Category: Internet of Things
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18th May 2017

Why big data doesn’t need to be a big issue

Technological advancements and digital transformation are revolutionising the way businesses operate, with many actively converting data into insights to help them achieve their core business objectives. Through the use of big data and IoT, the UK economy is expected to generate £322 billion in revenue from 2015 to 2020, signalling that those organisations that fail to embrace big data may get left behind. But how do organisations obtain so much data about us? How do they know how old we are, who our friends are, what our favourite film is and where we spend our Friday evenings?

Well, the truth is that many of us fail to think twice about our digital footprint. Every computer we access, website we explore, App we launch and business we visit generates a trail of data that companies are actively capturing. Of course, most of us are aware that search engines like Google can see what we’ve been searching for but many of us, including myself, fail to register the fact that data is collected about us on a daily, even hourly basis and often it is with our full consent.

Mobiles and tablets have a big part to play in terms of feeding the big data pool. Think about your phone, is it brimming with mobile applications? I thought so, well a high proportion of those Apps have asked you to share your location and personal details, some even asking for access to your messages and contacts, yet most of us ‘agree’ to the terms of data use without a second thought.

Another clever data gatherer is social media, platforms that encourage users to openly broadcast their every move, interests, new job and relationship breakups. Facebook is expected to hit 2 billion monthly active users this Summer, so it’s no surprise that we’ve opened the door to a new realm of data, big data, that can be analysed in various ways, developing the so called big brother era.

A Forbes article highlighted 21 things that big data knows about you, and let’s just say it isn’t a great read for those who openly oppose the big brother concept. From your HR department knowing when you’re going to quit your job, Facebook knowing how intelligent you are and your child’s Barbie doll updating its makers on what you’re talking about, the list is a real eye opener and demonstrates the wealth of data being captured about us. The list even refers to a site called iknowwhereyourcatlives.com, yes you did read that correctly. It lets you view over 1 million public pictures of cats on a world map, locating them by the latitude and longitude coordinates embedded in their metadata. Big data gone mad?

But is the ability to monitor our digital footprint and online activity necessarily a bad thing? The reality is that many of us feed big brother for our own personal enjoyment and benefit. Accepting big data into our lives gives us the ability to get what we want, just when we want it. How many times have you accessed sites like Amazon or Netflix to find a recommendation that’s a perfect suit? I’ve had many hours of enjoyment watching programmes and reading books that I wouldn’t have otherwise found if the data about my previous behaviour and preferences hadn’t been analysed.   

Like most of us I’m also a big fan of a freebie. Who doesn’t love a free meal on their birthday or a complementary coffee on their next visit to their local coffee shop? However, that coupon didn’t just magically appear in your inbox, somehow or other you’ve entered your personal details and consented to receiving promotional material from the brand or venue, whether that be on the company’s website, app, newsletter or WiFi platform.  

WiFi is something that consumers openly seek and even expect in the majority of today’s public spaces and venues. One venue that instantly springs to mind is an airport. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been stuck in a foreign departure lounge, craving a quick look at my emails or social platforms but fearing the imminent threat of high roaming charges. I’m willing to enter pretty much any and every detail under the sun to access the WiFi whilst waiting to catch my flight home. This open committal to plate up my details is all for my own personal benefit. I didn’t question where my details would go or if I’d be bombarded with emails, all I wanted was an internet connection and as a result I could even benefit from personalised flight updates and duty free discounts thanks to the power of big data and the effective use of WiFi analytics.

However, big data isn’t just being used to please consumers, encourage spend and feed their desires, it is also being used in revolutionary ways to transform our roads, governments and healthcare services around the globe. According to a recent article published by the Harvard Business Review, the analysis of electronic healthcare records (EHR) collected in real time during doctor and hospital visits is allowing healthcare trusts and professionals to better understand diseases, treatment patterns, and clinical outcomes. It also allows companies to assess real-world challenges that cannot be observed in a clinical trial, such as drug compliance and the most effective use of health care resources.

So, as the world explores the benefits that big data can provide, more and more data will be captured as new technologies emerge. There are always going to be instances where data is misused but in the vast majority of cases the benefits far outweigh the potential for harm. Big data doesn’t need to be a big issue, it’s up to us, as consumers, to be vigilant and know exactly what we’re giving away, when, and to whom. It’s also up to those businesses collecting the data to ensure information is securely captured to prohibit the mismanagement of consumer information.

19th January 2017

The Technology Behind Amazon Go: How it Works and What It Means for Retailers

Whether you spotted it in your social feeds, saw it in a news headline, or were one of the 7.9 million people who have viewed its debut YouTube video, it’s likely you’ve heard of  Amazon Go. On December 5th 2016, Amazon announced that it was opening an 1,800 sq ft, fully digitized grab-and-go convenience store, sending the tech world into a frenzy. With the store set to open ‘early 2017,’ the conversation continues; whether it’s to praise Amazon’s willingness to take risks and experiment with the latest technology, or to raise concerns around privacy and the supposed bleak future of the brick and mortar shopping experience, Amazon Go has grabbed the attention of techies, retailers, and consumers alike. As a tech company, we’re excited by the multiple uses of technology at play here, and curious to see how the future of retail develops with these sorts of advancements.

If you’ve not had a chance to read up on Amazon Go (or haven’t caught wind of one of the many debates it has stirred) its basic premise is that it’s “a new kind of store with no checkout required,” meaning no queues and little to no human interaction – essentially a far more autonomous shopping experience. Attractively branded as ‘Just Walk Out Shopping,’ Amazon Go is turning heads, and not just because it promises a seamless and convenient way to shop: notable failures by other brands and retail chains in the past had put a damper on the concept, but against all odds, Amazon have successfully integrated their eCommerce platform into a brick and mortar / high street setting. Chains like Tesco, who have trialled the likes of RFID readers on their trolleys, may well begin to reconsider their technical strategy in order to secure a lucrative future in retail.

