This episode delves into the strategies that allowed Sam and her team to overcome challenges, embrace innovation, and build a brand that resonates with customers on a personal level.
Tune in to hear Sam's thoughts on confidence, customer trust, navigating niche markets, and what's next for Boost as they aim to make an even bigger impact globally.
If you're looking for inspiration, insights on entrepreneurship, or simply a story of strength and innovation, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
Sam Jackman is the co-founder of Boost Innovations Ltd, a company dedicated to designing innovative breast forms for women after mastectomy. Inspired by her mother’s experience, Sam's approach challenges traditional designs, prioritising comfort, breathability, and recyclability. Boost’s patented breast forms, developed through co-design with women, are now sold across the UK and overseas, with partnerships including NHS contracts and high street retailer Bravissimo.
10 Insights to Innovation Success
Want to learn more about the science of innovation and how you can improve outcomes for commercial profitability? We're revealing '10 insights to innovation success' so that you can understand what it takes. Here are 10 short, bit-sized videos, packed with insights to help you understand the important aspects to consider when developing a product.
Carbon Reduction Through Design & Innovation
When NHS England released its net zero roadmap it identified that 60% of their emissions were attributed to the supply chain, and so reaching their goal would require bringing suppliers on the journey too. This was a bold and progressive move, with nothing comparable on scale or ambition in any other country. Whilst it is ambitious, it initiated a domino-effect starting with an intense phase of carbon-literacy building with their suppliers. Essentially, to continue supplying products to the NHS, manufacturers will need to have a publicly available Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP) in place, including their Scope 1,2 and 3 emissions within a set deadline. For most organisations this kick-started their sustainability journey, and while there has been plenty of support on ‘what’ to do, translating this into ‘how’ to do it is the biggest challenge, leading to hesitation and uncertainty. Getting the right advice on ‘how’ to make change is a very important step. Like anything, else having a solid strategy as a foundation to build on will pay dividends in the long run. Sustainability isn’t binary, but very much a journey of incremental gains. Each business is different and getting guidance on what is most appropriate for your company ensures time is well spent on achievable goals.
“Sustainability isn’t binary, but very much a journey of incremental gains.”
A solid baseline on your organisation's emissions is typically the first step. Wrapping you head around Scope 1,2 & 3 (S123) can be daunting, and again, seeking expert support with this can help in two key ways. Confidence in the numbers that will be published and used as a future benchmark, but also with capacity, since the calculation process can be time intensive. With this in mind, pd-m International has developed an inexpensive and rapid system to generate the baseline data.
The next step is to move into a carbon reduction plan. Usually Scope 1 & 2 (direct & indirect emissions) are the easiest place to start since the organisation has a greater influence over these. An approach of Eliminate, Reduce, Substitute and Compensate can help form the basis for the reduction strategy. Depending on the operations of a business these are typically in the region of 30% of total emissions and many companies have begun to reduce their corporate emissions through this route. However, Scope 3 (indirect) makes up the remaining 70% of emissions(*1) and is heavily influenced by the products being manufactured and distributed, leaving huge potential for improvement in this area.
To keep this in context, the NHS are initially only asking for a subset of these Scope 3 emissions (5 of the 15 categories -see diagram3) in time all will be required to achieve net zero.
Pd-m International is a product design and innovation consultancy, and sustainability is important to us. As research by the Ellen Macarthur foundation has shown, 80% of a products environmental impact is influenced by decisions made at the design stage (*2). As designers we’re inherently linked to the emissions our products create, and so have a responsibility to ensure they are minimised.
“Products designed today are those we will account for tomorrow.”
Measuring the environmental impact of design decisions can be incredibly difficult to quantify. A full ISO level Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) can be a significant undertaking in terms of time, cost, and complexity. Whilst this might be useful as a final verification of a product, it doesn’t help designers measure the impact of their decisions dynamically during the development process. This is where sustainable design tools such as carbon and circularity calculators have a real benefit. These allow for quick comparisons to be made on factors including; materials, onshoring as well as production processes. The data they provide at a component level can build into a product carbon footprint and give indications on energy required from manufacturing to delivery. When these tools are coupled with a wider understanding of sustainable design strategies, it’s possible to make significant improvements to a product carbon footprint, in turn those reduce overall emissions for the business.
