The Technology Express Magazine | Edition: July 2022

JULY 2022

WEB3

The Sandbox;

A Luxury Metaverse?!

SUSTAINABLE

TECHNOLOGY

Will Installing

Solar Panels in

Your Home Cut

Your Energy

Bills?

Nameer Khan

Chairman & Co-Founder

of MENA FinTech Association

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| Qatar - QAR 30 | Oman - OMR 3.5

| Bahrain - BD 3.5 | Kuwait - KWD 2.5

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JULY 2022 / 1

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Dear readers,

We are excited to present you with the July 2022 edition of The

Technology Express (TTE)!

Our goal is to provide you with key informational stories

and keep you updated regarding everything new in the evergrowing

technology world, which of course has a big impact on our

everyday lives. We have reached a point in time where technology is

growing very fast and it is becoming more and more difficult to keep

up with all the new things happening, but don’t worry, we got you

covered as we dive deep into the pivotal and vast fields of technology

with every new release. We cover fintech, biotech, data intelligence,

AI & ML, cloud computing, cybersecurity, startups, gaming, robotics,

Web3 & crypto, space tech, and lifestyle. In addition to the latest

news circulating, we present monthly reviews and recommendations

of technology gadgets, apps, and different services.

Mr. Nameer Khan, Chairman, and Co-founder of MENA Fintech

Association is on the cover as he shared his opinions and views on

the world of fintech during an exclusive interview with TTE.

We dive into the technologies of Web3 by discussing Peerto-Peer

(P2P) lending in Blockchain and its integration with RPA,

the Darkside of minting NFTs, and a look at The Sandbox’s status

as a luxurious domain. Find the latest topics on Cybersecurity

as we answer the question of Does Solving the world’s crimes

lie in data intelligence? Moving to different ways you can resort

to Keep Yourself Cyber-Safe and we have a look at the Impact of

Cyberattacks on Healthcare Firms. Tech specialists can explore

the various aspects of the latest technologies as we present them

with in-depth stories about No-Code ML, Hybrid Cloud, DevOps,

HyperAutomation, SaaS, Network Integration, Digital Infrastructure,

and Beacons Technology. We explore the ever-growing world of

robotics in Robotic Surgery vs. Human Surgery, Artificial Eyes and

a review of Amazon’s Astro, in addition to having a look at chip

shortage effects, solar panels efficiency, World View Enterprise, and

Programmatic Ads.

The latest issue of TTE provides updates on the latest news in

circulation and reviews of tech gadgets, apps, services and much

more!!

With this month’s read, we see how industry leaders and

emerging developments exhibit how technology is the future of

creativity, innovation, and culture, allowing people to reshape and

expand our world across digital and tangible landscapes.

Under the wise leadership of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed

Al Nahyan, The UAE is poised to follow the steps of the late Sheikh

Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan to establish the most advanced

technological infrastructure and integrate all elements of technology

into everyday life. HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,

Ruler of Dubai, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Minister of

Defence once said: “Our vision for development is driven by a deep

understanding of the future needs. ‘The future does not wait for

those who hesitate and slow down. The next stage requires us to act

fast and capitalize on new opportunities”

Please recycle the magazine once you've finished reading it

JULY 2022

CONTENTS

P|22-23

SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY | Will

Installing Solar Panels in Your Home

Cut Your Energy Bills?

p|8-9

CYBER SECURITY | How to Keep

Yourself Cyber-Safe

P|24-26

LISTED TECH COMPANIES NEWS

P|10-11

WEB3 | The Sandbox; a Luxury

Metaverse?!

P|28-29

GAMING

P|30-31

CRYPTO & DIGITAL ASSETS | Darkside of

NFTs

P|34-35

COVER STORY | Interview with Nameer

Khan

P|36-38

FINTECH | Peer-to-Peer Lending in

Blockchain

P|40-45

TECH MY MONEY

P|12-13 | LAUNCH EXPRESS

P|14-15

CLOUD COMPUTING | Open Hybrid Cloud;

Leveraging The Benefits Of Both Public

& Private Cloud

P|16-18

STARTUPS IN FOCUS | Open Hybrid

Cloud; Leveraging The Benefits Of Both

Public & Private Cloud

P|20

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION | RPA

(Robotic Process Automation) and

Blockchain; how do they work together

P|32-33

EVENTS | Digital Transformation

Summit

P|46-47

INVENTORS & DEVELOPERS | Fatima

Ali Alkaabi, the youngest Emirati

inventor

4

/ JULY 2022

www.thetechnologyexpress.com

JULY 2022

CONTENTS

P|48-49

FUTURE TECH | Can Artificial eyes

outperform human eyes one day?

P|57

MARKETING TECH | Programmatic ads;

how do they work

P|58

HOME TECHNOLOGY | Astro, Amazon

home robot

P|66-67

ROBOTICS | Robotics Surgery vs.

Human Surgery

P|68-69

BIOTECH

P|50-51 | GADGET REVIEWS

P|52-53

CYBER CRIMES

P|54-55

DATA & DATA INTELLIGENCE | Does

Solving The World’s Crimes Lie in Data

Intelligence?

P|59-61

WHAT THEY SAID?

P|62

ED TECH | AI implementation in

classrooms

P|63

LIFESTYLE, FITNESS & FASHION TECH

P|70-72

ENTERPRISE IT

P|73

AVIATION

P|56

HEALTHCARE | ‘Sphere’ - UAE adopts

new technology in fighting epidemics

P|64-65

SPACE TECHNOLOGY | WORLD VIEW

P|74

MANUFACTURING | Will the supply chain

shortage in chips lead to higher prices?

76-77- AI & ML

78-79 - Latest Tech

80-87- Wheels

88-89 - Did you know

90 - Software

6

/ JULY 2022


EVENTS

CRYPTO EXPO ASIA 2022

Crypto Expo Asia 2022 held in Fairmont, Singapore, and organized by HQMENA on the 22-23rd of June 2022 was one

of the most significant events in Asia specifically for investors and crypto industry leaders with the aim to explore more

business opportunities in the fascinating world of crypto apart from providing the concept’s latest contents and updates

regarding the blockchain and crypto industry. Singapore is also considered the global financial hub with an optimum

ecosystem for the crypto industry to thrive.

Conference

The Expo had several peak crypto

brands showcasing their services

and products to the audience

of investors and traders. The

conference also had hundreds

of brilliant industry leaders who

delivered significant insights into

some innovative cryptocurrencyrelated

data to crypto traders,

investors, and other related

businesses. The sessions were

moderated by experts such as

Herbert Sim, Feroze Medora, Anndy

Lian, Travis Teo, and many others.

Key Takeaways

These events not only help in

educating the market about

cryptocurrency but would also aid in

the exploration of all the investment

opportunities that are available in a

strategic manner as it also discussed

the current key challenges that the

sector is experiencing with requisite

solutions for it. The huge number

of attendees coming together

makes such events successful

and also helps the industry grow

exponentially.

Venue- Fairmont HotelSingapore

Date- 22-23rd June 2022

Categories- Crypto and Blockchain

industry

www.thetechnologyexpress.com JULY 2022 / 7

CYBER SECURITY

HOW TO KEEP YOURSELF CYBER-SAFE

Like in the real world, the internet has an infinite number of offerings, from products and services to

knowledge and social platforms and communities. It is an endless source of just about anything. But much

like in the real world, the internet has a sinister side, with users with malicious intentions. As the internet

and technology continue to expand and develop, our need for better cybersecurity increases just as much,

perhaps even more. Here is how to keep yourself cybersafe in 2022:

Keep your antivirus and

firewall active and up-todate

Your antivirus and

firewall are your first lines

of defense against attacks. Keeping

these up to date and active ensures

that your computer or device is

secure by detecting and deleting

viruses or blocking unauthorized

access to your computer, making

it less susceptible to attacks from

malware.

2. Create stronger passwords

This one should be a no-brainer,

but alas, it needs to be repeated.

Creating longer passwords with

a mix of symbols, numbers, and

letters in both lower and upper cases

decreases the likelihood of hackers

being able to guess your password.

In cases where hackers use

programs that make use of bruteforce

testing, having a complicated

password helps in slowing down the

process, allowing users enough time

to change their password if alerted

about the threat.

3. Be cautious concerning your

downloads

As mentioned before, the internet

is an endless pool of resources and

software. However, ensuring internet

safety means that you need to be

careful about what you download

and, more importantly, what you

install. This is especially pertinent

regarding files or applications that

are downloaded outside your device’s

affiliated app store or widely known

and trusted platforms. While a file

or application may seem harmless,

there is a possibility that it could

contain malware that will corrupt

your device.

4. Avoid websites that ask for

unnecessary personal information

While we move towards a

more algorithmic internet, more

and more of our data is used to

teach and expand the algorithms’

understanding and learning. This

has made us used to divulging more

of our personal information to the

internet. It is important that while

this occurs, we remain vigilant

about the kind of information that is

being asked of us. If the information

being asked for does not correspond

with what is required, then you

may have come into contact with a

phishing scheme. Phishing occurs

when malicious users trick other

users into giving them their personal

information, such as identities and

bank details, that could be used

malevolently.

5.Be cautious about what you share

on social media

As social media platforms have

continued to become commonplace

in society, people have become more

and more comfortable sharing their

personal anecdotes and snapshots

of their lives. However, it is still

important to maintain a certain

level of privacy to ensure not only

your digital but your physical safety

as well. Doxxing is a big concern

on social media. It involves the

“search for and publishing private

or identifying information about (a

particular individual) on the internet,

typically with malicious intent.”

Being negligent about your privacy

makes you more susceptible to

doxxing, which can have escalating,

dangerous repercussions.

The use of the internet is an

intrinsic part of our economic and

social transactions, cementing its

status as a necessity within society.

A lot of our time is spent on the

internet, and from its conception,

it has become a part of the human

experience. Hence, why we need to

protect ourselves whilst using it.

Unfortunate occurrences happen

in life, and we prepare and protect

ourselves against them. We need to

protect ourselves on the internet in

the same way.

-feature@thetechnologyexpress.com

8

/ JULY 2022


NEWS

IN FOCUS

CYBER

AI SECURITY & ML

Global Cybersecurity Congress to be held by the UAE

Cyber Security Council

The Head of Cyber Security, UAE Government,

Dr. Mohammed Al-Kuwaiti said that the Global

Cybersecurity Congress will be held by the UAE Cyber

Security Council which would inherently support the

Middle East and North Africa’s leading cybersecurity

event known as the Gisec GLOBAL 2022.

TRENDS Mena forecasts that GCC is at risk from cyber

criminals in 2022

TRENDS, The International Media on Arab Affairs

forecasted that cybercriminals will reach new heights

during the mid-July of 2022 and would inherently attack

high profile organizations with deadly ransomware attacks

which have been constantly growing since late 2021.

24th in Global Cyber Security for Critical Assets held in

the UAE Exhibition

The 24th in a global series of cyber security for Critical

Assets conferences, MENA focuses on safeguarding the

vulnerable industries of the Middle East and Northern

Africa from potential cyber threats. This conference is

aimed at uniting the senior IT & OT security leaders to

connect and collaborate to attain cyber resilience.

National Cyber Security Council collaborates to provide

better cyber security systems

UAE’s National Cyber Security Council and Injazat,

the UAE’S homegrown technology magnate in digital

transformation, cloud, and cyber security announced

that a strategic MoU has been signed with an intention

to further accelerate coordination and response time to

potential cyber crimes in UAE.


WEB3

THE SANDBOX;

A LUXURY METAVERSE?!

The Sandbox is a new-age digital space that allows artists or tech geeks to play, build, or own a piece of the virtual

estate (LAND), which is meant to streamline your digital ecosystem while letting you monetize your immersive

experiences. Nevertheless, the founders of this virtual habitat seek to unravel the potential of this space and

understand the know-how behind the collaboration of fashion brands in embracing that space.

According to its cofounder,

Arthur Madrid,

“It is a space to have

fun and create within

a community.” Our

Metaverse offers gamers and

creators an intuitive platform to

create immersive 3-D worlds and

gaming experiences, including

content that can be user-generated

in licensed partnership with IPs and

brands. “

The Sandbox also serves

as a one-stop destination for

all its creators, be it selling the

artwork, becoming the owner, or

earning the money. The Sandbox

is your fulfilment well, offering an

exceptional experience or enabling

you to reap its benefits. As much as it

sounds tempting, it has amusement

parks, fashion shows, and so much

more.

The Origin of the Sandbox

Arthur Madrid and Sebastian

Borget laid the foundation of this

company in 2011, which dealt

with Sandbox Games, corresponding

to the games, where the gamers can

easily create whatever they want

along with the editor. Soon after

it was launched in 2012, followed

by 40 million downloads and 70

million creations, furthermore,

they started with the blockchain

version in 2017. As per them, this

user-generated content involved

infinite creative capacities, which in

turn contributed to the process of

monetization.

The Sandbox collaborates with

L’OFFICIEL Land

Ever wondered how brands

are embracing the metaverse to

exemplify their presence across the

digital frontiers?

Yes, readers, in light of

this, L’OFFICIEL has partnered with

The Sandbox, which unleashes the

power of the dialogue between the

two different worlds, designed as a

desert landscape I.e Renaissance

NFT.

● The L’OFFICIEL land acts as

a virtual universe, laying the first

10

/ JULY 2022


stone of the open-air exhibition, more

like a digital theatre, which aims to

universalize content created through

100 years of history, also those that

are yet to come.

● “Together with The Sandbox, and

under the leadership of AMTD Idea,

L’OFFICIEL will push the boundaries

of media and entertainment,” says

Eymère.

● The L’OFFICIEL land is one

of the highlights of the Metaverse,

which talks about Luxury Fashion’s

space in Web3 and how NFTs and

digital artists are taking the lead in

encouraging brands to embrace this

virtual space.

● This form of Web3 somehow

leverages the artists to introduce

a new format which is communitybased

entertainment with selfexpression

being more social and

immersive.

● The co-founders of the

sandbox even noted how they are

building the metaverse with The

L’OFFICIEL, which aims to represent

100 years of fashion culture. Hence,

Arthur concludes that it’s exciting to

build the future of media together

with such a distinguished brand.

Gucci enters the Sandbox universe

Lately, eminent brands like

Gucci have announced plans for

immersive experiences followed

by virtual fashion under their

Gucci vault project. In addition, the

recently released NFT collaboration

with SUPERPLASTIC, where Gucci

announced how it bought land

under the Sandbox. The same will

be fostered by them in building the

world in this metaverse.

● The new venture falls under the

Gucci vault project. It includes NFT

collaborations and vintage items,

and is described as an experimental

online space that involves the

collection of past, present, and future

via imagination.

● In addition, Gucci was one of

the first luxury brands to use NFT,

which auctioned a one-of-one Aria

Film at Christie’s in May. In 2020,

it also hosted a two-week virtual

experience on Roblox dubbed: The

Gucci Garden Experience, starring

avatars, a pool area, and exhibition

space. And surprisingly, the digital

prices surpassed those of physical

items.

Adidas announces collaboration with

Sandbox

Adidas entered into a

collaboration with the metaverse

playground; Sandbox. In addition, the

shoe production company succeeded

in this virtual collaboration, especially

in crypto and blockchain.

● In light of this, Adidas

premiered what is called “Metaverse

Apparel”. This very idea talks about

the inclusion of digital clothing in

the virtual universe. The concept

stemmed from how the avatars

would use the apparel (in the

metaverse), involving digital fashion.

● Adidas recently bought a major

piece of land in The Sandbox. Also,

a recent tweet, confirmed that it

would be erecting an “adverse” in the

Metaverse. The Sandbox’s indigenous

cryptocurrency is known as SAND.



LAUNCH

EXPRESS

SMART BOTTLE WITH

TEMPERATURE SENSOR

All of us are aware of smartphones, watches,

and television among many others, but

have you come across a smart bottle? This

unique bottle with a LED screen on top that can

be used to store hot beverages and it will also

let you know the exact temperature so that you

can have it at your desired warmth. The touch

panel works absolutely accurately and it would

be best to carry for long journeys and road trips

as you wouldn’t have to worry about spillage.

You can easily get your hands on it from Amazon

at a price as low as $2!

GLOVE 80

This new-age keyboard will make

you ditch your conventional ones

as it is a compact, wireless and

contoured keyboard designed to

suit the shape of your hands while

working. It takes the experience

of typing to a whole new level as it

takes much lesser time and reduces

fatigue as it also comes with a

designated palm rest. It can connect

up to 4 Bluetooth devices and 1 USB

device all at once. It is priced at

around $310 but its suitability would

be worth the money.

12

/ JULY 2022


LAUNCH

EXPRESS

CREALITY

It is a high-precision scanner that

gives authentic outcomes when

capturing the tiniest details with

an accuracy of 0.05mm. This device

needs no marker to precisely scan

the objects and can accurately do its

job with black and white objects as

well given its ultra-high accuracy. It

is developed with the integration of

3D complete automation algorithms

which allows for model optimization

in just one click. It supports multipositional

auto-alignment, noise

removal topology, and auto-texture

mapping. It can cost up to $329.

BOLD BY USE

Most power banks these days

are not equipped to charge

all gadgets but BOLD comes

with two USB-C 100W input and

output ports. The advanced LCD

screen shows the output per port

indicating wireless charging and

the remaining battery percentage.

It has a battery capacity of 27,000

mAh with Panasonic LiPo Graphene.

It allows you to charge your power

bank while you use it to charge your

other personal devices like your

smartwatch or laptop. It is available

on Amazon and priced at $159.


CLOUD COMPUTING

OPEN HYBRID CLOUD; LEVERAGING THE BENEFITS OF

BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE CLOUD

What is meant by “hybrid cloud”?

