Lindh CEO
Automation 2022
Top 7 Trends in the Automation Industry
21st Century Workforce
Artificial Intelligence,Automation, and the Future of Workx
RANDEK
Ola
Johan Larsholm Owner/Marke ng Manager
TheExponentsofEvolution
Wehearpeoplecomplainthesedaysthat
everythingisbecomingautomated.Therobots aretakingourjobsaway TheAIiscomingfor usall!The'TerminatorScenario,'andallthatdoomand gloom.
Thedebateof'willAIautomateourjobsaway?'isheating upbytheday.Butwithoutthrowingcautiontothewind,I thinkthatweshouldnotbescaredofthisprocessof widescaleautomation.Afterall,thisisjustevolution runningitscourse.Wearecreatingartificialmindsthatcan accomplishastonishingfeatssothatourmindsandbodies don'thaveto.Mindsthatarenotlimitedbyourphysicality, ourtendencytoerr,ourbiology,oreventheexistential dreadwhichwecall'thehumancondition.'
Thisisthetransformationthatautomationpromises,andit isspeedingupatanexponentialrate.Fromimproving workplaceefficiencytoaidingincompletingprojectson time,fromdeliveringproductstoenhancingthecustomer experience,automationisprovingtobeacolossaldisruptor inbusinessesarenas.
Theadvantagesofautomationareabundant.Automation reducestime,effort,andcost,improvingtheoperational efficiencyofbusinesses.Recurringtaskscanbecompleted faster.Optimallyautomatedprocessesensurehigh-quality resultsastheaspectofhumanerrorisminimal.
Repetitivetaskscanbecomeboringandtedious.Acompany canallocatemoreengagingactivitiestoitsemployeesby automatingtasks,thusupliftingemployeesatisfaction. Happieremployees,efficientoperations,andsuperior qualityofworkallenableteamstofocusonimproving customersatisfaction.
Thisisthemodernworkforce,andautomationcompanies aretheforemostchampionsleadingtheevolution.These companiesusesoftwareapplicationstoautomatebusiness processessoastonotwastehumanefforttodomundane tasks,freeingthehumanintellecttofocusonmore importanttasksandresponsibilities.
Today,thewidespreadadoptionofindustrialautomationis witnessingsteadygrowthwiththedawnofexcitingnew trendssuchasIndustry4.0,IoT,5G,smartdevices,andthe highdemandforlarge-scalemassproductionacrossvarious industries.Sufficedtosay,thedemandforautomation companiesisatanall-timehigh.
MeetingthisdemandisRandek–apioneerincreating innovativeautomationsolutionsforcustomerswithinthe prefabricatedhousemanufacturingindustry.Oneofthe world'sleadingsuppliersofhigh-performancemachines, Randekprimarilyleveragesitstechnologytobuildthemost advancedandsustainablebuildings!
Anotheremergingnameintheautomationindustry,AXYN Robotique,isonthemissiontoputroboticsattheservice ofhumans,everywhereandinallcircumstances.The company's'telepresencerobots'allowpeopletoattain ubiquity;peoplecanbevirtuallypresentatmultipleplaces inproximityoftheirlovedonesandcollaborators.
Fizyrsportsaworld-classautomated'pick&place' softwareforitemsandparcels.Itistrustedbymorethan20 globalleadingintegratorstobuildrobustpickingad stackingcellsusingFizyrvisionsoftwareproduct.
InthisspecialeditionofInsightsSuccessmagazine,'10 MostDisruptiveAutomationCompaniestoWatch,'we arehonoredtofeaturethestoriesofsuchenterprisesleading theevolutionofthemodernworkforceandproviding uniqueautomationsolutionstobusinessesandindustries alike.Also,besuretocheckouttheinterestingarticles writtenbyourdedicatedin-houseeditorialteam.
So,sitback,relax,takeabreakfromyourmemes,andput yourphoneonsilent.Becauseitsgoingtobeagreatread!
- Aditya Umale
C O N T E N T S CoverStory
Building the Future with Disruptive Technologies
Editor-in-Chief Pooja M Bansal
Anish Miller Senior Editor
Managing Editor
Abhishaj Sajeev
Art & Design Assistant Visualiser David King
Art & Design Head
Co-designer
Rohil Shinganapurkar
Paul
Mrunalinee Deshmukh
Sherin Rodricks Business Development Manager
Marketing Manager Joseph D'souza
Business Development Executives
Kelly, David
Technical Head Jacob Smile
Assistant Technical Head
Technical Consultants Prachi, Rajeshwari
Digital Marketing Manager Alina Sege
Assistant Digital Marketing Manager Renuka Kulkarni
SME-SMO Executives Gemson
Research Analyst Eric Smith
Circulation Manager Tanaji
sales@insightssuccess.com
February, 2022
Featuring Brief CompanyName
AXYNRobotics axyn.fr
CLXEngineering clxengineering.com
doks.Innovation doks-innovation.com
FizyrB.V. fizyr.com
InverterDrive Supermarket inverterdrive.com
PhoenixContact phoenixcontact.com
PowerAutomationPteLtd pa.com.sg
RandekAB randek.com
RonanEngineering ronan.com
FrankAnjeaux FounderandCEO
AxynRobotiqueisaFrench-basedstart-upcreatedaroundthe projectofproposinginnovativeroboticsolutionstothemany
KevinWilcox President
MikeBecker,CofounderandSenior SoftwareDeveloperand ChristianSproedt, StrategicSalesManager
HerbertTenHave CEO
ColinGibson Director
FrankStührenberg CEO
BenjaminTay CEO
JohanLarsholm, Owner/Marketing ManagerandOla Lindh,CEO
MikeZaharna CEO
CLXEngineeringspecializesincustomengineeredsoftware andcontrolsystems.Overtheyears,thecompanyhasprovento itsclientsthatitiscustomer-focused,abletoinnovatenew solutionsandremaincost-effective.
doks.innovationoptimizesinventoryprocessesinintralogistics withmoderntechnology,forexampledrones,andsoftwarethat processesvisualdata.
Fizyrdesigns,builds,andinstallsastandardizedcomputervisionsoftwarethatdetectsunknownobjectsvaryinginshape, size,colour,materialorstacking.
TheInverterDriveSupermarketisanIndustrialAutomation Distributorspecialisinginstartersandspeedcontrollersfor electricmotors-specificallyACVariableFrequencyInverter, DCThyristorandServoDrivesaswellasSoftStarters,motors andancillarycomponents.
PhoenixContactistheglobalmarketleaderandinnovatorfor electrification,networking,andautomationonthepathtoa smartworld.
PowerAutomationisajointventureformedin1996betweenSP GroupandSiemens,providinginnovativeandcutting-edge technologiesthathelptodeliverPowerSystemControl, SubstationAutomation,SmartGridandMetering,andProtection Systems.
Randekisapioneerincreatinginnovativeautomationsolutions forcustomerswithintheprefabricatedhousemanufacturing industry
Ronanprovidesindustry-changinginstrumentationthatmakes industrialplantoperationssaferandmoreefficient
Turck turck.com
MichaelGürtner MD
Turckisyourglobalautomationpartnerforautomating factories,processesandlogisticsacrossnumerousindustries.
Building the Future with Disruptive Technologies
“Randek has products from manual systems to fully automatic ones. It has a robust technology platform (software, mechanical design, etc.) developed over decades and a strong market presence.