Some indications of carbon savings through various methods can be seen below.
For many the first reaction to the sustainability mandate is that it’s just a challenge they don’t need. There’s no doubt that the regulations involved in medical devices make bringing a device to market hard enough already, to factor sustainability brings a whole new set of considerations into play. The fact is, this agenda isn’t going away, and with the healthcare sector responsible for 4-5% of global emissions, if anything, mandates are only going to ramp up. Therefore, there needs to be a pivot in business perspective, to see sustainability as the opportunity that delivers efficiencies and margin benefits at the same time as reducing emissions. For those who positively engage with sustainability, who innovate, who create a competitive advantage and take a leading position, there are significant benefits to be had.
References
*1 https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/focus/climate-change/zero-in-on-scope-1-2-and-3-emissions.html
*2 https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/news/an-introduction-to-circular-design
3 https://ghgprotocol.org/sites/default/files/standards/Corporate-Value-Chain-Accounting-Reporing-Standard_041613_2.pdf
The Push and Pull of Innovation
This time Beth co-hosts an interview with Dr Angela MacOscar, Head of Innovation at Northumbrian Water Group Limited. Angela talks about her inspirational FMCG career journey, to adopting strategies within her organisation which include innovation ambassadors and the innovation festival, a version of Glastonbury and water utilities.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify
Access and support in the medical device and life science industry
This time Richard co-hosts an interview with Ian Newington, Head of Special Projects of the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Ian talks about the vast range of access and support for organisations who's work focuses on early translational research, clinical research and applied health and social care research.
How to foster a culture of innovation
This time Richard co-hosts an interview with Jonathan O’Halloran - co-founder of QuantuMDx, former Chief Scientific Officer and inventor of many of its proprietary technologies. Jonathan talks about his entrepreneurial journey from lab to CEO, how to foster a culture of innovation and mobilising high performing teams.
I wish I’d designed…..
Sometimes we come across things that for whatever reason, whether it’s because they are simple, practical, clever or beautiful, pique our interest or make us stop in our tracks as we think, ‘I wish I’d designed that’. We put this question to our team and the answers were as varied as we are.
So team, what ‘something’ do you wish you’d designed...
…the 3D printer
“We’ve had Formlabs 3D printers in our studio for a couple of years now and they’re just brilliant. Without boring everyone with the technical details, they’re just really well designed machines that use very clever technology to do something really quite simple. Ours keeps surprising us with new things we can do with it. Having it has certainly changed the way we work.”
– Tim Flood, Product Designer
… OXO Good Grips
“Back at university I did a project on inclusive design and OXO Good Grips’ range of user-centred kitchen utensils, was one of the products we looked at. It’s bigger, grippier handles were originally designed for people who can’t grip very well, like those who suffer from arthritis. But as with many inclusive products it appealed to a wider audience. My family had the measuring jug, which I think is really cleverly designed. Instead of having the measurements on the side, which is difficult to read and often involves you having to bend down, the OXO one is angled so you can read the measurements from above.”
– Beth Sanderson, Product Designer
…the cordless vacuum cleaner
“I hate vacuuming and I never understand why vacuums have a cord because they just get in the way.”
– Julia Van Zelst, Accountant
…the E-scooter
“You can hire these electric mobility scooters via an app on your smartphone to conveniently get around many European cities. They are a great mode of transport. Just before lockdown I went to Dusseldorf and we hired one to do a bit of sightseeing along the riverside. I didn't look particularly cool but I thought these things are very cool.”
– Nick Bramley, Business Development
…the Fairphone
“I’m really interested in the circular economy and the completely modular Fairphone is a great example of it in action. It’s all about design for disassembly and repair and reuse. So if you want to upgrade your camera, for instance, you don’t buy a whole new phone like most people would, you take out the camera segment and simply replace it with an upgraded one. It’s a very conscious company that is designing some pretty cool products.”
