Over Cisco’s vacation shutdown, I took the chance to step from my laptop (no easy task!) and think about 2020 – both highs and the lows, the successes and the problems. 12 months for all those no doubt it had been a monumental. So when I reflected, I held thinking about resiliency. Regardless of the problem or challenge accessible during 2020 – my group, my partner, and our clients all demonstrated an excellent quantity spirit and resilience.

If you ask me, resilience doesn’t basically mean dealing with a difficult situation; this means exhibiting strength and working out courage to tackle issues head-on also. Resilience isn’t simple, but it’s an essential part of how exactly we grow, evolve, and attain greatness.

Innovate with purpose

One method we exhibited resilience within 2020 was by challenging our NTT and Cisco workers to compete within a worldwide Hackfest. We challenged them ahead as well as one sole purpose: for connecting and create innovative options that resolve the world’s toughest difficulties and contribute to a far more sustainable upcoming. The Hackfest was made to uncover fresh suggestions, stimulate creativeness, and develop technical abilities.

The Hackfest happened over 48 hrs with teams participating from around the world virtually. And every one of the submitted concepts were linked with one of the US Sustainable Development Targets, which are centered on achieving a much better and much more sustainable future for several. Employees assembled into groups and submitted their tips into 1 of 2 categories: a remedy category (proof idea required) and an Concepts category (ideas just, no proof of idea required). The Hackfest effectively gave our workers an avenue to action beyond their daily functions and use their knowledge for a larger good.

A drumroll, please

I’m proud of all the teams who participated – each of them resiliently raised their fingers to address a few of the world’s finest challenges, per year that challenged people during. And I’m a lot more delighted to talk about the winning ideas.

• Solution category champion: The ‘All Fingers’ group from Brazil created the real-time va that eliminates conversation barriers between teachers and hearing-impaired students, ensuring equivalent access to effective studying. This inclusive solution offers simultaneous contextual translation from speech to indication language making use of Cisco WebEx and a connect in – capturing a speaker’s voice, in virtually any translating and vocabulary to both textual content and sign language.
• Ideas category champion: The ‘Intelligent Forests’ team, made up of global associates, proposed a solution utilizing a system of Cisco wi-fi sensors, camera traps, along with bioacoustics drones and technologies, AI, device IOT and understanding how to prevent deforestation and wildfires.

Runner-up teams tackled an array of problems, including forest restoration, pollution monitoring and detection, and intelligent farming for foods sufficiency.

Jointly we use technologies for good

Our partnership with NTT is made on a standard core tenet of objective. We share a strong history of collaboration, advancement, and a shared concentrate on sustainable development. With each other, we use revolutionary technology to resolve challenges for our worldwide clients and the grouped communities they reside in. And despite challenging periods, we have been determined and resilient to utilize technology to produce a difference. Many thanks to everyone who participated and produced the Hackfest an excellent success!

Join us in heading #FurtherTogether and find out about our partnership.