The latest from ZHIYUN has just landed and if you need a gimbal this company is where you should look if you dont want to spend a fortune on one.
At just 549g, the CRANE-M2S is highly portable, just like a phone gimbal, but with the capacity to hold cameras up to the Sony A7SIII with small prime lenses. The super lightweight body is combined with stronger motors and extended axes compared to the standard CRANE-M2 series, making it a must-have for high velocity, run-and-gun filmmakers.
Intuitive & Ergonomic Design
Designed to feel completely natural in the hand during use, the CRANE-M2S features a built-in 0.66-inch display that offers real-time status and operating parameters of the camera and gimbal, giving users a convenient at-a-glance view while they shoot. Various operating modes are available in the CRANE-M2S, including Pan Follow, Follow, Lock, POV, Vortex, Go and more.
Ultra-bright Light Built -in
An ultra-bright light is built into the CRANE-M2S. Using Lumen Amplifier technology it can produce over 1000 lumens brightness within 2.8 cubic meters, ideal for capturing subjects directly in shot. With five levels of adjustability and four colour filters, it gives users more creative potential and control.
Full review soon on techbuzzireland.com
The ZHIYUN CRANE-M2S is now available at £259/USD$269, while the CRANE-M2S Combo is available for £329/USD$349 at ZHIYUN Store and Amazon.
To celebrate National Robotics Week (April 2-10, 2022), Petoi, the maker of futuristic robotic pets, is offering 15% off its palm-sized, bionic robot dog – Bittle.
Small but agile, Bittle is a powerful robot that can be programmed to walk, do tricks and roll around just like a real dog. Designed for coding and fun, Bittle operates on OpenCat, an open-source quadrupled robot platform that offers endless programming and customisation possibilities. An ideal tool for teaching, researching and learning about STEM and robotics, Bittle is available now for £254.99 (Bittle Construction Kit) or £263.49 (Bittle Pre-Assembled) from Amazon UK*.
Users bring Bittle to life by assembling its puzzle-like frame which is made up of 3D interlocking components, eliminating the need for screws. The bionic construction of legs rather than wheels means that Bittle is able to move more freely over unstructured terrain. With a simple and beautiful design, Bittle can be configured and controlled using Petoi’s official mobile app.
Evolving with an open-source gene, Bittle is built on Petoi’s OpenCat open-source platform which was first launched in 2018 by Petoi’s founder Dr. Rongzhong Li specifically for quadrupled robots. Bittle’s dynamic maneuverability and behaviours are features typically seen on luxury robots but Petoi’s technology is now making it accessible to more consumers.
With a customised Arduino board coordinating all instinctive and sophisticated movements, users are able to clip various smart sensors onto Bittle or mount a Raspberry Pi or other AI chips through wired/wireless connections to inject perception and artificial intelligence capabilities.
Dr. Rongzhong Li said: “We are excited to bring Bittle to the UK. It’s been a mission of ours to create life-like robot animals that not only make coding fun but also challenge users as they get their pet to move and do tricks. We are really looking forward to seeing what UK users do with the Bittle.”
Bittle is available from Amazon UK for £254.99 (Bittle Construction Kit) and £263.49 (Bittle Pre-Assembled)) until 12th April. Usual RRP £299.99 (Bittle Construction Kit) and £309.99 (Bittle Pre-Assembled). Additional accessories are also available, including the Bittle Additional Battery Pack (£33.99 until 12th April, usual RRP £39.99) and the Bittle Intelligent Camera Module (£50.99 until 12th April, usual RRP £59.99).
The first 3D printer designed to improve the user experience by reducing printing time up to 70%. The AnkerMake M5 is available today on Kickstarter.com, starting at a super early bird price of $429.
“3D printers help us imagine a world where ideas and creative concepts can be instantly transformed into physical form. However, the reality is 3D printing can be slow, cumbersome, and difficult to figure out,” said Steven Yang, CEO of Anker Innovations. “AnkerMake is committed to removing these pain points so that artists, inventors, hobbyists and DIY enthusiasts can take advantage of a more practical tool to bring their creations to life.”
