Future Technologies

Research shows CPG leaders are investing in AI and talent to stay competitive

Rockwell Automation Report finds CPG Industry prioritising innovation over cost cutting Rockwell Automation has announced the results of the 10th annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report: Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Edition. The findings highlight how manufacturers are placing greater importance on innovation, workforce development, and long-term growth strategies. The CPG industry is facing pressure on multiple fronts, from the growth of store brands to the demand for faster innovation and more sustainable products. At the same time, consumer loyalty is harder to earn, and expectations for customisation and transparency are rising. In response to this, CPG companies are moving away from small-scale technology pilots and investing in solutions that deliver measurable results across the organisation. The combination of workforce training, better use of data, and more adaptable systems is helping these manufacturers stay competitive while managing complexity. And as private-label brands expand and consumer expectations evolve, CPG leaders are prioritising investments that help them compete more effectively in a crowded and fast-changing market. Notable Key Trends from 2024 to 2025: Rising Competition Leads Industry Concerns: In 2024, economic uncertainty and inflation were main challenges noted in our annual survey. In 2025, competition has taken the lead, driven by increased market pressure from private-label products and changing consumer buying habits. Technology Needs to Work for People: Companies are focusing less on simply adopting new tools and more on making sure new technology fits their teams and operations. Usability and scalability are now critical factors in technological decisions. Capabilities CPG leaders are looking for in their workforce include communications/teamwork (86%), adaptability/flexibility (85%), while analytical thinking and cybersecurity practices are tied (84%). AI and Robotics Lead Investment Priorities: At the heart of technology investment decisions is a shift in thinking. 70% of CPG manufacturers say they are investing in AI, robotics, and simulation […]

Beneq launches Transform XP – Redefining atomic control in ALD

Second-generation platform delivers advanced control, in-cycle annealing, and high-throughput performance for Wide Bandgap power and RF device manufacturing Beneq introduces the Beneq Transform XP, a second-generation ALD platform developed to meet the performance demands of Wide Bandgap (WBG) power and RF device technology development and manufacturing. Building on the proven Beneq Transform platform, the new system adds advanced ALD control, faster cycle times, and greater process capabilities in a high-throughput format. The Beneq Transform XP features a second-generation, flow-optimized 25-wafer mini-batch thermal ALD reactor that achieves breakthrough deposition rates with single-digit-second cycle times for common ALD oxides and nitrides. Refined flow and pressure dynamics ensure exceptional within-wafer and wafer-to-wafer uniformity – even at a few nm film thicknesses – while precise dwell-time control delivers excellent conformality on high-aspect-ratio structures. Transform XP also introduces advanced PEALD process control to precisely manage low-energy ions. This enables optimized plasma pre-cleaning and deposition, resulting in improved interface quality, tunable passivation, and enhanced device performance and reliability. The system integrates in-cycle annealing, a proprietary step that densifies and purifies films to achieve stoichiometric, low-impurity materials and crystalline alignment, such as AlN lattice orientation. “Transform XP is in response to the next wave of device challenges in power and RF manufacturing,” said Dr. Mikko Söderlund, Head of Sales, Semiconductor ALD at Beneq. “Customers value the original Transform® for its versatility and reliability. With XP, we introduce capabilities they specifically asked for – improved ion control, faster cycles, and in-cycle film densification – all in a versatile platform.” With over a dozen Beneq Transform clusters installed globally for WBG pilot and production use, and more than 100 process modules shipped, Beneq continues to support leading IDMs, foundries, and RTOs advancing More-than-Moore technologies.