So, how does Amazon Go work, and what key features place it so far ahead of the competition? Above all else, it’s their use of multifaceted and advanced technologies that can produce troves of data with unprecedented accuracy. Based on the introductory video, these smart shops will be able to detect any and everything you pick up and place in your shopping bag, and will even know if you change your mind and put something back. At face value (and given the concept’s history), a system like this seems vulnerable and prone to error. For example, will Amazon’s AI become confused when two consumers, or ‘users,’ are shopping in close proximity? What if you’re charged incorrectly for someone else’s selection? A deeper dive into the technology behind Amazon Go allows us to understand how they’ve covered these bases and managed to overcome the existing obstacles associated with integrating eCommerce into physical spaces.

The first technology Amazon Go attributes its success to is Computer Vision, which allows computers to acquire and process visual information and generate appropriate algorithms based on the data that is gathered. Unsurprisingly, Amazon has kept their patent undisclosed, however we can speculate that in the case of Amazon Go shops, multiple cameras are used to recognize customers as well as their placement or proximity to departments, shelves, items, and so on. The second is Sensor Fusion, which is essentially an amalgamation of sensor data from a number of inputs, such as weight and motion sensors; when paired with Computer Vision, Sensor Fusion helps to determine when someone has reached for an item, removed it, or placed it back on the shelf. The final and perhaps most integral factor attributing to a bright looking future for Amazon Go is the use of Deep Learning, a branch of machine learning that enables computers to learn by continuously collecting and analyzing digital data.

With this many advanced technologies working together, it’s conceivable that Amazon can learn (rather exponentially) about their customers from the moment they ‘scan’ into a store, including what they look like, their movement patterns, and their buying habits. While we can’t be totally sure of the capabilities just yet, the learning aspect also implies that with each recurring customer visit, the system becomes less prone to error, as it can begin to make educated guesses on what a customer may be doing based on past purchases and shopping behavior. This sort of consumer data is extremely valuable to retailers, particularly for marketing purposes – we’d expect that Amazon would tap into the rich pool of data collected and begin to tailor products and offers toward its users. In doing so, they can offer a more personalized, relevant, and attractive service than their competitors.

Ultimately, by employing the most cutting edge technology and heavily investing into their idea, Amazon’s ambitious vision four years ago has become a reality. They are demonstrating that the ‘Just Walk Out’ shopping concept is entirely possible, and by solving many of the technical issues retailers have previously had with this idea, Amazon have given us the first real glimpse into a future with a fully automated, self-service shopping system. No doubt there will be some hiccups, but it’s becoming more and more apparent that this (or something very similar) is what the future of retail will look like. Consequently, retailers who fail or refuse to adapt over the next decade or so will inevitably become less and less relevant to their ever-evolving customer base and risk losing out.

For retailers wondering what the next steps are, a safe bet would be to keep a close eye on what Amazon are doing, specifically around what sort of technologies they are using / investing in. Bear in mind that a reluctance to employ more advanced technologies and penny pinching have been some of the major roadblocks for retailers attempting to make their supermarkets ‘smart.’ Chains who are still skeptical or fearful of investing too much too soon may want to consider a trial store location (as Amazon Go has done in Seattle) where they can test new ideas and technologies on a smaller scale. Another viable option would be to invest in a cloud-based / location and analytics platform ike Purple’s retail WiFi solution, which allows retailers to understand exactly who their customers are, how those customers interact with shopping environments / move around their store, and where to focus their marketing efforts. Purple’s platform can also collect and report on data from the existing smart devices, sensors, and appliances in your stores, making it a powerful tool for developing / improving your IoT strategy.

Whatever retailers choose to do, the next decade undoubtedly promises some rapid modernization in the shopping industry. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out, but it’s clear that lack of a response may see them into an unstable financial future.

 

13th December 2016

IOT: It’s a Thing thing (except it isn’t) – by Dan Warren

When I was asked to write some blog pieces about the Internet of Things, I was both excited – because it is a topic I think is of massive importance – and slightly worried, since the Internet of Things is such a broad subject. There was a temptation to launch into a specific industry and describe the impact that connecting Things would have, and indeed, I will do that in future pieces. However, this first piece is intended to lay out some ground rules and key principles that underpin any Internet of Things opportunity today. Some of these may surprise you, some will sound like screamingly obvious common sense, but all need to be stated so as to make the blog posts that follow a lot easier, a lot shorter, and a lot more specific to their subjects. These are the pre-requisite elements that will be taken as given for the pieces to come.

It’s not about the Thing, it’s about data

It is very easy to get carried away with focusing on whatever it is that is being connected, but that often is not really the point. Connecting something to a network only makes sense if that device is going to generate data that is useful, generates value (either directly or implicitly) or is going to carry out an action based on data generated elsewhere. Connecting a Thing without purpose, and more pertinently, without a business case, is difficult to justify.

As a result, for all of the excitement and marketing material that connecting vehicles, healthcare devices, sensors on production lines, or even livestock might generate, it is only of value if the data can be put to use. The business case for connecting something that previously was unconnected can be very specific to that device, and also, in the early stages can carry considerable costs that need to be offset.

Understanding feasibility

The value of the data that a connected device generates must be balanced against the cost of deploying a connected device. This amounts to:-

  • The cost of the connected device itself
  • The cost of providing connectivity to the device, and of powering the device
  • The cost of maintaining and managing the device

Many of the use cases for connecting a Thing imply putting infrastructure in place that is not currently present. There are large areas of countryside, suburban areas and within buildings that are currently unserved by any form of connectivity infrastructure, either because of technological challenges associated with the environment, or simply because they are places where people rarely go. All connectivity is currently predicated on the consumption of connectivity services by humans, but when the entire purpose is that humans are replaced (or augmented) by connecting a sensor to observe something with greater frequency and accuracy, suddenly a business case for infrastructure can start to be formed.