– Pippa Bridges, Product Designer
…cat’s eyes
“A fantastically simple device that had a transformational impact on road safety globally. Inspired by the eyeshine reflecting from the eyes of a cat, inventor Percy Shaw of Halifax patented his invention in 1935. I don’t suppose he knew at the time how transformational his reflective road stud would be and almost 90 years later still be in use. It just goes to show that the best designs don’t have to be highly technical or sexy, they can be simple, practical and useful for everybody.
– Richard Hall, Managing Director
What can’t you live without?
There are things in our lives that we absolutely can’t live without. They are so integral to how we live that the thought of not having them is unthinkable. Here the PD-M team each list one thing they can’t live without…
My vertical mouse
“The one thing I can’t live without at work is my vertical mouse. I spend long hours at the computer using SolidWorks and the normal mouse was giving me hand cramps. A designer friend suggested this ergonomic mouse that you hold at an angle as he said it completely cured his cramps. When I first tried it, the first two days were so weird but now I don’t even think about it anymore. It makes sense as our hands naturally rest in that vertical position. I guess humans weren’t designed to be cramping over a mouse.”
– Pippa Bridges, Product Designer
Dual monitors
“I invested in a second screen for my desktop and this dual monitor setup has been an absolute godsend. It makes life so much easier. And it saves paper because before, being a bookkeeper, if I wanted to have bank statements or spreadsheets I would have to print them off and then go through them. But now I can copy stuff across onto a different screen, highlight something that I've already checked off on the spreadsheet and not have to print it out. It’s been so helpful. So there’s a top tip for others as I genuinely can’t live without it.”
– Julia Van Zelst, Accountant
Joseph Joseph water bottle
“As basic as it is, I can’t live without my water bottle. I don't drink any hot drinks, so to stay hydrated I carry water everywhere with me. Pre-Covid I would just reuse plastic water bottles but then I invested in a Joseph Joseph one, as I really thought I needed to keep on top of how much water I was having each day. The good thing with the Joseph Joseph one is it has a very simple but clever tracking system on the lid. So each time you refill it, the lid displays a new dot so you can keep track of the number of bottles you’ve had. I love how subtle it is and unlike other water bottles, you don’t have all the ugly text showing the measurements. I’m now on my second one and I take it everywhere.”
– Beth Sanderson, Product Designer
My bike(s)
“I’m a very keen cyclist. Bikes have been my life for probably 30 years. My life revolves around them and most people I know are bike nerds. Cycling is my outlet for exercise, relaxation, fun and socialising. I get so much from it and I would say that it has shaped me as a person. Over the years I’ve had so many bikes. I had seven at one point but I’m now down to four. Being a designer, I also really appreciate the mechanical side of bicycles. There's a lot of technology in them that relates to what we do here.”
– Tim Flood, Product Designer
Smartphones
“Surely the product that is at the top of my list is at the top of everyone else’s in 2021 and that’s your smartphone. There are so many apps and things you can do with it and it’s all in a small device in your back pocket that you take everywhere with you. I don’t carry cash anymore, or a camera or a dictation machine… it’s all there. And I’m sure I don’t use all its functionality either. My daughter says that my smartphone is smarter than me. A bit rude but she’s probably right.”
– Nick Bramley, Business Development
The support of my family
“There are many straightforward things I can’t live without - laptops, Wi-Fi, electricity - but the main thing is not actually a ‘thing’ at all but it is something I can’t live without and that is the support of my family. It may sound cheesy but when you do what I do, you need that support because otherwise what's the point in doing it?”
– Richard Hall, Managing Director
Toys & Tech we loved as children
As a team of makers, doers and creative thinkers we love our gadgets, toys and technology at Pd-m. We recently took a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about some of our most memorable toys as children.
Our diverse team spans the decades from growing up in the 60s to the noughties and while some toys have stood the test of time (Lego being the obvious one) there are others that have since been ousted by the advance of digital technology.
Chemistry set
Nick Bramley, Business Development
“As a toy I cannot see past Lego. There is a reason why in 2000 it was named Toy of the Century. When I was a kid in the 60s and 70s it wasn't nearly as sophisticated with all the motors and tech found in today’s Lego kits. But nevertheless you could play for hours, just building and letting your imagination run free.
