Automation Anywhere Introduces the New Digital Worker

Automation Anywhere, the leader in Robotic Process Automation (RPA), has unveiled human-centric Digital Workers to help organizations augment their human workforce and accelerate digital transformation.

The company is pioneering the concept of ready-to-deploy digital personas that combine task-oriented, cognitive and analytical abilities to automate repetitive activities, creating the world’s first marketplace for the workforce of the future. Beginning today, users can download Digital Workers from the Automation Anywhere Bot Store, the company’s online marketplace for off-the-shelf, plug-and-play automation, and customize them to fit their unique business processes. With Digital Workers, organizations can rapidly scale their automation initiatives to drive productivity, efficiency and growth.

“Our vision is to transform the enterprise into an engine of unconstrained innovation, with cutting-edge automation and intelligent tools,” said Mihir Shukla, CEO and Co-founder of Automation Anywhere. “Today, we are taking a bold step forward, unveiling the first Digital Workers that not only enhance business performance, but also help unleash untapped human potential. We believe that this new, cognitive technology will liberate human workers, enabling them to focus on value-added activities and pursue new skills that exercise their creativity and ingenuity.”

While software bots are typically task or process-centric, Digital Workers are human-centric – built to augment human workers in specific business functions, across a range of verticals. Some examples for Digital Workers in the Bot Store include a Digital Accounts Payable Clerk, Digital Talent Sourcer and Digital Talent Acquisition Coordinator. Over the next year, the company, with its growing ecosystem of channel partners, system integrators and developers, expects to see innovation around hundreds of Digital Workers across functions and industries.

According to a report by Forrester Research, ¹ increasingly, intelligent machines — ranging from AI to intelligent assistants to RPA bots — are working side by side with employees to solve business problems. The forces of automation will help employees maintain a happy and productive state of flow by making job activities more engaging.

Bot Store users can now leverage Digital Workers to expand the automation footprint of their organizations and infuse artificial intelligence into their business processes. The Bot store is focused on increasing the speed and adoption of automation with bot deployment — and now with Digital Workers.

“The idea of a human-centric Digital Worker that augments the abilities of our employees has the potential to be truly transformative”, said Ravi Konda, senior manager of Automation at Symantec.

“It shifts our thinking from – what tasks can we automate to what roles can we augment and enhance, which is a great way to approach automation.”

Ashok Leyland Light Commercial Vehicle Business on Growth Path

Ashok Leyland, the Hinduja Group flagship, is on a growth path in its Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) Business. In April-December, FY 18-19, the LCV business of Ashok Leyland has grown a phenomenal 34% compared to similar period in FY 17-18. Aiding in fueling the growth is its rapidly expanding dealership and service network. Today, it inaugurated a new LCV dealership on Hosur Road (near Electronics city), Bengaluru, Karnataka. This is the 11th LCV dealership in the state. The new channel partner, Magnum Motors, has a 3S (Sales, Service and Spares) facility and has a state of the art showroom along with a workshop that is equipped with the latest equipment. This new dealership will add to the extensive LCV distribution network of over 500 touch points. The Company currently offers a range of LCV products - DOST, PARTNER and MiTR across the country through its exclusive, state of the art dealership outlets.

Speaking about LCV business and its network expansion, Mr. Nitin Seth, President - LCV, Ashok Leyland, said, “Ashok Leyland products are considered the best in class in terms of fuel efficiency, comfort and safety, and ahead of competition in terms of quality, reliability and technology. This is reason for the runaway success of ‘DOST’ and now ‘DOST+’. All our products have been receiving encouraging response from our customers, including customers from Bengaluru region. Our products were conceived and launched to meet the evolving needs of Indian LCV customers who are very cost sensitive. Our LCV family of customers has now grown to over 2,00,000, across India. We are extremely proud that our track record of service retention levels is exemplary with close to 80% of our customers returning to our dealer workshops, even after the warranty period. In line with our brand philosophy, Aapki Jeet Hamari Jeet, we will remain committed to maintaining and even enhancing the level of customer service and satisfaction.”

