Drones have become a part of our daily lives over the past decade. People use them as toys to take pictures and some industries have started using them for work. In agriculture, drones have become popular, but are they being used to their full potential?
On the Feb. 16 episode of Seed Speaks we’ll be talking with John Scott from Purdue University and Progeny Drone Inc.’s Anthony Hearst. We’ll discuss how the seed world is using drones for research and what opportunities there are for farmers to use them on their farms.
Continue reading: https://seedworld.com/are-drones-living-up-to-their-potential/

Certain cities in the United States could soon be seeing something new in the sky: drones with a mission to deliver prescription medicines to patients’ homes.
Zipline, a leading drone manufacturer and operator is teaming up with two healthcare companies—Magellan Health and Intermountain Healthcare—to deliver prescription medications and other medical supplies right to people’s homes using a drone.
According to Zipline, drone deliveries are set to start this year in Charlotte, North Carolina, and there are future plans to serve communities in Salt Lake City upon approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Okeoma Moronu, JD, the head of aviation regulatory and legal affairs at Zipline, told Verywell in an email that Zipline and Walmart are already delivering over-the-counter health and wellness products in North Arkansas. 
“We’re working to expand this service,” Moronu said. “We work closely with the FAA on all needed approvals for safe, clean, quiet, and reliable operations.”
The battery-operated drones can make deliveries in about 30 minutes on average, versus the hours or days traditional methods often take. Zipline customers will have the option to get their medications in less than 15 minutes.
Continue reading: https://www.verywellhealth.com/drones-medications-delivery-5219050

A significant gender gap has persisted throughout the years at all levels of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, disciplines all over the world. Even though women have made tremendous progress towards increasing their participation in higher education, they are still under-represented in these fields. 
In response to this, the United Nations declared Feb. 11 as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science in 2015. The goal of this day was to push for full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls. 
Master Sgt. Briana Mullane, a senior cyber operator, described some of the challenges and rewards for women working in the STEM field with U.S Cyber Command. 
“The biggest challenge working in a STEM field is the self-assessment of our own capabilities,” Mullane said. “We tend to value our capabilities in a lot of STEM fields lower than male counterparts and hour hold ourselves to a higher standard just to feel like we fit in with the men.” 
Continue reading: https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2935564/the-power-of-women-in-the-stem-workplace/

Olayinka Odeniran founded the Black Women Blockchain Council (BWBC) in 2018 after attending the North American Bitcoin Conference in Miami that year.
There, just three of 88 speakers were women, with the rest being mostly white men. Its so-called “networking party” was held at a strip club, where several women felt uncomfortable and disappointed.
After experiencing that, “women in the space basically said that they had enough,” Odeniran tells CNBC Make It. “Instead of complaining, we decided to band together and create our own community within each other.”
Though it was incredibly exciting to build a support system of women in crypto, “I started to look around, and I was seeing only a handful of people that look like me. So, I started seeking out other Black women in this space,” she says. Odeniran has since invested in onboarding Black women to the space through the BWBC. The global benefit LLC provides Black women around the world with educational resources to understand blockchain and build wealth.
Continue reading: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/15/these-women-are-investing-to-fix-cryptos-diversity-problem.html

In over a decade of working in the IT industry, I’ve met many excellent expert women in the technology sphere — software developers, solution architects, product managers and founders. But only after I launched The Prime View did it dawn on me how few women become tech newsmakers. If you look at tech news headlines right now, you’ll probably notice that only about 10% to 20% of industry newsmakers are women.
Many women working for tech companies and startups say they still lack visibility and representation. According to a report by TrustRadius, 72% of the women in tech surveyed said that they're usually outnumbered by men in business meetings by a ratio of 2:1, while 26% said they're outnumbered by 5:1 or more. 
One of the reasons is that the STEM sector is still primarily male-dominated. Many women have told me that in this environment, they often feel discouraged from talking about their achievements or promoting their expertise, and this leaves them psychologically reliant on the opinions and judgments of their colleagues and managers.
What Is The Data Telling Us?
In a 2020 survey, AnitaB.org found that women made up only 28% of the workforce at 51 of the top U.S. tech companies. At the same time, women represented around 50% of the total labor force in the United States.
Continue reading: 
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/02/15/women-in-tech-why-and-how-to-gain-visibility/?sh=1aa2460f2940

