When Italy manages to turn advanced skills into technology business

That Italy is a country full of high-level skills is no mystery to anyone, but the shortcomings of an ecosystem that does not always manage to make life easier for those who want to do research and enterprise tend to disperse the energy, resources and enthusiasm of those who would have something to say in sectors other than fashion and food. At this year's CES in Las Vegas, however, we saw a country where top-level skills finally manage to translate even the most driven technological proposal into business. A prime example is Aigo, an attention and fatigue monitoring system created by the Padua-based start-up Oraigo. An electronic bandana to be worn on the head monitors the brain activity of drivers while driving, alerting them in the event of excessive fatigue. The real power of this invention lies in the fact that the data can be sent to the operations centre that monitors the fleet of vehicles and analysed to understand which transports are most critical and take the necessary precautions in terms of the number of drivers and shifts to be performed.

One sector that has been very popular this year in terms of number of proposals and creativity is robotics, and the solution from the start-up Adaptronics seems ideal to ride the wave. The ultra-thin and flexible EAAL film, in fact, becomes adhesive on command by means of electrostatic forces and integrated proximity and contact sensor capabilities with the object to be grasped. In other words, it is a system that firmly grasps any object, regardless of its shape, consuming very little energy and in ultra-fast time. The fact that it consists of only two elements, the electronics and the electro-adhesive interface, also makes it very robust and suitable for intensive use. Considering that the North Hall was packed with exhibitors building robot hands, this is an alternative with excellent prospects.

Staying close to the robotic sphere, let's talk about Agadexo, a semi-active exoskeleton that protects the back when lifting heavy loads, detecting the wearer's movements and providing support when needed. It is available in two versions: one that supports the arms and the second that supports the legs. They can be combined for a complete aid in heavy physical activity. Its modular design makes it very easy to adapt to several people, the batteries last about 9 hours and can be changed in less than two minutes. Ideal for working in shifts and with different people.

The Milan-based Suncubes, on the other hand, aims to solve one of the age-old problems of IoTs, Internet-connected devices: battery life. Using a system of laser beams, they can channel energy into a single beam of light that can reach a distance of 3km and recharge the target's batteries remotely. The first use of this technology is for in-flight refuelling of drones, so that they can work without having to spend precious minutes returning to base and changing batteries, but stationary devices are also a great use case. Wherever you need to take an electronic system in the absence of mains power, this recharging technique can make everything much simpler and more immediate.

Finally, the Lecce-based PA360 presents Training on Skills, an immersive training ecosystem that integrates e-learning courses and 3D Serious Games designed to make learning interactive, engaging and adaptive. With over 250 courses and more than 270 3D training games, the platform offers a multilevel learning experience in eight different languages. This wealth of content aims to enhance training in human skills such as communication, leadership, resilience, critical thinking and relationship management, which are key to meeting the challenges of the modern workplace, where flexibility and the ability to reinvent oneself are perhaps more important than specific skills.