In recent years, the trucking industry has embraced TMS technology due to its ability to provide complete visibility into operations through powerful data insights and streamline processes. This has enabled companies to operate with leaner staff by ...

Keep the ‘do more with less’ mindset during a tough economic freight cycle

Sorry, Donut, Anteater, Hibiscus, and Candelabra — your time on the TMS stage will have to wait.There's no new episode of The Masked Singer this week, and — cue Ken Jeong impression — we know exactly why that is and when it'll air next.

“The Masked Singer” is not on this week — here's why and what it means for the next few episodes

Little Black Book, In-App campaign from tms allows customers to unlock tasty offers and prizes every day in November

McDonald’s Invites UK Customers to Unlock Tasty Offers and Prizes in ‘Festive Wins'

Bonfire night is just around the corner and there are several events taking place around the Great Yarmouth area for families to enjoy. Here are some of the places to watch fireworks this year. The crew from Hemsby Independent Lifeboat will be holding a ...

Fireworks displays near Great Yarmouth this November

Show: Catch up with the daily market insights, today's stock market news & analysis every morning. Know where and how to invest your money in the current market trends and which company to watch today in 5 segments on Business Standard.

TMS Ep554: 70-hr work week, Delhi choking, Mamaearth, whole-time directors

TORONTO, Oct. 31, 2023 /CNW/ - Greenbrook TMS Inc. (NASDAQ: GBNH) ("Greenbrook" or the "Company") today announced that it has appointed Ms. Surindra Mann to the Company's board of directors (the "Board") as an independent director, filling the vacancy ...

GREENBROOK TMS ANNOUNCES DIRECTOR APPOINTMENT

Eskenazi Health is helping Hoosiers with their mental health through technology. Dr. Adeel Ansari, a psychiatrist at the Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center, said, “The need for accessing and getting good help,

How Eskenazi Health uses technology to battle depression

Tarjama unveils CleverSo 3.0, its proprietary TMS packaged with new capabilities to power translation teams for AI-enabled translations.

Tarjama Launches CleverSo 3.0 – The First TMS with an Arabic UI and Powered by Arabic AI

Task List leverages Tai’s AI engine to automatically generate shipment next steps to keep brokerages running smoothly and loads moving -

Tai Software Introduces Task List, The Ultimate Assignment Management Solution, to their TMS Users

Get the most recent info and news about TMS on HackerNoon, where 10k+ technologists publish stories for 4M+ monthly readers.

From high fashion to technology in every sector, transportation management systems are among the must-haves for today’s logistic company. According to , the global TMS market is expected to reach $4.33 billion by 2025 (71.8% growth compared to 2020). Such solutions have dramatically revolutionized the logistic industry, while the main idea lies in reducing costs at every stage of a supply chain. Orbis Research TMS: What key features and benefits should you consider? A transportation management system is designed to serve the industry when it comes to increasing the efficiency of goods shipment. Since TMS solutions have entered the market as an in-demand trend, the number of companies offering these systems steadily grows. Meanwhile, we may distinguish key features and benefits of an average software product. transport and logistics Main functional components every TMS must have When business owners implement a transportation management system, they usually expect to receive the following features: Transportation management Appropriate delivery control Planning optimal routes High-end communication between supply chain participants Transparency of every stage Data storage inside supply chains Simplification of audit and reports Automation of invoices This said, TMS solutions make a supply chain cost-effective and minimize risks related to transportation and delivery. Core benefits of a robust TMS While talking about pros, every software may have a string of individual advantages. If we dive into the comparison of such systems, a list of general benefits includes the following strengths: Solutions cut transportation costs. TMS simplifies supply chain processes at every stage. Every participant is electronically connected within a system. The software makes all the reports and analytics available in several clicks. All the transactions inside a TMS are going to be transparent. These solutions make the inner communication simple for every participant. The implementation of transportation management systems jumps your company into a new efficiency level. This said, contemporary businesses need to get innovative and cost-effective solutions to stay alive during the pandemic and post-pandemic periods. Top 5 out-of-the-box TMS in 2021 Custom-tailored or ready-made systems? This is a dilemma every business owner has to solve while for their company. Both types have a range of pros, while bespoke solutions are cheaper; this is why clients frequently glance over that software at first. Here is a list of top out-of-the-box transportation management systems as of 2021: choosing the right logistics software MercuryGate Overview: MercuryGate is a global popular TMS designed for all modes of delivery. Such a ready-made solution is based upon the cloud-based technology to enable users to get remote control of the system. Software is suitable for companies that expect the future growth of their business, as scalability is among the strong points of the TMS. MercuryGate is compatible with diverse delivery modes: LTL, FTL, railway, etc. The system makes shipping processes transparent for end-users that simplifies the communication between two sides. This solution is considered global; this is why MercuryGate is equally convenient for domestic and international transportation companies. : Moderate. Price : A TMS is designed for small, medium, and large businesses : Cloud and desktop solutions. Target audience Deployment options Oracle Transportation Management : Overview The Oracle TM solution is designed for transportation companies to manage all aspects of freight carrying. The system includes instruments for transportation planning and control, including the opportunity to involve third parties. Such software helps business owners unite and simplify transportation planning, invoices, and payments, automate all the business processes within a supply chain. Furthermore, Oracle TM gets constant updates with new features, including advanced fleet management, more detailed information for drivers, etc. : Moderate. : A TMS is designed for small, medium, and large businesses : Cloud and desktop solutions. Price Target audience Deployment options Blue Yonder TMS : Overview A Transportation Management System by Blue Yonder is compatible in two modes: on-premises or cloud-based. The system automates and synchronizes all the processes inside a supply chain, offering business owners to minimize their expenses. The software functionality opens the fullest expertise and analysis for all users, transforming every stage into an exceptionally transparent chain. Furthermore, this TMS simplifies communication among drivers, managers, and other users. As such, the Blue Yonder TMS is a convenient solution to minimize cost spending and maximize the efficiency of all processes. : Moderate. : A TMS is designed for small, medium, and large businesses : Cloud and desktop solutions. Price Target audience Deployment options Kuebix : Overview This transportation management system accentuates the necessity to optimize supply chain processes. The implementation simplicity is among the top pros of Kuebix. The software enables business owners to get an effective platform for advanced analytics and transportation transparency. Furthermore, Kuebix is ready for your business growth – scalability makes the TMS adjusted to diverse needs. As for diverse delivery modes, the system works with the ground, water, and air delivery options. : Low. Price : A TMS is designed for medium, and large businesses, being less effective for small companies. : Cloud and desktop solutions. Target audience Deployment options Manhattan Active® TMS : Overview Manhattan Active® TMS is among the most technological solutions for logistics companies. Business owners are able to implement software to get advanced planning of every supply chain stage. The system features include procurement management, fleet control, audit, automation of payments and invoices, and other useful options. Furthermore, users get multimodal functions to meet end-customers’ expectations. : High. : A TMS is designed for small, medium, and large businesses : Cloud and desktop solutions. Price Target audience Deployment options The bottom line: which TMS solution to pick for your logistics business? If we take a look at the abovementioned ready-made systems, all the solutions correspond to required benefits, enabling business owners to reduce expenses and increase the efficiency of supply chains. Such TMS platforms are truly effective and useful for diverse logistic businesses, but there is one catch. Here’s another way to optimize transportation efficiencies lots of logistics businesses tend to choose. Every company has a string of individual demands, and as an owner of a logistic company, you expect to obtain a transportation management system that entirely matches your expectations. If out-of-the-box TMSs fail to meet your requirements, you’d rather apply to reliable software development companies to get custom-crafted software. Make sure they have an experienced team that takes all the goals of your business into account while offering the most suitable TMS solutions. Either way, picking the right TMS for your business means to find a robust software solution, which is the combination of experience and innovations so that your business could conquer new peaks hassle-free. Also published on: https://hebronsoft.com/blog/top-5-transportation-management-systems-tms-2021-trends

