Peggy Smedley Show

Peggy says technology can go a long way to help the lives of those living with disabilities and the elderly. She shares the U.S Dept. of Transportation is taking this into consideration to begin researching and implementing innovative applications for accessible transportation.

Jay Ellis, program director, MTRAC Transportation, says there aren't many funding sources that help commercialize research. He explains that money helps, but it's the connections that are made that help all this new technology accelerate out of the university and make it to market.

Will Bauman, junior, Grayslake North High School and YSA (Youth Service America) Road Safety Ambassador, shares he was inspired to get involved with distracted driving education after he and his mother were involved in an accident in 2013. He says it is important to educate both adults and children, and is currently working to develop a program at his high school.

Shawn Pruchnicki, faculty member, Ohio State Aviation, says aviation has seen a lot of growth and innovation in the last 10 years, and soon there will be a complete overhaul of the current system. He explains aircraft handling has become more efficient which improves navigation, fuel-savings, and more.

David Alan Grier, 2013 IEEE Computer Society president and associate professor, George Washington University, says we live in a world where we can't sit still and the driving force behind automation is capital. He says this push for automation actually creates opportunities for the new generation.

Peggy says there are new ways of looking at technology and all that the IoT (Internet of Things) can do. She explains the IoT drives change, and it is important for us to come together and recognize the importance of infrastructure so we can focus on rebuilding America.

Vin D'Agostino, vice president general purpose unit, Renesas Electronics America Inc., explains the IoT ecosystem is seeing a lot of unexpected players enter the space and some will decide it isn't for them. He says early adopters that love the technology give a lot of feedback and help propel the IoT forward.

David Alan Grier, 2013 IEEE Computer Society president and associate professor, George Washington University, says it is very important for small businesses to be responsive to the market and needs, and they should really be looking for what trends are out there. He says long-term thinking is a must.

Peggy addresses the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's proposed amendments to distracted driving laws across the country, which have seen been regarded to as a mistake. She asks how a mistake of this magnitude could possibly be made and suggests there may have been a bigger plan behind it.

Joel Feldman, founder of the Casey Feldman Organization and EndDD.org, says although he lost his daughter to a distracted driver, he is very fortunate for the opportunities he has to educate kids on the dangers of distracted driving. He explains this generation of kids wants to help spread the distracted driving message.

Peggy shares preliminary estimates for motor deaths from the National Safety Council. She explains the increasing trend from 2015 is going from bad to worse, as there has been a 9% increase in fatalities in the first half of the year.

Jeff Haley, acting executive director, Distracted Driving Foundation, says trying to remove all communications from moving automobiles would be overkill. He explains technology needs to catch up and be the solution to the problem it created.

Lindsay Baker, president, Comfy, says the company offers software as a service with an app that allows users to control the atmosphere around them. She explains the software learns what the environment is like overtime, and is able to adapt accordingly on its own.

Michael Carlson, president, digital grid North America, Siemens, says the best IoT (Internet of Things) solution for the grid involves bringing together all of the technology that is currently there. He explains the biggest frontier to be conquered is the data and analytics.

Farah Saeed, principal consultant, Frost & Sullivan, says there is some impatience in the energy sector when it comes to transforming old systems. She explains the Internet revolutionized how we do things at lightning speed, but suggests utilities take longer because there are still unanswered questions.

Peggy explores what some of the big companies are interested in doing in AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality). She explains AR/VR has traditionally been wrapped up in consumer applications, but is now expanding and set to transform the enterprise.

Mark Chung, CEO and co-founder, Verdigris, explains the AI (artificial intelligence) company is focused on making IoT accessible to large, commercial buildings to transform normal buildings into smart ones. He explains some projects have seen as much as 22% in energy cost-savings.

Ellen Qualls, VP for communications & public affairs, Renovate America, says it is important to put tools in the hands of contractors that can help educate homeowners on the importance of selecting energy efficient options for their homes. She explains investments in energy efficiency can recuperate the initial invest in a home when trying to sell.

Brian Jamison, national procurement director, PulteGroup, explains the Zero Net Energy Home prototype, a high performance home built in northern California. He says the house consumes no more power than it produces and performs like any other home with no special requirements of homeowners.

Recent research from Vodafone revealed 76% of businesses say IoT (Internet of Things) will be critical to the future success of organizations. Peggy explains that as an industry, we tend to overestimate the number of organizations already using IoT, and adopting IoT really is key to create ROI (return on investment).

Tom Ivory, head of strategic innovation, Capgemini, explains companies are looking to transform business processes to become faster and more efficient. He says automation can free up workers from mundane activities, allowing them to spend time on more valuable tasks.

Peggy says UPS has become a leader in global supply-chain management and is helping transform commercial transportation and logistics. She explains the company has a long history of adopting innovative technology that began with adopting conveyor belt technology before it became mainstream.

Roberto Aiello, managing director, Itron Idea Labs, says machines can make better decisions than we can, which is why there needs to be a push for more intelligence everywhere. He explains water and energy have had connected devices for awhile but the next step is making them more intelligent.

Peggy encourages listeners to register to attend the Peggy Smedley Institute to explore new IoT (Internet of Things) ideas and implementations. She says IoT technology is changing fast across the verticals and this day of education will provide new insights and information.

