I remember reading about the Twittering Ferries a few years ago. This story captured my imagination and I started to explore the Internet of Things (IoT) in more detail. IoT, in essence, allows ‘Machines to speak to Machines’ (M2M), provide instruction, feedback on status, and even process artificial intelligence. The reason the Twittering Ferries intrigued me, however, was not the M2M relationship, but rather the fact that the code behind Twittering Ferries created a means where machines were now talking to people. They used social media to facilitate communication to human beings. This has been my interest point over the...
Smart technology (IoT), is simply about connecting devices, but while the focus has been on technology that facilitates the creation of smart households, its business applications are endless. According to BI Intelligence, it is projected that by 2020, 34-billion devices will be connected to the internet. While we have heard many international examples of the use of smart technology, in Africa there are more and more examples of the technology being tested and implemented. Smart technology has the potential to change everything and every business needs to consider what these will be and how it will affect them. Here are six ways...
According to the Adcorp Employment Index job availability rose a mere 1.86% in 2015 and, coupled with the skills shortage and economic crisis, the situation can be fairly described as bleak for both business and employee. When it comes to the long-term impact and short-term need there is little that any one solution can do to resolve the skills dilemma, but there is technology which has the potential to positively impact both productivity and profitability while driving skills and careers. The much talked about and often hyped Internet of Things (IoT) has the capability to transform the skills shortage...
Just what is the Internet of Things? The generally accepted definition is a digital ecosystem wherein everyday objects have network connectivity, allowing them to send and receive data. The ‘things’ in this case are just about anything that can be fitted with a chip and connected to the internet – cars, wearables, appliances, machines and many more. The culmination of all this is a world where your devices all talk to each other. Your fridge sends a reminder to your watch to buy milk when it detects you’re about to run out. Meanwhile, your car is busy telling your...
2016 is the year of the fourth industrial revolution and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), but is the industry IoT-ready? Industry 4.0 refers to the fourth industrial revolution – the first being manufacturing and mechanisation, the second mass production and the third the digital revolution. The next iteration will be the computerisation of machinery and automation using robotics, as well as the intelligent measurement and analysis of data to improve efficiency, profitability and safety. The fourth industrial revolution will be shaped by a fresh wave of innovation in areas such as driverless cars, smart robotics, materials that are...
Ultimately, the Internet of Things (IoT) will only reach its full potential if it benefits consumers and makes life more convenient on a worldwide scale. Coming home to an apartment in New York at the right temperature with an oven that is pre-heated and lights that turn on ten minutes before you arrive is no longer a dream. Thanks to smartphone apps, it’s a reality. But the benefits of IoT extend far beyond household appliances. Smart connected trucks can be tracked by fleet managers in real time. Vending machines in Chicago directly alert vending machine distributors when stocks...
A recent survey by Cisco, an American multinational technology company, estimates that 50 billion devices will be connected to the internet by 2020 due to the rapid growth in the popularity of the Internet of Things (IoT). While IoT increases efficiency and convenience, consumers are exposing themselves to an increased risk of falling victim to criminal activity such as being hacked. The IoT movement offers consumers access to a network of physical objects, such as home appliances that feature an IP address for internet connectivity which enables that user to control their devices through communication between the devices connected...
About this content. When it comes to reporting on the Internet of Things, you'll often see publishers referring to the massive numbers surrounding this vast network of connected sensors embedded in everyday objects. They will, for instance, talk about the 5-billion or so connected objects which Gartner estimates are currently in existence. They'll probably also mention that number is set to grow to 25-billion by 2020 and that Mckinsey estimates that the IoT's impact could be worth as much as $11.1 trillion a year by 2025. But what real difference is the Internet of Things making to our lives right...
National Geographic and General Electric have teamed up for Breakthrough; a new TV series which explores the latest developments in brain science, longevity, water, energy, pandemics and cyborg technology. The series' premise is that incredible life-saving technologies have become so part of our everyday lives that we sometimes take them for granted. It therefore aims to shine a light on the most innovative technologies shaping how we live. Each hour-long episode is directed by a Hollywood visionary – Angela Bassett, Peter Berg, Paul Giamatti, Akiva Goldsman, Ron Howard and Brett Ratner. Fighting Pandemics The Ebola outbreak which ravaged communities in...
About this content. As global population rates continue to soar, so does our need for electricity. At the same time though, it's increasingly obvious that we need to both step up our efforts in finding alternative sources of energy and be more intelligent about the energy we do use. One of the best tools we have in our quest to achieve a cleaner, more efficiently-powered future is data. And thanks to the growing number of devices and everyday objects embedded with connected sensors, collectively referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT), we have more data than ever. That...
About this content. Depending on which source you consult, factories either date back to ancient Egypt or the earliest parts of the Industrial Revolution. Either way they've been with us for a very long time. Of course, they've had to adapt. The people who worked in John Lombe's water-powered silk mill at Derby in the 17th Century would not, for instance, recognise a contemporary smartphone factory. Today, factories aren't just spaces where things are built, but smart connected spaces capable of adapting on the fly and producing constant streams of data. That change is at least in part due to...
The Internet of Things (IoT) industry as a whole has been touted as becoming a US$7.1-trillion giant by the year 2020. And around the world companies are more and more looking to this sector in becoming the next trend-setters of our world's true data revolution. An everyday, easy-to-understand example of IoT in action would be the Apple Watch -- a fashionable device that's strapped to your wrist and tethered to your smartphone. With a tiny display, you can send emails, hail an Uber, track your heart rate and do all sorts of cool things unimaginable a decade ago. Also unimaginable...
The CNN/Multichoice African Journalist Awards was established in August 1995 to encourage, promote and recognize excellence in African journalism and it has in the span of 20 years become the most respected journalism awards in the region. Every year, over 1,600 entries in 12 Categories are received from over 40 African Countries, including English, French & Portuguese-speaking countries and the Awards ceremony is broadcast across Africa via DSTV platforms, 66 terrestrial channels in 47 African countries. As a mark of wide acceptance and spreading influence the awards have attracted sponsorship from global brands. Renowned technology and infrastructure leader General Electric...
Paul Kelemba, from Kenya, has been awarded GE Energy & Infrastructure Award, presented by Jay Ireland, President and CEO of GE Africa, at this year’s CNN Multichoice African Journalist 2015 Awards ceremony. Kelemba, who works freelance for The Standard on Saturday, won for his piece “Sorting out Nairobi Transport” which was chosen from entries spanning 39 nations across the African continent. The Awards, which rotate location each year in tribute to their pan-African credentials, were held at a Gala ceremony hosted by CNN and Multichoice at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, in Nairobi. The judging panel said: “It is...
African Media Initiative (AMI) and General Electric (GE) have partnered to boost media coverage in Africa of Energy and Infrastructure issues. Some 20 journalists drawn from the East Africa region will undergo basic training on the Energy sector in Africa, and on using sector data to tell impactful stories that will enrich media content and better inform citizens. The training is set to take place from 9-10 October 2015, in Nairobi, Kenya. The training will explore the importance of covering the energy sector, the weaknesses identified in coverage of infrastructure and energy-related issues, as well as the use of...
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