Customer Search Experience that Takes Advantage of Enterprise Edge Capabilities!
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Every year at CES, people from around the world experience the latest and greatest that consumer tech has to offer. In 2021, CES will be in an all-digital format for the first time.
So how can a virtual show like CES create immersive experiences for attendees tuning in remotely? That’s an interesting challenge for the cloud, and of course, every challenge presents an opportunity.
Google Cloud and 5G help enterprises deliver new experiences
Earlier in 2020, we announced our enterprise telecommunications strategy to deliver workloads to the network edge on Google Cloud, and during our SearchOn event last October, we announced how cloud streaming technology can power augmented reality (AR) in consumer search results.
Now, we’re merging the best of both worlds: Technology built for consumer search can take advantage of our enterprise edge capabilities. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, this past year accelerated our support for enhanced consumer experiences across the board in novel ways. For example, we attempted to address questions such as how potential buyers can make a purchasing decision when they can’t see the product up close. This question becomes even more critical when considering a large purchase such as a new car.
That’s exactly what Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and Google Cloud are working together to solve. As part of FCA’s Virtual Showroom CES event, you can experience the new innovative 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe by scanning a QR code with your phone. You can then see an Augmented Reality (AR) model of the Wrangler right in front of you—conveniently in your own driveway or in any open space. Check out what the car looks like from any angle, in different colors, and even step inside to see the interior with incredible details.
“As we continue our journey towards becoming a customer-centric mobility company, FCA is adopting emerging technologies that enable us to accelerate and deliver at the speed of our customers’ expectations,” said Mamatha Chamarthi, Chief Information Officer, FCA – North America and Asia Pacific. “Through our collaborative partnership with Google, we are able to expand our efforts to provide an immersive customer experience.”
Harnessing the power of edge with 5G
In order to create a mixed-reality experience with a 3D car model, computer-aided design (CAD)-based data sources that represent a 3D vehicle with highly detailed geometry, depth, texture, and lighting were used. High-fidelity models, such as cars with full interiors, often mean large files (GBs in size). Traditionally, depending on your connection, this can result in long waiting times as assets are downloaded onto your phone. In addition, while mobile phones are more powerful than the Apollo Guidance Computer, they are no match for the power we have in the cloud. We still want to bring these high end experiences to everyone, regardless of their respective device or geographical location.
We solve this problem by rendering the model in Google Cloud, then streaming it to the devices.
Specifically, the Cloud AR tech uses a combination of edge computing and AR technology to offload the computing power needed to display large 3D files, rendered by Unreal Engine, and stream them down to AR-enabled devices using Google’s Scene Viewer. Using powerful rendering servers with gaming console grade GPUs, memory, and processors located geographically near the user, we’re able to deliver a powerful but low friction, low latency experience. This rendering hardware allows us to load models with tens of millions of triangles and textures up to 4k, allowing the content we serve to be orders of magnitude larger than what’s served on mobile devices (i.e., on-device rendered assets). Doing so leverages high-speed 5G connectivity and streams directly from Google Cloud’s distributed edge, delivering a rich, photorealist immersive experience. Customers like FCA benefit from Google’s years of investment and expertise in streaming technology (have you tried playing Cyberpunk2077 on Stadia yet?). With the expansion of 5G networks, not only will streaming enable the experience for anyone anywhere, but it will also cut the wait time of downloading large assets required for detailed AR/VR experiences, ultimately providing instant gratification.
Applications and experiences are at the core of a winning edge proposition
We’re working to make these capabilities available to all enterprise customers to enable innovative use cases such as leveraging AR to help design teams collaborate, technicians perform machine diagnostics, creating next-generation, live video experiences for sports events, enabling new customer experiences across many industries, and supporting our customers in their digital transformation. Stay tuned!
To see the Jeep Wrangler 4xe come to life whether you’re attending CES or not, scan the QR code below, or check out the FCA CES website. Depending on your OS, device, and network strength, you will see either a photorealistic, cloud-streamed AR model or an on-device 3D car model, both of which can then be placed in your physical environment.
