Exploring Data Visually in Virtual Reality

This has been long time thread here.  We explored the use of VR and Augmented reality to create environments for understanding complex data.

The image at the right shows an example of linking visualized data into a virtual reality space.   Never clearly successful,  but continue to monitor.  Here, new examinations of the use of current virtual reality hardware and software.

Cortana and Power BI, Together

Have not looked at this yet, but like the idea of introducing a voice and natural language interaction with business visualization.  Probably not for building anything than the simplest examples, but better for interacting with data selection and visuals.   Will be taking a closer look.   In Information week: 

It is interesting that when I ask Cortana: 'Tell me about Power BI', she does not have any overview about the connection.

" ... Microsoft is making the connection between Cortana and Power BI available for public preview starting Dec. 1.

Microsoft is giving Cortana an upgrade with Power BI integration. The digital assistant's new capabilities are available for public preview starting Dec. 1.

The connection between Cortana and Power BI is intended to help generate insights on business data. Cortana serves as an interface for users to ask questions about information stored in Power BI. ... " 

Moments of Truth

As I understand it,  the concept of commercial 'moment of truth'  was invented by my former enterprise in conjunction with consultants.    I remember hearing it for the first time in an innovation meeting and thinking:  'too simplistic'.    It later became a constantly used phrase.   I became convinced that it was useful to provide a very broad classification like this,  as long as you were quick to identify the inherent complexity as well.  In e-Commerce Times.

Big Data at NASA

Bernard Marr at DSC looks at big data examples at NASA.  Instructive.   Some of the best examples have come from sensor rich big science examples.    Also indicates what  'big' really means and how it can be mined later in storage.

Market Research and Digital

Transforming market research with digital and social analytics 
With people increasingly living their lives online, an enormous amount of information about them is already "out there," replacing much of the traditional need for surveys, according to Larry Friedman, the recently-retired chief research officer for TNS in North America. Do you see digital/social data complementing, replacing or going beyond surveys? .... "

Smart Mirrors

A long time augmented reality challenge.  Use a mirror with embedded display to interact with consumers.  In the store and at home.  We experimented with the idea a number of times without great success.  Here an example that is at the edge of privacy too.

Implanted Brain Chips

In the CACM:  A long considered possibility.   But we don't yet know how to link the wiring directly.  But can w use some of the thoughts of Eagleman to create alternate senses to provide a new kind of brain machine interface?

Kroger will Provide e-Commerce Options

This makes sense.  Provide all the possible options.

Kroger would answer demand for more e-commerce options, execs say 

Kroger would consider adding grocery delivery to its e-commerce options if there is consumer demand for the service and shoppers are willing to pay for it, Kroger Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen said Tuesday. "When a customer decides to interact with Kroger in a particular way, we want to be sure we offer that option," Kroger's Chief Financial Officer Mike Schlotman said. Currently, the retailer offers a click-and-collect service in five markets and home delivery in one. .. " 

Implications of Management by Algorithm

I am thinking that that this will start to increase.  People are a most expensive and valuable resource.  Imagine the process, resources and constraints being integrated and managed by the system.   Now how do people react to the manager algorithm?   And as the article suggests, some coming regulatory influences.

In CACM: Uber and Lyft's automated management systems establish new dynamics between workers and their bosses that should garner regulatory attention, according to researchers with the nonprofit Data & Society.

Drivers contracted by Uber or Lyft are typically required to meet a human when they first sign up, and afterwards they interact with an automated management system mainly accessed by a mobile app. When a driver is logged in, the app allocates pickup requests from people nearby, and the system assigns feedback by tracking the proportion of pickups a driver accepts and averaging the rating passengers give their driver following a ride. Drivers can be penalized for not accepting enough rides or for low ratings. Moreover, they have an incentive to work at particular times, or in particular places, by surge pricing that provisionally elevates fares. ... ." 

UX Design and Physical Retail

We built full scale physical retail labs to address and test this.

Will UX methodologies bolster retail's brick & mortar future?
By Ken Lonyai    

With the never ending concern over the ever changing role of brick & mortar retail and debates on how retailers can stay relevant in a world of continued e-commerce growth and rapidly ramping m-commerce adoption, a lesson from the user experience (UX) designer's playbook provides guidance to more engaging and fruitful consumer shopping experiences ahead. ... " 

See also the comments.

Cisco and Ericsson Hook Up for IoT

This looks of interest, experts in the network space.

Cisco and Ericsson Hook Up for IoT Networks
 Cisco and Ericsson on ...  announced a partnership to build out a next-generation network for smart things and the carriers and enterprises that want to support such devices.
The deal plays to the companies' strengths in cloud, data center, mobility, management and control, networking, routing and global services, they said. ... "     By Quinten Plummer

And more in TechCrunch.

What is Employee Engagement?

