Radio-Frequency Identification

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. The tags contain electronically stored information. Passive tags collect energy from a nearby RFID reader's interrogating radio waves. Active tags have a local power source (such as a battery) and may operate hundreds of meters from the RFID reader. Unlike a barcode, the tag need not be within the line of sight of the reader, so it may be embedded in the tracked object. RFID is one method of automatic identification and data capture (AIDC).  RFID tags are used in many industries.

 For example, an RFID tag attached to an automobile during production can be used to track its progress through the assembly line; RFID-tagged pharmaceuticals can be tracked through warehouses; and implanting RFID microchips in livestock and pets enables positive identification of animals. Since RFID tags can be attached to cash, clothing, and possessions, or implanted in animals and people, the possibility of reading personally-linked information without consent has raised serious privacy concerns. These concerns resulted in standard specifications development addressing privacy and security issues. ISO/IEC 18000 and ISO/IEC 29167 use on chip cryptography methods for untraceability, tag and reader authentication, and over-the-air privacy. 

ISO/IEC 20248 specifies a digital signature data structure for RFID and barcodes providing data, source and read method authenticity. This work is done within ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31 Automatic identification and data capture techniques. Tags can also be used in shops to expedite checkout, and to prevent theft by customers and employees. In 2014, the world RFID market was worth US$8.89 billion, up from US$7.77 billion in 2013 and US$6.96 billion in 2012. This figure includes tags, readers, and software/services for RFID cards, labels, fobs, and all other form factors. The market value is expected to rise to US$18.68 billion by 2026.

Technology will play a bigger role in improving workplace wellness

The changes rocking the workplace--driven by new technologies, a tight labor market, and the exponential growth of employee data and tools to make sense of it--are showing no signs of letting up. At the same time, employees are under more pressure than ever before, with a recent Gallup poll finding 44 percent report feelings of burnout at work.

In 2019, technologies designed with empathy in mind--that augment the human touch, rather than overpower or direct it--will come to the forefront as employers increasingly prioritize the holistic wellness of their people as the foundational way to improve their organization. Specifically, we will see businesses go beyond basic wellness programs, and increasingly turn to transformative technologies that improve workplace wellness through a true understanding of the employee experience.

Maturing technologies like A.I. and natural language processing will help companies instantly understand their employee's day to day lives, including critical qualitative insights like how they feel and why. As you can't fix what you can't measure, this will directly lead to actionable insights that actually improve organizations, not just drown them in more data.

Flashnotes

Flashnotes works a reference tool for college students that are looking for additional help while studying for a variety of college courses. Flashnotes can also be a way for students to make extra money during their college years. Students interested in sharing their notes must create an account with the site. Then, they can upload as many notes as they want, and set their own price for each set of notes. If the notes are sold, the student keeps 70% of the price of the notes, while Flashnotes keeps the other 30%.

 Once the notes have been uploaded to the site, other students with an account can browse through all of the notes available at their school, narrow the search by course number or subject, or even search through all of the notes available from students at other colleges and universities throughout the country. Flashnotes allows students to upload their lecture notes and sell them to other students who need more help or resources. The rating system allows the best note takers to get more business and the general pool of knowledge expands as students continue to share their work with one another.

Flashnotes is currently being used to buy and sell notes at 367 colleges and universities throughout the United States and Bishop's University in Sherbrooke, Quebec.  The user is the first person to upload notes from their school, that college or university will be added to the list of schools as soon as the notes have been uploaded.

Study Blue

StudyBlue is the largest crowdsourced study library, with over 400 million flashcards, notes and study guides from students like you. Make and share study materials, search for recommended study content from classmates, track progress, set reminders, and create custom quizzes. Join 15 million students on StudyBlue to study better, together. Study Blue’s main attraction is that it is mobile. Whether standing in line for coffee, riding the train, or waiting at the dentist, a student can easily access their class work and prepare for an exam.

The StudyBlue is a flash card-creation and -sharing app targeted at high school and college students. Content syncs between the Web and mobile devices, which means you can create two-sided flash cards and study at home, at school, or on the go. StudyBlue is an online studying platform for high school and college students. The website allows users to upload class study materials, create electronic flashcards to study and share with others, and practice quizzes.

            Imagine your smartphone as your primary source for study materials. This company has created an app that allows students to organize their coursework, store notes and flashcards, and share their materials with other students. The social aspect also helps students find other people studying similar subjects, capitalizing on a different set of notes and study guides.