A hybrid cloud is an umbrella

term, which consists of a cloud

infrastructure environment and

integrates both public and private

cloud solutions. In addition, it

combines these resources under

a full-fledged infrastructure

ecosystem, which in turn facilitates

the sharing of resources between

public and private, concerning

organizational business along with

aspects like-

● Performance

● Security

● Efficiency

● Cost

Now, the question that arises is

When do we use the hybrid cloud?

Well well, readers, hybrid cloud is

best suited in all these respective

situations-

● When you wish to strengthen

security on the existing cloud

solutions like SaaS offerings, which

are accustomed to being delivered

via authorized or privately secured

networks.

● Optimizing the degree of cloud

investment without jeopardizing the

true value of the public and private

networks.

● A hybrid Cloud is also needed by

all those organizations that are in

charge of operating different verticals

like IT security, regulatory, and other

such requirements.

What is a public cloud?

In layman’s terms, the public cloud is

referred to as one of the significant

models of cloud computing,

responsible for delivering IT services

via the internet. The public cloud

specializes in offering valuable

resources and needed solutions

to deal with the rising needs of

organizations, handling multiple

verticals.

The public cloud solution consists of

highlighting features, which are

● It has comparatively higher

elasticity and scalability.

● Secondly, it has a low-cost

subscription dependent on the pricing

tier.

● Services rendered by the public

cloud can indeed be free or based on

a subscription, depending upon the

computing resources you choose to

expend.

● The computing functionality will

consist of services ranging from

email, and storage to enterprisegrade

platforms used in the case of

software development.

● The cloud vendor is responsible

for maintaining or managing the

computing resources, shared with

multiple renters across the different

types of networks.

Pros of Public Cloud

The pros of the public cloud are as

follows -

● The public cloud is affordable - It

depends on the adjustable or flexible

pricing, offered based on the distinct

SLA offerings.

● Cloud Vendor will oversee the

business goals- In the case of the

public cloud, the complexities will

be reduced as the cloud vendor will

step in and supervise the overall

infrastructure management.

● The cost agility- In this network

model- the public cloud will allow

you to focus on the innovative

projects by letting you follow the

respective growth stages.

● Technical agility- Public Cloud

carries an exceptional feature of

involving the high scalability or

flexibility, to address unexpected

workloads.

Private cloud

The private cloud is referred to

as the cloud solution, acquired

for different purposes by a single

organization. As the name itself

suggests, it is private, so, you cannot

share the computing resources with

any other organization. Rather, they

are secured or delivered through a

private network and are not exposed

to other people. In addition, the data

center is operated by a third-party

vendor off-site.

The private cloud solution consists of

highlighting features, which are-

● The Private Cloud is highly

customizable and can fit itself based

on the security and business needs

of the organization.

● It also carries higher visibility

and great control of the

infrastructure; organizations can

operate compliance-sensitive IT

workloads without compromising

on the security and performance

previously only achieved with

dedicated on-premise data centers.

Pros of Private Cloud

The pros of the private cloud are as

follows-

● Security assurance- In a private

cloud, organizations are quite rigid

in terms of security regulations and

protocols, particularly concerning

workload requirements.

● Greater efficiency- The Private

cloud is highly effective and efficient

when it comes to SLA performance.

● Flexibility- The Private cloud is as

flexible as the ever-changing needs

of the business and IT. It can mold or

change the infrastructure based on

these requirements.

● Doorway to exclusive settings- The

private cloud assures and guarantees

access to a secure environment,

which cannot be touched by the other

organizations.

14

/ JULY 2022


NEWS

IN FOCUS

CLOUD

AI COMPUTING & ML

The cloud computing sector

witnessed accelerated growth in the

GCC region

The UAE has been leading in terms

of cloud computing adoption and

its annual spending however

the GCC has recently witnessed

an accelerated growth of cloud

computing adoption due to the rising

service provider investments and

the urgent requirement of remote

working due to the pandemic.

Gradual rise of cloud computing

reported in the Middle East

There has been a gradual rise in

the adoption of cloud computing

systems mainly due to the pandemic.

Additionally, the government is also

implementing the niche technologies

in creating a smart city and public

administration projects, managing

and readily expanding the data

center, and adequate options to

support organizations for better

growth.

Instinctools has emerged as one of

the best and verified cloud computing

service providers in the UAE

According to research conducted by

goodfirms.com, instinctools emerged

as the top verified cloud computing

service providers who have already

been in the business for the past

20 years. Their team consists of

more than 350 experts who focus

on achieving a digitally transformed

ecosystem. These services have been

thriving in UAE hence it is important

that adequate research goes into it

before circling on one.

The Cloud computing market in

MENA is expected to reach the $31.4

billion mark by 2026

With a considerable number

of businesses moving to cloud

computing spaces as the government

is immensely supporting the small

and medium-sized enterprises,

the cloud computing market in

the MENA region is anticipated to

reach the $31.4 billion mark and is

expected to grow at a compound

annual growth rate of 16.3% as

stated by Dr. Christopher Richard,

MD & Chief Cloud Architect at C7 CR

Technologies MEA.


STARTUPS

ZIINA

Ziina is a peer-to-peer payment

software in the UAE, founded in

2020. The app works by having users

transact through their wallets without

the need for swift code or IBAN.

The app is intended for day-to-day purchases,

such as splitting the bill at a restaurant

with friends or paying a friend back for the

coffee they got you. The wallet works with

Apple Pay, Google Pay, credit and debit cards

and allows users to cash out their wallets

into their bank accounts. Ziina was founded

by Andrew Gold, Faisal Toukan, and Sarah

Toukan and has amassed $8.4 million in 5

funding rounds. Ziina is currently in closed

beta for regulatory reasons. They aim for the

platform to be launched and used across the

MENA region.

TANQIA UAE

Founded in 2022, Tanqia

posits itself as a one-stop

solution to provide cleaning

services for commercial

and residential use. The

company offers various types of

cleaning services, including deep

cleaning and long-term hospital-grade

disinfection that provides

protection from bacteria, viruses,

and fungi; it is safe for children and

pets as well. Bookings are made

through the website. The interface

is simple to use and provides

options for users to decide on the

frequency of the service.

16

/ JULY 2022


STARTUPS

GRUBTECH

GrubTech is a SaaS

platform that allows

restaurants and cloud

kitchens to streamline

their operations

through digitalization. The start-up

was founded in 2019, gaining $5.4

million in 2 rounds of funding.

GrubTech offers restaurants and

cloud kitchen integrations detailed

insights about their operations,

allowing them to not only improve

internal running of their businesses

but also improve the customer

experience. GrubTech aims to bring

the Food and Beverage industry to

its future, allowing it to catch up to

other industries that have made

use of the ever-expanding technological

innovations.

HUSPY

Back in 2019, Jad and Khalid

were shocked with how

overly complicated and

expensive the process of

getting a home loan is in

most countries and decided to act on

it fast.

This became a quest to develop a

product that would digitize and simplify

the process of home buying for

everyone. From finding a property to

financing it.

By using technology and the knowledge

of internal experts, they

started building a transparent and

easy-to-understand experience. Buying

a home can finally be an actual

moment to celebrate, not a nail-biting

stressful event. Huspy became UAE’s

#1 mortgage provider in only one

year of operations, with an annual

run-rate of more than 1 billion USD.


NEWS

IN FOCUS

AI STARTUPS & ML

UAE witnesses unstoppable growth in 2022

Despite the impact of the pandemic, the UAE’s startup

sector has been going uphill both in terms of funding

and resources. UAE-based startups have raised almost

$1.2 billion across 155 transactions maintaining their first

rank worldwide.

Google launches digital marketing program for MENA

Startups

Google announced the completion of the first phase of

the ‘Startup Expedition’ which aims to help the startups

boost their growth using effective marketing strategies in

the Middle East and North Africa. The 6-month program

is joined by 13 imminent startups at their growing stage

from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt representing

FinTech, Retail, and FoodTech.

Record amounts of capital invested in all geographies in

the MENA

Based on the MAGNiTT’s 2022 MENA Venture Investment

Report, a total of $2.5 billion capital from over 590 deals

was deployed in MENA’s startups, with the top 3 highest

value deals above $100 million coming from the region’s

top 3 jurisdictions.

MENA Startups raise around $864 million in Q1 2022

According to MAGNiTT’s Q1 2022 Venture Investment

Report, $864 million was raised in venture funding over

the first quarter of the year which thereupon signifies

the strong start for the business ecosystem. This has

surpassed the amount raised in the previous quarter by

33.3 and that of 2021 by 161%.

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/ JULY 2022


FUNDING

NEWS

Cartlow, a cloud-based logistics

technology platform in the UAE and

Saudi Arabia has raised $18 million

The funding will enable Cartlow

to further mature its business

ecosystem, the company said in a

statement.

Our investment in Cartlow further

highlights our commitment to the

Kingdom’s 2030 Vision sustainability

targets through enhancing the

circular economy and the chief

executive of ASG

Cartlow was among six venture

companies that were granted

licenses by Saudi Arabia in March.

These companies have committed to

investing a combined $162 million in

the Saudi economy.

Nymcard increases funding to $35m

This will help it enable MENA-based

fintechs with the infrastructure

required from BIN sponsorship

and card issuing, leverage its 150+

modern and open APIs on a platform.

This round takes Nymcard’s total

funding to over $35m with a presence

in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Riyadh, and

Cairo.

ADQ and Jordan’s Ministry of Digital

Economy and Entrepreneurship

launch a $100 million tech fund

ADQ is an Abu Dhabi-based

investment and holding company

building on the UAE’s strategic

industrial partnership with Jordan

The fund will invest in high-growth

companies with proven business

models, the fund will be dedicated

to tech start-ups and innovation-led

companies specialized in sectors

including information technology

telecommunications as well as clean

energy technologies.

Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala participates in

Proximal AR’s $80mln funding round

The funding round was led by Advent

Life Sciences, one of the leading

trans-Atlantic ventures. Launched

in 2016, Proximal is a tool allowing

surgeons to virtually “scrub in” to any

operating room in the world. 5 billion

people currently lack access to safe

surgery.

Lionbird launches an $85 million fund

to support US-focused healthcare

startups in the Middle East

Lionbird venture capital firm has

partnered with Al Waha Fund of

Funds to launch an $85 million

investment fund to back US-focused

healthcare startups in the Middle

East and North Africa.

Saudi Arabia-based fintech startup

HyperPay raises $36.7 million

The funds will be used to improve its

tech team, build out new products,

and support its expansion into Egypt,

Qatar, and Oman.

UAE-based Dukkantek raises

$5.2 million to boost online store

management

The firm will use the fund to expand

its presence in the GCC areas,

advance its technology stack, and

better serve its customer base.


DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

ROBOTIC PROCESS AUTOMATION

(RPA) AND BLOCKCHAIN; HOW DO

THEY WORK TOGETHER

Advanced technologies have been providing exceptional outcomes when such software and devices are

applied in an optimum situation. With the booming of science and technology, it has become difficult to

identify which would fit accurately in a situation as the competitive environment requires one to be

pre-equipped. Thus, it is important to have adequate knowledge in all aspects, including the latest Robotic

Process Automation, or RPA, and Blockchain when applied together.

RPA is the process by which

the software bot identifies

repetitive and manual

tasks and gets them done

in no time, very efficiently,

and with minimal costs as well. It is

usually used by business houses to

accelerate their task of processing

hefty amounts of data without any

human intervention. Therein comes

the technology of blockchain into

the picture, which comprises a

decentralized P2P network that acts

as a ledger for storing a wide range

of data with the utmost security.

Combing these two superior

technologies has paved the way for

great advantages. When these are

both integrated, automated repetitive

tasks would be accomplished in no

time, the quality of the work could be

increased by many folds, and all this

would come at a minimum cost for

the company.

As the technology of blockchain

has proved to be quite reliable

and secure when it comes to the

processing of data and its storage,

the amalgamation of these two

innovations is being implemented

in a variety of day-to-day tasks

such as peer-to-peer transactions

and KYC processes in financial

sectors or companies. The increased

susceptibility to sensitive information

also makes it vulnerable to

monitoring all the data around the

transaction processing activities.

This has invariably proved to provide

better feedback from customers in

general.

RPA has also enabled the

exchange of information within the

existing systems to be extremely

lucid, and this has paved the way

for easy access to data across all

systems. This also promotes a better

manner of regulatory and compliance

management across all available

data and also that which is available

in the blockchain. For instance, the

networking between the front office

and the back office has become quite

automated with the implementation

of such prime technologies.

Hence, rapid growth can also

be visualized in the banking and

financial sectors as they are

ensuring that their services are quite

speedy along with easier account

management and proper settlements.

Irrespective of their popularity, the

deployment of blockchain and RPA

has a few shortcomings as well.

There has been a very low adoption

rate of this technology as both of

these technologies are relatively new

to many jurisdictions. There have

also been various standardization

issues for blockchain with its

implementation.

With the advancement of

technology, companies are also

under constant pressure to upgrade

to better facilities for their customers

however the downsides of all such

inventions are also required to be

measured adequately. Thus, before

implementation, it is very crucial to

study the current necessity model

and apply it accordingly.


20

/ JULY 2022


APP EXPRESS

FABULOUS

With a great inclination for people working

from home, Fabulous is an interactive

app that challenges you to be more

productive and emphasizes fitness. Based

on advanced technology and AI, it tracks all your

movement during the day and acts as a habit app

in keeping a record of your energy level, duration

of sleep, and productivity. It emphasizes the user

to complete the daily tasks such as light workout,

meditation, and any other self-improvement task and

it aims at bringing about small changes which would

turn into habits over time. It provides for a variety of

routines that the user can choose from however the

downside is that the app would require a one-time fee

that could be a hefty amount to pay right at once.

NOISLI

With growing mental health issues

amongst adolescents and adults these

days, apps like Noisli serves to be

quite useful as the soothing sound

effects can get you to the right mindset. Whether

it is you trying to focus on work or trying to relax

after a day’s work, the customizable sound mixes

will create the perfect ambiance for you to end

the day. It is very user-friendly and combining the

sounds like rain, thunder, waves, and birds would

create the effect you desire which you can save

and listen to even on offline mode. However, you

cannot play the audio if you switch to some other

app however the ability to create your audio has

made this app highly popular amongst users.

CANVA

Whether you are trying to design a

new premise for your social media

or create a cover photo for your

yearbook, Canva is the app that

would help you to create intuitive graphic designs

in just a few clicks. You just have to upload

your primary photos and with your choice of

illustrations, you will have your design ready.

There are in-app purchases available to use some

advanced features such as layouts, fonts, shapes,

icons, grids, lines, illustrations, and background

options and once you are done, you can save

the high-quality picture to your camera roll and

use it as you wish. For users who use bulkier

software such as photoshop, this would be a great

replacement and is way easier to use.


SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY

WILL INSTALLING SOLAR

PANELS IN YOUR HOME CUT

ENERGY BILLS?

There has been a steep rise in prices of energy all over the globe; therefore, people are finding

means by which the overall bill for gas and electricity can be reduced. The introduction of solar

panels into our modern lifestyle has served as a means to turn towards a more energy-efficient

lifestyle and save a few bucks along the way as well.

Solar panels, or

photovoltaics (PV), are

panels placed on the roof of

the house, preferably south

or east-facing, pitched at

an optimum angle between 30 and

40 degrees. These panels, usually

made of silicon, absorb the energy

emitted by the sun and convert it to

electricity using photovoltaic cells.

The installation of solar panels can

transform your house into a smart

house. A relatively bigger house

with around 3 large bedrooms would

require up to 10 panels, which may

incur a cost of £6,500 or $8,155.

The benefits of installing solar panels

The greatest advantage is that one

can save a lot of money on electricity

costs, and if an adequate number of

panels are installed, it can produce

enough electricity to suffice for the

entire household.

As this source is considered

to be completely natural and a

renewable form of energy, it helps in

reducing the carbon footprint as the

solar panel can negate the carbon

emissions by tonnes every year. Thus,

it is also the most sustainable form

of energy available.

Several tax benefits could also be

availed and financial benefits could

be incurred from using solar panels.

Proper and valuable insights could be

provided by the solar company.

Effect on electricity supply

The system is designed to toggle

between the two sources from

time to time. In case the electricity

22

/ JULY 2022


generated from the solar panels is

not enough to satisfy the requisite

space, it will automatically switch to

using the electricity that is supplied

by the National Grid. This process

is usually seamless and there

would be no need to inform the

electricity supply source as people do

commonly use solar panel systems

along with their usual energy tariff

system. This would surely mean that

the bill amount would ultimately be

reduced to a minimum.

Disadvantages of solar panel

systems

The prime disadvantage is that the

cost of purchasing and installation of

the solar panel systems is invariably

quite higher, which thereby depends

upon the energy used in kW and

also the area of the panels in square

meters. However, it ensures that the

higher the amount of energy in kW is

used, the more one can save on their

usual electricity bill.

Upkeep and maintenance of the

solar panel also serve to be a hassle,

which is required to be done yearly.

So overall it is quite expensive, but

one may recoup the costs within 15-

20 years of its installation, depending

upon the size of the panels as it is

directly proportional to the money

saved on electricity bills yearly.

Despite the possibility of recycling

solar panels, the material separation

process is time-consuming and

needs sophisticated technology.

Factors to consider before

installation

The location of the home is of

prime importance as it should be

exposed to adequate and direct

sunlight and should not be shielded

by trees or barricades.

Switching to sustainable forms

such as LED lights can help reduce

the overall consumption. Hence,

smaller solar panels would also

suffice considering the area they are

to be used for.

As the systems could be quite

expensive, it should be considered

whether one is eligible to go for solar

energy financing options.

