1. Technology Evaluation Centers
New Frontiers in BI:
Augmenting Reality and Adding Sense
Jorge García
Sr. Analyst, BI and Data Management
Salon BI 2012, Montreal
www.technologyevaluation.com
2. Technology Evaluation Centers
Outline
1. Introduction
2. Augmented Reality (AR)
3. Gestured Recognition (Motion Control)
4. Adding Sense to BI
5. Conclusion
6. Q&A
3. Technology Evaluation Centers
Introduction
Reality is merely an illusion,
albeit a very persistent one.
Albert Einstein
4. Technology Evaluation Centers
Introduction
• New technologies
• New corporate premises
• New user experience needs
Traditional
business intelligence
Augmented reality
User experience and
business transformation
AR, motion, voice, etc.
7. Technology Evaluation Centers
AR: What is augmented reality?
Augmented reality adds information and context to a real object
or place. It takes a real object or space as the base layer and
incorporates technologies that add contextual data to deepen a
person’s understanding of the subject.
8. Technology Evaluation Centers
AR: Common Applications
• Medical imaging. Doctors can
access data about patients.
• Aviation. Tools show pilots
important data about the landscape
they are viewing.
• Training. Auxiliary data is provided
to students or technicians about
specific objects they are working
with.
• Museums. Artifacts can be tagged
with information such as the
artifact’s historical context.
9. Technology Evaluation Centers
AR: Common Applications
Increased use of AR for analytics and
business Intelligence
• Especially mobile analytics
applications
Incorporation of AR into analytics
and BI thanks to:
• Increased adoption of
geolocation features, inserted
into maps
• The maturity of several
technologies such as mobile
and pattern recognition
10. Technology Evaluation Centers
AR: How does it work?
A range of technologies can be used for augmented reality:
From:
• Headgear or similar device projecting data onto the user’s field of vision,
that corresponds with a real object or space the user is observing
To:
• The use of mobile devices to expand real vision with an additional layer
of information
Augmented reality is not merely a companion text or
multimedia file, but a technology:
• designed to “see” a real object or place
• provides the user with appropriate information
11. Technology Evaluation Centers
AR: Key Features
• Combines real and virtual images
• Interactive in real time
• Registers in 3D
14. Technology Evaluation Centers
Gesture Recognition (Motion Control)
The least movement is of
importance to all nature. The
entire ocean is affected by a
pebble.
Blaise Pascal
16. Technology Evaluation Centers
Gesture Recognition (Motion Control)
Gesture recognition:
interpreting human gestures via mathematical algorithms
17. Technology Evaluation Centers
Gestured Recognition (Motion Control)
Gesture recognition enables humans to interface with machines
(HMI) and interact naturally without any mechanical devices.
18. Technology Evaluation Centers
Gestured Recognition (Motion Control)
Practical use cases for analytics
• Video: Extended Results
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkvbG_YfRgE
• Video: SAP HANA and Kinect
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6LXRNhGsHk
19. Technology Evaluation Centers
Gestured Recognition (Motion Control)
Advantages:
• Natural way of interaction
• “Space” is an effective interaction modality
(compared with keyboard and mouse)
• Removes the user’s dependency on a surface
• Remote interaction
Disadvantages:
Tiring (e.g., gorilla arm)
• User-dependent gestures
(few universal understandable gestures)
• Computationally expensive
21. Technology Evaluation Centers
Adding Sense to BI
Confluence of Technologies
• Augmented reality
• Voice and image recognition
• Gesture recognition
• Real-time computing
• Sophisticated digital signage
• And more…
22. Technology Evaluation Centers
Gestured Recognition (Motion Control)
Other use cases
• Video: KeyTree
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYQ0oQLYQxM
• Video: Shopperception
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO1mNA6so70
23. Technology Evaluation Centers
Challenges
• Relying on specific or customized hardware, and the technological
mechanisms that correlate data with the real world are often
technically complex.
• Despite falling costs for hardware overall, augmented reality
projects can be expensive to develop and maintain.
• Today’s augmented reality projects typically focus on individual
users and may not lend themselves to team activities or group
learning.
• Augmented reality projects often resemble entertainment, raising
questions about their business and educational value.
24. Technology Evaluation Centers
Opportunities
• It targets specific groups rather than just individuals.
• It enables complete ownership of user experience.
• It enhances user experience in a radical way to
encourage and streamline interaction.
• It potentially expands the use of analytics at all
company levels, from customers to executives.
25. Technology Evaluation Centers
Business Intelligence with Voice
Siri: What can I help you with?
CEO: What is our sales revenue?
Siri: It's 300 mn till date. There is growth of 10% Y-o-Y
CEO: Which is our worst performing region?
Siri: North. Sales revenue has declined 20% compared to the same period last year.
CEO: Text scott why is sales revenue declining? Can we meet tomorrow? (Scott -
Regional Manager - North)
CEO: Set up sales review meeting with Scott at 9 am tomorrow.
Siri: Ok. I have set up a meeting at 9am.
Source: Is Siri the future of BI?
Business Analytics Blog, Manish Desai
26. Technology Evaluation Centers
Conclusion
Augmented reality and motion control technologies might have
the potential to change radically how users interact with
business intelligence, analytics, and all enterprise software in
general.
They can offer more natural ways to communicate, collaborate,
and share information—with other users, other systems, and
the world outside the organization.