Commentaries & Highlights

A consortium comprising AB InBev, Accenture, APL, Kuehne + Nagel and a European customs organization has successfully tested a blockchain solution that can eliminate the need for printed shipping documents and save the freight and logistics industry hundreds of millions of dollars annually.   The consortium tested a solution where documents are no longer exchanged physically or digitally but instead, the relevant data is shared and distributed using blockchain technology under single ownership principles determined by the type of information. Through a detailed review of the current documentation processes, the group examined a re-allocation of information ownership, accountability and risk enabled by the trust and security blockchain technology offers.   An international shipment of goods for companies in areas such as the automotive, retail or consumer goods industries typically requires more than 20 different documents, many of which are often paper-based, to enable the goods to move from exporter to

The real power of artificial intelligence (AI) is how it enables leaders to reimagine and transform their organizations through human-machine collaboration, which will ultimately reshape businesses and industries, according to a new book by two AI experts at Accenture. Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI discusses how AI gives businesses the power to reimagine and transform their processes – whether related to breakthrough innovation, everyday customer service, or personal productivity habits. The book details how, by reimaging business processes, companies are using the new rules of AI to leap ahead on innovation and profitability. Co-authored by Paul Daugherty, Accenture’s chief technology & innovation officer, and Jim Wilson, managing director of information technology and business research at Accenture Research, Human + Machine is being published by Harvard Business Review Press and will be widely available March 20. Based on the authors’ experience and on quantitative and qualitative research with 1,500

WISeKey International Holding Ltd (WISeKey) announced an integration with IBM to secure the Internet of Things (IoT) using WISeKey's leading technology. The collaboration will provide enhanced security of sensitive data exchanged between devices across the IoT networks and the IBM Watson IoT Platform, by adding extended capabilities to secure IoT devices and the management thereof from a central location. By doing so, customers benefit from an increased trust in the data handled by their application, and a reduced risk of revenue loss due to cyber-attacks of all kinds thus leverage a greater value of their business. IBM's Watson IoT Platform is a cognitive system that learns from, and infuses intelligence into the physical world. Device manufacturers and businesses can use the power of Watson IoT Platform to build specialized, integrated solutions to solve their business challenges. Watson IoT Platform implements a "messaging broker" that allows the exchange of information between

Telit today announced the release of two new modules, the WE866E4-P and the ME910C1-E2. Designed to meet European specifications requirements, the modules bring forth the ability to bring advanced IoT applications to market such as smart buildings, smart energy, industrial applications, medical devices and others.  "Our modules were designed with the European market in mind, eliminating the guesswork associated with what standard to use for IoT projects in the region," said Yossi Moscovitz, Telit President of Products and Solutions.  "We are providing the industry the ability to digitally transform by creating new opportunities for our customers to achieve innovation. We're pleased to be a key part of enabling the promise of Smart IoT that we are seeing during this week's conference." Telit's WE866E4-P is a fully integrated dual band, dual mode, combo Wi-Fi (802.11 a,b,g,n) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 5.0 module, with an extremely small footprint (285 sq. mm) that

STMicroelectronics announced the validation of its LSM6DSL 6-axis inertial sensor and LPS22HB pressure sensor for Alibaba IoT's ecosystem, which enables users to create complete IoT (Internet-of-Things) nodes and gateway solutions with better time to market.   Announced last year, AliOS Things is a light-weight embedded operating system for Internet of Things, developed by Alibaba. The company recently announced the release of AliOS Things v1.2, which includes a sensor-based component called uData. The ST sensors that have passed the AliOS validation have been integrated in uData and the two companies are cooperating on the development of IoT systems that aim to improve end-user experiences.  The LSM6DSL is a system-in-package featuring a 3D digital accelerometer and a 3D digital gyroscope that operates at 0.65 mA in high-performance mode and enables always-on low-power features for an optimal motion experience for the consumer. High robustness to mechanical shock makes the LSM6DSL the preferred choice of system

