This is What Techies Talked about in June

In this issue of the Tech Digest: ML for utility companies, what AR has in store for your business, what's next after Digital Transformation and more in a 10 minute-read.

AI and Machine Learning help utility companies serve their customers better.

As an industry undergoing Digital Transformation, the utility sector is fighting the data deluge. Smart water meters, emergency notification systems, asset management software — all these solutions generate tons of data, which end up being archived and neglected. When analyzed and matched against the information from weather satellites and relevant market segments, however, it may help utility companies forecast energy consumption, prevent brownouts, minimize machinery downtime, and deliver better service to customers. Some major OEMs, including General Electric and Ericsson, are already leveraging the data to transform the utility industry and create new business models. Learn how in the new article by IoT World Today.

From mobile gaming to employee education, Augmented Reality is having a big moment; what’s in store for your business?

June has been an eventful month for Augmented Reality enthusiasts. First, PTC, who now operates Vuforia and the MIT-born Reality Editor, has made the third AR acquisition in four years to create a real-time training solution for industrial companies. Other news is Unity’s AR Foundation tool, which simplifies the process of adding Augmented Reality features to Android and iOS apps and games. Speaking of mobile gaming, Niantic, the driving force behind POKéMON GO, launched Harry Potter: Wizards Unite on June 21. Although we can’t help comparing the AR mobile game to its predecessor, Harry Potter manages to avoid repetitiveness, and features more engaging game mechanics. That’s all very well, but what are the perks for your business? Multimillion-dollar contracts and hype aside, the recent AR developments mean one thing: the technology has matured to a point where it can be safely used by enterprises. Courtesy of Venture Beat, WIRED, CRN, and IoT for All.

Stop Digital Transformation and implement an Autonomous Enterprise environment instead. Here’s what it means.

For the last couple of years, companies have been selectively adopting software solutions and smart devices to become more efficient, productive, and completely automated. Today, we’re trying to connect those disparate software systems, merge siloed teams, and stop sprawl in a digital enterprise. The autonomous enterprise — an environment where humans and technology operate in harmony — is the next trend. As leading companies embrace this vision, Forbes explores the three challenges businesses face when embarking on the Autonomous Enterprise journey.

Li-Fi is set to transform smart buildings, hospitals, and — possibly — connected homes. Here’s how.

Light bulbs acting as wireless routers? The idea has been around for years, but it’s not until Signify, the manufacturer of Philips Hue products, announced a new range of lights called Truelifi, that IoT experts have started talking about the concept taking off. The Light Fidelity (Li-Fi) technology allows Truelifi to transmit data between connected objects at a speed of 250 Mbps using light instead of radio signals. This can be a game changer in facilities with significant radio frequency interference and sensitive equipment, such as medical and R&D labs. 9to5mac weighs in on Li-Fi’s advantages and potential applications.

Working on a Smart Farming project? The FCC wants your input.

Agritech professionals, the FCC is calling! In order to deploy broadband Internet access on 95% of US agricultural land by 2025, and thus fast-track Smart Farming initiatives, the Federal Communications Commision set up a dedicated expert group, and wants you to participate. Check out the FCC press release to learn what steps they propose to take — and apply to join the commission. As of now, only 65% of Americans living in rural areas have access to quality broadband, which is a major obstacle to implementing Precision Farming solutions on a nation-wide scale.

Small technology companies and startups are unlikely to sell customers on IoT and Digital Transformation projects. Here’s why.

If your company delivers solutions or services associated with the Internet of Things and analog-to-digital transformation, the cold hard truth is this: your target audience won’t buy a generic use case. What you need is to “sit down with clients to understand their exact pain points, and then walk them through the specific ways your product would help them achieve business goals,'' says Stacey Higginbotham, a technology journalist and recognized IoT thought leader. Here are her  tips on how to enter the competitive IoT market and win big.

That’s all for today. Stay tuned for July updates! 

#MachineLearning #DigitalTransformation #IoT #SmartFarming #AugmentedReality