Cities are finding useful ways of handling a torrent of data | The Economist Many cities around the country are accumulating data faster than they know what to do with. One approach is to give them to the public. For example, San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago are or soon will be sharing the grades that health inspectors give to restaurants with an online restaurant directory.

Cities are finding useful ways of handling a torrent of data | The Economist

Many cities around the country are accumulating data faster than they know what to do with. One approach is to give them to the public. For example, San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago are or soon will be sharing the grades that health inspectors give to restaurants with an online restaurant directory.

Permalink

Predicting crime with 21st century tools and experience | SmartPlanet Law enforcement has been built on a core tenant: Bad guys break the law and good guys try to catch them. It’s a pretty basic, but effective approach especially when you consider that law enforcement agencies continue to see reductions in crime. The challenge is that this approach continues to prove that it’s time consuming and expensive. But what if law enforcement agencies were able to prevent crime all together? Well, maybe not all together, but put a significant dent in preventing crime … in other words, predictive policing.

Predicting crime with 21st century tools and experience | SmartPlanet

Law enforcement has been built on a core tenant: Bad guys break the law and good guys try to catch them. It’s a pretty basic, but effective approach especially when you consider that law enforcement agencies continue to see reductions in crime. The challenge is that this approach continues to prove that it’s time consuming and expensive.

But what if law enforcement agencies were able to prevent crime all together? Well, maybe not all together, but put a significant dent in preventing crime … in other words, predictive policing.

Permalink

World Water Day: IBM Launches WaterWatchers Mobile App in South Africa | A Smarter Planet Blog South Africa suffers from a critical water problem. It’s one of the driest places on earth, with average annual rainfall of just 45.7 cm, half the global number. South Africa ranks 148 out of 180 countries for water availability per capita, according to the United Nations World Water Development Report 2012. At the same time, in South African municipalities, an average of 37% of the water pushed through public water systems is lost via leaks or pilferage.  WaterWatchers takes advantage of the rapid spread of mobile phones in South Africa, where just about every adult now owns a hand set. Using the application, people take photos and answer three simple questions about water problems they observe. Then they SMS the information to a central database. All of the messages are stored and analyzed to help municipal authorities spot problems, dispatch repair crews and set maintenance  priorities.

World Water Day: IBM Launches WaterWatchers Mobile App in South Africa | A Smarter Planet Blog

South Africa suffers from a critical water problem. It’s one of the driest places on earth, with average annual rainfall of just 45.7 cm, half the global number. South Africa ranks 148 out of 180 countries for water availability per capita, according to the United Nations World Water Development Report 2012. At the same time, in South African municipalities, an average of 37% of the water pushed through public water systems is lost via leaks or pilferage. 

WaterWatchers takes advantage of the rapid spread of mobile phones in South Africa, where just about every adult now owns a hand set. Using the application, people take photos and answer three simple questions about water problems they observe. Then they SMS the information to a central database. All of the messages are stored and analyzed to help municipal authorities spot problems, dispatch repair crews and set maintenance  priorities.

Permalink

How Big Data Can Boost Weather Forecasting | Smarter Planet Blog Last September, when Typhoon Sanba smashed into the Korean peninsula, it packed winds so strong that they sent rocks flying through the air like missiles and caused massive power outages. Increasing evidence of climate change worldwide is prompting governments and scientists to take action to protect people and property from its effects.  IBM Research scientists are taking the lead in bringing the most sophisticated data analytics to bear on weather forecasting. Their long-term weather analysis project, called Deep Thunder, combines data with sophisticated mathematical algorithms and  computing power.

How Big Data Can Boost Weather Forecasting | Smarter Planet Blog

Last September, when Typhoon Sanba smashed into the Korean peninsula, it packed winds so strong that they sent rocks flying through the air like missiles and caused massive power outages.

Increasing evidence of climate change worldwide is prompting governments and scientists to take action to protect people and property from its effects. 

IBM Research scientists are taking the lead in bringing the most sophisticated data analytics to bear on weather forecasting. Their long-term weather analysis project, called Deep Thunder, combines data with sophisticated mathematical algorithms and  computing power.

Permalink

Using analytics to fight crime before it happens A decade ago, crime in Memphis trended above record highs. The Memphis Police Department developed an analytics platform that created multilayer maps and spreadsheets to systematically identify and verify patterns of criminal activity. That helped the Precinct Commanders focus resources in hotspots on the right days of the week at the right time of day. Visualizing these patterns enhanced officers’ long-standing knowledge about where, when and how violent crime takes place. The police department changed its patrolling strategy as a result— and reduced crime by 24 percent.

Using analytics to fight crime before it happens

A decade ago, crime in Memphis trended above record highs. The Memphis Police Department developed an analytics platform that created multilayer maps and spreadsheets to systematically identify and verify patterns of criminal activity. That helped the Precinct Commanders focus resources in hotspots on the right days of the week at the right time of day. Visualizing these patterns enhanced officers’ long-standing knowledge about where, when and how violent crime takes place. The police department changed its patrolling strategy as a result— and reduced crime by 24 percent.

Permalink