Potential of IoT & AI in Agriculture

1

October

2022

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Artificial intelligence and Internet of things are transforming the Agricultural industry by providing hope for greater and more reliable yields. In the United States, this technology coupled with genetically modified strains of crops promises an optimistic view to feed an ever-growing population. An idea that is often overlooked with this solution is the loss of crop biodiversity.  

Over 90% of the United States’ main crops are genetically modified varying their nutritional value as well as decreasing the country’s crop biodiversity (Discovery Eye Foundation, 2015) (Calderon, 2021). The world largely looks toward the Gamo indigenous people (Ethiopian tribe) and their relationship with biological systems that have been contributing to the sustainable conservation of biodiversity (Land Income, 2022). Within these communities, they live as one with nature by treating it as part of their environment instead of the capitalist view that perceives land as a resource for short-term financial gain. These age-old systems are receiving increasing attention from the custodian bank to preserve extinct crop strains.  

To learn more about this community watch the following video: https://www.globalonenessproject.org/library/films/thousand-suns 

In the US it is natural that to feed a large population the main goal of farmers is to keep yields as high as possible. This is enabled by having fields filled with the same crop to ensure that the treatment of every acre is the same. This makes the process a lot simpler than growing a variety of crop strains. I like to think that with the disruptive potential of IoT coupled with AI, farmers will have the ability to tend to many crop strains simultaneously. The data received from IoT devices in the field can allow farmers to spot pests or diseases early on, and with the aid of AI, target them with the optimal solution (even autonomously). Hopefully, the simplification of the farming process will allow farmers in developed nations, such as the US, to slow the destruction of arable land and increase crop biodiversity.  

Calderon, I., 2021. Graphic: Nearly all cash crops are genetically engineered now. The Counter. Available at: https://thecounter.org/cash-crops-genetically-engineered-gmo-usda/#:~:text=More%20than%2090%20percent%20of,Midwest%20Center%20for%20Investigative%20Reporting. [Accessed September 23, 2022]. 

Discovery Eye Foundation, 2015. GMO and the Nutritional Content of Food. Discovery Eye. Available at: https://discoveryeye.org/gmo-and-nutritional-content-of-food/ [Accessed September 24, 2022].  

Land Income, 2022. 5 automation technologies that improve agricultural returns. Land Income. Available at: https://landincome.com/blog/5-automation-technologies-that-improve-agricultural-returns [Accessed September 26, 2022]. 

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Keep calm and Amazon

30

September

2021

No ratings yet.
Source: https://internetofbusiness.com/amazon-unveils-its-new-alexa-smart-home-car-devices/

These days, consumers are flooded with smart devices for the home. Like Google, there is Amazon, which certainly can deliver good products, too. Following this trend, Amazon is expanding the functions related to personalization of its smart devices to make them more useful (Hautala, 2021). As a user, you can either be happy about this or not. Both the Ring security cameras and Alexa smart speakers are known, for example, for tracking users and their surroundings (Hautala, 2021). Amazon wants to change this by not collecting all the personal data.

Amazon recently revealed updates for both Ring and Echo products that result in incremental improvement in user privacy (Hautala, 2021). As opposed to storing data in Amazon’s cloud, the bottom line is that people will feel more comfortable when their personal information is processed on its security cameras and smart devices.

Users of the smart devices have the option to store and process information locally, meaning that the data will remain on their devices (Hautala, 2021). However, the question is how trustworthy you consider the devices to be as a user. People who are very keen on privacy are on distance from these types of devices, so the new features will not provide a solution about devices that can always keep an eye on you (Hautala, 2021).

Personally, I believe that privacy is indeed a big factor when considering smart devices, but I do reflect on how prominently I want to place the privacy factor in my life. Using Amazon as an example, as opposed to an Alexia speaker I am likely to buy devices that relate to home security, for example Ring.

Now that Amazon is introducing the option to store data locally, knowing that information is still being captured, I am curious to know to what extent you want to make your home smart and whether privacy is a big factor for you to consider if you actually want to buy smart devices.

