The human face of Big Data

Researchers John Guttag and Collin Stultz (shown here) along with Zeeshan Syed have created a computer model to analyse formerly discarded EKG data of heart attack patients. Using data mining and machine learning techniques to sift through the massive quantities of data, they found that three abnormalities in an EKG are correlated with a two to three times higher risk of dying from a second heart attack within a year. They believe their computer model will significantly improve today's risk-screening techniques, which miss identifying about 70 percent of patients likely to have a repeat heart attack.

Read more from Rick Smolan and Jennifer Erwitt's book:  Human Face of Big Data.

Pulse of the planet by Esther Dyson

Data Driven by Jonathan Harris