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How GIS Changed the Face of Modern Geography

There is no doubt about the fact that technology continues to transform the world in many immeasurable ways.

But perhaps something that would grab everyone’s attention is how it has made the most complex things look easy. Take a case in point of schools and research centers, and further narrow down to a subject such as Geography. You will be awe-struck by some of the most cutting-edge development in modern times.

Geographic information systems, also known as Geospatial information system (GIS) is a testament to how the integration of technology and academia is making it easy for students and researchers to study what would otherwise be impossible a few decades ago.

A Brief History of GIS

Many years ago, students of Geography depended on two-dimensional maps, something which made it difficult to explore the real world. It meant things like Global Position Systems wouldn’t realize a lot of success, and people would be limited to studying areas of proximity.

However, all this was to change when in the 1960s, a 28-year-old Canadian Geography student named Roger Tomlinson started developing what later became known as the first ever GIS software. The Canadian Land inventory embraced the approach. At the same time, Howard Fisher, who was in Harvard at the same time was looking into prospects of bringing together data sets from map using statistic modeling software, shortly after which, the United States Census Bureau started applying his approach in demographic studies.

What has changed in Geography?

The following are notable facelifts that Geospatial information system has brought into modern Geographical studies:

Widespread application in the study of planets (Astronomy Science)

NASA can track the path of asteroids with greater ease than it was many years back. That’s not all. With Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) onboard Mars Global Surveyor, scientists have been able to study the rugged terrain of a planet that has since shown traits of supporting human life. Talk about Mar Rover, Visible Earth, Google Earth, 3-Study of magnetic fields and many more; GIS is taking a toll on old approaches to Astronomy.

Remote Sensing

With the advent of GIS software, there was never going to be any doubt about how it would transform capabilities of remote sensing gadgets. Installation on the space station makes it easy to gather information about the outer space, include remotest parts on land.

Demographics

A lot has changed regarding demographic studies, or populations, thanks to the incorporation of GIS as an advanced computer technology for data collection. It is now easier to gather spatial statistics, simplify complex data and scale down the findings to dependable and precise findings. In this regard, researchers in this field of knowledge can realize the outcomes of their projects much faster and with more reliability using a data modeling approach.

Improvement in tracking capabilities

With GIS coming hot on the heels of the information age, tracking migrations of people, animals and weather changes has become easier than before. Mapping, data analysis, and reporting are the mainstay activities in this approach.

Meteorological studies

Ever wondered how the weatherman knows about an impending hurricane, a potentially hazardous tornado or even a storm that is a few months away from flooding lowlands? Well, it is all thanks to GIS impact on meteorology, a branch of geography that involves the study of climatic patterns.

In summary, the Geospatial information system is changing the way people study the environment in which they live. And while its application is widespread in Geography, businesses also depend on it to satisfy the needs of clients.

February 16, 2022
Why digital transformation is the key to your survival in a competitive world
Embracing Digital transformation is fast becoming essential for businesses to remain competitive and survive in a changing world.

Change is the only constant. The father of the evolutionary theory, Charles Darwin famously said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”

Indeed, this insight has never been truer than in the present times when firms stand at the cusp of the traditional ways of doing business versus the new. Analog versus digital. Offline versus online. The question is no longer of merely making a profit, it is the larger issue of survival in the long run.

So, what is that bridge that will ensure the survival of the fittest in a competitive and ever-changing business world? The answer is simple. Digital transformation.

Simply put, digital transformation is the integration of digital technology into all areas of a business, thereby changing how they operate and deliver value to customers At another level, it is also a change in mindset that requires organizations to persistently question the status quo, experiment, and embrace new technology.

There are several reasons why a business may undergo digital transformation, but by far, the most likely reason is that they have no other choice. It is a matter of staying relevant or becoming obsolete.

According to a Study by Microsoft, 80% of Asia’s business leaders believe they need to be a digital business to succeed. Ralph Haupter, President, Microsoft Asia said: “The Microsoft Asia Digital Transformation Study has shown that business leaders have started to act on the need for digital transformation to address the challenges and opportunities of the 4th Industrial Revolution in the region. Lessons from past industrial revolutions have taught us that organizations that do not evolve fast enough will be less competitive or even obsolete as they face disruptions in every industry.”

Why should SMEs adopt digital transformation?

