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8 Skills That Will Help You Get A Job In Big Data Or Data Analytics

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8 skills that will help you a get a Job in Big Data

The secret is out, getting a Job in Big data is the newest hot topic, as Big Data is now seen as the ‘New Gold’! The mad rush is on to leverage big data analytic tools and techniques for competitive advantage. If you’re on the hunt for a new Job in big data, here are 8 highly sought after skills, that will help you a get that Job.

1. Apache Hadoop

Sure, it’s entering its second decade now, but there’s no denying that Hadoop had a monstrous time and is positioned for an even bigger year as test clusters are moved into production and software vendors increasingly target the distributed storage and processing architecture.The raise of Apache Hadoop created lots of new IT jobs in big data as the  platform is powerful, Hadoop can be a fussy beast and requires care and feeding by proficient technicians. Those who know there way around the core components of the Hadoop stack–such as HDFS, MapReduce, Flume, Oozie, Hive, Pig, HBase, and YARN–will be in high demand, and alternatively this will create lots of new IT jobs.

2. Apache Spark

If Hadoop is a known quantity in the big data world, then Spark is a black horse candidate that has the raw potential to eclipse its elephantine cousin. The rapid rise of the in-memory stack is being proffered as a faster and simpler alternative to MapReduce-style analytics, either within a Hadoop framework or outside it. Best positioned as one of the components in a big data pipeline, Spark still requires technical expertise to program and run, thereby providing IT job opportunities for those in the know.

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Source: Dice Tech Salary Survey

On the operational side of the big data house, distributed, scale-out NoSQL databases like MongoDBand Couchbase are taking over IT jobs previously handled by monolithic SQL databases like Oracle and IBM DB2. On the Web and with mobile apps, NoSQL databases are often the source of data crunched in Hadoop, as well as the destination for application changes put in place after insight is gleaned from Hadoop. In the world of big data, Hadoop and NoSQL occupy opposite sides of a virtuous cycle.

3. Machine Learning and Data Mining

People in IT jobs have been mining for data as long as they’ve been collecting it. But in today’s big data world, data mining has reached a whole new level. One of the hottest IT Jobs in big data last year is machine learning, which is poised for a breakout year. Big data pros who can harness machine learning technology to build and train predictive analytic apps such as classification, recommendation, and personalization systems are in super high demand, and can command top dollar in the IT job market.

4. Statistical and Quantitative Analysis

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This is what big data is all about. If you have a background in quantitative reasoning and a degree in a field like mathematics or statistics, you’re already halfway there. Add in expertise with a statistical tool like R, SAS, Matlab, SPSS, or Stata, and you’ve got this category locked down. Thanks to the big data boom, companies in all sorts of industries across the country are in need of ‘geeks’ with quantitative backgrounds and has created a boom in Big Data jobs.

5. SQL

The data-centric language is more than 40 years old, but the old grandpa still has a lot of life yet in today’s big data age. While it won’t be used with all big data challenges (see: NoSQL above), the simplify of Structured Query Language makes it a no-brainer for many of them. And thanks to initiatives like Cloudera‘s Impala, SQL is seeing new life as the lingua franca for the next-generation of Hadoop-scale data warehouses and IT Jobs.

6. Data Visualization

Big data can be tough to comprehend, but in some circumstances there’s no replacement for actually getting your eyeballs onto data. You can do multivariate or logistic regression analysis on your data until the cows come home, but sometimes exploring just a sample of your data in a tool like Tableau or Qlikview can tell you the shape of your data, and even reveal hidden details that change how you proceed. And if you want a job as a  data analyst, being well-versed in one or more visualization tools is practically a requirement.

7. General Purpose Programming Languages

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Having experience programming applications in general-purpose languages like Java, C, Python, or Scala could give you the edge over other candidates when applying for big data or any similar IT Job. According to Wanted Analytics, there was a 337 percent increase in the number of IT  job postings for “computer programmers” that required background in data analytics. Those who are comfortable at the intersection of traditional app development  and emerging analytics will be able to write their own tickets and move freely between end-user companies and big data startups.

8. Creativity and Problem Solving

No matter how many advanced analytic tools and techniques you have on your belt, nothing can replace the ability to think your way through a situation. The implements of big data will inevitably evolve and new technologies will replace the ones listed here. But if you’re equipped with a natural desire to know and a bulldog-like determination to find solutions, then you’ll always have Big Data or Data Analytics job offers waiting for you.

