The Evolution of Computers

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StrategyDriven Editorial Perspective Article | The Evolution of ComputersComputers have come a long way from the first models unveiled in 1940. Through the decades, thanks to improved engineering as well as advancements in separate computer parts, modern computers accomplish tasks that were mere science fiction five decades ago. Here is a brief look at how computers evolved.

The Beginning

Modern machines have lightning-fast components thanks to innovations such as silicon wafer dicing. Several generations back, however, computers looked and worked much differently. Far from the lightweight laptop you use today, first generation computers used vacuum tubes and magnetic drums to store information. John Presper Eckert and John Mauchly invented the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer, or ENIAC, and the first model weighed 30 tons and took up about 1800 square feet.

The ENIAC required a team of technicians to maintain it around the clock. Reprogramming it took weeks. These first computers were costly to build, and they generated a great deal of heat. They also used up a lot of electricity.

The Second Wave

By 1956, engineers developed computers that used transistors, which transformed them into more manageable machines that were smaller, lighter, and less expensive to build. These computers were more efficient to run than first-generation models, although they still generated self-damaging heat. Symbolic language came into use with this generation. The first types of programming languages were COBOL and FORTRAN.

The Third Generation

By 1964, computers began to look more like machines modern people know. Integrated circuits were the stars of the new semiconductor technology. Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, making the machines lightweight as well as faster. Keyboards and monitors took the place of punch cards and calculation printouts. Numerous applications could run on a single machine. The price also went down so more people could buy computers.

The Revolution

Microprocessors were developed in 1971, ushering in the fourth generation of computers. We are still in this generation, though changes have come quickly in the last four decades. The Intel 4004 chip was the first microprocessor, allowing thousands of integrated circuits to fit onto one silicon chip. The industry never looked back.

In 1981, IBM introduced the first personal computer. Three years later, Apple unveiled the Macintosh. Computer networks developed, and Tim Berners-Lee is credited as the inventor of the World Wide Web and the necessary protocols and programming language, paving the way for the internet. Vincent Cerf also worked to develop the language and structure of what would become the information superhighway we know today.

The evolution of the computer is a fascinating journey. Looking at the earliest incarnations of this ubiquitous machine reminds us that everything began at some point, and development continued due to curiosity that drove innovation. The next time you grab your laptop to send an email, take a moment to remember those pioneers who started the digital age.

Pultrusions Explained – Their Benefits And More

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Pultrusion products are used for a huge number of different applications. This includes everything from sports goods and rail transport to motor vehicles and wind turbine blades. The pultrusion process leads to materials that are of exceptional quality. From incredible strength to low weight, the benefits are truly extensive. Keeping that in mind, in this post you will discover everything you need to know about pultrusions, including the pultrusion process and the many advantages associated with them. So, continue reading to discover more…

Let’s begin by explaining the pultrusion process in basic details. It all starts with the insertion of glass fibre reinforcements. After this, glass fibre strands and mats are coated with polyester resin. The mats and glass fibre strands are then guided through feeder plates. This is to ensure they are positioned correctly within the mould; otherwise, it would be difficult to guarantee a proper glass coating. After this, the resin, mats and fibers will be pulled through a mould that is heated. Two pulling devices are used, pulling and grabbing the profile alternatively. The process is then finished with a saw cutting the profile at the length that is required. Of course, there will be slight divergences in the production process, yet this is a general outline of what occurs.

So now you know the process that occurs in order to create pultrusion products, such as pultruded carbon fiber tubes and boxes, but where does all the hype come from? Well, the pultrusion process results in a material that has exceptional characteristics. One of the main reasons why this material is used in so many applications is because it is low in weight but boasts incredible strength at the same time. In terms of weight, pultrusions weigh up to 30 per cent less than aluminium and up to 80 per cent less than steel. This presents obvious benefits, as it is easier to use and transport. Nonetheless, the lower weight does not lead to any compromises in terms of quality. Exceptional strength is guaranteed. Pultrusion products are much stronger than steel when compared on a weight for weight basis.

The beneficial characteristics do not end there for businesses. Pultrusions boast a low thermal conductivity, which makes them highly effective as a thermal break. They also have a high level of corrosion resistance when they are subject to various corrosive environments and chemicals. Pultrusion products can also be perfect for electrical insulating applications, as they are electrically non-conductive. If that wasn’t enough, pultrusions are virtually maintenance-free because of their exceptional corrosive properties. You will really struggle to find another material that boasts the level of quality that pultrusion products do.

To conclude, hopefully, you now have a much better understanding regarding pultrusion products – you know how they are created and the many different benefits that are associated with them. When you consider the type of applications that pultrusions are used for, you recognise why such an exceptional material is needed, and now it really is not difficult to see how pultrusion products tick all of the boxes.

Taking a Look at the Future of Oil and Gas Industry

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StrategyDriven Editorial Perspective Article |future of oil and gas industry | Taking a Look at the Future of Oil and Gas IndustryWhat is to come in the future of oil and gas industry? It appears gloomy, as it faces stiff competition and opposition.