He further added, “We will be focusing to fill the gaps in future, but with the focus on 2.5 ton to 7.5-ton GVW trucks and 13 to 40 seats in bus. We are already in the process of investing Rs 400 crore towards the development of new LCV platforms. Once new products start coming in, we are aiming to substantially increase our market share from the current 18%. We will introduce the models starting from April 2020. This will coincide with the BS-VI emission norms implementation and the new models will be EV-compliant from the beginning, and hence we are also ready for the likely EV shift.”

Ashok Leyland LCV portfolio:

Ashok Leyland currently has three products, namely, DOST 2.5-2.75 ton GVW, PARTNER 6.0-7.2 ton GVW and MiTR bus 27 - 40 seat variants. Soon, Left-hand drive (LHD) versions of the products will be introduced for export where 80 per cent of the market is dominated by LCVs. The short-term goal of the Company is to reach 100,000 vehicles per annum by 2022. DOST, PARTNER and MiTR are manufactured at Ashok Leyland’s state-of-the-art Hosur plant.

DOST, Ashok Leyland’s SCV (Small Commercial Vehicle) range includes DOST LiTE, DOST STRONG and DOST+ to cater to different sections of the market and applications.

PARTNER, a modern and highly fuel-efficient load carrier, caters to the 4 ton payload segment and is available in both 4 tyre and 6 tyre options. It comes with Load body options of 10ft, 11ft, 14ft and 17ft. PARTNER is based on an internationally acclaimed vehicle platform and carries the renowned ZD30 CRDI engine.

MiTR bus, based on the same platform as PARTNER, comes in both standard bus and school bus options. It provides superior mileage even in stop and go conditions. MiTR School Bus complies with all school bus safety norms and compliance codes and offers unmatched ride comfort.

Rolls-Royce to Collaborate with Start-Ups for Data Innovation

R2 Data Labs, the data innovation catalyst inside Rolls-Royce, will develop a collaborative ecosystem of digital partners in India, the company announced in Bengaluru today. This will enable Rolls-Royce to use data to spark innovation in all of its businesses and collaborate more effectively with partners and customers. Rolls-Royce will provide mentoring and technical support to start-ups specialising in the areas of Advanced Analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI),  Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, Quantum Computing, Autonomous and Sensing.

The drive is in line with Rolls-Royce’s commitment to collaborative innovation and building an ecosystem of partners that harnesses the latest thinking and technologies from a wide community of innovators. Rolls-Royce has specifically chosen Bengaluru to launch this program in India due to the growing number of technology companies there. According to recent reports, Bengaluru is now ranked as the city with highest growth index for start-up hubs, followed by London and Tel Aviv. The city is one among the nine ‘International Start-up Hubs’ outside of the United States and the start-up capital of India.

Caroline Gorski, Group Director of R2 Data Labs, said: “Sitting at the heart of our vision for the digital age is a collaborative approach to innovation, where we actively look to develop new, radical ways of working to maintain our competitive edge. To this end, Rolls-Royce has been sponsoring, and collaborating with, niche technology startups in the areas of Artifical Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Internet of Things (IoT), Application Development and Future Technologies across the world to help validate, build and grow their business. Unlocking hidden value in data requires new technology but also new ways of thinking. Working with IoT start-ups helps us to accelerate digital transformation, deliver further value to customers, improve existing services and create new areas of growth. At the same time, we also get to help those innovators to succeed, and share in their pace, inventiveness and energy.”

Rolls-Royce has more than 20 years of experience combining engineering expertise with data analytics, offering operational efficiencies to airline customers. Building on these foundations, Rolls-Royce is expanding its digital capabilities to deliver increased value from existing services and introduce new services to customers across the group.

