About 70% of Uganda’s population derives its livelihood from agriculture and as such the country has adapted the use of modern farming technologies such as using of machinery and drones are practiced, and is striving to speed up commercialization of agriculture to increase local household incomes.
The country together with China have been operating the China-Uganda South-South cooperation project over the years through a tripartite agreement with FAO. Through the project, small scale farmers in rural Uganda will benefit from the on-the-farm training to boost production. Chinese technicians and experts will continue to share skills and technology on the agronomic practices with local farmers.
Antonio Querido, UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) country representative told Xinhua in a recent interview that the three parties are working on the third phase of the cooperation project.
Continue reading: https://farmersreviewafrica.com/uganda-boosts-agricultural-commercialization-with-help-of-chinese-technologies/

fter a deadly attack that killed 13 American Marines and more than 100 Afghans at the Kabul airport last month, the U.S. launched drone strikes against members of what it said were ISIS-K, the group responsible for the terrorist attack. The first drone strike was on Friday, Aug. 27, followed by a second attack on Aug. 29. America then proudly took credit for these attacks, in which it used a unique Hellfire missile known sometimes as a “flying Ginsu,” named after the blades it uses to kill its target rather than explosives.
The first attack appeared to demonstrate the precision targeting for which drones are designed. But the attack two days later, on a vehicle suspected to belong to the ISIS-K group, was an utter disaster. Among the victims were 10 members of a single family, including six children between the ages of 2 and 12. Grimly, some of them were waiting for visas to join American evacuation flights; one of them had actually worked for American forces. The weapon that America first unleashed to win the “Global War on Terror” had—not for the first time—let America down.
Drones, particularly Predator and Reaper drones, have played a massive role in the war on terror, enabling the U.S. to fight shadowy enemies with a shadowy weapon system. Washington leaned on drones and drone airstrikes heavily in wars from Afghanistan to Iraq, and in clandestine operations over Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and other parts of Africa. Barack Obama enabled more strikes in his first year in office than George W. Bush in his entire eight-year tenure. Later, the Trump administration would oversee 2,243 strikes. The Predator drone was such a darling for the U.S. Air Force and CIA that one has even found its way into the Smithsonian Museum. The one hanging there is described as “one of the first” of three UAVs to fly operational missions over Afghanistan after 9/11. It went on to fly 196 combat missions in Afghanistan.
Continue reading: https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-post-911-america-set-off-the-worlds-horrific-drone-wars

Every second counts whenever a police department or a fire station receives a 9-1-1 call. Yet, first responders often waste precious time discerning the extent and even the exact location of an emergency situation before having to send resources out to deal with that situation.
Paladin Drones, a small, Houston-based start-up software and drone manufacturing company is offering a solution that dispatches an autonomously operated drone that can fly to the disaster scene in a matter of seconds. Once on the scene, the unmanned aerial vehicle can transmit overhead images of the scene back to a command center and the first responders en-route to the site – all without the need for intervention by a human pilot.
The company recently announced the release of its proprietary Knighthawk drone and its Watchtower software package, which when taken together can offer first responders an “eye in the sky” view of emergency sites.
“We’ve built a full-on platform suite, hardware, software, training, regulations, all put together in one package that gives first responders a live overhead view of an emergency before they arrive,” Paladin CEO and co-founder Divy Shrivastava said in an interview.
Currently, the company, which was launched in 2018, serves two agencies: The Orange Township, Ohio fire department and the Memorial Villages Police Department in Texas. Memorial Villages PD serves the Bunker Hill, Piney Point and Hunters Creek villages, three small cities located on the west side of Houston.
Both agencies have certificates from the Federal Aviation Administration allowing them to fly drones beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS), a crucial part of Paladin’s strategy. To date, the Paladin system has recorded more that 1,600 missions, responding to emergency situations such as structure fires, car break-ins and vehicle accidents.
Continue reading: https://dronelife.com/2021/09/06/drones-for-9-1-1-response-paladin-autonomous-drones-can-be-on-the-scene-in-seconds/

Firefighters, police officers, search and rescue teams and other emergency responders in Oldham County will soon have assistance from eyes in the sky, with several newly acquired drones serving as the key piece of a local Aerial Response Team.
The Oldham County Aerial Response Team is housed out of the Ballardsville Fire and Rescue department in Crestwood.
Ryan Baker, assistant chief of the department, said he and Oldham County Emergency Management Director Jerry Nauert had been in the "planning stage of creating a drone team" for the past three years.
The team finally became a reality thanks to a clay pigeon shoot fundraiser in May that raised more money than expected.
Rogers Group Inc., which has quarries in Oldham and Jefferson counties and is the largest privately owned construction aggregate company in the U.S., supported the Aerial Response Team with roughly $30,000 in proceeds from its charity clay shoot that also helped pay for a picnic for emergency responders and their families.
Brian Dillard, the firm's area vice president, told The Courier Journal that "Rogers Group has always strived to be good industrial neighbors and support the community."
Dillard said proceeds from the clay shoot generated about $45,000, with roughly $30,000 going to the purchase of equipment for the Aerial Response Team.
Continue reading: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/oldham/2021/09/07/oldham-county-aerial-response-team-police-drones-emergency-rescue/5680625001/

