IBM Watson supercomputer toolkit became available to developers in the form of "cloud"

The Watson supercomputer, created by the efforts of specialists from IBM, has repeatedly “glowed” on Habré. Actually, this is not surprising, since such systems are capable of performing the most complicated tasks that are put before supercomputers by scientists, doctors, and military. However, systems of this class are practically closed, since access to them is limited to a very narrow circle of people.

Not so long ago, IBM announced its intention to open the Watson toolkit for third-party developers. It is planned to do this in the form of the IBM Watson Developers Cloud cloud service. It is assumed that developers will interact with the "cloud" through the API, opening up access to approximately 40 different tools of the system.
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At the same time, partners of the company will be able to use their own data to create applications, as well as work with the IBM Watson Content Store, using data from third-party companies. The corporation attracted to the project about 500 specialists, experts from various fields of science and technology, who will help partner companies to create applications based on Watson resources.

The goal of this project is to develop new technologies of artificial intelligence, as well as application programs for working with supercomputers created by third-party developers. Of course, there are already demo products based on the IBM Watson Developers Cloud.

The first such product is the “virtual client” developed by Fluid. This company has "invested" in Watson almost all the information about customers collected over a long time, having received a personal shopping consultant at the output who can provide real assistance to each client. Accordingly, the purchase can be called "smart" in the literal and figurative sense.



The second project is Hippocrates from MD Buyline. This project is intended for hospitals in particular and the health care system in general. Hippocrates helps system users to get recommendations for their patients. Watson can help you understand whether doctors choose the best way to treat patients.



The third project from the company Welltok, also from the health sector. But here we are talking more about management in this area, and not about specific methods of treating patients.

According to the plan, all three projects will enter the market in 2014.

Thanks to the capabilities of the supercomputer, partners can process “Big Data”, that is, huge unstructured data arrays. Watson analyzes information and provides already structured data that can be used in various projects. Well, and examples of such projects were given above.

To support the work of the cloud service itself, the corporation cooperates with Elance, which, in turn, works with more than 3 million freelancers specializing in application development, web programming, graphic design. Elance will help IBM partners develop applications and services based on the capabilities of Watson.

Almost any company can participate in this interesting project. But, of course, the resources of the supercomputer are hardly enough, if everyone will apply, so an application should be submitted for participation in the project, which will then be considered by the “jury” of the project.

And here is the project site , where there is detailed information on the project, documentation, blog and forum.