Category Archives: Technology

Venn Launches Blue Border for AI Governance & Security, Putting Native Claude Apps Under IT Control on Any Laptop

Regulated companies can now let remote employees and contractors run Claude, Claude Cowork and Claude Code on laptops the company doesn’t own: locked to company accounts, reachable only from trusted networks, and with no VDI or endpoint management required.

New York, New York, Sept 17. Venn, the secure remote work company, announced Blue Border™ for AI Governance & Security. The release lets organizations with remote and distributed workforces govern and securely use AI on any laptop, whether or not the company owns or manages it.

Blue Border installs on a Mac or PC and creates a company-controlled secure enclave on that laptop, isolating business activity from everything else on the same machine. Until now, its AI controls centered on data loss prevention for browser-based AI. Available today, the release adds three capabilities.

First, Anthropic’s Claude desktop apps, Claude, Claude Cowork and Claude Code, run natively inside Blue Border, on a personal machine, under the same controls that apply to browser-based AI. Second, tenant restrictions keep approved AI services to company-provided accounts, so a personal sign-in inside Blue Border is restricted. Third, IP-based access controls let organizations restrict sign-ins to those services to their dedicated Blue Border IP addresses, using the access policies they already run for Microsoft 365 and Salesforce.

The result is a secure way to adopt AI across all of a company’s workflows, in the browser and on the desktop, on every device its people use, without VDI. Unapproved AI tools stay blocked from company data, and DLP controls cover copy/paste, upload, download, screenshot, print and AI on any laptop.

Organizations in regulated industries cannot afford to fall behind on AI productivity, and cannot tolerate the data exposure that comes with open adoption. Venn found that 62 percent of all connections to browser-based AI tools inside Blue Border were made through personal, non-corporate accounts. When customers configured their tenant restriction settings, the number dropped to 5 percent.

“AI is the most important shift our customers have navigated since the cloud,” said David Matalon, CEO and Founder of Venn. “Blue Border was built for exactly this moment: a world where sensitive work happens on any device, and where what needs to be protected is the data itself, not the machine. Blue Border for AI Governance & Security extends that protection to every AI tool, native app or browser, and gives IT and security teams control back.”

For regulated organizations enabling BYOD and contractor programs, this changes the ceiling on AI productivity. Financial services firm StoneX uses Blue Border to meet its compliance requirements while securing its workers. Remote employees and contractors can use the most capable AI tools in their full native form, with no hardware to ship and no virtual desktop in between. Support for additional applications, including ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, is on the roadmap for later this year.

Atomic clocks refined with Spectrum AWG cards

Sept 16: Around the world, hundreds of atomic clocks are continuously compared to establish the International Atomic Time (TAI). In Germany, the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) contributes with two of the world’s leading caesium fountain clocks. Keeping these running, however, depends on sophisticated technology to cool down clouds of atoms with lasers to a few microkelvin and perform Ramsey spectroscopy. AWG cards by Spectrum Instrumentation play a key role in the latest setup of the atomic clocks. The caesium fountain clocks CSF1 and CSF2 steer the national reference time scale UTC (PTB) and constitute the basis for PTB’s time services and the legal time for all of Germany, synchronizing everything from clocks and trains to air traffic, communications, broadcasting, computer systems, and much more.

Caesium fountain clocks, such as those operated at PTB, rely on the quantum behaviour of caesium atoms. One second is defined as the duration of exactly 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two energy levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom. In a vacuum-chamber, an ultracold cloud of these atoms passes twice through a Ramsey microwave cavity before their final state is measured using laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy.

How to cool down the caesium atoms

Dr. Johannes Rahm, a member of PTB’s Time and Frequency department, explains: “Before the measurement can take place, a cloud of ultracold atoms must be loaded. This is realized by means of a magneto-optical trap (CSF1) or an optical molasses (CSF2). In both cases, lasers in specific geometric alignment are detuned slightly below an optical transition of caesium-133. Due to the residual thermal motion, this laser light is Doppler-shifted to the transition frequency and by absorption of photons from the laser and conservation of momentum, the atoms in the cloud are slowed and therefore cooled down.”

