#guide Archives - Page 2 of 8

A Centralised System for Sharing Logistics Data

Posted on 03/08/202009/06/2021 by Tushar

The transport and logistics industry has been experiencing tremendous growth with the evolution of services such as Alibaba and Amazon. However, there’s one major challenge to the smooth delivery of online orders: retailers and manufacturers use different data formats for issuing and tracking order shipments.

In the absence of universal agreements for identity and access management that work across the entire industry, companies have had to draw up individual written contracts for every shipment. Customers may get their items in a reasonable period of time, but when it comes to the retailer, shipper or consumer tracking the product, there’s no uniform view of the entire shipping route as the package is on route to its final destination.

That’s why a group of forward-thinking public- and private-sector partners within the transport and logistics sector in the Netherlands have formed iSHARE, a consortium that seeks to develop a uniform standard for automatically exchanging data while shipping products following an online sale. All data and policies are stored in a central repository, enabling each partner to work with the same identification, authentication and authorization methods, thereby eliminating the need to manually type multiple contracts in order to share data and ship a product.

The Netherlands has been funding this project over the past few years, and consortium members hope that iSHARE can become a global standard. To give credibility to the notion that iSHARE will be embraced wordwide, large maritime port and airport cargo handlers – in tandem with a large U.S. retailer – have also contributed to investing in the project.

Recently, the consortium has been testing the last mile of delivery in the online food sector using crypto technology developed by iSHARE. For the last mile, solutions are being developed that can open a smart lock or box via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi with crypto tokens. Sometime soon, the delivery agent will only need an app on a smartphone or tablet to open the lock/box. A crypto token will work in tandem with policies, developed by solutions providers, that will determine whether the contents of the box need simply to be cooled or remain frozen.

Once this last mile technology emerges, then the great potential of online shopping can be realized. A Rabobank report found that total supermarket spend in the Netherlands in 2018 across 3,730 stores was 38.7 billion euros, of which 1.4 billion euros (3.6%) came via online shopping. The good news: Rabobank expects online food shopping to grow up to 30% by 2030.

Despite this promise, online food shippers still face unique challenges, namely that perishable food items need to be stored in temperature-controlled conditions and can’t just be left at a front door or on a person’s driveway. Residents must be home to receive the goods or pick them up at so-called pick-stations. An analysis by Dutch supermarket franchiser Ard van de Huijgevoort, owner of van de Huijgevoort Group, found that because deliveries can only be made when people are home, only nine deliveries are made per van, per day — well below the volume they know is possible.

But what if deliveries could be made at any time of day so that the shippers can drive the most cost-effective routes? In addition to the use of crypto tokens noted, there are systems under development that include iSHARE for data exchange in leveraging autonomous delivery and other modern food storage techniques. Ard van de Huijgevoort found that, under such a system, three to four times as many deliveries can be done in one day. Along with considerably better economics for the supermarket, this also reduces carbon emissions because the trucks drive fewer kilometers for the same deliveries.

To be sure, there are still many challenges in the transport and logistics industry, but uniform data sharing standards, such as those created by iSHARE, should accelerate improvements across the many stages of the delivery journey.

The need for Technology Plan for Renovating an Airport

Posted on 02/08/202009/06/2021 by Tushar

Experts predict air travel will grow steadily over the next two decades. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports that the number of passengers boarding planes is expected to increase from 880.5 million in 2018 to 1.3 billion by 2039. Airports are responding with massive construction programs and new processing technologies to help them handle more gates and passengers and deliver enhanced security.

Airport managers understand that deploying new technologies can be a critical component of managing expected growth. Yet too often they find it simpler and more expedient to expand their current systems rather than start construction projects with the more modern solutions. I have personally seen how this short-sighted approach ultimately costs more and adds delays to projects, as newer systems are eventually retrofitted anyway. A more intelligent strategy would be to begin projects by thinking of technology and construction from a business perspective.

How technology helps travelers

Numerous existing and conceptual technologies can make airports the efficient, high-tech facilities that today’s travelers expect. The most obvious ones include WiFi and emerging 5G technology. More sophisticated technologies include smart sensors that can determine the mood of the crowd, monitor how full trash cans are, and automate how planes park at the terminal — without human intervention. In addition, modern communications technology can tie into retail service companies so travelers can order coffee or food that’s ready for them at the gate when they arrive at a destination.

It’s all possible, and can bring tremendous benefits to airports and travelers, but it needs to be properly planned for. Airports can expect the best business outcomes when technologists are part of the design and orchestration process. Here’s how incorporating their input from the beginning of a project can enhance five key business initiatives:

1. Situational awareness

Both management and the public expect airport security to know what’s going on around the perimeter of the airport. By bringing IT into the conversation at the beginning of a project, cameras and sensors can be strategically placed around airport property to give the security team a 360° view of vehicle break-ins or other criminal incidents. In addition, video footage coupled with predictive analytics can help determine crime patterns that emerge over several months and years. Technologists’ input will ensure that there’s a good balance between ongoing support costs, the desired capability of the application and cybersecurity.

