Tapway expands into Indonesia
Tapway Sdn. Bhd., an emerging Vision AI platform developer, has announced the appointment of three prominent Indonesian companies — PT Innovation Cloud Services (ICS Compute), PT Metrodata Electronics, Tbk (Metrodata), and PT Syspex Multitech — as its official channel partners. The appointments were formalized through the signing of Memoranda of […]
A global treaty to limit plastic pollution is within reach
Winnie Courtene-Jones, Lecturer in Marine Pollution, Bangor University. Representatives from 175 countries will gather in Geneva, Switzerland, in August for the final round of negotiations on a legally binding UN treaty to end plastic pollution. Non-governmental organisations, academics and industry lobbyists will also be in the room. They will all […]
BLT’s 2024 ESG Highlights: Advancing Low-Carbon Manufacturing with Additive Innovation
As ESG principles continue to reshape the global manufacturing landscape, Bright Laser Technologies (BLT) stands out as a long-time practitioner of sustainable innovation. In its newly released 2024 ESG Highlights, BLT details the progress it has made in integrating environmental responsibility, social impact, and strong governance across its operations. From […]
The Genius Myth: A Curious History of a Dangerous Idea
Unsettling, amusing, and prescient; a much-needed audit of a consuming idea. This is a study of how the measurement and indulgence of “genius” has changed over time. Over the past couple of centuries, the boundaries of genius have been used to justify eugenics, consolidate power, and excuse eccentric and even […]
Powering remanufacturing with AI
Companies are accelerating remanufacturing as a way to mitigate supply chain shortages, reach new customers through affordability, and implement high-margin alternatives for parts. However, those looking to build or optimise their remanufacturing operations face unique challenges, such as pricing a long tail of SKUs and undertaking accurate core forecasting—that is, predicting […]
Middlebank Consulting Group and Netstock to address supply chain challenges
Supply chain and value chain management consultancy Middlebank Consulting Group, has announced an expanded strategic partnership with Netstock, a global leader in inventory management and demand planning software. This collaboration aims to equip businesses with the tools and expertise necessary to stay resilient against today’s supply chain challenges while optimising […]
SMB manufacturers are cutting costs without cutting corners
Andrew Mamonitis, Vice President – APAC, Manufacturing Division, ECI Solutions In today’s volatile business landscape, small and mid-sized manufacturers (SMBs) are navigating a minefield of cost pressures. Inflation may be easing, however supply chains remain erratic, and the modern workforce demands greater flexibility. Many SMBs, desperate to stay afloat, are […]
What is multimodal AI?
Multimodal AI is a type of artificial intelligence that can understand and process different types of information, such as text, images, audio, and video, all at the same time. Multimodal gen AI models produce outputs based on these various inputs. When you wake up in the morning, you reorient yourself […]
Can reading the news make you richer?
Researchers have uncovered a novel way to forecast stock market volatility using daily business news. Business news can do more than report on financial markets; it can predict where they’re headed. That’s the finding from a new study by University of Auckland finance lecturer Dr Justin J. Case and Queensland […]
Tech Council of Australia and techUK sign landmark partnership
The Tech Council of Australia (TCA) and techUK have formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking a significant milestone in technology industry collaboration between Australia and the United Kingdom. Signed during London Tech Week at the UK Department for Business and Trade in the Old Admiralty Building and […]
The Genius Myth: A Curious History of a Dangerous Idea
By Helen Lewis Unsettling, amusing, and prescient; a much-needed audit of a consuming idea. This is a study of how the measurement and indulgence of “genius” has changed over time. Over the past couple of centuries, the boundaries of genius have been used to justify eugenics, consolidate power, and excuse […]
Your Life Is Manufactured: How We Make Things, Why It Matters and How We Can Do It Better
By Tim Minshall We live in a manufactured world. Unless you are floating naked through space, you are right now in direct contact with multiple manufactured products. How often do we stop to think: where do the things we buy actually come from? There exists a nearly invisible, awe-inspiring global […]
Rugged devices drive innovation in harsh industrial environments
Manufacturing environments expose both equipment and processes to constant stress. Heat, vibration, airborne particulates, moisture, and noise all affect how people work and how well operations run. Even in these tough conditions, manufacturers push to improve speed, accuracy and system responsiveness. Rugged devices support these efforts by reducing delays, improving visibility and connecting decision-making directly to the point of action, according to Getac. Frank Baldrighi, business development manager – Australia and New Zealand, Getac, said, “Work no longer depends on desktop access or end-of-shift reporting to progress. Rugged devices provide mobile, durable access to the tools and data that workers require in real time. Teams can track workflow progress, review equipment histories, update maintenance logs, and verify task details onsite, all without leaving the immediate work area. This removes unnecessary downtime, compresses feedback cycles, and improves responsiveness across teams.” Access to live data at the point of use eliminates ambiguity so workers can verify specifications, update quality data, and escalate emerging issues without interrupting production. Many of these tasks would have involved manual paperwork or communication through supervisory layers in traditional environments. However, rugged devices reduce those handovers and bring execution and oversight closer together, letting operators make better, faster decisions based on current conditions and clear instructions. Training also improves when workers interact with real systems while guided by context-specific instructions. Augmented and mixed reality applications help new employees follow correct procedures while completing actual tasks. This approach accelerates learning and reduces reliance on legacy knowledge held by a small group of experienced staff. Sustainability efforts similarly benefit from this shift in visibility. Workers can identify avoidable waste, inefficiencies, and asset fatigue during the task, not after production has ended. Energy usage, cycle timing, material flow, and process deviations become measurable and actionable in real time. Maintenance teams can […]