A working cycle of the caesium fountain clock

A small frequency difference between the lasers then pushes the cloud upward, like tossing a ball into the air. This creates the ‘fountain’ effect: the atoms pass through the Ramsey cavity once on the way up and again on the way down under gravity. After passing the Ramsey-cavity the second time, the transition probability is determined by means of fluorescence spectroscopy. During each passage of the Ramsey-cavity, a microwave pulse is applied. The frequency of this pulse is tuned so that the resulting transition probability is about 50%. With each fountain cycle, which consist of the loading phase, the launch phase, the Ramsey-interrogation, detection and ballistic flights in between the phases, the sign of the microwave frequency detuning is inversed, so that the left and the right side of the symmetrical transition probability structure is sampled. The true transition frequency is then given by the mean of the two steered frequencies set for the 50% transition probability. Once the measurement is complete, after about 1.2 seconds, the cycle starts again and continues 24 hours a day.

Evolution of the clocks

The caesium fountain clock requires careful control of the lasers. This was originally implemented by using custom analog circuitry developed by an earlier generation of PTB engineers and scientists. Maintaining such a complex system for the long term becomes increasingly difficult. So, like the experiment itself, the supporting electronics must evolve, leading Dr. Rahm to explore how to replace its analog system with a digital alternative. His research led him to integrate AWG (Arbitrary Waveform Generator) cards in PXIe format from Spectrum Instrumentation. These cards generate the RF frequencies required to manipulate the laser frequencies for cooling, launching and detection of the atoms using acoustic-optical modulators.

Fast reaction of the Spectrum support

However, a challenge arose during implementation. Although the M4x.6622-x4 AWG cards met the accuracy extremely well, none of the possible signal generation modes matched the special requirements needed at PTB. For an efficient design of the caesium fountain clock cycle, each laser needs a specific set of waveforms at a specific time of the cycle. Dr. Rahm contacted the Spectrum Instrumentation support, which is handled by the design engineers directly. In just two days, the software engineers developed a new feature called “Sequence Restart Mode”. Dr. Rahm’s tests were successful, and the new mode works exactly as envisioned.

Meanwhile, Spectrum Instrumentation released the Sequence Restart Mode as a free-of-charge upgrade for all AWGs in the 65xx and 66xx series. The new mode can be enabled easily by installing the latest drivers.

Microwave Factory and Rohde & Schwarz enable automated SAR measurements with CMX500 support in MATEOS

Kramer Brings its Complete AV Ecosystem to Life at InfoComm India 2026

From hybrid meeting rooms and smart classrooms to divisible experience spaces and Command & Control Centers, Kramer demonstrates real-world applications alongside its latest innovations across AVoIP, signal management, audio, connectivity and AV management

Mumbai, India – Sept 16 – Kramer, a global leader in professional AV experiences, is showcasing its latest AV innovations at InfoComm India 2026, demonstrating how its broad technology portfolio comes together to address the real-world requirements of enterprise, education, Command & Control and other professional AV environments.

At Booth L01, Kramer will bring its technologies to life through real-world applications, including Hybrid Meeting Rooms, Smart Classrooms and Divisible Experience Spaces, alongside a dedicated AVoIP Command & Control environment. These application showcases are complemented by dedicated product areas spanning AVoIP, signal management, audio, connectivity, collaboration, AV management and automation as well as integrated meeting-room solutions from Ashton Bentley.

Real applications, built around real AV requirements

The Hybrid Meeting Room showcase will highlight Kramer’s Signal Management portfolio and HU product family, demonstrating how HDMI, USB-C, USB, charging, switching and extension technologies can be combined to address different room sizes and collaboration requirements.

For small meeting rooms, the SWT3-21-HU-TR provides a complete BYOD solution in a compact design, while for medium-sized meeting spaces, the SWT3-31-HU delivers the higher performance and connectivity required for more advanced hybrid collaboration. Together, the demonstrations show how organizations can create consistent meeting experiences while selecting the right solution for each room.

Kramer will also showcase integrated meeting room solutions from Ashton Bentley, combining modular meeting room furniture, display mounting systems and Kramer AV technologies into complete, repeatable room deployments. These engineered solutions help organizations standardize meeting spaces, accelerate installation, simplify maintenance and deliver consistent user experiences across locations and room types. The booth includes dedicated Hybrid Meeting Room and Ashton Bentley areas.