Reference

Hautala, L. (2021, September 29). Amazon unwraps privacy features as it tries to roll deeper into your home. CNET. https://www.cnet.com/home/smart-home/amazon-rolls-out-privacy-features-as-it-tries-to-get-deeper-into-your-house/

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5G: a new era

23

September

2021

4/5 (1)

5G. You probably heard about the many conspiracy theories saying Covid-19 was caused by the 5G networks. 5G is the newest generation of cellular networks. It is not only an upgrade of the existing 4G network in terms of speed; 5G is transforming the world as we know it.

5G enables many different opportunities for business and may completely change the workings of whole industries. Besides improving mobile broadband – 5G is up to 100 times faster than 4G -, 5G enables massive machine type communication and critical real-time communication. Massive machine type communication connects machines through the Internet of Things (IoT). Real-time traffic management and connectivity between home devices are applications that can now be improved because of 5G. Critical real-time communication enables consistent responses in real time through 5G’s high reliability and ultra-low latency. This is important for enhanced responsiveness in autonomous cars and remote surgery in the healthcare sector.

As you can see, 5G will play an important role in many different industries. McKinsey researched how 5G could be deployed in the mobility, healthcare, manufacturing and retail industries and found that these four sectors alone could boost global GDP by $1.2 to $2 trillion by 2030. While this seems very promising, technology is not there yet.

Since 5G is still evolving, there are also some concerns. Most of them are related to security issues. IoT can connect millions of devices, which could lead to more vulnerabilities and breaches in security points. Also, the increased speed and volume of 5G might give difficulties in monitoring security. Some people even have health concerns, even though it was proven that 5G radiation will not affect health.   

I however believe 5G can lead to many great opportunities, especially in healthcare and mobility, and increase efficiency and reliability in these sectors. I really like the quote of KPN: “4G connected people, 5G connects all of society”. In what sector do you think 5G can play an important role?

Sources:

https://www.overons.kpn/en/kpn-in-the-netherlands/our-network/5g

Click to access making-5g-pay.pdf

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-and-telecommunications/our-insights/connected-world-an-evolution-in-connectivity-beyond-the-5g-revolution

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Risks of home automation

22

September

2021

5/5 (4)

Smart homes are on the rise people around the world are using technology to improve the way of living, smart homes can improve security, comfort, and energy usage. It is estimated that nearly 90 million people will be living in a smart home soon. Smart home environments are prime examples of the Internet of Things (IoT) because they use cyber-physical systems that generates and distributes complex data via multiple sensors, applications, and systems to create a smart environment. Smart home systems can control the house occupied and unoccupied on behalf of the humans that control this system, this automatically brings risks to usage of smart home systems regarding safety and privacy.

https://digitaltechnologysolutions.com/home-automation-3/

Research has shown that the biggest threat comes from software vulnerabilities in the mobile application as it is in almost all systems containing software. These vulnerabilities allow third parties to control the home automated system which could result data theft and a violation of privacy. Another result could be the fact that the system can be physically breached when homeowners are not present which will lead to home which is vulnerable for burglary. This results in a high risk for using home automated systems. There is a high need for secured coding and meticulous testing of the software for potential penetration points. Another important point of interest is the fact that security must be priority number one when developing home automation systems and a risk analysis should be conducted. Software engineers share known vulnerabilities in a public CVE (Common Vulnerability and Exposure) database. This helps engineers to easily mitigate security patches in new and old systems. Engineers can create a more safety in home automation by sharing and contributing to the CVE database which results in situational awareness.

Another risk in home automation are human actors, humans are always a weak link in software-based systems. The biggest threat is the lack of security this could be a weak password or no password at all, this is mainly the problem at the in-house gateway which could give you access to the complete system in case of a hacking attack. Engineers should add password requirements and double verification for instance a multi-factor-authenticator which would add a whole layer of extra security.

