Coleman Technologies Blog

Did you watch the big game this year? Chances are that if you did, you got to witness all of the spectacles that the event had to offer, including a lot of technology that enriched the experience, whether you realize it or not. The National Football League has implemented emerging technologies that have helped solve persistent challenges over the years. Let’s explore some of these technologies.

Better Player Safety

Look, there’s no beating around the bush with this one. The NFL has countless fans tuning in to watch incredible athletes perform at the highest levels. When you have athletes of this caliber butting heads with one another, there are bound to be some nasty injuries, and it’s important that players get the treatment they need in record time.

If players are not treated, there are more opportunities for poor health outcomes. Look to the many stories from several years ago of retired players suffering from massive headaches or exhibiting strange behavior. When the brain is damaged over and over, degenerative brain diseases like chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) can occur.

To address these issues, the NFL decided to alter the game's rules to support player health. Nowadays, you’ll find the NFL using IoT technology to collect information on players and work toward healthier outcomes for all.

More Accurate Player Performance

Player safety is far from the only data collected by the NFL. The organization constantly reviews data to improve what it offers viewers, including individual data that helps coaches build their ideal rosters. In fact, since 2022, the NFL has partnered with Amazon Web Services, or AWS, to create something called The Digital Athlete. Through AI, coaches, executives, and players can look at a comprehensive view of a player. This technology helps everyone involved make better decisions to operate better in their respective roles.

In-Game Augmented Reality

Augmented reality, or AR, is in play whenever you see lines drawn, down markers, or overlays across your television screen. The NFL has significantly ramped up its efforts at delivering a clean AR experience. One such way is through a 360-degree AR portal that gives fans a firsthand experience of the halftime show, which is pretty neat.

Additionally, the league is encouraging viewers to use technologies like ARound, an AR platform that pushes advertising and integrated experiences forward. AR could very well be the future of fan interaction, so it’s no surprise that the NFL would actively incorporate it into the biggest game of the year.

What are your thoughts on this technology? Be sure to keep your eye on our blog for more information about technology and its innovative uses.

The IoT

The Internet of Things has been growing incredibly fast over the past five years, but many small business owners don’t know where it fits. That’s because there are tens of millions of devices that could actually serve some purpose for their businesses and basically have buyer’s paralysis or are skeptical that integrating these tools is going to save them money. Here are some ways that the IoT could be used to do just that.

Security

Since physical security is almost certainly a priority for your business, the IoT presents several options that can be used to promote solid security standards. Products such as smart camera systems, smart locks, and other Internet-fueled security solutions can be of great benefit as they will allow a business to have both strong security and deterrents, while also having the ability to manage the system remotely.  

Lighting and HVAC

For many small businesses heating, cooling, and power costs can be prohibitive to their ability to function the way they want. IoT tools are now being developed with the ability to read the situation in your business and adjust the utilities to save capital. The more you save on utilities, the more you can spend on your business. 

RFID Sensors for Inventory Control

RFID sensors have been used for some time. Today, businesses are using them to track their inventories and supply chains. Using IoT devices with inventory control software, a business can now track fast-moving systems such as resource and product procurement and make orders should the inventory get low. The consistency and reliability of these systems can automate large portions of the procurement and inventory management process without a business missing a beat.

Mobile Card Readers

The average small business pays a lot in credit card fees. With mobile card readers, a simple app and dongle can transform a tablet or smartphone into a register. With a fee structure that works to save small businesses money, with card readers they aren’t losing their PCI DSS regulatory compliance; a big deal for the growing business.

As stated above, there are millions of IoT tools out there that can actually help you manage your business or help reduce costs. If you are interested in learning how IoT deployments can help your business, call us today at (604) 513-9428 and our knowledgeable consultants will take you through how Internet and cloud-connected technology can help you transfer your costs and provide you with the innovative tools you need to grow your business.

Technology has touched nearly everyone over the past decade or so. More is done using technology than ever before. In this week’s blog, we go beyond individual uses of technology and discuss how technology is going to be used to improve infrastructure and the delivery of services that we take for granted. 

Smarter and More Efficient Cities

The rapid urbanization we see today demands smarter solutions to address the growing challenges of building and managing urban infrastructure. This is where technology comes in. Technology plays a crucial role in creating smart cities that are sustainable, efficient, and responsive. Through the Internet of Things (IoT), sensors and connectivity enable real-time monitoring such as traffic flow, energy consumption, waste management, and public safety. These data-driven insights empower city planners to make informed decisions, optimize resource allocation, and enhance the quality of urban life.

