Kodak Alaris Takes Advantage of Google's Weave IoT Platform to Simplify Document Capture for Mobile and Web Connected Users

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, 12th January, 2016 – Kodak Alaris is partnering with Google to make it easier for users to connect to document scanning devices from any type of computing environment—mobile, desktop or cloud—by taking advantage of Brillo and Weave, the key pillars of Google’s new Internet of Things (IoT) platform. Google featured the Kodak Scan Station networked scanner, among other web-connected “smart home” technologies, in its exhibit at the 2016 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, January 6-9. Last year, Google launched Brillo and Weave to enable easier device setup, phone-to-device-to-cloud communication, and user interaction from mobile devices and the web.

“The Internet of Things is allowing remote connectivity to devices such as thermostats, appliances, lights, and security systems,” said Susheel John, Category Director, Distributed Capture for Kodak Alaris’ Information Management division. “Now, thanks to Google, an even greater set of capabilities is available for consumers and businesses alike. From home offices to global enterprises, helping users access devices to capture and share business critical information in a safe and secure way can result in major cost reductions and increased operational efficiency.”

Gartner predicts the Internet of Things will grow to 25 billion units sold by 2020, nearly a seven-fold increase from 2014. With this type of growth and the emergence of cloud and web-based solutions, ease of integration with core business applications like ERP and CRM systems is critical. Connecting peripheral devices such as document scanners to apps that are cloud-based and mobile enabled is also becoming essential. For example, insurance companies have field agents focused on claims processing and customer acquisition, many of whom use network scanners from Kodak Alaris for high-quality document capture. Development on Google’s Weave platform, supported by TWAIN Direct, makes it possible to provide agents with a secure and consistent user experience across multiple connected devices—from the field, to the home office, to the work environment—integrating scanning into a web-connected world at the touch of a button. It also empowers app developers to seamlessly integrate with Kodak Alaris scanners.

“Weave provides the building blocks to connect directly or through the cloud by providing a common language for apps or services to use across multiple devices,” said John. “This leads to faster adoption of new technologies and lower implementation costs. It also makes document capture at the point of customer contact and onboarding information into a business process more efficient, ultimately improving responsiveness to customers.”