5 Best Transportation Management Systems (TMS) in 2021/2022

The automation of transport and freight operation is in trend today. Compared with the beginning of 2017, 15–20 % more SMBs are using transportation systems these days, which is a huge breakthrough. In large organizations, about 50% of all shippers have already implemented TMS. The forecasts promise even a bigger demand due to the cheapening of TMS maintenance and the benefits it gives. logistics management indicates that TMS application brings companies up to 8% of savings, which can be attributed to automated decision making, load consolidation, route optimization, time saving, reduction in carrier overcharges, and automated freight audit. ARC Advisory group research The demand is coupled with supply: more and more TMS solutions are being released. How to choose a good one and whether it is better to make use of already existing options or build your own TMS? Let’s see. What Makes a Good Transportation Management System An efficient TMS makes your job easier whether you are a shipper, a carrier or a 3PL. Though, only when it meets the demands of you business. Each system has its own features and differs from the others. Some of them are only aimed at the specific sector of economics. So, the first and the most important indicator of a good TMS is that it fits your business like a glove. Next, good transport management systems are multifunctional and allow diverse data processing. The most common features for TMS include: contract management (viewing contracts, comparing costs, and tracking terms and agreements); freight settlement (auditing, paying freight invoices, creating payment vouchers); reporting and analytics; business performance monitoring and financial reporting; risk management; visibility of transportation process. Other important issues include connectivity and the potential for further development and adaptation. TMS heavily depends on data exchange between different partners (suppliers, carriers and logistics service providers), so it must be accessible for integration with external systems. And it should be possible to update the system without excess costs in case of turnover and system loading increase, supply chain advances or other alterations. Transportation Management System: Build VS Buy Hundreds of vendors provide TMS solutions nowadays. There are a lot of ready-made products with which you are only proposed to pay for implementation and subscription. So, is there really a need to develop another TMS? To answer this question, the business should define its operational needs and what it wants to achieve through TMS implementation. As a business owner, consider your long-term goals and the possibility to differentiate and expand. Each business is unique and has its own requirements, culture, and internal processes. Overlooking even one meaningful feature can lead to additional money and time expenses during implementation or even after it. In the worst scenario, your TMS may turn out to be totally unfit. You also need to take into account hidden TMS costs, such as license, implementation, subscription extension, annual maintenance, the necessity for 3rd party software purchase and implementation, and the personnel training. Finally, data security is a great demand. The loss induced by poorly protected data storage can be fatal. And here, of course, in-house solutions are of a big advantage. There is also a set of technical functions which makes the TMS helpful and efficient. Let’s have a look at the most essential. How to Make the Choice of Technical Functions A TMS can take different forms. It can be a standalone product or a component of a broader supply chain suite. Depending on your objectives, you may need a unique set of technical functions. Let’s consider the example of , the service developed by . The major aim of the service is to unite cargo owners and freight operators into one system for transportation of grains. It allows cargo owners find carriers easily and with a minimum of bureaucratic procedures. Freight operators, on the other hand, can cooperate to transport cargos of any volume at any distance. The developers also had a task to provide continuous communication with drivers over the whole itinerary. Smartseeds Stfalcon.com So, the following architecture of the system was designed: API, through which all transactions are provided, client web-interface (frontend part) for the two categories of users: cargo owners and freight operators, web interface for system administrators (backend part), geo-information service which tracks vehicles сo-ordinates, mobile app for drivers, Uber-like mobile app for cargo owners and freight operators. We also ensured integration with such external functions as sending notifications, 1C accounting, bank services, and Google maps API. As you can see, all functions are tailored to the business objectives of the service. Development Cost of the Custom TMS The cost of the development is calculated on the basis of project length. It includes User Interface and User Experience design, front-end and back-end development, and quality assessment (automation and acceptance tests). For the modern TMS, the essential elements are administration control panel, GIS and driver-dispatcher communication functions, and integrated accounting. Based on this minimal set, the approximate price of the full circle of development is $ 200K. Though, it may vary depending on the set of functions which are important for your business. In case you want to add mobile apps for clients and drivers (as we did for the Smartseeds), it will cost $ 90K for the two platforms (iOS and Android). To Sum Up TMS is indispensable in modern shipment and logistics. At present, TMS maintenance is getting much cheaper and handier, and more and more companies are implementing it into their supply chain. The development of TMS from scratch allows accurate adjustment of the solution to your business needs and enhances security and competitiveness. The approximate TMS development cost is within $ 200–300K, but the sum may vary depending upon the functionality included. Taking into account the hidden costs and hardships connected with the implementation and customization of ready-made TMS solutions, developing your custom TMS is still quite worth consideration. Stfalcon.com is listed among . We have a deep expertise in the development of transportation management systems and logistics apps and invite you to join us in business cooperation. the best logistics developers in Europe Originally published at stfalcon.com .

Custom TMS Software: Is It Worth the Effort?

