robots

The technology before the COVID-19

As if it were an episode of the dystopian Black Mirror series, the coronavirus is still with us and, unlike the perverse use of technology seen in the successful production of Netflix, in our case it seems that this will serve to help us cope better with the pandemic from a health point of view. Social distancing is the maximum recommended for all citizens and proposals are already emerging from technology companies that seek to avoid contagion in spaces where crowds usually occur, whether they are supermarkets, soccer fields, transport …

Artificial intelligence for the new normal   

In this pandemic situation, big tech giants are working on artificial intelligence and robotics.  Over the year robots are designed and manufactured for different purposes. Special program and algorithm has developed and launched an algorithm specialized in indoor location. For its operation, it is necessary to install a small device in the shopping trolleys of a supermarket in order to know in real-time the number of people in each of the sections of the establishment.

Thanks to this mechanism, store employees could visualize metrics as useful as the number of times a person approaches others, the number of customers per square meter or possible sources of infection from their own mobile phone or computer. Also, the system allows sending alerts when there are too many people in a certain corridor or safety distances are not respected, as well as making predictions about the influx. The best is thing is that this information can be shared in real time and, with the installation of screens, customers could know at all times the areas to avoid.

The benefits of 3D printing and the ‘blockchain’

You may have seen in the news or the press how 3D printers are helping to prevent COVID-19 infections, producing with this technology, both on a small and large scale, the necessary medical equipment for the work of professionals. These printers have advantages such as allowing factories to customize product design, streamline production, or quickly adapt to changing market needs. In addition, it avoids dependencies on external agents and relocations, since the entire production process is carried out within the same company.

As for the blockchain, it is a data structure in which the information contained is grouped into sets (blocks) to which meta-information relative to another block of the previous chain is added in a timeline, so that, thanks to cryptographic techniques, the information contained in a block can only be repudiated or edited by modifying all subsequent blocks. This would help to manage digital procedures with the administration, for individuals or companies, avoiding both the risk of counterfeiting and physical contact. From this Technology Blog we encourage you to carefully follow all the technological innovations that will emerge during these changing times in order to make things easier for us.

robot

Experimental Uses For Commercial Robots In 2019

Currently, the world of robotics is reshaping how different sectors of business conduct their day-to-day activities. Robots are reducing the need for human staff to take on tedious, dangerous and mundane tasks. In addition, robotic machines don’t require breaks or time off like humans do.

As it is, commercial robots are already widespread in industries such as manufacturing. However, numerous pioneering business are searching for unconventional ways of using robots. Depending on the outcome of these projects, there is a possibility for more diverse uses of machines benefiting the robotics sector as well as other industries. Below are some experimental uses of commercial robots.

Crop harvesting robots

Robotic experts are creating robots with pneumatic arms which use compressed air to move about and complete tasks. One of the main uses for such robots is automatic crop harvesting. However, this is still in the in the experimental phase. According to some analysts, the agricultural sector is bound to increasingly use robotics since machines have the ability of offering continual reliability without requiring shifts or breaks.

Robot-manufacturing companies believe that robots are the key to solving labor shortage within the sector. An example of such as machine is the commercialized strawberry picking robot created by a Belgian company. Another example is tomato-picking robots which use image recognition technology to determine whether or not a tomato is ripe before harvesting it.

Teaching assistants

A number of schools across the globe are starting to integrate robots into their curriculum. Teachers are using them in the classroom to assist in lessons. As teaching assistants, robots have great potential in helping out especially educators that don’t have enough time for face-to-face interactions with their students or those that handle larger-than-average classrooms.

The aim of creating these robots is not to replace teachers but help supplement the subjects that educators cover as well as interact directly with the students. A study done in Russia concluded that the subjects who were taught using robots to learn Russian acquired better recall abilities than the ones who used avatars.

Robots working remotely to earn money

According to a Japanese company, their vision is to create commercial robots that can help people accomplish things that they cannot do on their own. In addition to this, the company also aims at creating machines that could assist older adults with responsibilities such as laundry or cleaning.

While the main purpose of these machines is to help consumers, the company believes that there will be a way that people can earn money. A representative of the company said that people will be able to operate these robots remotely. Therefore, such machines could be of great assistance to people living with disabilities and want to earn a living by doing service-oriented tasks but cannot travel to the residents of their clients.

