There?s no denying that 2021 started with mixed feelings ? fear of what the New Year with COVID-19 would be like on one side and optimism about the possibility of weakening the virus through vaccination. The one hero that never failed us in the last couple of years was technology. If not for technology, the creation, production and distribution of vaccines to billions of people across the world would never have been possible. Technology has not just made life easier it has made it hopeful too.The pandemic has brought in an urgency to develop better technologies for creating a better world. Before 2019, digitalization and automation were just nice-to-have options ? but post-2020, they became a necessity to meet drastic changes in the way consumers purchased, where they ate, how they vacationed/travelled, and how they studied/worked.According to McKinsey, ?We?ll experience more technological progress in the coming decade than we did in the preceding 100 years put together.<a href="#_ftn1">[1]</a>?Here?s a list of technologies that emerged as heroes in 2021:<h3 id="artificial-intelligence">Artificial Intelligence</h3>By 2025, 50% of enterprises will have devised artificial intelligence (AI) orchestration platforms to operationalize AI, up from fewer than 10% in 2020. ? Gartner <a href="#_ftn2">[2]</a>Artificial Intelligence or AI has become an invaluable asset for companies depending on technology to create better solutions for the future. Mimicking human behaviour and thought processes, AI has found application in several industries, accelerated by the COVID pandemic. The demand for better solutions from certain industries like healthcare, e-commerce, education, and office products has pumped up the demand for AI-based solutions.AI has helped us tremendously to perform better and to cope better. While it has become online transactions safer through fraud detection and payment gateways, it has made life easier with improved clinical workflows in hospitals and detecting infections in a particular area with contact tracing. AI was used to process vast amounts of unstructured data to predict potential new cases by area, at-risk populations, and to come up with strategies to control the spread of infections.<a href="#_ftn3">[3]</a><h3 id="process-automation-and-virtualization">Process Automation and Virtualization</h3>For businesses that suddenly became dependent on virtual systems to keep their operations running, SaaS applications built on the Cloud came to the rescue. Automating processes or taking them into the virtual realm became an overnight reality with distributed infrastructure such as hybrid cloud or multi-cloud platforms coming to the rescue. Simple process automation is set to become smarter with the application of AI and Machine Learning that enable applications to make smarter decisions.While the biggest drivers of RPA (Robotic Process Automation) adoption are higher productivity and efficiency, better employee experience and decision making through data-driven insights are its other benefits.There is no denying that investing in automation and digitalization are two other technology heroes that have kept many businesses running even during the pandemic and have also enabled the creation of several new businesses.<h3 id="3d-printing">3D Printing</h3>The ability to produce products faster, and at a lower cost is in high demand as customization and personalization rule the consumer markets. Also known as Additive Manufacturing, 3D printing has come to the rescue of healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Again, with the application of AI and ML, 3D printing could be made even more efficient and innovative with shorter lead times.The urgent demand for ventilator valves, test kits, nasal swabs, breathing filters, face shields and oxygen valves in European hospitals had 3D printed product manufacturers jumping in to create products and quickly supply them to hospitals. Even though these are available only in a few countries as of now, the demand for innovative products has certainly pushed the 3D printing industry into a new mode, which may help to reduce the cost of printers in the long run as more companies join this emerging industry.<h3 id="medical-technologies">Medical Technologies</h3>Thanks to advances in Genomics, the time taken to decode the full sequence of the COVID-19?s genetic material from the time it was first reported to the WHO was just two weeks<a href="#_ftn4">[4]</a>. This disclosure of the genetic code helped companies to rapidly start creating treatments as well as vaccines within just a few months of the emergence of the virus. Rapid PCR and antibody tests, NCG (Next-Generation Sequencing) have helped us to understand how the virus originated.The vaccine development used initial sequence data on the SARS-CoV-2 genome and bioinformatics, while computational approaches and structural modelling helped to identify the right antigen targets. Gene editing technologies such as CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)-Cas9 (CRISPR-associated protein 9) were also used to create new drugs and diagnostics to counter the spread of the virus.