10:07
If there’s one trend that underpins nearly every topic and post we’ve addressed here on this blog in the past 18 months, it is data. The reason we instrument the world is to generate and collect data. The reason we collect data is to analyze it. The reason to analyze data is to understand better the world around us. And the reason to understand the world around us better is to make decisions that improve that world.
It is all very simple, really, in a linear sort of rationale. The challenge, of course, is the inherent complexity at each of those steps.
Which is where human expertise, computing power and analytical software play a huge role. You can’t create a congestion charging system without software and sensors. You can’t create predictive models to understand the spread of infectious diseases without massive computing power. And you can’t apply it in the context of human behavior without a fundamental understanding of psychology, culture and politics.
Why am I talking about all of this? And what’s it got to do with the video above? If you live in the United States and happen to own a television, you are likely to come across a whole new slate of IBM TV advertising in the coming days that at a very high level does two things: 1) reinforces the point that data is fundamental to creating a Smarter Planet; and 2) highlights just a few of the thousands of IBMers whose day jobs are to think about data on a smarter planet.
Following are a few of the ads you’ll begin to see soon.
Featuring Julia Grace, IBM Researcher working on social and collaborative computing:
Featuring John Cohn, IBM Fellow and “Distinguished Agitator” (and a familiar face here on this blog):
Featuring Jeff Jonas IBM Distinguished Engineer and Chief Scientist, Entity Analytic Solutions, IBM Software Group:
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Guest in
Following is a guest post from Gary Cohen:
Just a little more than a year ago, IBM began a global conversation about the promise of a smarter planet. Since then, we’ve worked with governments and institutions across the world to implement innovative solutions to make companies, industries and cities literally work better.
Yet, the responsibility of building a smarter, more sustainable planet extends well beyond these interactions with a few, select decision-makers. All of us – from parents and teachers to future generations of citizens and leaders – play a part.
Earlier today, IBM and Disney unveiled a new SmarterPlanet exhibit at INNOVENTIONS at Epcot in Orlando, Florida. In exploring this exhibit, millions of Epcot visitors from every corner of the world will understand the individual role they play in creating a smarter planet. When they leave, we hope they are inspired to consider how they can contribute to making the world work better.
The exhibit brings to life the many ways technology is woven into the way we live, work and play. It demonstrates how – by embedding sensors into everyday items – intelligence is being built into things we wouldn’t recognize as computers: our cars, appliances, roadways, power grids, clothes, even natural systems like agriculture and waterways. By connecting these systems and infusing them with intelligence, we can be more efficient, more productive and more sustainable.
The exhibit is powered by a new IBM smart data center that allows visitors to get a behind-the-scenes view of the technology and infrastructure required to address issues like reducing road traffic and city crime or improving food safety and local water supplies.
IBM and Disney have enjoyed a strong partnership for nearly 50 years. I think the reason for this is simple, and it lies in our shared values. IBM’s vision of a smarter planet is driven by our commitment to delivering innovation that matters for the world. That’s not so far afield from the importance that Disney places on Innovation, Community and Optimism. Together, these values speak to a shared sense of hope about what is possible in the world. At the SmarterPlanet exhibit at INNOVENTIONS, we offer visitors a glimpse of what is possible when hopes and ideas meet technological reality.
Gary Cohen is the general manager of IBM’s Communications Sector.
Editor’s note: CNET (among others) has a very nice recap of the exhibition.
Today I am beginning the installation of a solar energy system for my house. The aspect that is different in this system is how I will pay for it. I have thought about solar energy for a long time, however I have never had the appetite to invest the huge up-front cost of the system. When my electricity bill reached a new all-time high this past July here in Los Angeles, I decided to do a little research. With one search of Google using the search terms “solar lease California”, I simply called the first two companies that showed in the search results. I thought that leasing would provide a more attractive financial proposition than purchasing.
