The challenges in AI engineering arise from the characteristics of AI-based methods: The performance of technical systems that use machine learning (ML) methods can often only be poorly estimated in advance. This makes it difficult to make reliable statements about safety and reliability. This is offset by a large potential benefit: Successfully used, data-driven methods can often make decisions faster and better than would be possible with classically developed methods. In this way, they support humans, relieve them and complement them. In industrial production, ML processes lead to higher-quality and thus longer-lasting products, increase resource efficiency or enable predictive maintenance. In the field of mobility, ML processes can increase driving safety, e.g. by emergency braking in dangerous situations, and thus save lives.

In order to integrate AI-based components effectively and efficiently into existing or new applications, a systematic approach is essential. Established systems engineering process models are intended for complex technical systems. However, the use of AI and ML brings new challenges that a dedicated process model should explicitly address.

Systematically develop and operate AI solutions with AI engineering

PAISE® (a registered word mark for Nice Class 9 and 42 products), the Process Model for AI Systems Engineering, is specifically designed for the development and operation of AI-based systems. It combines approaches from computer science and data-driven modeling with those of classical engineering disciplines to overcome challenges. AI Systems Engineering, translated as AI Engineering, is what the scientists* call the interdisciplinary approach they have been working on since mid-2020. "With AI engineering, we want to systematize the development and operation of AI-based solutions. Only if AI methods can be used reliably from an engineering perspective will there be an opportunity to leverage the high value creation potential," says Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Jürgen Beyerer, head of Fraunhofer IOSB and the scientific directorate in CC-KING, the Karlsruhe Competence Center for AI Engineering. "With PAISE®, we have created a set of tools that also provides small and medium-sized enterprises in particular with a practical guide to achieve this goal."

During development, it can be difficult to estimate the performance of an overall cyber-physical system with AI components in advance. "This means that changes to the high-level design of the overall system may still be necessary at a late stage," says Constanze Hasterok, a scientist at Fraunhofer IOSB and editor of the PAISE® model. "Among other things, this effect occurs when the final ML models are trained with data from real operations. For new developments, however, high-quality data from operation is typically only available at a late stage." For operations, he says, monitoring and ideally automatic adjustment of ML models is necessary when systems and their environmental conditions can change over time.

In addition, there are personnel difficulties: As a rule, companies - especially medium-sized ones - do not have their own AI experts. At the same time, managers need to know which AI expertise should be available in the long term for the operation of AI-based systems and how the development process and its interim results are to be evaluated.

Customizable development through checkpoints

PAISE® divides the development process into seven phases. Project teams in companies must first create a common understanding of the problem, define goals and requirements, and collect solution approaches. The product is then divided into subsystems based on the requirements. This so-called functional decomposition is not final; this is where the model's agile approach begins. The development of the individual components proceeds cyclically, step by step the subsystems are refined and checked for compatibility. Each run increases the maturity of the overall system.

Checkpoints play an important role in this, as Hasterok explains: "The checkpoint-based concept of PAISE® enables a flexible development process. ML methods often require an explorative approach: You develop an ML component on a test basis and empirically check whether it is suitable for the desired purpose. Other subsystems require a targeted approach, for example according to established systems engineering methods for electronic components. In PAISE®, the individual systems are developed in parallel, each according to a domain-specific appropriate procedure." The checkpoints synchronize the development status of the subsystems early in the project and evaluate their interaction as an overall system. "In contrast to classic milestones, the targets are not firmly defined for all checkpoints at the beginning of the project," she continues. "If, for example, it turns out that an ML-based method is not the right tool after all, statistical methods can be used, the suitability of which is evaluated in the following checkpoint."

Four continuous artefacts create framework conditions

The organization of heterogeneous teams also benefits from this: Participants with different competencies meet regularly and can discuss cross-sectional aspects such as safety, cost or ethical issues. The role distribution of PAISE® defines phase-specific functions and responsibilities. 

In addition to the distribution of roles, there are three other continuous result documentations (artifacts) in PAISE®: The system model describes dependencies of the individual components; the documentation for external audits includes aspects that are required for an audit by third parties such as authorities; and the data documentation records metadata of the data used, such as its source, quality, pre-processing steps and framework conditions of the data extraction.

"By providing systematic methods, we want to encourage companies and developers to tackle AI projects. PAISE® is a big step forward in this respect. It maps the entire process from conception and data acquisition to operation and maintenance, and addresses all the difficulties that can arise from a technical perspective during the implementation of an AI project," explains Dr.-Ing. Thomas Usländer, head of department at Fraunhofer IOSB and project manager of CC-KING.

A white paper on this topic is available available for download here.