Financial authorities have just notched up a couple of firsts in their battle to bring compliance to crypto.
In the US, the Securities and Exchange Commission has taken its first enforcement action on cryptocurrency lending, agreeing $100mn in settlements with BlockFi over charges that it offered interest-bearing accounts without registering them as securities.
The federal regulator said the case clarified a legal grey area over popular interest-bearing accounts linked to cryptocurrency lending products, and warned that there could be more such cases to come if other lenders fail to register with the commission. BlockFi, based in New Jersey, said it would soon offer the first SEC-registered crypto interest-bearing security.
“This is the first case of its kind with respect to crypto lending platforms,” said Gary Gensler, the SEC chair. “Today’s settlement makes clear that crypto markets must comply with time-tested securities laws.”
In the UK, HM Revenue & Customs has become the first law enforcement agency to seize NFTs. The tax body said it had secured a court order to detain crypto assets worth around £5,000 and three digital artwork NFTs. The move is part of an investigation into a suspected, organized value added tax (VAT) fraud involving 250 alleged fake companies.
Nick Sharp, HMRC’s deputy director of economic crime, said: “Our first seizure of a non-fungible token serves as a warning to anyone who thinks they can use cryptoassets to hide money from HMRC. We constantly adapt to new technology to ensure we keep pace with how criminals and evaders look to conceal their assets.”
Continue reading: https://www.ft.com/content/93d9d837-1595-4e9c-a75f-d4672528d8ce

Coin Rivet spoke with Ontology’s head of ecosystem partnerships – Gloria Wu – who explained “the EU’s efforts to increase data privacy and protection through legislation such as GDPR and the European Commission’s recent endorsement of Digital Identity, position the region as a key hub for privacy and innovation, therefore making it a core focus for Ontology”.
“Europe is a global leader in tech, and Berlin sits at the forefront of the landscape, having received over $13 billion investment since 2016,” she said.
When talking about the blockchain, Wu believes there are “endless benefits”.
“Blockchain can solve key issues like trust in a network and, with it, an organization can become completely decentralized, meaning there is no need for a centralized authority, thus improving the system’s transparency,” she explained.
“Blockchain ensures advanced security compared to other platforms, meaning that data is encrypted and much harder to breach.
“This can be applied to everyday life in healthcare, in government legacy systems, and in digital finance.”
Wu added blockchain could also contribute significantly to protecting citizens’ personal information.
“As we have seen in recent years, there has been an influx of data breaches; user IDs and passwords are notoriously vulnerable to theft and hacking,” she said.
Continue reading: https://coinrivet.com/blockchain-has-endless-benefits-says-ontologys-gloria-wu/

Auto dealerships have lagged behind other retail industries in their usage of data-driven marketing.
It is understandably difficult for small to midsize companies to have the resources to access and analyze their data, let alone incorporate it into their marketing strategies. As a result, most dealers continue to do the same old generic email blasts and postcards to large segments of their database.
For resource-challenged dealers, one of the most promising developments in 2022 is the incorporation of artificial intelligence into marketing strategies. By now, most dealers have a basic understanding of how AI can be used to support employees and automate processes.
But did you know AI can also be used to leverage customer-relationship management (CRM) data to create targeted and personalized marketing campaigns?
AI + Data = Marketing Success
According to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ “Experience is Everything” report, 75% of U.S. consumers cite “experience” as a key factor in purchasing decisions. The most important aspects of experience are speed, convenience and getting the right information at the right time.
Data-driven marketing powered by artificial intelligence promises to deliver all three aspects of the optimal customer experience.
Continue reading: https://www.wardsauto.com/dealers/how-ai-enhances-data-driven-marketing

Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HCAI) is a concept that seems to put human usage and access of AI technology at the forefront. To me, it seems in opposition to the “data driven” vision of some pundits, though there is the ability to differentiate between goals and development. “Human-Centered AI,” by Ben Shneiderman, is an excellent introduction to the concepts of HCAI. Be aware, though, that this isn’t a breezy, short, book aimed at quick review. This is a business school textbook. For management interested in governance and control, focus on part four of the book, discussed towards the end of this article. The section should be a must-read, even if you skim the rest.
That point is important so as not to surprise people. The book’s audience should be business personnel and students wanting a strong introduction to the issues of HCAI showing concepts that should then be drilled down into practice. It is for upper- and middle-management in the CIO, CTO, R&D and other more technical realms of an organization. The text is 376 pages in a font smaller than the usual business book. Give that content, this review will remain at a higher level than many of the book reviews in this column.
There’s an important thread running through the book. The author differentiates two different research lenses that can be used, that of science and innovation. The science approach is focused on what is possible from a technical view. Why it is being done doesn’t matter. On the other hand, Ben Shneiderman points to the innovation view, that of understanding how a technology can provide innovation in the real world. HCAI is driven from the innovation perspective.
Continue reading: https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidteich/2022/02/15/human-centered-ai-an-in-depth-study-of-the-current-state-of-the-artificial-intelligence-concept/?sh=570403ef7355