“
The 10 Most Disrup ve Automa on Companies to Watch Volume 1
Littledidanyofusimaginethatthesci-fimovies wewatchedinchildhoodwouldbecomea reality.Butitisafactthatwearewitnessing emergingtechnologiesineverysectoreveryday,andthe saying,‘swimagainstthetide,’cannotbeappliedhereif youwanttobesuccessful.Theautomationindustryisno exceptiontothisfact.
Technologyhasmadeonethingloudandclearforthe automationindustry-ifmanufacturerswanttohavea strongholdinIndustry4.0revolution,itisimperativeto incorporatetechnologieslikeartificialintelligence, machinelearning,andthelike.
AheadoftheraceintheautomationindustryisRandek, apioneerincreatinginnovativeautomationsolutionsfor itscustomers.Wehadtheopportunitytolearnmore abouthowthecompanyisleveragingtechnologiesto deliveritsbestandstandoutoftheherd.
TheUSP
Randekalwayshadaglobalfocus,withthestrongest beinginEurope,NorthAmerica,andAustralia.Ithasthe highestcapacityandautomationlevelforwalls(auto wall,zerolaboursystem),floors(autofloorsystem),roof trusses(AutoEyeTrussSystem).Itisatechnologyleader inthebusiness.Thecompany’slatestlaunchZeroLabor System3.0isevenmoreautomaticandadaptiveto producebuildingcomponentsinsteelandtimberframes. Videohere:RandekZeroLabor3.0-YouTube
GeneralRandekdelivershigh-qualitysolutions.The company’semployeesaredown-to-earthpeopleowingto whichitiseasytodobusinesswiththem.TheirUSP includesdevelopingmachinestogetherwithcustomers.
Randekhasproductsfrommanualsystemstofully automaticones.Ithasarobusttechnologyplatform (software,mechanicaldesign,etc.)developedover decadesandastrongmarketpresence.
Ola Lindh CEO
Although we need to visit customers, many activities are solved using online services. The pandemic in the long term has increased the demand for automation even more. ,, ,,
EstablishingaStronghold
RandekRoboticsisthecompany’staskforceforrobotic solutions.Thissubsidiaryalliancecompanyhasgrownin innovationandhasofferedcompleteroboticsolutionsfor industrialcompaniesfor20years.Thecustomersare mainlywithinthehousingindustry
Simplicity,security,higheroutput,andproductivityhave beeninstrumentalinincreasingprofitabilityandmaking Randek’sserviceunique.
Randekhasdevelopedandmanufacturedhighperformancemachinesandsystemsforprefabricating walls,floors,ceiling,rooftrusses,cutsaws,butterfly turningtables,andspecializedmachinerysincethe 1940s.
Today,90percentofRandek’sproductionisbeing exportedfromitsfactoryinFalkenberg.
Besides,ahigh-performingteamacrosstheRandek familyiscurrentlydevelopingcustomizedhighperformancesolutionsforprefabricatinghouse manufacturersacrossfourcontinentsandfortycountries.
TheTorchbearers
OlaLindh,CEO,andJohanLarsholm, Owner/MarketingManager,havealongexperiencein thisbusinessandhavebeenactiveatRandekformany years.OlastartedhiscareeratRandekasadesign managerandhasbeenCEOforapproximately10years.
BeatingthePandemic’sChallenges
Likeeveryothersector,theCOVID-19pandemicthrew challengesattheautomationindustry,andRandekwas noexception.Butthecompanydidnotgiveupinthe faceofchallengesandhassustainedoperationswhile
Johan Larsholm Owner/Marke ng Manager.
ensuringthesafetyofitsemployees.
“Initially,thecustomersreducedactivitytoseehowthe pandemicwouldaffecttheirbusiness.Aftersometime, businesswentbacktonormal.Currently,thebusinessis solid.Althoughwehaveabigneedtovisitcustomers, manyactivitiesaresolvedusingonlineservices.The pandemicinthelongtermhasincreasedthedemandfor automationevenmore,”sharedOla.
RobustOperations
Havingbravedthechallengesposedbytheglobal pandemic,Randeknowboastsofonceagaincapturing themarketwithitsoriginalzealandinnovations.
“Salesarecurrentlyverystrong,andourproduct portfoliowillmostlikelyincreasethedemandeven more,”saidOla.
“We have found the build quality of AutoEye to be excellent and the software reliable and robust.
Randek’s aftersale service has been very good with the ability of remote management of the system." –
Graeme Footer, Owner
Randek is an important supplier for us. Our new production line will enable us to double the production rate, and we will be able to produce our new multifamily type of houses faster.” – Skanska and Ikea, BoKlok
AxynRobotique
Technologyhasemergedasablessing,makingour lifeeasierandsimple,androboticsisoneofthe significantexamples.Evenduringthepandemic, roboticsandautomationhasprovidedexcellentresultsin everyfieldwhetheritishealthcare,education,orlogistics.
OneprominentEuropeanleaderintheroboticsspaceis AxynRobotique,promotingtheconceptof'Roboticsfor Human'.
Inthefollowinginterview,FrankAnjeauxtheFounder andCEOshedslightonthecompany'sjourney,thecurrent industryscenario,andhisvisionforthecompany'sfuture.
PleasebriefouraudienceaboutAxynRobotique,its USPs,andhowitiscurrentlypositionedasaleading providerofautomationsolutions.
AxynRobotiqueisaFrench-basedstart-upcreatedaround theprojectofproposinginnovativeroboticsolutionstothe many ThewholeDNAofthecompanyiswrittenaround theobjectiveofcreatingrealusagevalueratherthan sophisticatedbutpurposelesstechnicalobjects.
Wehavethereforedesignedourproductsonlyafterin-depth consultationwithrealplayersinvariousfieldssuchas Education,Health,orIndustry4.0sectors.Axynistoday oneoftheprominentEuropeanleadersintelepresence robots.Weintendtoreachverysoonasimilarpositionin theintelligentlogisticrobotsoffering.
Tellusmoreabouttheproductsandservicesthrough whichyouhaveascertainedyourstrongholdwithinthe automationspace.
TodayweoffertotheEuropeanmarkettwomaintypesof roboticsolutions:
A Leading Robotics and Automation Solution Provider
One of Axyn's strongholds in the automation market today is the capacity to merge both its strong points such as telepresence and autonomous robot into one single combined solution.
1-TheUbboRangeoftelepresencerobots(UbboMaker, UbboExpert,andEdmo)and 2-TheLoboRangeofautonomouslogisticdevices
Alltheseproductsareentirelydesignedandmanufactured atAxyn'spremisesnearAix-en-ProvenceintheSouthof France.Theyallhaveincommontheirhighversatility.Asa matteroffact,wetakethebenefitsofourfullymodular robotbasetocustom-buildaversionforeachspecific application.
ThisishowwehavedevelopedEdmotomeetspecific needsaroundtheeducationsectorinconjunctionwiththe FrenchMinistryofEducation.AversionofUbboExpert wasdevelopedtomeettheneedofthefast-growing Industry4.0hasbeenelaboratedwithCapgeminior anotheronewasproposedtomeetthespecificneedin seniorhousesandvariousplayersofthesilver economy
Thereareasofdateover800robotsinactionin thosevariousfields.Oneofourstrongholdsonthe automationmarkettodayisthecapacityofAxyn tomergebothourstrongpointssuchas telepresenceandautonomousrobotintoone
Frank Anjeaux Founder and CEO
singlecombinedsolutionthatoffersauniqueabilityto createunprecedentedusagevalueinseveraldifferent applications.