A construction company employs undeclared workers in order to save on AHV and BVG contributions. A bank is engaged in large-scale money laundering. A mechanical engineering company purchases raw materials that are produced in a third world country under questionable working and environmental conditions. And yet another technology company exports power plant components through opaque channels to a state that is subject to international economic embargoes. These (fictitious) examples may be extreme and probably exceptional cases - there are also more "harmless" examples such as that of an employee who secretly downloads paedosexual content from the Internet or that of a sales representative who "fudges" expense claims in his own favour. Be that as it may, all of these examples involve violations of legal, internal or even ethical standards.

Whistleblower protection in Switzerland insufficient

Employees who come across such irregularities are now faced with a dilemma: Should they report the violations? Or does their duty of loyalty to their employer prevent them from doing just that? The fact is that people who report irregularities in companies have only weak legal protection in Switzerland. A bill on "protection in the event of reporting irregularities in the workplace" was shot down by the federal parliament. In terms of protection for whistleblowers, i.e. people who report irregularities, Switzerland now ranks far below the rest of the world. Cases in which company employees go public often end badly: the matter turns into a scandal, and the company concerned has its hands full fighting the threat of damage to its image. The loser in such a case is the employee who started the whole thing: He is held responsible for the damage and dismissed without notice...

Corporate compliance makes sense

For banks and securities dealers in Switzerland, an Compliance function have long been required by law. But in other industries as well, more and more companies, regardless of their size, are recognizing compliance as an integral part of good corporate governance. An effective compliance concept outlines the compliance topics that are central to the company in question and defines the compliance risks. It also regulates reporting to the company management and the board of directors. Last but not least, it also includes a concrete compliance organization. In order to ensure uniform standards, a professional and anonymous whistleblower system is recommended within a compliance management system in this country as well. "The aim of such a whistleblowing system is to provide sufficient protection for whistleblowers in order to avoid risks in connection with compliance violations and to position the company as an exemplary and transparent employer in terms of employer branding," explains Thomas Wittkopf, Managing Director of TELAG AG. This company already provides an integrated whistleblowing system for large corporations and SMEs under the name WhistleTAG. The demand for such a solution could now even increase: In order to better protect both addressees and whistleblowers themselves, the new EU Whistleblower Directive will come into force from 17 December 2021. This regulation obliges companies with 250 or more employees or annual sales of EUR 10 million to have an anonymous whistleblower system. From 2023, the limit will be lowered again, to 50 employees. This also affects Swiss companies that employ staff, partners or suppliers from the EU.

EU Whistleblower Directive requires anonymous reporting system

The EU Whistleblower Directive stipulates that whistleblowers must be offered the opportunity to make their report electronically via an encrypted online system as well as verbally by telephone, but in any case anonymously and securely. "Whistleblower confidentiality must be ensured so that employees have the courage to report a compliance breach in the first place. In practice, we often experience that it is particularly difficult for employees in SMEs, which pride themselves on their open corporate culture, to point out a malpractice. They are afraid of the consequences - ranging from belittlement to mobbing to far-reaching retaliatory measures. That's why, in most cases, they refrain from reporting." With devastating consequences, as the ACFE Report of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE): Thus, the average financial loss amounts to CHF 200,000 - not including the damage to reputation. "Managing directors and boards of directors are responsible, but are often in the dark because employees lack the basis to report a malpractice due to inadequate protection. A professional whistleblowing system offers companies an opportunity for transparency and practiced corporate governance both internally and externally," says Thomas Wittkopf. Conclusion: Even if Switzerland does not have to transpose the EU Whistleblower Directive into national law, it can serve as an instrument against corruption and money laundering in this country as well.

EU Whistleblower Directive: Recommendations for Swiss companies

How does a whistleblower hotline work? This can either exist in a company-internal reporting office or be outsourced to a professional service provider. TELAG is such a service provider, which has been operating an anonymous whistleblower system for companies in the financial and service sectors for 13 years, which meets the requirements of the new EU Whistleblower Directive. The company provides the software for the anonymous processing of digital and telephone reports as well as 24-hour availability in 24 languages. TELAG's whistleblower system also includes report qualification, case management and, if necessary, an ombudsman office with an independent law firm.

• A professional whistleblowing system is considered best practice for groups and SMEs and is particularly recommended as soon as the company has branches in other EU countries and/or employs staff, partners, suppliers from the EU area.
• The reporting process must work both by telephone and in writing, including a feedback loop to the whistleblower, and ensure the anonymity of the whistleblower.
• The commitment of the executives ("tone from the top") underpins the seriousness with an anonymous whistleblower system and pays off the credibility. Spurred on by the public discourse on ethics and morals in companies, the new generation of employees and managers is demanding business ethics and transparency. 
• Last but not least, preventive action is much cheaper than cost-intensive clean-up work in the event of a compliance breach, which regularly entails irreparable damage to reputation as well as considerable financial consequences - on average CHF 200,000 according to the ACFE report of 20218. 

