Real life tech inspired by Star Trek

In the process of exploring the final frontier, the crew of Star Trek made use of technology born of the creator’s imagination. But much of that technology has been realized - at least to some extent - by the year 2019. 

Communicators

Should you still have a flip-style phone in your possession, like I do, you have a piece of tech straight out of Star Trek. In fact, TrekMovie.com suggests "the modern flip-style mobile phone was inspired by the communicators from the original Star Trek.” As Oscar Wilde famously quipped, “Life imitates art.” This has proven true for our cell phones.

So back when Paramount was working on releasing its 2009 Star Trek movie, it partnered with Nokia and Verizon for a Star Trek-themed promotional campaign.

Europeans even had the opportunity to purchase a special Star Trek version of the Nokia 5800 (non-flip) cell phone, which threw in “some Star Trek-themed content.”  

There must have been some really die-hard fans of the original series at Nokia. Back in 2008, they built 14 prototypes of a cell phone that looked exactly like the communicators used by Captain Kirk and his crew with the functionality of the Nokia N76 flip phone.  

The universal translator

The fleet on Star Trek often has to communicate with aliens whose native language is not English, and once in a while, you do get to hear Klingon or another alien language. But most of the time, everyone is speaking in English. How does that work?

The Doctor Who series explains the same phenomenon by saying the Tardis automatically translates everything expressed by both humans and aliens; Star Trek attributes it to something much smaller known as the universal translator.

If you have any questions at all about how its function and evolution has changed throughout the different manifestations of the series, you can likely find it on the Memory Alpha site. It cites the original series’ creator, Gene Roddenberry who wrote the following:

“We establish a ‘telecommunicator’ device early in the series, little more complicated than a small transistor radio carried in a pocket. A simple ‘two-way scrambler;’ it appears to be converting all spoken language into English."

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5 Star Trek Technologies: When Real Life Imitates Science Fiction

What do they want? Women in tech tell us

Takeaway: Women have long been a minority in tech, but what do those in the field most want from their employers and careers in general? We discussed this with women currently in tech, and here’s what they had to say.

To find out what women in tech want, we asked them. A query to HARO drew a large number of responses. Everyone wants equal opportunity, though some experience it more others. Some women share positive reports for the level of female representation at their places of work, while others still feel the sting of being overlooked by those who direct technical questions only to the men in the room. However, their thoughtful responses include not just what women want but what practical steps will get us there.

’ll Have What He’s Having

There’s no mystery, really. “Women in tech want exactly what men in tech want,“ asserts Amy Romero, global CMO at CreativeDrive. That means, “More opportunities for advancement, the ability to work on challenging projects that fuel their creative drive, unlock hidden potential and sources of growth, and role models in leadership positions.“

That sentiment is echoed by a number of women, including Ashley Fry: “Women in tech ultimately want a culture and environment to be cultivated that equals the playing field compared to their male counterparts.”

Read more in What Do Women in Tech Want?

Ways 3D printing is making the world a better place

A new generation of prosthetics

“Turning disabilities into superpowers” is the defining vision of UK-based Open Bionics. Their mission is to create “affordable, assistive devices that enhance the human body.”

Their first product was  the Hero Arm, which they describe as “the world's first medically certified 3D-printed bionic arm, with multi-grip functionality and empowering aesthetics.”  It is “a lightweight and affordable myoelectric prosthesis.” 

The company now offers a selection of themed covers for the Hero Arm, including Star Wars BB-8, Marvel Iron Man, Disney Frozen and Deus Ex.  They are “custom-made using innovative 3D-printing and 3D-scanning techniques.” 

Dedication to helping children by providing them with 3D printed hands is also the driving passion behind a group of volunteers who formed e-NABLE. Its members now number in the thousands, and they have made it possible for thousands of children around the world to regain hand function. See the video below:

  

Quick and economical home construction

Another way 3D printing is being used to make the world a better place is by reducing the cost of home construction enough to make new houses accessible to those whose income puts adequate shelter beyond their reach.

One company that has made this its mission is ICON. Its tagline is “We’re changing the way people live.” It set out to apply 3D printing to houses and envisions whole communities set up that way in a kind of 21st-century version of Levitton.

Last year ICON built the Chicon house, described as “the first permitted 3D-printed home built in the United States” in Austin, Texas in 2018. It took a few weeks to print “and sparked the imagination of customers, investors, press, and the SXSW conference community.”