What does mean in the supply chain context? visibility In a nutshell, it's not only about keeping things running smoothly. Visibility provides companies with the ability to identify and minimize risks, meet customer expectations, and ensure quick deliveries. To create more intelligent supply chains, invest in supply chain visibility, putting themselves in leadership positions. Let’s see what tools and technologies contribute to the success of solving the visibility puzzle. 92% of global companies Why is supply chain visibility important? Supply chain visibility controls every aspect of a supply chain, from strategic planning to delivery and returns, offering a clear view of from raw materials to the customer. , every supply chain element There is no wonder that visibility has rightfully taken a leading role in supply chain management in recent years. According to , visibility lets global supply chain leaders build resilience and minimize the impact of past disruptions. McKinsey considers "end-to-end forward-looking visibility" a rising trend of modern supply chains. KPMG Companies that prioritize end-to-end supply chain visibility benefit from data-driven decision-making, reduced supply chain disruptions, increased operational and business efficiency, and improved customer satisfaction. How to improve supply chain visibility? Implementing visibility in real-world scenarios can demand considerable time and effort. Nevertheless, there are specific essentials that can simplify this process. Let's take a look at that companies can employ to gain full control over their supply chains and logistics operations. 5 technologies Blockchain The decentralized nature of blockchain, along with smart contracts being part of the technology, makes it an ideal solution for invoice management, freight monitoring, product traceability, and information processing. Here is how integrating supply chains with blockchain technology can empower companies and help them establish end-to-end visibility. Blockchain provides an open and secure record of transactions and events, allowing stakeholders to follow the entire supply chain path. Transparency. The technology provides a secure and immutable ledger that lets all involved in supply chain operations verify the origin, authenticity, and condition of goods in real-time. Trust and authentication. Blockchain enables live tracking of goods, letting everyone see the movement and status of products at each stage of the supply chain. Real-time tracking. Blockchain removes the need for intermediaries, lowers administrative costs, and improves efficiency. Efficiency and cost reduction. The technology facilitates secure and direct interaction among supply chain participants, as well as encourages collaboration and data sharing. Collaboration and data sharing. Just like described above, blockchain-driven supply chain transparency builds customer trust, lets businesses authenticate product origin, and monitors goods in real time. Intelligent automation Logistics process automation covers all stages and areas of supply chain management, from document digitization to warehouse stock monitoring, and contributes to supply chain visibility in several ways: Intelligent automation helps organizations integrate data from ERP, WMS, TMS software, and IoT devices into a centralized platform that shows an integrated view of the supply chain and allows them to access all real-time information in one place. Data integration and consolidation. Automation and RPA tools monitor supply chain activities and save data on inventory levels, order status, shipment tracking, and other relevant metrics. Real-time monitoring and alerts. RPA allows companies to automatically generate reports and invoices, minimize errors, and ensure accuracy and consistency in reporting. Streamlined document management and reporting. Intelligent automation makes it possible to process large volumes of supply chain data. It streamlines trend identification, forecasting, and anomaly detection, extracting near real-time insights to identify areas for improvement. Data analysis and insights. Automating repetitive and manual tasks gives supply chain professionals the freedom to focus on strategic activities and dedicate more resources to monitor, analyze, and optimize supply chain processes for better visibility and performance. AI and data analytics AI plays a crucial role in inventory planning, route optimization, demand forecasting, sales and marketing, and fault analysis. In addition, the technology can help to improve visibility in the external aspects of supply chain management. AI algorithms manage large amounts of real-time data from IoT sensors, RFID tags, and social media. They analyze critical supply chain information, offering up-to-date visibility into inventory, demand, and production. Real-time data processing. AI-powered predictive models can project future demand, identify potential disruptions, and optimize inventory levels to avoid shortages or excess inventory. Predictive analytics. Intelligent algorithms assess historical sales data, market trends, weather patterns, and other factors to accurately predict demand and ensure the right products are available when needed. Demand planning. AI analyzes news feeds, social media, and weather updates to notice potential supply chain risks and disruptions. This way, the technology helps companies create risk-minimization strategies for uninterrupted business operations. Improved . risk management ML algorithms monitor transportation routes, warehouse operations, and production schedules to simplify resource allocation, enhance efficiency, and shorten lead times. Supply chain optimization. AI helps supply chain managers make well-informed decisions regarding order fulfillment, inventory replenishment, supplier selection, and demand management. This, in turn, provides companies with a comprehensive and intelligent decision support system. Logistics customer portal software Responding to the increasing demand for service quality from their customers, companies incorporate real-time order tracking features into customer logistics portals. Here's how such software contributes to achieving visibility in the supply chain. Customers can monitor the real-time status and location of their shipments on the portal to get more visibility into the progress and estimated arrival time of their goods. Shipment tracking. The portal gives access to bills of lading, customs clearance data, and invoices, which keeps customers informed about the necessary paperwork related to their shipments. Access to documentation. A logistics portal lets customers submit new orders, modify existing ones, or schedule pick-up and delivery requests. Also, it provides clients with product specifications, quantities, and delivery instructions. Order placement and management. The portal allows customers to submit inquiries, request quotations, and receive responses directly through the portal. This feature simplifies communication and promotes collaboration between stakeholders. Communication and collaboration. In case of delays, damages, or inventory discrepancies, the portal allows customers to report these incidents, track them, and ensure timely resolution. Exception management. Logistics customer portal software increases supply chain visibility through real-time tracking, document access, communication, order management, and exception handling. As a result, it leads to streamlined processes and improved overall visibility throughout the supply chain. Logistics dashboards Logistics offer a visual representation of all the data related to logistics operations and let businesses efficiently track their KPIs. Dashboards play an important role in establishing a direct link between supply chains and visibility. dashboards Logistics dashboards collect data from transportation, warehousing, inventory, and order management systems to provide a comprehensive view of all supply chain levels. Centralized information. Using interactive charts, graphs, and visual representations, logistics dashboards help companies notice trends, patterns, and exceptions to understand the current state of the supply chain and see potential gaps. Data visualization. Dashboards facilitate the real-time tracking of KPIs and metrics for logistics visibility, such as on-time delivery rates, lead times, and transportation costs. Real-time KPI monitoring. Logistics dashboards let users see detailed information at various levels of granularity. This way they can explore specific metrics, transactions, or geographical regions, and understand the root causes of issues. Drill-down capabilities. Users have the freedom to configure their dashboard views, selecting the most relevant KPIs, visualizations, and metrics for their specific responsibilities. Customization and personalization. By delivering centralized, real-time data visualization, performance monitoring, exception management, and collaboration capabilities, logistics dashboards elevate visibility across the supply chain and contribute to operational excellence. In conclusion The diverse set of digital tools and technologies can effectively solve the challenge of limited visibility in the supply chain. Furthermore, using the essential technologies mentioned earlier not only improves operational efficiency but also builds trust with consumers and supports business expansion. However, achieving supply chain visibility is a complex task. That’s why introducing visibility solutions demands a strategic approach and the engagement of highly skilled subject matter experts.