The conclusion from this information is that smart home allows consumers to collect a lot of date about the household, it could improve security, comfort, and energy usage but people are not aware that there are multiple risks which could violate privacy of occupants. It is important for engineers to be aware of the risks and conduct risk analysis and test the software severely before launch. Timely patching will enable the systems to be secure for the long term. Summarized, home automation shows huge potential for household but corresponding risks are mainly unknown for users.

References

Business Insider (2020).How IoT devices & smart home automation is entering our homes in 2020. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/iot-smart-home-automation?international=true&r=US&IR=T

Jacobsson, A., Boldt, M., & Carlsson, B. (2016). A risk analysis of a smart home automation system. Future Generation Computer Systems, 56, 719-733.

The Internet of things: Manage the complexity, seize the opportunity, white paper by Oracle, 2014. Available at: http://www.oracle.com/us/solutions/internetofthings/iot-manage- complexity-wp-2193756.pdf 

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The shared e-scooter war in Rotterdam

8

October

2020

No ratings yet. Rotterdam is the main Dutch battleground for shared e-scooter companies. In this blog I’ll explain how these companies try to gain a foothold and the characteristics of the local market. Last, you get some tips for testing them yourself.

But first, how did it start? In 2018, the start-up Felyx was the first to arrive in the city. The founders weren’t unfamiliar with Rotterdam as one of them is a former EUR student. The business concept was born when driving a car2go in Amsterdam. However, a car in the big city is far from the fastest way to move around. The scooter is. To get a municipality like Rotterdam on board there needed to be something in it for them, too. The e-scooter was the answer as it isn’t loud and locally polluting (Hollingsworth, J., Copeland, B. and Johnson, J.X., 2019). The sharing functions are enabled by IoT technology.

Soon there were hundreds of free-floating scooters to be found all around the city. At first, students were the main target group later expanding into young professionals and freelancers as well (Top of Minds. 2020). The new concept was mainly appealing as it was fun to drive the scooters, but customers soon identified improved convenience and freedom of this transport mode in comparison with their own bike. In that way it is surprising that this concept can be successful in a biking country like The Netherlands.
Fast forwarding to now, there are yet two companies that have joined Felyx in Rotterdam: Check and GoSharing. They all have different ways in which they try to lure you to their platform. Felyx has the advantage of being the incumbent with Felyx being an acronym for e-scooter. They leverage this by charging a relatively high per-minute fee and no staring fee. GoSharing uses volume deals to get you addicted to scooter sharing. Starting with an average per-minute fee when using the scooters without a deal but getting pretty cheap when you buy large minute packages. They limit the amount of free minutes when joining the platform. Check did exactly the opposite by rampaging into Rotterdam with a low per-minute fee, no starting fee and 15 euros of worth of riding for free.

The market-entry tactics have led to a strange dynamic in this market. Felyx is going reasonably steady as they haven’t performed stunts to gain market share at any time. At Check, this is a different story: their market-entry tactics have lead to giving out so many free minutes of riding that it took them months to boost revenues. The upside is a considerable gain in the number of users. The upcoming months will tell if they can retain them now that riding is not free and a starting fee is introduced. GoSharing is found to compete less on price. What they are doing is connecting edge cities and suburban areas of Rotterdam by creating service areas in villages. Commuters are able to pick scooters up close to home and drop them in the city centre. At the end of the day they can find an available scooter again to travel back.

Time will tell whether this is a winner takes all market, like many recently disrupted markets are. In the meantime all of the providers have found investors with deep pockets, currently favoring the consumer. I think there will be space for multiple providers. Furthermore, I believe that the most important aspect is the availability of scooters in the right places at the right time and second is the ease of combining trips with other transport modes such as the subway.

Are you interested in trying one of these services out? Get some free riding minutes with Check promocode MMN-GN4, Felyx code RSqGv8CW or GoSharing code XZ26IZ.

If you’re already using shared e-scooters in Rotterdam I’m looking forward to hearing from you in the comments. Which provider do you like and why? And do you think the market will eventually head towards a monopoly or will there be space for 3 or more providers in the future?

