The Industrial Internet Of Things

The increase in the internet speed has spawned multiple use cases and technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc. This enables the existence of a network layout that connects various gadgets and electronic devices (enabled with Wi-Fi connectivity) to share and exchange data. This way a user is able to operate any of the Internet of Things or IoT- enabled devices using a portable device such as a smartphone.

While IoT has a number of interesting and possible applications for personal use, there is a wider scope to it for industrial use as well (popularly known as Industrial IoT or IIoT). However in order to widen its coverage and improve adoption rates it is important that companies already utilizing IIoT improve the yields they derive from this technology. This can become an automatic impetus for companies to embrace this technology in the near future.

How can one increase the output of IIoT technology?

IIoT’s increasing role increases the scope to a wider platform that covers innovation opportunities at governmental levels as well. In addition, many major companies are looking forward to adapting this evolving technology in their products and services to ensure a much faster and convenient way of communicating with devices. Here are some possible areas:

• Production:

To ensure a higher level of analytical and prognostic processing, companies can use this high-end innovation to optimize the manufacturing and repairing techniques for their products. Many private and public sectors around the world including the U.S. Army’s Logistics Support Activity (LOGSA) operation has been implementing IoT aspects for increasing the performance of production. The operation unit further noted that there was a decrease in the manufacturing break by almost 20% after the adaptation of Internet of Things-enabled units.

• Utilities and Energy:

Another major advancement opportunity using IIoT is in the energy and utility sectors. With it, these sectors can use predictive methods to analyze and maintain the power for continuous supply of energy wherever needed.

• Infrastructure:

Managing infrastructure is quite hectic. However, with the use of IoT, there is a chance of improving the building operations. Some have already implemented it and have already experienced a dropdown of 20 percent in the infrastructure costs.

• Retail Sector:

Any company that is using this technology understands the benefits. One of them is that a customer who purchases a unit from such a company may never even have to speak directly to its customer service for a complaint about a product. This is because IoT enabled devices analyze and predict any maintenance requirements or defects in the products to keep them working as well as communicate with the end customers more effectively. A major brand who has implemented this technology is Whirlpool.

• Transportation:

Internet of Things also has a great opportunity in improving logistics service providers. Its implementation can easily reduce the time it takes to transit various shipments as well as reduce chances of errors or fraud. Such attributes enable companies to keep track of the shipping documents, any digital signatures, inventory management, etc., to enable a much higher level of transportation process.

Thus, with IoT there is great chance of improving not just your residential areas, but also the industrial sectors. So, are you ready for the IIoT technology implementation in your commercial layout?

Apache Lucene – High Performance Guaranteed

Apache Lucene is a high performance search and information retrieval technology. The basic language behind this open source search technology is Java Script and it is all compatible with all the applications which require a full text search, especially, in cross-platform. Due to its high performance, scalability and relevancy, many bigshot organizations like IBM, AOL and Comcast Interactive Media bank upon it.

Currently, it is the powerful tool, running successfully all over the world. It also has great contributors, contributing from all around the world. Some of them are CNET, APPLE, Linkedin, IBM, Monster, MySpace, etc.

Why is Lucene the number one searched technology?

There are many specific features of Apache Lucene; let us discuss its 3 most powerful advantages:

1-Speed and high performance indexing

In terms of speed, there is none that can match Apache Lucene. This benefit is due to its Java framework. It only takes sub-seconds to result a query and this makes it very effective solution for any organization. It has great parameters to stand out from the crowd and efficiency is what, that makes it likable of all business players. As the speed increases, so does the overall performance. It also has a very small requirement of RAM, maximum 1MB. Also, its incremental indexing is faster than batch indexing.

2-Efficient and accurate search algorithms

In terms of Algorithm, it has ranked highest with best results returning first. In fact, to support the most accurate search, it features power queries including proximity queries, phrase queries, range queries and wild card queries. The option of field searching is available and you can start the search even by the name of author, title, and other search terms.

To elevate accuracy in the search function, it has multiple-index search features with merges results. It allows searching and updating simultaneously to provide the best results. Some of the pluggable ranking models used by Apache Lucene are OkapiBM25 and Vector Space Model. It also provides features like highlighting, flexible faceting, and result grouping.