Conclusion

Installation of solar panels is

considered a long-term investment,

hence all the pros and cons should

be weighed accordingly, keeping in

mind the country one belongs to, as

factors such as costs of purchasing

and installation, exposure to sunlight,

and tax benefits can vary from one

place to another.


The system is designed

to toggle between the

two sources from time to

time. In case the electricity

generated from the solar

panels is not enough to

satisfy the requisite space,

it will automatically switch

to using the electricity that

is supplied by the National

Grid.


LISTED TECH COMPANIES

Amazon to revamp Fire TV user interface with new home screen,

improved navigation, and more

Ever wondered how this tech

company keeps up with the

pace in the realms of the

digital revolution?

Let us shed some light on it and

find out

Amazon Fire TV

Amazon Fire TV disclosed the

user interface, which aims to uplift

the navigation experience for its

users. For instance, rather than

deciphering the science behind

the menu bar continually, now

consumers will be able to access

options like Home, and My stuff,

via icon-based symbols such as a

magnifying glass, a house, etc. Such

is done to streamline the viewer’s

Experience or help them navigate its

functioning in the best possible ways.

In addition, the newly intended

modification in Amazon’s Fire TV

arose because of the constant

reminders or complaints filed by

the users, who could not live its

seamless experience. In light of this,

Amazon made recurring changes

in terms of rebuilding features,

simplifying the navigation, and

refining the old functions.

New alterations in Amazon Fire TV

Furthermore, along with

the new changes, Amazon has

renamed the library tab with the

option called; My Stuff. The same

tab occupies and consists of watch

lists, videos, purchased content,

etc. Besides this, Amazon has

been able to put together options

like Search and find by making it a

single destination for users. In the

case of the former, the functioning

remains the same (where users

click on the search option). And

in the latter, the find tab has been

singled out into two rows. The top

row comprises categories like

Movies, TV shows, apps, and kids

and family, followed by the other row

incorporating recommendations.

Symbols substituting the text

With the ever-evolving changes

in the Amazon Fire TV, viewers

might witness a transition from

Text-based categories being

replaced by icons. For example,

the presence of the find tab can be

hinted at by looking out the symbol

of a magnifying glass Icon. Also, the

Home and live tabs are replaced by

symbols now.

“Last year, we completed a major

overhaul of the Fire TV experience,

and since then, we have continued

to make refinements to make

Fire TV the most engaging and

personalized streaming experience,”

Joshua Danovitz, director, Fire TV

Experience, said in a statement. “The

recent updates bring Search and My

Stuff to the top of our Homepage so

customers can quickly find content

and access their watchlists, rentals,

and purchases.” ence, the revamping

of the home screen is one of the

latest updates added to the Amazon

Fire TV to improve the navigation.

Thus, they are even trying to add

Alexa to voice remotes.


24

/ JULY 2022



Elon Musk-Owned Tesla Hikes Prices of Entire Electric Car Range

Unquestionably, Tesla is

one of the most reputed

companies, which acquires

a place in the very heart of

the tech industry. Elon Musk has

reportedly made the headlines and

earned skyrocketing profits. With

this, recently, it decided to increase

the prices of Electric Car Range with

some models, making it as much as

$6,000.

In the year 2021, Tesla slowed

down the increase in the prices of its

vehicles. However, in 2022, it rapidly

hiked its prices across its entire

lineup.

As per the reports, model 3

witnessed less hike in its prices,

however, model 3 Long-range is

thoroughly affected as it went from

$54,490 to $57,990, a $2,500 price

increase.

Model Y has become one of the

most popular models which saw a

substantial increase in its price for

both versions including an electric

SUV. Surprisingly, Model Y Long

Range went from $62,990 to $65,990

and Model Y Performance went from

$67,990 to $69,990.

The price hikes are due to costs of

raw materials have surged

Indeed, the rise in the prices took

place because of the recession in the

recent weeks, with an increase in the

rates of raw materials and aluminum

of the cars.

Cars that witnessed a substantial

increase

The Tesla Model S had a big

$5,000 price increase just a few

months ago.

The Model S Dual Motor All-Wheel

Drive Long Range went from $99,990

to $104,990 with the price increase.

The Model X Dual Motor All-Wheel

Drive Long Range went from $114,990

to $120,990 with the price increase.




Apple Could Bring the Next Entry-Level iPad with Faster Chipset and USB Type C Port

Recently, Apple brought into

the world an innovation;

The Next Entry-Level IPad

with Faster Chipset and

USB Type C port. With this,

It is speculated that the IPad will

surely support the 5G feature, carried

by the A14 Bionic chipset and USB

type C for charging. However, the

company did not specify the timeline

for the launch any sooner.

Nonetheless, with the introduction

of the new IPad, Apple tries to

revolutionize the idea of USB Type C

for charging and other exceptional

features are going to shoot up prices

invariably.

With the arrival of the entry-level

iPad, the product will come with

updated features, unlike previous

models. For instance, the upcoming

IPad is likely to have Retina Display,

with a higher resolution and an LED

screen, which might come with a

slight bump in the screen size.

Also, it would incorporate an

A14 Bionic chip, which seemed to be

powerful for the users. The chipset

will allow you to check the software

compatibility with new pads versions

as well. Yet, the new iPad is likely

to level up in terms of features and

price of the products, allowing its

business to prosper.


26

/ JULY 2022


APR 22 I I 119

GAMING

VALORANT

VS. COUNTER-

STRIKE GO 2014

VALORANT is a first-person

virtual reality shooting

game that is quite similar

to Counter-Strike.

However, the gameplay

differs when it comes to fighting

and the challenges posed within the

game. VALORANT provides a more

simplified system with no reliability

in reloading the weapons, their

magazines, etc., whereas in CS:GO,

one has to buy a new gun when the

current one runs out of bullets.

When compared to CS:GO,

VALORANT has a newer and muchimproved

graphics engine, which

makes the game run with minimum

hardware requirements. Graphic

settings can be adjusted or can

be left at high for a better graphic

experience. In CS:GO, the graphic

settings cannot be changed when the

game has already started. It also has

a minimal hardware requirement, so

one might not be able to play on low

settings without lowering the FPs.

ASUS 500HZ MONITOR; THE

WORLD’S FASTEST MONITOR

ASUS unveiled the ROG Swift 500Hz monitor on May 24, 2022, and

it currently stands as the world’s fastest monitor designed for

gaming in 1080p. It was a result of collaboration with Nvidia to

create this ultrafast screen optimized for low latency gaming,

which is expected to be priced at not less than $500.

With the higher refresh rate, the screen is expected to update more

frequently and this is anticipated to draw a niche audience mainly

due to its price point. Gamers would also invariably

notice the benefits from the increased

refresh rate. It could be safely

assumed that it will surely

mark a difference in highclass

competitive gaming,

as every second can

change the outcome of

the game.

28

/ JULY 2022


GAMING

THE UPCOMING

CALL OF DUTY:

MODERN WARFARE 2

Gear up for another

installment of Call of Duty,

which is the successor

to Modern Warfare and is

set to launch on October

28, 2022. The video game from

Infinity Ward will be available on all

platforms, including PC, Xbox, and

PlayStation. As reported, there will

be four major characters, namely,

the team leader, Captian, Fearless

Sergeant, Seasoned Sergeant, and

the incorruptible Colonel.

It is expected to have more

mature fight sequences and

improved graphics when compared

to its last release in the year 2019.

It is also advised to have advanced

features like HDR and ray-tracing

support to offer realistic visuals. It

will smoothly run on the latest PS5

and Xbox series however PC users

are suggested to have 8GB RAM, with

a quad-core CPU, the latest graphics

card, and at least 4GB video memory

for better visual results.

PLAYSTATION VR2: WHAT WE

KNOW SO FAR

It’s time to get excited as Sony has revealed the details of its new release,

the Playstation VR2, at the beginning of 2022. The features provided are

quite high-end and are one of a kind. The VR2 promises to provide an

out-of-this-world experience with its 4K HDR visuals and a refresh rate of

between 90-120 Hz. It would also provide a 110-degree field of vision and a

display with a resolution of 2000x2040 per eye.

The Sense VR2 controllers would act as the Dual Sense controllers as in

the PS5, but the former will also come with a capacitive sensor to know when

to operate it. The greatest feature is the one-cable setup, which negates all the

hassles before a VR experience. It is expected that Sony’s new hardware will

stand up to all its promises in providing an experience like never before.


CRYPTO & DIGITAL ASSETS

DARKSIDE OF NFTs

It may be very common to hear about NFTs these days as the same as using them as a

collectible, whereas some conceive them as a powerful investment tool. In reality, they are

quite technical, and it is quite pertinent that myths related to them be busted.

It is expected that, as NFTs are

unique, it makes you the owner of

the digital asset. However, this is

a misconception as NFTs usually

contain links to an asset that is

hosted somewhere else. It does not

attest to ownership of the copyright,

storage, and usage rights to the

asset itself. Also, the blockchains do

not have the technology to identify

between possession and ownership,

so if one’s NFT gets stolen through a

phishing scam, the blockchain would

consider the thief as the new owner.

Thus, verifying the ownership of an

asset that is minted into an NFT is

considered a social problem rather

than a technical one.

It is also proclaimed that NFTs

will help enable the true metaverse

and allow all users to bring digital

items such as images from one game

platform to another. However, while

this has proven to be easy on apps,

it gets quite difficult when it comes

to video games. In certain situations,

it may be possible for the game

developer or animator to make it

work in a different game, but it takes

extreme effort and time to do so. The

issue of intellectual property also

creeps in. Without the company’s

permission, imports will not be

allowed, and even with permission,

they will have to work closely with

the company to provide the assets

and ensure everything is working

accurately.

It is proposed that artists make

more money by selling their own

artwork as NFTs but it may all be a

sham. The sale of $69 million worth

of NFT made the headlines, but

thereafter, Metapurse also purchased

20 other unrelated artworks and sold

$10 million worth of fractionalized

ownership tokens of the collection.

This asserts that both the seller

and the buyer had the same vested

interest in accelerating the demand

for the artist’s work. The issue of

wash trading was also highlighted,

wherein one person sells an item

to their own sock puppet accounts

to provide the impression of higher

demand, making it difficult to

ascertain how many high-value NFTs

are sold.

In reality, the marketplaces

such as OpenSea do not offer free

NFT minting for artists, as the NFT

would not be created until bought

by someone. The minting fee gets

passed on to the buyer, and since

gas fees also fluctuate highly, the

cost of the transaction is also

unpredictable. The issue of royalty is

also complicated as it can be added

as smart contracts, but they are

inherently software that is prone to

bugs and compatibility issues, and

manipulation.

News articles and researches

are present to amplify the simplicity

of the concepts however it can

sometimes leave out the most prime

details which would be essential

thereby leading to confusion and

users falling into privacy and security

issues.


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/ JULY 2022


NEWS

IN FOCUS

CRYPTO AND

DIGITAL AI & ASSETS ML

MENA MD finds UAE as the optimum

environment for global crypto activity

The new MENA Managing Director

of Krake, a global crypto exchange

company that recently built its

headquarters in the country believes

that UAE is the most forward-looking

and regulatory market for crypto as

it connects the global capital market

and provides for the most innovative

jurisdictions in the world

Reported hike in global activity with

respect to cryptocurrency

According to the Chain Analysis,

Geography of Cryptocurrency, it

was stated that the Middle East

has received $271.7 billion worth of

cryptocurrency which represents

almost 7% of activity in that region.

Studies show that it has been

possible only due to improved

regulatory systems, larger liquidity

pools, and adequate education on the

concept of digital currency

MENA Investors move ahead with

caution ahead of the “crypto winter”

season

According to a report provided by

Axiory, a global brokerage firm, it

was reported that MENA Investors

have become quite sensitive to

volatility, especially regarding assets

that are new in the pool. This is

suspected due to the major crypto

market value fall of almost 65% first

time since January 2021

Dubai’s VARA grants a

provisional license to

Coinmena

A Bahrain Headquartered

and Sharia-compliant

digital asset exchange

company, Coinmena

has recently secured a

provisional virtual assets

license from Dubai’s

Virtual Assets Regulatory

Authority (VARA) which

would allow it to expand

its parent activities and

also establish firm banking

relations within the UAE


EVENTS

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION SUMMIT

After the successful conclusion of the 11the edition of the Digital Transformation, UAE was again set to host another

magnificent event under the theme “Decoding barriers to pave the way for UAE’s Digital Future”. It envisions engaging,

empowering, and supporting a forward economy that is equally proactive, customizable, collaborative, and secure to help

amalgamate both public and private sectors to form alliances and pave way for cooperation between them. These are

considered the steps taken towards achieving a digitally transformed ecosystem.

The event

Being held in the global

technological hub, the city of Dubai,

the Digital Transformation Summit

UAE brought together more than a

couple hundred CTOs, CIOs, CISOs,

Heads of digital transformations, IT

infrastructure, cyber security, and

information, and communication

technology and other experts of

this domain. Speakers like Ellis

Wang, Alexander Williams, Ahmad

Altarawneh, and Dr. Ebrahim Al

Khajeh among many others have

graced the event with their insightful

sessions which were widely attended

by the delegates.

Outcome

This event was a complete retreat

for tech geeks to connect, learn and

network with each other. Similar to

all the previous editions, this event

organized by Exito, presented by

IBM, and in partnership with GBM,

turned out to be a huge success that

aligned with the UAE’s economic

strategies as provided under the UAE

Vision 2021 and UAE Centennial. This

focused on creating and mending

a personalized branding that will

help showcase their products and

services with the ultimate intent to

interact and network with seasoned

marketers and customers.

Venue- Sofitel Dubai the Obelisk, UAE

Date- 22-23rd June 2022

Speakers- 350+

Theme- “Decoding barriers to pave

the way for UAE’s Digital Future”

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/ JULY 2022


EVENTS

This event was a complete retreat for tech geeks

to connect, learn and network with each other.

Similar to all the previous editions, this event

organized by Exito, presented by IBM, and in

partnership with GBM, turned out to be a huge

success that aligned with the UAE’s economic

strategies as provided under the UAE Vision 2021

and UAE Centennial.


COVER STORY

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/ JULY 2022


COVER STORY

NAMEER KHAN

CHAIRMAN & CO-FOUNDER, MENA FINTECH ASSOCIATION

A multi-award winner fintech influencer serving as an executive advisor to multiple institutions

and the founding member and chairman of the MENA Fintech Association (MFTA). Strategically

partnering with the regional regulators and central banks to establish a robust fintech

framework, he has established and delivered AI and digital transformation programs for

leading financial centers. His primary area of focus for 2022 is sustainability with a plan of

launching his very own venture fully dedicated to embedding impact and sustainability into

payment transactions and help to make the UAE a global sustainable fintech hub.

Exclusive to The Technology Express

Q: Please tell us about the MENA FinTech Association

MENA Fintech Association is a platform or a

community where all fintech regulators, policymakers,

innovators, venture capitalists, and everything fintech

comes under one roof and MENA Fintech Association’s

main mission is to ensure that the voice of the fintech

community reaches out to the right people, and apart

from that ensuring that the

environment for fintech in this region

is more and more conducive because

when the community grows, the

fintech world grows.

Q: What should be the focus right

now within MENA for fintech

empowerment?

The important aspect of it is

talent development. Talent is key.

We are blessed to be in a country

like UAE which is focusing on talent

development not just for the region

but on a global level, to ensure that

we have the right global talent not just

coming into the region, city, or country

but also talent being nurtured from

UAE and then going into other countries and making an

impact.

Q: How do you think blockchain and crypto are affecting

the growth of the fintech industries?

I think it’s a complementing segment. Blockchain and

crypto have played a critical and pivotal role in the world

of fintech and it’s only going to grow more and more if

“We are focusing on

what elements make

up a complete FinTech

ecosystem in the region,

and what makes that

conducive to growth”

you look into it, the regulatory authority that has been

set up in the UAE is in itself a strong precedent of what

the country is looking towards and how the country is

supporting the emergence of new financial technologies.

Q: What upcoming trends do you see in fintech?

So, if you look into it, the overall market right now,

multiple crypto exchanges and leading

global crypto exchanges are coming

into the country and setting up, why

is it happening? It is because of the

cases that are out there, the regulatory

authorities that are there, and also

the way I see it, crypto and alternate

digital assets and alternate modes

of finance are only going to grow and

pick up in this region more and more.

For this sector to grow, you need top

leadership support which we again

have.

Q: What suggestions do you have for

our readers?

My suggestion to the readers is

that fintech is something that you need

to keep a strong eye on. Financial services are only going

to get broader and broader. The future of finance is really

exciting and that cannot happen without tech enthusiasts

like you. So work with a fintech and financial community

because this segment is going to get a lot more exciting

than it is right now and especially in the MENA region.

-interview@thetechnologyexpress.com


FINTECH

THE USE OF PEER-TO-PEER

TRANSACTIONS IN BLOCKCHAIN

It is very likely that netizens have encountered various modern technologies but have never

gotten to understand the crux of them. One of them is the peer-to-peer network, which

generally means a simplified network created between two or more connected devices

that share the resources and are connected to a single server system only. For a simpler

understanding, it is a network wherein multiple computer systems are connected through one

server, thereby enabling the transfer of files from one source to another.

Peer-to-peer networks,

commonly called P2P, are

extensively being used in

the blockchain technology

system, which has

simplified the process of transferring

cryptocurrency across the world

without the presence of any

intermediary or external assistance

by third parties. This gives rise to a

decentralized system, thus removing

any proposed complexities and

efficiently concluding the process of

verification of any such transaction.