References:
Hollingsworth, J., Copeland, B. and Johnson, J.X., 2019. Are e-scooters polluters? The environmental impacts of shared dockless electric scooters. Environmental Research Letters, 14(8), p.084031.

Top of Minds. 2020. Carrière Advies Van Quinten Selhorst En Maarten Poot | Top Of Minds. [online] Available at: [Accessed 8 October 2020].

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Is the Corona Crisis the Catalyst for Digitisation in the Healthcare Industry?

1

October

2020

5/5 (3)

We live in a digital age: never before has our society been so connected. The opportunities of current technological and digital developments seem endless. However, at the same time, it still doesn’t seem like this level of digitalisation is widely spread in the healthcare industry for the public to see. At least, not until COVID-19. During the “intelligent lock-down” I had my first-ever digital consult with my GP. Although this technological service is not novel, why was it the first time I encountered it? For me, this digital consultation was more efficient. Wouldn’t it be more efficient for my GP as well: to serve more patients whilst offering the same level of quality? When is it the turn for E-Health to take off?

 

What is E-Health?

Let’s first start with the meaning of E-Health. Researchers have tried to create a general consensus on the definition of E-health; however, this has proven to be difficult since the term is popular and widely used in various different applications (Oh et al. 2005; Showell & Nøhr 2012). For the sake of this article, E-Health can be viewed as any digital application that supports and aims to improve health and healthcare. E-Health can be anything: from a mobile app that a patient uses to collect and send data on bodily functions (e.g. glucose monitoring), to a secure E-Health platform that healthcare professionals use to get insight into medical records. According to the website of the Dutch government, E-Health should also serve to give a patient more control over his or her health (Government of the Netherlands 2020). Examples of successful applications of E-Health can be fewer physical visits to the hospital or earlier identification of chronic diseases.

 

What are the technologies behind E-Health?

E-Health is made possible through the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. The term IoT was coined to refer to a network of objects that are able to interact with each other. These connections can be between: (i) persons to persons, (ii) persons to things (or machines), and (iii) things to things, made possible through smart networking technologies (Patel & Patel 2016). IoT within the healthcare industry has great potential and is already gaining threshold. For this reason, the term Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) got introduced. IoMT refers to the increased interconnectivity of medical-related devices and services, made possible through digitisation and network technologies (Taylor et al. 2018).

IoMT has already made it possible for patients wearing a smartwatch, to collect data and to track their wellness. This data is can then be seamlessly integrated into an electronic health record for the doctor to monitor remotely in real-time. Today, IoMT is improving access to quality care and reducing costs by tracking equipment, patients and staff, plus much more (Taylor et al. 2018). We’ve just begun to scratch the surface of all the possibilities.

shutterstock_651777256

How can we get E-Health to take off in the Netherlands?

One of the great upsides of digitisation in the healthcare industry is that high-quality healthcare can be delivered more efficiently to patients. During the intelligent lock-down, caused by the corona crisis, many E-Health initiatives were rolled out faster than planned. However, healthcare givers are falling back into their old patterns and are relying on their traditional systems and procedures again (BNR 2020). How can we make sure that digitisation in our healthcare system continues?

1. Educating patients and caregivers

Digitisation in the healthcare industry will require a transformation in how healthcare is viewed by both patients and healthcare professionals. On the one hand, digital innovations can still seem daunting for patients. Especially for the elderly, it will be essential that digital devices and/or services are easy to use. Education and training might play an important role in removing the fear of change. On the other hand, E-Health should also be fully embraced by caregivers in order for it to succeed. After all, disruption will not take off if digital innovations are not fully supported by healthcare personnel. For this to happen, it’s important to educate healthcare professionals (perhaps even early on), with the capabilities (and of course also the pitfalls) of digital technologies.

 

2. Ecosystem orchestration: finding a way for different stakeholders to work together

IoMT enables new players to enter the healthcare domain. From manufacturers of surgical robots to commercial tech companies that provide wearable health watches. It’s essential that all players in the IoMT ecosystem should find ways to collaborate to support the changing face of medicine.