For more jobs in Big Data or Data Analytics please check out some of our latest jobs here. 

 

What is 5G?

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The next evolution of mobile data could be the last step-change we see in mobile data transmission – but when will 4G switch to 5G?

Mobile data use has rocketed over the past five years – increasing 74 per cent alone in 2015 – taking the overall global figure to around 3.7 exabytes per month. This will increase even further when 5G is released.

Underpinning this explosion is the growth of streaming services, both audio and video, and people’s growing use of apps – all underwritten by the expectation of having a high-speed data connection at all times, even when away from Wi-Fi.

With 4G now entrenched as a global standard for our immediate future in developed markets, it is set to be usurped by 5G, but what does that mean for you? In short: faster speeds and more capacity, due to a more resilient network.

 

What is 5G?

Next-generation mobile networks are expected to handle much more data volume, connect many more devices, significantly reduce latency and bring new levels of reliability.

5G has been designed to meet these needs by pooling bandwidth to boost range and speed.

How much faster is 5G compared to 4G?

At first, 5G will likely average speeds of 100Mbps, which isn’t a huge step up from the maximum for networks already using LTE-Advanced, which tend to deliver download speeds of between 30-50Mbps in real-world conditions. In lab conditions, the technology most widely in use today can handle up to a theoretical maximum of 150Mbps. This maximum depends on the category of the device and connection, however. Category 4 LTE maxes out at 150Mbps, but Cat 9 goes up to a theoretical maximum of 450Mbps.

Just to confuse things a little further, due to the technical definitions of wireless technologies – and the lack of a universal standard – you could see LTE-Advanced marketed as 5G, or 4G+, or LTE-Advanced+ or by some other as yet undefined name. In summary, it’s a marked improvement but the exact numbers will vary.

 

How is it so much faster?

4G LTE-Advanced, 5G or whatever else you want to call it splits the data into bands, each of which has its own particular bandwidth limitations. By aggregating these different bands and pooling the bandwidth (essentially), the end-user should get speeds far closer to 100Mbps and beyond as the technology develops.

5G, however, could be the last step-change in mobile technology, with some predicting a more additive and iterative upgrade process would remove the need for a full jump to ‘6G’. The current process is one of evolution (rather than revolution) for both hardware and software, but one that’s aiming at a potential 100 times increase in speeds… eventually.

 

Who is working to introduce 5G to the masses?

Nokia recently took a step closer to 5G mobile networks by announcing it is bringing 4.5G Pro to mobile operators by the end of 2016. According to the firm, 4.5G Pro delivers ten times the speeds of conventional 4G networks, allowing network operators to offer peak speeds of one gigabit (1,000 megabits) per second.

Although the Finnish firm hasn’t announced a release date yet, Nokia is also poised to release 4.9G in the ‘near future’ – an upgrade which it says will push data speeds to several gigabits per second.

In the US, AT&T and Verizon have begun trialing 5G across a controlled number of sites and will roll this trial out further over the next decade, starting in 2017. The trial and roll out formed part of the Obama administration’s Advanced Wireless Research Initiative led by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

More recently, Ericsson and Orange announced they are working on the development and test of selected 5G use cases based on Orange’s network, using Ericsson 5G technology.

The partnership will enable so-called “5G technology building blocks”, proof of concepts, and pilots across Europe from 2017 onwards. These include wireless multi-gigabits internet access, “ultra large mobile coverage solutions” and connected cars.

As well as Orange, Ericsson is partnering with NTT DOCOMO and Intel to build a 5G trial environment in central Tokyo, starting next year. The purpose of the trials is to test use case applications and radio performance. Ericsson will provide 5G end-to-end systems including 5G radio and core networks, and Intel will contribute its chipset in user devices.

The trial will be conducted using the 28GHz frequency band; a candidate band which the Japanese government is considered designating for use by commercial 5G networks in Japan.

 

What about in the UK?

The UK Chancellor, Philip Hammond, announced a commitment to 5G in the recent Autumn Statement in November. He has dedicated around £740m to be used for the development of 5G, but mentioned no set launch date for the 5G service.

 

And when can we expect it to arrive?

