An important topic

Blockchain, Internet of things, Robotics: The 2nd Swiss Digital Day will take place on 25 October. Various events will be held in major Swiss cities to bring the topic of digitalisation closer to the general public. A study carried out on behalf of Swisscom points out the 2018 trends in Swiss companies.

After a successful premier last year, digitalswitzerland is launching the second Swiss Digital Day on 25 October 2018. This nation-wide day will bring the topic of digitalisation closer to the Swiss public, initiate in depth discussions and point out opportunities and challenges. This year's motto is "experiencing digitalisation together".

Over the course of the entire day, a moderated programme on seven topics will take place at the Zurich main station and can be followed live on YouTube . Other hubs include Geneva and Lugano. Activities with diverse thematic focuses will take place in Basel, Chur, Fribourg, Lausanne, Lucerne, Yverdon-les-Bains, Sion, St. Gallen and Vaduz. (Find the programme here).

Company concerns

Digitalisation is also an important topic at Axpo and a key factor in the new corporate strategy from 2018 to 2022. Processes, customer interfaces or data analyses have already been digitalised in many areas of the company. Hackathons, machine learning, robotics (see adjacent article), block chain or the Internet of Things are not foreign words in the Axpo world or for active Energy dialogue online readers. Drones and sensors are used to handle various tasks and optimise costs.

A study carried out on behalf of Swisscom by Pierre Audoin Consultants points out the digital themes and trends that concern or must concern Swiss companies in 2018. According to the consulting company the following six technology trends are key:

• Block chain - Like many banks and insurance companies, Axpo is using the technology successfully with the Elblox project. The advantages of block chain: Transactions are recorded de-centrally and cannot be altered; they are transparent to all users; no intermediary is required, which saves transaction costs through automation. This makes new business models possible.
  
• The Internet of Things - Axpo and Avectris are active here with various projects, for example in the town of Bremgarten (AG). According to technology sector estimates, some 14 billion devices, such as sensors, security cameras, vehicles or machines will be interconnected by the year 2022. The new insights that can be acquired from this data enables the development of new services that can enhance the traditional product business.
  
• Immersive experience - Enables new forms in human-machine communication and combines the concepts of augmented and virtual reality. They offer support in managing complex processes such as servicing complicated machines. With the help of data glasses, tablets or smart phones real world images are superimposed with digital information. For example, SBB has implemented these types of solutions for the maintenance of the new Gotthard basis tunnel.
  
• Artificial intelligence - We are all familiar with artificial intelligence - for example the human-like robots in Hollywood blockbusters like Star Wars. In business practice, systems learn to solve problems independently. Currently, the focus is on analysing large text volumes or language recognition. The aim of the applications is to automate external and internal processes or to create new services.
  
• Cyber security - Data is a financial asset for companies and requires the best protection possible. Comprehensive protection against hackers does not yet exist. Fast recognition and response to incidents and the speedy implementation of counter-measures can stop attacks and minimise their impacts. According to prognoses, the Swiss cyber security market will grow on an average of 10 per cent in the next three years.
  
• Cloud computing - Cloud computing is not a new topic, but its importance in data-driven business is growing. It can help optimise existing business and acts as a "turbo" for the generation and implementation of new ideas. Security and data protection have the highest priority in all cloud applications.