Electrosonic on: Designing Innovative, Converged Environments |
In the podcast, Why Smart Design Matters in a Converged Environment, Electrosonic discusses how the rise of integrated technologies is impacting collaboration between industries; missed opportunities, pitfalls, and challenges in this experience-focused environment; how an emphasis on experience is driving AV design forward; what convergence actually looks like in a creative project; and how a deeper consideration of visual, acoustic, and network designs is impacting the process of delivering the desired experience. And, in the blog, 4 Keys to Innovation Center Success, Electrosonic notes that the better an organization is at fostering a truly collaborative environment, the higher the likelihood for meaningful innovations. How specifically you go about building this environment can play a pivotal role in determining effectiveness. Electrosonic addresses logistical aspects of the space, technology requirements, embracing constant evolution, and ongoing challenges, often through mobility and software. (Bryan Hinckley, Monrovia)
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Envision on: Addressing Cybersecurity Risks
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Envision has recently published a series of blog posts on how it approaches cybersecurity risks. Protecting Data in All Its Phases, part 1 of the series, discusses the need to ensure secure handling of data in all its states - at rest, in transit, and in use. How We Use ISO Frameworks, SOC II Exams and Application Development Policies to Support Cybersecurity, part 2, and A best-team approach to creating a compliant, secure infrastructure - up in the cloud, part 3, each address aspects of the need to develop strong controls and independently verify that what you are doing is meeting its objective. (Satnam Gambhir, Orange County)
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Dave Berkus on: Bootstrapping & Accepting Investments
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In recent blog posts, Dave covers multiple aspects of company fundraising and dealing with investors, including professionals as well as family and friends. In summary, he advises: "Starting with credit card debt or a personal loan and working through money from friends or family, or simply consulting to earn money for investment, entrepreneurs should consider early resources for capital to produce a prototype, do market research or start to build a team. Once there is progress in any of these critical areas, raising professional investment is easier and the likelihood of a higher valuation makes for retention of more equity during the first important professional round." To learn more, read Dave's posts: Oh, go ahead and ask for a five-million-dollar investment in your startup; and Would you sign a personal guarantee if you have investors?; and Could you have created a "dirty cap table?" (Dave Berkus, Monrovia & West Los Angeles)
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AI: BUSINESS & HUMANS
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Startups Optimistic About AI, Business Conditions, Despite Uncertainty: Reports |
Startups are generally optimistic about their business opportunities, and they plan to raise capital and expand their workforces this year, despite "economic and political" uncertainty across the globe, according to the Startup Outlook Report from Silicon Valley Bank. The report polled 1,400 startup founders and executives for its conclusions, which include that 60% of US entrepreneurs think business conditions in 2019 will improve compared with last year, with 9% believing conditions will worsen. The executives also said that raising capital "has grown easier" over the past two years, and the biggest areas of promise in the tech industry today are artificial intelligence and big data. (Read Article: SoCalTech, 2/20/19)
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Retail Industry to Spend $5.9 Billion on AI Innovations in 2019 |
Retail is expected to come out on top in the way of global artificial intelligence spending this year with a $5.9 billion investment in customer service agents, shopping advisers, and product recommendation platforms. In total, the AI market will reach a whopping $35.8 billion in 2019, marking a 44% increase over 2018, according to the latest forecast from International Data Corporation (IDC). (Read Article: Dealerscope, 3/14/19)
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Stanford Launches AI Institute to Focus on Helping Humans |
Stanford University just announced a new institute whose mission is to develop artificial intelligence technologies and applications that improve the human condition. The new Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) said it plans to partner with industry, governments, and non-governmental organizations that share the goal of a better future for humanity through AI. (Read Article: Silicon Valley Business Journal, 3/18/19)
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AR & VR
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Microsoft Workers Demand Company Drop Army HoloLens Contract |
In a recent letter addressed to top executives, a group of Microsoft workers demanded the company drop a controversial contract with the U.S. Army. The workers object to the company taking a $479 million contract last year to supply tech for the military's Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS). Under the project, Microsoft, the maker of the HoloLens augmented reality headset, could eventually provide 100,000+ headsets designed for combat and training in the military. The Army has described the project as a way to "increase lethality by enhancing the ability to detect, decide and engage before the enemy." The workers write in the letter, "We are alarmed that Microsoft is working to provide weapons technology to the US Military, helping one country's government 'increase lethality' using tools we built. We did not sign up to develop weapons, and we demand a say in how our work is used." (Read Article: The Verge, 2/22/19)
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Future of Sports Is "Interactive, Immersive and Intense" |
More people than ever care about sports, but they're watching less TV. Instead, they're checking reactions on Twitter, hunting for highlights on Instagram, and sending "OMG-that-shot" faces on Snapchat. But as more leagues and sports take to Internet streaming, it'll get easier to find stuff to watch. [Editor's Note: the article writer goes on to describe watching games on VR headsets, an app that will show highlights of this year's March Madness college basketball games seconds after they happen, how you can "choose your own adventure" as you watch a game, ways to digitally interact with other fans, the influence of esports, and more.] (Read Article: Wall Street Journal, 3/17/19)
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Facebook Working on Oculus Go, Quest Enterprise Editions |
Facebook is looking to launch enterprise edition versions of its Oculus Go and Oculus Quest virtual reality headsets this year, according to a recently published job listing. It spells out broader plans to bring augmented and VR technology to the enterprise, starting with dedicated enterprise versions of the two headsets. (Read Article: Variety, 3/4/19)
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With thanks to Kenneth Shen for his outstanding Trend-spotting!
