Biren Gandhi

Much has been made of the commercial potential of drones, yet actually implementing commercial drone applications seems to be mired in a complex web of unclear regulations and doubt about technical feasibility. While it may yet take a long time to work through the regulatory issues, Cisco is moving…

Last month, as part of Cisco’s ongoing drone innovation efforts, I helped organize Cisco’s first-ever hands-on drone workshop for employees in our Bangalore office. “Drone Stars” was jointly sponsored by the Corporate Strategic Innovations Group and thingQbator, Cisco’s internal maker lab, which sup…

“Can drones save lives?” It’s a question that many outside the drone industry might find startling. Much of the general public still perceives drones as being deployed primarily for aerial surveillance or attacks in times of war.  This view was certainly reinforced in the recent movie, “Eye in the S…

To take the commercial drone industry from infancy to adulthood, there is a lot to be done. The lion’s share of that work will involve companies working together to discuss technology, architecture, security, standards, and interoperability. This is where Cisco sees great opportunity, and where we c…

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” were the final words echoed last week during a thought-provoking Innovation Catalyst training session at Cisco’s campus in Richardson, Texas. Building on earlier sessions in San Jose last November, I joined other super-charged Cisco leaders to learn more…

Happy Disruptive New Year! As 2016 promises to unleash digital innovations across industries, let’s pause for a moment and ask ourselves: What are some of the common triggers of this disruptive transformation to digitize business and society? Three that immediately spring to my mind are: the Interne…

Hatching brilliant ideas for the world’s next big innovation is the easy part.  Bringing those ideas to life — through new software, hardware or services solutions — is the hard part.  That’s exponentially true when it comes to the Internet of Everything because of the extra complexity o…

“Why does a computer need a fan? I want my computer to be quiet and small!” Steve Jobs actually provoked that question when he started the journey that led to the creation of Apple II nearly four decades ago.  And, of course, the journey made history and continues on into new frontiers of technology…

Emergency readiness is one of the most frequently practiced and probably one of the least frequently exercised drills. However, when it counts on saving human lives, it really counts. One such massive effort in emergency preparedness took place during the week of Sep 28 at the Guardian Centers in At…