Six Sigma has become very popular since its inception, but it seems that the Lean Six Sigma methodologies are becoming the most widely preferred by most industry types. The concept relies on reducing waste, and reduced waste most often means reduced cost.
Lean Six Sigma methodologies allow companies to employ the most cost-effective business processes and quality control, which keeps them thriving in the competitive business world. With Lean processes, companies can work to reduce their operational costs and eliminate wasteful parts of their processes.
A reduction in waste along with more effective business processes most often equates to decreased costs and increased profits. Any company can benefit from increased profits! Another benefit that comes from implementing lean processes includes increased quality along with more efficient ways of producing that quality.
Lean Six Sigma might also be known as Lean Service, Lean Enterprise or Lean Manufacturing as these are all different forms or names of the Lean methods and it will depend on the method type being used. These methods are also designed to work well with the other six sigma concepts being used in any company. These methods are very useful and effective for manufacture and service companies.
The companies that decide to implement these methodologies will find that they are able to speed up the business processes of their company without affecting the quality of their products. When a company is able to optimize their business processes to the fullest extent, they will be able to reduce their operational costs and survive in the turbulent economy. Any operational costs that are due to maintenance of any additional inventory will be greatly decreased.
Not to mention, the processes that are needed to clear customer orders in the specified time will be reduced and there will be fewer overall customer complaints. Like other Six Sigma online certification, Lean Six Sigma focuses on training employees to the point that they are familiar with the tools and techniques that will be applied.
There are many benefits to using Lean Six Sigma. One of the main benefits is that this process will involve the use of more advanced tools and techniques to help companies reduce production cycle times, reduce operational costs, expand their capacity and improve on the overall productivity. When it is applied along with the standard 6 Sigma concepts, it will give further help in identifying and resolving any sort of quality issues that are vital in retaining customers and building interest with new customers.
This process also requires company employees to work together in teams for success. This results in more well-rounded employees who are on the whole happier than employees who work alone.
We have previously identified drone technology as one of the top applications of GIS in 2019 and beyond. Amazon’s Prime Air drone project, which is expected to officially launch sometime in the next few months, is a perfect example of how several GIS technologies, artificial intelligence and drones have come together to create the future of unmanned aerial systems (UASs). We’d like to take a step back and examine how Amazon approached using geographic information science (GIS) to address some of the common challenges associated with using autonomous aerial systems for mapping and dynamic environment navigation.
For those interested in getting involved in cutting-edge technologies that make autonomous aerial systems possible, USC offers a Graduate Certificate in Remote Sensing and Earth Observation. Students will not only gain exposure to the latest remote sensing technologies and applications, they will be able to develop their core skills in spatial analysis, learning to collect spatial information and arrive at actionable insight.
What is Amazon’s Project?
Although it remains unclear when exactly the project will take off, Amazon has been creating drones to ensure fast and safe aerial delivery for its Prime service. In the latest prototypes, the drones have the ability to automatically maneuver in the air, respond to obstacles and fly across multiple axes. Amazon is bringing together a few key technologies that play a critical role in modern geographic information science and technology:
Artificial Intelligence
Remote Sensing and Imaging
Photogrammetry
Robotics
Although the use of algorithms in remote sensing and drone technology is not a new trend, Amazon faces a few unique challenges. The company is trying to build entirely autonomous drones to minimize manual interaction and to reduce the cost of its shipping service. Historically, drone technology has included a mixture of remote-controlled and autonomous functionality with limited capability to react to dynamic environments and obstacles. As a result, drones have most often been used in cases where there is little risk of collisions or where the environment is known.
By contrast, Amazon’s drones must be able to respond to changes in terrain and in the environment, such as when encountering other moving objects in the air. They must also be able to operate in places that may not be fully mapped and react in environments they’ve never been in before. While this might have seemed impossible to the first people who used drones for GIS mapping, advancements in image recognition and machine learning, along with faster and lighter on-board processors, have made it more feasible for autonomous drones to navigate chaotic environments.
USC’s Spatial Science School launched its Online GIS Master Degree Program, get certification and be part of GIS mapping with Amazon’s drones.