As it stands now, 5G is expected to start rolling out globally sometime in 2020, with Ovum’s figures suggesting there will be 24 million 5G subscribers by 2021. It says that less than 10 per cent of those connections will be in Europe though. It could be even fewer than that if operators follow through on threats to delay 5G rollouts if strong net neutrality laws are adopted.

Europe lagging a little behind isn’t too surprising – countries like South Korea have been considering the specifications, implementation and deployment of 5G since as far back as 2008. Previously, UK networks like a EE were looking at a 2022 time-frame for deploying the new standard; though that could theoretically move forward a little, it’s unlikely to be by much.

A formalised standard should be in place by 2018 ahead of early rollouts in 2020 – but as of now, there’s no single definition. This leads to a potential problem for both business and users.

To try to side-step some of these issues (largely incompatible hardware issues) various interested parties (handset manufacturers, the 3GPP and others) around the world are working together to ensure a non-fragmented user experience when it does arrive.

Elsewhere, Audi, BMW, Daimler, Ericsson, Huawei, Intel, Nokia and Qualcomm recently announced the formation of the “5G Automotive Association”.

The goal is to address the issues around connected mobility and road safety with apps including connected automated driving, access to services and integration into smart cities and intelligent transports.

 

What is causing the delay?

The main reason for ensuring global compatibility is that otherwise devices made for one country won’t necessarily work on the same spectrum bands in other countries. This is particularly vital for the success of the Internet of Things (IoT) and connected-devices in general; each of them will need a low-latency, high-capacity, and highly reliable connection to truly reach their potential.

The concession to this point of harmonisation is that LTE-Advanced/5G should be backwards compatible, provided the right groundwork is laid down ahead of the rollouts. For example, a device that supports Cat 4LTE, but not faster Cat9 will still use LTE-Advanced technology, but won’t get the full benefits of that carrier aggregation. It’ll still be a whole lot better than current 4G (and most certainly 3G) speeds though.

With live deployments not yet under way and technical terms still not yet defined, there’s still time for everything to change again before 5G actually arrives – and of course, there’s still time to introduce another completely new acronym.

If you found this article interesting, check out our ‘Latest Industry News’ page for more Technology insights. You can view it by clicking on this link!

– Ben Woods

A Guide to getting a job in Data Entry

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Data entry jobs essentially involve processing numerical, text based or imagery data from one format to another.

In an age where data, especially on the internet, drives the activities of businesses and organisations alike, manipulation and transference of data is a key requirement. To give a sense of the importance and significance of data in today’s world, research firm IDC predicted that the “digital universe” online would grow to 2.75 zetabytes in the space of a year. This clearly demonstrates that data is certainly big business.

The scope of available data entry jobs is broad. Organisations – from private companies to universities and the health service – have multiple reasons for employing people to enter data and the nature of the tasks vary considerably. Fundamentally, organisations outsource data entry to cut their costs, or to add pace to their operations – to get tasks done quicker as they don’t have their own resources internally.

One example of data work would be Customs Data Importing and manually typing specific details and instructions on shipping orders. Alternatively, taking information from web pages – such as the contact and address details of businesses – and typing that information into a database is another example. Transcribing work can also be viewed more broadly as data entry – where verbal or video recordings (data) are transcribed into written words. Proofreading and editing of text can also fall within a broader definition of data entry. However, these are just a few examples of many online data entry jobs and as such means that the work can be highly varied, which keeps the job interesting and appealing.

 

The popularity of data entry jobs

By their nature, data entry jobs are often temporary assignments or one-off projects so you can apply for posts whenever it’s convenient. Data entry jobs can also pay well given their flexibility and the lack of set-up costs to enable you to perform the work. Given that a lot of data entry work can be done online you don’t necessarily need to apply for posts in areas that are geographically close to you – or even in the same country. Plus you can literally work from your bed or kitchen table if you choose!

Therefore in these times of economic uncertainty, and where most people’s incomes and benefits are reducing in real terms, the popularity of data entry jobs is as high now as it has ever been.

 

What will you actually be doing?

First and foremost, you will be sitting working at your computer and there will fundamentally be two key parts to your work – finding jobs and completing them. The former will require significant effort and should not be underestimated or ignored. Given the popularity of this form of work as described above, competition from all over the globe can be intense for the best jobs so finding work should be tackled as professionally as completion.

Completing work essentially involves typing – or keystrokes – working on a conventional computer keyboard and inputting information.