Environmental concerns amass and foretell the demise of the fossil giant. Activists and politicians demand the modernization of energy production, supply, and consumption.

Sustainability is the new business benchmark. The clear focus is on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and tackling climate change.

In the meantime, alternative sources of energy, such as solar and wind, are surging. In the US, they grew at a rate of 100 percent from 2000 to 2018. Figures there and elsewhere suggest they are the fastest-growing energy option on the globe.

But, the oil and gas sector has a few aces up its sleeve. Digital transformation is one of those trends giving the veteran a new lease of life.

The Green Revolution

Renewable technology is gaining ground left and right.

Public support and private funding are on the path of steady rise. Sustainable technology is getting cheaper as time rolls by. In a few years’ time, it may be on equal footing with gas in terms of competitiveness.

Thus, it’s safe to say disruption is real. In fact, it has already started to reshape the energy landscape.

Optimists argue the trajectory is set: a greener world.

There’s no going back.

However, the road to there will be thorny and there are two main reasons behind this. Renewable energy still isn’t readily available in abundance. It’s also not as scalable as fossil fuels.

This is to say it can’t supplement the energy needs of the world in the near future. For instance, it’s hard to imagine a viable alternative to fossil-fuel-based transportation right now. They will continue to propel global travel and commerce.

Notice that many world nations are heavily dependent on oil revenue as well.

Still Keeping the Lights On

The industry will harness the power of growth catalysts to stay ahead of the curve.

First of all, there are still untapped and undiscovered reserves out there. Developing economies are yet to reach their full appetite for fossil fuels. Rapidly-growing Asian economies need them to support their population and production boom.

Taking this into account, the energy consumption patterns will shift slowly and demand will fall gradually. We’re probably talking about a decline of several percentages in a matter of two decades.

What is more, the adoption of new technologies will facilitate oil and gas operations. They will make exploration, drilling, and other processes quicker and way more efficient. Even offshore drilling hasn’t delivered on its potential yet.

Technology also gives the oil and gas industry a chance to wash its face. It could contribute to climate change goals or at least stop acting as a green boogeyman. For this to happen, we’ll have to see more decisive emission-reduction plans.

The goal is to reduce the emissions by at least 3.4 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent and to it by 2050. This is a vital aspiration, but it doesn’t change one fact. The more distant future probably belongs to clean forms of energy.

The New Fossil Order Rises

As we’ve indicated, fossil fuel demand is showing no signs of slowing down.

The real problem is on the other side of the spectrum— supply. Experts predict there will be a severe supply gap in the future. It will be the result of the depletion of existing (known) fields and production.

Of course, it should be said the countries of the world won’t just sit idle. Despite major turbulences (like the one of 2014), OPEC has successfully managed the supply/demand in the past. The organization kept the prices from fluctuating too wildly.

The US is poised to chip away at the influence of these old fossil fuel goliaths. This is largely thanks to its tech-driven “Shale Revolution”, which brought forth a production burst. The geopolitics of fossil oil will look much different.

In other words, fossil fuel-funded countries will lose much of their leverage.

The US also established itself as a major exporter and a leader in liquefied natural gas (LNG). This form of gas is 600 times smaller than the natural gas in its original (gaseous) form. Hence, LNG is bound to revolutionize fuel shipping and storage.

These exciting changes bring us to the next key point.

The Bleeding Edge

We should never underestimate the potential for technological innovation.

Industry leaders will make sure to champion digital transformation and increase upstream capital investments. They will embrace cutting-edge digital platforms and cloud-connected tools. Adoption will take operational efficiency to the next level and across the entire lifecycle.

Companies will have to become more agile, automated, and data-driven in order to survive. Machines will take over many repetitive, tedious, and dangerous tasks. They will render manual processes a relic of the past.

Big data, for example, should work wonders for risk monitoring and prediction. Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and drones will enable remote monitoring of operations. Control of work will optimize management systems and help organizations overcome operational hiccups.

To find out more about this practice promoting safety and mitigating hazards, read on here.

All in all, expect to see software platforms and industrial robots to proliferate. These are the harbingers of the new dawn for the fossil fuel sector. Hopefully, they will make production safer and environmentally-friendly too.
Investors will certainly look to this frontier of innovation to find companies with profit potential. “Business as usual” can’t continue, not with the risks and uncertainties lurking around.

The Future of Oil and Gas Industry is Now

Fossil industries aren’t going to go down, at least not without a fight.

They span the globe and power the modern infrastructure of travel and commerce. The growing popularity of renewable sources is going to take a while to yield radical change.

Besides, there are ways to make oil and gas businesses future-proof. Namely, the word of tomorrow will be digital-first and automated. Countries like the US will spearhead the new wave of technological advancement.

Changes will revamp everything from exploration to filed abandonment Brands will have to become more operationally intelligent or risk going under. They will have to learn to swim in restless water of shifting supply and demand patterns.