<h3 id="drones">Drones</h3>Drones have emerged as a surprise hero of the COVID-19-hit world. <a href="#_ftn5">[5]</a>Lab samples pickup and delivery, aerial spraying of contaminated public areas, and public space monitoring during lockdowns are just some of the ways several governments have used drones to combat the spread of the virus. Ghana, Rwanda, Malawi, Sierra Leone could effectively harness this technology in their COVID-19 response. Even in China, drones have been used to boost disease detection and crowd management. Drones equipped with night-vision cameras, thermal sensors, high-definition zoom lenses, and loudspeakers have been used to enforce lockdown restrictions in Spain, France, Belgium, the UK, Greece, Lithuania, Bulgaria and California.<a href="#_ftn6">[6]</a><h3 id="iot-and-iomt-internet-of-things-and-internet-of-medical-things">IoT and IoMT (Internet of Things and Internet of Medical Things)</h3>IoT was predicted to be the game-changer for the business world a decade ago when smartphones and wearable devices started entering the mainstream markets. Essentially a technology that unites machines/ devices and makes them ?communicate? with each other, IoT and IoMT are likely to revolutionize the healthcare industry. Availability of fast and high-speed broadband, reduced hardware costs and people?s interest in smart wearables have pushed this demand in the last couple of years. IoMT devices were effectively used to remotely monitor patients, track medicine orders, and transmit medical information from the wearable device to healthcare providers.IoMT devices can be of many kinds: fitness wearables like bands, wristwatches and necklaces, clinical-grade wearables like smart belts and chest straps, continuous glucose monitors, blood sampling devices and smart pills.<a href="#_ftn7">[7]</a><h3 id="and-there%E2%80%99s-more-to-come">And There?s More to Come</h3>The technology heroes mentioned in this article are just a few of those who have made a big difference during very difficult times in 2020-2021. Driven by the pandemic, the momentum of next-gen technologies is bound to increase at an accelerated pace. As per the McKinsey Tech Trends Index, many technologies like Nanomaterials, Bio Revolution, Future of Programming, Next Level Process Automation and Virtualization, and Future of Connectivity, are all in the market-entry stage and have found mid-level industrial applicability. Distributed Infrastructure, Applied AI, Trust Architecture, and Next-gen computing have all reached high industrial applicability and are on the way to industry adoption at a cross-cutting technological level<a href="#_ftn8">[8]</a>.According to a McKinsey survey, a majority of the companies started viewing technological capabilities as a strategic differentiator.<a href="#_ftn9">[9]</a>Companies are investing not just to stay in the race but to be a forerunner in creating technologies that will be game-changers in building a bigger, better future.<blockquote class="kg-blockquote-alt"> References</blockquote><blockquote><a href="#_ftnref1">[1]</a> <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/10/technology-trends-2021-mckinsey/">Top 10 tech trends that will shape the coming decade, according to McKinsey | Sean Fleming | Oct 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote>[2] <a href="https://www.advsyscon.com/blog/gartner-it-automation/">Gartner?s IT Automation Predictions for 2022 | Brian McHugh</a></blockquote><blockquote>[3]<a href="https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2020/641543/EPRS_IDA(2020)641543_EN.pdf">Ten Technologies to Fight Coronavirus. EPRS | European Parliamentary Research Service | Mihalis Kritikos</a></blockquote><blockquote>[4]<a href="https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2020/641543/EPRS_IDA(2020)641543_EN.pdf">Ten technologies to fight coronavirus | European Parliamentary Research Service | Mihalis Kritikos</a></blockquote><blockquote>[5]<a href="https://www.unicef.org/supply/media/5286/file/%20Rapid-guidance-how-can-drones-help-in-COVID-19-response.pdf.pdf">How Drones Can Be Used to combat COVID-19 | UNICEF</a></blockquote><blockquote>[6]<a href="https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2020/641543/EPRS_IDA(2020)641543_EN.pdf">Ten technologies to fight coronavirus | European Parliamentary Research Service | Mihalis Kritikos</a></blockquote><blockquote>[7]<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8084752/">Role of technology in COVID-19 pandemic | Elsevier Public Health Emergency Collection | Raazia Saher and Madiha Anjum</a></blockquote><blockquote>[8]<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/the-top-trends-in-tech">The top trends in tech. | McKinsey</a></blockquote><blockquote>[9]<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/the-new-digital-edge-rethinking-strategy-for-the-postpandemic-era">The new digital age: Rethinking strategy for the post-pandemic era | May 26, 2021 Surve</a>y</blockquote>