The AnkerMake M5 solves the most critical issues that have prevented 3D printing from becoming a more mainstream endeavor. These issues include slow print speeds, the need to constantly supervise printing for errors and a needlessly complicated user experience.
AnkerMake M5 3D printer techbuzzireland
The AnkerMake M5 solves these issues by delivering:
Quick and Easy Assembly
3D printing has never been this accessible. The M5 is designed is easy to set up in just three steps within 15 minutes. Several user-friendly features including 7×7 auto-leveling, PEI soft magnetic printing bed, auto-resume after power outage and printing notifications. These enhancements help the user focus completely on their prints instead of technical aspects and handcrafting.
A New Standard in Print Speeds
Thanks to its new PowerBoost technology, the AnkerMake M5 basic print speed is 250 mm/s, which can be used for printing jobs that require a smoother and more detailed finish. For faster print jobs, perfect for prototyping and less detailed finishes, the M5 can save even more time with an acceleration of the extruder up to 2,500 mm/s². In this print mode, the M5 can reduce the average print times by up to 70% in comparison to other 3D printers.
Stable, Quality Printing
The aluminum alloy die-casting design increases the weight of the base, reducing the center of gravity of the machine. The sleek design makes printing more stable and allows fast speeds and extreme acceleration. The installation error of the base is also reduced, improving the accuracy of the printing tool and surface even at high speeds with 0.1 mm precision.
AI Print Monitoring
The built-in HD camera will monitor print jobs for issues like layer splitting, spaghetti mess or nozzle plugging. When it detects an issue, the AnkerMake M5 will alert users. This feature helps avoid wasting time and valuable printing materials.
Live WebCam View With Time Lapse
Users can view live feeds of their print jobs from anywhere using the AnkerMake mobile app. Time lapse videos are also automatically generated after the printing job is complete. With an adaptive light-sensing algorithm, users can see the printer output clearly, even at night.
Smart, Connected Printing
The AnkerMake M5 can be seamlessly connected and controlled through both the AnkerMake mobile app and AnkerMake slicing software1. Multi-device management and remote messaging notifications enable the user to start printing from their smartphone or computer anytime, anywhere.
Additional Specs:
• 5X industry average print speed (250 mm/s in standard print mode)
• 2,500 mm/s² in accelerated print mode
• Can reduce average print time by up to 70 percent
• AI print monitoring with auto shut-off
• Integrated HD cam with remote viewing
• Supports WiFi and USB connectivity
• Easy filament loading and extraction with heat assist
• Magnetic base for easy removal and cleaning
• Weight: 12.4 kg / 27.3 lb
• Measurement: 502x438x470 mm / 19.76×17.24×18.50 inches
Price & Availability
The AnkerMake M5 3D printer is available on Kickstarter.com starting today for special, limited super early bird price of $429. The normal early bird price is $499
A highly sensitive, 3D-printed fingertip could help robots become more dexterous and improve the performance of prosthetic hands by giving them an in-built sense of touch.
Machines can beat the world’s best chess player, but they cannot handle a chess piece as well as an infant. This lack of robot dexterity is partly because artificial grippers lack the fine tactile sense of the human fingertip, which is used to guide our hands as we pick up and handle objects.
Two papers published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface give the first in-depth comparison of an artificial fingertip with neural recordings of the human sense of touch. The research was led by Professor of Robotics & AI (Artificial Intelligence), Nathan Lepora, from the University of Bristol’s Department of Engineering Maths and based at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory.
“Our work helps uncover how the complex internal structure of human skin creates our human sense of touch. This is an exciting development in the field of soft robotics – being able to 3D-print tactile skin could create robots that are more dexterous or significantly improve the performance of prosthetic hands by giving them an in-built sense of touch,” said Professor Lepora.
Cut-through section of 3D printed tactile skin
Professor Lepora and colleagues created the sense of touch in the artificial fingertip using a 3D-printed mesh of pin-like papillae on the underside of the compliant skin, which mimic the dermal papillae found between the outer epidermal and inner dermal layers of human tactile skin. The papillae are made on advanced 3D-printers that can mix together soft and hard materials to create complicated structures like those found in biology.