In circumstances where a

peer-to-peer network is enabled

on a blockchain, it ensures that a

complete twin set of the same data

is restored, also keeping in mind the

accuracy of such data. It also secures

the data and affords complete

security to the transactional records

when compared to the obsolete client

system. This technology completely

avoids the hassle of bank processing

and paves the way for efficient bitcoin

transfers as the blockchain P2P

software acts as a virtual ledger that

retains possession of all the crucial

data.

Peer-to-Peer Lending

This growth in technology is

also promoting services like peer

lending in the blockchain which links

the lenders or such investors with

This technology

completely avoids the

hassle of bank processing

and paves the way for

efficient bitcoin transfers

as the blockchain P2P

software acts as a virtual

ledger that retains

possession of all the

crucial data.

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/ JULY 2022


their definite borrowers through the

virtual framework that works as

an authentic third party. In peer-topeer

lending, usage of blockchain

technology is highly encouraged as

it removes all plausible third parties

from the process in the decentralized

environment. To make the process

of lending more secure, it is ensured

that the vital information is shared

only with participating parties only.

There is an absolute, authentic

exchange of data, which is thereupon

protected by peer review of

transactions through public-key

cryptography. This allows each user

the ability to check the accuracy of

the information being broadcast.

The data used in lending is highly

immutable which means that any

fabrication or amendment to the

transactions is not allowed once

they are connected to the blockchain.

Any substantial information when

required to be inserted could be

done through an agreed mechanism.

The ability to create smart contracts

and thereby build smart contract

solutions in peer-to-peer lending

also ensures that the current

transaction negotiated by the parties

gets executed according to the terms.

This has indeed transformed the way

blockchain technology could have

been used in a peer-to-peer lending

mechanism thus providing more

transparency, efficacy, and security.

The user’s system is supposed to

hold all the information related to the

cryptocurrency and it then is verified

with the peer’s system to ensure

that the information copied is the

exact same. In events of inaccuracy,

the system fails to accept it and

the initiation of malicious activity is

reported to the user. Implementing

a smart contract system creates a

token that stands for the repayment

of the loan thus there remain no

loopholes through which the system

could be deceived. Hence, peerto-peer

lending has revolutionized

the sector of financial services

altogether.

Endless advantages are

associated with the usage of peerto-peer

technology in blockchain

systems and the primary ones are

associated with the level of security

of data that is awarded to the user.

This is usually because they are

provided with immunity to Denial of

Service (DoS) attacks, which are one

of the prime aspects of cybercrime

around the world. Considering the

flexibility of the financial ecosystem

in each jurisdiction, blockchain

technology is also immune to the

censorship of the central government

which disables the right to freeze or

drain the accounts.

Although it has numerous

advantages to offer, the shortcomings

of peer-to-peer cannot be completely

negated. No technological invention

has ever been successful in providing

optimum security to its user and this

comes as no exception. It has always

been prone to complex cybercrimes

such as hacking and phishing as

revealed by global statistics issued

in the year 2021. Every ounce of

effort has been implemented by

blockchain developers and experts

in devising ways that would minimize

the barriers as it has the potential

to triumph as the most crucial

technology in recent times. P2P

system may be used on a variety

of other platforms but is currently

administered only to offer blockchain

and cryptocurrency solutions.



NEWS

IN FOCUS

FINTECH

Robot Advisors are accelerating steadily in the MENA

Region

New research for behavioral finance experts at Oxford

has found that the wealth managers in the MENA region

are anticipating strong growth in the number of Robo

advisers and digital wealth managers which may go up

to manage assets of around $290 billion. Oxford risk

has been

advising

wealth

advisors to

implement

technology

to provide

better

services.

XT.com initiates weekly crypto meetups in the UAE

World’s first social-infused exchange, XT.com initiates

the weekly crypto meetings that would invite investors,

venture capitalists, and crypto enthusiasts from all over

the world to promote awareness about cryptocurrency,

blockchain technology, NFTs, metaverse, and other

fintech technologies. It also provides opportunities for

peer leaders to connect.

Financial Processes paved the way for the Digital

transformation of Dubai

Due to the pandemic, there has been an acute shift

towards digitization and embracing new technologies

to keep the business operating efficiently. The world is

facing a lot of threats as well but that does not deter the

new technologies from being implemented. Technologies

such as e-signatures, digital identity verification, and

authentication systems have completely revolutionized

the usual functioning of financial institutions.

Huobi Group receives DIFC Innovation License from

Dubai’s Regulator

A global blockchain asset financial service provider,

Huobi Group announced that it has received a DIFC

Innovation License in Dubai which aims at providing

benefits for a better ecosystem and technology research

and developments, capital repatriation, and taxes. This

license is usually provided to all innovative technology

companies in Dubai.

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/ JULY 2022


APR 22 I I 45

TECH

MY

MONEY

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

We have all been seeing the most

advanced features every year

with new phones launching in

the market but with the introduction

of the Flip phones by Samsung, it has

gone miles above as this is the firstever

foldable phone the world has

ever seen. With its cost going as high

up as the latest Apple and Google

smartphones at around $949, the

features are extremely top-notch as

well. It leaves no mark in the middle

as it folds halfway and its display

quality never gets compromised

by the display feature. Along with

an octa-core processor and 8GB

RAM, this phone is highly unique and

stylish and can easily be immersed

in your palms without feeling bulky.

Another plus point is that the phone

is water-resistant as well. According

to reports there have been no

hardware issues as well and is quite

well appreciated by the audience.

DISPLAY

6.7”, 1080 x 2640 pixels

RAM

8GB, Snapdragon 888 5G

BATTERY

3300mAh

WATER RESISTANT

IPX8 water-resistant

CAMERA

12MP Main camera and

10MP Selfie camera

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/ JULY 2022


TECH

MY

MONEY

Arlo

Video

Doorbell

With more threats to security

both online and offline, Arlo

has brought the new highquality

smart Video Doorbell system

with the most striking features.

Comes with the most remarkable

feature is its smart AI system that

can detect the differences between

humans, pets, cars, and other

vehicles and packages as well. The

user can also set the alerts that

they wish to receive on their mobile

application so that every slight

motion doesn’t grab their attention.

They can also create motion zones so

that special notifications are sent if

any motion is detected in that space.

Overall, you can set up the

device according to your choices of

alerts, and allows you to turn off all

notifications if you wish to. It also

comes with a siren for situations

when any suspicious motions are

caught by the camera at any time of

the day. With a high-resolution video

quality, the smart doorbell promises

to provide adequate safety to your

house both in your presence and

absence. It is readily available on

Amazon and priced at around $180.


TECH

MY

MONEY

Dyson Corrale Hair straightener

If you are into hair styling, you must be aware of how

much damage that can lead to with prolonged use

of heat on hair. Last year, the Airwrap introduced

by Dyson in the market created a hue and cry as

everyone started raving about it on the internet. This

year Dyson has launched the Corrale straightener

which is built with their patented flexing copper plates

that lets less heat flow between the plates however

rendering the best ever results. Its best feature is that

the straightener does not need to be connected to the

electricity at all times as it is chargeable and with 70

minutes of continuous charge, it can be used for up to

30 minutes without interruption.

With three different heat settings, it becomes the

appropriate tool for thicker and curlier hair and it gets

straightened in no time. It is also extremely lightweight

so you don’t have to worry about it making your luggage

for vacations bulkier. With a fairly higher price of $400,

it is highly user-friendly and helps you achieve that

smooth finish and desired look in no time.

FORM

Flat Iron

MATERIAL

Copper

TEMPERATURE

SETTINGS

165 C, 185 C, and 210 C.

COLOUR

Black. Nickel, Fuschia

42

/ JULY 2022


TECH

MY

Oral B IO Toothbrush

MONEY

We indeed are living in the

world of smartphones

which could be found

in literally everyone’s hands.

But have gadgets like smart

toothbrushes been so common

to date? The answer would

undoubtedly be no but brands

have not been laid back. These

toothbrushes launched by Oral

B are the latest gadgets that are

aimed at making the experience

of brushing top-notch as well.

These have an appearance

that is quite close to a

normal toothbrush but their

functioning is not the same. The

toothbrushes come with USB

points that would be chargeable

and the sensors attached

to them make the whole

morning routine quite playful.

The sensors have movement

trackers which gently clean

out all the areas of the mouth

and also track the areas that

have been missed out. With

the setting of ‘Intense Clean’,

you can use it with moderate

pressure and it can also detect a

gentler movement for sensitive

gums. Priced at $250, it is

essentially a good purchase for

the ones invested in oral care.


TECH

MY

MONEY

4 reasons why you need the HUAWEI

WATCH D newly launched in the UAE

Huawei’s first wrist blood pressure

monitor comes with a precise

blood pressure measurement

and ECG Analysis to keep you on top

of your health

Huawei Consumer Business Group

announced the launch of HUAWEI

WATCH D - its first wrist-type ECG

and blood pressure monitoring

device.

Blood pressure measurement

plays a significant role in controlling

hypertension. As long as blood

pressure is regularly measured

at home or at a medical site,

hypertension can be detected earlier.

This makes it possible for patients to

control blood pressure levels with

medication or make lifestyle changes

in a timely manner.

HUAWEI WATCH D brings the

convenience of health monitoring

to consumers’ wrists, enabling

wrist-type ECG and blood pressure

monitoring anywhere. HUAWEI

WATCH D is light at just 40.9g. It

has multiple workout modes and

health monitoring functions. It also

uses a mini pump to measure blood

pressure accurately anytime and

anywhere. HUAWEI WATCH D is the

new choice for consumers as the

everyday health monitoring and care

companion.

The HUAWEI WATCH D is

compatible with Huawei devices

as well as other Android and iOS

devices. It will be available in the UAE

starting June 24th priced at 1599 AED

in Huawei Experience Stores, e-shop

and across select retailer in the UAE.

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/ JULY 2022


Display

Innovative hardware brings accurate

blood pressure measurement

The significant breakthrough

with HUAWEI WATCH D is that it

supports accurate blood pressure

measurement and monitoring

anywhere in real time. The accuracy

of the blood pressure measurement

is often being affected by the

tightness and wear position on the

wrist for traditional smartwatches.

Thanks to the high-resolution

pressure sensor, feedback pressure

control circuit and low-flow airway

of HUAWEI WATCH D, the precise

pressure measurement system can

maintain a pressure measurement

error within ±3mmHg.

ECG features that understand your

heart

HUAWEI WATCH D is not only a

blood pressure sensor but is also

a smartwatch that supports heart

rate measurement. It is placed with

an ECG high-performance sensor

module that supports recording ECG

data and immediately generates ECG

reports. In addition, HUAWEI WATCH

D also supports ECG monitoring

that reminds the user to perform

ECG measurements as soon as an

abnormal heart rate is detected.

A health assistant on the wrist,

a significant breakthrough in

smartwatches

HUAWEI WATCH D is also an

excellent health management device,

thanks to the comprehensive health

management features. The watch

monitors your SpO2, allowing you to

set automatic low blood oxygen level

reminders and provide intelligent

monitoring of SpO2 level. You also

get the HUAWEI TruSleep 2.0TM sleep

monitoring feature on the watch,

which is one the most advanced

infrared sleep detection technology

available. This allows the watch to

perform sleep stage monitoring,

real-time heart rate monitoring

and sleep breathing monitoring.

Besides, the watch also supports

stress monitoring, skin temperature

detection, etc.

Robust 7-day battery life

Combined with the smart mode, it

offers 7 days of long battery life,

which ensures users can wear it and

use it continuously without having to

charge it frequently.

Price and availability in the UAE

The HUAWEI WATCH D is compatible

with Huawei devices as well as other

Android and iOS devices. It will be

available in the UAE starting June

24th priced at 1599 AED on Huawei

Experience Stores, e-shop and

across select retailer in the UAE. It

comes with 20% off on HUAWEI Care

Accidental Damage Protection and

complimentary GCC multi countries

warranty worth of 129 AED.


INVENTORS & DEVELOPERS

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/ JULY 2022


FATIMA AL KAABI

THE YOUNGEST EMIRATI INVENTOR

Since the age of seven, Fatima Al Kaabi’s love of science fed her passion for creativity and innovation.

Coming from a family who had a love for and background in STEM, cemented this passion, giving her

a foundation to flourish. Through the support of her parents, she was able to nurture her interests,

allowing her to hone her talent for invention.

By age 10 she had built her

first robot that could take

pictures. Taking inspiration

from the situations and

events around her, she

has gone on to produce 12 other

inventions. This includes a solar

charging bag for devices, a robot

called the teleporter that records

lessons for sick children who are

unable to attend school, and a smart

steering system that prevents

people from texting while driving.

Her Innovation has earned her the

following accolades:

● Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Award For Distinguished

Academic Performance (2014)

● Winner Of The UAE Robot

Olympics (2014)

● The UAE Pioneer Award As UAE’s

Youngest Inventor (2015)

● The Arab Award For The Best 10

Inventors And Innovators Of 2015

● The Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak

International Award For Arab

Youth (2017)

Despite having achieved so much,

Al Kaabi was met with backlash by

some for occupying space in STEM

as a woman. This, however, did not

discourage her. She took her love for

science and invention and created

platforms and workshops within her

community to teach and encourage

youth in their pursuits in STEM. This

zeal for community growth and

engagement has led to her appearing

on international and local panels,

CSR activities such as Taqeef’s

iMatter, talks, and more recently a

documentary. At 17, she went on to

pursue an undergraduate Computer

Engineering program in the US, at

the Virginia Polytechnic Institute

and State University. After this, she

hopes to fulfill her ambitions to attain

a master’s and Ph.D. in Artificial

intelligence. She aims to later start

her own AI company and become a

Professor in AI.

Fatima Al Kaabi’s love

of science fed her

passion for creativity and

innovation. Coming from a

family who had a love for

and background in STEM,

cemented this passion,

giving her a foundation

to flourish.

Fatima Al Kaabi is a reflection

of this generation’s commitment to

wanting to not only make a name

for themselves but to pave the way

for others to do the same. With

individuals like her at the helm of

development and leadership, the

future is certainly bound to

be bright.



FUTURE TECHNOLOGY

CAN ARTIFICIAL EYES

OUTPERFORM HUMAN

EYES ONE DAY?

Artificial eyes are eyeing the near future

It is indeed incredible how technology enthusiasts and scientists are paving the way for eye-opening

innovations in the realms of technology. Not only does it intrigue our minds, but it allows us to

decipher the science behind the eye-popping discovery.

48

/ JULY 2022


For instance, it is conjectured

that the emergence of

artificial eyes is likely to

outperform human eyes

one day. Isn’t it quite hard to

believe?

Does it not let your brain’s motors

ponder upon the said subject?

Yes, dear readers, the introduction

of Eye Spy is likely to change the

upcoming future. Let us read to learn

more.

Eye-popping Eye Spy

Eye Spy is an artificially intelligent

software designed or modeled in

the form of a human eye. Indeed, it

is an expected replica of an eyeball,

and at the back of it lies a synthetic

retina embedded with nanoscale light

sensors. These sensors somewhat

transmit the light through the lens

Eye Spy is an artificially

intelligent software

designed or modeled in

the form of a human eye.

Indeed, it is an expected

replica of an eyeball, and

at the back of it lies a

synthetic retina embedded

with nanoscale light

sensors. These sensors

somewhat transmit the

light through the lens in

front of the eyes.

in front of the eyes. In addition, the

cords attached to the back of the

retina ferry signals from sensors

to external circuitry for processing,

which is identical to the way nerve

fibers are attached to the eyeball and

the brain.

Fascinating facts about artificially

intelligent eyes

The artificially intelligent eye is no

less than a revelation in technology.

In light of this, it can outperform and

transcend the human eye one day.

Let us look at how it can cast its spell

on our understanding.

● The artificial eyeball records

changes in light faster than human

eyes can — within about 30 to 40

milliseconds, rather than 40 to 150

milliseconds.

● The device can also look at dim

light as well as the human eye.

● Although its 100-degree field

of view is not as broad as the 150

degrees a human eye can take in, it is

better than the 70 degrees visible to

ordinary flat imaging sensors.

● This synthetic eye could

perceive a much higher resolution

than the human eye because the

artificial retina contains about 460

million light sensors per square

centimeter.

EC- Eye: A technology prosthetic?

Researchers from the Hong Kong

University of Science and Technology

have developed an electrochemical

artificial eye, called EC-Eye. Here,

artificial eyes mimic the structure

of a human eye, which could be a

technological prosthetic or could

even serve as a bionic eye for people

suffering from visual impairment.

The Structure of EC-eye

● An aluminum-lined tungsten

shell serves as the circular casing

for the EC-Eye, which is filled with an

ionic liquid.

● At the front, it has an iris and a

lens, while at the back, it has a retina.

The retina is made up of an aluminum

oxide base with pores that each

contain a photosensor.

● At the back of the retina, there

are thin, flexible wires made of a

liquid metal (eutectic gallium-indium

alloy) wrapped in soft rubber tubes.

The wires, which resemble nerve

fibers that connect the human

eye and brain, send signals from

nanowire photosensors to external

circuitry for processing.

● The electrical contact between

the perovskite nanowires and the

liquid-metal wires at the rear is

improved by a coating of indium. A

silicone polymer socket holds the

artificial eye in place and ensures

that the wires and nanowires are

properly aligned.

● The EC-Eye could see with

greater resolution than a human

eye because the artificial retina has

460 million light sensors per square

centimeter. Light-sensing cells in

human retinas number roughly

10 million per square centimeter.

This would, however, necessitate

individual readings from each sensor.

Aside from aiding human vision,

experts believe this research will

aid in the development of other

biomimetic photo-sensing devices

that might be employed in a variety of

technological applications.