Back when I was ten I remember receiving a toy for Christmas, which kids would most certainly not get today and would horrify their parents, and that’s a chemistry set with chemicals that were probably toxic. I remember being in my bedroom one day, mixing a concoction of these chemicals in a test tube with no thought process other than ‘oh, that's a nice bright colour.’
As I began heating it up over the bunsen burner that ran off methylated spirits, the cork stopper blew off and the whole thing exploded upwards and burst yellow and orange liquid all over my ceiling and wall. To the day we moved out of that house we could not paint over the mark it made. Thinking back, it’s crazy that I was left to my own devices with all those chemicals! I’m sure you won’t get anything like that these days.”
Subbuteo
Richard Hall, Managing Director
“While there weren’t many gadgets around when I was growing up in the 70s, a memorable toy from my childhood is the table football game Subbuteo.
It was basically a fabric football pitch that you’d unravel, lay on a completely flat surface, iron if there were any creases, set up your two football teams - a red and a blue team - that had counterweights, bring in the massive football and place on the goals. You could also buy extra accessories like stadium seating and floodlights.
It was an immersive, tactile experience that involved a decent dollop of imagination to be able to set up the different scenarios for your football teams and then skill to be able to play.
I have fond memories of playing it with my siblings however, I'm sure it was frustrating too as there was a fair bit of preparation before you could actually start playing the game. Not to mention then having to pack it all away again afterwards. But that's the tricks that memory plays on you. And to this day, I can still remember the strap line and jingle.
Today kids can play games like these at a switch of a button. It’s probably the analogue version of FIFA, which is played on the Xbox.”
Sindy doll (with extendable hair)
Julia Van Zelst, Accountant
“As a very young kid, one of my most precious possessions was a Sindy doll that had extendable hair. You’d push her stomach and her hair would extend and then on her back was a way to wind it up again. I loved it because I could make all sorts of different hairstyles.
As an older child, I remember my Nana buying me a Philips Transistor radio, which was leather clad with the tuning dials on the top. It also had one wired earpiece so that I could listen without disturbing my mum or dad. Whilst my Nana used hers to listen to Radio 4 and the World Service, I would often hide under the bed covers at night and tune into Radio Luxembourg to listen to 60s and 70s pop music until god knows what time. As it was based in Luxembourg they could get away with playing the music and not worrying about licenses. Memorably, I remember listening to Radio Luxembourg in the bath when they announced that Elvis had died.”
Lego
Tim Flood, Product Designer
“I was always into mechanical stuff. There was, of course, Lego, but also model making and things like radio controlled cars. Being an inquisitive kid, I also enjoyed taking toys apart and then either modifying them or putting them back together again. My dad and I would often build and modify Lego together.
I remember us making lots of Star Wars figures like AT-ATs. Similarly with my own kids, I’ve played Lego with them, and a lot of those Lego bricks were mine or passed down to me from older family members. And hopefully, it will get passed on to the next generation as it’s a toy that seems to be timeless and has universal appeal.”
Tomagotchi
Beth Sanderson, Product Designer
“The first thing that came to my mind was the Tamagotchi, that small digital pet on a key ring. By today’s standards it seems so archaic with its three buttons and simple design. But I loved that simplicity and have many good memories of playing it and looking after my pets. It was a bit of a novelty that you could take it every where with you but you didn’t feel too distracted by it. I miss that as technology today that you carry in your pocket, like you smart phone, is so distracting. Tomagotchi is probably still around but I imagine it’s far more techie.
Another memorable toy is Playmobil. I would spend ages playing on my own or with my older brother although, as older brothers often do, he would break it up or throw it at me. I think my parents still have all my old Playmobil characters and houses.”
Nintendo games console
Pippa Bridges, Product Designer
“For me it’s the Nintendo Gamecube or Nintendo Wii. I have so many great memories of playing with my siblings, parents and even grandparents. It would bring us together and we’d have an enjoyable time. My brother and I would play Game Cube the most, specifically on Saturday mornings. He had a small telly in his bedroom and after we’d watched the children’s breakfast programme The Saturday Show we’d play on the Game Cube for an hour or until mum came in and told us to stop.