Beinganexperiencedleader,shareyouropiniononwhy theadoptionoftechnologiessuchasAIandmachine learningisnecessaryfortheautomationservices industryandhowyouhaveleveragedthesetechnologies todeliveryourproducts/services/solutions?
TheadoptionofAIandmachinelearningtechnologiesis notanecessity,atleasttoday.Severalmanufacturing processesandindustriesfundamentallydonotneed artificialintelligence.Itisthereforeessentialforthesuccess ofthistransitionnottogooverboardinwantingtoswitchto all"AI".
Ontheotherhand,itspacedandcarefulintroductioncan revolutionizetheindustrialworldasitistoday.The importantfactorsonwhichitisnecessarytoimpactarethe arduousnessofhumanworkandthecostoflabor AIwith roboticscangoalongwaytoimprovingthis.
Today,thelowcostoflaborhasallowedcountrieslike Chinatodeveloptremendously,becominginafewdecades' majorworldeconomicplayers.Thishasnotbeenwithout causingsignificantecologicalproblems,aconsiderable reductionintheindustrialactivityinEuropeandNorth America,andthereforeeconomicdependencevis-à-vis thesesamecountries.
Artificialintelligencecoupledwithmechatronicdevices suchasrobotsallowsandwillincreasinglyallowthe performanceofautomatictasks.Thisautomationwilllead toconsiderablereductionsinlaborcosts.
Butthistransitionmustbemadeinathoughtfulwayby focusingontasksthathaveasignificantROIandthosethat havenorealaddedvalue,suchasrepetitive,daunting, and/ordangeroustasks.Itisindeednecessarytoconsider thehumanside.
Theuseofartificialintelligenceandautomationshouldnot havetheobjectiveofreplacingmanbutofrelievinghimin hisdailylife.Otherwise,theuseofAIcouldcausemore problemsthanitsolves,suchasunemployment.
Iftheseconsiderationsareconsidered,artificialintelligence willrevolutionizetheglobalindustry.Forexample,itwill bepossibleforasmallcompanytoacquireamulti-tasking industrialsystemcapableofcarryingoutin-situwhattoday requiresseveralprocessescarriedoutbyseveral
manufacturersandhencefurtherreducecosts.
Itwillthusbepossibletoproduceindustrialproductsas easilyasprototypes.Thenumberofpartstobe manufacturedcanthenbelessimpactingontheirunitprice.
ConsideringtheCOVID-19pandemic,whatchallenges didyouface,andhowareyoucurrentlydrivingyour companytosustainoperationswhileensuringthesafety ofyouremployees?
COVID-19isatthesametimeanopportunityanda challengeforus.Itisanopportunityinthewaythatithas stressedtheneedforefficientlong-distancecommunication mediaactivelyhelpingtomaintainsocialandprofessional linksandinteractionwithoutphysicalpresence.
Ourtelepresencerobotsarecurrentlyhelpingmanypatients toconnectwiththeirdistantfamiliesandmanydistant workerstointeractwiththeirdistantcompaniesand colleagues.Asfarasinternalorganizationisconcerned, althoughweremainarelativelysmall-scalecompany COVIDhasbeenachallenge.
Wehaveimplementedallregulatorysafetymeasures(and beyond)anddidnotexperienceasignificantimpactonour productionflow.Someofourcomponentsandpartshave suffereddelaysindeliveriesbutnottotheextentof significantlyimpactingtheproductioncycle.
Itmustbepointedoutthatwehavereceivedlargeandvery helpfulsupportfrombothpublicandprivatesector partners/vendorsthathavegreatlyhelpedAxyninthose difficultperiods.
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintotheautomationsolutions niche?
Thecrucialpointisnottoneglecttheindustrialization phase.Withtoday'stoolssuchas3Dprinters,easily programmableandinexpensiveelectronicboards,ithas becomeveryeasytogofromanideatoaworking prototype.
Thishasallowedmanyinnovativesolutionstoemerging andhashelpedthecreationofmanystartups.Thiseaseof implementationhasneverthelesshadanegativeeffecton someentrepreneurswhobelievethat,iftheirsystemworks, itisthenenoughtosellit.
However,industrialization,whichistheintermediatestage betweenthetwophases(creationandmarketintroduction),
isessentialforthesuccessoftheproject.Itoptimizesthe producttoallowprofitablemanufacturingingreateror lesserquantities.
Thiscangeneratetoolingandmanufacturingcoststhatmust beconsideredintheROI.Besidesthat,thereisthe normativeaspectthatshouldnotbeoverlooked,especially inautomation.Thesafetyofpeople,thematerialsused,the actualusagesarefactorstobeconsideredforthesuccessof theproject.
Howdoyouenvisionscalingyourcompany'soperations andofferingsin2022?
Theyear2022willbeascalechangerforAxyn.TheLobo rangeofautonomousrobotswillenteritsfirstfull productionyearwithaserialversiontobereleasedinthe market.
Severallargeprojectsthatwerematuringin2020and2021 withprestigiouspartnerssuchasOrange(FrenchTelecom operator),Capgemini,SchneiderElectric,andseveral otherswillreachtheirfullpotentialinthiscomingyear Thiswillleadtoasignificantincreaseinbothvolumesof productionandobliviouslyturn-over
IntheHealthsector:
ThedirecttestimonyofDr.PascalMeyer,Anesthetist PhysicianatForcillesHospital(Cognacq-JayFoundation):
"WeusedtheUbborobotinthepost-intensivecare rehabilitationunitduringconfinementwhenfamilyvisits wereprohibited.Ourpatientsarepeoplewitha tracheostomy.Mosthaveaphysicaldisabilitythatdoesnot allowthemtoholdasmartphone.Wehaveallowedmany peopletoseetheirlovedonesandhaveexpandedthe possibilitiesofvisitation.Avideoconferencewasmadeover 3500kilometers.Thisvisitwouldneverhavehappened withouttherobot.Ithasmanyadvantages:
-First:Ease
Forfamilyandcaregivers,itiseasytouse.Thefamily opensanaccountontheAXYNwebsite.Theprocedureis verysimple.Theroleofcaregiversislimitedtoturningon therobotandbringingittothepatient'sroom.
Videoconferencingdoesnotgenerateanadditional workloadthatwouldaffectotheractivities.
-Second:Thepracticalaspectofcommunication. Indeed,theheadoftherobotisplacedatasuitableheight forabedriddenpersonorinanarmchair.Sothatthesick persondoesnothavetomaketheeffortofturninghishead todirecthissight.Therobot'sheadismobile,controlledby thepilot,inourcase,thefamily.Itismuchmorepractical thanfixedheadsolutionsthatrequirehumaninterventionto controlthescreen."
Intheindustrysector:
FeedbackfromVirginieRigaudeau,HubManagerat SchneiderElectric(France):
"WeusetheUbborobotforformalorinformalinteraction betweendistantusersandfactoryteammembersona regularbasisinmanydifferentlocationswithinthefactory Itcanbeinternalusers,distantcustomers.Theycanenjoya trulyimmersiveinteractionwiththepersonnelon-site."
"Wereallyhavethefeelingthatthedistantuseriswithus. Arealniceandsimplesolutionforanactualinteraction betweenthelocalteamanddistantusers.”