In the HBR.   Definitions, expectations of results?   " ... This holistic approach to understanding engagement will yield more-detailed insights into what makes people stick around and do their best work. Instead of viewing engagement in terms of low, medium, and high, organizations will be able to understand how employees perceive them, how that perception relates to their behavior, and in aggregate, how those factors drive bottom-line performance. If organizations don’t dig deep like this, they risk misunderstanding their employees and missing out on all the benefits of high engagement. ...  "

Stockholm as a Startup Unicorn Factory

In K@W:  The examples are interesting, some surprising to me.

" ... What do Silicon Valley and Stockholm have in common? Spawning billion-dollar tech companies. After Silicon Valley, the Swedish capital produces the highest number of so-called “unicorns” per capita than any other global city. With a population of less than 900,000, Stockholm has birthed prolific global brands like Skype, Spotify, Minecraft and Candy Crush Saga. In fact, American interactive entertainment firm Activision Blizzard has just purchased the makers of Candy Crush Saga for $5.9 billion. ... " 

Become a Watson Analytics Expert

Gives you a good introduction about how this all works.  Non technical.  By Francis Hall:

" ... Watson Analytics is a tool that’s been designed for business users. It’s not technical; you don’t need any prior knowledge of data science or statistics to start gaining actionable insights from your data, all that’s required is a sound knowledge of your business, and a certain level of curiosity. By the way, it’s free to sign up for and use (not just a timed trial) – you can sign up and get started today here. 

There’s more to Watson Analytics than may appear at first glance. I hope the following tips will help take you to the next level in your analysis. ... " 

Try it for free.

Data Science from Scratch

Very nice intro to Data Science,  Only moderately technical.  Covers a number of the most important concepts very well.  Also instructional Python examples.

Data Science from Scratch: First Principles with Python 1st Edition
by Joel Grus  (Google)

" ... Data science libraries, frameworks, modules, and toolkits are great for doing data science, but they’re also a good way to dive into the discipline without actually understanding data science. In this book, you’ll learn how many of the most fundamental data science tools and algorithms work by implementing them from scratch.

If you have an aptitude for mathematics and some programming skills, author Joel Grus will help you get comfortable with the math and statistics at the core of data science, and with hacking skills you need to get started as a data scientist. Today’s messy glut of data holds answers to questions no one’s even thought to ask. This book provides you with the know-how to dig those answers out. .... " 

Amazon Fulfillment Robotics

On Amazon Fulfillment robotics.   Note in particular the augmentation and cooperation with.  This makes robots better unit resources.

In Wired: " ... Amazon’s robots were invented by a company called Kiva Systems, which Amazon acquired for $775 million back in 2012. With Kiva locked down, a new player wants to give smaller online retail rivals just a bit of that robotic advantage. Locus Robotics is an offshoot of Massachusetts-based Quiet Logistics, a third-party order fulfillment company that gets merchandise out the door for big apparel retailers like Zara, Gilt Groupe, and Bonobos. And the idea behind its bots isn’t just to replace humans, but to create a system where everyone can work together more efficiently. ... " 

Progress and Challenges in Interactive Cognitive Systems

CSIG presentation today:

" ... Pat Langley, Professor of Computer Science at the University of Auckland and as Director of the Institute for the Study of Learning and Expertise.  Pat presented “Progress and Challenges in Interactive Cognitive Systems.”      Slides here.

  A link to slides (if used) and a recording of each call will be available on the CSIG website http://cognitive-science.info/community/weekly-update/  .

We encourage those who join the calls to add questions and comments to the https://www.linkedin.com/groups/Cognitive-Systems-Institute-6729452 on LinkedIn  ... "

How AI is Growing Up

True, but the cost of constructing tailored systems is still high,  starting to see automated systems by industry that will change the way we work.   Part of this is driven by more sensors, and thus more data in many contexts.   Another part by faster machines and techniques adapted to these changes.

Thoughts by Tom Davenport and others.  Nontechnical and somewhat simplistic:
How artificial intelligence is growing up    Posted by Ben Rossi
In an increasingly connected world, artificial intelligence has seen exponential growth    ... " 

Future of Work

Good piece with some innovative points.  By Guy Bieber, 2015_11_24

O’Reilly saw a major problem brewing in the workplace and affecting the economy, so they decided to bring people from government, businesses, and organizations together that want to fix these problem. The result was Next:Economy, which this document summarizes. I have re-organized the conference content into 5 groups: State of Work, Business, Education, Government & Policy, and Technology at Work. ... "

Via Jim Spohrer

A Visual History of the Nobel Prize

Nicely done example of what I would call artistic visualization.  Not necessarily useful for interacting with the data.  But does provide some narrative about the data that is surprising.

 " ... Visualized for each laureate are prize category, year the prize was awarded, and age of the recipient at the time, as well as principal academic affiliations and hometown. Each dot represents a Nobel laureate, and each recipient is positioned according to the year the prize was awarded (x axis) and his or her age at the time of the award (y axis). ... "