Trending Techs for 2018 already impacting Businesses in New Zealand
The world is living it 4th Industrial Revolution Era at this moment and it is not much you can do about it, but you still have time to join this revolution and make the difference within your industry and business.
The first industrial revolution was all about water power and steam to improve the production using mechanization. The second, electricity and assembly lines. The third is all about computerization to process information and solve problems. You can, actually, see many examples of them at MOTAT in Auckland.
What really is the 4th Industrial Revolution (or Industry 4.0 as some are already calling it)? Don’t panic, we take you there before they become a new exhibition at the museum.
All about Technology-driven and Human-centred
The fourth revolution is all about information and knowledge, and how we use it to be more productive and do it efficiently and faster. Also, the artificial intelligence is used to enhance our capability to analyse, process, combine, understand and learn, becoming even more intelligent to make better decisions.
“Previous industrial revolutions liberated humankind from animal power, made mass production possible and brought digital capabilities to billions of people. This Fourth Industrial Revolution is, however, fundamentally different. It is characterized by a range of new technologies that are fusing the physical, digital and biological worlds, impacting all disciplines, economies and industries, and even challenging ideas about what it means to be human.”
World Economic Forum
Yet, according to Deloitte Insight’s Tech Trends 2018, “Ideally, strategy, technology, and operations should work together, in harmony, across domains and boundaries.”
How does this impact the Security in Businesses?
Smart Devices
According to the Techopedia, “Smart devices are interactive electronic gadgets that understand simple commands sent by users and help in daily activities”.
Technology is working together with humans to make their work even more efficient. The machinery can now support the routine and operation to improve the activities, sticking to the rules and releasing humans to be more strategic and creative.
There are CCTV Security Cameras that only record footage when they detect movement, adjust the images to the light exposure during the day/night times and also Video Management Systems that can automatically process information and send warnings when they detect certain behaviours like a missing object or recognize a specific number plate.
Internet of Things (IoT)
In a very simplistic and straight to the point way, IoT, or “Internet of Things”, is connecting any physical device such a smartphone or a tablet, any home appliance, or car, or machinery component, or any other object to the internet.
"Anything that can be connected will be connected." Forbes.
When your Alarm System is connected to the internet sending you messages and allowing you to remotely control the system, is a clear and practical example of Internet of Things.
Energy Efficiency
We recently visited Facilities Integrate exhibition in Auckland and one of the main subjects for 2018 workshops was Energy Management: “Energy Management is growing in importance with new systems continuing to push the limits for effective storage, management, allocation and efficiency of energy to buildings”.
It is important to say that, in addition to this trend, there is also a lack of infrastructure in certain areas, such as rural areas and construction sites, which require other sources of energy to power the equipment.
There are some wireless solutions designed specifically to allow Alarm Systems and also CCTV Security Cameras to work in such conditions.
Mobility
Although is has been happening for a while, the mobility is still one top trending getting more and more uses and applications in the market. Of course, we are not just talking about the smartphones, tablets, laptops and other devices related to this, but the capability of moving things, becoming portable to adapt to changing situations.
IQ Security has developed a Portable Solution to supply the construction sites (and any other businesses that require such a solution) to control contractors, employees and visitors access.
Another interesting application is the Gallagher mobile apps access which allows you to use your mobile device just like an access card and/or use the mobile to arm and disarm security and control equipment and systems.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence one of the Top 7 Technologies to Watch this Year, according to CES – the global stage for innovation attracting world’s business leaders and innovators, and is already influencing the day to day life and businesses, changing the way we learn, compute and process things, create new connections and also predict the future.
The possibilities are numerous as pointed out by Isuru Fernando, the Analytics and Artificial Intelligence Leader for IBM New Zealand, during a workshop from Business North Harbour yesterday.
He added: “Artificial Intelligence + Business – It’s here now” and it is much more “an augmented intelligence to help humans in this framework.
Machine Learning is a branch of artificial intelligence based on the idea that systems can learn from data, identify patterns and make decisions with minimal human intervention. It's related to computational statistics and also focuses on prediction-making through the use of computers and smart systems.
The ACTi CCTV Security Cameras systems have some powerful smart applications connecting to the intelligent cameras (Internet of things) and collecting Big Data to obtain real-time information which can help with operational and business management.
The possibilities are countless:
- Visitor Traffic analysis - Storefront traffic, store traffic and floor traffic
- Customer pathways analysis - Optimize traffic flow and product display
- Hot-selling and slow-moving items analysis - Find out which items customers show interest but not buying
- Heat maps analysis- Optimize products display based on heat maps analysis
- Customer loyalty analysis - Regular customer rate (e.g. VIP or Blacklisted), regular distribution, customer re-visit rate
- Customer visit analysis - Customer dwell time, valid customer rate
- Customer transaction analysis - Sales volume, actual sales, per customer transaction, per product transaction
- Customer checkout analysis - Queue time and checkout service quality
- Customer segment analysis - Distribution of different genders and ages
- Correlation between weather and operation - Correlation between traffic and weather, sales performance and weather
- Employee allocation analysis - Optimize employee allocation and service quality
- Showcase efficiency analysis - Dwell time and traffic in front of the showcase
- And so much more!
It’s all about using these systems not only for surveillance purposes but also as a solution with intelligent and analytical ability, generating a very qualified volume of information to enhance business operations and management efficiency.
The future is now and there are many businesses applying those so-called “future trends” to be more efficient, productive and competitive, becoming even more intelligent and, because of that, making much better decisions in the present.
The question is “Why to wait if this all is available now?"
Talk to our Security Consultants about these trends ans security solutions and ask for more detailed information and specific recommendations.