The reason why this is challenging is that healthcare models and institutions are very bureaucratic, and often, differ significantly per country. To be able to provide a mixed form of care, partly digital and partly physical, the structure of these bureaucratic systems has to change. And this is not an easy task.

3. Matter of time?

To be able to steer the healthcare industry in the right direction, the conditions for innovation must be there. In other words, is there enough time and money for E-Health initiatives to materialise? And if so, is it just a matter of time?

Even though much has already happened in the field of E-Health, it’s important to continue further digitisation that the corona crisis has induced. It’s now time to press ahead.

What’s your opinion on E-Health? Is now the time to push through with the digitisation of the health industry? What are the challenges the sector needs to overcome? What are the downsides of E-Health?

Please leave your thoughts in the comment box below!

References

BNR. (2020). Vooruitgang digitalisering in de zorg loopt terug. [online] Available at: https://www.bnr.nl/nieuws/gezondheid/10418179/vooruitgang-digitalisering-in-de-zorg-loopt-terug [Accessed 28 Sep. 2020].

Government of the Netherlands. (2020). Government encouraging use of eHealth. [online] Available at: https://www.government.nl/topics/ehealth/government-encouraging-use-of-ehealth [Accessed 27 Sep. 2020].

Oh, H., Jadad, A., Rizo, C., Enkin, M., Powell, J. and Pagliari, C. (2005). What Is eHealth (3): A Systematic Review of Published Definitions. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 7(1).

Patel, K. and Patel, S. (2016). Internet of Things-IOT: Definition, Characteristics, Architecture, Enabling Technologies, Application & Future Challenges. International journal of engineering science and computing, 6(5).

Showell, C. and Nøhr, C. (2012). How should we define eHealth, and does the definition matter? Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 180, pp.881–884.

Taylor, K., Steedman, M., Sanghera, A. and Thaxter, M. (2018). Medtech and the Internet of Medical Things. [online] Deloitte Centre for Health Solutions. Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/Life-Sciences-Health-Care/gx-lshc-medtech-iomt-brochure.pdf.

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The future doesn’t make sense without autonomous driving

21

September

2020

Autonomous driving is what we need.

4.5/5 (2) 1 to 1.5 hours per day. That is what the average Dutch working citizen spends on commuting. Of a standard working day (8 hours), that is a near 19% addition to the time spent on work. Why are we still stuck in this 20th-century loss of efficiency?

The alternative is already here, and it is far more superior than any other solution yet conceived. Just imagine: a quiet, private space, that brings you anywhere you want, without any distractions. Fully customizable, according to your wishes? You want a 55” flat screen in there? Go ahead. 7.1 Surround system with lounging chair and turntable? Comfortable bed, couch, video conferencing tools, workstation, bath? All feasible. Improving your efficiency by 19% because you can work while commuting? Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?

Guess what, the technology is already here. Autonomous driving is widely present and extensively researched by major car and tech companies. The advantages are clear: we do not need to focus on driving, so we have time for other activities, among which is working of course. You can get extra sleep so you are more focused at work, or more relaxed when you return home. But also the amount of traffic jams and accidents will decrease. 

There are two things preventing us from being in the future, however. Governmental regulations and infrastructure. Autonomous driving will be a lot safer and quicker implemented when the roads, crossings, cameras and other infrastructure can communicate with the cars. The Internet of Things will aid this development, soon. Governments are careful with implementing laws that allow for a novelty like this, because the current technology is not yet fully operational with other, non-autonomous cars. One solution for this would be to exponentially increase the amount of cars with autonomous driving technology on the road. 

It is like group immunity. The more people have it, the safer the entire community will be.

Society is waiting for you, autonomous driving, please hurry. We need you, and we know it.  

 

Ps. if you are one of those people that does their make-up, reads a newspaper, watches Netflix, listens to music, shaves, talks, calls, eats, works or sleeps in their car: you are living in the future. It is just not legal yet.