Further information: www.telag.ch/whistletag

International SOS's annual global Risk Outlook 2022 report, produced in collaboration with market research firm Ipsos Mori, reveals an increasingly complex risk landscape facing organizations. Nearly 1000 employee health professionals in 75 countries were surveyed. The responses show that there will be increased investment in both mental and physical health. More than half, or 56%, of companies intend to increase spending in both areas.

Productivity losses due to mental health problems

Companies face a dual health challenge, according to the survey. In addition to the physical aspects of protecting against COVID-19, the pandemic has contributed significantly to a mental health crisis, according to Risk Outlook 2022. More than a third of respondents (36 %) expect mental health conditions to cause a significant drop in productivity in 2022.

The need for increased investment in employee health stems from the fact that businesses expect increased risks in 2022. More than two-thirds (68 %) of companies expect risks to increase or remain the same next year. In particular, decision makers responsible for business travel (69 %) and international expatriates or expatriates (67 %) expect risk levels to increase or remain the same in 2022.

Business travel as a risk to employee health

Particularly in connection with the topic of business travel and expats, International SOS notes that access to high-quality healthcare has become a major challenge in many countries due to the pandemic. If this is inadequate or unavailable in the country being travelled to, medical evacuation is often mandatory. International SOS data shows that the risk of medical evacuation during a business trip is nine times higher today than it was in 2019, due to the direct impact of Covid-19, coupled with an increased need for medical care and due to complex requirements regarding testing, isolation and quarantine measures. Overall, medical evacuations have become much more complex - and correspondingly more costly: The processing time for handling a medical evacuation for Covid-19 cases and non-Covid-19 cases has currently increased due to the complex organization in terms of logistics and obtaining all necessary permits.

COVID-19 remains a major challenge in 2022

For many organizations, COVID-19 remains a major operational challenge. One-third (33 %) of respondents to Risk Outlook 2022 said that having adequate resources to deal with the virus would be one of the biggest challenges in 2022. Respondents from Western Europe and the Americas were challenged by COVID-19 guidelines, particularly the need to define testing and vaccine guidelines for COVID-19. 36 % of respondents in Western Europe and the Americas cited this as a problem, compared to a global average of 25 %.

Pandemic biggest concern for employee health

While the pandemic tops the list of concerns, other perennial security risks are expected to cause disruption in 2022. With growing concerns about climate change, 21 % of respondents expect natural disasters, including extreme weather, to cause disruption in 2022, closely followed by transport issues - both for local, national and international travel - (19 %) and security threats and civil unrest (16 %).

"In 2022, businesses need to be aware that perennial security concerns such as crime, civil unrest, terrorism or other geopolitical issues have not disappeared as a result of the pandemic. In many cases, the risks have actually increased. Tensions surrounding lockdowns, vaccine rollouts, and perceived encroachments on civil liberties have led to riots and violence in some places. With increasing vaccination requirements or restrictions on unvaccinated individuals worldwide, tensions are expected to increase in 2022. In addition to COVID-19-related triggers, natural disasters, geopolitical events, domestic conflict, and crime will continue to impact businesses around the world. These impacts will intensify in 2022 as travel increases again and there is a greater focus on the duty of care of employees in their home country," says Gautier Porot, Security Director for Switzerland and Italy at International SOS.

Risk outlook 2022: Five forecasts

International SOS's top five listed forecasts for the next year are based on the results of the Risk Outlook Survey, expert interviews and the company's own data:

1. COVID-19, Long COVID and mental health will be the main disruptors of employee productivity in 2022, causing increasing absenteeism and continuity issues.

2. The infodemic will further exacerbate complexity in employee protection. At the same time, duties of care will be reshaped by new health and safety measures, employee expectations and regulatory compliance.

3. Activities disrupted by the pandemic will become more stable by 2023 as companies use health and safety risk management as a competitive advantage. With improved risk management, companies support employee retention and willingness to return to activities such as business travel.

4. Companies run the risk of being caught off guard by rapidly changing security environments, as civil unrest and geopolitical volatility will exceed pre-pandemic levels.

5. Climate change will increase the frequency and impact of climate-sensitive hazards such as infectious diseases, extreme weather events and socio-economic tensions.

Source and further information: International SOS. 

It has long been taken for granted that for a Audit at least large parts of the legally compliant inspection tasks can be carried out remotely. Of course, the personal presence of the auditor is also required for certain checks in the course of certification. Nevertheless, the hybrid audit form saves time and money - for everyone involved. This is a great benefit that no one would want to miss. In order for such an audit to lead to legally compliant certification, however, the framework parameters must be right.

Large companies and groups in particular have quickly realised the potential of audits that take place at least partly by video - after all, they are regularly checked by several specialists. Even a hybrid audit can significantly increase efficiency if one or two auditors are on site at the client's premises and other employees follow the audit virtually and check the documents in the meantime. Companies should be aware that a classic audit should not take place on a one-to-one basis via video, and should observe some general conditions for a successful implementation.

