Author: Jim O Brien/CEO

CEO and expert in transport and Mobile tech. A fan 20 years, mobile consultant, Nokia Mobile expert, Former Nokia/Microsoft VIP,Multiple forum tech supporter with worldwide top ranking,Working in the background on mobile technology, Weekly radio show, Featured on the RTE consumer show, Cavan TV and on TRT WORLD. Award winning Technology reviewer and blogger. Security and logisitcs Professional.

5 Perks Of Incorporating Experiential Learning Into Employee Development Programs

As a business owner or HR manager, you know the importance of investing in employee development programs. These programs are crucial for building a skilled and motivated workforce, leading to increased productivity and profitability.

One practical approach to employee development is experiential learning, which involves hands-on, real-life experiences that allow employees to apply their skills and knowledge in a realistic setting.

Here are four perks of incorporating experiential learning into employee development programs:

Improved retention and motivation

Employees allowed to learn and grow through experiential learning are more likely to feel invested in their work and motivated to stay with the company. In fact, research has shown that people retain up to 90% of the information they learn through experiential learning, compared to just 10% of information learned through lectures.

Experiential learning also helps to keep employees engaged and motivated by providing a sense of accomplishment and purpose. For example, run a marketing firm and offer experiential learning opportunities for your employees to work on real campaigns for local businesses. They will be able to see the direct impact of their work and feel a sense of pride in their contributions.

Enhanced problem-solving and critical-thinking skills

Experiential learning allows employees to practice and develop their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills in a real-world setting. This is especially beneficial for employees who struggle with these skills in a traditional classroom setting.

For example, you are using a tool like Articulate 360 to provide online experiential learning programs, allowing employees to apply their knowledge to realistic scenarios. By navigating these simulations, they will develop the skills necessary to resolve conflict, manage projects, and think strategically. 

Though before you start using such tools, make sure you check out the Articulate 360 pricing and reviews to weigh the pros and cons.

Increased collaboration and teamwork

Experiential learning often involves working with others to complete tasks and projects, which helps to foster collaboration and teamwork skills. This is especially important in today’s increasingly collaborative workplace, where employees must work well with others to achieve success.

Suppose you run a consulting firm and offer experiential learning opportunities for your employees to work on group consulting projects. They will be able to practice working with others to complete tasks and achieve common goals. This helps build strong team bonds and improve teamwork skills.

Greater flexibility and adaptability

The learning method allows employees to experience new situations and challenges, which helps to build flexibility and adaptability skills. These skills are crucial in today’s fast-paced and constantly changing business environment, where employees must adapt and respond to new situations quickly and effectively.

For example, run a healthcare organization and offer experiential learning opportunities for your employees to work on simulated patient care scenarios. They will have the chance to practice adapting to new and unexpected situations. This can help them to be more flexible and adaptable in their everyday work.

Builds leadership skills

Leadership skills are crucial for any employee, regardless of position or level. These skills include inspiring and motivating others, making difficult decisions, delegating tasks effectively, and communicating clearly and effectively. 

Experiential learning is an excellent way to develop these skills because it provides opportunities for employees to practice and test their leadership abilities in a safe and supportive environment. 

This can be especially valuable for those who may not have had many opportunities to lead or may be hesitant to take on leadership roles. By participating in experiential learning activities, employees can gain confidence in their ability to lead and develop their leadership skills in a challenging and rewarding way.

Conclusion

Experiential learning can be an invaluable component of employee development programs. It allows employees to practice and develop their skills practically, leading to increased retention, motivation, problem-solving, collaboration, teamwork, adaptability, and leadership.

Investing in these activities can provide your business with a skilled and motivated workforce, leading to increased productivity and success.

Bord na Móna’s Accelerate Green programme will see €5million investment over the next three years

Bord na Móna has revealed the eight new companies who have been selected to take part in the second year of Accelerate Green. The participating companies are NanobOx, Hibra Design, HaPPE Earth, Hub360, Superfy, Trinity Green Energy, EC Charging and CW Applied Technology. Bord na Móna’s Accelerate Green programme is Ireland’s leading sustainability programme designed to scale-up companies who are developing products and services based on green innovation in response to climate action and sustainability challenges. The current cohort of businesses employ over 70 people with turnover of more than €5million.