Germ-killing robots

Plenty of people are germophobes thus why alcohol-based hand sanitizers are so popular. In as much as people are able to clean their hands as often as they want, they sometimes wonder about the germs on other surfaces such as on linens in hotels. A new invention has rocked the sector and is being marketed as a germ-killing robot. There are plenty of uses for robots that kill germs especially in the health sector.

Personalized robots

Researchers dealing with robotics are teaching machines to recognize who owns them. Aside from learning ownership, these robots are being taught to respond according to what they are permitted to do with things belonging to their owner. These robots are expected to have the ability of keeping possessions or property secure for their owners if the experimental phase is successful. While such capabilities might not happen at a commercial level in the near future, scientists believe that it is extremely important to teach robots about ownership-related etiquette considering the fact there will be more machines working closely with humans in their spaces.

Promote an Online Store

How to Promote an Online Store

Creating an online store is only a part of the equation. A new online shop is empty. Consumers are usually not yet familiar with your shop or the kind of products you are selling. For this reason, you will need to put some efforts towards promoting the store. To get regular customers, you must come with strategies that will work for your ecommerce store. Here are some of the ways in which you can promote your online store.

Starting A Blog

One of the best ways to promote your online store is to start a blog. Creating quality blog posts is an effective tool to establishing your products in the market, and including the relevant links back to your store. Quality blogs that are updated frequently will get more traffic from search engines. In turn, this helps in promoting your store indirectly through interaction with the consumers.

Email Marketing

Newsletters and email marketing are another effective way of promoting your online store. You can create a database with email lists of your ecommerce website visitors, and send them occasional emails with information about your store. One way of achieving this is sending out newsletters or offers on a weekly basis to your subscribers. This reminds your customers about your online store. It is even easier if your online store is in Offerer platform. The Offerer platform offers many tools for advertising your online store from email marketing to SMS notifications.

Collaborating with Other Bloggers

Another way of promoting your online store is contacting other bloggers and having them publish content about your shop on their blogs. Do a research on the market where your products fit in. Then, reach out to bloggers with the largest following and who write about products related to your industry. Tell them why you love their blogs and explain why you feel your product would be a great fit for a review on their blog. Provide them with samples of your products for free and give away for their audience. This will attract traffic from the readers through their review of the product.

Advertising on social media

Social media advertising offers a great platform to advertise your business and products. Building a network and followers in social media may take a long time, but it will be worthwhile in the long run. Social sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+ or YouTube allow businesses to interact directly with customers. Your online shop can benefit from this interaction by providing product information to customers. It is also a great way of getting feedback from customers, and finding out what works best in your niche.

Providing offers on a regular basis

Providing offers on a regular basis can attract new customers while retaining existing ones. Offers can be in the form of discounts, coupons, sales packages, giveaways and contests. It can also be a great way of driving web traffic to ecommerce website. Customers are more likely to recommend your store to their friends and family during sale period.

Guest blogging on other websites

Guest blogging increases the exposure of your e-commerce to a wider audience. Writing quality blogs is time consuming. The stakes are even higher when writing for another blog. You want to make sure that your posts are getting enough traffic. High-quality posts will increase traffic to your website leading to more sales.

Optimizing product names and descriptions

Product name and descriptions can enhance online presence of your e-commerce store. Be creative, straightforward and come up with unique product names and descriptions, so that customers can find them easily. Use keywords in your descriptions to describe exactly what the customers are looking for.

Using Google Ads

Google Ads are an effective tool in advertising your products to specific audiences. You can place Ads in Google search results or in websites that run Google AdSense. It is highly targeted based on the optimization of the keywords used by the consumers. The search engines try to match your ad with customers interests using systems like Ad Rank. It is a cost-effective method that attracts more sales at a profitable margin

Paid Advertisements

These can be in the form of influencers who you can endorse your product and advertise your products on their social media platforms. Another option could be the use of mainstream media such as television, radio, and magazine adverts. These adverts serve the purpose of informing your customers about your store.