Drones and GISMapping: An Overview
Drone technology has been crucial in developing modern GIS applications and for maintaining up-to-date GIS data. Remote-controlled drones have played an important role in lowering the cost of collecting geospatial data and making it easier to collect spatial data in dangerous environments. Since the integration of GPS technology with these devices, it has also become possible to fly drones over much larger distances and BVLOS or beyond visible line of sight.
Additional technology advancements — in areas such as artificial intelligence, imaging and image recognition, edge computing and remote sensing — have contributed to enabling drones to be used for more efficient and comprehensive GIS analysis.
For example, in addition to spatial information related to geological structures, modern multispectral sensing technology can also be used to acquire data related to the chemical composition of agriculture in an area. Meanwhile, advances in drone artificial intelligence have made it possible to more accurately track wildlife and other dynamic elements of an environment. Here are a few other examples of GIS analysis that can be enhanced with drones:
Matching consumer demographic data with spatial information about the places they live
Validation of existing GIS data sets
Weather monitoring and prediction
Habitat surveying
Landscape modeling
Assessing damage following a disaster
While these are just a few examples, the potential uses for drones are expanding rapidly, and in conjunction with the evolution of onboard image processing, so is the potential use for AI and GIS mapping software. Furthermore, the weight and size of sensors continues to decline, making it possible for drones to carry far more advanced hardware.
However, there are a few common challenges to using autonomous drones that remain. Here are a few of the big issues and how Amazon is approaching them:
Challenges with Autonomous Drone Technology
1. Network Latency
A major challenge associated with making autonomous drones safe to use in highly populated areas is the potential for network disruption. With many artificial intelligence-powered drones, the actual AI is stored via the cloud. Onboard sensors would send image data to a server or another computer to be analyzed, and the AI would send its analysis back to the vehicle.
This means that there is significant potential for delays in the drones’ decision-making and ability to make rapid flight adjustments. Historically, the solution to this problem has been to design drones specifically for low latency. In Amazon’s case, however, the company’s goal is to make its drones “independently safe.” To achieve this, much of the analysis happens on the aircraft itself. As Amazon Prime Air VP Gur Kimchi told TechCrunch, this allows the drone to adapt to its environment even when it loses connection to the network.
2. Software Failures
It’s already pretty terrible when you get the blue screen of death on your computer, but it would be even more horrifying if the equivalent happened to a drone flying toward your house. Amazon is addressing this problem by including multiple layers of redundancy in its drones. This includes multiple operating systems to protect against critical failures as well as multiple types of sensors, so that if one sensor misses an object in the surrounding environment, others will detect it.
The onboard software is also capable of multiple approaches to GIS analysis, including photogrammetry models, Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (VSLAM), segmentation and classification. According to Kimchi, all the different models and sensors must be aligned, or the drone will either delay delivery or abort its mission until it can safely move into an area.
3. Hardware Failures
In addition to software failures, companies making autonomous drones have to address possible hardware and equipment failures. For example, what happens if a rotor or engine breaks?
The Amazon drones are built with a large degree of hardware redundancy so they can continue operating when one component fails. Another precaution built into the design is that they can glide, meaning that it is possible for them to make an emergency landing if multiple components fail at once. In these scenarios, the drones are programmed to land away from people or objects to avoid injuries or property damage.
Amazon and the Future of Drone GIS Mapping
This project presents an impressive milestone for the use of drones across many disciplines. Although Amazon has pulled together these technologies for its business, there is considerable potential for the technology in countless academic disciplines, other business sectors and in government and military operations. As drones powered by artificial intelligence become more cost effective, we will be able to capture GIS data far more efficiently while also gaining the ability to gather a greater depth of information than ever before.
You’ve worried about your family’s oral health for so long, you’ve almost forgotten to take care of yourself! Though you take part in a daily oral hygiene routine, it’s been a while since you’ve gone to the orthodontist yourself. After taking your kids for their regular check-ups, you think, “Why not?” and book yourself an appointment.
You’ve worried so little about this for yourself you’re actually flabbergasted when the orthodontist says, “You could benefit from braces.”
The orthodontist takes the time to explain it’s natural for adults to get braces to help with corrections that were overlookedServices years ago and because technology makes orthodontic treatments much more manageable. In the case of adults, one of the biggest questions isn’t whether or not to pursue orthodontic treatment but to choose braces or Invisalign.