Google Introduces BigQuery Connector for SAP to Power Customers’ Data Analytics Strategy
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Google Cloud has a genuine passion for solving technology problems that make a difference for our customers. With the release of our BigQuery Connector for SAP, we’re taking a another big step towards solving a major challenge for SAP customers with a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to integrate SAP data with BigQuery, our serverless, highly scalable, and cost-effective multi cloud data warehouse designed for business agility.
Solving for simplified data integration
Like most businesses today, SAP customers are eager to unlock the immediate insights and opportunities within their ever-growing stores of business data. However, many are discovering just how hard it can be to take the first step in any modern, cloud-enabled data analytics strategy: combining SAP data with other cloud-native, and enterprise data sets in real-time and at scale. According to a 2020 SAPInsider study, more than half of SAP customers surveyed said data integration was their top analytics pain point. These companies urgently need a rapid, sustainable, cost-effective and scalable way to integrate SAP data with modern cloud data analytics solutions.
The BigQuery Connector for SAP gives our customers a solution: a fast, simple, cost-effective and massively scalable way to make SAP data fully accessible within BigQuery by leveraging customers’ existing SAP Landscape Transformation Replication Server (SLT) tooling and skill sets. It’s the first SAP SLT direct near real-time connector for BigQuery without the need to set up additional infrastructure or third-party middleware, and can be deployed using a variety of embedded or stand-alone deployment options. In fact, most customers can install the BigQuery Connector for SAP in less than an hour—a remarkably easy way to start working with our industry-leading analytics solution that delivers proven and quantifiable business advantages for customers. Additionally, the BigQuery Connector for SAP is not restricted to customers who have deployed their SAP applications on Google Cloud. Customer’s who are running their SAP applications on-premise, or on any cloud, can also deploy and realize the analytical benefits of the solution.
Designing a solution with customer requirements and investments in mind
When the Google Cloud team started work on an analytics data integration tool for our SAP customers, we began with a set of requirements designed to root out the usual sources of cost and complexity. These included:
- The need for real-time performance with deltas replicated in milliseconds
- The ability to integrate data from almost any SAP Netweaver based application running today, regardless of its deployment location (on premises, any cloud, Google Cloud)
- Automatic BigQuery data type mapping with minimal transformation required
- Generation of target tables in BigQuery directly from source, if required
- Application layer integration that avoids the issues of direct database access
- Leveraging customers’ existing SAP skillsets, change data capture, and infrastructure
An important step towards meeting these requirements came when Alphabet, Google’s parent company, decided to leverage SAP SLT as a foundation for developing direct data replication between SAP and BigQuery for its internal corporate landscape. SLT as part of SAP’s strategic Business Technology Platform, supports real-time replication of data from SAP or third-party systems to SAP HANA, however, one of its limitations was direct integration with targets like BigQuery.
SAP SLT was a logical foundation for developing the connector for several reasons:
- It’s widely adopted among SAP customers who likely already leverage SLT for SAP analytics data integration
- It works with almost every non-SaaS SAP application environment running today
- It supports real-time replication performance at massive scale
It was an obvious choice for the Alphabet engineering team who saw immediate value from integrating SAP with BigQuery.
“The BigQuery Connector for SAP has enabled fast, low latency data replication for billions of records from 500+ tables of our most critical financial and supply chain data. Now in one cost-effective BigQuery data lake, this ERP data can be combined with other data sources for previously impossible real-time analytics and ML use cases. This allows us to drive much deeper strategic insights that support business and operational excellence, management and P&L reporting and more.”—Anil Nagalla, Sr. Engineering Director, Financial Systems, Google
SAP data integration with BigQuery enables new value
By leveraging SAP SLT, the BigQuery Connector for SAP can integrate real-time data streams from any SAP system—while also taking advantage of customers’ existing SAP investments and skillsets.
At the same time, the BigQuery Connector for SAP does a lot of heavy lifting on its own. For example, it automatically handles the complex, multi-step process of transforming SAP data types for use in BigQuery—mapping data-type transitions between the SAP and BigQuery environments, creating a target table schema on BigQuery for the transformed data types, building the target BigQuery table, and even adapting as new data types appear in your SAP environment.
