IFOW: Automation impacts workers’ quality of life

A recent study conducted by the Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW) sheds light on the profound impact of automation technologies on the quality of life of workers.

The study, conducted as part of the Pissarides Review, delved into the effects of exposure to new workplace technologies on the wellbeing of nearly 5,000 UK workers. For the first time, the research utilised the EuroQol EQ-5D-3L, a widely-accepted measure of health-related quality of life and...

13 March 2024 | AI

Apple finally activates HomePod Mini’s climate sensor

Apple has finally activated the humidity and temperature sensor in the HomePod Mini.

Earlier this month, Apple announced the second generation of its full-size HomePod. One of the new features was a sensor for detecting a room’s current temperature and humidity.

Back in 2021, the teardown specialists at iFixit disassembled the HomePod Mini. iFixit discovered a Texas Instruments HDC2010 humidity and temperature sensor that Apple failed to mention.

“The...

25 January 2023 | Applications

Oxbotica raises $140M to expand its B2B autonomous vehicle platform

B2B autonomous vehicle platform developer Oxbotica has raised a further $140 million.

The Oxford-based firm plans to use the funds to advance its goal of creating “universal autonomy” around the world.

Paul Newman, CTO and a Founder of Oxbotica, said:

“Oxbotica was founded eight years ago on the vision of Universal Autonomy—providing safe and sustainable autonomy that is independent of workplace and vehicle type.

With the greatest engineering...

11 January 2023 | Connected Vehicles

Sam Kingston, Mobica: On standing out in a crowded IoT industry

Crowd

Mobica CEO Sam Kingston recently sat down with IoT News for a deep dive into what distinguishes Mobica's Talent-as-a-Service offering within an increasingly crowded tech sector.

IoT News: What distinguishes Mobica’s offering from a typical tech recruitment firm? 

In today’s fast growing tech space, we’re witnessing a burst of innovations, almost on a daily basis. Companies House figures show a huge 38,200 tech start-ups registered in 2021 in the UK alone. More...

12 October 2022 | Enterprise

GlobalData: 75% of execs anticipate disruption from automation within 12 months

Three-quarters of executives are expecting their sector to be disrupted by automation within 12 months.

The findings come from research firm GlobalData which calls automation “no longer a distant dream”. Undoubtedly, the pandemic has sped up the adoption of automation as leaders seek to shelter their businesses in uncertain times and adapt to lasting societal changes.

Charlotte Dunlap, Principal Analyst at GlobalData, said:

“The pandemic has shown us just...

4 February 2022 | Digital Transformation

World Economic Forum designates Ericsson smart factory a ‘Global Lighthouse’

Ericsson’s 5G smart factory in Lewisville, Texas has received a valuable commendation from the World Economic Forum (WEF).

WEF gave the factory its “Global Lighthouse” award in recognition of the site being a global leader in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

The smart factory has achieved 120 percent improved output per employee and a 65 percent reduction in manual material handling through the deployment of automation technologies.

Fredrik...

15 March 2021 | 5G

Research: Higher robot densities linked to increased productivity

Research has found a link between higher densities of robots in a population and increased levels of productivity.

The study – conducted by supply chain specialists Balloon One – analysed countries with similar levels of manufacturing output and looked at their densities of robots and GDP per hours worked.

The UK, in particular, is falling behind in robot density:

(Credit: Balloon One)

The UK is the glaring example here but, aside from some...

19 January 2021 | AI

WEF: Inequality likely to worsen as robots set to do half of work by 2025

A report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) predicts that robots will do half of all work tasks by 2025, with inequality likely to worsen as a result.

Concerns about the impact of automation on jobs are not exactly new, but most felt the timeline for significant change would be longer – providing more time for mass reskilling of the workforce.

The pandemic we find ourselves in is creating “a double disruption of jobs” with businesses reducing their employees while...

21 October 2020 | AI