Tech shows us it’s a small world after all

Amidst the crisis in Ukraine, we see the government turning to Smart currency and raising $10 million in cryptocurrency (so far) via social media pleas. And we see these officials also asking Big Tech companies to enter the fray by blocking services in Russia.

As the world relies increasingly on Big Tech for day to day life, such measures could have quite the impact. But there isn’t any playbook yet to follow when it comes to if and how companies like Google, Apple and Facebook should act. Some wonder if the Russia invasion of Ukraine could in fact make an effect that’s called “splinternet” grow larger – making the ability to access web services different depending on where you live, and what local laws are in place.

Last, big shout out to all the major telcos in the U.S. and Canada offering free long distance calls and texts to Ukraine.

ICYMI: CHECK OUT OUR NEW ANALYTICS DASHBOARD!

Last month, we introduced some powerful new features for our space utilization data analytics console, inTELLO.

Our new dashboard is an improved user experience, with heat maps for tracking utilization data over time and people flow diagrams that visualize movement and common pathways through any space. Its new filters can discern the movements of unique work teams, providing insight into the specific requirements of different groups sharing the same office.

With InTELLO, companies can now access deeper levels of insight to inform important decisions around capacity, furniture, lighting and layout of offices and workspaces. With its data enhancements, the web-based InTELLO analytics portal presents InnerSpace spatial intelligence data at-a-glance, offering a full spectrum of historical data for reference whenever it’s needed. This includes such InnerSpace-only metrics as:

Team-based behaviors
Visitor behaviors (new vs. returning)
Pathway analysis
Visit frequency

OUR "INSIDE THE DATA" SERIES

Over on our blog we’ve kicked off a new series of posts that demonstrate a specific need from one of our clients, followed by how WiFi-powered indoor location data can help clarify the solution.

In the first story we find HR folks asked by the C-suite to summarize how the return-to-office plan has performed in its first few months. They want to gauge if their investments into an office redesign were panning out as forecasted, and who was coming into the office and when.

Fortunately, that’s just the sort of intel that flows from InTELLO.

NEW IN SMART TECH

NASA is experimenting with Smart aircraft in the form of a new electric plane that could blaze the trail toward new aviation styles. Its X-57 small plane is propelled not by fuel tanks but instead rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

If we look higher than our airspace to the “low earth orbit” we find companies such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX intending to launch legions of new satellites. This Reuters video touches on what liabilities may be in store.

Here on ground level, we find a Montreal tech firm being bought by a New York event company for its promising Smart badge system that would do away with lanyards entirely and bring data collection to big conferences.

And in another major antiviral scientific advance, Quebec City-based Medicago has developed a plant-based coronavirus vaccine that doesn’t use mRNA tech. Proving to be 71 percent effective against COVID-19, it’s now approved for use in Canada.

Lastly: we couldn’t help but notice Cadillac’s impeccable taste in coming up with the name for its luxury autonomous vehicle: InnerSpace! While it’s still a concept car, we think they're definitely on the right track. Maybe it will even have an InTELLO dashboard? ;)

IN OUR SPACE

We’re busy developing a new guide that digs into what our InnerSpace platform can be truly used for – as a WiFi system that does not require reams of cables to be run or sensors to be installed. Watch for that coming this spring.

March is home to the annual onset of daylight savings time, of St. Patrick’s Day, and of International Women’s Day – which lands on March 8th. InnerSpace straddles tech, data science and commercial real estate, which are historically male-dominated professions. Fortunately, being backed by BDC’s Women in Tech fund helps us break down the status quo. Looking ahead, our team is committed to making tech jobs increasingly available for women and do our part to #BreakTheBias.