Sanchita Mallick Roy, Author at Adamas University

#PositiveCorona: Cognitive Robotic Process Automation-Future of work

Issue: Today’s organizations face a number of challenges: increasing efficiency, enhancing decision making, staying competitive, ensuring customer loyalty, reduction in manual efforts, reduction in errors and lastly scale up process with increase in volume. Organizations are continuously trying to streamline finance, accounting, HR, procurement and IT processes. With the advancement in technology, namely digital, newer opportunities are now available for organizations to explore to take efficiency and cost optimization to the next level. Organizations would now need to think out of the box to resolve the core issue and to attain process efficiency at an optimal cost.

Cognitive automation has recognized to be effective in addressing those key challenges. . It is commonly allied with Robotic Process Automation (RPA) as the conjunction between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cognitive Computing.

Understanding the Impact of Cognitive Robotic Process Automation: Will there be a world where Robots can intelligently work as a human? Can Robots can perform repairing, monitoring and maintaining costly machineries and equipment?

Gratitude will be given to the integration of Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Data Science and Cognitive methods called Cognitive Robotic Process Automation (CRPA). According to Institute for Robotic Process Automation & Artificial Intelligence-‘Robotic process automation (RPA) is the application of technology that allows employees in a company to configure computer software or a “robot” to capture and interpret existing applications for processing a transaction, manipulating data, triggering responses and communicating with other digital systems.’ Cognitive automation leverages different algorithms and technology approaches such as image processing, natural language processing, text analytics and data mining, semantic technology, deep learning and machine learning.

RPA can be considered as one of the most proficient and developing form of technology which can reduces cost & improves efficiency, shift Full-time equivalent (FTE) resources to activities with higher revenue generating opportunities, support processes that has been outsourced to shared services centers and improve service delivery to internal customers. By making brainy use of resources, near-zero error rates and improved compliance and reduced process cycle time Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is expected to save companies 50-70% on labor costs.

Myth: The belief that automation is going to take all jobs and lead to mass unemployment is a myth. People also think CRPA is Artificial Intelligence, and it is a human replacement to correct processes. However robots cannot replace human functions – without intelligence, compassion, communication skills and judgment calls processes would not work. RPA allows employees to emphasis on only jobs humans can do; strategy making, planning, creativity and connecting with people.

Shift in Gears: Conventional Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is already adopted. As the processes advanced, and modified, the obvious next thought is to start exploring Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) can supplement these processes. The objective is to turn RPA from being dumb automation to intelligent automation. The expansions in cognitive computing, enables to put things in a context and use logical/mathematical reasoning to evaluate problems, instead of just automating repetitive and dumb problems that IT faces.

Cognitive computing enabled RPA can help to change the attention of IT – from process automation to delivering business outcomes. Placing more worth on the end outcome or action makes IT strengthen its position within the organization and establishes IT as a true business enabler. By being able to effectively process businesses’ data, coupled with the ability to learn from past experiences, these systems can learn and eventually master the tasks they are given. In short: continuous improvement.

With continuous progression in technologies like Chat BOTS, virtual reality, computer technology, natural language processing, and speech recognition technology; RPA capabilities are being extended to processes that require perception building or smart decision making into account unstructured data during automation. CRPA vendors are now busy in integrating cognitive abilities into their product and also working as third party providers of dedicated cognitive tools to offer clients much needed solutions for their enterprise. The consequences of cognitive RPA are great and foretell a productive future in which not only throughput is massively enhanced, but also new strategic possibilities are envisioned.

Be “in control” of your future! Have you watched a TV, driven a car, used running water, listened to an iPod, played games on your Wii, or sent text messages on your cell phone lately? Nearly each and every modern ease is the result of complex processes. Without talented individuals to design, build, improve, and uphold these processes, our world and our future would be very different. Cognitive Robotic Process Automation and control professionals literally control the world.

Moreover in this novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has pushed companies to revolutionize like never before. Leaders who may have been slow to adopt automation technologies—such as Cognitive Robotic Process Automation (CRPA), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML)—have begun leveraging them as a way to cut costs during economic turmoil, provider faster service to customers, and revamp their operations for distributed work.

While in the pre-crisis era, Cognitive Robotic Process automation was viewed as a means to innovate, reduce cost and gain a competitive edge, now the purpose has shifted to survival and damage restriction. To mitigate global supply chain risks for future crises, manufacturers will encourage their in-house capabilities instead of out-sourcing manufacturing to other countries. The pandemic will exaggerate the need to automate, especially in jobs that have high human interaction and the ones that are hazardous, causing death or injuries. Building technologies that will protect and provide workers and consumers, a safe environment will be the central point in this drive to RPA.

Although, the degree of adoption may be varied depending on the industry and the readiness of the companies to make huge investments at this time, the COVID-19 crisis has certainly acted as a catalyst to the transition to automation, especially in building resilience among businesses for future disruptions.