Now it has advanced the technology to the point where it can get a house up in just  a day and at a cost of just $4000 as you can see in this video:

ICON believes that its 3D printing applied to concrete is the solution to low-income housing, both in the USA and abroad. To that end, it has partnered with a charity called New Story that has provided funding for homes in Mexico, Haiti, El Salvador, and Bolivia and for needy households.

“By partnering with ICON in select regions, New Story will be able to see out their vision more efficiently and deliver the promise of a life beyond survival to thousands more,” it reports.

4. Homes on Mars 

Applying 3D printing to home construction also has ramifications for the space program. In planning a mission to Mars, NASA has to deal with the challenge of setting up shelter for the people who will be living on the red planet. To that end, it launched  the 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge

 See the video below:

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10 Surprising Ways 3D Printing Is Being Used Now

Tip for Women in Tech

Takeaway: Women are vastly outnumbered by men in technological fields, which is why networking, mentoring and advice from other women in the field can be invaluable tools.

The gender gap that persists in tech career paths remains an obstacle to overcome for women who want to break into the field. But it can be done, and women who have made it have some valuable insight to share with those aspire to follow in their path or blaze their own. It all comes down to overcoming self-doubt and moving fearlessly forward. A number recommend connecting with others for support, but sometimes the motivation has to come from within.

Fortune Favors the Bold

Sophie Knowles, Founder & CEO of PDF Pro goes this far: “Do not be afraid to start your own business. A lot of people are scared by the prospect of going out on their own, but there is so much opportunity.” Her recommendation is to follow your passion because “you will have a much greater sense of purpose and see that you are capable of so much more than you ever thought you were.” That doesn’t mean just following your heart, though. She adds on the necessity of persistence, as well as doing the requisite research and asking for help when needed.

Likewise, Nancy Wang, Founder and CEO of Advancing Women in Product (AWIP) tells women, “If you see an opportunity you think is a fit, take the risk. Changing careers or taking on a new job can be scary, but never be afraid to take that job that you’re really excited about.” 

Read more in Top Career Tips for Women Working in Technology

The Why and How of B2B Rebranding

What’s in a name? Quite a lot for brands. Many invest a great deal in building up their name recognition. So when a company makes the move to rebrand: the question is, what justifies changing that name, which can cost the company the goodwill it has cultivated over years of conducting business? Also what particular challenges do B2B companies have over B2C ones when taking on rebranding? 

This was the topic of discussion I had with Paul Pellman, a former Google executive and new CEO of Kazoo, an HR tech company that brought together two different companies  — YouEarnedIt and HighGround  — under a single entity this April. With rebranding at the top of a newly named company, we talked about which situations necessitate making such a change.

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How to Rebrand a B2B

Mom's the word for May Marketing

Pic source: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRuUW09Tho0j2ZFo27uFHes5yUJikfP6DLY7NcSkjH4KaZLhYqc8w

A mother’s love is indeed priceless, but Mother’s Day spending can be measured. Marketers who take note of trends can achieve a significant lift in May sales.

The National Retail Foundation (NRF) anticipates that Mother’s Day 2019 will be the biggest to date. According to the figures based on the survey, Americans will be spending a record $25 billion on Mother’s Day gifts and outings. 

The total amount isn’t divided over the entire population of the United States but by about 86 percent who identify themselves as celebrating the day, according the NRF. That breaks down to an average of $196 per person, though those in the age bracket of 35 to 44 spend even more, averaging $248. 

What is most significant for those in marketing is that the overwhelming majority — 81 percent — seek guidance for gifts from the seller end. What that means is that Mother’s Day offers a great opportunity to direct millions of people who want to be directed toward that perfect gift for mom. 

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Mother's Day Gift for Marketers

How to win customers in cybersecurity marketing

Those who work in the cybersecurity business know that they have to keep up to date on points of vulnerability in technology to maintain their edge. What the ones who successfully market their products also know is that they have to adapt to evolving customer expectations in the highly competitive B2B market.

What goes into successful cybersecurity marketing? The answer to that was offered by Ken Rutsky, author of Launching to Leading: How B2B Market Leaders Create Flashmobs, Marshal Parades, and Ignite Movements in a recent interview about the paradigm shift that has occurred in B2B messaging and positioning.....

It’s all about “how to make value conversations relate to the buyer -- not the seller,” he says. 

Read more in How to put the customer at the center of cybersecurity marketing