 

Who would data entry jobs suit?

Data entry jobs are ideal for a whole host of different people with different circumstances. A non-exhaustive list is detailed below:

  • Stay-at-home mothers who can fit short periods of data entry around their child’s routine as well as working in the evenings or weekends.
  • Students who can fit data entry work around their studies and can use data entry jobs to fill long periods of holiday.
  • Part-time workers who are looking to supplement the earnings of their primary job.
  • Long shift workers whose primary jobs result in large blocks of free time.
  • Anybody who is currently unemployed.
  • Anybody looking for an injection of money to fund a holiday, Christmas or an extra-ordinary purchase.
  • Anybody considering starting a business from home.
  • Anybody looking to gain administrative experience or practise with a view to building an administrative career.

 

Data entry job benefits

There are a lot of benefits synonymous with doing data entry work online. Firstly, it is home-based; so you can work in an environment where you are relaxed and comfortable and there are no costs associated with travelling to and from work. It can also be done in your own time, as there are usually no set working hours and work can fit around your daily or weekly routines. There are no barriers to completing work in the evenings or at weekends.

Being a freelance data entry clerk / technician is one of the few online businesses that needs no investment given that most people already have a computer with the standard Microsoft packages (or equivalents) and an internet connection.
Doing a data entry job not only earns you money in the short-term but also evidences the use of certain skills that are transferrable into other jobs. In other words, doing a data entry job can allow you to build a bank of experience where your circumstances may not enable you to do so in other ways.

 

What qualifications are needed?

There is no exact set of qualifications or requirements that you need to enter this career path and most entry level positions require no experience. This makes them perfect for people looking to earn money quickly online without much preparation or training.

Having said that, the more skills you have the better you will likely be paid and the more easily you will attract the best employers / organisations in need. Knowing certain Microsoft spreadsheet formulae and word processing shortcuts will certainly make you more efficient which means that the faster you can work, the more money you will earn and the more lucrative the work will be. Therefore becoming familiar with the more in-depth functions of the Microsoft Office suite of packages has a lot of value.

There are a number of other personal competencies that are important enablers to being successful in data entry jobs:

  • patience – data entry can get monotonous at times; you need to be able to focus on long-term goals and get through the short-term distractions
  • attention to detail is paramount to your success as it lies at the heart of completing a quality job for the client
  • ability to work to deadlines – clients will expect you to meet the deadlines they set out and that you commit to up front
  • good communication skills and a high level of literacy – again, these will result in higher quality work for the client
  • depending on the nature of the work, a high level of analytical skill may be required.

Having a well-constructed CV which outlines your experience, education and any relevant skills can be a helpful tool to have to be able to send to potential employers to enable you to concisely demonstrate your suitability for a job. Keeping a template cover letter that you can personalise easily and quickly will also act as a differentiator when competing with other candidates for data entry jobs.

Free guidance on writing a CV is available from a number of online and offline sources. If you would like excellent assistance in appropriately structuring and organising your CV for a Data Entry role, submit your CV on our website by following this link. After all, it’s extremely important that you ensure all the information on your CV is accurate and your punctuation and spelling are perfect. If they are not, any potential employer will think negatively of you, especially as you’re applying for work where attention to detail is crucial. To that end, use spelling and grammar checks and ask a friend or relative to read through your CV one or two time before you finalise it and send it to prospective employers.

 

A typing test/KPH test

The core of any data entry job is entering data using key strokes of a keyboard. Simplistically, the quicker you can type with a high level of accuracy the better. A generic typing test, or keystrokes-per-hour (KPH) test as it can be known, measures speed and accuracy. A test essentially consists of typing a set passage of text or data while you are being timed. An assessment of data quality and words typed per minute is then given and a KPH score can be calculated.

Fortunately, practice can pay off in this area and it’s easy to recognise and measure improvement. There are many websites that offer free online tests, games and help modules to support you.

There are several basic ‘tips’ that can support your typing / data entry development.

  • Try and memorise where the keys are on a keyboard. This sounds difficult but with practice it gets a lot easier. Placing small, round stickers over a few keys

in the first instance and adding stickers so keys are masked provides motivation / assistance!