The IOTA non-profit and its distributed ledger technology has been named as one of seven providers selected by the Commission to develop the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (ESBI).
Announced in 2018, EU Member States and the European Commission joined forces to form the European Blockchain Partnership (EBP) to work toward blockchain-based services for the benefit of citizens, society and the economy. The Commission explains that the EBSI’s vision is to leverage blockchain to the creation of cross-border services for public administrations and their ecosystems to verify information and make services trustworthy. Since 2020, EBSI has deployed a network of distributed blockchain nodes across Europe, supporting applications focused on selected use-cases. EBSI is the first EU-wide blockchain infrastructure, driven by the public sector.
Continue reading: https://www.finextra.com/newsarticle/38782/iota-tapped-by-eu-to-enable-regions-blockchain-infrastructure

A project to implement a blockchain traceability system for a new fast-growing variety of carp farmed in Bangladesh has been declared a success.
The blockchain software is being trialed by carp farmers in Bangladesh
The project, which was undertaken by ByteAlly Software, in partnership with Bangladesh Aquaculture Activity (BAA), aims to create a traceable environment by gathering market-relevant data from all aquaculture supply chain participants using mobile and web applications.
According to the Chennai-based firm, blockchain technology can instill consumers’ trust in the aquaculture value chain by capturing necessary market-relevant data. Traceability information reveals the provenance of food and helps consumers and retailers avoid inferior quality products.
ByteAlly has performed extensive fieldwork in gathering initial business requirements and analyzing the existing infrastructure. A company representative has personally visited 30 farming facilities to learn about the day-to-day activities, while collaboration with BAA experts has helped them assess the aquaculture value chain.
Continue reading: https://thefishsite.com/articles/bangladesh-blockchain-project-shows-promise

Many businesses invest in cryptocurrency to enhance their operations and payment options
‘It is never too late!’ is a well-said phrase that suits the current state of people who are rethinking their decision to invest in cryptocurrency. In the first half of 2021, cryptocurrency prices, especially bitcoin, went on a roller coaster ride. The price spike has attracted many laymen to try their hand in the cryptocurrency market. But after that when the prices fell again, everybody who invested in digital currency felt insecure and obsolete about their decisions. Some were not even willing to take a dip from the very beginning. But things have changed today. Since the decentralized concept appears to be the fast-raising trend in the financial market, businesses invest in cryptocurrency to enhance their online payment options. An increasing number of companies starting from small businesses to conglomerates are using bitcoin and other digital assets for a host of investment, operational, and transactional purposes. According to a 2020 estimate, over 2,300 businesses in the US accept bitcoin. Although using cryptocurrency to allure more customers is both incentivizing and dangerous, many are jumping into the cryptocurrency market with the belief that they could make it big. At a time when things fall in their place for the digital currency sphere, let’s look at some reasons why businesses should invest in cryptocurrency.
Continue reading: https://www.analyticsinsight.net/10-reasons-why-businesses-should-invest-in-cryptocurrency/

With its mass adoption of new technologies, Africa has the opportunity to create the next disruptive startups and the global leaders of tomorrow.
The effects of the fourth industrial revolution in Africa have been taking everyone by surprise. While all eyes were turned to the US, Europe, and China, Africa was silently growing much faster than anyone anticipated, especially in financial technologies.
The combination of mass adoption of recent technologies in the region, without big monopolies nor outdated infrastructures, creates a never-seen-before opportunity for Africa to create the next disruptive startups and the global leaders of tomorrow.
While the US is busy maintaining a monopolistic financial system, built on old infrastructures and outdated technologies, Africa has the opportunity to build something better, faster, and stronger, without the massive technical debt the US is facing. With many people lacking access to a bank account, Africa has become a mobile-payment first continent, leading the way, just like China does, in that front.
In a ripple effect, the African mobile-payment and fintech ecosystem have unlocked other fields and markets, like e-commerce, which is also rising very fast. So much so that Africa has now the biggest potential for e-commerce in the world. The economic expansion and rising mobile internet penetration rates have created Jumia, its e-commerce giant.
Continue reading: https://african.business/2021/09/finance-services/how-africa-can-lead-the-financial-and-crypto-revolution/

When you think about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and war, you might find yourself thinking about killer robots, like those we have seen in movies such as The Terminator.
In reality, AI and warfare looks quite different from these popularized images, and today we see many countries around the world exploring the use of AI and implementing AI systems into their militaries and defense programs. With this increased interest in AI, there has also been a growing debate about the ethics and legality of using AI in warfare. While there are many concerning aspects about AI being utilized in warfare, one that is particularly troubling, but has also received less attention, is that of biased AI systems.
Examples of biased AI
Certain lessons can be learnt by looking at examples of biased AI in non-military settings. It has become increasingly clear from a number of investigations and studies that the biases that exist within our society will also become embedded into AI. This involves facial recognition programs such as the one developed by Amazon that had little trouble recognizing white men’s faces but was considerably less accurate in identifying Black women and other groups of people. Another example is the program used in US courts which falsely predicted Black individuals to be twice as likely to commit a crime than white individuals. It is clear that biased AI can have serious and real consequences in society.
Continue reading: https://blogs.prio.org/2021/09/artificial-intelligence-warfare-and-bias/

