The Past and the Future

January 23

Let me tell ya folks, I am VERY tired and am really just running on coffee all day at this point. All the companies we have been to have been very welcoming and have opened their coffee machines up to us while also serving Fika (which is the cinnamon roll looking pastry). Today was a busy day, two company visits and a hockey game WOW. I feel like I never sleep and I’m dreaming all the time. Today we visited Hasselblad and ABB Robotics!

We took the tram and ferry around 9am to get to Hasselblad. Once there, we looked around in the lobby at the fascinating and famous pictures taken on Hasselblad cameras. A few of which you should recognize below as the first picture on the moon and the Beatles… no big deal.

We then all gathered in the conference room with our coffee and fika as Ove presented to us. Ove currently serves as a product manager at Hasselblad and he is responsible for being the link between the users and the resource and development team at Hasselblad. Ultimately, he is responsible for the look, feel, and features of the cameras. Here are the main takeaways from the presentation:

• 1841: Victor founded a trading company.
• 1937: Victor opened a store, “Victor Photo”, where they sold various photo equipment.
• 1948: Presented “ideal camera” to the press, which found instant success due to its small size and unique features.
• 1957: The 500c camera was introduced, aka “V-system”.
• The average amount of time spent calibrating each camera is 3 hours.
• Even though the cameras are a true Hasselblad production, the sensors used are made by Sony.
• All cameras are made by hand

Hasselblad cameras set themselves apart from the competition by offering many lens ranges depending on the camera, which are typically made in Japan. The lens they make are so full of detail, we got to test some out and could literally see goosebumps on our skin. These high-tech cameras come at a price… ranging from $500-$20,000!

Next we took the bus to ABB Robotics! We were running really late due to missing a few busses and trams but we made it! Once there, we were served lunch right away. A tradition on Thursdays for lunch in Sweden is to eat pea soup and Swedish pancakes which I didn’t have because the pea soup kind of threw me off but instead had pork and potatoes. Also random but I love Sweden because there is always an option of still water or sparkling water (I’m a sucker for sparking water) and the fact that it’s free and is EVERYWHERE is my kind of place!

After lunch we met with Bert, a work buddy of JJ’s (they worked at ABB long ago and are still friends to this day)! He gave a presentation on the history of ABB, what they do today and their projected growth. Below are some things I jotted down!

• Opportunities of change:
  • Demographic time bomb (an increase in the number of people retiring, allowing for a younger workforce to enter).
  • Opportunity to provide more meaningful work.
  • A decrease in the extent of barrier (robots will be able to not only be available to big companies but also small companies as well.
  • Moving towards mass customization.
• ABB is a very global company.
• Unique offerings:
  • Software robots.
  • Complete systems.
  • Equipment.
  • Comprehensive services.
• Chinese facial recognition is a thing-social credit cards system
  • Basically you show your face to any camera in China and it automatically knows your name, payment information, your data, etc. NO THANK YOU
• There are two types of virtual reality programs:
  • Virtual reality: immersion into an alternative world.
    • VR glasses.
  • Augmented reality: real-world but from a different perspective.
    • Pokémon Go, Google glasses, etc.

After the presentation we all set back on our 40 minute hike back to the hostel where we got ready for the HOCKEY GAME! We watched the Frölunda Indians play the Brynas which was so intense but pretty much similar to American hockey. I am a huge Blackhawks fan so obviously I had to wear the jersey!! We had amazing seats and a really great time! The atmosphere was crazy, we sat right next to the fan section where the ENTIRE time they chanted (I had no idea what they were saying but it was fun). The Indians won and we were all PUMPED!

Daily Reflections

• Hasselblad cameras have taken some iconic shots, I never even knew of them before coming here!
• ABB Robotics has been working on future products and working with advancing technology… I think our world will be run by robots soon be aware
• Hockey is so fun to watch! I wish I could play it and learn to skate!