2. Improved risk management

Similarly, involving IT early in the construction process can help airports deploy sensors and cameras in optimal locations. Salt Lake City International Airport, for example, installed seismic sensors to monitor potential earthquake activity in the region. More commonly, facial recognition sensors, installed properly, can read the mood of people passing through terminals and alert security to potentially suspicious activity. Technologists and legal staff can ensure that airports don’t inadvertently take on more risks when implementing new capabilities.

3. Reduced costs

It’s always more cost-effective to allow for the technology upfront, as opposed to doing a retrofit. After all, airport construction project managers don’t want to reopen ceilings or redo wiring once a building or parking lot is done. Sometimes a new construction project provides an opportunity to “forklift” out existing technology and replace it with far more capable and easier-to-maintain equipment, which lowers total cost of ownership over time. However, the actual technology equipment should be bought later in the construction cycle — just before the implementation — to ensure it doesn’t get out of date before it’s even turned on.

4. Improved public reputation

Today’s travelers expect access to lightning-fast WiFi, self-service check-in kiosks and other digitally enabled features. Any airport renovation project that fails to deliver modern technology will likely result in negative feedback scores for the airport and a public outcry on social media. There’s no reason for that, especially when most IT teams are more than willing to work with airport management to deploy modern technologies that will improve safety and deliver a better experience for travelers. Additionally, IT staff can help guide the use of new 3D technology to simulate future environments so that all stakeholders know that the airport staff understands their concerns and intends to feature the latest technology.

5. Enhanced customer satisfaction

The best IT staff are customer-focused today, so building in the technology to help airports improve services is second nature. Airport managers can work with the airport IT staff and the carriers to install the right WiFi technology and 5G towers to facilitate all kinds of new services, such as deploying applications that can text travelers the location of the closest restroom when they get off the plane or let them know if the restroom is closed for construction. Also, airport managers should make sure IT and marketing staff can fully leverage social media to properly track and respond to concerns.

Making technology upgrades part of airport construction projects brings business value and isn’t a hard concept to grasp, but it’s essential if an airport hopes to maximize its investment. Give technologists a seat at the table – and airports can meet the traveling public’s technology expectations while in turn avoiding expensive retrofits.

The Rail Industry’s Transformation aided by Electric Trains

Posted on 01/08/202009/06/2021 by Tushar

Rail carriers are finding that the combination of electric trains coupled with computer-based transportation management systems can help them run more trains, handle increased ridership and reduce their annual power bill – sometimes to the tune of 6 percent annually.

According to Patrick Mazza, coauthor of the book Solutionary Rail (2016), electricity serves nearly 25 percent of railroad track miles and supplies more than one-third of the energy that powers trains around the world. While the United States has fallen way behind in this area, other regions, such as EU countries and India, are developing the electrification of their railways. After all, there’s a growing consensus in the rail industry that long-term, electric trains make sense in terms of reducing costs and addressing sustainability.

In his book, Mazza outlines the following benefits of moving from diesel-powered to electric trains:

Lower power costs. While prices of diesel fuel are low right now, many industry analysts estimate that long-term prices will increase. On the other hand, electricity prices are falling with the fast-growing use of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. Even at current prices, an industry report by Amtrak estimates that it is 50 percent less expensive to power a train by electricity than by diesel.

Lower engine costs. Electric locomotive engines cost about 20 percent less than diesel locomotive engines on the global market, and maintenance costs are up to 35 percent less than for diesel engines.

Reduced pollution. Phasing out diesel-powered locomotives would reduce air pollution, including soot, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur oxides, all of which negatively affect public health and the overall And switching from diesel to electricity would also help address the need to replace petroleum-based liquid transportation fuels with cleaner alternatives as we seek to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

On the technology front, rail carriers can now collect data and run analytics to determine how trains perform under different driving styles, in order to improve overall performance and energy efficiency. For example, carriers can analyze how four drivers manage 100 journeys in a week and determine why some drivers use more power than others even though they run the same routes.

If test data determines that some drivers stop and start more frequently or brake harder than others, the drivers could be taught to better use trains’ regenerative braking technology, which captures the energy expended by trains as they slow down. They can then re-use the power, improve energy efficiency and reduce a train’s carbon emissions. Chennai Metro Rail in India estimates that with regenerative braking, each train can generate nearly 1,900 kWh, or 30 percent of the energy consumed. Thus, by saving 30 percent of power needs, Chennai Metro Rail says their trains are cutting down carbon emissions as they reduce dependency on power supplied from fossil fuels. That’s a big savings, both for Chennai Metro and for the environment.

Although it will still take the rest of this decade to make a more complete transition to electric, many rail carriers around the world have been on this track for at least the past few years. I think it’s safe to say that people can expect electric trains to become much more mainstream around the world by 2025. Couple that with increased use of digital technologies and analytics, and our industry stands to make great strides on transforming railroads into modern carbon-neutral companies.

The Digitalization of Trains

Posted on 31/07/202009/06/2021 by Tushar

Rail systems are finally making the digital transformation everybody’s been talking about for several years.

In the United Kingdom, for example, the Thameslink now runs 24 trains an hour – an increase of 50 percent in its capacity compared to years past. Making this possible took a lot of work on the back-end. Rail carriers consolidated their control centers and built modern, computerized facilities that leverage data analytics to develop intelligence about on-time performance, delays, and overall ridership per time-of-day and season.