There isn’t an industry in the world that is immune to the influence of artificial intelligence (AI). From virtual reality (VR) gaming systems to AI robots in industrial manufacturing, the development of AI technology is revolutionizing the way we interact with the world. 
But e-commerce is especially susceptible to AI disruption, as learning technologies and algorithms are currently transforming the way we buy and sell goods online. Not only can AI perform the tasks we previously did manually, but it can also optimize the customer experience and provide retailers with the information they need to make an informed business decision.
Here are four ways artificial intelligence is transforming e-commerce:
1. AI Copywriting
The introduction of artificial intelligence copywriting is revolutionizing the way brands create their sales copy. AI writing tools can generate marketing copy within seconds. Instead of hiring copywriters or ad agencies to write headlines, blog intros or product descriptions, brands are now able to use AI software. These tools can offer digital ad copy, social media content and other e-commerce copy using advanced AI language models.
Continue reading: https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2022/02/15/four-ways-artificial-intelligence-is-transforming-e-commerce/?sh=893a440797ba

While I still can’t fully grasp the inequalities I will face in my career in STEM, I’ve acknowledged the mindset and identity I will have to craft in the face of the barriers to come. Instead of being able to read about these events in my history books, I am still part of generations of working women striving for workplace equality. Though I can take my voting rights or my higher education for granted thanks to (the decades of protest resulting in the ratification of) the 19th Amendment and women’s college education finally opening up in the 19th century, my working age will be dominated by the movements and struggles to create an equal world for women in STEM. Yet, despite the discrimination and lesser prospects I anticipate during my lifetime, I’m hopeful for better futures for women in later generations entering the STEM field.
Progress toward decreasing the gender gap has stagnated over the past few decades. But it’s hard to understand why this stagnation remains — particularly when statistics, surveys and studies continue to show that gender diversity increases innovation, pushes economic growth and leads to a more inclusive society overall. Since beginning this mini-series on the gender disparity in STEM, I received an email from Nita Singh Kaushal ’03, founder and CEO of Miss CEO and lecturer at Stanford School of Engineering. When she read earlier articles from the series, she told me that the experiences I described made her feel like “she was reading her own personal journey as an [electrical engineering] grad navigating the tech industry” and that the content would be “not out of place if the articles had been published in the 1960s.”
Women earn only 83% of equivalent male full-time workers’ salaries — meaning that women need to work an extra 44 days to achieve the same yearly salary as men. But closing the gender gap doesn’t benefit women only. Increasing the number of women employed in STEM fields could accelerate U.S. GDP growth by boosting women’s cumulative earnings by $299 billion and adding roughly $5.87 trillion to the global stock market within 10 years. This economic growth, however, isn’t due to increased labor force participation alone. Women tend to invest a larger proportion of their household income toward their children’s education than men; they’re also 14% more likely to participate in job-related savings plans.
Continue reading: https://stanforddaily.com/2022/02/14/opinion-a-better-future-for-her-in-stem/

Power, they say, corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. While that was said about politics, it sure seems like it was tailor-made for smart buildings.
Facility-control technology is exploding because the concept is useful and often saves money. Unfortunately, smart devices have also proven to be an on-ramp for major intrusions. Smart buildings are surely absolutely powerful in a way; are they absolutely corruptible? Maybe, if we’re not very careful.
If corruption means overall bad-ness, then hacking a smart building surely qualifies. It could let intruders mess with lights, heating and air conditioning, and maybe other critical systems, too. We also know from news stories that a hacker could use a successful smart building intrusion to sneak into other business applications, potentially compromising them and  critical company information. It’s important to address these risks, and that means starting with how they arise.
Hacking generally needs something to hack through, and smart buildings create two broad attack surfaces to worry about. The first is the interface through which the building is controlled, often a phone or browser. The second is the interface to the smart elements themselves, the protocol used by the IoT devices. The risk to each of these depends on how your building intelligence is organized.
There are two basic models of smart buildings, what you could call the military model and the mob model. Have you ever watched a parade where the military marched? There’s a big group, but they’re all marching in step based on some leader who counts cadence. That corresponds to the local-controller model of smart buildings; there’s a leader running things. Now consider the parking lot as a big event is letting out. Everyone-for-themselves doesn’t begin to describe how that usually turns out, and that corresponds to the autonomous-device model of smart buildings.
One reason the model is important in security is that the smaller and cheaper something is, the harder it is to secure. In the local-controller military model, all the smart IoT elements connect with a local device that provides the link between the smart building and the phones or keypads or switches that provide the human interface. There is one control interface, which means only one control point to defend against attack, and it’s pricey enough to get good security.
Continue reading: https://www.networkworld.com/article/3649771/5-best-practices-for-making-smart-building-lans-more-secure.html