Professional impression via video

The basis for a remote audit is initially a computer or notebook with Internet access and the use of a video platform (e.g. WebEx or Microsoft Teams). Although an audit is about hard facts, these, together with other impressions, provide an overall picture of a company. For this, a good camera, appropriate lighting conditions as well as the quality of the sound are important. Those involved should think about the image detail, the background and a high-quality headset in advance. After all, these factors have a decisive impact on the impression the other person gets from the video. Both the technical infrastructure and the competence in operating the tools used are prerequisites for virtual work and remote audits: Everyone involved must be fit to handle the technology so as not to be distracted from the actual task.

Time for human interaction

During a personal appointment, auditors first get to know the reception area of a company and the first employees - quite automatically. Here, a personal impression of people, building, infrastructure and corporate culture is created. This arrival is missing in a remote audit. However, the interpersonal relationship work should not be forgotten and instead time should be deliberately planned for a brief introduction and getting to know each other before moving on to the technical and factual level. It has proven useful to appoint a moderator at the beginning. In this way, several small breaks can be planned and the meeting structured for all participants.

Asking the right questions is a central task of auditors. It is often possible to recognize in the non-verbal area where it is worthwhile to follow up. Here, unconscious behaviors play an important role, which often cannot be recognized on video - due to the perspective. All the more decisive is a good coordination between all participants in advance: What do you want from each other so that the audit is a success? Should company sites also be visited or should other employees be included in the discussion? With the right preparation, requirements can be clarified and organised in good time.

Digital documentation and collaboration

For a remote audit, the files, processes, procedures and documentation to be certified must be available digitally. Companies also need a collaborative tool to make this data available and edit it simultaneously. For real time savings, applications need functionalities that support the audit efficiently. The prerequisite for a remote audit is the use of process-supporting management software. Software solutions that the companies to be certified use continuously for quality management make a significant contribution here. During a remote audit, all parties involved can find the documents relevant to the audit here.

For companies, it makes sense to rely on an application that meets the requirements of an integrated management system and at the same time supports the areas of QM documentation as well as the development and expansion of a quality management system (QMS). In advance, organizations can grant temporary access to the auditors for a first orientation. This saves time in later discussions and enables both synchronous and asynchronous work. With an auditing function, the manual can be checked against a catalogue of criteria and findings documented. In the event of a deviation, a corrective measure is immediately defined and stored in the system - this also applies to comments made by the auditors. Modern solutions, such as orgavision, also take over the documented assignment of downstream tasks to the right people. With the right software, certification-compliant preparation can be achieved by transferring and importing existing requirement catalogues. The digital linking of relevant documents has also proven its worth. A QMS also scores points when it comes to traceability: auditors can easily see how the organisation has developed since the last audit, as it shows not only the current documentation, but also who has worked on what and when. With the help of comments and event management, it is also easy to implement the requirement demanded by DIN EN ISO 9001 and other management standards to document the continuous improvement process (CIP).

Author:
Johannes Woithon is the managing director of orgavision GmbH, based in Berlin. www.orgavision.de

Smart meter solutions ensure that distribution networks for electricity, gas, water or district heating can become more intelligent. This is a key prerequisite for the implementation of the federal government's Energy Strategy 2050. Energy supply companies are accordingly required to convert to smart metering systems by the end of 2027. At the same time, trends such as the switch to heat pumps and electromobility will require dynamic control in the future in order to avoid peak loads and ensure a secure supply of electricity. Together with the energy supply companies, the Swiss telecommunications company Quickline has therefore developed a smart meter solution that enables both measurement and control. 

Predictive solution for measurement and control 

According to Quickline's explanation, the smart meter solution meets the requirements of the federal government. At the same time, it covers the next step in the realisation of the energy transition. "Energy suppliers receive both at once - the possibility to measure and control - and can thus significantly reduce the effort and costs for the conversion of the meters," explains Frédéric Goetschmann, CEO of Quickline. But how does a telecommunications company get involved in energy supply? "Entering the energy market is a logical extension of our offering," says Goetschmann. "For one thing, Quickline offers reliable connectivity as a prerequisite for smart metering. In addition, more than half of our partners are cross-connected companies and supply the population not only with telecommunications services, but also with electricity, water, gas and district heating." So they know what is needed and are convinced that bundling know-how and using synergies also makes sense and is economical for energy services. 

Complete solution from EVU for EVU - everything from one source 

Together, the new Quickline Energy platform was built, which covers various data transmission variants, is METAS-certified and is open to all Swiss energy suppliers. With the platform, energy suppliers receive a comprehensive, expandable complete solution and everything from a single source, from procuring the meter and communication modules to data management and integration into the billing system and customer portal, according to the statement. "Smaller and medium-sized utilities usually do not have the necessary resources and know-how to manage an entire ecosystem. Quickline is the perfect partner for this," says Rudolf Eicher, Managing Director of Energie Seeland AG. "Utility companies outsource complexity and still retain control over value creation - just like in the telecommunications sector."  