The challenge is that the first use case needing connectivity has to justify the cost of building out connectivity and the associated infrastructure that goes with it – backhaul connectivity, powering, back-up and disaster response and so on. This either requires a really valuable use case, or the consolidation of many opportunities into a single business case. Often once infrastructure is in place, the economic justification for many other use cases becomes viable.

Silos, Organisations and Exposure of Data

This kind of cross-organisational thinking is often difficult to achieve. Businesses are arranged into divisions, governments at all levels are arranged by departments, and everyone has their own profit and loss to consider, so relinquishing or consolidating management and control of a IoT strategy is difficult to sell to a multi-stakeholder audience. This is compounded by the fact that usually, the data that is to be gathered is considered valuable to the party gathering it. The likelihood is that, in many cases, the Internet is the last place that data will be exposed to.

What actually results is many narrow, application specific Intranets of Things, either limited to a very specific data set or a specific place. Many of the oft-quoted exemplars of IoT proof of concept, focus on a specific thing – rubbish collection, traffic control, parking space management, soil quality – or a specific place – smart building, smart home, smart factory. Very little has actually been done to expose data and cross-correlate it with data gathered by other parties or industries.

The Long Term Goal

That should not depress us. It tells us two things:-

  • There are practical, economically sound use cases out there that can start the road to a fully realised Internet of Things, which will in time, justify the infrastructure build to enable many more use cases, and hence a constructive cycle of build, enable, use will ensue
  • There is massive pent-up potential still to be realised from data we already have, and data which will be generated in the future.

The journey to an Internet of Things with free-flowing data moving fluidly from industry to industry, and organisation to organisation, is going to be long, but it is also going to be rewarding at every step. In future blogs I’ll start to look at the challenges and opportunities around different sectors, and the technology that enables all of this.

But this is the grounding on which all of that will be based. We are at the start of a long journey, but it is going to be one that revolutionises every industry, business and everyone’s lives. We just need to be smart about how we start out.

12th December 2016

2016’s Big Fat List of IoT Gadgets

Now that 2016 is coming to a close, it’s easy to see why this year has been THE year for making the Internet of Things a bigger part of our lives.

More and more connected gadgets have sprung up to make previously ‘dumb’ things smart. In no particular order (because ain’t nobody got time for that!) here’s our Big Fat List of IoT gadgets that caught our eye in 2016. It’s like the Big Fat Quiz of the Year, only for nerds.

So without further ado, let’s get stuck in.

  1. Talkies – These fun little connected monsters are apparently the new way to talk to kids. Each one basically has a built in smartphone that can contact other talkies or phones. Fantastic for grandparents and families who want their young kids to stay in touch, safely and securely without over exposing them to smartphones. They look pretty cute too!
    talkies
  2. Google Home: Speaker with Google Assistant – this is Google’s answer to the Amazon Echo. You just start by saying ‘OK, Google’ and you can pretty much do anything you like.
  3. Cujo: Smart firewall for the smart home – a security device built especially for the smart home. It analyses things like network traffic and notifies you if there’s anything weird going on. Bad news for your WiFi-stealing neighbours.
  4. Prodigio: Connected Nespresso machine – is exactly as it sounds. Except you can set up brewing schedules, be notified when it’s time to order more capsules … and even enable automatic capsule ejection. It’s coffee, but for geeks.prodigio
  5. Samsung Gear VR: Virtual reality headset – the Gear VR has made virtual reality, well, a reality. The commercially available headset uses your phone to create a whole new dimension for films and gaming.
  6. Amazon dash buttons: a pretty cool way to stock up on groceries and ‘householdy’ stuff. You simply stick the buttons to your fridge or your washing machine, for example, and press them to order things like eggs or washing powder when you’re running low.
  7. Foobot: Indoor air quality monitor – this quirky little gadget monitors the air quality in your home or office and sends alerts via their app. Great for people with allergies!
  8. Click & Grow: Smart Herb Garden – yes, if you’re short on space (or have questionable gardening skills) and just can’t do without fresh herbs in your kitchen, this is the product for you.click-grow
  9. Tagg plus: Pet tracker collar – a smart collar that measures your pet’s activity levels and tracks their location, so they won’t get lost. Peace of mind for all pet owners in one handy device.
  10. Breeze: Wireless breathalyzer – a great idea to reduce drink driving incidents, however this is reliant on the driver remembering to use it. Although the fact that the device can lock your car doors until you’re safe to drive and order you an Uber instead is pretty cool.
  11. Tripper: Window and door sensor – you probably don’t need to invest in a costly home security system when these funky little sensors have got your windows, doors and cabinets covered. You’ll be immediately notified when their status changes.
  12. Roost: Smart battery – this battery makes your smoke alarms smart, and if anything changes you’ll receive instant notifications on your phone. Safety first folks.
    roost
  13. Drop: iPad baking assistant – a kitchen scale that connects to your iPad, offering interactive recipes, suggesting substitutes for ingredients you’re low on, and providing mobile alerts.
  14. Navdy: Connected driving system – this is GPS but smarter. Navdy’s heads-up transparent display projects information in front of you as you drive, plus it can be installed in the car your have now.
  15. Sproutling: Smart baby monitor – a baby’s wearable wristband, a smart charger and app work together to learn about your baby’s sleep habits and optimal sleep conditions. I just like the name to be honest.sproutilng
  16. GoBe: Automatically measure calorie intake – this wearable measures calorie intake through your skin, by reading glucose levels in your cells. That’s pretty neat, yet potentially terrifying if you have a sweet tooth.
  17. Petcube: Stay closer to your pet – a home gadget that lets you watch your pet, talk to them and play laser pen games with them any time, anywhere.
    petcube
  18. Kubi: Desktop robot – this nifty device turns your tablet into an interactive conferencing experience. Ideal for office and home use.
  19. CleverPet: A dog game console – yep that’s right, a game console for dogs. FOR DOGS. Educate and entertain your dog even when you’re not home.
  20. Sammy Screamer: Motion alarm – Place Sammy the Motion Sensor on any item you want to monitor. That might be things like a door, a cabinet, the fridge, a bag, or a kid’s buggy. You’ll get a notification on your phone if anything moves when it shouldn’t. Plus look how cute they are!
    sammy-screamer
  21. Amazon Echo: Hands free, voice controlled speaker – no IoT list would be complete without the Amazon Echo, which can play music, answer questions, read a book to you, report news and traffic updates, control switches and schedule an alarm for you.
  22. Lively: Medical alert watch: when you have older relatives it can be difficult to find the balance between privacy and making sure that everything is ok. Lively gets to know your relative’s habits (like opening the fridge to make breakfast or taking their medication) and checks in when something is out of the ordinary.
  23. Under Armour: Smart running shoes – The Speedform Gemini 2 running shoes were debuted at CES this year. They do all the usual stuff like tracking distance and time but they have in built GPS. And the makers claim the battery life actually outlasts the shoes. Neat.
  24. Lifx Color 1000: WiFi LED smart bulb – never thought a light bulb could be so fascinating. These colour changing bulbs are a bit on the pricey side but they connect with Amazon Alexa so you can control them using your voice.
  25. Haiku: Clever ceiling fan – yes, it’s a fan with brains. Haiku doesn’t just turn on and off when you enter or leave the room, it automatically adjusts its settings according to temperature and humidity. And it can wake you up if you want it to.
  26. Smarter Coffee: WiFi enabled coffee maker – a must for caffeine cravers everywhere, this coffee maker really is as clever as it gets. It can start brewing as soon as you stop hitting the snooze button, send you a reminder when the water tank is low and even adjust the strength of your brew when you need a boost.
  27. August smart locks: Exactly as it sounds – with these little gadgets there’s no need to worry where you’ve left your keys … as long as you’ve still got your phone. You can let friends in remotely when you’re running late or answer the doorbell from the office.
  28. Nest: Smart thermostat – there’s nothing worse than coming back to a cold house when winter is making itself felt. But what if you could make your living room nice and toasty on your way back from work using your phone? You can do that with Nest, and also save money on energy bills as it adapts to your schedule.
    nest
  29. June: Intelligent Oven – whilst this kitchen gadget doesn’t look much bigger than your standard microwave, it certainly makes up what it lacks in size with brain power. You can do everything from toasting crumpets to roasting an entire pork shoulder, as the oven’s sensors figure out how best to cook your food.
  30. Robomow RS622: the robot lawnmower. The Robomow is like a Roomba, except it’s a lawnmower not a vacuum cleaner. You just set up the perimeters of your lawn and the Robomow does the rest, all whilst mushing the cuttings back into the soil so there’s no clean up either. Lazy gardeners rejoice.

