Saffron Technology Advances in Associative Memories

New developments from Saffron Technology, often mentioned here, implementer of innovative machine learning techniques. See more about their Natural Intelligence Platform. And current Press release:   Previously about Saffron.

" ... Cary, NC, March 20, 2014 – Saffron Technology, a cognitive systems company helping Fortune 1000 businesses understand the value of transforming disconnected data into actionable knowledge, today announced that it has closed a $7 million Series B investment round. Funds are earmarked to accelerate business growth, including opening new global headquarters in Silicon Valley.

“Data becomes infinitely more powerful when you tie together its meaning from a multiplicity of disparate sources. Our patented Natural Intelligence Platform unifies all kinds of data – structured and unstructured – in real time, from a large variety of sources and continuously learns about the things in the data without the need for pre-determined rules or models,” said Gayle Sheppard, Saffron Technology CEO. “Now you can automatically see converging and other patterns to anticipate outcomes and prepare to act. These capabilities, combined with our customers’ success with Saffron, position us well for growth. With this additional funding, we will expand customer-centric next generation service teams, build a strong brand presence, create scalability across our business, and establish a Silicon Valley headquarters in spring 2014.” ... "

Saffron Associative Memories

http://www.slideshare.net/paulhofmann/big-data-and-saffron

http://saffrontech.com/

Experience in the Data

Apply Your Experience.
Saffron Technology wants to put your data to work under a completely new approach to data analytics: Experience Management.

The way we see it, countless worlds of Experience are hidden in your data. And they’re all just waiting to be applied toward solving even your toughest business challenges.

Saffron developed the first commercially available, large-scale Associative Memory Base product – the Saffron Natural Intelligence Platform – creating a new generation of data analysis for everyone. With it, you can access, control and manage all of the Experience that’s naturally occurring in your data, but which you may not even have known is in there. You can analyze it, learn from it, remember it and leverage it, all across your business.

Global Intelligence and Advanced Data Discovery

Manny Aparicio of Saffron Technology sends along this note and links to supporting video:

"At this year’s Gartner BI Summit in Los Angeles, Rita Sallam identified a new era of Hybrid (Big) Data Analytics. Hybrid data comes from structured sources like enterprise applications and unstructured sources (mainly text), like news feeds, social media, and documents. Next generation BI tools unify this data so it can be used for advanced data discovery, pattern detection and decision-making. What was previously only possible in Hollywood films is now business reality..... "

Previously about Saffron Technology.

On Big Data

Paul Hofmann, formerly of SAP, now with Saffron Technologies has a presentation on Big Data.  Good short overview with examples that is worth reviewing.

The Big Idea of Associative Intelligence

What is the big idea of Associative intelligence?  In a back of the envelope exploration, Saffron Tech presents the idea.  It is an important one.  How do we save and retrieve the kind of fuzzy intelligence we use so successfully every day? Your data represents your experience.  Big data equals big experience, so why not use it?

SAP Labs AI Exec Joins Saffron Technology

Reported Today.   I have now had to pleasure of working with Dr. Hofmann several times in AI related applications .... "   Saffron Technology, Inc., a privately held big data software analytics firm, announced the appointment of renowned Artificial Intelligence (AI) expert Dr. Paul Hofmann as Chief Strategy Officer. Dr. Hofmann, formerly VP Research at SAP Labs, played a key role in developing SAP’s highly regarded research program with top USA universities like Princeton, MIT, University of California at Berkeley, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon University, and Stanford. Artificial Intelligence has always been a true passion for Hofmann, and at Saffron he will work to connect the corporate world with Saffron’s leading edge Associative Memory technology.... "

Saffron Technologies

I have mentioned Saffron Technologies a number of times here, since visiting them five plus years ago.   Just now re-examining their associative memory techniques for several applications.   " ... For example, a new situation may remind us of a similar experience we had in the past. We then recall other memories of people, places, things, actions, or outcomes that are likely connected with that experience. But we can also imagine what’s missing, or notice what’s different compared with what we already know.... "

Making Memories and Applying them

Repeating and updating this post because I think there is considerable value in the application of Associative memory systems.  