5 Tech Solutions to Boost Supply Chain Visibility

There's been a lot of fuss about the dangers lurking within the advancement in tech, and the impact it can have in various fields across the human-job-sphere. Well, evidently so due to the recent loss of jobs for 'manual workers' or carefully put, displacement of most manual workers with machines. However, we can not ignore the formidable synergy from the man/machine merger that has pierced into uncharted historical territories, pushing the frontier of innovation, imagination, and human possibilities. This synergy is the birthplace of almost every breathtaking innovation. Among several realms of scientific innovations being birthed, only a few fields hold as much intrigue and promise as neuroprosthetics. Neuroprosthetics can be seen as one of the perfect scenarios where technology heavily overlaps medicine as it pushes the bandwidth of possibilities even further. Stephen Hawking once opined, We are all now connected by the Internet, like neurons in a giant brain But with the advent and advancement of neuroprosthetics, it is evident that this connection is becoming more literal than metaphorical. What is Neuroprosthetics? Neuroprosthetics is an intersectoral field of neuroscience and engineering that employs technological innovation with scientific baselines to develop devices that can restore the lost function of the nervous system. These devices called Neuroprostheses can restore or modulate varieties of neurally-mediated functions for the treatment of a range of conditions caused by neurodegenerative diseases, congenital anomalies, infections, and accidents. These conditions include spinal cord injury, Parkinson's disease, stroke, blindness, deafness, and others caused by accidents and attacks on the battlefield. History of Neuroprosthetics We can not categorically pinpoint the genesis of neuroprosthetics but history has a record of ancient Egyptians using leather and wood to construct artificial limbs as far back as 950 B.C. Several other prostheses like the Cairo Toe (700-950 B.C.), the Cartonnage Toe ( 600 B.C. ), and the Roman artificial leg (300 B.C. ) were discovered in ancient tombs and graveyards. In retrospect, it can be observed that ancient scientific knowledge was limited to artificial limb construction. However, this was a building block for a more sophisticated system as presented today. To understand how we got to this level of sophistication, it is pertinent to lean back to memory lane and understand the chronological progression of neuroprosthetics. The following are some major historical strides in neuroprosthetics: 1579 - Ambroise Paré designed prosthetic limbs with mechanical components 1791 - Lurgi Galvani discovered that electrical stimulation of the nerve can use muscle contraction. This discovery was a huge milestone in the study of the nervous system, laying the framework for the creation of neuroprosthetics. 1860s - Gustav Fritsch and Eduard Hitzig via an experiment discovered that electrical stimulation of a certain part of the cerebrum causes involuntary muscular contractions of specific parts of the body. This discovery paved the way for advancement in BCIs. 1950s - José Manuel Rodriguez Delgado orchestrated the brain electrode implantation that uses electricity to stimulate specific brain areas for the treatment of epilepsy and other types of mental conditions. 1957 - The creation of the first cochlear implant as a hearing aid. 1960 - Testing and subsequent commercialization of neuroprosthesis for the treatment of drop-foot. 1977 - The development of the first Auditory Brainstem Implant (ABI) for deaf patients who are not eligible for cochlear implants. 1981 - Implantation of a peripheral nerve bridge in the spinal cord of a rat as a conduit for regenerating nerve fibers. 1988 - Development of the lumbar anterior root implant and Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) for the treatment of paraplegia. 1990 - Approval of the first Cochlear implant in children by FDA. 1999 - John Chapin and his team experimented to demonstrate the feasibility of using brain activity for real-time control by simultaneous neuronal population recordings in experimental rats. 2010s - The development of close-looped neuroprosthetics that allowed for more effective and precise control of neuroprosthesis. The 21st century has undoubtedly witnessed astronomical-paced development in neuroprosthetics, as there have been several remarkable advancements and sophistication of BCIs and other neuroprosthetics. For instance; The development of Brain-controlled robotic limbs for individuals with limb amputations. The design of retinal implants and visual neuroprosthetics to restore vision. The ongoing development of neurotrophic factors which are proteins predicted to be a potent treatment of spinal cord injuries and other neurological disorders by facilitating and enhancing the growth of neurons. The ongoing development of a novel type of BCI called Neural Dust anchored by Elon Musk’s Neuralink. Classes of Neuroprotheses Neuroprotheses are classified into two classes which include implantable and non-invasive neuroprotheses. These devices are surgically buried in the body for direct interaction with the spinal cord, brain, peripheral nerves, or at times the entire nervous system. The design of these devices enables them to either record neural activities in the nervous system, stimulate neurons, or foster communication between neural circuits and external devices. Examples include brain stimulators, cochlear implants, retinal prostheses, and others. Implantable Neuroprotheses: These are brain-computer interface and myoelectric prostheses which are worn on the body and as such do not have any direct interaction with the nervous system. Non-Invasive Neuroprotheses: Types of Neuroprostheses All types of neuroprostheses share a similar mode of operation irrespective of their type. They create a neural link between the brain and a computer, enabling a patient to use his/her nervous system to control sensory organs or limbs. The primary types of neuroprostheses include the sensory, motor, and neuromodulation neuroprostheses. Sensory Neuroprostheses These types of devices convert light, sound, and other physical stimuli to electrical signals that the brain can interpret to enhance lost sensory modalities. Examples of Sensory neuroprostheses include: These devices stimulate the photoreceptor cells in the degenerated retinal cells to send visual information to the brain. Example: the retinal implants. Visual Prostheses: These devices bypass the damaged cochlea and directly stimulate the auditory nerves to enable the patient to hear sounds. Example: Cochlear implants Auditory Prostheses: Motor Neuroprostheses These devices interpret the patient’s intended movements via signals from the muscle or brain to act. Examples of Motor prostheses include: Controlled by the myoelectric signals, prosthetic limbs are artificial limbs that replace missing or amputated body parts to provide mobility and support. They are mechanical devices that get electrical signals from the user’s muscles via the myoelectric signals to control movements. Prosthetic Limbs: These are electrodes that utilize electrical currents to stimulate muscles and nerves directly to enhance or restore the functions of the muscles and nerves marred by neurological conditions or perhaps paralysis. These electrodes are placed externally on the skin or implanted surgically into the skin. Paralytic patients on FES devices can move their limbs with ease. Functional Electrical Simulation (FES) Devices: These are implantable neuroprostheses that use brain signals to enable users to control external devices like wheelchairs or robotic arms. These devices work by capturing and analyzing the electrical activities of the brain’s neurons and utilizing this information to control external devices. can also be non-invasive like Electroencephalography (EEG) which is used to record signals from the scalp. Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs): BCI Neuromodulation Neuroprosthetics These devices use electrical signals to regulate and modulate the activities of the nervous system to treat a plethora of abnormalities like neurological diseases, movement disorders, and diseases. Examples of these devices include; These are brain implantable devices that deliver electrical stimulation to specific areas to modulate neural activities in these areas. They are used to treat a variety of conditions including dystonia, Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and Tourette syndrome. Deep Brain Stimulators ( ): DBS They are non-invasive neuromodulation devices that use strong magnetic fields to stimulate brain nerve cells. They treat medical conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, and migraines. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulators (TMS): This device mimics the spinal cord by modulating the signal transmitted between the brain and the body and sending the same to the spinal cords to aid people with spinal injuries and to treat chronic pains like neuropathic pains and back pains. Spinal Cord Stimulator: These devices are implanted in the vagus nerve to stimulate this nerve to treat conditions such as epilepsy, depression, and migraine. The Vagus nerve connects the brain to the rest of the body and plays an active role in regulating various functions in the body. Vagus Nerve Stimulators (VNS): These devices are implanted next to one of the peripheral nerves. They function by using electric currents to alter the central processing of pain signals for the treatment of total knee arthroplasty, chronic knee pains, and back pain. Peripheral Nerve Stimulators (PMS): These devices establish bi-directional communication (that is: a real-time sensing and feedback mechanism) with the nervous system to enable a deeper level of interaction for a more precise neuromodulation. An example is a Responsive Neurostimulation (RNS) Device used on epileptic patients to prevent seizures. Closed-loop neuroprosthetics: Ethical Consideration in Neuroprosthetics Neurodiversity is defined as the variation in neural and mental functions arising naturally from the interactions between genetic, neurobiological, and environmental factors. These functions are believed to exist on a spectrum that ranges from the normal to the abnormal. While some regard functions in the abnormal axis as disabilities, others choose to perceive them as identities that should be recognized, respected, and preserved. This viewpoint is premised on the fact that a person with abnormal (pathological, to be precise) neural sense has created a world around the abnormality. Besides, it is believed that the absence of a sensory capability triggers a supernatural functionality of one or more sensory capabilities to compensate for this loss. In an instance where the lost sensory capability is restored, it is difficult to adequately predict the effect this will have on the already enhanced capacities. Moreover, the radical psychological and lifestyle adjustment necessary for the integration into a new experiential world might be difficult as the patient has to reshape his perception of the world and other realities he was previously denied. This is why critics argue that to measure the entire worth of the prosthesis, psychological, social, and cultural elements related to a sensory capability must be examined alongside the neurophysiological ability to use that sense organ. Although neurodiversity is usually mentioned in the debate on the use of neuroprosthetics on patients with autism spectrum disorder to modulate neural circuits, its core values and concepts can be stretched to cover other neurological and psychiatric conditions. For conditions such as bipolar or unipolar, patients may choose to resist treatment and identify with the cognitive and affective states of the disorder. This identification is believed to have influenced legal reasons against forcibly using neuroprosthetics or psychotropic drugs to treat symptoms of these disorders. For neuromodulating prosthetics like DBS, BCI, and Hippocampal prosthetics, controlling symptoms is not the only assessment metric to quantify its effectiveness. Other factors such as the patient's overall experience after using the prosthetics are also considered. In using DBS to treat psychiatric disorders, there have been ethical concerns and questions such as; Did the person receiving the treatment give consent to undergo the procedure? During the modulation of an unconscious patient’s mental function, who is the supreme controller of the patient’s action? The patient or the machine? Is the patient still acting in his free will? How detrimental or beneficial are the neural changes induced by DBS? What is the net gain or net loss? In the case of using BCIs to treat a variety of neurological disorders, which is basically by predicting the intended action of the patients, several authors and researchers have expressed concerns about behavior control. The questions border on the free will of the patients and the algorithm’s functionality to follow the patient’s intentions to the latter. Another general concern stems from the fear that this level of development prevalent in the neuroprosthetic field catalyzed by the advancement in AI, will birth ultra-sophisticated neuroprosthetics that will replace the neural circuit in the brain, making the brain a completely artificial organ. The implication of this can not be overestimated as humans can easily be turned into cyborgs, a stage no one wants to get to. Therefore while neuroprosthetics is gradually advancing its capabilities to completely eradicate neural disorders, there is a need to develop and implement stringent measures of laid-down principles and ethical guidelines to streamline and curb its possibilities of impending doom. End Notes For the past 5 centuries, neuroprosthetics has experienced tremendous evolution from being a practice revolving around a set of crude and rudimentary mechanical devices to highly advanced technologies and innovations that directly interfere with the nervous system. These advancements have improved the quality of life for individuals with disabilities and continue to hold promise for the future, as interdisciplinary research, deep work, and technological innovations propel the field forward. Though not without challenges, this field of science and technology has shown intriguing possibilities for a new reality.