Jobs and the future of work

How to build the skills needed for the age of AI AI is changing how we work and what skills workers need to thrive in a world of intelligent machines and cognitive computing. Only a sliver of education initiatives are devoted to AI and these are not yet integrated into most education systems. Collaborative initiatives between education and industry can accelerate the transition to a greener, more efficient and inclusive world where jobs and skills development pathways are readily available. New technologies can be exciting and disruptive at the same time. Over the past few years, no innovation has been more contentious than artificial intelligence (AI). It is changing the way we think about when, where and how we work and what skills workers need to thrive in a world of intelligent machines and cognitive computing. But it comes with a colossal caveat How will it affect jobs and livelihoods? And, what steps can we take now to futureproof our workforces and equip them with the skills and know-how they’ll need to succeed in a more digital, automated and fast-paced jobs market? Job displacement – or job reconfiguration – is a primary concern. Labour-intensive work, such as assembling electronics or automobiles, handling materials and overseeing supply chains – careers that employ tens of millions of workers, which are critical to the economies of many developing countries – will certainly be impacted as AI-powered activities, such as quality control and robotics, replace some jobs. Knowledge-based workers in industries such as banking, marketing, and human resources may already need to skill-up to coexist with sophisticated technologies for financial analysis, algorithmic trading, predictive analytics and software development. AI will massively impact the workforce The IMF recently estimated that almost 40% of jobs will be impacted by AI. This effect varies by a country’s income level, […]

Agents for growth: Turning AI promise into impact

As CEOs and CMOs ask where AI is moving from hype to real results, frontrunners demonstrate that tighter human–AI collaboration and sharper governance is required. A global retailer sees demand for a top product surge in one region while inventory piles up in another. Within seconds, a team of AI agents reallocates ad spend, adjusts pricing, reroutes stock, and refreshes creative assets to offers that match shopper intent. In this scenario, what comes next is coordinated action triggered by customer signals, orchestrating business growth in real time. This is not a fantasy scenario; it’s the new frontier of AI in growth functions. Agentic AI embeds automated reasoning directly into marketing, sales, and customer service workflows. We estimate that agentic AI will power more than 60 percent of the increased value that AI is expected to generate from deployments in marketing and sales. It’s no exaggeration to say that marketing and sales represent the tip of the spear when it comes to translating agentic AI’s potential into meaningful value. Early leaders are already seeing measurable impact. For example, according to McKinsey analysis, some Fortune 250 companies have estimated that they are seeing campaign creation and execution speed up 15-fold, driven by faster innovation cycles and process optimisation. The value from agentic AI comes from the tasks it is able to do. Unlike gen AI and chatbots that largely assist in the completion of marketing and sales tasks, AI agents can act, decide, and collaborate. They are able, for example, to optimize prices, advance leads, tailor offers and manage customer interactions end-to-end. As organisations deepen their adoption of agentic AI, gains can scale. Analysis shows that effective and scaled agent deployments could deliver productivity improvements of three to five percent annually and potentially lift growth by 10 percent or more. Most organisations, however, […]

Using AI to enable scalable, autonomous operations

By Troy Mahr, director – Kalypso. Kalypso – acquired by Rockwell Automation in 2020 – is a diverse team of consultants, innovators, strategists, data scientists and technologists. What we consistently hear from industry leaders is the need for real-time visibility across their global operations, which is key to ensuring their operations stay agile and scalable. However, achieving this isn’t possible without removing laggy manual data collection through the deployment of connected assets and contextualised data. By eliminating data silos and unlocking industrial data and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, companies can enable autonomous decision-making that optimises costs, efficiency, and production resilience. This moves their organisation closer to achieving autonomous operations. Autonomous operations are the manifestation of “self-governing” systems at every step of the manufacturing process. These systems derive their autonomy from data-led decision-making models that enable them to reliably adapt their behaviour in response to dynamic environments during operation without any manual intervention. Achieving autonomy across an enterprise requires capabilities that span the full intelligence spectrum, from observation and inference to decision-making and action. These capabilities are relevant across all operational areas, including product design, manufacturing, supply chain, distribution, direct-to-customer channels, and demand forecasting. Manufacturing operations, in particular, have seen progress through Model Predictive Control (MPC), which continuously analyses real-time and forecasted data to optimise process control within defined constraints. While MPC is a strong example within manufacturing, broader autonomy demands extending similar intelligent systems across the enterprise. This journey is captured in the industrial AI maturity pyramid, which outlines a progression from basic data integration and visualisation to predictive analytics, prescriptive decision-making, and ultimately, autonomous operations. As organisations climb this pyramid, they adopt machine learning, real-time automation, and self-learning systems. Each stage requires not just technological upgrades but also cultural and structural transformation. Asset Monitoring: Find Downtime Root Causes Looking at […]

