Peggy Smedley Show

Benjamin Hubbard, director of sales, Cloud EPC, talks about how contractors can discern between leading and lagging data in order to notice deviations from set metrics that will tackle issues at the root cause. He says the cloud has become so integrated into our mindset when it comes to technology and says it can further be used to reduce costs, accelerate deployment, update features, and work fro...

Peggy takes a look back at the evolution of technology on the jobsite and says the IoT has incited operational changes in the way contractors can get things done. She explains how the introduction of smartphones, apps, and tablets has continued to integrate data more efficiently from the office to jobsite, with much more growth on the way, thanks to new educational sources and the initiative towar...

Peggy looks at new research regarding autonomous vehicles that shows human monitoring is needed to keep an eye on disengagement errors. To address the problem, Peggy says technology companies and governments need to work together to provide better ways that smart cars can interact with surrounding environments and infrastructure.

Aaron Hillegass, founder and CEO, The Big Nerd Ranch, acknowledges that although many software companies are focused on tech solutions for developing nations, improving collaboration, and meeting the demands of the IoT, security should remain at the top of the list. He explains that two-way connections in servers can be available to millions of people and servers must be able to keep running and n...

Gary Tucker, CEO, Zubie, talks about how his company is working to improve the relationship between the dealer and the customer when it comes to keeping track of fleets and potential diagnostic problems. He explains how the transparency of automotive information that is available changes the ability to make decisions and discusses new solutions aimed at monitoring the driving progress of the elder...

Peggy talks about the rise of UBI (usage-based insurance), which allows telematics and insurance companies to access driver data that can help determine individual risk and subsequently create personalized policies for each driver. She says although customer acceptance and privacy are still hindering total UBI adoption, good drivers as well as millennials may be more open to the idea of this propo...

Peggy end the shows with a discussion on new European regulations that tracks drivers to detect accidents and performance on the road. She says that although this trade-off has shown great potential in saving lives and keeping drivers in check, she questions how insurance companies will use this information to affect rates.

Avi Freedman, cofounder and CEO, Kentik, talks network performance within the IoT and says that devices and appliances from the home and office have the potential to be hacked or "listen" in on users in the future. To combat this, he suggests a "trust but verify" mindset when it comes to security and predicts that with so many networks connected to the Internet, segmentation is set to occur within...

Have you heard about the Baseline to Build-On Initiative? Peggy discusses how the need for a common data protocol within the IoT (Internet of Things) stemmed from the difficulties many construction companies faced when sharing information between conflicting platforms and groups. She says the overwhelming response to become involved has demonstrated that an "inside-out" approach has the potential...

Peggy looks at how the industrial revolution has changed to Industry 4.0, enabling cyber-physical systems to communicate with one another as well as humans to improve operations, lower downtime, and maintain asset and quality control. She then examines how micro markets will continue to evolve with the introduction of smart vending machines and the growing trend of craft breweries.

Peggy advocates for improved safety features in fleet systems to better secure trucks and equipment, and says the hacking of enterprise vehicles can open the door to more problems. She highlights a new research project enabling a solution to "talk" to the vehicle, "speak" its language, and perform analysis that will prevent delays or stolen data.

David Gaw, CEO, Sensera Systems, says remote-sensing solutions on the jobsite are adding more value for contractors, and says the introduction of drones will complement onsite cameras and improve the flow of data. He explains that while many sites are using such solutions, awareness is still low, and that in an effort to create more simplistic products and services, this will only further hinder a...

Aaron Attebery, smart city solutions lead, Black & Veatch, says the smart-city strategic directions report enables major cities to assess and compare with others on their progress toward adopting IoT (Internet of Things) solutions. He explains although cities may have great ideas for innovation, they are inexperienced and face budget restraints that can hinder initiatives.

Peggy begins the show by discussing how new regulatory compliances are driving the growing demand for vehicle telematics solutions like GPS (global positioning system), mobile asset tracking, and fleet management. She says the ability to document and prevent driver safety and performance issues creates a new level of transparency and accountability that was not there before.

Peggy ends the show by taking a look at recent patents for autonomous vehicles from companies like Google, Apple, and Amazon. She envisions how this new transportation of people and goods will eventually make its way to the home and the jobsite, with multiple machines and devices working as one to accomplish tasks.

Daniel Castro, professor and chair, School of Building Construction, Georgia Tech, explains how the use of architectural construction solutions and BIM (building information modeling) is leaning more toward contractors and owners, who are leveraging them for proactive purposes, as opposed to reactive. He says education and the adoption of new technology will lead to a renewed interest for careers...

Ray Thomas, vice president of sales, MSI, discusses how the IoT (Internet of Things) will be instrumental in alerting users of any needed maintenance or fixes. He says the use of IoT within field service has only improved the relationship among OEMs (original-equipment manufacturers), dealers, and operators who can share realtime data to ensure machines are running smoothly.

Peggy talks about what the U.S. Dept. of Transportation has in store this year with the introduction of new Secretary, Elaine Chao. Peggy dives into its newly proposed 5-year plan, which is set to focus on reducing distracted driving, decongesting roads, lowering carbon emissions, and revitalizing highway infrastructure.

Peggy says although there has yet to be any direct legislation related to the IoT (Internet of Things), the rise of the new administration and initiatives within construction and transportation will surely leave an impression. Furthermore, she takes a look how major universities are using their own cities as "living laboratories" to accelerate technological adoption, as well as seek new opportunit...

Duane Kobayashi, IP counsel, Senseware, says since sensors have become more of a commodity in smart cities, the novelty phase has transitioned to a focus of finding solutions that meet the particular need of specific buildings. He explains the challenge ahead is retrofitting buildings with low-cost solutions to ensure they never go out of date throughout the building's lifecycle.

Kurt Nantkes, senior vice president, Zonar, gives his recommendations on how companies prepare for the upcoming ELD (electronic logging device) mandate that will shift the regulation of trucking hours from paper to digital. For companies with limited budgets and more integration challenges, he suggests a crawl, walk, run approach that will give them enough leeway to effectively adopt ELDs within f...

Peggy discusses how enterprise use of autonomous drones is growing and advancements used by the government will bleed in the commercial and consumer sectors, empowering them to make more effective decisions. She looks at how the use of artificial intelligence in military drones enables them to adapt to one another and operate under one brain with formation flying and self-healing.

Peggy says it will be crucial to truly understanding the IoT (Internet of Things) when it comes to enacting a standard protocol in construction. She also previews upcoming events for the Baseline to Build On initiative and says it will have the opportunity to be leveraged in other markets to create a stronger environment.

Jef Farrell, vice president, CTO, Swinerton Builders discusses the new initiative, Baseline to Build On, which will work to develop a "common language" within construction and says that small or medium firms will have much to gain from this movement toward interoperability. Sam Lamonica, vice president/CIO, Rosendin Electric, also talks about the Baseline to Build On initiative by explaining how i...

Sam Lamonica, vice president/CIO, Rosendin Electric, talks how a lack of infrastructure has presented challenges when managing data from the jobsite and says that the industry has not done a good job of selecting technology that allows for integration with one another. Jef Farrell, vice president, CTO, Swinerton Builders, predicts that the days of legacy systems and ERP (enterprise resource planni...