Big proactive in Japan. Personal agents keep you on your toes. DoCoMo video.

KEY MOBILE TRENDS: big proactive, personal agents, proactive, ODLs, lifelogging, wearables, voice input.
EVENT HORIZON: two years.

Proactive is where it's at. Stay one step ahead.

Sensors are enabling the era of [Web 2.0]2.0: The next generation of user-generated content will be embedded deep inside ecosystems. Get ready.

UGC is being raised to the next level:
it's web-two-dot-oh-two-dot-oh.

KEY MOBILE TRENDS: sensors, sensor fusion, monetization, sensor-generated data, big data, big proactive, well-being, ubiquitous computing


[Web 2.0]^2.0: get ready to spot a new generation of business opportunities in sensor-generated data.

Wikis, blogs, microblogs, video blogs, social networking, iReporting, more. Web 2.0 has been about the fantastic enablement of consumers to move beyond simple content consumption to personal content creation. Now, thanks to a new class of gadgets and services being rolled out, user-generated content is being taken a step further with the auto collection, storage, and on-going analysis of personal-metric information. Web 2.0 is reaching its own second generation. I'll call it [Web 2.0]^2.0.

Last month I speculated that a potential wearable device from Apple such as a watch would be more about the collection of data than the display of information. Such conjecture is not without supporting evidence. Three years ago, Apple hired a leading expert in wearable computing technologies, Richard DeVaul, who co-founded a company called AWare Technologies which was developing fitness-related products. Mr. DeVaul has described himself as “an expert in signal processing and real-time statistical classification techniques.” While at MIT, Mr. DeVaul researched the implementation of sensors in wearable devices and the potential use of the collected data to predict and guide behavior. So, given Apple's active interest in the area together with patents filed, the surprise would be if nothing like an iWatch hits the market soon.

Some fantastic fortunes have been around Web 2.0 services during the past decade. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Flickr are some obvious examples which have led to the creation of unbelievable wealth and changed user behavior. So, we should not be surprised to see a new gold rush in mining the next level of consumer data as device makers, app developers, and web service providers introduce business models to leverage this detailed layer of personal information.

None of this is happening out of the blue. Sensor-based data is already used by Foursquare, Endomondo, Polar, Flickr, and Google's Latitude to add contextual and ambient information to content and to track behavior over time. But the number of sensors and thus the amount of detailed data will be growing at near exponential rates during the coming decade if consumers show the interest. One thing I have learned during my career is that consumers are always the biggest unknown variable in any market equation. But if the potential players can demonstrate to their audience that sophisticated analytics can really qualify this personal data, then demand and usage will follow.

But who owns the data and analytical results?

As hardware becomes more commoditized over the coming years, consumer data such as health and well-being information will become an increasingly important part of the mobile value chain and provide an opportunity for increased stickiness or complete lock-in.

As I postulated in early March, Apple's wearable-computing strategy could be about reinforcing its existing walled-garden approach with such highly personalized and extremely valuable data collected from a series of devices over a period of years. Advanced APIs are being developed for iOS and other platforms to leverage the value of auto-generated, sensor-based data to provide the user "observations of daily living." Expect mobile ecosystems to adjust and evolve rapidly to enable sophisticated ODLs and proactive recommendations for behavior modification.

Open standards are being developed to support the interoperability of personal health records, but it's said that one of the best things about standards is that there are so many to choose from. Enabling consumers to easily port fitness data from one ecosystem to another might not be in the interest of some leading industry players which would prefer to develop their own data formats or back their own proposed standards.

Openness does have some momentum behind it at this early stage. Microsoft's HealthVault, for example, supports a variety of standards-defined healthcare record formats, and many devices currently on the market such as Fitbit Trackers, Withings Wi-Fi Scale, Polar watches, and many mobile apps already work with HealthVault and other free record-storage services using standards-defined record formats.

As consumer-generated content gets switched to autopilot, [Web 2.0]^2.0 will provide industry players a second chance to get in on a new ground floor. Opportunities like this come along every decade or so and usually require a series of flops before that one big hit sparks something real. And when that killer device does arrive, you can expect a plethora of life-tracking products and partnerships to hit the headlines as the mad scramble begins.

At the moment we are still in a state of sensor fusion confusion. Consumer desires and monetization are the unknowns. But I'm certain that some vendor will soon come along and lead by example with real clarity and purpose to this data. It's time to get a move on.

Microsoft's HealthVault: like money in the bank? Health and well-being records could become a valuable currency if the analytics are done right.

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Smartphone cameras can take your pulse

STORY >>


KEY MOBILE TREND: healthcare

Front-facing cameras moonlight as healthcare monitors. It seems like everybody has a few jobs these days.

While there are existing apps for smartphones that use the device's camera to read a person's pulse on a fingertip, this is the first I've heard of such passive reading of blood flow in the face.