The recent publication of the sixth assessment report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) summarizes the current understanding of climate science in unprecedented detail.
The extensive evidence feeding into the report includes observations collected from across land, ocean and atmosphere, as well as numerous simulations from the latest generation of climate models.
However, in recent years, climate scientists have another tool available to them thanks to rapid advances in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and, particularly, machine learning. In contrast to models that follow a set of explicit and pre-defined rules, machine learning aims towards building systems that can learn and infer such rules based on patterns in data.
As a result, a new line of climate research is emerging that aims to complement and extend the use of observations and climate models. The overall goal is to tackle persistent challenges of climate research and to improve projections for the future.
In our perspective paper, published in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence, we assess current limitations and recent advances of climate models and machine-learning approaches in Earth system science. 
We propose an approach whereby machine learning and climate models are not used as individual tools, but rather as connected “hybrids” that are capable of adaptive evolution and self-validation, while still being able to be interpreted by humans.
Continue reading: https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-how-artificial-intelligence-is-fast-becoming-a-key-tool-for-climate-science

Distribution centers provide a controlled environment that is ideal for testing and proving complex technologies like drones and robots. That's also one reason why DCs are experimenting heavily with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
An independent research survey commissioned by Lucas Systems found that the majority of companies are already using AI in their warehouses and distribution/fulfillment operations. The survey also revealed that operators view cost, complexity, and lack of understanding of how to use AI as key impediments to further investments.
In reality, AI will make it easier and less costly for DCs of all sizes to address warehouse optimization challenges like slotting and workforce planning. And successful use of AI will not require massive investments in data science departments. Here's why.
AI Is A Natural Fit For The DC
Good data is a key to effective AI, and DCs are a good environment for collecting and aggregating historical and real-time data. AI is also a natural fit for DC operational challenges that previously required highly-engineered expert systems that are costly to implement and maintain. 
Continue reading: https://www.supplychaindive.com/spons/5-applications-for-artificial-intelligence-in-the-warehouse-and-distributio/605942/

In the upcoming age of AI, two very different classes of companies appear well-positioned to leverage AI’s capabilities: startup ventures and multi-billion-dollar giant corporations. Promising AI startups are being launched at an increasing pace in areas like health care, finance, retail, media and cross-industry tech, to name a few. And alongside tech giants like Google or Microsoft, traditional large corporations are employing AI to digitalize their business model and processes. Examples of AI-driven automation and augmentation range from automated customer loan approval and smart infotainment systems at car manufacturer Daimler to predictive maintenance at oil and gas behemoth Shell and AI-assisted medical image reading at industrial manufacturer Siemens. Corporate AI innovation is fairly concentrated with the top-10 patenting firms in the world accounting for more than 15% of AI patents in the period 2011 to 2016.
These two breeds of companies — startups and giants — are also building strong partnerships in the field of AI. A recent study reveals that, while in 2013, AI startups were rarely targeted by corporate venture capital (CVC) investment, only five years later these AI startups received more than $5 billion in CVC funding (approx. 10% of all CVC investments). While much of this money is coming from Asian and U.S. tech giants, like Baidu and Google, big non-digital corporations are increasingly making such investments to access startups’ AI talent. Big data and AI talent (e.g., data scientists, machine learning engineers) are two of the most critical resources for building successful AI applications. By combining the innovative talent of AI startups with the vast amounts of process and user data held by giant corporations, strong synergies can be created.
In this field, midsize companies — many of whom are family-controlled — have difficulties keeping up. Earlier research documented how midsize firms were already struggling in last decade’s winner-takes-all economy. That struggle is likely only going to intensify.
Continue reading: https://hbr.org/2021/09/how-midsize-companies-can-compete-in-ai

Artificial intelligence is a technology at heart, but the way it integrates into the enterprise data ecosystem is unlike any tech that has come before. For one thing, AI will be able to do very little right out of the box. To get it to work properly, you have to train it, and it seems that few organizations fully comprehend what a lengthy and complex job that is.
In many ways, we can draw parallels between the introduction of AI today and the introduction of the consumer PC in the early ’80s. The PC, after all, was going to remake life as we know it by managing our budgets, organizing our bills, keeping our shopping lists, helping with homework, and delivering a cornucopia of other surprises. What they didn’t tell us was that we had to perform a little task called data entry before the computer could do all of these magical things. And before long, virtually every house in the developed world had a PC in the corner of the living room gathering dust.
Teaching the bot
AI is not likely to suffer the same fate because it will (or should) have a team of dedicated professionals whose job it is to make it work. But the training process will still take some time, and it may be a while before it produces even marginal results.
Continue reading: https://venturebeat.com/2021/09/06/eager-for-ai-first-you-have-to-train-it/

AI innovation is occurring at a fast clip, with a number of technologies on the “hype cycle” reaching mainstream adoption within two to five years. That’s according to Gartner, which today released a report identifying four trends driving near-term AI innovation in the enterprise. It finds that while the AI industry remains in an “evolutionary state,” technologies including edge AI, computer vision, decision intelligence, and machine learning are poised to have a transformational impact on markets in coming years.
Gartner sees evidence of a trend of companies seeking capabilities beyond what current AI tools can often accomplish. Organizations are focusing on implementation, risk management, and ethics as they look to scale AI initiatives. But data leaders run the risk of failing to realize value from these initiatives if they don’t “prioritize and accelerate” investments in AI technologies at various stages of maturity, Gartner warns.
Responsible AI
Increased trust, transparency, fairness, and auditability of AI technologies continues to be of growing importance to a range of stakeholders, according to Gartner. “Responsible AI” can help to achieve a semblance of fairness, trust, and regulatory compliance — even if biases are baked into the data and explainability methods fall short. For this reason, Gartner expects that all experts hired for AI development and training work will have to demonstrate competence in responsible AI by 2023.
Continue reading: https://venturebeat.com/2021/09/07/ai-focus-shifts-to-small-and-wide-data/