  • Understand keyboard shortcuts to completing tasks in the given program you are using. For example, in Microsoft Word, “Ctrl + S” is “save” and can be completed

in less than a second versus picking up the mouse and selecting “save” in the toolbar menu. The “Help” function in most programmes will provide information on shortcuts or indeed use an online search engine to find the best ones. Shortcuts will increase your speed which will increase your earning capacity – it is as simple as that!

  • Use the 10 digit number pad on the right hand side of a conventional keyboard, especially when you are dealing with a lot of numbers rather than words. This will increase your accuracy and speed.
  • Set up your equipment so that you’re comfortable – it will both increase your proficiency and your enjoyment of the work.

 

Are you actively seeking a job within Data Entry? We currently have a vacancy for a role which specialises in Data Importation within the field of Customs Operations. You can view it by following this link! 

– SurveyCompare

6-STEP Guide on Transitioning from Excel to ERP

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Transitioning from Excel spreadsheets to an ERP system can be daunting. These tips will help ensure the process goes smoothly.

Spreadsheets are cheap, easy to manage and can accommodate many different types of data. Therefore, it’s no surprise that, according to reports, 71 percent of companies still rely on spreadsheets as a pose to ERP for budgeting and planning. For many small businesses, spreadsheets are a system of first choice when just starting out.

However, something happens when your business matures and becomes more successful. As an organization grows, so much data is generated that it makes manipulating figures and creating accurate financial statements a time-consuming and error-prone task when using spreadsheets.

The biggest problem with spreadsheets is often their isolation from the rest of the enterprise, making collaboration fraught with challenges. Data cannot be automatically or even easily incorporated in the system. Even when it is, it is nearly impossible to prevent multiple versions of the same data from distorting results.

Most organizations accept that spreadsheets are going the way of landlines, encyclopedias and floppy disk drives. However, after making this tough decision, businesses face a challenging prospect: how to get all that data from Excel and into their ERP software of choice. Modern-day ERP offers some powerful tools for seamless integration – and the resulting solution is well worth the time and effort.

Here are six tips for making your transfer from spreadsheets to ERP as easy and painless as possible.

1. Evaluate Your Current Data Processes

When businesses have used the same systems for years, they can fall into a pattern of habituation, where tasks and reports become automatic, filled out without much thought to their need and use. Only when an issue with an internal procedure/process arises does a system get reevaluated and updated.

The transition from a system of Excel spreadsheets to an ERP solution can be an ideal time to take another look at the processes your business has in place. Evaluate what information you currently gather, how that information is used and what additional information would be beneficial. The added capabilities provided by ERP systems can also provide you with a new lens through which to consider your current processes — and may unearth new procedures you wouldn’t have considered otherwise.

2. Determine if You Need All the Data

In addition to reviewing processes and procedures, take a closer look at historical data and consider how often it gets used – and what might no longer be needed. Determining a specific date and only transferring files from after this date can optimize the process and save a lot of time and energy. You can always go back and add additional data if needed.

Speaking with an expert who has experience in this area can be helpful, as they will already understand potential pitfalls and help you avoid them. Check with other business owners in your circle who may have already completed their own transitions, or ask the companies you are considering purchasing your system from for references.

3. Break Data up into Sections

Just like anything else in business, you need a plan to be successful when transitioning data over to a new finance system. Decide if it makes more sense to attempt a mass transition, or a slow and gradual process. Keep in mind that most companies benefit from a gradual process, but there are instances where a quicker transition might be the better option. An example of this would be if the data is used regularly and needs to be accessible in its entirety, even during the transition.

Make a list of the milestones you need to achieve. Include steps like picking out the right product, testing the system and training end users. This list will ease some of the stress associated with the migration.

4. Choose ERP Product Based on Your Specific Needs

Before choosing an ERP solution, you need to understand all of your options, both customized and out-of-the-box solutions. First, however, you should understand which kind of systems your organization needs. Once you have this information, it will be easier to compare software programs and choose the right solution.

For example, a company that outsources its marketing functions may have little use for an ERP that prioritizes marketing. However, that same company may thrive on the increased knowledge it has from automated financial reports that highlight just where improvement is needed and which areas of the business are performing best.

It sounds like a no-brainer, but when making a decision, pick a finance system that meets your exact needs. Try not to make any assumptions at this stage in the process, as the answer to a quick question can often change the direction that your company chooses to go in. It is important to uncover what exactly each vendor offers and how it could benefit your company’s operations. There are many systems out there capable of managing your finance system, but powerful capabilities are only beneficial if they can be directly applied to your business.