Achieving Gold! Silver! Bronze: Need of Sports Technology

Sports have always been the last word integrator. It breaks geographic barriers, connects humans above partisan, politics and generations—do we ever think the key behind this global integrator? The answer is Technology.

Technology plays a major role in the life of human beings for many years. It has conquered practically all the areas of our day to day with the purpose of giving it to us almost everything. Sport is not a field that escapes the constant technological advances that every day try to perfect our way of practicing it.

Theoretically, Sports Technology focuses on measurement, simulation, and motion and performance analysis. It consists of traditional engineering courses in Electronics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer programming and Mechanics to provide technical skills. This includes courses focusing on entrepreneurship, innovation, design and implementation. These courses are complemented by a course in sport and health science. The interdisciplinary nature of the program ensures skills in cooperation and dialogue with different groups as well as the ability to handle social, economic and environmental issues.

Understanding the Impact of Technology in Sports:

We’re not surprised that technology is one of the most important factors driving India’s sports growth. For our country, technology needs to be leveraged to widely communicate the message of sports in order to build mass awareness and drive the cultural transformation. Initially humans have hesitation and restraint in adopting technology in competitive sports. Their major argument states that the sports’ too much dependence on technology will prevent natural competition and reduce the thrill of competition.

They also compared Technology to aid performance to drugs and steroids. Technology and consumption of drugs can’t really be compared. Drugs make physical changes to the body of the athlete to improve physical performance as a direct result. Technology helps an athlete to improve their performance, but without directly changing the athletes’ body.

All the questions raised regarding the use of Technology can be answered satisfactorily. If we do a case study of the U.K’s Olympic team we will notice poor showing of just one gold medal in Atlanta, 1996. The English Institute of Sport (EIS) has played an influential role in changing the U.K’s fortunes in recent years by implementing thorough monitoring of players’ performance from an early stage in their careers. This step is helpful in capacity building of players. The English Institute of Sport built 15 High-Performance Sports Centers across the country, with 250 practitioners delivering up to 4000 hours/week of support to around 1500 athletes. Training with the use of Technology shows the results. UK earned 70 medals in the Beijing Olympics, followed by 65 and 67 in the 2012 and 2016 editions of the same.

The Current State of Sports Technology: Key Takeaways

Fan Engagement Technologies: Fan Engagement Technology set to make the largest impact on Sports in the Next 12 Months — including the upcoming Tokyo Olympics which is postponed due to Covid-19. Fan engagement should be achieved both on- and off-site and on match days and non-match days. Every fan engagement represents an opportunity to collect data. Then this collected Data is analyzed by Machine Learning tools with a little careful thought to the output you require. Few examples of clubs doing some pronounced work with fan engagement, on the field, off the field and on match days and non-match days are given below.
The Open (golf): Ordering food from your seat –The Qkr app which is powered by Masterpass from Mastercard is enabling audiences of Open golf championship to order and pay for food from their mobile devices and the food is delivered to them in their seat. Therefore they don’t need to miss a moment of the action.
Real Madrid (football): Fan app – The Real Madrid fan app brings surprises for their audiences whether they are at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium or on another continent. On non-match days they can purchase products or delve into stats and there is a personalized element offering deals tailored to the user.
Manchester City (football): High-speed wireless internet– The Ethihad stadium has high speed wireless internet access so that fans can share their experience on social media, during the match.
Rules Enforcement & Referee Assistance: Systems such as Decision Referral System (DRS), Hawk-Eye and Hot-Spot, Shot-Tracer, Radar Gun and Snick-O-Meter have all helped administrators deliver a fair and unbiased experience in the sports. These technologies have now touched the fields of cricket, golf, athletics, football and lawn tennis and a few other sports. 2018 is the first year the FIFA World Cup has used a new kind of video technology, called the Video Assistant Referee, to assist in officiating. The idea is that it catches errors which weren’t caught earlier. The referees can take the support from VAR team from a centralized video operations room at the international broadcast center in Moscow, according to a FIFA video.
Media & Reach: The internet, high-speed cable, HDTV, apps, blogs, social media podiums have brought sports profound into our daily lives confirming deeper engagement and a wider connect between the sports and its fans.
Wearables & Equipment for Training & Coaching Support: In recent days microscopic electronic devices can be attached on to the athlete’s body, clothing, footwear & equipment to track critical information such as heart rate, stride, speed, distance, swing speed, swing plane and other information which in turn is being used by the coaching staff for athlete development.
The Electronic Performance and Tracking Systems: In this tablet-based system where each team can share information with its coaches in real time. Player stats and video footage are available in this tracking system. Each team has three tablets. One is for an analyst in the stands, another for an analyst on the bench, and a third for the medical team. Tracking cameras using optical technology are used to monitor the players and the ball and provide feedback. It works with camera-based systems and wearable technology. This coolest technological innovation being used at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Ticketing & Spectator Experience: Online ticketing has importance for paperless world and it created immense reach for organizers to improve their ability to fill stadiums. Therefore organizers have worked hard to deliver an enriching audience experience through giant live HD screens, food services on order and other in-stadium engagement services using smart technologies.
Treatment: Technologies are applied in the way of preventing and treating injuries. Thanks to nanotechnology and biotechnology, much progress has been made especially in the treatment of serious injuries, which some years ago could have meant the end of the sports career of the athlete.