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says it will commence field-testing new drone traffic management capabilities as part of its ongoing effort to integrate UAVs into the national airspace, and prepare for anticipated expansion of craft operation for a variety of purposes.
The FAA announced plans to rev up its Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) Field Test of drone platforms on an unspecified date this spring. The effort aims to improve the standards, data-exchange methods, and cybersecurity capabilities of government, civil aviation, and drone sector actors, and work toward establishing a safe and reliable means of UAVs operating in the same airspace as larger craft.
To do that, the FAA has conducted clusters of trials with other government agencies and aerospace partners including NASA. Those strive to identify the means by which the wide and ever-increasing array of aerial vehicles can avoid one another using automated systems directing traffic. That involves creating drone UTM tech combining services complementary to, but also independent of Air Traffic Management services for crewed aircraft. 
According to the FAA, a final UTM network “will ultimately identify services, roles, responsibilities, information architecture, data exchange protocols, software functions, infrastructure, and performance requirements for enabling the management of low-altitude uncontrolled drone operations” of under 400 feet.
The last phase of UTM testing wrapped up in late 2020 following a series of drone trials at the  Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership and the New York UAS Test Site.
Though the COVID-19 pandemic almost certainly led to a delay in starting the next round of UTM experimenting, the FAA continued development of certain related aspects to it. Earlier this month, for example, it announced it had issued its millionth automated Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) permit for flights in restricted areas.
Continue reading: https://dronedj.com/2022/02/14/faa-announces-new-phase-of-utm-drone-platform-field-tests/

A collaboration between Easy Aerial, Verizon, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) has demonstrated the use of Verizon 5G Edge and AWS Wavelength to enable near-real-time object detection for drones.  The Easy Guard ground station, one of Easy Aerial’s product offerings, is described by the company as a “smart” aircraft hangar for takeoff, landing, and charging, and this “drone-in-a-box” solution was selected for exploring 5G integration. Easy Aerial first considered integrating 5G into the Easy Guard at Verizon and Newlab’s Brooklyn, New York-based 5G Studio, which was created to develop a wide range of potential technology solutions.
Through this collaboration, with the 5G-enabled Easy Guard system, successful transmission of telemetry data from Easy Aerial drones was achieved, which made it possible to monitor flights in near-real-time. They were also able to reduce the data transmission rates of the drones by leveraging 5G for communications and reduce latency via use of 5G and mobile edge compute (MEC) on "AI-powered data processing," Verizon notes in a description of the collaboration with Easy Aerial and AWS.
According to the collaboration announcement from Verizon, the integration of 5G and mobile edge computing for drone operations resulted in savings of about 10% in drone costs and flight time that was increased by about 40%.
Ivan Stamatovski, CTO of Easy Aerial, explained that a demonstration like this has not been attempted before, in part because of a lack of actual 5G coverage in the U.S.; however, Easy Aerial is optimally positioned to utilize both AWS and Verizon’s 5G Edge. Integrating 5G, according to Stamatovski, “opens up a lot of avenues for using small unmanned aircraft systems [sUAS] for all kinds of applications,” he told Avionics International. The team at Easy Aerial had developed the Easy Guard ground station and, after joining the 5G studio, began working on possible applications for 5G within the Easy Guard system.
Stamatovski explained that “typically, we would have our AI for people recognition and car detection, and we would run it on a local computer, but we said, ‘Since there’s limited space and limited power for it, let’s see if we can put that all on Amazon Edge.’” It was also important to have low latency for object detection so that processing would happen in real-time or near real-time. “We decided to go with Amazon Edge,” he said, “because the cloud is too far out there. The whole setup was made so that the drone talks to Amazon directly, and Amazon does the processing and AI with our algorithms that were deployed on the Edge. Then it communicates back to another 5G unit that is inside our Easy Guard.”
Continue reading: https://www.aviationtoday.com/2022/02/14/verizon-5g-enables-near-real-time-object-detection-for-drones/