Bord na Móna has also committed to a further €5million investment in the Accelerate Green Programme over the next three years which will support more than 50 companies to scale up. A significant 15% of this will be invested in targeting new companies to apply to Accelerate Green with a particular emphasis on identifying Midlands based companies.

The companies participating in the Accelerate Green programme include NanobOx, a novel water treatment technology and winner of this year’s Big Ideas competition for tech start-ups run by Enterprise Ireland. They are developing a novel water treatment technology providing a highly energy-efficient method of oxygenating water as well as a chemical-free cleaning and sanitisation process using nanobubbles.

Hibra Design is an automotive design engineering company. They reengineer off-highway, speciality vehicles by removing the diesel powertrain and developing bespoke sustainable alternative systems such Battery Electric or Hydrogen Fuel Cell powertrains. This helps operators to reduce operational costs and increase productivity while providing healthier working environments.

HaPPE Earth have designed an innovative, fully compostable, medical grade apron using bioplastics as sustainable alternative for healthcare providers.  The single use apron disappears in approximately eight weeks and was a winner in the 2022 Health Innovation Hub Ireland awards. Currently only 10% of global healthcare waste is recycled. If the Irish health service removed single use plastic aprons, it would mean a reduction in plastic waste of 500 tons of plastic each year.

 Other companies include:

  • Hub360, a software platform that optimises logistics (incl. reducing carbon emissions) and deliveries for companies that use their own delivery fleet or third-party hauliers to deliver their goods. HUB360 is generating monthly recurring revenues, and revenue by delivering enhanced functionality and more modules over time into the same clients.
  • Superfy who deliver sustainable smart resource management solutions for companies for sustainability, waste, recycling, operations, workforce and fleet management.
  • Trinity Green Energy, who specialise in the capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
  • EC Charging who design, develop, build, install and maintain smart EV charging systems.
  • CW Applied Technology,  a dynamic electronic business based in Shannon, Ireland.

Speaking at the launch, Tom Donnellan, CEO of Bord na Móna said. “At Bord na Mona we understand the role mentorship and partnership will play in achieving the vision of a climate neutral Ireland by 2050. Of the 17 companies who have already come through Accelerate Green, we have established a working partnership with six companies and facilitated ten to scale up, secure more funding, diversify their business and provide more climate focussed roles in the Midlands.

This new cohort of companies just beginning the programme represent the critical pipeline of potential new enterprises operating in the sustainability space or looking to transition to become a climate solutions company, a journey we have been on ourselves since 2018. We are committed to sharing our knowledge with these enterprises as they progress through the Accelerate Green programme, collaborating to ensure the organisations can scale up and become leaders in their own right with the support of Bord na Móna.”

Keynote speaker at the launch, Julie Sinnamon, Member of the Climate Change Advisory Council said, “I have been really inspired and impressed by the calibre of companies participating in this year’s Accelerate Green Programme. Great entrepreneurial and innovative businesses need the support of programmes such as Accelerate Green to make sure that they can scale up and thrive. It is their success that will drive Ireland forward to achieve the transition to a low carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable economy.”

Accelerate Green will be located at Bord na Móna’s existing office complex in Boora, Co Offaly. It has been developed in in conjunction with Irish innovation advisory firm Resolve Partners and ERINN Innovation.

Speaking at the launch, Alan Costello from Resolve Partners said; “Collectively, the eight companies on the programme employ 70 people and have raised funding of over €5 million to-date. Graduation from Bord na Móna’s Accelerate Green will open doors for further growth as it has for their predecessors. We have exciting innovations with this round of participants and this accelerator will help them deliver measurable impact and support sustainable economic development.”