SMEs, in particular, stand to gain tremendously by embracing digital transformation.
1. Level-playing field with larger corporates
Embracing digital opens up a host of opportunities to compete against larger organizations – an undertaking often perceived as challenging by these smaller businesses due to limited budgets and resources and fewer staff members. In his book, The New Small, Phil Simon explores how technology levels the playing field for small businesses versus the bigger players. SMEs that are agile and nimble are quicker to embrace technology than their larger counterparts and this gives them an early-mover advantage.
1. Stay ahead of the competition
SMEs can no longer afford to be complacent when it comes to adopting new technology, else they risk being overtaken by their competitors. As per a Forrester Research Report, executives predict that by 2025 nearly 87% of their revenue will be influenced by digital.
1. Optimize operations
Digital technology makes SMEs more efficient. Technology such as IoT enables SMEs to gather vast data and draw actionable insights through analytics, and then apply those learning’s to introduce enhancements on an ongoing basis. Organizations in the manufacture, retail, and healthcare can respond in real-time, or even pre-emptively solve customer issues. SMEs can benefit from quicker internal processes and fewer errors when collecting information, which in turn will equate to greater efficiency and accuracy.
1. Empower workforce
Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) enable the automation of time-consuming tasks. This allows employees to focus on more skilled and strategic tasks that increase revenue and reduce operating costs. Automating tasks also boost employee morale, as team members won’t be consumed by repetitive and time-consuming tasks.
1. Engage customers
Technology offers several opportunities to attract, engage and retain customers. From online stores where customers can conveniently shop, robust feedback mechanisms and customized loyalty programs – technology can make the user experience seamless and engaging.
1. Increase profits
Embracing digital technology makes SMEs more profitable. According to a survey by Gartner, 65% of the CEOs interviewed said that their digital investments have already improved profits.

The bottom line remains that those who ignore digital transformation, do so at the cost of their very survival.
February 7, 2022
Current trends in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Application to Oil and Gas Industry

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI), in its many integrated flavors from neural networks to
genetic optimization to fuzzy logic, has made solid steps toward becoming more accepted in the mainstream of the oil and gas industry.On the basis of recent developments in the field of Oil & Gas upstream, it is becoming clear that petroleum industry has realized the immense potential offered by intelligent systems. Moreover, with the advent of new sensors that are permanently placed in the wellbore, very large amounts of data that carry important and vital information are now available.

To make the most of these innovative hardware tools, an operator intervention is required to handle the software to process the data in real time. Intelligent systems are the only viable techniques capable of bringing real-time analysis and decision-making power to the new hardware.

An integrated, intelligent software tool must have several important attributes, such as the ability to integrate hard (statistical) and soft (intelligent) computing and to integrate several AI
techniques. The most used techniques in the Oil and Gas sector are:

• Genetic Algorithm (GA), inspired by the biological evolution of species in natural
environment, consists of a stochastic algorithm in which three key parameters must be
defined:
1. Chromosomes, or better, vectors constituted by a fixed number of parameters
(genes).
2. A collection of chromosomes called genotype, which represents the individuals of
a population.
3. The operations of selection, mutation, and crossover to produce a population from
one generation (parents) to the next (offspring).

• Fuzzy Logic (FL) is a mathematical tool able to covert crisp (discrete) information as
input and to predict the correspondent crisp outlet by means of a knowledge base
(database) and a specific reasoning mechanism. To achieve such goal, the crisp
information is firstly converted into a continuous (fuzzy) form, secondly processed by an
inference engine and at least re-converted to a crisp form.

• Artificial neural network (ANN) is constituted by a large number simple processing
units, characterized by a state of activation, which communicate between them by sending
signals of different weight. The overall interaction of the units produces, together with an external input, a processed output. The latter is also responsible of changing the state of
activation of the units themselves.

AI applications in Oil and Gas industry

Exploration & Production (E&P) sector

Most of the resources in the Oil and gas field is centered in drilling operation in which artificial
intelligence finds natural application. Drilling success and safety are related to an accurate
prediction of the likely performance of different factors such as:
• Pre-drilling settings (rig, logistics and associated drilling risks)
• Drilling equipment (casing and tubing pipes, drilling mud)
• Downhole machinery behavior (vibrations, torque limits)

The development of models, implemented by AI systems, permits to avoid the necessity of
disposing of real-time data and to produce smart outcomes in order to quickly re-establish optimum operating conditions.