Researchers at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University helped bring the goal of widespread drone delivery service and air taxis closer to fruition recently, by flying small un-crewed aircraft systems (sUAS) along simulated delivery routes in Florida. The exercise proved the viability of the hyperlocal weather-prediction tools needed to fly autonomous systems in populated areas.
“Without good weather products, these aircraft may be unnecessarily grounded, delaying the delivery of goods and services,” said Dr. Kevin Adkins, associate professor in Embry-Riddle’s College of Aviation.
With most UAS weighing less than 55 pounds, even mild gusts of wind could disrupt their flight. Especially in metropolitan areas, where tall buildings can create unpredictable weather forces, more sophisticated forecasting software is needed to ensure that aircraft can operate both safely and efficiently.
“Micro weather forecasting is essential with drone deliveries,” said Avinash Muthu Krishnan, a Mechanical Engineering doctoral student who helped design and build the meteorological software equipped on the drones. “With drone delivery also comes automation of drones for beyond-visual-line-of-sight flight. You need to be 100% with the success rate of the drone flying uninterrupted to and back from a destination. Without weather predictions along the route, a lot of uncertainty is added.”
Continue reading: https://news.erau.edu/headlines/chasing-air-taxis-eagles-simulate-drone-routes-to-advance-nasa-research

In 2018, aerospace engineer Daniel Cuppoletti went to a conference in Los Angeles about the future of metropolitan air transportation. He arrived skeptical about the mere intent of the summit, which was run by ride-hailing company Uber. 
But by the time he left, Cuppoletti saw the world in a whole new light. "I suddenly thought: there's a vision here, and it's real. It's not replacing commercial aircraft transportation, it's creating an entirely new market for something that we don't have at this moment," he said.
That new market was for short flights in piloted air taxis (sometimes known as eVTOLs) and drones to deliver medicines and other supplies. Yes, there would be issues around how urban air space is used, but Cuppoletti also saw a specific problem, one that he was uniquely poised to address as someone who studied aeroacoustics: the noise that these vehicles would make when they flew. 
He began researching this issue with colleagues at the University of Cincinnati. There is one particularly thorny problem: when propellers whoosh and whir, even when they're connected to electric engines, they produce a lot of sound. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has recently reported safety, security and noise as the top three concerns for drones. Cuppoletti and his students presented their work at the Science and Technology Forum and Exposition last month in San Diego.
Thousands of noise complaints are lodged to the Federal Aviation Administration each year. The problem is especially pronounced in lower-income areas. Drones don't have the same jet engines as larger aircraft, but their systems still buzz and whir. And while the United States sees about 5,700 commercial aircraft flights each day, drones and eVTOLs could soon add thousands of daily flights in major metropolitan areas.
Think of the noise of one helicopter over your house, Cuppoletti said. Now multiply that: "Imagine having 1,000 helicopters fly over [in] one day -- they're going to get regulated out of existence." 
Cuppoletti's research focuses on modeling the sound that comes out of turbines and finding ways to reduce that noise, using strategies such as changing the configurations of rotors, shielding them in tubes, and adding other tweaks. His lab uses an anechoic chamber, covered on all sides by sound-dampening material and outfitted with a suite of eight microphones, to test the frequency, wavelength and amplitude of sound. The models he and his students are creating will eventually be part of a guidebook that manufacturers of drones and flying cars can use to anticipate what their novel designs will sound like. 
One way to reduce the unwanted impacts of these vehicles is to route them over roads, which are already noisy, said Antonio Torija Martinez, who studies the impact of drone noises on communities at the University of Salford in Manchester, England. 
Continue reading: http://www.insidescience.org/news/drowning-out-sound-drones

Edge computing is transforming multiple industries by connecting the unconnected. It is enabling new business models, new revenue streams, innovative software service models and new technological use cases. No wonder there are so many startups in this space in a short time while already existing technological giants are transforming to adapt to Edge.
But how is edge computing categorized, what factors determine Edge computing?

 
Edge Computing connectivity to Core Datacenters according to IDC
How is Edge Computing Classified?
The main value-add provided by Edge is that it brings compute closer to the end user devices where the data is being generated there by reducing the time needed to process & act upon the data. To do that Edge needs to be highly disaggregated into multiple layers of access points based on some of these aspects below:

• physical location
• security & privacy requirements
• round trip latency
• connectivity management
• scale requirements
• on premises requirements
• data locality
• real time communication requirements
• proximity to the end user
• service capabilities and many more.