Kishore Jayaraman, President, Rolls-Royce – India & South Asia, said: “Digital skills help accelerate India’s drive to develop its economy. The country’s vibrant digital ecosystem, supported by an innovative start-up environment, will facilitate the development of capabilities in these areas in the hope of creating immense opportunities across the lives of individuals and affect diverse industries including financial services, retail, media, travel, hospitality and healthcare. We recognise that some of the best digital capabilities exist outside of our business. For Rolls-Royce to continue to pioneer the power that matters as a leading industrial technology company and be a strong industrial partner, we must champion collaboration. As a leader in applied industrial AI and analytics applications, R2 Data Labs is tasked to help Rolls-Royce become the ‘go-to’ industrial company.”

Rolls-Royce already partners with Tata Consultancy Services and Microsoft, two globally-recognised digital service providers. As part of the partnership, TCS – a leading provider of IT services, consulting and business solutions –  provides digital platform capability, allowing data to be captured, shared and analysed more easily across Rolls-Royce so that new products and services can be developed at pace.

HONOR Packs a Punch, Unveils the Thinnest Smartwatch – HONOR Watch Magic & HONOR BAND 4 Running

HONOR, the leading smartphone e-brand under the Huawei Group, unveiled two unique wearable devices i.e., HONOR Watch Magic and, HONOR BAND 4 Running along with HONOR View20. HONOR Watch Magic – is a 9.8mm smartwatch, thinnest in its category featuring Touch Screen Retina AMOLED, dual-chipset low-energy consumption system, 3-satellite positioning for multiple sports mode, TruSeen™3.0 smarter heart-rate monitor and Trusleep™2.0 sleep quality smart tracking for daily activities. Pitted as the Smart Companion for users, HONOR Watch Magic is available in two colors Lava Black and Moonlight Silver priced at INR 13,999 and INR 14,999 respectively on Amazon.in.

The HONOR Band 4 Running, designed specifically for runners features a 0.5” PMOLED Display, dual wearing mode (foot and hand), six-axis sensors to monitor and professionally manage the running postures is available in dual band color at INR 1599.

Speaking at the launch occasion, Allen Wang, Vice President Huawei India, said, “HONOR Watch Magic and Honor Band 4 Running have been designed keeping in mind the frenetic lives of young India who aspire for a Smarter and Healthier lifestyle. Making the maximum use of science, these devices understand the body functioning of users to adapt intelligently and, thence become an extension of you.”

Speaking at the launch occasion, Amazon said, “Consumers today are looking for   devices that complement the way they function and raise their fitness quo. We believe HONOR Watch Magic and HONOR Band 4 Running are the tech-accessories for it. HONOR Band 4 is already a hit among millennials, these two new wearable devices will certainly be a value add to the users.”

HONOR Watch Magic is powered by industry’s first, double-chipset architecture for low energy consumption. The AI enabled low-energy algorithm recognizes the usage and pattern of the user to customize and save power and thus, deliver battery life for a week.  The three satellite positioning helps achieve a faster and more accurate positioning – a feature designed specifically for sports enthusiasts. Catering to all outdoor, indoor and training mode the HONOR Watch Magic uses scientific training system ranging from an introductory to advanced professional courses. Besides, the HONOR Watch Magic also acts as a smart companion helping track daily activities, understand the sleep quality, heart-rate and thus lead a convenient life. Available, in two color options Lava black and Moonlight Silver the HONOR Watch Magic comes in sports and fashion mode.

The HONOR Band 4 Running offers seven types of fitness data ranging from Foot Strike Pattern & Impact, Swing Angle, Eversion Range, Step Length, Cadence and Ground Contact Time.

Some of the other features that are in common are Finding Your Phone, Message & Incoming Call Notifications.