More than 90 per cent of Bord na Móna investment in the last financial year was in areas the EU would class as “environmentally sustainable”, including renewable energy, land use change and the circular economy. Accelerate Green is central to the company’s commitment to the European Green Deal.

This work is supported with partial funding through the Bord na Mona led European Commission funded LIFE Integrated Project ‘Peatlands and People’ an initiative that aims to support the realisation of a carbon-neutral, climate resistant and environmentally sustainable country.

Find out more about and companies on the past programmes here.

Dell Technologies and MIC host primary schools from across the Mid-West for the regional finals of the Dell VEX Robotics Competition

Over 500 students from 17 primary schools from the Mid-West region took part in the regional final of the Dell VEX Robotics Competition recently. Hosted by Dell Technologies in conjunction with Mary Immaculate College (MIC), the regional final saw students take part in a game-based engineering challenge to design, code and build robots.

Five schools from the Mid-West took home awards from the final, which was held at the Dell Limerick campus in Raheen. Barryroe National School in County Cork and Thomond Primary School in County Limerick both won the Teamwork Champion Award, with Barryroe also winning the Excellence Award. Limerick’s Nicker National School were presented with the Judges Award, while the Gaelic Gladiators team from Gaelscoil Aonach Urmhumhan in Nenagh, County Tipperary won both the Design Award and the Robot Skills Champion awards.

The robotics challenge begins in the classroom each year, with school children across the Mid-West working with their teacher from September to January to design, build and programme a robot. Teams from Dell and MIC volunteer their time to support the children and teachers as they prepare for the competition and also organise practice sessions. Classes can also opt to compete in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Technology (STEM) project, the theme of which this year was Mathematics in Nature. The students record and submit a video on their STEM projects to a panel of industry and education experts.

Since its introduction in 2014, the Dell VEX Robotics Competition has expanded nationwide with a growing number of young people inspired to engage in STEM at the earliest opportunity. The winners of the regional competition will take part in the national finals of the Dell VEX Robotics Competition on the 22nd and 23rd February at Munster Technological University in Cork. Almost 50 employees from Dell & MIC were involved in this year’s Mid-West final event.

According to Dr Maeve Liston, Director of Enterprise & Community Engagement at MIC: “We are delighted to be working with Dell Technologies again this year, bringing robotics to primary schools around the Mid-West region. The Dell VEX Robotics programme, run in partnership with MIC in the Mid-West, is an example of a unique collaboration between schools, industry and higher education. This involves a process of collaborative design and delivery between mentors from industry and experts in the field of STEM education from MIC, reinforcing what is being taught in the curriculum and extending learning beyond the curriculum into real world contexts.”

Commenting on the competition, Sean O’Reilly, EMEA Vice President of Logistics and Limerick Site Leader for Dell Technologies, said: “STEM learning is central to inspiring the next generation of developers and engineers whose skills will help shape our future as an innovation island. That is why our team in Limerick once again came together with Mary Immaculate College to host primary schools across the Mid-West for the Dell VEX Robotics regional competition. It is a fun way for us to engage young people in technology and foster their creativity. We are proud of our long-standing partnership with Mary Immaculate College as we expand the competition in the region. Well done to all the students and teachers who put on a powerful demonstration of their problem solving and computational skills during the recent regional final at our campus in Limerick.”

Students learn many technical skills like robotics, engineering, design, programming and coding. The teams also fundraise for robot parts, building skills and knowledge in areas such as teamwork, marketing and financial planning. This year the programme encouraged the students to look more closely at the world around them through the ‘Mathematics in Nature’ STEM project, leading students to explore applications including bees and the hexagonal shapes of hives and the honeycomb; the Fibonacci sequence in nature; fingerprints; and one team who investigated how Pythagoras’ Theorem helped them access a space in their attic.

Patricia O’Sullivan, Enterprise & Community Engagement Manager at MIC congratulated all the schools involved, saying: “We are so proud of all the schools here today. We began working with all these teachers and children from schools around the Mid-West Region in September 2022. It is great to see the results of all their hard work during such an exciting day here in Dell for the regional finals.”