“We found our 3D-printed tactile fingertip can produce artificial nerve signals that look like recordings from real, tactile neurons. Human tactile nerves transmit signals from various nerve endings called mechanoreceptors, which can signal the pressure and shape of a contact. Classic work by Phillips and Johnson in 1981 first plotted electrical recordings from these nerves to study ‘tactile spatial resolution’ using a set of standard rigid shapes used by psychologists. In our work, we tested our 3D-printed artificial fingertip as it ‘felt’ those same rigid shapes and discovered a startlingly close match to the neural data,” said Professor Lepora
“For me, the most exciting moment was when we looked at our artificial nerve recordings from the 3D-printed fingertip and they looked like the real recordings from over 40 years ago! Those recordings are very complex with hills and dips over edges and ridges, and we saw the same pattern in our artificial tactile data,” said Professor Lepora.
While the research found a remarkably close match between the artificial fingertip and human nerve signals, it was not as sensitive to fine detail. Professor Lepora suspects this is because the 3D-printed skin is thicker than real skin and his team is now exploring how to 3D-print structures on the microscopic scale of human skin.
“Our aim is to make artificial skin as good – or even better – than real skin,” said Professor Lepora.
Whether you like it or not, the internet is an inescapable part of day-to-day life. Everything from communication to entertainment to information access has a home on the world wide web, offering limitless access to information in seconds. However, the online world is also ripe with risk, leaving many vulnerable to costly cyberattacks.
Thankfully, you can safeguard your privacy online by implementing proper precautions. Read on for seven cybersecurity tips to keep your information safe while enjoying life online.
Use private browsing
A straightforward yet effective way to protect your online privacy is by utilizing private browsing settings. With the simple click of a button, you can search the web without leaving a record of your browser activity. However, it’s worth noting private browsers cannot combat sophisticated tracking applications. So, if you’re looking for additional protection, consider installing a VPN to direct cyberattacks away from sensitive info.
Don’t reveal your home address
Though it may seem safe to enter your home address into online shopping sites or internet forms, even secured sites are prone to data breaches. Thankfully, you can circumvent the system by utilizing mailroom P.O. boxes—a separate address for packages and mail. You can even sign up for cheaper virtual address options, enabling you to forward deliveries to your home without compromising your address.
Use tracking protection
Though web browsers have built-in tracking protection to block third-party surveillance, many users employ additional security features to ensure online anonymity. For example, Disconnect and Ghostery are free browser extensions that disrupt direct pathways to your server, keeping you safe from hover-happy sites.
Use two-factor authentication on your accounts
Though it may be frustrating, enabling two-factor authentication on email and social sites can save you from low-level hacks and password breaches. In addition to entering your passcode, authentication applications will generate a unique, one-time code necessary for entrance. By adding a second layer of security to your online accounts, you can reduce the risk of a costly cyber attack.
Don’t over-share on social media
Though it’s typical for social media users to share personal information online—whether through pictures or words—over-sharing on the world wide web comes with a price. For example, uploading a photo with identifiable features can compromise your location, leaving you vulnerable to online and in-person threats. So, next time you upload to Instagram or Facebook, think long and hard about the information you’re sharing with the online world.
Always use strong passwords
The simplest way to protect yourself against data breaches is by creating strong passwords and updating them frequently. Instead of leaning toward the traditional route of birthdays and maiden names, consider throwing in numbers, symbols, and capitalization to throw hackers off your trail.
Use virtual private networks
A virtual private network–or VPN—protects your personal information by encrypting data before leaving your computer and traveling to an off-site server. Whether you’re protecting yourself from public Wi-Fi networks or simply want a security cushion at home, installing a well-reviewed VPN can keep tracking to a minimum.
What’s next?
The internet is both a precarious and powerful tool. Unfortunately, many online interactions aren’t secure, which is why implementing proper security protocols is a must for internet enthusiasts. By enabling private browsing, upgrading to a VPN, and upgrading all passwords, you can enjoy the online world anxiety-free.
Trolley Problem, Inc., a darkly comedic philosophical adventure which judges players on their awful choices, will be launching onto PC on 21April 2022.
Described by Forbes as “2022’s most important game…” Trolley Problem, Inc. is a deeply thoughtful and thoroughly awful narrative game which pressures players into making decisions based on genuine philosophical problems and then judges them – and the world.
