Peggy’s Tech Blog:
Trust AI: Play Sudoku
While AI (artificial intelligence) holds exciting promise for manufacturing, we are not quite yet at the place where AI is ready for primetime applications. While AI can often serve as guiding tools, we need our workforce to steer the ship in manufacturing. Still, one big lingering question remains: Can we truly trust AI? One research team aims to answer this question by playing Sudoku.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder decided to find out if AI tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini can solve your morning sudoku. Let’s dig into the results.
Expert Opinion:
Cobots on the Rise
I like to use real world examples to illustrate the technology about which I write, and especially for technology around which swirl clouds of hype and fantasy. When it comes to cobots there’s no lack of these. It was therefore refreshing to read a report issued by The Association for Advancing Automation, which provided a new benchmark for the adoption of cobots:
Peggy Smedley Show:
Good Data vs Messy Data
Episode 933 | 8.19.25 | Segment 2
Peggy Smedley and Dan Gaylin, president and CEO, NORC, author, Fact Forward, talk about what brought him to the idea for his new book. He says he has a desire to help make sure our most important decisions are informed by good data and not led astray by faulty data.
They also discuss:
Why the data ecosystem has become so messy.
The four main data errors that anyone can commit and the ways to guard against them.
How to create a data literate society.
Peggy Smedley Show:
Preparing for the Factory of the Future
Episode 933 | 8.19.25 | Segment 3
Peggy Smedley and Dan Miklovic, founder, Lean Manufacturing Research and leader, Third Eye Advisory, talk about how we can prepare workers for the factory of the future. He says manufacturers need to be the best in the industry and the best in the world to be competitive, explaining how automation and machinery have and will change the manufacturing industry.
They also discuss:
What the team of the future is going to look like.
The size of the manufacturing labor shortage.
The percentage of AI investments and pilot projects that are not returning ROI.
What’s Trending
Success Stories: New Algorithm for Water Heaters
Advancements in residential energy systems are poised to transform how homes manage energy, leading to greater efficiency, affordability, and grid resilience. We are seeing a rise in intelligent infrastructure that can automatically adjust to realtime energy needs—making the residential grid more efficient, reliable, and responsive to growing electrification.
As one example, Purdue has developed a patent-pending algorithm that improves how electric water heaters respond to demand-response signals by utilities. Rather than just rely on flow meters, the system estimates hot water usage using just one additional temperature sensor installed on the inlet water line. This enables highly accurate predictions of household usage at a lower cost.
Looking to sponsor an upcoming segment of The Peggy Smedley Show? Check out the exciting topics planned for the coming months and send your ideas to [email protected].
September: What's Next for Manufacturing?
October: How to Secure Your Data