Our Nintendo Wii at the time had a sensor on it, so it could pick up where you are and where your hands are. So we’d play tennis or bowling all together as a family, which was fun. I remember when Guitar Hero first came out, my grandmother, who must have been 80 at the time, playing the guitar. That is a great memory.”
In summary
Having all come from different backgrounds and our ages spanning the decades, there’s a huge variety in the toys and gadgets we played with as kids. Certainly technology has advanced, but one thing that stands out is the tactile experience of play and also immersing yourself in it, whether it’s building Lego, competing in table football or playing Nintendo Wii - we get lost in the play. And, as they say, play is essential for creativity!
The real-life highs and lows of product development.
This time Richard co-hosts an interview with Amar Latif - entrepreneur, television personality and professional traveller. Amar talks about his entrepreneurial passion of Traveleyes and how he pivoted the business to develop and launch Companion Cane.
Enabling innovative start-ups and established business to thrive.
This time Richard co-hosts an interview with Sarah Hex, Business Development Manager at Mercia Asset Management Plc. Sarah talks about how Mercia are embedded in the entrepreneurial journey to enable businesses to be supported, no matter what stage of the journey they are at.
Supporting product design start-ups and being investor ready
This time Richard co-hosts an interview with Damon Bonser, CEO of the British Design Fund. Damon talks about his own entrepreneurial journey which then lead onto mentoring; and why he started BDF, a fund targeted at start-ups and growth for innovative products.
A guide to working with high-growth startups
Mapping Innovation: How to turn high-growth startup ideas into commercially successful products. An investor’s guide.
The UK is an innovation hotspot for high-growth businesses. Despite Covid, we’ve experienced the strongest startup boom in a decade. However, although these dynamic businesses have huge drive and enthusiasm for the idea they wish to take to market, for many the product development path is not one they’ve journeyed before and so can be naive as to how rigorous a process it can be.
Having partnered with a number of high-growth startups and university spin-outs over the years, we have produced a guide that shows why partnering with an innovation consultancy like PD-M is vital. As a seasoned navigator of the innovation process, we collaborate with the project team and strategically steer the way through, helping mitigate risks from the outset and improve outcomes.
In the guide we discuss the recognised benefits of the effective use of design in the startup’s journey to market and how Pd-m’s work packages can help. We can assist at any aspect of the journey from undertaking feasibility reviews and acting as a sounding board for a certain aspect of the process to actually getting our hands dirty as we become fully embedded in the project.
If you’d like to know more or to read the guide, please get in touch.
A guide to help manufacturers bring ideas to market
Navigating the innovation journey: A guide for manufacturers with ideas
The need to innovate has never been as important as it is now. But innovation is not a simple or straightforward process, it’s one that requires skill and expertise. For over 16 years, we have been honing these skills and have collaborated with many clients who have identified a need to innovate. For manufacturers, this is often in the form of bringing an entirely new product to market or redesigning an existing product.
As a result, we have produced a guide that shows where manufacturers can turn to for support and expertise. In the first instance, support can be providing by contacting the Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP), a business support initiative, that will connect the manufacturing SME to external expertise. Having worked together with MGP on a number of product development projects, we partner with manufacturers who lack in-house expertise or R&D capability.
The innovation process is not straightforward, there are many challenges and pitfalls along the way. In the guide we discuss the areas of expertise that we bring to these projects and the various work packages we offer from viability research right through to manufacturing.
To show how we do it, the guide also includes three case studies showing how we collaborated with manufactures and helped them define the best approach to successfully bring their product idea to market.
If you’d like to know more or to read the guide, please get in touch.
A guide to working with universities
From Idea to Market: A guide to translating innovative ideas born within universities into commercially successful products
Universities are hubs for innovation, generating intellectual property on a large scale. For over 16 years, we have partnered with a range of universities on commercialisation projects - including the University of Leeds, Loughborough, Durham and York - and so have vast experience in helping to migrate projects from a blue-sky idea into commercially viable ‘real-world’ products and systems.
As a result, we have produced a guide that shows why partnering with an innovation consultancy like PD-M is vital in helping to guide universities along the innovation pathway, which is not straightforward and consists of many challenges. This is often the reason why ideas fail to reach the market.