Rail carriers are also deploying digital enterprise asset management (EAM) systems to reduce maintenance time and improve overall productivity. These systems precisely target what needs repairs and provide an immediate and accurate status of rail stock and parts to maintenance crews. Digital EAM technology can also monitor an inventory of trains in rail yards more efficiently, ensuring more predictive maintenance as opposed to simply repairing trains when they break down.

Rail companies have also invested in sleek electric trains that run faster, with fewer carbon emissions, and are easier for drivers to manage. Regenerative braking technology, which captures the energy expended by trains as they slow down and reuses it, not only delivers a smoother ride – through fewer stops and starts – but improves energy efficiencies and further reduces pollution.

Mobile ticketing and more

Digital technologies also offer major benefits to passengers, such as mobile ticketing, the ability to leverage Alexa and other digital assistants for train schedules and weather forecasts, and automatic refunds when trains are late or offline.

The results have been impressive. The UK’s Office of Rail and Road reports that rail passenger journeys in Great Britain in 2018-19 reached a record high of 1.759 billion. They increased by 3 percent compared to the previous year, driven by a 3.9 percent increase in the London and South East sector. Total passenger revenue growth also hit 10.3 billion pounds, its highest revenue since 2014-2015. Of course, increased ridership can be attributed to a number of factors, including evolving consumer attitudes toward rail’s eco-friendly advantages or time and cost savings compared to car travel, but it’s clear that digital is making traveling by train easy, cost-effective and gentle on the environment.

Need for cybersecurity

The shift to digital from paper-based systems requires that rail carriers take a much more focused look at their cybersecurity postures. They have to put in place security awareness programs for the rank-and-file staff and also communicate with passengers on ways to protect their digital identities as they purchase train tickets online and depend on their mobile phones to manage their busy travel schedules.

On the IT staff side, rail carriers need to put solid patch management programs in place so the back-end software runs securely and threat actors have fewer opportunities to inject malware. Most security experts will say that with a solid patch management program and basic security awareness around email phishing, organizations can prevent the vast majority of cyberattacks.

Full speed ahead

While rail carriers have not moved as quickly into digital as airlines and rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft, they have made some great progress.

As we head into the 2020s there’s really no turning back. Change comes slowly, but with investments the industry has made in back-end technology and analytics, mobile apps and faster electric trains, we’re about to turn the corner into the digital future.

Liberation of Seaport from the Harbor

Posted on 30/07/202009/06/2021 by Tushar

Seaborne trade, one of civilization’s oldest customs, has grown steadily over the last decade as global trade has flourished. The digital transformation of retail and wholesale business has revolutionized international commerce. But behind the point, click and order façade, logistics companies and transportation authorities are scrambling to manage demand for both speed and volume. At the same time national and international regulators are requiring seaports to mitigate the impact of congestion, pollution and other environmental effects created by crowded ports.

Seaports have become a focal point for improvement. While countries can build new roads to move more trucks or add tracks to carry more trains, seaports are different. Limited by geography and bounded by urban development, seaports in many countries are straining to manage the flow of goods. Ships are not only arriving more often, but they’re also bigger. Super max cargo ships can overwhelm port facilities by delivering tens of thousands of containers at once. Moving containers out by truck, one or two at a time is slow, adds to urban congestion and has an adverse environmental impact. Thousands of containers end up spending days, weeks or even months waiting to be picked up for transport inland. Compounding the issue is the need to perform customs inspections and clearance at the seaport.

To overcome these challenges, governments, shippers and port authorities are beginning to shift their perspective on seaports. Commerce has changed and so the port must change along with it. It’s time to liberate the port community from the harbor that established it, by redefining the essence of what a “port” is and does.

Government officials demand that all inbound and outbound ships are authorized at the seaport and that all paperwork and inspections are completed before cargo is removed from the seaport. This can result in waterside storage that leads to a backlog. If administrative tasks — reviewing paperwork, inspecting cargo, collecting taxes or duties – could be done inland, the “commercial port” could be freed from the harbor, provided that cargoes would remain intact and containers undisturbed and secure.

Digital transformation and the dry port

Developing inland ports, also known as dry ports or freight villages, addresses some of the logistical issues and creates new opportunities. Inland ports can be built in areas unconstrained by geographic features that limit size or access. Shifting container storage to inland ports reduces the burden on geographically limited seaports, thereby increasing the volume of containers the port can handle. Inland ports also offer more efficient access for intermodal transport systems. And the reduction of overland traffic in and out of seaports substantially reduces environmental impact and creates new urban renewal and development opportunities.

The digital transformation of the commercial port is the catalyst to using the inland port innovation to liberate the port community from the harbor. The process of digitally transforming the seaport into a digital port happens in four steps. The first step is achieved by developing a controlled customs corridor: a secure, digitally monitored and managed route that ensures everything unloaded from a ship arrives in the same state at the inland port. The same applies to shipments consolidated at the inland port bound for ships leaving the seaport. This development would eliminate the need for seaports to store containers, freeing up critical space to expand port operations while reducing urban congestion.