Top Industry Trends in the AU O ATION
Automa on 2022
Thenew-ageautomationhasproveditsmettlein revolutionizingbusinesseswithapromiseof fruitfuloutcomes.Redefiningitselfsincetimeand tide,automatizingindustrialprocesseshaseasedouthuman effort.
AstheGreeksandArabsbetween300BCand1200AD wereobsessedwithkeepingprecisetimerecords.In270 BC,afloat-regulatorwasintroducedforawaterclockin PtolemaicEgypt.Thedevicewaslikeaballandcockina modernflushtoilet.Thiswasthefirstfeedback-controlled systemeverdevised.
Toreducehumanintervention,theuseoftoolsandgadgets hasalwaysbeenpracticed.Butautomationtakesastep furtherinproducingawiderangeoftechnologiesthat minimizeshumaninvolvementinprocesses.
Theautomationindustrykeepsevolvingwithgrowing expectations.
Followthetrailtoknowtherising7trendsinthe automationindustry
AugmentedReality
Augmentedreality(AR)isatechnologicallyaugmented versionoftherealworldthatiscreatedusingdigitalvisual elements,music,orothersensorystimulation.Itisa developingtrendamongbusinessesthatdealwithmobile computingandcommercialapps.
Newapplicationsforaugmentedrealityareconstantly emerging.ARwilllikelybecomeincreasinglymore incorporatedintosalesinthenextyears.Thenewnormal haschangedthewaywecooperateandlearn,whichisone ofthemainreasonswhythisautomationtrendwill continue.
Accordingtorecentdata,therewillbeanestimated1.7 billionmobileARusersintheworldby2024,upfrom200 millionin2015.Andtherewillbeanestimated1.1billion mobileARusersintheworldin2022.
ProcessIntelligence
Datathathasbeenmethodicallycollectedtoassessthe individualstepsofabusinessprocessoroperational workflowisknownasprocessintelligence. Processintelligencecanaidintheidentificationof bottlenecksandtheimprovementofoperationalefficiency
Processintelligence'sgoalistoprovideanorganization withaccurateinformationaboutwhatworkitemsexist,who performsthework,howlongittakestocompletethework, andwhattheaveragewaittimeis.
Processintelligenceisasortofautomationthateliminates theguessworkinareaslikepersonnel,budgeting,andSLA estimates,amongotherthings.Processintelligencewill becomeanecessityasfirmsstrivetotransformevery processintoonethatcanbeautomated.
RoboticProcessAutomation
RoboticProcessAutomation(RPA)isasoftware technologythatallowsanyonetoautomatedigital operations.
RPAisabroadapproachtoautomationdevelopment. Robotscanhandleeverythingfromdataidentificationto allocation,whichiswhytheycancontributetothemajority ofworkplaceautomation.GiventhatRPAcanhelpboost employeeproductivitybyautomatingduplicatework,it's safetoassumethatusageofthetechnologywillskyrocket by2022.
Hyper-Automation
Organizationsmakeuseofhyper-automationtoquickly discover,assess,andautomateasmanybusinessandIT activitiesaspossible.Itisabusiness-driven,disciplined strategy.Hyper-automationentailsthecoordinateduseofa varietyoftechnologies,tools,andplatforms,suchas artificialintelligence(AI),machinelearning,andeventdrivensoftwarearchitecture.
Itscapacitytohelpcompaniesautomateend-to-end operationsandmanagecomplexsupportacrossseveral platformsisalsoworthmentioning.Becauseofthis,hyperautomationislikelytobecomeincreasinglypopularinthe nextyears.
BigDataAutomation
Bigdataisamultibillion-dollarindustry Theamountof datacollectedbyacompany'sbusinessunits,applications, andexternalsourcesisrapidlyincreasing.Fromdigital customertransactionsandInternetofThings(IoT)sensors tosocialinteractionsandsupportservices,it'severywhere. Andit'snotgoingtostop:moreandmoreapplications,for example,arebeinghostedasaserviceonthecloudand withinHadoopclusters.
WiththeIoTincreasingthestreamvelocityofdata,bigdata automationisbecomingamustforpracticallyevery enterprise.Whilecustomerswantimmediatedataaccessfor analysis,thefullvalueofdatacanonlybeharvestedand managedthroughsophisticatedandadvanceddata automation.
CybersecurityAutomation
Cyberattacksinthemoderndayhavebecomemore automated.Ifbusinessestrytodefendagainsttheseattacks manually,thebattlebecomesoneofmanvsmachine,with theoddsstackedagainstthem.
Automationisseenbymanysecuritysuppliersasawayto improveefficiencyandreducestafforheadcount.Thesurge inthreats,aswellastheveryrealcostofadataleak,has promptedmachinemanufacturerstoimplement increasinglystrictcybersecuritysafeguards.Inorderto combatcybersecuritybreaches,businessesareenhancing stafftrainingandprovidingfullinformationtoconsumers andsuppliers.
Sustainability
Manybusinesseshaveadoptedsustainabilitygoals. Furthermore,whensustainabilitybecomesatopissueona globalscale,automationprovestobeafantastictoolfor gainingabetterknowledgeofanorganization'soperations andimplementingthenecessarychanges.
Costsofenergyandmaterialscontinuetogrow,regulations tighten,andautomationwillshifttowardmoresustainable andrenewableenergysourcesby2022.IndustrialInternet ofThings(IIoT)technologycanaidinthedevelopmentof solutionsthatminimizeenergyconsumption,improve mechanicalefficiency,andreducewaste.
Acingthemarket
Intoday'senvironment,thecompetitionbetweenthe industriesisincreasingrapidly.Thiscompetitiondemands high-qualityandconsistentproductswithacompetitive price.Inahyper-competitiveecosystem,automationwill enhanceconnectivityandreliability.Everythingwillbe accessibleandreadilyavailableinthefutureofautomation, whichappearstobeencouragingEmbraceoutonajourney ofseamlessbusinesssolutionswiththelatesttrendsof automation.
- Sonali Dhiwar
The 10 Most Disrup ve Automa on Companies to Watch Volume I
Bringing Digitization into Warehouse Management
Evidently,thedigitaltransformationhasopenedthe doorstonumerousopportunitiesandpossibilities forvarioussectors,andthelogisticindustryhasnot beendevoidofthesedigitalchanges.Today,the inefficienciesintheprocesseshavebeenreduced,more packagesarebeingdelivered,productionhasbecomecosteffective,andwhatnot.
Allthesechangescomedowntowhereallthegoodsare stored.Andthus,drivingdigitizationinthewarehouse becomesofutmostimportance.Ifthequestionarises,how canitbeimplemented,doks.innovationhasgotallthe answers.
doks.innovationisbreakingnewgroundsinwarehouse managementwithinventivenessandpioneeringspirit.
WeatInsightsSuccesscaughtupwithMikeBecker,the Co-founderandSeniorSoftwareDeveloper,and ChristianSproedt,theStrategicSalesManager,tolearn moreaboutdoks.innovation..
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Pleasebriefouraudienceaboutyourcompany,itsUSPs, andhowitiscurrentlypositionedasaleadingprovider ofautomationsolutions. doks.innovationGmbHwasFoundedin2017locatedinthe centralEU(Kassel,Germany).Indoks,about30employees areworkingintwocentralproductlines(Inventoryand Summary).
Webuildandprovideautonomoussolutionsfor intralogistics.Yearningtodigitizetheworldoflogistics,it aspirestocontributetothegrowingIndustry4.0.Theworld oflogisticsisconstantlyfacingnewchallenges.Our productsarestrivedtosolvethesechallengesand
revolutionizetheworldoflogistics.Theproductsaimto drivethesupplychainefficientlywithautonomous technologies,decreaseexpenses,andincreasesafetyin warehouses.