Relatively to the selection of Drill bits, trained artificial neural networks (ANNs) have been used:
they are able to suggest the best drill bit to select (roller cone, diamond insert or a hybrid) analyzing a user defined database. The latter should include information relative to the IADC bit codes correlated with specific geological data.

Neural and network system (commonly GRNNs) gave accurate results in the prediction of mud
the fracture gradient. As input parameters to the model, the depth of the well, the overburden
gradient and the Poisson ratio must be provided. It is important to keep in mind that the results will strictly depend upon the range of the data set, and that extrapolations may loss in accuracy.

In the planning stages of a well, drilling engineers are responsible for the establishment of the
different depths at which the well must be cased to ensure an overall desired perforation depth. To avoid casing collapse, a neural network approach adopting a BPNN based spreadsheet program can be used. Back-propagating neural networks (BPNN) are constituted by a defined number of “layers”. Each layer is interconnected with the other: in particular, the input layer is connected with hidden layers which are in turn connected to the output layer. This neural net, provided of an historical well archive, is fed (input layer) with specific data of the well under consideration (i.e. location, depth, casing strength). Furthermore, the BPNN is able to estimate an “experienced”casing case probability.

Another example of AI application is given by the real time drilling optimization in which
artificial intelligence system are adopted to improved monitoring of downhole parameters
optimizing the drilling operation.

A crucial real-time operation is the Estimation of hole cleaning efficiency in terms of cutting
concentration. During the drilling process, the wellbore is filled with many rock fragments
(cuttings) generated by the mechanical action of the drill bit. In order to remove those cuttings
from the well, a drilling fluid, or drilling mud, is pumped from the drill bit and exits from the
wellhead: the cuttings are lifted and carried on the top of the well. According to this, the cutting concentration (expressed as a %) is the residual amount of rock fragments into the well after the cleaning action of the mud (Figure 5 gives a visual idea of the situation described). Inefficient removal of the drilled cuttings may lead, in some severe cases, to the loss of the well due to stuck pipe.

For the estimation of the hole cleaning efficiency, artificial feed-forward neural network with
back-propagation (BPNN) can be used. As input to the model all the parameters which affect the cutting concentration must be given. The latter are divided in specific parameters of the drilling (rate of penetration, inclination angle of the wellbore) or in parameters regarding the rheology conditions of the mud (viscosity, density).

Future-proof your operations, onshore or offshore

Whether you focus on exploration, extraction, transportation, storage, or production, at SCS Tech, we cater to all sectors of the oil and gas industry. From crude oil to natural gas and natural gas liquids, from refineries to gas treatment and petrochemical production, from pipelines to storage facilities, our service solutions and expertise give you the competitive edge. We ensure and boost the performance of the turbomachinery that lies at the heart of your value-adding process.

February 4, 2022
Top 5 Reasons Why Cybersecurity is Important
Cyber attacks are widespread, which can harm millions of people. Organizations can be shut down. Services can’t be provided to citizens. Widespread cyber attacks configuration of cloud services with increasing cybercriminal attacks risk the organization and its process.

The days are gone for simple firewalls antivirus software which helped us to secure our data and identity.

Cyber threats can arrive from any level of association. Cybersecurity is no longer something any company can ignore. Security regularly affects businesses of all sizes and makes them causing reversible reputational damage to the companies involved.

Why is cybersecurity critical?

Cybersecurity is the event or process of recovering and protecting computer systems, devices, networks, and programs from any cyber attack.

Cyber attacks are increasingly causing danger to your sensitive data, as attackers employ new methods of artificial intelligence and social engineering to your traditional security controls.

The world is frequently reliant on technology. This dependence will continue as we introduce the next generation of smart internet-enabled devices that have access to our networks via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Let’s explore its importance:
1. Cyber-attacks affect all
Cyber attacks can cause electrical power outages, the disappointment of military equipment, and breaches of national security privileged insights. They can bring about the theft of important, sensitive information like clinical records. They can upset telephone and PC organizations or paralyze frameworks, making information inaccessible.