For education, the Smart Classroom will showcase the MTX3-42-HU, demonstrating how integrated signal management and connectivity can simplify the classroom experience for educators while providing the flexibility and performance required for modern teaching and hybrid learning environments.

The Divisible Experience Space will feature Kramer’s MTX3-88-PR-PRO all-in-one hybrid presentation solution, consolidating video switching, USB routing, DSP, Dante audio networking, amplification, streaming and control into a single integrated AV platform. The demonstration will show how spaces can operate independently or be combined for larger meetings, training sessions and events, helping organizations reduce system complexity, simplify support and create more flexible, multi-purpose environments.

AVoIP from 1G distribution to 10G Solutions

AV over IP is another major focus of Kramer’s InfoComm India showcase, with a portfolio spanning 1G and 10G solutions for applications ranging from enterprise and education to Command & Control environments.

Visitors will be able to experience the KDS-17 family, including the recently introduced KDS-17 Lite, KDS-100 and ZeeVee 10G SDVoE solutions. The dedicated Command & Control application demonstrates how 10G AVoIP can support environments requiring high-quality video distribution, flexible routing and multi-display visualization, while the 1G showcase demonstrates scalable AV distribution across a broad range of professional applications.

More technologies across the AV ecosystem

Beyond the application showcases, visitors can explore Kramer’s latest technologies across its broader portfolio.

Audio: Kramer will showcase its expanded professional speaker line, including PoE-powered Dante speakers for networked audio alongside passive models, providing flexible options for meeting rooms, classrooms and other professional AV environments.

Connectivity: The booth will feature Kramer’s extensive USB-C, USB and HDMI cable portfolio, together with TBUS tabletop connectivity solutions, addressing the connectivity needs of modern AV installations.

Signal Management: Kramer will showcase its latest Series 3 matrices and switchers, distribution amplifiers, extenders and hybrid AV solutions, providing flexible options for switching, routing, distributing and extending AV and USB signals across different applications.

Collaboration Applications: Kramer will demonstrate VIA for intuitive wireless presentation and collaboration, alongside Session Manager, a unified cloud service for session initiation, content management, third-party application launch and wireless presentation – helping create simpler, more consistent collaboration experiences across meeting and learning spaces.

AV Ecosystem Platform: Panta Rhei, Kramer’s device-agnostic AV management and automation platform, enables AV and IT teams to centrally monitor, manage and automate AV environments across rooms, buildings and sites, providing greater visibility and helping simplify day-to-day AV operations.

“InfoComm India gives us the opportunity to demonstrate not just individual technologies, but how they come together to solve the challenges our customers and partners face every day,” said Bharath Kumar, President, APAC at Kramer. “Whether it is simplifying hybrid meetings, creating smarter classrooms and more flexible spaces, building powerful Command & Control environments or giving AV and IT teams greater visibility and control, our focus is on making professional AV easier to deploy, operate and manage. We look forward to welcoming the Indian AV community and showing them the breadth of what Kramer can deliver.”

Kramer is exhibiting at InfoComm India 2026, September 16–18, at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, Booth L01.

AAEON Targets High-Performance Industrial AI with Intel Core Ultra Series 3-Powered MIX-PTLWV1

The company’s first Mini-ITX motherboard built on the Panther Lake platform offers 128GB DDR5, wide voltage input, and broad expansion module support.

Taipei, Taiwan – Sept 16 AAEON (Stock Code: 6579), a leading producer of industrial motherboards, has announced the release of the MIX-PTLWV1, its first Mini-ITX motherboard featuring Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 3 processors (formerly Panther Lake). The MIX-PTLWV1 is available with a number of processors from across the series, ranging from 15W to 25W, and provides support for up to 128GB of DDR5 (6400 MHz) via two C/SO-DIMM slots.

With the hybrid AI acceleration offered by the Panther Lake series’ integrated Intel® Arc™ GPU, Intel® AI Boost NPU, and disaggregated CPU architecture, AAEON has indicated that the MIX-PTLWV1 is positioned for use in edge AI applications across machine vision, robotic automation, and industrial inspection.