Which way is for you

These are ways to advertise your store. Remember that you are the one that has to choose the right way and fit strategy to your clients and budget. You must understand clients where and why they buy and use the best strategy for your business.

math

Everyday Uses for Fractions

Certain topics you learn in school have obvious practical applications. For example, you use language every day. It is easy to understand how a good grasp of grammar will help you succeed in interviews, writing and communicating with others. The practicality of other subjects may seem more obscure, though. If you ever sat in math class learning fractions and wondered when you would ever use that information in real life, here is your answer.

Shopping

You walk into your favorite store and see a huge banner from across the room. It’s your lucky day, because those shoes you have been eyeing are on sale for 25% off. How do you know how much you are saving, though? Without fractions, you are going into the sale blind. You may get up to the counter and be sorely disappointed at the total amount due. To make a decision that fits your budget and helps you avoid the embarrassment of having to return something you can’t afford to the shelves, you need to know how to multiply fractions. If you understand that 25% and 1/4 are the same number, you can easily calculate how much the shoes will cost. It may be harder to multiply by .25 in your head than it is to multiply by 1/4 (that is, divide by 4). Fractions don’t just help you save money; they also help you figure out exactly how much you are saving.

Cooking

You decide to make your favorite recipe that your grandmother gave you for your significant other. As it is written, however, the recipe makes enough to feed your entire extended family and still have leftovers. As much as you enjoy the dish, you don’t want to have so much of it that you are eating it for a week. When you only need 1/3 of the amount the recipe makes, multiplying fractions is a skill that comes in handy.

Understanding how to simplify fractions can also help when you’re doubling a recipe. If you want to bring twice as many cupcakes to a party than the recipe makes, you multiply the ingredients by two. It seems simple enough, doesn’t it? When 3/8 of a teaspoon becomes 6/8, however, you are less likely to lose count of the number of scoops you add to the batter if you know you can simplify that number to 3/4.

Sharing

You go out to eat with a group of friends. Four of you are single, and two people bring their significant others along, bringing your total party number to 8. When the bill comes, you decide to divide it evenly. It sounds like easy math until you discover that one of the couples is paying together, and the other couple is covering another person in honor of her birthday. There’s no need to panic if you understand fractions. The first couple pays 1/4 of the bill, the second couple pays 3/8 of the bill, and the remaining three people each pay 1/8 of the bill.

Although it may not seem obvious when you’re sitting in math class, understanding fractions can be very useful. You may get a lot of opportunities to use fractions in your everyday life.

home remodeling

Home Office Remodeling Tips

Having a home office is not something everyone can boast about, but those who do have it know how amazing it is. Here you can focus on all your to-dos and handle different work obligations. If this is where you spend a lot of time, you should make it comfortable and easy on the eyes. If you already work here, why not enjoy it as much as possible? You should know about some ways you can decorate it and organize it to make it perfect.

Let a lot of natural light in the room

Instead of sterile lighting that looks rather cold and exhausting, why not let yourself enjoy the natural light while you are working? You will feel better. You can place a big window where your desk is and you will be able to see everything more clearly. Nothing is better than sunlight. It also provides you with some vitamin D, so it has more than one function. An office that is well-lit is also the one that is more productive and cheerful, and you will enjoy spending time here.

How about thinking chic?

Yes, the space should be functional, but why not also think about making it look fashionable? It should reflect your own personality, and this is where you should get inspired the most. A wall can be either black or any color that is dark, while furniture can be light-colored. Above your desk, you can put a chandelier that looks glamorous. It will feel so good adding a little glitz.

Add plants and breathe some life into it

Your office should be clean, practical and nice-looking for sure, but if you also add plants, it will definitely make it look rich and full of life, not to mention that it is healthy for you. Why not bring some nature into the space where you work? Maybe it helps you concentrate better and produce more quality things because the green might make you feel more cozy and relaxed. Clay planters sound like a good idea because they can perfectly add dimension to the room.

 

remodeling tips

Use nice artwork that speaks to you

Some vibrant art can really energize the space, no matter if it comes in the form of a painting or a decorative sculpture. When you see something you like and choose it for your office, it can be motivating and all the work you have to do will feel less frustrating. Also, you can create your own artwork and place it how you like it. There are many inspiring images all over the internet, just have a few clicks and you will see.