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Urban 5G, and the return of physical

9

September

2020

4.75/5 (4) 5G is front-page news. While the debates in countries and continents are ongoing for whether Huawei should be banned from building the 5G networks (Keane, n.d.), the negativity essentially distracts businesses from its opportunities. No matter which company will install the network, being it Huawei, Ericsson or Nokia, 5G will certainly soon be widespread, and companies should already consider its opportunities. Larger companies already anticipate on the benefits of 5G, as in the case of autonomous driving, of which 5G is a key requirement (Form et al., n.d.), and where a large advertising and entertainment market is predicted (Iansiti et al., 2018). How are 5G advances expected to change daily life, and can companies tap into its fruitful benefits?

5G connects
5G is expected the shape and reshape many industries. Key to these advances is the faster and reliable connectivity that 5G offers. IoT devices can communicate with each other in an astounding fashion. I have mentioned autonomous driving in the introduction, but there are many more examples of 5G’s influence, such as logistics – using robotics in combination with 5G – and even agriculture (Reisinger, 2020). However, unless you work in farming or in a warehouse, you will not notice much of it, besides faster delivery and cheaper vegetables.

The most significant felt developments will most likely be in transport, cities and retail experiences. With regards to transportation, an interconnected network of traffic and public transport will be fueled by 5G. For instance, think of an interconnected system, where traffic lights are connected to cars, adjusting to traffic, where data about parking spots are monitored and shared in real-time, and where public transport (e.g. subways, trams) is interconnected for more effective public transit (Intel Corporation, n.d.a). With these efficiencies, it is expected that, because of 5G, 250M of commuting hours will be saved by 2035 (Lanctot et al., 2017).

With regards to retail, new in-store experiences, in-store analytics and supply chain efficiencies will boost the Smart Retail Market’s size to approximately $58.23 billion by 2025 (Grand View Research, 2018). Consumers will experience personalized shopping in physical locations. AI, powered by 5G efficiencies, can detect customer moods and therefore detect the need for assistance. Further, shopping can be personalized, by connecting to personal data – in combination with smart signage – in order to provide targeted offers and discounts. Further possibilities range from 5G powered autonomous stores, delivery efficiencies and connected pop-up shops (Intel Corporation, n.d.b).

Opportunities
A few hub firms – such as Google, Apple and Amazon – will most likely take advantage of the 5G possibilities early on, and try to expand their platforms even more. Therefore, integrating your business with these platforms and gaining exposure will be increasingly important. For instance, in the case you can order your self-driving car to the nearest best-option restaurant via Google or you commute via Apple and would like to have lunch, being the top option is going to be more important than ever.

With 5G, it is possible to provide consumers a personalized experience at a physical store or location. At the moment, this experience is only available in the online space. Retail companies in a variety of industries as well as developers could tap into this opportunity by start thinking of ways to personalize stores and connect digital with physical. For instance, cameras, in combination with face recognition software, could monitor customers’ responses to certain products, which triggers real-time personal recommendations with the use of the 5G network.

For this to happen, retailers and manufacturers should re-investigate their data potential. The presence and usefulness of consumer data can increasingly influence the competitiveness of an enterprise in the physical sphere. Collecting and leveraging it early can provide a head-start. Therefore, a strong online presence now is going to be fundamental for the ‘new’ physical presence in the near future.

Going physical
Certainly, more aspects of life will be influenced by the appearance of 5G. The online sphere will be more and better connected, leading to better services on that front, just like 4G has done. However, 5G is going to be different than 4G, in the sense that the physical world will be influenced to a much larger extent. The interconnectivity of 5G will provide efficiencies and an enormous data potential that ranges from better commute to personalized physical shopping. Companies should be aware of these opportunities by gaining exposure, gathering data early on, and developing ways to connect physical with digital.

References
Form, A., Born, M., Freyberg, A. and Scheck, F. (n.d.). 5G: a key requirement for autonomous driving—really? [online] Kearney. Available at: https://www.kearney.com/communications-media-technology/article/?/a/5g-a-key-requirement-for-autonomous-driving-really- [Accessed 9 Sep. 2020].