Tellusmoreabouttheproductsandservicesthrough whichyouhaveascertainedyourstrongholdwithinthe automationspace.
Indoks,therearetwoproductlines-inventoryand summary
InventoryXL:
Autonomousinventorymanagementsystemwithina warehouse(palletrack)consistingofan AMR(autonomousmobilerobot)andadrone.Thedrone andtheAMRrelatetoapowerlinetoprovidefivehours operationtimeofthesystem.Theonlyelementwhichneeds tobeputasfixedinfrastructureisthechargingstation.
SummarySky:
Outsidedroneandsoftwaresystemforinventory managementofblockstorageoroverviewoflargestorage areas(empties).Withthehelpofdroneimagesandartificial intelligencedifferenttypesofcratescanberecognizedand counted.
SummaryGate:
Thegatecreatesallnecessarydocumentationanddamage detectionofanobjectmovingthroughthegate.Itprovides allthesolutionstoInboundandOutboundcontrol,asensor systemforautomateddamagedetection,loadingscans, incominggoodsinspections,conveyorsystemsplausibility, andcompletenesscheck.
SummaryCeiling:
Opticalinventorysystemforblockstorageinindoor warehouses.Multiplebattery-poweredcameramodulesare
Wetakeyour logisticstothenext levelandprepare yourcompanyfor thechallengesofa digitisedfuture.
MikeBecker (Founder,Head ofSoftware)
Christian Sproedt (Sales)
attachedundertheceilingtocreateatopviewofthe warehouse.Withthehelpofimagesandartificial intelligencedifferenttypesofcratescanberecognizedand counted.
Mike,Christian,pleasebriefusaboutyourindividual journey'sintheindustryandhowhaveyoucontributed towardsthecompany'ssuccess.
MikeBecker:IamtheCo-Founderofdokswith8yearsof experienceinthedroneindustriesmainlyinvolvedin SoftwareandHardware.Iamleadingthesoftwareteamto createthebestsolutionforautonomousinventory managementonthemarket.
ChristianSproedt:IamChristianSproedt,havebeeninthe logisticsindustryfor10years.MasterofTechnical Logisticsandholdpositionsinprojectplanningand purchasing,lastpositionisheadofcontractlogisticsat consultingcompany.
Iamtotallyconvincedthatlogisticsmustbemoreopento newtechnologiesandautonomoussolutions.Logistics serviceprovidersnotdoingthiswillvanishfromthe market.
Beinganexperiencedleader,shareyouropiniononwhy theadoptionoftechnologiessuchasAIandmachine learningisnecessaryfortheautomationservices industryandhowyouhaveleveragedthesetechnologies todeliveryourproducts/services/solutions?
Itisgettingtougherandtoughertogetstafftodomany jobs,especiallyinthelogisticsindustry.WithAIand machinelearningmanytaskscanbeautomatedandthestaff
canfocusonmorevaluabletasks.Especiallythe stocktakingprocessisanon-valuabletask,whichmustbe done.Automizethesetasksleavethestaffmoreroomtoadd valuetothecompany
ConsideringtheCOVID-19pandemic,whatchallenges didyouface,andhowareyoucurrentlydrivingyour companytosustainoperationswhileensuringthesafety ofyouremployees?
Covidwasandischallengingastheoptionfortestingat warehousesandpresentingourproductsaremainly reduced.Therefore,thedevelopmentofnewfeatureswas sloweddownasthetestingtimewasreduced.
Ontheotherhand,itisagreatopportunitytoshowand provethatautomatedandautonomoussolutionshavea hugebenefit–asnoonemustattend.Overall,wewouldsay theautonomousconceptsbecomemoreacceptedduringthe pandemicphase.
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintotheautomationsolutions niche?
Findaprocesstoautomateandjusttryit.Thereisalways roomtoimproveprocesses.
Howdoyouenvisionscalingyourcompany'soperations andofferingsin2022?
Currently,focusonnearbycustomerswithafocuson CentralEUandtheUKtohaveahighlevelofsupportand endof2022addScandinaviaandthefirstoversearegions. Centralforusisthatwecanofferaproductthatdoesnot needdailyserviceorsupportbutcanoperatethewholeyear withonlyayearlycheck-up.
Inventorymanagementbyflexibledroneisstartingto gatherseriousweightasaworkableconceptandwillscale upwitheachpositivecommentofcustomersusingitona regularbasis.Ofcourse,therewillbealsoanewfeature, whichisindevelopment.Forexample,weplantodetect rackdamageswiththesystemsanddoboxcounting.
Fizyr B. V.
Automating Human Tasks by Developing High-quality Computer Vision Software
Therewerethedayswhenindustrializationwasa
synonymoftextileindustryonly,andtheartisans weretheindustrialworkers.Buttheindustrial revolutioninventedpowerlooms,andthejuggernautof automationbeganitsjourney.Back-to-backindustrial revolutionstransformedthemedievalworldintothe modernage.Thefirstthreeofthem,i.e.,thesteamengine, ageofscience,andmassproduction,acceleratedtheworldsavinghumanefforts,costs,andmoney
However,thejuggernautofautomationkepttraveling,and today,ithasreachedthestation,wheretheglobeisdigital–thefourthindustrialrevolution.Humaneffortswerefirst replacedbyanimals,animalsreplacedbymachines,andto controlthesemachines,robotsarrived.Today,theserobots aredeployedineverysector,especiallytoperformrepetitivetasks.Theserobotscanmoveinsixdegreesoffreedom andoperateinX,Y,andZplanes.
Inthisfast-pacedworld,timeismoney,andtheserobots helptosavetimebyperformingrepetitivetasks.However, theyfollowthepathwhichisinscribedbythesoftware programs.Lookingatthegrowingmarket,manycompanies startedtoprovidesoftwaretoautomateroboticmovements. Fizyrisonesuchcompanythatoffersastandardized softwareproduct,basedonartificialintelligence,that allowsrobotstocopewithhighvariationofobjectsin automatedpickingandplacingapplications.
Inourquestfor‘The10MostDisruptiveAutomation CompaniestoWatch’,Mr.HerbertTenHave,CEOof Fizyr,sharedhisendeavorwithus.Heelaboratedonthe company'sworkcultureandthefutureaspects.Following arethedetailsoftheinterview:
PleasebriefouraudienceaboutFizyr,itsUSPs,andhow itiscurrentlypositionedasaleadingproviderof automationsolutions.
We o er a standardized AI-based software product that allows robots to cope with high variation of objects in automated picking and placing applications.
Fizyrdesigns,builds,andinstallsastandardizedcomputervisionsoftwarethatdetectsunknownobjectsvaryingin shape,size,colour,materialorstacking.Itsrobustalgorithmsprovideover100applicablegraspposeseach second,includingclassificationtohandleobjectsdifferently,whileperformingqualitycontrols.Justasthecamera andgripperaretheeyesandarmsofarobot,thevision softwareisthebrainthatanalyzestheimageanddirectsthe robottomoveaccordingly.Fizyristrustedasastrategic partnerbygloballeadingintegrators,thankstoitsfully scalableandprovensoftware-onlyproduct,forwhichwe providefullinsightandcontroltoinstall,manage,update andsupport.Weempowersystemintegratorstobuild cutting-edgesolutionsfortheindustry’sendusers,in multiplehigh-demandindustries,suchase-commerce, micro-fulfilment,parcelhandlingandmore.