Intelligent Transportation Systems

Transportation infrastructure is undergoing a remarkable transformation thanks to technology. Intelligent transportation systems use advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and real-time data analytics to enhance the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of transportation networks. From smart traffic management systems that alleviate congestion to the development of autonomous vehicles that reduce accidents and fuel consumption, technology is revolutionizing the way we move people and goods.

Sustainable Energy Infrastructure

The future of infrastructure heavily relies on sustainable energy sources, and technology plays a pivotal role in enabling this transition. Renewable energy generation, such as solar and wind power, is becoming increasingly affordable and accessible, thanks to advancements in technology. Moreover, smart grids and energy storage systems allow for efficient distribution and utilization of renewable energy, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and minimizing environmental impact.

Resilient Infrastructure

In an era of increasing climate change and natural disasters, resilient infrastructure is of utmost importance. Technology equips us with the tools to design, build, and manage infrastructure that can withstand and recover from adverse events. Through predictive analytics, remote sensing, and real-time monitoring, technology enables early detection of potential risks, allowing for proactive measures to mitigate damages, ensure public safety, and minimize disruption.

Advanced Construction Techniques

The construction industry is not immune to the transformative power of technology. Emerging technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), robotics, and 3D printing are revolutionizing the way we design and construct infrastructure. BIM facilitates collaboration, reduces errors, and improves efficiency throughout the entire construction process. Meanwhile, robotics and 3D printing enable faster, more precise construction, reducing costs and increasing sustainability.

Technology will shape the future of our culture, including the way we go about improving efficiency in all walks of life. If you would like to have a conversation about how technology can push your business forward as it is pushing infrastructure forward, give the IT professionals at Coleman Technologies a call today at (604) 513-9428.

With global spending on IoT research and integration reaching $745 billion in 2019, the IoT is primed to be one of the largest single industries in the world in the future. Individuals, businesses, and governments are looking at the IoT for solutions to their problems. After all, the more information people have, the better decisions can be made. From the outset, it was said that this technology will transform the way we interact with machines and the way they will interact with each other, and only a few short years into a worldwide implementation, that mantra has proven to be true. Let’s look at where the IoT is growing most.

Industry

The huge annual jumps in IoT spending is largely driven by manufacturers, transportation, and utilities. Industrial IoT solutions provide companies and municipalities, alike, the link between their cloud-based software systems and their analysts, salesmen, and decision makers. This relationship is tenuous, however, and is closely monitored as a result. If a huge IoT strategy breaks even once, confidence in the platform is destroyed, leaving it an unreliable solution, regardless of the strengths of the technology. 

Manufacturers and process managers that utilize IoT solutions absolutely need their systems to be as reliable as possible. That means security, which is the number one improvement that the next phase of IoT has to make. For years, IoT was only somewhat trustworthy because of the lack of integrated security many IoT devices were manufactured with. Today, with security an absolute must for the major undertakings it is being used for, security has improved, but only slightly. A dedication to creating IoT devices that have hardware and software systems that are secure and reliable will dictate just the ceiling of IoT effectiveness.

The Smart City

One of the most intriguing places the IoT has been utilized thus far is in the integration of automated utility systems inside what has been termed, “the smart city”. The smart city uses what are known as low power IoT connections. These devices deliver low bandwidth and power saving features that are perfectly suited to asset monitoring. They can be implemented for a variety of uses, including: 

• Sensors built into city roadways to sense things like the subsistence of traffic congestion and wear and tear of roadways.
• Sensors built into bridges to sense degradation and the effect of seismic forces caused by geographical and traffic-based events.
• Sensors built into buildings to measure wind force, foundation subsistence, or seismic activity.
• Sensors in the interior of buildings to control foot-traffic, lighting, heating and air, and other systems humans rely on. 
• Sensors on the street or on entryways that will provide facial recognition and reporting.

Unlike IoT-connected consumer goods, every IoT device deployed in a smart city would have a purpose that is beyond convenience. Every device would be placed to achieve a goal, improve the usability, longevity, and management of infrastructure, boosting resident safety and improving their access to services, cutting costs and limiting energy use, improving communications, and more.

