A tweet in the blue sky!

When the ownership of the platform formerly known as twitter changed in October 2022 the change was almost immediately noticeable.

In the case of Read-out we found that we started to be followed by people who had little if any interest in instrumentation or automation. It was notable that these new followers had few followers themselves.

We also found that many of those we were following suddenly ceased to use the platform. Some advised that they were no longer comfortable using it. Other serious users like newspapers and news services decided to use the platform no longer as they considered that it was no longer a serious or useful medium. Others just quietly left without trumpeting the fact.

If we continued to use the "Following" facility the contributions seemed to be fairly ok and relevant to our interests however if (as happens occasionally for no apparant reason) we happened to be switched to the "For You" facility then we were in a very different world. 

For the first time since we started using twitter we found that we had to block users. The amount of what can only be described as bile (an "bad language") was quite incredible. This has not changed and in fact has worsened without any apparent oversight from the owners of the platform especially in the use personal insult to further particular beliefs or political biases. Compassion. appears to be a lost virtue!

So what to do.

In this regard an article by Chris Rand on his daily articles, Bluesky an opportunity of a frivolity, (3/12/2024) is worth reading too.

Some people went to a platform called Mastodon and indeed for a while we tried to use it too but it was cumbersome and difficult to use. Tik-Tok seems to be far to trivial for serious business. We have tried recently to use Bluesky which is very similar to the old twitter but there are few comercial users in our disciplines using it. Nevertheless we have recently started to use it and set up an account.

We have found that LinkedIn has been a good serious platform followed by Facebook which though less serious than LinkedIn still can be useful. We've looked at Instagram but that seems to be more for sharing pictures. 

The Read-out Signpost is now on several platforms where we post regularly:

• Facebook page where possible with pictures also on
• LinkedIn News Page,
• Bluesky: 
• “X” (formally knows as twitter)

We are still considering if we should remain on "X" in the long term or abandon it. 

In passing we wonder if one uses X can your contribution accurately be described as "a tweet?"

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#PAuto #Automation #TandM

Sensor system to help "Seniors" remain at home.

The Sensara Senior Lifestyle System, from Green Peak, is a new generation Internet of Things (IoT) service application that can help people to live at home longer, secure and comfortable, and that provides peace of mind to seniors, their loved ones and their caretakers. This system does not use intrusive cameras or devices that people constantly need to wear on their body.

How it works The Sensara Senior Lifestyle System is comprised of a limited number of small sensors (5 for apartments to 8 for large houses) that are installed in someone’s home – a few motion sensors and a few open/close sensors. These sensors are installed at strategic places in the home (living room, bathroom, kitchen, hallway and front door) and they automatically connect wirelessly to a gateway that is plugged into a standard home internet router provided by their telephone or cable provider. Because these sensor devices are small, battery operated, and do not have to be worn, they are truly install and forget.

After installation, these sensors start to collect data about what happens in the house. This data is uploaded to an analytics engine “in the cloud” and, over time, usually a period of about two weeks, the analytics engine has enough data to be able to recognize living patterns of the person in the home: at what time someone gets up, how long the bathroom is used, with what repetition the kitchen is used, how long one is out of the house for shopping, when are they taking a nap, etc.

When the behavioral patterns are known, exceptions can be detected and analyzed. For instance, minor exceptions like skipping a meal or major ones like not getting out of bed in the morning, or even suspicious inactivity in the afternoon. The Sensara data analytics algorithm basically compares the inputs from the sensors (or the lack of inputs) with the normal behavior of a person, and based on detection of exceptions and anomalies, it sends a (text) message to the smart phone of a caring person, a family member or friend. The message could read something like this – “normally Ann is out of bed by now, but today she is not, maybe you want to give her a call” – and with a single click the call can be made, and further action can be taken.

• Here is the White Paper in pdf Format: Enable seniors to live longer independently at home!

Social media tips for automation industry!

Last March we announced the publication of Authentia's 2015 Control System Integrators Digital Marketing Benchmark Report.  This proved to be a very popular item topping our most visited "end of" period (week or month) on several occasions.

Now the Technical PR agency, Stone Junction has released a one-page guide, analysing social media presence across the automation industry. The social media style of top global automation companies is examined, taking into consideration presence on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. The guide is available for download here.

As well as looking at the amount of connections that several companies have across three channels, the guide also provides useful tips on how to achieve success similar to Schneider Electric, Rockwell Automation and ABB Robotics.

