Chris Nay

Driving Cognitive Research in Johannesburg

Nearly 100 years ago, IBM established its first operations in Africa, and began playing a vital role in the continent’s economic development – boosting the capabilities of its people and institutions through technical education, training, infrastructure, governance and scientific research. In 2013, the company drove deeper into Africa opening its first research lab on the […]

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Who Knew U.S. Drivers Crossed Their Legs While Using Cruise Control?

When engineers here at Honda R&D were discussing where to locate the “engine start” button in their vehicles, they learned that several US drivers accidentally pressed the engine start button with their knees. This was a big surprise for us, because it’s only possible if you put the car into cruise control, take your feet […]

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Training Watson To Be Your Musical Muse

Watson already helps chefs and home cooks alike come up with never-before-eaten recipes. It also assists artists and helped one color coordinate a mural, and another make a cognitive dress for the Met Gala in New York. Now researchers are working to make the system capable of collaborating with musicians to produce original songs and scores. […]

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Breakthrough Polymer Could Lead to Endlessly Recyclable Plastics

IBM Research Scientist Jamie Garcia, who MIT recently named a 2015 “Innovator Under 35” for her work in polymers, recently told an EmTech audience how her “chance discovery sparked a quest for plastics that are both strong and recyclable.” The chemistry PhD hopes that the properties of these new polymers lead to longer-lasting, more-durable, even […]

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Mayor of Johannesburg: Our Future is Green and ‘Ecomobile’

In December, representatives from 196 countries will attend the 21st meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris. With the goal to agree on a new legally-binding framework to limit greenhouse gas emissions, it is set to be the most important summit on climate […]

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The Science of Selfies

By Casey Dugan “We can give you loads of data.” That’s what I said to IBM Senior Vice President of Solutions Portfolio and Research, John Kelly, III, when he asked why we installed a little “selfie” station in the lobby of the IBM Research Lab in Cambridge, Mass. I installed the simple system in April […]

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