With all this cool stuff floating around in the tech space and becoming part of our lives, it’ll be interesting to see where 2017 takes the Internet of Things.

We can’t wait.

13th August 2016

Captive Portal: An Introduction

A captive portal is a web page or splash screen displayed before users can access the Internet, apps, or services using a desktop computer or mobile device. Often, captive portals display as login interfaces to guest WiFi connections, like those you find in restaurants, cafes, airport lounges, and hotel business centers.

Captive portals serve as gatekeepers to guest WiFi connections. Most manufacturers are now using them as entry points for their network connections. With customers simply logging in the organization’s bricks-and-mortar stores, as entry points for their guest WiFi connections. Customers simply log-in to gain access to the internet as they enjoy their favourite brands and the individual ambiance associated with each of these venues.

As a result, these portals are helping venues compete in a new environment fostered by wireless technology

How Captive Portals Work

The captive portal’s automatic detection system is based on a simple verification feature of a client device (smartphones, laptops, tablets, and so on). When a guest WiFi connection is activated, the network’s operating system (OS) tries to reach a specific URL and verify that the URL returns a known result.

If there’s no captive portal in place, the OS recognizes the URL and allows for full access to the internet. But if the OS detects a different URL, it recognizes that there is a captive portal in place and that authentication must take place for the user to gain full access to the Internet.

At that point, the OS automatically opens up a splash page for authentication to take place. The URL may vary depending on the specific model of the mobile device. Regardless, all devices use the strategy described above to find out if they’re behind a captive portal.

To take advantage of a captive portal, a business needs to create a solution that satisfies the following requirements:

  • An easy to use, user interface
  • Capability of gathering information
  • Content delivery mechanism
  • Seamless integration with a back-end data store
  • Ability to customize level to customer’s needs

Once you have these elements in place, you can create and use a captive portal to your advantage.

Benefits of Captive Portals

  • Help prevent lawsuits — Many businesses add an Accepted Usage Policy (AUP) to their captive portals. Customers must agree to the AUP if they want access to your WiFi connection. The AUP relieves you of liability if a user falls victim to illegal activity on your WiFi connection.
  • Stops users from hogging bandwidth— sers can hog bandwidth when on the network and slow your system if you’re not careful. To prevent this, businesses often create a customized plan that places restrictions on things like the number and size of files they can download per session.
  • Lets you collect data on customers — Captive portals let you track the online activity of customers using the WiFi network. Enabling you to decipher their interests, and help paint a clearer picture of your captive audience and venues demographic makeup, so you can plan your marketing campaigns.
  • Generates revenue — Captive portals can provide a direct means of generating revenue. Some businesses, for example, have guests pay for their usage, when they log-in or use the portal as a billboard and sell ad space to other companies.
  • Protect customers privacy — Hackers can exploit the security vulnerabilities of guest WiFi connections by setting up a fake wireless networks. Customers access their networks instead of yours. It’s called phishing. And it’s deadly.
18th February 2016

What’s next for the Internet of Things?