One thing is for sure, the next phase of IoT implementation is going to challenge conventional thinking and deliver solutions that only a short time ago, were only imaginary. At Coleman Technologies we find technology fascinating. For more great technology information about innovative new tech, return to our blog regularly. 

The Internet of Things is everywhere and that means that it’s important to understand how much of a potential security risk these devices can be. From smart speakers to smartphones, it's important that you understand how these devices can create problematic situations. In this week’s blog we will discuss how you can protect yourself against IoT vulnerabilities at home.

Why the IoT Is So Insecure

There are several factors to why the Internet of Things is insecure. The first is that the demand for smart devices has created a situation where manufacturers are trying to get as many devices out on the market as possible and in their haste, they don’t do enough to build secure environments. Another reason is that many people don’t have the security acumen to do the things needed to improve security for a network that features a lot of IoT devices. 

These smart devices are super useful, but if they were to be hacked, it can cause a lot of problems for you. If not secured, hackers can gain access to webcams, access your heating and lighting systems if they are connected to the Internet, gain access to account information—or even financial information, deploy malware, and even turn your smart devices into agents of chaos (also known as a botnet).

How to Secure IoT Devices on Your Network

Obviously, with so much at stake, you will want to know some actions to take to properly secure these devices. Much of what can be done are good strategies to secure your network in general. These actions include:

• Secure your router - Obviously, securing your router has a major effect on your ability to keep your network, and therefore your IoT tools, secure. You will want to change the SSID and password of your wireless network.
• Start a guest network - A great way to ensure that your IoT devices aren’t going to negatively affect your network is to create alternative networks that separate these devices from your core computing infrastructure. 
• Change all individual device passwords - This may take some time, but if security is your aim, you can do worse than actively changing every device’s login credentials and passwords frequently. 
• Use complex and unique passwords - One of the best ways to secure password-protected digital assets is to make sure to build passwords with security in mind. Use all types of different strategies including a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols to give yourself the best chance at maintaining security. 
• Use two-factor authentication - Adding security to your strategy, two-factor authentication can be a really useful tool; especially with IoT devices that often lack the strong security features of more complex computing devices. 

IoT is becoming increasingly important at work and at home, so doing what you can to keep from dealing with attacks and other digital issues is important. If you would like more useful security tips, or you just would like to have a conversation about how to best secure your IoT, give us a call today at (604) 513-9428.

The Internet of Things, or IoT, has grown to over 14 billion connected devices as of this year, and this number is expected to exceed 20 billion devices by the end of 2026. With such a shocking number of devices, you might wonder what types of devices are out there and what they mean for your business. Let’s look at the IoT and what you need to know to keep it at the top of your mind this upcoming year.

You Use the IoT More Than You Think

Even if you don’t have a specific plan in place to handle IoT devices, you already use them in some capacity for your operations. Employee smartphones are perhaps the most well-known IoT devices. Whether your employees use their personal devices or company-issued phones, they use these devices to perform work-related tasks both in and out of the office.

Just think about how you use your own smartphone. You might perform research into a product before buying it. Most people use their smartphones for this same purpose, looking into products before committing to them. Other uses include business communications, administration of business, and even productivity.

Other IoT devices might use your business’ network, even if you are unaware of them, like employee-owned wearable devices, smart utilities solutions for controlling HVAC systems, smart lights, and so on.

Growing Your IoT Usage

Many businesses understand that the IoT is something that can yield great benefits with a little smart investment. Some of these benefits can come from smarter systems, like inventory management, which can document additions or subtractions from your systems to ensure that you always keep an adequate supply of resources. Specialized IoT devices can do this automatically without the need to dedicate human resources to them, reducing costs.

Improvements to the Customer Experience

The IoT can bolster the customer experience, giving you more ways to represent your business in the realm of ecommerce. If you can make your customer experience operations as transparent and user-friendly as possible, you can provide a better experience as a whole, making customers more likely to stay and for new customers to jump on board.

Data Sharing

Sharing data is important to businesses of all kinds, whether they are trying to integrate IoT devices into an existing infrastructure or building an infrastructure with IoT devices in mind. Furthermore, the real-time data collection offered by IoT devices can be invaluable in making both long-term and short-term decisions regarding your operations.

The Internet of Things can be a helpful way of making meaningful changes to your operations and infrastructure. To learn more about how we can help your business use the latest and greatest technologies to your advantage, reach out to Coleman Technologies at (604) 513-9428.