So, we can conclude that the near future of oil and gas industry is fairly bright. It’s the long-term horizon that looks a bit bleak.

Check out our treasury of insights to educate yourself some more. Stay in-the-know!

3 Consumer Trends on the Rise in 2020

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StrategyDrivenConsumers can be picky, but there are some trends from years past that are still on the rise in 2020. While there are plenty to choose from, the three on this list are seeing big profits that don’t look like they’ll be on the decline anytime soon. So check out these three products that are likely to be everywhere this year.

CBD Products

The cannabis market has become a big industry. Now that CBD has been reclassified as a Schedule 5 drug, it’s legal to sell it to consumers and can most commonly be found in a health food or e-cigarette store. This development came after CBD as revealed to have properties that stopped seizures associated with Epilepsy. Now, it’s used to treat many different things, from muscle aches to anxiety. Due to its versatility, CBD is estimated to bring in $20 billion in profits by 2024.

Plant-Based Meat Alternatives 

Meatless protein options are gaining in popularity, and not just with people who identify as vegetarian. In fact, only 7% of people who consume meat alternatives say they’re vegetarians. The biggest shift in the alternative protein market was the switch from a need-based market to a want-based market. More people want protein options so they can cut back on eating meat, even just a few days per week. This shift may have come as a result of a more eco-minded consumer trend that’s predicted to increase in the coming decade.

Wireless Speakers

Portable speakers have been popular since they came on the scene in the 1980s, so it’s no surprise that Bluetooth and other wireless speaker types are on the rise. This industry is estimated to generate close to $32 billion by 2023. The success of Bluetooth speakers can also be attributed to their affordability. These powerful little devices start around $10 each, making them a great purchase for holiday gift exchanges at the office or tokens of appreciation. On the other hand, audiophiles can purchase high-quality portable speakers, too, offering a broad market for the product.

Predicting Consumer Trends

There is no such thing as a sure thing, but if you watch the trends, you can try to foresee how consumers will behave in the coming year. Doing so helps companies and individuals decide where to place their investments. Of course, there are a lot of consumer trends out there, so do your research on a product before making a purchase.

How Close Are We to Developing Plant-Based Meat?

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StrategyDriven Editorial Perspective Article |Plant-Based Meat|How Close Are We to Developing Plant-Based Meat?Eating plant-based meat isn’t just about being vegan. If you take the visitor and exhibitor data from Global Table, it will show a diverse set of tastes for each group. Health and food variety play a big role in the rise of plant-based meat. But is it here to stay? And how far along is the food industry with producing a suitable replacement?

It’s Already Here

Several companies have gone headfirst into the plant-based meat industry. This isn’t a flash in the pan, and led to a strong showing in new food innovations. The rush to create the perfect product happened around the same time that being healthy became profitable. Instead of making something that only appeals to a specific group of people, companies realized that plant-based meat can be an addition, or an actual replacement to real meat. There is still a long way to go in finding the right balance between healthy and tasty. While consumers are breaking down doors to get the Impossible Whopper, it is still considered a small minority (and star) of the entire plant-based meat industry. The B2B media campaign by PPR&C highlights some of the best features of pushing plant-based meat. Get to know more about plant protein and its benefits.

Branding Is Everything

The Impossible Whopper had a great marketing push due to its whopper roots. It already started on third base, while every other plant-based meat product had to start on first. This is the biggest challenge in the food industry for any non-established brand that wants to leave their mark.

Grocery store brands that have been selling plant-based meat products for years. After fighting for shelf space with meat products, brands began to be displayed side by side with their meat-based competitors. That made a big difference in certain areas where marketing a plant-based meat product doesn’t really stand out. Now, when you shop for meat, plant-based meat products are displayed in the same row. For the normal shopper mentality, this makes the difference between a buy or a pass. Without a large social media or marketing push, it is easy to miss some of the better choices in a store isle.

Pricing

Global leaders in the industry understand that pricing is the biggest roadblock to the mass acceptance of plant-based meat products. Healthy food has always been more expensive than regular food. When fast food chains add plant-based meat to their menu, it doesn’t suffer from a price hike. This makes it an attractive option to have with a diet soda. When shoppers go into a store or online website to find a similar fix, they are met with inconsistent pricing. This is confusing, but there are several reasons for this.

Plant-based meat brands uses natural, high quality ingredients. It is no different than the price hike issued on organic vegetables and produce. The other reason has to do with store placement, which once again, requires smart placement with regular meat. Companies that spend more for natural ingredients don’t get a discount on shelving space, so the price is sometimes passed onto the consumer.

Pricing woes can be avoided by buying from a plant-based meat website, or getting on a compatible food subscription plan. The awareness raised by the Global Table event touched on some of these issues, and offered some great alternative selling methods for new and existing companies.

Wrap Up

This is the best time to try plant-based meat and similar products. They work well together, and should fit the palate of a casual eater or hardcore foodie. Look past the normal options if you want to try something a little bit different, yet familiar.