Women have left the labor force in droves and many workers are eyeing the door amid the “great resignation.” It might serve as a warning sign for employers, then, that women feel less valued and less like they belong at work than men do. 
Just one-quarter of workers feel a strong sense of belonging at work right now, according to Achievers’ 2021 Culture Report, which sought input from more than 3,500 employees around the world. Among men, 31% said this, compared to 22% of women. 
“The gender gap in belonging was the largest we found in our data analysis, showing that gender equality continues to be one of the biggest challenges for business leaders,” Achievers Chief Workforce Scientist Dr. Natalie Baumgartner. “Women do not feel the same sense of belonging that men feel and this means they are less likely to be bringing their whole selves to work. This impacts productivity, engagement, commitment and even feeling safe at work.”
A strong sense of belonging is linked to higher engagement, productivity and commitment to the job, Achievers found. When feelings of belonging are lacking, burnout, alienation and underperformance are more likely, research indicates. Lately, burnout has been especially high among women, who are hesitant to approach managers about it.
In the tech industry, executives overwhelmingly believe women and minority employees feel a sense of belonging at their companies, but only one-quarter of these workers actually do, according to a recent report from the Capgemini Research Institute.
Compared to men, women are less comfortable sharing dissenting opinions at work, Achievers found, and less confident employers value their identities and backgrounds. 
Women don’t find employee resource groups as helpful as men do, in terms of fostering feelings of connection to employers, Achievers found. Women are more likely to say their needs aren’t being met by their company’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and the gender pay gap continues to stifle women’s feelings of value at work.
Given the significant loss of women in the workforce as Covid-19 has spread, leaders should put more effort into making sure women feel valued at work, the Achievers report noted.
One simple way to boost employees’ feelings of belonging? Recognition. When surveyed, those who said they were recognized in the past week were nearly twice as likely to have a strong sense of belonging at work. Giving employees chances to contribute and valuing those contributions also builds belonging.
The Achievers report also pointed to diversity’s benefits: Respondents who work at organizations with a diverse group of senior leaders are more likely to say they feel a strong sense of belonging at work. 
Recent research discovered little interruptions at work — “Hey, got a sec?” — can foster a sense of belonging, too. With many still working from home, those moments and spontaneous small talk, which increase workers’ willingness to help coworkers and the company, have been missing. 
Leaders have said maintaining company culture is difficult while everyone has worked remotely, and some workers have felt that, too. Employee functions have been put on hold, and ongoing remote or hybrid plans for some but not all could make employee collaboration more challenging.
Continue reading: https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2021/09/05/gender-gap-belonging-women-men.html

Nicola Mendelsohn, the British advertising executive named Facebook’s vice president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, has been a strong force taking the industry by storm.
She has always been led by her Jewish heritage, with strong values instilled in her at a young age.
“I grew up in Manchester, England, in an Orthodox home in which my parents taught me about tikkun olam, giving to charity and helping people,” Mendelsohn told The Jerusalem Post. “It’s always been a fundamental part of my Jewish life, of my DNA and who I am. It’s something which motivates me in my day-to-day work and which I hope my husband, Jon, and I have instilled in our four children.”
Mendelsohn had her start in a surprisingly different career path, studying English and drama for her bachelor’s degree. She was later inspired by a good friend to pursue advertising and quickly fell in love with the subject. “The creativity, the problem-solving, the innovation, are all skill sets that I have learned and that I continue to draw upon,” she explained. “I’m a believer that your job title doesn’t need to be ‘creative’ to be creative and it can be an integral part of any role. Using past experiences will always bring a new dimension to any role you take on.”
Mendelsohn, the daughter of kosher caterers who started a family business – Celia Clyne Banqueting – has not had it easy. In 2016, she was diagnosed with follicular lymphoma, a rare and incurable form of blood cancer. The diagnosis did not stop her, though. She launched the Follicular Lymphoma Foundation (www.theflf.org) and continued her work.
“I feel grateful to be blessed with a life that I cherish and that there were not big changes that I wanted to make,” she said on the matter. “Work is a huge part of my identity and it’s something that gives me energy rather than saps it.”
The coronavirus pandemic surely has not helped her work, but Mendelsohn says it’s allowed for people to find creative ways to continue pushing forward while also bringing people closer with those they love most.
“I know we’re not out of the woods yet,” she said. “But when I talk to business and community leaders, what I’m hearing most at the moment is optimism. An unmistakable sense of hope. And it’s not just about being able to see COVID in the rearview mirror for the first time for 18 months. It’s also about hanging onto the silver linings – the good stuff we’ve learned during an exceptionally challenging time.”
Continue reading: https://www.jpost.com/50-most-influential-jews/women-in-tech-678121

The world is ever-changing and, so is the sector your business operates in. You don’t just need data to keep track of trends that are shaping the economy – you need the expertise to turn that data into valuable insights and sustainable growth opportunities that will unlock your business’ potential.
In the Absa Insights podcast series, The Money Show’s Bruce Whitfield engages in conversation with the bank's sector experts about investment possibilities in Agriculture, Consumer Goods and Services, Enterprise Supply Development and Telecommunications, Public Sector and, Natural Resources and Energy.
Telecommunication companies are making a huge impact on agriculture and healthcare in Africa.
One of those companies is Mezzanine – which started its journey in the healthcare industry back in 2004 focusing on medical and healthcare opportunities until it was acquired by Vodacom in 2012 as a subsidiary of the Group with a mandate to support markets with the design and development of digital solutions customers in the agricultural and healthcare spaces across Africa.
Envisioning the era of IoT
From leveraging the basic services of feature phones such as SMS, USSD and voice services, the company has evolved into a digital technology market leader that co-creates digital solutions that enable productive societies.