For teams that want to fine-tune the BigQuery Connector for SAP’s automated recommendations, the connector supports additional levels of customization and choice. But if you simply want to get the job done and give your data analytics team greater support for their high-value work, then you’ll love just how quickly and easily the BigQuery Connector for SAP turns the complicated work of data integration and performance to process large volumes of data into a done deal. By integrating enterprise data sets in real time, customers can drive differentiated value and unlock new insights and actions that drive a competitive advantage.
The BigQuery Connector for SAP really shines as an enabling tool that transports and transforms your SAP data to power analytics solutions enabled by accelerators like the Google Cloud Cortex Framework: a comprehensive set of reference architectures, deployment accelerators, and integration services designed to give SAP customers a fast and seamless path to value with their data analytics investments. Simply put, the more SAP data you make available within Google Cloud, the easier it is to get meaningful—and often game-changing—insights from these solutions.
Learn more about the BigQuery Connector for SAP
Ready to get started with your own SAP data analytics strategy on Google Cloud? Install the Google Cloud BigQuery Connector for SAP, and discover a faster, simpler, more sustainable way to power your company’s data analytics strategy.
Telehealth Improves Patient and Clinical Experiences across Continuum of Care
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According to a National Academy of Medicine discussion paper, social determinants of health (SDoH) account for upwards of 80% of a population’s health outcomes. Breaking this down further, 50% come just from socioeconomic and physical environment factors such as education, employment, income, family and social support, community safety, air and water quality, and access to housing and transit. SDoH determine access to and quality of healthcare, and are contributors to a system of disparate access to care.
We believe that to more efficiently provide comprehensive healthcare access to more people, providers will leverage technology to blend in-person and virtual modes of care delivery.
In this article, Amwell and Google Cloud examine five ways telehealth – as part of a provider’s overall care model – can help democratize access to healthcare. (graphic url)
Remove distance as a barrier to care
8.6 million Americans live more than 30 minutes from their nearest hospital. Long drives can deter patients from seeking care or maintaining routine visits. On the flip side, 92% of Americans nationwide have access to wired broadband in the home or through mobile broadband. Therefore, having a virtual visit just a click away can help remove barriers to care, like distance.
Eliminate the risk of unnecessary exposure
Virtual care means that patients don’t have to worry about potential exposure in transit, while sitting in waiting rooms, or from direct interactions during in-person health visits. This is particularly relevant when it comes to those with chronic diseases or underlying conditions. Telehealth provides patients who may be more susceptible to diseases with access to continuous healthcare without putting them at higher risk for developing more severe symptoms. Virtual visits can occur in the comfort –and safety– of patients’ homes.
Extend access to specialized care
55% of preventable hospitalization or mortality in rural settings is due to lack of access to specialty care. With telehealth, physical proximity to specialized services–typically in urban areas–can be reduced as a limiting factor. Virtual solutions grant everyone access to top specialists, regardless of location.
Save time and money
By augmenting in-person visits with telehealth applications, providers can benefit from greater efficiencies in scheduling, helping to improve their bottom line, and add more flexibility to their workday. Meanwhile, patients can spend less on travel and childcare, limit time taken off work, and save on other costs associated with in-person visits — for a savings of $35 to $690 per visit. In a survey by the COVID-19 Healthcare Coalition, 76% of the 2,000+ patients surveyed across the US responded that transportation was removed as a barrier, 65% reported they no longer had to take time off from work for an appointment, and 67 percent reporting lower costs than an in-person visit.
Combat physician shortage and fatigue
Research shows there will be a shortage of more than 100,000 doctors by 2030. In the midst of a physician shortage, telehealth can help improve care delivery and make it more efficient, ensuring more people can still have their healthcare needs addressed. Additionally, by integrating intelligence such as case triaging along with telehealth into a virtual care model, providers can help reduce clinician burnout.
Amwell and Google Cloud are partnering to deliver transformative telehealth solutions that will make it easier for more patients to receive care and improve patient and clinician experiences across the continuum of care. One example includes embedding real-time captioning and translation services powered by Google Cloud’s AI and NLP technologies within the Amwell platform to increase health access and understanding for more people.