The Sports market and society’s needs of engineers with knowledge about how to measure, simulate and analyze human movements and achievements are enormous. Such knowledge gives the fundamentals for creating a sustainable society, where everyone can live a healthy and valuable life regardless of age and with different physical and mental conditions. Engineers with these skills will be required in the coming days. India must put more effort to make students interested in Sports technology. A recent initiative has been taken in the Global Sports Business Show, a three day exhibition of sport business opportunities which also hosts workshops, guest speakers and more, with a special focus on developing the sports technology and sports infrastructure market in India. Such hard work, along with a growth in sports other than cricket, can certainly help India’s chances at international stages like the Olympics. Sports authorities in India need to wake up and smell the success of other nations who have adopted technology.

Satellite Technology: in response to COVID-19 outbreak

The outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has created a global health crisis that has had a deep impact on the way we perceive our world and our everyday lives. Do we have a novel idea of how satellite technology can be used to the fight the battle against COVID-19?

As the world endures an unprecedented crisis, satellites are providing a different types of communications, navigation, broadcast, remote imaging and other vital services.

Satellite communication: Satellite communications including internet and broadband services are helping keep people in remote and underserved regions connected with their teachers, doctors, employers, customers, friends and families. Satellite communication is helping families and friends to maintain communication using social-media applications during self-isolation. The positive impact of this is having on our general well-being cannot be underestimated, particularly for those who live alone or the elderly.

Healthcare: Today, satellite technology is increasingly being used to advance healthcare by providing high-bandwidth, multi-media patient data to aid shared clinical decision-making and early diagnosis.

Satellite navigation is being used to monitor the movements of carriers of COVID-19 who have not been hospitalized, as well as geo-referencing patient data to be shared between doctors and patients. Some countries are using geo-location to inform people if they have been in close contact with a carrier and to quarantine themselves.

Several countries have already begun looking into, or have rolled out, mobile phone-based efforts to track the spread of coronavirus among their citizenry.

In India, Aarogya Setu, a mobile app developed by the government of India an informative and updated dashboard collecting data through GPS. Aarogya Setu app gives relevant information for every geographic area of the country to help citizens identify their risk of contracting Covid-19. This app is designed to keep a user informed in case she/he has crossed paths with someone who has tested positive. Bluetooth & location-generated social graph is used for tracking the Covid infected patients.
In China, apps developed by Alibaba and Tencent give people a color code based on their health condition and travel history. This code determines whether a person gains entry into a mall or a subway station, or can travel between cities. Actually this code decided by a big data-driven algorithm.
National Health Information Center (NHIC) developed an official mobile app in Saudi Arabia. They developed its own Corona interactive map application that allows users to track all coronavirus cases with statistics and charts.
According to the international news organization Reuters, Europe’stelecom companies are sharing location data with health authorities in Italy, Germany and Austria, to check whether people are remaining at home. The data is aggregated and anonymous, mapping concentrations instead of individuals to respect Europe’s privacy laws.
In South Korea, the government created a map of cellphone data provided by telecom and credit card companies. The map was made public so everyone could track whether they’d been exposed, according to The Verge (American technology news).
According to reports, Iranused the COVID-19 epidemic to gather private data from its citizens “to boost Tehran’s surveillance capabilities,” reports Vice. The country sent a link to download the AC19 app with government endorsement, touting it as a way to determine whether users have the virus, but usage required sending back location data.
In Taiwan, a mobile phone-based geo-fence uses location-tracking to ensure people who are quarantined stay in their homes, reports the New York Times. If the patient leaves their home address or turns off their smartphone, the police will visit within 15 minutes.

Some paramedics carry equipment that use satellite communication to stream live vital signs such as ECG, temperature, respiration rate, and blood pressure to doctors who are due to take over treatment. The link allows two-way real-time consultation, allowing the ambulance team to make rapid clinical and transport decisions.

News and Entertainment: Broadcast communications satellites deliver entertainment but they also provide homebound people as well as government health care officials with critically important live pandemic news updates from around the world.

Global Positioning Satellites – GPS satellites are providing vital navigation services to the thousands of truck drivers working to help maintain country’s critical supply chains for food, manufacturing and medical supplies.

GPS timing services also help power country’s millions of cellular phones and remote electronic financial services.

Remote sensing and imaging satellites – Remote sensing and imaging satellites are providing health care officials and other users with comparison imagery – vital tools in helping monitor the effectiveness of “stay at home” and other social distancing initiatives. Earth observation satellites also provide a safe and remote method to collect global onsite information without the need to leave home or an office to go onsite.

Collectively, satellites are providing critical services to governments, businesses and consumers. The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) named satellite operations as an essential part of functioning critical infrastructure that is imperative during the response to the COVID-19 emergency services.