As engineers, we always dream of the impossible. So, we have these cases in mind but what was overwhelming in a positive way was the reach of making these benefits available to resource-limited settings. So naturally, you would think that these very rich digital experiences will be available to the upper end of the market, but the benefit of mobile is really taking these services to the African continent. Jacques de Vos, Chief Executive Officer – Mezzanine

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Free, perfect, and instant delivery of services
For de Vos, the opportunity in leveraging the digital attributes of delivering free, perfect, and instant services to citizens on the content is exponential.
So, how do we leverage these digital attributes to create new value or business models and use these attributes to effectively deliver value and capture value to supporting governments and private enterprises?

The question we’ve asked is, how do we use mobile in combination with digital in bringing that benefits to the last mile. The definition of the last mile in Africa – it’s in the classroom, it’s on the farm, it’s in the clinic, it’s at the workplace. Jacques de Vos, Chief Executive Officer – Mezzanine

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Mobile has really brought these digital attributes to the broader subscriber base across the continent, says de Vos.
"So, how is this technology helping somebody sitting in rural Tanzania who can’t get to town for medical care,” asks The Money Show’s Bruce Whitfield.
In the case of healthcare, Mezzanine has seen digital, and mobile improves the access to health services, the quality of health services and the affordability of accessing those services.
Read more and listen to the podcast: http://www.702.co.za/articles/424621/how-the-internet-of-things-iot-is-connecting-rural-farmers-to-the-world

Many drone pilots today are honing their talents not just for fun, but also for business. Drones can be utilised to capture the aerial beauty of real estate properties, do land surveys, or shoot aerial footage of a live event; the options are unlimited. However, there are factors outside our control, just as there are in any other firm. Accidental liabilities can still occur even if all safety standards and flight practises are followed.
Even if you have other types of business insurance, insuring your drone may be a new concept. It’s critical to understand the features and coverages of a drone insurance policy in order to ensure that your company is protected.
What is Drone Liability Insurance, and how does it work?
Commercial drone insurance is comparable to other types of liability insurance in that it protects you from bodily injury and property damage claims. A drone policy can cover your drone for physical damage to it in addition to liability coverage for harm to other people’s property. The insurance company will pay all losses and costs incurred up to your set limits if your drone is lost or damaged in an accident.
When granting a drone insurance coverage, insurance companies utilise extensive underwriting. In many circumstances, they demand that the drone pilot have maintenance logs, operating manuals, a parts inventory, and proof of training to prove that he or she is a safe pilot. This is done to ensure that your insurer is aware of the risk to your drone, other persons, and the things in your immediate vicinity, as well as the possibility for loss to the insurance provider.
Keep in mind that the safer and more prepared you are, the more likely you are to receive the most affordable drone insurance policy.
Who needs a drone insurance?
There are no conventional norms and regulations for insuring drones because the concept of employing drones for commercial reasons is relatively new. However, because unmanned aerial vehicles are classified as “aircraft” in the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is in charge of regulating their usage.
Even if the government does not require it, commercial drone use necessitates coverage to safeguard your organisation from liability. When flying drones, there are numerous hazards to consider, and your organisation could be exposed to potential liabilities if you don’t have the correct insurance.
Here are a few of the most popular enterprises or industries where a drone insurance policy can be required.

• Home inspectors and real estate agents.
• Engineering and construction companies
• Photographers, videographers, and filmmakers who work for a living
• Officers of the law
• Drone insurance for small and midsize businesses is divided into two categories: hull coverage and liability covers. Choosing the correct drone insurance coverage for the exposure you’ll have from operating your drone depends on the sort of business and your needs assessment teams and emergency response units
• Traffic surveillance, media coverage, and news gathering
• Agriculture, agricultural production, and related businesses
• Businesses that maintain railroads, highways, and structures