Cyber attacks can occur on a worldwide scale, also with programmers breaking government organizations. It is such a danger that atomic plants can be assaulted, causing a nuclear calamity with a considerable number of lives lost. These digital worms made centrifuges heat up and may have caused a blast costing human lives.
1. Rapid technological change will benefit
With the launch of the 5G network, a significant expansion of multidimensional cyber attack vulnerability increased. The new system requires a similar redefined cyber strategy. By further stating the increase in cyber attacks of the software, it will be challenging to retool how organizations would save the virtual network of the 21st century. Modern technologies like IoT are increasing the number of devices connected, and there will be approximately 400 billion connected devices by the end of 2022.
1. Damage to organization and loss of jobs
There has been a lot of breaches of companies in recent years. Organizations should conduct phishing simulation tests to test the awareness of employees. It should be done initially before and after training to measure the improvement areas of your employees. Creating an incident response strategy will allow organizations to stay ahead of the attack. It will ensure your quick response on the offense to keep the attackers from getting a hold of sensitive data.
1. Cybersecurity threats faced by individuals
Not just do countries and organizations face dangers from the actions and intentions of hackers, yet people face numerous risks too. Identity theft is a colossal issue, where hackers steal a person’s very own data and sell it for benefit.

This likewise puts the individual security of an individual and their family in danger. This happened in various events, and a million of Rs was lost to the detriment of the person in question. In different cases, the programmers use coercion and blackmail in the wake of taking their identity and requesting recover cash to make no further move. This is particularly valid for high-profile identity theft cases of superstars or individuals with high net worth.
1. Cyber concerns may result in increased regulation and legislation
With cybersecurity threats increasing, new laws and regulations can be placed to protect the consumer from attacks. It means that increased legislation and regulations may soon become a reality. Citizens need to be made aware of laws that are passed and make sure that their organizations comply with the laws. The laws specified for cybersecurity will result in better functionality and process of the organization resulting in more safe and secure data-driven solutions for clients.

SCS Tech specializes in designing, building, and running optimized security solutions which help the organization and individuals defend against all cybersecurity attacks. Write to us to learn more about how we can help: info@scstechindia.com
January 31, 2022
Why Conversational AI and Chatbots are Perfect for Digital Health

Over the last decade, the continued evolution of digital healthcare and the impact that next-generation technology will have on patient wellness and diagnostic outcomes has been a recurring conversation. Providers have been looking to make the most of the tech-centric tools that are increasingly available, while those in need of care or the right advice at the right time now expect the medical sector to be investing in digital solutions to physical problems.

The integration of tech into public health and wellness is nothing new, but the demands of the connected society have only raised awareness of what is possible but also flagged up the opportunities for engagement in the digital space.

Healthcare has never shied away from technology, albeit some recent improvements can be hit-and-miss – electronic health records are only as useful as the data that has been input, for example. However, there is a consensus among providers and medical professionals that the industry is willing to accept some disruption if it has a positive impact on the overall patient experience.

In terms of technology with the power to both disrupt and improve the way that people engage with digital health, there is an argument to be made that conversational AI (which includes Machine Learning) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) can be the missing link. After all, if Alexa et al can answer questions about the weather, start your car in the morning and tell jokes, then there is no reason why virtual assistants can’t provide you with the medical advice that you need, when you need it.

The Chatbot will See You Now

According to the World Economic Forum, virtual assistants – and, by association, chatbots – are not only being used in a diverse set of industries (healthcare, education, retail, tourism, and more), but also offer opportunities for companies to integrate NLP into routine or mundane activities. For instance, Amazon’s Alexa is the chatbot that the average person associates with the tech, but the key element in every interaction is the ability of NLP to understand what it is being asked and respond with the appropriate information.

The problem, the WEF said in a November 2021 blog post, is that building the chatbot is the easy part. Often, it is the conversational aspect that throws a digital spanner into the works. When you are talking to a finance bot or trying to return a pair of shoes, the stilted nature of these exchanges is rarely an issue. In a sector such as healthcare, it is the conversation and the information that is being dispensed that is a key part of how comfortable an end-user is with knowing that they are not engaged with a human being.

In rural parts of the world, the use of so-called health bots has already helped alleviate some of the pressure on localized health providers.

This is not limited to first-world or so-called developed countries, but their integration takes on a particular resonance in regions where access to tech is not easily available. In Rwanda, for example, there is often only one doctor and six healthcare workers per 10,000 people, with the WEF noting that these tools are allowing patients to have access to doctors, nurses, and relevant healthcare information.

