2 Assignments - Each 200 + Words Each - 12 Hours Max to Max

Chapter 2

IBM Watson Wins Jeopardy

IBM Watson: The Science Behind an Answer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DywO4zksfXw

This video breaks down how Watson answers a Jeopardy question in four steps. Since Jeopardy questions are open-domain, Watson must absorb lots of information. In step 1, Watson parses the speech used in the question in order to know what type of question is asking and what the question is asking for. In step 2, Watson searches through hundreds of millions of documents to come up with thousands of possible answers and narrow it down from there. In step 3, Watson collects positive and negative evidence for all the remaining possible answers it decides to keep. Scoring algorithms then rate the quality of evidence based on everything from source materials reliability to whether the time and location appear correct. Since hundreds of answers are still left, thousands of scoring algorithms work in parallel to score each one of them in a matter of seconds. In step 4, Watson learns how to weigh and apply the degree to which each piece of evidence is useful or not in order to rank the highest ranking answers. Watson estimates its confidence as to whether or not its top answer along with every other possible answer possibility is correct. If Watson’s confidence for its top answer is low (less than 50%), Watson will not buzz in. IBM is hoping to use the same technology that helps Watson answer a Jeopardy question to be applied to other industries like healthcare and retail where people are using information to help them make better decisions.

Popular iPad Business Applications

Apple - iPad in Business - Profiles - Hospital Corporation of America http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPZWCpIlEBo

Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), the largest U.S. healthcare provider, uses the iPad to help take care of patients. The iPad provides physicians with information of the point of care even when they are not in the hospital and make the appropriate decisions that affect patient care. For example, cardiologists can monitor their patients through apps, which will give the cardiologist the ability to make a quick, accurate decision. Other functions that the iPad can serve include showing patients depictions of anatomy that can help patient make important decisions regarding their care.

Google Docs: Applications and Challenges

Google Docs in Plain English

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRqUE6IHTEA

Google Docs allows for employees to collaborate with each other wherever they are. Google Docs includes web-based tools like documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and web forms. Google Docs can be accessed from any web-enabled device and across different operating systems. Collaboration on Google Docs can be seen in real-time as multiple people are

collaborating on something together. Google Docs is particularly effective if different people are collaborating on a document from multiple places. Any files can also be uploaded within Google Docs (i.e. pictures, videos, and PDFs).

Touchless Computing: The New Paradigm in User System Interface

Introducing the Leap Motion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d6KuiuteIA

Leap Motion provides the technology for users to make actions on their computer screen without the use of a mouse or keyboard. Such actions can be achieved through the use of a user’s hand and finger movements.

Ubiquitous Computing

The Future of Wearable Technology | Off Book | PBS Digital Studios http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qFW4zwXzLs

Wearable technology like Google Glass is not something that disrupts human interaction, but rather augments it. Wearable technology can be used in healthcare, where people can keep track of an aspect of a person’s health (i.e. wearing a headband that can keep track of a person’s brain activity in order to find out how much time and at what time a person was losing sleep at night). Do It Yourself (DIY) wearables have also been created such as a backpack that has LED lights on it, which can indicate turn signals and break lights for a motorcyclist.