong support system of people that are going to be there along the way “My mom was very uncertain about ballet I think she was probably just afraid of something happening Her main concerns were things like balance and me not being able to dance the way that everyone else did We didn’t have much money and ballet is a very expensive sport but she let me take it on and I fell in love immediately so she has always been very supportive.” Get your tickets to see Vitória take the stage in The Magic City on August 19. it was quickly clear that she’s the kind of girl who lights up a room and brings joy to any conversation Ballet has helped the dancer not only realize her dream but learn other skills including flexibility Did we mention she does everything—from eating and brushing her teeth to doing her hair and makeup—with her feet Vitória has danced on some of the biggest stages “We are so much bigger than our disabilities It is so important to have people that believe in you Witness firsthand how Vitória’s awe-inspiring journey and overcoming of obstacles have become a beacon of hope for others at United Ability’s Journey of Hope on August 19 hear from Birmingham’s own Chris Biggins and Alie B Gorrie as they co-host this FAMILY-FRIENDLY event I can’t wait to meet everyone and inspire others with disabilities that anything is possible Everyone should be able to follow their dreams without being held back.” Learn more about Journey of Hope 2023 and secure your seat for an unforgettable evening. All content on this site is Copyright ©  Rushing Waters Media LLC/Bham Now 2016-2025. All Rights Reserved.  Brazilian researchers are developing connection systems, software, and hardware for the new mobile network standard Léo Ramos Chaves and Adrienne Bresnahan/Getty Imagens “These data rates would allow a drone, for example, to send high-resolution imagery of crops in real time, which farmers could then use to spot pest infestations or remotely operate irrigation systems. This would also allow simultaneous voice and data transmission at high speeds,” says Mendes. Léo Ramos Chaves A substrate developed at USP for making antennas, filters, and other 5G devicesLéo Ramos Chaves 5G technology began to be deployed in 2019 in several European countries, the US, Japan, South Korea, and China. In Brazil, an auction for public-use frequencies—the ones used by telecommunications carriers serving regular users—is due to be held in 2021. ANATEL has announced that four frequency bands will be available: 700 megahertz (MHz), 2.3 GHz (gigahertz), 3.5 GHz, and 26 GHz. Brazil’s leading telecommunications carriers are expected to participate in the auction, and will need to choose from among suppliers including Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE, South Korean Samsung, Swedish Ericsson, and Finnish Nokia. The auction notice will contain specifications on whether certain suppliers will be excluded, local content requirements and local R&D requirements (see sidebar on page 75). Léo Ramos Chaves A 60 GHz antenna under assessment at POLI-USP’s Millimeter Wave Center (CentrommW)Léo Ramos Chaves Millimeter waves 5G technology allows for the use of a broad spectrum of frequencies from Ultra High Frequencies (UHF) in the range of 300 MHz to 3 GHz—as used in the 5G-Range experiment conducted by CCR-INATEL—to millimeter frequencies of between 24 GHz and 300 GHz These higher frequencies are used by current 4G networks and have the advantage of supporting higher connection speeds But they have limited range—a few hundred meters—and are easily obstructed by physical obstacles such as doors This requires a larger number of higher-specification transmission antennas Last April the Polytechnic School (POLI) at USP launched a Millimeter Wave Center (CentrommW) where researchers will develop circuit and systems technology such as antennas this is the only research center in Brazil equipped to perform electrical characterization of millimeter wave circuits and systems up to 110 GHz “The center is designed as a place where industry players can test their circuits but we are also looking to develop hardware for millimeter-wave applications,” says Gustavo Rehder an electrical engineer who manages the Center alongside fellow electrical engineer Ariana Serrano both from the Department of Electronic Systems at POLI-USP One of the lab’s focus areas is developing beamforming solutions that can keep waves from being dispersed as with conventional antennas “These solutions are designed to electronically target the radiation to a given receiver improving signal quality and increasing range,” explains Serrano Another line of research at CentrommW is copper nanowire technology that can be used to miniaturize high-performance millimeter wave devices 5G technology is being designed and developed by both public and private research centers in a collaborative effort that  began in the early 2010s and will continue over the coming years with each innovation requiring standardization by new 3GPP releases After 3GPP has established standards for 5G these will then be used by equipment suppliers to develop their products for use by telecommunications carriers the Wireless Telecommunications Research Group (GTEL) at the Federal University of Ceará (UFC) has made four contributions for which it has received international patents One is a smart system for connecting to the antennas of telecommunications carriers A user moving from one place to another will be able to seamlessly switch from one telecommunications tower to another—antenna coverage ranges will be comparatively smaller in 5G systems “Our solution uses artificial intelligence to predict the antenna pattern the user will be moving into several seconds in advance The 5G network can then prepare to receive the new connection minimizing the risk of the connection being broken,” says electrical engineer Francisco Rodrigo Cavalcanti Another aspect of 5G technology is virtualization a shift from hardware-based solutions—such as routers and load balancers—to software and the cloud “Virtualization can simplify base stations reducing their hardware footprint and making them more energy efficient,” says Rodrigo de Lamare an electronics engineer who heads the 5G Laboratory at the Center for Telecommunications Research at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (CETUC-PUC-RJ) Lamare