Piecing together the puzzle of future solar cell materials

Formamidinium lead iodide is considered one of the best-performing materials in the halide perovskite group, since it has promising properties for future solar cell technologies. New findings from Chalmers can now shed light on its structure; this is crucial if we are to engineer and control the material. Global electricity use is increasing rapidly and must be addressed sustainably. Developing new materials could give us much more efficient solar cell materials than at present; materials so thin and flexible that they could encase anything from mobile phones or entire buildings. Using computer simulation and machine learning, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have now taken an important step towards understanding and handling halide perovskites, among the most promising but notoriously enigmatic materials. Electricity use is constantly increasing globally and, according to the International Energy Agency, its proportion of the world’s total energy consumption is expected to exceed 50 per cent in 25 years, compared to the current 20 per cent. “To meet the demand, there is a significant and growing need for new, environmentally friendly and efficient energy conversion methods, such as more efficient solar cells. Our findings are essential to engineer and control one of the most promising solar cell materials for optimal utilisation. It’s very exciting that we now have simulation methods that can answer questions that were unresolved just a few years ago,” says Julia Wiktor, the study’s principal investigator and an associate professor at Chalmers. Promising materials for efficient solar cells Materials lying within a group called halide perovskites are considered the most promising for producing cost-effective, flexible and lightweight solar cells and optoelectronic devices such as LED bulbs, as they absorb and emit light extremely efficiently. However, perovskite materials can degrade quickly and knowing how best to utilise them requires a deeper understanding of […]

Emerson’s next-generation of industrial PCs for AI-enabled automation

New PACSystems IPCs combine latest generation of industrial-rated processors with optimised cooling and pre-loaded software to simplify advanced computing and integration. Emerson has the PACSystems IPC 6010, IPC 7010, and IPC 8010 industrial computing platforms. This new line expands Emerson’s family of high-performance industrial personal computer (IPC) models for demanding applications, including artificial intelligence, machine learning and advanced analytics. PACSystems IPCs feature the first CPU in the latest generation of processors designed specifically to support AI enabled capabilities such as predictive maintenance, process optimization, quality inspection, decision support, supply chain management and more. Critical digital transformation applications require reliable and ruggedised computing platforms, with the high level of performance needed to support data collection, protocol conversion, historisation, and analytics for real-time optimisation and visualszation capabilities. The new PACSystems line features significant performance updates and more options to develop solutions for challenging industrial applications, with a range of functionality and price points to support scalable operations and lower cost-of-ownership. The new line of IPCs use the latest generation of soldered industrial-rated 13th Generation Intel Core Processors with up to 64 GB soldered ECC memory, for maximum resistance against shock and vibration. Their compact form factor employs fan-less cooling for an extended operating temperature range up to 70 degrees Celsius, with thermal monitoring and an optional fan available for high-temperature environments. PACSystems IPCs benefit from Emerson’s patented vibration and thermal technologies to boost reliability and extend deployment life.With solid-state drive (SSD) storage options ranging up to 4 terabytes, multiple gigabit Ethernet interfaces, up to four PCIe® slots, and other interfaces, PACSystems IPCs can be tailored to deliver high-performance computing required for vision systems, advanced analytics, data processing, historization/visualization, and other similarly rigorous functions for process optimisation and improved operational insight. Available pre-installed, pre-licensed operating systems with edge and visualisation software help to […]

Supercharging battery manufacturing in Australia

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has opened the $500 million Battery Breakthrough Initiative (BBI) to support and grow battery manufacturing in Australia. BBI will provide clean energy manufacturing opportunities for Australia’s workforce and allow Australia to leverage its expertise in battery energy storage. ARENA CEO Darren Miller said batteries are crucial to achieving Australia’s net zero emissions goal. “Energy storage is a critical enabling technology for our renewable energy future. We know that solar and wind energy can provide us the lowest cost renewable energy generation at scale, but we also need to be able to store it for when it is needed.” “BBI will enhance Australia’s battery manufacturing capability, improve supply chain resilience and battery manufacturing processes, and foster innovation.” ARENA will focus on awarding funding to projects across the following areas: Active materials: supporting projects relating to the production of cathode materials, anode materials, and electrolytes used in electrochemical batteries Battery cell manufacturing: supporting manufacture of electrochemical battery cells and components that directly support battery cell manufacturing Battery pack assembly: supporting projects related to battery pack assembly, which includes the connection of battery cells (or modules and flow battery stacks) into battery packs. Central to the National Battery Strategy, the program has been designed in consultation with the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) and a broad range of stakeholders. BBI is aligned with the Economic Resilience and Security stream of the Future Made in Australia (FMA) policy agenda. Funding provided through BBI may include capital grants, production incentives or other payments deemed appropriate by ARENA for the project. Program guidelines and other support documentation are now available on ARENA’s website. The submission portal will open in August 2025. Project proponents are strongly encouraged to contact ARENA before submitting an application. The program will remain open until […]