With scenarios that challenge opinions on vaccinations, war, immigration, corporate espionage, religion… even the nature of decision making itself, Trolley Problem, Inc. will take players on a journey that could ultimately change how they view the world, themselves and ultimately the concept of free will.
Players are initially assessed as new recruits to Trolley Problem, Inc. – their suitability for employment determined through some initial introductory problem solving which only affects the lives of a few people and a dog. Two choices are offered – then a countdown begins. Pick the option you feel is right – but justifying your decisions to any family or friends watching you? Well, that’s your problem.
Oh, and Dead Ringers, SpittingImage and Skins actor Jan Ravens will be the one questioning all your choices by the way. No pressure.
“Everything is awful at the moment,” says Samuel Read-Graves, developer of Trolley Problem, Inc. “so what better way to take your mind off that fact by playing something which will make you feel worse? Trolley Problem, Inc. presents some genuinely testing and morally challenging scenarios based on philosophical problems and has been designed to spark debate in a format only possible through videogames. The journey isn’t entirely bleak – there are moments that I hope will make players laugh out loud – but ultimately, it’s a game about making hard choices and discovering more about yourself and how your moral compass compares with the rest of the world.”
Trolley Problem, Inc. features:
55 intensely thought-provoking multiple-choice questions across a 90-minute playtime
Streamer mode allows content creators to engage with a live viewing audience
Multiple profiles allow local players to compare and discuss their choice – whilst global statistics reflect the choices players across the world have made
References to the original philosophical papers
A host of unlockables to discover throughout the game
The strangest ‘Achievements’ ever featured in a video game
Voice acting by Dead Ringers, Spitting Image and Skins actor, Jan Ravens
Support in 10 different languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Arabic
Trolley Problem, Inc. can be wishlisted on Steam now and is currently part of the London Games Festival, listed under ‘Games Are Good for You’.
Trolley Problem, Inc. will be available on PC on 21 April 2022 priced at £8.99 / $10.99 / €10.99. It has been developed by ReadGraves and will be published by Yogscast Games.
As digital ecosystems have become increasingly complex—with content scattered across a sea of browser tabs and apps—creators, solopreneurs, and distributed teams need a better way to organize everything and keep work moving. That’s why Dropbox has been focused on building and improving capabilities that support all of your cloud content and workflows.
If you’ve ever spilled coffee on a laptop or had a computer crash for no apparent reason, you know the stress and heartbreak that come with losing your content. The newest iteration of Dropbox Backup is designed to take away those headaches. Building on Dropbox’s already popular backup functionality, Backup has been upgraded with new features, including a new restoration flow, settings to manage your backups on your computer, and more.
An easy-to-use alternative to other backup tools available in the market, Backup gives you the option of choosing a robust, standalone cloud backup solution from Dropbox, even if you don’t have a Dropbox account.
While cloud sync services can free up space on your hard drive and let you access, share, and collaborate on your content with others, Backup gives you extra peace of mind by automatically backing up a copy of your files and folders that can be quickly recovered from the cloud if needed. With Backup, you can make sure you’ve preemptively taken the steps you need to protect your most important files, such as photos, videos, and personal docs.
Simplify your backup experience. Manage everything from your desktop—one place to check progress, view history, and prioritize specific files.
Be prepared with an automated safety net. Keep backed-up files separate from your shared files, so you won’t have to worry about overwriting your emergency backups.
Rely on fast recovery if things go wrong. Start recovery with just a few clicks, and your files will be automatically restored from cloud backup.
“Dropbox Backup is excellent. You can easily back up all the files that you want to, make changes anytime, choose which folders you want to back up, and access your files everywhere.” —Arvin Velarde
Dropbox Backup is available across all plans. Backup is also available as a standalone offering for new and Basic users, so even those who don’t yet have a Dropbox account can benefit. To learn more, visit dropbox.com/backup
Launch your digital business with Dropbox Shop
With the rise of the creator economy, more people are turning their passion into a business. Last year, Dropbox launched Dropbox Shopin private beta, and now it’s introducing updates to the experience. Available today in open beta, Shop lets content creators sell and share their digital content—right from Dropbox.