The second step is to deploy a cloud-based intermodal appointment system that is intelligently aware of the status of cargo, the roads and rails, as well as both planned and unplanned events that might disrupt transportation. Providing truck, rail and maritime carriers with more precise information about cargo arrival and departure times would result in a major improvement to time-definite delivery. In addition, a system for managing pick-up appointments will greatly increase the efficiency of cargo movement between inland and sea ports. Lastly, drivers and trucks can be cleared ahead of time and parking spaces preassigned, reducing the paperwork to be completed and speeding the movement of trucks through the ports.

The third step is to virtualize and manage the dry port and seaport as one entity — The Commercial Port. Transportation hubs like airports operate as an ecosystem with multiple independent entities working as one. Similarly, seaports and inland ports need to operate as a single entity supported by an intermodal appointment system and controlled customs corridor, to ensure that both locations know exactly where cargo is located and coordinate its movement into and out of the ports.

The fourth and last step is to automate and facilitate the ability of rail companies to efficiently shunt cargo between the seaport and inland port with minimal human interaction. For all the flexibility trucks offer in the movement of freight, the volume of cargo moving in and out of seaports calls for a solution that can handle a larger capacity with greater efficiency and lower environmental impact. The implementation of a smart rail cargo management system between the seaport and inland port reduces the negative aspects of truck traffic on the seaport, while applying the flexibility of trucks on the inland side. This makes best use of loading and unloading labor, as well as reduces the footprint of the port. The digital transformation of the commercial port returns the harbor to the city so it can be reclaimed for tourism, recreation and environmental stewardship.

The ancient Phoenicians and Greeks, builders of the first international seaport system, would surely be awed by today’s technologies and the scale of port operations. But the idea of increasing operational efficiencies of the port ecosystem through innovation and cooperation is something they would readily grasp. After all, good business is good business — in any age.

Digital Twin Technology: The secret to Airport innovation

Posted on 29/07/202009/06/2021 by Tushar

Airports face a number of challenges — aging infrastructure, fluctuating demand, sophisticated security needs and, now, an unexpected global health crisis — and legacy technologies are incapable of addressing them. In other words, we cannot expect to build tomorrow’s airport using yesterday’s solutions. We need radical innovation and that calls for new technologies. Digital twin fits the bill.

A digital twin is a 3D representation of the physical world. It enables developers to visualize products and spaces and to run simulations to show how they behave in differing conditions. Here are the five main areas where a digital twin can benefit airports:

1. Ideation

Airports are continuously seeking ideas on how to transform from physical infrastructure into real, living ecosystems. That means improving the passenger journey, and one way to do that involves creating 3D virtual experiences to simulate new concepts and validate their benefits; if they prove promising, the 3D virtual experiences can be used to demonstrate value to the airport stakeholders that are responsible for securing capital funding. Building stakeholder confidence early on ensures that investments will be used wisely and can radically shorten decision cycles from years to weeks.

2. Design and Engineering

A digital twin provides a collaborative environment to unite all supplier deliverables around a unique 3D mockup to converge much faster on a final design. The subcontractor’s design conditions and physical dimensions can then be verified and validated. The conformance of the final 3D design to initial requirements and FAA regulations can be readily shown. Tenants will benefit from a more controlled process and can achieve on-plan, on-cost and on-time delivery.

3. Construction

By leveraging a digital twin, project delivery teams can simulate how construction or renovations might impact airport operations. The overall operational impact of taking major infrastructure – such as a terminal – out of service, can be simulated. Once evaluated, an effective and proactive operational plan can then be put in place to minimize disruption.

4. Sales and Marketing

Digital twin also opens up many opportunities for innovative marketing. For instance, new and engaging AR and VR applications (perhaps virtual shopping experiences) could be developed to entertain travelers and drive retail revenue. And digital twin could enable marketers to test new and innovative marketing concepts in a virtual environment before committing to them. Moreover, employing digital twin can reduce the need for real photo shoots and costly film sets usually involved in marketing campaigns.

5. Operations

When it comes to airport operations, there are two primary roles for digital twin technology:

Maintenance: Digital twin provides a platform to monitor and analyze sensor information to predict asset failure. Further, it provides a diagnostic tool by simulating what went wrong. All this information is captured and communicated in 3D to the field via a work order to accelerate investigation and reduce maintenance costs.

Passenger Flow: 3D simulation provides a better understanding of daily operations. It gives a holistic view on how planning interacts with airport activities such as construction, renovation or other events which may cause irregular operations. Mitigation scenarios can be simulated to address the impacts and shorten recovery times. This reduces costs and, turn-around times and, most importantly, helps to eliminate congested passenger flows. For this to work effectively, it is imperative that the virtual model provides a reasonable and trustworthy representation of a real-life scenario.

The airport of tomorrow

Digital twin is being used in other industries – to support the development of autonomous driving technology, for example – and delivering value and return. Airports that similarly embrace digital twin have much to gain – improving their ability to innovate for the future by encapsulating an airport’s overall environment and life cycle in a virtual environment. In an industry faced with unprecedented challenges, digital twin technology – a highly visual way of modeling, thinking and doing business – will help transform and deliver the airport of tomorrow.

The Primacy of Illustration in the Digital Era

Posted on 24/07/202009/06/2021 by Tushar

Design is a roadmap or a strategic approach for someone to achieve a unique expectation – Wiki

I agree Design is strategic, purposeful and always aims to solve problems. A good Design creates a strong impact on users. Brilliant work catches your attention, keeps you engaged and stays in your memory. Just think of something that has caught your attention and forced you to read; do you recall some comic strips, cartoons, animation, sketches, illustrations in trolls?