GADGET

REVIEWS

TONAL

If you are into strength training and

find it almost impossible to track

your improvements, then Tonal is the

one for you. It is a one-stop solution

to make all your lifting and resistance

training immensely easy and can even

be accessed in the comfort of your own

home. With its exceptionally good and

efficient UI, it helps to track and provide

the data feedback very quickly and

depicts the improvements. It is priced

at $2,995 and is available on the official

website of Tonal.

DYSON PURIFIER-HUMIDIFIER

+ COOL AUTOREACT

Pollution has made life quite difficult

these days and we know you are not

alone in this especially if you suffer

from allergies and asthma. The slightest bit of

house dust or pollen would force you to reach

for your inhaler but worry not as Dyson has

created a device that would relieve you of all

the hassles and let you enjoy your home at its

best. This new purifier priced at around $1,000

doubles up as a humidifier as well and has

a cooling function that would make living in

stuffy and dry places a lot easier. Install it in

your home or office and let its magic work.

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/ JULY 2022


GADGET

REVIEWS

NANOLEAF

Got a new apartment and want

to dress it up just like your

Pinterest board- all pretty and

aesthetic? We have got you covered.

Ditch the conventional LED light

set up and bring in the Nanoleaf’s

immersive and customizable accent

lighting that would completely

blend in with your wall and also act

as mood lighting. The sleek lines

would change color and dimness

according to your choice and they

are available in a variety of different

shapes according to the suitability

of your interior decoration. With a

whopping price of $200, install the

mood lighting by Nanoleaf and give

your house a modern and edgy look

and make it look more pricey than it

actually is!

BARTESIAN

With the global pandemics, we got all

stuck up at our homes and gave up

on our night outs and club hopping.

Now with it all slowly opening up, it is not

advisable to go out but that does not mean

we cannot have fun in the confines of our own

homes. Bartesian has brought in the first-ever

home cocktail maker in the market. If you are

like those many who love to enjoy a nice drink

on certain days but have no clue on how to

make that concoction then just by spending

a mere $370 you can bring home your

personalized bartender and get your drinks

made at any time of the day.


CYBERCRIME

IMPACT OF CYBER ATTACKS ON

HEALTHCARE FIRMS

With the outset of advanced technology, all our lifestyles have been

modified, and people have been more inclined towards a life that is

dependent on this technology. Undoubtedly, this has made all our

lives so much easier and saved a lot of time as well. However, there

is always a downside to every human-made object, and it has made

its impact on the global healthcare sector as well.

As a result, cybercrimes

like ransomware

attacks have been quite

widespread over the

last few years and have

attacked the healthcare sector as

well. This has been compromising

the confidential and sensitive

data of patients and other staff

in the healthcare sector. Sophos

has recently launched the State

of Ransomware in Healthcare

2022, which is an in-depth report

highlighting the annual study meted

out by healthcare IT professionals

through their experience of realworld

ransomware. The data for the

analysis was collected from 5,600

IT professionals, including 381 in

healthcare, from around 31 countries.

The prime analysis that the

research brings out is the striking

relationship between ransomware

and cyber insurance in the healthcare

department, focusing on how much

and how often ransom was paid

by the insurance providers against

claims by healthcare. It was seen that

ransomware attacks on healthcare

sectors have doubled when

almost 66% of all the healthcare

organizations that were surveyed had

fallen prey in 2021, as compared to a

minimum of 34% in the year 2020.

The most threatening risk that

the healthcare sector saw in this

new year was that there was an

extreme hike of almost 69% in

volume and perceived complexity of

around 67% of cyber-attacks, along

with the second-highest increase

in the impact of such cyber attacks,

with a striking rate of 59%. It has

also been recorded that 61% of the

healthcare organizations that have

paid the ransoms have gotten back

their encrypted data, as compared

to the global average of 46% in other

sectors. However, as compared to

a wholesome rate of 69% in 2020,

only 65% of the data was retrieved

back in the year 2021 by healthcare

organizations and only 2% of

organizations got all their information

successfully retrieved in 2021, down

from 8% in 2020. Where other sectors

have paid an average amount of

$812k, the healthcare sector has paid

the least amount of ransom, which is

around $197k in the year 2021.

It has been analyzed that even

after the payment of ransom, the

retrieval of the information takes

rather more time. Where 44%

of the healthcare organizations

The most threatening risk

that the healthcare sector

saw in this new year was

that there was an extreme

hike of almost 69% in

volume and perceived

complexity of around 67%

of cyber-attacks, along

with the second-highest

increase in the impact of

such cyber attacks.

received their data within a

week, last year almost 25% of the

organizations took over a month.

The report has recorded low cyber

insurance coverage in healthcare,

but cyber insurance has been

quite advantageous to 97% of the

organizations. The healthcare sector

is concentrating on mitigating the

financial risks associated with the

attacks as the growth in ransomware

attacks shows the success of the

model in general.


52

/ JULY 2022


NEWS

IN FOCUS

CYBER CRIMES

New Cybercrime regime in the UAE

UAE Personal Data Protection Law, Federal Law 45

of 2021 on Personal Data Protection was enforced at

the beginning of 2022 and is believed to revolutionize

the laws processing data and in the custody of

its safekeeping. It is majorly influenced by the EU

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which is

expected to readily detect and penalize the attackers

instantaneously.

UAE combats cybercrime by penalizing fake and

misleading news on the internet

Witnessing the rapid flourishment of fake news, the UAE

Government has stipulated new cybercrime laws which

make publishing and sharing fake news and posting

misleading adverts potential cyber crimes. Perpetrators

will face a minimum of one year in prison and a fine of

Dh1,00,000.

Public prosecution issues warnings against online

debauchery

UAE’s Public Prosecution has issued warnings which

include the penalty for incitement to debauchery using

digital means under Article 33 of Federal Decree-Law

No. 34 of 2021 on combatting rumors and cybercrimes

that would attract imprisonment for a minimum term of

5 years and a maximum fine of AED 1000,000 if the victim

is a child.

Major risks forecasted for organizations in 2022

Trend Micro Incorporated, a global company in

cybersecurity solutions has predicted through its

global Cyber Risk Index (CRI) reported in Jun 2022 that

the Middle East and Africa are at an elevated risk of

cyberattacks in the upcoming 12 months which would

include such as ransomware attacks and phishing among

many others.


DATA & DATA INTELLIGENCE

DOES SOLVING

THE WORLD’S

CRIMES LIE

IN DATA

INTELLIGENCE?

We indeed have grown up reading

crime novels or watching true crime

episodes on TV wherein officials

work day in and day out to skim

through data and records only to

find out one vile information against

the accused. Today, such practices

are obsolete as all the recognition

is awarded to data and artificial

intelligence.

These new-age technologies

successfully detect the

irregularities in the system

in no time using a set of

codes or rules and filter

out the abnormalities. Let’s have a

look on the different ways in which

data & data intelligence are heavily

contributing to making our lives safer

and reducing crime rates.

Speedy Processing of Data

Analytics Software is equipped

to process a ginormous amount of

data within a minimal amount of

time and it can never be equivalent

to the quantity of data processed by

humans in a similar span of time.

Therefore, arresting the criminals

gets immensely easy for the officials

and also the ones who are willing to

evade arrest.

Pattern Identification

The Data intelligence systems

readily identify the irregular behavior

and assign it as an abnormal pattern.

This enables it to predict the next

moves of such unidentified criminals

who have triggered the secure system.

Risk Mitigation Process

Apart from police officials, various

business organizations all around

the world have been implementing

and immensely relying on artificial

intelligence systems to deploy backtesting

on all their available data.

This is to ensure that the potential

fraudsters are eradicated and the

work environment is kept safe.

Usage of Data Intelligence in Different

Jurisdictions

Law enforcement agencies had

initially started utilizing technology

during the late 90s such as the

installation of digital cameras around

the city to detect accidents and

crimes on roads.

● Police body-worn cameras are also

being used by officials in the US, UK,

and Australia.

● In recent times, localities in

Colorado have installed license plate

readers which enable them to record

the plate numbers of each vehicle

which have helped the officials to

trace back a number of crimes.

● Police forces in India are keeping

a proper tab on criminal behavioral

patterns, parole dates, and conditions

through data intelligence to keep

track of the number of crimes and

also devise ways to reduce such

rates.

● In a double murder case in New

Hampshire, the order required

Amazon to release Amazon Echo

records through which the crime was

solved thereupon.

● Usage of data intelligence in social

media surveillance is also serving to

be successful in readily detecting and

blocking illicit content such as fake

news and child pornography.

● According to statistics, there also

has been a 15% increase in crime

avoidance rates globally in online

financial transactions since the

deployment of artificial intelligence

and monitoring systems.

It is quite mesmerizing to

perceive the growth of data

intelligence and its induction in

various sectors which would

help curb crime rates all over the

globe. The perpetrators usually

do not realize the hefty amount of

trails that they leave behind after

commissioning a crime and thus

it is with the help of the new age

technology that it could be

unleashed.


54

/ JULY 2022


NEWS

IN FOCUS

DATA & DATA

INTELLIGENCE

Researchers set a new world record

for petabit data transmission per

second in Japan

Researchers at the National Institute

of Information and Communications

Technology (NICT) in Japan have

demonstrated data transmission

of more than one petabit per

second using a standard 0.125

mm diameter multi-core fiber

(MCF), TechXplore reported.

Internet users’ data

shared at a very high

volume; study suggests

Data about every

internet user is shared

hundreds of times each

day as companies bid

for online advertising

slots, a report

suggests.

SAFE and Obvious

Technologies sign strategic

partnership agreement

SAFE will now be able to

utilize cutting edge 3D Data

Visualization and Big Data

technologies enhancing

their unique one-stopshop

managed security

services portfolio, to be

offered to strategic and

critical facilities, venues,

assets and infrastructure

in the MENA region.

Match Group files lawsuit against

Google over in-app payment dispute

Match Group, the company behind

popular dating apps such as Tinder,

Match, and OkCupid, is suing Google

over its restrictive billing policies

on the Play Store. In its complaint,

Match Group claims Google

“illegally monopolized the market

for distributing apps” on Android by

forcing apps to use Google’s own

billing system and then taking a cut

of the payments.

Data security and privacy laws

develop across Africa

Reportedly, numerous countries

in Africa have developed or

implemented data privacy and

security laws in their countries in the

last few years.


HEALTHCARE

‘SPHERE’

UAE ADOPTS

NEW

TECHNOLOGY

IN FIGHTING

EPIDEMICS

With the onset of the new year in 2022, the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has inaugurated the

e-platform for the public health care system known as the “SPHERE” and the Digital Epidemiological Control Centre

(DECC) to have adequate surveillance and management for epidemics. It is a unified national database that promotes

the prevention of epidemics by sharing and exchanging the necessary information at a state level and globally as

well, to bring the health care sector back to its status quo.

With the onset of the

new year in 2022, the

Ministry of Health and

Prevention (MoHAP)

has inaugurated the

e-platform for the public health care

system known as the “SPHERE” and

the Digital Epidemiological Control

Centre (DECC) to have adequate

surveillance and management for

epidemics. It is a unified national

database that promotes the

prevention of epidemics by sharing

and exchanging the necessary

information at a state level and

globally as well, to bring the health

care sector back to its status quo.

This was unveiled at the threeday

Arab Health 2022 exhibition and

conference which majorly focused

on curbing the rampant spread

of COVID-19 and any other future

epidemics and public health care

crises with advanced technology and

digital tools. This would not only track

the trends in COVID-19 growth and

other epidemics but also include the

reports of imminent communicable

diseases, pathological syndromes,

chemical poisoning cases, injuries,

and all vaccination records.

The SPHERE is an integrated

electronic system for public health

monitoring that would provide for

early signs and also track all the

events that would eventually lead

up to public health disruption. It

would monitor the current trends

in health amongst the public and

would create an integrated database

on the occurrence, treatment, and

management of cases of the disease

as well as real-time tracking of the

cases. The diseases would detect

the cases early on using artificial

intelligence and smart prediction

tools and take actions to curb and

deter the spread of disease amongst

the public. This will enable the

DECC to work effectively by using

the predictive tools to mitigate the

spread of any disease.

Apart from monitoring the

trends in the healthcare sector and

tracking and recording all necessary

information, the new public service

system would also help evaluate the

basis and standards, which would

help in the development of public

health policies and strategies. This is

being implemented to accelerate the

robust epidemiological investigation

system of the UAE and its high

laboratory capabilities. Taking the

COVID-19 pandemic as a lesson,

SPHERE is now being used for

analysis, identifying patterns and

calculating relevant trends in the

diseases suffered by the public based

on the latest data so that potential

future threats can be avoided.

With the challenges posed by

the pandemic during the last two

years, it has been readily realized

that shortcomings in the healthcare

industry cannot be fought without

keeping a readily available database

as it can provide tools that would

help manage community responses

during such crises. The new platform

SPHERE would not only target

the health cadres in government

institutions but would also come

to the aid of private healthcare

organizations. These progressive

steps not only help the government in

maintaining proper order and public

health in society but also protect its

citizens from all potential threats

and ensure they have a better and

sustainable lifestyle.


56

/ JULY 2022


MARKETING TECH

PROGRAMMATIC ADS;

HOW DO THEY WORK

According to marketing

firm, Yankelovich, the

average person is

exposed to around 5000

advertisements per day.

With this number growing, especially

since how advertisements have

grown more pervasive on social

media apps, catching the attention

of the right viewers has grown more

challenging for brands. This is where

programmatic advertising comes

in. This is a step away from the

traditional “spray and pray” method.

What Is It, And How Does It Work?

Programmatic advertising

is the automated sale and

purchase of online advertising.

Programmatic advertising is hired

through platforms that make use

of market segmentation to curate

and target ads toward the required

target audience. This is based on

demographic, geographic, behavioral,

and sociographic data. Platforms

make use of machine learning

algorithms that make use of the

campaign information and realtime

data to target individuals who

are most likely to convert, whilst

continually optimizing the campaign.

Why Does It Work?

● The reason that programmatic

advertising works so well for online

advertisement is for the following

reasons:

● Due to algorithms on programmatic

advertising platforms collecting and

analyzing data, it helps buyers and

sellers make easier data-driven

decisions.

● Using programmatic technology

ensures that buyers do not spend

more on advertising spaces than they

actually need, since all efforts are

targeted to specific media platforms

and audiences.

● Optimized and efficient targeting

is done in real-time across multiple

mediums and with different tactics.

● Campaign management is

simplified, as it can be managed

in one platform whilst being

disseminated across different

platforms or mediums.

Why Is It Important?

Every day, people are bombarded

with more and more online content,

meaning that capturing the attention

of target audiences has become that

much more difficult. Ads are not only

competing with each other, but with

content that is curated specifically

for each user. The most logical and

efficient solution is to make use

of a platform that mimics those

algorithms found on their target

mediums and tailor ad inventories to

that. This helps to ensure the success

of campaigns.



HOME TECHNOLOGY

SPECIFICATIONS

AMAZON

ASTRO

HOME

ROBOT

The household robot market is said to grow to a whopping USD

9.1 billion by 2024. The Astro Home robot is one of Amazon’s

newest additions to this growing market.

It serves as a home monitoring

robot that makes use of a smart

navigation system to move around

your house. The robot makes use

of sensors to avoid obstacles

and navigate the home, keeping a

safe distance from people, stairs,

and even pets. Although the main

function of the robot is to monitor

activities in your home, with the use

of the accompanying Astro app and

Alexa it can do much more, such as

notifying you of your calls, reminders,

alarms, timers, or messages to and

from inhabitants of your home. Astro

can also be used for entertainment

purposes, allowing users to play

music, podcasts, and videos, whilst

having Astro follow them from room

to room. Astro has a mic and camera

that support audio and video calls.

These can also be disabled and reenabled

to maintain the privacy of the

user, should they require it. Astro has

a cubbyhole in the back of its main

body, enabling users to deliver items

to different people within the house.

When not in use, Astro remains

on standby, close to the user to await

instruction, and when needed Astro

will navigate to its charger and load

up its battery. Within the app, you can

instruct Astro to check in on different

rooms. Upon setup, Astro learns the

floor plan and map of your home,

allowing you to simply tap which

room you would like to use. Astro has

an in-built periscope which allows

the user to get better views within

the rooms.

The Astro robot can be bought

with a 6-month Ring Pro Protects

subscription to bolster Astro’s

home security capabilities. It can be

linked to a new or existing account.

Ring, a very popular home security

application, also makes use of

camera surveillance. Coupling this

with an Astro robot would allow for

more dynamic and mobile coverage

of each room.

More and more, people are willing

to leave the menial tasks around

the home to technology while they

focus on more important things. This

has created the perfect environment

for household robots like Astro to

succeed.


DIMENSIONS

Device: 16.7” L x 9.8” W x 17.3” H

(424mm x 250mm x 440mm)

Charger: 11.0” L x 10.4” W x 5.0” H

(280mm x 264mm x 127mm)

WEIGHT

Device: 20.6 lbs (9.35 kg)

Charger: 3.9 lbs (1.75 kg)

BATTERY

Charge time: approx, 45 minutes

Battery type: Lithium-Ion

rechargeable battery

PERISCOPE HEIGHT

Extends up to 42” from the floor

DISPLAY

10.1” HD touchscreen display,

1280x800 resolution

CAMERAS

5MP bezel camera

1080p Periscope camera with 132°

diagonal field of view

WIFI CONNECTIVITY

Dual band 802.11a/b/g/n/ac

BLUETOOTH CONNECTIVITY

A2DP support

AVRCP support

PORTS

USB-C

AUDIO

2.1 System: 2 x 55mm full range

front-firing speakers and a

passive bass radiator

PROCESSOR

2x Qualcomm QCS605, 1x

Qualcomm SDA660, 1x processor

with Amazon AZ1 Neural Edge

REQUIREMENTS

To operate Astro, an active

Amazon.com account, a

compatible mobile device running

iOS 13+ or Android 8+, and the

Astro app are required

58

/ JULY 2022


WHAT THEY SAID?