The dissection of Edge computing based on said factors heavily impacts the architecture, design and deployment considerations for practical application purposes. Its highly imperative that the end user considers these requirements first before upgrading their existing infrastructure.
Continue reading: https://www.thefastmode.com/expert-opinion/23002-what-are-various-types-of-edge-computing-that-exist-today

Sustainable development and the 17 SDGs are critical timelines to continue living the way earth’s inhabitants have. Blockchain technology can help achieve sustainable development in myriads of ways to impact how resources are utilized for development.
The latest technological advances in blockchain are clustered around what could be called Blockchain 3.0, which focuses on addressing the drawbacks of the previous two generations of blockchain technology, such as scalability and interoperability between different blockchains. This innovation has created many opportunities to solve the most enduring problems that impact sustainability.
Digital Identity:
Personal identity management: Identity management is a cornerstone of governmental services, but legacy data management tools fail to provide secure yet rapidly accessible and updateable identity.
Over one and a half billion people globally lack officially recognized identity. This has been exacerbated due to global dislocation, war, famine, and other natural calamities. It is among the most critical issues facing urban systems. There is a growing crisis brewing in recording, updating, and correcting information about an existing identifiable person.

• Personal identity management: In essence, Identity management is a cornerstone of governmental services, but legacy data management tools fail to provide a secure, quickly accessible, and updateable identity.
• Data centralized around the user: Personal identity management is an over $12 billion business expected to double by next year. The security, storage, and stealing costs of personal data are humongous.
• Previous solutions failures: There is significant hesitancy about the concerns over privacy and authentication failure of prior solutions.
• Trust in government data: There is also a grave reservation regarding the ability to trust government data absolutely in any situation and in impacting the ability to deliver services in many developing nations.
• The integrity of government data: Data integrity is as much of a problem from inside an organization than outside the entity. It is essential that government data should be effectively protected from an insider threat attempting to manipulate or alter the stored data.
• Data interoperability: The ability to verify the integrity of government data independently of its home database in real-time enables data interoperability between systems and across boundaries.

Continue reading: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/voices/three-ways-blockchain-can-accelerate-sustainable-development/

The basic concepts of edge computing are relatively simple to understand. Similar to a centralized data center, edge infrastructure delivers compute and other resources that applications need – but it brings these requirements much closer in physical proximity to those apps and their data.
So while the term “edge server” might sound, well, edgy – it really just refers to moving the functions of a traditional server closer to their most optimal location, whether for performance, security, cost, or other reasons.
Here’s how we defined it in one of our previous explainers: “Edge servers exist outside of a traditional data center to perform compute, networking, storage, and security functions close to where users need them – for example, where data is created in a healthcare setting or manufacturing site.”
Another way to think about it: Edge computing expands the meaning of the traditional IT term “on-premises.” Instead of referring to a physical data center or other centralized location, with edge, the “premises” could be virtually anywhere your applications and data reside.
Once you grasp the concept, the natural next question is: What can I do with edge computing?
This is a very busy area, and some use cases are forward-looking. There’s much ado about the relationship between edge, IoT, and 5G, for example – even if the latter piece of that trio is not quite ready for primetime. But these categories feed off of one another in exciting ways, which creates further interest and excitement.
“Edge is driving [enterprise] 5G adoption and is an enabling platform to run a variety of use cases,” says Shamik Mishra, CTO for connectivity, Capgemini Engineering. “These use cases can benefit from having a massively distributed cloud environment that’s connected to 5G low latency networks. This enables automation, new innovation, and new business models that leverage data and cloud.”
There’s sort of an enterprise power trio of edge-cloud-data emerging here, even if it’s still relatively early days for real-world applications of edge computing.
According to Dean Bogdanovic, CTO of Alef, most enterprises are still in a learning phase with edge computing. The network operators (aka telcos) themselves are the real early adopters with the most deployed use cases, such as virtualized Radio Access Networks and content delivery. Red Hat technology evangelist Gordon Haff notes that vRANs will become an increasingly important use case in 2022.
As operator-driven use cases mature, they’ll pave the way for wider edge adoption and innovation.
Continue reading: https://enterprisersproject.com/article/2022/2/edge-computing-3-ways-you-can-use-it-now

Funding to blockchain companies doubled between 2017 and 2020, and actual spending is expected to reach $16 billion by 2023. While the most visible changes thus far have been in the financial sector — from crowdfunding overhauls to decentralized finance (DeFi) apps impacting loans and credit, insurance and asset trading — and infrastructure and security, blockchain’s gaining popularity is set to have a lasting impact on the entertainment industry.
From the way content is produced, aggregated, distributed and consumed to the relationship between content creators and their audience, blockchain technology could have a direct impact on entertainment for years to come.
Blockchain’s Potential Impact on the Entertainment Industry
The decentralization of global infrastructure is already underway. We’re seeing the impact in finance, and now entertainment executives are starting to identify how it can impact their businesses. While not widely adopted, smart contracts, which are powered by the blockchain, could influence entertainment agreements, providing a secure alternative to traditional negotiations, ensuring reliable payment of creators, a more seamless way to work with the crew on global projects and eliminating the red tape that hampers many large projects. 
Continue reading: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture-council/articles/blockchain-future-of-entertainment-1298876/

