In the previous blog on machine learning, we learnt about applying machine learning techniques to recommendation engines and an overview of collaborative filtering (CF) algorithms implemented in Apache Mahout. In this post, we'll discuss how to build a recommendation engine using Mahout. Let us take an example of a movie rating application that allows users to rate movies and suggests other movies that they might like. Following could be a data set where some users have rated some movies on a scale of 1 to 5 (highest). The empty cells denote that the user has not rated the movie.

But if you really want to light up your front porch (or prison yard), the Maximus Smart Motion Security Light should do the trick. Controllable via Amazon's Alexa digital assistant or via the Kuna app available for Android and iOS devices, Maximus' Smart Motion Security Light builds on the success of the company's Smart Security Light line. The somewhat insectile outdoor fixture is equipped with an integrated 1080p video camera that can broadcast live footage directly to your smartphone. And its powerful 2400-lumen floodlight is unlikely to leave any shadows for miscreants to hide in (that's more than twice as bright as the Netatmo Presence security camera/floodlight we reviewed in November 2016). Through the use of the Kuna app, which you can read about in one of our earlier reviews, you'll not only be able to view the Smart Motion Security Light's video feed, but also hear and speak with individuals standing close to the fixture.

After cars that drive themselves, phones you can talk to and shopping delivered by drone, it's hard to guess where technology is headed next. Step forward these shorts, which reveal more than a pair of legs – they also tell the wearer where to go. The Daisy Duke-style shorts send a vibration to different sides of the body, indicating when and where to turn. Step in the right direction: The Spinali Design shorts, left, and jeans, right, send a vibration to different sides of the body, indicating when and where to turn. They are connected to a smartphone by Bluetooth, and so when a route is set on the phone it sends the directions through to the shorts. The shorts also buzz to let the wearer know if they have an incoming text or call, taking away the need to keep checking the phone.

Everyone's making a smart personal assistant these days -- thanks, Alexa -- but not all of them are as adorable as the Olly. It's basically a donut-shaped speaker that lies flat when dormant, but stands and spins around with lights flashing when active. But what sets the Olly apart from the Echo clone pack is by incorporating a bit of personality into the mix. The unique bit with the Olly is that its personality adapts to yours over time. According to London-based Emotech, its parent company, Olly's behavior will evolve depending on how you interact with it.

For many, the first real interaction they will have with AI is through the personal assistants on their phones. Apple's Siri and Microsoft's Cortana have already proved themselves in the market place, but while such virtual assistants have a clear advantage in that they come built in to people's phones, they have competition from independents. Ozlo, for one, launched on iOS last October. Its focus thus far has been on finding people restaurants, bars, and recipes by analyzing data from sources like TripAdvisor, FourSquare, and Yelp, among others, and it is looking to expand. In 2017, Ozlo is being made available to third-party developers so that they can build their own versions of Ozlo.

A UK start-up has unveiled a desktop robot that develops a different personality for each user in a household. The device can play music and control other internet-connected devices as well as offer advice. Chris Foxx was given a first look at at the product at the CES tech show in Las Vegas.

We're beginning to see a trend here at CES. A ton of companies are either injecting their tech with a dose of Alexa or building their own Amazon Echo competitors from scratch. SmartBeings falls into the later category, but its WooHoo device packs a lot more punch than the online retailer's smart speaker. WooHoo can do some of the things Echo handles, but it's also equipped with both facial and voice recognition, Android-powered software and a 7-inch touchscreen. If you can imagine a version of Echo with a rotating camera that helps complete tasks when a specific person walks in a room, you'll get the idea here.

Mark Zuckerberg has given more weight to the idea that he could move into politics with the announcement of a statesmanly personal challenge for 2017. In previous years the Facebook CEO has learned Mandarin, pledged to run at least a mile each day and built a virtual assistant called Jarvis to control his home. This year he wants to have visited and met people in every state in the US. He's already visited about 20 states, which means he has to travel to about 30 states by the end of the year. "After a tumultuous last year, my hope for this challenge is to get out and talk to more people about how they're living, working and thinking about the future," he said in a Facebook post announcing the challenge.

What the year 2016 has been for all things tech. Blockchain exploded onto the scene, followed by AI, augmented reality, IoT, conversational interfaces and digital which saw mainstream acceptance. It was the year when these technologies leaped off the slides of executive presentations and began their steady march towards the enterprise. As we look forward to what is to come, here are some emerging technologies and concepts that are poised to fire off the grounds in major style in 2017. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to gain ground For years, artificial intelligence has been the stuff of sci-fi stories.

Chinese tech giant Lenovo announced Tuesday it was launching a smart home assistant powered by Amazon's Alexa, becoming the latest firm to enter the market for voice-activated devices. The new Smart Assistant, to go on sale for US$129, will compete with Amazon's Echo speakers using the artificial intelligence developed by Amazon. Lenovo made the announcement ahead of the opening of the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show, which features a dizzying array of tech gadgets and concepts. Built in collaboration with Amazon, the Smart Assistant "recognises users' voice commands to conduct web searches, play music, create lists, calendar reminders and much more," a Lenovo statement said. Lenovo's move comes following Google's launch of a similar device which can respond to questions and voice commands and connect to smart appliances, so a user can set a thermostat or turn on an oven.