Grand View Research (2018). Smart Retail Market Size Worth $58.23 Billion By 2025. [online] Grand View Research. Available at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-smart-retail-market [Accessed 9 Sep. 2020].

Iansiti, M., & Lakhani, K. R. 2018. Managing our hub economy. Harvard Business Review, 96(1), 17-17.

Intel Corporation (n.d.a). Intel Infographic: 5G Smart Cities. [online] Intel. Available at: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/wireless-network/5g-smart-cities-infographic.html [Accessed 9 Sep. 2020a].

Intel Corporation (n.d.b). This Is 5G Revolutionizing Retail On Intel. [online] Intel. Available at: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/wireless-network/5g-technology/5g-retail.html [Accessed 9 Sep. 2020b].

Keane, S. (n.d.). Huawei ban timeline: India will reportedly phase Huawei gear out as border tensions rise. [online] CNET. Available at: https://www.cnet.com/news/huawei-ban-full-timeline-us-restrictions-china-trump-executive-order-android-google-ban/ [Accessed 9 Sep. 2020].

Lanctot, R., Ambrosio, C., Cohen, H. and Riches, I. (2017). Accelerating The Future: The Economic Impact Of The Emerging Passenger Economy. [online] Strategy Analytics. Strategy Analytics. Available at: https://newsroom.intel.com/newsroom/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2017/05/passenger-economy.pdf [Accessed 9 Sep. 2020].

Reisinger, D. (2020). How 5G promises to revolutionize farming. [online] Fortune. Available at: https://fortune.com/2020/02/28/5g-farming/.

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Using AI to Build Smart Cities

6

October

2019

No ratings yet. According to data presented by the UN it is estimated that the world population will grow to approx. 9.7 billion people by 2050. We are also seeing an increasing movement towards cities and it is estimated that almost 70% of the population will be living in urban areas (Medium, 2019). The cities must, therefore, be able to host a large number of inhabitants and additional amounts of commuters. The cities need to be able to provide energy and resources to all these people, whilst also removing waste and wastewater. Traffic is another issue. Furthermore, it is anticipated that these cities, many of which will house 10 million people, will consist of mixed nationalities, cultures, and backgrounds (Medium, 2019). Administration and management are therefore also focus-areas to create peaceful, prospering cities.

Many of these problems can be tackled using AI. This blog post will present some ideas discussed by Medium (2019) that might help battle the challenges presented by the large crowds of future cities.

Smart Traffic Management: Smart traffic solutions can be used to control the traffic flow and, consequently, avoid congestion. This can consist of road-surface sensors and cameras that will collect data in real-time, and a data system that is analyzing this data and offering recommendations to commuters to limit congestion issues.

Smart Parking: Again, road sensors will collect data and further notify the users of available parking spots nearby. Imagine finding a parking spot on your app and reserving it before you leave for your destination instead of aimlessly searching around the city for a parking spot for hours – wasting time and releasing emissions for every minute.

Smart Waste Management: Waste collection and disposal is an increasingly difficult challenge for the cities. Not only are they faced with more trash, but there is also an increasing public concern about proper disposal and recycling as the majority of people get more aware of climate issues. An example of a city in the foreground of smart waste management is Barcelona, where sensors are fitted on the trash bins which notifies the collection trucks when they are being filled. AI can also be used to design smarter routes for trash collection, or even automate the process with the use of robots.

Smart Policing: This is a rather controversial topic, where cities could use data-driven strategies to predict and catch criminal actions. This has already been implemented in Singapore, where a network of cameras and sensors monitors and notifies the authorities if criminal actions are happening. This might be difficult to implement in certain cities, as many populations are more skeptical towards surveillance and has a larger focus on privacy. The idea is still interesting, though.

As most people will find themselves living in cities in the future, the authorities of the cities will be extremely important in the development of our future world. The politics in the cities might in many cases be more significant than the politics countrywide. Cities should cooperate and share their smart solutions with other cities and create a positive loop which will contribute to creating a better world for humans and the planet.