AbouttheLeader Herbert Ten Have CEO
Fizyr’sCEO,HerbertTenHave,joinedFizyr (previouslycalledDelftRobotics)inJanuary 2017.DelftRoboticsstartedasaroboticsintegrator.WithinamonthofHerbert’sarrival,the companywontheprestigiousAmazonPicking Challenge.Thisledtothecompanypivoting towardsadeep-learningcomputervisionsoftware-onlyproductandre-brandingtoFizyr.
Herbertisaninnovativebusinessleaderwith morethanthreedecadesofexperienceinbuilding high-techproductsandservices.
Thankstohisexpertiseandknowledgeofthe industry,hegearedthebrilliantDelftRobotics teamtowardssuccess,thus,leadingtoanunprecedentedimpactontheautomationindustry.He proactivelyengagedthecompanyinrecognizing industryproblemsandsolvingthemwhilestaying committedtobuildingthebestvisionsoftware productandprovidecutting-edgeroboticpicking solutionsforthelogisticsindustry.
Tellusmoreabouttheproductsandservicesthrough whichyouhaveascertainedyourstrongholdwithinthe automationspace.
Insucharapidlygrowingmarket,logisticscompanies expectrobotstoperformtheirtasksaspredictedandagreed. ApplyingFizyr’sproductisastrategicchoiceforwhichwe providefullinsightandcontroltoinstall,manage,update andsupport.Welicenseastandardizedproductforautomatedpicking,placing,andstackingtosystemintegrators andendusers.Ourcomputer-visionsoftwareistrainedwith auniquedatasetwithmillionsofimagesofchallenging logisticsenvironments,proposingthebestpossiblegrasp poses.Appliedinproductionallovertheworld,itempowerstheroboticautomationofleadingsystemintegratorsand endusers,inonlineretail,warehousingandparcelservices. Fizyr’ssoftwareisalsohardwareagnostic,givingclients thefreedomtochoosethebestcamera,robot,andgripper fortheirautomatedpickingcell.Webelieveinthevalueof Fizyr’sindependencyandwantourclientstobeabletouse openstandardsandchoosetheirhardwaretoassemblethe bestpossiblepickingcells.
Althoughthecompanypurelyfocusesonsoftware,Fizyr alsolicensesthedesignstomodify,3Dprint,andassemble itsproprietarygripper.Thisgrippercanhandlechallenging situations,ensuringeaseinintegrationwithanyrobotina pickingcell.
Beinganexperiencedleader,shareyouropiniononwhy theadoptionoftechnologiessuchasAIandmachine learningisnecessaryfortheautomationservices industryandhowyouhaveleveragedthesetechnologies todeliveryourproducts/services/solutions?
Theitemsandparcelstendtohaveahugevariationinterms ofsizes,materials,colors,andplacement,whichtraditional logisticssystemscannotaccountfor.Ine-commerce,there aremillionsofSKUs(StockKeepingUnits),thousandsof whichcannotbeprogrammed.Therefore,theadoptionof technologiessuchasAIanddeeplearninghasthepotential tochangethefaceoftheindustry.
Fizyr’sneuralnetworkistrainedtoclassifyanobject, strategizethepressurerequiredtopickit,andproposethe bestpossiblegraspposestosingulateitfrombulk.Oneof theinitialprojectsmanagedbyFizyrin2017involved enablingrobotstowork24/7andfoldupto720towelsper hourwithLaundryRobotics.Fizyr’scomputervision algorithmswereabletoproposeover100graspposeseach secondonunknownobjects.
ConsideringtheCOVID-19pandemic,whatchallenges didyouface,andhowareyoucurrentlydrivingFizyrto sustainoperationswhileensuringthesafetyofyour employees?
Oneofthemajorchallengesfacedbythecompanywasthe terminationofaprojectbyanItaly-basedclientduetothe direconsequencesatthestartofthepandemic.Consequently,otherclientshesitatedtocontinueprojectoperationsastheyrequiredhardwarecomponents,suchas cameras,grippers,robots,etc.,toconductresearchand development.Thefirstfewmonthswereuncertain,and later,severalclientssawtheopportunityforgrowthininecommerce,micro-fulfilmentandparcelhandling.
ThoseclientsmotivatedFizyrtoscaleupitsprocesseseven fasterandofferroboticsolutionstothedynamicindustry Meanwhile,theFizyrteamwasworkingfromhomeand wouldonlyworkfromtheofficeifabsolutelynecessary At thattime,thehugeofficespaceinthepandemicwas reservedforspecificpurposes.Withtherestrictionseasing downintheNetherlandsandthehighvaccinationrate, peoplearemovingbacktotheofficeonaflexiblebasis.
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintotheautomationsolutions niche?
Herberthighlightstheimportanceofvalidatingassumptions,pushingtheproducttothemarket,andcreatingvalue
fortheclientsinthequickestwaypossible.Thequickerthe entrepreneursidentifyopportunities,thebettertheygetto approachtheclientsinanearlyphaseandacquirethe marketbeforefacinganyconsequenceslater.Understandingtherequirementsoftheclientsfromthebeginningcan stimulatecompanygrowth,improvepartnerships,andhelp buildrelationswithpotentialclients.
HowdoyouenvisionscalingFizyr’soperationsand offeringsin2022andbeyond?
Thefastgrowthofe-commerceandparcelhandlinghas exacerbatedthehumanlaborshortage,whichisexpectedto keeprising.Asaresponse,anincreasingnumberof companieshavestartedtoadoptroboticautomationand implementsolutionsforautomatingpickingandplacing applicationsbothine-fulfilmentandparcelhandling.We believewehavesolvedoneofthebiggestchallengesin logisticsandwehopetoempowerasmanyintegratorsand endusersworldwideaspossible,inanefforttorelievethe pressuresoftheindustry Theproductandmarketareready, soweplantoscaleexponentiallyintheupcomingyears, reflectingsucharapidgrowth.
Fizyrremainsdedicatedtotraining,upskilling,andhelping employeesthriveinthefast-movingindustryofAIand logistics.Thecompanyaimstofocusonpredictableand scalableprocessestoresolvechallengingsituationsand contributetotheindustry
Artificial Intelligence, Automation, and the Futer of Work
Risingthroughthetidesoftheindustrialrevolution andclimbingtheladderofdigitaltransformation, ArtificialIntelligencehassproutednew opportunitiestopredictthefuture.
Whilenooneknowswhatartificialintelligenceholdsfor thefutureofwork,thereisahopeofutilizingAI technologytoboostemploymentopportunities.Thismay alsodevelopnewlinesofbusinessesthatwecannot understandcurrentlybyprovidingnewtoolsfor entrepreneurs.
Companiesandsocietyfacethreatsandopportunities becauseofthisrapidtransformation.Theseefficiencygains arecriticalforsociety'slong-termgrowth,particularlyin economieswithrisingpopulations.However,ashighly skilledspecialistjobsthatcomplementnewtechnologies grow,low-skilledandlow-payingjobsthatarenotsuitable forautomationremain,andeverythinginbetweenis renderedobsolete.Thisposesariskofincrementin significantsocialinequalityandhollowingoutthelabor market.
AlongwiththethreatsofAI,therearemultiplesbenefits thatfacilitatemitigatinghumanlaborandpushinga progressiveapproach.