AptEner Mechatronics Announces Series A funding of INR 10 Crore

AptEner Mechatronics, a two-year-old Bangalore-based startup and creators of the ‘BluArmor’ range of smart multi-functional motorcycle gear that aims to provide 4-wheeler like comfort and safety to 2-wheeler riders, today announced a ‘Series A’ round of INR 10 Cr. led by Inventus India and KITVEN.

This development caps what has been an excellent twelve months for Team BluArmor. Over the past year, the team has successfully launched best-in-class hardware and software products targeted at rider-comfort and established a strong distribution chain in the domestic and international market.

BluSnap, the first product in the BluArmor range, is the world’s first snap-on cooler that retro-fits to existing full-face motorcycle helmets. In addition to cooling the air by up to 15 degrees, BluSnap blocks dust to provide cool, clean air for the two-wheeler rider. Riders can also bid farewell to expensive pin-lock visors using BluSnap’s quick de-fog option. True to their motto of “Build in India, Make for the World”, BluSnap has now been successfully sold in over 10 countries spread over 4 continents.

The company has also launched the ‘BluRydr’ travel companion app that auto-creates shareable travel stories. Using the route you take, the places you stop, and the pics and videos tagged to those places, BluRydr creates a travelogue that you can easily share with your friends. ‘BluRydr’ is a free download available on the Google Playstore.

Commenting on the development, Mr PK Sundararajan, CEO & Founder, BluArmor said, “We are very excited that Inventus India and KITVEN are joining us for the next phase of BluArmor’s journey. We have a slew of feature-rich products in the pipeline and this capital will enable us to rapidly bring them to market, expand quickly and strategically, and deliver on our vision around the world.”

Samir Kumar, Managing Director, Inventus India said, “In hot countries like India, Taiwan, etc. which have large 2-wheeler populations, riding with a helmet can be extremely uncomfortable. We believe PK's strong tech and business abilities, supported by a group of passionate bikers is capable of creating a successful smart 2-wheeler accessory company. We're excited to be partnering with this team.” 

Skill India to Send First batch of Care Workers under TITP to Japan

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), an executive arm of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), today announced that it will be sending second batch of 17 skilled candidates to Japan under the Technical Intern Training Program (TITP).

Amongst the 17 candidates who will be leaving for Japan by end of February, five candidates have been trained as Care Workers, which marks India’s first batch to Japan in this job category.  The candidates, trained as Care Workers by NAVIS Nihongo, will be interning in hospitals and nursing homes in Japan and will draw stipend as per Japanese wage norms.

The other 12 candidates will be interning in Machine Maintenance job category.   Earlier in July and September 2018, India had sent another group of 17 candidates to Japan, who are currently undergoing internship in leading electronic equipment and agricultural organisations.

The announcement was made yesterday at TITP Seminar, organised by NSDC in New Delhi.   NSDC is the Implementing and Monitoring Agency for TITP in India and has empanelled over 20 Sending Organisations for technical and language training of candidates for this program.

The TITP Seminar witnessed the presence of Mr. Yasuo Ariga, Deputy Director of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan; Mr. Kei Saruwatari, Director, International Affairs Division of Organization for Technical Intern Training (OTIT); Mr. Kenko Sone, Minister, Economic and Development; Mr Kenji Aya, First Secretary from Embassy of Japan in India; Ms. Juthika Patankar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India; Mr. Ashok Chawla, Advisor from Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India and Dr. Manish Kumar, MD & CEO, NSDC. The seminar was attended by empanelled Sending Organisations, and also saw representatives from prospective organisations, interested in participation in TITP.

Sharing her vision, Ms. Juthika Patankar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said, “Skill Development is emerging as an important field of bilateral cooperation between India and Japan.  Technical Intern Training Program holds the promise of fueling the Indian economy by transfer of Japanese best practices.  Japan, on the other hand, will get a rich pool of skilled young workforce from India, especially in sectors such as health care, maintenance, electrical among others. The program will help in synergising India’s demographic dividend and Japan’s capital and technology to realise the true potential of the India-Japan economic partnership for a prosperous future.”