Yes, the power of Visual Story Telling always has an edge and plays a crucial role in unfolding a story. There are many forms used like pictures, videos, animations, sketches. And that’s when a visual story telling medium comes to picture. Of course there are photographs that can convey your message. But are they versatile like Illustrations?

Users connect with illustrated narratives faster and more easily. So, who is your favourite super hero? From print the trend has gone viral and now digital platform is witnessing all forms of it some static and others in motion. Designers now are creating websites that use full-screen illustrations to custom made icons to personify brands, identities and provide that USP. Even highly technical and data driven websites can be made extremely lively and interactive yet commune the brand message as strongly as ever before and custom illustrations is the most fun and engaging way to do so.

The major misconception most people have is using illustrations as synonymous to beautification or to support but in reality it is Design in itself; a tool that can magically combine beautification and clean concepts.

It is no surprise that it’s taking over the web and mobile applications. Mood, style and theme of the websites can be set and unlike photographs, they can mesh reality and imagination and present you with an extra-ordinary design. With illustrations you become the king of your own wonderland with powers to create anything and everything to best convey your message, be it a dog floating in the space, a talking owl or a superman delivery boy; absolutely anything that hits your imagination. Little creativity, color and compelling illustrations are sure to change a website’s identity.

Illustrations have lot of technicalities attached to it also. While the illustration may have depths of complexity, the overall message should be simple. Like any other design, even illustrations undergo layers and layers of stages, from the rough sketches to vector outlines, to colors to depth and composition.

Color is a powerful tool in illustration because it can change mood – the mood of the user. Imagine a website has power to improve our state of mind and thereby it strengthens our relationship with a brand. And, if the colors are taken from the brand’s logo, the illustrations becomes a part of the brand’s identity. And, introducing more complimentary colors or gradients will add to its vibrancy. Texture brings more depth to the illustration, a simple halftone texture or a grainy grunge texture creates a nice effect to the flat illustration.

Today we spot illustrations mostly on a banner of the website or around the section that seeks to explain the usage of product/ services. The trend in mobile mainly focuses on splash and on-boarding screens. People also use lot of subtle animations to enliven the whole website/ applications. The animations are usually done using animated GIFs. A customized icon with svg animation is now a trend in UI interaction. The delicate use of animation in illustration just gives the site that extra dash of awesomeness for that memorable experience. There are different Illustration and icon styles used in websites and mobile applications, more leaned towards flat design. Few common styles include line drawings, filled color, hand drawn, low poly, Geometric, isometric and 3D.

Vietnam: An Up-and-Coming Digital Design Hotspot

Posted on 23/07/202009/06/2021 by Tushar

Travelling gives you wisdom and experience that is beyond words and I am extremely lucky to have been able to tour to various parts of the world, though, most of it has been work related; Lollypop has made me explore European and Western world mostly to meet either new clients or catch up with the old ones. And, this time I feel like I have struck a jackpot – Vietnam!

This city has energy and vibes that is so enthralling that you have to take a step back and let the moment sink in. It’s fascinating how this place has witnessed endless battles, survived worst of the times and yet is one of the south-east Asia’s fastest-growing economies. Honestly, humans and economies never fail to appal me, Vietnam, labelled as a third world (by Western Economy) has fought three decades of bitter wars against them itself to gain independence. It just took me mere FOUR days, to have an absolute new outlook of this country. I have gained an unparalleled respect and love for this country. The constant urge to explore and discover this city made me dig a bit further and I have broken this article into 3 parts that amused me the most – City, People and of course Design.

CITY – Ho Chi Minh

Fresh and sparkling; it just makes you fall in love with it. Though, it is 10 times poorer than India, it is way cleaner and better. I have nothing against my country but I have to mention this here because really it’s just about individual’s efforts and attitude that speaks for one’s country and we Indians need to learn this. Another amazing thing about this beauty is BIKES, I personally am a biker by heart and it was an unusual experience to realize that Bike here is the basic medium of travel with no social tags. Be it rich or poor everyone is on bike, there is absolutely no concept of classic, sports or adventure bikes, A Bike is A Bike, simple and plain. And, yes the best way to discover this city is to hop on a “Bike Taxi”.

Next thing that leaves you gaped is the Food; it is just everywhere for dirt cheap. You can gobble all the food you need for less than a quarter and I am talking about healthy, good and nutritious food, now that is what I call a heaven! The city has developed much beyond my expectations and I even heard that everyone is developing a good traffic sense. Unfortunately, during my travel it was raining and I had to travel mostly on taxi which was bit expensive.

PEOPLE

A country is made of its people and the beauty of Vietnam equally reflects in its masses. The warmth and welcoming nature of everyone leaves a never fading smile on your face. There is a massive difference between Bangkok & Vietnam; Vietnamese are extremely soft, welcoming and warm hearted. But, the challenge here is of language and communication as not many are well versed with English and one can get stuck if you are outside the city limits. City thrives on service driven attitude and people love their 9 to 5 jobs with 2 hours of break; yes! 2 hours, 1 for food and another for quick power nap. They believe in moving with the flow and have little appetite for innovation. However, when you interact with locals, the keenness to learn and grow throws you off guard and you feel as if you are in a diamond mine, surrounded by precious gemstones.