New service opportunities thanks to smart meter solution

Frédéric Goetschmann adds: "Converting to smart meters is about more than just switching from analog to digital. An intelligent, future-proof solution opens up new opportunities for energy providers. Thanks to its modular design, the Quickline Energy platform offers the necessary flexibility for future developments and the integration of new services." 

With smart meters, electricity meters and subdivision meters must be read remotely via various communication networks, processed in a central platform and fed into the billing systems of the local energy suppliers. How is security ensured here? Urs Gnehm, Managing Director of Localnet, says: "Quickline has tried-and-tested systems and processes, a reliable infrastructure with the highest security and availability standards, as well as the necessary know-how in setting up and operating platforms, managing interfaces and processing data." Quickline Energy thus combines the accumulated knowledge and experience from telecommunications and energy.

Source and further information: Quickline

Data leaks, cyberattacks, unethical practices by tech companies: the headlines just don't stop. Users feel insecure when dealing with digital applications. What happens with my data? Are automated decisions made without my knowledge? Transparency is missing and there are no possibilities to inform oneself in a simple way. Pragmatic and practical solutions are needed. The Swiss Digital Initiative (SDI) is now providing an answer with the world's first Digital Trust Label.

The Digital Trust Label signals trustworthiness

In clear, understandable language, the label shows the trustworthiness of a digital application. Compliance with standards is checked in four categories and creates trust among users thanks to transparency and reduced complexity. With the label, digital applications are tested on the basis of over 30 criteria. The criteria catalogue was created under the leadership of the EPFL and a dedicated Label Expert Committee, further developed thanks to feedback from public consultations and allows for independent testing and certification.

"Analogous to the organic label and a nutritional value table, the Digital Trust Label acts as a trust mark for the digital world," explains Doris Leuthard, President of the SDI Foundation Board. The label focuses on the users of digital applications and highlights the dimensions of security, data protection, reliability and user interaction. With its multi-level approach, it shows relevant information at first glance and offers interested parties more details.

Companies can send a clear signal

Thanks to the Digital Trust Label, anyone offering a digital application has the opportunity for the first time to have this application verified by a neutral body. Successful certification sends a clear signal to users that the provider guarantees reliable digital interaction. Such a signal is not only effective towards users, but also offers providers guidance in a rapidly changing regulatory environment. Registration for certification is now open to all organisations.

Digital Trust pioneers are Booking.com, Swisscom and Swiss Re. They were involved in the development of the label and are currently having selected digital applications certified. AXA, Credit Suisse, the Canton of Vaud and IBM Switzerland are also involved as development partners. The project was made possible by the support of the Mercator Switzerland Foundation.

White paper identifies industries that need to invest in Digital Trust

Together with the presentation of the Digital Trust Label, the first white paper on Digital Trust is published. It defines the framework within which digital trust can be discussed and classified. At the same time, industries are identified which will probably have to invest more in digital trust in the future. These are the healthcare sector, the public sector, the media sector, banking & insurance, HR and the education sector. Finally, ways are shown how digital trust can be achieved among users. Transparency is the first step and with the Digital Trust Label this is now even more possible for companies.

Further information

By 2026, the healthcare industry is expected to grow by 20 % annually and reach a volume of $662 billion Achieve. The industry is using mobile and internet technologies, among others, to improve disease detection, treatment, and patient engagement. And by 2025, the healthcare services sector is expected to grow at an annual rate of 11,83 % at 35.09 billion USD is forecast. Growth will continue to be driven by increasing insurance demand, technological advancements, and the use of analytics in healthcare (Facts & Factors 2021).

No pioneering role without technological leadership

According to a recent survey by Accenture more and more healthcare organizations have accepted the idea that every business is a digital business. This year has also accelerated exponential change as technology continually reshapes industries and the human experience. As many now begin to envision a post-pandemic reality, the healthcare sector must learn to embrace change and recognize that there is no leadership without technology leadership. The survey shows that 66 % of healthcare executives will be working in the cloud in the next year, and 96 % in the next three years. Petra Jantzer, Managing Director Life Sciences, Accenture Switzerland, says: "Gaining a competitive advantage requires, among other things, re-evaluating and re-engineering the architectural approach and accelerating investments in technologies such as cloud, microservices and APIs. In doing so, it is essential that healthcare C-level management adopts both a people-centric and digital approach across all areas of the organization."

Digitization of healthcare: just the beginning

Today, the potential of cloud technologies is increasingly recognized as a medium for providing data storage, rapid analytics, and computational resources to improve not only the safety, quality, and efficiency of healthcare, but also patient outcomes. And that's just the beginning...