JEFF BEZOS

Currently a global e-commerce

giant, Amazon was founded

by Jeff Bezos in 1994 in his

Seattle garage for which

he was appointed as the Executive

Chairman in 2021 after he stepped

down as the CEO. According to

reports, it is being found that he is

seeking to invest a major chunk

of his Amazon fortune in the

development of space technologies

through his aerospace company

Blue Origin. In an interview with the

CBS Evening News, he stated, “Why?

Because I think it’s important. I think

it is important for this planet. I think

it’s important for the dynamism of

future generations. It is something

I care deeply about. And it is

something I have been thinking

about all my life.”

He referred to his childhood

dream of working in the aerospace

sector and he believes that with

the advancement in technology,

the process has become quite

easy thus a tweet by the CBS

News Exclusive stated that “@

JeffBezos wants his space tourism

company Blue Origin to be an

“instrumental part” of an American

return to the moon.”

Bezos believes that “We humans

have to go to space if we are going

to continue to have a thriving

civilization. We have become big as

a population, as a species, and this

planet is relatively small. We see it

in things like climate change and

pollution and heavy industry.

We are in the process of

destroying this planet.

And we have sent

robotic probes to every

planet in the solar

system — this is the

good one. So, we

have to preserve

this planet.”

Bezos

said that it

might take multiple generations

and hundreds of years before it

turns to reality but Blue Origin is

working towards it and with the

great technological setups that are

available, nothing is impossible. “We

send things up into space, but they

are all made on Earth. Eventually, it

will be much cheaper and simpler

to make complicated things, like

microprocessors and everything, in

space and then send those highly

complex manufactured objects

back down to earth so that we don’t

have the big factories and

pollutiongenerating

industries that make those things

now on Earth,” Bezos says. “And

Earth can be zoned residential.”

Jeff Bezos is quite hopeful about

the concept of space tourism and

believes that Blue Origin is building

the best infrastructure that is

required and the latest technology

has helped build the New Shephard,

which would be used for space

tourism.

“I think that is entirely

believable,” Bezos says. “If

you went back in time a

hundred years and told

people today that you

would be able to buy a

ticket and fly across the

world on a jetliner, they

would have thought you

were crazy. But that’s the

kind of change that can

happen in just 100 years or

less.”


WHAT THEY SAID?

STEVE JOBS

Steven Paul Jobs who was the

co-founder, Chairman, and

CEO of Apple and a majority

shareholder of Pixar among

many other things that he has done,

had seen the technological industry

grow from scratch. Hence, his

opinions and thought processes are

relevant to today’s world as well.

In an interview with the New

Yorker during the launch of the iPad

2, he had stated, “It is in Apple’s

DNA that technology alone is not

enough — its technology married

with liberal arts, married with the

humanity that yields us the results

that make our heart sing”. He always

believed that his companies namely

Pixar to NeXT to Apple, the scientists,

and the artists and designers all

collaboratively should come together

to bring about the best innovations

that the world has seen through an

amalgamation of technology and

humanities.

Jobs had insisted on the fact

that “In an era of intellectual

fragmentation, the greatest

innovations happened when

individuals from different fields

were joined together when our

different ways of seeing the universe

were brought to bear on a singular

problem”.

Even after over 10 years of

his death, the world is still being

dominated by his name as he

has created some revolutionary

excelling technological products

that have been giving us the topnotch

experience since 1976. During

his initial days in the field, he made

the statement that “The best way to

predict the future is to invent it.”He

had predicted that this technology

one day will be responsible “to link

it into a nationwide communications

network.”

In an interview with the Wired

Magazine in 1996, Jobs prophesied

that the web would be received and

used by consumers across the globe,

and as of April 2019, an estimated

4.4 billion people around the world

use the internet. That’s about 56% of

the world’s population and 81% of the

developed world.

He prioritized the advent of

technology always and he told

the Wired in 1996 that “THE

WEB IS GOING TO BE VERY

IMPORTANT. IS IT GOING TO

BE A LIFE-CHANGING EVENT

FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE?

NO. I MEAN, MAYBE. BUT IT’S

NOT AN ASSURED YES AT

THIS POINT. IT’S CERTAINLY

NOT GOING TO BE LIKE THE

FIRST TIME SOMEBODY

SAW A TELEVISION. IT’S

CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO

BE AS PROFOUND AS WHEN

SOMEONE IN NEBRASKA

FIRST HEARD A RADIO

BROADCAST. IT’S NOT GOING

TO BE THAT PROFOUND.”

REED HASTINGS

The Stanford alum is also

the co-founder of Netflix

and is one of the best

CEOs in the world. He has

always emphasized the vitality of

technology and recently during the

graduation ceremony of 2022, he

addressed almost 17,000 attended

and stated that “I have to say two

years in, the pandemic continues to

throw curveballs. But fortunately,

we’re all very practiced now

connecting over technology when

we can’t be together in person and

pivoting when COVID interferes.

When he mostly emphasized

how we all could see better results

produced by the technological

advent, he also believes that all

these revolutions have helped the

society accelerate more towards

progress and makes us strive for a

better tomorrow. Hastings had told

that “Inventions – meaning broadly

all of science and technology- are

the most obvious ways the society

moves forward.

When discussing the success

of Netflix all around the globe,

Hastings in an interview had

stated that the technology-driven

recommendations algorithm

differentiates it from the other

video streaming platforms and

its unique user interface is also

a major reason for its popularity.

He stated that the success

behind his company is that it is

a tech-powered entertainment

company and these technological

advancements have paved the

way for today’s success and will

continue to do so in the future as

well.

In an interview, he spilled the

success behind his venture and

stated that “TECH, I MEAN,

WE’RE TECH-POWERED

60

/ JULY 2022


BILL JOY

BUT WE’RE NOT LIKE

MICROSOFT THAT IS IN

MULTIPLE AREAS OF TECH

OR GOOGLE. WE ARE A

SINGLE APPLICATION,

SINGLE SERVICE.”

William Nelson Joy,

commonly known as

Bill Joy is a computer

engineer and an investor

who has immense contribution to

the field of science and technology

as well. He is the founder of Sun

Microsystems and also created the

Berkeley UNIX which is a version of

the UNIX operating system that uses

TCP/IP networking systems.

Even after all his achievements

and inventions, he thinks that

21st-century technologies—

genetic engineering, robotics,

and nanotechnology (GNR)—will

extinguish human beings as we

now know them, a prospect he finds

deeply disturbing.

Joy eventually went ahead to

state that “Biological species rarely

survive encounters with superior

competitors.” and also suggested

that “the humans will be driven to

extinction by our superior robotic

descendants. But it isn’t obvious that

robots will be superior to us and,

even if they were, they may be less

troublesome than our neighbor’s next

door.” His predictions also include

that robots and humans will remain

separate creatures, and humans will

gradually incorporate technology

into their bodies thus eliminating the

situation that is anticipated.

Joy’s concern with self-replication

always makes us worry about the

fact that Robotic self-replication

appears to be out of our control,

as compared to our own or other

humans’ self-replication and he

fears that robots might replicate

and then enslave us. This arises

out of the fact that he believes that

“uncontrolled self-replication in these

newer technologies runs … a risk of

substantial damage in the physical

world.”

Joy’s argument as stated in

his well-known piece claims

that 20th-century technologies—

nuclear, biological, and chemical

(NBC)—required access to rare

“raw materials and highly protected

information,” while 21st-century

technologies “are widely within

the reach of individuals or small

groups.” THIS MEANS THAT

“KNOWLEDGE ALONE WILL

ENABLE THE USE OF THEM,”

A PHENOMENON THAT JOY

TERMS: “KNOWLEDGE-

ENABLED MASS DESTRUCTION

(KMD).”

Although his thoughts and

statements are despised by many,

they cannot be completely neglected

as he is quite aware of how the

technological world operates and

what are the natural consequences

that we might face soon. Hence

it is expected that we completely

do not get driven by creativity and

compassion and work intuitively as

well to avoid any possible future

threats.

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EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

AI IMPLEMENTATION IN

CLASSROOMS

The world has been seeing

the emergence of Artificial

Intelligence since the late

1970s but it flourished quite

recently. This has not kept

the education industry at bay. More

so after the global pandemic that we

witnessed.

Unique and quite useful software

is deployed which has been making

the chores for both the teachers

and students immensely easy

and breezy. The educator does

not have to perform the repetitive

tasks of correcting the papers as

the advanced technology will work

its magic and grade the papers

according to their performance.

The students will also have the

experience of very personalized

learning as several apps provide

one-to-one learning solutions to

make learning both fun and simple to

understand.

A distinctive concept called

adaptive learning is also

implemented in numerous schools

around the globe which is meant to

synchronize the course structure

with the student’s adaptability. Some

schools have even been deploying

software built with the aid of AI that

would monitor the students’ progress

and their attentiveness during class

hours and give an integrated report

back to the teacher at the end

of the day.

Chatbots have been devised

which would help the students with

their designated tasks and provide

them with solutions that are easily

understandable for their level. It

has also been advantageous in

reducing more paperwork such as

timesheets and homework that could

not only reduce the chaos but is also

sustainable for the environment. Thus

the advanced technology has found

its relevance beyond the students

and teachers and also served to be

helpful for the admin staff as well.

It is very clear that the future of

education is indeed coherent with

the automation industry and with the

great help of the concept of AI. As the

pandemic has shown us the strength

that technology holds, we should

surely put it to good use so that the

current systems could be developed

more for the good.


62

/ JULY 2022


LIFESTYLE, FITNESS & FASHION TECHNOLOGY

FITNESS APPS

NOOM

Noom has been awarded as

one of the top fitness apps for

weight loss globally. Through

advanced AI and psychological

questionnaires, the user can easily

attest to their relationship with food

that can help in having a long-lasting

impact with visible changes. As inputs,

the user will have to provide their age,

sex, current height, and weight which

will create personalized approaches

to weight loss for them to achieve

their desired goals in terms of weight.

This app has personalized lesson

plans and tracking tools that are

designed to achieve the desired

weight goal at the user’s own pace.

Thus the user can put as much time

as they want or as little time as they

want. Personal coaches’ assistance

may also be available through the

app to accelerate the drive towards

weight loss. Noom uses a colorcoded

system based on specific

foods to bring about behavioral

changes that will help keep the

weight off instead of limiting all

foods. The goal is to be focused on

consistency and not perfection.

FIIT

MAP MY RUN

Noom has been awarded as one of the

top fitness apps for weight loss globally.

Through advanced AI and psychological

questionnaires, the user can easily attest to their

relationship with food that can help in having

a long-lasting impact with visible changes. As

inputs, the user will have to provide their age,

sex, current height, and weight which will create

personalized approaches to weight loss for them

to achieve their desired goals in terms of weight.

For users who are looking for an app that

would help them focus on building strength

then Fiit could be that one app for them. It

also offers a variety of other options such as HIIT,

air bike, and mobility and that could be adjusted

to however your schedule looks like. Fiit’s ondemand

classes, group workouts, and training

can be accessed from your smartphones and

TV. Irrespective of how your level of fitness is, you

can start at your own desired pace and you are

thus free to choose your desired goals. Classes

are categorized into sectors like weight loss,

muscle building, and mind and body. Progress

tracking can be done through the Fiit Tracker,

FitBit, or Apple Watch.


SPACE TECHNOLOGY

WORLD VIEW

World View is an organization that has been dealing and working with the science of stratospheric ballooning for over

7 years. It is involved in the exploration of the stratosphere by means of advanced research, discovery, and recently

inaugurated human spaceflights. It has engineered and patented world-class take-off and landing systems and has devised

complex methods for controlling trajectories in the stratosphere.

With a mission to

inspire, create

and explore new

perspectives for

a technologically

advanced future, World View has

been successful in gaining the trust

of NASA and other government,

scientific, and aerospace

organizations with their expertise

to introduce edge-of-space travel

to the public and stratospheric

remote sensing to governments and

businesses. To date, World View has

successfully launched over 100+

stratospheric flights, including 5

heavy, full mass test flights.

Space Tourism-

World View offers strategic 6

to 12-hour stratospheric journeys

inclusive of takeoff and touchdown

time to provide its passengers an

ultimate experience in time, space,

and comfort. It may reach up to a

peak altitude of ~1,00,000 ft to give

a view of the Earth’s curvature and

the stars against the blackness of

the space. It comes with a parafoil

system which when deployed

guides the capsule to the landing

zone encouraging a safe and gentle

touchdown.

Upon onboarding, the facilities

that are available are the best of

their means, namely, pressurized

and climate-controlled cabin, plush

and reclining seating capacity for

8 people, luxury dining and bar

service, start view telescope, highspeed

internet, an oversized window

for viewing, earth view camera,

individual viewing screens, and

on-board lavatory. Global spaceport

locations, the Grand Canyon (USA)

and Great Barrier Reef (Australia)

would be launched by 2024, Serengeti

(Kenya) by 2025, and Aurora Borealis

(Norway), Amazonia (Brazil), Giza

Pyramids (Egypt), and Great Wall of

China (Mongolia) by 2026.

The price of the spaceflight and

in-flight food and beverage is $50,000

per seat, and flexible and attractive

financing options will also be

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available soon. Seats can be secured

with just a $500 deposit per seat.

Stratospheric remote sensing-

World View has been involved in

capturing high-resolution imagery

of Earth with the help of remotecontrolled

stratospheric balloons

for a wide variety of scientific,

government, and commercial

enterprises. Proprietary flight

technology and historical aerial data

and analytics from sensors deployed

to the stratosphere with great

coverage and higher resolution.

It offers 250W of power and

a payload capacity of 50kgs

and combines the benefits of

geostationary satellites, LEO

satellites, and high altitude drones,

offering the ideal mix of resolution,

accuracy, and persistent viewing of

key targets.

Flight technology and safety-

The zero-pressure balloon lifted

by helium is designed to ensure a

safe journey with gentle ascents and

descents which is trusted by NASA.

It is built to transport to 1,00,000+

feet which is above 99% of the earth’s

atmosphere. It has a huge lifting

power which may expand to a size

that fits an entire football stadium

inside. There is also an in-built

parachute system for landing safety

redundancy. With its design to ensure

the utmost safety, there is no risk

of deflating or free fall. The balloons

are also recycled after each flight to

reduce environmental impact.



ROBOTICS

ROBOTIC

SURGERY

VS. HUMAN

SURGERY

Robotics in surgery was first introduced in the 1980s with the release of

the PUMA 560 robot. In 1985, the robot was used to improve the precision

of neurosurgical biopsies. The use of robotics in surgery has since vastly

expanded and developed to a point where it compares and is often an

alternative to traditional surgery. Below, we will take a look at how each

type of surgery stacks up against the other in various aspects.

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1. Recovery Time

Recovery time is an important

aspect of surgery. Patients need to be

able to get back to their regular lives

as quickly as possible for multiple

reasons, such as needing to return

to work or taking care of dependents.

With robotic surgery, recovery times

are much lower when compared to

traditional open surgery. This is due

to how robotic surgery is performed.

In comparison, robotic surgery

requires smaller incisions and lower

amounts of space, meaning muscles

and organs do not need to be moved

as much to create space for surgery.

This results in few and smaller scars,

allowing for patients to heal much

more quickly.

2. Risk

Robotic surgery is more precise,

reducing the risk of human error. It

is less tasking on surgeons, allowing

them to perform surgery with more

ease than traditional open surgery.

The risk of blood loss is reduced due

to the smaller incisions needed for

robotic surgery. In traditional open

surgeries, the risks of infection are

much higher when compared to

robotic surgeries, as the surgical

site is exposed to the environment.

Robotic surgery runs the risk of

having machinery malfunction.

However, this is extremely rare.

3. Accessibility

As commonplace as using

robotics in surgery is, it is still not

as accessible as traditional open

surgery. This is due to various

factors, one of them being the cost

of the machinery. Not all hospitals

or medical facilities can afford

to purchase the machinery, and

therefore people may not have

access to it in their locales. This can

also increase the cost of robotic

surgery. Robotic surgery requires

more expertise, as surgeons need to

know how to operate the machinery

and adapt it to their knowledge of

surgery. This further makes robotic

surgery less accessible.

Robotics in surgery has come a

long way since the 1980s. Looking

at the benefits of robotic surgery,

it seems that it will eventually

replace traditional surgery. There

are numerous robots specializing in

different kinds of surgery. However,

some surgeries still do not have

specialized machinery to perform

them. There will always be a need

for surgeons to perform traditional

open surgeries, especially due to

complications experienced midsurgery,

but with the development

of new technology, this may

slowly become less and less of a

requirement.



JULY 2022 / 67

NEWS

IN FOCUS

BIOTECH

UAE’s Healthcare to Drive Next

Decade of Growth

Dubai science park’s business

partners are expanding the

dialogue and the possibilities

of pharmaceutical, medical

equipment, treatments and more.

Creating a space where this

community can meet, exchange

experiences and propose new

ideas for an impactful healthcare

ecosystem that enhances the lives

of UAE residents.

Abu Dhabi Joins AstraZeneca’s

A. Catalyst Network to Attract &

Support Start-ups Globally

This partnership highlights DoH’s

commitment to enhancing digital

healthcare in the UAE and improving

patient experience. The partnership

will support embedding an

entrepreneurial mindset in the UAE

youth, building skills and capabilities

to lead and spearhead the future of

life sciences in Abu Dhabi and the

world.