PTC today announced Creo 5.0, the latest release of its Creo® computer-aided design (CAD) software, which enables users to go from concept to manufacturing in one design environment. Creo 5.0 introduces five new capabilities for the fast-changing world of product design and features key productivity enhancements. Creo enables companies to accelerate product innovation and build better products faster by reusing the best designs and replacing assumptions with facts. With Creo 5.0, concepts can be transformed into smart, connected products, bridging the physical and digital worlds with augmented reality (AR) capabilities in every seat. Creo 5.0 also introduces exciting capabilities in the areas of topology optimization, additive and subtractive manufacturing, computational fluid dynamics, and CAM. “PTC is on the leading edge of some of the hottest technologies today with the Internet of Things (IoT) and augmented reality (AR), but it has not forgotten its roots in CAD, instead transforming this business by infusing

North Sea Electronics has selected Aras and Minerva for their PLM solution. North Sea Electronics was faced with the challenge of keeping track of the latest documentation revisions in their product line. Due to the lack of effective document structure, the company struggled to find several versions of component documents when clients asked for it. That is why North Sea needed the right tool to manage their internal product-related processes in the best possible way. In order to support their growth, North Sea Electronics looked to integrate a system that would help them keep track of all documentation modification, as well as provide them with a reviewing process of their products’ design. A system that provides a strong, out of the box functionality but still easy to modify to their specific needs. After extensive research on PLM, the company chose Electronic PLM®, an industry solution for Aras Innovator, developed

IQVIA™ today announced at the eyeforpharma conference that it has entered into an alliance with Box, a leading cloud content management platform provider. The Box platform expands and strengthens IQVIA’s Platform of Platforms strategy by adding standardized content management, complementing our existing partnerships with Salesforce, Amazon Web Services and other leading platforms. With the enhanced content management capabilities this alliance provides, IQVIA’s life sciences customers will be able to work with an ever expanding range of content and mobile devices, without disrupting any services they already use. The Box platform also helps clients protect against security threats and supports client efforts to manage complex compliance requirements, including the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation. “We’re excited to welcome an innovative company such as IQVIA into the Box Technology Partner Program,” said Riju Khetarpal, managing director, Global Life Sciences at Box. “With the IQVIA collaboration, our joint customers will be able to seamlessly address the unique

Deloitte is expanding its Amazon Web Services (AWS) and cloud infrastructure technology offerings, with the team from New Zealand’s leading AWS specialist, API Talent, to join the professional services firm from 1 May. API Talent were the first New Zealand provider to qualify for AWS DevOps competency and they are a certified AWS MSP Partner. API Talent holds 5 service delivery certifications, and they have the most AWS certified people, in New Zealand.   Their recent stellar growth saw them recognised as the fastest growing services business in Wellington and the lower North Island, taking out 12th place in the 2017 Deloitte Fast 50. Co-owners Wyn Ackroyd and Sebastian Krueger will become Deloitte partners, and the API Talent team will join Deloitte in Wellington and Auckland from 1 May 2018. Deloitte chief executive Thomas Pippos says the move is another strategic investment for the firm’s cloud and digital end-to-end solution offerings. “Deloitte

Siemens announces today the updated certification of the Teamcenter® portfolio for Microsoft Azure. Continuing to build upon their cloud computing strategy, Siemens moves Teamcenter beyond traditional product lifecycle management (PLM) offerings by diversifying its cloud partner base and expanding its delivery methods, resulting in less costly and more flexible customer deployments. Through the Microsoft Azure certification, Siemens’ PLM customers can realize a lower cost of PLM ownership, with more flexibility in deployment options.  As software, hardware, services, policies, and security requirements continue to evolve, updated certifications can help companies confirm that evolving technologies continue to work together. Siemens’ longstanding collaboration with Microsoft is one aspect that helps customers understand the technology supplied by both companies can help them reach their innovation and product delivery goals. “Offering Siemens Teamcenter on Microsoft Azure gives customers much more flexibility and affordability when it comes to PLM deployments,” Çağlayan Arkan, general manager, Worldwide Manufacturing and Resources,