Continue reading: https://www.dqindia.com/drone-insurance-need-know/

Balancing medical privacy with ease of access for healthcare professionals is a challenge, but technology could provide the solution, says Aleph Zero Foundation’s Matthew Niemerg.
Most people don’t think of healthcare when they hear blockchain, and that’s understandable; the technology so far hasn’t gone much beyond financial instruments – at least, not in the eyes of the public. However, with the current state of affairs in healthcare, the time has come for change. And blockchain may well be at the heart of it.
One of the most challenging problems in the health-care industry is balancing people’s medical privacy with ease of access to medical history via electronic health records (EHRs). EHRs need to adhere to any mandated privacy laws which are distinct from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Data standards across the myriad of solutions also poses a challenge as well.
If appropriately implemented, blockchain-based medical records systems of tomorrow could be far more accurate, secure and accessible than the one-size-fits-all approach applied to today’s electronic health records, all while putting additional power back in the hands of the patients. Here’s how.
The state of medical records today
The complexities and deficiencies of modern medical systems worldwide have strained healthcare professionals for decades. A transition to electronic health records, with opportunities for cost savings and reduced medical errors being the two primary benefits of an electronic-based system, made it hard to argue that a paper-based health record system longer held any merit.
Yet over time, EHRs have failed to live up to expectations, instead becoming the leading cause of physician burnout. This comes from a variety of issues linked to these systems, but there is a big one of note. Many practitioners have expressed the feeling that EHRs cause far too much of their time ultimately being spent on data entry. This takes away from other important aspects of tending to clients and can even eat into the physician’s personal time. Additionally, issues such as poor quality documentation due to template-based reporting, and incompatibilities between different systems have further caused headaches and increased inefficiencies.
“Despite its failings, the EHR remains the central tool for capturing the plethora of new streams of data bubbling through health care”
Furthermore, EHR vendors have been sued for selling non-functioning products to hospitals and accused of acts of fraud, and although EHRs improved safety in some areas, they also introduce new risks systemic in nature. Kaiser Health News and Fortune detail these and other shortcomings in Death by 1,000 clicks: where electronic health records went wrong.
In many ways though, despite its failings, the electronic health record (EHR) remains the central tool for capturing the plethora of new streams of data bubbling through health care, which is increasingly influencing clinical practice as well as pharma trials. Data such as phenotype measures, patient-reported outcomes, baseline genomic data, claims data and more needs to be captured, relying on the ability of all participants involved to properly use the electronic record-keeping systems, which is the biggest challenge on how well the system performs.
This is where the benefits of blockchain technology are frequently discussed and there is widespread agreement that its role could transform drug development and the supply chain, clinical trials management, the delivery of healthcare to patients and much more. Finally, there is now a compelling reason for blockchain’s implementation in life sciences, here’s why.
Blockchain: The ultimate electronic health record
Blockchain technology, popularised by cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, stands to hold the keys to a much more comprehensive and secure system of medical records. This is possible because of what a blockchain inherently is: a ledger cryptographically enforced to ensure the integrity of the data on it. When put to work on securing medical data, blockchain can store information in a way that is accessible to anyone on the network, completely immutable, and tamper-proof.
Blockchain-based electronic health records would give doctors and nurses control over the flow of information from a single, trusted platform. Everyone would be able to see the same data, and all updates would be visible to the whole network almost immediately. This means that medical teams can trust that what they learn about a patient is both accurate and up to date.
“One of the critical pieces of technology that can make this all possible is already in the pockets of much of the population – mobile devices”
There are various ways that a system like this could potentially be implemented in hospitals and doctors’ offices worldwide. But one of the critical pieces of technology that can make this all possible is already in the pockets of much of the population – mobile devices. Phones and similar devices now have the power and communication abilities to monitor an individual’s vitals and be an access point for both inputting and retrieving data.
Already many citizens use their phones or smartwatches to keep tabs on their movement, calorie intake, and even mental health, to name a few. Hence, blockchain enables an evolution of these types of services. Putting all forms of health monitoring into a single, standard platform accessible to health professionals streamlines the operation and allows for better oversight on the quality of care being provided. Backing up the information with blockchain means that once data is inputted, it cannot be tampered with or altered really in any way. Through blockchain-based electronic health records, it may even be feasible – in certain situations – to incentivise healthier life choices through a gamified and rewards system. Incorporating such a model would help elevate some of the pressure on publicly funded healthcare systems as patients start adopting healthier lifestyles.
Continue reading: https://pharmaphorum.com/digital/blockchain-healthcare-electronic-medical-records/

Blockchain technology provider Coadjute has announced further progress with estate agency software vendors as it ramps up its efforts to connect the disparate parts of the home-moving process. Claiming to halve the time it takes to move home, it has announced Agent Hub, Power Bespoke, Rex and Veco by Eurolink will all join existing providers, including conveyancing case management providers Osprey and Redbrick Solutions, in their digital network.
Coadjute is a real-time network to speed up property transactions. Launched in July, it is the world’s first digital network to seamlessly connect the property market and give a synchronised view, end-to-end. All parties involved in a property deal – including the estate agent, conveyancer, mortgage lender and broker – will be able to track the live progress of the transaction from start to finish, from their existing software.
Coadjute’s technology acts as a ‘national grid’ for the property market, and will enable future innovations including digital identity, digital titles, and even digital settlement of funds. The use of blockchain technology will provide greater transparency, a reduced risk of fraud and an accelerated process with significantly less admin. Conveyancers will be able to protect sensitive client data by Coadjute’s encrypted network, which only the conveyancer and the receiving party can see.
The announcement follows similar links with platforms Dezrez, MRI, OpenView (VTUK), Reapit. Coadjute now claim the “majority of UK estate agents” and a “growing number of conveyancers” are set to be connected to the network; a key milestone in the digital transformation of the UK housing market.
Steve Dawkins, Chief Relationship Officer at Coadjute said

“By connecting their existing CRM software platforms to other parties in the property market, Coadjute delivers real efficiencies to busy Estate Agents who have better things to do. Our encrypted network enables them to securely share sensitive client data with ease, cutting time chasing for updates and making more time for revenue generating activity. We are proud to welcome Agent Hub, Power Bespoke, Rex and Veco to the rapidly expanding Coadjute community”.