Peggy discusses the recent acquisition of Yahoo by Verizon for comparative "chump change." She says Yahoo was once the king of the Internet, but how could it compete with Google, a true powerhouse IoT (Internet of Things) company?

Massoud Amin , IEEE fellow, chair of the IEEE smart grid, and director/professor, University Of Minnesota, explains the smart self-healing grid can sense and react to abnormalities in a fraction of a second. He says there is a need for a grid overhaul in the U.S. in the near future for economic and environmental security.

Joe Lynch, vice president, marketing, Omnicell, explains automation is relatively new in healthcare, but is making a big impact. He explains patients and staff benefit from automation systems such as electronic health records and even IVs can now be automated.

Dan Whitten, VP of communications, Solar Energy Industries Assn., says solar panels are popping up on homes in all sorts of income groups and they are in all 50 states. He explains solar panels offer financial incentives as well as environmental benefits for those who choose to adopt the technology.

Vijay Bharti, vice president and head, security services, Happiest Minds, says criminals are becoming more organized and focused and early detection is more important than ever. He explains some of the current solutions being used in the space are not working and companies need to realize that.

Peggy addresses the latest Pokémon GO craze and says it has brought up some serious safety and privacy issues. She explains criminals can hack in and lure players to specific locations, and even though the app doesn't collect too much personal information privacy is still a big issue.

Paul Mockapetris, chief scientist, ThreatSTOP, says education is the most important thing when it comes to cybersecurity and there are basic steps people can take to reduce risk. He shares we often want the latest device with the newest features, but often don't take security into consideration.

Elizabeth Rozell, associate dean, College of Business and director of MBA, Missouri State University, shares the universities MBA program with an emphasis in cybersecurity was ranked number two in the nation by Online MBA Today. She says this program has a lot of influence because there is such a need in the marketplace for cybersecurity professionals.

Peggy gives listeners a firsthand look at how contractors are using connected tools today. She explains how some companies are implementing tool tracking strategies, what the short and long-term benefits are and why companies should adopt this technology.

Graham Cooper, senior account manager, ToolHound, says tool tracking systems provide information immediately at your finger tips. He explains knowing where inventory is located at all times ultimately leads to cost savings and prevents downtime.

Don Kakfa, CEO, ToolWatch Corp., says if tools aren't functioning correctly, extra spending is happening on purchasing additional tools. He explains that by tracking tools, contractors get the biggest benefit by reducing cost and liability.

Peggy introduces connected tools in construction and says not only do they save time on projects, but they also save on costs. She explains these tools are here now, and the use of technology in construction is only predicted to grow in the next few years.

Paul Sakamoto, COO, Savari, explains the company's mission is to save lives with its V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) communications technology. He says the technology is ready for final product integration and could be seen in vehicles as soon as 2017.

Scott Meyer, CEO, Ghostery, explains privacy is by design and is really dependent on how a product is built. He says it's not just about connecting a device; it has to do with what data is being transmitted and put on the network.

Peggy says the IoT (Internet of Things) is helping businesses, governments, and people improve processes and make better decisions. She says the power of the IoT is the ability for us to work and live smarter and that new 5G capabilities are going to make the process even better.

Kevin Du, IEEE senior member, professor of electrical engineering and computer science, Syracuse University, explains 80% of Web applications have vulnerabilities and there is no way to protect systems 100%. He discusses moving elections online in the future, but says they would likely be compromised without appropriate security.

Peggy discusses the fatal accident involving a Tesla Model S in autopilot mode and says we cannot stop innovation because we are afraid, instead we must learn from our mistakes when leveraging technology. She explains safety systems that take complete or partial control are not safer by default but only if they are designed correctly and tested thoroughly.

Deidre Diamond, founder and CEO, CyberSN and founder, Brainbabe, says when it comes to cyber security awareness, corporations have to step up their game. She explains there is a need for more compliance and regulations in the space.

Stu Sjouwerman, founder and CEO, KnowBe4, says the moment you have a website or email, you become a target for cyber criminals. He explains anti-virus is less successful these days and company's really have to train employees on cybersecurity best practices and consistently reinforce the training.

Mahbubul Alam, CTO/CMO, Movimento Group, says any time you have wireless technology, it cannot go without security. In automotive, there is the aspect of human safety which requires the highest level of security imaginable. He says there needs to be a system of providing certifications for security across the automotive industry.

Kevin Curran, senior lecturer, computer science, University of Ulster, says ransomware is the worst thing to hit the industry in a long time. He explains the best defense against threats is: keep your software updated, use different passwords on all sites, and be careful what you do on public WiFi.

Kim Jones, director, cybersecurity education consortium, Arizona State University, explains the goal of the consortium is talent creation and talent enrichment. He says the best way to beat the bad guys is to think creatively, and it is important to find solutions that don't disrupt commerce or operations.

Peggy explains there are many different kinds of ransomware and says fear is the reason it is so effective. She advises listeners to get educated on the risks, keep up on the latest news, and make sure your systems are up-to-date.

Peggy says being a tech leader today is a huge responsibility and Samsung is stepping up to the plate by investing $1.2 billion in the IoT (Internet of Things). She says the company has a "human-centered" vision that puts people first.

Pam Lopker, president and chairman, QAD, says the IoT is here and soon everyone is going to be on it. She shares it is important for companies to bring together IT people who understand the technology with the higher up's because it will be a powerful combination.