After a couple of phone calls to these two companies, I discovered an even more enticing program. I could simply have one of these companies install the system on my house and pay them for the power it generates. I wouldn’t pay for, lease, maintain, nor own the system. They would effectively become another electricity supplier that just happened to reside on my roof. The cash outlay was $1000 to pay for the permits and installation basics. Beyond that I will only pay for the electricity it generates. The cost per unit will be half of what the traditional electric company charges, the price is locked in for eighteen years with them maintaining the equipment, and any extra energy that the system generates that I don’t use, goes back into the grid and I get a refund on my traditional bill. This is a completely turn-key program that I didn’t need to do a thing to participate, including securing the permits, etc. This program sounds pretty good!
So, today the crew began the installation. It will take a few days to get done and then I will be part of a greener community of people around the world! Be sure to talk to the solar energy provider in your area to see if they will offer a similar program.
Now, I need to to convert my cars to hydrogen and them I will truly be the Smarter Consumer!
Please let us know what you’re doing to be a smarter consumer!
Click to listen to podcast: Building a Smarter Planet – Patents
Manny Schecter, IBM Chief Patent Counsel told me that “patents are the currency of innovation.”
Approximately 150,000 U.S. patents are granted to investors each year and for the last 17 years, IBM has received more U.S. patents than any other company in the world. According to IFI Patent Intelligence, in 2009 IBM was issued 4,914 U.S. patents. So IBM is clearly a major player in the world of innovation.
Yet it’s still the case that some don’t know what IBM does. It’s clear based on numbers that IBM is an “innovative” company, sure, but what does IBM invent and why?
What I found out from speaking with Kathryn Guarini and John Gunnels, two IBMers with a number of IBM patents is that, believe it or not, inventors don’t want to spend their time reinventing the wheel to pad their portfolio, they’re looking toward innovation that matters (a company line which I understand better now that I’ve spoken with some true innovators). Guarini, director of Systems and Technology Development for IBM Systems and Technology Group says, “We want to innovate where there is real value. We don’t want to innovate everywhere, all the time.”
Mr. Gunnels is a research scientist in the area of high performance computing. He has worked on several projects and is named on multiple patents related to IBM’s Blue Gene Supercomputer which was awarded the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation in 2009. Blue Gene systems have helped map the human genome, investigate medical therapies, safeguard nuclear arsenals, simulate radioactive decay, simulate brain power, envision financial scenarios, predict weather and climate trends, and identify fossil fuels. And he told me that there have actually been cases where Blue Gene predicts the outcome of an experiment, which were only later verified with an actual experiment.
Several patents have been issued around Blue Gene in 2009, but consider another patent which IBM was issued this year:
U.S. Patent 7,612,655 – “Alarm System for Hearing Impaired Individuals Having Hearing Assistive Implanted Devices”
This patent describes a method for alerting profoundly deaf sleepers to danger, such as fire and carbon monoxide, or to circumstances such as a doorbell, phone call or wakeup alarm. The concept works best for deaf individuals who have cochlear implants. These people typically deactivate their implants when they bathe or sleep for reasons of comfort and safety. They do so by detaching a small device normally worn outside the ear, and which normally functions as a signal transmitter to an implanted component. During sleep or bathing activities, they typically can’t or won’t wear a device that vibrates, nor can they rely on flashing lights to catch their attention. The patented method enables the implanted component to begin buzzing abnormally or stay silent, depending on what occasion for which the user has programmed it to respond.
As an IBMer, it’s a source of job-related pride to see companies like mine investing in something that actually makes a difference for our company and for the world. “Innovation that matters”, not just a catchy slogan or corporate mantra. It is one of our company values. Something we, as IBMers, take pride in and use as inspiration everyday. And I think that the real thing to take away from all the reports on patents and patent leadership is this: a great number of these innovations being patented are helping to make the world safer, cleaner, more efficient and most notably, smarter; for people, societies, and for the world.
To read about more IBM innovations and their impact, see this article from IBM Research.
Posted by
George Faulkner in
As you may have noticed from the last post, IBM’s Sam Palmisano visited the Chatham House stage in London today having delivered a speech titled ‘Welcome to the Decade of Smart.’ Throughout tonight (and over the coming days) we will be posting content and links to images and video from the event here, as they become available.
