Harnessing Big Data to Improve Healthcare

One of the top ten medical breakthroughs expected in 2012 is Harnessing Big Data to Improve Healthcare.

As Trustee of the Board at X PRIZE Foundation, I am focused on finding entrepreneurial solutions to address the global challenges in education, poverty, agriculture, health, and clean water. With so much data in the world of cyberspace, it only makes sense that we begin to innovate and make use of it in the medical field.

That’s why I jump-started Digital Doctor, an incentive-based prize challenge that will improve access to better healthcare through artificial intelligence. The idea is to get Digital Doctor medical diagnosis technology on an Android tablet in places where there is no medical care. It could be used by someone to diagnose the most-common diseases. It could impact billions of lives and allow people to build a business around the diagnosing ailments in remote areas.

If we apply entrepreneurship to the medical field, the opportunities and benefits are endless. We can mine medical data to curb medical mistakes, decrease unnecessary treatments, lower healthcare costs and bring treatment to the poorest in world who don’t have proper access to healthcare.

3D Printers and The Disappearance of Economies of Scale

One of the biggest hurdles an entrepreneur faces when considering entering the marketplace is whether production of the product can be scaled to be accessible to the largest amount of consumers. There are lots of factors when considering scalability, many of those being production costs. For example, time of manufacture, materials, and labor all contribute to the inherent costs of entering the market. All those costs considered, it’s easy to see why many would-be entrepreneurs are hesitant to move forward with their ideas. But with costs for both equipment and materials decreasing, 3D printers are becoming more accessible than ever before, and hold the key to removing the barriers that stop entrepreneurs from bringing their ideas to market. Also known as “additive” manufacturing, 3D printing deposits layers of 3D ‘ink’ in thin layers until an object appears. This process allows for faster prototyping and versioning while using less raw material. By reducing material waste and the need for a sizable labor force, costs can be lowered to a point where entrepreneurs no longer have to produce vast quantities to recoup their costs. What this means is that entrepreneurs can bring products that have gone through more versioning and refinement to market at lower cost faster. And that is the promise of 3D printing. Much in the same way that the advent of computers changed modes and scales of production, 3D printing will bring about change in the what, how, and who of the marketplace. As technology improves and costs of entry decrease, an environment develops where more individuals have access to becoming producers. In turn, it is inevitable that through competition better products will be available at lower costs to consumers, which widens the circle of those who are able to take part in the marketplace. As this cycle can only continue, it brings the market in to range for more people across the globe, making 3D printing a truly democratic technology.

A New Definition of Personal Identity and Power

This is such an exciting time to be alive. The emergence of social media tools has given each of us the power to become a global brand. Never before has technology put so much global reach into our personal grasp. The rise of the social consumer is converging amidst tremendous societal changes that directly impact the information and content available about each of us online. We have become our own brands in today’s world and that requires each of us to create and manage our online personal identities.

It is remarkable to think how much our personal power has grown thanks to innovations in technology and the role of social media. Back when I was 25, working at a top software company, my personal power was limited to whatever ability I had to make an impact at the office or in a meeting. I was making patent filings by mail – and while I believed I was at the epicenter of innovation and change, I had a lot to learn I would come to find out.

Now when I look at social technology and the creator economy that’s emerging as a result, I am fascinated by the new heights we are reaching in personal identity and personal power.

Almost everyone is participating in or consuming one social forum or another. Blogs, social games, online video, Facebook, Twitter and even voting on top entertainment like “American Idol” are making all of us active creators in an increasingly social world.

This newfound personal power combined with the reach of social technology has become a change agent that impacts millions of lives. What I find amazing is that social media is not just being used as a reporting tool, but rather a conduit to foster actual positive social change. Great innovations are coming from social media and I am thrilled by the advancements that are affecting positive change in the world.

This is why I’m on a mission to give individuals the knowledge and insights they need to take back control of their personal online brands. The power to control one’s online personal identity, or as I call it “Odentity,” is going through a rapid transformation that presents new challenges – and opportunities.  If you are not managing your online personal identity, someone else can and will.

In every walk of life – from personal to professional – it is critical for people to manage their reputations to land the best jobs, engage with potential partners and present themselves well to new friends and associates. As individuals are given greater control of how they are presented online, the balance of power shifts greatly in their favor.

Why Your Child Won’t Be a Scientist (and What You Can Do About It)

Credit: niu.edu

Research shows low numbers of youth who are engaged in the sciences and the need for increased attention to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education. With the release of a report from the Department of Commerce announcing that STEM jobs grew at three times the rate of non-STEM jobs, and offer higher pay, the fact that there is such a low interest in STEM is an interesting conundrum. If STEM careers are high-paying, and more available, why aren’t we creating more scientists?

According to an urban education expert, here are five major reasons for why youth are not likely to have careers in the STEM disciplines, and what we can do about it:

1) We have instilled the phrase “I’m not good at math or science” into a new generation.
2) Science is taught in a way that is opposite to what it truly is.
3) Science has lost the “cool factor” and kids have no “science heroes.”
4) We don’t focus on current issues in the discipline.
5) Good grades in science will not make you a scientist.
Read the full article here.

Young Entrepreneur’s New Take on the Credit Card

An Iowa startup called Dwolla has come up with an innovative new way to deal with online payments that sidesteps credit cards completely. The 28 year old who started the company has no finance background, yet his little operation is moving about $350 million per year. In the founder’s words, “Ultimately we’re trying to build the next Visa, not the next PayPal.  We’re building a human network based on how we think the future of payments will work. The current model needs to be blown up.”

Read the interview with the founder here.

The Moon As We Know It

credit: Roscosmos

As our closest cosmic neighbor, and the Earth’s only natural satellite, the moon has long been a symbol of mystery and intrigue. Spacecraft have been studying the moon for nearly 50 years, and lunar exploration has been an important benchmark in our nation’s history. But, there is still much to learn, and many more questions to answer. Currently, NASA’s only active mission at the moon is the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which launched in June 2009.  From Space.com, this slideshow gives us a look at the moon as we know it : click here for slideshow.

Study Shows Brain Gene Activity Changes Throughout Life

By charting the brain’s genetic activity from before birth to old age, studies reveal that the brain continually remodels itself in predictable ways throughout life. In addition to uncovering details of how the brain grows and ages, the results may help scientists better understand what goes awry in brain disorders such as schizophrenia and autism. What’s more, the differences in gene behavior between male and female brains were greatest at early stages of development.

Read more here.