DESIGN & IT

The best designers are generally rooted in the artists and Vietnamese art has a long and rich history, the earliest examples of which date back as far as the Stone Age. They are amazing when it comes to art and it is wonderful to discover how they are exploring new arenas of branching out; few have opted for print and animation but majority of them have chosen digital design. I was lucky enough to meet few designers and phew, saw some real exceptional work! The most marvellous thing was to know that all designers there knew UI Development by default; an artist turned designer with technical know-how, now that is what I call a master stroke. Here are some of the design samples from the designers I met:

1) This Designer here is amazing visualizer and perfect with design tools, the only challenge was communication gap.

2) This one blew me away! Literally, think of anything that is related to design and she knows it all; an amazing artist, designer, animator and brilliant communicator. One of the jewels, I was talking about.

Though, designs and designers had great impact on me, one thing that did offset me a bit and that was lack of individuality and their own identity; the designs there are predominantly influenced by Western world. However, the willingness of Designers to explore this part of the world given the right opportunity has my hope pinned.

To conclude my experience, all I can say is that a little guidance now to these emerging designing sensations will most definitely take world by design storm. And, I am extremely glad to be discovering them at an early stage. And, I am definitely over-whelmed to realize that Designers around the globe are realizing their worth and they know this is there era.

Why does a Zero-Trust Security Paradigm in Healthcare make sense?

Posted on 11/07/202009/06/2021 by Tushar

There has been a long-held assumption that data security threats originate from nefarious external forces seeking to steal an organization’s most sensitive data. Traditional security models were therefore designed with this view in mind and on the mistaken belief that everything within the internal network is trustworthy. But there is evidence that a majority of attacks come from internal sources, with healthcare, manufacturing and financial services firms at the greatest risk.

An insider threat may be intentional or accidental but, in either case, the risk can be that much greater because it is often difficult to detect and can continue to spread.

In healthcare, having electronic health records (EHRs) that collect a patient’s data in a single record is hugely beneficial to managing patient care and to patients’ ability to gain insights into their overall health and manage their own care. Securing sensitive data is of paramount importance to prevent data theft, identity theft and reputational damage to the provider. Therefore, access must be secure and accountable, regardless of whether the data resides on hospital servers, mobile devices or cloud services.

As the healthcare industry continues to digitize — bringing together EHR data with other data about the patient, including from smart devices — and as it shifts to care without borders, interoperability of data will become even more crucial, but so too will cyber resilience. Organizations will need to focus on hardening access to digital assets as opposed to making them inaccessible.

In an era of patient-driven care, patients expect to be able to trust those caring for them to safeguard their data. Violation of that trust with security breaches affects the quality of care those patients receive. If a reputable hospital suffers a breach, it will influence where a patient will go for care, which could affect the continuity and quality of care.

This is where the security approach known as zero trust comes into its own. With zero trust, there is no assumed trust of corporate devices or networks versus untrusted public networks or personal devices. The same security checks are performed on users and devices. Everybody is equally suspect, but everybody is also equally enabled to gain the access they need. Access policies are applied wherever data is held and across the interfaces of all systems when they are being accessed.

Such a system might sound onerous to operate, but zero trust is not about putting roadblocks on innovation, collaboration and open exchange. Rather, it’s about increasing cyber defense.

In healthcare, zero trust is about finding a solution that can preserve the sharing and giving of information in a patient’s best interest but that will safeguard the information at the same time. The zero trust approach does just that and is a viable option to support digital healthcare.

To achieve the objectives of data security through a zero trust approach, healthcare organizations need to consider three key elements.

Ensure that zero trust encompasses security at multiple levels. Applications need to be subject to strict login and monitoring rules and complete API security. This is one way an application can be executed, and these interfaces are vulnerable to attacks unless they are properly protected. The network must have strong security measures, such as physical segmentation and firewalls, plus security monitoring across all users and IT systems. Multilevel security programs should also address training for staff and patients to spot phishing attempts and practice good security hygiene, such as setting strong passwords. And the infrastructure needs to monitor all users logged into the overall system. Patients who read reports that their hospital is being investigated for security breaches will choose to go elsewhere. Once a hospital’s reputation is damaged, the stigma is hard to overcome.
Ensure that all patient data and resources are accessed securely with the appropriate permissions. Knowing where data is held allows controls to be extended to wrap and protect data on-premises, in the cloud and on personal devices. Once the data is classified, the correct access policies can be enforced when that data is being accessed. Healthcare organizations need to be able to audit who has accessed information to ensure accountability.
Have in place a “least access” strategy through an identity and access management solution, and grant access only to people authorized to access data. For example, if a physician is allowed to access a patient record, only that physician should be able to do so, not other clinical staff involved in caring for the patient. The objective is to ensure that the hospital is running an environment with the proper protection in place. Zero trust needs to be ingrained in human resources policies. Since hospitals typically have a large temporary workforce and a lot of personnel changes, the identity management system can automate safeguards to identify new employees and those moving into different roles or leaving the organization. So, if a nurse or doctor leaves the hospital, that person’s authorized access will be automatically revoked.