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Agent Hub’s Ashley McKella added

“Agent Hub is all about innovation and future-proofing. As a Salesforce partner, we offer unrivalled technology in sizable chunks and now partnering with Coadute will further help us demonstrate that. As we’ve seen it is now more important than ever before for not only individuals but also for businesses to unite by joining forces and bring their innovation together and work in partnerships. I’m very much looking forward to being part of the journey.”

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Continue reading: https://www.todaysconveyancer.co.uk/main-news/blockchain-making-progress-in-agency-market/

The blockchain technology has been an innovation pertinent to our digital age. When most transactions are offering digitally blockchain provides a secure and more efficient way of transacting money e anywhere across the world without any hassle.
What is the application of the blockchain technology in peer-to-peer transactions? How is it used in this new form of digital currency? These are some of the important questions that we should answer in order to understand how the crypto infrastructure works.
Cryptocurrency is powered by a new model of decentralized ledger that is also known as the blockchain. In the current article, we will explore how blockchain and cryptocurrency are related.
Bitcoin and cryptocurrency
Bitcoin is the first cryptocurrency ever developed. In 2009 Satoshi Nakamoto created this new digital currency which would allow users to make transactions without the mediation of any financial institutions.
Bitcoin was the first real-life application of a ledger technology that is known as the blockchain. It was followed by a number of new cryptocurrencies like Ethereum Litecoin, Ripple, etc. today there are thousands of cryptocurrencies that have improvised on the existing infrastructure laid down by Bitcoin. These new cryptocurrencies offer more features and have lower transaction times than their predecessors.
The Bitcoin is considered a better alternative to a fiat currency because:

1. The ledger system used in Bitcoin is more efficient than the traditional ledger used in banks and other financial institutions.
2. The blockchain ledger is maintained by smart contract technology, unlike the traditional legacy system which is manually maintained. This decreases the time needed for transactions. Cross-border transactions usually take up to 2 to 3 days through banks. With Bitcoin, it is possible to make a similar transaction in a few minutes.
3. Because the Bitcoin ledger is maintained by the smart contract technology it is susceptible to accounting errors. does problems like double spending which is a common issue of the traditional ledger system can we avoid it through the blockchain ledger.
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   Continue reading: https://www.techiexpert.com/the-relationship-between-bitcoin-and-blockchain-mutually-beneficial/

Since the launch of Bitcoin in 2009, the blockchain and crypto space has struggled to solve the blockchain tri-lemma problem, which simply states no blockchain is able to achieve all three of decentralization, security, and scalability at once.
Proof of work (PoW) chains have suffered most on scalability, proof of stake (PoS) on centralization etc. In an effort to solve the problem, blockchain developers are now working out ways to achieve all three, without sacrificing any of the properties.
Is Decentralization Being Ignored?
In the haste to build better features for blockchains, many developers are selecting scalability and security over decentralization, an important feature for some of the users in the space. Satoshi envisioned a platform that totally removes any aspects of a central authority controlling the network, no single point of failure and no censorship while maintaining resilience to any external attacks.
As the blockchain field’s total market capitalization soared to a $2 trillion industry, every single cryptocurrency project is foregoing decentralization by choosing to build scalability and security features on the network, sacrificing some or all of their decentralization properties.
Take a look at Bitcoin today. Building its name off decentralization, Bitcoin has backtracked into centralization gradually through its mining processes. Simply put, a group of users (miners) is paid to verify transactions and find new blocks for the rest of the community. This has inevitably led to partial centralization of the network as the blockchain’s hashing power is distributed amongst a few companies or individuals.
Problems with Miner-Centric Proof-of-Work (POW) Chains
As alluded to, proof-of-work chains such as Bitcoin essentially rely on a relatively small number of users (running full nodes) to keep the network safe. These nodes accept valid transactions and keep away bad actors from sending through invalid transactions. However, most of these nodes are not responsible for creating new blocks – a task left for miners – but only validating transactions.
Miners are even more centralized than the node operators. For instance, the top nine Bitcoin mining pools control over 55% of the total mining powerof the network, which gives them absolute power over the network if they choose to collaborate, nothing would stop them from taking over the network. These miners are the deciding factor of which valid transactions actually make it into a block or not, and only this small group is involved in ensuring the liveliness of the network and the prevention of censorship attacks.
You can already sense the lack of decentralization in all of this. If the miners are coerced or paid to disrupt the Bitcoin blockchain, there could be serious consequences that would even render the blockchain useless. This is the case for all blockchains, whether they use PoW or proof-of-stake (PoS), or any other paid consensus.
Continue reading: https://www.coinspeaker.com/blockchain-decentralization-fade-away-security-scalability-take-centerstage/