Find someone competent to handle the electrical work

For all the electrical work you need done in your home office, you should know a capable Sydney electrician. Since you will need to install and maintain the wiring and make everything work well, choose someone you find competent enough, and do not try anything yourself. You will need your electrical system and equipment fixed and upgraded if you want your home office to feel cozy. Leave all this up to a professional, while you focus more on the design of the space.

Your home office is a place that should inspire you and boost your creativity. That is the reason why it should look and feel as best as possible. Here you get down to business but a lot of your free time can be spent here, too. If you decorate it well and organize it how you like it, any kind of work will be even more enjoyable in this chamber.

Typography

Typography: the psychology behind the age-old tradition

Typography is an age-old tradition, stretching back as far as ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. For centuries, people have been expressing themselves with written words, and now many modern brands rely on them for gaining and retaining customers. Typography can become the first association that a consumer thinks of in relation to a brand, and in fashion, it is often printed inside of their garment, which conjures up an emotional connection between the consumer and the brand. So, any changes that companies choose to make can alter a customer’s perception, and for this reason the psychology of typography is an important matter. Let’s find out more.

Conveying the personality of your brand

A lot can be captured through the style of your brand’s typography, and it can even be used to convey the personality of your company. Your copy should be captivating, but the visual aspects of any writing also need to stand out to a potential customer. Begin your typography psychology analysis with looking at the style of your font- Is it a classic serif style? These include Baskerville, Georgia and Times New Roman, this category is timeless and professional, finished with traditional decorative lines and they convey an air of respectability. The sans serif choices such as Helvetica, Arial and Verdana are more straight to the point, implying an air of modernity and stability. Artsy handwriting can look elegant and represent creativity, and to create this kind of image you’ll need a script font such as Lebster or Lucinda; but, it’s always important to keep it legible and consider it in relation to the message you want to get across. For example, a sports clothing website with joined up handwriting style typography wouldn’t look quite right, but perhaps fine dining eateries’ first port of call for menu printing wouldn’t be Comic Sans MS. If you want to go all-out 21st century modern, choose Eurostyle, Politica or Futura, and show your audience why you are at the forefront of your industry with progressive typography. Your font will contribute to your overall typography aesthetic, and it should result in a well-rounded, on-brand appearance. Maintaining this is also important, as failure to keep order among your typography can make your customer feel disconnected from your brand, as cluttered, numerous fonts dilute your overall presence.

The formatting of your typography can determine your success

As Spanish fashion retailer Zara recently discovered, the formatting of your typography can make or break your success. The brand gave their classic logo a refresh, dramatically condensing the exaggerated sans letters and introducing a bolder, rounder finish. The makeover received a staunch response on social media, leaving many with a new-found sense of unfamiliarity towards the brand. The particular format was a style pioneered by Harper Bazaar in the 1990s, but one twitter user likened the new look to how they feel when ‘squeezing into their clothes’; showing how the change in typography provoked a customer response.  All achieved by some simple kerning. A similar event caused outcry, as Burberry unveiled a new logo back in 2018, an adaptation which at first glance appeared to ditch historic ties in favour of modern corporate simplicity. The reformat was a four-week project headed up by famed designer Peter Saville, which some people felt was reflected in the hasty, overly-simplistic design. The old format had been untouched for nearly two decades, and its new notions of minimalism brought the brand up to date. Key factors for formatting are spacing and size, as these are essentially going to dictate how ‘readable’ your typography is. Format can be reflective of character, and if there are any particular attributes that you want to associate with your brand, then implementing them into your formatting can be a great idea to help build your unique presence. Also, ensuring that you have enough whitespace is vital, as having too little can make your typography difficult to decipher. The formula for success is simply to strike a balance between these elements, while also staying true to your brand and all it encases.