On-Device AI Will Start to Shift the Conversation About Data Privacy

One of the least understood aspects of using tech-based devices, mobile applications, and other cloud-based services is how much of our private, personal data is being shared in the process—often without our even knowing it. Over the past year, however, we’ve all started to become painfully aware of how big (and far-reaching) the problem of data privacy is. As a result, there’s been an enormous spotlight placed on data handling practices employed by tech companies. Over the next year, I expect to see many more hardware and component makers take this to the next level by talking not just about their on-device data security features, but also about how on-board AI can enhance privacy.

At the same time, expectations about technology’s ability to personalize these apps and services to meet our specific interests, location, and context have also continued to grow. People want and expect technology to be “smarter” about them, because it makes the process of using these devices and services faster, more efficient, and more compelling. The dilemma, of course, is that to enable this customization requires the use of and access to some level of personal data, usage patterns, etc.

Starting in 2019, more of the data analysis work could start being done directly on devices, without the need to share all of it externally, thanks to the AI-based software and hardware capabilities becoming available on our personal devices. Specifically, the idea of doing on-device AI inference (and even some basic on-device training) is now becoming a practical reality thanks to work by semiconductor-related companies like Qualcomm, Arm, Intel, Apple, and many others.

Tech Industry Regulation in the US Becomes Real

Regardless of whether major social media firms and tech companies enable these on board AI capabilities or not, it’s clear to me that we’ve reached a point in the US social consciousness that tech companies managing all this personal data need to be regulated. While I’ll be the first to admit that the slow-moving government regulatory process is ill-matched to the rapidly evolving tech industry, that’s still not an excuse for not doing anything. As a result, in 2019, I believe the first government regulations of the tech industry will be put into place, specifically around data privacy and disclosure rules.

It’s clear from the backlash that companies like Facebook have been receiving that many consumers are very concerned with how much data has been collected not only about their online activities, but their location, and many other very specific (and very private) aspects of their lives. Despite the companies’ claims that we gave over most all of this information willingly (thanks to the confusingly worded and never read license agreements), common sense tells us that the vast majority of us did not understand or know how the data was being analyzed and used.

Legislators from both parties recognize these concerns, and despite the highly polarized political climate, are likely going to easily agree to some kind of limitations on the type of data that’s collected, how it’s analyzed, and how it’s ultimately used. Whether the US builds on Europe’s GDPR regulations, the privacy laws instated in California last year, or something entirely different remains to be seen, but now that the value and potential impact of personal data has been made clear, there’s no doubt we will see laws that control the valued commodity that it is.

For Blockchain and B2B, real transaction volumes will start to flo

Block chain in the B2B world has been all hype with no significant transaction volume, but there are signs that this will change in 2019. To deal with cash flow, financing, settlements, and other ways of sharing value at scale, you need to get past the current hour-by-hour volatility and ensure a stable medium of exchange. The emergence of mature stable coin players such as True USD (backed by IBM and others), USD coin (backed by Goldman Sachs and IDG) and DAI stable coin (an algorithmic stable coin) signals the start of a transition from a floating bubble crypto-economy to an internet of value tethered to the established economy. 

Many industry leaders have already achieved significant business benefits, including greater transparency, enhanced security, improved traceability, increased efficiency and speed of transactions, and reduced costs. Competitive advantages like transaction processing speed, convenience, and access will no longer be enough to retain customers, and B2B payments players will have to start evaluating more service driven benchmarks such as a frictionless user experience and interface that is both convenient and accessible.

Intuitive and responsive platforms that can be highly customized will become the frontrunners in this crowded space in the coming years. In addition, after years of talk and discussions, it seems that Ethereum and Bitcoin are implementing architectural changes to address the scalability challenges that have been considered a barrier to widespread adoption. For B2B blockchain use, 2019 could be a significant year.

Technology will play a bigger role in improving workplace wellness

The changes rocking the workplace--driven by new technologies, a tight labor market, and the exponential growth of employee data and tools to make sense of it--are showing no signs of letting up. At the same time, employees are under more pressure than ever before; with a recent Gallup poll finding 44 percent report feelings of burnout at work.

In 2019, technologies designed with empathy in mind--that augment the human touch, rather than overpower or direct it--will come to the forefront as employers increasingly prioritize the holistic wellness of their people as the foundation way to improve their organization. Specifically, we will see businesses go beyond basic wellness programs, and increasingly turn to trans-formative technologies that improve workplace wellness through a true understanding of the employee experience.

 Maturing technologies like A.I. and natural language processing will help companies instantly understand their employee's day to day lives, including critical qualitative insights like how they feel and why. As you can't fix what you can't measure, this will directly lead to actionable insights that actually improve organizations, not just drown them in more data.