5. Prepare Your Team

Most likely, you aren’t transitioning to a new financial system alone. Consider how you want to prepare your team to help in the transition. You have two types of people to prepare as part of your transition: team members who will help you migrate your information, and end users of the software programs selected. Get feedback from both of these groups on what they need out of the new system early in the process so they remain more invested over the long run.

Regardless of how you choose to transition the data over, allow extra time in your plans. Something unexpected may come up and you don’t want to be caught off guard. By anticipating that the project may take a little extra time and preparing your team for this, you may be pleasantly surprised with an earlier-than-planned finish.

6. Remember Long-term Benefits of ERP

It is easy to forget the reasons why you are transitioning to a new system in the middle of the process and instead be caught up in the ups and downs of day-to-day work, that, let’s be honest, can be tedious and challenging when working on a full data transfer. Whenever you question if the process is worth it, try to take a step back and remember all of those benefits of switching to a new accounting system, including increased accuracy, better analytics and a streamlined business process. Encourage the rest of the team to do this as well.

In Conclusion

Setting out to implement a new ERP solution, especially when it comes to your business’ financials, is a daunting task. However, by approaching the task with the right mindset — and a few industry tips — you can reduce stress and minimize the time it takes to be up and running with a new system. Organizations that go beyond spreadsheets are able to make faster and better decisions by reducing manual routine work and human error.

Are you already familiar with Enterprise Resource Planning strategies? Looking at taking the next step in your career within the ERP Business Analytics sector? Why not check out our latest job role by clicking here!

 

Considering an IT Career?

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Whether you are looking for your first job or are in need a career change, many people are opting to start an IT Career.

There are so many different IT Career routes you can explore, from software design right through to game testing. It helps that IT jobs are also currently high in demand, especially IT contractors and freelancers.

Careers in IT deal with the design, creation, management and maintenance of the varied components of the system, including software, hardware, networks, systems integration and multimedia. Broadly, information technology can be divided into four central pathways: network systems, information support and services, programming and software development, and Web and digital communication. Down each career avenue exist a huge amount of occupational opportunities, ranging from database administrator to computer systems engineer, digital media specialist to systems analyst.

Here is a list of starting pointers if you are new to the IT Industry and wondering how you can get onto the IT Career ladder.

  1. List the IT work you would be interested in.It is important to find a career you are passionate about. There are a large number of IT jobs available, so you should narrow down your choice in order to give yourself a specific focus.
  2. Network and apprenticeships.Get to know IT professionals in your area and learn how they have managed to establish themselves in the industry. You can also set up apprenticeships in order to gain valuable advice and guidance during your career move.
  3. Gain IT qualifications.Have a look in your local area for any educational opportunities that could give you an opportunity to achieve essential skills for your future career. Any professional certifications will highlight your knowledge and capabilities to future employers.
  4. Experience and internships.Of course, if you don’t want to go into education, you can gain your experience and skills from entry level positions or internships. A portfolio or CV demonstrating previous employment in the industry will also show your competence in the field, similar to IT qualifications.
  5. Constructing your CV.Your CV is often your first chance to show organisations your capability. Therefore, you should clearly pinpoint your relevant experience, skills and experience, and also highlight your enthusiasm for your chosen profession.

 

Sources:

– ComputerScienceOnline

– Parasol

Robot Wars: Modern IT meets Legacy!

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Modern IT meets Machine! Robot Wars’ Team Storm is applying the principles of DevOps, IoT and real-time data analytics in advancing the design of its machine, while setting out to inspire a new generation to get into robotics

Using modern technologies and practices to breathe new life into legacy hardware systems is a scenario most enterprise IT departments will have found themselves in at one time or another.

Ex-Robot Wars competitors Team Storm faced a similar situation in January 2016, when the producers of the popular BBC2 show asked if they would like to appear in the new series with their 16-year-old, fan-favourite robot, Storm2.

And not just to perform a victory lap or two of the Robot Wars arena for old times’ sake, but to compete against the creations of a new generation of enthusiasts and competitors.

“It was an incredible ride for us [first time around], in that we went from never having appeared on TV to winning the World Championships in nine months,” says Ed Hoppitt, who – with Tim and Meral Bence – makes up Team Storm.