From the post-event materials being distributed:
On January 12, 2010, Samuel J. Palmisano, IBM Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officers, addressed business and civic leaders at Chatham House in London. In his remarks, he described how forward-thinking leaders in business, government and civil society around the world are capturing the potential of smarter systems to achieve economic growth, near-term efficiency, sustainable development and societal progress.
Links:
Launch a video of the speech: Sam Palmisano at Chatham House
Launch a video of the Q&A from Chatham House: Q&A from Chatham House
Today, Steve Lohr of the New York Times published a brief article about the speech that takes a look at the past year of Smarter Planet work from IBM.
Paul Glader of the Wall Street Journal published an article today as well that examines aspects of IBM’s Smarter Planet initiative.
Posted by
Adam Christensen in
Below are links to full videos from every session of the New York City Smarter Cities event, in order of the agenda. (These are streaming videos, so click the image and it will launch the default player of your browser).
DAY ONE
Sam Palmisano, IBM CEO
Building a Smarter Planet, City by City
Length: 23:28
Michael Bloomberg, Mayor, New York City
Special Address
Length: 24:25
A conversation with Sam Palmisano and Michael Bloomberg, moderated by Dr. Laura Tyson, Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley
Length: 18:14
Ivan Seidenberg, CEO, Verizon Communications
Smarter Cities, Smarter People: Enabling citizens through innovative network technology
Length: 11:17
Melody Barnes, Director, White House Domestic Policy
Partnering for Smarter Cities: The Federal Role in Supporting Local Innovation
Length: 11:30
A conversation with Melody Barnes, Sam Palmisano, Ivan Seidenberg, moderated by Kathryn Wylde, President and CEO, Partnership for New York City.
Length: 30:26
Dr. Denis Cortese, President and CEO, Mayo Clinic
Great Expectations for U.S. Healthcare
Length: 18:08
A conversation with Dr. Denis Cortese and Garrick Utley, president, The Levin Institute, The State University of New York
Length: 22:37
DAY TWO:
Ginni Rometty, senior vice president, IBM
Building a Smarter City
Length: 21:14
Joseph Hogan, CEO, ABB
A Smarter City Needs Smart Power
Length: 14:17
A conversation with Ginni Rometty and Joseph Hogan
Length: 19:18
Culture in the Smarter City. Charlie Rose, Editor and Anchor, Charlie Rose, with Roger Goodell, Commissioner, NFL; Rocco Landesman, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts; Dr. Reynold Levy, president, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts; Glenn Lowry, director, The Museum of Modern Art.
Length: 53:03
Seizing the Opportunity. A panel of mayors, moderated by David Gergen, Harvard University and senior political analyst, CNN, with Mayor Shirley Franklin, Atlanta; Mayor Phil Gordon, Phoenix; Mayor Patrick McCrory, Charlotte; and Mayor Chuck Reed, San Jose.
Length: 47:18
Dr. Fareed Zakaria, editor, Newsweek International
The Leadership Challenge
Length: 10:44
A conversation with Aneesh Chopra, U.S. Chief Technology Officer and Sam Palmisano, moderated by Dr. Fareed Zakaria
Length: 35:39
We try on this blog to stay fairly grounded in technological topics that are affecting the way we live and work today. Theorizing too much on what might be possible in 20 years can sometimes get in the way of what we can actually accomplish today. That said, this is worth the digression. IBM Research announced a fascinating project today with significant implications in how we conduct personalized medicine in the future. I’ll let the researchers behind the science tell the story themselves in the video above. But I’ll posit this one question. Considering what only a few years ago cost $3 billion might soon cost only $1000, what role could inexpensive individual genome sequencing have on personalized medicine?
(Stay tuned in the near future for more on this topic – in particular, the how privacy needs to play a central role in these personal technological advances.)
Posted by
Adam Christensen in
Day 1 of the Smarter Cities Summit is underway right now in New York City. Below is the live conversation. Join in by tagging your tweets with #smartercity, and check back later for an in-depth analysis of Day 1.
Andy illustrates the usage of Twitter right in his private home. The magic of status changes that could be included into a business process or simply help to be informed.
Follow the house on Twitter via: @andy_house or Andy directly via @andysc
(via “Das twitternde Haus” and “School Networking“)
Posted by
Jack Mason in