“So why is it called the Internet of Things?” Was the question from my five year old when I told him what I was writing about –” it sounds awesome”. Maybe he’s been watching too much YouTube, maybe he’s right? It is pretty ‘awesome’, by giving objects, animals or people unique identifiers and the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human interaction the opportunities for its use appear endless. It just needs a name that does it justice.

Maybe it will get a better name – maybe it will just become business as usual and exist in the background – as if it’s always been there. For now the Internet of Things is a big thing, and with shining examples of IoT popping up everywhere, it feels as though everyone is looking for ways to link their companies and products over the Internet.

But where it will go next?  Here are five ideas I’ve found from across the internet.

  1.    The IoT will improve travel

Whether it’s monitoring the performance of airline engines, enabling keyless entry to hotel rooms or helping tourists find their way around Disney World, IoT is creating exciting opportunities for the travel and hospitality industry.

By connecting smart devices, systems, processes and people in new ways, travel companies are streamlining the back-end operations of hotels, resorts, cruise lines and rental car fleets. And airlines are employing sensors to gather real-time information from aircraft parts and systems that are then used to track flight data, optimize fuel consumption and anticipate maintenance issues.

  1.    The IoT will change the way we drive

Distracted driving is a problem, but the IoT may change that. Adding connected technology in the vehicle will make it less tempting to grab the phone, and connected vehicles are going to be the norm in the next five years. In fact, Gartner predicts one out of every five vehicles, or 250 million in total, will be connected vehicles by 2020.

This has the potential not just to limit distracted driving and make the driving experience more enjoyable, but it also may expand alternatives to car ownership, like car sharing in major urban areas. The connected technology would allow for multiple users and easier tracking of use.

  1.    The IoT will change our lives at home

At the recent CES technology show in Las Vegas it was the Amazon Echo that stood out from its peers. The voice activated speaker can also control your lights and answers questions. Ford is just one brand that has unveiled a plan to tie its automotive software to Amazon Echo so that car owners can control their home lighting and other services while driving. Other businesses include home security companies Alarm.com and Vivint letting their users control their security systems by voice using Echo.

CES also saw the launch of Triby, a $200 kitchen radio that uses the Amazon Alexa voice services application programming interface to create an Amazon Echo-like device, except it’s linked to different services including music streaming service Spotify.

We are also seeing a subtle shift from building the device to designing services. A number of larger companies are showing off connected products. Procter & Gamble’s connected air freshener ties into a Nest Thermostat to spray air freshener at the optimal time to take advantage of your AC fans blowing air around your home. Whirlpool’s new connected kitchen suite includes an oven, fridge, and a washer and dryer that works with both Nest and IBM’s Watson to share information. Whirlpool also talked about partnering with Amazon on its Dash button to let customers automatically re-order laundry detergent from a connected washing machine when it estimates the laundry pods will have run out. Lowe’s, the hardware retailer, has taken its Iris DIY smart home hub and devices and connected them to a 24-7 monitored home security system that it sells. Under Armour, Medronic, and SoftBank are also working with IBM to integrate services from Watson as well.

  1.    The IoT will make us healthier

The IoT has the power to improve the health of individuals by giving us the tools we need to live a healthier life. With fitness trackers, for instance, they help the wearer make better choices about active living, people can slowly but surely make changes that lead to a healthier lifestyle.

By adding the Internet of Things to the modern medical practice, healthcare practitioners have instant access to information about their patients. This improves the quality of medical care. It can also allow doctors to monitor patient vitals without weekly scheduled “maintenance” trips to the doctor’s office. So, when utilized in this way, the Internet of Things can make us healthier.

  1.    The IoT will improve business

Imagine a grocery store that uses the Internet of Things to keep its freezers at the perfect temperature, no matter how many times the door is opened or how much is stocked inside?

On the enterprise side, many businesses have the use and maintenance of their heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), security, plumbing, elevator and other facilities-related systems linked by the IoT.

And in manufacturing, the IoT allows for machine-to-machine communication, improving the final product of a plant without adding additional workforce to the floor.

It seems that the Internet of Things isn’t set to change one aspect of our lives at a time; the revolution that will transform our workplaces, homes, health, travel and leisure time has already been set in motion. It’s here, right now, and it’s only a matter time before the technology we know today becomes even smarter.

10th June 2015

How will IoT affect Marketing in the future?

How the Internet of things influences the marketing landscape

The Internet of things, in case you haven’t heard, is the interconnectivity of digital devices. This gives marketing a great power since the IoT is an opportunity for real-time engagement and customer service.

It is such exciting news for the industry that over half of the top global marketers believe that by 2020, IoT will have revolutionised marketing. Why? The IoT means that marketers have entered a new era with continuous opportunities for brands to understand their customers and if they listen, to deliver the correct marketing message at the precise time.

Rapid changes over the next five years

It is predicted that a fifth of customers will purchase:

  • Smart thermostats
  • Connected security systems
  • Smart watches
  • Wearable fitness devices

We will also see an increase in purchases of self driving vacuum cleaners and even smart clothing.

Also in the next five years it’s predicted there will be a whopping $7 trillion worldwide market for IoT solutions and more than 13 billion estimated IoT connected devices.

You can understand why at Purple WiFi we’re getting obsessed about IoT – it’s clear that all of this future ‘stuff’ isn’t going to work without the right infrastructure and connectivity.

Relationships that are relevant

The interconnectivity of devices will clearly result in an increase in customer engagement.

Internet of Things is relevant for marketers because customer behaviour across platforms can be analysed and the buying ‘journey’ of the customer could be seen.

Most importantly, real-time, point of sale notifications and relevant targeted ads can be sent to a customer.  It will also be possible to keep customers happy by resolving any purchase issues quickly.

Here’s a handy infographic from our friends at Marketo:

The Marketing Power of The Internet of Things.jpg 2

8th June 2015

Artificial intelligence, is it good or bad? Discuss.