Dell and MIC have been collaborating on the Dell VEX Robotics Competition for 5 years and were awarded The Teaching Council’s Collaboration Award in 2019. The project was chosen by the Council as an example of the transformative role that teachers play in our communities and society through collaboration.

MIC supports teachers integrate the programme into the curriculum and also offers Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses for teachers in the Dell VEX Robotics Competition, which are run in conjunction with staff from Dell.

MIC works with Dell on many projects and Dell has also been a strong advocate and supporter of its new CRAFT Maker Space which is due to open in March 2023.

To find out more about the Dell VEX Robotics Competition or to register for next year’s programme visit www.stemcraft.mic.ul.ie

HP Anyware and IMSCAD partner to deliver remote working solution for graphical applications

IMSCAD adds HP Anyware, the enterprise software that provides secured access to digital workspaces, to their portfolio of Remote Work Solutions for Graphics-Intensive Applications.  HP Anyware allows users and teams to be flexible and access their digital workspaces from virtually any device, in any location with a network connection.

IMSCAD is excited to announce a new global collaboration with HP via the HP Anyware* solution, a move that reinforces their place at the forefront of remote work solutions for graphics- intensive applications. The collaboration combines IMSCAD’s world leading expertise for deploying and supporting graphical applications and workflows, to facilitate User and Enterprise Mobility with HP Anyware’s technology, which leverages the PC-over-IP (PColP®) protocol to stream highly interactive desktop displays between almost any host (cloud, data center, edge, workstation) and end-user device (PC, Mac®, laptop or tablet) without any data ever leaving the safety of the customer’s network.

PCoIP transmits AES256-encrypted image pixels to the client device, thus keeping business information safe in the data center. Users can enjoy lossless image quality and near-perfect text clarity from the PCoIP, which almost mirrors the user experience of working at a desktop or workstation under your desk.

IMSCAD CEO Adam Jull states, ‘’We are excited about HP Anyware as it provides customers with a secured, high performance solution running on their existing workstations. One step before VDI and easy to use. Remote working done!’’

About HP Anyware

HP Anyware is the enterprise software that IT needs to keep people and teams productive with secure access to their digital workspaces from any mix of infrastructure (cloud, data center, edge, workstation) and end-user device (PC, Mac, laptop, tablet, thin and zero client), anywhere. Built on the same technology that won both Teradici and HP Engineering Emmys in 2020, HP Anyware future-proofs deployments for ever-evolving infrastructure, network, and hybrid workforce demands. HP Anyware also includes Anyware Manager, a connection management plane for IT Administrators to simplify the management of secure user access to desktops. For more information, visit: www.hp.com/anyware.

IMSCAD are a UK business with a global customer base, working to assist Resellers and their Customers when deploying remote solutions for graphics-intensive applications utilising NVIDIA vGPU, with over 700 successful deployments, IMSDCAD have the experience and knowledge base to ensure better than local workstation performance and ultimate user experience

IMSCAD are the global leader in deploying and supporting remote work solutions for graphics-intensive applications. IMSCAD ‘s team of specialist’s guides customers through an end-to-end solution, including Pre Sales, Scoping, Deployment, Optimisation and Ongoing Support to ensure HP Anyware remote solutions deliver on productivity and business continuity objectives, while also achieving performance at scale.

IMSCAD offer the following:

 

  • ’48 hours demo for free’ – IMSCAD host and support customers that want to test drive the technology. Your data, your users and the Applications you require. 
  • Specialist Resources – leverage our expertise and years of experience for delivering remote solutions for graphics intensive applications  
  • Realise the Benefits – help firms realise the benefits of an HP Anyware, Remote Solution, such as, IP security, flexibility, anywhere access and robust home-working solutions to increase your teams productivity.   
  • User Acceptance – IMSCAD specialises in delivering the performance designers need, understanding their workflows and application usage.  
  • Comprehensive Support – from pre-sales, project scoping and advice on infrastructure through to deployment, optimization, and ongoing support for HP Anyware solutions.