The blockchain refers to a data storage and transmission protocol based on an architecture of connected ‘blocks’. Cryptographer David Chaum first mentioned the concept of the blockchain in his 1982 dissertation, Computer Systems Established, Maintained, and Trusted by Mutually Suspicious Groups, but at that time, the technology did not exist to make it viable.  
It has only been in the last decade or so that blockchain technology has become popular worldwide, gaining from distributed computing systems and wide availability of computing power.  
Today, blockchain is among the top emerging technologies for both consumer and enterprise use. According to Deloitte’s 2021 Global Blockchain Survey, 81 percent of organizations agree that blockchain technology is scalable and can go mainstream due to the current state of infrastructure environments.  
How will this influence immersive technologies like augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR)? XR Today explores the significance of the blockchain to understand it in more detail.  
Defining Blockchain 
Blockchain is defined as a data storage and transmission system built on a distributed ledger, where the ledger comprises a growing list of records or blocks, each storing a data unit. The blocks are connected to each other using cryptography to ensure secure data transmission.  
Blockchain technology could revolutionize financial transactions. In traditional transactions, there is a centralized sender and recipient with a regulatory body governing the terms and conditions.  
Blockchain disrupts this pathway by introducing a distributed structure where each piece of transaction information is stored in a different computing node.
There is no centralized body and everyone involved in the blockchain transaction has transparent visibility into its pathway. In a way, it is similar to a peer-to-peer computing network.  
Continue reading: https://www.xrtoday.com/mixed-reality/what-is-the-blockchain/

In today’s world, where blockchain technology has started to mingle into the mainstream, cryptocurrencies have become the most liquid assets. Many cryptocurrencies have evolved around the globe. Firms that work on exchanging cryptocurrency to fiat cash or another cryptocurrency are working successfully, as they do not need to ponder the volatile nature of cryptocurrencies. This blog serves as an easy 8 eight-step guide to develop your own cryptocurrency exchange.
1) How Do You Start With?
Before drawing any plan to start your cryptocurrency exchange, there are a few factors that you need to consider. 

• Before everything else, you need to do some market research on whether investing your resources in a cryptocurrency exchange can benefit you. It is important to note that cryptocurrencies are volatile and their value can fluctuate between extremes, sometimes even between a matter of hours. It is wise to research the current crypto trends and step in accordingly carefully.

• You need to determine the country or region your exchange would be operating from. While some major nations like Russia and China have outrightly banned cryptocurrencies and related trade, others like the USA, the EU nations, Canada, Australia, Japan and El Salvador have shown a green flag for cryptocurrencies. Some other countries are planning to accept cryptocurrencies soon.

• After choosing your region of operation, decide on the type of crypto exchange you will be operating. Different kinds of exchanges include centralized crypto exchange, decentralized crypto exchange, p2p crypto exchange, crypto derivatives exchange and hybrid exchange. Each of them has its perks and cons and as always, enough research helps you out.

• If you do not have enough funds to start the venture, consider gathering funds through various means. As always, careful planning and research are necessary, in addition to presenting your idea as a valid one.

Continue reading: https://www.finextra.com/blogposting/21821/8-steps-to-develop-and-launch-your-own-cryptocurrency-exchange

The ongoing pandemic has strained the economy, public services and global healthcare systems. It has also tested us in every way imaginable with lockdowns and working from home.
IoT technology brings new opportunities and can help us establish a new normal with use cases and innovation for healthcare, COVID-19 testing, building health and remote device maintenance.   
But we must use IoT to go even further. Technology companies have a responsibility to implement knowledge to develop and install the hardware, devices and software that can keep employees healthy and the physical office safe once again.

Streamline COVID-19 data collection
In healthcare, IoT has helped lessen COVID-19's effects. IoT sensors allow COVID-19 patients to quarantine at home. Patients who wear connected devices enable doctors to monitor their progress without risking others' safety.
IoT provides much-needed data for epidemiologists. Researchers use IoT to track variant progress through connected thermometers. Kinsa, an American company that sells connected smart thermometers, explains that its gathered data helps track COVID-19 rates in the U.S.
Vaccines distribution and supply tracking would be a near-impossible task without IoT. The different vaccines also have different storage needs, which requires resilient, reliable and proactive monitoring throughout the supply chain.
Some vaccines must be stored at ultra-low temperatures, between -130 and -70 degrees Fahrenheit. Other vaccines can be transported at higher temperatures, but still must be monitored during their transit and storage. Icelandic startup Controlant uses sensors to monitor temperature-sensitive medicines and vaccines worldwide.