I had the opportunity to read a draft of this book during a long flight and was very impressed.   Associative memory  is a big part of our technical future.

Saffron Technologies forthcoming book: Making Memories, Applying Neuron-inspired Associative Memories to National, Business and Consumer Intelligence by Manuel Aparicio IV

See their blog.

In the enterprise we closely examined the application of associative memories for enterprise experience storage and retrieval applications.  It is relates well to neural network techniques.   I have met with Saffron several times and am impressed with this rare and complete application of this leading edge work.

" .. Making Memories tells a story about the science, technology and business of Saffron's new approach to capturing and reasoning from the "memories" of your data. It's what Saffron calls "Experience Management." ... These sections will give you a strong sense of what Making Memories is about: How an old idea -- human thought processes and how they work -- is being applied to create a completely new arena of data analytics for business that surpasses the need for rules and statistics.
We believe the book is very timely given today's data management challenges ... "

Business Intelligence Database Management Systems

The following excellent Forrester technical report on agile BI methods:
The Dawning of the Age of BI DBMS, by Boris Evelson.
For Business Process Professionals   May 27,  2011

Does an excellent job at looking at a number of many common business intelligence packages and exploring their database features.  In particular it also notes the particularly fast and completely flexible methods known as associative memories, such as those provided by Saffron Technologies, which I am continuing to explore.  Search here for other mentions of Saffron Technologies on this blog. Executive overview  of the Forrester paper:

" We know how to address the key business intelligence (BI) challenges of the past 20 years, such as stability, robustness, and rich functionality. Agility and flexibility challenges now represent BI’s next big opportunity. Business process professionals realize that earlier-generation BI technologies and architecture, while still useful for more stable BI applications, fall short in the ever-faster race of changing business requirements. Forrester recommends embracing Agile BI methodology, best practices, and technologies to tackle agility and flexibility opportunities. Alternative database management system (DBMS) engines architected specifically for Agile BI will emerge as one of the compelling Agile BI technologies business process pros should closely evaluate and consider for specific use cases.... "

Reinventing Analysis With Memory

A quite interesting video series by Saffron Technology,   I have mentioned them in this space a number of times.   A unique application of technology for the enterprise memory.   I had met with them as part of my innovation center work and was impressed.  They continue to progress.   I will look at these tapes  and report back in more detail later.  Brought to my attention by Sammy Haroon.

Associative Memory in Defense and Aerospace

I have mentioned Saffron Technology several times here, we examined them for associative applications in the AI space for example-based knowledge systems.   Here they are in the news:

CDG, a Boeing Company, Becomes First to Offer Saffron’s Associative Memory Solutions into Worldwide Aerospace & Defense Industry

CYPRESS, CA & CARY, NC – March 2, 2011 –– CDG, a Boeing Company and Saffron Technology, Inc., a privately-held software firm providing Natural Intelligence1 solutions for business and government, today announced that CDG has joined the Saffron Natural Intelligence Network as an Authorized Saffron Partner. ... CDG is becoming the first authorized distributor of the Saffron Natural Intelligence Platform™ for the worldwide aerospace and defense industry.   ... CDG is a recognized leader in technical data and technical documentation solutions, supporting some of the world’s leading aerospace manufacturers and suppliers. CDG became a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company in 2000, and has continued to expand its portfolio to offer advanced software solutions, training solutions, engineering services, and process consulting for aerospace and defense and other engineering-focused industries.

Carr on Memory and Self

Nick Carr excerpts a chapter of his book: The Shallows, on the concept of aiding memory.  Is memory being killed by all our digital memory aids and resources?   " ...  I looked into what we know (and don't know) about human memory and its role in our thinking and the development of our sense of self.... " .    I agree that the search memory model we have taken from our recent involvement with computers is wrong, but there are other models that are much more brain like, like associative memory, which we are just starting to examine.  Take a look, for example at developments by companies like Saffron Technologies.  Not to say the problem is solved, but there are other approaches.  Does this ultimately hurt a person's sense of self?  No more than having a big library does.  It does make recall much more efficient.