The patients’ trust and confidence in the healthcare system rely on healthcare organizations being able to safeguard their data and ensure that it is only used legitimately. Trust drives all consumers’ experiences in terms of whom they engage with. And in an era of patient-centered care, patients expect their hospital or clinician to also care for their personal data.

Business changing powerful entities: AI and IoT

Posted on 10/07/202008/06/2021 by Anteelo Master

Before autonomous drones and machine learning came into foray, James Cameron enthralled the world with his dream project The Terminator in 1984 where he introduced ‘Skynet’, a futuristic artificial superintelligence network that wants to replace humans with machines. Much has been debated about the film franchise ever since as scientists passed it off as a fan service action series, yet the seed of technological brilliance was sown. Whether Artificial Intelligence will take over the world or not, it certainly has given businesses a means of revolution and to readers/debaters like us, food for thought.

Another important piece of disruptive technology that is equally changing lives is IoT which expands to the Internet of Things. Like AI, the IoT has come of age. Its utilities include not just making smart homes but also wearable devices, smart vehicles and smart cities. The role of Artificial Intelligence and IoT in business is currently at its epitome.

AI and IoT are redefining the way businesses used to perform. On one hand, AI with its powerful subset of machine learning, has paved the way for smarter task execution with real-time analysis and greater interaction between humans and machines; IoT, on the other, has upped the scale of communication between devices and humans via effective intelligent technology. The confluence of the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence makes each other’s applications more varied and powerful.

The merger: How AI and IoT joined forces

IoT accumulates large amounts of data through device connectivity via the internet and AI, especially through its powerful mechanism, Machine Learning helps in assimilating and evaluating this data. Machine learning in IoT devices helps to identify patterns and detect any faults in data collection through extremely advanced sensors. Intrinsic things such as stimulation to air, temperature, humidity, pollution, sound, vibrations, lights, etc. are derived with this technology over a period of time. Unlike traditional technology, IoT and machine learning make operational forecasts 20x faster with heightened accuracy. This is the reason why businesses that use AI technology sees a growth in their revenue numbers – a validation of which can be seen in the graph below

Revenues generated by businesses using AI from 2018 to 2025 (estimated)

AI’s role in IoT’s revolution has helped in a massive revenue boost which also means in the sale of more connected devices.

Below is a graph that shows how many IoT-powered devices were there in 2025 and the estimated curve predicts a huge nerve till 2025.

The demand for IoT is certainly going uphill. IoT, along with AI, are currently on demand by every business, whether it’s a Fortune 500 or a startup. Since there is no limit to either’s abilities, companies wish to use them to their full potential and unbridle their potentiality to the world. The following image draws a comparison among different technologies and shows which ones are the most trending.

As IoT keeps collecting data, AI takes the onus of converting it into meaningful and creative actions. Data exchange happens through sensors and in the process, a few of the following things happen:

Data insights are more accurately obtained, monitored and evaluated
The entire process becomes faster and more efficient
Surveillance against cyber-attacks is more defined and stronger

Advantages of AI and IoT in business

Together AI and IoT are unstoppable forces of technology. There are a lot of advantages which the two provide. The following elaborates the same:

Data collection, sharing and formulating user perceptions

Data collection is extremely vital for a business’ growth and development. A business with an IoT strategy knows how technology can transform data compulsion by offering greater access to consumer information. AI makes it easier to handle that information. IoT devices have this unique mechanism to track, record and observe patterns in a user and his/her interaction with the device(s). Businesses use the acquired data to devise better means to enhance consumer experiences.

Elimination of downtime

Oil and gas manufacturing organizations use heavy machinery which can suffer unseen/unplanned breakdowns. This causes downtime that can incur huge losses. Having an AI-enabled IoT platform makes it possible for predictive maintenance. It helps in anticipating machinery failures and breakdowns in advance by utilizing the analytics so that you can plan a course of action beforehand and not let your operations get affected. A study by Deloitte led to the following conclusions-

20-50% reduction in time taken for maintenance planning
5-10% cutback in maintenance costs
10-20% increment in equipment availability and uptime

Strengthening security measures

With the current rise in data breaches and theft of confidential information, security and safety are the most concerning factors for a business. IoT powered by AI provides militant support to your private information and doesn’t allow third parties to intrude. Machine-to-machine communication is being facilitated by various organizations to detect incoming threats and give out automated responses to hackers. A common example could be in the banking sector where illicit activities in ATMs are picked up by IoT sensors and conveyed immediately to law enforcement bodies.

Automated operational efficiency

IoT deployment streamlines your business and helps in making accurate predictions, all of which are extremely crucial for improving the efficiency of the business. Placing your money on the Internet of Things investment is very necessary in today’s time as the technology also helps in giving you insights into redundant activities and the ones which are consuming a lot of time. A good example will be Google’s reduction in expenditure in cooling their data centres which they could do with AI and IoT. Like Google, you too can find out which of your operational activities need some fine-tuning so that efficiency is not neglected.

Helps in processing business analysis

There needs to be a fine balance between demand and supply. AI helps in improving inventory management and letting go of the pressure on the stock as it will help you to know in advance when you need to restock. This provides an important aid to retailers as they at times hoard too many products to find out later on that all of them cannot be sold. This proves how accurate it is than manual methods. There are IoT applications which help them in gathering the data and analytics for the maintenance of stock.