“When they asked us back, we were quite relaxed about it because winning the World Championship is the biggest thing you can win and we were pretty sure we weren’t going to do it again. So we got involved with the intention of getting something else out of it.”

By that he means the opportunity to push the limits of what Storm2 could do with technologies that were not around when the robot made its debut on the show back in the early 2000s.

“When you look at Storm2 compared with the other machines, it doesn’t look old, but it is a very different to the robot that fought in series seven of the show,” he says.

“I think a lot of people expected us to turn up with something that looks like it was dragged out of a garage, but we’ve spent a lot of time and money redoing the bits that needed to be done.”

 

Bigger and better

Despite advances in engine design, battery capacity and armor strength in the decade or so Robot Wars has been off-air, returning to the show with a new machine was not an option for Team Storm.

“When we built Storm2, it was almost an order of magnitude more powerful than most robots it was competing against, and we said if we can’t make that same jump again, we’re don’t want to build another robot for the sake of it or something that isn’t innovative,” Hoppitt says.

“For us it is about taking the original design as far as we can, and we are pretty much there. The way it is constructed is probably not strong enough for what we are going to see in the next series of Robot Wars.”

 

Don’t give up the day job

When he is not tinkering with robots, Hoppitt works for virtualisation software provider VMware, where he heads the organisation’s Europe, Middle East and Africa-focused cloud native applications and DevOps team. The company also sponsors Team Storm.

So for Hoppitt and the rest of the team, using software to manage and solve hardware problems is not exactly a foreign concept, and is an approach they have followed since the beginning with Storm2.

“Most teams that build robots are engineers, so there is a really obvious set of transferrable skills there, whereas we designed the robot using concepts people use to design software. We started out by breaking down what would be required for us to win,” he says.

As it turns out, the “winning requirements” for Team Storm are similar to those most IT managers look for when procuring kit, in that it needs to be reliable and easy to maintain.

Both concepts have influenced the design of Storm2 throughout its life, along with the feedback the team has received over the years by participating in off-screen robotics competitions.

This has allowed Hoppitt and his team to take a DevOps and agile-like approach to improving the robot’s design, which has made its return to theRobot Wars arena after such a long time away a far less daunting prospect.

“The thing about agile technology and DevOps is you’re essentially always working with a prototype, and you are always in the middle of that cycle of innovation and looking for things you can learn from,” says Hoppitt.

The UK has the benefit of a large and vibrant live events scene where competitive robot fights are concerned, he adds, which has provided the team with ample opportunities to hone Storm2’s design.

“You go to an event, you learn about what your robot can and cannot do, you adapt the design, go to another event and the cycle of innovation starts again,” he says.

“I could take the robot to 10 events a year in the UK, whereas in America they have one event every 12 months. So, in the UK, we get to go through that cycle of innovation much faster.”

 

The Agile Advantage

Hoppitt’s experience in the project management side of DevOps has also come to the fore in all this, as the team have found themselves having to outsource parts of the design process.

“I have a day job that doesn’t involve building robots, so we have had to outsource or get people involved with the building and machining side of things, and then you end up in a situation where you have to manage multiple teams and find a way to do that effectively,” he says.

To help with this process, the team uses project management software Trello, which allows them to organise tasks, track the progress of the third parties dealing with them and see how all this contributes to the design and build of the finished product.

“The core of our DNA with all this is to approach the situation like an IT organisation would, while keeping in mind that we actually want to build a reliable service,” he says.

“If your robot breaks down, it doesn’t matter how fabulous the weapon on top of it is because you’ve already lost. Similarly, if it takes a lot of damage in one fight and it is too difficult to maintain and fix before the next one, you have lost.”

Tactical Telemetry

A lot of the changes Team Storm made to their machine in preparation for its big return to the small screen were internal, including the introduction of telemetry sensors that track the engine temperature, voltage, current and the revolutions per minute of its wheels.

This information is fed-back in real time to the driver, and displayed on a panel built into Storm2’s handheld controls. This allows the team to tweak their strategy depending on how the machine is holding up during the course of a three-minute fight.

“The motor is designed to run at 24 volts and the overall robot runs at 42 volts. So, if we’re halfway through a fight and we’re not delivering enough damage, we can judge how hot the motor is and make a call on whether or not we should give it the full 42 volts,” he says.