Artificial intelligence; friend or foe?

Imagine technology that could train a webcam on users while they are watching a political debate in the audience. Tracking their smiles, frowns and angry gesticulating, in order to measure their levels of agreement, confusion, horror or amusement and comparing their reactions to others.

This technology already exists. Coca-Cola and Unilever are just two companies using Affectiva’s Affdex technology to measure people’s responses to marketing and media. Other possible uses include video games and films which could adapt to a user’s emotional experience, or the user’s emotional state, such as enjoyment or fear.

But is developing Artificial Intelligence or AI something we should be concerned about?

What is AI?

According to John McCarthy, writing at Stanford University “AI is the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs.” He also explains intelligence as “the computational part of the ability to achieve goals in the world. Varying kinds and degrees of intelligence occur in people, animals and some machines.”

Is AI a bad thing?

George Bernard Shaw said that ‘Progress is impossible without change.’ One could argue that AI is both progress and change, and we should embrace it.

However, it seems some people think AI really is something to worry about. And those people include Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates and Elon Musk so we’re talking prominent people with ‘real intelligence’.

Bill Gates is the latest prominent figure from the technology industry to express concern. During his latest Ask Me Anything (AMA) interview on the Reddit networking site he wrote, “I am in the camp that is concerned about super intelligence. First the machines will do a lot of jobs for us and not be super-intelligent. That should be positive if we manage it well…A few decades after that though the intelligence is strong enough to be a concern. I agree with Elon Musk and some others on this and don’t understand why some people are not concerned.”

Got that? Let’s look at few more examples that show AI in a more positive light.

AI could help to put a stop to deforestation

Orbital Insight, founded by former Google and NASA robotics and artificial intelligence expert James Crawford, plans to collect satellite imagery of tropical forests to track changes over time. “The company will set its machine vision algorithms loose on the images to detect small alterations in the landscape that humans might miss but that could indicate illegal logging.  If …spotted before much logging has actually been done, activists and governments stand a much better chance of preventing more damage.” Wired

Fancy some WiFi powered Robot surgery?

If you’re looking for real robots, according to the Guardian, Google has struck a deal with the healthcare company Johnson & Johnson to develop surgical robots that use artificial intelligence.

“Google’s life sciences division will work with Johnson & Johnson’s medical device company, Ethicon, to create a robotics-assisted surgical platform to help doctors in the operating theatre. The robots will aid surgeons in minimally invasive operations, giving operators greater control and accuracy than is possible by hand, minimising trauma and damage to the patient. Some systems allow surgeons to remotely control devices inside the patient’s body to minimise entry wounds and reduce blood loss and scarring.”

AI, WiFi and the Internet of Everything

As we all read more and more about the Internet of Everything, and find out more about how it’s going to change our world, it becomes more and more clear just how vital the right infrastructure and the right WiFi is going to be – playing a really central part.

AI will also become a very real requirement in this future world. We just won’t be able to process the amount of data, that our Internet enabled objects can produce, without it.

“We need to improve the speed and accuracy of big data analysis in order for IoT to live up to its promise. If we don’t, the consequences could be disastrous and could range from the annoying – like home appliances that don’t work together as advertised – to the life-threatening – pacemakers malfunctioning or hundred car pileups.” Wired

AI is moving forward in leaps and bounds. Behind the scenes groups such as Vicarious, with backers including Mark Zuckerberg, Vinod Khosla and Ashton Kutcher say they are “building a unified algorithmic architecture to achieve human-level intelligence in vision, language, and motor control. Currently, we are focused on visual perception problems, like recognition, segmentation, and scene parsing. We are interested in general solutions that work well across multiple sensory domains and tasks.”

I’m not worried just yet. It seems that if I want my house to tell my kettle to get a boil on as I’m on my way home I’m going to need to embrace AI.  

1st May 2015

The Internet of Things – are we at the tipping point?

The definition of the Internet of Things is “intelligent interactivity between humans and things to exchange information and knowledge for new value creation.” Try saying that after a glass of wine!

There’s been a lot of talk about the IoT in the business world, and with good reason. It’s chock full of potential to improve performance, reduce costs, drive innovation and create new revenue streams. Of course, we’ve now reached the point where the talk is turning into action – technology is adapting and businesses are planning IoT strategies.

Forrester Consulting say: “We are at the tipping point for broader IoT adoption with 53% of organisations planning to implement an IoT solution in the next 24 months. Organisations in Asia Pacific and Latin America are more aggressive with 69 and 60 percent respectively, planning to implement over the same time period.”

Four examples of the IoT in action

The Internet of Things is exciting to talk about but, as is often the case with technological advancements on the cusp of becoming mainstream, it’s hard for us right now to imagine day to day practicalities. So let us help you visualise how the Internet of Things will make a difference:

1) Transport and Mobility – in downtown San Francisco, 20-30% of all traffic congestion is caused by people hunting for a parking space. This congestion could be reduced in an IoT- enabled city, as wireless sensors in the parking lot could direct connected cars to an available space and initiate payment. If needed, the smart car could use the parking details to call a mobile mechanic to change the oil whilst the driver is away for the afternoon.

A connected transport system means that traffic can be effectively routed when there is a change in conditions. Users of public transport services such as buses, trains and trams could be instantly notified with service updates and receive relevant information about their journey. The IoT could also make a huge difference in the packing and shipping industries, making monitoring and logistics seamless.

2) Healthcare and Smart Homes – due to our ageing population, it’s estimated that 40 million people age 65 and over will be living alone in the US, Canada and Europe. The IoT means that elderly people will be able to retain their independence and live at home for longer, whilst their families can be instantly reassured of their safety and wellbeing. This can be achieved by having wireless sensors throughout the house, which monitor things like activity levels, sleeping patterns and medication schedules. Alerts can be automatically sent to healthcare services and family members if there is cause for concern.