Better at Risk Management

Earlier we mentioned how AI and IoT help in maintaining cybersecurity. When it comes to risk management, which includes handling financial loss, personnel safety and cyber threats, the pair effortlessly deal with situations and give out prompt responses so that such situations do not arise. For example, Fujitsu, a Japanese IT equipment and service provider makes certain worker safety is maintained through data collected from wearable devices with the help of AI.

Scope for new and improved products and services

The Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology which aims to improve communication via speech, text or gestures has augmented the transmission of information between humans and devices. AI-powered drones and robots give a whole new meaning to monitoring and inspection which never existed previously. It helps to fetch data that a human may never be able to do physically. This proves how strong the IoT and AI future is. For commercial vehicles, it helps in fleet management by monitoring every measurable information. Rolls Royce is a great example of AI-powered IoT use cases. Plans to use AI technology to implement IoT-enabled aeroplane engine maintenance needs. This will help in creating perceptual patterns and help explore in-depth insights.

Examples where AI and IoT are showing brilliance

Now that you’re aware of how AI and IoT solutions help in leveraging business opportunities, let us mention a few examples from real-life instances to prove how the role of artificial intelligence and IoT is helping to create new business models and provide better user experiences. Many of these examples also make up for the most cutting-edge and futuristic trends to watch out for.

Wearables

By now you must have heard how wearables play a key role in the current IoT scenario. Fitness trackers, smartwatches, wearable panic buttons, remote monitoring systems, GPS trackers and music systems are some of the most popular examples of wearables which take up a large part in the IoT ecosystem. You need to simply download IoT applications in your smart devices to get the most precise information.

Robotics

The manufacturing industry was in dire need of adopting AI-focused IoT solutions. This helps in facial recognition, deep learning, big data analytics and especially robotics. Robots and robotics have always been the frontrunners of technology for decades and now, with the passage of time, they have become smarter, more reliable and more efficient. Through implanted sensors meticulous communication is facilitated. Using the fusion of AI and IoT, robots can learn and adapt to newer environments with precision. This makes the manufacturing process linear and saves time and money.

Smart Homes

The smart home ecosystem is growing and is currently valued at $91 million. It’s one of the most pleasing activities of technology where you do not have to get and go to a particular appliance and operate it. The AI-powered IoT technology enables the controlling of your light, fans, television, thermostat, ACs, etc. through your phone. Not just inside but even if you’re travelling outside, say to an outstation and you need to check whether an appliance has been wrongly set on, you can do it with a simple command. Or if you’re returning home after a tiresome day at work and need a bath, you can set the temperature of the water say 10 minutes before you reach home.

Self-driven vehicles

The thought of autonomous cars and vehicles seems exciting and thrilling at the same time. With powerful sensors, installed cameras and robust hardware and software integration, a car gathers monumental information roads, traffic, additional routes, navigation, weather conditions, consumer behaviour and whatnot. Self-driven cars are the perfect examples that will highlight the role of artificial intelligence in future technology. One major concerning factor is safety. Many will face apprehensions over their initial journeys in driverless cars, but that’s what the whole game is about. It has mindblowing learning abilities and high-powered AI mechanisms that will give priority to the passenger’s life at all costs.

Amazon Go

This is truly a masterstroke in AI technology use. To support its retail outlets, Amazon uses IoT to make the shopping experience more convenient for the user. With no cashier or even cash counters, the sensors present will optimise the entire process. For example, sensors are used to determine your activities. Like a supermarket or retail outlet, items are arranged and when you pick up any product, it automatically adds it to your cart and the moment you keep it back, it’s removed from your cart. It connects to your payment mode(s) so when you leave the store with the items, the total amount is debited from your account or online wallet. Just like self-driven cars, they used computer vision, deep learning algorithms and sensor fusion, procreating the ‘Just Walk Out’ technology.

Healthcare

This is currently the need of the hour. With the Coronavirus pandemic, everyone has become extra cautious with their health and technologies like AI and IoT are leveraging the entire healthcare system. The IoT applications and deployments powered by AI help in collecting data to provide preventive measures for a person/patient, early detection and providing drug administration. It draws data from internet-powered medical devices, medical records, fitness trackers, healthcare mobile apps, etc. Many healthcare companies around the globe are making IoT investments so that people stay safe under such hazardous conditions.

Smart Cities

This is the biggest example to show the prowess of the AI and IoT pair. If it is able to maintain civic decorum, then it speaks volumes about technology’s success. Things like smart traffic management, smart parking, smart waste management, smart policing, smart governance and many other factors are the components which constitute a smart city. The Internet of Things for smart cities changes the way cities operate and delivers amenities to the public which includes transportation, healthcare, lighting, etc. Smart cities are arguably a futuristic concept and have a lot of ground to cover. The above video explains how three cities have successfully implemented it.

There are many IoT application development company who have done a tremendous job of integrating the technology into various business types and creating something unconventional out of the banal scheme of things. AI is truly reinventing IoT along with other modern-day techs, and businesses that are vigorously using this technological emergence only have good things to say. No second thoughts need to be spared to explain — The future of IoT is AI and will remain so.