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GOVERNMENT & TECH
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Trump Budget Request Seeks $150 Million for Tech Modernization Fund |
President Trump's fiscal 2020 budget request seeks $150 million in new funding for the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF), which provides seed money to government wide IT projects that agencies are ultimately expected to pay back. So far, TMF has funded seven projects totaling close to $90 million of the total $125 million Congress authorized for the program. (Read Article: Nextgov, 3/11/19) MEANWHILE, California Senator and presidential hopeful Kamala Harris introduced the Digital Service Act of 2019 last week, a bill asking for a $ 15-million fund for state and local government technology projects. She doesn't want to focus on routine IT maintenance, but on making government services more accessible to the public. The bill is modeled after the US Digital Service, an "elite technology unit" that formed after the Healthcare.gov debacle to fix and improve shoddy federal websites. Harris' bill would provide two-year grants ranging from $200,000 to $2.5 million per year. (Read Article: Engadget, 3/14/19)
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SMART HOMES & HOSPITALS
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Senior Smart Home Adoption to See Rapid Growth |
By 2022, the market for connected solutions for seniors will reach nearly $30 billion, while the largest section of that submarket, safety and smart living technologies, is expected to triple in size between 2018 and 2022, reaching over $17 billion, predicts the Consumer Technology Association. Sixty-five million baby boomers are about to outstrip the traditional age for retirement, and how society reacts "is going to be interesting." (Read Article: Digital Trends, 3/11/19)
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Amazon's Alexa Deployed Across Patient Rooms at Cedars-Sinai |
In what looks to be the first large-scale deployment of voice-driven personal assistants across a healthcare setting, Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai has deployed Amazon's Alexa voice assistant across 100+ patient rooms within its hospital. The pilot program lets patients both drive healthcare requests, such as help to go to the restroom, as well as control in-room entertainment, such as operating the TV or listening to music. (Read Article: SoCalTech, 2/26/19)
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THE WEB
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The Web Just Took a Big Step Toward a Password-Free Future |
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has approved WebAuthn, a new authentication standard that aims to replace the password as a way of securing your online accounts. First announced last year, WebAuthn (which stands for Web Authentication) is already supported by most browsers. Its publication as an official web standard should pave the way for wider adoption by individual websites. (Read Article: The Verge, 3/4/19)
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WEARABLES
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Wearables Market Surged in Q4 |
The global wearables market grew 31.4% during the fourth quarter of 2018, reaching a new high of 59.3 million units, IDC reported. Moreover, year-end 2018 shipments totaled an impressive 172.2 million units, up 27.5% from 135 million shipments in 2017. It's worth noting that IDC recently revised its taxonomy - inflating the numbers somewhat - by expanding its definition of wearables beyond the wrist to "hearables" - headphones and earbuds. (Read Article: VentureBeat, 3/5/19) MEANWHILE, Wearables Forge New Payment Technology Partnerships, as Timex and Mastercard are just two of the big names entering partnerships that bring payment technology to smartwatches and other wearables. The moves come as near-field communication-enabled payment technology continues to gain ground among merchants. (Read Article: Mobile Payments Today, 2/28/19)
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Samsung's Digital Health Plan: Smartwatches to Home Robots |
Samsung is adding a number of healthcare functions, such as blood pressure and stress levels measurement, to its Galaxy Watch. Such changes to smartwatches' direction and marketing - from wellness nice-to-have to health monitor - are part of a wider trend in health hardware. The growth in chronic diseases, an aging population, and spiraling medical costs are all pushing healthcare providers and insurers alike to turn to technology. While consumers may see the burden of public health increasingly shifting to their personal devices, Samsung is looking even further out, where social care may be delivered by consumer technology in our homes as well. At this year's CES, Samsung debuted a range of service robots including Bot Care, a concept device that could not only help out with everyday household tasks, but monitor health as well. (Read Article: ZDNet, 3/4/19)
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WIRELESS & PHONES
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5G to Start Rollout this Spring; Will Rule on High-End Phones by Year's End |
By this holiday season or in early 2020, all major flagship phones will run 5G - and there may not even be an option to buy a high-end device without the new, super-fast connectivity, according to Qualcomm President Cristiano Amon. (Read Article: CNET, 3/5/19) MEANWHILE, Verizon announced it will increase its unlimited plan by $10 per month for users who want to access 5G speeds, making it the first major US mobile carrier to release 5G pricing. Verizon will begin offering 5G in Chicago and Minneapolis on April 11, and it will be free to customers for the first 90 days. (Read Article: Wall Street Journal, 3/13/19) AND, in preparation for a planned commercial launch of 5G in May, Sprint is showing visitors to its newly opened interactive center in Kansas City how 5G service can change their lives. (Read Article: Mobile Marketing Magazine, 3/14/19)
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Corning Working on Flexible Glass to Replace Plastic in Folding Phones |
Corning's Gorilla Glass has been a key ingredient in smartphones since the first iPhone - except for folding phones, where the screens are covered in flexible plastic. Corning is now trying to create an ultrathin, highly and repeatedly bendable glass suitable for folding devices. Unlike plastic, which will eventually develop permanent and visibly distorted creases in its folding zones, the glass will remain in its original shape. (Read Article: Venture Beat, 3/5/19)
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Copyright © 2019 Adaptive Business Leaders Organization. All Rights Reserved. |
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Stressed out! Apps for an Anxious World