As physicians, we are excited that the future of healthcare will continue to blend cloud technologies like EHR-integrated telehealth platforms, AI, healthcare-trained virtual agents along with in-person care to create an integrated hybrid care model that will improve patient outcomes and unburden providers, all while expanding access to broader patient populations.
To learn more, download the whitepaper “Healthcare’s Virtual Transformation,” written in conjunction with Becker’s Hospital Review.
1: “Social Determinants of Health 101 for Health Care: Five Plus Five,” National Academy of Medicine, October 2017
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While innovation remains a top priority across all industries, many companies are not achieving the results they want from their innovation efforts. As companies migrate their SAP enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to the cloud, technology leaders see this as an opportunity to reimagine business processes and propel their innovation strategies.
This paper will explore the benefits that companies have reaped from their SAP cloud migration, such as using IT resources more effectively, gaining deeper insights from data, and improving innovation. It will also examine the approach organizations are taking to gain buy-in from other stakeholders in their operations, positioning the SAP migration for a successful outcome.
8 Must-Have Google Cloud Products for Startups
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Startups worldwide turn to Google Cloud tools to build fast on a strong and easy to use platform that helps them get to market and launch products faster, all while building on the cleanest cloud in the industry. Startups leverage Google Cloud and our Google for Startups Cloud Program to go from idea to IPO, and there are a variety of products on Google Cloud that can help them.
Here are the 8 top products that startups use on Google Cloud to innovate and grow:
Firebase for app development
Speed up innovation with Firebase, a mobile development platform that’s fully integrated with Google Cloud. Work in a simpler cloud environment, easily pull in products or services, and build your apps faster.
Cloud SQL for database needs
Build your startup’s foundation with Cloud SQL, a fully managed relational database solution that integrates with Google Cloud services. Create and connect to your first database in minutes and scale with a single API call.
AI and machine learning products
Solve tough problems with AI and machine learning products, built with the best of Google’s technology. Train deep learning and machine learning models cost-effectively so you can iterate and innovate faster.
BigQuery for data analytics
Drive agility with BigQuery, a serverless, cost-effective, multi-cloud data warehouse. Query streaming data in real time, predict business outcomes with built-in machine learning, and share analytics with just a few clicks.
Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) for containers
Unlock faster, more secure app development with GKE, the most scalable Kubernetes platform. Streamline operations with release channels that fit your business needs and leave cluster monitoring to Google engineers.
Looker for data visualization
Get more from your data to keep moving ahead of the competition with Looker, a trusted business intelligence and data platform. Generate real-time reports and get insights at the right time with proactive alerts.
Cloud Run for serverless computing
Create scalable containerized apps in any programming language on Cloud Run, a fully managed compute platform. Pair it with container tools like Cloud Build and Docker, and only pay when your code is running.
Cloud Armor for security
Protect your startup from Web attacks with Cloud Armor, a leading Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDOS) defense service. Use it with an HTTP Load Balancer for Managed Instance Groups across regions to keep your workloads highly available and secure.
To learn more about products best-suited to the unique demands of startups, check out our startups solution page. Our team is looking forward to discussing how these products can help you. If you’re not already in the program, you can get started here.
If you want to learn more about how Google Cloud can help your startup, visit our page here to get more information about our program, and sign up for our communications to get a look at our community activities, digital events, special offers, and more.
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When moving to the cloud, many organizations concentrate their focus on the change in technology and overlook an area just as complex and impactful: cultural change. Having your people ready to embrace the change — supporting them with the right processes, equipping them with the right skills — is as important as getting the technology right.
To realize the full value of cloud technologies, many organizations are rethinking their IT organizational structure. There are a variety of potential talent implications too — from adopting agile ways of working to hiring for more cloud-centric skills to looking at redeploying current IT skills and reskilling and upskilling current teams.
As one of the organizations that pioneered hyperscale infrastructure, which led to the creation of the cloud, Google has spent years nurturing its culture and workforce to best operate in the cloud. We leverage this experience every day to help organizations ready their workforce for the change, and in this whitepaper, we aim to pass that experience along to you.
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