3-Open source and cross Platform

Apache Lucene an open source program by Apache Software Foundation. It is currently free for all types of usage, including the open source programing and commercial purposes. There is no initial cost of the software and hence, it is quite benefiting for the businesses which are too new to input funds in software development, etc. Also, besides it has 100% javascript, it can still be implemented in other programming languages as well. However, the other implemented language should be index-compatible.

In fact, Apache Lucene provides complete source code so that the organization, using it at user end, does not need to re-write its own code. In fact, the most interesting fact is that, Lucene has forums for discussing the shortcomings while handling it. You can actively participate in discussions to help resolve other’s issues or get cleared off yours.

Apache Lucene has quickly emerged as a search technology of the latest generation packed with an array of powerful features. So, with the 3 above mentioned advantages, it certainly makes the best open source software to be used by any organization.

Augmented Reality – The Good, Bad and Ugly

Remember Pokémon Go? Yes, the game in which we had to trace the Pokémon and capture them. Well, it turned out to be one of the biggest Augmented Reality success stories in recent times. It also presented ways in which AR can go mainstream without impacting the ease of use and overall used experience generated by such new age technology disruptions.

But to drive the business in better ways, Augmented Reality has to overcome all the challenges which it faces. So, it won’t be wrong to say that there are still miles to go for AR to be embraced at a broader level by end users. Let us check out these challenges which are still restricting AR to come into the mainstream.

Challenges of Augmented Reality

1. Technical Challenges

When it comes to organizations who are looking to get a fully functional Augmented Reality solution, they will need a lot of components. Although the development process of AR applications is no different there are certain technical challenges like Unity 3D engine, content, hardware, awareness of the common public, and education.

On these fronts, we are still lacking by quite a distance. So, until and unless we are capable of tackling these technical shortcomings, AR cannot be properly visualized in an organizational scheme of things.

2. Devices used in AR

As mentioned earlier, AR apps are no different and can run in any of the tablet or smartphone. You can even call AR apps omnipresent. But what makes it lag are crucial hardware elements like cameras, screens, motion sensors, processors and lastly, high speed internet connectivity.

Now for a minute, let us assume that we have everything, but what about other hardware like Google Glass, HoloLens, AR headsets, and Meta, which are still far from the reach of common public to derive the delight and thrilling experience that Augmented Reality has the potential to provide?

3. Unavailability of Content for AR Apps

You have a smartphone, but you do not have any application to play- how will you feel? Yes, this is the same situation with Augmented Reality these days. We might get hardware like HoloLens and Google Glass soon but what about the content and AR applications that will provide the user with this unique experience? There is a huge demand for such interactive content and companies are still in the process of creating and generating such high engaging content on a regular basis.

So, in a nutshell, the AR ecosystem is growing gradually, but due to the lack of interactive content, people are not very motivated to adopt this new technology.

4. Lack of public awareness

This is more of a social challenge. Whenever a new technology is released it takes time to become widespread among its users. Same is the case with AR (Augmented Reality).

Common people are still not aware of the potential of AR and hence, they cannot even relate to it in their daily lives.  Therefore, it would not be wrong to say that AR is still in its nascent phase. It will take time to be fully embraced by the public.

Thus, these are the 4 challenges which Augmented Reality companies are facing these days. The focus should be that these challenges are soon overcome by devising and implementing the right business tactics.

Amazon Is Really Prime

There is a myriad of reasons about why most businesses use Amazon Web Services. Amazon offers with top-notch cloud hosting services that are better than most of regular cloud hosting services. Let us look into top five reasons that make this incredible service so popular with businesses irrespective of scale or size.

1. Performance

There are certain factors, which a business requires while getting a web hosting service. The factors are significant performance, optimal security, quick disaster recovery, 24/7 management and flexibility. These factors save a lot of time and money being invested in a business and offer 99.99% reliability with seamlessly automated working. Well, AWS has all these factors and that is why, it is a class apart from other service providers.

