Recently a story broke out across some mainstream media channels about a very interesting “toy” project that’s being funded through kickstarter.com.  In essence, it’s a simple spherical-shaped helicopter that the average person can control with a simple brain-computer interface device.  What makes this product more interesting than normal however (aside from the whole “using your brain to directly control its flight path”, of course), is the fact that there’s much more to this release than a company selling a novel toy.

According to the company that created the recently branded “orbit” helicopter, there is a slight ulterior motive at play here.  Yes, the product/concept’s creator, a San Francisco-based company called Puzzlebox is also planning on releasing all of their technical data about this device to the general public.  That’s right, this isn’t simply an attempt to sell a cool gadget; it’s also about open-sourcing this technology to the general public.

Well, needless to say, this is a very interesting turn of events.  It’s extremely refreshing to see a company develop such a relatively simple and affordable product that’s might be essentially cheap enough to be considered ‘accessible’ by the general public.  Simply put, if brain-computer interface technology is to truly move forward, bringing it into an open-source market might just be one of the best and most efficient ways of developing the technology further.  There’s great inherent power in technological collectivism, which is perhaps exactly why this move might propel the technology forward much faster than anticipated.

This of course gives rise to a number of potential (yet somewhat practical) uses for brain-computer interface devices which we might soon see.  For example, we might soon see: Remote-controlled rescue drones in the skies above us.
Given that brain-computer interface-controlled mini helicopters are becoming available, it’s only a small jump in logic to assume that the technology will be improved upon by someone at some point in the near future (perhaps a competitor).  From there, it’s only a matter of aligning the use of these types of devices with that of conventional drone technology; of the likes which government and military use for various purposes.  For instance, in the US, highway engineering specialists and even traffic control operators in some states are using smaller, more conventional drones to help them with their duties.  With small video cameras attached, the operator flies a small drone high above a highway or area where one is under construction, so that they might be able to gain a greater understanding of the topography of the area.

It’s a very simple, easy and conventional way to gain access to a “big picture view”, there’s no question about that.  But what makes the use of drones so great is that they’re infinitely more affordable and accessible than say, a conventional helicopter.  Needless to say, just putting a ‘chopper’ is not cheap, and given the financial strains that local, city, regional and state governments are dealing with, it’s unclear whether or not they can even afford to put one in the air if faced with multiple emergencies.  Likewise, for those who live in areas where major natural disasters seem to be becoming a facet of everyday life, you can only depend on conventional technologies up to a certain point (i.e. – one helicopter cannot save everyone simultaneously, can it?).

When you combine the notion that small, affordable drones are now on the market with the idea that we seem to be moving toward implementing open-sourced brain-computer interface technology, an interesting notion emerges.  Why couldn’t we simply integrate the two concepts and bring remote-controlled rescue drone technology to the masses?  Just think about it, whenever there’s a major disaster (manmade or naturally occurring), we could quickly have multiple drones up in the air (piloted by virtually anyone) scanning for survivors and those in need of medical assistance.  All in all, it’s a much more cost-effective approach to saving lives while at the same time reducing the strain on fiscal budgets.

Implementing brain-computer interface technology in rescue situations might only the tip of the iceberg, however.  Just let your creative side run wild for a minute, think about the various ways that we might pair remote-controlled devices with a brain-computer interface.  It’s entirely possible that the same concept could be applied to something like oceanographic studies as well.  Just think about how beneficial the use of such devices like this might be in the hands of scientists who are trying to study some of the more inaccessible parts of the ocean, for instance.  Needless to say, we live in very interesting times indeed.

Interested in professional training and certification with brain-computer interface technologies?  Click here to get started…

Ask virtually anyone who knows anything at all about finance and they will tell you that we are certainly living in a precarious age where international banking is concerned.  Since the crash of 2008, more and more people and organizations are waking up to the financial realities that much of the developed world is currently facing.  Perhaps this is why more and more institutions are implementing various types of tools which are designed to hedge against certain risks which reside in the markets (and perhaps even within the over-arching strategies of some organizations as well).  

Basel II was created in 2004 and according to Wikipedia, it…

“…was intended to create an international standard for banking regulators to control how much capital banks need to put aside to guard against the types of financial and operational risks banks (and the whole economy) face.”