Colour creates the first impression of the product

When it comes to colour, choosing the right one is key. There is an age-old understanding that customers enjoy red and yellow the most, as they depict both abruptness and warmth simultaneously. In fact, between 62%-90% of first impressions of a product are decided by the colours of the brand, showing just how much they can set the tone. Therefore, colours are an integral part of promoting successful customer journeys. Not only is colour an emotional trigger, it can also be the key for customers to be able to identify your product against others on the market. Some gendered trends have also appeared which could determine your brand’s palette, with men tending to prefer bold colours and women being drawn in by pastel hues. Of course, certain colours have specific associations. Blue is seen as a peaceful colour, and green is a lucky shade — so why not transform the fate of your typography with a splash of either? Black is notoriously corporate and classic, with other connotations including wisdom and masculinity. If you are considering adding a fill to your typography, then choose wisely and always keep in mind that it should not be a challenge for a user to read — there’s a time and a place to go for an all-out rainbow.

So, if you are looking to mix things up a bit, don’t be too hasty. Your typography choices are rooted in many factors, from colour to font style. Find a combination of these which captures your brand name and message in a way which is true to purpose.

 

Article provided by leading menu printing company, Where The Trade Buys.

 

Sources:

https://getflywheel.com/layout/psychology-of-typography/

https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2019/01/223060/zara-new-logo-reactions

https://www.adweek.com/creativity/burberry-gave-a-famed-designer-4-weeks-to-redesign-its-logo-and-heres-what-we-got/

https://www.impactbnd.com/blog/why-color-and-typography-are-critical-to-your-brand-infographic

home-office

4 Reasons To Take Time Off Work

Work can easily become our main focus in life. Although it is clearly important, it shouldn’t be everything, and if it becomes the only thing we think about, then it might be time to step back and reassess. Sometimes it becomes absolutely essential to take a break from work for other reasons, and as soon as you feel that you are no longer as productive or efficient as you once were, you might want to use up some vacation days. Here are some of the reasons to do this.

Keep Reading

id_card

The Best Security ID Card Software for Your System

Choosing the right software to fit your security ID card printing system can be a challenge – especially after you’ve already taken the time to pick out the perfect printer and accessories. In both situations, it’s always a good idea to get some help from security solutions experts who can provide everything you need to know about ID card printers and the software required to run them. In the meantime, if you want to get a basic overview of a few different criteria that might help you decide, then you’ve come to the right place!

Mac Versus PC

Before you even think about what you want to achieve with your security ID card printing software, you’ve got to be sure that the software package you purchase will be compatible with the computers you use at your place of work.

While Windows computers are far more common for home users, Mackintosh computers are still preferred by professionals in many industries – so it makes sense that at least some security ID card printers are built for Mac users. If you’re a Mac user, then you probably already own one of the 5 Mac compatible ID card printer systems that are currently widely in use, which include the DTC1250e, the Fargo HDP5000, the Fargo DTC4500e, the EvolisZenius, and the Evolis Primacy ID card printing systems. In that case, you’ll need Mac compatible software to match, such as Secure ASP CardPresso ID card design software.

Security and Design

First and foremost, the security ID card software that you’ll use with your new printer should allow you to design and print the type of security cards that you need for your business. Since the printer takes care of most of the work regarding security features, your main concern should be that the designing tools are easy to use and are able to accommodate the types of cards used by your security ID card printer.

A Range of Software Options

No matter the brand, security ID card software tends to be offered in different editions depending on price range and how many features you’re interested in utilizing. At their most basic, these programs only offer minimal control over design and limited other capabilities. At their most advanced, security ID card software can come equipped with complicated professional-standard graphic design software and other useful features, such as unlimited record keeping, personnel database capabilities, security technology encoding, face-finding photo features, and more!

Advanced Designing Features

An employee with exceptional design skills will be able to put a basic software edition to its full potential in crafting surprisingly nuanced ID cards; however, usually it’s a better idea to match your software capabilities to the level of security ID card printer that you’ve purchased.

If you haven’t purchased a security card ID printer yet, then you might also consider inquiring to your security solutions provider about whether they offer complete security systems, which can help make the entire process easier on the consumer.

Finding the right design and employee management software to suit your security ID card printing system will depend on the needs of your company. If you’re looking for a good software package for starters, go with CardPresso, or better yet, contact your security ID card distributor for further advice!

customer

A guide to connecting to your customers with colour

Making an impact with the visuals of your marketing piece, be it a pull up banner or a brochure,will determine the success of your campaign. Colour and design go hand in hand — and according to studies, each hueevokes a different emotion, which could beanything from urgency to trust. Considering some experiments imply that colour can dictate how long we are able to remember an offer, it’s clear knowing how to use in marketing is important.