is developing signal processing methods and communications system architecture for data sharing and cloud computing applications at carriers One of the new features of 5G technology is network slicing With 4G technology all users receive the same signals; but with network slicing telecommunications carriers can manage connection variables such as infrastructure availability Another possibility with 5G is interoperability Under an agreement among telecommunications carriers the users of one carrier could access other carriers’ infrastructure so they at all times have the best possible connection Interoperability and network slicing need to be managed individually for each device-to-antenna connection “An ambulance responding to an emergency will move from one base station and carrier to another multiple times along the way and must be ensured priority status with each connection,” explains Moacyr Martucci an electrical engineer in the Department of Computer Engineering and Digital Systems at POLI-USP CPQD is one of Brazil’s leading developers and suppliers of Operations Support Systems (OSS) a set of software systems used to automate service provisioning and management of telecommunications infrastructure This includes network orchestrator functionality which determines the service requirements of each infrastructure including rate calculations for each carrier CPQD is due to start a three-year project this year with R$20.7 million in funding from the Telecommunications Development Fund (FUNTTEL) that will include upgrades to its OSS systems for 5G applications “The project will develop a complete 5G network and a services and infrastructure orchestration system,” says Gustavo Correa Lima head of CPQD’s Wireless Communications Platform “The project will run as an open innovation initiative and will also explore the use of artificial intelligence in network management and blockchain technology for dynamic infrastructure sharing.” Brazil’s 5G auction notice is due to be published in 2021 and is expected to include a decision which the telecommunications industry awaits with bated breath: whether the Brazilian government will veto Chinese suppliers Although the country’s General Telecommunications Law assigns authority for the decision to the Brazilian Telecommunications Agency (ANATEL) President Jair Bolsonaro has stated that the decision will be his to make ANATEL has officially delegated the decision to the President’s Office for Institutional Security which will likely be bidding in the auction have publicly stated that they are against vetoing any suppliers at all would increase bargaining power and help to reduce the cost of purchasing equipment a professor at POLI-USP and a member of the Brazilian 5G Deployment Think Tank contends that there have been no reports from independent institutions showing a significant qualitative difference among different suppliers and there have been no reports evidencing a cybersecurity risk related to any specific supplier “Vetoing suppliers will not be a technical decision a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Campinas’s Institute of Computer Science (IC-UNICAMP) He believes there are in fact genuine cybersecurity concerns associated with 5G “We have known for at least 15 years that the governments of several superpowers have meddled in the affairs of electronics manufacturers,” he notes The question for technologically dependent countries like Brazil is “which nation would we rather be hostage to: a democracy where the government is accountable for its actions Brazil will choose its 5G technology after the US elections in November Both Democrats and Republicans are against US adoption of Chinese 5G technology President Donald Trump has wielded the weight of US diplomacy to influence allies and Portugal are some of the countries that have followed the US’s lead The weight that Democratic candidate Joe Biden will attach to the issue in US foreign policy if elected remains unknown © Revista Pesquisa FAPESP - All rights reserved .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Associated PressView full sizeFelipe Dana the inmates charge a battery that powers 10 street lamps along a riverside promenade in Santa Rita do Sapucai the prisoners get one day shaved off their sentences Brazil -- Brazilian inmate Ronaldo da Silva was making an escape of a sort as he hopped on a bicycle and pedaled furiously He's still inside the medium-security prison where he's serving a 51/2-year sentence for holding up a bakery Silva and the program's other volunteers get one day shaved off their sentences The project in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais is one of several across Brazil meant to cut recidivism by helping restore an inmate's sense of self-worth Prisoners elsewhere can trim their sentences by reading sentences -- in books -- or taking classes Officials say they've heard a few complaints the initiatives are soft on criminals but there's been little criticism in the country's press or in other public forums "We used to spend all day locked up in our cells only seeing the sun for two hours a day," said the 38-year-old Silva generating electricity for the town and at the same time we're winning our freedom." he and his fellow cyclists hit the bikes about 9 in the morning and ride until about 5 p.m. though the crisp mountain air of Santa Rita do Sapucai -- a city of about 35,000 nestled in a mountain range about two hours north of Sao Paulo -- keeps them cooler than they'd be in most other parts of tropical Brazil The two month-old program is the brainchild of the town's judge Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices The government recently announced that four federal prisons — which house some of Brazil's most notorious criminals — will begin a "Reading through Redemption" program in which prisoners can shave 48 days off their sentence each year for reading up to 12 books Eligible inmates can trim four days off their sentence by writing an legible and pertinent essay about a work of literature The charged batteries are used to power streetlights in the city as each full battery can power six light bulbs The prison plans to add eight more bikes so that the prisoners can provide enough light to illuminate an entire street or town square thereby making the community safer at night