AI meets rugged reliability

Getac Technology Corporation (Getac), a leading provider of rugged computing and mobile video solutions and a manufacturer with advanced in-house capabilities, has announced the launch of two highly versatile new field devices: the F120, the world’s first fully rugged Copilot+ PC in a tablet form factor; and the V120, an AI-ready fully rugged laptop designed to deliver a premium computing experience in challenging work environments. Both new devices are the result of extensive real-world research and customer dialogue, building on Getac’s best-selling F110 and V110 models to deliver two brand new devices that harness the power of AI to unlock new levels of productivity in the field. Shared upgrades include larger 12.2-inch displays with a new narrow-bezel design, slimmer and lighter builds, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, two Thunderbolt™ 4 ports, hot-swappable batteries, TPM 2.0, and robust MIL-STD-810H/IP66 certifications, a generational leap in performance and reliability for field professionals. F120 fully rugged tablet: the world’s first fully rugged tablet as a Copilot+ PC Copilot+ PCs are the fastest, most intelligent Windows devices currently available, with powerful processors and access to highly advanced AI models that can fundamentally transform workflows and operations in the field. To qualify as a Copilot+ PC, a device must include a neural processor unit (NPU) capable of 40+ trillion operations per second (TOPS), have a minimum of 16GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage, and support at least one form of biometric security authentication. Getac’s new F120 meets all these criteria. By bringing powerful edge AI into a fully rugged form factor, it transforms how field professionals work in challenging environments. Powered by the latest Intel® Core™ Ultra 200V Series Processor and groundbreaking Intel® AI Boost NPU with up to 48 TOPS, it accelerates AI-driven tasks like diagnostics, image processing, and real-time analytics, enabling users to tackle challenges faster and more effectively. […]

From riverbeds to flood zones: new sonar tech puts Australia on the map

An Australian designed and built sonar sensor capable of operating in shallow water and coastal environments has been developed by Macquarie and University of Wollongong researchers. The Smart sonar and accessible hydrography project has progressed the local manufacturing of state-of-the-art transducers for high-sensitivity sonar systems, proving Australia need not rely so heavily on international suppliers. High-sensitivity sonar systems are vital for water managers, dam operators, mining sites, and environmental monitoring, enabling the mapping of riverbeds, tracking of sediment movement, and surveillance of underwater vegetation such as seagrass. The new transducer shows strong promise for surveying flooded and storm-damaged areas, and coastal environments. The project, supported by the NSW Smart Sensing Network’s Grand Challenge Fund, was led by Senior Lecturer in Macquarie University’s School of Computing, Dr Matthew Roberts. He contributed advanced signal processing and data analytics, enabling the sonar transducer to generate detailed maps and measurements of underwater environments in real time. “This project proves that Australia can develop underwater sonar technology from start to finish,” Dr Roberts said. “It’s not just about the hardware—it’s about the full capability, from ceramic design to field deployment, that allows us to build systems tailored to Australian needs.” At the heart of the system is a ceramic transducer—sometimes called a “ceramic puck”—which converts electrical energy into underwater sound waves. The piezoelectric ceramic material, developed by the University of Wollongong, is typically used in medical ultrasound and has now been adapted for underwater applications in Australia. Distinguished Professor Shujun Zhang from the Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials at the University of Wollongong is the co-investigator on the project. “This high-sensitivity transducer was built on a foundation of advanced, domestically fabricated piezoelectric ceramics, crucial for operating in complex shallow waters,” Professor Zhang said. “The project also strengthens vital sovereign capability by training the next generation of Australian material researchers in cutting-edge transducer design.” […]

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