In other words, Basel II basically was a regulation program designed to ensure that banks (particularly international ones) take the necessary precautions needed to protect themselves against various types of problems.  Among these concerns are: being able to ensure segregated customer funds, preventing individuals or groups from placing the entire operation at risk by making extremely risky investment decisions, and many others.   Needless to say, it is these types of regulations which prevent those on the inside of the banking establishment from carrying out activities which might place the entire banking establishment (as well as most of the world’s population) in dire financial straits.

Supporters of the Basel II initiative typically see it as a means of creating a safeguard designed to prevent a “domino collapse” of all interconnected banks.  In other words, should some substantial banks encounter major problems, or even collapse, it is hoped that through the implementation of Basel II initiatives a complete, systemic collapse of the entire system might be avoided.   How would it seek to achieve this, you ask?  The general rule of thumb is, the more risk that’s assumed, the larger the capital requirements are.  What Basel II is really trying to prevent is a scenario whereupon multiple banks simultaneously become insolvent.

You might be wondering, “What does this have to do with IT?”  Well, for starters, banks and financial institutions often employ extensive IT operations, which is reason enough for IT workers to take notice.  However, even some companies which are not directly affiliated with the banking business might be interested in exploring some of the various Basel II tools which are available.  For instance, if a great deal of strategic planning is taking place within a business and investment issues are a major point of focus, it might be considered worthwhile for companies to adopt a Basel II-like approach to their long-term plans.   Additionally, if a business has direct dealings with a bank, it would also be considered prudent for them to perhaps monitor the actions and data of this financial institution, making sure that they are adhering to Basel II initiatives and so forth.

Once again, given that significant investments often go hand in hand with long-term strategies, it only makes sense for companies to conduct their own research with regards to the solvency of their investors and participating firms.  For example, if a major corporation where to partner with a major bank and it turns out that that particular financial institution wasn’t in compliance with any regulations at all, it could very easily place the entire company in serious jeopardy.  Often times (as history will demonstrate), major financial institutions which are about to collapse tend to use salacious methods to hide their insolvency, showing little regard for the negative outcomes of their dubious actions.

For those IT professionals with a keen interest in finance or positions with companies that operate in and around the banking establishment, a certification in Basel II is a solid investment.  Moreover, the costs associated with pursuing certification in an area like Basel II are relatively minimal; however, the rewards associated with truly understanding the accords and operational objectives of something like Basel II are countless.

Looking for an affordable, high-quality Basel II certification program with emphasis on IT?  Click here for details…

Whether or not you realize it, there are (digital) forces at work that are tracking you and gathering statistics about your net surfing habits.  But we’re not talking about a clandestine government program here that is gathering intelligence about you as an individual, but rather your activities and proclivities as an anonymous user.  Simply put, that’s what web analytics is – a process of continuously gathering and analyzing internet data that’s often carried out by unknown 3rd parties.

What’s the point of web analytics?

Aside from simply trying to improve the internet (overall), web analytics are usually specifically tapped to develop better web sites.  Since most websites deal in commerce, it’s safe to assume that the use of web analytics has helped to improve the quality of businesses operating in a great number of areas.

However, it’s not just about improving individual businesses and websites; using analytics to analyze web traffic allows groups like the US Federal government and critical corporations like Google to maintain the internet itself.  Whether or not you realize it, there are limits in terms of what’s possible when it comes to online traffic.  Just like in real life, if there are no traffic directions or rules, the integrity of the web quickly disintegrates.  Meaning, it is through the analysis of web analytics that we are able to provide a more seamless online experience.  Furthermore, as newer technologies come onto the scene, web analytics allows us to quickly determine what’s working and what isn’t.

What types of benefits can be extracted from the use of web analytics?

For individuals or businesses, the use of web analytics allows one to accurately gauge just how successful or appealing certain pages or approaches are when it comes to things like sales conversions.  In other words, through analytics, specific performance statistics can be gathered.  This in turn would allow a company to gain a glimpse into what truly works when it comes to sales.   Naturally, any information ascertained via web analytics will likely lead a business toward completely redefining their online approach to suit the desires of their consumers, which hopefully means increased sales.  There are a great number of various types of (analytical) tools available too, some which actually track users’ eye movements and reactions as they look at different portions of a page.  For most businesses however, web analytics are used to help build better marketing programs which are capable of more accurately targeting consumers.

How can your average business best utilize web analytics?