RedefiningHumanIntelligencewithAISupport
Withanabilityofacomputeroracomputer-controlled robottocompletetasksthatwouldnormallybedonebyan intelligentbeing,AIaimsatcreatingsystemswithhumanlikecognitiveabilities,suchastheabilitytoreason,discern meaning,generalize,andlearnfrompastexperiences. Sincetheinventionofthedigitalcomputerinthe1940s,it hasbeenprovedthatcomputerscanbeprogrammedto performextremelycomplicatedjobswithease,suchas findingproofsformathematicaltheoremsorplayingchess andthelistgoeson.
OpeningupnewfrontiersofdevelopmentfortheIT industry,automationhasbeenaneyepoppingexperiencein businessoperationandend-consumerexperience.
AutomatingExperiences
Automationisthedevelopmentanddeploymentof technologiesthatallowgoodsandservicestobeproduced anddeliveredwithlittleornohumaninteraction.Many tasksthatwerepreviouslyperformedbypeoplearenow moreefficient,reliable,andfastbecauseoftheuseof automationtechnologies,techniques,andprocedures.
Liketheprogressionofthehumanlifecycle,artificial intelligencewillhavebothbeneficialandnegativeeffects onsocietyasitcontinuestoreshapetheenvironmentwe livein.It'sanyone'sguesshowthatwillbalanceout,andit's atopicofgreatdebateandthoughtamongmany individuals.
TheBoomandBustofAI
Ourworkforcewillundoubtedlyevolvebecauseofartificial intelligence.Thealarmistheadlinesfocusonthelossof humanemployment,replacedbyrobots,buttheactualissue forhumansistodiscovernewdutiesthatdemandtheir distinctivelyhumanqualities.
Ourworkforcewillundoubtedlyevolvebecauseofartificial intelligence.Thealarmistheadlinesfocusonthelossof employmenttorobots,buttheactualissueforhumansisto discovernewdutiesthatdemandtheirdistinctivelyhuman qualities.Thisuncertainty,aswellasthechangesinhow somepeoplewillmakealiving,couldbedifficulttodeal with.
Artificialintelligence'stransformationalimpactonour societywillhavefar-reachingeconomic,legal,political, andregulatoryeffectsthatwemustexamineandplanfor
Theissuesincludedeterminingwhoistoblameifan autonomousvehicleinjuresapedestrianandmanagesa worldwideautonomousweaponsrace,tonameafew
Artificialintelligencehasthepotentialtosignificantly increasetheefficiencyofourworkplaceswhilealso augmentingthejobthathumanscanaccomplish.WhenAI takesovermundaneordangerousduties,itfreesupthe humanlabortofocusontasksthatrequirecreativityand empathy,amongotherskills.People'shappinessandjob satisfactionmayenhanceiftheyaredoingworkthatthey enjoy
WiththeintroductionofautonomoustransportationandAI affectingourtrafficcongestionconcerns,nottomentionthe variouswaysitwillbooston-the-jobproductivity,our societywillgaincountlesshoursofproduction.Humans willbeabletospendtheirtimeinavarietyofwaysnow thattheyarenolongerboundbyuncomfortablecommutes.
PredictingtheFutureofWork
Understandingemergingtechnologiesisthefirststep towardfuture-readinessandartificialintelligenceisatthe centerofsustainablebusinesseswithsocio-economic developmentfruition.Understandingitspowersand limitationsiscriticallysignificant.
Manyoftheemploymentsweseeinthemarkettodaywill mostlikelybereplacedortransformedbyAItechnology Thebulkofemployment,ontheotherhand,willnotbe replacedbyAItechnologybutratherassistedbyit,allowing employeestoimprovetheirperformanceandsprout efficientsolutions.
AIhasanensuringfutureforeveryindustrythatmoves aheadtowardsaprosperousfuture.ifyouaremappingto skyrocketyourbusinessexperience,AIisyoursolution.
- Rahul Thakar
Green Bl ckchains - the future of sustainable blockchains
- by Raj Kapoor –Founder, India Blockchain Alliance
Blockchainisarevolutionarydisruptivetechnology andrepresentsachangeofculturalparadigmforthe wayinwhichinformationisshared.Companiesare rushingtounderstandhowtheycanuseblockchain distributedledgertechnologytoinnovateprocesses, products,andtransactions.Inaglobalizedworldwhere environmentalsustainabilityisacriticalsuccessfactor, whatistheroleoftheblockchain?
I’mtrulypassionateaboutblockchain’spotentialtocreate positivesystemchange.Addtotheabovethepowerto incentiviseacirculareconomyandrevolutionisethe distributionofcharitabledonations–andwe’restillseeing onlythetipoftheproverbialicebergofworld-changing applicationsthatwillbeenabledbyblockchains.
Havingsaidthat,weallareawarethatmostconcerning implicationofblockchaintechnologyfortheenvironment relatestoitsenergyconsumptionand,therefore,itspossible negativeimpactonclimate.
However,bitcoinandothersimilarpublicblockchainshave onehugeflaw–theyuseanextremelylargeandgrowing amountofenergy Thewayinwhichtransactionsare securedontheblockchainishighlyenergyintensive.In fact,blockchainscurrentlyaccountfor0.58%ofglobal
electricityconsumption,whilstBitcoinminingalone consumesalmostasmuchenergyastheentireU.S.federal government!
Thismeansthattoday,whenitcomestodiscussing sustainabilityandblockchaintech,wehavetobalancethe longer-termsystemicbenefitsagainsttoday’surgentneedto reducefossilfuelconsumption.Blockchainhasreacheda criticalmassofcomplaintsaboutitssustainabilityissue.
Althoughsurroundedbyvirtuousintentionstoupendthe statusquoandofferanalternativetoanunjustglobal financialsystemcontrolledbycentralbanksandpoliticians, blockchainisfacingseverecriticismfromenvironmental proponentsforitshighenergyuse.
LikeotheremergingICT-basedtechnologies,blockchain alsoraisesconcernsaboutelectronicwaste(e-waste). Competingminersrequiremoreandmoreefficientmining hardware,leadingtoquickobsolescence,roughlyevery1.5 years.
Thekeyistomakeatransitiontowardsgreenrecoveryand co-existwithnature.Anythingshortwillnotsuffice.Infact, thisshouldbeaprerequisiteforaglobalsustainable developmentpathway
TheShiftingParadigm
Thecurrentstandardprocessoftransactionverification, basedontheproof-of-workalgorithm,is‘extremelyenergy hungry’.Andthisisdefinitelyharmfulfortheenvironment. Astheadoptionofblockchaintechnologygains momentum,itcouldcounteractclimatechangemitigation efforts,aselectricityremainslargelygeneratedfromfossil fuelsworldwide.
Bitcoinwasclaimedtobe20000timesmoreenergy intensivethanVisa.Nevertheless,Bitcoinisonlyone cryptocurrency,whichisonlyoneapplicationof blockchain.Wecanonlyimaginetheimpactgoingforward.
The“greening”oftheblockchainskickedoffwithoneof themostpromisingsolutions–‘ProofofStake’,a
consensusmechanismwhichdoesawaywiththe energy-intensiveminingprocessrequiredby‘Proofof Work’,relyinginsteadonnetworkactorsstakingfinancial assetsontheirownfuturetrustworthiness.TheEthereum community,usersoftheworld’ssecond-largest cryptocurrency,havealreadyinvestedcloseto$9bnin transferringtoProofofStakereducingcostsbyover90%.