Our collaborative multidisciplinary approach helps universities identify and avoid the potential barriers to innovation. In the guide we discuss the areas of expertise that we bring to these projects such as the importance of strategy, being a one stop shop, a team player and being able to talk academic language.
To bring it to life, the guide also includes a recent case study in which we worked collaboratively with the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Leeds, as well as other industry partners within the UK and India, to produce a mechanism for use in keyhole surgery.
If you’d like to know more or to read the guide, please get in touch.
Soft robotics research and its application in the real-world
This time Richard co-hosts an interview with Peter Culmer, Associate Professor at the University of Leeds. Pete shares his research into this disruptive technology and how it is going to make a significant impact in medical technologies.
Digital innovation and the pathway into the NHS
This time Richard co-hosts an interview with Neville Young, Director of Enterprise and Innovation at Yorkshire and Humber Academic Health Science Network. Neville talks about the learning experiences from Covid, advancements in digital health and inclusivity in the future of healthcare services.
How Innovate UK can help accelerate innovation
This time Richard co-hosts an interview with Micheal Kipping, innovation lead of the Biomedical Catalyst for Innovate UK. Michael talks about funding support for businesses and academia who have a need to get products to market quickly within the medical technologies, life sciences and healthcare markets.
Getting to grips with Industry 4.0
Industry 4.0 is a term that has been growing in prominence for a number of years now and while some companies have embraced it, others are more wary of what it is and what can be gained from adopting it. Here we get under the skin of the digital technologies driving Industry 4.0 and highlight some of its benefits and use cases.
Now more than an overhyped buzzword, Industry 4.0. will and is transforming the way we produce products. Through the use of advanced technology this fourth industrial revolution is quite simply revolutionising traditional manufacturing and industrial practices.
Whereas the first industrial revolution introduced steam and water into manufacturing and the second electricity and assembly lines, the third saw computers come online. This was towards the end of the 1960s and the biggest benefit that computer software brought to manufacturing was automation, which increased the speed and accuracy of how things were made. The fourth industrial revolution builds on this and enhances it with smart and autonomous systems fuelled by data.
Smart move
While Industry 4.0. has become the generic term (it was originally coined back in 2011 by Working Group members in Germany as the ‘computerisation across industries for the next industrial revolution’) there are a number of terms to describe it including Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), smart factories, smart manufacturing, digitalising manufacturing, and the list goes on. The prefix ‘smart’ implies intelligence, meaning that all elements of the factory are equipped with integrated computing power and digital technologies that allows for connectivity, intelligent automation and data exchange.
This revolution seems to be happening at pace with many larger companies adopting the computing power and digital technologies to transform their facilities into smart facilities. According to a study carried out by McKinsey, these companies are referred to as lighthouses. As stated in the report, “Lighthouses are leading-edge manufacturing sites implementing technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to generate compelling financial, operational, and environmental returns. Our first takeaway from our lighthouse research is that digital is no longer optional. If you look across these lighthouse organisations and across the world, we see that lighthouses have been more successful in adapting to the challenges posed by COVID-19 and capturing the opportunities related to the pandemic.”
However, many companies, particularly SMEs, have yet to take the first step on their digital manufacturing journey and implement these digital technologies into their production processes. Despite being encouraged to do so in order to reap the benefits of increased productivity, agility and competitiveness, the question is where do they start and what will it mean for their business?
The technologies driving Industry 4.0.
There are a range of digital technologies driving Industry 4.0. These include artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), sensors, robotics, edge computing, additive manufacturing, digital twins, cloud computing, low latency connectivity, services platforms and APIs, blockchain and cybersecurity, amongst others.
Artificial intelligence (AI)
Virtual reality (VR)
Augmented reality (AR)
These technologies are all data-driven and while we’ve often heard the term ‘big data’ it’s not the amount of data that’s important - merely gathering data for data’s sake - it’s what is being done with it that is. Through analytics, companies are able to gain valuable insights from this data. But when adding AI or machine learning into the mix, things really start to get interesting.
Essentially, AI has the ability to convert real-time data into actionable insights to enable machines to act ‘intelligently’. With computing technology at the point where it is now, AI and machine learning solutions can ‘learn’ from data and make decisions with minimal human intervention and without being explicitly programmed, and this is all done at speed.