Why Every Driver Needs To Be On The Lookout When Behind The Wheel

The roads can be dangerous places, and every driver needs to exercise caution when behind the wheel. Poor driving habits and hazardous conditions can lead to accidents that could have been avoided if drivers had been more vigilant. Being on the lookout for potential hazards is essential for staying safe on the road. Here’s why every driver needs to be on the lookout when behind the wheel.

1. Car accidents happen quickly

Car accidents can happen in the blink of an eye, and it’s not always easy to spot potential danger ahead. Even experienced drivers tend to underestimate how quickly things can go wrong on the road. That’s why it’s important for everyone behind the wheel to stay alert and be prepared for whatever might come their way. If you were involved in a car accident in Sevierville, you can find a lawyer that can help you out. Additionally, being on the lookout for potential hazards gives you more time to react and prevent the accident from occurring. It’s better to be aware and prepared than to have a split-second reaction that might not save you from the accident in time.

2. Poor driving habits are everywhere

Even if you are a conscientious driver, there is still a chance that you could be involved in an accident because of the negligence of another driver. Many drivers do not realize that texting and driving, eating while driving, or taking their eyes off the road for even a few moments can cause major harm to themselves and other drivers. It is important to always remain vigilant when on the roads and be aware of your own driving habits as well as those of others around you. This will help to ensure that you and the other drivers stay safe.

3. Hazards can be hard to spot

Driving safely means being alert and aware of the surroundings and ready to react quickly to any hazards that may arise. This includes other drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, animals, road conditions, weather, and more. Even if a driver is not speeding or breaking the law in some way, they can still be at risk of an accident due to external factors that are hard to spot ahead of time. It’s important for drivers to be constantly looking for potential hazards so that they can act quickly if necessary.

Lawyers who handle Motorcycle Accidents understand the unique risks that motorcyclists face on the road, including the limited protection they have compared to car drivers. They are skilled at investigating the circumstances of accidents and helping injured riders get the compensation they deserve for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

4. It’s important to practice defensive driving

Defensive driving means being aware of your surroundings, including other drivers and pedestrians. Pay attention to traffic patterns, such as speed limits and lane changes. Always be prepared to react quickly; for example, when a child runs into the street without warning or an animal darts onto the road. Maintaining a safe distance between yourself and other vehicles gives you time to react if needed. While it’s impossible to predict every dangerous situation, being alert and proactive behind the wheel can help you avoid accidents. 

5. It’s the law

In many countries, laws exist to protect drivers, bikers, pedestrians, and other commuters when they are out on the roads. This includes maintaining a certain speed limit, abiding by traffic rules, and being considerate of fellow travelers. Being aware of your surroundings while driving is not just common sense but also a legal obligation that every driver should follow. If any of these laws are broken, drivers may face hefty fines and even jail time and you may need a company like Isaacs and Isaacs to help. Therefore, it is important that drivers stay aware of their surroundings at all times in order to stay safe, legal, and out of trouble. 

6. It’s one of the best safety tips out there

Pay attention to your surroundings. Be mindful of other drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and any animals or wildlife that may be nearby. Keep an eye out for unexpected hazards such as potholes or dead animals on the road. Always look both ways before changing lanes and make sure you give yourself plenty of time and space to react to any potential danger. Don’t forget that anything can happen at any time so keep a watchful eye on everything around you! Safety always comes first! 

 

Being aware of potential hazards and practicing defensive driving are both essential for every driver. Regardless of country or region, it’s important to know the laws and obey them at all times. With a little extra vigilance behind the wheel, drivers can avoid accidents while still enjoying their journeys safely. By keeping these tips in mind, drivers can stay safe while on the road and minimize their risk of injury or death.  So don’t forget to be aware and practice defensive driving—it could save your life!

Irish consumers look to jet off as new Revolut data suggests the revival of the travel agency

The latest monthly consumer spending report by Revolut, the global financial super app with more than 2 million customers in Ireland, reveals that the average consumer in Ireland is spending 17.8% more, year on year.