Neuroprosthetics: The Journey So Far

Let's learn about via these 34 free stories. They are ordered by most time reading created on HackerNoon. Visit the to find the most read stories about any technology. Transportation /Learn Repo 1. Mass Transit In a Post COVID-19 World As I write this on April 18, 2020, there are over 156,000 global deaths due to COVID-19, which is actually a tiny percent, however, this disease is incredibly communicable and is still not well understood. 2. Hyperloop: A New Player in the Race for Better Transportation When you are running short of time, a long time-consuming journey may feel hectic to you. In such a situation, you may feel a need for transportation technology which can complete your long journey in just a matter of minutes. Hyperloop transportation technology can fulfill this desire. 3. 7 Reasons Why Your Automation Efforts Are Failing Right Now “Companies that failed to incorporate automation in their roadmap experienced a 25% drop in their customer retention,” concluded a survey by Gartner. 4. Uber Cool vs. Face Lyft Let us all admit it! We have always been thrilled by rivalries between two fitting competitors. We have seen it happen between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. We have seen it happen between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The world of technology and business cannot be an exception to this pattern. When it comes to mobile devices and operating systems, it is Google versus Apple. When it comes to enterprise computing, Apple has always been at loggerheads with Microsoft. 5. Automation on the High Seas: AI-driven Cargo Ships Are Here to Stay With the world’s eyes set on automobile manufacturers like Elon Musk’s Tesla, it is easy to lose track of automation in other areas. Automated driving is set to revolutionize the way we move around within the next decade. This is certainly breaking news. The new form of transport promises to cut down traffic accidents and the number of fatalities on the road. It will get us from A to B in a safer, and in all likelihood, more timely manner. 6. Why co-location is the best way to mine bitcoin Since the recent Bitcoin halving event, most small and medium crypto miners have had to shut down their mining rigs. Simply put, it is not profitable to have a mining rig in your home at current market prices. However, there are some solutions to the issue. 7. How to Control your IoT Electric Scooter Fleet Remotely with SORACOM Napter [Part 3] 8. How IoT And Edge Computing Influence Various Industries From healthcare to lifestyle, everything is being influenced by emerging technologies like IoT and edge computing. Moreover, as data remains the foundation of today’s economy, businesses can use these emerging technologies to offer a more personalized experience to their customers. 9. 11 Lessons I Learned From Transforming a Product Organization Key takeaways from transforming a monolithic team into three autonomous squads and much more. 10. 2020 Was The Year Electric Vehicles Truly Arrived 2020: Year of the EV Launch 11. 5 Best Transportation Management Systems (TMS) in 2021/2022 Having a robust TMS adopted to your logistics business has become a staple. A sneak peek at the best ready-made TMS solutions in 2021. Check out fresh insights. 12. Using Data Science To Deal With RTOs Considering how much fraudulent RTOs can cost a business, using data science to mitigate their frequency can help save an e-commerce business money over time. 13. 4 Effective Ways Augmented Reality Solve Issues in Logistics Industry 14. Musk's Open-Source Hyperloop: Players in the Race to Create the First Originally conceived by Elon Musk in 2013, the Hyperloop has been touted as the fastest way to cross the surface of the Earth. Possibly one of the greatest leaps in transportation for generations, the concept promises to slash journey times between cities from several hours to a matter of minutes. On track to revolutionise our world, when can we expect the Hyperloop to become a reality and is it too good to be true? 15. Which Places Are Best Suited to Embrace the Electric Vehicles Movement? CA’s San Jose, LA, and San Francisco Among Top EV Hubs.  EV adoption is likely to expand to more cities  in the future 16. Will Social Distancing Regulations  Boost Taxi Booking Startups? In the past decade, mobile and internet technology has become more  accessible, which has changed the way of travelling. Ride hailing apps such Uber, Lyft or Grab  have  been preferred more by the riders to travel than other offline modes. 17. Recycled Ventures: How to Drive your Startup out of Stagnation Startups lose billions of dollars in VC funding every year, but they can still succeed by “recycling ventures." [18. Edge Computing Is So Fun - Part 2: The Future  Begins with The Road Side Unit](https://hackernoon.com/edge-computing-is-so-fun-part-2-the-future-begins-with-the-road-side-unit-4ls3wrp) This is the second in a series of articles on edge computing, delving into the infrastructure of outdoor edge computing, the emergence of the Roadside Unit as a common building block, a real-life example of the Roadside Unit, and the way forward. 19. [Interview] How Technology Is Reshaping Transportation: Trends and Challenges Why will more people switch to cars as their choice of transportation? When will all vehicles become self-driving? I had the opportunity to sit down and talk about these issues in greater detail with Alexander Sapov, the CEO of GetTransfer.com, one of the biggest airport-to-city transfer providers. 20. Mergers and Acquisitions: The Empire Strikes Again Another $1 billion M&A in the mapping space was hinted at today. Intel, the semiconductor giant will buy Moovit, the multimodal mobility as a service (Maas) platform. The rumors have caused some head shaking, smirking and muttering about those “ridiculous startup valuations”. 21. Asia Light Electric Vehicle Market Set to Reach USD 52.8 billion by 2024 The Asia light electric vechile market is predicted to grow at 7.0% CAGR during the forecast period with the market size reaching USD 52.8 billion by 2024. The market is driven by the factors such as technological advancements, government support, rapid urbanization and low maintenance requirements of these vehicles. [22. Edge Computing Is So Fun Part 3: Help Save The Planet With Smart Cities](https://hackernoon.com/edge-computing-is-so-fun-part-3-help-save-the-planet-with-smart-cities-n5143e85) Figure 1. Singapore was ranked №1 on the Institute for Management Development’s 2020 Smart City Index Report. Credit: International Case Studies of Smart Cities 23. How IoT is Transforming Transportation, Supply Chain, and Logistics In today’s connected world IoT can speed up the rate of delivery actions of vehicles used for logistics and transportation purposes. 24. Elon, I'm Bored [Part One] This Slogging thread by Arthur Tkachenko and Mónica Freitas occurred in slogging's official #random channel, and has been edited for readability. 25. IoT Electric Scooter Cloud Data Collection and Visualization with Soracom + Raspberry Pi [Part 2] 26. Uber CEO Interview, and the Advent of Self Driving Car Technology 27. The Story of Shuttle Planet, Early Traction, and a Bunch of Misfits "Keep going; don’t let fear stop you too much. Focus on the fact that every effect has a cause, find out what that cause is." 28. 12 Years of Blockchain: Where Are The Applications? There were a lot of talking about where and how blockchain is suitable. Attempting to stick the blockchain everywhere and to everything is a parody. 29. How Automatic Vehicle Location Improves Safety for School Buses Real-time communication has become an essential aspect of many industries, and transportation is no exception. With the rise of GPS tracking and internet-enabled devices, it has become easier to track vehicles and provide real-time updates to drivers and passengers. Aleksandr Ulanov, a senior software developer with extensive experience in Ruby development and real-time technologies, has been at the forefront of this development. In his recent work with 4mativ, he has developed a ground-breaking AVL platform that provides real-time updates on the location of school buses to parents and schools. In this interview, Aleksandr discusses the challenges he faced and the solutions he found in developing this platform, as well as the importance of real-time updates in the transportation industry. 30. A Complete Guide To Build A Transport Business From Scratch Transportation is among the very few industries that are part of a multi-trillion dollar range. So, it is definitely a very promising industry to start your business in. 31. Examples of AI Implementation in Transport AI is disrupting many industries, and its impact could be felt across the transport sector. The automotive industry has begun applying artificial intelligence in critical tasks such as self-driving cars, traffic management, etc. where safety and reliability is a major concern. Even though the technology is not being implemented on a wide scale, but it feels like the future of transportation is here. From Tesla’s Autonomous Semi Truck to self-organizing fleets, AI has shown promising results in this domain. 32. Building a Cellular-Connected IoT Electric Scooter w/ Soracom + Raspberry Pi in One Hour [Part 1] 33. How We Added Surge Pricing Capabilities to our IoT eScooter with AWS Lambda and SORACOM Funk This article also comes in video form! 34. Can You React Faster than a Self-Driving Car on 5G Networks? This article is about how self-driving cars and 5G will make roads safer for everyone. Thank you for checking out the 34 most read stories about Transportation on HackerNoon. to find the most read stories about any technology. Visit the /Learn Repo