Goutami Garuda

Premium reporting on technology, startups, VC funding, and software from Techfastly tagged with AI. Read about themes, trends and strategies for AI.

Artificial Intelligence

The Technology Heroes of 2021

 Voice assistance, touch-less payments, and self-checkout kiosks are the new staple, but how inclusive are these technologies and what lies ahead for voice and speech-activated technologies?  

Voice-Activated Technology Must Advance to Support Hybrid Workplaces

<div>Post-2020, there have been massive shifts in how we work, learn, and interact with the world. Remote working, streaming services, and online deliveries did exist even before that, but now they have become mainstream and "better alternatives." People who spent over 10 hours a day in offices/schools or outside their homes now prefer to stay at home and depend on technology to conduct daily activities, including performing jobs or running businesses. Virtual assistances or voice commands integrated into devices have made these technologies more convenient to use. Voice assistance, touch-less payments, and self-checkout kiosks are the new staple, but how inclusive are these technologies and what lies ahead for voice and speech-activated technologies?&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Let's take a look at the future of hybrid workplaces, how the voice-and-speech activated technologies have evolved over the years, and how diversity and inclusion in hybrid workspaces can be elevated with technology.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Companies Are Now Supporting Hybrid WorkplaceDiscussions around hybrid working models are increasing as companies and employees contemplate the success of the remote or hybrid models. The pandemic may or may not be over, but remote working is here to stay in some form or the other. There is no doubt that technology-based companies are the first to adopt the remote working models as they are already used to Zoom, Slack, SharePoint and other similar applications. But does this work for more "traditional" companies and sectors too?<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Companies that support the hybrid working models are again of different types – the office-centric, the flexible hybrid, the remote-friendly hybrid and the virtual-first, depending on the systems in place and also the senior management's approach towards remote working. The hybrid-remote option is the most popular because it gives employees greater flexibility to work at their own convenience and avoid certain challenges that come with office working – lengthy commutes, inflexible working hours, daycare for children, and so on.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The transition to hybrid remote working is interesting – it started suddenly with mandatory all-remote and ended with some companies practically giving up all of their working spaces altogether and embracing complete remote working (3M, Aquent, Atlassian, Coinbase, among others). The current trend supports a hybrid model by both employees and employers because no one is sure of the future anymore. The hybrid model gives companies the flexibility to go back to either all-remote or all-office, depending on the requirement. Some companies that have adopted the hybrid working model are HubSpot, Dropbox, Reddit, Shopify, Twitter, Slack, Grammarly, Mailchimp, Adobe, LinkedIn, Uber, Cisco, Intel, Microsoft, Unilever, Zoom, Deloitte and many more.&nbsp;&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>How Has Voice Technology Evolved Over the Years?&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>Post the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for voice and speech recognition technology has steadily increased and is expected to reach over $20.9 Billion by 2026, up from $7.7 Billion in 2020. The increasing use of smart devices and extensive adaptation of mobile technology are responsible for an almost 18% CAGR for this market. Rapid advancements in this technology, enabling devices to recognize speech patterns, accent, pitch, and even speaking styles using Machine Learning, NLP (Natural Language Processing), and Artificial Intelligence have contributed to more and more of its adoption in all kinds of devices. Furthermore, its applications in IoT (Internet of Things) devices, smart wearables, automobiles and in-car systems and biometric devices are likely to boom as the technology advances.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>The development of speech and voice recognition technology dates back to the 1950s when Bell Laboratories developed "Audrey," a system that could recognize 1-9 numbers when spoken aloud. The next major advancement was the creation of IBM's "Shoebox" in the early 1970s, which used the sound and pitch of phonemes to construct a word and then match it against preprogrammed information to determine what word was being said. In the 1970s, the Department of Defense invested in the DARPA's Speech Understanding Research program resulting in the development of "Harpy," a system that could understand over 1000 words.