2. Cost effective

When looking around for web services, every business needs something that is cost effective and affordable. The amount of money that a business saves with web services can be used in other areas like for gaining traffic and conversion rates.

Amazon Web Services offers convenience where a business has a complete control over its resources. When needed, they can switch on the auto-scale feature and turn it off again when not required. This gives a business the right of selection of services for which they decide to pay.

3. Flexibility

During peak times, most business owners end up investing more money in resources they don’t need; simultaneously, increasing the upfront cost for any business owner. When using Amazon web services, it is easy to customize, upgrade, maintain and configure programs and software with flexibility.

Business owners can even scale the services that meet all their requirements, eliminating extra investment of time and money. Selection can be made from multiple applications, tools, database, language, script and operating systems, available with AWS.

4. Timeliness

While provisioning the server, any local company would take more than 48 hours to do so which is no less than a pain. But it is totally different with AWS; it takes minutes to provision the server and test it.

In fact, the use of Amazon Machine Images will enable the business to accept as much as connections it wants, within a short span of time. The service is very ideal for the situation when a business is running its promotional campaign and accepting a lot of traffic to hit it websites in a fraction of seconds.

5. Try for free

In general, services which are simple to use and offer affordability at the same time are very much preferred. But again, just because something has affordability and availability, these do not simply make it a better option.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is familiar with this concept. It offers the opportunity to register for free and use the services, at least for one year. Only a few months will be enough to understand the importance of buying the paid services, though!!

Some additional benefits are

• 5 GB storage capacity
• 24x7x365 customer support center
• Public forums
• Guidelines, documents and papers
• Elastic compute cloud system, including 750 hours usage monthly for Linux and Windows OS.

With Amazon Web Services, it is certain that your business has a lot to gain. Embrace this cutting edge on-demand cloud computing platform and get a performance powerhouse to deliver value for your business.

Cognitive Computing Trends

What exactly do you think as a human’s greatest possible skill? Solving problems is the greatest gift of God to the mankind because that brings us where we are today. Just a few decades ago when the revolutionary computers were introduced into the world, no one would have anticipated the machine to be solving our problems for us, only much better and with greater patience level.

Just as we’d have expected, we are advancing into the future faster than we invent all that we see today. The same is the case with C3PO which will be less to be seen in the future; that blessed us with Star Wars and Hal. The future, as we see it now, will be more about Cognitive Technologies, which comes with a greater ability to improve business management and the human-machine interaction.

How cognitive computing adds business value?

It is still a while before we put our best foot forward into the world of cognitive technologies, however, the value derived from cognitive computing cannot be disputed. Let us read the most probable changes it should bring to the business.

1. Increased productivity and better performance: With an impressive 360-degree view of financial and economic data for all the perspectives of a business, a better decision-making and forecasting is promised. Everything will be automated, including manufacturing, health diagnosis, failure detections in machines and lot more. Hence, the organizations embracing this change will definitely be more operational than before.
2. Improved customer experience: Just imagine the future of customer service with cognitive technology; a smart and customized service adapted by the preference of a customer would be a total win-win situation. An improved customer service means a leap in the number of customers, thus, a better and increased business. The cognitive technology also promises you to offer your customer a better buying experience. This will most probably be done by an analysis performed on the buyer’s personality by connecting with their social media profile.
3. Empowering employees with cognitive computing: If an organization has highly skilled professionals, then cognitive technology can help the organization to get best out of those skilled employees. As a skilled person can learn and grow simultaneously, the implementation of cognitive ecology will certainly help in achieving the task.
4. Consistent Analysis for the positive aspect of Business: With the implementation of cognitive technologies, the respective leaders can unfold a majority of their strategies to increase their business. With an effective level of accurate predictions, less number of untapped markets, and increase in product predictions, the business administration will work affluently than ever before.

The fascination for a better and an advanced future has greatly influenced lives around us. It is difficult to tell whether we are faster or still slower than what the previous generation might have imagined the life for the future. However, one thing is quite certain from the recent advancements – we are surely, entering another revolutionary era in human history. And cognitive computing is emerging as one of the biggest drivers of this change.