34 Stories To Learn About Transportation

Let's learn about via these 42 free stories. They are ordered by most time reading created on HackerNoon. Visit the to find the most read stories about any technology. Logistics /Learn Repo 1. Artificial Intelligence and Logistics 4.0 Are Transforming the Way We Manage Inventory The growing competition in logistics has forced companies to look for new alternatives to remain among the best players in the market. AI has come to the rescue 2. The Story of Shuttle Planet, Early Traction, and a Bunch of Misfits "Keep going; don’t let fear stop you too much. Focus on the fact that every effect has a cause, find out what that cause is." 3. How Optimizing Outbound Logistics Saves Your Business Time and Money Outbound logistics play a critical role in a company's overall supply chain management and can significantly impact its bottom line. 4. Sea of Transformation: Chatbots in The Logistics Industry The usage of the new age customer support technology bots, popularly known as Chatbots is on the rise. Researches show that more than 80% of the customer communication that is done on websites or mobile apps are done through chatbots. Chatbots are highly valuable for the companies because they can work round the clock, are easy to use and do not make any kind of errors. 5. How Estimated Time of Arrival is Calculated in Logistics Tech We focused on how to enhance ETA in Logistics and how to calculate it. Computing the estimated time of arrival is one of the ways toward customer satisfaction. 6. Toilet Paper Mania Leaks Supply Chain Opportunity: What Will Venture Do? W.W.V.D? Even before the pandemic hit, global supply chains contained an estimated $176 billion of inefficiencies. 7. Hacking the Way Business is Done With Diversity [Infographic] Understanding how diversity should properly be represented through business and the supply chain. 8. Analyzing The 6 Most-Promising Logistics and Supply Chain Trends in 2022 Here's a review of the key logistics and supply chain trends of 2022 to help T&L leaders decide on their innovation strategy and what technologies to invest in. 9. 4 Effective Ways Augmented Reality Solve Issues in Logistics Industry 10. Logistics Security: 5 ways to protect the Supply Chain Against Cybersecurity Attacks This article explains how to protect the supply chain sector against cybersecurity attacks. 11. How Technology Has changed the Logistics Industry Improved technology has also increased productivity in the supply chain.  It is helping to make the shipping process more efficient. 12. How IoT is Transforming Transportation, Supply Chain, and Logistics In today’s connected world IoT can speed up the rate of delivery actions of vehicles used for logistics and transportation purposes. 13. Implementing Business Technology Improves Startup Operations Considering all the ways technology is currently improving your business can help you think more broadly about how further implementation can affect operations. 14. Reconstructing Our Food Supply Chains with Blockchain Technology Blockchain technology can streamline and restructure the way that we interpret global supply lines, a change that may be vital for addressing climate change. 15. How the International Parcel Service Works The international parcel service has a special operation, which we will try to describe below. If you want to know and understand it, do not stop reading. 16. Startup Interview with Shachar Tal, Loginno Co-Founder Hackernoon's startup interview with Shachar Tal, Loginno's co-founder. 17. Using Web3 to Detangle the World’s Supply Chain The global supply chain is in a gridlock. Let's fix that. 18. 5 Best Transportation Management Systems (TMS) in 2021/2022 Having a robust TMS adopted to your logistics business has become a staple. A sneak peek at the best ready-made TMS solutions in 2021. Check out fresh insights. 19. The History and Perks of Third Party Logistics Software in Warehouse Management 3rd Party Logistics Software can be a powerful tool in managing your online business by consolidating much of the logistics under one easy-to-use site. 20. How 3PL is Changing eCommerce Supply Chain Dynamics Outsourcing supply chain and logistics to the 3PL providers have proved to be helpful for businesses. They offer various services for improving processes, risks mitigation, and saving resources. 21. Technologies That Are Transforming Logistics Industry How Big is the Number Game? 22. Hacking the Way Business is Done With Diversity [Infographic] Understanding how diversity should properly be represented through business and the supply chain. 23. This Startup is Bringing Ecommerce to Brazilian Favelas Nestled in a 10-square-kilometer area in the southwest zone of São Paulo, the favela (slum) Paraisópolis is home to more than 100,000 Brazilians. 24. How RPA is Helping Supply Chain Management Logistics and Supply Chain is one of the fastest-growing and the most competitive sectors in the world. Over the years, businesses have invested billions of dollars in scaling up their process and infrastructure to lower the price and look for opportunities to increase efficiency. 25. Supply Chain 4.0 Powers Greater Efficiency and Visibility in Logistics Learn how the digital supply chain allows organisations in Logistics and other sectors to become more agile and respond to market shifts with smarter solutions. 26. Integrated Logistics Management Software: Uber For Supply Chain Management As per statistics, upto 61% of customers want quicker deliveries, while 66% consider that the delivery method must be central to their shopping experience. Also, 93% of customers say that they wish to stay informed and receive constant and live updates from the retailers about the expected shipments. 27. 8 ways in which AI helps the logistics industry The world of logistics has been completely transformed with the advent of newer technologies, especially AI, and it is not a luxury anymore but a necessity for a business in this industry to thrive. 28. What happens inside an Amazon warehouse: A software engineer's guide Have you ever wonder what happens inside of an Amazon warehouse? As a software engineer, the supply chain field has plenty of technical challenges. 29. Blockchain Technology a Natural Progression for Supply Chain Companies We estimate that the application of Blockchain to global supply-chain alone could result in more than $100 billion in efficiencies. Add improvements in provenance and traceability of pharmaceuticals and food. 30. China's Information Warfare via LOGINK Continues Unabated: Here's How It's Done The PRC has created LOGINK, a logistics-focused software, for the purposes of data collection in accordance with its information warfare efforts. 31. Global Trading on the Blockchain - Opportunity or A Pipedream? Industries and governments are continuously seeking ways to optimize the movement of goods, data, and currencies across global supply chains. Global growth needs a jumpstart. 32. 12 Years of Blockchain: Where Are The Applications? There were a lot of talking about where and how blockchain is suitable. Attempting to stick the blockchain everywhere and to everything is a parody. 33. How Automatic Vehicle Location Improves Safety for School Buses Real-time communication has become an essential aspect of many industries, and transportation is no exception. With the rise of GPS tracking and internet-enabled devices, it has become easier to track vehicles and provide real-time updates to drivers and passengers. Aleksandr Ulanov, a senior software developer with extensive experience in Ruby development and real-time technologies, has been at the forefront of this development. In his recent work with 4mativ, he has developed a ground-breaking AVL platform that provides real-time updates on the location of school buses to parents and schools. In this interview, Aleksandr discusses the challenges he faced and the solutions he found in developing this platform, as well as the importance of real-time updates in the transportation industry. 34. Blockchain Application to Transform Supply Chains Towards Sustainability The self-updating and verifiable nature of the blockchain means that it can be useful in improving supply chains in an efficient and sustainable manner. 35. How the Conflict Between Russia and Ukraine is Affecting Supply Chains The war in Ukraine has disrupted global supply chains by tying up the production of two of Europe's biggest suppliers while disrupting trade through them. 36. Integrate a Route Optimization API to Save Millions in Last Mile Costs An overview and cost/benefit analysis of how route optimization API integrations can drive instant positive returns in last mile logistics. 37. Delivering Hydroponic Salad via Drones and Being Paid in Bitcoin [An Interview] Hydroponics, drones and Bitcoin. Three technological concepts that are used in a new project from the Parallel Garden team in cooperation with Parallel Polis. As we enter an era of social distancing, delivery of food by drone can be a pioneering act. We bring you an interview with the authors of the Hydroponic Flyer 2020 project. 38. How New Tech Will Help Avoid Delivery Delays This Holiday Season If every cloud has a silver lining, eCommerce has found one in COVID-19. Due to the fear over risks of infection, consumers, in general, are avoiding in-person shopping in brick-and-mortar stores and choosing to shop online instead. In the first eight months of 2020, online sales generated $497 billion in revenue. Adobe estimates that COVID-19 has lifted eCommerce sales by $107 billion since March. 39. Growing Your Construction Business? There’s an App for That. Thanks to modern technology, it’s possible to update blueprints, create and sign contracts, and care for your construction workers from your smartphone. To help take your company to the next level, check out these top construction apps. 40. Logistics App Development Overview: An Essential Guide Applications for logistics help collect and process data and control logistics processes. 41. How to Bridge the Physical and Digital World Through Digital Twinning A digital twin is a virtual form of a real-life product or a service. Heres why that matters! 42. Our Uber Eats orders would soon start getting delivered by robots! Our Uber Eats orders would soon start getting delivered by robots! Thank you for checking out the 42 most read stories about Logistics on HackerNoon. to find the most read stories about any technology. Visit the /Learn Repo

