(Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Here are five things in technology that happened in the past week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
1 – A restaurant in Wilmington has hired its first robot employee.
A restaurant in Wilmington, North Carolina recently hired its first robot employee. aRtisano Pizza & Gelato welcomed his newest employee, a robot named Chris. The robot was developed by an engineer who previously worked for Google and has since launched California-based company Bear Robotics. Chris delivers orders, assists with hosting, sings to diners and drives tables. (Source: WC 6)
Why this is important for your business:
I feel like stories like this are pretty much marketing gimmicks. But not for long. Most of the robot technology being used in restaurants is still in its early stages (although companies like Miso Robotics are doing some very interesting things). However, we will see more small restaurants relying on robotic technology to replace the workers they can’t find in the coming years.
2 – Google has unveiled a new machine learning add-on for Google Sheets.
Google recently introduced an add-on for Google Sheets. The new machine learning add-on — known as Simple ML for Spreadsheets — enables users to take advantage of machine learning capabilities without any prior coding experience. The add-on is currently in beta with the goal of helping everyone reap the benefits of machine learning. (Source: MarkTech Post)
Why this is important for your business:
Google expert Abner Li of 9TO5Google writes that Simple Ml will better help entrepreneurs make predictions based on their data. For example, “If you own an auto repair shop that tracks past repairs with data points such as car make, repair type, and mileage, you can use Simple ML to predict the number of hours it takes to fix a car.”
3 – Robco brings modular robotics to industrial small businesses.
Start up robotics Robco recently developed a platform to design low-cost modular robots for industrial medium and small businesses. Founders of the Munich-based startup plan to use recent funding to add more customers and expand what the existing modules are capable of. Currently, the offering consists of three components, including palletizing, laser engraving and turning on a lathe. (Source: Tech Crunch)
Why this is important for your business:
Robco’s robots will help SME manufacturers better automate palletizing, laser engraving and turning on a lathe. What’s important to note here is that the company’s pricing for its products is within a very affordable range for smaller businesses, which means SMBs have access to robotic technology that has only been used by larger organizations until now.
4 – Microsoft adds screen recording to the Windows 11 Snipping tool.
Microsoft recently announced that it will add screen recording capabilities to its Snipping Tool in Windows 11. With the new feature, users no longer need to use a third-party app to capture videos from their desktop. Users just need to open the app and select the option to record. (Source: beeping computer)
Why this is important for your business:
This is a big deal for me personally, as I often use Microsoft’s “snip” feature (just type “snip” into the search bar) to grab something off my screen. With the ability to record so quickly and easily, it helps our company share more information about how to use our products with our customer base.
5 – Remote work is better with this portable touchscreen monitor.
Entrepreneur Magazine recently called the Desklab Portable Touchscreen Monitor a must-have for anyone still working remotely. The touchscreen monitor easily fits in a backpack and the 4K display gives users the same flexibility as a tablet. The monitor can be connected via 3.5mm auxiliary ports, HDMI or USB-C and can be used with tablets, game consoles, phones, desktops or laptops. (Source: Entrepreneur)
Why this is important for your business:
I’ve heard of a few customers using this remote monitor and loving it.