Couchbase Vs MongoDb

Both Couchbase and MongoDB are document oriented databases which carry a document for their storage unit. It is not unknown fact that data rules pretty much in all that we do today. Everything is witnessed and stored in documents, both online and offline, soft copy and hard copy. And now we need some tools those are essential for the management of the data. This is where NoSQL database comes in to act as a backbone for taming the data.

With an increase in the use of technology, the demands for more facility increases, compelling every business to meet customer satisfaction. So, for the businesses dealing with data storage and its management, CouchBase and MongoDB are two of highly sought-after database service providers.

A comparison between the two is much needed for a better insight on which one to use for the greater benefit as a whole.

1. Fragmentation

Couchbase: Couchbase server breaks the data to count it horizontally. It first spreads out the hash space to all the server in the community formed by the clustering of data. The placing of hash is later used to count it, which is determined by the key available in each document.

MongoDB: MongoDB uses the fragmenting method as it is entirely a document-based data model. Its key will lead you to the exact location of the document in the web of documents.  The difference here is that, MongoDB gives you the free will of choice for placing the fragment key; whereas, the Couchbase does the entire fragmenting itself without your intervention/choice.

Winner: – MongoDB

2. Performance

Couchbase: Very impressive to note is the simple architecture of Couchbase, which efficiently performs all the write operations when applied to a large number of data centers without any breakdown, whatsoever. This directly shows its fluent performance and minimized or rare cases for inactivity.

MongoDB: Due to its architecture, sadly, MongoDB fails to meet your business expectation of assessing the workload when a large number of data centers are applied.

Winner: Couchbase

3. External Cache

Couchbase: Couchbase is completely incorporated and organized within itself. It raises no action for the use of an external cache, at all. Its application is really easy to execute and has no complexities with multi-parts. A user can never lose his path somewhere between learning the adjustments!

MongoDB: MongoDB which cannot serve concurrent customers in its list of services, does need to add an external cache for assistance to serve the users. This not only costs more money but even raises complications while working. MongoDB needs a lot of physical attention of its user, as well as a number of needful added arrangements.

Winner: Couchbase

From the above given comparison, it is evident to see that Couchbase narrowly edges MongoDB and comes out a winner of this comparison. It is hard not to appreciate the user-friendly built and easy to execute usage of it. Couchbase, for its simple format and subtle structure, is easy to deploy because tasks like installation, configuration, and records management pretty simplified.

Language For The Machines

Machine learning is all about making a machine capable of learning codes and producing them automatically by analyzing the input data. This process includes the development of AI-enabled algorithms which help machine learn and produce codes. So, in a way we can say that machine learning is a part of AI (Artificial intelligence) which has been very viably used in many fields, like math, psychology, etc.

Well, this is just an intro; a more technicalities are still hidden far behind the curtains. The biggest one being learning of a machine language because only a good programmer can make use of all tools and bring out the best in the job.

So, in this article, we shall discuss about the 3 must-know languages which a programmer should know while dealing with machine learning.

1. Python

Python is the highly flexible and multi-purpose language in nature. Due to its these features, it has gained a lot of popularity among the developers, programmers and data scientists. This language has its own libraries for the purpose machine learning – Numpy and Scipy. These two libraries are enough to learn about the Linear Algebra and Kernel methods of the phenomenon of machine learning. The biggest ease with this language is that- it has easy syntax. Easy syntax, in turns, makes the whole machine learning process easy and understandable. Those who want to excel in machine learning, should start with python.

2. C Language

Developed by Denise Ritchie, C is the mother of all languages. Therefore, if you are thinking of building a predictive algorithm, this language will help you superficially. But as said, this language is the mother of all other programming language and hence, learning this would not be a cakewalk. To get started with C, you will have to have great fundamentals of basic C and its syntax. However, having mastery in this language does not mean to hold a PhD. It simply means to have strong concepts and clear fundamentals. Also, once you are nicely through the learning of C language, you can even give a try to other functional languages like Erlang, Scala, Julia, and Haskell.

3. R Language

R language is the modern version of the S language developed by the Bell Labs. This language, when combined with lexical scooping, helps in enhancing the flexibility of statistical models. In terms of machine learning, it is one of the strongest language to master. In this language, many GNU packages are available. This language can be used for creating the powerful algorithms and giving statistical visualization of those created algorithms. Currently, R language in very popularly used in educational industry, but soon it will exact famous in other fields as well.