The board’s I/O provides two rear I/O 2.5GbE LAN ports (Intel® Ethernet Controller I226 series) by default. However, AAEON states that the board comes with the option of an additional two 10GbE LAN ports (Intel® Ethernet Controller E610-XAT2) on top of this, although this configuration is SKU-dependent. Alongside these, the board hosts four USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (5Gbps), and four display ports, each offering 4K resolution at 60 Hz.

The MIX-PTLWV1’s selection of internal connectors includes five serial box headers, with one offering RS-232/422/485 and the remaining four for RS-232, an 8-bit Programmable digital I/O, two 10-pin headers for USB 3.2 Gen 1 interfaces, and a 40-pin LVDS connector, co-layed with eDP.

Supporting 128GB of dual-channel DDR5 system memory, the MIX-PTLWV1 provides a fairly substantial increase in memory capacity compared to the 96GB offered by Mini-ITX boards built on earlier Intel processing platforms.

The board’s expansion options include an M.2 2230 E-Key, an M.2-1A 2280 M-Key, and an M.2 3042/52 B-Key with a Nano SIM slot for wireless, NVMe storage, and cellular function support. In addition to its M.2 slots, the MIX-PTLWV1 is equipped with an open-edge slot supporting an eight-lane PCIe Gen 5 interface, although like its expanded 10GbE LAN option, this configuration is also SKU-dependent.

For its OS, the MIX-PTLWV1 can support Windows® 11 64-bit and Ubuntu 24.04 (Kernel 6.8).

EQONIC Expands Battery Range with Cleaner, Quieter Battery Power Solutions for Sites, Events and Everyday Backup

LONDON, Sept 16 – EQONIC Group, a pioneering UK battery technology company, today announced two new additions to its energy storage range: the EQ Power, a Mobile Battery Energy Storage System (MBESS), and the EQ Portable Power, a high-capacity portable power station.

Both launches are a direct response to demand from EQONIC’s clients for power that is cleaner, quieter and easier to deploy than diesel generators or fixed installations – whether that’s on a construction site, at an event, or simply away from the mains.

EQ Power: Industrial-Scale Power for Site and Field

Built for versatility, EQ Power comes in three capacity options and can support construction sites, festivals, sporting events, emergency building backup, and mobile or field operations. It can run on its own, work in hybrid configuration with diesel generators, or integrate with hydrogen generators, solar and grid supply, allowing clients to fit it into the power setup they already have on site.

EQ Power is housed in a single weatherproof unit that can be lifted onto a truck bed or trailer with standard site equipment and wired in within minutes, without groundworks or a specialist installation crew. It can also be supplied with optional heavy-duty wheels for ease of manoeuvrability. Working alongside diesel generators, it has already cut fuel consumption by up to 60% in a live construction case study, easing fuel resupply, cutting costs and reducing emissions from day one.

It runs on whatever power is available; solar, mains grid, hydrogen or diesel – and automatically switches to the cleanest source. Built-in fire protection and smart cooling keep it safe to run outdoors in demanding weather. Multiple units can be linked together to power bigger sites, and because it runs silently, it also removes the noise that normally makes it hard for workers to hear each other over a generator.

EQ Portable Power: High-Power Portable Energy, On the Move

EQONIC has also launched the EQ Portable Power Station – a wheeled, high-power portable power station built for anyone who needs dependable power away from the mains. It’s designed for tradespeople and outdoor construction crews, campers, road-trippers and event-goers, and for households wanting a reliable backup supply when the power goes down.

It’s about the size of a large wheeled suitcase – 630 x 313 x 467mm and 40kg – so it can be rolled through a doorway, lifted into a car boot, or wheeled across a campsite or job site with ease.

A single charge is enough to run a mini fridge for over a day, keep a laptop topped up for around seven weeks of daily use, or recharge a phone more than 300 times – making it just as useful powering a job site as it is a camping trip, a day at an event, or a home during a power cut.

It charges from empty to full in around three hours on the mains or can be topped up using a solar panel or a car’s 12V socket when there’s no power nearby. If the mains cut out, it switches over in under 10 milliseconds – fast enough that connected electronics won’t notice – and a smart app lets users check remaining charge from their phone.