By enabling you to sell directly to your customers, Shop lets you maintain ownership and control over your business and audiences. The latest updates to Shop help you elevate and customize the way you bring your digital content to customers. With the new version, you can customize your storefront and URLs, embed HTML codes, and add tipping capabilities.
“What I really like about Dropbox Shop is that it’s very easy to use, and you can create a Shop very quickly. It allows me to focus on what I’m good at instead of figuring out the logistics of a new platform.” —Sally Schönack
Dropbox Shop beta is available today to individual users on Dropbox Basic, Plus, and Professional plans in the U.S. If you’re on a team account or outside of the U.S., you can sign up for the waitlist at experience.dropbox.com/form/shop-sign-up
Move work forward with HelloSign Templates, PDF Editing, and DocSend Dashboard Analytics
With HelloSign Templates, you can streamline eSignature requests by turning your most frequently used documents into templates directly from your Dropbox account. Create, save, and send Templates right from Dropbox to spend less time formatting those high-volume documents—such as NDAs, offer letters, SOWs or contracts—that you frequently send to different recipients.
You and your team can:
Create and edit reusable templates to prepare and send documents in a flash.
Track documents throughout the entire signing lifecycle and set automatic follow-up emails so no document ever falls through the cracks.
Automatically store and organize your signed documents within Dropbox, minimizing tedious manual work.
HelloSign Templates are available today to select Dropbox users in beta, and will be rolling out to all users in the coming weeks.
PDF files are one of the fastest growing content types on the Dropbox platform. In 2021 alone, the number of PDF files shared on Dropbox grew by 40%. Customers told the company that they needed a simple way to take action on these files without leaving Dropbox. Now, a new PDF Editing feature eliminates the time and hassle of creating multiple PDF versions and switching between different platforms.
Rearrange, insert, rotate, and delete PDF pages
Fill out interactive forms
Manage multiple version by saving PDFs as a copy or replacing the original
PDF Editing is available today to select users in beta, and will be rolling out to all users in the coming weeks.
Animation of PDF Editing in Dropbox
Beforefollowing up with contacts, you need to know exactly which content your audiences find most engaging. DocSend Dashboard Analyticsprovides data-driven insights to help you identify your most promising prospects and learn which content captured their interest. Dropbox’s new analytic tracking includes a list of your most-engaged contacts, a more detailed log of recent visits that’s refreshed hourly, and a new option to sort by views, page visits, and time spent on documents.
Dashboard Analytics is available today to all DocSend users.
Leading Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) infrastructure developer and drone operator Skyports has entered into two new commercial partnerships with Thome Group, a fully integrated ship management company, and Wilhelmsen Ships Agency, one of the worlds’ largest ships agents. Adding the reach and competencies of Thome and Wilhelmsen will accelerate Skyports’ ambitions in bringing drone delivery services to Singapore’s bustling maritime sector.
With strong backing and partnerships, Skyports is on the path to full-scale commercialisation of maritime shore-to-ship delivery services and the concurrent development of the necessary infrastructure to support these services for all industry players in Singapore and beyond
Mr Yun-Yuan Tay, Head of APAC, Skyports said, “Skyports is proud to be working with some of the leaders in the shipping and maritime industry, and to have forward-looking partners like Wilhelmsen and Thome recognise the importance and relevance of using AAM in their operations. Looking ahead, we hope to continue developing the AAM industry in Singapore and the region to enhance processes in the maritime industry – by reducing delivery times and carbon emissions, providing a new transportation option that is both more efficient and more sustainable.”
Wilhelmsen and Thome are two of the biggest players in the maritime industry, managing ships and providing agency services for thousands of vessels in Singapore’s port every year.
Separate trials will see Skyports in close collaboration with Wilhelmsen Ships Agency and Thome Group, as well as the Maritime Port Authority (MPA) in Singapore, and other government agencies. Skyports will lead the development and testing of the Concept of Operations (ConOps) for Proof of Concept (PoC) operations for shore-to-ship drone deliveries, leading into the operationalisation of drone delivery services in the maritime sector.
