What's Emerging mid-September 2020
A newsletter on interesting stuff that is emerging around the world so you can think about strategy
Introduction
Welcome to our mid-September newsletter.
In the next few weeks, Paul will be working on a platform strategy in the cleaning industry. He is also working on a community vision project for a Melbourne Council, and creating a consortium in the Not for Profit sector to assist in the “Build it Back Better” movement. He is also participating in a working group with the Leading Edge Forum in the UK looking at the industrialisation of robots. He will be presenting to the Social Venture Partners India National Conference, The Vet Expo in Sydney, and TAFE Boards and directors via the VDC.
If any of this interests you or you want to talk about the use of foresight in your strategy then please Contact Us
The Emergent Futures Team
In case you missed it. The most popular link from the last edition:
How to Build your Own LIGHTBOARD
Using a lightboard is a cool way to present online. It allows you to draw on a clear board in front of your face.
This is a very easy and cheap way to make your own lightboard You can use this light board to draw or teach online while facing the camera.
What are we Writing About?
With Melbourne coming out of its COVID-19 lock down Paul has reviewed his predictions on what the road out might look like:
Reviewing My Post Hard Lock Down Predictions
Because we should always review our predictions to examine our own assumptions
You can go to our HOME PAGE to read the article.
What’s Emerging?
World's biggest rooftop greenhouse opens in Montreal
Building on a new hanging garden trend, a greenhouse atop a Montreal warehouse growing eggplants and tomatoes to meet demand for locally sourced foods has set a record as the largest in the world.…. Read More
Magnis raises $7.65m to accelerate Townsville battery ‘gigafactory’ plans
The ASX-listed Magnis Energy Technologies has raised $7.65 million through an oversubscribed capital raising, to fund preparatory work for planned battery gigafactories in Townsville and New York.…. Read more
Mexican cartel using weaponized drones in drug wars to take out rivals
A militia group formed by farmers in Michoacan reported finding two drones with C4 explosives and ball bearings strapped to them — and reported hearing explosions which they attribute to the device .…. Read more
Japanese convenience store chain begins testing remote controlled robot staff in Tokyo
In this demonstration, the Model-T is stocking drinks which would normally require at least two workers on site so that one person could watch the counter.
In this way, however, a single robot operator could keep the drinks stocked at several locations throughout the day while the in-house staff focus on the customers. ….. Read more
China’s Days as World’s Factory Are Over, IPhone Maker Says
A key supplier to Apple Inc. and a dozen other tech giants plans to split its supply chain between the Chinese market and the U.S., declaring that China’s time as factory to the world is finished because of the trade war.
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Chairman Young Liu said it’s gradually adding more capacity outside of China, the main base of production for gadgets from iPhones to Dell desktops and Nintendo Switches. The proportion outside the country is now at 30%, up from 25% last June.
That ratio will rise as the company -- known also as Foxconn -- moves more manufacturing to Southeast Asia and other regions to avoid escalating tariffs on Chinese-made goods headed to U.S. markets, Liu told reporters after his company reported financial results.…. Read more
Researchers Miniaturize Imaging Device Using 3D Microprinted Camera Lens
Researchers from the University of Adelaide and the University of Stuttgart have developed an ultrathin endoscope small enough to scan images from inside the blood vessels of mice. In humans, the scope will help scientists better understand causes of heart attack and disease progression and, subsequently, methods for treatment and prevention.…. Read more
FAA approves Amazon's drone delivery fleet
Amazon will now be allowed to "safely and efficiently deliver packages to customers,” the FAA said in a statement.
The online retail giant has been testing drone delivery since 2013 as part of its efforts to cut down on package travel time.
The certification granted Monday by the FAA allows Amazon to carry property on drones “beyond the visual line of sight” of the operator. The company submitted its petition in August 2019.…. Read more
Xiaomi will launch a phone with an invisible under-display camera in 2021
That means you won't be able to spot the camera module at all underneath the screen, leading to a more immersive all-screen design. Xiaomi also says it tweaked its camera algorithms so that its under-screen modules deliver the same image quality as conventional selfie cameras …. Read more
Sea level rise from ice sheets track worst-case climate change scenario
Ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica whose melting rates are rapidly increasing have raised the global sea level by 1.8cm since the 1990s, and are matching the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's worst-case climate warming scenarios.
According to a new study from the University of Leeds and the Danish Meteorological Institute, if these rates continue, the ice sheets are expected to raise sea levels by a further 17cm and expose an additional 16 million people to annual coastal flooding by the end of the century.…. Read more
Japan wants flying cars in its skies in three years. Here's how they plan to pull it off
The man in charge of the company is Tomohiro Fukuzawa, who believes that within three years, people in Japan will be able hail a flying two-seater vehicle that can travel 5 kilometres.
It doesn't sound like much but it would theoretically get a passenger from Tokyo's Haneda airport to one of the city's biggest hubs.….Read more
Visual collaboration startup MURAL raises huge $118M Series B
The startup has plans for its new capital, including spending more on its global go-to-market capabilities, product work and “community engagement initiatives.” The first two planned efforts are standard-fare for startup funding news, while the last is a bit different. …. Read more
A majority of young adults in the U.S. live with their parents for the first time since the Great Depression
In July, 52% of young adults resided with one or both of their parents, up from 47% in February, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of monthly Census Bureau data. The number living with parents grew to 26.6 million, an increase of 2.6 million from February…. Read more
How China Cloned Shanghai
China has built a complete digital clone of its largest city covering almost 4,000 square kilometres - and it's about to simulate events in the future with astonishing accuracy. See how the team brought Shanghai's clone to life with Unreal Engine
Oneworld member airlines commit to net zero carbon emissions by 2050
The alliance’s 13 member airlines plan to achieve this target within the existing environmental framework previously agreed to by governments, including through the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).… Read more
Business Tips
Feeling tired during the COVID-19 pandemic? Here's how you can improve your energy and motivation levels
If you are constantly tired or feeling trapped in a state of perpetual jetlag during the pandemic, you are not alone.
While consistent tiredness could point to a serious medical condition, experts say knock-on effects from the pandemic may explain why some normally healthy people feel sluggish.
This advice may seem fairly straightforward but are you following it?….. Read More
Calendly Workflows
Some good work flow automation processes for meetings in Calendly….. Read more
A “Final” Tweak to the Framework Foresight cone
A useful way to think about scenarios from Andy Hines…. Read more
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