Together, the two products extend EQONIC’s offer from large temporary power deployments to portable backup and leisure use, giving clients a consistent battery-based alternative wherever quiet, reliable power is needed.

Jas Kandola, founder and CEO of EQONIC Group said:

“Every product we offer starts with a conversation with our clients. On the industrial side, they kept telling us the same thing: generators are noisy, expensive to run, and a headache to keep fed with fuel – especially on sites in the middle of nowhere. The EQ Power MBESS is our answer to that – something you can roll onto site, plug in and forget about. We heard a version of the same problem on a smaller scale too, from people who just wanted reliable, portable power for work, travel or emergencies at home – and that’s exactly what the Portable Power Station delivers. Both products exist because our customers told us what they needed, not because it was the easiest thing for us to build.”

The EQ-Power MBESS and EQ Portable Power are available now in the UK and have been configured for UK and European markets. For more information, visit eqonic.com and contact the EQONIC team directly.

One drill body. Multiple applications

The Seco® X Tip Drill simplifies holemaking with one modular drill body and multiple, exchangeable carbide tips that perform across steels, stainless steels, cast iron, and more, reducing tool inventory, increasing productivity, and delivering consistent, high quality results.

 
 
Accurate repeatability in mixed production environments
Designed for mixed production environments, the Seco X Tip Drill adapts easily to changing materials and drilling depths. With one drill body covering 3xD, 5xD, and 8xD applications, manufacturers can streamline workflows, lower the risk of errors, and reduce setup time without compromising performance.

Fast tip changes are enabled by the patented pre tensioned interface. A double sided key supplied with each drill body allows quick, secure tip replacement, while the axial lock ensures accuracy and repeatability even after multiple changes.

Multiple geometries deliver predictability across demanding materials
Application specific geometries ensure predictable performance across demanding materials. ISO P and M tips provide reliable drilling in steels and stainless steels, ISO K geometry delivers stable cutting in abrasive cast iron, and the Flat Bottom geometry produces flat bottom holes in a single operation—eliminating secondary machining steps. All geometries are compatible with the same X Tip drill body.

“The Seco X Tip Drill gives manufacturers a smarter way to manage complexity,” says Ricky Payling, Global Product Manager for Solid Round Tools, Drilling at Seco. “One drill body, multiple applications, less waste, and consistent performance. It’s designed for flexibility on today’s shop floor.”

High feed capability, optimized chip evacuation, and self centering geometry deliver fast cycle times, excellent hole quality, and low cost per hole. The reusable drill body and replaceable, recyclable carbide tips also support more sustainable manufacturing.

Vodia Announces Vodia Billing

BOSTON: Sept 16 – Vodia Networks, Inc., a provider of unified cloud communications solutions to enterprises, contact centers, and managed service providers (MSPs), is pleased to announce Vodia Billing, Version 1.0.0-beta, a standalone billing middleware for Vodia PBX fleets.

MSP billing needs to answer three important questions: What is the amount of each invoice? Who owes the company payment? What invoices have been paid? Vodia Billing has been developed to answer and resolve these questions quickly, correctly, and seamlessly.   

Vodia Billing turns raw call data into invoices

Vodia Billing ingests CDRs, rates calls against rate sheets, and handles recurring charges based on PBX entities such as extensions, auto attendants, call queues, maximum concurrent trunk calls, etc., as well as hardware one-off charges and taxes. Once this information has been processed, Vodia Billing issues and delivers invoices, handing them off to Xero or QuickBooks Online (if connected). Vodia billing sits beside the PBX and turns raw call records into accounting entries, fraud alerts, and invoices.

Vodia Billing and Vodia Analytics

Vodia Billing is a companion product to Vodia Analytics, which transforms PBX call data into clear, actionable insights with real-time dashboards, detailed call records, and AI-powered analysis. Vodia Billing has been built with the same architecture and the same interface conventions as Vodia Analytics, but with a separate server and a separate database:

● Ingests CDRs from one or more Vodia PBX systems over the PBX’s own webcdr webhook; recovers missed days from archive CSV files.

● Rates outbound calls against your rate sheets, with per-destination charge types, connect fees, billing increments, minimum durations, and included-minute allowances.