PETALING JAYA: The ability of artificial intelligence (AI) to process a huge amount of data makes it an important enabler in ultimately helping humans drive better outcomes.
“We see customers struggling with this,” said US-based software firm ServiceNow’s IT Transformation Solution Lead for Asia, Daniel Ng at the August CxO Virtual Dialogue.
“When customers see AI as a technology instead of an enabler, they will typically ask: ‘Have you incorporated AI into this process and that process?’ when they should be asking what are the problems that AI is being deployed on to solve.”
The CxO Virtual Dialogue, sponsored by The Star and ServiceNow, addressed the subject of “Enhancing IT Services and Operations with the Power of AI”.
It featured insights from Ng and Forrester’s principal analyst Achim Granzen, who said that workers should be given more time to do greater value-added work, something that AI can help drive.
“This is where AI comes in, enabling an IT team to quickly enhance their knowledge and drive greater solutions by having all the complex and ample data analysis ready on tap, so they can start problem solving immediately,” he added.
During the discussion, a telecommunications company executive stated that when looking at big digitisation, automation and AI, one must be underpinned by three things – business strategy, technology literacy of the top management and the need for an open data access.
“The only way to deliver value to the customer is if the business understands how the technology translates to value,” said the executive.
“ServiceNow as a platform has always had an open data access capability. Data can be accessed via open APIs documented within ServiceNow documentation and the Common Services Data Model (CSDM),” Ng said.
“ServiceNow CSDM is a critical framework for customers and partners to leverage the full benefit of ServiceNow products on the Now Platform. Think of CSDM as the blueprint to map and transform your IT services.”
When addressing the challenges of new technology adoption and implementation, a senior executive with a financial institution shared that a lot of failures have been observed.
The executive continued that the infrastructure and people are often not prepared for the outcome when embarking on large-scale change projects.
Continue reading: https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2021/09/06/artificial-intelligence-offers-greater-solutions

Cybercriminals are using artificial intelligence (AI) to evolve the sophistication of attacks at a rapid pace. In response, an increasing number of organisations are also adopting the technology as part of their cybersecurity strategies. According to research conducted in Mimecast’s State of Email Security Report 2021, 39 per cent of organisations are utilising AI to bolster their email defences.
Although we’re still in the early phases of these technologies and their application to cybersecurity, this is a rising trend. Businesses using advanced technologies such as AI and layered email defences, while also regularly training their employees in attack-resistant behaviours, will be in the best possible position to sidestep future attacks and recover quickly. 
Mimecast is integrating AI capabilities to help halt some of cybersecurity’s most pervasive threats. Take the use of tracking pixels in emails, for example, which both BBC and ZDNet have called ‘endemic’. Spy trackers embedded in emails have become ubiquitous – often by marketers but also, increasingly, by cybercriminals looking to gather information to weaponise highly targeted business email compromise attacks.  
Mimecast’s CyberGraph uses machine learning, a subset of AI, to block these hard-to-detect email threats, thus limiting reconnaissance and mitigating human error. CyberGraph disarms embedded trackers and uses machine learning and identity graph technologies to detect anomalous malicious behaviour. Because the AI is continually learning, it requires no configuration, thus lessening the burden on IT teams and reducing the likelihood of unsafe misconfiguration. Plus, as an add-on to Mimecast Email Security, CyberGraph offers differentiated capability integrated into an existing secure email gateway, streamlining your email security strategy.
Continue reading: https://www.technologyrecord.com/Article/artificial-intelligence-is-the-future-of-cybersecurity-125678

Predictive analytics is bringing smarter insights and better efficiency into many areas of our lives, even if we aren’t always aware of it. Take healthcare, for example, a sector that has been firmly in the spotlight in recent months. Scientists have recently combined self-reported symptoms data and artificially intelligent (AI) modeling to predict which early signs of COVID-19 can be used for faster detection.
Interest in using data stores to identify useful patterns is also sparking growing commercial interest. Companies that have watched leading players such as Amazon harness AI engines to fuel ever-more refined product suggestions are starting to see these advanced tools as a potential solution to many issues. That includes not only tackling ongoing struggles with delivering personalized digital experiences but also doing so without third-party cookies. 
Data privacy has been climbing up the business agenda for years, with regulations and restrictions constantly bringing fresh customer connection challenges. As access to third-party cookies fades, predictive technologies offer an opportunity to use first-party data as the basis for building marketing and advertising strategies that operate effectively in a privacy-centric world.
Going cookie-free means doing more with less   
Companies have spent 20 years tapping real-time data signals from third-party providers to find, match, and reach relevant audiences with targeted digital advertising. So, it follows that reconfiguring this long-running system is a huge undertaking — one even Google looks to have underestimated — which will mean major changes for traditional data practices.
Among the biggest shifts will be adapting to lower data availability. Recognizing the need to create new data frameworks, organizations are turning their gaze towards alternative, direct sources – with over half of global ad execs set to increase the use of first-party data. But while this approach has many benefits, including continued access to privacy-safe insight, it’s also likely data volumes will fall as the amount of information shared by users varies. 
Ensuring future success, therefore, depends on achieving more with less. Google, for example, has already shown one way that predictive tools can optimize existing assets. Drawing on anonymized browsing data, its Federated Learning of Cohorts (FloC) proposal applies AI modeling to sort users into targetable segments in line with specific interests. By leveraging these types of predictive technologies, firms can maximize their own first-party data value without necessarily strengthening their ties to walled gardens.
Predicting a path to better targeting 
As wider data management solutions develop AI capabilities, there is growing potential for businesses to make better use of the data they own. 
For starters, AI-supported processing powers instant consolidation and analysis of diverse data sets. Providing a granular view of unique needs, tastes, and preferences for consenting users, these smart developments allow accurate profiling and highly tailored experiences. 
Continue reading: https://bdtechtalks.com/2021/09/05/predictive-ai-customer-connection/