This also applies to research, where, for example, clinical trials are notoriously expensive and even a small speed-up or improvement in the process can make a big difference, and greater transparency of clinical trials could also allow the pharmaceutical industry to move closer to outcome-based pricing. Acceleration and speed affect myriad areas, from genomics (harnessing computing power) to biotechnology (using technology to explore how molecules combine) to storage (finding new ways to research drugs using expanded data storage capacity). High-performance computing (HPC) is critical to health research because it reduces time to results, leading to better care. Since on-premise environments are expensive and difficult to procure, HPC in the cloud provides the scalability and availability needed for these workloads. This is also true for hospitals, where smart technologies are being considered to enable faster intervention for truly patient-centered care.

At its core, it's about data and using technology to collect it and interpret it in the most strategic and efficient way. The past year has shown us how important the digitization of healthcare is.

Quickly informed about side effects thanks to data analysis 

COVID-19 impacted every person and community around the world, and we learned many important lessons, especially about what we didn't have in our health technology systems. Data was moving so fast that we simply were not able to collect real-time information from patients, providers, medical professionals, and researchers to control the spread.

That's why companies from all sectors have agreed to work with the public sector, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to improve outcomes and opportunities for sick and vulnerable people around the world. Technology providers, among others, are also working to help government agencies and the medical community better understand and combat coronavirus.

During the pandemic, for example, Oracle supported the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control in the United States by developing a suite of public health management applications and a national database of electronic health records used in the country's clinical trials and vaccine efforts. More than 500,000 people volunteered to participate in a COVID-19 clinical trial through the health management system. Oracle also developed the v-safe application, which allows any American receiving a vaccination to easily report side effects, such as injection site pain or headaches, through their smartphone or computer. The system now contains tens of millions of records and allows the medical community to use the anonymized data to understand the impact of the vaccine on different populations, such as on pregnant womenfor which no data were previously available (this population was usually not part of the clinical trials).

The public health benefits of these systems are felt far beyond the United States. Working closely with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, these systems have been deployed in Africa to support large-scale vaccination programmes against yellow fever, HPV and COVID-19. 

Using data to stay ahead of the spread

While there was a moment when the world seemed to have a handle on COVID-19, the emergence of other infectious variants of the virus, including Delta and My, threatens to slow the global recovery and challenge current vaccine immunity. To help governments and public health agencies identify and respond to these variants more quickly, Oxford University and Oracle have developed a global pathogen analysis system that combines Oxford's scalable pathogen tracking platform with the power of the cloud. This new tool is a good example of the power of technology, enabling public health specialists in research organisations, public health services and diagnostics companies around the world to better understand infectious diseases, starting with coronavirus.

Researchers use the system to upload pathogen data and obtain comprehensive results quickly, even within minutes. With user permission, the results are shared in a secure environment with participating laboratories around the world. Pooling and comparing the data provides invaluable insight into emerging variants even before they are officially classified as a concern because they tend to spread or reduce the effectiveness of vaccines. 

Access to this kind of real-time, real-world, anonymized data is the future of medicine. Whether it's a pandemic or an ongoing health crisis from tuberculosis to HPV, the further digitization of health data and the ability to securely share and analyze that data on a global scale promises to enable many untapped medical breakthroughs.

Author:
Thierry Buecheler is Head of Key Cloud Business, EMEA at Oracle Industry, Innovation and Insight EMEA.

This year, the VISION trade fair will be held in Stuttgart from 5 to 7 October 2021. According to its own information, it is the leading trade fair for machine vision. After it had not been possible to hold it on the originally planned date in 2020 for well-known reasons, more than 250 companies which have so far decided to present at the trade fair agree: it is important that VISION 2021 takes place. "After this enforced break, we, the exhibitors, together with Messe Stuttgart, can send a positive signal to the international market and the economy and show that the industry is optimistic about the future," says Alexander van der Lof, CEO TKH Group. "Personal encounters at trade fairs are and remain immensely important for exchange and networking. That is why VISION 2021 is an indispensable platform!", is also the opinion of Martin Grzymek, Sales Manager Europe at Teledyne safe. Already now the Messe Stuttgart confirm that around every second exhibiting company travels to Stuttgart from abroad. At the same time, it is assumed that the trade fair will have a much stronger European character this year.