"It's common knowledge that the automation and engineering industry is falling behind in the digital revolution," explains Jessica Phillips, account executive at Stone Junction. "The guide is aimed at companies who are getting started with social media and want to take inspiration from the bigger names. As a company that works every day to build social media presence for our clients from technical and technology sectors, we believe that the companies included in the guide represent the division of the automation industry who make the most of all social media channels."

• Stone Junction is a technical and technology PR agency based in Staffordshire, (GB) that manages social media for companies such as COPA-DATA UK, Renishaw PLC and Boulting Technology. Stone Junction regularly updates its blog with posts that include hints and tips for PR and marketing tactics. Regular topics include social media, SEO and email marketing.

Advancing the “Automation Conversation” with appointment of a Social Media Community Manager

The International Society of Automation (ISA) announced today that it is expanding its commitment to provide automation professionals readily accessible sources for educational news and information, with the creation of a social media community manager position. After a search, ISA has named Juliann M. Grant, a veteran in the industrial automation field and social media consultant, to assume this position.

Grant will be responsible for building, growing and nurturing ISA’s social media communities on major social networks including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn^®, LiveStream, YouTube and Flickr^®. She will be a lead contributor to ISA Interchange, the Society’s news-and-blog website, launched in 2011 as the hub for all things automation, from technology to subject-matter experts, industry leaders, ISA volunteers and staff and others from the automation community.

“We are pleased to move forward in our mission to stimulate discussions about automation topics across all technologies, and keep our fingers on the pulse of the automation world. Maintaining a solid presence on popular information-sharing platforms allows ISA to better serve all of the stakeholders of the automation community with technical and professional information,” said Patrick Gouhin, executive director and CEO of ISA. “Juliann brings experience in both social media and the automation field to the position. Applying her talents towards curating and disseminating relevant, high-quality technical information and engaging the automation community will strengthen everyone’s opportunities for success.”

“I am excited to assume this role with ISA, an organization that is setting new standards in the field of automation, and now in social media. Through this role, we can help share the rich technical information that is available from its members, and highlight the good work happening across the profession of automation. By building a vibrant, engaging community for engineers and professionals in automation, ISA will reinforce its leader role in advancing the automation profession and industry as a whole,” commented Grant.

Grant, a vice president of Telesian Technology, has more than 20 years of experience developing marketing strategies for high-technology and industrial-automation companies. She is a recognised speaker and author on business-to-business (B2B) marketing strategies and tactics, including integrated marketing, online marketing and social media. She has also held marketing executive positions at The Lodestar Corporation, Kronos Inc. and Pivotpoint (acquired by MAPICS).

Automation social networking!

The International Society of Automation (ISA) debuted its social media site, ISA Interchange, at the recent leaders meeting.

This new educational, news-and-blog site provides automation professionals with an opportunity for finding relevant, high-quality technical knowledge; engaging with each other for information sharing and problem solving; and strengthening professional networks.

See Emerson's Jim Cahill's assessment of the site on his famous blog: ISA Interchange Surfaces and Promotes Exchange of Automation Knowledge! (11/7/2011)
also
ISA Marketing & Sales Division: New Automation hot-spot (12/7/2011)

“We’ve integrated today’s successful social networking tools with some of the richest resources in the automation field,” said ISA Executive Director and CEO, Pat Gouhin. “ISA Interchange provides rich ISA resources for our members, our customers and the automation community.”

Visitors to the website at automation.isa.org will find that ISA Interchange is convenient, searchable, and continually updated with new content to create a rich technical resource. The site hosts articles, news, blogs and streaming video, to which visitors can post comments, start conversations, and share with other professionals in automation communities.

Gouhin continued, “One of our key priorities was to spark discussions about automation topics across technologies. Technicians, engineers, managers, students, all expect instant access to information, and we’re pleased to give them a tool that will enhance their success.”

ISA Interchange integrates onsite commenting; plus provides easy links for sharing via email and through popular social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flicker®, LinkedIn®, SlideShare, +1, Delicious, and others. The blog site also offers RSS feed subscription and email notification of updates.

Passion, dedication and focus call by new president

The International Society of Automation (ISA) has a new president in H. L. “Leo” Staples. He will serve for the year 2011 and he opened the year with a call-to-action to all ISA members to dedicate themselves to a high level of involvement in, and collaboration among, their sections, divisions, and the Society.  “We have exciting, yet tough, challenges ahead of us, just as any great association does,” he said. “I believe that, with passion, dedication and focus, we can meet our new goals and create a very bright future for ISA.”

H.L. Staples

Describing his vision for ISA for 2011, Staples cited four challenges identified by ISA’s Strategic Planning Department that he wants the membership to focus on.

