Data analytics help control infectious diseases, make Hershey candy kisses -- and more

BSA | The Software Alliance, an advocate to governments for the software industry -- whose members include Adobe, Apple, Dell, IBM, Microsoft and 20 other companies -- reported survey results showing that 97 percent of large businesses in the United States and Europe regard data analytics as important to their companies at a Dec. 10 National Press Club Newsmaker event

In releasing the results, an expert panel revealed how software, computing power and an explosion of data from business, government and connected devices are producing analyses that are transforming all aspects of contemporary life. Comprising the panel were the president and CEO of BSA, representatives of two member companies and a government official

"Data is the fuel that powers the 21st century," declared Bruce Andrews, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Andrews cited data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, for example, that permits farmers to manage drought conditions. The data projects seasonal outlooks a year in advance and can estimate what week would be best to harvest a particular crop, he said.

Government data is pervasive in our daily lives, he said. When we get up and check the weather, traffic and time, we are relying on government generated data and systems, he noted.

Victoria Espinel, president and CEO of BSA, said the impression that big data sets contain mainly personal information is false. Equipment -- jet-airplane sensors for example -- generate significant volumes of data far more extensive than information on individuals, she said.

Jane Snowdon, chief innovation officer at IBM Federal, said "data is the new natural resource fueling innovation." She compared it to steam power in the 18th century, electricity in the 19th century and internal combustion in the 20th century.

The convergence of four technologies – cloud technology, analysis, mobile devices and social sharing – has the potential to be a significant as the development of the Internet, she said.

She cited the development of a system called STEM (for Spatiotemporal Epidemiological Modeler) that models the spread of infectious disease. The system is "open source," meaning available for free, and is helping manage diseases around the world.

In this world, the development of skills in the other type of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) is critical, she said.

John Nesi, vice president for market development at Rockwell Automation, a member of BSA, emphasized the impact of data generated by equipment and manufacturing processes. His company's clients are automating industries, he said.

He advocated that companies be connected in real time, "shop floor to top floor," meaning that data generated by equipment and manufacturing processes be integrated into the rest of the enterprise, such as management, marketing and new product development.

Nesi said that only 14 percent of manufacturers have currently connected equipment. A barrier to a higher percentage is the long lifetimes of equipment, as much as 20 years. But companies purchasing today have the opportunity to take advantage of equipment connected to other equipment and systems, he explained.

He predicted that the convergence of IT (information technology) with OT (operations technology) will increase innovation and efficiency in manufacturing.

Manufacturing plants are no longer, "old, dumb and dirty," he said.

Nesi described two examples. In one, a sausage maker prevented a million pounds of waste a year by mining information on materials, moisture and temperature during the manufacturing process.

In the other, Hersheys, the chocolate maker that manufactures 70 million candy kisses a day, integrates data on cocoa pricing (which is influenced by weather forecasts for growing conditions), consumer buying patterns and other inputs while the plant runs 24 hours a day.

Data supplies a critical need to monitor specific product from manufacturing to consumer for quality assurance, Nesi said. In a case such as counterfeit baby formula that was distributed in China, a company could ensure there were no problems in its products, he explained.