● Counts recurring items from daily PBX snapshots: extensions, hunt groups, auto attendants, queues, DIDs, and concurrent-call peaks.

● Computes tax in per-bucket components, or hands tax computation to QuickBooks Online (must be connected).

● Produces invoices with gapless fleet-wide numbering, frozen detail, twelve languages, per-tenant branding, and revocable share links.

● Delivers by email with a call-detail CSV attached, and by CSV over SFTP, HTTP, or email to a payment system.

● Hands off to accounting, Xero or QuickBooks Online, with customer mapping, payment sync back, and per-invoice push state.

● Chases payment with configurable reminder schedules and overdue alerts.

● Watches for fraud with 20 detectors, optional automatic extension disable on the PBX, and per-tenant threshold overrides.

● Reports margin per tenant per month, split by charge basis, with loss-makers flagged (partner-only, never visible to customers).

Quick Start

Quick Start is the best way to test drive Vodia Billing: it goes from a bare server to a first draft invoice, with a worked example at each step.

Vodia Billing is another step in the company’s journey to provide MSPs with everything they need to find and retain customers and grow their brands. The company also recently announced the new Vodia Partner Program and new Vodia Partner Portal, which give service providers, MSPs, system integrators, and technology partners a clearer way to grow their Vodia business.

The Eplan Platform 2027 has arrived

 Directly integrated: Eplan Copilot supports users of the new version with features such as quick cross-project part searches or specific recommendations.

The Eplan Platform 2027, first introduced back at the Eplan Next26 in May, is now live. Users of the engineering software benefit from faster results along the process steps of preplanning, electrical engineering and control cabinet design. Another added advantage is the integration of Eplan Copilot into the software. This new AI assistant is now anchored in the platform with Version 2027 and provides valuable support in day-to-day project work. In addition, the Eplan Platform is now even easier to integrate into existing IT environments.

Even with the wide variety of more than five hundred enhancements in the new Eplan Platform 2027, what they all have in common is making project work easier and accelerating engineering. A key innovation is the introduction of Eplan Copilot into the new platform. This AI-powered assistant with a wide range of functions has been available since early September. First, it is acting as a knowledge service that can be accessed directly from within the Eplan software, providing structured access to Eplan’s internal expertise and reliably guiding users to the right solution, even for complex questions.

Copilot is also a powerful tool for tracking device usage. If engineers want to know in which projects they have used a specific product or component, all they have to do is enter a part number. The AI searches all the projects in the cloud and provides direct links to project pages where the device was used. Whether it’s translation, menu simplification, creating bills of materials or running quality checks, users can interact with Eplan Copilot via voice or text prompts, thereby enabling them to better leverage Eplan’s wide range of capabilities.

New: Central device management in the cloud

The additions to device management set a clear strategic focus on consistent, end-to-end data and efficient collaboration. With the new cloud-based device management and the associated synchronization capabilities, Eplan, the solutions provider, addresses a central requirement for modern, hybrid engineering environments and is hereby laying the foundation for consistent master data, digital twins and cross-system traceability. These core functions are complemented by targeted improvements in searching, selecting, transparency and data quality, all of which significantly simplify the day-to-day management of large parts inventories. Taken together, these improvements enable better-integrated working and significantly more efficient workflows throughout the entire engineering and life-cycle process.

Cloud device management is now synchronized

Looking at today’s processes in device/parts management, the process is characterized by media disruptions. In hybrid IT environments, companies operate both cloud-based and local systems in parallel. Differing user interfaces, product data maintained in multiple locations, and limited remote access often lead to inconsistencies, increased efforts needed for maintenance and data gaps in the engineering process.

The new Eplan Platform 2027 creates greater clarity in this area and synchronizes processes. By provisioning data from the Eplan Cloud, users have a uniform front-end workflow, the advantages of which are obvious. Product data is maintained only once and automatically synchronized bidirectionally between the cloud and local systems (keyword: data management). This is true for device data as well as master data such as formulas, plot frames and symbol libraries, which can all now be synchronized. At the same time, this workflow ensures location-independent access to parts information that is up to date. Users thereby achieve maximum data consistency, greater reusability and reduce efforts required for device management.