The relaxation of covid restrictions and a surge in holiday bookings led to strong performances across travel (67.7%), entertainment (15.8%), and shopping (22.6%). However, the rate of inflation also saw spending on utilities increase by 15%, year on year.

Despite the rise in the cost of living, consumers in Ireland have boosted their generosity. Donations to charity increased by 14.6%, and 8.9% more people gave to charity in January 2023, compared to January the previous year.

In January 2023, supermarket consumer spending increased 14.3%, year on year. The rise in supermarket consumer spending is even more significant in the context of last year’s covid restrictions. Furthermore, bakeries continue to grow in popularity, as the number of customers increased 43.3%, year on year, and consumer spending increased 47.6%.

Restaurants saw a 32.5% increase in consumer spending, as the number of transactions increased 30.4%, year on year. Fast food restaurants saw a more modest increase in consumer spending of 19.1%, year on year.

Additionally, takeaway delivery services saw a 30.9% increase in consumer spending, year on year, despite the average customer not spending more in this year in comparison to 2022. The rise in consumer spending can be attributed to the rise in the number of customers, which has increased by 33.3%, year on year.

In entertainment, museums increased their number of customers by 70.2%, year on year, and saw consumer spending increase by 120.4%. Cinemas (28.3%) and theatres (59.6%) saw increases in the number of transactions, and consumer spending increased by 35% and 45.3%, year on year.

Despite the rise in spending on entertainment outside of the home, spending on digital entertainment including films, tv and music also increased by 13.8%, year on year. However, spending at book shops decreased by 17.2%.

Revolut travel data suggests the resurgence of the travel agency. In January, the number of customers booking holidays with travel agencies increased by 178.3%, year on year, and consumer spending increased by 158.1%. Additionally, spending on hotels (35.8%) and airlines (55.5%) increased, year on year. Spending on cruises increased by 144.5% and saw a 39.9% increase in the number of customers making bookings.

The January sales helped to increase shopping, as clothing stores saw a 23.5% increase in consumer spending, and 20.5% more transactions, year on year. Similarly department stores saw a 14.9% increase in spending, and furniture stores saw a 21.5% increase. Furthermore, it was cosmetics stores that saw the biggest increase, with spending up by 40.8% and transactions up by 38.9%, year on year.

Stores that didn’t fare so well were florists which saw spending decrease by 2.5%, and sweet shops where spending decreased by 11%, year on year.

A Revolut spokesperson said: “Despite inflation boosting the rise in consumer spending, the relaxation of covid restrictions has contributed to the increased number of customers and transactions across several industries.

“From trips to the theatre, refreshing wardrobes in the January sales, and dining out, it’s encouraging to see that consumers are finding ways to budget for treats and experiences. Furthermore, January saw a huge rise in travel spending and the revival of the travel agency.”

Lack of role models, education and training opportunities are stopping Irish women from working in tech

New research by HelloFresh Ireland has found 42% of Irish women between the ages of 16 and 27 are unlikely to pursue a career in tech, citing too many barriers to entering a career in the industry. The world’s leading meal kit company and integrated food solutions group conducted a survey of 1,000 young people, in partnership with Kantar*, to understand how young people in Ireland perceive a career in the tech industry. HelloFresh recently launched in Ireland, marking the company’s 18th market launch as part of its global growth strategy.

The survey found one in five (19%) of young women felt discouraged from entering the tech sector because their gender put them at a disadvantage. Three in four women (76%) said the tech sector is dominated by men, and only 61% of men think the same way.

The women surveyed said there is a sense of prestige that comes from working in the tech industry thanks to its associated perks and benefits (61%), job prospects (65%) and opportunity to have a positive impact on society (27%). However, HelloFresh found that the majority of women (54%)  don’t think their current skillset is suitable for the industry. In total, one in three (34%) women admitted that they didn’t know how to enter the field.