The promise is that these digital technologies, which allow for the enhanced collection and analysis of this all important data, will lead to a number of benefits including: fostering innovation, increased productivity, environmental sustainability, competitive advantage, increased reliability, efficiency and flexibility. And although these technologies can be used standalone, the true benefits are reaped when used in combination with one another.
HoloLens from Microsoft – “The ultimate mixed reality device”
Industry 4.0. use cases
There are examples of Industry 4.0 in every sector. An obvious one is manufacturing as this is the sector people immediately think of when talking about industrial revolutions. In a smart manufacturing environment, machines, equipment and devices are connected through a factory network providing manufacturers with real-time data of what is going on in their production line at any time, which ultimately helps improve decision making.
Smart manufacturing – the connected factory in action. Belden
Bringing a digital technology such as AI into this setting can lead to a number of benefits. A report published by the Capgemini Research Institute entitled ‘Scaling AI in manufacturing operations: A practitioners’ perspective’ identifies three AI use cases that are the most likely to help manufacturers kickstart their AI journey as they offer clear business value, can be most easily implemented and would deliver the best return-on-investment.
The first is preventative or intelligent machine maintenance: using data from sensors on machinery and equipment the technology can predict potential problems and identify when parts need to be replaced. The second is product quality inspection: through the utilisation of high resolution cameras and powerful image recognition technology real time in-line inspection can be carried out. The third is demand planning and forecasting: using machine learning manufacturers can predict changes in consumer demand and behaviours, which then enables them to make the necessary adjustments to production schedules leading to more accurate forecasts.
In the agriculture industry, Industry 4.0 is known as Agriculture 4.0 or smart farming. There are a number of applications for digital technologies such as AI and robotics within farming. A key driver for adopting them is to drive efficiencies especially when considering that, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and World Bank, the global population will reach almost 10 billion people by 2050. It is currently 7.6 billion.
There are companies already bringing connected, digital devices to market such as the Small Robot Company (SRC), a British agritech start-up for sustainable farming, which recently announced the launch of its first commercial robot, ‘Tom’. During technology demos at the Lockerley Estate, Hampshire, SRC demonstrated Tom’s new plant weeding capabilities. Working in concert with its artificial intelligence Advice Engine ‘Wilma’, Tom is able to identify and kill individual weeds with electricity. SRC has also developed other farmbots - together with Tom there is Dick and Harry, and together these bots will plant, monitor and treat arable crops autonomously, with minimal waste.
‘Tom’ and ‘Dick’, working in concert with its artificial intelligence Advice Engine ‘Wilma’ to identify and kill individual weeds with electricity.
Likewise, in the healthcare industry there are many applications for Industry 4.0, some of which are already on the market. These digital health technologies were given a boost during the pandemic with patients and healthcare practitioners relying on solutions for telemedicine and teleconsultation, remote monitoring, connected devices, digital health platforms and health apps.
These solutions will become increasingly efficient with the use of AI and machine learning. For instance, Google's Cloud Healthcare application programming interface (API) includes AI solutions that will help physicians make more informed clinical decisions regarding patients. AI used in Google Cloud takes data from users' electronic health records through machine learning – creating insights for healthcare providers to make better clinical decisions.
Google Cloud Healthcare API
Lastly, smart buildings is a key industry that is set to greatly benefit from digital technologies. Right from how buildings are designed and built through to using IoT devices to monitor the building’s characteristics, analyse the data, and generate insights around usage patterns and trends that can be used to optimise the building’s environment and operations. Pd-m recently worked on such a product. Start-up Flow Technologies came up with an idea for a real-time footfall device that would allow businesses, for instance gyms and barbers, to track their live occupancy. This means that during quieter times these businesses can let their customers know via an app that they are quiet and so encouraging them to visit. Having helped with the design and development of the prototype sensors as well as the installation methods and user experience, the sensors are currently being trialled.
Start the journey
While Industry 4.0 and what it will enable companies and technologists to do all sounds extremely positive and beneficial, there are obviously challenges to implementing digital technologies. These include investing in the right infrastructure to cope with it. The need to upskill the current workforce to take on new work responsibilities made possible by Industry 4.0 or to recruit new employees with the right skills. Then, of course, a key challenge posed by new digital and data-driven technologies, and a major concern for many, is around privacy and security.