Could you think of other smart initiatives that can help cities be more sustainable and liveable?

 

 

 

References:

Medium. (2019). Artificial Intelligence for Smart Cities. [online] Available at: https://becominghuman.ai/artificial-intelligence-for-smart-cities-64e6774808f8 [Accessed 6 Oct. 2019].

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IKEA: the future of smart homes?

10

September

2019

The Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the disruptive developments of technology that has been prominently infiltrating homes, businesses, and cities. With the emergence of Alexa and Google Assistant, many companies have followed suit. One of the relatively new players in this game is IKEA, the Swedish company known for its functional and affordable home furnishing. Initially developed as a project in 2012, the company first dove in by introducing wireless chargers and smart LED lights.

 

IKEA Home smart

The collection of their items, labelled ‘IKEA Home smart’, started with the smart lighting ecosystem Trådfri (translates to wireless from Swedish), a cheaper alternative to Philips’ Hue. Cheap wireless chargers soon followed to compete with those of giant tech companies such as Apple and Samsung. In addition, IKEA also partnered with the speaker company Sonos to jointly introduce their €99 smart speaker Sympfonisk.

What is attractive about these line of products, aside from the low price, is the compatibility with Apple HomeKit, Alexa, and Google Assistant – an existing AI technology with a growing customer base. At the end of 2019, IKEA will launch yet another tech-induced furniture: smart blinds. All of these smart products are also controllable through IKEA Home smart app, similar to the likes of other incumbents. The company does not show signs of stopping as it has just significantly increased its investment for smart technology by introducing a new business unit.

 

A ‘smart’ business move

Björn Block, Head of the new IKEA Home smart Business Unit at IKEA of Sweden, exclaimed that the company would focus on “improving and transforming existing businesses and developing new businesses.” IKEA successful cost leadership business strategy extends to these smart product line as well, apparent with the success of Trådfri LEDs against Philips’ Hue, the first mover of smart lighting. It also seems that the company’s upcoming smart blinds, with a €99-129 price range, will also become the cheapest among the current €300-400 smart blinds available in the market.

IKEA’s years of experience in the furniture and appliance sector gives them a massive platform of specific product approach and gigantic distribution network. Most of the incumbents of smart home AI developers and device designers – Amazon, Apple, Google, and Samsung, among others – may have these platform as well. Still, they lack a massive retail presence, while IKEA has hundreds of physical stores that double as warehouses around the globe.

 

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Perhaps the determining factor of IKEA’s likely success in the smart home battle is its integration of the fragmented smart home ecosystem to a single, IKEA standard as it has access to all home products. Whereas many developers of smart home devices, such as Samsung and Nest, are only experts in specific – and limited array – of products. If this business unit continues to introduce smart technology furniture, it has a strong chance of becoming the leader in the industry and may promote the rise of IoT into everyday lives.

While the security risks of cheap IoT products is still a question mark, there is no doubt that the introduction of smart products enhance the value of IKEA’s products to customers and magnifies the company’s vision of creating a better everyday life for people.

 

As Block says, “We are just getting started.”

 

References

Barrett, B., 2019. Ikea’s Slow and Steady Plan to Save the Smart Home. [Online]
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Chandler, S., 2019. IKEA Smart Home Investment Could Be Boost The Internet Of Things Needs. [Online]
Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/simonchandler/
[Accessed 9 September 2019].

Gartenberg, C., 2019. Ikea’s smart blinds have been delayed to later in 2019. [Online]
Available at: https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/
[Accessed 9 September 2019].

IKEA, 2019. IKEA invests heavily in the smart home going forward. [Online]
Available at: https://newsroom.inter.ikea.com/news/
[Accessed 9 September 2019].

IKEA, n.d.. Smart home. [Online]
Available at: https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/product-guides/ikea-home-smart-system/
[Accessed 9 September 2019].

Newman, P., 2019. IKEA is looking to broaden its smart-home ecosystem with a new business unit. [Online]
Available at: https://www.businessinsider.com/
[Accessed 9 September 2019]. 5/5 (1)

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