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p> The 1970s and 1980s saw much more advancement in speech and voice recognition technologies and made their way into children's toys - Speak &amp; Spell and Julie doll, the latter being advanced enough to distinguish between different speakers. The major leap in voice recognition technology came when developers started using NLP with algorithms to program systems that become educated in syntactic, semantic, and tonal rules. The Hidden Markov Model, for instance, uses statistics and probability to understand a specific sound like a word. These were big steps above using just sound to recognize the words. In 1990, Dragon brought out the "Dragon Dictate" speech recognition system and the "Naturally Speaking" system in 1997. Despite these advancements, there was no practical application of this technology on a large scale, even by big enterprises, because of their limited processing power and memory and challenges in recognizing global accents.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p> Google's Voice Search App, released in 2010, paved the way for modern cloud-based speech recognition technology. Its success led to the development of Siri in 2011, which was hugely successful across the world for its ability to interpret speech patterns and process natural utterances accurately. Siri was followed by Amazon's Alexa and other devices that used modern speech recognition technologies and became a part of several devices. The best part is that they support a wide range of languages and accents with amazing accuracy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>Voice-Activated Technology for Supporting Diversity and Inclusion in Workspaces<o:p></o:p>So, what do these advancements in voice and speech recognition mean to the modern man? Will they make lives easier? Will they make learning smarter? And will they recognize the diversity of the global workforce? The answer is "Yes" to all of these, says Michelle Arentz, owner of Lazarus Learning LLC. Speaking about the pandemic and how it has affected many workers and students who had to go "online" suddenly, Ms. Arentz feels that text-to-speech technologies can play a very crucial role in online learning support, communication among and with frontline workers, and the work-from-home situations.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p> Voice User Interfaces (VUIs) is a terrific tool for making products accessible to and usable by as many people as possible, says Cathy Pearl, head of conversation design outreach at Google. Ms. Pearl says that although AI-powered VUI devices provide convenience to the average user by enabling a more frictionless and natural experience, the future of VUIs includes a much bigger stage: empowering the people who need it the most. They have the ability to make people with motor or mobility and visual impairments become more independent and also more inclusive in the workplace. This becomes all the more relevant in the remote hybrid working models based on effective communication, collaboration, and productivity that these voice-activated technology devices can promote.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Voice-Activated Technologies in Hybrid Workspaces<o:p></o:p>Voice-activated technologies can be a boon for hybrid workspaces as they can help to connect the employee with the work environment from anywhere seamlessly. For instance, Tact.ai is a hands-free, voice-activated software that can automatically dig up information from emails, research reports, and archives. Similarly, ServiceNow in Singapore has installed voice-activated booking systems where meeting rooms can be set up remotely, complete with a video system. Automated security clearances, maintenance checks, ordering office supplies, adjusting ambient light and temperature based on occupancy, troubleshooting systems, onboarding new employees, rolling out updates, and technical support can all be managed remotely through voice controls. Skill-driven workspaces like hospitals and factories can pull up critical data through voice commands without any manual intervention.<o:p></o:p>Future advancements in voice-enabled technologies should be based on developing algorithms that&nbsp;<o:p></o:p><ol><ol><li>Recognize a number of dialects and accents, including speech impediments,&nbsp;</li><li>Have speakers that can navigate ambient noise and background voices, 3. Integrate the technology with laptops and computers used in the workplaces,&nbsp;</li><li>Offer more safety and security features integrated within the technology,&nbsp;</li><li>Provide acoustically optimized workstations or special spaces, and&nbsp;</li><li>Create tech-enabled meeting rooms that voice commands can control- the possibilities are endless.&nbsp;</li></ol></ol>&nbsp;Conclusion<o:p></o:p>Voice and speech-activated technologies have no doubt come a long way with advancements and are set to revolutionize modern workspaces. Hybrid working models are here to stay because they provide the balance between how things were and how they are now. The idea behind voice-enabled technologies is to make this hybrid working successful and also improve employees' productivity by letting them do a myriad of activities with simple, hands-free commands.&nbsp;Alexa for Business&nbsp;and&nbsp;Zoom for Home&nbsp;and&nbsp;Cortana&nbsp;are examples of integrating virtual assistants with smart devices and office/home workspaces.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;</div>

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