Abu Dhabi Life Science Mission to

Strengthen Ties with the USA

Headed by HE Abdulla bin

Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman

of the Department of Health – Abu

Dhabi (DoH), a high-profile Abu Dhabi

delegation will be visiting the United

States of America this month. The

visit is expected to see meetings and

groundbreaking agreement signing

with leading partners to explore

and activate collaboration in life

sciences, digital health, research

and development, supply chain

and other areas. This visit seeks

to bring innovative treatments and

breakthrough solutions to the UAE

and the MENA region.

Etihad Cargo Signs MoU with B

Medical Systems for Sustainable

Pharmaceutical Solutions

Etihad Group, has entered into a

memorandum of understanding with

B Medical Systems to develop and

launch an airline-specific passive

temperature-controlled solution

for the transportation of life-saving

drugs, vaccines and high-value

pharmaceuticals. Container units that

utilize passive cooling technology to

retain temperatures from -80 to 25c

without requiring an external power

source will be developed.

Marubeni Acquires Stakes in

Lunatus, a Middle East Healthcare

Turnkey Solutions Provider

Through the broad regional Lunatus

network, Marubei will bridge the

Japan-Middle East markets and

will bring Japanese high-quality

pharmaceuticals and medical

devices to accommodate the

increasing demand in the region, this

transaction will enable Marubeni

to expand its pharmaceutical and

medical device business network

from china to the Middle East and

Africa.

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/ JULY 2022


MEA precision medicine market

projected to expand by 9.96%, leading

to a revenue of USD 2.51 Bn by 2023,

Quadintel Reports

Because the use of IoMT and

healthcare technologies has

increased in recent years, the

precision medicine market in the

Middle East and Africa is likely to

rise significantly. Pharmaceutical

and biotech firms in the region

are working to improve medicines

and precision medical solutions.

Diagnostic firms are using a variety

of technologies to try to enhance

the healthcare industry. Precision

medicine market expansion in the area is being aided by the implementation of

technologies such as next-generation sequencing and gene therapy.

SQZ Biotechnologies Announces

Generation of Dopaminergic Neurons

from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Through single-step delivery of 6

cell-fate encoding RNAs. Use of nonviral,

self-amplifying RNA enhanced

and lengthened transcription factors

expression, driving the signaling

required for dopamine-producing

neuron development

Sensorion to Present at the

Gene Therapy Development and

Manufacturing Conference in June

2022

Sensorion is a pioneering clinicalstage

biotech company, which

specializes in the development of

novel therapies to restore, treat

and prevent hearing loss disorders.

Sensorion has entered into a broad

strategic collaboration with Institut

Pasteur focused on the genetics of

hearing. It has two gene therapy

programs aimed at correcting

hereditary monogenic forms of

deafness including deafness caused

by a mutation of the gene encoding

for Otoferlin, and hearing loss

related to mutation in GJB2 gene

to potentially address important

hearing loss segments in adults

and children. The Company is also

working on the identification of

biomarkers to improve diagnosis of

these underserved illnesses.

BIO Returns to San Diego with Innovation and Partnering on the Menu

Biotechnology Innovation Organization annual conference has returned to San

Diego convention center, bringing thousands of life sciences companies from

across the globe to the annual in-person networking event, the discussions

will cover Covid-19, the future of mRNA-based programs, rare genetic

diseases, cancer, immunoinflammatory conditions and even cardiovascular

diseases.

Ambys Medicines to Present Data

from Universal Human Hepatocyte

Program at the 2022 ISSCR Annual

Meeting

Ambys, a company pioneering

cell-replacement therapies for

patients with liver disease using a

range of gene editing and delivery

technologies, announced that

data from its universal hepatocyte

program will be presented at the

2022 International Society for Stem

Cell Research (ISSCR) Annual

Meeting, which is scheduled for

June 2022 in San Francisco and

virtually. Ambys will present proofof-concept

data on its genetically

engineered hypoimmunogenic human

hepatocytes during an oral session.

even cardiovascular diseases.


ENTERPRISE IT

DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE PREDICTIONS

DEFINING THE NEXT DECADE

Today’s CIOs are on the accelerating path of digital transformation in organizations of all kinds. They

recognize that the ability to securely, sustainably, and dynamically deploy and use the right digital

infrastructure will be a major foundation for future competitive advantage. By 2023, according

to IDC, digital infrastructure will be the underlying platform for all IT and business automation

initiatives anytime, anywhere.

Such platforms need to

enable the seamless

exchange of data and

operations between

edge-to-core ecosystems.

Working with more than 10,000

enterprise customers and partners

around the world to drive digital

infrastructure strategies, there is a

tendency to eradicate the bespoke

nature of how IT is deployed and

consumed within a few years. Driven

by the demand for software-defined,

agile, automated digital infrastructure

as a service for autonomous

driving, DevOps engineers will lead

the delivery of new on-demand IT

services and applications.

Hybrid multi-cloud is becoming

a major architecture in application

modernization and delivery of

infrastructure services, a new

complexity that requires more

programmable infrastructure,

transparent asset management, and

cost predictability. It leads to the

challenge. Over the next five years,

artificial intelligence and machine

learning (AI / ML) will become

more sophisticated as enterprises

demand operational self-healing

infrastructure and applications.

This shift reduces reliance on

human involvement, leverages

greater machine processing power,

and enables the environment

to autonomously anticipate and

dynamically adapt to changing

resource demand.

In this new world, security is no

longer a retrofit, as organizations

assume that digital infrastructure

services are inherently secure and

software configurable. Sustainability

is expected of all businesses today.

This is an important and negotiable

point for business success, as

companies and their supply

chain partners have a universal

commitment to net-zero carbon

footprints for the development

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ENTERPRISE IT

of all facilities, products, and

services. Given this dynamic digital

transformation landscape, the 2022

forecast delves into the general

drivers of accelerating and driving

the deployment and consumption of

digital infrastructure over the next

decade.

Overcoming the complexity of hybrid

multi-cloud will determine the

success of Digital First

By 2023, 40% of Forbes Global

2000 will have readjusted the cloud

selection process and focus on

business outcomes rather than IT

needs. One of IT’s biggest challenges

in this transition is to support the

organization’s business strategy

across hybrid multi-clouds while

managing increasing complexity.

Over the next decade, hybrid multicloud

will play a key role in how

organizations drive their digital-first

strategies and leverage their IT

infrastructure as a service. Digital

leaders who break through the

complexity of the cloud, data, and

ecosystem through automation, AI /

ML, APIs, and edge services gain a

significant competitive advantage.

Cloud automation accelerates the

use of digital infrastructure

The complexity of hybrid

multi-clouds is increasing as the

boundaries between private and

public clouds and on-premises

workloads become blurred. Cloud

automation that leverages AI/

ML-enabled cloud services will

significantly reduce the management

overhead and costs of public cloud

infrastructure and operations.

Cloud automation will also improve

critical functions such as DevOps

for application modernization and

security for risk detection across

hybrid multi-cloud architectures—

accelerating labor-intensive

functions for greater optimization.

Implications:

Cloud automation will simplify

creating and configuring cloud

computing assets and streamline

complex billing and ordering systems

across multiple cloud platforms.

More importantly, reaction-driven

automation systems will be able to

detect when it’s time to allocate and

de-allocate dynamic resources as

demand increases or decreases,

eliminating the legacy processes that

make this a more complex and timeconsuming

operation.

A connected cloud ecosystem

improves infrastructure agility

In the future, hybrid multi-cloud

will be a team sport. By working with

a connected ecosystem of diverse

cloud service providers, you can

unleash expanded use cases and

new sources of business value. For

a hybrid multi-cloud environment to

function as a coherent whole rather

than a series of disjointed parts,

organizations need to democratize

cloud access and use AI / ML to

dynamically move workloads between

clouds. Cloud-native businesses

switch sides when migrating from the

cloud to on-premises infrastructure to

improve performance and scalability,

giving businesses more hybrid cloud

choices.

Implications:

To hit the sweet spot of

capitalizing on hybrid multi-cloud

value while mitigating complexity

and cost, enterprises will use

ecosystem partnerships in new and

innovative ways, driving greater cloud

repatriation. In a vendor-neutral

ecosystem, enterprises can use

public clouds as an extension of their

private infrastructure and vice versa,

creating the infrastructure agility to

maximize the value of both. Opensource

tools such as Kubernetes,

containers, and microservices will

continue to play a critical role in

these workload migrations, while

APIs will help enterprises templatize

and automate the deployment of

migration circuits.

AI/ML at the edge will power 5G

and IoT

Data at the edge is exploding as

5G and IoT technologies flourish,

driving a global edge computing

market that’s projected to reach

$43.4 billion by 2027. Information

from self-driving cars, drones,

surveillance cameras, and medical

IoT devices requires real-time AI /

ML model inference at the network

edge. AI-equipped robots provide

services from food cultivation and

transportation to food delivery and

cooking. Progress is being made

in the area of legal/public policy to

properly address AI / ML ethics in

terms of fairness, accountability, and

privacy.

Data control and governance

requirements lead to AI

marketplaces.

Organizations need to leverage

external data (i.e., from public clouds,

data brokers, and IoT devices)

to build more accurate AI / ML

models. However, data providers

are reluctant to share raw data that

consumers may use for fraudulent

purposes. Similarly, data consumers

are concerned about the lineage of

data and models (transfer learning

scenarios) they receive from external


ENTERPRISE IT

sources for security, bias, and quality

reasons.

Impact:

Enterprises use the AI

Marketplace to securely exchange

data and algorithms among

multiple parties and maintain CoC

with respect to privacy. The AI

marketplace will be blockchainenabled

so consumers can track the

source of their data and AI models.

It also provides a secure enclave in

a neutral location where raw data

never leaves the enclave, helping

providers continue to manage

their data.

To ensure privacy and compliance,

it is important that your data stays

within the security boundaries of

your organization or country. Over

the next five years, data gravity,

latency, and privacy will shift AI

architecture from a centralized

model to a decentralized model,

making decentralized AI orchestras

and control aspects the norm.

As organizations expand their

digital footprint, dismantling silos

and establishing an integrated

cyber security environment is a top

priority for Chief Information Security

Officers (CISOs). With cloud and

edge deployments, an increasing

operational technology footprint, and

a decentralized workforce, CISOs

Enterprises use the AI Marketplace to securely

exchange data and algorithms among multiple parties

and maintain CoC with respect to privacy. The AI

marketplace will be blockchain-enabled so consumers

can track the source of their data and AI models. It also

provides a secure enclave in a neutral location where

raw data never leaves the enclave, helping providers

continue to manage their data.

prioritize displaying businesses as

attackers and integrating physical

and digital threat situations increase.

Impact:

Since all enterprises are now

software enterprises, applying

the Dev Sec Ops model and the

secure software development life

cycle (SSDLC) ensures automated

security throughout the development

process. From sustainable finance

to renewable energy innovation,

IT organizations around the world

are rethinking operational policies,

innovating product design, and

optimizing supply chain partnerships

with companies, technologies, and

strategies in line with global climate

goals.

Conclusion

Certain companies are always

striving to stay ahead of the next

steps in our customers’ needs, so

it’s important to regularly retreat to

account for the changes that will be

unfolding in our digital infrastructure

over the next decade. The stakes

to get it right are increasing.

Recent market research on Global

Interconnection Index (GXI) Volume 5

benchmarking company and service

provider data allows organizations

to adopt a digital-first strategy

to connect for provisioning and

use. This shows that it is 4.5 times

more advanced by using the digital

infrastructure.


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AVIATION

THE RISE OF BEACON TECHNOLOGY

Beacon Technology

Knock knock, have you ever

wondered or noticed the existence

of small devices that are powered

by CPUs or batteries? Or have you

ever glimpsed Bluetooth low-energy

technology trying to send identifiers

(with unique ID numbers) to mobile

devices?

If so, such is the power of Beacon

Technology.

To elaborate, when an identifier

walks past a Beacon device, the latter

receives a pop-up of a unique beacon

identifier, consisting of ads, links,

offers, and whatnot. Nevertheless,

such a thing is accustomed to

performing the function as automated

or programmed. To enable the

Bluetooth Beacon tracking or to send

across the required notifications, you

need to have user permission.

Moreover, Beacons act as costeffective

solutions to transmit useful

information to customers. And yet,

one can incorporate the use of

Beacons to amass valuable data

concerning the consumers. Thus,

the essence of Beacon technology

continues to grow.

4 uses of Beacon Technology

To begin with, reputed companies

like Wall Street Journal and New York

Times, have encompassed Beacon

technology with their mobile apps.

Nevertheless, let us read the uses of

Beacon Technology and learn more

about it-

Proximity Marketing

Proximity marketing is embedded

in the very heart of Beacon

Technology. The realms of retail

commerce breed on this exceptional

service, which ought to give

customers a worthwhile experience.

For instance, when customers walk

into the store, Beacon Technology

can drop a nudge right on the phone,

which will make it convenient for

the consumers to go through a

personalized customer shopping

experience.

In addition, Walmart is

the most famous example of

proximity marketing. They use WiFi

Beacons to provide a wholesome

customer experience with decent

offers, discounts, and a lot more.

Nonetheless, each notification

consists of a set of requirements,

including time spent on location and

the priority of an offer based on inapp

output.

Payments

Payments are a significant step

in carrying out Beacons into the

customer experience. In light of this,

Beacon-based technology can be

enforced for the payment experience

by adding it to the payment terminal

and enabling the payment via mobile

(compatible with Apple Pay and

Google Play).

In this way, the payment process

can be easily tracked and analyzed.

Deceptive activity can be naturally

detected and neutralized. Also, digital

payment platforms are compatible

with Beacon payments via Bluetooth/

wifi.

Transportation

Yes, dear rea


MANUFACTURING

WILL THE SUPPLY CHAIN SHORTAGE

IN CHIPS LEAD TO HIGHER PRICES?

The world is witnessing a global shortage in the availability of chips, which is invariably causing

the prices of gadgets like laptops and printers to rise insanely, and also the price fluctuation of

smartphones and other devices used by regular users are also at high risk.

The reason behind this is

due to the gap that has

been created between the

rising demand and supply,

and as a result, the makers

are also constantly increasing the

prices of their devices, which may

keep increasing as time goes by.

Statistics show that the prices of

consumer PCs from leading brands

have risen up by 20% this year as

compared to the 8% rise that was

computed last year. This is solely due

to the component shortage that is

being faced by these leading brands,

which is having a direct impact on

their consumers. This impact felt on

the consumers may sometimes be

difficult to measure, as retailers can

wish to decide whether to make the

consumers pay the increased amount

or to absorb some of the increased

prices.

It may be sometimes conceived

that such practices may fatten the

profits, but the prices usually reflect

the higher costs that their companies

are paying. The companies are paying

more for the additional supply that

they have already got on board.

Industry officials have also reported

that the increase in prices is also

due to several other factors, such

as silicon wafers, which form the

building blocks of chips, and also

the resins and the different metals

that are used in the manufacturing

process.

There has always been a striking

appetite for chips, but the situation

of shortages has been promoted by

strained supply lines of chips that

are still in a disorderly manner due

to the pandemic. Nearly 100 million

chips have been sold in and around

the world in the month of April, and

around 73 billion chips were shipped

in January of 2020, which reflects

how the industry has boosted rapidly

to meet its demand. The huge spike in

sales of gaming computers has also

led to the rise in prices of computer

memory by 34% more than it was

before the pandemic struck the

world.

The US has seen the highest rise

in prices of computers and other

electronic gadgets with an annual

rate of around 2.5% more than any

other jurisdiction in the world and

this was the largest jump in over

two decades as reported by the

US government data. Secondary

pricing effects have also impacted

cars because they are also facing

a shortage of chip availability. Thus

the inadequacy of inventory and the

prices of new vehicles have also

increased to a greater extent. It is

anticipated that car manufacturers

would have to commit to higher and

more binding order volumes than

they used to be previously to keep up

with other companies who have been

in the business for a long time.


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AI & ML

NO-CODE MACHINE LEARNING:

AN AFFORDABLE REPLACEMENT FOR SMALL-SCALE

PROJECTS

A no-code development platform is a visual development interface that allows developers to create

mobile and web applications using established templates, pre-built logic models, drag-and-drop

application components, links to other components, and so on, all without knowing how to code.

No-code technology is

mainly meant for business

users, enabling them to

easily transform corporate

use cases into applications

on their own. Surprisingly, this “Zero-

Code” platform does not demand

users to have prior coding skills in

creating applications using no-code.

● No-code software development

decouples programming languages

and syntax. This ax from logic in favor

of a visual approach to software

development allows for faster

delivery.

● Many AI and machine learning

companies claim to democratize AI,

which is true for their target users,

who are still primarily engineers.

Those working on no-code tools are

the ones who are closest to achieving

the goal of “everyone without prior

knowledge.” These simple machine

learning platforms provide a

compelling case for the time/value/

knowledge trade-off, allowing users

with no prior knowledge of AI coding

to improve day-to-day operations

and address business challenges.

Where to Start with No-Code

A competent no-code platform

needs three critical features.

● First and foremost, it requires a

user-friendly interface that makes

it straightforward to enter data

into the model training process.

This entails connecting with today’s

major corporate systems, such as

CRM systems like Salesforce and

spreadsheet tools like Excel. The

platform should be able to combine

relevant data from numerous

sources.

● Once the data is uploaded,

the platform needs to be able to

automatically classify and correctly

encode the data for the model

training process — all with minimal

input from the user. For example,

the platform might identify columns

in the data like categories, dates, or

numbers, and the user should check

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/ JULY 2022


to see that the columns are labeled

correctly.