The average business can actually implement web analytics in various ways which will hopefully improve their site’s overall performance.  The most important thing that organizations need to focus on, aside from traffic, is conversions.  The percentage of conversion simply implies the proportion of people who actually buy something or further engage the site vs. those who don’t or immediately click away.   Your goal (assuming that you’re gathering and analyzing web statistics) is to determine what common factors are present with those participating consumers.  In other words, you might be able to use basic web analytics to determine, or rather precisely target your true consumer base.  If you are able to better locate traffic which is comprised of individuals who are already looking for the product / services you provide, then you’re going to have a much larger rate of conversion.  Moreover, if you can determine exactly why certain segments of the population are being repelled by your site, it might be possible to simply fix those elements which are lacking and dramatically improve conversion rates.

Does your IT department know how to gather and utilize web analytics?  

Needless to say, if your company’s IT department draws a blank whenever the topic of web analytics comes up, something needs to be done.  Perhaps the simplest and most affordable way to take advantage of what web analytics has to offer is to simply have some (or all) of them complete certification courses in this area.  There are some really excellent programs out there which not only teach respondents the best techniques for gathering critical consumer data from the web, but also how to implement various strategies designed to take advantage of certain situations.  Given the incredible competition in the area of e-commerce alone, online businesses need to consider every possible avenue when it comes to assistance and direction.  The internet can be quite fickle, and in some ways, the use of web analytics allows businesses and site owners to gain a greater sense of stabilization than might otherwise be possible.

Looking for a complete web analytics certification kit?  …then look no further, click here for access.

Whether we’re talking about VoIP, video on demand, video conferencing, or traditional internet services, IP multimedia subsystems are used to deliver pretty much everything you can think of these days.  In other words, emails, phone calls, faxes, telephony, instant messaging and virtually every other form of communication you can think of is controlled via IMA, or IP Multimedia Subsystems.  Simply put, IMS is one of the major technologies that make the world as we know it, possible.

IMS was created in the 90’s, it was conceived that it would eventually expand and spread to create a global infrastructure capable of connecting a wide range of devices.  Likewise, another goal was to create a versatile system that could bring multimedia services while at the same time linking up with older infrastructure, like the PSTN (public switched telephone network).  Think of it as one system that’s built on top of another (sort of).   Moreover, IMS was created under the Third Generation Partnership Project, otherwise known as 3GPP.

These days, companies specializing in delivering IP multimedia subsystems (like Broadsoft) are able to bring more advanced types of services to clients, especially of the corporate variety.  Why don’t we explore one possible scenario for the advanced use of IMS?  Let’s say that we have a person who works in an office in a managerial capacity.  They likely have a smartphone (or other internet-capable device), a computer / laptop at the office, a computer at home, some form of television service, and perhaps even some type of advanced conferencing technology which they can use in the office or even at home.

Top IMS providers are able to create structure around these devices and how they are used by certain individuals.  For example, maybe our (example) manager has their system set up so that they appear online in the contact lists for other employees while appearing offline for friends and family.   Naturally, when they leave the office, or arrive at home, this status is automatically switched.  Likewise, perhaps their home entertainment and television delivery system doubles as a teleconferencing method?

The point is, virtually everything runs on IP multimedia subsystems these days and there are plenty of companies out there who know exactly how to package these services / capabilities for corporate clients.  This of course poses a very interesting question to those who are employed in the IT sector, which is, “do you know enough about IP multimedia subsystems (IMS) to impress prospective employers?”

Perhaps you’re wondering, “Why do I need to know how IMS works, again?”  In a nutshell, the IT industry is in a period of extreme growth; this of course comes as we are in the midst of what can only be called a ‘global economic downturn’.  As the position and importance of IT continues to grow, we are seeing increased usage of IMS-based technologies, and therefore, jobs / careers in this area.  Simply put, the demand for qualified IP multimedia subsystems engineers has dramatically increasing.  This is happening because, once again, virtually everything you can think of today that features an electronic circuit is able to connect to the internet.  Furthermore, whenever you have multiple devices, it’s only a matter of time until certain organizations and providers will begin attempting to connect them via a larger enveloping network.  Sometimes it’s because new service packages are being created, other times it’s simply a matter of inter-office functionality; regardless of the reason, IP multimedia subsystems are all around us.