Despite the apparent tactical advantage having access to this telemetry data gives the team, some members of the robotics community have been a little skeptical about its usefulness, Hoppitt says.

“Lots of people in the community have talked about getting this data back from the robot as being a gimmick, but it has saved us hundreds or thousands of pounds because we’re not blowing up motors all the time,” he said.

“We’re looking at taking it next level by interfacing the telemetry system to Liota [VMware’s internet of things gateway], so we can capture all of the data in the cloud and make it available to work on from anywhere, because we all live in different locations.”

Spoiler alert

The collection of telemetry data and the ability to interpret it in real-time is often cited by Formula One teams as critical to success on the track.

In the case of Team Storm, Hoppitt says it is hard to say if it had a huge bearing on their success this time around.

“There are a couple of fights where we adapted what we were doing because of the data we were getting,” he says.

“There was one fight where we knew one of the motors had taken damage because it was reading significantly hotter than the other one, when they should both be around the same temperature.

“But, in hindsight, it is difficult to say whether or not those changes would have been decisive moments in determining whether or not we would be successful.”

As anyone who watched the 14 August 2016 show can confirm, Team Storm made it to the final 10, only to miss out on a place in the grand final.

“We ended up a heat finalist, which, for a robot that was conceived in 1999 and went up against one that was built today, is not a bad result at all.”

Inspiring the next

As previously stated, Team Storm had other reasons for wanting to take part in the show this time around, aside from just wanting to win.

A big source of motivation for the group was getting the chance to inspire a new batch of hobbyists to have a bash at building a machine of their own, just like they were during the show’s original run.

At the time, Hoppitt was studying for a degree in computer science and business at Royal Holloway when he and a pal decided – after watching series after series of the show – to build a robot called Storm.

“It was built like you would build a robot if you were a child. We wanted it do everything. It had to be four-wheel drive, it had to lift things, it had to run both ways and carry things. And it did all those things really badly. It was rubbish at everything,” recalls Hoppitt.

“That is the reason why the only robot you see on TV is Storm2, but we learnt a lot from the mistakes we made from building the first one.”

Increasing diversity

Fellow robotics enthusiast Will Thomas credits the show with not only inspiring him to start building machines of his own, but also for spurring him on to pursue a career in design technology.

Thomas won the Sunday 31 July 2016 episode of the show with his robot, Shockwave, after impressing producers with an early concept for the machine. In total, the robot took 12 hours to design using CAD software, and five weeks to build once his team found out they had secured a spot on the show.

“When the original series was in its prime, I was 10 and captivated by it. In the evenings and at weekends, I’d be in my room hacking remote control cars apart, trying to build my own robot,” he said.

“After a couple of years of nagging my dad, we started building robots for the small, featherweight class and getting quite competitive, before moving up to the heavyweight class about eight years ago.

“Since then we’ve built a few of our own machines including Shockwave, and we’re getting reasonably good at it now,” he adds.

After having his interest in robots piqued at an early age, Thomas has gone on to complete a degree and masters in robotics, and is now in the throes of training to become a design technology teacher.

“It was the show that kick-started my interest, and with any luck we can do the same for a new generation, but the thing that would be really nice would be to get more female teams involved,” he says.

It is worth mentioning that both Team Storm and Team Shock have female members, while a recent episode of the show saw a nine-year-old girl called April compete with her robot, Glitterbomb.

Making people aware of that and dispelling the perception from outsiders that robotics is “only for boys” is something Thomas is keen to do, on the back of his involvement with the show and the wider live events circuit.

“My fiancée has been dragged into it by me, but she has her own heavyweight robot that we might look to enter Robot Wars next time around and highlight the fact it really is not a boys’ club,” he says.

“If you look behind it all, there are an awful lot of girls involved with making it possible and in the audience there are girls who loved the show first time around and have had to drag their other halves along.”

The Social Aspect

Both teams are also using social media to interact with fans of the show as part of their quests to inspire others to get involved, with Thomas remarking that many of the questions he gets online are from people asking how to qualify.

“It ranges from people who are five years old to people at university and older. If there is another series, there would be a huge number of applicants for it, because so many people seem to want to have a go,” he says.

“We were inundated with messages asking how we did it and congratulating us on our win, and it’s a really great way to get in touch with the people. I think the social media aspect is what could end up making the show even bigger than it was last time.”

– Caroline Donnelly

 

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