Your smart phone will soon be able to predict where your going in next 24h.
What results come out from Nokia Mobile Data Challenge (data from smartphones of almost 200 participants captured constantly for 1+ year)? Researchers from University of Birmingham claim that they have devised an algorithm which is able to capture your mobility patterns and can predict, down to 20 metres, where you might be 24 hours later. A little bit scary isn’t it?
Dr. Mirco Musolesi, from the University of Birmingham’s School of Computer Science, who led the study, said: “Information extracted from the usage of a mobile phone is an intriguing source of data about people behaviour. We have shown that the accuracy of the prediction of an individual’s future locations could be improved if his or her previous movement and the mobility information of his or her social group are taken into account.”
Dr Manlio De Domenico, who took part in the research, said, “In a world dominated by social networks and always-connected mobile devices, the potential applications of our study are many, in particular for marketing, advertising, and personalised services. If a system is able to predict with reasonable accuracy where the user is directed, it could provide geo-localised and personalised recommendations based on his or her future movement. For example, a user might receive meal offers related to restaurants in the area they are moving towards.”
Mr. Antonio Lima, a Ph.D. student of the School of Computer Science involved in the study, said: “In order to predict movements of people accurately, this study leverages their synchronicity and correlation. For example, friends John and Emily usually have lunch together either at a Chinese restaurant close to John’s office. Sometimes, though, they like to go a little farther to a nice Italian restaurant. When Emily is heading to the Italian place, this algorithm uses this information to predict that John is very likely to go there soon as well.”
The potential of this study is huge. Mobile operators already says that they’re able to predict with over 90% probability where you will be in 24h, but 20 meters accuracy is something totally else. I can imagine situation like this “Siri could you tell my where I will be tomorrow at 7.33 pm”?
Source: Phys.org
#Ideas
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Are you frustrated with your job search?
Discover some pointers to stand out from yourjob search competitors?
Do recruitment agencies help or hinder yourjob search?
Job Search
Frustration
Searching for a new job can be a frustrating and often a depressing process but try to remain positive and keep the job search going as it is just a numbers game – the more jobs you apply for, the more you learn about the process, the closer you will get to securing the job you want.
“It’s not how many times you fall down, it’s how many times you get back up.”
Learn at every application, every step along the way, why you succeeded and why you did not. Always ask questions to help you improve.
Tips towards job search success
- Review your resume and cover letter and make sure they are focused on the job you are applying for. Resumes and cover letters are very personal documents and reflect who you are. Try to think outside the box and be a little bit creative, use colour, photos, and personal examples to show why you are the best candidate for the role.
- There can be a temptation to wait for the ideal job, especially for new graduates, but while you wait, others have taken roles which are getting them experience that will quickly become invaluable. Look for roles that you can use as stepping stones to your ideal job even if it means taking a pay-cut for a short time.
- Don’t wait for the job to come to you but be active in your job search. Contact companies you would like to work for, even if they do not have vacancies, and send them your resume. Many organisations are often on the lookout for good people without actively advertising for people. Advertising, interviewing and the whole candidate search process can be an expensive exercise for a company so if they can avoid that process many will do so.
- Network, Network, Network. Many people seem to believe their job search ends with adding their resume to an online networking / business site, believing that companies will magically track you down once. On the contrary, this is only the beginning of the process. You need to get noticed by individuals of influence and the best way to do that is to network, directly and indirectly, with these people. As an example, write about you, your skills, your projects, and your job aspirations on a regular basis. Create a blog and add posts to it on a regular basis. Post the links on your social networking pages and other pertinent article sites so people can read about it. Don’t just do it once but keep it going, daily, weekly, monthly.
Recruitment Agencies
Do recruitment agencies help or hinder your job search? In my opinion, they often hinder the process as they fail to keep you informed along the way. If you are successful, they will be your best friend as they have just made their commission on that role, but if you are unsuccessful, you will often not even get a polite ‘thanks but no thanks’ letter or e-mail. You are often left waiting with no feedback and no assistance.
Many of you who know me will know that I ran a recruitment company for many years helping people in the GIS Industry find jobs around Australia but have moved away from running this company for range of reasons. Having said this it was one of the most rewarding businesses I ran; helping people find jobs, both short and long term. GeoSpatial Connect will be providing a free global linking service to both employers and job seekers, not a traditional recruitment service as such but we will actively work with you to find a role, or people, undertake promotion and help in all steps of the job search process. Work with us as we work with you.
