How to Survive Digital Transformation

The next twenty to forty years will be viewed as the most transformative period in history. This is because advances in science, progression of technology and innovation, the digital phenomenon.

Moore's law has driven technology progression exponentially and the rise of innovation. The question is how do we prepare for a rapidly changing, technology-driven world?

1. This is a good time for leaders to start transferring lessons learned in past transformations to the current circumstance.
2. Realize that the concepts of leading and managing are two different things: leaders will transform people in a transformation period.
3. The concept of group work is excellent. Use the tools of technology to allow for collaborative thinking and growth. 
4. Budgeting and strategy making are two separate things. Don't let a budget keep you from executing a good business plan. 
5. Understanding technology is the easy part, knowing what to do with it is the hard part. Be creative and willing to listen to your team and collaborate good ideas.
6. Companies that can simplify their technology platforms and enable flexibility, will create a massive advantage in innovation.
7. Long term plans aren't as important as short-term plans in this technology wave. Everything is changing so rapidly that it makes it impossible to execute a 10 year plan or even a 5 year plan when the tools being used change every couple of years.

Do you agree that collaboration and teamwork is the best way to combat technology and innovation? Do you agree that a short term plan is more important than a long term plan in high technological and high innovation times?

The Internet of Things: Another Step Towards a Harmonious Future?

                The Internet of Things is quite possibly the biggest advancement happening in the technological world ever known to man, and it’s happening right as we speak. It’s a revolution that society has seen coming for at least 50 years, and yet, we as a whole don’t truly understand the gravity of this development.

                The biggest advancement in the achievement of the Internet of Things has been, according to Daniel Burrus of Wired, the rapid advancement of sensor technology. Much of the hype surrounding the concept of the Internet of Things has been about the ability of different technologies to interface and communicate with one another. For example, now when your television stops working, the television can send a message to a computer at the HQ for Vizio or RCA (depending on what brand of television you have) and notify them that one of their units require repair. In the meantime, that television can line up the programs that you had on TiVo to your tablet instantly without you needing to raise a finger, so that you won’t miss any of your favorite shows. This is all fine and dandy, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to where the Internet of Things is headed.

              

  You see, sensors can allow inanimate objects to “see”. This way, when a traffic accident happens in the backwoods in the middle of the night and all occupants of both vehicles are unconscious, the mile marker sign can detect the crash using sensor technology and can call emergency services. 

                                            Photo by Bruce S. Cridlebaugh

    A bridge can now sense when it’s becoming dangerously weak via its sensor relay and can then notify oncoming vehicles to reroute their drivers so as to avoid the risk of a collapse.

So the question we are left with is this: will the Internet of Things prevent tragedies in the future?

A Screen the Wrapps Around Your Wrist

Are you into that new Apple Watch? Would it be more attractive to you if you could buy a "smart wrist piece" where the screen wrapped all around your wrist creating a "digital canvas"?

Photo By: Polyera

The Wove Band, a "digital canvas" (the CEO of the company not wanting it be called a smart watch), that has 4680 mm square screen space, which is 6.5 times the amount of screen space that the Apple Watch has. This large screen allows you to see things like your text messages at a larger scale with no scrolling needed. When the user is alerted of a text message all they have to do is role their wrist over and the text will appear in a landscape view. The Wove Band has been designed to never turn off unlike the competitive smart watch, instead it can display different "band" designs that can be pared with a watch face.

This new idea of a wearable "digital canvas" is very interesting to me. I have never wanted a smart watch before, but the Wove Band is something that I would like to take a closer look at when it comes out in 2016. This band sounds more usable and convenient than a smart watch. I like the idea of being able to use the whole surface of this wearable technology.

What do you think, has the Wove Band peaked your interest as well? Would you rather a smart watch or a Wove Band?

 

Video From: Wired

This new smart band is predicted to be released to the public in mid-2016 at a lesser price than the Apple Watch.

For more information check out Wired

What's the Buzz With Google Buzz and Apps Like it?

Everyone is familiar with all that Google has to offer. Most exclusively, they are known for their industry leading search engine capabilities. In addition to many of their Google Tools, their location features are starting to emerge as a key strength to their success.

A lot of people I know feel that Google maps are more reliable than Apple’s map feature, even installing Google’s map app on their Apple devices. Using the power of geolocation, Google uses two apps in particular that are really helpful for the user—Google Latitude and Google Buzz. These tools are very advantageous to people in the business world. Google Latitude is a geolocation app that is part of Google Maps for mobile. It enables you to share your location with others, such as co-workers or clients, as well as see their locations. Check in at places to let others know you’ve arrived. Share, set, or hide your location at any time. You can use this with any of your devices, Apple and Android alike.Google tools for business

Google Buzz is a particularly interesting feature that Google offers. It is an app in which the user can post updates in conjunction with your google maps feature, and even Google latitude. This app also uses your location to show you locations that are around you that might appeal to you. What is interesting about google is that they can see how you use the internet, likely google search, and tailor an app especially made for you.