Associative Memories Applied by Saffron Technologies

Repeating and updating this post because I think there is considerable value in the application of Associative memory systems.   I had a recent conversation in this area and found that the artificial intelligence approach is little known.  

Saffron Technologies forthcoming book: Making Memories, Applying Neuron-inspired Associative Memories to National, Business and Consumer Intelligence by Manuel Aparicio IV

You can register and get a free copy of the Prolog and Part One and reserve a free copy of the ebook.

In the enterprise we closely examined the application of associative memories for enterprise experience storage and retrieval applications.  It is related to neural network techniques.   I have met with Saffron several times and am impressed with this rare and complete application of this leading edge work.

" .. Making Memories tells a story about the science, technology and business of Saffron's new approach to capturing and reasoning from the "memories" of your data. It's what Saffron calls "Experience Management." ... These sections will give you a strong sense of what Making Memories is about: How an old idea -- human thought processes and how they work -- is being applied to create a completely new arena of data analytics for business that surpasses the need for rules and statistics.
We believe the book is very timely given today's data management challenges ... "

Saffron Associative Experience Management

I just received a note announcing Saffron Technologies forthcoming book: Making Memories, Applying Neuron-inspired Associative Memories to National, Business and Consumer Intelligence by Manuel Aparicio IV

You can register and get a free copy of the Prolog and Part One and reserve a free copy of the ebook.

In the enterprise we closely examined the application of associative memories for enterprise experience storage and retrieval applications. I have met with Saffron several times and am impressed with this rare and complete application of this leading edge work.

" .. Making Memories tells a story about the science, technology and business of Saffron's new approach to capturing and reasoning from the "memories" of your data. It's what Saffron calls "Experience Management." ... These sections will give you a strong sense of what Making Memories is about: How an old idea -- human thought processes and how they work -- is being applied to create a completely new arena of data analytics for business that surpasses the need for rules and statistics.
We believe the book is very timely given today's data management challenges ... "

Saffron Technologies Overview

A good explanatory post on associative memory vendor Saffron Technology ... which I have followed for some time. Will continue to track this impressive effort.

Visual Experience Management

From Saffron. Intriguing linkage of associative memory and visualization. Will examine it more closely.

"‘Visual Experience Management’ Makes Big Data “Pop” With Meaning
McLean, VA & Cary, NC, May 19, 2010 –- Centrifuge Systems, Inc., a leading provider of next-generation Business Intelligence (BI) software, and Saffron Technology, Inc., a data analytics software firm providing associative–memory-based Experience Management solutions, today jointly announced they are partnering to deliver a graphical, highly interactive streaming data analytics and Business Intelligence solution for enterprises worldwide. Both Saffron and Centrifuge were recently recognized as “Cool Vendors” by a leading analyst firm.

The integrated solution combines Saffron Natural Intelligence Platform Version 8.0 and Centrifuge 2.0. The offering gives customers in business and government the ability to apply associative memory to analytics and business intelligence — both via Saffron’s sense-making and decision support capabilities, and Centrifuge’s powerful visualization solutions ... "

Saffron is Cool Vendor

I have mentioned Saffron Technology a number of times in this blog. Visited them first about four years ago and have had recent conversations. An announcement today: ' ... a privately held data analytics software firm providing Experience Management solutions for business and government, today announced that it has been selected by Gartner, Inc. analysts as one of its “Cool Vendors in Information Infrastructure for Enterprise Information Management, 2010.... '.

TweetDive Launched

Of interest, a good practical example of associative memories:

" ... Saffron's launch of Tweetdive, an open-source demo app showing how associative memory technology works. Interestingly, TweetDive uses the world of live Twitter feeds as a data source, and illustrates how the "Experience" (memories) in the data can establish connections, analogies and trends fromTweets about a given subject area ... "

Complete news release.
-

On Associative Memory

Good overview on associative memories. We tested these during our AI days and talked to a number of vendors. The hope was that they could include some of the structure of the knowledge in the memory itself. Plus to utilize increasing hardware parallelism. What was called 'case-based reasoning' tried to take advantage of the idea at the knowledge level. At the time they did not provide much additional value, but their time may be approaching.