42 Stories To Learn About Logistics

We have already introduced and how much we care about the transparency of all processes. But how to ensure this transparency on all development levels? our QA practices Today, we have new insights from , the Lead QA in PropellerAds, part of the AdTech Holding. Mikhail shared the best practices for working with the Allure TestOps tool. Mikhail Sidelnikov Why did the team choose it, what tools did it use before, and when does Allure TestOps become the best solution for quality assistance workflows? Why is Transparency So Important? As a business based on top-notch technologies, PropellerAds uses CI/CD approach. It implies constant releases several times a day, so the process just mustn’t be interrupted due to any misunderstandings or mistakes. How does it work? A developer creates a pull request The QA team immediately starts testing The test results instantly appear in Github, Slack, and Allure TestOps. It’s a continuous process — everything is automated, and there’s almost no manual work. The result of this process must be a high-quality product — and this is why every step must be transparent. But how to ensure it? Mikhail: — ‘Test is the basis of quality. But it doesn’t like solitude — the test is not an introvert! It needs a family and friends of its kind to bring real value. And, like everyone in real life, a test and its family need a comfortable lodging with a convenient infrastructure and a space for improvement.’ So how did the PropellerAds QA team solve the ‘housing question’ for its tests? First QA Practices in PropellerADs At first, PropellerAds didn’t even have a full-fledged QA department: it was organized only in 2015. It took time to automate workflows and build an efficient, inspired team. As the team grew, the more its demands grew, too! The number of tests and microservices was rapidly increasing — and it was essential to keep them all organized. Otherwise, it would become impossible to work with them, integrate with various CI/CDs — and keep transparent, after all. Implementing TestRail The founders of the PropellerAds QA team had an age-long experience of working with TestRail. So, it became the most obvious solution. Besides, it seemed to meet all the needs of the team as follows: Required features: case keeping, historicity, test launching Pretty acceptable integration with Jira Team’s experience of integrating TestRail with CI/CD Overall team’s experience of working with TestRail So, the decision was made. Issues With TestRail It all went pretty smoothly at first. Still, after some time, the team felt that TestRail is not the best tool that meets all its needs. What was the problem? The main point was that the team was still growing, and all the processes became much more demanding. In other words, everything was rapidly scaling: The team; The number of manual cases The number of manual test runs The number of releases Mikhail: —It became extremely difficult and inconvenient to create cases in TestRail first, and then do it in the code. We wanted to see the whole transparent image in our Test Management System. Finally, the team started starving for some alternative workflow — and tools. The list of the issues became bigger and bigger, and the most painful points included the following: The new projects were poorly integrated There was no support for the new cases or steps: if you fixed something in the code, you needed to do the same manually in TestRail The transparency and relevance became tending to zero Overall, there was a threat that the product quality would begin to suffer. New Demands Finally, it became pretty obvious that the team needed a new solution. But first, it was necessary to make things clear: what does the team lack and what does it need at this stage? After a discussion, the QA team made up a straightforward list of requirements. Here it is: Automated downloading of the test results. The team wanted to see the tests in the TMS immediately after their launch, without using API Integration with Jira. It was about transparency again: having a test status right in the task manager is the best way to make workflows as transparent as possible. Simple integration with test codes: any alternations should appear in the TMS without the need of changing anything manually Test launches in CI/CD. It would be helpful to do it much quicker — and, in a perfect scenario, to launch them right from the TMS. TestRail has the UI customization feature, but this solution required constant support. How Allure TestOps Changed the Process The demands became more than apparent, but they didn’t help to find the right solution. And here the PropellerAds QA team was lucky to meet a reputed developer - Artem Eroshenko, who suddenly gave simple and straightforward advice: Why use TestRail if there is Allure TestOps? The first thought was: and what is Allure TestOps? Allure TestOps is a testing platform that allows you to store and manage test cases. It is based on Allure Reports, very familiar to most team members. Mikhail: — So we thought: it’s a fresh and trendy tool — why not try it? And, a spoiler: it worked out perfectly. The process began to change in the best possible way — and in the shortest time. So what were the most helpful features of Allure TestOps that boosted the workflow so much? Test Results If you have ever tried TestRail, you know that downloading test results is complicated there: it involves much fuss with API. Allure TestOPS solves the same problem in a very elegant and simple way. If your test results imply generating an Allure Report, you already have your tests in TestOps. The team has been using Allure for quite a while — and it meant that the TestOps platform kept their tests. A brief guide: to add any integration, you just need to enter the settings of TestOps, select any product you want, and then - set up it in several clicks! Quick and painless, like here: Mikhail: —No hidden rocks: three fields, and you’re done with your integration. It works the same with the other tools: minimum settings. And, our so beloved Dark Mode is here, too! If you need to integrate Teamcity or other tools of this kind, you can do it with special plugins. It takes two mouse clicks to set the results downloading to TestOps. What is even more helpful, it happens in the runtime. Here is how it looks: elegant and simple again: After you are ready with the settings, you can launch jobs in your CI/CD. And the process becomes multiple times more transparent immediately after. Allure TestOps allows you to check the existing test coverage, understand how often you launch particular tests, realize which projects are stable and which are not, and even see certain tests. The overall testing flow in Allure TestOps looks like this: You set the TeamCity build configuration once: indicate Allure Project ID and a path to Allure Results in the Build Feature You launch the Team City Build Configuration You wait for your results in Allure and that’s it! So, after you are done with all settings, you only do two simple steps — no JS, web servers, and API. Everything is set via the UI of the tools you use. Quality and Status It turned out that Allure TestOps has a Jira plugin that allows you to see all tests for a particular task. The plugin includes pagination, search filters, and the latest results of these tests. The settings are also quick and simple — as well as the interface: Mikhail: All the results are updated automatically, and you can see all the cases that were created for this particular task. It was exactly what we needed to understand what and how we check. We significantly boost our good old transparency — and ensure a better understanding of the quality of the features we release. Autotests Code The PropellerAds QA team has loads of autotests: thanks to them, it can ensure the top quality of the product. Allure TestOps greatly simplifies this essential point. It allows you to create necessary annotations, and each annotation sets a label for a test. In the end, the label will appear in TestOps. There is a large list of already existing annotations — and not only within Java. Here is an example: If you lack ready annotations, you can easily add your own one:  @LabelAnnotation(name = “any name”). Almost all TestOps data work via the labels, and these labels are customizable. Thanks to it, you can see various tree maps and layers in the list of all existing tests, filter, and group your cases. Other Features Thus, all the issues were solved thanks to TestOps. Besides these solved issues, we also got access to more new features. Here they are: Allure allows you to check the test launch history. Mikhail says it was a killer feature: you can quickly check when and where the test was launched and when it started to fail. Test plans. Now the team could not just create, but also launch these test plans right from TestOps. Convenient dashboards with statistical data. You can create them yourself, or use the ready dashboards. Various settings for projects. They include the deletion of old test results you don’t need anymore, setting different test fields for manual and automated cases, and launching tests right from Allure TestOps with various options. And many many others. Mikhail: — It’s only a small part of everything you get with Allure TestOps. Want something new or found a bug? Create a bug ticket or ask the developers directly in the Telegram channel. It’s really convenient! Or they helpdesk - these guys try to answer as soon as possible - Good service. To Sum Up: Allure TestOps vs. TestRail So, was the ‘housing problem’ for our tests solved? Yes, definitely. Constantly developing, intuitive, with instant access to all necessary tools — Allure TestOps was the most proper solution. But is TestRail so bad, after all? Mikhail: TestRail is a good tool — but it better suits different needs than we have. When it’s better to use TestRail, and when Allure TestOps is your savior? TestRail Allure TestOps You don’t depend on the release process much You have many releases and your work is based on CI/CD Integration with the other tools is not your priority You strive for transparency of testing in all your tools You have many manual cases You work mainly with automated tests Overall, Allure TestOps has proved to be much more efficient for ensuring QA transparency —  at every step and level. And that is what we need in PropellerAds. The lead image for this article was generated by HackerNoon's via the prompt "an engineer looking at an engine". AI Image Generator

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