 

Want to learn more? If so, take a read through our marketing colour psychology guide for tips…

 

Use colour in campaigns to communicate emotionally

Colourhas long been linked to psychology, but more recently colour has been connected to industries such as marketing and interior design.An experiment commented on by Canberra-based, Content Group, found that 90% of snap decisions about products are based on colour only.

 

Does your business target a more female or male dominated audience? If so, a study published in the Journal of Retailing found that malesthink that sales are greater in value when promoted in red rather than black. Conversely, fewer women believed the same. Also, purple was considered a second-favourite colour for female respondents in a colour study while it was the second-least favourite among males. Equally, women prefer softer hues, while stronger shades are the hue-of-choice for men.

 

Colour psychology demonstrates that you can aim to generate a bigger a response if you use colour wisely.Use yellow to catch the eye of a passer by in your store window and red to signify discount prices — this is because, apparently, red evokes ‘urgency’ and indirectly encourages you to act fastand so, is good to boost a sale. Red and yellow are warm shades, and according to an experiment, warm colours are better at staying in a person’s mind than cool colours (such as blue). Could you use warm oranges, reds and yellows to keep your brand logo or newest promotional offer in the mind of someone driving by one of your billboard ads?

 

Consider blending colours together as another useful tactic when it comes to your designing a new campaign. Another study found that opposingcoloursenhanced readability levels — vital if you want your pull-up bannersto remain readable from a greater distance than usual.

A personal understanding of colour can be enhanced from experiences and culture according to Art Lovers Australia. Although this may be true and not all consumers will be affected in the same way, colour psychology has been researched multiple times and is worth bearing in mind to boost your future campaigns.

Successful brands and colour

Around nine out of ten shoppers claim a colour is a major reason for buying and that colour boosts the ability to recognise a brand by approximately 80%, states research compiled by Kissmetrics.

 

Here are some examples of the successful brands andthe emotions associated with the colours they employ:

 

Colour Effect Logo
Yellow Hopefulness and warmth [yellow tail] and McDonalds
Green Growth and relaxation Starbucks and Spotify
Pink Romance and femininity Barbie and Very
Purple Creativity and intelligence Cadbury and Hallmark
Black Power and luxury Chanel and Adidas
Orange Confidence and happiness Nickelodeon and Fanta
Red Energy and excitement Coca Cola and Arnott’s
Blue Trust and safekeeping Facebook and hp

 

Starbucks provides a good example of a strategic approach, by choosing green and evoking relaxation in their coffee houses. And has Arnott’s got it right by evoking excitement to encourage its consumers to by its treats, like Tim Tam? Perhaps, and you could do the same. According to June Mcleod, author of Colour Psychology Today: “One of the greatest assets and one of the easiest ways to sway decision or attract an emotive response — or alienate a consumer — is through colour.”

 

Is colourresponsible for brand identification? Eight out of ten people believe so.Take a look at the colour red and the power Coca Cola has had with it, even changing the colour of Santa Claus!To help customers build familiarity with your brand, make sure your logo reflects what your offer and the persona you want to adopt.

Inject some colour into your marketing strategy, it’s never too late

Danish beer company, Carlsberg, rebranded itself perfectly. Opting to use mainly white in its Carlberg Export packaging and altering its once-green bottles to brown, Carlsberg enjoyed a sales increase of 10% in just 12 weeks.

 

A few highlights to driving success with colour?

  • Use red and yellow to grab attention.
  • With onlyseven seconds to make a bold first impression, use opposing colours to boost clarity and readability.
  • Think about if you sell to mainly men or women and remember the above research about different colourperceptions…
  • Determine how you want to be recognised as a brand and tweak your campaigns accordingly —include orange to inject fun into your ads or use sleek black to infuse your promotions with an air of luxury.

 

Hopefully you’re now convinced about the power of colour and ready to boost your marketing success today!

 

Sources:

http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0258042X1103600206

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022435913000031

https://neilpatel.com/blog/color-psychology/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2235253

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4347302/

https://www.businessinsider.com/only-7-seconds-to-make-first-impression-2013-4?IR=T