Talking about the initiative Dr. Manish Kumar, MD & CEO, NSDC said, “I am delighted that a new chapter in collaboration between the two nations has begun under the Care Worker Job Category. The platform for bilateral collaboration offered by TITP will pave the way for India and Japan to leverage their complementary strengths. The agile and competent workforce trained under the program will truly position India to emerge as the skill capital of the world.”

Mr. Yasuo Ariga, Deputy Director of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan stressed upon the great level of convergence of political, cultural, economic and strategic interests between the two nations.  He emphasized the importance of TITP to strengthen this bi-lateral relationship further.
Mr. Kei Saruwatari, Director, International Affairs Division of Organization for Technical Intern Training (OTIT) shared various nuances for enabling smoother execution of TITP.  He focussed on safeguarding interests of trainees in Japan and emphasised on standards and quality parameters in training.

First Batch Sent in July 2018 - In the last one year, TITP has gained momentum. The Sending Organizations from India, which are training the candidates in language, technical and cultural skills, have witnessed a progressive execution.  The first batch of 17 interns were sent to Japan in July and September 2018.  Of these 17 candidates, 15 were trained by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in consortium with Nihon Technology Pvt. Ltd. and are currently undergoing training at Maxell, an electronic equipment assembling company in Japan. The other 2 candidates, trained by Lohia Corp Limited, are interning in Japan in Agriculture sector, for cultivation of high quality strawberries in greenhouse.

About Sending Organisations - For execution of the TITP program, NSDC has empanelled a diverse pool of credible and experienced Sending Organizations, which includes leading institutes of higher learning, medical colleges and universities, Japanese language training institutes, eminent Indian industrial chambers and associations and proficient training partners of NSDC. These Sending Organizations are entrusted with the task of sending the trained Indian youth to Japan as per the requirements of Japanese firms.  Currently, over 500 candidates are undergoing training in India under TITP. 

Samsung R&D Centre in Bengaluru Switches to Solar Energy, Ties up with Solar Farm 500 km Away

Samsung’s R&D centre in Bengaluru has switched to solar power for its campus in the IT capital of India. The campus which houses over 3,000 R&D employees will draw 88% of its power requirement from a solar farm in Kalburgi district in Karnataka, around 500 kilometres away from Bengaluru.

 How does it work with the farm 500 kilometres away?

In December 2018, Samsung R&D Institute, Bengaluru (SRI-B), which is Samsung’s largest R&D centre outside Korea, adopted the green energy solution through a method called ‘energy wheeling’.

The solar farm by Bagmane Green Power LLP based in Kalburgi has a tie-up with SRI-B. Through ‘energy wheeling’, the solar farm adds the required power to the state electricity grid and SRI-B in turn, receives an equal amount of power from the local electricity grid.

This method reduces transmission and distribution losses, thereby making it more energy efficient.

Why solar?

SRI-B initiated the process of going solar in March 2016 as part of its Go Green Initiative to increase usage of non-conventional energy sources for its campus. This would reduce SRI-B’s reliance on the traditional power grid, making that energy available for other uses.

SRI-B then began seeking solar power suppliers to partner with, for its electricity requirements. Since December 2018, the R&D centre has drawn 8 lakh units of solar power, instead of depending on energy derived from traditional sources such as coal.

“Our switch to solar power is an embodiment of Samsung values of being a socially and environmentally responsible citizen. Through this initiative we have not only reduced our dependency on conventional sources of energy but we will also have a positive impact on the environment by reducing our carbon footprint and passing on a greener planet to the next generation,” said Dipesh Shah, Managing Director, SRI-B.

SRI-B has conducted various campaigns over the years to promote environment-friendly behavior among its employees. It ran a campaign recently to reduce usage of single-use plastic water bottles in the company. Last year, it ran multiple tree plantation drives as well as multiple events that encouraged employees to reuse and recycle waste items.