Skyports’ trials will deploy Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) deliveries from the temporary drone delivery distribution hub at the Maritime Drone Estate to vessels at pre-identified anchorages. Skyports is looking to complete up to 100 deliveries over the partnership period.
“Wilhelmsen is excited to be working with Skyports to incorporate drone delivery option into our service offering,” said MsJodie Reibel , VP Governance & Sustainability for Wilhelmsen Ships Agency. “We are committed to exploring new opportunities in renewables, zero-emission shipping, and marine digitalization, and this partnership with Skyports is just one example of such collaborations. The use of drone technology and digitalisation of shore-to-ship deliveries would improve efficiency of our operations significantly, and offer our clients a more sustainable and convenient option.”
MrPeter Schellenberger, Vice President, Supply Chain, Thome Group said, “Thome is continuously improving its services and offerings to enable customers to remain competitive in the maritime sector and is happy to be working with Skyports on this new collaboration. The company works closely with partners like Skyports to explore new technologies and methods to offer customers versatile solutions in ship management and offshore structure management. With the volume of cargo moving through Singapore’s port every day, the company sees the potential of the AAM industry to change the way the maritime sector operates and is looking forward to developing this further. Regulatory compliance is extremely important, and we work closely with our clients, suppliers, and principals to tackle important issues such as decarbonisation, sustainability, and governance. This forward-thinking approach has meant that the Thome Group is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading independent international ship managers.”
Mr Ng Yi Han, Director (Innovation, Technology & Talent Development), MPA said, “The agreements between Skyports and Wilhelmsen Ships Agency as well as Skyports and Thome Group are a testament to the potential of drone technology as they seek to develop drones for shore-to-ship deliveries in the unique operating environment of Singapore. The accelerating momentum for drone technology makes such partnerships important for both regulators and industry players to better understand how commercial operations can take place in our port environment to bring about commercial solutions that are effective and safe.”
Header image – The second contract signing ceremony took place between Skyports’ Head of APAC, Mr Yun-Yuan Tay (L), and Mr Peter Schellenberger (R), Vice-President, Supply Chain, Thome Group courtesy of Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
A report launched today by Google confirms a substantial economic opportunity for Ireland exists if a meaningful investment in digital skills is made. The comprehensive study developed in partnership with Amárach provides detailed insights into the digital capability needs, ambitions, and plans of 1,000 SME leaders throughout Ireland. The research proposes that a significant investment into digital skills could contribute an extra €9.5 billion to Ireland’s GDP by 2025.
To help Irish businesses succeed online, it is important to first understand how they’re doing today and what their goals are. That is why Google commissioned Amárach to engage SME leaders on their lived experiences and expectations of their digital journey. Titled Bridging the Gap – A Report on Digital Capabilities in Irish SMEs, the study, one of the largest surveys of Irish SMEs in recent years, identified four key gaps in digital capabilities:
Performance – how far businesses are from realising their full potential
Competence – how businesses are struggling to use digital skills
Investment – the role of funding, time, and talent in expanding competence
Advisory – the absence of qualified advisors and suppliers to meet digital needs
The current situation
Most Irish SMEs are in the process of adopting, developing, and evolving their use of digital technologies. But some are further ahead in the process than others. When asked to rate their own progress, the majority (62%) of Irish SMEs are ‘less than halfway’ on their digital journey. Recruiting people with the necessary digital skillset is also a challenge for Irish SMEs with 41% of respondents agreeing that they do not have a person within the organisation who is tasked with developing digital skills. Only 26% of SMEs say their employees have all the skills needed in terms of basic digital capabilities.
Faced with multiple demands on their time and energy, the report indicates that business leaders believe that the digital skills gap can be closed, but the challenge is prioritising it over other short and medium-term tasks.
Digital tools
The report finds that only 11% of Ireland’s SMEs feel their employees have the skills needed to successfully adopt and use new technology, a statistic borne out in the data where only 53% of SMEs have (or use) social media and video platforms and just 18% make use of customer insights tools. When measuring the number of SMEs that have their own business website, Ireland at 55% ranks comparably lower than the EU average of 77%[1].
