Should we be afraid of a digital double?

16

October

2019

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In 2018, $14.6 billion revenue was made with biometrical data, estimated to rise to $55.4 billion in 2027 – that’s quite a market outlook (Handelsblatt, 2019). According to Datenschutz.org (2018), biometric data consist of person-related information about physical, physiological or behavioral characteristics of a unique, identifiable person. Data about characteristics of human identities is collected for various application areas. Firms use them to allow employees accessing the firm’s intranet, fingerprints are saved whenever we enter the United States, and biometric data is even collected when you unlock your iPhone via FaceID. And have you heard of Peking’s new airport Daxing? It has not only been built in a possibly record-breaking time frame, but it is also fully equipped with cutting-edge technology. Here, biometric data shall be used to substitute customs, enabling travelers to pass borders without needing human interaction but receiving permission from machines (Handelsblatt, 2019). The data will already be recognized when entering the airport. Our human identities are turning into passwords that cannot be replicated. Or, wait. They actually can and it is quite scary. For example, it is shown that with the help of pictures and contact lenses, a human iris can be cloned and an exact replication of a human’s face can easily be printed with a 3D printer. Whenever biometric data is collected, data security is of utmost importance. However, cases in which hackers easily got access to it definitely exist. The theft of biometric data poses a threat as they can be used to replicate a double of you, possibly making you responsible for a crime. In August 2019, Suprema, a mega firm providing biometrical systems found a leak in its databases, exposing millions of data points on the internet. This data contained for example passwords in combination with usernames, seriously threatening firms that used these data for their employees to access firm property (Forbes, 2019). However, strategies to prevent such cases exist and are spreading. Don’t worry, Apple for example stores your biometric data for using FaceID only on your device and the firm FaceID_D is specialized in making a firm’s pictures unrecognizable to face recognition mechanisms while keeping them similar to the human eye.
Sources:
https://www.datenschutz.org/biometrische-daten/https://www.handelsblatt.com/technik/digitale-revolution/digitale-revolution-biometrie-verspricht-hohe-sicherheit-und-birgt-grosse-gefahren/25094118-all.htmlhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2019/08/14/new-data-breach-has-exposed-millions-of-fingerprint-and-facial-recognition-records-report/#424d5da746c6

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More than science fiction in Hamburg’s harbor

2

October

2019

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Competition in European maritime logistics is fierce. Being the third biggest harbor in Europe, after Antwerp and Rotterdam, Hamburg is urged to keep up with its competitive environment. Germany’s biggest sea port is located up the Elbe, in the interior of Northern Germany, which is why maritime logistics companies favor Hamburg’s harbor. As inland transport with trucks or trains is way more expensive than by ship, the location poses an advantage for the harbor’s owner, the Hamburg Port Authority (HHLA). For the transport of a TEU container from China to Hamburg, not the crossing, but the inland transport makes up for the highest costs. Furthermore, around 500 Mio consumers in Germany or neighboring countries are supplied with commodities from textiles, coffee, fruits, to chemicals and automobile parts. However, in order to transform this advantage into a sustainable competitive advantage, Hamburg needs a strategy for a more innovative, futuristic mindset. Digitizing processes was demanded by German politics, which is why Angela Titzrath, former management of Daimler, became chairman of the owning company of the Hamburg Port Authority. With the purpose of creating an efficient, sustainable solution for the transportation of cargo, Angela Titzrath announced a joint venture in December 2018. The HHLA teams up with the US company Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT), a company based in Los Angeles working on the realization of the Hyperloop Technology which was developed by no less a figure than Elon Musk. The idea is to use a hyperloop as a means of freight transportation from the quayside to the port’s inland. A hyperloop could transport containers on a pod through a sealed tube. The tube is free of air resistance and can therefore get to a speed of 1,200 km/h. The joint venture decided on a 7 Mio Euro investment for a test track of 100m in Hamburg’s harbor until 2021. So far, it is planned to transport 4000 containers per day when the project is finalized.

Today, the harbor of Hamburg is already a hot spot for digitalization. For example, underwater drones are used to detect shoals and directly communicate with dredges or self-driving trucks are already used for container handling. “A courageous and visionary project” claims Angela Titzrath. With her visionary mindset the former Daimler manager is already on a good track for ensuring a successful future for Hamburg’s harbor.

Sources:
https://www.handelsblatt.com/today/companies/test-tube-hamburg-port-to-test-elon-musks-hyperloop-vision/23726756.html
https://hhla.de/en/2018/12/hhla-hyperloop-joint-venture.html
https://www.dw.com/de/die-größten-häfen-der-welt/g-37532792

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