 
By displaying information such as the process flow direction or tank filling, Eplan Preplanning offers significantly more in-depth information along with numerous new automation functions.

End-to-end processes in focus

The Eplan ecosystem is continuing to expand by way of targeted additions for partner integrations. This expansion is driven by the growing need to seamlessly connect engineering systems with automation solutions and ERP/PDM solutions in order to avoid information silos. Enhanced integrations create end-to-end data flows between Eplan and leading partner solutions, such as Rockwell Emulate 3D (as just one example). By importing Eplan data into Rockwell’s virtual testing and simulation environment, users can simulate and validate machine and plant system layouts—including the actual control logic (PLC) – long before the hardware even exists. Additional integrations to ERP/PDM systems enable transparent, controllable device synchronization, which significantly improves data reliability over the long term.

To conclude

The Eplan Platform 2027 stands for connected, AI-supported engineering. Further developments in preplanning, improvements in the management of device data and in handling devices, expanded collaboration and integration – not to mention the inclusion of Eplan Copilot – make it clear that with the Eplan Platform 2027, users can access relevant information more quickly, utilize existing data more consistently and focus more on their actual engineering tasks.

AI to Transform Highway Emergency Support, Making 1033 Helpline Faster and Smarter

Representational Image 

New Delhi, Sep 15: A roadside breakdown, accident or medical emergency can quickly become frightening when a traveller is far from a familiar location. Finding help can be even more difficult when the person is unable to clearly describe where they are. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is now looking to make emergency assistance faster and more efficient by upgrading its 1033 National Highway helpline with artificial intelligence and real-time location technology.

The proposed upgrade is aimed at making it easier for travellers to get the right assistance without spending too much time explaining their location or the nature of the emergency. AI-enabled systems could help operators process calls faster, understand requests in different Indian languages and coordinate assistance more efficiently.

The 1033 helpline has been serving highway users since 2018 and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It provides support during medical emergencies, accidents and vehicle breakdowns, including access to ambulances, cranes and highway patrol services.

One of the most important improvements will be more accurate location identification. On long highways, travellers may not know the nearest town, kilometre marker or exit. In an emergency, this can delay assistance. Real-time location technology could allow the system to identify where the caller is and help response teams reach the right spot more quickly.

The technology could be particularly valuable during road accidents. When people are injured or under stress, communicating detailed information may be difficult. AI can assist in capturing essential information from a call, while trained operators can assess the situation and coordinate the appropriate emergency response.

Language support is another area where AI could make a difference. With travellers from different parts of India using the National Highway network, the ability to understand calls in multiple Indian languages could make the service more accessible. Better communication can help operators understand the problem and provide appropriate instructions while assistance is being arranged.

The upgraded system could also improve coordination between the helpline and field teams. Once a request is received, relevant information can be quickly shared with ambulances, patrol vehicles or recovery teams, helping reduce delays in dispatching assistance.

However, the introduction of AI does not mean that human support will disappear. Human operators will continue to play an important role, particularly when an emergency requires judgement, reassurance or detailed communication. The most effective system is likely to be one where AI handles routine information and location-related tasks while trained personnel take decisions in complex situations.

The scale of the 1033 service makes the planned modernisation significant. The helpline currently supports more than 1.46 lakh kilometres of National Highways and receives around 15,000 calls every day. Even a small improvement in response time could make a meaningful difference for a large number of motorists.

For ordinary travellers, the biggest advantage could be faster access to help when it matters most. A person whose vehicle breaks down at night on an isolated highway, for instance, may not know exactly where they are. If the system can identify their location and quickly direct the appropriate support vehicle, the situation can be handled more safely.

The upgrade also reflects the growing use of AI in public infrastructure. Technology is increasingly being used not only for convenience but also to improve essential services, emergency response and public safety.

For the system to deliver its full potential, AI will need to work alongside reliable communication networks, accurate digital mapping, trained operators and well-coordinated emergency teams. Technology can speed up the process, but effective response ultimately depends on people and services working together.

If successfully implemented, the upgraded 1033 helpline could turn highway emergency assistance into a more connected and responsive service, giving travellers greater confidence that help can be located and dispatched quickly when they need it most.