Better connectivity in hospitals means that patient care can be vastly improved, as doctors will be able to view test results and notes instantly using their own devices or even bio wearables. Cleaners can be alerted when an area needs attending to, improving hygiene standards throughout the building. Equipment can monitored and therefore allocated to the correct department according to demand.

3) Smart Buildings and Mobility – energy used by commercial and industrial buildings in the US create almost half of all greenhouse gas emissions for the whole country. With this in mind, businesses are under pressure to improve energy efficiency of their buildings. The IoT could help to achieve this using sensors which automate usage of lighting, water and gas according to the number of people in the building and their precise location, as well as the weather conditions.

4) Cities and Industry – Smart Cities can significantly reduce their impact on the environment by making services more efficient. Resources like electricity, water and gas could be distributed according to use and maintenance services can be alerted instantly if there are any problems on the network. Connected cars could also alert maintenance services when they pass a pothole, or a streetlight that needs fixing. The alert would automatically be sent to a staff member closest to the problem that needs attention, saving time and money spent on fuel.

How can the IoT create revenue?

The key to answering this all-important question is this – streamlining. The IoT is a catalyst for making services smarter, better and more efficient.

To illustrate, it’s been said in an article by telecomreseller.com that the IoT could generate:

– $100 billion by reducing energy consumption in public buildings and therefore lowering operating costs.

– $108 billion in the gas and water monitoring industries, simply by reducing meter reading costs, improving accuracy and providing real time updates on use and status.

– $42 billion with the introduction of smart parking, identifying availability of spaces and introducing demand-based pricing.

The Internet of Things will clearly save people both time and money.

1st April 2015

Smart Cities Guest Blog: I’m building a time machine by Alison Lee

I’m building a time machine

Hurrah according to Google it’s the year of the automated car. I’m twitching the curtains waiting for it to arrive. Then again, I’m not sure I’d like to be driven around at 25 miles an hour, a speed just slow enough to feel uncomfortable when passing pedestrians. Is it like a miniature railway, do I wave at people? According to Patrick McLoughlin, the transport secretary ‘Driverless cars are the future’ having announced ‘no barriers’ to trial such technology.

But where would I go in my smart car? To the smart city of course. Well for starters, it will be Milton Keynes where the first fully autonomous vehicle will operate in public in the autumn.

To visit the smart city of 2050 we’re going to need a time machine. By 2050 the human population will have reached 9 billion, 75% of whom will be living in cities.  A population that Josef Hargrave, author of Arup’s report ‘It’s Alive’ calls “net-native adults” who will have lived all their lives engaging with smart devices and materials.

And it’s no secret that technology is changing our lives and the cities we live in.  Even historic cities once thought as inflexible and mono-functional are becoming smart. Technology is an enabler, allowing you and I to tune the environment around us to meet our needs.

In a smart city buildings will be “dynamic, intelligent and reactive”, according to Hargrave, “Just like all the different components of the smart city, they – and the systems within them – will be integrated into a living network, attuned to what’s happening in the surrounding environment – for instance, making changes to heating or lighting in response to the weather, or storing energy when costs are low for use when prices and demand go up. They’ll have inbuilt resilience to climatic events, from high winds to cold snaps. And blue roofs replace green roofs, capturing rainwater – a potential back-up supply when water’s scarce, or acting as temporary reservoirs during heavy rain to prevent flooding.”

A holistically planned, mixed use smart project is much easier to build when building from scratch such as Masdar in Abu Dhabi but it’s not impossible to retrofit some elements into existing European cities. Even the historic City of York has a wireless solution that conforms to English Heritage guidelines. The fully supported service is free for users 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is of such high quality that it is able to support streaming services such as BBC iPlayer. The network also give City of York Council access to helpful data from the network, such as footfall and how public spaces in the centre are being used.

The smart city as a network

By 2050 buildings won’t operate as single environments. Hargrave believes that “the city of 2050 will exist as a highly sensitive network, able to collect and analyse and respond not just to the needs of the immediate user but to the wider requirements of the city. To produce food and energy, providing clean air and water.”

Sensors in public places will build a more comprehensive picture of cities.  Sensors on parking spots, waste bins, water pipes will quietly collect data which can be analysed and applied to use resources more efficiently.

Of course there will be big brother concerns over data security, no one wants to feel their city is snooping. But as we’ve seen from the growing trend towards more social relationships with brands, people are happy to share data, if they are able to see and feel the tangible benefits.

To make it more tangible we need to take the invisible and make it visible. What’s more behavioural psychology research indicates two key drivers of behavioural change are ‘active learning’ and ‘social proof’, in other words trying something out and seeing others doing it.

For example, if I play my part in reducing greenhouse gases am I making a difference?  Is everyone else recycling household waste, car sharing or cycling to the office? With no proof either way it can be difficult.  The ‘internet of things’ can help by monitoring and recording such data, analysing it and displaying it to me in a visually appealing format. The theory goes that if I can see the positive impact I am having as a part of a wider community, I’m more likely to continue.  An existing such project on a much larger scale is Urban EcoMap, an interactive web service that displays environmental footprints for Amsterdam and San Francisco.  In Sydney, the Barangaroo project is a major urban development project which will use informatics services to address water, energy and other resource use and also show sustainable infrastructure patterns, real-time transit activity and community information.

A real time system

A city should be a real time system which monitors and shares data, news and success stories. According to Arup’s report Smart Cities “A city that shares policy changes, news and data is not only keeping its stakeholders engaged but also opens up communication channels that encourage immediate feedback to gauge how communities feel about policy changes.”

By giving communities the opportunity to feedback on the city through social networks the city has access to real time data which can be invaluable when making change if they are to act swiftly based on public feeling. What’s more a community which has the opportunity to share and act in such real time data will surely be more engaged?