The research shows that Irish SMEs are ambitious when it comes to investing in digital capabilities but 50% say they lack basic knowledge about which skills to prioritise. The report indicates that policy makers, advisors, and suppliers to the SME sector need to help address the priority gaps that will deliver quick wins, spurring decision makers to go further.
Commenting, Alice Mansergh, Director for Small Business at Google said:
“The timing of this report could not be more important, the decisions that business leaders and policy stakeholders make about digital capabilities in the coming months and years will have profound implications for the long-term productivity and profitability of the SME sector, and for sustainable economic growth over the rest of the decade. For its part, Google will use these findings to help shape the courses we provide via the Grow with Google initiative helping to train people in key digital skills that will empower them to embrace new business and commercial opportunities.”
The opportunity
Irish SMEs are very confident (56%) that meeting their digital skills objectives could make a big difference to business performance, and not just on one or two metrics. SME leaders believe that improving digital capabilities would allow them to increase wages and salaries (28%) and over half of those surveyed (57%) say that meeting their objectives [in digital capabilities] would help them to grow faster and become more profitable.
Bridging the gap infographic
Fiscally, the study proposes that an increased investment in digital skills could grow Ireland’s GDP significantly, calculating an increase of €9.5 billion (to €544.2 billion) by 2025.
Spotlight on Gender
The report identifies several gender differences highlighted in the areas of digital content and social media. Female decision makers in SMEs are more likely to use social media platforms (55% vs 51% of men). Women are more likely than men to see the creation of digital content as a top priority for digital skills development (35% vs 28% of men), as well as using digital tools and channels for marketing (21% vs 17%).
Even though more female leaders than male are likely to adopt and leverage digital tools, female leaders and decision makers in Irish SMEs are less likely to say their organisation is over halfway in its digital journey (58%) than men (65%).
In order for Ireland to achieve its digital ambitions, it is vitally important that female entrepreneurs and SME business leaders are enabled to play their part.
Regional breakdown
Comparing SMEs across the regions we find several differences. 45% of firms in Dublin are likely to think they are more than halfway along their ‘digital journey’ significantly higher than regional firms based in the midlands (32%). When it comes to the adoption of digital tools, Dublin again maintains a distinct advantage with 62% of firms using a business website compared to only 47% in the border region. Firms in Dublin demonstrate a stronger appetite to upskill with nearly 70% of business leaders in the capital likely to undertake a course in the next 12 months vs 59% of Border firms.
These and other differences in the research point to the need for a strong regional focus in Ireland’s digital skills agenda to ensure an equitable and impactful benefit for all our communities.
A post-Covid world for SMEs
The Covid-19 crisis has amplified the power of digital in building business resilience. During the first few weeks of lockdown, Google saw a 300%[2] increase in the number of people taking digital training courses. Research has shown that 80% of European SMEs increased their use of digital tools during the pandemic and those SMEs that embraced digital tools had 60% better revenue results and hired 3 times more employees[3] during the pandemic. The report launched today finds that 64% of SMEs in Ireland say their experience of the Covid-19 pandemic has incentivised them to invest more in digital skills with 76% saying digital tools are more helpful to their business now than before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The report has shown how Irish SMEs are ready to invest in the digital capabilities that will propel their success in the post-Covid era.
Gerard O’Neill, Chair of Amárach Research added,
“This research is unique in that it provides information and insight directly from SME leaders themselves. The study is comprehensive, representing a cross-section of Irish SMEs and is nationally representative of regions, genders, industries and business models. While we see some subtle differences in the findings, two things are constant to almost all SMEs; first that they believe investing in digital capabilities will enhance their business and second that they are ready to do that now – but they need the right supports. This research allows decision makers, policy makers and industry personnel to have meaningful and informed dialogue that can affect real and positive change to Ireland’s digital landscape.”
Enterprise Ireland CEO Leo Clancy said,
“Small and medium enterprises remain the backbone of the Irish economy; accounting for 99% of active enterprises and 70% of employment. Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices are committed to supporting these businesses with their digitalisation journeys, investing in the capabilities that will help lead them to international success.
For successful businesses, digitalisation isn’t an option, it is a crucial advantage that allows them to compete and win. The report launched today provides invaluable insight and guidance that will inform debate and enhance decision making as we further invest in digital capabilities across Ireland.”