What Are Traditional Braces?
Traditional metal braces are metal wires connected to brackets that are adhered to your teeth. Your orthodontist will use tightening procedures with this wire to help guide your teeth into their appropriate shape and location.
What Is Invisalign?
Invisalign is a newer treatment option that offers greater flexibility in your treatment. The aligners are made of clear, plastic trays. For most of the day, you will wear these aligners much like you would a mouth guard—though aligners are virtually invisible and fit snugly over your teeth. Approximately every week, you’ll switch to a new aligner. Gradually, your teeth will shift into their proper place.
How Are the Options Similar?
Whether you decide to go with braces or Invisalign, you will be working with your orthodontist to correct any problems with the shape of your jaw or the orientation of your teeth. Both treatment options will take time and will gradually adjust your teeth over time.
Both are relatively painless procedures and will require regular check-ups with your orthodontist to ensure treatment is going smoothly; though, in the case of Invisalign, you’re likely to need fewer visits that are further apart.
How Are They Different?
When choosing between traditional braces or invisalign teeth treatment, the most prominent difference is that braces are permanent fixtures in your mouth, and Invisalign is not. Since Invisalign consists of removable trays that only need to be in the mouth for approximately 22 hours a day, you can actually remove them to eat, which means you don’t need to change your diet. Traditional braces, being mounted to your teeth, will require special care when it comes to foods, as well as proper maintenance.
The trade-offs to the ease of Invisalign is that it is often more expensive than traditional braces. Invisalign tech is also more delicate than metal braces, which means it’s not appropriate for all treatments. Metal braces also often require less time for treatment.
Though metal braces have come a long way and are smaller than ever, they are still often visible in the mouth (though there are many stylish ways to add colourful bands and make a fashion statement with your braces). Invisalign is nearly invisible, and if you don’t tell people you have them, they may never know.
For adults, braces and Invisalign are both often effective options to make necessary corrections to the structure of your teeth. Speak with your orthodontist to find out which options are right for you. Consider your lifestyle, needs, budget, and preference. Either way, by committing to a healthy, straight smile, you’re giving yourself the gift of confidence and self-esteem.
For a business, their online reputation is of much importance. More people now try to dig about a company online before getting involved with using their products or services. Moreover, you have to take measures to protect your ongoing marketing campaign from all the negativity that could be thrown at your way online. Therefore, you need to hire a team of Reputation management profile defender agency to protect your brand identity online.
If you are still not convinced of hiring an online reputation management team to protect your business campaign, here are some numbers that might change your mind.
About 67% of the consumer first read about the company review online.
49% of people search for the product or service on google.
Organizations now have to find a way to build the trust of online consumers and influence them to use your product or service. Hiring an expert team of a Reputation management profile defender can help you maintain you attract the online consumer. Here are the benefits of using a reputation management team for your business:
Boost your sales
People not only love to find about the company or product online but also like to compare them with other similar products and services from your competition. Online reputation management firms help you with quality content and get the best review online, which is crucial as many online visitors are going to read the review before buying your product or using your service.
An online reputation management firm has team profile defenders whose job is to make sure the online visitors find a positive review of your product and service online. The negative review of your product and service is causing harm to your business. So, make sure to hire the best reputation management team to boost your sale by taking out all the negativity that has spread over the internet about your company.
Become the Authority figure
No one can deny the fact that a good reputation plays a crucial part in how successful a business is going to be. People like to be involved with highly reputable brands and companies. A high reputation gives businesses an authority over the market. Hiring a professional profile defender will help you build an online reputation with content marketing and strategies to attract more clients and gain that authority over the market. Moreover, dominating the market field and making it lean toward your side is the power that the reputation management team can give to your business.
Get insights about the market
Building a reputation for your firm online is a challenging task. With evolving technology, you now get the power to look at the data to make the right decision. No more, you have to guess what’s going to happen in the future. Instead, with the data revolution, you can figure out the right strategy or path you need to take for your business.
The experts at online reputation make sure you get all the insights about what’s the best for your business reputation by analyzing the data. Moreover, the reputation management team profile defender makes sure you get the correct data to extract useful insight. Remember, for building a perfect strategy, you need data collected from the right source.