Read more: http://technology.inquirer.net/23943/japans-fujitsu-says-smartphones-can-take-your-pulse#ixzz2NvGGYNFO
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( Photo via Inquirer.net )

Samsung S Health accessories. Samsung's Sensor fusion play.

TECH RADAR STORY >>

KEY MOBILE TRENDS: mobile health, sensor fusion, sensors, big data, big proactive, wearable computing

Last week I wrote a blog entry about my take on a potential wrist-worn device from Apple (please see "An Apple watch could be a genius big-data play"). It's complete conjecture on my part, but I see that any such device would be just as much about collecting information as providing it.

I have no detailed comments to share on Samsung's Galaxy S4 which was unveiled yesterday. The vendor showed off a series of evolutionary new features which anyone following the latest trends would have expected. A 1080p, 5-inch screen, eye-tracking, wireless charging, NFC... Samsung ticked off all the right boxes for a 2013 flagship device.

But the more interesting development wasn't in the device itself but what was happening around it. Samsung also introduced a series of health-related accessories which will work with the device and its "S health" software. The accessories included a scale, a heart-rate monitor, and an "S band" similar to the Fitbit or Nike's FuelBand. These accessories collect and feed info to the smartphone for further processing and storing. The data allows users to see journals over time.

Vendors of smartphones should be aware that opportunities are growing outside of the box and beyond the screen. Sensor fusion is no illusion.

Nintendo Wii Fit, eat your heart out.

It looks like Samsung got the jump on Apple in sensor fusion:
Images via GSM Arena & CNET:


Video via Laptop Mag:

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For those looking to network with Chinese mobile players and understand the market: the kind producers of the Global Mobile Internet Conference 2013 and the extended "G-Trip" contacted me to share a 25% discount code with any readers who might wish to attend. You can register your attendance at http://beijing.thegmic.com/register/ and paste in the following code into the "discount code" section: GMIC-VQ9596MT GWIC 2013. Be there. And see see Tiananmen Square.

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Ingestible sensors? It's a tough pill to swallow, but it's true.

story via SPRINGWISE >>

PRODUCT VENDOR WEBSITE >>

KEY MOBILE TRENDS: mobile health, sensors

Talk about sensor fusion. Now sensors will enable you to discover your innermost feelings.

More pill signals connected to mobile health. What a day. A company called Proteus Digital Health has introduced something called the "Feedback System," which includes a wearable patch for collecting information, and an ingestible sensor, which the company says is the size of a grain of sand.

The sensor reports biorhythms such as heart rate, temperature, activity and rest patterns it collects internally to the patch which in turn connects to a smartphone for further uploading and analysis.

Sensors will let you get to know yourself inside and out. (No word on pricing or availability from the company.)

The internet of pills. New high-tech pillboxes are very smart, very proactive, and very well connected.

via MOBIHEALTH >>

KEY TRENDS: mobile healthcare, big proactive, internet of things

Internet-connected pillboxes. Of course.

I came across an interesting article at the very useful Mobihealthnews site about the growing number of connected pillboxes and pillbox caps available on the market. I must say: this is truly a pragmatic use of connecting things.

Here is one product example: GlowCap from a company called Vitality, glows orange as a reminder when it is time to take medication and can also make a chirping sound and even send out updates via e-mail, texts, or make a robocall. Apparently it can be very tenacious.

GlowCap also tracks use over time in a journal and can even connect automatically with the pharmacist when it is time for a prescription refill. GlowCap retails for a reasonable $10 to $75 or so in the U.S. but it does require an on-going service plan which costs $15 per month. That's a nice recurring revenue stream for several players, and does appear a bit costly at first. However, the value of the service could be well worth it for certain demographics.

Here is a case where the internet of things can really be just what the doctor ordered. I don't want to seem like a pill pusher here, but this can really be an interesting device + service for some.

GlowCap® Medication Reminder Kit by Vitality:
Price is around $60 in the U.S. are major retailers.

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For those looking to network with Chinese mobile players and understand the market: the kind producers of the Global Mobile Internet Conference 2013 and the extended "G-Trip" contacted me to share a 25% discount code with any readers who might wish to attend. You can register your attendance at http://beijing.thegmic.com/register/ and paste in the following code into the "discount code" section: GMIC-VQ9596MT

GWIC 2013. Be there. And see see Tiananmen Square.

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Scanadu. Star Trek Tricorder-like device headed this way.

COMPANY WEBSITE >>

KEY TRENDS: healthcare, big data, big proactive, wearable computing, sensors

Product tagline: "Sending your smartphone to med school."

Some nice visions here. Perhaps a touch of vapor as real products won't hit the market until the end of the year. But it sure is high time we learn a bit more about ourselves. Something to keep an eye on. Scanadu.

Big data in Louisville. Asthma stats are collected at the real-time, hyper-local level.