What do you think? Is this something that you would download on your devices?

Solar Panels are Becoming as Cheap as Fossil Fuels

Elon Musk and his energy company, SolarCity, are harnessing solar power more efficiently than ever before, and are releasing panels for residential use that will rival the cost of traditional fossil fuels. 

The popularity and feasibility of solar power is growing in the U.S. right now, with recent installations making it possible to power 4.6 million homes in the country.  In fact, 40% of new energy production in the U.S. this year has come from solar power. 

The company's goal is to make solar power a realistic alternative to fossil fuels in the residential market, although critics say it could never be used for more than 20-25% of total energy in the residential market. 

What do you think? Will solar power take over fossil fuels as it becomes cheaper and easier? 

Wearable Technology: Smart Glove

Giving a voice to the speech and hearing impaired

 

Wearable technology  is something that is becoming big in our society.  Right now the apple watch is the face of this movement.  But the apple watch may have to start making room for a new product.  Did you know that in America there is an estimated 38,225,590 people with a hearing disability?  This estimated number was taken in 2012.  A hearing disability can cause other problems as well.  Problems such as a speech impediment.  With hearing loss and a speech impediment  communicating can be difficult.  That is why sign language was created to make communicating easier.  With today's technology we are trying to take it a step further.

 

	"Have hearing problems" (includes both deaf and hard of hearing)
Total U.S. population: 294,043,000	38,225,590	13%
>6 years old	691,883	1.81%
Ages 18-34: 67,414,000	2,309,000	3.4%
Ages 35-44: 38,019,000	2,380,000	6.3%
Ages 45-54: 25,668,000	2,634,000	10.3%
Ages 55-64: 21,217,000	3,275,000	15.4%
Ages 65 and over: 30,043,000	8,729,000	29.1%

 

  At Goldsmiths, University of London there is a student by the name of Hadeel Ayoub.  She has been developing what is called the Smart Glove (SingLanguageGlove).  What the Smart Glove does is turn sign language into text and spoken dialogue.  Ayoub is now on her third iteration of the Smart Glove.  The new features of the Smart Glove has been equipped with five flex sensors to monitor the bends and curves of the fingers.  Ayoub then followed up with a new model that was faster and smaller, and with text that scrolled on the screen.  She is now working on adding a language translation, and making smaller gloves for children.  Lastly she wants to have Wi-Fi in the glove so that its motions can be relayed wirelessly through smart phones or tablets, so then the app will take care of the translations.  This new device will open the lines of communication for the people with hearing disabilities.  The best part about the Smart Glove is that if you don't know sign language you will still be able to communicate with this person. 

 

            Technology today is constantly changing and evolving to better suit us in everyday life.  I think that the Smart Glove will change many lives for the better.  Like I mentioned earlier the lines of communication will be opened to everyone with this product.  This product to me shows how we can push past and break down barriers in any situation that we face.  But with this new product which is Smart Glove leaves a question.  How do we share this product at a affordable price, so that many people in need can use it?

           

           

Personalized Medicine - Animation

Most of the time, people see doctors only after they have already experienced symptoms of a disease. Treatments can then be looked at as reactive—and by that I mean that they only begin after the disease has already started. But what would change if you knew there was a strong possibility of a patient becoming diabetic, or suffering from hypertension, or receiving a cancer diagnosis? How would that change treatment? It would allow doctors to treat illness in a way that best suits a specific patient.

To do this, you need to know the unique properties of a patient. Genomics makes this possible. There's a huge focus on genomics in personalized medicine, and it's easy to understand why. It is now a little more than ten years since the Human Genome Project was announced as completed—meaning that the human genome had been fully sequenced. Before this, we were familiar with DNA and how it makes each one of us unique. This specific project helped us learn about the genes in human beings, and how these genes express themselves provides clues to not only the cause of disease, but also how to treat them.

I drive a Hyundai Sonata. It's a fine car, and with any luck I'll never be on the side of the road wondering why my car won't move. But if something does need repair in my car one day, would I use parts from a Ford Focus? No, I can't. In many cases they simply wouldn't work or fit in my car. I'd need parts specifically designed for a Hyundai Sonata.

Now take it a step further. Say I get sick and need a kidney transplant. Current protocol would be to find a suitable donor and place their healthy organ into my body. But wouldn't it be better if I could create my own healthy kidney? At the very least it would minimize rejection issues. After all, who could possibly match my body as well as I could?

link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s8bGiWJSsY