So, as you can see the 3 most powerful languages for machine learning, it is time for you to decide which language you would start with. It would be a recommendation to start with C, which is the base of all other languages. After that, one can jump to python and R language.

Fraud Detection Trends in 2017

Before we welcome the hysterical upheavals of 2018, let us look back at some of the trending online scandals that have created a turmoil in the online market. Unsurprisingly, 2017 was yet another year filled with eerie and troublesome e-commerce and online frauds.  Thus, before you go ahead to start your own retail online business, read on to prepare for self-prevention against potential frauds coming your way.

This post will discuss the frauds and then their detection trend one at a time.

Fraud 1: Cross-border frauds

Now, the major growth is happening overseas, especially in Asia, which is also a hub for most of the online frauds. Retailers all around the globe are looking ahead to capitalize their boundaries towards Asia for its growing market. Yet, they will have to take care of rise in cross-border frauds, which again is a Red Cross sign for keeping check.

Trend 1: Remove fraud filters

According to a fraud survey, most of the internationally available merchants rely on Address Verification System (AVS) for order validation, which proved more or less redundant for validation anymore. Therefore, retailers are not much relying on AVS. About 70% of the merchants have set their own rules for international orders, such as, limited payment methods and banned IP addresses from several countries.

Fraud 2: Clean fraud

A criminal mind usually moves two-steps ahead. Privileges of the smarter technology, fraudsters now have more refined methodologies allowing the most sophisticated fraud, popularly termed as, Clean Fraud. In this phenomenon, it is not possible to know until before a chargeback is incurred.

Trend 2: Crosschecking the shopper’s transactions

This means a regular and consistent crosschecking of previous transactions to the ongoing ones. Look for repeated orders; it will help you to identify die-hard shoppers and distinguish the swindlers.

Fraud 3: Fraudsters as a disguise of mobile shoppers

With growing technology, shoppers are moving from desktops to mobile phones. In Japan, 50% sale is marked by mCommerce that included fraudsters as well. Therefore, to avoid this, retailers have to be very vigilant.

Trend 3: Tracking frauds by approval rates

Merchants are worried about frauds via mobile shopping and need something very secure to avoid it. The safest way is to track the CNP frauds, keep a check on order approval with a particular shopper. The social apps, GPS location, basic details will definitely help in identifying the fraudster.

Fraud 4: Omni-Channel exodus

Omni channel is spread all across the web, attached to every prestigious brand and pundit thinking. As many would say, it means ‘cross channel being done just well’. This means creating a website and mobile application to give the customer in-store and a better customer experience. However, sometimes a fraudster takes the place of genuine buyer and intervene in customer’s satisfaction.

Trend 4: Synchronize data to personalize the shopping experience

The entire concept of identifying a fraudster from a genuine customer is – to first understanding your customer. An Omni-channel provides you with information, which is required to have a good customer-retailer relation. It is well suited to keep a track of a customer’s entire history, which can leverage the geographic locations, demographic trends, etc., which are necessary to know that your customer is not a fraudster.

While one cannot stop digital frauds completely in e-commerce, methods like these can help in preventing them for sure.

The Amazing Cassandra

The Apache Cassandra- an open source distributed database has been a much-anticipated topic of debate, lately. It is a prime choice for the significant amount of App development and data management companies, working at fresh new start-ups and traditional legendary enterprises. It has become remarkably easy to perform the complete transition of a traditional database to an open source database since NoSQL took a leap by introducing the Apache Cassandra.

With a unique yet considerably efficient ability to offer a real-life performance and experience, Cassandra has been making the life of companies in web developments, software engineering, and Data analysis easy. No wonder why back in 2008 Prashant Malik and Avinash Lakshman initially originated the Cassandra at Facebook!

How Cassandra benefits businesses?

With an increasing number of businesses opting for the Apache Cassandra, let us have a brief at it advantages for a growing business.

