In a Nutshell with David Eccles of Wallscope
Category: Blog
By Janice
24/07/2016
Today's nutshell is David Eccles, Director of Wallscope. Wallscope is focused on developing Artificial Intelligence tools which semantically enhance ‘non semantic’ pieces of content.
Wallscope was formed to enable David and his colleague Ian Allaway to build on the research and development they had carried out in the area of semantic technology and linked data principles.
Main Focus of the Business
We apply artificial intelligence to the big data challenge.
Why?
Gartner says data volumes will grow 800% in the next 5 years and unstructured data is growing 62% faster.
“…The average knowledge worker spends up to 2.5 hours per day searching for or gathering information or data….[from Goldman Sachs]…even a 5% reduction in time spent on search would result in an annual reduction of 640,000 person hours, or $33 million per year, spent trying to find information that already exists.”
Check out the article Data, Data Everywhere … So Why Can’t I Find Anything?, TABB Forum, September, 2015
What do you do now?
This technology we are deploying is in an early stage of adoption, generally, yet it is drawing incredible interest.
I spend a lot of time speaking to people who either perceive a problem or an opportunity with their data. I try and understand the types of data they have and how it can be better used.
What was your very first job?
When I was 14, I got a job selling icecream at St Andrews. I only lasted a couple of days because it was too cold. Later on as a student I served in the Ubiquitous Chip in Glasgow.
How did you get into IT?
I am dyslexic and it was easier to type on a keyboard than write. I was extremely interest in photography, words and pictures and editorial, so I ended up working on magazine content, which involved desktop publishing. This involved converting all the desktop publishing assets to make them available for both print and web delivery.
Interesting fact about You?
I set up a night club called Shaft which brought funk back onto the dancefloor in Edinburgh along with platform shoes.
Favourite Place?
Elephant Rock, St Andrews – in the middle of winter you can experience the wind and the wildness of the sea in a safe place
Dream Car?
None – prefer walking
Who would you most like to meet and why?
Alice Cooper – love the theatricality, and curious about his relationship with Salvador Dali
Current Aspirations for the business
Knowledge is empowering – reducing the barriers to accessing information is important to creating a sustainable world.
Wallscope website : http://wallscope.co.uk/
Contact David via linkedin:
To Find out More:
e-mail us on support@companyconnecting.com
call us on 0845 643 5375
"In a Nutshell with David Eccles of Wallscope" First published on Company Connecting July 2016
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