While Industry 4.0 is still evolving and these challenges are being addressed, the fact is that it’s here now. Companies that have adopted it are realising its potential and reaping the benefits. To avoid being left behind completely, it’s time to start taking those initial steps on your digitalisation journey. Research and educate yourself so as to understand what is out there and what is relevant to your business. Like with many things in life: start small but the important thing is to start.
Shaking things up at Polaroid
Polaroid: the iconic instant camera brand is back with new designs. Steeped in nostalgia will this analogue brand be relevant in our digital world? As a fan of the original, I bought one and here are some thoughts.
“Shake it like a Polaroid picture” may have been a catchy lyric in the 2003 song Hey Ya but it led to Polaroid issuing a statement soon after its release warning the public to in fact not shake their Polaroid pictures. Unlike the early days when shaking helped the photos dry, in the device’s more modern incarnations this would only damage them. However, “lie flat and stay still like a Polaroid picture” doesn’t quite hit the note Outkast were after for their song.
But the fact that everybody thinks to shake it just shows how iconic this retro brand is. Invented by American scientist Edwin Land, the first Polaroid instant camera was launched in 1948. By including the operations of a darkroom inside the film itself, shortly after a photo is taken it emerges and develops before your eyes. It’s chemistry but seemed a bit like magic.
Edwin Land spent 43 years at the helm of Polaroid Corporation, successfully steering the ship as it rode the waves of its heydays. But by the time Hey Ya had released its song the company was on a downward spiral towards bankruptcy in 2008. This was blamed on the company’s senior management team not reacting to the digital revolution and its ability to digitally capture, manipulate and store photos.
However, instant cameras never went away completely with other brands manufacturing their own versions as well as portable photo printers that hook up to a smart phone. And although Polaroid discontinued almost all of its instant film products, the brand never went away completely. Under the Impossible Project based out of The Netherlands, it was still producing new instant films for old SX-70 Polaroid cameras. However, following a rebrand to Polaroid Originals in September 2017, it announced that it was to relaunch its iconic instant camera products. And then in March 2020, now branded as just Polaroid, it launched its first range of cameras.
With fond memories of growing up with Polaroid cameras, this announcement immediately caught my attention. And with a sense of nostalgia I bought one for Christmas and have had fun trialling it over the holidays and during lock down.
First impressions are that in design terms the form factor has been successfully executed in that it maintains similar hallmarks to the previous version. It’s almost toy-like and comes in a range of colours to suit your particular palette. I went for light blue. My feeling is that the design team have done a great job in maintaining the brand presence of this iconic consumer product.
There is immense pressure on retro brands that reimagine such iconic, much-loved products. Their design teams are weighed down by the expectation of fans and the challenge of innovating yet respecting the brand’s rich heritage. The new Polaroid camera has the retro styling yet does include new capabilities that the originals didn’t have like the integration of Bluetooth connectivity, that not only allows for remote shutter control via a smartphone but also several new shooting modes.
But the question is is it meaningful and relevant for today’s users? Or is it just appealing to those of us of a certain generation who have a hankering for the good ol’ days?
Polaroid argues not and that users today are after authentic, meaningful experiences away from screens where we just click, filter, swipe and store. In much the same way that vinyl has had a resurgence in recent years, there is something irreplaceable about holding, feeling and experiencing a physical product. However, interestingly, my three teenage kids were really interested in the new Polaroid as it was being unboxed but it didn’t hold their attention for long as they soon drifted off to focus on something else.
While Polaroid may have shaken off the Outkast song (although not completely as the instructions still come with a warning not to shake the photos) and have instead adopted a Fatboy Slim lyric of ‘Right here, Right now’. Its branding focusses on creating beautiful, life-enriching tools to capture those meaningful moments in life.
I’m certainly interested in Polaroid’s come back and have been enjoying its camera, but is it through nostalgic-tinted glasses? Is it relevant today or will it be yet another here today gone tomorrow product? And will we see a return of more analogue technologies that experienced a battering in previous times?