1 – Elastic Scalability

Many say that elastic scalability is the biggest advantage of using the Apache Cassandra. As we have read above, as number of servers can be added, therefore, the now formed Cassandra cluster can be scaled up and down as you please without much hassle, i.e. without any downtime or pause occurring to the applications.

2 – Open Source

We have been hearing a lot about Apache Cassandra offering an Open Source service. What exactly does it mean? Being open source means- it is available to businesses for FREE! Yes, you read that right; you can download it without giving much thought to your pocket. It is not the end of the awesomeness that open sourcing offers, it has a huge Cassandra community where niche-specific people can come together and discuss various aspects of this huge open source projects. It is even compatible to be used with other Apache projects.

3 – Peer to Peer Architecture

Unlike a master-slave form of working, the Apache Cassandra follows a peer-to-peer architecture for execution, thus, resulting in rare chances for failure. This makes it possible to add as many servers as your business wants in data centers to make a Cassandra cluster. It means that all the servers are at the same level and any machine can answer the request from a client.

4 – Fault Tolerance

Usually, what worries any business the most is whether or not the stored data is safe? Well, Apache Cassandra not only secures the data but stores it at multiple locations. Even if one server fails, or someone hacks it, the user is able to retrieve the data with utmost ease from another location. It is up to your choice how many replications you want to create which is then activated by the high-level backup and recovery competencies of Cassandra.

5 – Great Analytics possibilities

There are 4 key methods of carrying out analytics on Cassandra

1. Solr based integrated search
2. Batch analytics integrating Hadoop with Cassandra
3. External batch analytics powered by Hadoop and Cloudera/Hortonworks
4. Spark based near real time analytics

This significantly expands the range and usage of analytics using Cassandra.

So, it is safe to say that Apache Cassandra is a total win-win situation for any organization using the solution. Be it high performance, predictable scaling, distributed database characteristic, or 100% uptime, Cassandra scores heavily on these parameters and emerges as the preferred open-source distributed NoSQL database management system.

Mobile Banking Is On The Rise

Just a simple question to start. When did you last visit your bank? Most of you would be hard pressed remembering it. If today every activity is happening online then it is logical that banking can also be executed online. With the tremendous advancement in technology the mobile apps built for banking nowadays are very secure and up-to-date thus providing a hassle free banking experience.

Also the mobile banking apps have become very intuitive and easy to use compared to its earlier bulkier versions. A person who does not have any previous experience in operating a technical device can also easily transact using a mobile app. There are many other benefits of mobile apps which have drastically transformed the banking sector and made banking immensely easy. Some of them are enumerated below:

1) No waiting in queues

If you are one of those people whose first work of the day was to visit a bank, then you would whole heartedly appreciate how banking apps have changed your life. The days of large queues outside a bank are over. By just clicking on a few icons your banking work is done within seconds with the help of a mobile banking app.

2) Tremendous convenience to consumers

Most of the banks have their working hours between 9am and 5pm and that is also the time people go to offices for work. Previously if a person had some work in the bank then he would had to take the day off from work or had to leave early, but with the advent of mobile apps this scenario has completely vanished. With the help of his bank’s mobile app he can transact anywhere in the world and anytime of the day.

3) Immediate transfers

Normally in India it takes three days to clear a cheque issued from a different bank. This led to tremendous wastage of time and resources. Now with the help of a banking app, a businessman can transfer money immediately to his supplier or any other person in just few seconds.

How is technology driving this radical shift?

A well deployed banking solution needs to take care of universal UI/UX experience for all bank customers. Also a secure platform needs to be provided in order that customers get peace of mind by using banking apps on their mobile. Disruptive technologies like e-wallets, BHIM app, and UPI are further expanding the reach and coverage of banking

Additionally the servicing front too has received a fillip with technology offerings like cloud deployment, mobile apps, big data, AI, and IoT. These are largely driving the business strategy of private and public banks alike.

Banks which were thinking of opening thousands of branches and ATMs just two years back are now giving more importance to their banking websites and apps and are brainstorming to bring in new apps with innovative technologies which would rapidly alter the scenario further. The leap of technology has already created virtual banks and in the future a new physical bank would be a rarity.