Role models were identified as an important factor in encouraging more women into the tech sector with 58% of respondents saying they would like to see better representation of women in tech leadership positions. Respondents also mentioned that access to training and scholarships (50%) and support to build skills (37%) would help them enter the sector. HelloFresh is in its second year of running a Women in Tech scholarship programme, which includes mentoring and financial support.

Annie Meininghaus, Senior Vice President of Product at HelloFresh, commented: “I’m not hugely surprised by the findings of this survey, with many women who have pursued tech having already faced these challenges. I enjoy being part of a company that recognises these struggles and actively supports women pursuing careers in technology. I’m looking forward to welcoming our next cohort of Women in Tech scholarship recipients, and further increasing the diversity in the tech sector.”

HelloFresh will re-launch the Women in Tech program this year and double the number of participants, offering more women the chance to step into a tech career from a non-tech background. The company has hired six women from different tech and coding bootcamps, who will work in Frontend and as Data Analyst interns in Berlin. In addition to the paid internship, the women are provided with a scholarship of 10,000 Euros each to support their educational and living costs. Each intern is assigned a woman mentor from HelloFresh’s tech team.

Suzi Filipowska, former Women in Tech scholarship participant and Frontend Engineer at HelloFresh: “Coming from a non tech background, it was daunting to change my career path, however through the Women in Tech scholarship at HelloFresh I was able to do so. Now, I’m continuing my career in tech as a junior engineer at HelloFresh, and I couldn’t be more happy to do so.”

With its Employee Resource Groups, including the Gender Equality Team, HelloFresh fosters a diverse and empowering working environment among their 21.000+ employees from 90+ nationalities. With a third of HelloFresh’s Germany-based technology team identifying as women, HelloFresh is far above the national average of only 17% of women working in tech. The company committed to the Women Empowerment Principles (WEP) established by the UN Global Compact and UN Women.

Wireless Charging Electric Vehicles Is Safer Than Plugging In, Reports IDTechEx

The most common method of Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) used today is accomplished via low to high-frequency (30 kHz to 30 MHz) time-varying magnetic fields. This may also be referred to as ‘inductive WPT’ or ‘magnetic field WPT’. Wireless chargers operate far below the radio frequencies which are present all around us. Unlike high-energy (ionizing) radiation, electric and magnetic fields (EMFs) in the non-ionizing part of the electromagnetic spectrum cannot damage DNA or cells directly.

At the frequencies used for wireless EV charging, magnetic fields are impervious to air, water, ice, concrete, wood, plastics, and other common non-metallic materials. They pass through these objects and the human body without any interaction or causing any harm whatsoever. This also allows for hermetically sealed designs that are safer and more robust than are possible with contact-based or wired charging. A wireless system also minimizes the risk of electrocution and trip hazard. The latest report from IDTechEx includes detailed coverage of the standards and safety features around wireless EV charging systems.

Author – Shazan Siddiqi – Technology Analyst IDTechEx

 

Active Shielding Methodologies

Shielding is important for the safe operation of wireless EV chargers. The following problems may occur without shielding: the magnetic field may interfere with the EV or other objects, cause battery heating, and circulate current in metallic parts. There are two basic methods for shielding against low to medium-frequency magnetic sources, which includes the use of ferrites to provide magnetic flux directionality and aluminum plates to minimize field leakage. IDTechEx research interviewed various players in the industry and found that shielding is mainly added under the transmitter pad and above the receiver pad. The report finds that instead of radiating EMF, players are recycling the magnetic field and containing it within the pads because it is resonant, highly coupled, and shaped.

Foreign Object Detection (FOD)

The safety of wireless EV chargers is further enhanced by using foreign object detection (FOD) and living object protection (LOP) systems. These systems identify any metallic objects between the transmitting and receiving pad and can suspend power transfer. This is important as metal items, even small objects such as paper clips or coins may heat up and pose a burn risk. FOD can be achieved in a number of ways. For example, capacitive sensors in the pad can be used to monitor the performance of the coils. A metal object on the pad changes the capacitance, allowing its presence to be detected. That does not necessarily detect organic objects, such as an animal on the pad in a garage, though. Optical sensors around the edge of the plate using infrared LEDs and photodiode detectors or even Lidar can be used to detect both metal and organic objects on the pad and switch off the charging process if an obstruction is detected.

