It goes without saying that technology has advanced at an exponential rate in a few short years. It’s mind-blowing to think of how far we’ve progressed, even with everyday technologies like smartphones, in such a short time.

The same goes for business technologies. Digital solutions like artificial intelligence and machine learning are being applied in more innovative ways than ever. Technology we once could only dream of is now commonplace in many organisations.

Here, we delve into the business software solutions that prove the future is now.

Low to no-code application build

Software developers can attest to the time-intensive nature of building applications. Microsoft’s Power Platform contains Power Apps, which makes app-building more accessible, allowing non-developers to create apps and solutions with no code. This gives your business’ developers more time to focus on highly complex, value-adding solutions.

The apps that you can build using Power Apps range from simple to mid-complexity apps. The Red Cross created a codeless app that allowed its employees to order essential training supplies, which included imitation lungs for test dummies. Training Specialist Nick Gill was able to create a shopping-style interface with no need for coding, which would ordinarily take months of development work. He created this interface because it’s an experience everyone is familiar with; this app replaced a lengthy process that involved unmanageable paper forms, which had a much longer turnaround time.

It’s amazing to think that a few short years ago, this is a project that would likely take months to code from scratch and go through multiple rounds of user acceptance testing!

Crowd and pedestrian simulation

In the era of COVID-19, understanding the capacity of a venue has never been more important. Social distancing measures limited the capacity of shops, entertainment venues, and even office workplaces. Even now, as we re-enter the world of live events, understanding how pedestrians will interact with spaces is critical.

Oasys’ MassMotion is an advanced crowd simulation software that allows you to import a 3D simulation of your venue or space. You then create a number of virtual pedestrians, who will intelligently move around the simulation using facilities including doors, escalators, and more. You can model a small number of pedestrians or even huge crowds, offering endless possibilities.

This innovative software is used by equally innovative businesses. Frontgrid produces ParadropVR, a virtual reality attraction designed to be used at conferences and events. The business has a number of options when it comes to presenting its solution in person – the tool can be laid out in circles, individual units, or in a multi-storey configuration. This depends on the traffic flow, so the business uses this software to understand the best way of putting its exhibition together.

This type of software has many other uses for a range of sectors and businesses. Fire safety is still a pressing issue, and these solutions will allow you to simulate your evacuation plan in your shopping centre, hotel, or block of flats to test its effectiveness.

Analysing the carbon reduction of trees

Climate change is a pressing issue that affects all of us. We’re seeing efforts to reduce CO₂ emissions across the globe, from banning gas boilers and petrol cars to initiatives to plant more trees. Now, AI start-up Pachama is offering the ability to accurately measure how trees are absorbing carbon.

By combining satellite images, lidar, and artificial intelligence, Pachama is able to build a pretty precise estimation of how much carbon is being absorbed by trees. This futuristic technology is replacing the lengthy and inaccurate process of recording the number of trees in a forest and their carbon-absorbing properties.

This technology allows the company to identify areas where tree numbers have been reduced, whether this is through fires or illegal deforestation. Through this work, areas for planting new trees can be prioritised based on need. Now, leading global businesses that partake in carbon offsetting initiatives, including Shopify and Microsoft, are using this technology to accurately measure how much carbon their efforts are removing.

The possibilities offered to businesses by technology are endless. Not only can they help businesses create applications that would once have taken months, but they can also provide futuristic simulations that can improve event planning and save lives. We might not have flying cars, but the future is definitely now.