One of the things I love about my job is seeing how today's technologies can enable new ways of doing things that make a real impact on people's lives. Case in point: The dyslexia-screening tool developed by Optolexia, which was named a "Future Swedish Innovator" by SvD, one of the largest newspapers in Sweden. Taking advantage of the cloud computing and machine learning Optolexia aims to help schools identify students at risk for dyslexia significantly earlier than current screening tests. Its solution is a great example of a project that falls into the upper left quadrant of the four-block diagram tool I covered in a previous blog, which is to say that it's a project that benefits tremendously from being in the cloud with relatively low risk and it was able to be implemented quickly. As many as 10–15 percent of school-age children are dyslexic, and the International Dyslexia Association estimates there are 1 billion people with dyslexia worldwide.

We cover many emerging markets in the startup ecosystem. Previously, we published posts that summarized Financial Technology, Internet of Things, Bitcoin, and MarTech in six visuals. This week, we do the same with Artificial Intelligence (AI). At this time, we are tracking 855 AI companies across 13 categories, with a combined funding amount of 8.75billion. To see all of our AI related posts, check out our blog!

While being a vibrant subfield of computer science, machine learning is used for drawing models and methods from statistics, algorithms, computational complexity, control theory and artificial intelligence. It focuses on efficient algorithms for inferring good predictive models from large data sets and is natural candidate for problems arising in HFT – both trade execution & alpha generation. In quantitative finance inference of models of predictive nature using historical data is obviously not new. Some examples include the coefficient estimation for CAPM, Fama and French factors. The granularity of data arising in HFT poses special challenges for machine learning. Often data microstructure at the resolution of individual orders, executions, hidden liquidity and cancellation including lack of understanding of how such granular data relates to actionable circumstances, namely profitably buying or selling shares, optimally executing a large order, etc.

With a photo of Zuckerberg and his bodyguards jogging past Tian'anmen Square in Beijing on a heavily polluted day Friday, Zuckerberg announced his arrival and sparked heated online discussion in the process. He continued to grab public attention as he met and had a dialogue with Chinese tech mogul Jack Ma, the chairman of the Chinese tech mammoth Alibaba Group, at the China Development Forum, a state-sponsored forum. What did the two discuss? Have a look with AllChinaTech. On innovation When asked about his opinion of China's next five-year development plan, which highlights innovation, Zuckerberg talked about innovation being dedicated to solving long-term problems.

This downward trend in new job creation in new technology industries is particularly evident starting in the Computer Revolution of the 1980s. For example, a study by Jeffery Lin suggests that while about 8.2% of the US workforce shifted into new jobs during the 1980s which were associated with new technologies; during the 1990s this figured declined to 4.4%. Estimates by Thor Berger and Carl Benedikt Frey further suggest that less than 0.5% of the US workforce shifted into technology industries that emerged throughout the 2000s, including new industries such as online auctions, video and audio streaming, and web design.

Dentons turns to platform-as-a-service technology, analytics and artificial intelligence to build a better framework for legal research and processes. Although the legal profession has advanced considerably through the use of digital technology, many tasks remain deeply rooted in the past. In most cases, firms use an array of ad hoc and disconnected tools to do their job. It's not surprising, then, that the introduction of artificial intelligence and analytics could revolutionize the field. "Firms are searching for ways to build a better framework for legal research and processes so that they can operate faster and keep costs down," says Joe Andrew, the global chairman of Dentons, which operates more than 125 offices in over 50 countries.

The only way to keep up with this IoT-generated data and gain the hidden insights it holds is using AI (Artificial Intelligence) as the last mile of IoT. John McCarthy, who coined the term in 1955, defines it as "the science and engineering of making intelligent machines" In an IoT situation, AI can help companies take the billions of data points they have and boil them down to what's really meaningful. The general premise is the same as in the retail applications – review and analyze the data you've collected to find patterns or similarities that can be learned from, so that better decisions can be made. The data collected, combined with AI, makes life easier with intelligent automation, predictive analytics and proactive intervention.

Returning to Short of the Week for a third time, creative studio Factory Fifteen serve-up this enticing science-fiction short that centres around a worker in a futuristic car manufacturing plant as he starts to experience problems with the artificial intelligence that runs the production line. A 4-minute introduction to a world the talented team are currently developing into a larger project, ANA dazzles with its impressive aesthetic but really hooks its audience in with its intriguing narrative take on the singularity. Aiming to put a new twist on a popular science-fiction storyline and make their concept more relatable by showing how such a situation could affect the "ordinary" man, ANA explores one vignette from a world where technology is rising-up against those that created it. Produced as a way to entice an audience into the universe they are currently evolving into a longer piece, Factory Fifteen's Paul Nicholls spoke to Short of the Week about the aims of the project: "We had multiple ambitions with the film. A short-term ambition was to create a really high-end piece of drama, mixing performance and VFX. For us the design of the world (Jonah, Chupan Chupai, The Bug) is as important as the performance in our projects, to create a believable world. Working with Richard Brake (Game Of Thrones, Batman Begins, Doom), we knew we had the performance down, it was then up to us and the rest of the team to deliver the rest. The long-term goal was to develop this as a teaser to a larger project, which is currently in development".

Developing machine learning solutions that give a lift from your existing prediction algorithms is not an easy task. They require a multitude of activities to get it right including cleaning up the data, setting up the infrastructure, testing & re-testing the model & finally deploying the algorithm. Here are five machine learning services that can help reduce the pain of deploying your machine learning solution. Based on Microsoft's Azure Cloud Platform, Azure Machine Learning offers a streamlined experience for all data scientist skill levels, from setting up with only a web browser, to using drag and drop gestures and simple data flow graphs to set up experiments. Machine Learning Studio features a library of time-saving sample experiments, R and Python packages and best-in-class algorithms from Microsoft businesses like Xbox and Bing. Azure ML also supports R and Python custom code, which can be dropped directly into your workspace.

A near miss between a drone and a Lufthansa aircraft landing at Los Angeles International Airport may give impetus to moves to regulate consumer drones more closely, including by using technologies like geofencing. "This is one more incident that could have brought down an airliner, and it's completely unacceptable. A near-miss of 200 feet should serve as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by reckless drone use," said Senator Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat from California, in a statement. The senator said the Senate must pass legislation she introduced last year, called the Consumer Drone Safety Act, which would require safety features for consumer drones and strengthen the federal laws that govern their operation. The bill would, among other things, direct the Federal Aviation Administration to require safety features for newly manufactured consumer drones, such as geofencing to govern the altitude and location of flights and collision-avoidance software.