The first challenge is financial performance that would enable ISA to recover from the economic recession while setting the stage for long-term health and profitability. “Many ideas are on the table, from improving revenue from existing products to development of new product lines,” Staples said.

The second challenge is to evaluate the effectiveness of ISA’s current Society governance model, and, where appropriate, make changes.  “Even though changes had been made in the past, our leaders knew there was still a lot more work that needed to be done. A task force has already begun work on this evaluation process. Our members will be hearing more about it as we move into the year. I ask for their support in validating, endorsing, and implementing the work of this governance task force,” he said.

The third challenge for the Society is to strengthen the ISA family. “A strong ISA family consists of a dedicated group of volunteer leaders working together, sharing a common vision, and operating within a governance structure that fits the organization,” Staples said. “We need to maintain a strong value proposition so we can keep the ISA family strong, so we can attract new leaders for the future, and so we can develop and engage tomorrow’s automation professionals.”

Staples wants ISA to refine and enhance workforce development programs and give sections and divisions the tools they need to implement these programs into their existing activities. He suggested that many of the tools can come from strategic partnerships, such as the affiliation ISA has with inventor Dean Kamen’s  FIRST® organization (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology).

The fourth challenge Staples presents ISA membership with is to embrace technology. “We have a task force that is evaluating technology and investment priorities that will allow us to expand social media and provide an enhanced experience for virtual attendees of events, functions, and courses—so we can expand the audience we reach,” Staples said. He encourages all members to take advantage of ISA’s movement into social networking by participating in the many online opportunities that already exist and new ones to be offered in the future.

“As ISA’s newest president, I look forward to working with our membership as we address these four challenges. It will take dedication and focus from members at all levels…and I know we can do it!” he concluded.

Please save ISA - an open letter!  (Walt Boyes,  Editor in Chief, Control 13/1/2011)

Staples has been an ISA member since 1989 and a Fellow since 2009. He is a member of the Greater Oklahoma Section. He has vast experience in section, district, department, division, and Society activities, including serving as district vice president and chair of the Council of District Vice Presidents and three terms on the ISA Executive Board as Society treasurer. Staples is an active participant in ISA’s Power Industry Division and has authored and delivered several papers at various symposia. He recently published his first book through ISA, Project management: A Technician’s Guide.

Staples is a compliance management leader at Power Supply Division, Oklahoma Gas and Electric (OG&E). He began his career with OG&E in 1978 at the company’s Horseshoe Lake Power Plant. He is a Level III Certified Control Systems Technician® and a Level IV Senior Engineering Technician-Industrial Instrumentation through the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). He earned an Associate’s degree in electrical engineering technology from Rose State College in Midwest City, Oklahoma, USA, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. He recently had his book "Project Management: A Technician’s Guide," published where he discussed project management "one of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of the job of a Control System Technician."

Four awards for innovation and excellence

National Instruments has received four awards from leading industry trade publications for hardware and software, as well as an award recognising the company for excellence in business-to-business marketing. Editors and readers from Test & Measurement World, Design News and Control Engineering selected NI X Series multifunction data acquisition (DAQ) devices for PCI Express and PXI Express, the NI wireless sensor network (WSN) platform and the NI LabVIEW NI SoftMotion Module for their technological advancement and innovation. Additionally, the Marketing Leadership Council selected the NI Energising Engineers at NIWeek campaign for its marketing insight and creative use of social media platforms.

Test & Measurement World recognised X Series multifunction DAQ devices for PCI Express and PXI Express as the Best in Test for Data Acquisition for their integration of high-performance analogue, digital and counter/timer functionality onto a single device. Engineers can use NI LabVIEW graphical programming software and NI-DAQmx driver software to customise X Series devices for a variety of test, measurement and control applications.

Design News selected the NI WSN platform as a Golden Mousetrap Best New Products award winner for its complete monitoring solution and software integration abilities. The NI WSN platform was also recognised by Control Engineering with an Engineers’ Choice Award for I/O Systems in Wireless. Additionally, Control Engineering recognised the LabVIEW NI SoftMotion Module with the Engineers’ Choice Award for Design, Simulation, and Diagnostics for its simplification of configuring motion axis settings and implementing custom motion control applications.

The NI marketing team received the Marketing Leadership Council B2B Marketing Communications Award for its achievements in business-to-business marketing communication for its social media campaign executed at NIWeek 2009 (See our Report on this) The team was lauded for its identification of what drives customers to connect and creative use of social media platforms to help users to achieve their goals. (The next NIWeek is scheduled for early August!)