They tell us that the internet is taking the community spirit out of ‘real life’ friendships and neighbourhoods. But it is also bringing us together. An engaged community, that shares the same goals and is fully aware of how the city is functioning can and will demand change for the better. To me it sounds like a good place to live. Just as soon as I finish my time machine – does anyone know anything about flux capacitors?

Information sources

Arup ‘It’s Alive’ by Josef Hargrave

http://www.arup.com/Homepage_Imagining_buildings_of_the_future.aspx

‘Smart Cities’ Transforming the 21st century city via the creative use of technology.

http://publications.arup.com/Publications/S/Smart_Cities.aspx

BA Business Life, November 2014,Smart Cities, Sorrel Downer,

http://businesslife.ba.com/Ideas/Features/Smart-cities.html

 

Ali Lee is a freelance copywriter, previously a digital geek, with a sunny disposition.www.thewordonthestreet.rocks

15th January 2015

7 ways technology has developed over the last 10 years

The world of technology has massively changed over the last decade. We take a look at just how far we’ve come, with our top seven technology advancements list.

1) Smartphones

With our smart phones we can now do almost anything that we can do with our home laptop. A recent stat we read told us that 90% of people have their smart phone within reach 100% of the time! We are most definitely firmly attached.

From the late 1990’s onwards phones have just been getting smarter. In 2003 less than 1% of phones were considered to be ‘smart’, yet now it is becoming the norm. We are seeing more and more new users in developing countries such as Africa as the models become cheaper and cheaper to manufacture and buy. Nearly two-fifths of all mobile phone users, close to one-quarter of the worldwide population, will use a smartphone at least monthly in 2014. Initially, Blackberry changed the way we communicate and was a powerful force in improving global communication. Now with the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy, we have the world at our fingertips from wherever we are. The price of smartphones is becoming so affordable that the world could soon be connected for the first time. At the end of 2013 there were more mobile phones than people on earth!

2) Social networking

It’s hard to believe that Facebook was founded less than 10 years ago. According to Statistics Brain, there are 680,000,000 Facebook users on mobile devices alone and Facebook report over 1.1 billion users in total. Twitter has become increasingly more popular with a whopping 190 million unique visitors each month and 550 million accounts. Social networking sites have completely transformed the way that we communicate with each other. The social media statistics are truly amazing with 72% of ALL internet users on social media, 93% of marketers using social media for business and YouTube searches providing a selection of 14 billion videos.

3) WiFi and the IoT

With about a third of the world’s population online, the advent of the internet gave us access to information we had never had so quickly before. The incredible connectivity we have been given by the internet means that we can do online shopping and banking and stay in touch with instant communication. Since WiFi hotspots have become widely available (there are a predicted 6.3 million worldwide), we have access to online connectivity more or less anywhere that we go.

The Internet of Things (or The Internet of Everything) as it is often called, tells us how close we are to a time where literally everything can be done via the internet and where our ‘things’ will know what to do before we do. For example, appliances could tell you what food you have in the fridge and whether it is out of date and give suggestions about what to cook for tea with the ingredients you have. If you ran out of detergent your washing machine may be able to tell you. It won’t be too long a time that before we wake, our phones are already preparing our day, checking the weather or for traffic jams, ensuring we wake up a little earlier to get through delays. Our cars may have already planned our journey to work for us.

4) Tablets

Typically larger than the mobile phone but still reliant on WiFi, the tablet computer has become a common inhabitant of many homes. This ‘mobile computer’ has everything contained into one touchscreen, like today’s mobiles it includes a camera, microphone and has eliminated the need for a mouse or keyboard. Tablets are fabulous for digital photography and videography. Today it is estimated that over a quarter of Americans own a tablet.

The future of tablet purchases looks even rosier. Patrick Pierra cites a report which predicts that, in 2014, nearly double the amount of money will be spent on tablets ($76 billion) compared to $38 billion on smartphones. At the same time as tablets are getting smaller, smartphones are getting bigger, seemingly converging to a screen size of 7 inches diagonally.

5) E-commerce

E-commerce has changed over the last 10 years. Services conducted over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks, has led to a massive shift in the way we buy and sell products. For example, the introduction of secure payment systems such as Paypal, to the online auctions of Ebay and the ease of which Amazon has made online shopping. Consumer confidence has greatly increased in recent years. So much so that in the UK an estimated 85% of people who browse the internet report shopping online.

What does the future hold for payment in stores? We already have contactless payment, could we soon have a fingerprint payment? Simply swipe a finger over a device which would connect to our bank account to take payment. Or, retinal scanning – a technique that uses the unique patterns on a person’s retina to identify them. Retinal scanners are typically used for authentication and identification purposes, could they also be used to take payment in stores or even online?

Technology is also enabling new innovations and disruptive businesses to flourish. Zopa has been described as a pioneer of peer-to-peer lending using the internet to cut out the banks, matching those who want to save with customers who wish to borrow money and arguably creates a better deal for both.

6) Wearable technology

A smartwatch originally performed simpler tasks such as calculations, translations, and games. They’ve now turned into mini wearable computers which run mobile apps, are media players and some can be used as a mobile phone to take calls. In fact, wearable technology is set to transform the health and wellness industry.

Google Glass is a recent development made available to the public in May 2014, it consists of an optical head mounted display. Google Glass is a hands-free device and communication with the internet is through voice command. The use of Google Glass has been demonstrated in healthcare and shows how technology can vastly improve patient care. It has been used already to demonstrate surgery as it is happening, educating medical students who can watch the procedures remotely.

7) Augmented Reality

Last but certainly not least in our seven technology advancements is augmented reality. This could be a lot of fun to create or use. Augmented reality is where the real world and some generated sensory input combine together, it could be a sound or visual addition to that which is real. See a great example of an augmented reality at a bus shelter on the Pepsi Max advert.

Looking back on this list, it seems that technology has made some huge leaps forward in a relatively short space of time. With such fast-paced progress, it’s exciting to think what the future might look like in a super-connected world. Watch this space…