Safeguarding The Food Supply Chain: CompTIA Advisory Councils Demonstrate The Power Of Tech Together

New video highlights tech’s ability to enable life-changing innovations

Technology’s ability to solve real world problems for businesses and consumers alike is highlighted in a new video produced by CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the information technology (IT) industry and workforce.

The video demonstrates how four emerging technologies – artificial intelligence, blockchain, drones and the internet of things – working in tandem can safeguard the food supply chain.

“Many of us have dealt with the fallout from product recalls that threaten health and safety,” said Annette Taber, senior vice president, industry and public sector outreach, at CompTIA. “In this project we’re demonstrating how seemingly disparate technologies come together in a way that keeps consumer safe and businesses operating without disruption.”

The Tech Together storyline begins with a fictional news report about an E.coli outbreak traced to produce that has left several people sick and authorities scrambling to identify the source and scope of the food-borne illness. The narrative shows how technologies deployed along the journey from the farm field to the dinner table can greatly reduce the prospect of such an outbreak.

“We’re demonstrating how the benevolent use of emerging technologies can make life better and safer,” said Adam Lesh, technologist at AL Consulting in Los Angeles and chair of CompTIA’s Blockchain Advisory Council. “In many instances technology can help us prevent problems before they happen; in this example, by bringing together AI, blockchain, drones and IoT to safeguard our food supply.”

“None of the technologies could have stood up by themselves to create a solution as meaningful, important or impactful,” said Robert Senatore, CEO of Data2Go Wireless in Coconut Creek, Fla., and a past co-chair of the CompTIA IoT Advisory Council. “We hope that this project sends a message of unity between new technologies, that working together creates more effective solutions for the public.”

In the food supply chain scenario each technology fills a unique role that’s dependent on the others to deliver results.

Drones capture large amounts of data from unique vantage points. In an agricultural setting this data can be used to analyze the quality of crops and identify potential problems.

IoT devices provide data on soil content, moisture, temperature and other factors. An IoT sensor identifies anomalies that trigger corrective actions, such as a drone launch for an aerial view of the potential problem area. IoT sensors in trucks and other transport modes track temperature and other metrics to ensure produce stays fresh along the way.

Captured data is written to a blockchain to provide traceability information in the food supply chain; from where the produce came from, to the vehicles it was transported on, to the warehouses, stores and restaurants it was delivered to. Data is constantly updated so users can monitor status and progress along the way. With this information, specific batches and containers can be identified and isolated if necessary.

Artificial intelligence is present at every step to analyze data and offer guidance on actions that have the best chance of achieving a specific goal.

“The interoperability of these technologies unlocks tremendous value, much more than any single innovation on its own,” said Tom Derhake, partner and co-founder of Cuesta Partners, a technology advisory firm with headquarters in Chicago, and a member of the CompTIA Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council.

“By supporting projects such as this CompTIA is helping to demystify these technologies for individuals, companies and society at large,” Derhake added. “Connecting the dots so there is greater understanding of how these innovations can be used is a big step toward accelerated adoption.”

CompTIA’s seven advisory councils intends to create additional Tech Together content to demonstrate how emerging technologies work together to solve problems and create new opportunities. For more information on CompTIA Advisory Councils visit https://www.comptia.org/membership/communities-and-councils.

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the estimated 75 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world’s economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce. For more information, visit connect.comptia.org/.