Categories of FOD methods used in wireless EV charging systems. Source: IDTechEx

IDTechEx research finds that it is important for players to be mindful of interoperability, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), and safety from the early stages of the development process. Knowing the requirements and standards in place is essential to ensuring that products are compliant and that product redesign and testing time and the cost is minimized. The report “Wireless Charging Market for Electric Vehicles 2023-2033: Technology, Players and Forecasts” provides insights on the industry R&D status along with the outlook for future developments.

Netskope expands presence in Ireland with new Dublin data centre

Netskope, the SASE leader, today announced an extension of its NewEdge network with the opening of a new data centre in Dublin, Ireland. Serving millions of enterprise users around the world, and with full-compute data centres in more than 60 regions worldwide, NewEdge is the world’s largest, and highest-performing security private cloud. NewEdge powers the real-time, inline security services of the Netskope SASE platform allowing security to be deployed at the edge where and when it’s needed.

Placing data-centric security as close to the user as possible is a key requirement of a SASE-ready architecture, and the delivery of world-class Security Service Edge (SSE) and software defined networking (SD-WAN) capabilities. As well as improving the experience for Netskope’s local customers, the new data centre in Dublin is a strategic investment for the company given Ireland’s unique position in the data landscape with access to the EU market and close proximity to trans-atlantic internet cables. With companies increasingly demanding choice over where and how their data is processed, having a presence in Ireland gives Netskope’s NewEdge network a strong competitive advantage.

Netskope customer Adam Hoffmann, IT Infrastructure Manager at Mercury Engineering, based in Dublin commented; “We chose Netskope over a year ago to secure both web and cloud applications for our pan-European workforce. They were very clear about the intentions and timelines for the addition of local infrastructure in Ireland and now they have delivered on that promise. Netskope was already improving the experience of our teams, and when the local Dublin data centre came on line it immediately added even further to that improvement for our 1,000+ employees based in Ireland.”

Brian Murray, who leads Netskope’s business in Ireland said; “Its geographical and political location is making Ireland a key strategic jurisdiction for the tech industry and with the opening of this data centre in Dublin, Netskope is well placed to deliver the best in class SASE solution for new and existing customers in the region. Robust SASE solutions backed by local data centres are important for all organisations that require clear oversight over their data, wherever it goes, in order to meet stringent data policies both inside and outside the EU.”    

To support the new data centre, Netskope is actively recruiting in Ireland for both Irish and flexible pan-European roles in engineering, sales, marketing and HR, with the aim of doubling its headcount in the country over the coming year. The new centre coincides with the expansion of Netskope’s Irish customer base, which already includes major customers in the manufacturing, pharmaceutical and retail sectors.

Netskope’s NewEdge architecture ensures there are no performance trade-offs when implementing security features.  A crucial part of the infrastructure that underpins a SASE security and networking architecture, balancing security and user experience reduces the risk of users working around security controls, productivity being negatively affected, or business processes being slowed down or impeded.

Every NewEdge data center is extensively peered with the most commonly used web/content-delivery networks, cloud, and SaaS providers to deliver fast, optimised access to the content, apps, and data enterprises most care about. For example, every NewEdge data center is directly connected with Microsoft and Google, plus other peering relationships in key regions with Amazon, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Box, and Dropbox, among many others.

As the infrastructure underpinning the Netskope Security Cloud, NewEdge delivers real-time inline and out-of-band API-driven services spanning Cloud Firewall (FWaaS), Secure Web Gateway (SWG), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), Cloud and SaaS Security Posture Management (CSPM/SSPM), Borderless SD-WAN and more.

To learn more about Netskope’s NewEdge, visit https://www.netskope.com/platform/newedge.