More exchange, more innovations, more trends

Many companies have used the time to implement new technology trends and develop new products. Visitors thus receive the latest information at first hand. "I think that all exhibitors, just like us at Basler, will make an increased effort to present trends and innovations from the computer vision technology of the last few years in a way that is as practical, comprehensible and fun as possible," says Dr. Dietmar Ley, CEO of the Basler AG. The computer vision expert plans to present numerous new products at VISION, such as the new ace 2 cameras with more powerful sensors. For demanding applications, the company has new models of its boost camera series with CoaXPress 2.0 interface in its luggage and will be showing new features of the Basler pylon Camera Software Suite that make it easy to implement complex image processing tasks. Face-to-face exchanges about new products and technology trends will be more prominent than ever before. "The exchange of complex topics and issues can in part only be clarified and explained in a personal exchange, according to the motto: just make a sketch," knows Tobias Wichmann, managing director of the ISW GmbHwhich will be presenting itself at the VISION Integration Area as a total solution provider in the field of machine vision.

New players and constellations at VISION 2021

In addition to the latest technology trends, the fair will also reflect the dynamics of the market: On the one hand, visitors will meet new players, such as exhibiting companies from the automation industry, and on the other hand, they will see new constellations of companies that have emerged on the market as a result of M&A activities, such as the newly founded TKH Vision Group or Teledyne: "VISION is the right setting and time to present these live to the public. And for us it is the ideal opportunity to present TKH Vision as the umbrella brand for the Vision companies of the TKH Group," explains Alexander van der Lof, CEO TKH Group. At the first joint appearance of all seven TKH Vision companies, the TKH Group plans to present a wide range of products for various image processing technologies, as a one-stop shop for a long list of applications. Teledyne is also planning big for VISION and aims to showcase the world's most comprehensive, vertically integrated portfolio of industrial and scientific imaging technology: Embedded Vision with AI, high performance 1D and 2D cameras, uncooled thermal cameras, and numerous sensor platforms. "Many machine vision components and systems have become more innovative and cost-effective in recent years. As a result, the number of application areas for machine vision has increased significantly and this development is not only taking place in the industrial segment, but also in many non-industrial areas. Visitors to VISION 2021 will be able to gain a very good overview of current and future products, technologies and trends," explains Martin Grzymek.

Further information 

Measurements are an essential part of production. Only by measuring suitable characteristics can a statement be made about the quality of a manufactured product. The guideline series VDI/VDE/DGQ/DKD 2618 describes procedures and methods for measuring and monitoring test equipment for geometric quantities. The test instructions create a basis for the evaluation of new and used measuring equipment. The new Sheet 1.1 is one of two basic sheets of the guideline series and is therefore the basis of all further sheets of the series.

Basis for the monitoring of test equipment

The guideline creates a basis for monitoring test equipment - new or used. It facilitates the cooperation of manufacturers of measuring equipment, users and providers of calibration services and should be used as a working instruction for the performance of test equipment monitoring. The guideline series VDI/VDE/DGQ/DKD 2618 contains structured instructions for the calibration of commercially available measuring equipment, which is mainly used in production-related areas.

Sheet 1.1 of the guideline is mandatory for the further use of all other guidelines of the series, as it contains the generally applicable requirements for the monitoring of measuring equipment for geometric quantities. Furthermore, it explains the structure of the guideline series, describes how the results are to be documented and shows how characteristic values can be determined for the evaluation of the results. The new edition has been revised with regard to new requirements from international standardization.

Draft of February 2020 is replaced

Issuer of the Directive VDI/VDE/DGQ/DKD 2618 sheet 1.1 "Inspection equipment monitoring - Instructions for monitoring measuring equipment for geometric quantities - Fundamentals" is the VDI/VDE Society for Measurement and Automation Technology (GMA). For 165 years, the VDI Association of German Engineers has been providing important impetus for new technologies and technical solutions for a better quality of life, a better environment and more prosperity. With around 145,000 personal members, the VDI is Germany's largest technical and scientific association by its own account. It also sets standards for standardization in Switzerland.

The new guideline was published in white print in July 2021 and replaces the draft of February 2020. It can be ordered at a price starting at EUR 102.10 from the Beuth Publishing House (Tel.: +49 30 2601-2260).

The Corona crisis in particular has highlighted this: Digitisation in the Swiss healthcare system has a lot of catching up to do. In other areas, too, the digital transformation is not going well: important projects such as the E-ID are failing because of the referendum, the introduction of the electronic patient dossier is being delayed and the digital vaccination card had to be taken offline because of serious security problems.

United to drive the digital transformation in healthcare

In the case of complex, innovative topics such as digital transformation, political projects can be accelerated if the relevant associations agree their positions in advance and present a united front to policymakers. The "Digital Transformation" alliance was founded to promote dialogue among the associations, to define a common vision and roadmap and, derived from this, to draw up concrete political recommendations for action.

Electronic patient dossier as the core

The Alliance "Digital Transformation in Healthcare" has two core tasks. On the one hand, it wants to define the general framework that is needed for the digital transformation in healthcare. On the other hand, it wants to develop priority amendments to laws and ordinances that will help a beneficial electronic patient dossier achieve a breakthrough. "The electronic patient dossier is intended to strengthen the quality of medical treatment, improve treatment processes, increase patient safety and the efficiency of the healthcare system, as well as promote the health literacy of patients," reads the purpose article of the Electronic Patient Dossier Act (EPDG).