For those employed in the IT sector, having direct experience with, training, or better yet, certification in IMS is not only a good idea, it’s one of the best ways to make sure that you’ve got your bases covered when it comes to telecommunications technology.  Often times, IT workers will utilize IMS services to accomplish various inter-office tasks as well, like tests of the infrastructure or basic communications systems.   It’s also worth noting that IP multimedia subsystems can be used to gather statistical data in either a mobile capacity or over a static infrastructure.  The point is, there is great inherent value in employees that understand IMS and can utilize it in a professional capacity.

Looking for a complete certification kit for IP Multimedia Subsystems (IMS)?  Click here!

Quick question: how can you tell when someone or something has truly gained popularity in the mind of the public?  Well, one of the most obvious determining factors is whether or not they’re talking.  Yes, there are multitudes of individuals chatting, blogging, of course, using QR codes…so, plenty of evidence there.  Likewise, there are a great number of individuals and businesses who are already using QR codes to facilitate transactions or distribute information as well.

However, it could be said that the true mark of increasing popularity is the presence of detractors and critics.  Why would this be the case, you ask?  Well, think about it…any time there is a build-up of individuals who are supporting something; they eventually come face to face with those who completely disagree.  Call it a fundamental law of human nature, or perhaps a physical representation of Newton’s Third Law (for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction).  You can label the phenomenon whatever you like, but the existence of those who are railing against something is usually a clear indication that something is really gaining ground in the mind of the public.

To get right to the point,  QR codes and the general use of them must be gaining quite a bit of ground, because for every 5-10 people that like the technology, you’ll encounter 1 or 2 that are vehemently opposed to its general use.  First off, let’s explore the positive aspects of QR codes:

• Convenient
• Perfect for mobile purchases
• Works well in most establishments
• Can be used to enhance advertising
• Works well for niche advertising schemes
• Meshes with social media
• Allows businesses to receive instant feedback
• Provides additional information to the consumer at the point-of-sale
• …and many others…

Google recently bought ‘PunchD’ (a QR code company) as well, and are planning on increasing their general use of QR codes.  The same goes for Apple; they are already using the technology.  Two of the world’s largest and most important companies are exploring the use of QR codes – if this is not a clear signal, what is?

Additionally, there are a number of great sites like qrcode.kaywa.com/, which allow individuals or businesses to create their own QR codes for private or commercial use.  Simply put, people and organizations are embracing this technology and finding new ways to apply it.

However, for all the great things you can do with QR codes, there are those who seem to be vehemently opposed to the use of them.  Some tech bloggers actually seem to be very annoyed at simply encountering them on the street; seeing them posted on billboards appears to genuinely anger them.  One of the biggest criticisms of QR codes is that some people claim that a great number of people don’t know how to use them.  While this might be true among small segments and age groups, certainly no one is taking these notions seriously.  Let’s be honest, you won’t see hundreds or thousands of examples of something plastered everywhere if people don’t know how to use it.  Why are the biggest companies in the world investing in QR codes?  Because the use of them has skyrocketed, apparently…seems like common sense.    Likewise, it’s not as if these companies are pushing for the use of QR codes because they like the concept or design, they’re doing it because it allows them to transfer more pin-pointed information to and from consumers.

One of the biggest supposed flaws that detractors often hype up is QR code security.  While it’s true that malicious thieves can create bogus QR codes to try and steal information from you, the exact same thing could just as easily be said about any other form of payment or information scanning (accumulation).  For example, can’t a criminal just snatch your dollars right out of your hand, or make a carbon copy of your credit card while you’re not looking?  Moreover, don’t hackers use viruses to data mine for personal information?  Setting up the notion that QR codes are somehow even more dangerous than other forms of interaction is not only misinformed, it’s a complete fallacy.  If you want to remain safe, remember to only scan QR codes from major retailers, trusted sources and if you have doubts about authenticity, make sure that someone hasn’t pasted over a QR code with their own (the fingernail test).

The use of QR codes is steadily rising and expanding in different directions.  It’s not just the large corporations that are using them either, individuals and small businesses are finding new ways to engage potential customers with them as well.  In short, they’re a quick, convenient way to take advantage of the prevalence of smartphones that opens the door for creative sales and marketing.  Expect to see even more of them popping up on signs, shops and street corners near you.

Want to master QR code technology?  Why not explore this core IT course for complete QR code certification?