● The platform must then automate

model selection and training,

which are operations typically

undertaken by data scientists. There

are numerous machine-learning

approaches, each of which is best

suited to a given situation. The

platform should have a search

function for locating the optimal

model based on the data and the

desired prediction. There should be

no need for the user to be familiar

with regression or k-nearest

neighbor methods. The platform

should only deliver what is most

effective.

Finally, it must be straightforward

to integrate into existing procedures.

As the business environment

changes and new data becomes

available, a platform should be able

to track model performance over

time and retrain as needed.

Traditional ML vs. No-Code ML

Nowadays, most AI programs

follow the same strategy. Indeed, you

begin by

● Selecting a use case

● Collecting data,

● Building a model,

● Training and improving it, among

other things.

We must first grasp the

distinctions between “conventional”

and “no-code” machine learning to

evaluate if no-code AI can help.

In a “traditional” AI project, dragand-drop

tools can automate or

simplify various tasks. Furthermore,

we see no-code AI platforms as a

fast way to create prototypes and

demos.

The Benefits of No-Code AI

There are various benefits of

using no-code. In addition to the

conventional “easy and convenient,”

● Maintenance is easy

As a result, the speed with which

an application can be created has

risen and has even become simple.

The IT department is no longer

inundated with requests. Tasks that

once took months to perform are

now completed in hours or days.

● Productivity gains

The speed with which an

application can be produced has

increased and has even become

simple as a result of this. The IT

department isn’t swamped with

inquiries anymore. Furthermore,

tasks that used to take months to

complete are now completed in

hours or days.

● Changeable

Traditional coding has the

drawback of making it difficult to

update functionality, especially if the

code is written in a language you are

new to. You can quickly modify the

functionality with no code in only a

few hours.

Examples of No-Code Platforms

Here’s a selection of no-code

platforms to consider if you need

to deploy a machine learning

component and integrate it with an

existing program

● Google Cloud Auto ML: It

allows you to design your own

bespoke machine learning models

using Google’s machine learning

capabilities.

● BigML: It offers business

analysts and application integration

with commoditized machine learning

as a service.

● CreateML: It accomplishes

tasks such as picture recognition,

text extraction, and numerical value

relationship discovery.

● DataRobot: It aids in the

preparation, development,

deployment, monitoring, and

maintenance of enterprise-scale AI

applications.

They are not a viable alternative

to specialized ML model creation

in high-load, data-intensive

circumstances. These technologies

are interesting for what they are:

no-code platforms that allow nontechnical

users or ML beginners to

create simple apps quickly.

No-code technology is

mainly meant for business

users, enabling them to

easily transform corporate

use cases into applications

on their own. Surprisingly,

this “Zero-Code” platform

does not demand users to

have prior coding skills in

creating applications using

no-code.

Final thoughts

The goal of no-code learning is to

assist businesses in achieving goals,

such as turning data into actionable

insights through predictive analytics

in a matter of minutes. From rapid

deployment to plug-and-play

integration, platforms may be created

from the ground up with end-to-end

scalability in mind.

It is no surprise that Google,

Facebook, Microsoft, and Amazon

have all prioritized AI and machine

learning in their innovation agendas.

As a result of democratizing

access to machine learning

capabilities across any team —

regardless of skill level — more firms

will recognize the promise of AI. Let

us start embracing the future as soon

as we can.



LATEST TECH

DEVOPS

What is it?

DevOps is a software

development framework in which

the work of software development

and software operations teams

are integrated to facilitate a

culture of collaboration and shared

responsibility. DevOps is a step

away from traditional development

processes, by combining

development and operations to

increase the efficiency, security,

and speed at which software is

developed.

How does it work?

The DevOps model makes use

of different stages to coordinate

the development of software. The

first of which involves bringing both

operations and development teams

The DevOps

framework, has

the potential to

improve software

developmental

processes, helping

teams work faster

by improving

collaboration and

communication.

together, to work concurrently on

a project, making use of shared

or agreed tools. Everything from

planning to deployment is done with

the two teams in collaboration.

What is its impact?

The DevOps framework, has

the potential to improve software

developmental processes, helping

teams work faster by improving

collaboration and communication.

The use of DevOps allows teams to

get into the mindset of the end-user,

leading to software that is more

suitable to the needs of the customer,

and is, therefore, a better solution for

them.


78

/ JULY 2022


LATEST TECH

HYPERAUTOMATION

What Is It?

Hyperautomation is an extension

of the business automation process

that makes use of technologies

such as Artificial Intelligence,

Machine Learning, Natural Language

Processing, Intelligent Document

Processing, Big Data, and Robotic

Process Automation, to create an

end-to-end system, that requires

little to no human intervention.

How Does It Work?

HyperAutomation works to

automate the automation process.

This is done by identifying all the

possible automation applications

to processes within the business’

operations. These are then vetted for

viability, after which the intelligent

HyperAutomation works to

automate the automation

process. This is done by

identifying all the possible

automation applications

to processes within the

business’ operations.

components of the HyperAutomation

process will generate automation

artifacts, such as bots, scripts, and

workflows to optimize the processes.

What Is Its Impact?

The HyperAutomation approach

has the ability to vastly improve

business in various ways. The

use of HyperAutomation works to

simplify operations, by doing away

with repetitive tasks and automating

tasks that would traditionally have

been undertaken manually. This ends

up reducing costs for the business

as well as allowing for more

consistency, speed, and accuracy

in achieving objectives. The use of

ML and RPA can generate detailed

reports that can be used to improve

customer retention.



WHEELS

LOTUS EMIRA

2022 2.0T

You won’t believe it but, Lotus has

disclosed the first four-cylinder

version of its newest sports car,

the Emira, detailing the performance

of the new Mercedes-AMG-powered

variant of its Jaguar F-Type and

Porsche Cayman competitors.

The Emira’s four-cylinder version,

which joins the 3.5-liter V6 version,

is powered by the same 2.0-liter

four-cylinder turbocharged petrol

engine as the Mercedes-AMA A 45.

Furthermore, it generates 360bhp in

the Lotus, which is slightly smaller

than the A 45’s output. Also, the rear

wheels are powered by an eightspeed

DCT automatic transmission

with paddle shifters mounted on the

steering wheel.

Lotus’s typical lightweight

engineering technique is combined

with cutting-edge technologies in this

sports car. It’s built on the brand’s

new Sports Car Architecture, which

is a development of the bonded

aluminum chassis construction that

debuted on the first Elise but with

revised dimensions, allowing it to

weigh as little as 1,405kg.

“It’s a bespoke rear-wheel-drive

variant of the transmission developed

by Lotus in collaboration with AMG.

On top of that, the gearshift strategy

has been defined by the Hethel team

as part of the car’s performance

attributes. It is unique to the Emira,”

explains Gavis Kershaw, director of

Attributes & Product Integrity and

long-standing chassis guru at Lotus.

80

/ JULY 2022


WHEELS

SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE CAPACITY (LITRES)- 2.0

CYLINDERS-6

DRIVE TYPE-REAR WHEEL DRIVE

FUEL TYPE-PETROL

HORSEPOWER (BHP)-360

TORQUE (NM)-420

TRANSMISSION-AUTOMATIC

TOP SPEED (KM/H)-250

SEATING CAPACITY-2 SEATER


WHEELS

2023 HONDA

CIVIC TYPE R

The Honda Civic Type R is

indisputably one of the best

models available. It has

supercar-like performance and

plenty of horsepowers to make your

daily commute around Arlington, TX

interesting. Despite its reputation

for developing high-performance

vehicles, the Japanese manufacturer

wanted to improve its Civic Type R

even further. The new model features

a lighter body, a powerful 306

horsepower engine, and a completely

new appearance. When it goes on

sale in 2023, the new automobile

is expected to cost slightly under

$40,000.

The Honda Civic Type R will

come with standard Honda’s newest

infotainment system, which will be

monitored via a 9.0-inch touchscreen.

Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and

wireless smartphone charging will

also be included.

The Type R comes with a

turbocharged and direct-injected

2.0-liter inline-four that produces 306

horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque

and is offered in three trim levels:

FK8, FK9, and R. The engine is mated

to a six-speed manual transmission

and a limited-slip differential, which

allows it to go from zero to sixty in

under five seconds.

Horsepower

The 2023 Honda Civic Type

R includes a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder

engine with a horsepower-percubic-inch

rating of one. In light of

this, A six-speed transmission with

paddle shifters and a wide ratio

range is linked to the engine. The

transmission was built to manage the

engine’s high torque output, which

Honda estimates to be roughly 295

ft-lbs at 3250 RPMs (0-60 estimated

at under 5 seconds)

Safety

The Honda Civic Type R has been

titled one of the safest road-vehicle

in America by the Insurance Institute

for Highway Safety. Surprisingly, the

vehicle’s revolutionary front impact

protection system is designed to help

protect frontal occupants in the event

of a vehicle collision, earning it this

score.

82

/ JULY 2022


WHEELS

SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE- 2.0L TURBO INLINE-4 GAS

HORSEPOWER-320 HP

TRANSMISSION-6-SPEED MANUAL

DRIVETRAIN-FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE

SEATING CAPACITY- 5 SEATER


WHEELS

2023 MERCEDES-

MAYBACH EQS SUV

84

/ JULY 2022


WHEELS

SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE- ELECTRIC

HORSEPOWER-516 HP

TORQUE-700 LB-FT

TRANSMISSION-SINGLE-SPEED

DRIVETRAIN-ALL-WHEEL DRIVE

SEATING CAPACITY- 7 SEATER

Yes readers, The newly introduced Mercedes EQS

SUV does not have an engine and is propelled

by batteries and electric motors. The EQS 450+

comes with a rear-wheel-drive-only power plant that

produces 355 horsepower and 419 lb-ft of torque.

The top-of-the-line EQS 580 4Matic is all-wheeldrive

exclusively, with a twin-motor configuration

producing 536 horsepower and 633 pound-feet of

torque (at least until an AMG variant arrives).

Air suspension, adjustable dampers, and a new

Off-Road mode are all included in the chassis. The

EQS Sedan’s rear-axle steering, which can lock up to

10 degrees, is carried over.

The Mercedes EQS SUV, like the EQS Sedan, can

accommodate up to seven people over three rows,

with a five-seat option available as standard. The

MBUX Hyperscreen, which comes standard on the

580 but is only available as an option on the 450+,

dominates the cabin.

Interior- Seat heating (even in the third row),

ventilation, multi-zone climate control, and LED

ambient lighting, as well as numerous soundtracks,

massage chairs, and various semi-autonomous

technologies, are all available inside.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV aims to

recharge the sport-utility vehicle with battery power

and a slippery shape.


WHEELS

2023 GENESIS

ELECTRIFIED GV70

Undeniably, the 2023 Electrified

GV70 is equipped with two

electric motors (one on

each axle) and an all-wheel drive.

In addition, Each electric motor

produces around 215 horsepower and

257 pound-feet of torque, for a total

of 483 horsepower and 516 poundfeet.

This new electric version of

the GV70, according to Genesis, can

accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just

4.5 seconds, making it faster than the

standard luxury compact SUV.

Reportedly, the e-Terrain mode,

which is suited for off-roading, is one

of the driving modes available on the

Electrified GV70.

The Electrified GV70’s

Disconnector Actuator System (DAS)

helps you separate the motor and

driveshaft automatically to save

range. Depending on the vehicle

speed and driving mode, the system

alternates between single and twin

motors.

The new Electrified GV70 also

has a Smart Regenerative Braking

System 2.0 and an Active Noise

Control-Road system.

You wouldn’t believe it, but The

electric version of this SUV retains

the attractively styled cabin and

a long list of opulent features

that attracted many buyers to the

traditional GV70 in the first place.

Also, It has a huge infotainment

screen with several upgraded

connectivity options, as well as a

clean dash.

86

/ JULY 2022


WHEELS


DID YOU KNOW?

APPLE

The first Apple logo isn’t what you would think

Did you know that, Originally,

it featured Sir Isaac Newton

sitting beneath a tree,

with an apple about to fall

on his head? In addition,

It was designed back in

1976 and featured a phrase

around the border that read

“Newton…A mind forever

voyaging through strange

seas of thought…alone”.

Seems kind of dark!

GOOGLE

Google rents out goats

You read that right, instead of mowing their

lawn, Google rents goats to eat the grass at

their Mountain View headquarters.

A herder will bring 200 goats which are herded

by a border collie named Jen.

The first-ever VCR was

the size of a piano.

Yes readers, When the first

VCR (Video Camera Recorder)

was made in 1956, it was the

size of a piano.

YOUTUBE

FACEBOOK

YouTube was created to be a dating site

Undeniably, YouTube.com was registered on

February 14th, 2005 (Valentine’s day) to be a

video-dating site. It was designed in a way for

people to upload videos of themselves speaking

about the partner of their dreams. But after

some time when no one was uploading their

videos, YouTube changed to allow uploading of

any kind of video.

Facebook will pay $500 if you find a bug in

their code

As a part of their Bug Bounty program If you

find a security bug in Facebook’s code, they are

willing to pay from $500 for you to tell them

about it!

You won’t believe that The largest bounty ever

reported to Facebook received $50,000.

88

/ JULY 2022


DID YOU KNOW?

SEGA

Sega Dreamcast was the

first 128-bit console to hit the

market. Released in 1999, it was

the first console that allowed

real-time online play.

Unfortunately, it was a little too

early for its time, as back then,

most internet connections were

not reliable enough.

NINTENDO

Founded in 1889, Nintendo was

around long before computers!

So what did they sell?

From 1889-to 1956, Nintendo

was a playing card company.

They still manufacture playing

cards in Japan, and even have

a bridge tournament called the

“Nintendo Cup”.

SAMSUNG

You won’t believe it but The

popular smartphone and

electronics giant started as a

grocery store in March 1938. In

the 1960s, Samsung entered the

electronics industry.

FUN FACTS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY

Samsung is 38 years

and 1 month older than

Apple

Samsung was founded

as a grocery store on

March 1, 1938, by Lee

Byung-Chull.

Apple Founders Steve

Jobs and Steve Wozniak

created Apple Computer

Inc. on April 1, 1976.

The Radio took 38 years

to reach an audience of

50 million

You would think the

invention of the radio

would be a big deal,

but it took 38 years for

the radio to reach an

audience of 50 million.

The first computer

mouse wasn’t made

from plastic

Back in 1964, Doug

Engelbart invented the

first-ever computer

mouse! Back then, it

was made out of wood.

It was rectangular

and featured a little

button on the top right.

He called it a mouse

because the cord

coming out of the back

reminded him of the

tiny rodents.

The government used

PlayStation 3’s… but

not for gaming

In 2010, the United

States Air Force used

1,760 PlayStation 3

consoles to build a

supercomputer for

the Department of

Defense. They used

PS3s because it was

more cost-efficient

and “green.”

Over 500 hours of

YouTube are uploaded

every minute.

Surprisingly, As of

May 2019, more than

500 hours of video

were uploaded

to YouTube every

minute. This equates

to approximately

30,000 hours of newly

uploaded content per

hour.

350,000 tweets are

sent per minute

Every second, on

average, around

6,000 tweets are

tweeted on Twitter,

which corresponds to

over 350,000 tweets

sent per minute, 500

million tweets per

day and around 200

billion tweets per

year.


SOFTWARE

LATIN AMERICA: THE FASTEST GROWING SAAS HUB

A

huge number of people,

hailing from smaller

countries, still have

the American dream. It

is primarily due to the

Silicon Valley in California and the

giant skyscrapers in New York City.

However, the world is not restricted

to the USA anymore. Industries

have been growing way more than

before, connecting the globe all at

the same instant. The evolution and

advancement of the SaaS industry in

the Latin American region are also

opening up to provide some of the

best opportunities in the world.

The culmination of 33 Latin

American countries has seen the

greatest boom in technological

advancement in this decade, and

the results are paving the way for

exponential growth in the economy

and overall growth. It is expected to

grow ten times by the next decade as

the venture capital funding industry

has grown in an unexpected manner.

The forerunning countries, namely

Mexico, Brazil, Columbia, and Chile,

saw a steady and rapid growth

rate, which caught the attention of

potential foreign investors. The prime

contributing factor to its growth is the

unlimited number of opportunities

that it provides, considering that it is

still in its formative stages. All new

ventures and developmental steps

are getting complete assent from

the government, which is helping

in reducing the complexities when

it comes to inducting a new tech

company into their ecosystem.

These special measures by the

government have made the way

for the long haul, and thus there

has been a substantial rise in the

number of unicorns in this area. The

online payment sector has initiated

itself as a new sector in this area

and is seeing rapid growth due to

a persistent consumer-friendly

service. Most companies have

begun to have a decent social media

presence as well, and the reach and

connectivity through their networks

have immensely helped them to

accelerate their potential in the

market. Logistics also serves to be a

booming sector considering its upper

hand in the geographical landform

and can be seen to have tremendous

growth. Artificial reality is also a

newer invention that is applauded by

several nations. The functionality and

suitability are still being assessed by

the tech world of Latin America.

The latest trends, which have

been quite common within the

industry, are product-led growth and

increased personalized elements.

According to product-led growth,

companies rely on their products to

retain and maintain the consumer

base, which is expected to affect

existing sales and marketing

patterns. Companies are also

focusing on consumer needs to

personalize products as required.

The focus has also been on improving

sustainability as environmentally

conscious industries have

tremendous influence these days.

The inclusion of providing services

in native languages has been quite

advantageous.

In spite of the western countries’

having the greatest monopoly over

the tech world, the Latin American

countries could never come to the

forefront. But with gradual research

and exploration, a variety of markets

have sprouted and the expectation of

their development is massive.


C

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CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

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/ JULY 2022


The Technology Express Magazine | Edition: July 2022

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