Wide support

The priorities are developed in Alliance working groups. The working groups are broadly based in that the various players in the alliance, such as sector and specialist associations, patient organisations, service providers and industry, are represented. The founding members include the FMH, GS1 Switzerland, IG eHealth, Interpharma, Lungenliga Schweiz, pharmaSuisse, Schweizerischer Drogistenverband, Spitex Schweiz and other well-known organisations.

Further information: www.ig-ehealth.ch

Cybercriminals are massively targeting employees and companies in the home office in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. In December 2020 alone, the European IT security manufacturer ESET recorded an average of 14.3 million attacks per day on the remote desktop protocol (RDP attacks) in these three countries. Especially with the second lockdown following the Corona pandemic and the efforts of politicians to send as many employees as possible to the home office, these attacks have increased by another 110 percent. If criminals gain these accesses, they have wide-ranging access to the corporate network and can thus steal data or introduce malware such as ransomware.

RDP attacks reveal vulnerabilities

"We can answer with a clear YES that home office workstations have been increasingly attacked since the first lockdown. One indicator here are attacks that specifically target the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). Many small and medium-sized companies are not optimally positioned for decentralized work and are open like a barn door. Criminals take advantage of this and are very active here," explains Thorsten Urbanski, ESET spokesperson. "With the start of the second lockdown from the end of October, these attacks have increased again by almost 100 percent. This clearly shows that the attacks, which have already increased rapidly since March, have paid off for criminals so far. IT managers should react here immediately and secure their systems as well as accesses more effectively."

Unfortunately, the contemporary protection of the home office workplace is still in its infancy in many small and medium-sized organizations. "Only a third of the companies surveyed in Switzerland allow their employees to access company servers via a secure VPN connection or multi-factor authentication," Thorsten Urbanski continues. "Companies that allow their employees to access the company network via private computers are acting at risk here. This shadow IT is an open invitation for data thieves," summarizes Urbanski.

Strong increase due to home office obligation

In particular, the discussion about a widespread home office for employees led to an increase in RDP attacks in November and December 2020. The peak so far is December with more than 14.3 million attacks daily. From January 2020 (310,000 attacks) to December 2020, that's a 4,516 percent increase. That the attacks have paid off for the criminals is also shown by the 873 percent increase from March last year (1.5 million attacks), with the first measures to contain the Corona pandemic, to December.

What is the Remote Desktop Protocol?

RDP is a protocol developed by Microsoft for remote access to a computer with Windows operating system. The protocol is available in all versions of Windows XP and later. It allows you to share and control a computer or desktop remotely. It is an easy way for companies to allow employees to work remotely. All that is required to connect to an RDP server is a user name and password.

Tips for a secure RDP connection:
- Minimize the number of users who can connect to the company's servers via RDP.
- Allow the use of RDP only if strong passwords and especially modern multi-factor authentication is used.
- Outside your local network, all users should use a VPN gateway (Virtual Private Network).
- Create policies so accounts are automatically logged out in the event of brute force attacks.
- Change the default port 3389 of the RDP protocol to a different number.

Source: ESET

After the foundation of ConSense Management Systems GmbH in Vienna in 2018 and the opening of a sales office in Friedrichshafen, from where the Swiss market is also served, ConSense GmbH is now taking the next step in its growth: With doubled space at its headquarters in Aachen, the company is creating even more room for product development and services related to quality management and integrated management systems.

Growth in many business areas

The company's growth in the area of software development was strongly driven, among other things, by the independent solution ConSense PORTALwhich is optimized as a web application for mobile devices and thus reduces the expenses for installation, roll-out and maintenance. ConSense GmbH is also significantly expanding other areas of the company. For example, the range of services offered by ConSense Management Consulting has been expanded to include services that go far beyond the application of ConSense software. Furthermore, with ConSense Campus, the software developer has significantly expanded its further education and training offering, which includes online seminars and webinars as well as video tutorials.

Popular user-friendly software solutions from ConSense GmbH

ConSense software solutions adapt to the specific requirements of Companies of all sizes from all industries perfectly. They are particularly user-friendly, modular in design, scalable and suitable for QM systems according to DIN EN ISO 9001 as well as for mapping numerous other standards up to GxP-relevant systems. These features have convinced numerous companies and organizations from a wide range of industries and so the demand for the products of the software developer from Aachen has been increasing continuously for years. Dr. Iris Bruns from the management of ConSense GmbH explains: "With the expansion of our space we see ourselves in the long term best positioned for the growth course of our company to meet the associated confidence of our users. We are pleased to have more space for the further development of our software solutions and especially for the holistic support and assistance of our customers, which is always in the foreground at ConSense."

Source and further information