I never thought that I would be writing about this so soon. Apparently, the US Government announced an initiative today/yesterday (depending on your location) that they would be pursuing an initiative into 'Big Data' and a form of automated research that I had been exploring in my 'Convergence' document (still working on it if you're wondering). While its certainly not a guarantee of success in this area I believe the implications may be far wider than any of us may ever imagine. Having algorithms which are capable of searching for masses of data, looking at it, extracting relationships and possibly other insights into it could result in an avalanche of human knowledge and discovery.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57406484-76/why-science-really-needs-big-data/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/big_data_press_release_final_2.pdf
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OBAMA ADMINISTRATION UNVEILS BIG DATA
INITIATIVE: ANNOUNCES $200 MILLION IN NEW R&D INVESTMENTS Aiming to
make the most of the fast-growing volume of digital data, the Obama
Administration today announced a Big Data Research and Development
Initiative. By improving our ability to extract knowledge and insights
from large and complex collections of digital data, the initiative
promises to help solve some the Nation's most pressing challenges. To
launch the initiative, six Federal departments and agencies today
announced more than $200 million in new commitments that, together,
promise to greatly improve the tools and techniques needed to access,
organize, and glean discoveries from huge volumes of digital data. In
the same way that past Federal investments in information-technology
R&D led to dramatic advances in supercomputing and the creation of
the Internet, the initiative we are launching today promises to
transform our ability to use Big Data for scientific discovery,
environmental and biomedical research, education, and national security,
said Dr. John P. Holdren, Assistant to the President and Director of
the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. To make the
most of this opportunity, the White House Office of Science and
Technology Policy (OSTP) in concert with several Federal departments and
agencies created the Big Data Research and Development Initiative to:
Advance state-of-the-art core technologies needed to collect, store,
preserve, manage, analyze, and share huge quantities of data. Harness
these technologies to accelerate the pace of discovery in science and
engineering, strengthen our national security, and transform teaching
and learning; and Expand the workforce needed to develop and use Big
Data technologies.
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- as usual thanks to all of the individuals and groups who purchase and use my goods and services