The caveat is that there is still some concern that a well-documented stigma surrounding chatbots in general could prevent people from interacting with them in the first place – for the record, this is also not unique to developing countries, there seems to be a global mistrust of chatbots as an accurate or effective engagement tool!

Conversational AI and chatbots are not new per se, but they can suffer from falling under a broad definition of what they actually are. Simply put, a “chatbot” is AI software that simulates a human conversation with end-users – this can be text or voice – with the aim being to leverage machine learning algorithms and NLP to deliver required outcomes.

The healthcare sector has been experimenting with these solutions for some time, with Mobile Health News reporting in May 2020 that a leading healthcare provider was integrating bots into its Emergency Department EHR system. More recently, the World Health Organization launched a women’s health chatbot dedicated to breast cancer messaging – for context, this new digital experience follows hot on the heels of bots that delivered information on COVID-19, mental health and smoking cessation.

So, the bots are already here, but the question that we need to address is how we can use conversational AI and/or chatbots in addressing not only patient concerns but also alleviate the worry or concerns that a person has. Additionally, we should consider both the challenges to overcome and the advantages of using virtual assistants to deliver care and wellness.

The Future is Already Here

We all interact with digital experiences every day of our lives, so it makes perfect sense that the technologies we often use without thinking should be mirrored in the healthcare sector. And while the industry still relies far too much on legacy technology (disparate IT systems, pagers instead of wearables), the integration of digital health solutions is picking up pace.

Conversational AI has been part of the digital landscape for at least five years, although the average person is likely to only know these virtual assistants as Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant (useful tool, unimaginative name). Chatbots fit into the same category, but their integration into the connected society is less heralded and, arguably, overlooked in terms of the access to knowledge and the assistance they can provide.

However, these tools are here to stay and there is a defined need for them to become not only part of the digital health landscape but also a familiar resource for people to turn to. The effective use of chatbots to provide the right medical or clinical information at the right time is not a futuristic concept, these solutions are here now. What matters is how healthcare and life sciences companies choose to use them.

To learn more about SCS Tech Expertise, click here

January 28, 2022
Intelligent Debriefing with Analytics
As of today, SCS Tech Systems has launched the Debriefing Solution, a system designed to evaluate the level of service delivered across a comprehensive emergency incident. The solution is aimed at providing a unique value for emergency service agencies such as fire brigades, EMS, police, etc.

The application can be used to evaluate both single calls and complete incidents, including the processing of multimedia input, such as maps, videos, and CAD screens.

The fire department command and control operation center can reconstruct incidents by integrating multimedia data from various capture platforms into one comprehensive timeline. This provides a full picture of the incident for investigation, debriefing, and training purposes.

Debriefing is now equipped with quality assurance tools, further enhancing its capabilities.

With SCS Tech Systems’ experience in command-and-control systems, these tools are designed to help organizations identify knowledge gaps and opportunities for training during incidents, improving future responses.

In Integration with the CAD System the solution has following features
- Modules such as this one allow them to measure the performance of call takers based on pre-defined KPIs and to set up training programs for them to improve their skills.
- Using behavioral analytics, managers can gain insight into behavior patterns in the control room and track how call takers and dispatchers acquire and utilize new skills.
- Using this module, managers have a better understanding of the volume of incoming calls and other multimedia communications, which they can use to control staffing.
- Additionally, reports indicate where existing communication resources are being stretched, indicating that additional radio or telephone channels, for instance, are needed.
Our latest Debriefing release is designed to improve the performance of current public safety solutions”, explains General Manager of SCS Tech India Pvt. Ltd.

By capturing this information, we gain valuable insights into how dispatchers and call takers handle incidents, as well as a holistic view of the incident so that we can improve the response process.

With the integrated solution, a unique debriefing and reconstruction solution is created. Multimedia sources can now be captured and synced to synchronize step-by-step operator actions and comprehensive incident reconstructions, which can now be incorporated into debriefing sessions for investigations, training, planning and prevention.

With our Security solutions, organizations can capture, analyze and leverage big data to anticipate, manage and mitigate security and safety risks, improve operations, and make the world a safer place.

Enterprises and governments can gain valuable insights from the security, intelligence, and cyber offerings by analyzing structured and unstructured data from multiple sensors and channels, detecting irregular patterns, and recognizing trends.

our Security solutions can be used by customers worldwide, including transportation systems, critical infrastructure, city centers, banks, enterprises and government agencies.
January 11, 2022