There’salsoaconsciousdriveamongstthecrypto communitytoaddressthetypeofenergybeingconsumed (orbetter,tousethetechnologytoaccelerateadoptionof greenerenergies).Lastmonth,thenewlylaunchedCrypto ClimateAccord—includingRipple,WorldEconomic Forum,Consensys,CoinSharesandEnergyWeb Foundation—announceditsgoalforalloftheworld’s blockchainstobepoweredby100%renewablesby2025.
About the Author
Raj is the Founder of India Blockchain Alliance and an Advisory Board Member at several blockchain companies like 5ire, Floyx and Chainsense UK and the Founder and Chairman of the India Blockchain Alliance, the largest Indian emerging technology tech think tank.
He is a global, Blockchain & Cryptocurrency & FinTech Educator, Certied Bitcoin Professional (CBP), Blockchain Solution Architect, and friend of disruptive ideas, protem Chairman for Organization of Blockchain Technology Users (OBTU). He is also the Asia Lead, Technology & Innovation at Blockspace Technologies Ltd.
Raj has helped organize India's biggest Blockchain and Cryptocurrency events across major cities. Raj has also spoken at several international seminars and conferences in Boston, LA, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Singapore, Durban, Nicosia and Vienna, Dubai, and Singapore.
Raj regularly speaks in Tech events in India, UK, USA, Africa, Malaysia, and Canada and is also a TedX speaker. Besides blockchain, Raj is skilled in AI, Robotics, Cyber Security. IoT, and Cloud Computing. He has spoken in over90 international and national events. Raj has also authored over 15 courses in Blockchain and crypto and is soon publishing a series of books in the blockchain domain.
Raj is also a regular contributor to several technology publications including Times Tech India, NDTV Prot, Daily Tribune, Business Standard and more. Raj was also selected this year as a top cryptocurrency and blockchain inuencer by Asian Market Cap. Raj is also mentoring 20+ blockchain start-ups across the globe.
Raj has designed and worked on 4 Blockchains, 5 Centralised Exchanges, 3Swaps and 3 DEX's.
He is now working with his team on India's own indigenous blockchain with Chainsense Ltd. Raj is also working on the world’s rst sustainable blockchain 5ire, which is aligned with the UNS sustainable Development Goals.
TheSolutionsforToday
Infact,therearesomeblockchainsthathavebeenaheadof thiscurveandareactuallymakingthatimpact.Onethat catchestheeyeis5irechain.Notonlydoes5irechainrunon aSustainableProofofStakealgorithmthatdoesnotrequire mining,butalsoitsconsensusalgorithmquantifiesand assignsitsnodesbasedonanode’sEnvironmental,Social andGovernance(ESG)score.Thisslingsseamlesslywith theUNSustainableDevelopmentGoals2030.
Itisimportanttonotethatthereareotherversionsofthe ProofofStake(PoS)consensusalgorithmthatdonot requireminingfortransactionvalidationsuchasthepure PoS,theDelegatedPoS,andtheNominatedPoS,however, theflawinthosealgorithmsistheyhavenoconsideration foratransactionvalidators’sustainabilityreputation,and theyinadvertentlysupportcartelisationofconsensusby awardingtransactionvalidationtothosethatstakethemost.
Thisway,thelargestholdersofthatparticular cryptocurrencywillendupalwayswinningthecontest, scoringevenmoreoftherewardsandkeepgettingricher The5ire’sSustainabilityProofofStake(SPoS)considers thevalidatorsESGscoreas20%oftheweightinselection ofnodeandincludeotherfactorstomakethenodeselection fairer.Andit’shearteningtoknowthattheFoundersare IndianandarealignedtotheIndianGovernment’s sustainabilityandclimateimpactinitiatives.
Iamparticularlyimpressedwiththe5irechainwhichcalls itsconsensusprotocolthesustainableproofofstake (SPoS).SPoShasbeenmademoredemocraticby consideringmultiplefactorsbeyondthestakedamount whenanodeisassignedbasedonStake,Reliability, randomizedvoting,sustainabilityscore(ESG),and previousnomination.
Thisway,theSPoSprovidesmajoradvantagesoverother consensusalgorithms.Theseadvantagesgobeyondwhat proofofstake(PoS)consensusmechanismprovidesover proofofwork(PoW)consensusmechanism.
Thischainisthe5thgenerationofdistributedcomputing web3.0solution,adecentralizedecosystemthatembeds ESGmetricsintheconsensuslevelandaimstobringa paradigmshiftfromafor-profittoafor-benefiteconomy. Theirgoalistocreateuser-centricsustainability-driven& interoperablepublic,private,andhybridsolutions.By embeddingsustainabilitybothinthenetwork’sbaselayers andintheupperdecision-makingthatdemocratically commandsthenetworkforklessupgrades.
Theirecosystemalsodemocraticallyempowers self-governedDAOsthatareactivelyworkingtowardsthe
2030UNSDGsAgendaimplementationandprovidesthem theinfrastructuretoacceleratethisvision.Nowthisshould bethefundamentalpremiseoftheblockchaintechnologyif itistobesustainableandscalable.
5irechainisalsoalignedwiththeUnitedNations’17global goals.5iredirectlyaddressessocialissueslikeeducation, financialinclusion,poverty,education,climate,renewables, solaramongstothersandpossiblytheworld'sfirst sustainableblockchainecosystem.Notonlyisitaligned, 5irehastokenized17SDGGoalsandscrapeddatafrom 600ESGpoints.Nowthatisinnovation!
GoingForward
Today,wecannotaffordtoignoreblockchain’sgrowing carbonfootprint.However,withambitiouschangesand blockchainslike5ireboththevolumeandthetypeof energythetechnologyuses,wecouldsoonunleashtools withthepowertoincentivisesocialandenvironmental progressatscale.Aswithanynewtechnology,blockchain’s pathfromconcepttopracticalenterprisesolutionsisnot alwaysstraightline.
Blockchainapplicationsbeneficialtorenewableenergy diffusion,energyefficiencyandthereductionofenergy consumptionarealsobeingexplored.Infact,IBMand Energy-BlockchainLabsareexperimentingwitha blockchain-basedgreenassetmanagementplatformfor tradingcarbonassetsinChinainamoreefficientway.
EnergiMinehasdevelopedablockchain-basedrewards systemthatusesdigitaltokenstoincentiviseconsumersto saveenergy Theissueremainswhethertheseniche initiativeswillscaleupandwhethertheirbenefitsareoffset byblockchain’sownenergyconsumption.
Butwithincrediblyexcitingapplicationsemergingevery day,andseriousthoughtandinvestmentgoingtowards reducingblockchain’senergyconsumption,wecannever ignorethevalueitcouldbring.Blockchainshavean emergingroleinsustainabilitybyhelpingfoster collaborationsbetweenconsumersandproducers,by assistingpeopleinadoptingmoresustainablelifestyles,and byhelpingcompaniesimprovetheirsourcingandrecycling practices.
Withgrowinginnovationintheblockchainspace,Indiais primedtomakeamajorimpact.ESGwillbeanessential partofnext-generationfinanceoperations.ESGwilldrives long-termreturns.COP26andthedecisionsaroundESG willbringagreeninnovationinblockchainandwouldplace India,attheforefrontinaligningwiththeUNSDG’s.That isamatterofpride,andwearehappytobeapartofthis greentechrevolution.
