Chris Raphael

Using predictive software for building energy management usually entails solving an optimization problem–with the main tradeoff being cost versus comfort. One company, BuildingIQ, is having success solving the challenge and is looking to make automated electricity demand response (autoDR) a reality.

Apple already has the iPad, but with the Airstrip and 3D4Medical apps, and a new Watch OS, the company moving beyond consumer wellness and fortifying its position in the healthcare IT market.

Tennis has been slow to offer real-time data, but now a tennis analytics system from SAP lets coaches evaluate patterns in shot placement, break points, unforced errors, and serves, as well as season statistics.

Predictive marketing, a huge business opportunity, takes advantage of Big Data, machine-learning techniques, and analytics to make sales. TIBCO’s chief data scientist walks through a use case of how it works with propensity analysis for a retailer.

Sentiment analysis, or opinion mining, comes with challenges and opportunities in politics and business. One hurdle is understanding why the public is feeling a certain way about a certain phenomenon.

Getting a handle on Big Data using stream processing often involves getting data from disparate sources, then picking and choosing what you want to see. One lesson learned: know what you need.

Opinion mining has been criticized for its accuracy but the field is increasingly ready for prime time. Companies have succeeded in bringing Big Data sentiment analysis to the average user, capturing real-time shifts in public perception. Those shifts have been used to inform marketing, public relations, and investment decisions. Challenges include producing industry-specific analyses and capturing a wider range of emotions.