Peggy Smedley Show

Peggy and Rafael Salmi, global president & general manager, Richardson RFPD, talk about opportunities with the IoT (Internet of Things) and AI (artificial intelligence) during COVID-19. They also discuss: Which markets are seeing the acceleration of digital transformation as a result of COVID-19. What is key for manufacturers to improve productivity, reduce operational downtime, find new revenue s...

Peggy answers some key questions surrounding AI (artificial intelligence) including: what is happening with research and development; what is happening in Washington; who is for AI; and who is trying to save the U.S. from the dark side of AI. She also discusses: The history of the federal government playing a big role in driving innovation. Reports that dig into AI research and development needs....

Peggy and Bin Li, assistant professor of electrical, computer and biomedical engineering, University of Rhode Island's College of Engineering, distinguish between AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) and explain how we get good mixed-reality applications for firefighters. They also talk about: The real benefits of mixed reality for training firefighters. Limitations of mixed reality inc...

Peggy and Michael Badnarik, software engineer, political figure, and former radio talk show host, talk about why he ran for the presidency many years ago and that almost no people understand the constitution today. They also discuss: What libertarians believe and what makes them different from democrats and republicans. That nobody knows the constitution and we aren't following it right now. That...

Peggy covers some of the latest big announcements in the world of technology, then digs into the newest happenings in Washington with AVs (automated vehicles). She also discusses: Opportunities for autonomous driving and the biggest concerns that need to be overcome. What is being done with the Automated Vehicle Transparency and Engagement for Safe Testing Initiative. Why it is important to think...

Peggy and Conor McGinn, CEO, Akara Robotics, address challenges in healthcare and how robots can help kill germs. He says, there is a need to kill germs and ultraviolet rays can help. They also discuss: How it is hard to know how many germs there are in a room, and how taking a "CIS approach" can help. How key partnerships, such as the one with Intel, help bring technology to market. How it has bu...

Peggy and Jennifer Kahnweiler, author, "Introvert-Friendly Workplaces: How to Unleash Everyone's Talent and Performance", talk about how work cultures can support introverts. They also: Define introvert and the difference with extroverts. Talk about introverts in the era of COVID-19 and remote work. Identify the importance of leaders knowing themselves and understanding this dimension of personali...

Peggy explains how we can equip our first responders with technology to be safer, but only if they are connected. Too often first responders are in rural locations without connectivity. She digs into how to keep industries connected and covers some of the latest trends in connectivity. She also discusses: The amount of rural Americans who have access to broadband service, and how we have progresse...

Peggy and James Lester, professor of computer science and director of the Center for Educational Informatics, North Carolina State University, shares the goal of the IntelliVisor project, saying it looks at the best way to train first responders, specifically firefighters, and imagines 10 years into the future. They also discuss: How communication channels have change in the last 50 years and how...

Peggy and Dan Bruder, author, The Blendification System: Activating Potential by Connecting Culture, Strategy, and Execution & CEO of Fusion Dynamics Group, talk about what the word blendification means and why it is more prevalent today. They also discuss: How to blend together culture, strategy, and execution. How work and life have been blending together for several years and the ongoing impact...

In order to enable first responders to do their jobs well, we need a solid infrastructure. Peggy follows the money on this episode, giving real facts on where we are spending our infrastructure dollars. She also discusses: This history of how we have under-invested in our infrastructure and where we are at today. What is currently being invested into our infrastructure by the current Administratio...

Peggy and David Ebert, associate vice president for research and partnerships, the Gallogly Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering & director of the data institute for societal challenges, University of Oklahoma, talk about tech advances for first responders. They also discuss: The importance of good privacy and security in order to get community-driven input and agreement on what can be...

Peggy and Mike Lahiff, co-founder and CEO, Zeroeyes, discuss his background in the military and technology, and how he used to kick around business ideas with people he knew in the military. They also discuss: How cameras can detect weapons and get information to first responders faster. How AI can be used in K-12, property management groups, and corporate campuses to know a threat is there before...

Peggy explains how tech has collided with the education world in a way we couldn't have seen what was coming. She says when she planned to tackle the topic of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) when she developed the editorial calendar last year, she had no idea it would be a political topic. She also discusses: Grant funding to help rethink education. Government programs that are g...

Peggy and Dale Calder, founder and CEO, RevTwo, talk about how the first generation of AI (artificial intelligence) was quite difficult, but has evolved as AI has been operationalized. They also discuss: Why he started the company now and how it can solve problems as they occur. How to pull knowledge out of people's heads and formalize it. The profound impact AI will have on manufacturing and soci...

Peggy and Nathan Stratton, founder and CTO, Vocinity, talk about natural-language processing and how it uses technology that focuses on unique use cases, like supporting videos and video avatars. They also discuss: Why it is important that a conversational agent is able to interact with legacy systems. Why customers are starting to demand access to personal information and that it will be secure....

Peggy shares one impact of COVID-19 that might not be as obvious as others. She also says McKinsey theorizes that because of the pandemic, society vaulted five years forward in terms of business digital adoption in just eight weeks. She also discusses: How much the demand for digital products and services has risen in organizations as the result of the pandemic. How COVID-19 impacts AI adoption in...

Peggy and Deb Degillio, chief customer officer, American Water, talk about the need for investment in water infrastructure. She says we need to make sure our systems are resilient against floods and even cybersecurity. They also discuss: The number of water main breaks annually—and how much lost water and money that incurs. How technology can make the best use of capital investments, giving an exa...

Peggy and Martin Koehring, head of the Economist Group's World Ocean Initiative, defines sustainability in the seas, saying it is a concept that has been around for a while and continues to evolve. They also discuss: Sustainability having three dimensions: economic, social, and environmental. Why we need to stop thinking as the economy as linear to use it and throw it away. Why sustainability is a...

Peggy talks about how STEM education directly impacts the technology sector. She says expect regions with more STEM jobs to recover from this recession faster than others. She also discusses: How STEM occupations have lower rates of unemployment and offer higher wages. How process automation, 3D printing, AI, and drones are all going to contribute to global revenues of automation. Why it is import...

Peggy and Monica Miller Brown, sustainable design manager, Thyssenkrupp Elevator, talk about sustainability in buildings and cities. She says we need to identify how to grow taller instead of wider in cities and that in the building industry there has been a push toward material health. They also discuss: What is an environmental product declaration? What manufacturers can do to become carbon neut...

Wayne Titus, author, The Entrepreneur's Guide to Financial Well-Being , shares with Peggy his story about what made him go out on his own and write a book. He says he watched his father's business fail because of a bad advisor and then realized the importance of a good advisor. They also discuss: The reason behind his book and how it is written and different from other business books. Tips for ent...

Peggy talks about how STEM (science, technology, education, and math) education has stagnated—and the lack of women in STEM. She says we need to think about what we can do for women in STEM. She also discusses: The amount of women who are college educated—and how many account for employment in science and engineering careers. Where the U.S. ranks in terms of STEM compared to other countries. What...

Peggy and Peter Adriaens, professor of environmental engineering, finance and entrepreneurship, University of Michigan, talk about sustainability in the digital age. He says there are three components of sustainability: environmental, social, and financial—and the latter two are often not considered. They also discuss: How infrastructure has a digital twin that is going to be a major transformatio...

Peggy and Yaniv Iarovici, Western Digital, talk about the IoT (Internet of Things) and how it is an ecosystem of ecosystems. He says data is quickly becoming the new currency. They also discuss: A rise in autonomous technologies—and what we can expect to see first. The focus on endpoints and the edge, and how we need to look at what has broken down and how we can fix it going forward. Companies ne...