KEY TRENDS: big data, big proactive, mobile healthcare

Using large amounts of data to pinpoint problems to the hyper-local is part of the fantastic potential of big data. Data can be used to both proactively warn of immediate health concerns as well as discover causes and solutions over longer periods of time.

Here's a project backed by IBM in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, using a pool of data collected at the individual level from asthma sufferers.

The long-term potential here is fantastic. There's really something big in the air now.

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For those looking to network with Chinese mobile players and understand the market: the kind producers of the Global Mobile Internet Conference 2013 and the extended "G-Trip" contacted me to share a 25% discount code with any readers who might wish to attend. You can register your attendance at http://beijing.thegmic.com/register/ and paste in the following code into the "discount code" section: GMIC-VQ9596MT

GWIC. Be there. And see see Tiananmen Square.

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An Apple watch could be a genius big-data play. Time will tell but the potential is there.

ARS TECHNICA STORY >>

TRENDS TO NOTE: wearable computing, big data, sensor fusion, smartwatches.

An Apple watch? It seems like this prediction has been made several times before. But you know what they say about a broken clock...

Mobile watch accessories have been around for almost a decade. Back in 2006, Sony Ericsson together with Fossil introduced a sleek Bluetooth watch. It acted as a companion to Sony Ericsson handsets providing the bearer with some basic connectivity back to the phone. And Microsoft and partners brought out a series of "SPOT" connected watches around the same time. Despite many good efforts, there was little sincere consumer interest.

But smartwatches and fitness bands have become a resuscitated trend over the past year. (Please see the related smartwatch signals on my blog here.) Sony, Motorola, Jawbone, Nike, and others have introduced clever wrist-worn devices to keep users connected to their devices and to their bodies.

Now it looks like Apple is about to join in (beyond the nano that is). Some possible product leaks out of Apple are consistent and solid, and it is known that Apple has been gathering the talent to make a market for wearable computing products. So, will Apple be the company which gets the watch accessory spot on?

There is interesting speculation about Apple's implementation of extra sensors in such a device. I could imagine that an advanced wrist-worn computer could constantly collect information such as blood pressure, pulse/heart rate, body temperature, stress levels, and possibly sleep patterns. By combining such data with info from environmental sensors such as accelerometers, thermometers, barometers, altimeters, GPS receivers, air-quality sensors, and of course time & date could lead to a collection of vast amounts of correlated information. And it is exactly this sort of sensor fusion that big data is all about.

Apple has made stickiness an art form. And in an age of increased product commoditization, holding on tightly and fighting portability has been a very smart strategy to fight substitute products. [Americans would know this as the "Roach Motel" approach.] Apple could now be working on bringing more consumer content inside its walled garden: years' worth of data about a user's body, exercise patterns, and environmental exposure. This would be an extremely valuable addition to Apple's vault of bits and bytes.

Smartphones have become flat, dull, look-alike devices. Wearable accessories and big data are two trends that could break the monotony in the coming years. Just look at what Google is doing with Glass. Smartphone vendors would be wise to chime in before it's too late.


HP's Mobile Health blood pressure Monitoring Solution:
Constantly feeds info to the cloud on a patient's vitals.

More "big proactive." Stressing big data with the Neumitra Bandu. This watch collects stress data and advises.

via Ecouterre >>

Neumitra COMPANY WEBSITE >>

Here is another good example of using big data for the power of good. The Bandu from a Bostn-based startup called Neumitra is a watch which has sensors which are able to collect info from the body about stress levels. The data is then uploaded to the cloud where it is stored and analyzed on an on-going basis. The service provides feedback on relaxation and also has a location-based element as it layers stress on the map.

So please take five and watch the Bandu video to get a better understanding.

iTube: mobile food allergen detector. I heart the potential of sensors + big data + clever algorithms.

GIZMAG STORY >>

Facebook tells us about old friends we may want to get back in touch with. LinkedIn tells us about jobs we may be interested in. Amazon tells us about books we may like. YouTube tells us about videos we may be interested in seeing. The supermarket even prints out customized coupons for ice cream I might be interested in trying. All this without asking.

For the most part, I find that such proactive marketing is rather helpful and amazingly accurate. But this shouldn't be surprising: there is a lot of big data and clever algorithms behind each notification.

And the potential for combining big data with proactive notification is just beginning. Let's call what we'll be seeing in the near future "big proactive." There will be more proactivity concerning individual healthcare and well-being as a history of data compiled from sensors overtime will calculate risks of disease. Sensors know the when, the what, the where, the weather. And going forward they will sniff out problems with our bodies and the air around us. Sensors will even be checking our food.

Here's an interesting project done at the University of California, Los Angeles called "iTube" which uses sensors to turn a smartphone into an allergen detector. By detecting food allergens such as gluten, peanuts and eggs, the smartphone can act to warn users of potential food risks.

I'm positive that sensors and big data will be big moving forward.