Instant testing with connected options
In 2022, there are at-home tests for COVID-19 at pharmacies and through mail order. But what if the tests could be even cheaper, faster, readily available -- and IoT connected so researchers could instantly understand transmission rates? 
An inexpensive device called miSHERLOCK tests gathered saliva during the COVID-19 test. The device's design requires require fewer resources. It can be built with a 3D printer and uses a smartphone to process test results.
The inexpensive device's necessary files and circuit designs are publicly available online. If this or a similar device is mass-produced -- and has an internet connection -- organizations could instantly test employees before they enter the workplace.
Continue reading: https://internetofthingsagenda.techtarget.com/post/Ways-IoT-technology-can-help-build-a-new-normal-for-COVID-19

The IoT Journey is very clearly divided into steps. And, while taking the first step launches you onto the IoT cyber-highway, it isn’t a direct line from point A to B. You must be in it for the long haul because it will be a marathon, not a sprint! And, it isn’t for the faint of heart.
Before we go into the steps of the IoT Journey, we will act under the assumption that you understand the basic concepts of IoT. If you need or would like clarification, we have a short video (only 5 minutes!) for a refresher.
First, let’s look at a sobering statistic: 75% of IoT projects fail. OUCH! 
Why? 
The accurate and overwhelming reasoning behind this statistic is that there is a lack of in-house expertise to bring the IoT product or service to market. Unless your company has fully dedicated and experienced IoT software development experts, you will need help in planning and development to bring your IoT ideas to life. Getting the right help early on is important so your IoT Journey doesn’t end before it even has a chance to begin! 
How?
The IoT Journey can be divided into four steps or stages. Each stage has unique opportunities, challenges, and approaches to solutions for moving to the next stage. It’s important to identify your goal early on in the journey to avoid costly missteps later. This way, you can avoid becoming part of this shocking statistic.

Continue reading: https://www.iotforall.com/iot-is-a-marathon-not-a-sprint

The energy sector’s adoption of Internet of Things tools has continued to increase over the past few years, and it shows no signs of slowing down. Tools such as smart meters have provided flexibility and resilience, as well as cost savings.
Along with those benefits, however, come new security concerns. According to a McKinsey article on the topic, “utilities have geographic vulnerabilities in consumer-facing devices (either utility owned or simply grid connected) that may contain cyber vulnerabilities that could compromise either a company’s revenue or the overall security of the grid.”
Each IoT device is a potential target for cybercriminals. As Trend Micro notes in a company blog post, “IoT security is critical largely because of the expanded attack surface of threats that have already been plaguing networks. Adding to these threats are insecure practices among users and organizations who may not have the resources or the knowledge to best protect their IoT ecosystems.” The post notes that these security issues include vulnerabilities, malware, escalated cyberattacks and device mismanagement.
Safeguarding Data in an Expanding Threat Landscape
Security is top of mind for the energy sector in the wake of highly publicized ransomware attacks on utilities over the past year. But the attack surface has broadened even further as energy providers have rolled out IoT devices during the pandemic.
Most utilities serve large geographical areas, and unmanned IoT devices have made it more possible to provide uninterrupted service from a more stable grid. However, as McKinsey points out, “both geographic distance and organizational complexity make the industry vulnerable to cyberattacks.”
Still, cyberthreats are not insurmountable if companies take a structured approach to security “that applies communication, organizational, and process frameworks along with technical improvements in a few areas can significantly reduce cyber-related risks for utilities,” according to McKinsey.
Common Security Concerns Presented by IoT Devices 
Despite their many benefits, IoT devices can become security concerns “by giving cyber criminals access to connected networks, enabling them to steal critical corporate data and user credentials,” according to Fortinet. “Organizations therefore must understand how to secure IoT devices and recognize the top IoT vulnerabilities they face.”
Among the vulnerabilities Fortinet lists, the use of weak and recycled passwords is a common issue. Insecure networks also present a security risk: “Insecure networks make it easy for cyber criminals to exploit weaknesses in the protocols and services that run on IoT devices. Once they have exploited a network, attackers can breach confidential or sensitive data that travels between user devices and the server.”
Improper device management and failing to regularly update and patch software programs can also contribute to a breakdown of security for IoT devices. “This is because vulnerabilities can come from any layer of IoT devices. Even older vulnerabilities are still being used by cybercriminals in order to infect devices, demonstrating just how long unpatched devices can stay online,” according to Trend Micro.
Continue reading: https://biztechmagazine.com/article/2022/02/what-utilities-should-know-about-iot-security